Posted on 05/20/2021 3:51:28 AM PDT by COBOL2Java
However, people who buy small guns often quickly discover how difficult they can be to shoot. Why is this? It’s Newtonian physics: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The bullet goes downrange and the gun recoils. The amount of felt-recoil depends on the mass of the gun. Less mass equals more felt-recoil. Therefore, a smaller gun is going to "kick" more than a larger gun in the same chambering, making it more difficult to handle. So while a smaller gun may sound appealing, shoot it first to be sure it’s really what you want.
There are only a few guns for which a manual safety is an integral part of design and function. One of those is the 1911 platform, because the single-action trigger is extremely light. Folks who carry 1911s typically train on how to engage and disengage the manual safety as part of their regular range activities, so the motion is committed to muscle memory. For the rest of us, a manual safety is not vital, though there's certainly nothing wrong with having one on your gun; just remember to practice disengaging it and engaging it.
First, are you certain you will have both hands free to charge the pistol? Can you chamber that first round with one hand, especially if your other hand is occupied fending off an attacker or corralling a loved one? Just like with a manual safety, adding another step to deploying the gun complicates things, increasing the odds we will not get the gun into the fight when it’s needed.
Second, carrying with an empty chamber cheats you out of valuable ammunition. By keeping a round in the chamber, you can replace that round in the magazine with an extra. If you have a 10-round magazine, for example, you can carry 11 rounds, usually expressed as 10+1. Wouldn’t you want to carry an extra round? I certainly would!
And then there are belly bands, an option for athletic wear or any time your wardrobe doesn’t include a belt. Belly bands are self-contained holster systems that wrap around you and include a holster for your gun and sometimes places to add accessories such as spare magazines, a knife, pepper gel, and other carry items. Belly bands are a secure way to hold your gun without a need to significantly alter your wardrobe. Be sure to look for one with a reinforced area over the trigger, though.
With a waistband-carry position, you can reach your gun whether standing, sitting or lying on the ground with relative ease. With an ankle rig, you must bend over or lift your leg to retrieve the gun, often requiring you to take your eyes off the target while you fumble to get the gun out. If you’re moving, as is often the case in a defensive scenario as you seek cover or concealment, you can’t get the gun out of an ankle holster until you stop. This puts the odds against you from the start, and you may not get a chance to even them out. So while carrying a gun in an ankle holster beats not carrying a gun at all, it’s a less-than-ideal solution.
If you do manage to pull the gun out, there is a good chance the holster will come out with it. In theory, the holster is supposed to stay in the pocket, but in reality that only works about half the time. Which half will it be in the moment? If the holster comes out with the gun, now you must ditch the holster before you can use the gun. Not a great way to start a life-or-death encounter.
Take your training one gigantic step forward by adding dynamic movement to your shooting. Most indoor ranges will not let you practice this because they require you to stay behind the bench, so you will likely need to move to an outdoor range or find an indoor range that allows it. Also, seek out qualified instruction from someone who is well versed in dynamic encounters and can help you in a safe and effective environment.
“…there are tons fo stories about children shooting guns because there already was a round in the chamber, often with tragic results. unless you’re a cop, my advice is nothing in the tube”
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Everyday carry AND RELATED procedures should be such that children can’t access the weapons. Just IMHO.
Yeah that’s an old ID of mine, heh.
Now, I’m sailing in the cloud...
One other word of advise: Suspenders.
Been using them forever to mitigate the weight of my Beretta 92 for years.
And, my pants no longer fall down.
I live alone, but whenever the grandkids come to visit every gun and ammo goes in the safe. And the gun in my IWB holster is Level Two.
I do not care.
When we were growing up, there were no gunsafes. You either learned to handle firearms safely or got your a$$ beat. In other words, you learned safe practice.
My daughter's an Army vet and she fully supports my teaching the 11 and 15-year old gun safety. They're both very good.
The 3-year old, well...not yet.
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I’m trying to dress a notch better lately when I go out in public, and it makes CC a little easier a lot of the time, but Summer will present a challenge. Baggy shorts and shirts make things easy. A comfy under the shirt shoulder holster would be great, but that’s something I would almost want to try on before buying.
I carry a Glock 43, (mostly) in a Sticky Holster pocket holster, no round chambered.
I think what you say is very much the truth of the matter; you want as much firepower as you can handle/conceal. You would rather have extra and not need it than the reverse.
Belt and Suspenders PING!
Who claims smaller guns are easier to shoot? NEVER heard that one before! Same with the ankle carry one. And while most know a typical range isn’t the best practice, many of us live where it is the ONLY practice we’re able to get. Beats nothing!
Springfield Armory XDS in .45. Conceals easily in either IWB or OWB. Plenty of punch.
We have been in NOLA all week and no one has batted an eye when I open carry down here.
L
Well, my 11-year old granddaughter had fun with my little Beretta 21 A Bobcat. :-)
Fit her hands well. ;-)
On the other hand, her favorite is my Walther Arms 1911.
Another 22 LR.
Why would you leave a gun where a child could get it?
Yep. Big fan of Holdup Brand suspenders.
My loaded Beretta is around 2 pounds.
That along with my Boxer Tactical gun belt and the Black Rhino Concealment holster, it’s a really comfortable rig.
I know a guy that keeps a pistol in his vehicle but does not actively carry.
He has what looks like a Bible case that conceals a .44 magnum with a three inch barrel. The case has a cross stitched in contrasting thread and “Holy Bible” burned onto the outside.
Nobody breaks into a car to steal a Bible
Same here. I have seen accidental discharges because somehow clothing was able to catch or tangle with the trigger going into or out of the conceal holster. I only rack one in when I think I am going into a situational environment where I might need immediate one handed capability, then clear it back out after I am in a more relaxed environment again. It only takes one second to charge it.
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