Backup options, less lethal methods

In Philadelphia there have been numerous instances of minors using weapons in crimes, but by Law these individuals are Children and are not considered to be adults.   With the level of violence that is occuring in some areas of the Country, carrying a firearm is very important but just because you have a gun doesn’t mean that the trigger always needs to be pulled when dealing with a threat.  There are deeply misguided individuals that pickup a gun and know nothing about morality or have any idea of what the consequences of their actions are.

As an adult, I am aware that the youth can display bad judgement especially when there is group think.   ASP pepper sprays are a good option even if you are packing a firearm because having good situational awareness and knowing that you can stay ahead of a threat and possible completely diffuse a problem before things get out of  hand with pepper spray or mace may save you the problem of dealing with lawyers and a not so friendly news media.  The Kimber Pepper Blaster II is probable the best thing to carry because it is shaped like a gun and lasts 3x’s longer than most bottle pepper sprays.

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Inside the waistband holsters?

I remember when I finally realized that there is no such thing as a perfectly comfortable way of carrying a firearm, you just learn how to adjust to carrying it.   The people that have no complaints about how they carry a firearm probable don’t do a lot of physical work because for those of us that are physically active are going to feel the guns press up against us especially if they are medium or large frame.   It is funny to say though that the most comfortable gun I can carry is not the smallers, but its actually the thinnest, the Colt 1911.

More people I know carry firearms on belt holsters and not IWB and I have to say that that is partially because they are too fat to put a gun in the belt. The Desantis holsters that I have been using recently are the Sof-tuck holsters.   I will report back after I use them for awhile.   One of my biggest issues lately with the IWB holsters is they become flimsy and do not hold their form and re-holstering firearms can actually become dangerous if the holster does not all the gun to go in easily.   There are reasons to be able to quickly re-holster a firearm after a fight so that  you can lay low until the police arrive and not be standing there with a gun in your hands.

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Understanding optics and reticles

There is so much back and forth behavior when it comes to accessorizing AR15 guns and and the optics that go on them.  Luckily I was not in the category of people that spent $1000 on optics and then switched to something else later.  I was smart enough and had enough life experience and also a very small amount of money in a bank account so I started off with an AR15A2.   I still believe that after starting a new shooter out on a 22lr rifle preferable a  bolt action, once a shooter can handle a 22lr gun, the AR15A2 is the next best step.

When it comes to not having a  lot of money to spend but you know you want serious equipment, it really comes down to Trijicon, Aimpoint and Eotech.   There are pros and cons of each but none of them will do everything.  Trijicon Rifle Scopes and give you a very wide range of optics for hunting and combat but to this day the Eotech still holds its own for close up fighting and fast shooting.   In close range fighting zero magnification is the best but there are some options like the TA26 which is 1.5x magnification and gives you a light edge over zero mag.   This may mean the difference between identifying a weapon from a cell phone at reasonable close ranges.

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It isn’t always about hitting the target

It isn’t always about being able to shoot tight groups, combat optics usually have some level of magnification because identifying a friendly from a foe is of the utmost importance.   A few friends of mine liked the ACOGS because they helped them identify wires from IED’s from out to 100yds.   IF you had zero magnification you might have trouble knowing from under 25yds away and that is not safe.  The Eotech 3x magnifier gives you this ability but you will have to worry about having two mounted optics  on your gun and not one which is basically what the Trijicon ACOG is.

If you want to get a really good deal on a Trijicon ACOGS, you’ll probable have to buy a used one from someone having a baby or someone getting out of the military.  Those Trijicon rifle scopes aren’t cheap, but they will hold up and they have a proven track record of doing so.  I have yet to hear of anyone having mounting issues because in my opinion it’s impossible to mount an ACOG wrong unless you use a hammer. There are big differences between each Trijicon ACOG reticle and it’s your job to decide on which style of reticle fits your needs, but always be open to adapting.

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Ger yourself a good Molle vest

If you are looking to become a serious shooter and looking to acquire the tactical gear that works for you, be real careful about all of the tactical gear that applies to Carbine Operators.   There is plenty of junk out there but even more importantly people get too much of the wrong stuff.   Now that Molle gear is all over the place, start off with a good Molle vest and only buy what you need.  After you run a Carbine course you’ll be better off starting light and adding on then starting off with tons of vests.

There are plenty of vest options out there but I prefer to stick to American made tactical gear anymore.  The Elite Survival Molle vest is under $100 and depending on the tactical pants that I am wearing, it’s more than enough versatility for me.  Sometimes it’s not all about packing on magazine pouches.  Considering the something like the Woolrich Elite Style 44447 pants can hold up to 6 30rd magpul pmags there isn’t much of need to carrying another 6-8 magazines on a vest.   I prefer to carry a sidearm on the leg which blocks up some of the pants usage but with a Molle vest you can always put  your sidearm on the vest.

