The Two-Shot Question

Bond Arms Snake Slayer IV

Bond Arms Texas Defender

Bond Arms Mini .45

I had heard of Bond Arms but, until recently, I knew little about the company or the handguns they make. I saw that D.M. Bullard makes holsters for them and the photographs on his site, with a Bond Arms derringer holstered in various holsters made me curious. Then, recently, I got involved in the question of what to carry while at home.

Given that bad situations can develop very quickly, I have always considered it good practice to carry something at home on the theory that a rapid response is better than having to run into another room for a gun. The rub comes in with deciding which gun is the best all around home carry self defense weapon. I've opted for small and light. After all, you'll be wearing the thing around all day. This has meant, up until now, the Ruger LCP. It is certainly small and light. It's also in .380 caliber. I've accepted the fact that a modern self-defense load, like the Hornady Critical Defense hollowpoint load in .380 will be effective enough under most conditions. But two factors have moved me to reconsider.

First, is the onset of winter. I live in a small town at over 7000 feet altitude. It gets cold. Most people are wearing heavy coats and often layers during the fall, winter and early spring months. There is some question in my mind about the penetration characteristics of a .380 hollow point round fired into three or five layers of heavy clothing.

Second, is the unpleasant fact that small semi-automatics are not the most jam-free pistols in the world. There is always the small, but disconcerting, chance that you can pull the trigger and it won't go "bang". The problem is that you can shoot a lot of rounds at the range, but you really don't know if the next time you pull the trigger the gun will shoot. That is just an inherent factor with semi-automatics. Some are undoubtedly better than others in this respect, but given the nature of the beast - hammer fired or striker fired, slide, springs, loading ramp, the cartridge and bullet shapes,... you just can't be 100% certain. This is one reason why revolvers are still popular, besides their obvious cool factor.

But, although it is very unlikely, revolvers can also fail to function at that critical time. Poor maintenance. An actual mechanical failure with the cylinder or trigger or hammer. It's possible to prevent a revolver from firing by grabbing the cylinder so it will not turn and index when the trigger is pulled, just as it is possible to 'jam' a semi-auto by grabbing the slide and forcing the gun to go out of battery.

Now, enter the single action, multiple-barrel, non-revolving handgun. The classic design for this kind of weapon was the creation of Henry Deringer. His model, now dubbed the "Derringer" overcomes those potential limitations, as discussed above, with a simple, single-action, hammer fired design with no extra moving parts. The hammer, trigger and firing pins. That's it. But, as with anything, there is a catch.

Having no other moving parts like cylinders or slides, the derringer is limited to the number of rounds it can fire without reloading. In this case, two.

But, there is a flip side to this as well. Those two rounds can be very powerful and effective if the design of the gun is made strong enough and well enough to handle powerful loads.

Back in 1995, Greg Bond began Bond Arms with the express intent of making the better derringer design pistol. Today, Bond Arms is known as the only company to produce and sell an all-American made derringer pistol that is built to be a precision handgun that will shoot large and powerful loads and not unduly punish the shooter. Today the company is owned and run by Greg's brother, Gordon.

I don't have a Bond Arms pistol, nor have I ever shot one, but when my thinking turned to what might be the best around the home carry weapon, without the potential limitations of a small semi-auto or revolver, the Bond Arms pistols moved quickly to the top of the consideration pile.

After a few hours research I have come to some preliminary conclusions. Be advised though, that plowing through the internet sites to weed out objective and accurate information is a chore. The Bond Arms site is very useful for a good introduction to their guns, with facts, figures and statistics backed up with photographs and input from other sources. They provide links to articles and reviews by others so that you can get a more widespread look at what others think. Going afield of this, looking through the results of various Google searches also turns up some of the gun whacko's out there. As you might suspect, gun forums are a very mixed bag. Having moderated a couple I know this from long experience. One example is a forum, that will remain unnamed, in which I found a long, multi-page thread of discussions about the Bond Arms pistols. Many of the posters there had obviously never seen, held or shot a Bond Arms gun, but they were free with advice, advice that bore no relation to reality whatsoever.

So, at this point I can make a few observations. I'm still researching and learning about Bond Arms, especially from the perspective of using one of them as a carry gun around the house, and maybe in general.

