Tell the truth about Arms!

[RickW]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

The thing is that for 6 to 9 months of the year we are in shorts, polo shirt or tee shirt most of the time...Where would you conceal some of these big guns let alone any weapon?? If I tried to put the GI .45 in the pocket of my shorts they would fall down.

In the summer time I carry a Ruger LCP alot. I have no trouble carrying in the pocket of shorts or Blue Jeans. Even with slacks where I need to tuck in my shirt it works well in my front pocket and looks no different than a wallet or anything else I may keep in my pocket. I also have a CrossBreed Holster for it (as well as any other weapon I choose to carry. One of the best holsters out there in my opinion). Easy to forget I have it on it carries so well.

[richfaa]

I also have the Bersa .380 as my preferred carry.It is small and if you can hit what you aim at deadly.That is the only "small" hand gun we have the rest and large and bulky. We can wear a hip sack and easily have the bersa it as well and many other things. It may be embarrassing tho when you go for your gun and pull out a comb. We do not view society as violent as some do and seldom carry.We do however like to shoot and burn up a lot of ammo shooting at targets.

[Dave Nowlin]

For IWB holsters there is an Undercover Police Officer in Florida that I buy from. His business is part time and his holsters are very well made and very reasonable. The name of his business is Crossfire Holsters and he has a web site. His holsters are about half the price of a Crossbreed Super-Tuck and I like them just as well.

[RickW]

A weapon is a tool and I have several different tools for different jobs/uses. As Ozz pointed out the ammo you choose is just as important. You have have the macdaddy of hammers but if you buy cheap nails they will bend and it is not the hammers fault and the hammer is not going to work to your expectations.

Train with your weapon. Go to the range a few times a year. If you need to use your weapon it happens so fast you will not have any time to think about it. It needs to be instinctive. A LEO buddy of mine was involved in a shootout with a murder suspect many years ago. It was a routine traffic stop and he had no clue of the passengers warrants until all the shooting was over with. He is the first to tell you he would not be alive today if not for the constant training that is required. He does not remember doing some of the things that he did during the shooting but did them because of training. It was instinctive. It made a huge difference.

Another thing to think about is is the first round in the chamber or do you have to load it? Regardless of how fast you think you are it does take time to chamber the first round. If you need your weapon it is going to happen quickly. I have a dear friend, ex-Marine, who would not chamber the first round until one morning while sitting in his pick-up after stopping for his coffee somebody attempted to rob him. When in the truck he keeps the gun between the seat coutions. Luckily the robber was the one to bring a knife to a gun fight but was unaware that the first round was not in the chamber. Steve felt that in the time it took for him to jack the first round he would have been stuck by the knife. He always has the first round in the chamber.

Also if you are using a shotgun for home protection in the trailer, think about the length of the barrel. It tends to be very cramp quarters in the trailer compared to being in your sticks and bricks. How fast can you get it out of where you keep it and how easily can you swing it around and point it where you need it in the trailer?

Last but not least don't overlook the value of a good dog. It does not have to be a mean dog. Barking dogs or big dogs scare people. Two weeks ago today when pulling in to Jacksonville, FL we had a homeless drunk/crackhead jump on the truck at a stop light looking for change. I was unprepared and left the pistol in the trailer but the dog was in the sleeper. She may only be 45# and the sweetest thing in the world but when I started yelling at this guy she started barking. She knew something was wrong. He was off the truck faster than he got on. He never even saw her. Luckily we also had the windows closed and the truck door locked.

[RickW]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

I also have the Bersa .380 as my preferred carry.It is small and if you can hit what you aim at deadly.That is the only "small" hand gun we have the rest and large and bulky. We can wear a hip sack and easily have the bersa it as well and many other things. It may be embarrassing tho when you go for your gun and pull out a comb. We do not view society as violent as some do and seldom carry.We do however like to shoot and burn up a lot of ammo shooting at targets.

Statistically at the range a threat is when you need to use your weapon you should have no problem hitting the target. With or with out laser sites. If they are further out you will hopefully we able to extract yourself before force is needed.

[DQDick]

As one of the local cops (owns a gun shop) showed me, cargo shorts are wonderful for concealed carry and will conceal a pretty large pistol.

[Ski Doo]

The laser may not be needed, but it may be disappointing for the bad guy to look at that dot on his chest.

Hopefully the story would end there!

