Aware

This time I present a guest whose view and philosophy mirrors my own. Many of my friends and family do not get why I carry a gun. Perhaps this will help them to see the world more like I do.

I carry a gun every day

Ernie Traugh, guest columnist
January 4, 2015

Every day I get up and put on a gun. It’s part of my daily routine. No different from making coffee or feeding the dogs before I leave for work.

There is so much misinformation about who that makes me. I’m a “gun nut.” I’m one of “those right-wing Second Amendment people.” I’m the scourge of the earth to some.

Funny how that works.

They don’t even know me but they are worried that I’m what’s wrong with this country, this state and this city I call home. I walk among them and they don’t even know it. I’m the guy in the jeans and Under Armour shirt, the guy in the $200 sport coat and $125 shoes, the guy in Nike pants and a hoodie, and some days I’m the guy with dirty hands from working in the yard, but most of all I’m the guy they never see.

Oh, they acknowledge me sometimes. When I hold the door for them because my parents raised me that way. When I let them go ahead of me in line at the gas station because they seem to be in a hurry. When I pick up their baby’s pacifier in the aisle at the grocery store and hand it back to them because it fell out and they didn’t notice. But they don’t see me. I’m just another guy in the store with things in my hand. But only my left hand. I don’t carry things in my right hand. Not at the store. Not in public.

Why? Because I’m “that guy.” I know that bad things happen. Every day. Everywhere. So I try to be aware. I try to study my surroundings. I expect to not see it coming every time. I expect that evil may show up while I’m shopping or walking through the mall or eating at a restaurant. It doesn’t make me crazy. It doesn’t make me paranoid. It simply makes me aware. Unlike a lot of people that walk by me every day. Looking at their phones, their notes, their purses, or any of the other distractions that plague us. I get it.

I also get that there are wolves. Hungry. Lean. Skilled at their trade. Studying you. Studying me. They like you. They don’t like me. I see them at the mall. I see them at the gas station. I see them right here in this town. Do they know I’m armed? No, they don’t. They know that I’m aware. I look at them. Kill them with kindness. It’s a like a mutual agreement. I see you; you see me. Let’s not kid each other.

It’s weird in a way. The man and his friend in the store that looked all around and even glanced at the camera above us — those guys see me. I’m aware that the door is over there. I’m aware that the coffee pot is within reach and full. He urges me to go first to the counter. “Oh no, you go please. I have all day,” I reply. Now he has to make a purchase. Now he knows I’m polite …. I’m polite and I do not want them behind me in line.
The lady with her kid? She doesn’t notice me, but I’m there. I have a phone. I have a flashlight. I have two knives. I have a firearm. And I have a plan. If this doesn’t go well I want to get her and that little one out of here. Chances are nothing is going to happen until they’re gone anyway. I’d like to leave too.

One man asks the other a question. He hands the guy a few extra bucks to make the purchase of an item at the counter. They leave. I make my purchase. I call the employee by name and tell him to have a good night. I walk to the door and hold it open for the woman approaching. She says, “Thanks.” I say, “Yes ma’am.” Then, poof. I’m gone.

Just another uneventful trip to the store. The best kind ever. It’s funny those men truly saw me but other customers didn’t. Why? Maybe too busy. Maybe too much on their minds. Maybe because they didn’t worry for one second about those two men or me.

When I get home I don’t tell my wife about the two men who lingered. The two men who entered together but stood so far apart. The two men that seemed to have no sense of purpose or item they were in search of. No need to talk of them because nothing happened. This happens daily. Sometimes once. Sometimes multiple times. I like uneventful days.

Most people don’t know me. But man, they sure do judge me. If I use a gun to defend myself they will read about it. They will hear about it. They will weigh in on what should have happened.

I have seen bad people do bad things. I have seen good people dumbfounded and in shock because they couldn’t comprehend what was happening in front of them or, worse yet, to them. It’s not fun or pretty to think about, so most people don’t. They don’t stay awake late at night watching videos from self-defense experts. They don’t read the articles. They don’t look at unedited news on the Internet. They don’t search out the videos of people fighting for their lives and losing.

A man stabbed outside a bar. A couple hijacked and killed in front of the store. A store clerk shot even after complying with a robber’s demands. A video from inside the grocery store of a mad man with a gun shooting people while looking for his ex. Dashboard cameras of an officer involved in a shooting. It’s an ugly world so they choose not to see it.

I don’t train for the warm fuzzy days where everyone gets along. I train for the other days. I try to round out my skill sets. I look at what others have done to succeed. I watch videos of those who haven’t. Some refer to it as making something good out of something bad. Like watching videos of officers being killed as every person that’s gone through any type of law enforcement academy has had to do. Learn from others’ experiences.
People from all walks of life legally carry guns. Some are men and some are women. Some are old and some are young. The ones I know train. The ones I know are aware: Aware of their surroundings. And aware of all of the armchair quarterbacking that will be done if they ever have to use that tool of last resort on their belt. So why do it anyway? Because they value their life and the lives of others. Simple.