The Bond Arms double-barrel pistol reflects Henry Deringer's timeless design, but, really, the resemblance ends there. The modern Bond Arms pistol is a heavyweight, precision American made hunk of steel. Where the older derringer design had various shortcomings and inherent safety problems, the modern Bond Arms design has eliminated these and incorporated state-of-the art safety features as well. Where the older derringer designs allowed the hammer to rest adjacent to the firing pins, which could cause an unintentional discharge if the gun was dropped while loaded, the Bond Arms design uses a rebound locking hammer. According to the Bond Arms manual:

Think of the rebounding hammer as an automatic half cock. The hammer automatically rebounds to a
blocked position off of the firing pins. This allows for safer reloading compared to other derringers. The rebounding hammer is an exclusive patented feature for the Bond derringers.

In a conversation I had with Gordon Bond, he related that some Bond Arms owners, when ordering new grips, reported that they had accidentally dropped their pistols and none had fired as a result. This is undoubtedly due to the rebounding hammer.

The Bond Arms pistols also incorporate a sliding "cross bolt safety" mechanism which renders the hammer incapable of striking the firing pins if the trigger is pulled on a cocked pistol with the safety engaged. Interestingly, the safety can be easily moved to the "off safe" position while holding the pistol in one hand. Nice, for self defense use.

Another feature I like, although it is not strictly a safety feature, is the spring-loaded, thumb operated barrel release mechanism. Once can quickly and easily unlock the barrels for reloading with a short movement of the shooter's right thumb. This is a one-handed operation for right hand shooters, and an additional step for lefties.

A word about the trigger. Do not be concerned with the occasional internet forum post that claims the trigger pull is extremely difficult. Aside from the fact that many internet posts are made by people with little or no knowledge of what they are talking about, a quick look at the Bond Arms manual will give you all the information you need concerning the trigger. One, due to the design of the derringer itself, the trigger easily actuates with a more downward pull than, say a semi-auto or revolver. Also, putting any pressure on the cocked hammer with the shooting hand will dramatically increase the pressure necessary to pull the trigger. I suspect that most people who report heavy trigger pull do not own a Bond Arms pistol, have not read the manual and don't realize they are creating their own problem.

The Bond Arms pistols appear to be dead-reliable. Once loaded and locked up, just pull back the hammer and pull the trigger and one of the two barrels goes "boom!". Repeat, and the other one fires. No worries about slides, safeties or cylinders doing their thing correctly.

The Bond Arms pistols shoot some heavyweight self-defense loads - .410 buckshot, .45 long colt, .45 ACP, .38 special +P, .357 Magnum, 9mm, etc. Much more potent than my .380 hollow point rounds.

And, seeing that you can get other barrel sets in many different calibers that will fit any Bond Arms frame, you can have essentially a number of different guns that all feel the same and shoot the same for very little money.

Of course, the down side is the two-round limitation. But, for self defense, it's only a limitation if you need more than two shots, and you can't reload in a hurry. As for any self defense handgun application, serious and regular training on how to use, operate and shoot your carry gun, or guns, must be a part of your commitment to carry. This goes for reloading any gun you carry, not just Bond Arms pistols.

I can't speak to the reloading procedure since I don't have a Bond Arms to put through those paces, but I'll manage to work that out sometime and report back on it. From what I have seen, the procedure is quick and relatively easy, but again, as with all things of this nature, it requires commitment and practice.

Bond Arms makes an intriguing, rock-sold, small handgun that fires some awesome rounds and I think it deserves a serious look as a self-defense carry gun.

More later...

I learn something new, if not every day, frequently

Today I learned a laser tip from Bob Pincus. I was cruising YouTube looking at firearm and self defense related videos when I spotted a few on lasers and handguns from Pincus on the Personal Defense Network 'channel'. In one, he demonstrates the advantage of lasers on small handguns like the Ruger LCP. The sights on this gun are extremely small and difficult to see, even if you highlight them with paint, which I've done. On a non-contrasting background, on one that's moving, it is very difficult for an average shooter to accurately pickup and sight a target with the standard sights. A laser makes this task much more reasonable. This is something that most of us know and has been discussed many times on the gun forums. However, there is another, and probably much more common, situation in which a laser, especially on smaller guns, is very useful.

There is an intermediate distance between a person and a possible attacker that is somewhere between right up close and personal, where if you need to resort to your weapon, you can automatically get your gun on target without even looking at it. You are fending off an assailant with your left hand and arm, your gun goes tight against the side of your chest point at the assailant's torso (which is inches away from you) and you have an almost 100% opportunity to hit the target without looking. However, if the distance is about two arms length away, the intermediate zone, you can't draw and extend because that brings your weapon into the zone where your assailant can deflect or grab it easily. You need to keep your gun close to  your body, as with the up close example, and still be effective. You can't see the sights. The assailant is too far away to trust to blind pointing and shooting, but if you have a laser, you can light it up and see where the round is going without getting a sight picture.

