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usconcealedcarry.com

CONTENTS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 

FEATURES 

28 

32 

36 

40 

44 

48 

A LOOK AT INEXPENSIVE HOLSTERS 

BY R.K. CAMPBELL 

POINT SHOOTING PROGRESSIONS 

BY TODD BURGREEN 

SHOPPING FOR A 

CONCEALED CARRY PURSE 

BY KATHY JACKSON 

DID ANYBODY DROP THIS PISTOL? 

THE ESSENTIALS 

OF HOLSTER SAFETY 

BY KATHY JACKSON 

Becoming the “Head Man”: 

How to Protect the People 

You Love 

BY C.R. WILLIAMS 

KAHR P380: PERFECtING 

THE POCKET PISTOL 

BY DUANE A. DAIKER 

40 

48 

COLUMNS 

14 

THE 

ORDINARY GUY 

The Love Of My Life 

BY MARK WALTERS 

18 

SIG SAUER 

ACADEMY 

Concealed Carry In 

Inclement Conditions 

BY GEORGE HARRIS 

20 

STREET 

TACTICS 

Good Samaritan 

Shootings 

BY GABE SUAREZ 

24 

PROFILE 

Sara Martin 

52 

BEHIND 

THE LINE 

Teaching Gun Safety 

BY MARTY HAYES, 

J.D. 

58 

56 

IT’S JUST 

THE LAW 

Decisions 

BY K.L. JAMISON 

58 

ARMED 

SENIOR 

CITIZEN 

The Sharp Senior Citizen 

BY BRUCE N. EIMER, 

Ph.D. 

62 

BALLISTIC 

BASICS 

Weighty Matters 

BY DENNIS CANTRELL 

DEPARTMENTS 

04 

TIM’S THOUGHTS 

06 

LETTERS TO 

THE EDITOR 

07 

TRUE STORIES 

08 

THIS IS USCCA 

3

CONCEALED 

CARRY MAGAZINE 

VOLUME 7 - FEB/MAR 2010 

Publisher & Editor 

Timothy J. Schmidt 

Managing Editor 

Kathy Jackson 

Art Director 

Betty Shonts 

Circulation Manager 

Laura Otto 

Copy Editor 

John Higgs 

Photographer 

Oleg Volk 

Column Editors 

Dennis Cantrell • Duane A. Daiker 

Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D. • Tom Givens 

George Harris • Marty Hayes, J.D. 

K.L. Jamison • Gabriel Suarez 

Mark A. Walters 

Contributing Writers 

Todd Burgreen 

R.K. Campbell 

C.R. Williams 

Oleg Volk 

Advertising Sales 

Bob Cole 

360-665-0542 

E-mail: bobcole@centurytel.net 

tIM’S THOUGHTS 

Concealed Carry Magazine Staff Meets 

Up in Vegas for 2010 SHOT Show 

Every year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation holds a huge industry 

trade show called SHOT (Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Tradeshow). This 

year the event was held in Las 

Vegas, NV. Over the past few years, the 

USCCA and CCM family of staff members 

has really started to grow. (Heck, 

it seems like just yesterday when it 

was just my Dad and me attending the 

show!) This year over 20 staff members 

and writers attended the SHOT Show. 

This was not only an exciting opportunity 

to see the latest guns, gear and 

self-defense products but also a great 

chance to catch up with co-workers. 

I have to tell you, the people that 

work for this association and magazine 

are some of the best people in the 

world. I am as honored to work with 

them as I am honored that you’ve decided 

to be a member of the USCCA 

family. 

Over the next few issues of CCM, 

Here I am with CCM managing editor 

Kathy Jackson and Armed American 

Radio host Mark Walters. It was a blast 

to get together with Kathy, Mark and 

many other CCM writers and USCCA 

staff. These people are like family to me! 

you’ll see some fascinating articles and reviews of all the cool products we saw 

at the SHOT Show in Vegas. We’ll be sure to give you the inside scoop from the 

concealed carry perspective. 

Take care and God Bless, 

Signed articles in Concealed Carry Magazine 

reflect the views of the author, and are not necessarily 

the views of the editors at Delta Media, LLC. 

The claims and opinions in the paid advertisements 

published in this magazine are not necessarily the 

claims and opinions of Delta Media, LLC. Delta Media, 

LLC takes no responsibility for these views, claims or 

opinions. Concealed Carry Magazine and the U.S. Concealed 

Carry Association are registered trademarks 

of Delta Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 

2004-2010 by Delta Media, LLC. Reproduction, copying, 

or distribution of Concealed Carry Magazine is 

prohibited without written permission. 

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 COVER 

Photographer: Oleg Volk 

Model: Sara Martin’s kids, especially her youngest son Sam, are 

a handful to manage. A light Ruger LCP in a SideGuard holster 

lets her stay armed while managing parental duties effectively. 

Read more about Sara Martin in the CCM Profile on page 24. 

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USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

Editor, 

While the “Lessons Learned-Following 

Trouble” article by Steve King (CCM Jan. 

‘10) was valuable, I have trouble with one 

sentence: “However, since I live in Texas, 

my state has allowed me to legally carry 

a firearm for self-defense and I am very 

thankful for that.” We should not have, or 

encourage, a mindset that carrying a firearm 

is a privilege bestowed upon us by the 

state. 

It took Texans over 100 years to get 

the carpet-baggers’ restrictive gun laws 

changed to what they are now. While working 

for the Department of Public Safety 

in the 1980s I had first-hand knowledge 

that the legislative efforts to “allow” concealed 

carry were being undermined by 

bureaucrats who were intentionally making 

up false numbers of projected applicants 

so that the CHL law would not pass. 

It took several more tries in the legislature 

to finally pass CHL even though the Texas 

Constitution states that we have the right to 

keep and bear arms. 

Please don’t think or imply that the state 

is doing us any favors when we have to beat 

it into submission before it will recognize 

our rights. 

David D. Haun 

Round Rock, Texas 

Editor, 

Thank you for your article by Diane Walls 

on the tactical 20 gauge (“In Search of the 

Tactical 20 Gauge,” CCM Jan. ‘10). I, too, 

use a 20 gauge as a home defense arm. In 

fact, I was privileged to participate in the 

same LFI-III class as Diane (that’s me pictured 

in the middle of page 37). I also use 

a Remington 11-87. However, my shotgun 

is much more standard. The only modifications 

on my gun are a magazine extension 

from Choate and an elastic band around 

the stock to hold five spare rounds. I’m 

planning to install tactical sights in the future. 

I fired Diane’s shotgun and it’s a dream 

to shoot. But I would also like to point out 

to your readers that you don’t have to go 

through all the modifications that Diane 

did to achieve a functional defensive arm. 

The biggest problem is finding a suitable 

model. When I was shopping for a shotgun, 

I did not find any semi-auto tactical models 

in 20 gauge. It’s clear that the gun companies 

do not view the 20 gauge as a viable 

tactical arm. I think they are missing a big 

market opportunity. The 20 gauge is wellsuited 

to home defense, women shooters, 

and training purposes. I wish there were 

more choices out there. 

Ken Ewing 

On this day of mourning for the four 

police officers who were ambushed and 

murdered in Lakewood, Washington, I sit 

and watch the awesome sight of well over 

a thousand patrol cars in a procession escorting 

their partners in law enforcement 

and the thousands of people lining the 

route to the funeral to honor those fallen 

officers. I also grieve the loss as I was once a 

police officer and know what it is like to lose 

a fellow officer. While reflecting on the loss 

I cannot help but wonder “What if.” What 

if a civilian in that coffee shop had been 

carrying a concealed weapon? What if they 

had assisted when the murderer displayed 

a weapon and began shooting? What would 

have been the outcome? 

I know it may sound insensitive but 

this really does do away with the anti-gun 

crowd’s argument that we should let the 

police take care of the situation and protect 

us. Uniformed, armed police officers were 

on scene yet they could not protect themselves 

from harm (thankfully one of them 

did live long enough to put a round in the 

killer). How in the world can we expect law 

enforcement officers to protect us in a similar 

situation when they are nowhere near 

the scene and are actually several minutes 

away? 

A civilian who is licensed to carry a concealed 

weapon and does so is usually the 

only person on scene who has the ability 

to resist a threat and protect not only 

themselves, but others. Yes, someone can 

call 911 on a cell phone but by the time a 

threat is recognized and the call is made, 

whatever is going to happen has already 

happened. 

I do sincerely hope that I will never 

again have to use my weapon to defend 

myself or others but, because I live in a very 

real and twisted world, I know full well the 

possibility exists. 

Jack M. Baskin 

Chesaw, Washington 

Due to volume received, not all 

letters can be answered. Letters may 

be edited for space and clarity. 

Send your letters to: 

Concealed Carry Magazine 

Attn: Editor 

N173W21298 Northwest Passage Way, 

Jackson WI 53037 

Or email: 

editor@usconcealedcarry.com 

ACROSS THE 

EDITOR’S DESK 

As I write this, my family 

and I are on our way to Las 

Vegas, Nevada, where this 

year’s SHOT Show will soon be 

underway. We chose to drive this 

year, some 1200 miles from our 

home in the Pacific Northwest. 

Along the way, we stopped to 

visit family in California, drove 

around beautiful Lake Tahoe, visited 

with soon-to-be family near 

Reno, and took our teenagers 

through California’s Death Valley 

National Park. We’ll return home 

through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, 

and Oregon. My Washington 

carry permit isn’t honored in 

all of those places, so I have obtained 

additional state permits. 

Nevertheless, in order to obey the 

law, the firearm I carry to protect 

my family must be unloaded and 

locked up during parts of our trip. 

Fortunately, on February 22, federal 

law will be changed to apply 

the same concealed carry laws 

in national parks as the state in 

which the park is located; unfortunately, 

not all national parks 

are located in states which recognize 

the 2nd Amendment. But we 

are the same people in one place 

as we are in another, and my family—just 

like yours—deserves the 

same level of protection when 

traveling as we enjoy at home. 

Perhaps it is time to remind our 

politicians that the Bill of Rights 

means what it says. 

Stay Safe, 

6 


TRUE STORIES 

CARRY A GUN... IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. 

Handicapped, 

Not Defenseless 

Gary Alan Wroblewski, 62, was 

watching television when someone 

knocked on his door. A wheelchair user, 

Wroblewski placed his revolver—a 

Taurus Judge chambered for .45 Colt— 

on his lap before responding to the 

knock, noting later that he had an uneasy 

feeling because the hour was late 

and he was not expecting company. “I 

was suspicious. I didn’t really want to 

open it, but I did,” Wroblewski said. 

At the door were Jeffrey Alan Kenney, 

24, and another man whom police 

identified as Ruben Gonzalez, 18. A 

third man, Timothy Alan Holt Jr., 17, 

allegedly waited in a vehicle while the 

other two approached Wroblewski’s 

home. 

When Wroblewski answered his door, 

Gonzalez allegedly requested a jump 

start for his car while Kenney, wearing 

a bandanna over his face, rushed 

the homeowner and bowled him over. 

Wroblewski fired multiple shots, striking 

Kenney at least once in the chest. 

Kenney, who had been convicted 

of previous criminal behavior, was 

pronounced dead at the scene while 

Gonzalez and Holt separately fled after 

the shooting. Both were later apprehended 

and are awaiting trial on 

charges of second-degree murder and 

attempted home invasion robbery. 

“Several people have called and told 

me I’m a hero, but I don’t feel like a 

hero. A hero usually helps people, not 

shoots them,” Wroblewski said. 

www.gainesville.com (Gainesville Sun), 

www.Ocala.com, www.clickOrlando.com 

(WKMG Orlando) 

Armed Citizen Saves Lives, 

Ignored by Media 

An armed citizen apparently prevented 

a mass-casualty public shooting 

in Oklahoma City on December 17, 

2009, but details remain scanty and few 

news outlets reported the story. 

According to News9 of Oklahoma 

City, OK, the criminal gunman—whose 

name was not released—first threatened 

employees inside the office at the 

Tammaron Village Apartments around 

four in the afternoon. When those employees 

locked the man outside the office, 

the man began shooting his firearm 

and threatening passersby. 

That’s when the unidentified armed 

citizen stepped in, drawing his handgun 

and ordering the attacker to put his 

weapon down. The attacker dropped 

his weapon, then ran to his father’s 

apartment and barricaded himself inside, 

surrendering peacefully to police 

several hours later. 

Most local news outlets apparently 

did not report the event. News OK, a 

competitor of News9, did report the 

event, but did not report the role of 

the armed citizen in protecting lives. 

“Another man at the complex persuaded 

the man to surrender his firearm,” 

News OK reported, but failed to note 

just how the armed citizen did that persuading. 

www.News9.com, www.NewsOK.com 

Angry Words, 

Obscene Gestures 

Lead To Shooting 

More than six months after a confrontation 

on a bus led to a woman 

defending herself with a firearm, King 

County prosecutors finished their 

investigation into the event and announced 

that she would not be facing 

any criminal charges stemming from 

the incident. Prosecutors noted in a 

press release that Sara Brereton, 31, 

acted in defense of herself, her children, 

and her partner using her “legally 

licensed handgun.” (Handguns 

are neither registered nor licensed in 

Washington state, but a permit is required 

to carry a concealed firearm.) 

According to prosecutors, Brereton, 

her partner, and four children boarded 

a bus on which Emmanuel Salters was 

riding. At some point, Salters moved 

toward the front of the bus, falling into 

Brereton. She pushed him away, saying, 

“Excuse me,” and the two began 

arguing and swearing at each other. 

Brereton and her family got off the 

bus at a stop, while Salters initially 

stayed on the bus. However, after 

Brereton and at least one other family 

member made obscene gestures at 

him, Salters demanded to get off the 

bus. When he approached within 20 

feet of Brereton, she displayed her pistol, 

but Salters kept coming, approaching 

close enough to spit on her. 

Brereton shot Salters once in the 

chest. He was rushed to the hospital 

in serious condition, but later recovered 

from his injuries. She was arrested 

and jailed for two days before being 

released as investigators examined the 

evidence and interviewed witnesses. 

Prosecutors say Brereton cooperated 

with police, and that her version of 

events was corroborated by witnesses 

and by a Metro surveillance camera, 

while Salters’ version of events did not 

match witness accounts. 

According to the statement released 

by the King County Prosecutor, “there 

is strong evidence in this case that she 

reasonably believed under the facts 

and circumstances known to her at 

the time that Salters was about to injure 

her. Salters was a stranger, who 

in an angry state, charged at her. He 

did not stop when she displayed her 

gun. Instead he continued to advance 

on her, getting within one or two feet. 

She waited to fire until the last possible 

moment before she could have been 

assaulted herself. Although she may 

have made obscene gestures, she did 

not initiate the physical confrontation. 

However, Mr. Salters did by charging at 

her.” 

The statement went on to note that 

“under state law, Brereton has no duty 

to retreat. She can reasonably take into 

account her inability to use her gun 

to defend herself if Salters got close 

enough to physically assault her and 

be concerned that she could lose the 

gun in a struggle.” 

www.SeattlePI.com, 

www.KOMOnews.com 

How would you have handled situations like these? Discuss scenarios and more online in the 

usconcealedcarry.com forums. Familiarize yourself with your local and state laws regarding self-defense. 

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM 

7


In this section, USCCA members share their 

challenges, experiences, and successes with 

each other, to the benefit of all. 

voices of the uscca 

What’s your favorite money-saving tip or trick 

related to concealed carry? How have you 

saved money on gear, on training, on practice, 

or in other ways? 

Homemade Snap Caps 

I wanted a way to induce a failure to fire 

(FTF) in my 1911. My owner’s manual 

does not recommend dry firing. Snap 

caps were the only other option but at a 

local gun show they were expensive. After 

another member of the USCCA forum 

suggested using erasers in the primer 

pocket, this is what I did: 

• Removed the primer from five spent 

.45 ACP casings. 

• Drilled 1/6” holes in the sides of the 

casings (total of 4 holes at 90 degrees 

to each other). 

• Replaced the primer with pink eraser 

material cut to size with an Exacto 

knife knife and secured with Super- 

Glue. 

• Seated 230 gr. projectile to the proper 

depth. 

Now I have five non-firing rounds that I 

can visually identify when mixed into a 

handful of good ammunition for random 

FTF drills. On top of that I have a cheap 

“snap cap” for dry firing my 1911. 

– Robert Jeffery 

Rubber Band Holster Repair 

A friend complained that his pocket 

holster (which had a “rubberized” 

surface) had gotten all clogged up with 

lint and would no longer stick in his 

pocket. I suggested he go down to the 

Post Office and get a couple of those wide 

rubber bands and put around the outside 

of the pocket holster, like I do. He said it 

worked great. 

– Mike Dodson 

.22 Conversion Kit 

I’m using .22 in the form of a conversion 

kit or by running a Walther P22 more 

often. More shooting for the same cost. 

You can’t do this by itself, however; you 

need to run a few rounds through the 

carry gun almost every session to retain 

the “full-power feel.” 

– CR Williams 

Old Camera Bag 

For my first range bag I went digging in 

the back of the closet, found a camera bag 

that I used to use to carry my earphones 

and radio and stuff to the races when I 

had a season pass to CA speedway for the 

NASCAR races. Emptied it out and it became 

my first range bag. 

– Roy in Colorado 

Magazine Pouch 

I use a cell phone case to carry the extra 

magazine for my Kel-Tec P11. I use a horizontal 

model as a vertical model doesn’t 

carry well on my pudgy waistline. 

– J. Richardson 

Next issue’s question: 

Sweatshirt Fix 

Don’t throw away that old hooded 

sweat shirt just because someone pulled 

the chin string out of the hood. Just slide 

your .22 cal. cleaning rod through the 

holes, attach one end of the string to the 

slotted end of your cleaning rod, and pull 

it through. Presto, good as new. 

Phil from Cleveland 

Pooling Resources 

I found that purchasing concealed 

carry holsters can cost a lot of money. 

Being that I have a lot of friends who 

carry, we decided to discuss what we used 

and why, then tried each other’s holster 

rigs. This way, we could find something 

we liked without having to buy it first. 

– Jerrod from Michigan 

Grip Adapter 

My economically favorite pocketcarry 

rig in over 30 years is an S&W 642 

with factory wooden grips and Tyler grip 

adapter, in a Mika pocket holster. I don’t 

care for tacky rubber grips in my pocket, 

and the grip adapter is less expensive 

than replacement grips. 

– Russ in Texas 

Extended Grips 

I carry a Glock 26, but I found out that 

I liked the Glock 19 grip much better. A 

& G grip extensions solve the problem. I 

What’s your favorite firearm for concealed 

carry, and how did you choose it? How many 

other firearms did you try to carry before 

settling on that one? 

Send your comments to tips@usconcealedcarry.com. Each entry must use 

fewer than 75 words, and must be signed either with a complete name or 

with a first name plus location. Due to volume received, not all submissions 

can be acknowledged. Entries may be edited for length and clarity. 

