The Gun Blogs

Weapons Policy

Open carry of handguns is encouraged; concealed carry is preferred.

All rifles and shotguns should be carried with an empty chamber and full magazine with the safety engaged.

If a rifle and/or shotgun is carried about the building, please keep it slung over the shoulder with the muzzle pointed down. When not carried, please keep it in the weapon racks that have been provided. Locks will be provided upon request.

Knives, swords, and other pointy weapons should be kept sheathed on the body or stored in a weapon rack.

Armor is encouraged, but not provided.

Training sessions for employees are available upon request.

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Warning to felons, robbers, murderers, and other undesirables:

The employees of this business are armed. They have been trained in gunfighting and have plenty of ammo. X Bank prohibits weapons and is just down the street. Please go there.

A Classic Pistol in 45 ACP for Defense and Competition

Ten years ago, when I first started thinking about self-defense, I was advised by a former Marine to "...get yourself a good .45." Since I did not know anything about handguns, I went to the experts: the gun magazines. Several "productive" hours were spent in the reading various publications and I ran across an article by Massad Ayoob. He wrote about the reliability of the Sig Sauer P220 and that it was a great handgun for self-defense. After reading some articles about "problem .45's", I decided that was the gun for me. Several days later I was the owner of a Sig Sauer P220, sight unseen. This is certainly something I would never do now, but ignorance is bliss. I needed a gun to acquire a concealed carry permit.

Sig Sauer P220

In my quest for ever more efficient defensive handguns, I sold that gun within two years. I have since purchased three P220s, with the previous two being recent examples with the new grips and minor design changes. I was never satisfied with the newer version of the P220 due to larger grip panels and heavier double action trigger pull. Recently, I found a "gray box" P220 made around 1998 (according to the receipt I found in the manual). This is the same version as my original P220 with the nice checkered grips.

Sig Sauer P220 in a Milt Sparks VM-2 horsehide holster and 7 round magazine.

The Sig Sauer P220 is a full sized duty pistol. There are certainly smaller handguns that are more suited to concealed carry. Given my experiments in concealed carry with numerous handguns, why would I go back to a large weapon such as the P220? The answer is performance. I have found the P220 to be a high performance pistol. It has certain features that are not readily apparent without thousands of rounds of experience with the gun.

Sig Sauer engineers incorporated many underappreciated features in their pistol. There are no sharp edges on the gun to cut fingers. Experienced shooters appreciate this feature; one does not need to pay for the services of a gunsmith to dehorn and refinish the firearm. The sights are not the trendy "no snag" Novak type. Instead, the rear sight has a nearly vertical front. This facilitates one handed reloads by providing a surface to work against a belt or shoe. The checkered grips provide a positive grip. Proper sight alignment is assisted by a good grip angle. The magazine well is beveled for quick reloading. Another feature is very strong ejection of spent brass (it is thrown far). The barrel has traditional rifling and a supported chamber. Reloading for the P220 is easy and lead or cast bullets may be used. Finally, the trigger guard is extended for use with gloves.

The P220 shoots really well, even though it features a long, heavy double action trigger. I purchased this used firearm partly because the trigger is broken in. Many people have difficultly shooting Sig Sauer pistols due to the long trigger pull on the first shot. Once the hammer is fully cocked, most people have no trouble with the Sig Sauer trigger. Several instructors I have trained with talked about "throwing away the first shot" due to the trigger weight. However, a broken in trigger can be easy to shoot, if the correct technique is used. I have found that tightening the support hand around the primary hand helps keep the front sight steady. Additionally, sight alignment can be maintained if the shooter places the center of the trigger in the center of the pad of the trigger finger. Extra attention to a clean pull straight back will help increase accuracy.

It is possible to shoot the P220 very quickly. Sig Sauer made this gun in such a way that recovery from recoil is easy. The trigger reset on the single action is short. The second and subsequent shots require far less pressure. Once, I was able to hit five steel targets in 3.13 seconds...a personal best! With practice, anyone should be able to get better performance.

There are several perceived deficiencies with this gun. First, obviously, is the heavy double action trigger. Second, the limited capacity of the magazine may be a problem in this age of high capacity 45 ACP pistols. A single stack magazine of only seven or eight rounds may be at a "disadvantage" when put next to a Glock 21 or Springfield Armory XD 45 magazine. The overall size of this pistol does not promote concealed carry. It is smaller than the Glock 21 or XD 45, but still requires skill to carry well.

