Looking over my last few posts, I've come to realize that almost all my carry gear has been replaced / upgraded.
I've replaced my Colt Mustang with the Sig P238, I've replaced my main carry/competition gun, the Les Baer TRS wit my Nighthawk Bob-Rail, my SOG Spec Elite & CRKT Hissatsu have (or rather are going to be) replaced by a Benchmade Griptilian (this reminds me, forget those Kudos to SOG, my replacement belt clip still hasn't shown up) and the KA-BAR TDI ankle knife. The Streamlight PT1L is a new addition and has all ready proved useful both while at work and abroad.
I have not been in the habit of carrying a light for the last couple of years, not for lack of interest, just lack of a nice compact light that had a high output. I wanted a Surefire E1B, but didn't want to pay that kind of money for a light. The PT1L has "better" features and is a fraction of the cost of the E1B. I can honestly say that the PT1L has left the house with me every day since it's arrival from Brownells.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Kicks Ass AND Takes Names...
My wife is always on the quest for the perfect Christmas gift for me, while I always ask for socks and under garments, she goes out of her way to get me something else. Normally I either stumble upon or figure out what what the gift is.
This year I was taken by surprise some of the gifts from the lovely Mrs JD.
The first item which made my curiosity go into overdrive was what felt to be a flimsy water bottle, completed with liquid filler. What could be in such a package? I'm not drinker and any bottle with giving as a gift is not cheap plastic. Anything gun related wouldn't fit and you wouldn't dare put it in a container full of water...
Admit it, you're now just as stumped as I was.
So what does fit in a flimsy bottle of water and won't be destroyed by such surroundings?
A Rick Hinderer aluminum extreme duty modular pen
This year I was taken by surprise some of the gifts from the lovely Mrs JD.
The first item which made my curiosity go into overdrive was what felt to be a flimsy water bottle, completed with liquid filler. What could be in such a package? I'm not drinker and any bottle with giving as a gift is not cheap plastic. Anything gun related wouldn't fit and you wouldn't dare put it in a container full of water...
Admit it, you're now just as stumped as I was.
So what does fit in a flimsy bottle of water and won't be destroyed by such surroundings?
A Rick Hinderer aluminum extreme duty modular pen
Now in all honesty, I seriously doubt I'll ever use this as an impact weapon, pain & compliance tool, or puncturing device, but it's a nice pen and it writes very well. I do like a nice heavy pen and this one's pretty sturdy. Sure it will be part of my "EDC" gear, but just because it's neat pen.
Turns out that Rick Hinderer was at my wife's TDI class and was demo'ing some of his stuff. I'd been talking of wanting one of these pens for a while and my wife came through with the perfect gift.
More Chrismas Swag
Along with the pen was a strangely familiar box although at the time I didn't know why it was familiar. As it turns out my wife also bought me the TDI ankle knife, I have no desire to carry this on my ankle and will be contacting Invictus Kydex to have a good sheath made up.
While I was Christmas shopping for the Mrs, I also picked up some swag for me.
One thing that I wanted to get my wife was a compact, but bright light. I'm not going to go into the benefits of carrying a light, only that this was a nice find, I got two Streamlight PT1L lights, one for her and one for me. The light's details can be viewed at the Streamlight website. I also picked up the Benchmade Griptilian while shopping for a replacement Kewshaw Chive for my wife.
While I was Christmas shopping for the Mrs, I also picked up some swag for me.
One thing that I wanted to get my wife was a compact, but bright light. I'm not going to go into the benefits of carrying a light, only that this was a nice find, I got two Streamlight PT1L lights, one for her and one for me. The light's details can be viewed at the Streamlight website. I also picked up the Benchmade Griptilian while shopping for a replacement Kewshaw Chive for my wife.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Carry What You Shoot, Shoot What You Carry
Yesterday I did a re-qualification shoot for four gentlemen to renew their Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons (PTCW), one of them was shooting his carry gun which was a laser equipped Ruger LCP. At first I was unsure about permitting the use of the laser for requal, but as the title of this post indicates I am a fan of shooting what you carry, and carrying what you shoot. As the LCP was his carry gun, and he fully intends to use the laser, (For a good read regarding lasers, check out this article) I might as well help him use the tools he will be taking to a gun fight should he ever have the misfortune of needing that pistol.
Of the other three students, two were shooting pistols that they do not use as carry guns. One gentleman was shooting a Sig 226, but often carries a 239. He claimed that he couldn't hit anything with the 239 due to it's short barrel...but he uses it for carry where he may need to hit something with it. The range we shot at has fixed 50' target points, we shot THIS qualification using standard IDPA targets in stands between the 50' target line and the firing line. The guy shooting the Sig commented that he had never shot at a target this close. So here's a guy shooting a gun that he won't carry, instead of his carry gun and has never practiced on a target at "normal" self defense distances. He did well enough with his 226, he dropped a few out of the "Down Zero" zone of the target, but passed the accuracy requirement.
