All posts tagged Glock 19

Cleaning guns, the right way

The is a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things, there are also many ways to do get the same job done, but efficiency really matters to most of us.   I do admit that I like cleaning some of my firearms, some guns are really annoying to assemble and re-assemble.   The Ruger MKII is probable the most annoying handgun I ever owned, but my tolerances for complicated things has increased and I probable should have never sold it.   The real problem with guns like that is when you haven’t shot them in awhile and the learned knowledge floats out your brain.  I’ve read several issues of SWAT magazine where excessive gun cleaning can cause damage and after watching a recent DVD from Dean Caputo on the AR15 I thought I’d bring this up.

 

 

Boresnakes are definitely the fastest and easiest to use, but it won’t do a very good job on a really dirty chamber or in the bolt carrier of an AR15.  You will still gun cleaning supplies other than just CLP Break Free and a bore snake.   The Otis gun cleaning kits that are specifically designed for the M16 or AR15 is probable  the most complete gun cleaning kit for an AR15, but they gotta be used the right way.  One of the biggest screw ups I see with the cleaning tools are the chamber brushes.   The chamber brush is only meant to be pushed down so far and the fast majority of the ones I have come across look like someone tried to jam it down the barrel.  Watch what you are doing so you don’t damage the gun doing something you aren’t suppose to be doing.

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I may make another attempt at replacing my IWB holsters

I switched to carrying a Glock 26 this Summer because I got tired of rusting out all of my other firearms.   This year I have gotten use to my new CCW gun and it hasn’t really bothered me at all.   It was a little thicker than my previous firearms, but it gets the job done and my Galco Tuck-n-go holster seems to be working.  The only real problem I have with the holster is that it does not hold up when I go to re-holster the weapon.

I have been looking at Crossbread holsters for some time now, but it’s one of those things where I’m afraid of ordering something online that I have not held in my hands, and then you gotta worry about return policies and shipping costs.  Galco holsters has something fairly new, I don’t know how new because I just learned of them, but the new Kingtuk holsters look like a Crossbread knock off.  Well, I’ll give this a try and see how comfortable they are.

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Still not in love with the LCP

I got to the NRA convention a few weeks ago and the LCP was all over the place.  I saw  holster makers show up that they made gun  holsters for the little .380 pistol, Crimson trace laser grips had a big section devoted to concealed carry, and numerous other companies devote products to the Ruger LCP in .380.   The .380 is  a ballistically inferior caliber, but the durability of small pocket firearms has dramatically improved and people are wanted to carry less of a gun for more comfort.

Unfortunately for the rest of us that have seen the wrong side of society, carrying a firearm with a caliber that is not adequate for hunting just about anything, the .380 should really be viewed as a purse gun.  I have a stock pile of Galco holsters in my  house because they are the best and easiest way to get a good IWB or OWB holster for CCW.   I have an ankle holster for all of my j-frame revolvers and IWB are the best method for CCW.  I still have a hard time taking a .380 with me knowing that the gun won’t kill the worst in society.

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Unconventional thought in defensive situations

I think most people expect to read about firearms, knives and pepper spray when it comes to using weapons in a defensive situations, but we can’t for get to think  about ways of using our body in situations to get away, or restrain an individual.   I’ve shown many people how to take a firearm away from someone, but that is only for people that have the confidence to do so.  I remember a few years ago there were was a lot of buzz about how easy it was to take apart a Beretta 92FS pistol and disarm someone who wielded it.   Well, it is easy to do that, but it’s even easier to drop a magazine on a Glock and pull the trigger on it and then it’s basically disarmed as well.

Verbal defense is probable the most important training that a shooter can employ.  I’ve taught people how to build confidence that they will know how to shout down an attack or trick a home invader to retreat, just by yelling “I have a gun”.  Knowing how to use every sharp edge of your firearm and your Blackhawk holsters even the magazine holders as blunt objects should give you things to think about when in a crisis situation.   Lots of firearms and tactical gear and accessories can be used for jabbing or bashing.

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Time to get your gear in order and your gun cleaning supplies

There’s a certain point where a gun owners really can waste enormous amounts of time if they aren’t keeping there gun cleaning supplies in order.   There are lots of cleaning tools that will speed up your cleaning time and reduce the amount of money you’ll spend on cleaning pads and cleaning fluids.  I must have the same bottle of Break Free CLP gun cleaning and lubrication that I had 5yrs ago.   I hardly go through gun cleaning solvents because the tools that I am using now are so good at getting the debris and grud off the guns that solvents really only get used for cleaning the bore if I am using lead bullets.

Last year I got an Otis gun cleaning mat from my wife for a Christmas present and it’s really helped keep me from losing parts and messing up my living room rug. Otis gun cleaning kits are compact, versatile and easy to use on various firearms.   I’ve had a few issues with bore snakes and some of my semi-auto rifles and the Otis cleaning kits were great companions for people that want to clean a firearm on a firing range or on the road.   The tools that fit in some of the kits are great for the AR15 style firearms because some can be stowed in the grips or butt stocks.

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Outside the pants carry, how well can you conceal?

