Massad Ayoob The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry - Literatura (2024)

Prévia do material em texto

<p>GUNDIGEST®</p><p>BOOKOF</p><p>CONCEALED</p><p>CARRY</p><p>MASSADAYOOB</p><p>©2008MassadAyoob</p><p>Publishedby</p><p>Ourtoll-freenumbertoplaceanorderorobtai</p><p>afreecatalogis(800)258-0929.</p><p>Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyany</p><p>means,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrieval</p><p>system,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher,exceptbyareviewerwhomayquotebrief</p><p>passagesinacriticalarticleorreviewtobeprintedinamagazineornewspaper,orelectronically</p><p>transmittedonradio,television,ortheInternet.</p><p>LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2008925074</p><p>eBookISBN:978-0-89689611-6</p><p>ISBN-10:0896896110</p><p>DesignedbyPaulBirling</p><p>EditedbyKenRamage</p><p>PrintedinUnitedStatesofAmerica</p><p>AcknowledgmentsandDedication</p><p>I</p><p>t is a pleasure to acknowledge the contributions of thosewhomade this book</p><p>possible.GailPepin,whotookmostofthephotographsandwasindispensableto</p><p>the editingprocessonmyend.SteveDenney,whoseproofreading advicewas</p><p>invaluable,andwhowaskindenoughtowritetheforeword.HermanGunter,III</p><p>who also helped me proofread. Harry Kane, the superb editor at Combat</p><p>HandgunsandGuns&WeaponsforLawEnforcement,whogavemepermission</p><p>to blend into this book some things I had previously written for some of the</p><p>HarrisPublicationstitlesheputstogethersotirelessly.Thanks!Ineverwould’ve</p><p>madedeadlinewithoutyou!</p><p>Imay have designed a couple of holsters and come upwith a couple of</p><p>techniques, but this book really comes to you from the countless number of</p><p>peoplewho have taughtme and allowedme to pick their brains over the last</p><p>nearly fifty years. They are holster designers and gun designers, gunfight</p><p>survivorsand survivorsofhorrors theywereunarmedandhelpless toprevent.</p><p>Theyrange fromworldhandgunchampions tonovicehandgunstudents,allof</p><p>whom taught me lessons about how to help people prepare themselves and</p><p>becomereadytoquelllethalviolenceatamoment’snotice.</p><p>I was merely the conduit of their knowledge, the collecting agent who</p><p>passedtheircollectivelearningexperiencesontoyou,thereaderofthisbook.</p><p>Itistoallofthemthatthisbookisgratefullyandrespectfullydedicated.</p><p>MassadAyoob,</p><p>December2007</p><p>CONTENTS</p><p>AcknowledgmentsandDedication</p><p>ForewordbySteveDenney</p><p>SOFTWARE</p><p>Chapter1:TheCCWLifestyle</p><p>Chapter2:WhyWeCarry</p><p>Chapter3:WhereYouCan(AndCan’t)Carry</p><p>Chapter4:PreparationandAftermath</p><p>HARDWARE</p><p>Chapter5:“Gentlemen(AndLadies),ChooseYourWeapons”</p><p>Chapter6:DefenseLoadsofChoice</p><p>CARRYMETHODS</p><p>Chapter7:HipHolsters</p><p>Chapter8:CrossDraws</p><p>Chapter9:ShoulderHolsters</p><p>Chapter10:PocketCarry</p><p>Chapter11:AnkleHolsters</p><p>Chapter12:Non-traditionalCarryMethods</p><p>Chapter13:ConcealingLargerHandguns</p><p>Chapter14:ImprovingYourDrawFromConcealment</p><p>Chapter15:TheBackupCCW</p><p>Chapter16:OpenCarry</p><p>ENHANCEMENTS</p><p>Chapter17:WardrobeFactors</p><p>Chapter18:IDPA:HowItHelpsTheConcealedCarryPractitioner</p><p>Chapter19:FinalAdvice</p><p>KeyThings</p><p>FOREWORD</p><p>Spentcasingsareinchesapartfromex-SWATcopSteveDenney’snewSIGP2509mmashe</p><p>testsitwithafastdoubletap.</p><p>I</p><p>’vebeencarryingconcealedfirearmssince1968,whichwasmyfirstyearasa</p><p>swornlawenforcementofficer.IwasfinishingthelastyearofmyCriminology</p><p>DegreeatFloridaStateUniversityandjoinedtheTallahasseePoliceDepartment</p><p>as a Reserve Officer. Since then, I’ve learned a few lessons about concealed</p><p>carry by trial and error, butmy knowledge about firearms has been improved</p><p>immenselybyreadingwhattheexpertsweresaying.Intheearly1970s,besides</p><p>reading articles by people with names like Cooper, Gaylord, Askins, Skelton,</p><p>etc.,IstartedreadingarticlesfromaguybythenameofMassadAyoob.Ibegan</p><p>towonder,whowas thisAyoob guy and,more importantly,why didwhat he</p><p>wroteactuallymakesense,basedonmyownexperience?Myrelationshipwith</p><p>Mas’writingwasstrictlyone-sided(hewroteandIread)fromthenuntil1999,</p><p>whenI finallyhad thechance to takemyfirstLFIcourse.Since thenwehave</p><p>becomegood friends and I havebecomean instructorwithhim for hisLethal</p><p>ForceInstitute.Thathasgivenmeapreciousopportunitytoseehowheacquires</p><p>and uses the knowledge that he shareswith others in his training classes, his</p><p>writingandhiscaseworkasanexpertwitness.Sowhenhesaidhewaswritinga</p><p>bookaboutconcealedcarry,Ithought:“Thishasgottobegood!”