Sig Sauer P220 and Glock 19

When compared to the Glock 19, you can see that the P220 is larger than the Glock 19. It is approximately 1/4" longer in the slide. The grip is about 1/2 inch longer and does not angle upward. This small difference results in a higher profile that can only be mitigated by forward cant in a good holster. The Milt Sparks VM-2 is a great holster for the P220 and offers enough forward cant for discrete carry.

Sig Sauer P220 compared to the Glock 19

Cleaning and maintenance of the P220 is simple. The gun has a lever on the left side to take the slide off the gun. It breaks down into four parts: the slide, barrel, recoil spring, and guide rod. Cleaning the weapon involves scrubbing down each of these parts and wiping the frame.

Sig Sauer P220 Slide Assembly

Sig Sauer P220 Frame

The Sig P220 is a high quality pistol chambered in 45 ACP. It is an excellent gun for practical competitions and defense. With proper equipment, it is suitable for concealed carry. Field stripping and maintenance is easy. Though it is a large framed semi-automatic pistol, the single stack magazine (and narrow grip) fit most hands. With a bit of practice, almost any shooter can accurately shoot the gun. In all, if you are considering purchasing a gun by Sig Sauer, I highly recommend you try the P220.

As I have browsed various topics concerning the recent Democrat acquisition of Congress and Bush's anti-gun stance, I have considered a scenario to change the situation.

We broke Smith and Wesson when they signed that deal with the government. Public (gun owner) compliance with the boycott was very high and S&W felt lots of pain.

Why wouldn't such a boycott with ANY firearm or ammunition manufacturer that supplies the government work?

What would happen if the ammunition manufacturers all felt massive financial pain? What if they decided to cease supplying ammunition to the military and law enforcement agencies at all levels in order to avoid or stop such a boycott?

During the AWB, we still purchased Glocks with reduced capacity magazines. At the same time, Glock aggressively supplied the law enforcement community with cheap Glocks with regular capacity magazines. What would happen if Glock sales dropped to 1% of their current level?

Look what happened to Prohibition. There was MASSIVE noncompliance and the government had to give up. If we exert pressure through simple refusal to spend money on gun stuff, I think we could get them to back off.

Centerline Concealed Carry

Recently, Gabe Suarez wrote about centerline carry and I decided to try it out. I had some old Thunderwear in my holster box and an empty Glock 19. I've been carrying the Glock 19 on and off using this method for approximately a week and have found it to be comfortable. If the gun sits in the correct spot, I don't get squished and the Glock does not dig into my stomach while sitting.

This is a picture of the Thunderwear appropriately positioned. It is sitting high, but the strap will be below the beltline.

I holstered the Glock 19. Notice that the trigger is covered, so I'm not going to shoot my nuts off. I did not use the belt because I wanted to show how far the holster, gun, and pants combination sticks out. As you can see, there is a bit of bulge with 511 pants. Pleated pants hide this printing very well.

Right side view of the holster, Glock, and pants without a belt.

Angled front view

A very UNLOADED Glock 19 in the holster with a belt. Notice how the belt sags a bit. I do this deliberately to maximize comfort. I simply let out the belt one notch.

I pull out the shirt and blouse it around the gun. A long shirt is necessary for this. As you can see, the sagging belt is not a problem.

Side view of the concealed Glock 19. It doesn't print, even while moving. I think this is because the Glock is behind two layers of cloth.

Partially revealed Glock 19 from the front

Partially revealed Glock 19 from the side

Fully revealed Glock 19

Top view of the revealed Glock 19

Another top view

Recently, a poster at the warriortalk forum wanted some advice on what concealed carry gear to get.

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No matter what firearm you choose, a good belt, holster, and magazine holder are essential.

A good belt will not only support your firearm, it will help prevent back problems. It will reduce fatigue and extend the time you can wear the gun each day.

Most of the guys on this board have a box of holsters they no longer use. In order to avoid this horrible fate, you'll want to shop around a bit at gun stores to become familiar with the different types of holsters. I have found that inside the waistband (IWB) and pancake holsters hold the gun most tightly to the body. This imparts stability for consistency in the draw and increases concealability.

Most folks end up with a combination of kydex and leather gear. They're both good materials to work with. Trying a holster is generally not sufficient to *fully* determine suitability; this is why we end up with a drawer full of holsters. However, over time, you'll get a feel for what you like and dislike.

