The Grand Experiment

One year ago today I began using only double action revolvers when I carried concealed. No doubt long time readers of this blog will know I am a fan of S&W revolvers. I have carried them for many years now, but never exclusively. I thought I would give it a try.

My two main carry choices (top two in photo) have been a Model 342PD (.38 Special) and a "Pre 27" (.357 Magnum) - two guns about as different as you can get and both still be revolvers. The 342PD is a 5-shot Airweight so light you easily forget it's on you; the .357 is ungainly hunk of steel that will fire heavy .357 loads like they're light .38 Specials. Also in the lineup was a M649 and Chiefs Special (both .38) and for a short while even a 686 (.357).

I don't have any grand revelations for you. Carrying these revolvers wasn't much more difficult than the autoloaders I have carried for years. Yes, the big Smith was a bit more cumbersome but nothing that couldn't be done regularly. In no way did I ever feel that I was somehow "undergunned" when carrying revolvers. I never felt I was short changing myself.

I found the main difference was in carrying the reloads. I always like at least one reload with my carry gun and that's where the disparities between autos and revolvers really started showing. Typically I will carry my reloads in a front pants pocket. I've found that even a large capacity magazine in your pocket isn't too difficult to deal with, on the other hand revolver speed loaders, if carried loose, can become quite the chore.

I used both speed strips and speed loaders. The strips are of course much easier to carry on you but slower to use. The speed loaders are much quicker for reloading but more of a hassle to carry. What did I do?

As the year progressed I found myself carrying speed strips more often and speed loaders less and less, especially the N-Frame ones that were the main problem. Eventually I got lazy and just started carrying an extra J-Frame revolver which, although heavier, didn't seem as bothersome as an N-Frame speed loader rolling around in my pocket.

Now that the year has ended I don't know if I will continue the experiment. I have several good carry autos that I would like to start using. The one thing I do know for sure is that if I carry revolver speed loaders again it will have to be with a good holder attached to the belt. Trying to carry them any other way is just too much of a headache.

Gone shooting

I went to the range first thing this morning, but only stayed a short while. Last month I bought a 1965 vintage Colt Lightweight Commander (45 ACP) and I wanted to give it a quick test drive.

I didn't bring much ammo with me. As I said, I didn't want to stay very long, just long enough to see if this old Colt had any major issues.

I put a 50 round box of Winchester ball (230gr) ammunition thru it without a problem. I then tried some Federal "Hi-Shok" 230gr hollowpoints in it and experienced 2 FTF malfunctions (out of 20). The Federal stopped about halfway in but with a gentle push on the slide it fed the rest of the way. The recoil spring seemed strong enough so it's probably the feed ramp that is at issue. I've had older Colts like this before with the same problem. Since this was made before hollowpoint bullets became popular I really can't blame the gun.

I've had several old Colts that acted the same way, including a 1953 Government Model that I have carried for years. If the profile of the bullet is too flat they just won't feed without modifying the feed ramp. My '53 will load hollowpoints with a more rounded bullet design like the Remington Golden Saber. I expect this Commander will act the same.

Accuracy seemed average for what it is. The stock Colt sights aren't the easiest to hit with. This Commander recoiled more than I anticipated though. I been using steel frame 1911s for years. I wasn't used to this much snap.

This is a nice little Colt but I haven't decided if I'm going to carry it or not. If I was going to carry it regularly I would have to put better sights on it and correct the feeding issue, modifications that would destroy the collector's value of this pistol.

Gone Shooting

I went to the shooting range this morning. The weather was cool and the sky overcast. All in all, a nice day to go to the range.

Today I took .45 pistols again, like most every time so far this year. Once more I brought my main carry gun, the Colt. I try and take at least one of my carry guns with me whenever I go, even only putting a magazine or two through it is better than nothing.

I also brought my .45 USP. It's my house gun and it occurred to me that although I've shot it numerous times I have never fired it with the flashlight attached, like it sits next to my bed.

Both guns ran flawlessly. The USP even gulped down some old semi-wadcutter target loads I had on hand. The USP has never failed me once. Not through thousands of rounds of different bullet types, ages and manufacturers. It is one of the most reliable pistols I have ever owned.

But the main purpose of the day was seeing if the HK's attached flashlight affected the gun's performance in any way. I couldn't distinguish any significant difference. The gun balance has been changed slightly but accuracy and reliability were the same. Having more weight under the barrel might have marginally reduced felt recoil but to be honest the HK is very manageable to begin with. It's hard to tell if there really was an appreciable difference.

But it was a good morning shooting anyway.

Gone Shooting - Déjà vu

I went down to my local shooting range this morning (sorry, no photos). Just like last time the only gun I took was my Colt Government Model. Also, just like last time, the weather was cold and dreary. At least it wasn't wet today. I can't wait for spring (weather) to finally get here.

Gone Shooting

Yesterday was a cold, wet, dreary day, but I went shooting anyway. One of my New Year's resolutions was to go shooting at least once every month in 2013; I'm doing my best to keep it.

The only gun I took was my main carry gun, my 1953 Colt Government Model. I didn't want to go trampling through the mud much so all shooting was done at one target at 10 yds. Once I filled that target with holes that was enough for the day. As usual the pistol was 100% reliable.

But I really did need to test this gun again and that's another reason I went yesterday. Recently I had new sights installed and I wanted to see if the point of aim changed. It does shoot slightly higher than it did but not enough to worry about. I had a Novak gold bead front and a Harrison Design Retro rear sight installed. I really like the sight picture of the new sights and my old eyes can easily pick up that gold front dot, even in low light.

I actually have several guns that need to be shot, either for the first time, or like this Colt, to recheck them. This spring is going to be real busy of me!

10 Years

Ten years ago today I started my first website and became another voice shouting out from the void.

In the spring of 2002 I was attending a local technical college and took a class in web design. The instructor would give you different assignments to create some fictitious web pages. To pass the course you would have to post your homework on the real web where he could find and grade it. To do that you needed a web host. The teacher recommended Tripod and since it was free I set up an account there.