</p><p>Well,itis.IhavebeenporingoverthemanuscriptforthepastweekandI</p><p>amhappytoreportthatMashasputtogetherawinner.Andatimelywinner,at</p><p>that.Concealedcarryhasbeenahottopicintheworldofgunownershipforthe</p><p>past two decades or so.More andmore opportunities for decent, law abiding</p><p>citizens to protect themselves by legally carrying concealed firearms have</p><p>emerged as State after State has adoptedmore realistic concealed carry laws.</p><p>Even so, only about two percent of the people eligible for a concealed carry</p><p>permit actually apply for one. That is starting to change, however.Of course,</p><p>September11,2001startedfolksthinkingmoreseriouslyaboutthesubject.And</p><p>most recently, themassmurder of students at Virginia Tech, the shootings in</p><p>mallsinOmahaandSaltLakeCityandthearmedattacksonreligiouscentersin</p><p>ArvadaandColoradoSpringsarecausingpeople toreassess theirvulnerability</p><p>as they go about their daily lives. As more and more people come to the</p><p>conclusionthattheyneedtotakerealisticprecautionsagainstviolentattack,the</p><p>needforsensibleconcealedcarryadvicewillcontinuetoexpand.</p><p>Concealedcarryhasbeenahottopicintheworldofgunownershipforthepasttwodecades</p><p>orso.</p><p>OneofthethingsthathasalwaysimpressedmeaboutthewayMasworksis</p><p>thatheisnotjustateacherandnotjustawriter.Heisatruestudentoffirearms,</p><p>theirhistoryandtheiruse.Thisbookreflectshisseriousresearchofthesubject,</p><p>aswellashisabilitytocommunicatewithhisaudience.Thereferencestomany</p><p>of the legendarynames in the firearmsworldandmanyof the real-worldcase</p><p>studiesarenot just academic.Mashasknownmostof thegreats.Andanyone</p><p>whoknowsMasalsoknowsthatheisalwaysaskingquestions,alwaysanalyzing</p><p>otherpeople’sviewsandalwaysseekingmoreandmoreknowledge.It’snotjust</p><p>the “names” either. I have beenwith himwhen he asked the ordinaryman or</p><p>womanwhattheirimpressionswereonaparticulargunorpieceofgear.“How</p><p>doyoulikethatBeretta,”heaskedayounghighwaypatrolmanweweresharing</p><p>agaspumpwithduringafuelstoponatripacrosstheGreatPlains.“How’sthat</p><p>holsterworkin’ for ya,” to a Sheriff’sDeputywemet at a convenience store.</p><p>“Whatdoyouthinktheyshoulddotoimprovethat”isacommonquestionwe</p><p>hearwhenhecallsonustohelpevaluatesomegunorothergearthathasbeen</p><p>senttohimto“T&E.”Beyondtheequipment,Masgathersreal-lifeinformation</p><p>abouttheuseoffirearmsforselfdefense.Certainlyhiscaseworkasanexpert</p><p>hasgivenhimuniqueaccesstoincidentsfromthestreets.Someofthemarehigh</p><p>profile,someratherordinary.Excepttothepeopleinvolved.Everycasehasits</p><p>lessons.And,veryoften, his studentshave their stories.Stories that canmake</p><p>thehaironthebackofyourneckstandup,orbringateartoyoureye.Likethe</p><p>femalestudentwhohadbeenthevictimoftwoviolentsexualassaults.Thefirst</p><p>time her attacker succeeded in raping her. The second attacker did not. The</p><p>difference?Thesecond</p><p>to send the assassins fleeing with their AK47s. At least that was the</p><p>assessmentof theSouthAfricanPolice,never apro-gunorganization,when it</p><p>issued vanWyk a commendation for his actions. The award read, “Mr. Charl</p><p>AdriaanvanWykisherebycommendedforoutstandingservicesrenderedinthat</p><p>he: on 25 July 1993 endangered his own life in warding off the attack</p><p>perpetratedontheSt.JamesCongregationinKenilworth.Hisactioninpursuing</p><p>thesuspectsonfootandreturningfirepreventedfurtherlossoflife.Oneofthe</p><p>suspectswoundedintheincidentwaslaterarrested.”</p><p>CharlvanWyk,likemanyothers,citesBiblicalconfirmationofhischoice</p><p>to be armed.Proverbs25:26:“Like amuddied spring or a pollutedwell is a</p><p>righteousmanwhogiveswayto thewicked.”Luke22:36:“If thouhastnota</p><p>sword,sellthycloakandbuyone.”