Many years ago my friend Walter Rauch (former Secret Service agent and one of the founders of IDPA) opined that American men like to “talk .45’s, shoot 9mm’s and carry .38s.”
Tag Archives: concealed carry
3 Reasons Your Hybrid Holster Failed
“I’d never own one of those things (hybrid holster), they are junk.” so said one self-styled expert at a shooting class I attended this year.
Holster or Deathtrap?
When I was coming up as a young gun guy, “Shall Issue” concealed carry was a concept unheard of. The only folks lawfully carrying handguns who were not police officers were country folks in open-carry rigs or licensed investigators and security agents. In the 1970’s and ’80’s the market for concealed carry holsters was pretty thin, certainly nowhere near what it is today. For other than duty rigs, there was a time where you either paid top dollar for top quality handmade, hand-boned (look it up) leather holsters or you bought cheap, machine-made nylon or suede leather for concealed carry. Cheap nylon and suede holsters performed one task; they covered the trigger while more often than not keeping the gun from…
The Test: Do you have the right stuff to be a “Gun Expert?
The modern era could legitimately be described as the “Age of the Expert”. Thanks to the Internet, 100,000 self-proclaimed experts have arisen in all fields of endeavor. The television news channels trot out “experts” to fill time in their reports and bolster the opinions of the talking heads. Recently, I was on the phone with a peer in the training world and we discussed the concern we both shared regarding the danger of new gun owners or gun carriers getting online advice from “gun enthusiasts.” Before we progress. I have a confession to make, I am a vagina enthusiast. I have been my whole life. That being said, you won’t find me at the local clinic asking women to…
First Time Gun Carrier: Gear Check List
This morning I had a meeting with a fellow business professional. In addition the business at hand, the topic turned to guns and concealed carry. My friend is a military veteran with some experience as a “Special Investigator” with a government agency, but he hasn’t carried a gun on a regular basis for nearly twenty years. The specifics of our discourse focused on concealed carry for himself and for his wife. We decided that they both needed to get into our next Armed Living class. Naturally, there were several follow up questions. “What kind of gun should I get for my wife? Where can I find eye and ear protection? What ammunition is best for self-defense?” As I make my…
The Illusion of Neutrality: Eventually You Have to Choose a Side
“I’m not right-wing or left-wing, I consider myself more of a centrist.” so said one of my acquaintances during a recent conversation. That’s not the first time I’ve heard such a statement or similar expression. The truth is that it is far more common for people to say they are a moderate this or that than it is for them to pick a definitive side. We’ve seen this play out for decades as people publicly declare themselves to be “undecided”, “centrist” or “neutral”. It’s not all that big of a surprise that when pressed to take sides most folks will squirm around and try to stay in the middle or remain neutral. During the last several years I’ve penned articles…
How to Prepare for Gun Camp
Going to gun camp? We encourage every gun owner to seek out professional training, not just one time, but often. Many of you may be traveling to a…