I think this is a great argument for lasers on small to mid size self defense guns, and probably as valid for larger guns as well.

The next step in utilizing this information is to develop a dry fire routine that will train the muscles and reaction process in your brain to perform the intermediate draw, presentation and shoot.

Having a permit and carrying a handgun is much more than getting the right gun and holster, and practicing target shooting at the range. Learning basic handgun self defense tactics from some of the excellent videos available over the internet, or from respected programs on DVD is a fine way to learn and hone those skills. Most of us can't afford the personalized training classes which makes these videos valuable. One tip on practicing alone, in addition to SAFETY (Always use an unloaded weapon. In fact, make sure ammunition is not even in the vicinity or where you practice.) is to set up a video camera and watch yourself to pick up on where you need improvement. A cheap camera will do. Many computers have them built in, and most phones do too.

Another View: Ruger Magazine Disconnect Safety and Holsters with Attached Mag Pouch

It is Sunday, so it is time to debunk a couple of myths. 

Myth one: there is no practical reason for Ruger, on most of their semi-auto pistols to include a magazine disconnect safety. (The LCP is an exception to this rule.)

While it is true that many people do not like this feature, that is not to say that it is without merit or was included solely to meet certain state requirements for sales. I thought this for a while, but some blogger (and I'm sorry I don't recall who or I would certainly give credit here) pointed out that a very good reason it is there is to provide a safety in the circumstance when the magazine is removed and there remains a round in the chamber.

In order to rack the slide to remove the loaded round, on a Ruger one must put the manual safety on FIRE. So, at that point, the gun is cocked, a round is in the chamber and it's off safe. Nudge the trigger, or perhaps drop it and it lands the wrong way, and bang! you have a negligent discharge, with possibly injury or worse. So, with the magazine disconnect in place and operational, even though the manual safety is off, and a round is loaded in the chamber, the gun won't fire. One can rack and remove the round with a safety still operative.

I think most people who remove the magazine disconnect safety mechanism from their guns do so because they envision a situation in which, for some reason or other, the magazine drops from their gun when they are about to fire a round in a desperate circumstance. I'm not sure why this would happen, although I'll bet there are many who can concoct scenarios in which it would. I think the odds are extremely slim and, personally, I'd rather have an extra margin of safety operative for the many times I will be removing a round from the chamber of my loaded Ruger and trust that my magazine will be in place when I need to fire the weapon.

Myth two: Using a holster that incorporates a built-in mag pouch is more of a liability than an asset. This reasoning is based on the notion that if one has the holster on the same side of the body as the shooting hand, reaching across the body with the other hand for the magazine is either impossible, awkward, slow or just plain wrong.

Obviously, if one wears such a rig and carries either cross-draw or appendix, this argument loses all force. It's no more difficult to reach for the mag in those positions with the non shooting hand than it is to reach behind your hip with the same hand for an extra mag. And, as I've noted here before, there are many good reasons (myth busters, too) for a concealed carry being in the cross draw position.

I have a Remora holster for my LCP with the built in mag carrier, provided kindly by Alan of Remora for me to test this theory. I've been wearing it strong side, at about the 3:30 to 4:00 position for the LCP. The magazine rides a little forward of this at 2:30 to 3:00 o'clock, depending. Now, I have found that it is absolutely no issue to reach the top of my right hip with my left hand and pluck the magazine from the holster. In fact, with a two hand grip on the gun, my weak (left) hand is equally distant from a magazine worn on either hip, and it is closer to the mag that sits on, or in front of my right hip. When I wear a mag holder on my left side, for comfort it's usually somewhat behind the left hip, putting it actually farther away from my left hand than the mag on the holster.

An actual advantage of having a holster with an attached mag holder is two fold. One, when you grab the gun and holster, you also automatically grab an extra magazine. Two, especially with the Remora holster, the holster/mag pouch combination is longer and "flatter" than the holster alone, providing more friction area to keep it in place, and more area to spread the load making it even more comfortable.

Well, that's it for myth busting today. I'll be looking for more myths to bust, or at least expose as time goes on.

Thanks for reading, and be safe.