8 


decided to keep the Glock 26 and use Glock 

19 magazines with the extension; this is 

perfect for me because it gives me a Glock 19 

grip and 15-round magazines in my Glock 

26. It has been 100 percent reliable and the 

best of both pistols. 

– Craig in Michigan 

Target Savings 

I’ve saved recycled copy or printer papers 

for years. I have three templates for targets 

in my computer and I just print off my own 

targets when I go to the range. Usually, 

they’re for the shorter distances, but an 8 1/2 

x 11 sheet makes a pretty good 25 yard target 

for rifles, too. 

- Brademan 

Don’t Scrimp Where It Counts 

This is too serious of a subject to try to cut 

corners. I make no effort at all to save money 

when it comes to gear, training, or practice, 

and I am unemployed. But I will shop around 

for premium items, at the lowest prices I am 

able to find. 

– Larry Hansen 

I could have saved hundreds 

of dollars by seeking 

professional training sooner. 

PROFESSIONAL TIP 

I am relatively new to the responsibilities 

of concealed carry. Rather than wasting 

ammunition by practicing my incorrect, 

self-taught technique, I could have saved 

hundreds of dollars by seeking professional 

training sooner. The four hours and $70 

I spent training with a qualified instructor 

corrected the flinch I didn’t know I had. 

Practice is much more fun and productive 

now that I can hit the target! 

– Ted in New York 

MY MAN BAG 

BY DONALD R. DOYLE 

Most of us carry things when 

we head out the door like a 

wallet, keys, cell phone, list 

of places to go, the part that needs 

to be replaced, etc. The problem 

for us gadget crazy American guys 

is where to put it all as we head 

out. Our belts and pockets get full 

real quick and can weigh us down. 

Now those of us who have a concealed 

carry permit have an additional 

item of considerable weight 

to add to our overloaded pockets, 

our handgun. This is a real problem 

in the summer with shorts 

and a t-shirt, less of one in winter 

when wearing a bulky coat or field 

jacket. I’ve been fighting this for 

several years now since I hate the 

sub-compact handguns that are 

called concealed carry guns; they 

just don’t feel right in my hand. My 

Glock 19 doesn’t fit concealed on my hip and I refuse to buy larger clothes to 

try to conceal the fact that I’m carrying a firearm. Concealed is the key word 

since I don’t want some woman yelling, “He’s got a gun!” in the middle of the 

mall as I’m bent over dealing with my infant grandson. 

While down in the basement the other day, I came across a gas mask bag, 

with its thick, heavy duty canvas material, and the thought occurred that it 

would be good for my gun and other items. So I cut off all its leg straps and 

then I saw an old duffle bag and cut its straps off to sew on to the edges of my 

gas mask bag for ease of carrying. So far, it’s working real well; easy to carry, 

convenient and concealed. 

I know some of you might be saying, “Hey, Donny, that’s a purse and there’s 

no way I’ll carry that!” Well, it works for me and I don’t have any macho image 

to defend. I’ve been with plenty of women, been in the military and fathered 

and raised two kids. I have been trying to live by the K.I.S.S. principle, Keep It 

Simple Sir, and my Man Bag solves my concealed carry gun problem and carries 

my personal gear by keeping it simple. H 

Barter Deals 

Over the years, I’ve worked out many 

barter deals with friends. Whether it’s 

scooping up and polishing brass to swap 

for reloaded rounds from a trusted friend, 

or rebuilding target stands in exchange for 

range time, or doing some scut work to get 

into a class from a local trainer, there’s always 

something you can trade no matter 

how broke you are. 

– Caitlyn in Washington 


9


PRACTICE DRILL OF THE MONTH 

CONFIRM YOUR ACCURACY BY UNDERSTANDING SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS 

BY VICKI FARNAM, DEFENSE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

A 

spatial relationship is how objects 

are related to each other in a given 

space. The front sight, rear sight, 

the trigger, your eye and the target are 

objects your mind has to relate to each 

other in a given space so that you can be 

consistently accurate. The male brain 

generally understands spatial relationships 

intuitively because it is set up that 

way, while the female brain learns this 

concept more effectively with a detailed 

verbal explanation. (Are there some 

women who understand it intuitively? 

Yes! Are there some men who need a 

detailed explanation? Yes!) 

We all strive for accuracy with our 

handguns. If you don’t hit what you 

intend to, you will, of course, hit something 

else, and you are responsible for 

it! When we don’t hit the spot on the 

target we want to, we call it a miss. But 

what happened? How do you fix it? 

A “miss” happens when the front 

sight and the muzzle are pulled, pushed 

or jerked out of alignment with the 

straight line between your eye and the 

spot on the target you intend to hit because 

of the way you manipulate the 

trigger. The bullet will land wherever 

the muzzle and front sight are pointed 

when the gun goes off. 

What happens when you miss: 

• You didn’t press the trigger smoothly 

to the rear, but instead pulled or 

pushed the front sight to the side or 

jerked it downward. 

• You might have jerked the trigger to 

just get the shot over with quickly. 

• You might have jerked the trigger 

because you knew the recoil was 

unpleasant. 

• You might have pushed or pulled 

the trigger because your finger isn’t 

in its proper place on the face of the 

trigger. 

• You might not have kept your eye 

watching the spot on the target. 

Here is a drill to try at the range with 

an unloaded gun. It is a dry fire drill. 

Please follow all safety rules! 

How to fix it: 

• Look at the sights on the slide, or 

barrel, and note that the front sight 

and rear sight are always aligned 

with each other. 

• Look at the exact spot on the target 

that you want to hit and visualize a 

straight line between your eye and 

that spot. 

• Bring your handgun up to eye level 

so that the front and rear sight intersect 

that invisible line between your 

eye and the target. 

• Remember the top of the front sight 

must be level with the top of the rear 

sight. 

• Change your eye focus from the spot 

on the target to the front sight (your 

sharp focus will be on the front sight 

but you will still see the target). 

• SMOOTHLY press the trigger 

straight to the rear while you continue 

to focus on the front sight and 

strive to keep it aligned with the 

invisible line between your eye and the 

target. 

If the front sight stayed on the spot 

you wanted to hit on the target, great! 

If it did not, try again and see if you can 

determine what it is that you are doing 

that causes the front sight to move 

out of alignment with that line between 

your eye and the target. H 

[ Longtime firearms instructor Vicki 

Farnam is the author of two books: 

Teaching Women to Shoot, A Law 

Enforcement Officer’s Guide, and 

Women Learning to Shoot, A Guide for 

Law Enforcement Officers. Both are coauthored 

with Diane Nicholl, and are 

available from DTI Publications, Inc. 

(www.dtipubs.com) or from Amazon. ] 

Contact: 

John and Vicki Farnam 

Defense Training International, Inc. 

Fort Collins, CO 

(970) 482-2520 

www.defense-training.com 

10 


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LESSONS LEARNED 

QUICK THINKING by USCCA LARRY ROBINSON 

Early one morning on my way to 

work, I stopped for gas at a selfservice 

convenience store. As I 

was putting gas in my car, I noticed 

another vehicle pull up behind me. As 

I watched, I could see this person put 

the nozzle in his gas tank but did not 

turn on the pump. Apparently, he was 

“acting” as though he was getting fuel 

as he watched me out of the corner of 

his eye. Of course, that made me very 

suspicious of him and I kept a close 

eye on what he was doing. 

A second later, another car pulled 

in and the driver of the second car 

exchanged hand signals or gang 

signs with the first person. I immediately 

thought I was getting ready to 

be robbed or car-jacked. Not having 

my concealed permit yet, or my cell 

phone, and being in a wheelchair, I 

felt extremely vulnerable. 

I stopped fueling my car, locked 

the doors and made a bee-line for 

the convenience store. To my surprise 

when I tried to open the door— 

it was locked! I noticed the store 

was not open for another 30 minutes. 

My thought was “I’m screwed.” 

I could see from the reflection in the 

glass door the man at the pump and 

his buddies in the car were watching 

every move I made. I said “Lord, get 

me out of this.” Then it hit me. I put 

my hands and face up to the glass 

door and in a loud voice that could 

be heard I said “Okay, I’ll go around 

to the other door,” acting as though I 

was talking to an employee inside the 

store. 

I rolled around the building out of 

sight and turned around. They must 

have believed I was actually talking 

to someone, because the man put 

the fuel hose back, jumped in his car 

and drove off, followed by the second 

car. I know there was security surveillance 

but that wouldn’t have changed 

the outcome if they decided to rob or 

carjack me. I think that because they 

thought there was an employee in the 

store and I was going to be let in the 

front door, they lost their chance. 

Thank God I was paying attention 

and noticed the man behind me was 

only acting to fuel his car or I may have 

been a victim. I consider this a Lesson 

Learned. Only go to gas stations when 

the stores are open, if possible, have 

a cell phone handy and most important: 

always be armed! My advice to 

others is always be aware of your surroundings 

even in the most mundane 

circumstances. H 

DO YOU HAVE A STORY FOR “LESSONS LEARNED?” 

Concealed Carry Magazine pays $100 each for true personal experiences told 

by USCCA members. Close calls, near misses, and defensive gun uses (with or 

without shots fired) all teach important lessons! Submissions must be shorter than 

600 words; we reserve the right to edit for clarity and space considerations. Send 

your stories to Lessons@USConcealedCarry.com 

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Susan B. Anthony 

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12 


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THE ORDINARY GUY 

“I met Ben at a 

friend’s party. 

I knew the 

moment we met 

that he was 

the man of my 

dreams, my soul 

mate. You just 

know. I knew.” 

- Nikki Goeser 

The Love of My Life 

[ B Y M A R K W A L T E R S ] 

This is the story of newlyweds Nikki and Ben Goeser. 

Those of you who listen to Armed 

American Radio have heard this 

story direct from Nikki Goeser herself. 

It is disturbing, brutal and very difficult 

to write. 

Nikki met Ben Goeser in June of 2007 

at a friend’s karaoke party and she was 

convinced from the beginning that she 

had met the man of her dreams. “He had 

this charisma,” she says, “and a beautiful, 

glowing smile. He had this life about 

him. I knew the moment we met that 

he was the man of my dreams, my soul 

mate. You just know. I knew.” 

After the party was over, she knew she 

had to find him again and she did, on 

MySpace. The two met again in person 

shortly afterwards. Swept up in a whirlwind 

romance, Ben and Nikki Goeser 

married on December 31, 2007, just six 

short months after they had met. 

It was a match made in heaven. Ben 

and Nikki enjoyed spending time together 

out on the lake. Ben had a jet 

ski and the two loved to ride across the 

water, with the wind in their faces and 

the spray kicking up behind them. Nikki 

enjoyed fishing, and taught Ben how 

to fish as well. “Mostly we just enjoyed 

being together,” Nikki says wistfully. “It 

didn’t matter what we were doing—if 

we were together, we were happy.” Ben 

Goeser was the man that Nikki had been 

waiting for all of her life. 

Another hobby Nikki enjoyed was 

target shooting. Long familiar with firearms, 

she decided in 2008 to obtain her 

concealed carry permit. There wasn’t 

any specific reason for it, she is quick to 

point out. “It was just something I wanted 

to do for myself, for my own self-protection, 

because I realize that this world 

is an uncertain place.” When her permit 

arrived, she began carrying her firearm 

on a regular basis—everywhere the law 

would allow. 

Nikki and Ben were just beginning to 

settle into their lives together when they 

decided to have a little fun and earn 

some money at the same time. Together 

they began a business bringing karaoke 

entertainment to patrons of a few local 

establishments on Thursday nights. 

Before long, they had a pretty solid 

following among karaoke fans in the 

Nashville area. 

“The business was growing pretty 

quickly and we were meeting some 

great people as we picked up more of 

a following,” Nikki says. “It wasn’t at all 

unusual to see many of the same faces 

on Thursday nights wherever we went. 

The karaoke group is pretty tight knit 

and a lot of them would follow us from 

place to place.” 

14 


Since it wasn’t unusual to see the 

same regulars at their gigs, the Goesers 

usually noticed new faces right away. 

One man in particular began to show up 

on a regular basis. Because they hadn’t 

seen him at any previous events, Nikki 

and Ben thought he was a tourist at first. 

Like many people drawn to karaoke 

bars, this man—Hank—enjoyed opportunities 

to take the mike. “He wasn’t 

very good,” Nikki says now, “but he was 

one of those that you could tell thought 

they were much better than they really 

were. Those are the kind of people that 

we clap the most for.” Other than that, 

she and Ben knew little about their newest 

fan. “All we knew was that his name 

was Hank.” 

Hank soon found Nikki on MySpace, 

which the Goesers used as a tool for 

their customer base to keep their customers 

apprised of where they would 

be working. “It was a tool for us,” Nikki 

points out, “and I added him as a friend 

just like I do anybody else. MySpace is 

how we let everyone know where we 

were going to be performing.” 

Then the messages started. According 

to Nikki, Hank sent a total of seven 

messages. “The first five were totally 

normal,” she says, “but the last two got 

weird. He would say I was hot. You know, 

guys say that stuff. You don’t really think 

that much of it. When you work in a bar 

environment, you get kinda used to that 

and you accept that guys will say stuff 

like that to you. It’s not really unusual,” 

Nikki says, explaining that although 

Hank’s comments were sexually aggressive, 

they did not truly alarm her or Ben. 

Nikki notified Hank that he was fishing 

in the wrong lake, telling him that 

she was happily married and that she 

found his comments inappropriate. But 

Hank’s response was worrisome, Nikki 

says. “He had asked me why I was with 

someone so much older and asked me if 

I never wanted to have children. He got 

nasty.” Nikki showed the belittling message 

to Ben, and together they decided 

to delete the message and block Hank 

from accessing their account again. 

Several weeks elapsed without any 

sign of Hank, and the Goesers thought 

the problem was solved. But a few 

weeks later, Hank showed up at another 

establishment where Nikki worked in 

downtown Nashville. “Ben was with me 

at all of my shows,” Nikki explains. “He 

later told me that Hank had walked up 

to him at the bar where he was and said 

‘Hey man, how’s it going,’ as if nothing 

had ever happened.” 

Ben politely told Hank that he was 

aware of the comments on MySpace, 

and reminded Hank that Nikki was a 

happily married woman. He added that 

Hank’s behavior was scaring Nikki, and 

asked him to please leave Nikki alone. 

In response, Hank claimed he had a 

crazy ex-girlfriend who had hacked into 

his online accounts. And the sender of 


15

the aggressive messages? “It wasn’t me, 

man, it wasn’t me,” Hank denied. 

Ben turned and walked away to join 

the crowd. Hank left. 

Two week passed before the man surfaced 

again. “He showed up again at 

the same establishment and just stared 

at me,” Nikki says uncomfortably. “He 

never said a word; he just stared at me. 

When I walked around with the tip jar, I 

just passed right by him. I ignored him. 

I could tell he had some money in his 

hands but I never even looked at him.” 

Given the cold shoulder, Hank never 

said a word to her and again, he left. 

One month later 

Working at one of their regular establishments 

in Nashville, Nikki was on the 

karaoke computer and Ben was sitting 

at a table right behind her. “I had this 

feeling,” Nikki says. “I don’t know what 

gave it to me, but I looked up and there 

he was, standing there staring at me. I 

turned to Ben and said, ‘He’s here, Ben. 

That man Hank is here.’” Nikki was startled 

at the man’s presence, uncomfortable 

but not yet alarmed. 

Reaching into 

his jacket and 

backing away 

from the manager, 

he pulled out 

a .45-caliber 

handgun. 

Because Hank’s persistence and demeanor 

upset her, Nikki told Ben she 

wanted Hank out of the bar, and walked 

across the room to talk to the manager. 

She told the manager that she was uncomfortable 

with Hank’s presence in 

the establishment and asked that he be 

removed. 

NIGHTMARE 

As she walked over to get the manager, 

Nikki turned back towards her husband 

to see Hank sitting next to and talking 

to Ben. “He did not seem disturbed at 

all,” Nikki says. Forever unaware of what 

passed between the two men, she now 

feels it was a tactic used by Hank to put 

Ben at ease. Hank lurked behind Ben 

while Nikki watched from approximately 

20 feet away. 

Following is Nikki’s account of what 

happened next. 

“I watched the manager walk over 

to him. I could tell she was asking him 

to leave and I could also tell he wasn’t 

complying. Reaching into his jacket 

and backing away from the manager, he 

pulled out a .45-caliber handgun. Ben 

was working; he was minding his own 

business. When Hank pulled the gun out 

of his jacket I remember the gun was up 

in the air over his head for just a few seconds. 

Then he lowered the gun to point 

it at Ben,” Nikki says. 

Events seemed to be passing in slow 

motion as Nikki watched in dread. 

The deafening sounds of gunfire 

rang out, and Ben sank to the floor before 

his horrified wife’s eyes. According 

to the autopsy report, Ben was hit 

six times. According to witnesses, 

it was a gruesome and gory scene. 

“You’ve never seen a room clear so 

fast in your life,” says Nikki. The alleged 

killer calmly placed the gun back inside 

his jacket and turned to walk away. A patron 

instantly tackled him, and several 

other customers piled on to help. Those 

five or six men held the man down until 

the police arrived. 

Meanwhile, in shock and in utter horror, 

Nikki ran to the love of her life and 

cradled him in her arms, searching desperately 

for any signs of life. There were 

none. “He was gone,” Nikki says. “My 

Ben was gone, just like that.” 

As Nikki sat cradling Ben in her arms, 

a police officer walked in and made eye 

contact with her. Forcing her away from 

her husband’s body, the police immediately 

turned the restaurant into a protected 

crime scene, and Nikki was taken 

to the kitchen area and away from the 

scene of the murder. 

The aftermath 

Nikki is a law-abiding Tennessee 

right to carry permit holder. In a bizarre 

twist of ironic fate, Nikki received 

her Tennessee carry permit on April 2, 

2008—exactly one year to the day before 

her husband’s April 2, 2009 murder. 

Although completely sober and dedicated 

to protecting herself and her family, 

Nikki was forced by the laws in the 

state of Tennessee to leave her handgun 

in the car. Nikki did not have the tools 

to defend her husband because lawabiding 

permit holders are denied the 

right to carry in restaurants and bars in 

Tennessee. 

16 


Since that awful night, Nikki has 

not remained silent. When Tennessee 

Governor Phil Bredesen vetoed the restaurant 

carry bill that overwhelmingly 

passed the Tennessee legislature, Nikki 

was invited to attend the vote to override 

the governor’s veto. That vote was 

successful; however, an anti-freedom, 

activist judge later decided that the legislature 

was “vague” when defining the 

terms restaurant and bar, ruling the law 

unconstitutional. 

Nikki has appeared on numerous national 

and international television news 

programs, her story written in various 

newspapers, and she has been a guest 

of mine on Armed American Radio 

on several occasions. She has recently 

left her former day job and now works 

as an aide for Tennessee State House 

Representative, Chad Faulkner, a proponent 

of our Second Amendment rights. 

She has struck up a friendship with 

Suzanna Hupp, survivor of the Luby’s 

Cafeteria multiple murders in 1991, and 

has vowed to remain active and fight for 

the rights of all law abiding concealed 

carry permit holders regardless of where 

they live. 