By the fall of that year the class was long over (got a B+ by the way) but I still had the account. Since it wasn't being used for school any longer I decided to use it to post some personal thoughts. At first it was just an outlet for my gun hobby, but in less than a year I started including stories on other interests I had, mostly movies and actors, but books and pop culture too. My website began as "Wilson's Gun Freedom Web Site" but went thru a few names in the next two years, finally becoming "J. Wilson's World" in 2004, which it remained until I closed it in March 2010. At that same time I also closed my Tripod blog (which I started in August '07) when I moved here looking for greener pastures. Over the years I've wrote a lot words on the web, thousands. I even wrote a novel, something I'm sure I wouldn't have done if it wasn't for the prior experience of writing for my various websites and blogs. From an innocuous 816 word opinion piece about the .38 Special to a 112,000+ word self-published novel, I didn't see that coming when I first posted ten years ago!

Here's my very first article along with my first try at gun photography, both were posted to the web at approximately 9:00 A.M. on 9/23/2002.

Cheap fun with the .38 special

Well what I'm referring to in this article is not the ammo itself, but guns chambered in the .38 special round. 38 ammunition is a little cheaper than most center fire ammo but it's not cheap enough to be considered a great bargain. The bargains I will be talking about are the bargains that can be picked up right now in the used handgun market.

There was a time when the 38 special ruled the handgun market. Most cops used 38's and when a civilian wanted a gun to defend themselves they usually picked the 38 too. Every major gun maker made a small, medium, or sometimes even a large frame 38 special. Some companies even made them in all frame sizes and could sell all that they made. From the 1920's to the early 1980's it was the golden age of the 38 special. The .357 Magnum encroached on the 38's market some starting in the 1950's but the 38 still ruled.

The demise of the 38 began in the mid 1980's when many police departments started changing over to the automatic pistol. Many civilian shooters also abandoned the 38 to go to automatics, it was felt that 6 rounds of 38 special just couldn't cut it anymore. If the cops weren't using the old antiquated 38 why should I? Many great old guns that used to be hard to keep on the shelf just were not selling in the new marketplace.

All of this history brings us to the current gun market, no one has made a large frame 38 in years and the new medium frame 38's are nearly gone too. The small frame 38's are still doing pretty well but even they are starting to lose ground to the new breed of small automatic pistols firing full power loads (9mm, 40 S&W etc.). What that leaves us is a large number of 38 special bargains floating around in the market place, many selling at very low prices. The small frame guns are holding their value the best, and the medium frame "snubbie" still sell for more than the 4 or 6 inch barrel counterparts.

The absolute best buy on the market is the medium frame 38 special with a 4 or 6 inch barrel. The Smith & Wesson model 10 (AKA Military & Police) fits this bill exactly (it is the most popular handgun in the world!) and can be picked up at bargain prices. I have seen model 10s as cheap as $100.00 (very rough finish but good mechanical condition). In my opinion this is also the very best gun you can have to defend yourself if you are the type of person who doesn't have a lot of experience with handguns or doesn't practice very much.

Just a quick look through the various pages of Auction Arms or Gunbroker and GunsAmerica have produced many old Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Colt 38s with a 4 inch barrel and in great shooting condition for under 250.00 with many under 200.00! If your primary interest is home defense or target shooting you can't go wrong with one of the 4 or 6 inch models.

My main interest in these guns are for use in carrying concealed, and while you can carry a 4 inch model concealed it is much easier with the 2 inch models. Snubbie models have held their value much better than their longer barrel brothers, and while they are more expensive than the longer barrel models they are still pretty cheap compared to the small automatics that are their main competition.

Smith and Wesson's classic Chief's Special (and other J frame models) can still be had for under 200.00 with the average for one in good used condition being around 250.00. For this price you get one of the smallest 38 revolvers ever made able to fire 5 rounds (including +P rounds in the steel frame models) as quick as you can pull the trigger in a package small enough to hide most anywhere on your person.

Another favorite is the Colt Detective Special, it is a little larger than the Smith and carries 6 rounds. The Colt prices are really starting to take off because of collectors but you can still find a good Detective model for under 300.00 if you look.

Ruger also makes several models old and new to choose from, including their great Speed and Service Six models. These are not the only makers of good 38's, there have been many fine 38's made by companies such as Taurus, Rossi, Charter Arms and several others, many great bargains can be had with these companies since these guns haven't really become part of the collectible market yet.

In summary, if you are looking for a good gun without breaking your wallet a used 38 just might be in your future.

Carry experiment

For two months I've been running a little experiment with my carry guns. Well, the experiment is over and learned some things.

For years now I've had a routine. I'm sure many others that carry a gun have the same one. For most of the year I would carry a full size self-defense pistol. I had many over the years but the one I most often used was a Colt Government Model. It was easy enough to carry and I shot it well, you couldn't ask for more than that. But it is harder to carry in the hotter months, especially when wearing lighter clothes. So, in July and August I would put the GM away and use a smaller "Summer Gun." For over a decade mine was a S&W M649 but a couple of years ago I went with an even lighter J-Frame, a 342PD.

The J-Frame Smith & Wesson is a fine weapon, reliable and easy to carry. But the capacity is limited, reloads are harder than an auto, and a 2-Inch snub is the most difficult gun to shoot accurately. Despite its charm I must say that for a while now I've wanted to upgrade to something better than my short trip "Gas station" gun. The J-Frame is not the best self-defense tool in the box, certainly better than nothing, but it is a compromise.

At the beginning of this summer I also had another problem. I had a S&W SW990L and I couldn't decide if I wanted to sell or not. Its' a great gun, completely reliable and accurate, but I didn't need another range toy and I wasn't sure I wanted to carry it. That's when the experiment came about.

I let the 342PD sit it out this summer and began carrying the SW990L. It's roughly the same size as a Colt GM (although a bit thicker) but weighed less and held one more round too. Searching through my holster box I found a IWB holster for my USP that fit the big Smith reasonably well. It wasn't perfect but was good enough to carry without being dangerous. So the experiment began.

