All posts tagged J-Frame

Winter CCW Shirt Options

There have been several occasions at this time of  year where I’ve walked out of the house and into the freezing cold Winter temperatures and had on a sweatshirt and jacket.  By the time the car warmed up and I was on my way, I had to turn the car temperature all the way back down because it got too warm.  When I got to the mall to start my Christmas shopping, I was so darn hot that I was stopping to buy a drink and feel very uncomfortable.  This is one of the biggest problems the whole concealed carry jacket market seems to forget.

If you’ve dressed with a holster that is outside the waiste and you were intending to have the gun covered by the jacket, you’ll have problems.   The best advice I would have is to wear a base layer like Under armour and a heavy shirt like the Woolrich Elite CCW shirts like the Oxford long sleeve.  This shirt is a  long sleeve shirt that gives you an out layer to wear over a firearm and still carry flashlights, knives ect in the front pockets.   There is a hidden pocket behind the front pocket that is very easy to access.  If you pocket carry a j-frame, this is a great place to store a reload or pepper spray.

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Military handguns and gun grips

I know several first hand bitchin and moaning concerning both the 1911 and Beretta 92FS or both.   I rarely engage in these arguments because I am experienced enough to know that people have preferences and forcing someone to carry a firearm that does not fit them very well is not wise.   I expect that the military will eventually move towards an handgun that is more versatile as far as adjusting to varying hand sizes much in the way that the M4 Carbine is adjustable for various operators.

The guns that seem to have improved operator control with gun grip changes were the Sig family of firearms.   There is something serious lacking in the factory grips because in my humble opinion they feel too slippery and that is not something I think is good.   Every Sig that I have seen in a Defensive Training course had altered gun grip and everyone was using the Hogue pistol grips, wrap around, finger grooves or standard ones.   My Beretta 92FS felt smaller by putting finger groove grips on it and the Sig 239 I own feels like it’s suppose to, an extension of my hand.

 

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Laser grips? Are they any different now?

Just like the white lights that could only be mounted to trigger guards and the lasers that mounted the same way, gun manufacturers have been modifying their firearms so that can all be accessorized.  It’s really easy to spot some of the older model Sig 228 and Sig 229 guns because they don’t have rails.  Now it’s pretty much the law of the land to have a rail on your handgun because so many understand the need for using a white light.  Just like everything that has to do with firearms and caliber debates, you have to know what the task at hand is and know what tools will work to get the job done.

I agree that the best place to put a laser is probable right inside the barrel and beam it out of the exact same spot the bullet flies out of, but right now that is impossible.   Lasermax and Crimson Trace laser grips have different approaches to getting the same job done, and it’s really what your preference is.  For close up fighting, once you get your laser setup for the ranges you wish to do combat training or defensive training in your laser will work, but side mounted lasers will become inaccurate once you get out of your comfort zone.

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Concealment vests from an LEO perspective

I think the ultimate concealed carry vest that doesn’t make you look like you are carrying a firearm is more likely going to be something like a cloaking device seen in Star Trek.   Some of the conversations I’ve heard at conventions, gun shows and on the phone with people are somewhat comical.   I’ve seen under agents show up drug busts that I could spot ahead of time, just because they had nice cars and tinted windows.   The funny thing is the idiot drug dealers didn’t even see it coming. I think the proper mindset is don’t volunteer information, pay attention to your surroundings and be sneaky.

There are many levels of vests for the gun owner, some are going to be snapped on, locked down, and pulled tight.   Others go over your arms and just hang there.  The Eotac Styles 102 and Style 103 vests are go for street work because they don’t stand out as much like an assault vest, but they still have a lot of practical applications.   Both vests will hang below the belt line and will give you full coverage for carrying a paddle holster or OWB holster.  We still get more than a few phone calls every year asking if we have jackets or concealed carry vests for retaining firearms like a 1911.   While I strongly disagree with carrying primary firearms inside jackets and vests, it’s a personal choice and if it works for you then it’s good for your applications.

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New tools new tactics

Whenever we run a novice student through a carbine course, one of the first things we teach them after the basic saftey and shooting techniques is barrel sight offset.   Since so many people are using AR15 type rifles, there is a considerable distance between the place where a scope points its crosshairs and where the bullet is going to impact at close ranges.   Something like a Trijicon ACOG gives you a good idea of what people mostly use and we show crosshairs pointing at a dot and where the bullet hits approx 2 inches below that.   This really only has a purpose in showing a shooter what could be applied is using a firearm in self defense in a hostage type situation.

Since lasers have been improving and prices are coming down, we see them showing up more and more on handguns.   While I suggest people take a look at the price they are paying for them and do a lot of research on the durability of the product, a whole new can of worms emerges when sighting in your crimson trace or lasermax laser sights.   Depending on how your laser is mounted, there will be a windage offset that needs to be known.  Crimson Trace laser grips on revolvers can project from right above the grip area or there is a newer style that projects next to where the barrel line is.   Each have their pros and cons, but there is still an offset.   With new tools, there are always slight changes that need to be made to insure an operator knows that with distance, bullet impacts change.

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Why Laser Sights?