The rest of the story is still being written 

as this case wends its way through 

the courts, the alleged killer awaiting trial 

in Tennessee on murder charges. H 

[ Mark Walters is a NRA certified instructor, 

co-author of the book Lessons from 

Armed America, and a vocal Second 

Amendment activist. He is the nationally 

syndicated host of Armed American 

Radio, which airs Sunday evenings at 

8-11 pm EST (5-8 pm PST) from coast 

to coast. Mark encourages fans to write 

him at mark@armedamericanradio.org. 

Visit him at www.armedamericanradio. 

org ] 


17

SIG SAUER ® ACADEMY 

CONCEALED CARRY IN INCLEMENT CONDITIONS 

[ B Y G E O R G E H A R R I S ] 

For many readers of this column, carrying concealed 

is an everyday occurrence. 

In order to maintain consistency, 

a carry location for the gun has 

been selected along with the 

location for spare ammunition. 

Proficiency is kept at the desired 

level through the regular practice 

of drawing, holstering, handling, 

reloading, performing immediate 

action, movement to cover, and so 

on. We feel good about our ability 

to operate our equipment and are 

confident that if we ever had to put it 

to use, a successful outcome would 

result. 

Unfortunately, most of us don’t live 

in a place where the temperatures 

are mild and pleasant year round. 

Odds are that during the year some 

sort of falling weather, liquid or 

frozen, takes place accompanied by 

heavy winds just to make it more 

miserable. When we venture out 

into these conditions it is likely that 

we will add some sort of protective 

clothing to our normal mode of dress 

to protect us and our concealed carry 

equipment from the elements. Odds 

are that if the weather is severe, as 

it often is, the clothing that we don 

to protect us from the elements will 

change the dynamic of accessing our 

equipment and returning it to the 

original location. 

Unless we practice drawing, handling, 

reloading, immediate action, 

movement and recovery with our 

foul weather gear as we would wear 

it in bad weather, we are selling ourselves 

short in the preparedness de- 

When you factor in 

all of the situations 

and conditions of 

year-round carry, it 

may be prudent to 

have an alternate 

carry method. 

PHOTO BY B. SHONTS 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

George Harris has spent over 30 years 

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more than 17 years 

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Academy. He has 

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George has evolved from an infantry 

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recognized United States 

Army Reserve Combat Marksmanship 

Team. As a competitive shooter, 

George has the coveted distinction 

of being Distinguished with both the 

service pistol and the service rifle. As 

director of the SIG SAUER ® Academy, 

George is committed to the safe and 

successful use of firearms by armed 

professionals and responsible citizens 

alike through using the SIG Principle 

of Training: Simple Is Good! 

Sponsored By: 

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18 


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partment. It’s comforting to have a 

gun with you when you venture out, 

but if you can’t get to it when you 

need it, it becomes as much of a liability 

as a help. 

When you factor in all of the 

situations and conditions of yearround 

carry, it may be prudent to 

have an alternate carry method 

and or location in your inventory. 

This means acute awareness when 

carrying as to where you are carrying, 

and sufficient practice to achieve the 

desired level of proficiency. 

When they are being considered, 

these alternate carry locations need 

to make sense and be realistic. As an 

example, carrying in an ankle holster 

while wearing galoshes or rubber rain 

boots would make it very difficult 

to access the gun. The same would 

also apply to a great number of cold 

weather footwear options. Another 

consideration with ankle holsters in 

inclement weather is exposure of the 

gun to rain, snow, road salt or other 

contaminants and how the operation 

of the gun would be affected. 

A cross draw, appendix carry or 

dominant side waist holster is a good 

alternative, provided the outer garments 

are left open to facilitate the 

draw and recovery of the gun, as well 

as accessing the reload ammunition. 

The same set of conditions goes for a 

shoulder holster as well. 

Realistically, in a driving rain 

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your coat open tells any onlooker 

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something is not quite right with this 

picture. By attracting this attention, 

the concept of covert carry is 

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location is inaccessible without first 

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The best alternative, in my 

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outer wear have pockets in the chest 

area. These carry locations should 

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No matter how you view it, having 

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Be prepared by staying proficient 

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Practice often and practice as if 

it was the last one before the test of 

your life. 

Simple Is Good! H 

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BUSHMASTER 

19 

12/28/09 8:28 AM

STREET TACTICS 

Is this man a thug, or 

just dressed for the 

cold? Be careful about 

making life and death 

decisions based solely 

on first impressions. 

SHOOTINGS 

[ B Y G A B E S U A R E Z ] 

Sometimes I read emails and posts on my internet 

forum about the readiness of some CCW operators to 

jump in with both feet to save the day in an event that 

does not directly involve them. 

This is the “Good Samaritan” concept, 

and while there may be 

laws protecting such actions in 

some places, they are not widespread. 

I understand the attraction of standing 

against evil and saving the innocent, 

but I would caution those people to 

think before they act. 

Having “Captain America” as your 

default is dangerous to you, your family 

and your future. And it is the same 

thing if you have “Peewee Herman” as a 

default. Instead, how about using your 

head and thinking before taking any action? 

In some cases, attacking the problem 

may in fact be the best course of 

action, but not in others. 

The discussion began when we heard 

a story of a man who acted to intervene 

against a criminal but was then arrested 

for his troubles. The locale and state 

he was in did not allow concealed carry, 

and that state being a very anti-gun 

venue, he was seen as much a criminal 

as the man he sought to stop. To prevent 

undesirable fallout after such an event, 

I want to discuss some of the points to 

consider before taking on the role of the 

Good Samaritan. 

Deciding points 

to consider 

1) Your family or companions 

Are they with you or not? If they are 

not in your immediate presence, but 

still in the close vicinity, are they safe 

from the threat? Do you need to make it 

a priority to get to them first, before doing 

anything else, especially if the event 

20 


©iSTOCK PHOTO - PRIMEOP76 

What is really happening? 

You need to answer that 

as best you can and as 

fast as you can. 

It may be tempting 

to think “Draw and 

shoot,” but do you 

know who this man is, 

or what he is doing? 

does not involve you? I know Captain 

America would not think of such 

things, but you should. I spoke with 

a deputy once who had lost a daughter 

in an armed robbery. He was taking 

her shopping and saw two masked 

and armed men exiting the store. His 

initial reaction was to draw his pistol 

and challenge them. Sure, the bad guys 

went to jail, but his daughter was shot 

and killed in the crossfire. Is the risk 

worth the action you want to take? Use 

your head. 

Sometimes, those accompanying 

you are also what I would call “combatants.” 

These are other capable CCW 

people who can be an asset to you in 


21

Most CCW Operators are very 

capable at recognizing a personal 

attack, but have not thought about 

a Good Samaritan problem. 

the possible conflict. This is fine as your 

odds have now improved. My wife and 

all my staff at Suarez International carry 

pistols on a daily basis. If I faced a threat 

and they were with me, that would 

increase my survivability. However, 

strength in numbers is not a license to 

shut off the thought process. 

2) The environment 

Where exactly are you? One big concern 

is what we call the “non-permissive 

environment.” This could be a place 

that makes it a crime to carry a gun, but 

unavoidable circumstances required 

you to keep the weapon with you. 

Before the legal eagles begin sending 

me hate mail, I will tell you that I am not 

suggesting any readers break any laws, 

silly as they may seem. But there are 

situations where your safety supercedes 

jurisprudence. For example, I traveled 

to a very dangerous country a few years 

ago where my nationality as well as race 

would have targeted me for anyone as a 

good hit. Not carrying a pistol because 

it was illegal in that troubled country 

would have been very foolish. 

If you find yourself in such an environment, 

what will be the cost of acting 

on someone else’s behalf? Clearly, if 

you must defend yourself and those you 

are with, that is one thing. But getting 

involved in a fight that does not involve 

you or acting to save a victim in such an 

environment may be very costly to you. 

Are you ready to pay that price? If not, 

then what does not involve you does 

not involve you. 

3) Weapons 

What are you armed with? I have 

been in countries where I chose not to 

be armed with a firearm, and carried a 

knife instead. Assuming that you chose 

to act as a good Samaritan or Captain 

America type, will your Spyderco be any 

match for the bad guy’s Glock? Clearly, 

if you must, you must, but think before 

you act if your weapons are minimal 

or less than the adversary’s. This is 

especially the case if you do not have 

the initiative in the fight. 

4) The victims 

Are the victims true victims?

Are the victims also combatants? 

Case One: You see two guys beating 

up a third guy. They all seem to be 

the same age and social position. And 

clearly, the two are getting the best of 

him and landing some solid blows. That 

is all you know. Will you jump in and get 

involved? Do you have all you need to 

know to make a good decision? 

Case Two: You see a man dressed in a 

grey business suit walk up to two other 

men dressed in jogging suits, and shoot 

them. That is all you know. Will you 

draw down and shoot the shooter? 

These are true stories. In the first 

case, a father and son had caught and 

were beating up the man who had just 

tried to rape the daughter/sister. The 

would-be rapist had broken into their 

house by a second story window and 

was stopped when the daughter began 

screaming. They had chased him on 

foot for two blocks into a shopping mall 

where they finally caught him. 

What would you have thought of 

yourself if you’d shot the father or the 

son for beating the daylights out of 

a pedophile rapist? The level of the 

beating may have been technically 

illegal, but should you even worry 

about that? Does it have anything to do 

with you? 

In the second case, one gang member 

was getting payback from another gang 

member who ripped him off. These 

guys had long criminal careers but 

no longer affected the gang attire of 

the street soldier, looking instead like 

successful businessmen. What would 

you have thought of yourself if you had 

risked your life and liberty to save a 

thug? Does it have anything to do with 

you? 

So, please understand that an 

apparent victim is not always a victim. 

The active shooter shooting up the mall 

full of defenseless women and children 

is an easy one, and a place we’d all 

love to find ourselves. Some events are 

going to be quite obvious as to what is 

actually happening, but not in others. 

It is the confusing events, where the 

nature of the situation and the identity 

of the participants are unknown that 

the greatest danger lies. 

The shooting could be one urban 

thug shooting another urban thug. Or 

maybe two thugs who don’t look like 

thugs. Instead, they look like two cops 

shooting at each other. What can you 

determine from what you see? Before 

you take action, you need to have 

enough information to make a sound 

decision. 

What is really happening? You need 

to answer that as best you can and as 

fast as you can. 

Where are my protectees? That 

includes family and any companions 

for whom you are responsible. Who is 

involved? If you are directly involved 

and being shot at, the answer is easy. 

But if you are not directly involved, you 

need to determine who is, then make 

a fast judgment on whether they are 

worth you getting involved in the fight 

and what you will do based on what you 

see. Not so easy now is it? 

Be careful before thinking your CCW 

makes you a Captain America sheepdog 

or something of the sort. Instead, think 

of the words of Robert DiNiro in the 

movie, Ronin, “If there is any doubt, 

there is no doubt.” H

CCM PROFILE 

Sara Martin’s 

children enjoy the 

protective umbrella 

effectively provided 

by two armed 

parents. 

[ B Y O L E G V O L K ] 

SARAMAR 

Sara Martin lives the American Dream. 

She is an interior designer with 

a handsome, loving husband 

and two beautiful sons. She has 

worked hard to get to this stage, so one 

can’t blame her for making sure that no 

predator can take this dream from her. 

Her entire life, Sara has been an outdoorsy, 

athletic woman. Growing up, 

besides hiking and camping, she shot 

for enjoyment with her parents and 

seven siblings. It was her siblings who 

renewed her military veteran husband’s 

interest in firearms more than a decade 

ago. That interest eventually turned 

professional and Michael became a 

firearms trainer and writer. The latest 

edition of his book, Minnesota Permit 

to Carry a Firearm Fundamentals, features 

Sara in many of the illustrations. 

Curiously, her own interest in guns 

remained purely sporting and recreational 

until the birth of her sons, Jack 

and Sam. The sense of great responsibility 

for her children’s welfare led Sara 

to get additional training. In that quest, 

she was able to get training from her 

own husband. Contrary to conventional 

wisdom, Michael was able to provide 

effective training for Sara and make it 

less stressful than training with strangers 

would have been. 

Although her favorite target pistol 

is a Walther P22, she prefers the compact 

and light Ruger LCP .380 for daily 

carry. Two small children and their accessories 

add up to enough weight 

as it is. Though the law allows open 

carry, Minnesota culture is not always 

fully supportive of armed self-defense. 

Effective concealment is therefore a 

high priority. The challenge of finding a 

holster to fit female curves was solved 

by a friend of the family, Erik Srigley. A 

custom Side Guard Holster of his design 

keeps Sara’s sidearm close at hand 

without it being obvious to bystanders. 

Athletic and well able to fend for herself 

even without firearms, Sara nonetheless 

values the ability to go armed. 

She hits a punching bag for fun and 

exercise, but would reach for a pistol if 

lives were on the line. Protection of her 

family is not a sport. She approaches 

24 


Regular practice with friends—and a little 

friendly competition—helps Sara keep her 

shooting skills sharp. 

TIN 

“I had to take an active role 

in keeping my children safe.” 

that task with the same deliberation 

and attention to detail as her professional 

work. Her defensive effectiveness 

is maintained by regular live fire 

at the family “farm” and a well-honed 

sense of situational awareness. 

Both of her children are aware of firearms. 

At age 6 1/2, Jack has been introduced 

to the basics of gun safety and 

operation. At three, Sam knows to leave 

guns alone until he gets older. The boys 

enjoy the effective protective umbrella 

provided by two armed parents and 

probably regard such a security detail 

as their due. They are correct in that. 

Parents owe their kids a safe and secure 

childhood. Sara and Michael are among 

the increasing number of parents who 

take that responsibility extremely seri- 

Sara enjoys 

her work as a 

professional 

interior designer 

and project 

manager at a 

building firm. 

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010

ously. Much influenced by their very 

capable parents, Sara and Michael 

are shaping the next generation in the 

spirit of self-sufficiency. In addition to 

acting as role models to their own kids, 

they inspire others to learn effective 

self-defense. It is amazing how well just 

living the American Dream can inspire 

people around them to try and keep up 

with the Martins. 

Sam, age three, is not yet old enough for 

a trip to the range, but his firearms safety 

education is already well underway. Both 

Sara and her husband, Michael, take an 

active role in helping their children learn 

how to stay safe around firearms. 

Was there a specific incident that 

caused you to carry a gun? 

There was an incident, but not in 

the way you think. The incident was 

becoming a mother to two great little 

boys. It was at that point in my life that I 

realized that I had to take an active role 

in keeping them safe. 

Have you ever had to use your firearm 

in a defensive situation? 

I haven’t, and I do my best to be smart 

about where I go and the precautions I 

take. I obviously can’t avoid every situation 

where something could happen, 

but having my permit makes me a lot 

more aware of my surroundings. 

What training methods do you employ? 

We have family land where we shoot 

every couple of weeks, and although 

we don’t have any formal exercises or 

competition, we always have a friendly 

competition that keeps us working 

hard. 

Do you have any recommendations? 

My guess is that most people might 

answer this question with gear or 

training ideas, but my advice for 

moms is to get focused on situational 

awareness, especially for the types 

of things moms get involved in, like 

when packing the car with grocer- 

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26 


Athletic and well able to fend for herself 

even without firearms, Sara nonetheless 

values the ability to go armed. Strength 

training helps her stay fit, and she 

regularly hits a punching bag for exercise. 

But if she or her family were threatened, 

she would reach for a pistol. Personal 

protection is not a sport. 

ies, or getting the kids 

buckled in the car. 

How long have you 

carried a concealed 

weapon? 

I’ve had my permit 

for about two years. 

What weapons do you 

carry? 

My favorite pistol is 

a Ruger LCP in an inside 

the waistband holster 

from Side Guard 

Holster. The holster 

lifts the LCP up about 

my beltline so that it 

fits just fine with my 

normal jeans. My favorite 

pistol to shoot 

at the farm is a Walther P22 that I call 

“Petey.” 

What type of ammunition do you 

carry? 

Nothing special, usually just good 

quality self defense ammunition. 

What concealment holsters do you 

use? 

Both holsters for my LCP and P22 are 

from Side Guard Holsters. 

What do you do for a living? 

I’m a designer and project manager 

at a remodeling and building firm. 

Do you have any advice for our 

readers? 

My advice for women, especially 

moms, is to take the responsibility 

for yourself and your family seriously. 

This isn’t just a man’s job. For me, my 

sisters, and sisters-in-law, getting involved 

with shooting is a lot of fun. 

We don’t take it too seriously when we 

shoot at the family farm, but it’s built 

up my confidence so that I’d know 

what to do if the situation ever arose 

where my life, or those of my family, 

was threatened. H 

CONTACTS 

Side Guard Holsters 

www.sideguardholsters.com 

(651) 263-1434 


27

Often a large 

company has real 

values. This is the 

DeSantis Nemesis, a 

good pocket holster 

at a fair price. 

above: Often, a small 

maker will supply holsters 

for unusual handguns. 

Quite a few folks like the 

Walther P22, and GDS 

will provide. 

right: If there is anything 

lacking in this Little Bear 

Leather holster, I cannot 

find it. This is a well 

designed and well turned 

out IWB. 

[ B Y R . K . C A M P B E L L ] 

A Look At 

Inexpensive Holsters 

Recently I was challenged by CCM Editor Kathy Jackson 

to take on the issue of inexpensive holsters—that is, 

holsters costing less than around $50. 

This is an interesting topic on several 

levels. I have often stressed 

the importance of quality, durable 

gear. This gear must be good, but 

it does not have to be expensive. I am 

familiar with the major holster makers 

and for the most part we have a wide 

choice in quality holsters. I have more 

1911 holsters than I will ever be able to 

use, and that is fine. But when working, 

testing and evaluating different types 

of handguns for various periodicals I 

do not wish to invest time and money 

in a top quality holster for a handgun 

that I will not keep. It isn’t unusual for 

a respected maker to have a minimum 

of several weeks waiting time, and this 

isn’t something we can live with when 

doing a review of a handgun that will 

only be on hand for a few weeks. Some 

makers have the popular types: Glock, 

SIG and 1911 made up, but not always. 

When I say inexpensive I might also say, 

off the shelf. We wish to take the handgun 

and the leather home the same day. 

Let’s take a look at some of our choices. 

When it comes to material in inexpensive 

holsters, you may as well cross 

horsehide, sharkskin, and elephant 

hide off the list. There are a number of 

twenty dollar plastic holsters. These are 

OK for range holsters, but not for serious 

personal defense use. I have seen 

too many problems, too many recalls, 

and too many breakages to consider a 

budget plastic holster a good buy. An 

exception with a modest step up in 

price is found in the plastic holsters 

from Uncle Mike’s. The world’s largest 

holster maker has got it right with these, 

and while there are other choices, if you 

prefer plastic, Uncle Mike’s has a viable 

product. 

