When do you need a retention holster?

There are so many guns out there and holsters that it is very common for people to waste money buying things that they don’t need and then it sits in a gun safe or a box in the closet.   Training is more important than firearm selection and many of my friends got in the habit of thinking that if they needed a self defense firearm they should buy something expensive.  There is nothing wrong with carrying a j-frame revolver and all the craze about .380’s in recent years is really just marketing.   Ballistics of a .380 are very low and this is  not a very powerful round although there has been some improvement lately.

When it comes to holsters, you don’t need to spend $100 on a holster for it to give you some stealth advantage over your enemies.   We sell a lot of Blackhawk Serpa holsters to law enforcement but I shy away from pushing these for CCW.   There have been many times that I have had customer walk into my store and have a firearm with a light  on it and none of the holsters that they originally came in looking for worked for them.   There have been many times that they picked up an Elite Survival Systems holster because there was more adaptability with their designs for lights and lasers.

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We don’t need new laws, but you do need to you lock your guns up

I don’t think we need anymore laws put on the books, but after all of the emotion about the CT shooting, many people have come to the conclusion that mental health issues are serious issues and the mother of the shooter was partially responsible for the crime.   If you know you have an immature or unstable family members, you have to lock your guns up or move them out of the house.  There are always people in your family or in  your circle of friends that you should limit your involvement with when it comes to showing them your firearms.  There as been much said about how some anti-gun newspapers or politicians are trying to announce who has firearms and that it a dangerous precedent to set.

Not only are you divulging personal information you are also announcing which houses the bad guys might want to stake out for burglaries.   There is no reason to not lock up yours guns and we highly recommend gunvault safes for those that conceal carry and need daily access to a firearm.  These safes are normally in the $100 price range and can be bolt under your bed or in a hard to see area.   Biometric safes can give you more security and prevent family members from learning a code.  There are always pros and cons to any item but these are something any firearm instructor or NRA member should urge gun owners to  use.

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TruSpec Softshell promo has ended and it’s time to move to Winter Apparel

Several years ago our number on selling item was the Sig Tac jacket.   I have no idea whatever happened to the production of these jackets because they were widely accepted and nobody out there made something like it.  It was  a very nice jacket that looked like regular clothing but had large internal pockets for CCW.   We’ve seen several nice things from the Woolrich Elite line but many of their jackets had some short comings.   There was a Woolrich Elite Series Barn coat that looked nice but it really needed to be lined and was basically a dud product.   TruSpec has gained lots of ground in the industry an from what we see is only behind 5.11 tactical as far as market share in our territory.

TruSpecs name basically lives up to it’s quality control because the tactical pants have all been very consistent compared to other products like Blackhawk, Woolrich and Eotac.   We’ve had so many issues with 5.11 products that we avoid them unless we get special orders, the TruSpec jackets have also become broader in design with the new Soft shell jackets and the 3 in 1 jackets and parka are a staple with local law enforcement due to their features and designs.  Tru Spec does a good job with their winter outerwear but we have had several people say that the sizes run a little smaller.

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Caliber changes or gun changes? .380 vs sub-compact 9mm

I’ve never been a big fan of small guns because from my experience the smaller the gun the snappy or nastier the recoil.   I’m  not sure of the model but one of the first guns I shot that I really did not like was a 32ACP handgun.   The gun hurt the palm of my hand and after about 50rds I knew that I never wanted a gun like that.  I believe it was a kel-tec pistol but I’m not sure of the model.   I’ve shot 44magnums and plenty of .357 in the past but those were guns that If they fit your hand, the blast and concussion was more of an issue than my hands stinging.  There are plenty of options to adjust grips, but if the gun is already so small, why would you want to make it bigger?

Several years ago I settled for the Sig 239 because it was the only small 9mm that I could trust that was rugged, and would not be uncomfortable to shoot.   I’ve been messing around  a friends Kahr PM9 and several Kahr Magazines that he let me borrow and I put in some range time.  This gun is borderline as far my personal tolerance because if I don’t find a gun fun to shoot I don’t want to own it.  For someone over 6ft tall I don’t need to carry the smallest caliber or the smaller firearm to CCW.  If size is an issue but you don’t want a 32acp or a .380, I would say that the Kahr PM9 is a really 9mm for it’s size.

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What is our best selling, least complained about 1911 magazine?

The best selling 1911 magazine is hands down the Wilson Combat 1911 magazines.   We couldn’t narrow it down to just one magazine because there are several different types of magazine bases that competition shooters  might want something that a CCW owner doesn’t want or need.  The Wilson 47D is our most popular 8rd 1911 magazine and the #47 is the most popular 7rd, but the Elite Tactical Magazines have gained ground for the competition shooters.   The ETM magazines have a number base plate and the windows are in a different cut than the tradition Wilson magazines.   They are higher priced than the Chip McCormick Magazines which come in as a close 2nd as far as sales.

The thing that many 1911 firearms seem to have trouble with are the magazine follower/hold open tabs.  Many of the GI magazines wear and bend but the one piece Wilson Combat Magazines have a more reliable balance and catch that holds the firearm open when the last round has been fired.  I personally don’t have an issue carrying 45acp ball ammo because when I carry that gun it’s usually when I’m up in the mountains and more likely going to have to use it against and animal than in a highly populated area where over penetration might be an issue.   I have heard rumors that 8rd magazines are not as reliable as the 7rd magazines but I have never witnessed that.

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What’s coming out at SHOT SHOW this year?