(Thisparticularquotewasafavoriteofmy</p><p>old friend Harlon Carter, the dynamic president of the National Rifle</p><p>Association.)Nehemiah 4:14: “Don’t be afraid of them.Remember the Lord</p><p>who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your</p><p>daughters, your wives and your homes.” Exodus 22:2: “If a thief is caught</p><p>breakinginandisstrucksothathedies,thedefenderisnotguiltyofbloodshed.”</p><p>Insomejurisdictions,asignlikethismeansthesameas“CCWIllegalHere!”</p><p>It is generally accepted that it is illegal for a private citizen towear a gun in aU.S. PostOffice,</p><p>irrespectiveofconcealedcarrypermits.</p><p>Remember that in the original Hebrew, the Sixth Commandment is not</p><p>“Thou shaltnotkill,”but “Thou shaltnot commitmurder.”That is, thou shalt</p><p>notkillwithevilintent.</p><p>Ihave trainedmanyclergymenover theyears,mostof themthereligious</p><p>leadersoftheirparticularparishorsynagogue.OnewasaBishopoftheCatholic</p><p>church.Most(notall,butmost)oftheseparticularpadreswerescrupulousabout</p><p>makingitcleartomethattheutmostconfidentialitywasnecessaryinregardto</p><p>theirtraining.Itwasobviouswhythatwas,butitwasaBishopwhosaiditbest.</p><p>“IfitwastogetoutthatIcarriedaguneveryday,”saidtheBishop,“Iwouldend</p><p>upastheparishpriestinFlatRock,Iowa.”</p><p>Therearegunlawcompendiaformanystates,butrememberthatthelawsareconstantlychanging.</p><p>Reviewthem,butupdateconstantly!</p><p>Insome jurisdictions,housesofworshipareoff-limits for legalconcealed</p><p>carry.Inothers,itmaybeOKtocarrythereintheeyesofthelaw,butforbidden</p><p>by thatparticularchurch’spolicy. Insomestates,youcan loseyourpermit for</p><p>carrying in a place that is “posted” against the practice. In others, there is no</p><p>penaltyforignoringa“no-guns”policy,butifyourweaponisspotted,youcan</p><p>expecttobeaskedtoleave.Ifyoudonotcomply,youcanthenbearrestedfor</p><p>“trespassafterwarning,”andinadditiontothatparticularoffense,yourpermitto</p><p>carrymaynowbeinjeopardy.</p><p>Staywithin the law, anduse common sense. It ain’t all about “praise the</p><p>Lordandpasstheammunition.”</p><p>CarryinginSchools</p><p>The series of mass murders in American schools in the last few years,</p><p>particularly the atrocity at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in</p><p>1999andtheoneatVirginiaTechin2007,havebroughtuptheissueofwhether</p><p>teachers or other school personnel shouldbe armedon campus.The issuehas</p><p>raisedsomeheateddiscussionsonbothsides.</p><p>Shortly after the Columbine incident, I was called by the Wall Street</p><p>Journaland asked towrite a short essay for their op-ed page on the topic, in</p><p>whichIcameoutstronglyforapolicy thatwouldallowforvolunteer teachers</p><p>and other staff to be specially trained and authorized to carry concealed</p><p>handgunswhile at school.TV’sTodayShowgot hold of it, and invitedme to</p><p>appearoppositeaspokesmanforoneoftheeducators’associations,whototally</p><p>opposedtheidea.Noone,hescoffed,hadeverheardofsuchasuggestion.</p><p>IthenexplainedhowtheIsraelischoolshavehadthissysteminplacesince</p><p>theMaalotmassacreof schoolchildrenby terrorists in themid-1970s, andhad</p><p>effectively put an end to such problems. The plainclothes bodyguards were</p><p>volunteer parents and grandparents as well as teachers, all trained by the</p><p>Israelicivil guard.WhenhostMattLauer sarcastically asked if the planwould</p><p>include assault weapons, I replied that the discreetly concealed 9mm</p><p>semiautomaticpistolsoftheIsraelishadworkedjustfine.</p><p>SimilarconceptsareinplaceinPeru,thePhilippines,andelsewhere.We’ve</p><p>alsoseenproofoftheefficacyofanarmedcitizenresponseinschoolshootings</p><p>intheUnitedStates.InPearl,MississippiatwistedteennamedLukeWoodham</p><p>stabbedhismothertodeathtogetthekeytohisestrangedfather’sguncabinet,</p><p>and thenextmorning showedupat schoolwitha30-30deer rifle.Heopened</p><p>fire, with fatal results. As Woodham ran to his car, assistant principal Joel</p><p>Myrickrantohis,andretrievedacompactColtOfficers45ACPautomatic.He</p><p>confronted the escapingWoodham, who crawled out of his car and cravenly</p><p>surrendered.Theyoungmurdererhadbeenheadinginthedirectionofanearby</p><p>juniorhighschool,stillinpossessionofthedeathweaponandanamplesupply</p><p>ofammunition.</p><p>“Intheplace/Thathasthesteeple/Theymaynotwelcome/Pistol-packin’people.”</p><p>Inmost jurisdictions, concealed carry is illegal in courthouses.Check the laws in any jurisdiction</p><p>whereyoucarry.