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Original Swat boots on sale at Rogue Elite

We have been very happy with our sales with Original Swat footwear.   They have a very diverse spectrum of tactical and casual footwear that have far  more traction than regular sneakers.  There is very little reason to still be wearing steel toe boots when the composite toe boots from Original Swat will get the job done and allow you to walk in and out of security zones without having to take your boots off.   Original Swat boots are the best boot for the buck and their 1yr warranty on product defects guarantee you’ll get your money.
There is now a new line of footwear coming from Original Swat called the Chase Series.  This line of athletic footwear seems to improve upon previously discontinued tactical boots and tactical footwear.   The 1230 boots from Original swat was a good idea but the sole of the shoe was a little stiff and heavy.   We’re hoping to test out some of the Chase low shoes and see how they compare.   Original swat boots are on sale with free shipping for January and a free one time exchange if you have sizing issues.

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Not a big fan of everything in the tactical clothing world

I have yet to find a shirt that is considered to be tactical that actually fits me right.  I’ve worn plenty of them while teaching handgun courses but there were either sizing issues with them or there were functionality issues.   I never like the idea of having velcro on the pockets and the button down versions just seemed far more professional looking.   Some of the early Woolrich Elite products really were a knock off of what 5.11 had, but the quality and slight design improvements were a big, big deal.

Tru-Spec tactical clothing is very much becoming my favorite and its’ mostly because the fit is probable the best for me.  I will not go out and say that everything else in the tactical clothing world sucks because so much of this is about preference.   Tactical pants, tactical shirts and tactical vests all  have different purpose and sometimes you’ll want different clothing because of the weather.  Heck there may be a time you might want to put your guns and gear down and put on EMS pants and brush up on your first aid training.

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Varmint hunting with military firearms

There are plenty of guns and calibers out there that are good for specific jobs but they are not very versatile.   Larger calibers may be good for long range shooting but for under $100yds they are beyond an over kill and actually can be unsafe to use.   A good 30/06 rifle is probable now considered to be a medium range rifle now that the 338 Lapua and 50 BMG have seen so much use.   Long range shooting is now about 2000yds longer than it was previously possible for a one rifleman.  Now that the AR15 is king of the rifle world and barrel lenghts, weights and calibers can vary.

The .223 is a very versatile cartridge, it is far more effective than just about any handgun caliber gun especially if you are using the right ammunition.   I have seen white tail deer taken with M4 Carbines and 75Gr hpbt bullets and if you want more range just slap on a any of the new AR15 upper receivers for sale.   The most popular AR15 uppers we sell are the CMMG uppers and the Smith & Wesson AR15 upper receivers.   If you have the money, the Cadillac of the AR15 world are the LWRC guns.

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Different modes of carry doesn’t mean you should skip the holster

I am a firm believer that people should consider atleast 2-3 concealment options for each of their firearms.  Not all firearms can be carried in a pocket and some are too darn heavy for ankle holsters but just because it’s a small gun doesn’t mean it’s always meant to carried in  your pocket.   Inside the waistband is the best way for most firearms to be carried but it can also be the most  uncomfortable.  There are certain things you need to consider when carrying a firearm in this manor and I would highly recommend elastic waistband pants.

We will become a full line dealer for desantis  holsters in the coming weeks and Pocket holsters are something you should always consider for your pocket guns.   Pocket lint and tumbling can occur with firearms and the Desantis holsters that we recommend for LCP users is the Desantis Nemesis.  Sometimes people thing that since it’s a pocket gun, you don’t need a holster.   If you don’t use a pocket holster I guarantee you’ll need to cleanin your firearms more often.  Some lint will still collect on a pocket gun but usually just around the hammer and firing pin which can easily be cleaning up with a q-tip.

 

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You hands are different so change your grip

Everyone has something slightly different about their hands and this has been know to firearm manufacturers for some time.  Many military issued firearms were not very good for people that were below or above average sizes and that has been the norm for a very long time.  Not until the accessorized AR15 have there been so many opportunities to improve a firearm to an operators standards.   To each his own when it comes to which handgun fits your hand, but a good fit can be better if you can use Hogue grips or Magpul grips.

Magpul is king of the AR15 accessory world but Hogue, Packhmayr, Decal and Ergo cover everything else.   If you have to carry a handgun or rifle all year long and live in an area where the seasons change magpul accessories will probable get you covered.  There is not always size variations, but angle variations can mean something too.  There are big differences between the grip angles of a Smith & Wesson M&P, Glock 19 and a Springfield 1911 so not all rifle grips for your AR15 are the same.

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