Fabric is another popular material 

for inexpensive holsters. These run the 

gamut from mere socks to well designed 

holsters made of thick, durable ballistic 

nylon. The heavier fabric works OK for 

inside the waistband holsters as well. 

The heavier the fabric, the more protec- 

28 


The GDS belt holster 

for the snubnose .38 

is very well designed 

and executed. 

This illustration shows 

the excellent stitching 

found on a Tagua 

belt slide. You do not 

often find this on an 

inexpensive holster. 

This is an inexpensive but 

workmanlike holster from 

Blackhawk. The author has 

enjoyed excellent results 

from this company. 

This Tagua thumb break has the 

unenviable task of keeping a full size 

1911 in place and ready for action. 

tion from sharp edges—important in a 

holster worn close to the body. A simple 

test shows that some fabric holsters are 

not as secure as a good leather holster. 

If you run, leap, jog, or brawl, there is 

a chance the handgun will fall out. You 

have to test each for durability, and let 

experience be your guide. 

Several companies make good durable 

gear. I have used the West Woods 

Landing shoulder holster with good results. 

This holster is available in several 

renditions, including one that is a mixture 

of fabric, plastic and leather. I like 

it very much and use it often during the 

winter months. I have enjoyed excellent 

experience with the Passport Sports 

line, another brand of fabric holster. 

Many were designed by Keith Lawrence, 

an authority with good ideas on every- 

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 n

The West Wood Landing 

shoulder holster often carries 

the author’s Armalite AR 24 

in complete comfort. With 

a pair of magazine pouches 

and two loaded magazines 

the balance is excellent. The 

wide shoulder harness really 

makes for comfortable carry. 

left and far left: This is an 

excellent Kydex rig from Raven 

Concealment—a rugged, durable 

holster with real speed as well. 

The loops are interchangeable 

from belt loops to IWB loops. This 

is real economy. 

day concealment. These holsters are 

available at a price to fit every budget. 

Several have good utility in day to day 

carry. 

Quality custom leather holsters begin 

at seventy five dollars and it isn’t unusual 

to pay several times this amount for a 

true custom grade holster. The wait may 

be several months. These one-at-a-time 

holsters are worth the money and well 

worth the wait if a wait is feasible. We 

may catch a rising star on his way to the 

top and find a bargain. When the leather 

holster is less expensive, the material 

may not be as thick or well tanned or 

perfectly molded, but it should be serviceable. 

But sometimes we find exceptional 

holsters for a relatively modest 

price. 

I have used Tagua holsters with generally 

good results, including a belt slide 

that proved acceptable for use with 

the Glock, and a thumb break for the 

Beretta that proved capable of keeping 

the Model 92 in place, secure, and properly 

angled for a rapid presentation. A 

watchword in thumb break holsters is 

reinforcement. If the thumb break is of 

flimsy leather without reinforcement, 

then it won’t last through many breaks 

in practice. It may even bind against 

the body on the draw with potentially 

disastrous results. The Tagua may not 

be as fast as some more tightly boned 

holsters, but it may be worn without a 

break-in period. 

I have used a simple belt slide holster 

from JPB with good results. This is a versatile 

holster that allows someone who 

owns various automatic pistols to use 

the same holster for several. A strong 

spring metal belt clip allows the belt 

slide to be used as an inside the waistband 

holster. This little holster has afforded 

a measure of service when testing 

diverse handguns. Also offered by 

JPB Holsters is the Master line of inexpensive 

but well made leather holsters. I 

have tested several, including an inside 

the waistband version for the 1911 and 

a small of the back for the Commander 

.45. Each worked well and seemed well 

made and of good material. 

An up and coming maker with good 

products is Dave Galloway of Little Bear 

Leather. These holsters represent a relative 

bargain in custom holsters. This is 

a case of catch the man on his way up. 

His holsters feature good, perhaps even 

unique design. These are one at a time 

custom holsters offered at a fair price 

with reasonable delivery time. Among 

the holsters I have tested is a very 

nice example molded for my personal 

Heckler and Koch P7. Overall, Dave provides 

good kit and a fair price. 

I have used a strong side belt scabbard 

from Mountain Home Leather 

with good results. I also ordered a 

matching magazine pouch, and the 

setup has proven durable, well finished, 

and well fitted. The Basic Carry 2 

is a well-designed holster that will not 

break the bank, but which keeps the 

1911 Government Model close to the 

body and features a good draw angle. 

The leather used in this holster leaves 

little to be desired. While there is little 

in the way of gee whiz in an inexpensive 

holster, there are workmanlike features 

and good material. 

Very much in the same line is the GDS 

holster line. I have used an example 

of the GDS for my Smith and Wesson 

30 


snubnose .38 with good results. The genius 

of this holster is that the snap holds 

the pistol secure by joining together 

over the trigger guard. When you deploy 

a hammerless .38, there is no other 

means of securing the handgun. I like to 

carry a light .38 when I run, jog or walk, 

and the GDS holster takes the worry out 

of retention. 

An alternative material that has a 

certain appeal is Kydex. Kydex is a thermoplastic 

resin that is impervious to 

oil, solvent, and water. Maintenance is 

low. A complaint sometimes heard is 

that with a hard practice regimen Kydex 

holsters produce wear on the handgun 

finish. My opinion is that if you wish to 

preserve the handgun’s finish in pristine 

condition, keep it in the safe. Otherwise, 

practice hard. Using a stainless steel 

handgun, or even better, a handgun 

with NP3 finish by Robar, cures these 

complaints as well. 

The Phantom holster from Raven 

Holsters has given the author good service. 

This is a well designed holster with 

an excellent draw angle and good retention. 

The holster features a pronounced 

wing on each side to spread the weight 

of the handgun over a larger area. The 

heavy rivets show attention to detail. 

This is a good holster that shows how 

good Kydex can be. 

Another good holster well suited to 

IDPA and all around use comes from 

TKW. This holster is pretty quick and offers 

good offset from the belt. For range 

use or concealment under a long jacket 

or Royal Robbins vest, this holster works 

just fine. At one time the Kydex market 

was more crowded and there were a 

number of poor designs. The TKW is a 

This crossdraw from Action 

Direct may be inexpensive, 

but take a look: the leather 

is not only good, it is wellfinished 

and the stitching is 

well executed. 

good design with good features. Among 

these is the closed bottom. A closed 

bottom holster allows better concealment 

and a bit of extra protection to the 

handgun. Taking the time to close the 

bottom is not something makers always 

do on inexpensive holsters. Of course, 

the TKW is inexpensive because it is 

Kydex. There are less expensive Kydex 

holsters and more pricey examples as 

well, but few we may say are better. 

When you are on a budget, all is not 

lost. There are any number of good, 

affordable designs with real promise. 

Choose wisely, and look for a workmanlike 

design and good material. Let 

common sense be your guide. Often the 

largest makers have an economy line 

you may take advantage of. The Kydex 

and fabric line from DeSantis is second 

to none. Blackhawk offers excellent 

holsters suited for concealed carry and 

practically any type of duty, and many 

have good retention features. Many are 

less expensive than you would think, 

especially considering the tactical advantages 

and quality. You get what you 

pay for, and in the case of the holsters 

mentioned in this report, I feel that you 

get your money’s worth and perhaps a 

little more. H 

[ R K Campbell is an author with over 

40 years shooting experience and more 

than 30 years police and security experience. 

He is the author of three books 

and hundreds of magazine articles. He 

devotes his time to learning more about 

personal defense and the human situation. 

] 

Contacts 

Blackhawk 

www.blackhawk.com 

(800) 694-5263 

DeSantis 

www.desantisholster.com 

(800) 424-1236 

GDS Leather 

www.gdsleather.com 

Dan@gdsleather.com 

JBP Holsters 

www.jbpholsters.com 

Sales@JBPholsters.com 

Little Bear Custom Holsters 

www.littlebearholsters.com 

(360) 790-6921 

Mountain Home Leather 

www.mountainhomeleather.com 

(928) 333-3314 

Raven Concealment Systems 

www.ravenconcealment.com 

(440) 465-7111 

Robar 

www.robarguns.com 

(623) 581-2648 

Tactical Kydex Weaponry 

tkwholsters@comcast.net 

Tagua Gunleather 

www.taguagunleather.com 

(866) 638-2482 

Uncle Mike’s 

www.uncle-mikes.com 

(800) 423-3537 

West Woods Landing 

Holsters 

www.wwlholsters.com 

(719) 547-2483 


31

Students were closely 

monitored for safety during 

drills which forced them to 

respond to a challenge from 

both left and right angles to 

the rear. 

Point Shooting 

Progressions 

[ B Y T O D D B U R G R E E N ] 

Suarez International training courses, newsletters, and 

Warrior Talk forums always strike a chord of realism 

and common sense with me. 

My participation in an Interactive 

Gunfighting Force-on-Force 

course a year ago opened my eyes 

to many things, illuminating many misconceptions 

I had previously held about 

personal defense and how an attack and 

response would actually occur. A corollary 

to this experience is that I realized 

much of my prior training was incorrect 

due to it being based around square 

range concepts of marksmanship and 

limited dynamic movement. 

Wanting to continue my training 

based on what I had experienced in 

the Suarez Force-on-Force class, and 

based upon the suggestion of Suarez 

International Instructor Jack Rumbaugh, 

I participated in Roger Phillips’ Point 

Shooting Progressions (PSP) course held 

near Winchester, VA at Crooked Creek 

Investments (CCI) range, which is affiliated 

with Stonewall Arms located in 

Winchester, VA. 

Let me quote the course description 

listed on the Suarez International website 

for Point Shooting Progressions: 

“Force on force training has proven beyond 

any argument that the traditional 

shooting range methods are simply not 

suitable for reactive gunfighting. In this 

course, Suarez International Specialist 

Instructor Roger Phillips will teach you 

the ‘Fight Continuum.’ Roger has studied 

extensively with Suarez International. 

He has also researched virtually every 

threat focused shooting system for many 

32

years. This course distills it all into one 

well thought out and extremely applicable 

system that dovetails neatly into the 

regular Close Range Gunfighting matrix, 

presenting the full aspect of the integration 

of sighted and unsighted fire at CQB 

distances.” 

Some time ago, I converted to using 

Glocks for most of my training, due to 

proven Glock reliability. I was not disappointed 

this time either. The G17 

(9mm) and G30SF (.45 ACP) that I used 

performed without a hitch. The G30SF 

was new out of the box, yet did not exhibit 

any need for a break-in period to 

perform reliably when subjected to a demanding 

course of fire as found in PSP. 

Anyone familiar with Suarez 

International knows that the instructors 

will not be drawn into caliber debates or 

handgun preferences. What works best 

for you is what you should train with and 

carry. The seventeen-member class predominantly 

consisted of students carrying 

Glocks, along with a few Sig Sauer 

users and a sole 1911 shooter. 

Roger typifies the Suarez International 

Instructor in being very serious about 

his subject matter, yet approachable 

for questions and comments. He also 

has a clear methodology and teaching 

method. 

The PSP course started with participants 

establishing a baseline of proficiency 

with aimed, sighted fire. Several 

drills were run extending to the 15 or 20 

yard line. This served as a good warm 

up and allowed shooters a chance to 

relax from pre-class jitters. Roger then 

launched into his ideas for the role of 

point shooting. To clarify, point shooting 

is not random, mindless firing from the 

hip or substituting mass of fire for accuracy. 

Point shooting is shooting which is 

aimed by means other than your sights. 

Other indexes such as the slide orientation 

below your line of sight, shoulder 

alignment, wrist cant, and forearm positions 

are all used as aiming references. 

Hand-eye coordination is a premium 

when using point shooting techniques. 

Roger eased shooters through various 

methods of point shooting to wean 

us away from our dependence on the 

sights. He noted that participants with 

more training, especially of the Modern 

Technique variety, may find it harder to 

Every individual has personal strengths 

and weaknesses. This shooter is 

exploding off the “X” as he fires, while 

another shooter might be less able to 

move but just as capable of producing 

accurate hits with the first round fired.

After minimal practice, many students 

were hitting targets while moving. 

divorce our brains from what is ingrained 

related to sight alignment and trigger 

press. A flash sight picture was used in 

a couple of drills before the handgun 

was brought even lower from the line of 

sight, eventually ending up with the elbow 

anchored in the hip socket. Roger 

stated that ideas derived from the square 

range or competition shooting may very 

well get you killed in a hostile encounter, 

especially if you find yourself behind 

the reactionary curve when surprised or 

ambushed. 

Point shooting is all about confidence 

building and establishing what feels 

right, while producing the best effect 

on the target. Practice is crucial on both 

points. I soon discovered that pressing 

the handgun out while focusing on a 

very specific spot on the target produces 

the best results. “Focus on the target” 

was a constant refrain echoed by Roger 

during the weekend course. This proved 

critical to being able to produce solid 

hits on targets no matter what position 

the firearm was fired from. The ability 

to gain a slightly crouched, athletic 

stance while delivering fire also proved 

important. The Fairbairn-Sykes shooting 

crouch was introduced as segue for a 

block of instruction stressing the importance 

of obtaining both proper foot work 

and body positions in order to produce 

combat accurate hits on a target, especially 

while shooting on the move. Most 

of the drills after lunch on the first day 

had some component of moving while 

firing incorporated into them. 

The PSP course pushed the limits of 

the square range experience. Several 

drills were done dry and with “finger” 

pistols to establish weapon movement 

arcs so as not to cover the shooter and 

others on the line. Other drills were limited 

to one or two shooters at a time to 

ensure safety. This allowed Roger and 

assistant Jack Rumbaugh to give more 

attention to the shooters engaging the 

targets. Once basic drills were completed, 

Roger upped the ante by introducing 

movement while engaging the target. 

This is where the PSP method really 

started to shine. By eliminating the reliance 

on perfect sight alignment, which 

is nearly impossible to obtain during 

any form of movement or dynamic action 

typical of a gunfight, the shooter is 

better able to deliver ballistic effect on 

an adversary. 

Roger does not represent that point 

Shooters practice an extremely 

compressed point 

shooting position, one 

which may be appropriate 

for firing from an automobile 

during a life-threatening 

carjacking attempt.

One of the last exercises conducted by 

students was to start engaging target 25 yards 

away with “stand and deliver” sighted fire, 

transitioning to controlled movement while 

firing, ending up with close-range point 

shooting. The pace of movement and rate of 

fire was expected to increase as distance to 

target decreased. 

shooting is the exclusive method to use 

for hitting an adversary. As engagement 

distances increase, so does the need 

for sighted fire. Certain scenario drills 

kept shooters honest by forcing them 

to “stand and deliver” aimed fire as the 

best way to resolve a situation. Other 

drills demanded dynamic movement to 

disrupt the opponent’s decision-making 

cycle and give the defender time to 

present the firearm and engage targets. 

Aggression was advocated as the best 

method of reacting to an attack since it 

is not what is expected. Roger was adamant 

that mindset is most important for 

personal defense, backed up with solid 

skill sets and tactics. 

Roger’s PSP course has shooters easily 

going through 1,200 or more rounds 

over the two days. Shooting time is 

particularly important for PSP so that 

participants learn what feels right for 

instinctual aiming versus sighted fire. 

The first day serves as a building block 

for the second day, where movement is 

the norm while engaging targets. Suarez 

International methods of reloading and 

scanning after engaging are shown for 

informational purposes but not instituted 

as a matter of procedure due to the 

effort to maximize time spent training 

on point shooting while the instructor is 

available to mentor and give feedback. 

PSP is one of those courses where taking 

it multiple times would be beneficial 

in order to constantly hone skills. While 

point shooting is instinctual, thus easier 

to retain compared to other weapon 

skills, practice is still important to refine 

abilities. PSP is the definite “meat and 

potatoes” of a gunfight and would qualify 

as a must-take course candidate for 

someone not taking any other handgun 

combative course. 

Many times Roger referred to the fight 

continuum. The fight continuum is 

characterized as always being dynamic 

depending on who has the initiative, the 

range of engagement, and what method 

of fire best handles the situation. Roger 

is not hindered by doctrine and warns 

students to be wary of any instructor or 

method that is represented as the be all 

and end all of behavior. Why be confined 

to a total reliance on sights when point 

shooting is capable of producing combat 

accurate hits at distances to 5 yards 

or beyond? Kudos go to Roger for stressing 

mental toughness and flexibility in 

adapting to wherever you find yourself 

in the fight continuum. 

Point shooting gives a person a fighting 

chance to succeed if forced to react 

to an attack at close distance. Point 

shooting can produce rounds on target 

from concealed carry in times usually 

reserved for professional shooters during 

competitions. Point shooting is a 

skill that should be explored and learned 

by any practitioner of concealed carry. It 

can truly increase your odds of surviving 

a gunfight. 

Roger Phillip’s Point Shooting 

Progressions is one of the most informative 

courses in which I have participated. 

Not only did it resolve a bunch 

of unknowns regarding how to respond 

to threats at close range, it drives you to 

want more training. It builds on experience 

I gained in FOF. The more I learn 

and experience, the more I realize that 

an actual fight on the street will be a 

close range affair with little time to react. 

H 

[ Todd Burgreen is a freelance writer with 

work published in Precision Shooting, 

The Accurate Rifle, The Varmint Hunter 

Magazine, and SWAT. His topics have covered 

the gamut, including but not limited 

to, a CQB tomahawk article, long range 

rifle, single-shot rifles, full-automatic 

rifles, hunting handguns and defensive 

handguns. Todd lives in Virginia with his 

wife and three sons. ] 

Contacts: 

Crooked Creek Investments Range 

www.crooked-creek.org 

Roger Phillips 

Fight Focused Concepts 

www.fightfocusedconcepts.com 

(702) 338-2002 

Suarez International 

www.suarezinternational.com 

(928) 776-4492 


35

Shopping for a 

A selection of fashionable 

and practical concealed carry 

purses. Back row: Galco Del, 

Woolstenhulme Teton, Ladies 

Protection Slimline, Galco 

Paige. Middle row: Gun Tote’n 

Mamas Flat Sac, Coronado 

Satchel, Coronado American 

Hobo. Front: Gun Tote’n 

Mamas Raven. 

Concealed Carry Purse 

[ B Y K A T H Y J A C K S O N ] 

Lately I’ve been looking at concealed carry purses. 

There are a lot of options out there, 

far more than there were just a few 

short years ago, and that means 

that savvy shopping is a must. 

To be perfectly honest, I don’t believe 

a carry purse is a great primary carry 

method, but I do believe it has a place 

in the carry wardrobe. There are times 

and places where purse carry—and 

only purse carry—makes sense. For 

this reason, women who regularly carry 

on-body should consider purchasing 

a holster purse as a secondary carry 

method, readily available for those rare 

circumstances where on-body carry is 

simply not logistically possible. While 

the advantages of on-body carry are 

significant, I’d certainly rather have my 

friends armed with a less-than-ideal 

carry method if the other choice is for 

them not to be armed at all. Since so 

many people do choose to carry in their 

purses, whether occasionally or regularly, 

there’s a real need for good, solid 

information about this common carry 

method. 