</p><p>In Pennsylvania, another crazy punk kid opened firewith a small caliber</p><p>pistolatanoff-groundsschoolaffair.Theownerofthevenuegrabbedashotgun</p><p>fromhisofficeandtooktheviciouslittlepunkatgunpoint.Thelatter,ofcourse,</p><p>surrendered, and a massacre was very likely averted. In Virginia, a mass</p><p>shootingat a lawschoolwasabortedwhen twoadult studentsdrew theirown</p><p>handguns and took the armedoffender at gunpoint, atwhich timehe instantly</p><p>gaveup.</p><p>Thereality isasobviousasacorpseondisplay ina funeralhomecasket.</p><p>Gunsinthehandsofgoodpeoplestoparmedbadpeoplefromcommittingmass</p><p>murder.“Gun-freezones”literallybecomehuntingpreservesforthepsychopaths</p><p>whohunthumans.</p><p>FederalBuildings</p><p>Asageneralrule,Federalbuildingsareoff-limitsforprivatecitizenswith</p><p>firearms,concealedcarrypermitsnotwithstanding.Ifyoufeelacompellingneed</p><p>tocarryaguninoneofthoseplacesanddon’twanttotakethisadvice,phone</p><p>theofficeyouwishtovisitandaskthemabouttheirpolicy.Intheunlikelyevent</p><p>that they tell you “Sure, it’s OK to carry here,” get something in writing on</p><p>Governmentletterheadwithasignaturefromaresponsibleindividual.</p><p>Theplacemostfolkswithpermitsespeciallywanttocarryis,ofcourse,the</p><p>PostOffice.It’stheoneofficeoftheFederalgovernmentthattheprivatecitizen</p><p>mostfrequentlyvisits.Therehasbeenagreatdealofcontroversyoverthisissue.</p><p>Some people interpret the wording of the regulation that generally prohibits</p><p>firearms from such places as exempting permit-holders. There are otherswho</p><p>considerthatinterpretationtobewishfulthinking.</p><p>IhaveoccasiontoenterPostOfficebranchesalloverthiscountry,andthere</p><p>isgenerallyasignpresent(sometimesconspicuous,sometimesnot)statingflatly</p><p>thatfirearmsarenotpermittedonthesepremises.Statinglaterincourtthatwhat</p><p>youreadon thisor thatelectronicgunforumon the Internetsayingyoucould</p><p>carry inPostOffices, carriedmoreweight inyourmind thana signpostedby</p><p>thatOfficeflatlyprohibitingcarrythere,isnotgoingtoputyouingreatshapeif</p><p>youarearrested</p><p>bysecuritythereforillegalCCW.</p><p>My advice to private citizens is conservative, and simple: “Don’t carry a</p><p>guninsidetheUnitedStatesPostOffice,oranyotherFederalbuilding.</p><p>Courthouses</p><p>I don’t personally know of any courthouses anymore where the private</p><p>citizen can carry a gun around inside. In a handful of jurisdictions (check</p><p>carefullytoseeifyoursisone)itislegalforthearmedcitizentoactuallycheck</p><p>his or her gun into a lockbox at Courthouse Security when they enter, and</p><p>retrieveitwhentheyleave.These,unfortunately,arefewandfarbetween.Ihave</p><p>also seen court security personnel literally become hysterical when someone</p><p>simply asked them about the legality of firearms in the courthouse. (“Oh,my</p><p>God!Agun!Doyouhaveagun?Doyouhaveagun?!?”)</p><p>Mostjurisdictionsforbidcarryofconcealedweaponsatschoolsportingevents.</p><p>Amajorityofjurisdictionsforbidprivatecarryofhandgunsatschools.Authorwouldliketoseethis</p><p>changetotheproven-saferIsraeliparadigm.</p><p>Whenindoubt,callSecurityattheCourthouseinquestion,andgetitsorted</p><p>outclearlybeforehand.Makesuretheyunderstandthatyouareaprivatecitizen</p><p>withacarrypermit,andnotapoliceofficer.</p><p>Federal Courthouses in particular take guns very seriously. If you are</p><p>carryingyourgunwhenyouwalkthroughthefrontdoorandasktheguardsat</p><p>the metal detectors if you can check your gun, you’re already in violation</p><p>becauseyou’realreadyinsidethecourthouseproper.</p><p>Carrying a gun at church is no longer unthinkable, in jurisdictions where it is not expressly</p><p>forbidden. In a case that happened as this book went to press, an armed citizen gunned down a</p><p>heavilyarmedmassmurdereratareligiouscenterandsavedcountlesslives.</p><p>Here’saquestionfortheteacher:injurisdictionswhereyou’relegaltohaveaguninyourglovebox</p><p>butcan’tcarryoneanyplacewherealcoholicbeveragesaresold,wheredoyoustandlegallywhen</p><p>youvisitthisdrive-throughbeerstore?</p><p>Forallthesereasons,thegeneralruleofthumbis,“Don’tbringaguntothe</p><p>courthouse.” If the gun is evidence, talk to the attorney who summoned you</p><p>there,andhewillgo through theprocessofgetting thegunbrought in, turned</p><p>over toSecurity,andbrought to thecourtroomandbackoutat theappropriate</p><p>time.