My so-called “gun nut” friends and customers are some of the most congenial, trustworthy people I know. I only wish everyone had such friends. I wish everyone understood like I do.

• Ernie Traugh is owner operator of Cedar Valley Outfitters, which opened in 2001, and has been a reserve police officer since 2004. Comments: ernie@cedarvalleyoutfitters.org

Posted with Blogsy

Laser Myths

As I noted on this blog earlier, there is a high bandwidth of ignorant and misinformed internet opinions available at the click of a mouse. They live among, and sometimes overwhelm, factual, rational and real information that would be helpful to the curious and the uninitiated. Gun forums are particularly prone to becoming a venue for unsupported opinion and basic misinformation. The interesting but unfortunate consequence of this is that many wrong, stupid, ignorant and sometimes hazardous opinions are accepted as fact.

In this post, I would like to offer some facts and reason to evaluate a common internet gun forum topic about which laser sight is "better", disregarding that "better" in this context is a very undefined attribute.

I have read many forum posts that go back and forth about which laser sight is "better": the LaserMax CenterFire or the Crimson Trace Laserguard. Mostly, the comments center on perceived notions of size, shape, beam and actuation preferences. Price usually doesn't come up, although the CT (Crimson Trace) is much more costly than the LM (LaserMax).It seems to me that the purpose of a laser sight on a handgun is to provide a highly visible aiming point on the same plane as the target when one wishes to fire a shot. This is especially important under low light conditions and with small handguns that are difficult to shoot accurately. All laser sights will do this with the same focal precision and power. The amount of power a laser sight maker can supply to the device is restricted. 

Looking at the LaserMax and the Crimson Trace models that attach to the underside of the frame, their size, weight and profiles are close enough to not make a real difference. I have used both and can vouch for this fact. Arguments about one being "slimmer" than the other are nonsense in any meaningful sense.


The main difference between the LaserMax CenterFire and the Crimson Trace Laserguard, disregarding cost, is the method of operation. With the LM you have a choice; with the CT, you don't.

The CT laser, given a firm grip on the pistol, is always on regardless of whether you want it on or not. I don't like technology that tries to do my thinking for me. I suspect that many people don't want to have to think about this so they go for the default "on" state. This indicates a lack of training on their part and their not understanding that the only time you need or want a laser shining from your gun is when you need to shoot.

Anybody can grab a CT equipped handgun and turn on the laser. Doesn't matter if they know what they are doing or not, whether their finger is on the trigger when they draw or not. As long as they hold the pistol with a firm grip, the CT laser is always shining. To disengage it, one has to modify the grip. Not a particularly optimal choice.

Additionally, I've noticed that with small guns like the LCP, where there are two fingers on the grip, depending on the shooter's hand size, the CT doesn't always stay on under rapid fire when the fingers may shift a bit under the recoil and mental pressure. If you are focused on the red dot and it suddenly disappears, you can be distracted and that next round may end up somewhere you didn't want it to go. Yes, if you can maintain a consistent hold and grip pressure during a self-defense shooting episode, this probably won't happen. But I submit that most people won't be that aware and precise.

Which leads to the fact that with the LM, the shooter always has the choice of the laser being on, or off. Whichever, it's not going to change from that state unexpectedly. 
You will see many posts about this by people who haven't bothered to learn and train sufficiently for defensive shooting. Think about it. 

If someone is set to quickly grab their gun and begin banging off shots with the laser on, I think this shows a lack of basic training on safe gun handling and shooting. When we train to operate defensively, we train to quickly and consistently draw our weapon from the holster, and position, of our choosing, in such a manner as to not shoot ourselves or an innocent bystander in the process. Proper grip. Trigger finger extended alongside the slide or trigger guard (varies with gun model of course). Extract gun and rotate clear of the body, pointing down range toward the target area. Finger extended, not on the trigger. Threat identification. Decision to shoot or not. If yes, finger goes to trigger as the weapon is centered on the target. Fire.

In the above scenario the only time the laser needs to be on is when you decide to shoot. If you are doing things right, the CT comes on when you grip the pistol in the holster. The LM does not. Why? Because you haven't turned it on. When can you turn it on? Whenever you choose because, if you are doing this right, as your gun clears the holster, your trigger finger will be resting on the LM slide switch. When your finger sweeps back to the trigger - whenever you decide to fire - the slide switch gets pushed in and the laser goes on as your finger slides into the trigger guard. Or, you may decide not to shoot but to actuate the laser anyway. Push the switch and it's on. Enough? Push the switch to turn it off. 

It is easy and natural to push the slide switch off with the thumb on your supporting hand to disengage the laser. Then, your trigger finger will automatically (it should!) be extended and again resting naturally on the LM slide switch where it all began.