Gun compartments 

The internal construction of a purse 

designed for concealed carry is unique. 

While many ordinary purses have a simple 

compartment of a size that could 

be used to hold a firearm in a pinch, a 

purse designed for concealed carry has 

a specially-accessible, dedicated compartment 

with an internal holster designed 

to hold the gun securely while 

safely protecting the trigger. It holds 

the gun in the same orientation at all 

times, so that when the user reaches 

for the gun, the muzzle will be pointed 

in a known direction and the grip will 

36 


Internal holsters 

Because guns come in different sizes, 

the internal holsters in concealed carry 

purses are usually required to handle 

a wide variety of firearms. Designers 

have addressed this need in different 

ways. Coronado Leather, for example, 

produces a “holster” made entirely 

of elastic and hook-and-loop material. 

It is designed to be wrapped securely 

around the firearm and then 

snugged into place with the hook-andloop 

ends before being placed within 

the compartment. Other makers address 

this same concern by providing 

a loose-fitting bucket of soft leather, 

often with an elastic retention strap, 

or by offering internal holsters in difabove 

and right: For efficient access, the right-handed 

user of a concealed carry purse such as the Galco 

Paige carries the purse on her left shoulder, with the 

access zipper toward the front of the body. To draw, her 

dominant right hand reaches over to yank the zipper 

down. Her right hand acquires a firing grip on the 

gun as her left hand stabilizes the purse. If necessary, 

she disengages any internal retention straps before 

bringing the gun out of the purse with a motion similar 

to the drawstroke from a standard shoulder holster. 

left: Removable internal holsters from different makers provide a 

study in contrasts. Left: Ladies Protection offers soft, flexible internal 

holsters to suit different gun sizes. For security, these holsters 

generally require a retention strap (included but not shown). Center: 

Coronado Leather purses feature an elastic-and-Velcro wrap in place 

of a traditional holster. This easily accommodates different gun sizes 

and requires no retention strap. Right: Gun Tote’n Mamas purses 

feature a non-collapsible simple bucket-type holster which requires 

a retention strap. Not shown: Galco and Woolstenhulme purses use 

sewn-in elastic holsters, and both require retention straps. 

present itself naturally to her hand. 

The interior walls of the firearm compartment 

are typically lined with a very 

stiff and sturdy fabric. This liner is the 

weak point of any bag, destined to fail 

long before good leather or quality 

zippers give way, and it typically takes 

quite a beating over the life of the purse. 

It must support the weight of the firearm 

to prevent it sliding around within 

the purse. Such movement can make 

the grip difficult to find under stress. 

Further, a flimsy liner can become entangled 

during the drawstroke, creating 

a clumsy or even dangerous draw. For 

these reasons, the sturdiness of the liner 

and the stiffness of the gun compartment 

walls are important details. 

Accessing the 

compartment 

Almost universally, purse designers 

have chosen to use zippers to seal 

their gun compartments, although it 

is possible to find designs which seal 

the compartment with Velcro or other 

hook-and-loop style closures. Although 

noisier, these hook-and-loop style closures 

have one significant advantage 

over zipper closures: they are much less 

easily spotted even by someone who 

knows what they are looking for. 

To lock or not to lock 

Many concealed carry purses feature 

a locking zipper to secure the gun compartment. 

On the surface, this seems 

like a grand idea and it might even be a 

lifesaver in some circumstances. For example, 

while on overnight visits to family 

or friends who have small children, 

it is extremely convenient to have such 

a readily-available means of securing 

the firearm from inquisitive younglings 

while the owner is asleep. 

Locking zippers have a downside, 

however, including the risk that a woman 

who isn’t quite comfortable with the 

notion of carrying a firearm might habitually 

leave the compartment locked, 

thus rendering the gun entirely inaccessible 

to her in her moment of need. 

Similarly, the user may unlock the compartment, 

and then forget she has done 

so, later negligently leaving the purse 

where a child might access it since she 

“knows” the gun is secured. In either 

case, a lock-related memory lapse could 

have truly catastrophic consequences. 


37

ferent sizes to fit different firearms. 

Many, but not all, internal holsters 

can be swapped from one purse brand 

to another. The majority of concealed 

carry purses feature a Velcro-style panel 

along the interior walls, which allows 

the user to change the internal holster’s 

angle or depth to suit different firearms. 

However, this is not always the case. 

Galco and Woolstenhulme, for example, 

have chosen to stitch their internal 

holsters into the liners of the carry 

compartment. This sacrifices flexibility 

of holster placement, but perhaps improves 

overall stability. 

In many cases, the internal holsters 

also include a separate retention strap 

that attaches either directly to the 

holster or to the inner wall of the gun 

compartment with a hook-and-loop 

fastener. These retention straps vary 

in design, but the easiest to use will be 

of a “pull-through” design which holds 

the gun securely in place but allows the 

user to free the firearm with a single, 

swift jerk. Retention straps that are not 

so designed must be freed by hand before 

the gun can be drawn, thus further 

slowing the already-slow process of getting 

the gun out. 

Shoulder straps 

There are at least two schools of 

thought about shoulder straps on concealed 

carry purses. Some designers, 

such as Gun Tote’n Mamas, have chosen 

to reinforce their straps with thick wire 

or a metal cord running from one end 

of the strap to the other. The purpose of 

the cord is to defeat the slash-and-grab 

purse thief. Because there is a firearm 

Some concealed carry purses, such as those from Gun 

Tote’n Mamas, feature reinforced straps with an internal 

wire or cord to prevent slash-and-grab purse snatchings. 

Here, the author has slit open the strap so readers can see 

the otherwise hidden cord. 

within the purse, the reasoning goes, 

the user’s ability to retain the purse and 

defeat a purse snatching is of primary 

importance. Generally, purses with this 

reinforced strap will be worn crossbody, 

and will thus become as much a part of 

the user’s clothing as an attached fanny 

pack would. 

The downside of reinforced-strap designs 

is that because the reinforcement 

is not visible to a casual observer, the 

thief who intended to slash through the 

shoulder strap and grab the purse as he 

fled is not deterred from trying it; he is 

only prevented from succeeding. This 

in turn may place the user in the awkward 

predicament of being entangled 

with a knife-armed thief in a struggle 

over her purse, which she cannot easily 

dump in order to escape the situation 

unharmed. For this reason, Galco and 

several other companies have deliberately 

rejected such designs and suggest 

consumers purchase only products 

without reinforced straps. 

Which is correct? Both—and neither. 

The bottom line is that the user must 

tailor her strategies to match her equipment. 

A woman with some martial arts 

training and good close quarters skills 

might truly appreciate the added security 

of a reinforced strap, while a woman 

who is less confident in her hand-tohand 

skills might choose to avoid purchasing 

equipment that forces her into 

a wrestling match she can’t win. 

Left, right, or 

ambidextrous? 

As a general rule, if you are purchasing 

a purse as a backup carry method, 

you’ll probably want to purchase an 

ambidextrous design even if you are 

not left-handed and even if you do not 

consider yourself ambidextrous. The 

added flexibility of ambidextrous capability 

means that the purse could also 

function as your everyday holster if you 

ever become injured in your dominant 

hand, wrist, arm, or shoulder—exactly 

the sort of circumstance a backup carry 

method would be intended to cover. 

The vast majority of concealed carry 

purse designs work well only for right 

handers, however. And to make matters 

worse, although many catalog descriptions 

claim the purses shown are ambidextrous, 

a lot of times when this claim 

is made the companies are—how shall 

I word this gently?—lying through their 

teeth. 

Two important factors come into play 

regarding handedness in carry purses: 

First, nearly all purses are designed to 

have a decorative side facing away from 

the user’s body as the purse is carried, 

with a plainer side facing toward the 

user’s body. The outer face will almost 

always have added design elements 

such as extra pockets, fancy zippers, or 

other features. 

Second, a concealed carry purse designed 

for a right hander will generally 

be carried on the left shoulder, with the 

gun compartment zipper facing toward 

the front of the body. The draw is accomplished 

by yanking down the zipper 

and acquiring a firing grip with the 

dominant right hand, then bringing the 

gun to target with a motion very similar 

to the draw from a shoulder holster. 

As a result of these two facts—the 

way a concealed carry purse is designed 

to be used, and the typical purse style 

which provides only one decorative 

face—concealed carry purses are almost 

never designed to work for the 

left-hander. If the purse is worn unnaturally 

on the left shoulder, a firing 

grip simply cannot be acquired by the 

left hand. If the purse is switched to the 

more natural right shoulder, the access 

zipper faces the rear where it becomes 

inaccessible to the dominant left hand. 

Carrying the gun zipper-forward on 

the right shoulder places the decorative 

face against the body, an unpleasant 

turn of events. In addition to all of 

38 


this, designs which have the holster 

sewn into place will always place the 

holster and retention straps to suit the 

right handed user, not to suit the lefty. 

And yet the companies’ literature will 

often still claim that the purse is “ambidextrous” 

because after all, you could 

swing the purse around and get in there 

left handed—if you were a contortionist, 

or didn’t mind habitually carrying 

your purse ugly side out! 

My advice to left-handers shopping 

for a concealed carry purse is to look 

very carefully at product photos. Do 

not trust written advertising or catalog 

descriptions, which almost universally 

mislead or outright lie to the left-handed 

consumer. 

On the good side, I want to give a 

special shout-out here to Gun Tote’n 

Mamas, a newer company that obviously 

put a lot of thought into making 

honest ambidextrous designs that truly 

work as well for left-handers as they do 

for right-handers. Another company, 

Ladies Protection LLC, offers purses 

in both left-handed and right-handed 

styles. 

Size matters 

A small purse definitely means you’ll 

be carrying a smaller, more difficult to 

shoot handgun, one which may not be 

comfortable to practice with or powerful 

enough to do the job you need it to 

do when you need to do it. Furthermore, 

a smaller purse almost inevitably features 

an uncomfortably small opening 

to the gun compartment, more likely to 

abrade the hand and also much more 

difficult to draw from when hurried. For 

this reason, be especially wary of purses 

that seem too small to be true; they 

might also be too small to be useful. 

On the other hand, an oversized 

purse easily accommodates a full-size 

firearm which is more comfortable and 

easier to shoot, but a full-size firearm 

also weighs a lot more than the tiny little 

pocket wonders that a smaller purse 

typically accepts. This added weight, in 

turn, tempts or even demands the user 

set the purse down at every possible 

opportunity, increasing the risk that 

the purse will be left somewhere inappropriate 

or that the firearm will simply 

not be available when it is needed most. 

Even with a purse, handedness matters! If a left-hander wanted to effectively use 

this right-handed crossbody-style Coronado Satchel, for example, the purse would 

need to be carried “inside out,” with the decorative outer face hidden against the 

user’s body, and the locking access zipper clearly visible to casual observers. 

When shopping online, if you’re in 

doubt about whether the purse dimensions 

will work for you, get out a ruler 

and a large piece of paper and trace an 

approximation of the purse on the paper 

using the measurements given in 

the catalog. Is it too small? Too large? Or 

just right for your purposes? 

A question of fashion 

Finally, we get to the question that 

most women ask first, “Is there such a 

thing as an attractive concealed carry 

purse?” My answer to this is an emphatic 

YES. Just a few short years ago, there 

really were very few choices available 

to women who wanted to carry a gun 

in their purse, and the designs, while 

attractive in the classic sense, were 

fairly boring and uniform. Not so today! 

These days, whether your style is classic 

or modern, sporty or flirtatious, trendy 

or more staid, you should be able to 

find a concealed carry purse that suits 

your fashion sense and your lifestyle. 

One particularly heartening development 

is the appearance of high-end 

fashion purses for concealed carry. The 

shout-out here goes to Woolstenhulme 

Designer Bags, a company which touts 

their products as “concealed carry 

purses you won’t want to conceal.” 

While other companies also produce 

attractive bags, there’s no doubt that 

Woolstenhulme purses are on the cutting 

edge of fashion. H 

Contacts: 

CC’s Designer Concealed Carry 

Woolstenhulme Designer Bags 

www.designerconcealedcarry.com 

(972) 672-9437 

Coronado Leather 

www.coronadoleather.com 

(800) 283-9509 

Galco Gunleather 

www.usgalco.com 

(800) 874-2526 

Gun Tote’n Mamas 

www.guntotenmamas.com 

(847) 446-0700 x 204 

Ladies Protection LLC 

http://ladiesprotection.com/ 

(661) 993-7160 


39


The trigger and 

the entire trigger 

guard area must be 

enclosed or encased 

in a holster. 

[ B Y K A T H Y J A C K S O N ] 

Awhile back, I took a walk through some of my favorite 

internet forums, including the USCCA member forum, to 

ask the following questions: 

• What makes a safe holster, safe? 

• What makes a dangerous holster, dangerous? 

• What’s the difference between a “good” holster and a 

“bad” one? 

The answers I received were interesting 

and enlightening. Although there 

was a lot of vigorous debate about 

the specifics, there was also a surprising 

degree of consensus about safe holster 

design. Most participants agreed that 

a safe holster performs several crucial 

functions, while an unsafe holster either 

fails to perform one of these functions or 

Did 

Anybody 

Drop this 

Pistol? 

does so in a way that encourages the user 

to violate safe gunhandling procedures. 

The key to evaluating holster safety is 

to first understand the purpose of a holster. 

What is a holster designed to do? 

Why do we use them? Once we’ve understood 

the holster’s purpose, understanding 

the elements that create a safe or an 

unsafe design becomes a lot easier. 

The 

Essentials 

of Holster 

Safety 

To keep the firearm 

safely secured 

First and foremost, the holster serves 

to keep the firearm safely secured. The 

specific manner in which this security is 

achieved will vary from holster to holster 

or from carry system to carry system, so 

don’t get too hung up on specific design 

features. Focus instead on the primary 

goal: to keep the firearm safely secured. 

Ideally, once the firearm is placed 

within the holster or carry system, there 

should be no way for the firearm to unexpectedly 

discharge—whether by the 

user’s wayward finger or by external happenstance. 

As a general rule for modern 

firearms, this means that the trigger and 

the entire trigger guard area must be en- 

40 


closed or encased, and that the material 

surrounding the trigger must be sturdy 

enough to prevent outside activity from 

moving the trigger. This is true no matter 

which type of carry system is used. 

If the gun is carried in a pocket, the trigger 

must be protected from external 

movement just as surely as it would be 

if it were carried in a belt holster. If it is 

placed within a purse, the trigger must 

remain as protected as if it were in an ankle 

holster. Allowing the firearm to float 

around loosely within an oversized compartment, 

with trigger uncovered and 

vulnerable to pressure from keys, pens, 

coins, and other detritus, is simply asking 

for trouble. It is much safer to choose 

a carry method which allows the firearm 

to ride in stately isolation within a sturdy 

enclosure which prevents external pressure 

from reaching the trigger, and which 

holds the firearm in essentially the same 

orientation until we choose to retrieve it. 

With the trigger covered or otherwise 

protected from external influences, we 

know that the firearm will remain a safe 

and inert object as long as it remains within 

the holster. But how do we know that 

Pocket firearms 

require the use of a 

pocket holster in order 

to avoid dangerously 

embarrassing 

mistakes. 

the gun will remain within the holster until 

such time as we deliberately take it out? 

For standard belt holsters, one simple 

test of whether the holster meets this 

design requirement is the tip test. To 

perform this test, take an unloaded gun. 

Check to be sure it is unloaded, and unload 

if necessary. Remove all ammunition 

from the room and check the gun again 

to be sure it is still unloaded. Then place 

the unloaded gun into the holster, securing 

any straps or retention devices, and 

hold the holster a few inches above a soft 

surface such as a couch or bed. Slowly tip 

the holster upside down and shake gently. 

Does the gun fall out or does it stay 

where it should? If the gun falls out of the 

holster when the holster is tipped upside 

down and gently shaken, that holster 

does not meet this primary holster purpose 

of holding the gun securely. 

Obviously, not every carry method can 

be checked with the simple tip test. But 

for most on-body carry methods, it is a 

good place to start. 

If the tip test is not readily viable for 

your carry method, try a more active approach. 

First unload the firearm using the 

procedure above, then place the firearm 

into your holster or carry system just as 

if you were preparing to carry it as normal. 

Now, do some calisthenics. Do a few 

jumping jacks. Jog in place. Touch your 

toes. Do a somersault, even. Get down on 

the floor and roll around a little, as if you 

were wrestling with someone. (Got a dog? 

They love this part!) Does the firearm remain 

securely in place or is it working its 

way out of your holster or carry system? 

Remember, in many situations where activity 

dislodges the firearm, you won’t be 

able to put a steadying hand on the gun 

to prevent it from working its way completely 

out and falling to the ground. If 

your holster or carry system does not 

keep the gun where it should be with no 

extra help from you, it fails this test. 

For those who read the paragraph just 

before this one and shook their heads, figuring 

that they would never be all that active 

anyway, remember that children and 

grandchildren often expect their adult 

cohorts to play with them, to bend over 

to comfort them, to reach down and help 

untie the knotted shoelace. Even an ordinarily 

sedentary person might be coaxed 

into a short but vigorous sprint when the 

family dog is headed toward the street, or 

Tip test: to check holster security, 

place a thrice-checked unloaded gun 

or a dummy gun into the holster and 

tip it over a few inches above a soft 

surface. Shake gently. If the firearm 

comes out, the holster is not secure. 


41

An uncomfortable holster 

tempts the user to frequently 

readjust, drawing unwanted 

attention and destroying 

concealability. 

when scurrying to catch up with a young 

family member toddling toward danger. 

And finally, if a criminal grabs you from 

behind, will you remain in a calmly upright 

position, or would you perhaps become 

a little more active in your quest to 

free yourself and access your firearm? For 

these reasons and many more, holsters 

must be designed to hold their firearms 

securely in place. 

To keep the firearm 

comfortably concealed 

Although many holsters are designed 

for open carry on the range or in the 

field, our subject here is concealed carry. 

Toward that end, one of the primary purposes 

of the holster is to assist our quest 

to keep the gun hidden from prying eyes. 

There are two basic ways that a holster 

can meet this design requirement. First, 

the holster can be designed to ride underneath 

the clothing so closely against 

the body that it becomes literally invisible 

to others. Belt holsters may feature 

strategically-placed belt loops to help 

bring the gun more tightly to the waist; 

they may be designed to allow the user to 

tuck a shirt over the top of the grip; they 

may be designed to cant the gun or to 

ride slightly higher on the beltline so that 

the cover garment needn’t be overly long. 

Together with sensible clothing choices, 

such holsters remain invisible and keep 

firearms invisible to others. 

The other way a holster or carry system 

might keep the gun concealed is to make 

the carry system functionally invisible 

through effective urban camouflage. For 

example, a purse or waist pack must always 

remain readily visible to the general 

public. However, if the purse is well-designed 

to conceal a pistol compartment, 

or if the waist pack effectively matches 

the circumstances in which it is carried, 

others’ eyes slide right on past without 

A SAFE Carry System 

Securely holds the gun. 