[richfaa]

RickW points out the value of training and he is correct.The thing is we are not professionals and do not train constantly or receive the type of training a LEO does on a regular basis.Many of us do not have the opportunity to go to a range several times a year.We do belong to a local shooting club with a fine range and not to far down the road but it is still difficult to discipline yourself to a regular shooting program.I do have a couple sets of cargo pants and shorts for the specific purpose of carry..We are also getting older and not as sharp of eye or reaction as we were once were.IMO it is important to be a "good shot"..can you hit what you aim at and mind set.Are you sure you can pull the trigger if in a life threatening situation. I spend all of my handgun range time at 10,15 meters . I feel very good about hitting what we are aiming at at that range..I have convinced myself that I will shoot if necessary...but we will never know till in that situation.Awareness of you surroundings and vigilance are important and that can we instinctive.

We all have to do what we feel is necessary.

[Dave Nowlin]

There are many today who seem interested in a Laser for their handgun. LaserMax makes a very interesting sight that utilizes a green pulsating laser. Why green? The green laser is not only nighttime visible but can also been seen in full daylight. There is another feature about this unit that I find desirable. It is rechargeable. Those little replaceable batteries used in lasers are expensive. Because they are people don't tend to train with them as they should. As we get older it gets harder to focus on the front sight like we did when younger. The focal length is just too close. When we shoot instinctively pointing with the laser as a guide, things get easier. Some tend to try and use too much gun. They pick calibers which have heavy recoil, tend to over penetrate and don't allow fast follow up shots. In an ideal world you will only encounter one assailant at a time. In the real world there are sometimes two or more, so follow up shots may be necessary. Don't get me wrong. I hope I don't ever have cause to draw and fire my weapon at anyone. That said, I will in a heartbeat to defend myself or a loved one. A concealable handgun is like your automobile insurance, you don't carry it hoping to use it. You carry it in case you need it. If you do you'll be mighty glad you had it.

[steelpony5555]

My wife wants a handgun with the laser but I keep telling her it is a gimmick for the normal person because you will never use it. If you take the time to trigger the laser and find it and point it you will most likely be dead. As has been said most times you will be in the same room as the perp and there is no need to aim or find front sights etc. You will point your finger and shoot. That is the way we were taught in the military and have heard from others, the gun is your finger, point it and shoot it. Now there may be that time you get in a gun battle at a distance but it is rare. Maybe then a laser will help or you will have time to aim with the gun sights. Myself I think I would just keep my head down.......... I too like the little .380 I have but there are those times I feel better with my .45. A lot will have to do with the size of the person. A .45 in my hand looks like a .38 in the hand of a smaller person. If you are buying for a women you may want a revolver. Some women just cannot operate the slide on some automatics, my wife included. That's why she has a little .22 derringer. Easy for her to operate and small for her little hands, and hopefully it will be enough of a deterrant. It would probably be just as bad for her if she pulled the trigger and did kill someone, no matter how bad a person they were I'm not sure she would be able to handle that.

[Ski Doo]

[quote]Originally posted by steelpony5555

My wife wants a handgun with the laser but I keep telling her it is a gimmick for the normal person because...

Not to be argumentative, but informative; the laser on my LCP is intuitive (ie when you grasp the handle it comes on)
When shooting it also improves your skill as it is very obvious if
you tend to anticipate the recoil.

Now if only they would stop making fun of my "little girls gun".

[Dave Nowlin]

Does LCP stand for "little child's pistol"?

[steelpony5555]

LOL lol that's ok my .380 is purple lol....figured if the bad guy is laughing hard enough it will give me time to aim. Don't get me wrong a laser if very nice if you have the time to aim, just in a room or RV you don't want to waste time aiming the laser pin point, you want to point and pull trigger. Things will happen so fast you probably won't even see the pin point. Now if you do have time, a red dot on a chest is a pretty good deterrent too.

[tim43]

I don't have lasers on any of my carry pieces, but I do prefer to either have night sights on the piece when purchased or add later.

[DQDick]

I have the crimson trace grips on my Governor mostly because that model was available and the plain ones weren't or at least weren't to small gun shops in the boonies. That being said, I won't use it on the first couple of shots, but if more are needed then it will come in handy.

[stiles watson]

I don't carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.
I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

(borrowed and edited from Unknown)

[snfexpress]

Well said, Stiles. As a former LEO, I always looked at my guns as tools; just like a hammer is necessary when building something, a gun is needed when something needs stopping.

[DQDick]

X3 Excellently put!

[steelpony5555]

I like that.......

[Bigboomer]

Very well stated Stiles!