Since mid-June I've been carrying a ten shot (9+1) .45 auto rather than my usual five shot .38. Yes, it was more difficult. No, it was not as comfortable. But it wasn't so bad that I felt it couldn't be done on a regular basis. What I've found is that I can carry a much better tool for defending myself, one that doesn't make me feel like I'm compromising my safety.

I'll be looking for a 1911 type pistol with a lightweight frame to replace my J-Frame in my carry lineup. I think it will be perfect for what I need. The SW990L will be going. It's a good gun but I already have others that do the same job and without adding more expenses I don't need. I'll keep my J-Frames though, if for sentimental reasons if nothing else. They might even see the occasional duty, but I doubt they get used on a regular basis again.

Picking a team

Been going through my gun collection again. I just inherited several from Dad and don't have room for them all, something has to go. I will always hold on to some of those antiques I love but there are others I can't justify keeping.

One change for certain will be with my self-defense handguns. I'm getting out of the traditional double action (DA/SA) pistol business altogether. Those are the hardest guns for me to shoot well (probably for most shooters) and I don't practice with them nearly enough for a weapon I might bet my life on. Although I carried them in the past over the last couple of years they have basically turned into range toys. I already have enough toys.

I will be keeping my HK USP .45. It's DA but can also be used "cocked & locked" and that's how I've been using mine for a while now. It's a great gun, I've carried it several times since I bought it. The pistol is actually lighter than a 1911 but it's just too big to use regularly. You need a good jacket or coat to conceal the HK. I have been using it mostly as my "house" gun and will continue to do so. The USP loaded with 13 rounds of hollowpoints and light attached makes an excellent home defense option.

For my carry needs I will be relying mainly on my 1911 pistols since that is what I have practiced (and feel most comfortable) with. I will also continue to use my double action revolvers for now since I also train with them quite a bit too. In the future though it's conceivable that I might go with the 1911 (and variants) entirely.

I've also decided to get back to my regular shooting sessions at least once a month, and practice with one of my self-defense guns every time I go. I'm also considering more formal training but I believe this first step, picking a main gun and practicing with it a lot more, is a good first step.

The Guns of 2011 ... and 2012

2011 was not the best year for me. For numerous reasons (big and small) I didn't go shooting very much this year. I like to go at least once a month if I can but didn't get close. In fact I went for a three month stretch without practicing at all.

As far as guns go I bought few this year. Most of my purchases in 2011 were for more practical firearms, much of my money spent on rifles (and accessories). I did manage to pick up a couple more antique Smith & Wesson revolvers. Yes, I know I have a problem.

I did sell some more guns that I haven't been using. Despite being the "year of the 1911" I sold two of mine, both Colts, a 1991 that I never shot much and a pre-war commercial model that I've owned for almost two decades. The gun had all original parts but was reblued and although I had it for 19 years only managed to shoot it 3 times. Finally I decided it had to go. I guess this was just the right time to sell, I put it on a popular auction site and the gun went for nearly $400 more than I thought it would. The buyer seemed very happy to get it at that price. I was happy, he was happy, can't ask for more than that.

As for buying this year the gun I wanted most, a 1911 match pistol, I didn't get. I just spent too much on other things.

For 2012 there is not much I'm wanting and I certainly don't need anything. I might buy another 10/22 rifle and I'm also still interested in a Kel-Tec KSG or Beretta Nano, if they should ever actually get them in production. I could probably talk myself into another military type rifle. Then there is of course the aforementioned 1911 match type pistol. If I did buy one it would probably be a Colt or a Baer Monolith.

I also have pistols that I might customize including several revolvers that could use action work. I need to do something about my carry pistol too, my 1953 Colt is a great gun but if I'm going to keep using it I will have to put some money into fixing its "problems." At the very least it has to have better sights installed if I'm going to keep carrying it, my middle-aged eyes can't see those tiny sights very well anymore.

But if I'm smart what I should to do for 2012 is use all my allocated "gun money" to buy more ammunition (before prices go up yet again) and needed parts and accessories. I should also continue to streamline my collection of impractical collector guns and replace them with more "useable" tools. If I'm smart ...

Gone Shooting - 22 day

The weather was nice so I went shooting again earlier today. This time I only took .22s. There was the Ruger Government model from last time. I wanted to put a few more rounds through it and I also needed to adjust the sights. I took another .22 too, my Budischowsky TP-70. Ammunition used today was Federal "AutoMatch" and cheap Winchester both with 40gr bullets. As usual targets were 5-inch Shoot-N-C brand.

The Ruger was first up. All firing was from 50ft using an improvised rest (the roof of my car and a rolled up towel). No surprises in the accuracy department as it performed just like it did on the last outing. It was shooting high but didn't take long to make it right. But mostly what I was interested in this time was reliability. Because of the weather I only got to fire 100 rounds through it last session and I wanted to continue the test. Today the Ruger effortlessly ate up everything offered it, another 200 rounds without malfunction. So far so good.

Next up was my Budischowsky TP-70. All shooting was done at 15ft using my strong hand only. The Budischowsky was a high end pocket pistol from the 1970s. It had many features not common to guns that size. Features like real sights, a separate extractor, slide stop and a decocker. They only made them a few years with the large majority in .25 Auto. The .22 version was only produced one year and they're a little tough to come by.

This pistol is basically a range toy. I only keep it for two reasons, because it's so cute and so cheap to feed. I would never rely on it for personal protection. First is the caliber, while this was a very innovative "mouse gun" 30+ years ago time has passed it by. Now you can get pocket guns almost identical in size and actually lighter in .32 or .380. The "micro" 9mm pistols aren't far behind. But even if I wanted to rely on a .22LR for self defense I still wouldn't use this gun, it's just too persnickety.