Some holster considerations (almost all have tension adjustments):

1) Soft vs Hard

Kydex and some leather holsters are very stiff. These can be uncomfortable, especially IWB holsters. So long as there are no pressure points on the body side of the holster, you may be able to get used to it.
Softer holsters will generally be more comfortable. Beware of rough holsters (both Kydex and leather -- especially some Galcos). If you wear an IWB holster without a t-shirt between you and the holster, you'll experience chafing.

2) Collapsable vs. Noncollapsable

The DeSantis Cozy Partner (IWB) is an extremely comfortable holster that has lots of forward cant to improve concealability. However, it is a collapsable holster. It has a leather band to assist in keeping it open, but does not keep it all the way open. Various manufacturers will use metal to reinforce the holster. Kydex does not have this problem.

The reason you want a holster that won't collapse when the gun is drawn is for reholstering the weapon. In a CCW situation, this is not necessarily a problem. However, you can see where this would be a problem at a shooting class where the gun is holstered hundreds of times.

3) Sweat shield

This is a flap of leather or kydex that extends upward to protect the gun from contact with skin and sweat. It generally increases comfort.

4) Cant

Forward and reverse cant may increase concealability depending upon how the gun is worn. Forward cant angles the handgun such that the grip does not stick out as far. This reduces printing.

5) Loops

While loops are necessary to attach the holster to your belt, some loops are better than others, depending upon the circumstances. For belt holsters, there are three types: 1) close, 2) separated, and 3) rocker. For close loops, the loops are generally set close together and often spaced one belt loop width apart. If the holster is supporting a heavy gun, these loops impart the least stability. The gun will tilt back, possibly bending the belt and decreasing concealability. Separated loops, such as on the Milt Sparks VM-2, keep the gun stable on the belt. A rocker system, such as on the Comp-Tac Gurka, help prevent rearward tilting.

Belts:

There are many belt types, but thick leather seems to work well. Narrow belts (1.25" or so) must be rigidly constructed. This is the most "socially acceptable" belt width. Inch and a half wide belts (or greater) look like gun belts, but are sturdier.

Conclusion:

Most gun people wind up with a box of unused holsters and gear. You can reduce the size of the box by purchasing high quality gear and targeting the holsters for particular purposes.

I have found the following seems to work well:

Belts:

Don Hume Belts are low priced and sturdy. I use model B109 with 1.25" in width. I also have a Wilderness Belt, which is a thick nylon belt.

Holsters:

DeSantis Cozy Partner

Most comfortable lower priced IWB holster. It has lots of forward cant, but collapses. It is durable and has survived 9 years of daily concealed carry.

Milt Sparks VM-2

Heavier IWB holster. It features separated loops and a metal reinforced mouth. There are several loops and it is tuckable (meaning a shirt may be tucked over the holster).

Milt Sparks Heritage

Another good offering from Milt Sparks. It has a layer of plastic sandwiched between the leather layers to keep moisture away from the gun. The loops are close.

Blade-tech IWB

This is a decent IWB kydex holster. The loops are plastic and closely spaced. Cant is achieved by changing the angle of the loops. The back of the holster is "open" so lint will accumulate on the gun. It offers a very fast draw.

Comp-Tac Settable Cant Belt Holster

This is an outside the waistband kydex holster. You can set the angle up to 30 degrees in either direction (for crossdraw carry). I use it for open carry or as part of my tactical gear.

DeSantis Thumb Break Scabbard

This is a pancake holster with set belt slots. It has a thumb break for security. It holds my Glock 21 close to my body and has pretty good forward cant for concealability.

Magazine Holders

I like Galco dual magazine holters. I also have a DeSantis single magazine holder with a clip. Both work well.

Mad Ogre's musings about using cowboy guns in a tactical competition seems to be somewhat controversial. It seems that many folks feel the need to defend the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting. Personally, I don't think it's necessary...it is what it is. I had some fun with it, but like most competitions, I just don't take them seriously.

Therefore, why not play an IDPA-style game using a single action revolver, shotgun, and a lever/pump rifle? Feel free to wear your ATF black ninja suit and body armor. Jeans and a ripped t-shirt are fine too :)

We could probably learn lots of interesting things about tactics. For example, how does one reload a single action revolver on the move? Is a break action revolver really necessary? What about keeping a levergun topped off?

I'm going to propose some rules for the game. They'll be based upon the IDPA and CAS rules. However, I intend this to be more of a learning process, versus a competition (which will doom it to oblivion, but I'll have my fun). Perhaps tactics and skill evaluation should be the focus, versus round count, speed, and variety in stages.