</p><p>AlcoholicBeverageEstablishments</p><p>Gunpowderandalcoholcanobviouslybeaprettyscarymixture.Different</p><p>jurisdictionshandlethatindifferentways.IusedtoenjoyvisitingtheShortstop,</p><p>atavernonLA’sSunsetBoulevard.ItwasthemodelforthebarJoeWambaugh</p><p>calledTheHouseofMisery inhisnovel,TheBlackMarble. Itwasacopbar.</p><p>MosttimesIwasinthere,therewereprobablyonlythreeorfourpeopleinthe</p><p>placethatweren’tcarryingguns.</p><p>Atthiswriting(2007),itisperfectlylegaltocarryyourgunintoatavernin</p><p>MassachusettsorNewHampshire,andhaveadrinkortwo,ifyouhaveaCCW</p><p>permit.Obviously,ifyougetdrunkanddosomethingstupidwiththegun,you</p><p>canexpecttogotoprison.It’syourresponsibilitytobe,well,responsible.</p><p>In one case I was called in on recently, a Massachusetts CCW-holder</p><p>droppedinathisfavoritewateringspot,anddidn’tevenhavetimeforonedrink</p><p>beforeamanhewellknewtobeaviciouslybrutalbullybeganharassingalocal</p><p>woman. The armed citizen stepped in, and became the object of the bully’s</p><p>wrath. Bouncers intervened and kept the bully, who was known locally as</p><p>“Killer,”fromattackingthepermitholder.</p><p>Inmost jurisdictions, your carry permit allows you to be armed in aWal-Mart…but not in New</p><p>Mexicoifthatparticularstoresellsalcoholicbeverages.</p><p>EndinguphereforaCCWerrorwouldbeaverybadthing…</p><p>…butendingupherebecauseyouwerehelplessisanevenworseoutcome.Properplanning,mind-</p><p>set,andknowingtherightthingtodocankeepyououtofbothplaces.</p><p>Ifjurisdiction’sprevailinglawsays“nogunsincountyormunicipalbuildings,”checktoseewhere</p><p>thatleavesyouwhenyouvisitthepubliclibrary.</p><p>They all left the bar separately, a few minutes apart, the armed citizen</p><p>leavinglast.HewascarryingaBeretta40inahipholsterunderhissweatshirt.</p><p>Ashedroveaway,hesawamanviolentlyattackingawoman.Pullingover,he</p><p>saw it was the bully and the woman from the bar, whom the bully had been</p><p>stranglingmomentsbefore.Hejumpedoutofhiscarandorderedthemantolet</p><p>hergo.Thebullythrewhertotheground,screamed“I’llkillyou!”andlungedat</p><p>theCCWholder,who by now had drawn his Beretta.He fired one shot. The</p><p>assailantwent down,mortallywounded, and the rescuer survived amore than</p><p>three-year legalnightmare that culminatedwithhis acquittalof all thecharges</p><p>(Murder,Manslaughter,andAggravatedAssault)thatwerelodgedagainsthim.</p><p>Ifhehadnotbeencarryinghisgun(legally,underthatstate’slaws)bothheand</p><p>thewomanhesavedmighthavebeenkilledorprofoundlyinjured.</p><p>Notlongago,aNewHampshiremanwashavingaquietdrinkinacitybar,</p><p>whenaweirdopulledoutagunwithmurderclearlyonhismind.Thecitizen,</p><p>licensed tocarryhis littleKel-Tec“ratgun,”drewandshothim.Theoffender</p><p>lived, but after being shot gave up his attempts to hurt innocent people and</p><p>focusedsolelyonsurvivinghisgunshotinjuries.Tothebestofmyknowledge,at</p><p>thiswriting, the armed citizenwho shot himhas not been criminally charged.</p><p>He,too,hadapermitandwasperfectlylegaltocarrywhiledrinkingmoderately</p><p>andresponsibly…inthatjurisdiction.</p><p>In our nation’s patchwork quilt of state-by-state laws, things change</p><p>dependingwhereyouare.InNorthCarolina,youcan’tevencarryyourguninto</p><p>a restaurant thathasa liquor license, even ifyou’renotdrinking.The same is</p><p>true in Virginia, with one exception: you can “open carry” a handgun in a</p><p>restaurant with a liquor license, and even while consuming alcohol in a bar!</p><p>Indeed, the VCDL (Virginia Citizens’ Defense League) considers the “good</p><p>restaurantaccess” factor tobeoneof thestrongestpillarsof theiradvocacyof</p><p>openhandguncarry.OnenightwhileteachingalethalforceclassinRichmond,</p><p>someVCDLmemberstookmetothebaratanOutbacktomakeapoint.Most</p><p>wereconspicuouslycarryinghandguns inunconcealedholsters.Theywerenot</p><p>hassled. I couldn’t help but notice, though, that the customers at one table</p><p>nervously summoned awaiter andpointed,with frightened expressions, at the</p><p>Glock2145automaticonthehipofoneVCDLmember.Thewaiterexplained</p><p>thatitwaslegal,andhewassorry,buttherewasnothinghecoulddoaboutit.