How do you carry?

   As I listened to one of my favorite podcasts, I heard a story of a woman who had been shot with her own firearm. The firearm was carried off body, specifically in her purse without the aid of it's own compartment or holster for that matter. As the storyteller spoke about this method of carry I began to think about all the possibilities of carry and how well they serve our purpose. Of course being human I have an opinion and as we dive into the subject of how or where you carry there will be some disagreement, though I will try to give valid reasons for and against certain methods of carry.

   Probably the most agreed upon method of carry is the strong side hip. Taking in consideration it is the "safest" method in regards to flagging your own body during holster and drawing. But be mindful the chance of flagging yourself is just as great as any other method.

   We progress to pretty much anything forward on the body of 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. basically from the strong side forward to centerline. I personally carry appendix daily (actually for a lefty like myself it is known as LDC, Lower Descending Colon). I prefer to have my firearm within fast reach at all times. Not that draw time is much of an issue but it is faster than most other methods of carry. Cross draw in the same area is not as quick and the angle of the firearm could pose a risk for printing more so than appendix. I for one do not like the cross draw.

   Now we come to another area of waistline carry, small of back or 5 and 8 o'clock carry. I do not prefer these locations due to the fact of my current state of employment. I spend a good portion of my day bending over and twisting. This has the potential to print regularly or in some cases all out brandishing ( accidental of course.) A high risk probability I am not willing to take. Another detractor for me is the fact that my draw stroke is much slower from these positions. Not being able to glance at my firearm either during draw or re-holster has me a bit nervous. Plus, the fact that if you happen to end up on the ground in a fight it is unlikely you will be able to get to your firearm should you need it.

   Moving on we travel to under arm, or shoulder carry. I have carried this way during winter months over shirt and under jacket. I have a few issues with this depending on a few factors. 1. the direction the muzzle faces while carrying. Does the muzzle point straight back or down? Pretty self explanatory, especially if we follow the Golden rules of firearm safety. 2. type of retention the holster provides. and 3. cross draw, just not a big fan of flagging folks as I pull my firearm from this type of concealment unless the muzzle is pointed down from inside the holster. Also if you decide this method is for you invest in a quality holster, one highly recommended by professionals and not Joe Bob from down the way.
   
   Moving south we reach the ankle. My least favorite position on body. I drive for a living and those that say it is a good place to carry if you drive, they are full of it. I know that sounds harsh but give it a go sometime. I tried this method at work, and as I did a few dry run draws found that it was difficult to keep your eyes on your target all the time. Reaching down drops your head sometimes below the steering wheel. Having also dry run strong side hip and appendix draw drills from seated position is faster and allows for you to track your target during your draw step. Avoid this position if possible.

   Lastly we come to off body carry. This can include a purse or backpack, your vehicle, fanny pack, etc. I truly feel this is the last resort carry method for any human being on the planet. The opportunity for losing control of your firearm is immense and I am not just talking your bag getting stolen. As I mentioned at the beginning about the woman who was shot with her own firearm, she was not shot by a "bad guy" who tried to steal her purse. She was shot by her own child who happened to be digging around in her purse. There are so many things that can go wrong with off body carry it scares me to think this is even an option. If you must off body carry PLEASE take every precaution necessary and ALWAYS be mindful of where that firearm is in relation to yourself and others not authorized to handle said firearm.

   Just because you see your favorite actor or Instagram bunny running a firearm in a way that "looks" cool, please do yourself and the rest of the firearms community a favor and gain the pertinent knowledge and training for carrying in a safe and effective manner. Enjoy!

quick tip: Astra A60 magazine fix!

Astra A60 video

Finding these magazines is down right impossible. To which we say "necessity is the mother of all invention." Well maybe not invention in this case, but definitely adaptation. Using the Beretta Cheetah magazines was kind of a lucky break. it should be noted please go slow and remove as little as possible to begin. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. if you haven't seen our first review of the A60 check it out here.   

Beretta PX4 Storm, 2 for 1 duty pistol review

PX4 Storm video here.
Personally I really wanted to like the PX4 pistols. I have been a fan of Beretta most of my life and have always wanted a M9/92FS since I can remember. These are definitely duty made pistols and are not designed in my eyes for concealed carry by any means. though they do have the longer trigger pulls and heavier triggers I would leave these bad boys for the range.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the pistol but considering this is a blog about self defense I believe there are better tools out there that fit the self defense niche better than these. I would still recommend them for their ergonomics and depending on the action you purchase it would serve well in a service capacity, especially when certain rules as to what you can carry may apply.

self defense snippet #1 : Concealed Carry Podcast with Andrew Branca

In this snippet I wanted to highlight one of the many podcasts that I listen to. The Concealed Carry Podcast is a very informative show centered around keeping CCW'ers in the loop for defense and training. In their Episode #148 Stand Your Ground- SElf Defense Law with Andrew Branca. They delve into a world that many people really only understand by way of meme and keyboard warriors. Please give this episode a listen, I realise it is 1 hour and 23 minutes long, but if you wanted to know from a self defense lawyer the in's and out's of legal rammification during a self defense situation here is just a sample of what to look for. Andrew Branca's book, The Law of Self Defense can be purchased at the link. Also Andrew does have classes on this subject and can be scheduled here. Give Concealed Carry Podcast a subscribe and listen and read Andrew Branca's book, better yet, get into one of his classes if you can.

Bullet points. Better yet, hollow points.

As we have all seen, there are a few handfuls of different self defense ammunition on the market. But are there ones out there really better than others? How about truly "innovative" rounds, do they really stack up as effective defensive rounds?