I’ve been on the mission of trying to find gun holsters that I can wear that are not IWB because I’ve had too many times where i got a bruise and it took weeks for it to go away.  If i got thrown around in a fight IWB is more likely to hurt you in my opinion, but for some situations it’s about the only way a thin guy can carry.   Now that I’ve grown  older and packed on a few extra pounds, I’ve been trying to see if I can get away with summer carry outside the pants.   Paddle holsters, especially the Blackhawk Serpa holsters protrude too far outside my body for me to conceal them with just a t-shirt.  I’ve been wearing an Eotac Style 103 for Spring Season, but once it warms up I can’t carry with my Blackhawk Serpa any longer.

I’m trying some of these Woolrich Elite CCW shirts, they are really, really impressive.   I think Woolrich got hurt pretty bad by the split up a few years ago, but the Woolrich Elite shirts i recently picked up have been really nice to wear to family and social events.  Since the 1911 is one of the thinnest built handguns I own, I have been trying one of these Galco holsters that is a locked in place by your belt and sits right up against your body.  I always prefer paddle holsters because they are easy to get on and off, but for CCW they just don’t cut it in the Summer.  My Colt 1911 is getting use to this configuration and I’ll report back as soon as I get the chance.

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Blackhawk holsters for CCW

I think the Blackhawk Serpa holster is an outstanding design for a duty holster, but it’s not a very good design for CCW.   I remember all of the bashing that use to go on about Glocks vs 1911 handguns for CCW and the arguments  usually came down to people being against manual safeties.   I think there is something to be said for not having a manual safety on a CCW gun and there is a difference between that and having one on a hunting rifle, but it does not make sense to argue that a 1911 is bad for CCW and then tote your Glock 19 around in a Level 2 holster.    You have to weigh and balance the advantages and disadvantages of a firearm and how you would want to deploy it.

 

The Blackhawk Serpa works well as a duty holster and under a vest or a jacket it can work, but I never liked the idea of having to clean a layer of clothing, find the gun release and draw the firearm.   I stopped carry a 1911 after having too many times of missing the thumb safety.   The more you layer your clothing, the more of a risk you are going to run into a problem.  Blackhawk holsters do come in an IWB design that are of a nylon design and better suited for CCW.   I have found there are some advantages of a simple nylon holster for a Kydex or leather.

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Nothing wrong with cheating

There have been moments in my training experience where I did have to speed up the process and get people in a position where they felt confident enough to have a firearm.   I’m not talking about skipping safety, I’m talking about skipping the 1000rd experience on a firing range.   I had a friend that was taking custody of a cousins baby while the baby’s mother went to drug rehab and the Father of the baby had recently gotten out of jail.   That individual broke into the home of my friend and tried to steal the baby back.   Sound crazy?  It’s actually true and although she had some level of firearm experience,  I didn’t expect to teach her how to disassemble and reassemble a Glock, but I did want her to know how to clear a malfunction.

She asked about putting a laser on a gun and I paused for a moment and asked her if she wanted one, she said yes, so I told her what to get.    She felt comfortable shooting a Sig 230 with a Crimson trace laser grip and that’s all I needed to know.  She put one box of ammo through it and had the right mindset to protect herself and I was done.   This wouldn’t have been ideal for many people, but while she planned on moving out of the area, she was unarmed and we all know what the police will tell you to do, buy a gun.

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Pocket guns and laser grips

While I was recently at the NRA Convention in Pittsburgh this month, the biggest buzz was going on over at the Ruger area.   I’m still waiting for more feedback about the Sig 238 and I’ve already learned to not jump on newly produced firearms.   There are always recalls and product alterations in the first few years and sometimes the changes are considerable.   Extractor flaws, slide cracks and sometimes something as simple as a trigger pin or screw can fail on a design.   The Ruger LCP had some issues when it first came out, but considering the number of holster designers that are making holsters for this gun and the recent surge in CCW pocket guns, this is hands down the number one gun.

I think the mentality around this type of CCW gun is that it is the smallest most concealable firearm that looks good and is fun to shoot.   Some pocket pistols are not fun to shoot and are high maintenance. Another thing that helps improve the usefulness of the firearms is the Crimson trace laser grips that attach in a very good way.   I’ve got a few older model crimson trace laser grips and I see that the biggest flaw is that the laser is on the side of the firearm and can get blocked if you do not grip the firearm properly.   The proper place for a laser is as close to the muzzle as possible or at the least right under it.

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Laser grips finally being accepted?

I remember when they first started showing up in law enforcement circles and then there were the debates about how cops were getting show because they were not using instinctive shooting skills and worry about trying to get the dot on target and ended up getting killed.  I can’t name a story to back that up, but with my experience in shooting and training on the firing line, I believe that it is true.  I jumped back into the laser grip world with my Smith & Wesson Model 637.   There is a place for laser sights, but it really seems to have caught on with smaller pocket guns than duty guns.

I think it’s not a debate that getting hits on target is more important than taking your time and trying to get the perfect hit.   In the real world one stop shots are not a reality.   Crimson trace laser grips are pricey, but i can’t complain about battery life.   I’ve put clost to 1000rds through my Smith & Wesson j-frame and I have not had to change a batter yet.  The real advantage I see with having a laser like this on a carry gun is to get a little bit more range out them and be able to use them in low light situations.

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