Accommodates every feature of the firearm so that 

retention straps or other controls do not interfere with the 

proper function of safety devices on the gun. 

Firmly protects the trigger with materials which are rigid 

enough to prevent external pressure from moving the 

trigger. 

Encloses the trigger and entire trigger guard area. 

truly seeing what they are looking at. The 

gun concealed within the purse or pack 

remains undetected even though the 

carry method remains within plain sight. 

When we choose a holster or carry 

method which is uncomfortable, concealment 

becomes more difficult or even 

outright impossible. That’s because it is 

only human nature to fidget or scratch, 

to fiddle with the thing that’s making 

us uncomfortable—and every time the 

user’s hand is drawn to the firearm, others’ 

eyes are drawn right along with it. 

Furthermore, if the carry method is uncomfortable 

enough, the gun will be left 

at home despite our best intentions. For 

this reason, comfortable concealment is 

a crucial aspect of holster or carry system 

design. 

To keep the 

firearm accessible 

When shopping for a new holster, most 

of us ask ourselves, “How well can I carry 

and conceal my firearm with this holster?” 

That is indeed a crucial question, but too 

often, that is where we stop. As soon as 

we have found a holster which allows us 

to comfortably tote the gun around with 

us, we’re satisfied. This makes good sense 

because, after all, carrying and concealing 

the firearm is our everyday experience. 

If the carry rig is uncomfortable or 

poorly concealed, we notice it and take 

pains to correct it. 

But I submit to you that the answer to 

another question is perhaps even more 

crucial, and far too often overlooked 

in our quest for the most comfortably 

concealed holster possible. That crucial 

question is, “How well can I access and 

use my firearm with this holster?” After 

all, an otherwise-excellent holster which 

securely holds the firearm in place, fits 

comfortably, and allows the user to easily 

conceal the whole package wouldn’t be 

excellent at all if the gun were not actually 

accessible to the user in a moment of 

need. 

While it is true that trade-offs will 

nearly always be present, that doesn’t 

mean they’re not trade-offs. In search of 

the perfect, comfortable carry method, 

people tend to forget that the whole reason 

they’re putting up with that lumpy, 

heavy, uncomfortable bulge in the first 

place is so they can use it if necessary. If 

42 


you’ve compromised on carry methods 

or equipment to the point where the gun 

is no longer readily accessible, to where 

you cannot realistically practice with the 

setup you actually use, to where drawing 

the gun involves bodily contortions worthy 

of a Houdini and requires more time than 

it takes for the cops to arrive, you might as 

well get that troublesome lump off your 

body and leave it in the safe. If you’ve compromised 

to the point where the gun you 

carry has shrunk to little more than a piece 

of jewelry, a miniature talisman against evil 

which has little effective power and which 

is too tiny to practice with, you might as 

well sprinkle fairy dust on your shoulders 

to ward off criminals instead. 

To test for ready accessibility, unload 

the gun as previously described. Enlist the 

help of a friend. Pick a safe direction—one 

that would definitely stop a bullet—to 

point the firearm while drawing. Clap your 

hands together (this forces you into a good 

starting position) and then draw your gun. 

When you friend hears the handclap, have 

him start counting one-one-thousand, 

two-one-thousand; your draw should be 

completed before two seconds are up. You 

should be able to do this from both standing 

and seated, wearing the clothing you 

ordinarily wear, with your carry rig set up 

as you ordinarily wear it. No cheating! 

The purpose of the holster is to keep a 

functionally effective firearm readily available 

for instant use—and any holster or 

carry rig which fails to meet that standard 

is a poor one. 

The bottom line 

Getting right down to the bare essentials, 

the purpose of a holster is to safely secure 

the firearm, to comfortably conceal the 

firearm, and to keep the firearm readily accessible 

for rapid use. Any holster or carry 

system which meets these requirements is 

a good one. Those which fall short on any 

one of these crucial considerations should 

be avoided. H 

[ Kathy Jackson is the managing editor of 

Concealed Carry Magazine and the co-author 

of Lessons from Armed America with 

Mark Walters. An instructor at the Firearms 

Academy of Seattle in Washington state, 

she takes special pleasure in helping other 

women learn to shoot. Visit her website at 

www.corneredcat.com. ] 

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43

above: Starting point for 

the example drills. 

right: Because I’m stable 

to begin with, it doesn’t 

really matter which one 

of us moves because of 

the block. Either way, I’m 

still in balance and able 

to bring the weapon up to 

engage as I block the line 

to the protectee. 

SHIELD AND PROTECT. 

Becoming the “Head Man”: 

How to Protect the People You Love 

[ B Y C . R . W I L L I A M S ] 

In a perfect world, everyone we were to go anywhere 

with would be armed, and we would have near-instinctive 

understanding of how to work together and support 

each other if we were to be attacked. 

Come to think of it, in a perfect world, 

we wouldn’t need to think about 

self-defense because it wouldn’t be 

needed in a perfect world. 

Scratch one concept. 

In this world, many of us will be out 

with spouses, children, or friends who 

are not only unarmed but who will, for 

one reason or another, freeze in place 

if a fight develops, especially if it develops 

suddenly. If and when that happens, 

your choices are to remain in place and 

engage, to move away as you engage to 

draw the attacker’s attention with you 

(this includes moving directly in to counterattack), 

or to move the other person 

(hereafter referred to as the “protectee”) 

somehow, either without engaging or as 

you engage the attack. In this article, I 

will examine the third option. 

If you look at a Protective Services 

Detail (PSD) in action, you will see that 

there is very often, if not always, one 

member who is within arm’s reach of the 

protectee at all times. This PSD member 

may still be called the Head Man, and his 

most important, often his only assignment 

is to physically move the protectee 

away from any threat that develops while 

the rest of the team deals with it. They 

sometimes do this with a hand on the 

protectee’s head. In small teams this is 

also the team leader, so the title derives 

from both of those characteristics. You 

can see one in action by reviewing the 

film clip of the Reagan assassination attempt. 

As Hinckley begins firing, Reagan 

is practically rammed into the limousine 

by his head man. In your position as one- 

44 


above: This time, I can’t 

send them anywhere. 

I’ll bring them straight 

down instead. Step in, 

plant the foot, drop my 

center as I begin the 

draw. 

Shift my weight, 

fold his knee, 

pull down, 

present the 

weapon. Harder 

than it looks? 

Yes, but that’s 

what practice 

is for. 

Hook or grab 

the shoulder to 

pull down as you 

collapse the knee. 

Just shift your knee/lower leg 

forward. Rock into the back 

of their knee to collapse it as 

you pull down. 

If you don’t get the leg out and go down 

with the protectee, you can still remain up 

and keep the weapon on-line as long as you 

started from a balanced position. Work it 

until you come down under control, not on 

top of the protectee. 

BRING THEM DOWN TO THE GROUND IF NECESSARY. 

man (or woman) PSD, you may end up 

having to do both jobs simultaneously. 

Here are some things to think about if 

that happens: 

Think “pivot” and “bend” before “push” 

or “pull.” Most people with a martial-arts 

background and everyone with a grappling-arts 

background will understand 

this principle. You will push or pull in the 

end, but can’t start that way if you want 

to guide them properly. You need to break 

their stability and their fixation on the 

threat so that you can more easily move 

them away from it. 

Imagine a vertical line running just in 

front of the place where the spine curves 

furthest in. That is approximately the rotational 

axis you will be using. You will rotate 

them mainly by pushing and pulling 

on the shoulders and or hips. You’ll use 

your hip or thigh, sometimes your hand 

or arm, to exert rotational force on the 

protectee’s hip to force rotation prior to 

the actual push or pull that moves them. 

At times, you will use the hip and knee 

joints to bend and unbalance the protectee 

slightly in conjunction with rotation. 

As a last resort, you will use mainly 

the knee joint to completely unbalance 

them if the fastest or only option is to get 

them on the ground to get them out of 

the line of attack. 

Do not rotate or bend or attempt to 

guide them by moving their head. Just 

don’t. It is entirely too easy to damage 

the neck and spine and create permanent 

injury. You’ll be under stress and the 

adrenaline will be flowing. You will not be 

able to judge the force, especially the rotational 

force, you’re putting on them. So 

again, do not move them by turning their 

head. Use shoulders, hips, knees, as necessary, 

in about that order. 

Get your center below their center. This 

is a basic principle for moving someone 

around. Think of a point about 

two inches below your navel along the 

vertical axis. That is approximately 

the line you need to get under and the 

pivot you’ll use to move the protectee. 

This comes into effect often when you 


45

simultaneously collapse their nearest 

knee. Look at one of the photo sequences 

for one way to do that. Another is to use 

your foot or shin, but not in a hard, kicking 

way like you would if you were fighting 

someone. Soft pressure at the back of 

the knee is all you need to move it a couple 

of inches while you pull down. Get 

the foot or leg out of there faster than you 

put it in; you do not want their folding leg 

to trap it and bring you down with them. 

Accept the fact that they will likely suffer 

some bruising when they go down. If they 

can’t go anywhere else and the alternative 

is being stabbed or shot ... well, you 

can decide which is worse to go through. 

If you can’t move them, you can use 

them to move yourself. There are a couple 

of conditions (the protectee is larger than 

you are; they are really, really rooted in 

place, or you get sudden resistance that 

you can’t overcome very very quickly) 

where you won’t be able to get them going. 

One option is to get a hand on them 

somewhere, lower your center, drive with 

your legs, and pull yourself into a better 

position between them and the threat. 

Develop your Command Voice and use 

it. It may be possible to get them moving 

with just that, a simple, fast command: 

MOVE!! GO!! RUN!! THAT WAY!! Use the 

Command Voice along with the techabove 

and right: While the action 

here is shown at an increased 

distance, under pressure of an 

actual threat, I would be close 

enough to lay my forearm on the 

protectee’s shoulder blade. The 

main force, a push, is applied to 

the protectee’s nearest shoulder to 

begin the rotation, while the far 

shoulder is hooked or grabbed and 

pulled to increase the power. To 

avoid it becoming a strike instead 

of a push, use all of the arm in 

contact and drive with your legs 

as you pull with the hooking hand. 

REDIRECT THEM AWAY FROM THE THREAT. 

bump and shove to get them moving. 

Upper body directs, lower body powers. 

Lower your center, drive with the legs, 

and use the arms more as the connection 

to your manipulators (your hands) 

than for force. Stiffen the arm, whether 

straight or bent, that is applying the rotational 

force at the protectee’s shoulders, 

but push with your legs. As they move 

and you move, your other hand will pull 

to keep the rotation and guide their turn, 

but the power comes from the legs and 

your lowered center. Try it without the 

legs and see for yourself. You will not 

move them as easily or quickly if you rely 

only on the muscles of the arms, chest 

and back. 

Bump, don’t hit to apply sudden force. 

Whether it is to rotate or start them moving, 

sometimes a sudden impact, harder 

than a shove or pull is needed. To get 

them moving, lower your center and use 

the hip or the forearm and open hand 

(not just the hand or fist), and drive with 

the legs to get a quick, hard jolt that won’t 

damage them or you. 

If you have to, take them down. The 

only or best option to get them out of the 

way may be to put them on the ground. 

The quickest way to do that and remain 

on your feet is to get a hand on the nearest 

shoulder and jerk downward as you 

46 


Step through, and keep 

driving them if that seems 

the best thing to do. Far 

arm is going to shift down 

to keep the line of power 

intact, but you are still 

driving them with your 

legs, not your arms. 

niques to add psychological force to the 

physical force you apply to move your 

protectee faster and easier. 

There are doubtless other techniques, 

concepts and principles you can learn 

and use to cope with that momentary 

freeze that someone you want to protect 

may experience. Consider these suggestions 

as a beginning—an outline—you 

will use to fill in the particular blanks that 

are your own specific needs and circumstances. 

Think on these, study more, develop 

what works for you. 

Good luck. I hope you never have to 

see how well it works. H 

[ CR Williams is a moderator on the 

USCCA forum and the lead man on 

USCCA’s Video Tips series. His primary interest 

is currently to find better ways to be 

able to go home after the fight is over and 

then to effectively present those methods 

and means to others. Questions or comments 

about any of his material can be 

directed to crwilliams@usconcealedcarry. 

com. ] 

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47

Kahr P380 

Perfecting the Pocket Pistol 

[ B Y D U A N E A . D A I K E R ] 

The P380 bears 

a striking family 

resemblance 

to Kahr’s other 

polymer frame 

pistols. 

In recent years, the firearms market has been flooded 

with pocket pistols. 

Pocket guns are easy to carry and 

easy to conceal. Whether used as 

a primary gun or a backup, pocket 

sized guns are popular choices for civilian 

concealed carry. Many people 

consider .380 ACP to be the smallest acceptable 

caliber for a defensive weapon, 

making it a popular chambering for 

these diminutive pistols. 

Kahr Arms is well known for its small 

and concealable pistols in 9mm, .40 

S&W and even .45 ACP. In 2009, Kahr 

introduced their smallest gun yet—the 

P380 in .380 ACP. The Kahr P380 is a 

high quality pocket pistol that offers a 

new level of performance not yet seen 

in comparable guns. 

Description 

The Kahr P380 is a true pocket pistol, 

weighing about 11 ounces empty, measuring 

less than five inches long and 

less than four inches high. The P380 

bears a striking resemblance to the rest 

of the “P” series Kahr pistols, but with 

much smaller dimensions. The gun is 

comparable in size to the very popular 

Kel-Tec P-3AT and Ruger LCP. The 

P380 is a striker fired, double action 

only, locked breach pistol with polymer 

frame and stainless steel slide. The 

trigger is partially cocked by operation 

of the slide, in a manner similar to the 

Glock “Safe Action” system. The result is 

a double-action trigger pull that is long 

and heavy enough to prevent an accidental 

discharge, while still being very 

smooth and easy to manage. 

This pistol is quite easy to handle 

and manipulate, despite its small size. 

The external controls are limited to 

a magazine release and slide release. 

The magazine release is a button-style 

located in the preferred location, just 

below the trigger guard on the left side 

of the grip. The slide release lever is also 

in the traditional location, and locks the 

slide open on an empty magazine—an 

uncommon feature on a pocket pistol. 

48 


Kahr P380 

Caliber 

.380 ACP 

Barrel Length 

2.5 inches 

Overall Length 

4.9 inches 

Overall Height 

3.9 inches 

Overall Width 

0.75 inches 

Overall Weight (empty) 11 ounces 

Trigger Pull Weight 5 lbs. 

Capacity 

6 + 1 rounds 

Suggested Retail Price $649 

Shooting ResulTS 

Load 

The P380 fits the 

author’s large 

hands with a 

two-finger grip. 

Average 

Velocity 

Extreme 

Spread 

Average 

Accuracy 

Hornady 90 gr. JHP/XTP 777 35 fps 1 

Federal Premium 90 gr. 

Hydra-Shok JHP 

854 36 fps 1 

Velocity measured in feet per second, 5 feet from the muzzle, for 10 consecutive 

shots, using a Shooting Chrony chronograph. Temperature: 60° F. Accuracy 

measured in inches, for a five-shot group, fired offhand at 15 feet. 

Like many guns in this category, 

the P380 has a magazine capacity of 

six rounds. The pistol feeds from high 

quality stainless steel magazines with 

witness holes for each round. The magazines 

are expensive, but Kahr includes 

two magazines with each pistol. Kahr 

also offers a Pearce grip extension for 

the magazines to add a little extra grip 

length if desired. 

Perhaps the best feature of this gun is 

the sights. The vast majority of pocket 

guns have minimal fixed sights milled 

into the top of the slide. The P380, however, 

has true sights fit to the slide. The 

sights have a white “bar-dot” configuration 

and are drift-adjustable. Night 

sights are available as an option from 

the factory. The standard Kahr factory 

sights provide an excellent sight picture 

rarely seen on a gun this size. 

Shooting and 

carry impressions 

The P380 excelled at the range. This is 

the most accurate pocket 

pistol I have tested. I 

believe the accuracy of 

this gun is attributable 

to several factors: excellent 

sights, an excellent 

trigger, and the Lothar 

Walther match-grade 

barrel. At fifteen feet, the 

Kahr could produce a single ragged hole 

in the target. Although well beyond the 

typical range for a pocket pistol, I decided 

to shoot the P380 at 25 yards. Even 

at that distance, I could keep carefully 

aimed shots inside an 8-inch diameter 

circle. Clearly this pistol is more accurate 

than should reasonably be expected 

of a pocket pistol. 

Recoil seemed quite tame for a small 

pistol, due in large part to the locked 

breach design. Many pocket .380 ACP 

pistols utilize a blowback system, which 

results in more felt recoil. Even after 

shooting many rounds in a single session, 

my hands were no worse for wear. 

above: Pocket 

carry is easy 

in this K&D 

Holsters Pocket 

Defender Deluxe. 

below: The P380 

is equipped with 

excellent “bar-dot” 

combat sights. 


49

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After an extended session, the P380 

did not draw any blood like many 

pocket autos tend to do. The low 

bore axis helps minimize muzzle 

flip and keeps the gun on target for 

quick follow-up shots. 

The Kahr functioned flawlessly 

with my primary testing ammo, 

Hornady JHP/XTP and Federal 

Hydra-Shok JHP. I also used an assortment 

of other ammo without 

incident. Even before completing 

the 200 round break-in period suggested 

by the owner’s manual, the 

gun functioned perfectly. 

Loading and manipulating the 

littlest Kahr is relatively easy. The 

external buttons and levers are 

easy to operate. Having a functioning 

slide lock makes reloading and 

malfunction clearance much easier 

than many other pocket guns, although 

the small slide can be difficult 

to grasp, but that is an inherent 

problem with tiny guns. 

The small size of the P380 is perfect 

for pocket carry. The gun is 

very light and flat, with no sharp 

edges to hang up on the draw. 

For my evaluation, I ordered a 

Pocket Defender Deluxe from K&D 

Holsters, which worked exceptionally 

well. The particular holster 

shown is finished with an optional 

exotic skin trim made from bullfrog. 

The bullfrog skin wears exceptionally 

well, and is an excellent 

choice to dress up a pocket holster. 

For those who don’t like pocket carry, 

the Kahr would be equally well 

suited for ankle carry or other deep 

concealment methods. 

Final thoughts 

Pocket pistols are always a compromise 

because of their greatly reduced 

dimensions. Kahr has done 

a commendable job of minimizing 

the compromise, by producing a 

pocket auto with excellent sights, 

an excellent trigger, and standard 

controls. The P380 packs an impressive 

array of features into a 

very small package. With a street 

price around $600 [as of Jan. 2010], 

the Kahr is priced near the high 

end of .380 ACP pocket pistols. 

50 


A C C E S S - C O M F O R T - C O N C E A L M E N T - V E R S A T I L I T Y 

The P380 comes 

with a hard case, 

a gun lock, and 

two magazines. 

All Kahr firearms 

are backed with a 

five year warranty 

and a history 

of excellent customer 

service. 