Another gentleman was shooting a metal framed S&W single stack 9mm (I'm rusty on my S&W autos other than a few select models) but commented that he did not carry this one, but liked to shoot it more. He needed some assistance and passed the qual on his second run, but switched to his carry gun between runs. Both guns were S&W Autos of about the same size and operation, for all I know they were the same model with some subtle differences. I'll be following up with him later on the details of both guns. Why he prefers to shoot one gun vs. the other will be posted later.
Regarding carrying what you shoot:
I own range only guns that will never see carry. My Browning Buckmark is a great range plinker and I shoot bullseye with it and all, but I know the role for that gun and it stays in that role.
My wife and I make it a point to carry the guns we shoot at the range, IDPA, and training classes. While there are times that an alternative gun may be a good idea, such as using a .22 Conversion kit in times of an ammunition shortage etc. But one should make an effort to shoot their carry gun every chance they get and be MORE familiar with their carry gun than their "range" gun. The gentleman with the LCP did not know the manual of arms for his pistol and we had to figure it out together.
Without a doubt there are some out there that never really get familiar with their carry gun, I recall in one class I was attending that the guy next to me did not know enough about his gun to lock the slide to the rear and I had to show him how. Other than the NRA Basic / First Steps Pistol, while attending a training class is not the place to learn the standard functions of your firearm. For anyone reading this, if you have questions about your gun, how it works, or just want instruction on basic firearms handling and safety, contact your local NRA Instructor and get some one on one training.
Maybe I'm being to harsh as as there is an accuracy requirement and shooters want to use what they shoot best, but when the course is carry related, I feel that one should use their carry gear and that the course is passable with such gear. I will freely admit that when I took my Iowa permit course that I shot a .22 Conversion kit but when shooting an NRA B3 bullseye target at 50' for score, it's more of a bullseye match than a defensive pistol class.
In summary, know your guns and be as familiar with your carry gun as you can be.
Of the other three students, two were shooting pistols that they do not use as carry guns. One gentleman was shooting a Sig 226, but often carries a 239. He claimed that he couldn't hit anything with the 239 due to it's short barrel...but he uses it for carry where he may need to hit something with it. The range we shot at has fixed 50' target points, we shot THIS qualification using standard IDPA targets in stands between the 50' target line and the firing line. The guy shooting the Sig commented that he had never shot at a target this close. So here's a guy shooting a gun that he won't carry, instead of his carry gun and has never practiced on a target at "normal" self defense distances. He did well enough with his 226, he dropped a few out of the "Down Zero" zone of the target, but passed the accuracy requirement.
Another gentleman was shooting a metal framed S&W single stack 9mm (I'm rusty on my S&W autos other than a few select models) but commented that he did not carry this one, but liked to shoot it more. He needed some assistance and passed the qual on his second run, but switched to his carry gun between runs. Both guns were S&W Autos of about the same size and operation, for all I know they were the same model with some subtle differences. I'll be following up with him later on the details of both guns. Why he prefers to shoot one gun vs. the other will be posted later.
Regarding carrying what you shoot:
I own range only guns that will never see carry. My Browning Buckmark is a great range plinker and I shoot bullseye with it and all, but I know the role for that gun and it stays in that role.
My wife and I make it a point to carry the guns we shoot at the range, IDPA, and training classes. While there are times that an alternative gun may be a good idea, such as using a .22 Conversion kit in times of an ammunition shortage etc. But one should make an effort to shoot their carry gun every chance they get and be MORE familiar with their carry gun than their "range" gun. The gentleman with the LCP did not know the manual of arms for his pistol and we had to figure it out together.
Without a doubt there are some out there that never really get familiar with their carry gun, I recall in one class I was attending that the guy next to me did not know enough about his gun to lock the slide to the rear and I had to show him how. Other than the NRA Basic / First Steps Pistol, while attending a training class is not the place to learn the standard functions of your firearm. For anyone reading this, if you have questions about your gun, how it works, or just want instruction on basic firearms handling and safety, contact your local NRA Instructor and get some one on one training.
Maybe I'm being to harsh as as there is an accuracy requirement and shooters want to use what they shoot best, but when the course is carry related, I feel that one should use their carry gear and that the course is passable with such gear. I will freely admit that when I took my Iowa permit course that I shot a .22 Conversion kit but when shooting an NRA B3 bullseye target at 50' for score, it's more of a bullseye match than a defensive pistol class.
In summary, know your guns and be as familiar with your carry gun as you can be.
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