As with most things in life you can either take another's word for it or do the research yourself to find what is actual the best. During my research I have come across many different reasons for this type or that type. What it boils down to is mathematics.

I hate math, my worst subject in bygone days of school. With a little explanation we might be able to make sense of it all. We will be looking at a few different factors when deciding on a type on defensive ammo these are: velocity, mass and barrel length. We could go into twist rate but with the distances of defensive shooting this may not be as big a factor.

Velocity is the speed at which the projectile moves at. Mass of course is the weight of said projectile. The length of the barrel helps decide what the final velocity of said projectile is hurled through the air. Lets look at some examples. We will be looking at 9mm Hollow point. These numbers are from a 4" barrel.
- CorBon 90gr JHP +P Velocity: 1444 fps
- Federal Hydro-Shok low recoil 135gr. velocity: 1039 fps
- Speer Gold Dot 124gr. velocity: 1203 fps

Now some will see those velocities and fall in  love with that Cor Bon, first off it's +P secondly it moves at a pretty good clip. But what about that projectile weight? The Hydro-Shok denotes "Low Recoil"  but selling "low recoil" is easier than selling "low-velocity." The speer Gold Dot pretty much has the best of both worlds. higher velocity and heavier projectile. Of course the X factor is the performance of design. the Gold Dot has the backing of many hundreds of Law Enforcement Agencies, Hydro Shok and Cor Bon have decent marketing strategies. Though not to say the Cor Bon or Hydro Shok are necessarily inferior rounds, the Gold Dot performs better in FBI testing.

Here's the kicker, I do not run any of the above rounds through my self defense pistol. I run standard pressure  147gr Federal HST 9mm with a velocity of 1000 fps. After reviewing FBI standard testing of the HST I have found it suits my needs at a reasonable price point. I have nothing against the Gold Dot and the Hydro Shok has already been proven to be somewhat of a gimmick round, though I have carried the Hydro Shok for many years due to listening to friends and colleagues rather than actual statistics.

Lastly we have all seen the "other" rounds on the market. You know the ones. those that have some cool name or moniker of one form or the other. The "Boutique" rounds to put it nicely. Their marketing strategies must be more than half their budgets, cause it is the most innovative round EVER! yeah, that one. While they have cool sounding names and perform pretty cool tricks, their performance in FBI testing is lack luster at best. I guess for those who know of only the ballistics testing of the FBI protocol here is an LEO/Military application detailing all of the tests: FBI protocol 
Many of these specialty rounds need to stay on the range and not in your self defense firearm.

A southpaw's view of the S&W SD9VE

SD9VE video here.
The SD9VE replaced the Sigma and the SD9 in 2012. they decided on a "self defense" trigger which has it breaking at 8.5 pounds!! but I guess that a heavy trigger pull to Smith constitutes safety. I have my own feelings on this (yes, they are political in nature.)  but those are for another venue.

I find myself drawn to the SD9VE more and more recently since the Apex trigger weight reduction kit came in. it really smoothed out the pull and has made it a joy to shoot.

If you are a Glock fan boy and just cannot drop the dough for a new G 19/23 give the SD9VE/SD40VE a run, especially with the Apex Tactical trigger kit installed, you will not be disappointed.

As for being a budget pistol I was surprised to find out the slide and barrel are both milled from Stainless steel. and the overall quality of the firearm itself is quite good. We have yet to observe any tooling marks on the exterior of the slide. though there are a few on the insde but to some extent that is to be expected.

On a side note, the predecessor to the SD9VE (S&W Sigma)was the pistol Glock sued Smith and Wesson over back in the day for patent infringement.

where the buck stops.

I realize this is technically not a post about firearms. However this does go along with our blog post from a few weeks ago, Veritas Aequitas. There are definitive differences between a boss and a leader. Now I understand that not all of us are bosses or leaders per se, but we can be leaders in our own right. To be a leader is something we can be we just need to be ready to take up that mantle.

We always hear that the word "boss" is a four letter word. Of course stereotypes exsist for a reason and, well, boss is a four letter word; especially not something we want to be associated with. Boss usually brings to mind images of a torturous creature that has no compassion in them at all, always looking out for themselves. But a leader is different. More often than not when one hears the word leader it conjures up images of strength and integrity; someone the group can look up to. Someone who may well sacrifice themselves for the good of the group.

Facinating that in just two plain words we find such animosity for one and a sense of undying loyalty in the other. but what is it that is the explaination for all of this? words and action, more to the point action that supports the words. As a leader, one would substitute the word "I" for "we" and not just when there is someone'srear end on the line. In good or bad a leader will share in the joy and heartache of every situation that arises. A boss is more likely to exclude or even call to attention one's short comings. Whether we are in a stressful setting or just another day at the office being a leader brings the community together for a common goal. A leader will also not let the "buck" move on, with a leader the buck stops here. Taking charge and making sure that every facet is handled or delegated properly is show of a good leader.

Being a leader is more than just inclusive and flowery words of adoration and edification. A leader will show their true form when they are down in the trenches doing the dirty work with the lowest on the totem pole and not complaining about being "short employees" or the like. the job needs to be done regardless of arguing and demeaning others.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not proclaiming that one should just talk sweet and walk on egg shells. A leader must be firm in their actions whether diciplinary or otherwise but it must be fair, the punishment must fit the crime so to speak, no matter who the perpetrator may be. A leader is stern, exact and forgiving; A leader forgives and moves on. Mind you I did not say forget, forgetting denotes one wishes it never happened. This should not be the case, though reminding someone of their mistakes is petty and is not an example of leadership. It is a rememberance of failure and how to learn from them.

Be a leader and not a boss, 'cause no one likes the Boss.