With the CT, you are shining that laser beam around all the time, whether you have decided to shoot or not, unless you relax the grip on your weapon. And, if you are drawing, presenting and aiming correctly with a CT equipped gun, your trigger finger will be extended alongside the weapon, just like in the LM example, until you make the conscious decision to shoot. However, there won't be a switch under your finger because your laser will always be on, regardless of whether you want it on or not.

I've gone into some detail about this because this is a serious matter and deserves a serious and detailed examination, not off-hand remarks.

Statistics will show that the idea that all or most deadly force self defense shooting encounters are not of the split-second grab and shoot as fast as possible kind. Many encounters don't involve shooting at all, but the presentation of a deadly threat -  your weapon -  to a potential criminal perpetrator. Just the sight of your handgun may be enough to defuse the threat. Or that and the purposeful switching on of a little red dot on the middle of his chest. The fact remains, that if the person legally carrying is sufficiently trained to handle his or her weapon correctly, that person will be in charge of when and if the laser sight needs to be actuated and can do so as effectively and quickly with a LM as with a CT. But, with the LM, you get to be in control and make the decisions.

Simply put, if a person is trained to properly grasp, present, aim and fire a handgun in a self defense scenario, one is, by that very fact, trained to be in control of a LaserMax sight.

Three Laws of Concealed Carry

Image from: freedomoutpost.com

There, arguably, may be more than three laws, or absolute requirements for legally carrying a concealed weapon, but if so, I argue that these are the top three.

One: Always carry where legally possible.
Two: You are responsible for where all bullets stop that you fire from your weapon.
Three: Know for certain when you must not shoot.

Number One is more often not practiced than it is. There are many reasons people give themselves for not carrying. You can think of some, like, too uncomfortable, I'm just going down the block to the store, I will be in church, we live in a safe town/neighborhood/area, and many more. We've all had those thoughts. If you live in a low crime, small town, rural area there is not much likelihood of suffering a sudden home invasion. You have to decide whether not much likelihood is acceptable when you think about home carry. Is that the only possibility of being threatened with deadly force at home? Maybe. Maybe not. The simple fact is, that if you need to resort to your gun (more on this in number three, below) and you don't have it, or have quick enough access to it, that option disappears.

Number Two is true both morally and legally. Guns are dangerous. That is their purpose, but like any dangerous tool, consider chain saws if you will, it is incumbent on their owners to know this and be practiced and trained in their safe use. But with guns, a more important requirement is imposed on the owner and user, that of the absolute responsibility to not injure or kill an innocent person through neglect, inappropriate use, ignorance, lack of sufficient training, and so forth. It's a long list. Simply put, you are responsible for what happens when you pull the trigger, so you better be sure you know how to shoot safely and to be able to reliably hit only what you intend. This includes the responsibility, for example, of using the appropriate gun and ammunition. If you carry a .357 magnum with full metal jacket bullets and you shoot a bad guy, your bullet goes through him, through a wall and hits an innocent person, you are responsible, just as if you had shot and missed your target. If you had used, say, a regular .38 special, or perhaps a .380 self defense round, the chances of this happening are reduced. Something to think about. And, for the big caliber boys who love their .45s and .40s and other high-powered handguns, I would caution that you especially are at risk of a similar unfortunate occurrence.

Not every man has to have a big gun to be effective. Women don't have this problem.

Number Three is, in my view, the most important of the three 'laws' for the legal concealed carry person. I have had, and read through, many discussions and arguments on this point. I have a prior post here describing what I learned in a class about the Legal Aftermath of a Self Defense shooting. You should read it if you haven't, and if you have, you should probably read it again. It is vitally important to understand how this may affect you.

There is a school of thought on this that when a properly trained, and I mean by that trained in the use and safety of your gun, and also in your legal rights and responsibilities, a person is less likely to get involved in situation which might escalate to violence. Such a person is also more likely to have developed a heightened awareness of his or her surroundings and situations, thereby begin able to defuse, or avoid those that might escalate. Good in theory, but I find that in practice, this does not always work out as planned. For men. I suspect women will have a completely different, and likely more sane and appropriate response. For men, often the opposite but subtle influence of concealed carry on their psyches is the opposite.

Men are by nature more competitive than women. Doesn't mean we are better, but we have the tendency to be in competition with other men. If a man is in a situation in which the signals and signs are such that it is likely, or becoming likely, that a confrontation may develop, then for a man to bow out, apologize, perhaps take a load of crap from a loud-mouth jerk, is going against most men's belief in 'manhood'. You are taught to be brave, stand up for yourself, don't let a jerk push you around. Maybe this was good when you were a teenager or working on becoming one, but as an adult this will most usually lead to trouble. And if you happened to be carrying a gun, it can lead to the most serious of trouble.