The magazines are one problem. It will hold seven rounds but you'll quickly find that to be the easiest way to get this pistol to malfunction. You better count them out when loading. Six rounds, no more, ever. Another issue is the double action trigger pull. IT IS AWFUL! Even at 5 yards you can see I was pulling shots to the right. Firing in single action you can actually make reasonable sized groups but it's not safe to carry it that way. But the Budischowsky's biggest problem is being a very finicky eater. I have never found ammunition that it would feed reliably 100% of the time. Until today. I put 150 rounds down range with the Federal brand without a hiccup. Next time I have it out I'll try the Federal again. If it repeats today's performance I guess I've finally found the ammo it likes. Yes this little pistol has plenty of problems, but it's so cute!

Had some fun today and didn't even have to go through a lot of expensive ammo to do it. As a bonus I might have finally found just the right formula for my problem child.

Gone Shooting - About time edition

Its been three months since I've gone shooting, almost the whole summer wasted. Since that last session I just haven't had the time or desire to go. Between a family situation and some miserable weather I couldn't make myself although I most certainly needed to. I have guns that I bought nearly a year ago but haven't shot yet, and the list keeps growing. Something had to be done about it. Finally I decided that today was the day. I was off from work and would make myself go shooting no matter how I felt or what the weather was like. Fortunately it was nearly perfect weather for it.

Today I took one new gun, a Smith & Wesson 990L .45 that I purchased nearly two months ago. It has been sitting in my safe since then collecting dust. I also brought along my HK USP .45 that is my current "House" gun as I need to keep in practice with it. All shooting this day was at 7, 10 and 15 yards using a Weaver stance. Ammunition taken along was Remington and S&B 230gr ball and I used my usual target, a standard USPSA/IPSC silhouette with a Shoot-N-C 5-inch stick on over the "A" zone. As long as I can keep in the A I'm happy. If I keep it in the black I'm very happy.

I bought the S&W back in June at a good price but as I said it is only now that I've got around to trying it. The 990L is a striker fired pistol with a double action only trigger pull and is comparable to the Glock. I needed to know if this one was a "keeper" or if I should trade it off on something else. The USP I've had for a while now and I like it more every time I shoot it. As I said it's mainly for home defense but I have carried it a few times in the colder months when the weather allows me to cover it with a coat.

First up was the Smith & Wesson. Out of the box it was pulling a little right and the first three shots out of it were the only ones not in the A zone the whole day. No matter, the 990L has an adjustable back sight so I just got out my screwdriver and it was a quick, easy fix. From then on it was right on target. The pistol performed flawlessly, 200 rounds without a hiccup. My precious hollowpoint stockpile is getting low so I didn't bring any along today. I'll bring some next time but I suspect it will be just a reliable with them. This pistol is lighter and smaller than my USP and it seemed that recovery times between shots was slower. I'm sure that at least some of the problem was the fact that this gun (and its trigger) are entirely new to me. When I get some more range time I expect to shoot it faster and the groups to shrink too. The photo above was from firing at seven yards as fast as I could and is typical of the guns performance today. So far I'm very pleased with my new .45.

Next up was the USP and I put another 100 rounds through it this morning. As usual function was perfect. Since I've owned this pistol I've put hundreds of rounds through it including numerous kinds of hollowpoint ammunition without a malfunction. Despite its size (or maybe because of it) the USP is one of my most pleasant .45s to shoot. Follow up shots seem quicker and easier and you are really having a bad day if you get out of the A zone. I have had this HK for two years next month and it has yet to let me down. This pistol was well worth the price of admission.

Had a great day shooting two impressive .45s and hope to do it again real soon!

Maybe, possibly

The internet is ablaze right now with talk of Beretta's entry into the who can make the smallest pocket 9mm race, the Nano. It looks like a practical design but until the specs and reviews are out I'm holding judgment. I've been thinking about getting a light pocket 9 for a while now to supplement (or maybe completely replace) my lightweight J-Frame. 6 or 7 rounds of 9mm +P are better than 5 rounds of .38+P. Of those currently on the market I gave the Walther PPS the most serious look. It had what I wanted above all from a pocket gun, to be light and very slim, although it had other features I didn't like. From the photos I've seen the Nano is comparable in weight and might even be smaller than the Walther. But I am not in any hurry. I've still got plenty of time before I have to spend any money, time to read the reviews and see what early owners say. My pocket guns rarely get used except in the hottest summer months of July and August. So I've still got at least until spring of next year before I make a decision. The new Beretta also seems fairly priced at $475.00 and says "MADE IN USA" on the side, which doesn't hurt either. A lot of posters are commenting on how ugly they think the Nano is, certainly no uglier than any Glock ever made. And speaking of Glock it's a good thing they don't seem particularly interested in making a pocket 9mm with a single column magazine. Undoubtedly they would end this interesting contest overnight.

I carried a badge

A recent post by Guffaw about working as a security guard brought back the memories of my own brief stint as a pseudo law enforcement officer and working the mean streets of the city, well actually, mostly mean vestibules. Starting in '04 I spent over two years working as unarmed security for a local company. At the time I needed extra income to pay off some bills and this was the best job I could find that would work with my schedule.

I did mention it was unarmed security? The company told us that fact four or five times during our initial three-hour orientation. It must have been a big problem with new employees as it was mentioned repeatedly. They also told us as many times that being caught with a gun while working for them was grounds for immediate termination, whether you had a deadly weapons license or not. Know what else would get you fired right quick? Doing anything but observing. You see all of us fledgling "Security Officers" soon discovered that the only thing we were there for was to be a "visual deterrence" for criminals (mostly shoplifters) and to be a good witness if possible. What we were not supposed to do was jeopardize our safety or the company's profits while on their payroll. And they meant it, not even two weeks after we finished "training" one of the guys I started with helped some employees at a store he was working at, he "helped" them by tackling a shoplifter running out the door. Yep, you guessed it, fired on the spot. Poor sap must have thought he was a cop or something. He was mistaken. They tried to tell him numerous times during that extensive half-day training session before we were "signed off" and let loose on the world, guess he wasn't listening. They weren't paying us to "do something," basically we were being paid to stand around and look official and (in theory) we would scare away anyone that meant trouble for our customers. The scarecrow security theory. My first supervisor on the job put it succinctly, he told me to just "stand there and look serious, but friendly."

