All posts in Tactical Gear

Pocket carry the way for the White collar

I got a recent phone call from a few LEO’s that were getting moved to investigations and it was time for them to rework their working attire.  I think it’s safe to say that wearing a uniform all day is not as comfortable as wearing jeans or your preferences in shirts, pants and shoes.   I’ve had to wear boots all day for 5yrs straight and when I get a rare occasion to wear sneakers my feet and legs feel like they move faster.   Carrying a gun is something very similar to wearing boots.   If you have to carry a full size Beretta 92FS, you’ll feel the same way when  you are carrying a Rohrbaugh R9S in your pocket.

I have watched many of my LEO friends go from street work and SWAT Team apparel to white collar “is that the same guy I knew before” looking individuals.  Blackhawk holsters do make a pocket carry holster for the white collar work.  Guys that have to carry briefcases or laptops aren’t going to want to carry 50rds or more of ammunition when their job is to do office or investigations work.   You want to be able to show up at doors and not notify the neighbors of the people you are talking to that a cop is investigating a grim in the area.

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Favorite guns for IDPA

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of the IDPA National competitions in recent years and it has still amazed me that the 1911 is the number one firearm that is being  used.    I’ve spent enough time on the range to know that the 45acp is more consistent in knocking down targets and makes bigger holes.   The triggers on the 1911 design can be sweetened and even though there are some draw backs to the 1911 design, for competition, there aren’t any.   Glocks have a good showing because they have a consistent trigger design like the 1911, but they are very different to shoot.

I understand that many shooters will probable shoot a 9mm more proficiently over a 45acp and I have done personal evaluations of novice shooters and done comparisons.   The 9mm is easier to shoot and will most likely get you a higher hit percentage. For more advanced shooters, they won’t have problems with the 45acp.  Wilson Combat magazines are still the number one 1911 gun magazine that I see at these events followed by Chip McCormick.   Every 1911 design can be tweaked and modified just like a pile of Legos.

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Putting a safety on a firearm

There are many things to concern yourself with when you choose to carry a firearm.    People training to  hit holes on paper and maneuver themselves around a firearm range, but if the shit hits the fan, not everyone is mentally prepared for a fight.   Many that have become victims of crime tend to be the most proficient at my training courses because they know what the receiving end of crime feels like.   Having that feeling is not something the less experienced will easily learn to know.   I have personally witnessed people freeze up in hostile situations that I would normally think would be fighters and sometimes people can just become off balance and loose themselves.

Everyone has a different reason for carry the firearm that have chosen to carry and that is your personal choice.   I have issues with carrying firearms that are high maintenance, but to each his own.  One thing to consider when carry a firearm out in the open though is to have some level of retention device.   I am not big on using these for CCW, but for open carry, it’s wise to have something like the Blackhawk holsters that have a locking device that is easy to release but a BG that tries to grab a hold of your gun in a fight will have extra fiddling to do if they want to get a hold of your Sig Sauer, Glock or Springfield XD.

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Deciding on putting a white light on a handgun

I have witnessed one too many times of people mounting things on firearms that fall off, get snagged or malfunction.  The more you put on a firearm that needs to be tightened or screwed on, the more you better pay attention to how it is mounted and verifying that it has been locked in every time you expect to use it.   I haven’t caught on to the handgun white light idea because considering the distance I would use a sidearm inside my home, holding a flashlight while shooting a Glock vs having it on a Glock doesn’t really mean much to me.   I’m not going to be taking 25yd shots where I need a better shooting grip to get good shots.

Mounting a white light on your gun may also mean  you can’t use your gun holsters anymore and you’ll have to run out and pick up a new one.   Keeping a gun in your bed side safe with a white light is very practical.  Streamlight flashlights make the TLR-1 and TLR-2 that gives you the option of a flashlight or flashlight and laser.  I’m a fan off certain types of firearms for me, but there are guns that I would issue to less trained loved ones with certain accessories because they are easier to manipulate or handle.   I’m a big fan of shotguns and battle rifles, but that is too much for a fragile person to handle inside the home.  I’d feel better issuing a Glock 19 with a white light than a 1911 with a manual safety for someone less trained to deal with recoil and stress.

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Things to keep in your car besides firearms

There is a mindset that goes with the responsible Citizen and it’s not all about firearms and self defense.   I’m a big proponent of getting First Aid or emergency response training if you are a concealed carry holder or if you have taken defensive firearm training.  Not only are you preparing yourself for defending  yourself, you may be involved in a situation where others besides the BG may have been shot or injured.  I’ve witnessed enough violent crime in my life to know that some old guy or an old lady may have a heart attack in a crisis situation and knowing  how to deal with that is important.

I keep a spare magazine in my car for the nightmare scenario of needing it, but I also carry jumper cables, fix a flat and tire pressure gauges.   Another thing to consider having is small fire extinguisher and something you can use to cut a seat belt or smash out a car window.   Breaking car windows can be difficult if you don’t have the proper tools, but  many tactical knives and something like the SOG Fusion tactical tomahawk will make it easier to smash open a window to free someone from a burning car.   I witnessed several car accidents that turned into car fires and sometimes people will become unconscious after an impact. There are many ways to save peoples lives.  Having the tools to do so

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Tactical vests and firearm retention

Gun vests are as diverse in application and gun holsters are.   There are various types of vests for specific missions and some of the best ones to get are the ones that you can configure yourself.   Not everyone needs to carry 12 gun magazines for their M4 Carbine and most of that would even be considered extreme for a combat soldier.   I am a big fan of leg holsters because my primary fighting weapon is an M4 rifle and I don’t like the idea of putting a handgun up on my vest because it’s one more thing for my rifle sling to snag on.   Eotac and Woolrich Elite vests suit me better because they are softer and don’t have a holster for retaining a firearm, it’s all magazine and gear and the pistol magazine holder is inside the pockets, not outer pouches.