Even though the knowledge is there, or ought to be there, in your consciousness that you are legally carrying a potentially deadly weapon and getting involved in an situation that may, or is, escalating toward physical violence, it may get lost in the male adrenaline rush. It's hard to back down and lose face, especially when this happens in the presence of friends, or perhaps your family. However that may be, the responsible and moral person who is carrying a gun must avoid, defuse or abandon such situations whenever and however possible. Slink away. Take the abuse. Be a pussy. Say, "I'm sorry." Say, "Please forgive me, it won't happen again." Say, "You're right. I'm wrong. So sorry."

Difficult? Damn right. Correct response? Damn right. What is the alternative? Escalate to the point where a fight starts, the guy knocks you down and starts to stomp your face and you get your pistol and shoot him dead. Or shoot someone else standing around? That's only one example of many, many possible bad outcomes for you and other people.

So your pride has been hurt. Your kids think you are a weenie, a coward. Better than seeing you hurt, dead, in jail and filled with remorse for the rest of your life.

Having a concealed firearm on your belt should be a constant reminder of the awesome moral and legal responsibilities you have accepted in so doing. Your legal requirements are clearly listed in your state's statutes. Find them. Read them. A number of times. Memorize them. They will state under what circumstances you are entitled to resort to your gun for self defense or the defense of others. They vary state by state. Don't seek out gun websites to tell you about this. And, never resort to gun forums. There is too much self-interest, ignorance and political crap out there as it is. Would you trust your future to some idiot with a screen name like 45acp to advise you on moral and legal responsibilities? I hope not.

You and I have the right to self defense for ourselves and our loved ones, and in most instances, those of innocent people who are in similar danger. Those rights are spelled out in the state law where you live, and where you are if such a situation develops. Learn them and remember them. They exist for your protection and the protection of other citizens who do not choose to exercise their Second Amendment guarantees.

Bond Arms Snake Slayer, first impressions

Bond Arms Snake Slayer
with Winchester PDX1 .410 ammo

It's big. It's stainless. It's heavy and it's made in the USA, Texas, specifically. Those were the first impressions.

Mine is the newer model with the improved trigger and broader hammer spur. It has the new style grips as well, with "checkering" in the form of snake scales and a carving of a mean looking rattler on them. They are somewhat larger in swell and sweep, giving a good, solid grip.

I have to say that in the hand, this pistol looks intimidating, especially if one is looking down those .45 caliber barrels.

I find the trigger to be crisp and positive, with sufficient pull as befits a concealed carry gun, but not at all heavy. I suspect the instances I have read in which people, usually internet posters (take that for what it's worth) complain about the heavy trigger. As far as I can tell, the trigger has always been fine. It's not the same kind of trigger as one finds on semi-autos, for example, because it swings back and down in a short arc. If the shooter keeps his or her hand from jamming underneath the cocked hammer and puts their finger properly on the trigger, it's just fine. Trigger problems are self-induced for the most part.

One aspect some people will have to get used to is the force and leverage necessary to cock the gun. If one has a proper shooting grip, cocking with the thumb of the shooting hand is not particularly easy. If the thumb is placed more forward on the hammer spur, greater leverage is gained, and it becomes easier. Still very firm, but it can be cocked this way. If a person has strong hands and grip, of course, it becomes easier. For many people though, women especially, cocking the pistol should be done and practiced differently. I suggest two methods that work well for concealed carry if one-hand cocking is an issue.

One: When drawing from concealment, the off hand will be used to pull the covering garment away for the draw. As the pistol comes out of the holster and starts toward the presentation position, use the off side hand, which will be right next to the gun at this point anyway, to fan the hammer back to the cocked position as the off hand hand rotates to assume the support position. If it is necessary to fire quickly, with one hand right after the gun leaves the holster, using the off hand to cock the weapon will have it instantly ready to fire, with the added advantage that the off hand will not be in front of the muzzle.

Two: Draw, present the gun in a two hand stance, then cock the hammer with the off hand's thumb. Very easy and quick, and the advantage that you can wait, if necessary, before putting the gun into "battery", or in this case, cocked and unlocked.

I have a .410 belt shell holder on order from Bond Arms, and Gordon Bond has offered to supply a holster or two for evaluation for concealed carry purposes. I'm looking into the D.M. Bullard cross draw holster for sitting and driving, and possibly an IWB from them as well, but I haven't heard back from Bullard.

Today is a trip to the "city" for errands, so I'll be toting the Snake Slayer as the main and the LCP as a BUG.

The testing goes on.

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.

The Endless Carry Argument: which gun? what caliber? what self defense round? which holster?

Uncle George's Wallet Holster

From my experience on a couple of decent firearms forums which primarily serve citizens interested in pistols for both shooting and self defense, this argument seems never to die. I think it is important to address because of the increasing numbers of people who are new to handguns and new to legal carry for self defense. These long-running discussions, which can unfortunately turn dictatorial and nasty when the so-called experts get involved, do more to confuse the issue than offer clarity. So, I'm attempting to interject a bit of basic information, and, hopefully, clarity into the topic of handguns meant for self defense carry.