Being the new guy I got all those exciting jobs that the other employees didn't want. The boring jobs, the uncomfortable jobs, and of course the dangerous jobs. Because of my regular work I didn't have much time available on the weekdays but did on the weekends and I got to work a lot of them. It wasn't unusual for me to have 24-30 hours in before the regular work week arrived Monday morning. The company had a big contract with a local grocery chain and our mission was to stand there in the front vestibule of their store and frighten criminals. I got a lot of those jobs as many of my co-workers refused to do it, or at least found a reason to get out of it. You don't know what fun is until you've stood in the lobby of a grocery store going insane from the tedium, doing your twelve hour shift (usually midnight to noon) with only a very short restroom break every few hours. Good times!

But it wasn't all standing around with your feet killing you for boring hour after hour without end, there was other fun to be had. They also sent me more than a few times to a local downtown hotel notorious for a murder a couple years before, a drug deal had went bad in their secluded back parking lot. My assignment, if I accepted it, was to make a continuous loop, patrolling each floor of the hotel from top to bottom on the hour, including the aforementioned murder site. It was the graveyard shift (12A - 8A) and while it was lonely I wasn't completely alone. As I said the place was infamous for a relatively recent and well known murder and a known drug area. The local police made it a part of their regular beat and I would see them maybe three or four times during the long night. Otherwise I was on my own. The only good thing I can say about the duty was that it wasn't boring as standing looking out the front window of a grocery store for 6 to 12 hours at a time.

Those were the two main duties I had that first year but there were other memorable ones too. Once in a while I worked at a shopping complex in the city center and adjacent to it was a large Catholic Church. Every weekday at noon they would give out food to the needy. Let me tell you that was some fun trying to keep a 100 or more homeless (mostly men), many undoubtedly mentally ill, on the church property and from overrunning and damaging your client's. Your only weapons a harsh look and the threat of calling the real police. Good times!

Then occasionally, maybe once or twice a month, I would get assigned a "gravy" job, typically when someone called in sick or was on vacation. I suppose they were grateful that I took so many unpopular assignments that they would throw me a bone on occasion. It was during these times I would get my own patrol car, ours were little white Ford Focus sedans with a spiffy stripe down the side that read "******* Security" and had a light bar on top. I would usually get the night shift (or course) and would drive around in the nearly empty parking lot, listening to overnight A.M. talk radio while I protected the grocery or department store from evildoers! Good times! Really!

I was popular with my immediate supervisor because I was one of the few guys he had that would take anything offered. I did the dirty jobs many of his other employees wouldn't. Plenty of long shifts and boring posts. I didn't want to either but I had to, I needed the money. I did the work and didn't complain and I'm sure that's what he appreciated the most. In that first year the only job I ever turned down was working the front door at an abortion clinic, that's just something I could not do.

After about 15 months of that kind of "fun" I asked them to cut back my hours. I had paid off some bills by then, I still needed some extra money but I rapidly tired of working seven days a week. Because I had done a good work for them (and without complaints) I must say they made an effort to find me a regular post, something better than what I had been doing. They finally did find something, a nice Saturday only job at a local factory. I would go in the morning at seven and would stay until they were finished, usually three or four that afternoon. I had my own little office, heated and central air. My only duty to sit there at my desk and let people in or out. The rest of the time I could read or listen to the radio, but quietly, and absolutely no TV! Mainly I just tried to stay awake. Infrequently I would still find myself with the odd "interesting" assignment when they really needed me to. Finally I must say I bored of the exciting life of an unarmed security officer and found myself a somewhat better second job, at least it paid more.

Did I ever carry a gun in my "unarmed" security job? Sure did, plenty of times my Smith & Wesson 649 was right there with me. Usually in a holster around my ankle or occasionally in a "tuckable" holster inside my waistband. It was legal for me to carry and any time it seemed prudent to have a gun I did, like the murder hotel for instance. I was willfully violating company policy and knew I would be fired then and there if caught, but it was my life on the line so I decided to take that chance. The company knew to, at least I believe my "field" supervisor did. There were a couple of times he seemed to notice me "printing" but never said a word. They probably sent him on some dangerous jobs too when he first started.

Question for the gunnies

Do any of my readers use a shot timer to practice with on a regular occasion, either live training at the range or dry fire at home? Both? If you do has the timed training significantly improved your abilities, specifically pertaining to self defense shooting and concealed carry? Has the use of a timer made a noticeable improvement in your presentation speed and effectiveness down range? For years I have been "concealed carry" practicing (live fire) by simply making a concerted effort to shoot as fast as possible while keeping all my bullets on target. Of course it's not very scientific and while I might "feel" I'm shooting fast I really don't have anything to compare it to, it's all subjective on my part. I'm thinking it's time to move my training up another level. If you have personal experience with this your opinion would be helpful.

Gone Shooting - Back to basics

Decided to go shooting this morning as the weather was nearly perfect for it, sunny and 64 degrees by the time I got there. Today I took my two main carry guns. It's been months since I shot either and was getting rusty. All shooting was done using a Weaver stance at seven or ten yards (21 and 30 feet). Targets were Shoot-N-C 5-Inch stick ons over a standard USPSA/IPSC target. Since this was concealed carry practice I tried to keep the shooting speed up.

First up was my Smith & Wesson model 342PD. This is the gun that I grab when heading out for a short trip like to the gas station. Just slip it in my Kramer pocket holster and I'm out the door and on my way. I also use it most of July and August when the hot and humid weather makes carrying a larger gun much more uncomfortable. Today I was shooting Remington 130 grain jacketed target ammunition. It's the same weight as my normal carry load, so same point of impact and recoil but at a third of the price of hollowpoints. Shooting was done with the S&W at 21 and 30 feet. At 21 I was easily able to keep all my shots on the 5-Inch targets usually producing 2 ½ inch groups. At 30 feet my groups started to open up some with about 70% of my hits still in the "A" zone of a USPSA/IPSC target and about 30% landing in the "C" area.