</p><p>ThenyouhavethestateofFlorida,whereatthiswriting,youcansuckup</p><p>all the booze youwant in a restaurantwith a liquor license. However, if the</p><p>maitre‘dsays,“Yourtablewillbereadyinafewminutes;youcanwaitinthe</p><p>bar,” the second you step over that threshold you’re committing a Class IV</p><p>Felony, and your automatic loss of your concealed carry privilegewill be the</p><p>leastofyourproblems.Inthatstate,evenifyouarenotconsumingalcohol,you</p><p>areforbiddentohaveyourguninanypremisesthatmakesmorethan50%ofits</p><p>incomefromservingalcoholbythedrink.</p><p>In Texas, not only can’t you pack in a bar or a restaurant with a liquor</p><p>license,youcan’tevenenteraliquorstorewithyourgunontopurchaseabottle</p><p>ofwinetobringhome,unopened,fordinner.ThesameistrueinNewMexico.A</p><p>few years ago in the Albuquerque area, a madman with a knife attacked a</p><p>womaninalocalWal-Martandnearlymurderedher.Hewas</p><p>plunginghisknife</p><p>into her as an armed citizen leaned over the counter with a licensed-to-carry</p><p>semiautomaticpistol,andshothimdead.Allincludingthevictim,whosurvived,</p><p>realized he had saved her life. Alas, anti-gun organizations pushed for his</p><p>prosecutiononthegroundsthathewasillegallycarryingthegun,becauseWal-</p><p>Marts typically sell carry-out alcoholic beverages. What saved this heroic</p><p>gentlemanwas the fact thathewas in theoneWal-Mart in thearea thatdidn’t</p><p>havealiquorlicense.</p><p>The lesson is clear. Know the law regarding the carry of firearms in</p><p>alcoholicbeverageestablishments,inthecommunityyouhappentobeinatthe</p><p>moment.Thereisnonationalstandard.</p><p>Thesimplestandmostlogicalcourseofactionistostaythehelloutofbars</p><p>whenyou’recarryingagun.Evensimplerandmorelogical,juststaythehellout</p><p>ofbars.</p><p>One of my mentors was the late, great Lt. FrankMcGee, the legendary</p><p>NYPDmanwhoturnedthatdepartment’sFirearmsTrainingUnitintoaFirearms</p><p>andTacticsUnit,tookanoveralltacticalapproachtotrainingthatcausedtherate</p><p>of the officers’ gunfight survival to skyrocket.During one short period in the</p><p>1970s,threepoliceofficerswereshotandkilledingunfightsthatoccurredwhile</p><p>theywereoff-dutyinNewYorkdrinkingestablishments.UnderFrank’stutelage,</p><p>theFTUliterallyinstitutedablocof“offdutybar-roomsurvival”training.</p><p>Frankstronglyurgedhisofficerstostayoutofbarsforonesimplereason:</p><p>barsarefullofunknowndrunkidiotswithguns.Icantellyouthathelivedwhat</p><p>hetaught,too.McGeewasamanwholikedtolightupanL&Mcigaretteandsip</p><p>a glass of goodScotch…but he liked to do it someplacewhere itwas safe to</p><p>relax.</p><p>One time back in the ’80s, Frank and I were guest-teaching at an</p><p>Instructors’ Update class at Smith & Wesson Academy in Springfield,</p><p>Massachusetts,andbothhadroomsatahotelinnearbyChicopee.Afterclass,I</p><p>invited Frank to join me for a drink in the hotel bar. “The hell with that,”</p><p>growled Frank. “You knowwhy I hate bars. Come on bymy room and have</p><p>someScotch.”</p><p>Whenthisguypullsyouoverforaroutinestopandyou’relegallycarryingagun,therearethings</p><p>youneedtoknowbeforehand.</p><p>“Ah, c’mon,” I teased. “Bars have atmosphere. It’ll be fun.” I finally</p><p>cajoled him, against his better judgment, into joining me at the hotel bar.</p><p>Damned if we weren’t just starting our first drinks, when a stereotype butch</p><p>lesbian started a raging fight with her more “femme” lover in the bar. Frank</p><p>flashedatriumphantsmileatmeandsaid,“See?See?”Andthen,withthehard-</p><p>learnedpeople skillsof aNewYorkcop,he spoke softly to thecouplewith a</p><p>charmthatwouldhaveevaporatedthemorningdewfromtheBlarneyStone,and</p><p>hadtheaggressortearfullyapologizingtoherloverinminutes.</p><p>Atwhichpoint,weleftthebar,meshakingmydumbfoundedhead.Frank</p><p>McGee had made the point. All I could mutter was, “How the hell did you</p><p>arrangethat?”</p><p>Istillvisitbarsoccasionally,butlessandlessastheyearsgoby,andnever</p><p>anymoreinFlorida,NewMexico,orotherstateswiththoserules.IfIneedto</p><p>meetsomeoneinabaronbusinesswhereit’snotlegaltocarrymygunonmy</p><p>person,Isecuretheguninthehotelroom.</p><p>Ifyouusealcohol,useitthewayyouuseguns:responsibly.</p><p>AndOneOtherThing…</p><p>You can be driving along,minding your own business, perfectly legal to</p><p>haveyourconcealedweaponon…andtheblue,orred,orblue-and-red lights</p><p>startflashinginyourrear-viewmirror.Youareabouttoundergoaroutinetraffic</p><p>stopwhilecarryingaloadedgun.Howexactlydoyouhandlethat?