I've illustrated this post with a photo of one of Uncle George's wallet holsters made for the Ruger LCP because carrying a handgun for self defense is a simple and basic act, and this is about as simple as it gets. Anyone - male, female, big, tiny, it doesn't matter - can carry one of these setups almost anywhere without being noticed or uncomfortable. The Ruger LCP weighs 9.4 ounces, 10.0 with a Crimson Trace laser sight installed (as above). It's a little over five inches long and less than an inch wide. It is built for concealment and for carrying. It, and other similar 'pocket pistols' usually are chambered for the .380 caliber round (also called the 9mm short). With a good factory load, designed for self-defense, such as the Hornady CD or perhaps the Speer Gold Dot (and similar ammunition), it is an effective self defense weapon.

So, what we have here is a lightweight (Light), small (Compact) Pistol designed to be carried for self defense by practically anyone. This, evidently, drives some self-styled 'gun experts' crazy.

They can't so much complain about the polymer frame, since many of the handguns they prefer incorporate that in their builds, but seemingly everything else is fair game to them: caliber (too small), bullets (not heavy enough, not designed right), sights (poor iron sights that aren't adjustable), small capacity (seven rounds is not enough), not durable enough (will suffer problems if it's shot too much), and so on. To further disparage these kinds of self defense weapons, they have labeled them "mouse guns". Must mean that they are only good for plinking mice, or that mousy people use them. Not sure on that. And, they probably aren't either.

A few examples of the "experts" recommendations for self defense carry:

• If the caliber of your pistol doesn't start with a "4" it isn't big enough.
• Double-stack magazines are required so you can carry enough ammo without having to frequently reload.
• Your self defense gun must be 100% reliable under all conditions.

There are more, but those will do for illustration purposes.

In my opinion, basically all of those arguments are bogus when it comes to self defense. The two critical factors are, 1. carry a gun. All of the time. It is a true statement that you better have one when you need one.

2. hit only what you intend to hit when you have to shoot.

If the caliber of your pistol doesn't start with a "4" it isn't big enough.

It is obvious that if you pull a gun and fire off a round (or twelve, even) and don't hit the threat, you've done yourself no good and possibly have injured, or worse, an innocent person. No matter what the caliber of the gun, velocity or impact of the bullet, your self defense gun is useless unless you can hit something with it. Reliably, accurately and repeatedly if necessary.

Unless one is a practiced, experienced shooter, shooting a large caliber handgun is harder than shooting a handgun of smaller caliber and power. Most people who carry for self defense are not practiced, experienced shooters and are not going to become one either. They, hopefully, practice enough to be comfortable with their weapon and to be accurate enough for the ranges and target sizes that would be appropriate for most self defense situations. Most of these people shoot a reasonably sized handgun - .38 special, 9mm, .380 calibers. They are big enough to do the job, but not so heavy, noisy and recoil producing to be hard to shoot.

Double-stack magazines are required so you can carry enough ammo without having to frequently reload.

Double stack magazine handguns are bigger and heavier than single stack guns. As a consequence, they are more uncomfortable and heavy to carry and more difficult to conceal. Hence, they tend to not get carried as a regular thing. Your double-stack .40 caliber pistol is doing you no good as a self defense weapon while it's in your car or home in the safe. Besides, when are you going to really need a fifteen, sixteen or seventeen round capacity in the self defense world? I supposed if you were attacked by a gang and were forted up behind a car, then, maybe. You'd likely be outgunned anyway so things wouldn't be turning out well for you.

I think the notion of being in an extended shoot out is common because that is what TV and the movies show us. But, that's really the rare exception when citizens are forced into self defense shooting. Read up on it. Most scenarios involve one or two rounds being fired. It's rare that more than five or six are expended in these situations. They start quickly and end quickly with people running away or stopping their aggressive behavior because they are suddenly dealing with a bullet wound or two.

You can easily carry a spare single-stack magazine along with your smaller self defense weapon so you'll have a reload in the unlikely event you will need one.

Your self defense gun must be 100% reliable under all conditions.

That would be nice, but face it, no machine is 100% reliable even under good conditions. It's the nature of the beast. It's the world of Murphy's Law. I know shooters who have fired thousands of rounds from their handguns and think this is a guarantee of reliability, that the gun is going to go bang the next time they pull the trigger. Think about it. Just because the machine has not experienced a failure before does not mean it's never going to fail.

Check your self defense gun by shooting regularly, but don't burn through hundreds and hundreds of rounds. Shoot it enough to be sure it's running well, like it should, then carry it. Maybe go out and practice once a month to keep your proficiency and to exercise the gun. You will soon know if it has an endemic or recurring problem. Send it back to the maker and have them fix it. Use another self defense gun in the interim.

The reliability factor is one of two that mitigate for carrying a backup gun. In the unlikely event that your pistol malfunctions at exactly the wrong time, you may have the opportunity to go to your backup. Odds are that the two guns won't fail at the same time. The second reason is that you may not be able to get to your primary weapon due to being injured, having the gun taken away, dropped, or perhaps your assailant in on top of you wrestling with your gun, or preventing you from getting to it. You may have the option of going for the backup.