Next up was my main carry gun, my Colt Government Model .45 that was made in 1953. All shooting today was with 230gr ball at 10 yards. Except when it's super hot I carry this pistol (usually IWB) most of the year, anytime I know I'll be out a while. I've been carrying this gun since 2003 and it has served me well. Look at the photo; it was my best group of the day, that's seven rounds through two holes at 30 feet. This gun makes me look like a superstar. That's why I love it, that's why I've been carrying it so long. Longer than any other gun I have ever carried. The Colt is basically stock. Someone did trigger work on it and polished the feed ramp, but it is essentially like every other one being churned out by the factory 60 years ago. The only "issue" this pistol has is feeding hollowpoints bullets. Since this gun was produced before hollowpoints were actually invented it's hard to blame the gun. Even with the gunsmith work it will only fire bullets with a more rounded profile. Brands like Winchester Silvertip and Remington Golden Saber are fine. Although I typically like a heavier bullet in .45 ACP for the last couple of years I've been using Cor-bon Pow'R Ball because this gun swallows it up like Pac-Man at an all you can eat power pellet bar. Unfortunately all is not glitter-covered unicorns dancing on rainbows over a field of cotton candy. This pistol still has the original sights, and while they were fine when I bought it now middle age has hit me right in my peepers and those old sights seem to be getting smaller every time I shoot it. So I'm thinking that I might replace this gun with another, my Yost Commander a possible candidate. Or I might send this one off for a rebuild, better sights and correcting the hollowpoint problem are two much needed improvements. I'm going to have to make a decision sometime soon as those sights will probably disappear completely before I know it. I'm torn between retiring this veteran as is or rebuilding it into something new and keeping it a "working" gun. I guess the decision will have to be made this year, but for now I'll just appreciate moments like this morning when this old soldier could still do no wrong...

Random Gun Ramblings

Well, here we are thru the first week of June and I haven't posted a thing. Sometimes it's like that, I might post every day for a while and then all a sudden have nothing I want to post about for days or weeks...

I did have a few minor things to blog about so I thought to put them here all in one.

First, I spent a few hours last week trying to rearrange my gun safe. I have a smaller Browning model and after some effort on my part I finally came to the conclusion that I need to either A) buy a bigger safe, or B) sell some guns. I have absolutely no room for any more long guns that is definite. I have a rifle that I don't have the room for now, an Lee-Enfield Mk III that has been left out in the cold. With some effort I probably could squeeze a few more handguns in there but that would be it. Besides guns my safe also has other valuables (coins, cameras, knives etc.) and I have also put my semi-auto magazines in there too. I have the mags stacked in cheap plastic fishing lure boxes and I might have to take them back out, although I would prefer to keep them in there if I could, some of those mags are quite valuable. Something is going to have to give or this safe is going to pop...

I also read on several forums and blogs last week that wallyworld® was no longer limiting the amount of ammunition you could buy at one time. The limit used to be six boxes per customer. I went down to my local store a couple of days ago and yes the rumor is true. All that I can say to that is Hallelujah! Does this mean that the ammo shortage has officially ended? To be honest this rule never affected me very much as I usually bought 2-3 boxes of ammo at a time. I can only think of two occasions since this went into effect that I wanted to buy more than I could. But it is nice that it is no more… And yes I did buy some ammo (9X19) while I was there.

Have been carrying my S&W M342PD for a week now and I must say that I am very happy with this little lightweight revolver, should've got one sooner. This is a great little gun for the humid summer months. So far I have been carrying it in my Kramer pocket holster, the same one that I have owned since 1997 and have used with my Bodyguard all these years. This little J frame, holster and five rounds of hollowpoints don't feel any heavier than my wallet, maybe even lighter. Also, to try something new I purchased a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster but I haven't had time to really evaluate it yet...

And finally, I went to the surplus store and bought some more ammo cans in the .50 cal size in an attempt to organize all of my ammunition. I now have a total of 13 cans, most of which are filled to the top with various calibers. I'm not done yet though, I will need at least 2-4 more before this project is over...

New gun in the line up

Just picked this up a few days ago after having it on layaway for a couple of months now. I had hoped to make it my Buy A Gun Day gun last month but it just wasn't to be. A light weight pocket gun was one of the few entries left on my "Need" gun list so this is another I can scratch off. My two main choices being one of the currently popular .32/.380 pistols or an Airweight S&W. Finally I decided to go with the Smith & Wesson, I already had ammo, accessories and holsters for it so that made my life (and the decision) a little bit easier. There was plenty of choices among J frames too, the models 442, 38 and 638 being towards the top of the list. But the gun that I really wanted was a Smith 340PD. I have wanted one of those since they came out but could never get past "The Lock". I could never bring myself to buy a self-defense gun with that device and finally I had to admit that S&W wasn't going to be changing their minds anytime soon because people like me didn't like it. So eventually I began doing a little research on the matter (Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd Ed - Supica/Nahas) and discovered that the company did make a similar model in .38 Special, the 342PD. The gun was nearly identical to the 340PD and actually weighed less, 10.8 compared to 12oz. But the best part was that the first year production (2000) 342PD guns had no lock, and for a while now that's the gun I have been looking for! If I couldn't find the 342PD I think that I probably would have ended up with the 442, I've always wanted to try a Centennial model and the 442 is a popular one for good reason. All that's left now is to get it to the range and see how she shoots. Just to make sure it's a trustworthy carry gun. Once that is done my other pocket carry gun, a M649 will probably be put into semi-retirement. I've carried it for many years now and it has earned a rest.

Shoot what you've got...

I've done it myself. I have done it a lot over the years. Finding a reason to buy another gun. I guess many "gun nuts" probably do the same thing. Always looking for that next best thing. There always seems to be "just one more" to buy.