Versacarry Mag Release Issue - Update

As you will see a few posts back, I had an issue with the magazine in my Ruger SR9c being unintentionally ejected when I bent over sharply while carrying in the Versacarry "medium" rise holster.
I contacted the Versacarry folks about this, then set about trying to analyze what happened. As the photo will show, when I had the Versacarry and SR9c  in my normal cross draw position, while wearing my usual Wrangler jeans, the mag release button on the Ruger is positioned right underneath the sewn end of a belt loop and the heavy Bear Creek gun belt I normally wear. When I bent over sharply it put pressure on the mag release button sufficient to trip the mag release.

Mag release button exposed, but not in danger of being depressed. This is not my normal cross draw carry position but somewhat further back to illustrate the position of the various components: holster, belt loop, belt and button.

In the normal cross draw position, the mag release button is directly under the end of the belt loop and can also get pressure from the top of the stiff gun belt. As you can see, the magazine (empty) has been partially ejected. This was a result of bending sharply at the waist as if picking something off the floor.

Now, this is a situation that required a number of factors to come together simultaneously, something that is very unusual. My take on this is that when using any holster with which the magazine release button is exposed (i.e., not protected against actuation) check to ensure that there will be nothing pressing on the button while the gun is in the carry position you have chosen. If so, move the gun and holster, or use a different holster in that place. For the Versacarry line, the simplest solution would be to choose one of their holsters with a lower or higher ride which would move the mag release button to another place. I would, of course, test this with an unloaded gun just to make sure. In fact, if you use any holster that exposes the magazine release button, test it thoroughly to ensure that does not happen to you.

So, some after the fact testing and analysis shows that this issue was not simply the result of carrying my SR9c in a Versacarry holster, but carrying a semi-automatic handgun in any holster in which the magazine release is exposed. Take a look at your normal carry with this in mind.

Be safe.

It Doesn't Change Anything

The furor over Aurora has abated somewhat now so I feel I can comment on the self-defense aspects of this tragedy. A few days after the shootings I was visiting relatives in northern Colorado and one, who should know better, burst out that it was all the fault of those concealed carry permits that are so easy to get. Obviously, my relative was not thinking clearly, so I ran over some basic facts with him, which cooled the situation quickly.

First, law-abiding citizens who have concealed carry permits usually won't carry in a "gun free" zone, which this was. That removed legal carry from the situation. Obviously, had there been one or more concealed carry citizens present, things might have turned out differently. We'll never know.

Second, even if there were no concealed carry permits, anyone who wants to buy and carry a gun will find a way to do so. Criminals and crazy people don't usually bother to go through the expense, background checks and training required of a citizen to obtain a carry permit. Still, they persist in using and carrying guns (not to mention knives, clubs, bats, martial arts weapons, or any handy weapon they can get their hands on at the time.)

The fundamental thing lost in all the noise is that law-abiding citizens of the USA have the right to protect themselves from deadly assault. Taking away that right, and that protection, will not change the fact that bad people assault good people every day.

Carried to an absurd extreme, the logic of taking away guns from the public so they can't defend themselves when they choose to fight back and not be passive victims of crime, will result in ever more 'police' or law-enforcement personnel being necessary to protect an unarmed society. Weapons cannot be kept from criminals who want them (if this is not clear, refer to the so-called "war on drugs", or even Prohibition in the early part of the last century. Acknowledged failures in separating the public from something the public wants.)

Since assault can happen any time and anywhere, there must always be adequate armed law enforcement personnel in the immediate area in order to adequately safeguard our citizens. In short,  cops on every corner, in every apartment, hotel, restaurant, church, baseball, football or basketball game, movie theatres, parking lots, grocery stores.... You get the picture. A basic police state with almost as many people required to be hired, trained, equipped and paid to protect about the same number of citizens. Not only is this financially impossible, but who wants to live in a police state?

Until someone figures out how to eliminate criminal and pathological behaviors, there will always be someone who preys on the innocent. In my opinion, the innocent must maintain the right to protect themselves and not be required to submit passively to whatever the criminals and crazies want to do.

Versacarry Holsters - a review

A couple of weeks ago I received a number of Versacarry Holsters ( http://www.versacarry.com/ ) for use and review. I had read a mention of these holsters on the Elsie Pea Forum (now the Ruger Pistols Forum) and was intrigued by the concept.

These are not 'holsters' as we know them, but what I woud describe as synthetic, mimimum bulk and weight, concealed carry pistol IWB attachments. But, for this review, I will still refer to it as a holster.

