There have been volumes written about concealed carry guns and what is the best caliber and which guns are better and how many extra mags to carry etc. I will not get into that debate because almost everyone has valid points instead I will give you my 'philosophy' in regard to concealed carry. Some people don't want to carry all the time (or at all) and that's fine, it's a free country but if you do here is my thoughts. I want to say up front I am referring to concealed carry only, meaning a gun you have on you walking around and not one in your car or home etc.
First of all the very best gun to have if you need it is the one you are carrying. I will agree a high capacity 9mm is better if you need to protect yourself or your family than a .380 pocket pistol but if the .380 is in your pocket and the 9mm is in your safe at home then the .380 is by far superior, so the first part of my philosophy is have a gun you will always carry.
Secondly, train and practice with the gun you want to carry. It does no good if you can't control you weapon or put shots where you need them. If you were hunting wild hogs a 22 LR round between the eyes would be far better than a 300 win mag round which grazes his rump, which also means you have to know the limitations of your weapon.
This leads to my Third point, I don't believe in trying to provide for every conceivable situation, if you do that's fine but I tend to think this leads to problems addressed in my first point and that is if your only carry gun is a 1911 with 2 extra mags then chances are you won't carry it all the time like running out to the store for a few minutes in your shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. Again I am referring to
concealed carry only here, not a gun in your car or in your home because that is a totally different subject.
What do I mean by "every conceivable situation" ? well first of all I tend to think most common threats are at very close range like a robbery so this is my primary concern. If I saw a mob causing trouble for example I would steer well clear and not inject myself or my family into a potential situation for harm so chances are slim I will need a hi-capacity weapon. This also means if I was walking around the grocery store my CC choice would be different than hiking in the mountains.
Most of the cases you hear about where someone fired multiple shots it's because they could not deliver the shots where the threat was neutralized, (thence the reason for rule #2 above) and they almost always involve someone at home or in their car in which case you should be better armed with something like a shotgun or other suitable choice.
So I thought I would take a few post's to show you how practice my philosophy. This could be a
forth point as well.
My friend
Stephen always says "back-up to a back-up" so I though my first installment would be my back-up. This is my North American Arms 22 Mag, 5 shot revolver. It is one I always carry.
99.1% of the time I have a primary carry piece as well but I carry this one all the time. The only time I would not have it is if I was in a location where I had to go through metal detectors in which case I would leave it in the car till I returned. It stays on my dresser at night with my keys and change and is the first thing I put in my pocket. I drilled a hole in the grips which allowed me to run a braided piece of 550 cord through the grip frame. The primary reason for this is I don't carry it in a holster and it is so small and it gets lost in the other pocket 'stuff' but I when reach in my pocket I can feel the braided cord. The lanyard serves it's purpose because by feel I can pull up on it and either separate it from my change so I can grab my change without removing the gun as well or I can reach in my pocket and feel the cord and by pulling up on it the gun is positioned with the barrel pointing down so I can get a proper grip on it and my thumb covers the hammer to avoid snagging on the pocket, as it clears my pocket I use my thumb (already in position) to cock it so by the time it is drawn it is ready to fire. The gun is small enough and is covered mostly by the hand and if drawn correctly it would not be recognized as a gun until too late by a would be thug.
With practice it can be drawn and fired in one second or less. I understand it's limitations so I would not try and fire it other than almost point blank range but I can assure you a 22 mag hollow point in the chest or stomach would not be fun and beats throwing rocks.
There are other pocket pistols which will work as well but this is my choice, it's stainless and wont rust in a damp pocket, there is no magazine to get dislodged, there is no safety but by design the hammer is designed to rest on the cylinder between the rounds so accidental discharge (by the hammer) is impossible, and I maintain the very best safety on a gun is between your ears.
Concealed Carry Philosophy
Part II Here.
Concealed Carry Philosophy
Part III here
Concealed Carry Philosophy
Part IV here
I am alive and well even though I have had to endure mornings in the 50 degree ranges.
This case should never have been brought to trial. When the police first investigated it they discovered it was a clear case of self defense however before the last election 0bama injected himself into it by saying "Trayvon could have been my son" (well that is true, he would probably raise an equally worthless boy") he turned it into a race issue.
This is the Springfield XDS it has a 3.3" barrel, is chambered for the 45ACP it is lightweight and very thin due to a single stack magazine. It carries 6 rounds (one in chamber and 5 in magazine) and unless you are a bleeding heart liberal what's not to love about the 45 ACP. There are many good pocket size guns among which are 22, 32, 380 and even a few 9mm's but a 45 got my attention and I wanted to try it. You will not find a more compact semi auto 45 in fact you will have to look hard to find a 9mm this small. Springfield does make a 9mm this exact size now and a 40 cal is coming as well and they will carry a couple more rounds.
It is a S&W model 38 Airweight, like the 380, I have had this one a good while and really like to carry it. It is a little more bulky than the 380 but it still fits in the back pocket of my jeans with the grip being barely below the top edge of the pocket. I do have some pistols I carry in a waist band holster but with pocket pistols a shirt can be tucked in. This 38 is an older model with a pinned barrel, a shrouded hammer and shows some wear as all good carry guns should.
It is a five shot revolver but fits my carry philosophy perfectly. Some of the reasons I like a revolver is when you are in a bind there is no safety to disengage, there is no magazine to come loose, misfires like dud ammo are instantly remedied by squeezing the trigger again. Reloading is still easy even with loose rounds and there is no slide to rack. They never misfeed, stove pipe or fail to eject and any of the above problems can cost a lot of valuable time in an emergency.
I will add, I am not recommending any courses of action I am just stating my thoughts and beliefs, I have also not taken into account what is technically legal because my moral compass is more important than some politicians rules (especially given the moral giants they are)
Today I will cover my Kel Tec 380 pistol. It is not my most favorite but I have had it a long time. I like this one for deep concealment especially in dress pants because it has a single stack mag and is very thin. The holster is like a wallet in the back pocket, I have only seen these holsters at gun shows, I like it because the back part hinges which allows for a good firing grip before it is removed from the pocket but still does not 'print' at all because of the solid back part which also has a grip finish on the back side so it stays in the pocket. I have had this gun for many years and by the wear you can tell it has been carried a lot. When I bought it Ruger did not make the LCP but they are almost identical in size and looks. If I had to buy one today I would probably get the Ruger because I think they have a slight edge for fit and finish but I must say this one goes bang every time I pull the trigger provided I don't have a dud round. The only issue I have is because of the location of the mag release it can get pushed when in the pocket (not exactly sure how) and the mag will not be seated correctly and may not cycle the second shot. It has only happened a very few times but for that reason I have a habit of using my thumb and forefinger to make sure mag is full seated before it is drawn and before I might use it so potential problem solved.
With practice it can be drawn and fired in one second or less. I understand it's limitations so I would not try and fire it other than almost point blank range but I can assure you a 22 mag hollow point in the chest or stomach would not be fun and beats throwing rocks.
Today I do not celebrate the 4th of July..... I celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July, there is a difference, there is a reason for celebrating on this day.
I am spending a couple days relaxing with family. This morning I awoke to gentle rain.
I am taking a couple days rest and will be getting ready for my trip to West Virginia later this month.
