Tactical and concealed carry, they aren’t the same

I’ve been selling and watching the tactical clothing market for over 6yrs now and I’m still not blown away by anyone one manufacturer.   There are good points about several tactical pants makers, but nobody is doing everything right.   I’m still blown away that the 5.11 covert carry pants I picked up a few months ago were so poorly designed that I couldn’t fit a J-Frame revolver in the pants.    How they heck was somebody not fired over that one?   From what I’m seeing on the internet, those pants I got for $40 at a gun shop are selling for $19.99 at some 5.11 tactical dealer and I can see why.  I also find it odd that 5.11 still stamps there logo so that everyone knows they are tactical pants.

I’ve been reading and watching a lot of YouTube videos and getting feedback on Blackhawk and 5.11 pants because they seem to have a lot of variations of tactical pants.  The materials are more diverse than much of what Woolrich Elite and Eotac pants are made from, but I’m not feeling the urge to sink a lot of money in them.   Most people wearing tactical pants want comfort.   I learned that several years ago when there seems to have been a big exodus from 5.11 and so many people complaints about the fit and feel of them.   Pants riding up on an operator and shrinkage were the most common complaints.

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Flashlights, cell phones and knives

I remember that is now only about 12yrs since the era of my life when I walked around without a cell phone on me.   I remember when people carried pagers and had to walk away from a Thanskgiving dinner to answer an emergency.   Much has changed in recent years in communications, but not much has changed as far as self defense and emergency preparedness.   I’m still looking for the right size flashlight that I can carry 7 days a week, but I’m either bothered by the size of the ones that I do like to use or the smaller ones are too expensive and I’m afraid I’m just going to loose one of the darn things.

The cell  phone is probable now your #1 tool, but flashlights and knives are extremely useful in emergencies.   If you or someone in the road is trapped in a vehicle, a small tactical knives could mean saving a life and trying to tear a seat belt is impossible with bare hands.   I have carried gas can and fixa flat in my car because I’ve done so many road trips where stupid nail would have meant waiting 4hrs for a tow truck or walking 10 miles to a gas station.   Flashlights are also something that should aways be in a car because there is nothing worse than a dead battery or dangerous environment without being able to see your surroundings or flag someone down.

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Magpul Pmags, testing reliability after you run it over with a truck!

I often refer to some really good AR15 magazine tests online where guys have posting information on YouTube  and other places of how durable these Magpul PMAGs are.   I’m still waiting for someone to start making gun magazines like this for handguns, and I’m sure that will happen someday, it’s only a matter of time.   I was never a big fan of the AR15 gun because I’ve seen so many of them jam on firing ranges, but that was almost 12yrs ago and I think the AR15 is  now an outstanding firearm if you are using PMAGs.  We’ve shipped so many of them to law enforcement that are using them and now many active military use them.

There are a few variations of the PMAGs and I have only ever heard of one recall on them, but as far as I know, there haven’t many very many changes in them.   There was a very slight change recently, but not a huge one.   There is no reason to keep your GI Mags in your firearm when Magpul PMAGS have been on the playing field long enough to know they are worth their weight in gold. There are things  you can do to the magazines to get them to fit your needs like putting mag assists on the bottom of them.  These can be had in the rubber removable kind or by removing the floor plate and putting the range floor plates on them.  Be advised that these will cause the magazines to protrude and you have to make sure your mag pouches will work with this.

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Another way of doing things, the Fobus Level II

I don’t carry with a Fobus paddle holster very day, but I’m probable sporting some of their stuff a few times a month.   I recently found out about the Level II holsters from Fobus with the thumb lever.   I have to say that I have not had a lot of experience with these so I’m not going to rave about them or pass any criticism on them.   There are many ways of doing the same job and the job that a gun holster is suppose to do for you is hold your firearm.   I have tossed a few holsters in the trash after wearing them out, but I spent a lot of money on upgrading some of my primary medium and full size holster selection after sitting in on a few Carbine courses.

There is no difference in my opinion between a 1911 cocked and locked and a Glock 19 in a Blackhawk Serpa holster.  Each one of them is not ready for firing until a finger, take your pick, releases a safety in one way or another and the gun comes out and plays.   Fobus holsters are very well made and I have yet to ever break one.   They are not bullet proof and they will hurt to roll on, but they get the job done for $20-$30.   My Beretta 92FS always goes in a Fobus holster because it’s the most comfortable way of carrying it.

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If there is a faster way to clean a revolover…

Please show me how I can clean a revolver faster than if I were using a boresnake?   I’ve got several boresnakes that are showing a good bit of wear, but they are still getting the job done on cleaning my rifles and I don’t even think they have gotten to their half life yet.   Just wash them in the wash machine if they start to show signs they are getting too slimy.   The only difference between the pistol and rifle bore snakes is the length and although you can still use a rifle boresnake but it may flop around a little too much.

I have always liked Hoppes boresnakes, but I recently dug out a Ruger GP100 that was a rack queen and took it to the range for a day.   I didn’t put that many rounds through it, but after spending years of range time with Glocks, XD’s and Sigs, it was fun to break out a .357 magnum and do a range  report.  The Hoppes Boresnakes that I have for my handguns have not been used that much, and when it came time to clean the gun, i popped open the cylinder, rang the bore snake through each hole, then the barrel and was trying to figure out what else I needed to do.   That was it!