Examples of the Versacarry lineup

Component parts and a look at how it fits to the gun frame

 As you can see, there is only one side to this holster. The clip goes over the belt, the gun and holster inside the waistband and the side of the gun rides against the body. Or, in my case, an undershirt. On first glance, this would seem to be uncomfortable, but to my surprise, it is not. This depends, of course, on where you carry the holster - against the hipbone will not be a comfortable place. I carry Rugers, the LCP, the LC9 or the SR9c as self defense guns. Even though I have skateboard tape attached to the slides of the LCP and the SR9c to aid in racking them, I felt no discomfort carrying them as long as I positioned them properly.

The other thing that most people think right away is, "what about the trigger guard? It's only on one side. Isn't that dangerous?"

The Versacarry company does not recommend anyone carry a pistol with this holster armed with a round in the chamber. I understand this, but I also understand that carrying a semi-automatic pistol for self defense that does NOT have a round chambered is a very foolish idea. There are too many instances in which the time or opportunity to draw a pistol, then rack in a round to make it ready to shoot, is not possible. I could enumerate these situations, but I'll only state one objection: a 'bad guy' has his hands on you and you are using your non-shooting hand to fend him off while you reach for your weapon with the other. How are you going, then, to rack in a round with one hand?

So, my preference is to carry "locked and loaded".  I am not advocating this to you. You have to make up your own mind and be comfortable with the decision. This brings us back to the question of the trigger guard, which is supplied as an option and only for one side of the holster. Obviously, having a trigger guard on a holster is a great idea and for me, I won't consider one without it. The trigger guard here is positioned to guard against the trigger coming in contact with anything that might end up between the trigger and the pants' side of the holster. The opposite side, the side next to your body, has nothing to hang up on. I querried Justin, the owner of Versacarry about this. His response was that used properly, which includes attaching the pistol to the Versacarry before clipping the holster into the pants, there is nothing to hang up on the trigger. Most negligent discharges of a pistol occur when re-holstering a loaded gun into a defective or blocked holster. Besides, if you follow Versacarry's instructions and do not carry with a round in the chamber, there should be no cause for worry.

Again, like carrying with the side of a pistol against your body, the trigger guard question is one you will have to answer for yourself and be comforatable with. I personally do not have an issue with this arrangement given my comments above, but it is a personal decision.

The Versacarry holsters are sized for caliber and for length. As you can see from the photos, the pistol is held to the holster by a spring action of the plastic and metal retention rod that fits up into the barrel. The rod is positioned at a angle to the holster "frame" which flexes and pushes the frame of the pistol against the frame of the holster. The rod is made of a somewhat soft and maleable plastic, tapered a bit at the top and threaded with a steel insert to accept a long steel screw. The attachment is solid. The rod is made slightly smaller (0.015") than the pistol's barrel diameter for a good fit. I found that once inserted and withdrawn a few times, the fit is perfect and the rod is long enough that the pistol sits securely on it.

Showing rod mounted to the frame

The nice thing about this design is that a given holster will fit any number of pistols of the same caliber. My two 9 mm's and my .380 will fit the same diameter rod. The difference is in the length of the frame:

Same caliber, different lengths

For a given gun, you can get a holster that will carry it more deeply or more shallowly, depending on how you like your gun to ride above the belt line. They are also offering an adjustable holster so that it will be adaptable to guns of different thickness but of the same caliber. A nice touch.

The Versacarry holsters are made with a clip that will accommodate belts up to 1 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick, including the waistband material of the pants. They have a good video on their site about how the gun is mounted, clipped, into the holster and how the holster is attached and removed.

One quirk of this design is that if you draw your gun and then remove the holster in order to re-attach and re-install the holster/gun into your waistband, the empty holster may catch the barrel retention rod on your undershirt when taking it off. This can happen of course while you are practicing the draw from the holster with an unloaded gun of course. This is not a big deal because in a normal concealed carry situation, you won't be drawing and re-holstering your gun anyway.

Lastly, the draw. I can firmly state that there is no holster out there that offers a smoother or quicker draw than the Versacarry. Some, a few, might be as good, but not better in my opinion. The pistol slips off the barrel retention rod smoothly and there is really nothing else to impede the gun.


So, in conclusion, I think this is one of the most innovative pistol concealed carrying devices available. It weighs next to nothing. It is strong, easy to attach the pistol to and draws very easily. It also offers your option of a deeply concealed carry or one that rides higher, holding the grips higher above the belt line. It is useable in practically any position - probably not a good choice for small of back carry, but I find it works fine as a cross draw holster as well as in the other positions. As they demonstrate in their videos, it is pretty easy to attach and remove with the gun in place. And, at the current price point, the Versacarry is about half what you would expect to pay for an 'ordinary' holster with the exception of a few Galcos and the more simple leather brands. Backed by the Versacarry no questions asked replacement policy it's hard to beat.