I am very impressed 

with 

Kahr’s rendition of the .380 ACP pocket 

pistol. Although the price point is 

higher than other comparable guns, 

the functionality of the P380 justifies 

the premium price. Kahr chose not to 

cut any corners with the P380. While 

the quest for the “perfect” pistol is never-ending, 

Kahr has made significant 

progress in perfecting the pocket gun. 

H 

[ Duane A. Daiker is a Contributing 

Editor for CCM, but is otherwise a regular 

guy—not much different from you. 

Duane has been a lifelong shooter and 

goes about his life an armed, responsible, 

and somewhat opinionated citizen. 

Duane can be reached at Daiker@ 

RealWorldCarryGear.com or through his 

fan page on Facebook. ] 

Contacts: 

Federal Ammunition 

www.federalpremium.com 

(800) 322-2342 

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Hornady Ammunition 

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Kahr Arms 

www.kahr.com 

(508) 795-3919 

KD Holsters 

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(813) 659-3456 


51

BEHIND THE LINE 


Teaching 

Gun Safety 

Teach 

[ B Y M A R T Y H A Y E S , J . D . ] 

students 

proper gun 

handling skills. 

Before the first shot is fired in any training course, gun 

safety must be addressed. 

But gun safety is somewhat of a 

nebulous concept, and it has been 

my experience that many people 

speak reverently about the need to 

practice gun safety, but those spoken 

words seem to be forgotten once the 

guns enter the hands of otherwise wellintentioned 

people, instructors included. 

Just go to any gun shop or public 

shooting range and watch guns being 

pointed every which way. Here is the 

wake-up call: it is those same people, 

with the same bad gun-handling habits, 

who will be coming to your training 

course! The firearms training industry 

operates in somewhat of a conundrum 

insomuch as we are tasked with teaching 

people to safely perform inherently 

unsafe acts, those being to handle and 

shoot deadly weapons under a variety 

of circumstances and situations. Let’s 

explore how we can best accomplish 

that mission, not only for the student, 

but also for the instructor. 

Legal precautions 

The first concept that must be understood 

is that an instructor can be sued 

for the tort of negligence if the instructor 

is running a training course and 

someone takes a bullet. But being sued 

for that tort and winning the case are 

two different things. Winning a defense 

against negligence first entails making 

sure that each and every person in 

the area—all students, instructors, bystanders 

and even the neighbor’s cow— 

understand that being in the vicinity of 

guns being fired is an inherently dangerous 

activity. A written waiver, in language 

that is plain and unambiguous, 

written in type big enough to read, detailing 

the type of injuries which could 

occur or even the possibility of death, 

must be signed by all participants. By 

participating in that training activity, 

the student likely pays the instructor 

for his time, and the instructor agrees 

to provide a service. A contractual ar- 

52 


angement is formed, and as long as 

all parties understand the details of 

the contract and agree to them, the 

contract will be found to be valid. The 

“Waiver and Release of Liability” is part 

of that contract process and it should 

be clearly written on the waiver that 

the student is entering into a legally 

binding contract, and that one of the 

provisions of that contract specifies 

that if that person who signed the contract 

is injured by whatever means, he 

will not hold you, the instructor, liable 

for his injuries. That agreement must 

be clear and unambiguous. It must be 

voluntarily entered into, and I would 

recommend that it be witnessed by another 

student in class, and not by yourself 

or a member of your staff. 

Part of that contract should also contain 

the provisions under which each 

and every person participating in the 

event should behave. That means the 


People of all skills levels attend 

training courses. Safety is key! 

safety rules under which you and the 

students are operating are either a part 

of that agreement or are at least referred 

to in the agreement. 

The safety rules must also be written 

in plain and unambiguous wording. 

They must also be explained to the 

students. I have a policy that in each 

and every class that is being taught 

under the Firearms Academy of Seattle 

(FAS) banner, the instructor reads each 

and every word of the safety rules to 

the student. Not because I don’t expect 

the students to be able to read, 

but because I know that some people 

might take shortcuts and skip over 

provisions. A contract is only valid if 

there is a meeting of the minds, and I 

want to make sure the student understands 

what the safety protocols are. 

Now, I do this for every single class we 

teach at FAS, regardless if I am teaching 

a special high-speed low drag class 

to a bunch of advanced students, or if 

the student is there for the first time. 

No exceptions. In fact, the more times 

a paper is produced which indicates 

the student understood the rules, the 

better it is for me in court. Yes, I have 

them sign the safety rules too, and that, 

along with the waiver of liability gives 

me a pretty good one-two punch in 


Editor note: With this issue, 

CCM introduces a new 

series, “Behind the Line,” 

thoughts for firearms 

trainers shared by master 

instructors Marty Hayes 

and Tom Givens. Marty 

pens the inaugural column, 

while Tom’s work will be 

featured next issue. 

Marty Hayes is President and 

Director of the Firearms 

Academy of Seattle, a regional 

training academy celebrating its 20 th 

anniversary this year. Over the years, 

he and his staff have taught more than 

10,000 people basic and advanced 

level firearms training, and continue 

to teach an active schedule, with more 

than 100 classes on the books for this 

year. President of the Armed Citizens’ 

Legal Defense Network, LLC., and a 

law enforcement officer, Hayes is also 

a court recognized expert in ballistics 

and crime scene interpretation of ballistic 

evidence, and works as an expert 

witness in the field of shooting reconstruction 

and training issues. 

Tom Givens is the owner and chief 

instructor at Rangemaster, a full time 

firearms school in Memphis, TN, since 

1996. Rangemaster has trained more 

than 30,000 students at the home 

range, and Tom conducts classes all 

over the United States in both defensive 

handgun and shotgun courses. 

Givens is certified as a firearms instructor 

by the NRA, the FBI, and the 

state of Tennessee, and he often works 

as an expert witness in state and federal 

courts all over the country in cases 

involving firearms and firearms training. 

Givens is the author of five published 

textbooks, including Fighting 

Smarter plus about 100 magazine articles 

in Concealed Carry Magazine, 

SWAT Magazine, Soldier of Fortune 

Magazine, and others. A former competitive 

shooter, he holds a Master rating 

in three IDPA divisions, and has 

won state and regional championships 

in both IPSC and IDPA competitions. 

He has been heavily involved in firearms 

training since the 1970s. H 

53

starting to defend against a negligence 

tort. The legal concept is “assumption 

of the risk” which is the legal doctrine 

which allows people to attend sky diving 

classes, scuba diving classes, and 

even firearms training classes. Make 

sure your legal ducks are in a row here, 

and you are well prepared to counter a 

negligence lawsuit. 

Physical precautions 

But the preparation doesn’t stop 

there. One must then transition to the 

actual shooting range, and manage the 

training environment in as safe a manner 

possible, given the nature and content 

of the class. Now, notice I didn’t 

say “manage the training environment 

safely” as I am not sure that can be done 

with human beings and deadly weapons. 

But we must make sure we do our 

due diligence, and operate our training 

course to the standard of the industry 

of firearms training. This will change, 

of course, depending on the level of 

student and the content of the training 

course. For the purposes of the remainder 

of this article, we will assume that 

the course is a basic course, perhaps 

taught for first time gun owners, taking 

into account that protocols will change 

as the student and curriculum advance. 

The legal concept here is that you 

perform your training activities within 

the recommended industry standard 

of firearms training activities. For example, 

at our business we teach a oneday 

handgun safety seminar for new 

gun owners, half of which covers the 

topics of gun safety, local firearms laws 

and laws regarding the use of deadly 

force—all classroom activities. Then, 

we take the students out to the range 

and through a series of empty gun drills 

and live fire, take the students through 

a 50-round training experience, which 

even advanced students universally 

agree was worthwhile. Before we even 

allow a gun in the hand of a student, we 

first show a gun safety video (to visually 

document the safety protocols we 

want observed), then we read, discuss, 

and have the student sign the safety 

rules. We give the students instructions 

to proceed to the firing line (we use a 

bench for the basic class) with the guns 

still in the holster or gun case, and have 

them, under the watchful eyes of the 

instructor, place the gun on the bench. 

The instructor then unloads the gun for 

the student (or checks to make sure the 

gun is empty) and the guns stay on the 

bench for the entire afternoon. When 

the shooting is done, we then allow the 

student to load the gun and holster it, or 

place it back in its gun case while still on 

the line. At no time is the gun pointed 

in any direction other than toward the 

targets. We don’t allow the students to 

handle guns behind the firing line—remember, 

this is a basic class. The minute 

you allow a student to handle a gun 

on their own behind the line, they will 

point it at others. 

Regardless of the loaded or unloaded 

status, we never deviate from this protocol. 

In my view, it is not acceptable to 

allow unloaded guns, even if the cylinder 

is open or slide locked back, to be 

handled nonchalantly. This manner of 

handling guns is a 1950s anachronism 

and must be changed. Building safe 

gun handling habits means the guns 

are handled in a safe manner 100 percent 

of the time. To allow anything else 

is counter-productive and dangerous. 

People die from unloaded guns all too 

frequently and we, as an industry, must 

shift to this 100 percent rule. 

Once we have all the guns under our 

control, we can start supervising the students’ 

handling of the guns in the range 

training exercises. At this time, we teach 

the student that every time the gun is in 

their hand it is either (1) being loaded 

or unloaded with the muzzle pointed 

downrange, or (2) at low ready, waiting 

for further instruction, or (3) shooting. 

We also give the students plenty of dry 

fire practice to practice the three gunhandling 

methods described above before 

even putting one live round in the 

gun. As described, I would challenge 

anyone to state that we do not meet the 

industry standard for safely teaching 

beginning gun-handling skills. I challenge 

you to make sure your classes are 

managed to such a standard. 

Handling violations 

What do you do with safety violators? 

In our training scheme there is one inviolate 

rule: Do not point guns at others. 

Period, end of story. If a student points 

Guns need to be 

handled in a safe 

manner 100 percent 

of the time. 


a gun at another, we remove them from 

the range. We do it as politely as possible, 

but we also explain to the class 

ahead of time that this will occur if they 

point a gun at another. 

Teaching people to shoot is like owning 

dogs. Ninety-nine percent of the 

time the dog will not bite the stranger, 

but occasionally, the dog may bite. The 

first time it happens, there is usually no 

liability attached to the incident, because 

the dog owner didn’t know he had 

a vicious dog on his hands. But the second 

bite, that is the one what will result 

in the negligence suit, because the dog 

owner knew he had a vicious dog, but 

allowed it to run loose to bite anyway. 

The instructor who knows a student 

is unsafe with a firearm in hand, but 

continues to allow the behavior, is the 

one who will be held culpable in court 

if a negligent shooting were to occur. 

That student must be removed from 

the range, perhaps only for that class 

session if it is a multiple class session 

course, but you have to stop that behavior 

immediately. It happens very rarely, 

but it does happen. I usually counsel 

the student regarding the behavior and 

offer a repeat of the class free of charge 

(primarily for good business reputation). 

How you want to handle that aspect 

of the situation is your decision. 

I hope this article was interesting and 

worthwhile, and as the series continues, 

I will endeavor to discuss additional 

safety protocols. H 

54 


The official radio program of 

The United States Concealed Carry Association 

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IT DOESN’T HAVE TO MAKE SENSE... IT’S JUST THE LAW 

“Do what you feel 

in your heart to 

be righT - for 

you’ll be criticized 

anyway. You’ll be 

damned if you do, 

and damned if 

you don’t.” 

- Eleanor Roosevelt 

DECISIONS 

[ B Y K . L . J A M I S O N ] 

above: 

Accessories will 

require answers, 

some more 

than others. 

right: Too big 

or too small, 

there is no 

Goldilocks gun. 

Eleanor Roosevelt carried a concealed weapon. 

She made the decision to carry concealed, 

and to go places where 

people threatened to kill her. 

She was never asked to explain any of 

these decisions —but she was Eleanor 

Roosevelt. Average persons will be 

asked to justify their decisions. The 

decision to carry is always questioned. 

The questions will become more intense 

and more detailed if the gun is 

used. 

We carry guns because, in this best 

of all possible worlds, bad things happen. 

Guns give us options which are not 

available to the unarmed. The next decision 

is the amount of training. If one 

has a great deal of training he will be accused 

of being over-enthusiastic about 

learning to kill people. If there is very 

little training, he will be accused of neglecting 

a deadly skill. Interrogators will 

demand a Goldilocks solution, something 

“just right” in a situation that is 

in no way right. Police practice can be a 

reasonable, even excessive standard for 

civilians. In reality, police marksmanship 

training is appallingly infrequent. 

If one shoots quarterly, one can usually 

boast more training than the local 

police department. Range logs provide 

evidence of training. 

Many fear that higher standards of 

training will lead them to being held 

to a higher standard of results. This 

does not appear to have been an issue 

in any case. More training leaves one 

better able to handle self-defense successfully. 

Competitive shooting makes 

one familiar with shooting under stress. 

It also ensures that one’s equipment 

is functioning. On 21 June, 1928 Jim 

Roberts, one of the last of the Wild West 

lawmen, was City Marshal in Clarkdale, 

Arizona. Marshal Roberts carried two 

Colt Peacemakers when he encountered 

two modern bandits robbing the 

bank. He killed the getaway driver, and 

then the firing pin broke. He aimed the 

second gun, which also snapped on a 

broken firing pin. The surviving bandit 

fired back using an automatic pistol 

with more enthusiasm than accuracy. 1 

The old Marshal charged the bandit 

and pistol-whipped him into submission. 

2 This was dramatic, but it would 

have been much better to know there 

was something wrong with the firing 

pins before the gunfight. 

Prosecutors argue that the only reason 

to carry hollowpoint ammunition is 

murder. Frighteningly, appellate courts 

have agreed. 3 The bailiff in the court of 

appeals carries hollow-point ammunition 

in his gun, which indicates the justices 

do not talk to this man. All police 

agencies use hollowpoint ammunition. 

This is not because it is more effective 

in a gunfight, but to avoid being sued. 

New York City’s police adopted jacketed 

ammunition to go with their 9mm 

Glocks. The problem was that this bullet 

would go completely through people 

to injure or kill other persons. The 

NYPD found that in a two-year period 

bullets that went through other persons 

injured twenty-five persons, seventeen 

of them police officers. 4 According to a 

former New York Police Commissioner, 

hollowpoints became “the law-enforcement 

standard” because they “stopped” 

a criminal faster, thus reducing the 

threat, were less likely to go through 

people and things, and less likely to ricochet. 

5 When the citizen is asked why 

he uses hollowpoints, and he will be, it 

is not in order to kill more effectively. It 

is because hollowpoints are “the lawenforcement 

standard” and thus the 

logical choice for civilian self-defense. 

The citizen has a choice of purchasing 

a small or large pistol. This will be 

described in some quarters as selection 

of a “Saturday Night Special” or “pocket 

rocket.” An elderly stroke victim purchased 

a .25 automatic because that 

was the largest caliber that he could 

safely control. 6 A Missouri farmer shot 

a burglar with a .357 Magnum because 

that was the only handgun he owned. 7 

The gun is just a bullet launcher. 

The cartridge will be criticized as be- 

56 


ing excessively powerful. When the 

Missouri farmer was prosecuted for 

killing the burglar his revolver was repeatedly 

referred to as a magnum in 

tones that made it sound like “nuclear 

weapon.” An Arizona hiker selected a 

10mm handgun for protection on his 

walks due to concerns about wildlife. 

Some animals require the extra power 

for effective penetration. After shooting 

an attacker he was criticized in court 

for selecting a cartridge that was more 

powerful than police loads; although 

the 10mm has been used in police 

work. The ammunition and handgun 

choice is a compromise involving what 

is available, controllable, and applicable 

to a variety of purposes. 

Modifications and accessories to the 

gun are often taken as evidence of deadly 

intent. In one case someone removed 

a minute portion of the hammer spring 

from an officer’s revolver. Another officer 

testified that this increased the 

firepower of the revolver. This opinion 

was mechanical nonsense but taken as 

fact until explained by an actual expert. 

Laser sights have been decried as creating 

a super weapon. In reality, the laser’s 

red dot has considerable detergent 

effect. Police records recount numerous 

confrontations with criminals who declare 

that they will never be taken alive, 

until the red dot hits their chest; and 

they change their mind. Anything that 

reduces the number of times a trigger is 

pulled makes the citizen’s life less complicated. 

The media stresses the amount of 

ammunition carried by killers, the implication 

being that the only reason to 

carry extra ammunition is to kill extra 

people. There are, of course, other reasons 

to carry extra ammunition. People 

under the stress of a self-defense incident 

suffer from “rapid-fire syndrome.” 

They tend to empty the gun and then 

discover that the criminal has friends, 

or is not dead. Because of drugs, psychosis, 

or seemingly pure evil, criminals 

have taken multiple hits from major 

calibers and remained mobile, active 

and hostile. The record appears to be an 

armed robber who absorbed 33 rounds 

in the head and chest before he went 

down. 8 Additionally, bullets can be lost 

by simply missing the target. In one unfortunate 

case, New York City police detectives 

within arm’s length of a suspect 

fired 42 times, but hit him only 19 times. 

Extra ammunition is rarely needed, but 

when needed shall be needed very badly 

indeed. 

A related complaint arises in cases in 

which the threat is shot multiple times. 

The Polk County, Florida sheriff’s department 

pursued a cop killer and shot 

him 68 times. When asked why the killer 

was shot 68 times Sheriff Grady Judd replied, 

“That’s all the bullets we had.” 9 

This unfortunate statement must be 

avoided. The number of shots alone 

is often taken as evidence of excessive 

force. Many combat shooting courses 

teach “double taps,” two-shot series repeated 

until the threat ceases. Multiple 

hits tend to keep the aggressor off balance 

and less effective until he becomes 

completely ineffective. Pathologists 

teach us that even with a shotgun blast 

through the heart, an aggressor can be 

mobile, active and hostile for 15 seconds, 

which could be the rest of the 

victim’s life. Pathologists also teach us 

that people do not go into shock until 

losing 20 percent of their blood volume. 

The more holes there are, the bigger 

the holes, the faster the aggressor loses 

blood. When violence is the answer, it 

must be a very big answer. 

A common prosecution trick is to 

display all of the defendant’s guns and 

ammunition to the media and jury. This 

is done regardless of whether the guns 

had anything to do with the incident in 

question. The guns will be referred to as 

an “arsenal” or a “collection” depending 

on whether they are described by 

the prosecution or the defense. 10 The 

purpose of the guns must be described 

especially if they appear to be refugees 

from an action movie. One gentleman 

was found to have a pistol, shotgun, 

and semi-automatic rifle in the front 

seat of his car, all loaded and with a 

great deal of extra ammunition. He was 

charged with carrying concealed weapons; 

in those days it was thought suspicious 

to fortify oneself. He described 

the guns as suitable for defense from 

near, medium and far attacks. These 

were not unlikely events in the neighborhood 

where he was headed. The 

collection was also suitable to loan to 

companions in case of emergency. 11 A 

farmer suspected prowlers at a temporarily 

vacant building and guarded the 

place with a shotgun to reinforce his revolver. 

He brought the shotgun because 

his ammunition for the revolver was old 

and he feared unreliable. 