Some thoughts on rules:

0) The focus is upon fighting, not shooting targets. A high round count is fun, but not realistic. A low round count is realistic, but probably not that much fun. The problem becomes how to merge the two together. I'm not sure what to do here; if you have suggestions, please comment.

1) Gear

1 revolver, 1 rifle. Shotgun optional. It seems to me real cowboys only had one rifle and a revolver. Perhaps the average cowpoke had only a rifle...something to research.

2) Separate stages

Revolver and rifle stages should be separate. If you have access to a rifle and a revolver, then choose the rifle! It makes sense to use the most powerful weapon available. Therefore, rifle stages should test CQB, short, and long distance shooting.

3) Reloading

Due to its low capacity, keeping your revolver loaded appears to me to be important. Therefore, I'm considering that a stage is NOT completed until the competitor has fully reloaded his or her revolver. Afterall, there may be more goblins lurking around!

A rifle stage should have the same requirement for completion.

4) Timing, scoring, and related

Short times are fun. Ripping off 20 rounds of 40 S&W into a bunch of targets IPSC style is neat, but it's clearly a game. I believe one competitor in a national IDPA match cleared a room in under 10 seconds.

In real life, both are totally unrealistic. Taking only 10 seconds to clear a room is suicidal. Five minutes is probably better, but not good for competition.

Perhaps the rule should be "in the spirit of the game". If you have to pie a corner, then take your time and do it correctly. The time should not count for or against you. Unfortunately, most targets do not move, so a goblin's reactions are not simulated.

One solution is to create moving targets using rope and something on wheels. As a shooter pies a corner (or moves through the course), someone pulls a rope to cause movement. Since a moving target is difficult to hit, perhaps straight accuracy should be used in scoring.

5) Shooter movement

One idea is that the shooter MUST move while shooting, with a few exceptions. This makes everything much more difficult and realistic. Combine this with a moving target and you have a much more difficult scenario.

Possible exceptions include: shooter has achieved hard cover, the scenario calls for it, and so forth.

6) Gun classifications

1) Black powder revolver, rifle and shotgun
2) Revolver: break action
3) Revolver: "traditional" Peacemaker type
4) Rifle: lever and pump action
5) Rifle: Single shot or double barrel
6) Shotgun: single barrel
7) Shotgun: double barrel
8) Shotgun: pump action

If you can think of any more (or less!), please comment.

7) Competitor Classifications

1) Revolver and rifle
2) 2 revolvers and rifle (like the regular and duellist classes in CAS)
3) Three gun: rifle, revolver, shotgun
4) Revolver and shotgun
5) Long range (100-1000 yards)

I'm sure there are other groupings, but these spring to mind as easy to remember and deal with.

8) Targets

Human shaped showing torso, neck, head and arms. It can be a picture, but some sort of scoring system must be available (perhaps a clip-on template used after each person shoots?). Tactical Teds with a scoring sheet attached would be great.

Accuracy does not necessarily mean striking the nervous system, heart, or other vital organ. It depends upon the circumstance. If the competitor is pieing, then he or she should shoot at the first possible target he or she can see...which could be a toe. Therefore, there will need to be right and left side pie targets. All the targets can be the same; the scoring template just needs to be adjusted appropriately.

9) Round count

I think that round count should be in the area of one to two full loads of any weapon used. With moving targets and moving cow[boys|girls], I'm assuming there will be misses. Maybe each person should carry three loads.

Revolver: 5-12 shots for single gun. 10-24 for double gun.

Rifle: 10-20.

Long range: some traditional number...maybe ten shots, one per target.

10) Calibers

Traditional cowboy calibers, modern, etc. There definitely should be a 22 rimfire class because it's just such a fun round.

I attended Suarez International's Kalasnikov Rifle Fighting class this past weekend. Here is my review, with pictures:

Kalasnikov Rifle Fighting class

Press release:

In California, Promising Technology to Track Guns From Cartridges at Crime Scenes Passes Key Test With Flying Colors: Coalition

Yet another promising technology to track guns! I *feel* so relieved that the California legislature is doing *something*!

The next generation of ballistic identification technology, known as microstamping, passed an historic testing session in California on Monday.

Amazing!

Microstamping technology utilizes lasers to make precise, microscopic engravings on the breech face and firing pin of a gun. As the gun is fired, information including the make and model of the gun is stamped onto the cartridge.

Haven't these people ever heard of a tool called a file?