Its uniqueness offers questions about the design that are not present with more conventional designed holsters: nothing between the body and the gun, an optional trigger guard only on one side, and the requirement to remove the Versacarry in order to attach the pistol to it. These are different factors - not "bad", but a function of the innovative design of the holster. 

 Most of us have a number of holsters in our carry 'wardrobe'. The Versacarry now has a place in mine. It's not my exclusive concealed carry holster solution, but there are times and places where it is a good choice.

 

 

Need for Knowledge

As some of you know, I am one of the moderators on a large gun forum with over ten thousand members. ( elsiepeaforum.com ) Most of the members do not post, which is pretty much the norm for internet forums in my experience. But, from the ones who do post it is possible to discern some trends in people's attitudes and knowledge about carrying handguns for self defense - legally, of course.

The main thing I am seeing is that there are many more people getting their concealed carry permits, buying guns, strapping them on and carrying without enough basic knowledge about guns in general, gun safety and correct and safe use of their weapons in particular. I would feel better if those who were carrying legally were well versed in the law and their responsibilities, and solid in their knowledge of how and when to resort to their weapons.

For me this breaks down into two main areas: the legal and moral responsibilities one has accepted in order to carry a gun, and the minimum level of training in safety and shooting skills needed. As I have noted in a prior post here about the "Aftermath" class, the former can be acquired by attending a good class, reading many of the excellent books on that subject and engaging experienced members of a good gun forum in questions and discussions. The second is more complicated.

While books and videos can teach basic gun safety, they are only the starting point. Safety involves you and those around you, especially if you have children in the house, or likely to visit. Think grandparents, for example. The first impulse is to lock everything up in the safe when kids are around. This is obviously a good idea, but beyond that, what can you teach youngsters about gun safety when you are not around? Like, they are playing at Jane's or Jimmy's house and Jane or Jimmy comes up with dad's gun. This happens more often that we would like to think.

I believe it is imperative to teach young people about guns from the safety perspective. What they are, how they operate. That they are inherently dangerous and should be respected but not feared. And, most importantly, all guns are to be considered loaded. For my kids, I taught that and the basic rule, not to be trifled with, that if one of their friends comes up with a gun, to ask them firmly to put it down, and then leave immediately, encouraging any other child present to leave also, and report this to the nearest adult. If no adults are around, get out of the house and call 911.

Adults who carry with minimal knowledge and with preconceived ideas garnered by conversations, movies, the internet, etc. are potentially dangerous to themselves and to others. One example that comes up frequently in the forums are people who buy steel clips to attach to their carry guns so that they can be clipped to the waistband of their garment. No holster. Trigger not covered. This, as we always point out is a very bad idea and can get them and innocent bystanders shot. Even after a significant number of experienced forum members have pointed out the serious safety flaw in this type of carry, there are still those who think they know better and blow off any warnings.

We also see people who are basically afraid of their guns. Some will buy a readily concealable pistol like Ruger's LCP .380 and when they finally get around to firing it, the noise and recoil shocks them. Some learn to use it properly. Some shoot a few rounds and then stick it into their carry holster and go on about their daily business. Some sell it and get something bigger that doesn't have the perceived recoil. They don't shoot that one much either, but still rely on it as a carry weapon.

I could go on with other types of stories but the essential thing is that in order to carry effectively and safely, one must learn basic gun safety, preferably from an instructor who knows what she is doing and, better, is certified by the NRA or other recognized organization to be a firearms instructor. Then, one should practice regularly - not just shooting, but gun handling, loading and unloading properly, holstering and storing the weapon away safely. And, frequent cleaning and inspection, looking for anything out of the ordinary that might impede the safe operation of the gun. Often impending problems can be spotted and recified early if you practice regular inspections of your firearms.

All this makes sense, but can it be required of concealed permit holders? Probably not. There is little uniformity in state law that regulates how proficient a person has to be with shooting and gun safety before a permit can be acquired. In Colorado, you merely have to take a concealed handgun permit class, and present proof of that along with some other minor documentation in order to obtain your permit. You do not have to demonstrate you could hit a wall if you were shooting inside your house.