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Watch it with those gun patches

I will admit that I have stuck gun cleaning patches in some of my firearms.   I tried to do a fast clean with a Hoppes gun cleaning kit patch on a 22LR and punched a whole through the patch and had trouble getting the cleaning rod out of the firearm.   Another time I used a wrong size cleaning patch on a Otis gun cleaning kit and almost broke the wire trying to get the patch out.    I read something funny on the internet about this happening to a few other people and they had to put the gun in a vice or wrap the cord around a tree and  yank.   That’s never a good thing.

There is still nothing wrong with using a cleaning rod, but I think boresnakes really did do damage to the old cleaning rod relic sales.   When you can simplify your gun cleaning supplies, and you can cut down on the amount of exposure to the toxic chemicals, you really are sold on upgrading your gear.   I still haven’t gotten around to putting an Otis gun cleaning kit into my butt stock or grip, but I may do so in the near future.   Cleaning brushes are something else I hate dealing with because if you don’t keep them organized, it’s hard to tell which caliber is for which, and you’ll know soon enough when the gun isn’t getting cleaned.

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Tactical holsters for secondary firearms

One of the first holsters I ever purchased that was not specifically for concealed carry was an Uncle Mike’s gun holster.   It had a metal clip that that was very secure on a belt, and it was made of nylon.   It worked very well for me for several training sessions and it had a front pocket that could hold a double or single stack magazine with a velcro strap to secure it.   I never had a real problem with the holster since it is made of nylon and isn’t as harsh to lay down on as a paddle holster.  Many paddle holsters aren’t going to tolerate roll overs.

I have thought long and hard about what type of handgun to have with me as a secondary firearm and the thought came to me that it really should be all about up and close fighting and then flee the situation and clear my primary and get back into the fight with that.   I don’t carry about caliber wars between 9mm and 45acp, I will gladly fight a handgun battle with an M4 Carbine.   My secondary firearm is a  fitted with Wilson Combat magazines for a Colt 1991A1.   I carry one mag in the gun, and 2 in a vest pocket.   I don’t think over loading myself with handgun ammo is a good thing and 24rds of 45acp is good enough for me to fight my way out of a situation.

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Why you should still consider a locking system for open carry

Open carry discussions have been banned from several of the gun forums that I use to dwell on because they became so full of “what ifs” that people would always find a way to tear the other persons logic down and if you were a Moderator, it go annoying really fast.   While Open Carry is legal in many States, all you have to do is look at the statistics for the number of Police Officers that have been killed by their own firearms.   The snap button system works for it’s intended purpose, but it is an old way of doing something. When you are carrying a full size handgun, paddle holsters tend to be a more comfortable option.

You should always be aware that you may run across an expert criminal, but from my experience, many robberies ect. are not really the best tacticians.  If you are open carrying, remember that you firearm is a liability to you know if you are not aware of your surroundings.   There are several new locking systems but the best that I know of are the Blackhawk holsters.   The Blackhawk Serpa system is more reliable than a thumb snap and it’s easier to put your firearm away.   This system prevents you firearm from flying out in a ground scuffle and it also slows down someone that is trying to get your gun from you.

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IWB causing discomfort?

There have been several times recently where I have serious considered changing the type of gun I am carrying because after working 7 days a week in over time IWB has taken it’s toll.   I’m noticing I am getting bruising on the side where I carry my firearm and it really has gotten uncomfortable.   I find IWB to be the best concealed carry method for me, but it will catch up to those who carry all the time and do a lot of physical work.   My Sig 228 is a medium sized auto that is one of my favorite and I don’t feel like spending another $500 for a smaller firearm.

When you move from carrying a firearm inside the waistband and want concealment, you are probable going to have to consider wearing a vest or a jacket.   Once you get into Summer weather, a vest may not work for you at all all.  The Galco holsters that I like to wear as outside the pants holsters are the Galco Combat Master.  These have an angled slant to them which I prefer to defensive shooting.   Everyone has different body types and arm lengths so this may not work for you.  Many of my friends like the Roto holsters for the same reason.

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Anyone want to bash Uncle Mike’s think again

I probable own more Uncle Mike’s holster than any other holster manufacturer and I do admit that many of them are sitting in a box, but I am a firm believer that you should have at least one holster for every firearm you own even if they are not getting used that often.   For instance, I have taken many first time shooters to the range and for those that were taking one of my defensive shooting courses, I always keep a paddle holster for every medium to large size handgun for such a situation.   Uncle Mike’s kydex holsters are as well made as Fobus gun holsters and I have never had an issue with them not working.

If you want to spend $100 or more  on a fancy leather shoulder holster, go right ahead, but I have 3 Uncle Mike’s gun holsters for my Sig autos and a 1911 and Beretta 92FS gun.   I prefer to carry large guns in a  shoulder rig although I know that this tends to not be safe to wear during training events.  The only thing I would not have a very high opinion of are the clip on IWB holsters.   These have failed me during practice even with a good gun belt.  If you are as physically active as I am, you will find ways to dislodge the clip from the belt and it will come off of you.

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