Crimson Trace Laser GripsWhy Laser Sights? Immediate Decisive AdvantageThe answer is short-and-sweet: Lasergrips provide you with instant and overwhelming advantages you wouldn’t otherwise have. Laser sights simply help you shoot better, with greater speed and accuracy, which translates into increased confidence—even in tense and threatening scenarios, when hours and hours of vigilant training can disappear in a haze of panic and confusion.

 

Maybe it’s a conversation with a shooting buddy, or with your better half, or maybe with yourself. The topic used to center on whether laser sights such as Crimson Trace Lasergrips have a legitimate place in the world of guns and personal defense. (Which, of course, they do.) So today the specific question is more along the lines of: “How much more effective will a laser make me?”

 

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Lasers on J-Frames

Crimson Trace laser gripsI’ve often noticed that some of the most experienced shooters I know that you would imagine could probable carry a Argentine FAL concealed actually all carry very small and lightweight firearms.   The J-Frame seems to be the number one, but I have been noticing that there are a few very reliable autos being made by Ruger and Kahr.  I understand the need for training, but there have been drawbacks to many of  the snub nose revolvers I have fired.  Number one, they tend to have terrible triggers and the sights are so small they are hard to use.   I’ve put plenty of lead downrange, but I have done tests with 5 shot revolvers and the difference between double action trigger pulls and single can be significant.   If you’ve only got 5 rounds, you have to make every round count.

After several attempts at buying another pocket auto, I had a convesation with the salesperson that said everyone he knows that is carrying a J-frame is now carrying it with  Crimson Trase Laser Grips.   I’ve seen a lot of pocket lint on firearms and I would have to say that it is something I would be concerned about if I was carrying an auto, I believe the revolver has an edge in this regard.  A laser grip will add on another $160-$200+ to your gun, but if you prefer to carry a revolver.  Adding on a laser will increase your effective range and possible give you and intimidation factor if you ever had to pull it.

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Deep cover, to secondary holster options

gun holstersIf I am carrying a j-frame in a paddle holster, I’m usually carrying a speed loader and about 3 reloads.    J-frames work very well for deep cover and my primary mindset it to shoot and move and not expect to put up a fight for very long when I’m starting out with 5 rounds.   I can increase my firepower and comfort by carrying the same gun, but with an OWB holster that can easily be reloaded.   I strongly recommend that everyone considers having a paddle holster for every handgun they own.   They also come in handly when going to an outdoor range where you don’t have to worry about putting the gun down on the table after every cease fire.

 

Sometimes smaller guns can work very well in pocket carry, but there are some situations where carrying in the pocket can be cumbersome in certain physical situations.   If you are going to an environment where you don’t want to have to carry another gun,  sometimes it’s a good idea to carry IWB or OWB with a paddle holster.  Galco gun holsters has a paddle holster that can work very well for even a small 2 inch j-frame.   I use one as a secondary holster option if I don’t want to pocket carry.   We can always practice to improve our performances in drawing our guns, but there are certain methods of carrying that are defanitely easier and most likely faster.

 

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An Arguement without end

Crimson Trace Laser GripsWhich gun is best for CCW?  Which caliber is better than X?   9mm Vs. 45acp, which has more stopping power?   I’ve been shooting guns for decades and carrying for close to 30yrs.    I remember the early days when I was carrying a full size 1911 because I expected the worst and wanted the biggest possible gun I owned to be on me 24/7.    As the years went by I got more involved in reloading bullets for handguns and then I started to notice the differences from caliber to caliber.   I was amazed at the number of guns that are being used nowadays that all shoot the same bullet, but at different velocities.

For many conceal carry owners out there, the 38 Special seems to be towards the bottom as far as firepower, but the more I started to notice the instructors that were teaching advanced shooting skills all carried J-frame revolvers.    I realize having 5 bullets of any caliber vs a Glock with 17rds is considerable, but there are different reasons to carry a gun.  A duty weapon vs CCW are two different modes of carrying.    The arguments against the snubbies is that they are hard to shoot and the sights generally suck.  Well, technology has been catching up, the first time I got a  lot of a Crimson Trace laser grip, it was on a Smith & Wesson Model 637, the gun seemed to be more powerful and I felt like I couldn’t miss anything under 20yds with this thing.   If you want to cut down on the weight of the guns you are carrying, consider a J-frame revolver with laser grips to increase your piece of mind.

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White Color CCW options

Galco HolstersSuggestion for CCW are always need to be preceded by “for what environment”.   Yes defending yourself from a BG is why you are carrying, but there are so many ways to carry a firearm that there is not a do everything gun.   We don’t want to carry the smallest capacity and caliber into known hostile environments, but we have to be careful we aren’t overdueing it.   What do I mean?  I know what to look for when I am wondering if somebody might be packing.   I’ve seen gangsters and drug dealers adjust their pants in the same spot and seem to move things which is a dead giveaway that they are packing.

Someone in a white color environment with an untucked shirt is also going to stand out and if you are packing a gun that is too heavy, an experienced observer is going to notice you adjusting yourself.   It is very common for those in a suite and tie to carry in a pocket, but one other option to consider are Galco Holsters called an Ankle Glove.   There is a bit of training that must go with ankle carrying, but it’s worth looking into.

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