This is likely not going to change in the near future. Or distant future for that matter. One good reason is that, constitutionally, nothing of this sort is required as part of our right to keep and bear arms. I am sure that when that was written, most children were intimately acquainted with guns from an early age, learning from their parents and relatives how to use them and not act like a damn fool. I was taught very early on by my father and grandfather, and later by the US Navy and Marine Corps. All-in-all, excellent and unforgiving teachers. I thank them for it.

While the idea of mandatory firearms training in safety and shooting skills as prerequisties for a conceal carry license is, at first, an attractive idea, I don't like the idea of a bureaucratic mandate, controlled by government officials. That, to me, strikes at the foundation of a free people with second amendment rights. I think it is up to us to encourage and help those who need it in this area, not another government body.

If you are not as familiar as you should be with gun safety and your shooting skills, not target shooting, but self-defense shooting, please work on getting the necessary skills and knowledge. Take some classes. Find some good firearms instructors who can teach you these basic skills and practice and train with them so they are second nature. We all make mistakes, but it is good to make little mistakes, not big ones when people's safety or freedom are at stake.

 

Holsters, and car jacking

In keeping with Holsters, part 2 a few entries back, and my search for a standard carry system in which I can, if desired, pack a main carry handgun and a back up gun comfortably and in readily accessible locations, Holster evaluations post, I learned something recently that puts this into a more practical perspective.

There was a foiled car jacking attempt in a city north of here, one to which I travel frequently. The driver was able to draw his sidearm from behind his hip while buckled into his seat just in time to put the muzzle of his weapon in the would-be car jacker's face as he yanked open the passenger door. The perp fled immediately. The driver was shaken up by this and by the fact that he had to struggle to draw his gun, given where he was carrying it and that he was belted in. Imagine him struggling to get his gun out and the perp sliding into the seat next to him and sticking him with a knife five or twelve times...

So, now, while in the car, I have a handgun riding in the cross draw position where it is quickly accessible and not hindered by the belt or seat. I have been using a Remora for this, and it works very well, but I would also like to have a good cross draw holster solidly attached to my belt, and that still conceals very easily.

And, now, as soon as I get into the car, I make sure the doors are locked.

The Legal Aftermath of Defensive Shooting

Last night I drove for two hours to attend a class held by Colorado Handgun Safety entitled, "The Legal Aftermath of Defensive Shooting" taught by a defense attorney, concealed handgun permit holder and former attorney with the US Army. Those of you who follow the Elsie Pea Forum (elsiepeaforum.com) will have already seen some of what follows.

First, if similar classes are available to you, by all means take one. Consider this as follow on training to accompany your concealed carry permit. Consider this to be another form of self defense. I obviously can't recap a three hour class but I can say a few things here. It was so good that although it was scheduled for two hours, we went for three. Conversation. Question and answer. Amplifications. Excellent. Some points made in the class:

Know the Law in Your State

In a defensive shooting situation, every bullet you fire has a lawyer attached to it. This, from the mouth of a lawyer that knows what he is talking about.

This means that you should strive to absolutely understand the statutes in your state that pertain to what one might be charged with after a defensive shooting. Charged with does not mean convicted of, or that charges cannot be dropped or defended against, but be aware that serious charges can be brought, regardless of their outcome before or in court.

For example, If your state has a "castle doctrine" or "make my day" law, be CERTAIN you understand under what condition that law applies. One example: if "unlawful entry" is part of that statute, know, for certain, what "unlawful" and what "entry" mean. If you gave someone a key in the distant past to your dwelling (you have to know what "dwelling" means in your state), even though you kicked them out and told them never to come back, and they enter with the old key they still have, the court might not consider that "unlawful". You should have changed the locks. If a potential home invader screams he is gonna rob and kill you, runs on your porch waving a shotgun and you shoot him as he opens the door, did he actually "enter" your dwelling? There is a court case that says, in similar circumstance, no. Self defense? Most definitely. Castle doctrine? Probably not.

Why is that important? Castle doctrine, or similar statute, might protect you from consequences more than self defense will.

Know What Not to Do Afterwards

This is important. If you are involved in a self-defense shooting, the ONLY thing you should say to the police, a prosecutor, an EMT - anyone at the scene or later - is:

"My name is (insert name here). I am a victim. I will fully cooperate once I have spoken with my attorney."

Did I say this is important? Yes. Why?

Because you may say something that will FOREVER REMOVE your right to using self defense in court. At the scene, these scenarios may play out:

Police: "That's ok. I know you are upset and you didn't mean to shoot him."