In the real world, it is impossible to prepare for all contingencies, just as it is impossible to carry a gun that is 100% reliable. You can narrow the odds and put survival more in your favor by understanding that a reasonable and rational level of preparedness is attainable and sustainable if you only do a few things.

1. Find a handgun that suits you and which you will carry at all times where legally allowed.

2. Keep that gun in good condition.

3. Practice regularly so that you can access it and shoot it accurately under self defense conditions. Practice at short ranges, say, the distance between two walls in a regular room in your house. Become good at hitting an area the size of the human torso.

That's it. Shooting an assailant a number of times in the torso will definitely put the odds of survival in your favor. Of course there are true stories of men being shot multiple times with decent caliber handguns, mostly by law enforcement officers, who still fight back and don't seem to know they are shot. This is the exception however. And, when you think about it, if you should encounter one of those people, it doesn't much matter if you are toting a Model 1911 .45 automatic or a .380 LCP. But one thing for sure, I'd rather reach for and use my .380 in a circumstance like that and hope my accuracy was enough to stop the threat, than to be throwing rocks, glasses or chairs as my self defense weapons.

If you think the circumstances may demand it, you can always carry a larger gun along with your primary self defense weapon, but you don't have to make it a regular thing.

Realistic self defense carry will keep your armed and prepared in all situations. You probably won't be ready for the zombie apocalypse, but you will be ready to deal more effectively if you are seriously threatened. 

A Humbling Lesson

A Crimson Trace Update

After having the Laserguard installed on my LCP for a while now, I have been getting used to the feel, activation and use of the laser mounted on the gun. Theory aside, the experience is teaching me new things, not all of them flattering. First, contrary to what I have read on numerous gun forums about acquiring the "little red dot", I have absolutely no trouble finding the red dot - and, it's not so "little" either. In fact, it is very bright under most circumstances, most especially in low light conditions. Actuate the laser, and your eye immediately goes to the bright red dot which should be on the target, drawing your attention to the target immediately, not to looking for a 'sight picture'.

Another lesson for me is that I am far less dependent on obtaining a standard site picture, which requires that I raise the gun to eye level and hold it relatively steady while I line up the front sight on the target. While I consider this to be a good and useful tactic, and strive for it even with the laser installed, I have learned that it is not a necessary component of my aiming technique, especially under self-defense situations. Let me explain.

Training and muscle memory are extremely important in getting the body and mind to act as they should under stressful situations. Acquiring your firearm and bringing the pistol to bear accurately is a solid requirement in those situations, but as you can imagine, there are times when one will not be able to perform this routine as it is normally practiced. You may be running. You may be down. You may be blocked somehow from getting into the standard sight-acquisition/shooting posture. There may just be no time to get there. Such situations call for what is termed "point and shoot" techniques. The issue with that is without some indication of where the muzzle is pointing, when a standard sight picture is not possible, you really don't know what you will be hitting when you pull the trigger.

I have learned, by using the Laserguard, that I do not instinctively aim where I think I am aiming when practicing 'point and shoot'. Like, bringing the pistol up to the fire position, without getting a normal front sight picture (maybe extending it quickly from the waist to mid height while looking at the target) the laser shows me that I am almost consistently aiming too low, and often to one side, off my intended target. Why does this matter? Well, for example, if I was sitting and had to draw and fire very quickly without coming to a sight picture - time being of the essence and the threat being close and moving toward me - with the laser, I now can tell when to fire. The red dot is on the target, regardless of where my gun is positioned, I know I am going to hit the target pretty close to that dot, not fire into the wall or, worse, someone else.

I am amazed that even in such close proximity, one's aim can be off enough to miss a center-of-mass target when doing this quick drill. I better understand the statistics that relate the fact that trained shooters, we are talking about law enforcement and military trained shooters, often miss their targets even when they are within five yards or less, sometimes much less.

So, one good lesson I have learned from using the laser without, so far, firing a shot, is that my belief in my natural ability to point-and-shoot is misplaced. I need practice getting on target with that method and the CT Laserguard revealed that shortcoming, and will be a good aid in improving my accuracy. I also suspect, that by so practicing and developing the reflexes and muscle memory by using the Laser, I will still be a better shot if I should have to make that shot without benefit of an active laser sight.

You are never too old to learn something new.

Know the Law

On the gun forums I use, and the one I moderate, there are continually postings that show the person making statements, or asking questions, is not familiar with the law that governs concealed carry and use of a weapon in their state. Unfortunately, states vary in their requirements for gun owners - perhaps someday this will become uniform, but I 'm not holding my breath. One one forum recently a poster stated that if a person who was in a self-defense situation and had to shoot someone, killed them and had to aim to do so, would be liable for a murder charge.

Seriously.