</p><p>Ifthisbookwaslarger,Icouldtellyouenoughstoriesforaloooongchapter</p><p>on this topic alone. It isn’t, so let’s skip thewar stories and cut to thebottom</p><p>line, which is: it’s situational. I say that because you’ll find yourself in three</p><p>differentkindsofstates.1)ThosethatrequireaCCWholdertoidentifyhimself</p><p>orherselfimmediatelyuponcontactwithpolicewhoareintheperformanceof</p><p>theirduties.2)Statesthatdon’thavethat,butdocrossreferencetheirCCWfiles</p><p>withthestatedepartmentofmotorvehicles,sowhenacoprunsyourlicensetag</p><p>he immediately comes upwith the fact that the owner is licensed to carry. 3)</p><p>Stateswhereneitherofthosethingsareinforce.</p><p>Thelawsofthegivenjurisdictioninanationthat’sapatchworkofgunlaws,arethelawsyou</p><p>havetofollow.</p><p>Inthefirstkindofstate,thebestwaytoIDyourselfistocarryyourCCW</p><p>cardrightnexttoyourdriver’slicense,andhandthetwototheofficer,without</p><p>sayingawordabout theCCW.They’llseeit,andtakeitfromthere.(Manyor</p><p>evenmostwill relax a little, knowing they’re dealingwith someonewhowas</p><p>investigatedanddeemedaproperpersontocarrya loaded,concealedhandgun</p><p>in public.)You have not uttered that scary “G-word” that frightens passersby,</p><p>andyoungrookiecopswhomightberidingalongtonight.</p><p>Inthesecondkindofstate,doexactlythesamething.You’renotrequired</p><p>tobylaw,butthecopknowswhenhestopsyouthatyou’relikelytobecarrying,</p><p>and if he has to ask to find out, he may well see it subconsciously as you</p><p>practicing “deception by omission of information.” Ergo, CCW along with</p><p>driver’slicense,asinthepreviouscase.</p><p>Inthethirdkindofstate,whereI’maswornofficer,neitheroftheaboveis</p><p>thecase,andfranklyIdon’tcare.IfI’vepulledyouoverandI’mworriedabout</p><p>youbeingarmed,I’llaskyou,atwhichtimeI’llexpectanhonestanswer.You</p><p>blurtingatfirstcontactsomethingabouthavingaguntellsmeyou’vegotalotof</p><p>ego invested in it, and that makes me nervous. But, that’s just me. A lot of</p><p>brotherandsisterofficersinmyandsimilarjurisdictionstellmethatthedriver</p><p>handingover theCCWreassures them.So,gowith theshort form,whichwill</p><p>workwhereveryouarelegaltocarry:justforkovertheCCWwiththeDL.The</p><p>officerperformingthestopwilltakeitfromthere.</p><p>Iftheofficerasksyoutostepoutofyourvehicle,itmeansthateitheryoufit</p><p>thedescriptionofsomeonehe’slookingforwhodidABadThingandyou’llbe</p><p>patteddown,or that youweredriving carelessly enough togivehimprobable</p><p>causetobelieveyoumightbe“undertheinfluence,”inwhichcasethereisabout</p><p>tobearoadsidefieldsobrietytest.Whilesomeofmybrothersandsistersusethe</p><p>gazenystagmustestforthis,mostofusstillusetheRohmbergseries,whichwill</p><p>involvemovements such as arms extendingout to the sides,which can reveal</p><p>yourholsteredweapon.Ineithercase,youdon’twantfindingtheguntocomeas</p><p>a surprise. If I was instructed, “Please step out of the car,” I would keepmy</p><p>handsinplainsightandmotionlessandreply,“Certainly,Officer.However,I’m</p><p>licensed to carry, and I dohave it on.Tellmewhatyouwantme todo.”The</p><p>statementbeginsandendswithrespectfuldeferenceandlawfulcompliance,and</p><p>avoidsanythingthatsoundslike“I’vegotagun,”whichisgenerallyinterpreted</p><p>asathreateningstatement.</p><p>I’vebeenonbothsidesofthesestops.Somecopswillasktotakecustody</p><p>yourgunwhilethestopisunderway.Theyhavethelegalrighttodothat.Don’t</p><p>argue or give themSecondAmendment lectures: they’ll see it as a dangerous</p><p>personwithagunwhoisnon-compliantwithlawfulcommands,andyournight</p><p>willquicklygodownhillandyourcarrypermitmaysoongrowwingsandleave</p><p>you. I wouldn’t reach for the gun if the officer wanted that. I would say,</p><p>“Certainly,Officer/Deputy/Trooper.However,Idon’twant</p><p>it tolooktoanyone</p><p>elseasifI’mpullingagunonanofficer.Thepistolisinaholsteronmyright</p><p>hip.You’rewelcometotakeit.Tellmewhatyouwantmetodo.”</p><p>Iftheofficerinsistsonyouhandingitover,doitveryslowlyandcarefully,</p><p>withthemuzzleinasafedirectionandfingerclearofthetriggerguard.Ifyou</p><p>cansimplyunfastentheholsterandhandovertheholsteredweapon,that’seven</p><p>safer.</p><p>Would’vebeeneasierifyou’djustfollowedthespeedlimit,huh?