You: "Yeah, I don't know what happened, I didn't mean to kill the guy."

Adios your right to self defense. You didn't mean to kill/shoot the guy? If you didn't mean to shoot him in self defense, then why did you shoot him?

Police: "You've been through a stressful experience. I know it was an accident and you didn't want to hurt anyone."

You: "I'm freaked out, man. Yeah, it was an accident."

Slam! That sound was your right to argue self defense leaving the building.

Unless you are an experienced defense lawyer, you don't know the law, especially the finer points like maintaining your ability to exercise your right of self defense in court, so repeat after me: "My name is (insert name here). I am a victim. I will fully cooperate once I have spoken with my attorney." Then, shut up. Period. Don't talk to anyone else, regardless of how sympathetic or helpful they are. Don't blab to yourself in the back of the police car - every police car these days has a tape recorder going. Shut up. Get a lawyer and listen to what he or she tells you.

Ask for your attorney, right up front. The questions should stop. If they don't tell them you want your attorney.

Our instructor also said that the first document that your attorney should file with the court is that your defense in your case is based on self defense. If you don't it may be gone forever.

Win The Race

Win the race to call 911. The order in which calls are logged determines, initially, who is the victim and who is the aggressor. Sad, but true.

After an incident - and it doesn't have to be a shooting, maybe you foiled a carjacking and the carjacker fled when you put your 9 mm in his face. Call right away. You don't want him calling and complaining of meancing, or someone else calling who only saw you point your gun at a young man who then ran away.

Once you call, state your name, location, your description (so the responding officers will be able to tell you are the caller not the perp), say you are the victim of the crime, maybe you have the assailant at gunpoint (if true) and you need help. Then PUT THE PHONE DOWN. Don't hang up and don't engage the sympathetic dispatcher in conversation. The 911 dispatchers are trained to keep you on the line and talking. Guess what? It's recorded and anything you say can be used against you.

Do Not Be Negligent With Your Gun

Society has certain common expectations of reasonable care. If you have a driver's license, society expects you to know the rules and how to safely operate your car so that it is not a danger to you or to others. The same expectations apply to concealed handgun permit holders, and even more so. Why more so? A handgun is an inherently deadly weapon. Where a car or a bottle or a baseball bat may be used as a deadly weapon, they are not, in themselves deadly weapons. A gun is. Without question. Therefore, you have a more exact standard of care. To use a gun otherwise is negligent, and usually criminally negligent.

To not be negligent you have to, among other things, hit what you shoot at. This is not as easy as it may seem. Not only must you practice to enable you to hit your target reliably every time, but you must practice in the manner you will most be likely to use in a self-defense shooting situation. This is quick, sometimes instinctive point-and-shoot at close ranges. It is also shooting under extreme stress and while your body and mind is raging in the "fight or flight" mode and all of your senses have been radically altered when your body goes into survival mode. This is not standing at the range popping paper targets. Studies show that even professional and expert gun handlers will miss often under these stressful conditions. You are likely not a professional or expert gun handler, so you must practice even harder to be proficient in self defense scenarios.

Practice like this is not convenient, easy or cheap. However, having made the decision to carry you must have accepted the awesome responsibility that goes along with that. Find a way to practice. Find a way to make the cost acceptable. One way is to buy a smaller caliber handgun, like a .22 caliber that approximates the one or ones you will be carrying and put a lot of lead downrange with the cheaper .22 ammo to build up your proficiency. Dry firing will help with things like grip and trigger control, but it does not give that BANG! and induce the small adrenaline rush that can cause you to flinch and miss.

You have to shoot safely so as to not endanger others. This obviously entails being accurate under stress, but it also means you have to be aware of your surroundings (not easy when cranked with fear) so that you don't endanger others. You also must consider the type and caliber of your carry gun, and the ammunition you choose for it. This is a complex issue, especially among gun people who always have their favorites. Simply put though, I think as far as hardware goes, the most important consideration is the type of ammunition you will be shooting. I favor somewhat lower velocity ammo firing jacketed hollow point type bullets that have a smaller chance of punching through something and hitting an unintended object or person.

There have been books written about all of this and more. However, in addition to reading, I highly recommend a class about these topics taught by a professional and an attorney that knows, from experience, what he or she is talking about. It is too important to leave to internet gossip or hearsay.

Take a class on what can happen, and what you should and should not do after being involved in a defensive shooting. Read books by Ayoob and others. And remember:

"My name is (insert name here). I am a victim. I will fully cooperate once I have spoken with my attorney."