I am certainly as guilty as anyone and probably more so than many gun owners. There are very few guns that I can honestly say I need. A .308 rifle is one of the few. But I've got a "thing" for S&W N Frame .357 revolvers. I certainly don't need another but I keep on buying them anyway. Even when the rational side of my brain tells me that I have more practical ways of spending my "gun money" I keep on buying them.

But this story is not so much about my chronic Smith & Wesson collector's disease (which could be the whole story by itself) or gun purchases in general, but more about guns that we want to use and like, but can't be happy with. It seems especially bad when concerning guns we use in a self-defense role. There has to be something better out there, there has to be. We are always looking for that new "something" that is going to make us the perfect shooter. "This new fangled Wizzzzer-9® will finally make me a super crack shot." When that doesn't pan out we look for the next new toy that will make us the shooter of our dreams, it has to. It just has to.

Instead we should have just bought more ammo and practiced a lot more often.

As I said I'm certainly no one to be casting stones. But at least in self-defense guns I have a little more control. I have used the same .45 Automatic as my main carry gun since 2003 and use it the large majority of the time. The bullets were big enough to do a lot of damage and as was able to hit what I was aiming at. That's all I asked for. That's all I needed. And while I have been tempted to upgrade over the years I never did. Maybe I was too preoccupied with collecting S&W's to worry about "THE BETTER" but for whatever reason I never felt compelled to continually trade up my few carry guns. I finally got to a point where I was happy with my choices. Maybe I am getting a little more practical in my middle (old) age. Maybe I am coming to a point where I can make decisions using reasoned thought instead of blinding emotions. Maybe. Maybe a little.

I can say I'm not as bad as I used to be. Over the years I have owned at least one handgun from just about every major manufacturer, always looking for something better. Never found better, only found different. Because as a rule most quality gun makers produce a quality product. They only differ in the details. Do you like DA or SA? Do you want a frame mounted safety or slide mounted, or none? Do you want plain or 3-dot sights? Do you want 6, 8 or 17 shots? Yes, most guns can be made better with customization but first you've got to figure out the big details of what works for you.

If you're like me, at some point you will have "enough", or you should. At some point you figure out what will work for you, stop trying to find "THE BETTER" and just strive to become proficient with what you've got. At some point you should mature in your gun ownership.

I think I am almost to that point now. I've said before in other posts that practice is more important than equipment. Maybe I'm starting to believe it myself.

So when is enough enough?

I would say when you find a gun in a sufficient caliber for your needs, that you are comfortable with AND can shoot well you should stop looking and just do your best to become an expert with that gun. A Beware the man with one gun kind of thing...

I sat down and made a gun list, not guns that I LIKE, not guns that I WANT, but guns that I NEED. It is a very short list as there are few that I really need anymore. I will be striving this year to fill that list and to become more proficient with the guns that I already have. Can't promise to completely give up that Smith & Wesson .357 "thing" though. That's just asking too much!

N Frame Carry (Post Script)

I've had a few email questions about my How I carry my "N" Frame Smith & Wesson revolvers post from last week. So I thought I would answer them here all at once.

First, the models for the little photo essay were:
1964 27-2 - Blue - 3 ½ Inch (Stag grips)
1962 27-2 - Blue - 3 ½ Inch (Oversized target grips)
1956 .357 Magnum - Blue - 3 ½ Inch (Diamond Magna grips)

The '56 is actually the revolver that I usually carry when I do carry an N Frame, and no it's not nearly as nice as it looks in the photos. It has a lot of finish wear already so I'm not very concerned about a little more. In fact all of the Smith & Wesson's shown are "shooters" and have been carried in the past.

The large target grips on the '62 were made by a gentleman in Thailand, wish I could remember his name but I know he used to sell on Gunbroker and you might still be able to find him there. The grips completely cover the frame of the gun (front and back) filling my hand quite well. I find them great for range work although they are a bit much for concealed carry (except maybe with a very heavy cover garment). The grips are well made but did require some minor fitting to make them right. In size and feel they remind me of Herrett's Jordan Trooper grips but at nearly half the price. Also, personally I like the checkering more than those I have seen on Herrett's grips.

The Hunter holster was made for a 4-Inch gun while the rest were made for 3 ½ Inch guns. Obviously the Don Hume belt slide will fit any barrel length. The DeSantis, while molded for a 3 ½ Inch barrel gun has a little extra leather on the end so you can carry a 4-Inch too. Actually I can put my 5-Inch in it and only the last ¼ inch of the barrel protrudes.

The Hunter is left over from when I carried 4-Inch N frame guns. My first N Frame carry gun was a NYSP marked Model 28. I've also owned a couple 4-Inch Model 27s. Unfortunately in a fit of stupidity I sold those guns years ago and have regretted it ever since. I did keep the holster, knowing I would probably have use for it again, someday.

And finally I had one emailer that was very concerned for me because some of my older holsters have exposed triggers. The thought being that the trigger might get caught on something and/or I might have my finger on the trigger causing an accidental discharge. First, I have absolutely zero concern about something catching the trigger and causing an AD. All my carry revolvers have between a 9-10 pound DA triggers and that's not counting the resistance on the cylinder by the holster and belt. I'm not sure I could even intentionally cause a discharge, let alone an accidental one. Second, my weak-willed trigger finger won't be having an AD because I (like hopefully every other gun owner) practice proper trigger discipline by keeping my FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL I AM ON TARGET AND READY TO FIRE.

Till next time!

N Frame Carry

Well I've been meaning to write this for a while now and here it is - How I carry my "N" Frame Smith & Wesson revolvers. I will limit my discussion here to holster brands and types that I have actually used myself, not what someone else told me or something I heard from a "friend of a friend", or read on a gun forum somewhere. Everything that I write here is from my own personal experiences using and carrying these great guns. Be aware that some of these holsters I have owned for many years now and may no longer be available from the holster makers that I have linked to. You may be able to find something similar. Also, all of my experiences have involved carrying and concealing 3 ½ and 4 inch N frame guns and I will confine my comments to those. The longer barreled revolvers have their own special problems that I don't feel qualified to discuss since I have never done it myself. You would think however that my comments, at least to a small degree, apply to those longer barrel guns as well.