This, of course, engendered a bunch of back and forth on the forum, much of it heated and most of it uninformed, although not as bad as the original poster's bad information. Such incidents are best judged upon their merits, or lack thereof, and speculations about such a vague notion are merely that - speculations. However, there is a lesson here.

Know the laws of the states in which you will be carrying. Don't depend on internet chatter or advice. Every state now has its statutes online so getting to the real thing and reading them is no big trick. It is best to be informed and know your responsibilities beforehand so that you can stand a better chance of making a good decision if you have to.

One example. You are leaving your local supermarket with groceries when, in the parking lot two rows away, a nutcase starts shooting at people at random. You have an excellent opportunity to duck into your car and leave the scene. You are not in immediate danger of lethal harm. But, other people who are manifestly innocent (ordinary women, men, children) are. If you take care of yourself and leave you have not gotten involved hence are not legally liable, but, on the other hand, if you are legally armed for self defense, are you morally and ethically liable to come to the defense of innocent people? And, if you do so, what kind of legal liabilities and protections do you have?

I think it is best to know about, and consider such possibilities beforehand. In instances where these kinds of factors may come into play, there is no time for consideration of potential legal and moral questions. There is only time to act. It's best to know what you should do before you have to do it.

There are classes that discuss these kinds of issues and questions. I highly recommend them to you. You'll find my report on one such class in this blog - aftermath of defensive shootings. See what is available in your area. Considering the consequences, it will be both inexpensive and vital if you carry a handgun for self defense.

Carrying a bigger gun

Ruger LCP .380

Ruger SR9c 9mm

Ruger's two fine self-defense carry pistols. Both have their place in a basic self-defense carry scheme. Without getting into the caliber wars, and you can read as much about this as you want on most internet gun forums if you can stand the tone that these "discussions" often descend to. My philosophy centers around being very proficient with your chosen self-defense weapon regardless of which make, model or caliber you like. There are limitations, of course, being a decision that is predicated upon carrying for self-defense. Too light of a caliber will most certainly be ineffective and too heavy will be hard to shoot and hard to carry consistently. I like the range somewhere in the middle, but whatever one chooses, it is imperative that you be able to consistently hit your target. This will make most any caliber effective, and minimize the possibility of shooting something or someone you don't intend to shoot.

At this point, I have settled on the combination you see above. The .380 shooting modern self defense ammunition, like Hornady Critical Defense (and there are other good choices as well) is an effective, short range self-defense firearm that is reliable and very easy to carry for both men and women, and with almost any wardrobe. Being both light and compact, it carries well in almost any position, and it is very suited to use as a backup gun when required. Pocket carry is very suitable for that role and I personally favor the Uncle George back pocket holster for that use since I don't like front pocket carry. When carrying as a backup, or singly, it fits well in an appendix or cross-draw carry position to supplement a larger handgun in a different carry position such as strong-side.

I find the LCP is very handy for around the house carry when you want something with you and your other gun, or guns, are parked safely in the house.

At one point, in addition to the SR9c, I had a Ruger LC9. Now, that's a good self-defense carry gun - compact, not so big, reliable, in 9 mm. However, I think the SR9c is a better 9 mm choice. It carries, with the small magazine, 11 rounds to the LC9's 7. It has better sights, better (for me) ergonomics, and a much better trigger. And, it is marginally bigger and heavier, but not so much that I cannot carry it all day in a suitable holster - which at this point includes the Bullard Bandit and the N82 Tactical Pro, depending on the occasion.

The biggest advantage of the SR9c over the LC9 for me is that I can shoot it better and more accurately than the LC9. And, coupled with the Ruger SR22PB as a trainer, it goes to make me a better shooter, and that's the most important thing. Your gun must be reliable, but you must be reliable too.

Choose your best carry guns and train with them often. Then carry them whenever you can.

Be safe.

Accuracy Under Pressure

The importance of the ability to actually hit what one intends to hit with a handgun, especially while in a pressure situation, is, in my opinion, given far too little attention in the "gun media" - magazines, forums, blogs and videos. Many words and images are created introducing, explaining and evaluating guns, calibers, ammunition, holsters, target shooting accuracy and the like, but far to little has been said on what happens when the average, law-abiding citizen must actually draw and fire her or his weapon in self defense. This is a huge subject and there are a number of excellent studies available if you look for them, but in the main, the magazines, forum rooms and the like don't pay sufficient attention to this critical fact.

Having taken a class on the aftermath of a self-defense shooting I am particularly sensitive to this topic. (See my post on this blog for comments on that class.) I kept reminding myself that one of the main lessons from the class, and one I should take seriously, is to hit what you shoot at and nothing else!