I am also not a fan of vests that carry tons of rifle and pistol ammunition, it’s good to be able to carry a backup handgun incase your primary goes down, but I’m more inclined to bring a spare bolt and firing pin so I can replace most broken parts on my M4 in only a minute.   Having 2 or 3 Wilson combat magazines for my 1911 is all I need for most practical purposes.  If I need more handgun ammunition than that, I might as well pack a few grenades and be able to call in an airstrike, too.  If you are wearing a tactical vests, in my opinion, it’s cross draw, or it’s a leg holster for your handgun.

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Gun cases for the gun enthusiasts

If you are new to collecting firearms, I have some advice for you.   Keep your guns, ammunition, magazines and accessories organized.   This may even mean that you have to spend money on gun safes or gun racks, but considering how much damage can occur to your firearms and especially rifle scopes, good organization means preservation.    I have on many occasions seen guy show up with rifles and bring the wrong gun magazines or the wrong sight in tools and from my experience, all of that should be in a range or gun bag at all times.   It’s better to keep everything in one place and bring it all with you then having to worry about if you have your AK sight in tool, M1 Garand sight in tool or your AR front sight adjustment.

If you have several long guns,  consider buying the same type of gun cases and write on them which gun case if for which rifle.   It can be a real headache if you are constantly trying to remember which gun is in which case and if the assault rifle case is for a Mini 14 or an AK.   If you own both guns, get 2 gun cases.   Allen gun cases are very inexpensive and for the most part, once you know the length of your firearm you should know if it will fit in the case.  High mounted optics or flashlights can make it problematic on knowing if a gun case will work.   The Endura pistol rug is easy to file away and can also be easily written on or marked.

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Keeping it simple, but still wash your hands

I’ve often found it difficult to clean my firearms while wearing gloves, this gets right back to the problem that I have often come across when handing the AR15 rifle with them on.  There are smaller parts to take apart on the M4 Carbine and even though I have to get my hands dirty, I can’t get to all of the parts with gloves on.   There have been times I only fired less than 20rds through a rifle and I wasn’t in the mood for a full firearm disassemble.   If I have a firearm that has gone on a camping trip like my Marlin 336 lever action or a Winchester Model 70 bolt action, I still clean them after every trip even if they have not been fired.   Moisture can get to these types of firearms and I have had many wars with rust in the past.

There are traditional cleaning kits that may work for you, but since I have bent rods cleaning firearms, I strongly recommend against anything but a once piece rifle cleaning rod to prevent damage or issues.   Boresnakes will speed up the process of cleaning your bore and avoid the problems of putting cleaning patches, but you still need to use lube and wash them on occasion.   Otis gun cleaning kits can fit in a rifle stock, your pistol grip or your butt stock depending on how many tools you think you want to store there.

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Ankle holsters and gun weight

This is something I have never been able to get away from, if a gun is heavy, you’ll eventually start to feel it.   I hear guys constantly brag about how they carry a 1911 or a full size Springfield XD 45acp in a holster all day, but when I start to question how much of the day, days of the week, and how much physical work they do when carrying, the answer is always less than what it seems.   I have said many times that I have often been amazed by some of my fiercest and most knowledgeable friends are packing some of the smaller firearms and they are confident.   A J-frame 38 special can be had in a lightweight frame and that gives it more versatility compared to a heavier frame.

Ankle holsters are not for everyone, if you aren’t in good physical shape this isn’t for you, from my experience this is a wedding or backup carry method.   One thing to consider with Galco holsters or similar types of holsters is how much weight can you comfortable handle.   You have to watch the type of pants you wear so they don’t bunch up, and expecting to carry a heavy firearm in this manor and be able to walk around without feeling like you have a ball and chain wrapped around you is something that foresight is needed.

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Otis butt stock cleaning kit

The first time I ever got a hold of an Otis gun cleaning kit I was kinda overwhelmed with the amount of brushes and tools that were in it.   It was a universal rifle and pistol cleaning kit and I was kind of bothered by how much stuff was jiggling around inside the pouch.   I know now that this was a little more than what I really needed, but once I figured out how to use the kit and what all of the tools were for all of the other cleaning kits from Otis were easier to use.   This is from someone that started out with a bolt action 22LR rifle and a Hoppes gun cleaning kit from K-Mart.

The gun cleaning that I have grown to hate usually is from the AR15 direct impingement guns I own.   I have heard numerous firearms instructors tell me that there is such a thing as too much cleaning, and knowing exactly what parts to lube and clean on an AR15 is the key to firearm maintenance.   The Otis gun cleaning kits I use now are specific to the firearm I am cleaning. Hoppes boresnakes have served me well, but getting into the parts of an AR15 especially the locking lugs is difficult without an AR15 brush designed for that type of chamber.  There are times you will need to literally scrape the locking lugs of an AR15 and Otis has the tools and gun cleaning kit for your needs.

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