Let me also say that without a great gun belt the holsters below are useless. A quality made gun belt is required anytime carrying, even more so when carrying a large, heavy revolver like a Smith & Wesson N frame. Without a good belt concealed carry will be difficult if nearly impossible. Under the best circumstances a cheap belt would certainly be uncomfortable and under the worst circumstances could be downright dangerous. Personally I use a Galco belt that is 1 ½ inches wide and I would consider that to be the absolute minimum width to use with any gun as large and heavy as a S&W N frame.

Listed below is an inventory of the various holsters that I have used in my efforts to carry a large N frame Smith & Wesson revolver over the years...Hunter belt scabbard - This was the very first holster I bought for an N frame revolver and is a typical thumb break type offered by many different holster makers. Many companies sell this or similar types of holsters that have a strap or tension screw to secure the gun instead of the thumb break. This is a suede lined model that I don't believe is in production any longer. This holster (and a S&W Model 28) is actually what I used in the shooting portion of my CDW license test. The holster secures the gun very well and is comfortable enough to use for long periods of time. It is a field type holster and was never intended for concealed carry, but it can be used in that capacity and I have done so on rare occasion. But as a concealment holster it would definitely be limited to the colder months of the year as a heavy outer garment is required to cover it. If concealment is not really an issue for you (but comfort is) then this is the type of holster you should be shopping for.
Saguaro belt scabbard - This is a fancier dress up belt type holster, similar to the basic design above, that has an adjustable tension screw (cleverly disguised as a Mercury dime) instead of a thumb break. It is also a beautiful example of leather artistry. But besides being great looking this holster also secures the gun well and is actually a little better for concealed carry than the Hunter because it holds the gun a little closer to the body. Like the Hunter though it still requires a heavier outer garment for concealment.Brauer Brothers Manufacturing belt scabbard - I picked this 1960's belt holster up at a gun show many years back and at a bargain price. It's a good utility type holster best suited for field/range work. The gun is held by means of both a metal reinforced opening and a tension screw and is very secure. The holster has a neutral cant and can be used on your strong side or as a cross draw. Like the other belt holsters above this can be used for concealment but only if using a heavy cover garment.Smith & Wesson brand shoulder holster - I must confess that I have only used this vertical shoulder holster a few times since owning it. This is an older type with all leather construction. The muzzle end of the holster attaches to your belt to secure it on your left side. For the right side there is a strap that goes across to hold the holster down and there is no provision for anything (speed loaders, handcuffs etc.) on that side. Admittedly this design is very "old school" and that there are much newer (and better) shoulder holsters available but I have never got around to buying one. Fairly or unfairly, this holster has probably prejudiced me against all other should holster designs. Having a 44.5 ounce (loaded) large frame Smith & Wesson revolver hanging from under your left arm for prolonged periods is not my cup of tea and this lopsided rig left me feeling like Quasimodo after very short periods of use.DeSantis IWB - This is a very well designed inside the waistband holster that not only secures the revolver well but also conceals it well too. The Holster has a shield on the back side that keeps the hammer and frame from digging into your body. This is a well thought out and practical holster design which will allow you to carry your N frame anytime of the year you want as this IWB holster only needs a shirt to cover it completely. However like all IWB holsters for a large gun, because the largest portions of the revolver (the cylinder especially) are under your belt you will have to take your belt and pant sizes into consideration. At least one size larger should be assumed and possibly more. The only flaw in this design is the single belt attachment point that sits right over the gun's cylinder, increasing the overall width of the set-up and making concealment just a little more difficult. Still, all things considered a great concealment holster for the large frame S&W.Don Hume JIT slide - I must admit I am not the biggest fan of belt slide type holsters and probably would have never bought this one myself. I received it, along with other accessories, after buying a N frame .357 last year. I don't like belt slide holsters because personally I want as much of a gun to be covered as can be. It is my preference that as little as possible of a carry gun actually be in contact with your clothes or skin. As a general rule, the less gun you are in contact with the more comfortable you will be and the less wear and tear you will have on your clothes. Having said that I must admit that this Hume design secures the gun very well and holds the gun close to the body, making concealment somewhat easy as long as you have a coat or shirt tail long enough to cover.Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 - In my opinion one of the best holsters made for carrying the N frame Smith & Wesson - if concealment is your highest priority. A light shirt will easily conceal the gun and with this holster you can carry all year long with all types of clothes. The belt loops, being spread out, help secure the gun better and distributes the weight more evenly while also making the gun (slightly) more comfortable to carry and easier to conceal than the DeSantis above. With the Milt Sparks VM2, like with all other inside the waistband holsters, you are sacrificing comfort for the ability to conceal the weapon. The cylinder of a S&W N frame revolver is just over 1 5/8-inches wide and having that (and the majority of the gun) under your belt and pants does make concealing the weapon easier but you do have to give up something for that feature, and that "something" is your personal comfort, especially if you are going to be seated for long periods of time. But as stated at the beginning, if concealment is your main concern the VM2 is the holster to buy.Milt Sparks PMK - MY BEST holster for carrying an N frame revolver concealed, period. This holster is secure and holds the gun very close to the body. Being that it is on the outside of the belt it is much more comfortable than trying to carry IWB while only being slightly more difficult to conceal with it. Concealment itself is easy with a light coat or even a long shirt will not be a problem. Because the PMK pulls the gun up close to your body the result is a very secure and stable platform that will allow you to carry discreetly for many hours without problems or discomfort.

Carrying an N Frame Smith & Wesson does require more effort but it is certainly not an impossible task as some might think. To me it is worth the extra effort involved to actually use and carry these great guns as intended. Maybe this short article will help convince a few others that the big S&W revolvers they love so much are not a lost cause after all...