We’ll find out sure enough, I’m sure every major company will have something new to advertise but it’s usually the same thing every year, there are winners and there are losers and it usually takes about a year to two years for people to test out a product before it can be declared to be a good thing.   I have seen plenty of people rave about a certain firearm when it comes out and 3 months later there is a recall on them.  I saw it with Springfield’s XD models and even LWRC had some significant changes to their designs since they relaunched the company.   Many new products become the products that are hard to get parts for especially if they don’t catch on and if you own one, 20yrs from now you’ll wish you had something different.

The tactical clothing market is in full force and a bad economy might weed out some of the higher end products this year.   I think the best and newest tactical pants we’ve seen lately are the Vertx pants but those are very expensive and may not hold up in a bad economy.   Blackhawk and 5.11 tactical and Woolrich Elite have done some significant price increases and from our standpoint, that is going to  hurt them if somebody else can put a good product on the market for less money.  We’ve seen many Police Departments spend their money on Tru-Spec products because they were better priced than the 5.11 tactical pants.

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Slip 2000 gun lube and extreme weapons lube reviews

I will admit that after being in the firearms community for several years i have seen a lot of gear and accessories that were on the higher end and many of them things that i could not afford.   One thing that I have noticed is that while AR15 designs have improved over the years, gun oils and synthetic lubricants are dramatically better.  Not only do they work, they are green products and not hazardous to use.   I think I still have a small bottle of Hoppes gun oil and bore cleaner that I have pretty much abandoned.  I guess at some point I might ceremoniously finish it off but I definitely have moved on from using it.

The direct impingement AR15 design absolutely is reliant on the firearm being properly lubricated.  I have seen reviews on Slip 2000 gun cleaning lubricants where it was more about lubricating the firearm and not really just about how clean the gun was.  A properly lubricated firearm will run if you lube the right areas and it is not necessary to constantly break it down and scrub every piece of carbon out of it.  Over cleaned can do more damage to a firearm than letting it run dirty at times.   I have replaced some of my Otis gun cleaning lubricants with Slip 2000 and used the rest of the Otis kits for my personal AR15 range cleanings.

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TruSpec Combat Shirt options

There are several products like this on the market from 5.11, Proper and TruSpec.   This is a product that can easily cross over from Police supplies to paintball shirts.  There are a lot of things that can easily be sold for young adults to use effectively in paintball games which we high recommend.  Paintball gives you realistic skills and a reality check about what happens when bullets can let loose.   A less trained shooter in a good position can cause damage and unfortunately this is a reality all law enforcement and military may face.   The guy you use can give you an edge in hot environments where sweating and dehydration may occur.

The no melt no drip TruSpec combat shirt comes in a few different materials.  These truspec combat shirts have a strong reputation of getting the job done for many of the Delaware County Pennsylvania.  The Mutlicam combat shirts come in a cotton nylon material which is more money but gives more protection.  The side arm sleeves have a place for patches and to date, the only complaint we get about these shirts is they can seem a little long on the underarms for some customers.   These are great to wear under body armor.

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Slip 2000 gun cleaning and more

Hoppes Boresnakes are the fastest cleaning kits in the world.   There’s no need to worry about storing cleaning rides and worrying about bending or breaking them.  The Bore Snake is also easier to use with some types of semi-autos.   You won’t need to use as many gun cleaning patches, or gun cleaning rods and gun brushes The Ruger Mini 14 is a classic example of this.   Most firearms can be cleaned from the breach forward, but something like a Mini 14 can not due to the design of the bolt carrier.  A bore snake can easily be inserted into the breach of a Mini 14 or Mini 30 and cleaned properly.   The bore snake can also easily be stored and does not take up any room.

One pass loosens large particles, scrubs out the remaining residue with a bronze brush, then swabs it all spotless with a cleaning area 160X larger than a standard patch. Add a few drops your favorite gun cleaning supplies  or Hoppes Elite and your guns ready for storage. The bore snake is caliber specific so make sure you get the correct one for  your pistol, rifle or shotgun.   You will also notice your gun cleaning time will be cut in half or more.   I’ve cleaned more than 4 firearms in an hour, from AKs, FALs, M1A, Mini 14s and AR15 rifles all will accept the use of the Hoppes boresnake.

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After years of using Otis, some feed back about their gun cleaning kits

I first got a demonstration about the Otis gun cleaning systems from a Rep at the Atlantic City Police and Security Expo several years ago.  He went through the rifle cleaning system and showed me all of the tools and the reasons for using the system.   In short, I got it, the Otis Gun cleaning system is best for use out in the field more so than just another cleaning kit to have in your home after a day at the range.   Nobody wants to have to haul a one piece cleaning rod with them if they have to clean out the barrel of a bolt action while out in the field.   There is no practical or safe way to carry something so flimsy and easy to bend, thus the Otis gun cleaning system.

The only issue I have with the gun cleaning system after all of these  years is I’m wondering when Otis is going to change their gun cleaning lubrication.  It seems that M-Pro 7 and Slip 2000 products have really caught on not just because they work, but because the Otis gun cleaning kits have some toxic materials in their lubrication and the other do not.  If constant exposure to lead is an issue for you, what about all of that other stuff, Hoppes gun cleaning is probable the nastiest thing you can use anymore even though it works, it’s basically a Kerosene and stings up your house.  I’d recommend people slip some Slip 2000 in your Otis gun cleaning system and you’d really have a cool cleaning kit.

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