This is vital. It is bad enough to have to shoot a person in defense of lethal force, but to shoot an innocent person by mistake when doing that would be beyond tragic. It happens, far too often. And the solution is, once you have no choice and must shoot to defend yourself or other innocent people, is to hit your target. Period. No exceptions. As we all know, this is far easier said than done. A handgun is notoriously difficult to shoot accurately even though people unfamiliar with that fact are persuaded otherwise by the endless gunfights in movies and the TV wasteland. Even professionals, law enforcement and trained military, more often than not, shoot poorly under fire or stressful situations. How, then, are we supposed to overcome this critical issue?

Many citizens who own and legally carry for self defense merely ignore it. They practice a bit, now and then, often at a range that prohibits handgun self defense tactics in favor of "safe" target shooting, then basically assume they are ready. Others will adopt technology to answer the issue: night sights, after market sights and, laser sights. In themselves they are useless in dealing with the main problem of hitting your target under stress. Sights don't acquire the target, stay on it and pull the trigger. The person does, and having a wavering red dot out there somewhere isn't going to guarantee that your bullet finds its mark.

The only solution is to shoot regularly, frequently and in such a way as to hone self defense shooting skills. Draw and fire with rapidity from the holsters one normally carries. Shoot without getting a sight picture, especially up close. Shoot with only one hand. Shoot with your non-dominant hand. Acquire and hone trigger control. All these things are easy to understand, but difficult to master. One of the main reasons, aside from having a place to shoot where one can develop and practice these skills, that keeps more people from learning and practicing this is the cost of ammunition. For example, $12 a box for 50 rounds of 9mm practice ammo is pretty steep for most of us. However, there is another solution.

Get a .22 caliber handgun that approximates your main carry gun's size, feel and operation, then shoot that one as much as possible, working on your skill set and building up muscle and attitudinal memory so that if the time comes when you have to resort to your gun in self defense, you can do so without thinking about it at the time, and are able to hit your target. .22 caliber ammo is cheap and you can afford to invest a thousand rounds or more in acquiring and maintaining the necessary efficiency and accuracy to effectively use your self defense weapon if you have to without worrying about who is going to get shot.

Walking the talk, I have my LC9 up for sale - relying on the excellent SR9c as my main carry gun now - and have bought a Ruger SR22P .22 cal semi-automatic pistol as my practice gun. Think about emphasizing your shooting skills instead of looking for a "better" conceal carry gun, or newest fad in self defense ammo, or that expensive IWB holster you want to buy.

Posted with Blogsy

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.

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.

 

To Lase or Not To Lase?

After the Aftermath class I have been thinking about negligence. This in terms of not being negligent with a dangerous weapon, to wit, my handguns. Having, carrying and being prepared to use one of my guns in proper and legal defense of myself or others puts me liable for negligence. One of the most important things about using a gun is to be able to hit what you aim to hit.

Initially, my thoughts went to proper aiming. This makes sense and led me toward re-thinking my positon on laser sights for handguns. I have found sufficient arguments against the use of lasers, for me, that I do not have one, nor any direct experience with using lasers on handguns. Wouldn't it make sense to equip my self defense guns with laser sights to increase the odds of being on target when I need to be?

The standard arguments for laser sights usually include being able to acquire a target easily, especially in low or no light conditions. No argument there. The standard arguments against include reliability issues, becoming dependent on the laser (which would be a bad thing should it suddenly fail to operate), and possible hesitation if the shooter does not pick up the laser dot quickly.

However, I haven't seen the argument that may make both of these irrelevant, which is, under extreme duress and the body and mind in the "fight or flight" mode, adrenalin surging through one's body, time slowed, tunnel vision, perhaps shaking hands, can one shoot with any kind of acceptable accuracy with or without a laser?

Massad Ayoob writes that when shooters learn the secret of the front sight, their accuracy goes up along with their ability to quickly acquire the target accurately. By this he means to forget about the standard "sight picture" we have all been taught to use. Center the front sight in the middle of the rear sight notch, with the top of the front sight being level with that of the rear sight and sitting on the bottom edge of the target. Who has time for that? Practice has shown that if the handgun has a highly visible front sight, and if the gun fits the hand as it should (and the hand is holding the gun as it should) and the shooter puts the front sight on the target - forgetting about the rear sight - the chances of hitting that target are greatly improved.

Now, back to the laser/non-laser question. Is it likely that a person who trains regularly to use a front sight picture, as described above, and shoots that way in training, has as much ability to hit the target as someone depending on acquiring a laser dot on a target? Probably. Would a laser be a better sighting system in dark or dim conditions? Very likely.

This remains an open question, one to which there appear to be no clear-cut answers.

It is extremely important to be good enough with your handgun to hit an intended target under extreme pressure. At this point I think it is necessary for each person to decide which road to take, laser or no laser, then dedicate to that and become proficient in that method. It is easy to legally carry a lot, and practice little, whether with a laser or no. I also suspect that having a laser equipped handgun gives some people the notion that it is like a technical magic wand and will, by itself, make the shooter an acccurate one. This is not true. Training and practice are essential to effective self protection and not being negligent with your deadly weapon, whether you use a laser or not. Perhaps, especially if you do.

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."