Shot show 2018 review

   I was hoping for so much more from this year's show. But then again, politically speaking it turned out different than many had expected. Now I am not going to get into all of that, but it is nice that smaller companies took the opportunity to jump into the deep end and create something different than we have seen before.

   Hudson Mfg. we all know from last year has finally began shipping the H9 and customers are quite happy. Though with any new mechanical item, there will always be growing pains. In just one short year Hudson has now introduced the lighter aluminum framed H9a. Personally I like the H9 but now that it has a lighter version, I like the H9a much better.

   I did get the chance to speak with renowned trainer Rob Pincus of PDN ( Personal Defense Network) and I.C.E. Training for a short amount of time about his newly designed Avidity Arms PD10. It is a polymer framed 10+1 single stack striker fired semiauto pistol designed for the concealed carrier. Being very transparent throughout his process of bringing this little gem to market, I can honestly say I cannot wait to shoot it. The one feature I appreciated the most is the trigger. With a constant weight in pull it broke crisp and reset was nice.

   To my surprise there were older companies putting new spins on firearms. Ruger being one of them, This is not about the PCC takedown, (though we did handle it) I am speaking of the Ruger Security 9 9mm hammer fired sub $300.00 wonder. roughly the size of a Glock 19 but the grip portion of the frame fit our wide variety of hands very well. According to Ruger, the frame is a scaled up LCP II frame. But the real shocker was in the trigger pull. Smooth, quick and light I was truly shocked. With a double sear system somewhat like the 1911, the Security 9 is "drop safe". Running a single action system does leave some desiring more, I really like it. The hammer is 95% pulled and the user finishes the last 5% at a pull weight of  5.5 pounds. I am not a big fan of hammer fired due to the fact I spend a majority of my time focusing on personal defense rather than any other area, but this one will find it's way into my collection sooner or later.

   Sig Sauers new P365 for Us was decent but we were expecting something more. Do not get m3e wrong, we were impressed, we were hoping for a slightly larger firearm. The P365 is not quite as small as say the P938 or the P238 and as long as you have the 12 round extended mag it fits larger hands fine. The P365 does come as a single stack 10+1 either flush mag or the 10 round finger extension version and they do offer it in a 12 round version as well.

   For those of you that own the P320, Yes, they will be bringing an X frame for you to be able to swap back and forth. Just please, don't hold your breath.

There has been quite a bit of stir in the Glock camp as of late. Bringing with it a division for Glock fans. Going back a few years, after the Gen4 hit the market the F.B.I. awarded Glock with a contract. Incomes the M series with many ( if not all the features of the gen5 Glock) but it had it's fair share of issues. fast forward a short time and Glock introduced the MOS system. Fortuitous to say the least with the large onset of tactical, competition and hunting communities looking for just this type of thing. Fast forward once more, we witness Sig Sauer winning the MHS contract. Of course it made sense for the companies involved to bring their hard work to market, We have seen FN release the 509 for example. Of course the Sig P320 in it's various forms and now Glock has brought the 19x. As a fan of glock for many years I have seen many changes to the system come and go. This offering of a compact slide and full size grip is not new to the game, 1911 and Springfield XD (just to name a few) have offered these for years. The big thing is, the Glock offering did not meet the criteria the MHS put forth in the first place. Why spend the time and effort to bring something to the table that does not meet the guidelines of the contest? A company that shows this type of laziness in a contest for a government contract, cannot be surprised when they lose. Now, Glock expects that "most" of the public will love their new offering, i see a significant split.  I know there are plenty of prospective buyers out there who will love this offering for their own reasons, but no excuse in the world makes up for lack of ingenuity.

Speaking of complaints lets get to the kerfuffle surrounding Franklin Armory's "new and innovative" non-tax stamp SBR-ish "firearm," the Reformation. This in and of itself was the talk of the show and the subject of many a meme. The announcement was to be heard Tuesday morning but they moved it back to Wednesday (for reasons I do not know).  Once the cat was out of the bag though, most tried to keep their distance as much as possible. Like a moth to a flame I had to get in for a closer look. First off, the premise of the Reformation is a snub (not really) to the A.T.F. and the NFA of 1968. a short barreled firearm with a regular rifle buttstock. For a while the belief was since a "rifle" is defined by many characteristics, the consensus was the change was in the trigger, instead of a shot being fired on the pull, it would fire on the release. If that were only so. No, this monstrosity goes way beyond common sense and has entered the realm of tomfoolery. the Reformation "firearm" has a straight grooved barrel. No twisting to stabilize a conventional projectile just straight down the barrel grooves. I wish I was joking. Let me let Franklin Armory explain it themselves. (from their site)

Sorry for the large size, but it was the only way to get it legible. With off the shelf ammunition either in 5.56 or 300 AAC Blackout it runs 4MOA, and the word on the street is that number is at 50 YDS! now with their proprietary "football" projectile you can achieve "near 1 MOA @100 YDS" all for the low price of $2000.00 with their Binary Trigger system.

There is plenty more I can say about this "firearm" but frankly it is hurting my head thinking about it. In conclusion, Spend $2000.00 for an inaccurate "firearm" you can "thumb your nose" at the A.T.F. (not really.) I think I will stick to my 10.5" 5.56 pistol with the ugly arm brace.

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.