Comments about decisions should 

be circumscribed. One has the right 

of free speech and the right to remain 

silent; they must never be confused. 

Jokes and macho comments about selfdefense 

decisions are anathema to the 

process. They will always come back to 

inspire charges and litigation. H 

[ Kevin L. Jamison is an attorney in the 

Kansas City Missouri area concentrating 

in the area of weapons and self-defense. ] 

Please send questions to Kevin L. 

Jamison 2614 NE 56 th Ter Gladstone 

Missouri 64119-2311 KLJamisonLaw@ 

earthlink.net. Individual answers are 

not usually possible but may be addressed 

in future columns. 

This information is for legal information 

purposes and does not constitute 

legal advice. For specific questions you 

should consult a qualified attorney. 

1. Criminals are notoriously bad shots. 

2. J. F. Burke “Jim Roberts—Old Hand With a Gun,” Frontier Times June-July 

1980 at 12 et seq. 

3. State v Eggers, 675 S.W.2d 923 (Mo. App. E.D. 1984) at 927. 

4. Cpl. Ed Sanow “When You Can’t Use Hollowpoint?” Gun World December 

200 at 48. 

5. Safir, Security, Thomas Dune Books St. Martin’s Press N.Y. 2003 at 161-2. 

The term “less likely” cannot be over emphasized. 

6. Author knew the gentleman. 

7. Author’s case. The .357 wadcutter handload went completely through the 

chest of a 200 pound intruder and the kitchen wall behind him. 


8. Adams, McTernan & Remsberg Street Survival, Calibre Press Northbrook 

Ill 1980 at 215. The wounds shown in the robber’s autopsy photo make his 

head and chest look polka-dotted. 

9. This was a 29 September, 2006 incident. The Florida Civil Rights 

Association was furious and the FBI was called to determine if excessive 

force was used. Actually the deputies fired 110 shots, hitting Angilo 

Freeland 68 times. Citations are listed at www.snopes.com/crime/cops/ 

judd.asp. 

10. These terms are selected for propaganda value rather than accuracy. 

11. Author’s case; we won. 

57

ARMED SENIOR CITIZEN 

The immediate 

goal when 

defending 

against a gun 

grab is to 

disable the 

offending hands 

and disrupt the 

attacker’s plan. 

THE SHARP 

SENIOR CITIZEN 

[ B Y B R U C E N . E I M E R , P h . D . ] 

above: Trap the 

attacker’s arm and 

access your blade. 

Disable the attacker’s 

arm. Disable the 

attacker. 

right: TOPS Felony 

Stop Fixed Blade with 

Kydex clip-on IWB 

Sheath. 

If you are a senior citizen, staying sharp refers to more 

than just looking good. 

It means cultivating a healthy mind 

and body that will help you remain 

aware of your surroundings, prepared 

and ready for any eventuality. Bad guys 

select their victims based upon their assessment 

of signs of weakness, frailty, 

timidity and fear. If you look confident, 

observant, oriented, decisive and active, 

bad guys will probably not want to 

mess with you. Maintaining confidence, 

staying sharp and observant, being decisive, 

and staying active do require 

commitment and effort, but it is worth 

it. Routine physical exercise keeps your 

body strong and energetic, makes you 

feel good, helps you think clearly, and 

slows the aging process. Routine mental 

exercise keeps your mind sharp so 

you can sustain continued attention and 

task focus. It also prevents aging-related 

memory loss. In addition, taking care 

of yourself emotionally helps keep your 

mind clear and free from worry. 

Prepared and 

ready to defend 

If you are an armed senior citizen, you 

need to be especially alert to attempts to 

relieve you of the firearm(s) you are carrying, 

and for that matter, anything else 

of value. Staying sharp means you are 

prepared and ready to defend against 

such threats. The action of thwarting an 

attempt to disarm you (a whole course 

or book in itself), is referred to as weapon 

retention. One of the simplest and 

most effective methods of handgun retention 

is to cut off the hand or arm that 

is trying to disarm you. There are various 

techniques for doing so, and again, the 

details are way beyond the scope of this 

article. However, the tool that is needed 

for the job is a sharp, reliable blade; that 

is, a quality folding or fixed blade knife 

that can be carried on the side opposite 

your handgun. A rapidly deployable 

blade, or two, reserved solely for social 

purposes, constitutes essential equipment 

for the legally armed citizen, senior 

or otherwise. 

The immediate goal when defending 

against a gun grab is to disable the offending 

hands and disrupt the attacker’s 

plan. A well targeted, timely slash with 

a sharp blade that cuts the tendons 

which control movement of the attacker’s 

hands and fingers will do the trick. 

You may also need to trap the offender’s 

58 


Blackhawk Pointman and B30 Assisted 

Opening folders, Kershaw Junkyard Dog 

and ZT Military Folders. 

Blackhawk XSF 

Punch Dagger and 

Micro Neck Knives. 

Be the feeder 

You must never underestimate your 

attacker. Assume that your attacker has 

combatives training and knows how to 

disable, maim and kill. To prevail if you 

are assaulted, your mindset must be offensive 

and not defensive. The best defense 

is a good offense. Recognize that 

defenders are receivers and receivers die. 

Be the feeder. There is no time to dither 

in disbelief. You must take care of the 

problem that you are going to die unless 

you act decisively and aggressively. You 

must end the fight fast. A physical attack 

on your person calls for an all out, full 

court press against your attacker or atabove: 

Cut resistant gloves by 

Blackhawk. 

left: To defend a right-side 

handgun and allow its use, 

the primary blade should be 

carried on the left side. When 

the knife is sheathed on the 

incorrect side, it becomes 

difficult to access the firearm 

while defending the draw. 

hands before, during and after making 

your cuts. Recognize that a slap or a 

parry may not be the thing to do if the 

attacker already has his hands on your 

handgun, as this could propel his inertia 

in getting your gun out of your holster. 

The SIG principle says 

simple is good 

Under combat stress, simple martial 

blade techniques are easier to perform 

than complicated ones. Simple 

techniques are also easier to learn and 

practice, especially for us old geezers. 

Fortunately, good training is available. 

The Sayoc International Group under 

the leadership of Grand Tuhon Chris 

Sayoc and Master Trainer Tuhon Tom 

Kier, offers seminars and training DVDs 

on the Filipino based Sayoc Kali martial 

arts system of blade, stick, and empty 

hand fighting methods. Blade seminars 

for beginners of all ages and either sex 

will also be offered though Personal 

Defense Solutions, so readers are invited 

to watch for future course offerings at 

www.PersonalDefenseSolutions.net. 

Action is faster 

than reaction 

You cannot be fast enough to catch 

up if you have to react to a bad guy’s vicious 

attack. Therefore, you must not 

only be aware and anticipate when an 

attack is imminent, but you must also be 

the “feeder” and not the “receiver.” The 

feeder or actor lives to see another day 

and the receiver or reactor dies. So, you 

must learn how to be the feeder in any 

violent confrontation. Recognize that 

the Violent Criminal Actor (VCA) expects 

to be the feeder. You must disrupt 

his nefarious plan and reverse the tables 

on him by turning him into the receiver. 

This is done by transforming instantly, 

explosively and aggressively into the 

feeder and disabling the bad guy’s body 

and mind in an aggressive, offensive 

counter-attack. 


59

tackers that overwhelms them. You must 

press your attacker to the ground or the 

wall. To be the feeder, you need to have 

deployable weapons on you. You should 

have at least one reliable handgun and a 

blade or two. At least one blade should 

be carried so it can be quickly deployed 

TATTOO PARLOR OWNER 

by your “other strong hand” to cut off the 

SHOOTS ROBBER 

arm and hand that is trying to take your 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The shotgun 

gun and kill you. 

hangs on the wall of the Tattoo Doctor for 

A simple a reason, reverse its employees grip on say. your It’s meant blade to 

and convey upward a message slash into anyone your attacker’s walking in: 

arm, Don’t followed mess with by a us. powerful stab to the 

assailant’s 

Until 

neck 

now, 

will 

the 

typically 

insinuation 

do the 

worked 

job. 

fine. But when a would-be robber tried 

You can practice this drill, illustrated 

to hold up the southwest Atlanta tattoo 

here, and with piercing a training parlor blade Thursday and dummy night, he 

handgun learned at the least hard 1000 way times what so happens it installs 

when into your disobey. subconscious as a motor 

memory. The store owner shot the man at least 

three times, sending him scurrying out of 

the shop and into a nearby apartment 

complex—where 

Blade choice 

he was 

and 

promptly 

carry arrested. considerations 

I prefer “Stop plain trying edge to rather rob, than that’s serrated 

or avenue partially they serrated need blades to take,” as the said for- 

the 

not the 

mer are owner’s easier brother, to sharpen who goes and by maintain. the name 

“Zok” Patrick. “But if you do,” he added, 

For stabbing, spear point and drop point 

“be ready for the repercussions.” 

blades such About as the seven Crucible people, II folder including and 

Crucible patrons FX2 and fixed employees, blade by were Blackhawk at the 

Products Group are more efficient than 

are tanto style blades. I also prefer designs 

with convex belly out edges for 

slashing such as the Crucible II folder. 

However, straight edge and concave 

curved karambits and hawkbill shaped 

blades such as the Garra II folder will 

shop on Campbellton Road when two 

also serve just fine. 

men came in about 8 p.m. asking to 

If you choose to carry a blade or two 

get tattooed. 

for personal As one of defense them was (the called wise in choice), for his I 

hope appointment, you will the think second about man how pulled you out are 

going a gun, to deploy ordered it everyone if you need to it get in a down hurry. 

There on the are ground multiple and options. demanded Most money, people 

Patrick said. 

in the know carry folding knives because 

“He pointed to the [shotgun] and 

they 

said 

are 

nobody 

convenient 

touch it,” 

to 

Patrick 

stow. 

said. 

However, 

“We 

folders put it up are there not to always curtail exactly easy to this deploy type 

in of a behavior.” hurry and they are typically not as 

sturdy As as the fixed patrons blades. hit Fixed the ground, blades the are 

typically store owner—whose sturdier and business quicker license to deploy, lists 

him as Ikeno Patrick, but who goes by 

but less convenient and comfortable to 

“Nomadic”—pulled out a different gun 

carry and unless fired. they come with concealable 

sheathing “Zok” systems Patrick that says offer his adjustable brother 

or returned multiple fire carry only positions. after the would-be 

robber When you fired choose some shots a folder of his for defensive 

own. 

Police 

carry, 

had 

you 

not 

want 

sorted 

to choose 

through 

a sturdy 

the 

details of the attempted robbery by late 

one that opens smoothly and reliably, 

Thursday night. “From what I seen, 

is [my razor brother] sharp, hit and him holds on the its mouth, edge. the The 

blade shoulder, should the side,” feel Patrick good in said. your hand. 

The knife should also permit multiple 

carry positions because how you carry 

it should be a function of what other 

weapons you are packing and your attire. 

Therefore, in a folder, it is desirable 

for the pocket carry clip to be movable 

so that you can carry the folder in your 

left 

The 

or 

man 

right 

ran 

pockets, 

out, firing 

blade 

back 

tip 

over 

either 

his 

up 

shoulder as he made his escape through 

or down. All of Blackhawk’s folders offer 

the parking lot. 

this “The feature, whole as neighborhood do many of must the have folders 

called made police. by Kershaw There were Knives so many and Columbia shots 

fired,” River Patrick Knife said. and Tool. 

Kershaw The store is pioneered in a shopping and center perfected 

that houses, among other businesses, a 

their SpeedSafe assisted opening system 

barber shop and a pizza place. 

for 

As 

their 

the 

folders 

shots flew, 

that 

the 

assists 

second 

the 

man 

user to 

cowered smoothly in open a corner, the knife saying, with “Please a manual 

don’t push kill on me. the I didn’t blade’s have thumb nothing stud to do or pull 

with back it,” on Patrick the recalled. blade protrusion or flipper. 

Atlanta CRKT police folders Officer also offer Eric Schwartz the brilliant 

said the would-be robber, whose name 

AutoLAWKS automatic safety, which automatically 

a hospital in engages stable condition. when the blade is 

was not released, was arrested and taken 

to 

opened, “Nomadic” locking Patrick the blade was taken in the to open 

a position. police station This to reinforces give his version the primary of 

events. blade The locking other mechanism employees spent such late as the 

Thursday 

liner lock, 

night 

in 

picking 

that both 

up glass 

locks 

shards 

must be 

and sweeping out the debris. 

manually disengaged to close the knife. 

Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

Whatever your age, August if you 16, are 2007 serious 

about personal defense you should have 

0 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.com 

Volume 4 - October 2007 

60 


multiple carry options for your blades. 

Blackhawk makes a molded Kydex 

sheath system for their pictured fixed 

blade offerings which allows the user 

to choose multiple carry positions for 

the fixed blade. These include inside the 

waist band carry, outside the belt carry, 

paddle carry, left or right side carry, 

and multiple carry angles. You can also 

purchase a second accessory sheath for 

your fixed blade and set it up for a different 

mode of carry. This gives you ultimate 

flexibility. 

Last but not least, neck knives can be 

always on you and serve as a very viable 

last ditch backup. An everyday carry 

neck knife should be a sharp, fixed blade 

that is lightweight, unobtrusive and 

comfortable to wear, ergonomic to hold, 

sizable enough to get a good grip on, and 

paired with a good Kydex sheath. 

Conclusions 

Refuse to be a victim. The next to last 

thing a violent criminal predator expects 

is an armed senior citizen who is 

ready and willing. The last thing he expects 

is a senior citizen carrying a sharp 

blade. Be prepared and ready to surprise 

him! Mr. Murphy is always alive and 

well. You probably didn’t get this far in 

life without knowing this. So, recognize 

that one gun is none, two guns are one, 

one blade is none, two blades are one, 

and therefore, it is wise to carry a backup 

blade and a backup gun on the opposite 

side of your primary carry gun. It is 

also smart to carry a backup blade (e.g., 

a quality folder) on the opposite side of 

your primary carry blade (i.e., carried 

on your primary gun side). Keep your 

carry blades sharp and your carry guns 

clean. Always be prepared and ready. 

Be a sharp senior citizen and walk with 

confidence. H 

[ Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D., psychologist and 

NRA Certified Law Enforcement Firearms 

Instructor, trains law abiding citizens in 

the defensive use of firearms. His company, 

Personal Defense Solutions, also runs 

the classes required to obtain the Florida, 

Virginia, and Utah non-resident multistate 

CCW permits. To learn more, visit: 

www.PersonalDefenseSolutions.net and 

www.DefensiveHandguns.com. ] 

CONTACTS: 

Blackhawk Products Group 

www.Blackhawk.com 

(800) 694-5263 

Columbia River Knife and Tool 

www.CRKT.com 

(800) 891-3100 

Kershaw Knives 

www.KershawKnives.com 

(503) 682-1966 

Personal Defense Solutions 

www.PersonalDefenseSolutions.net 

(215) 938-7283 

Sayoc International Group 

www.Sayoc.com 

(610) 747-0595 

TOPS Knives 

www.TopsKnives.com 

(208) 542-0113 

RANGE MASTER 

RANGEMASTER TRAINING CENTER 

WWW.RANGEMASTER.COM 

901-370-5600 

Solid, real world 

defensive training 

with handgun or shotgun, conducted at our 

home facility in Memphis, TN, or at your 

location. A full time school since 1996, we 

have trained thousands of students, over fi fty of 

whom have prevailed in armed confrontations. 

Courses available to fi t any skill level. Contact 

us to host a course in your area. 


61

BALLISTIC BASICS 

left: This man’s 

body hasn’t 

shrunk any, so 

the difference in 

weight is due to 

gravity’s weaker 

effect the farther 

away he is from 

sea level. 

below: A scale 

measures only 

the weight of 

objects and not the 

amount of matter, 

or mass, they’re 

composed of. 

WEIGHTY MATTERS 

[ B Y d e n n i s c a n t r e l l ] 

Your body’s weight is easy to determine, right? 

Simply step onto a scale and read 

the number displayed. And most 

of the time this works just fine. 

However, suppose you could transport 

yourself to the top of Mount 

Everest (29,035 feet high) and repeat 

the measurement. You’d find that your 

180-pound body now weighs a mere 

179.75 pounds, a quarter of a pound 

less. But since your body contains the 

same amount of physical matter, or 

mass, at the top of Mount Everest as it 

does at the bottom, how is this miracle 

weight loss possible? 

The secret is that a scale measures 

only the pull of gravity on our bodies 

and not the amount of physical matter 

in those bodies. And since gravity’s effect 

varies by location (the earth isn’t a 

perfect sphere, after all) and by height 

above the earth’s surface, this makes 

weight a relative measurement. Most of 

the time this is of little practical consequence. 

Even when it is (as with ballistics), 

it’s not something that we have to 

fret over. 

For example, many standard references 

will show the formula for kinetic 

energy as: 

Energy = 

(Mass x Velocity x Velocity)/2 

But a ballistics manual will usually 

show a cartridge’s kinetic energy as: 

Energy = (Bullet weight in grains x 

Velocity in feet per second x Velocity in 

feet per second)/450,400 

Both formulas are correct, but the 

second one uses some mathematical 

sleight of hand to keep you from having 

to worry about mass. Mass equals 

weight in pounds divided by 32.17, the 

acceleration of gravity. And if you divide 

a bullet’s weight in grains by 7,000 you’ll 

get its weight in pounds. Thus, the simple 

divisor of the first equation can be 

rewritten as: 2 x 7000 (converts bullet 

weight in grains into pounds) x 32.17 

(converts bullet’s weight in pounds 

into mass). The product of these new 

divisors is 450,380 which, by convention, 

is rounded to the nearest hundred: 

450,400. And this, of course, is the divisor 

of the second formula! Like magic, 

this mysterious number allows us to input 

weight in grains, a standard unit of 

measurement for bullet weight, which 

it then converts into pounds, and, finally, 

into mass‐‐the unit of measurement 

actually required by the formula. 

Although we don’t think about the 

difference between mass and weight, 

when it comes to ballistics it’s important 

to know that there is a difference. 

Weight is relative to surface location 

and altitude. Mass is not, which is why 

it’s used in ballistic formulas. H 

[ Dennis Cantrell, an Ohio resident avidly 

interested in firearms and self-defense 

hopes to promote both by helping others 

understand them better. ] 

62 


New Loads for 2010! 

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SINGLE TIME! 

• Optimized propellants 

burn quickly, reduce 

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• Shiny nickel cases 

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Hornady Critical Defense ammunition 

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NEW! 

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A stunning breakthrough in personal 

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Concealed carry and personal defense 

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ammunition. You may have never thought 

about the effects of fabric and clothing 

on the performance of personal defense 

ammo. But clothing — especially heavy 

clothing — has a lot to do with how the 

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Conventional hollow point bullets clog with 

fibers and fabric as they pass through 

clothing which diminishes expansion and 

causes unreliable bullet performance. 

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eliminates clogging with the use of 

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Single-Action isn’t 

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