</p><p>TheBottomLine</p><p>The laws of the given jurisdiction in a nation that’s a patchwork of gun</p><p>laws,arethelawsyouhavetofollow.It’syourresponsibilitytoknowtheturfin</p><p>thatregard,whereveryourtravelsasafreeAmericantakeyou.</p><p>COMPENDIUMOFSTATELAWSGOVERNING</p><p>FIREARMS</p><p>Sincestate lawsaresubject tofrequentchange, thischart isnot tobeconsidered legaladviceora</p><p>restatementofthelaw.</p><p>Thefollowingchartliststhemainprovisionsofstatefirearmslawsasofthedateofpublication.In</p><p>additiontothestateprovisions, thepurchase,sale,and, incertaincircumstances, thepossession</p><p>andinterstatetransportationoffirearmsareregulatedbytheFederalGunControlActof1968as</p><p>amendedby theFirearmsOwners’ProtectionActof1986.Also,citiesand localitiesmayhave</p><p>theirowngunordinancesinadditiontofederalandstaterestrictions.Detailsmaybeobtainedby</p><p>contacting local law enforcement authorities or by consulting your state’s firearms law digest</p><p>compiledbytheNRAInstituteforLegislativeAction.</p><p>Allfiftystateshavepassedsportsmen’sprotectionlawstohaltharrassment.</p><p>CompiledbyNRAInstituteforLegislativeAction;11250WaplesMillRoad;Fairfax,Virginia</p><p>22030</p><p>COMPENDIUMOFSTATELAWSGOVERNING</p><p>FIREARMS</p><p>Sincestatelawsaresubjecttofrequentchange,thischartisnottobeconsideredlegaladviceora</p><p>restatementofthelaw.</p><p>Allfiftystateshavepassedsportsmen’sprotectionlawstohaltharrassment.</p><p>COMPENDIUMOFSTATELAWSGOVERNING</p><p>FIREARMS</p><p>Withover20,000“guncontrol”lawsonthebooksinAmerica,therearetwochallengesfacingevery</p><p>gun owner. First, you owe it to yourself to become familiar with the federal laws on gun</p><p>ownership.Onlybyknowingthelawscanyouavoidinnocentlybreakingone.</p><p>Second, while federal legislation receives much more media attention, state legislatures and city</p><p>councils make many more decisions regarding your right to own and carry firearms. NRA</p><p>membersandallgunownersmusttakeextracaretobeawareofanti-gunlawsandordinancesat</p><p>thestateandlocallevels.</p><p>Notes:</p><p>1.“Assaultweapons”areprohibitedinConnecticut,NewJerseyandNewYork.SomelocaljurisdictionsinOhioalsoban“assaultweapons.”Hawaiiprohibits“assaultpistols.”California</p><p>bans“assaultweapons”,.50BMGcaliberfirearms,some.50caliberammunitionand“unsafehandguns.”Illinois:Chicago,Evanston,OakPark,MortonGrove,Winnetka,Wilmette,</p><p>andHighlandParkprohibithandguns;somecitiesprohibitotherkindsoffirearms.Marylandprohibits“assaultpistols”;thesaleormanufactureofanyhandgunmanufacturedafter</p><p>Jan.1,1985,thatdoesnotappearontheHandgunRoster;andthesaleofanyhandgunmanufacturedafterJanuary1,2003thatisnotequippedwithan“integratedmechanicalsafety</p><p>device.”Massachusetts: It isunlawful to sell, transferorpossess “anyassaultweaponor largecapacity feedingdevice” [more than10 rounds] thatwasnot legallypossessedon</p><p>September13,1994andthesaleofhandgunsnotontheFirearmsRoster.TheCityofBostonhasaseparate“assaultweapons”law.TheDistrictofColumbiaprohibitsnewacquisition</p><p>ofhandgunsandanysemi-automaticfirearmcapableofusingadetachableammunitionmagazineofmorethan12roundscapacityandanyhandgunnotregisteredafterFebruary5,</p><p>1977.Virginiaprohibits“StreetSweeper”shotguns. (Withrespect tosomeof these lawsandordinances, individualsmayretainprohibitedfirearmsownedpreviously,withcertain</p><p>restrictions.)Thesunsetofthefederalassaultweaponsbandoesnotaffectthevalidityofstate“assaultweapons”bans.</p><p>2.National InstantCheckSystem (NICS) exemption codes:RTC-CarryPermitHoldersExemptFromNICSL-Holders of state licenses to possess or purchaseor firearms IDcards</p><p>exemptfromNICS.</p><p>3.NICSexemptionnotes:Arkansas:Thoseissuedonandafter4/1/99qualify.Mississippi:Permitsissuedtosecurityguardsdonotqualify.</p><p>4.Marylandsubjectspurchasesof“assaultweapons”toa7-daywaitingperiod.</p><p>5.Waitingperiodforallsales.California: 10days; sales, transfers and loansof handguns canbemade through a dealer or through a sheriff’s office.Maryland: 7 days; purchasers of</p><p>regulatedfirearmsmustundergobackgroundchecksperformedbytheStatePolice,eitherthroughadealerordirectlythroughtheStatePolice.RhodeIsland:7days;privatesalescan</p><p>bemadethroughadealerorthesellermustfollowthesameguidelinesasasalefromadealer.</p><p>6.Thewaitingperioddoesnotapplytoapersonholdingavalidpermitorlicensetocarryafirearm.InConnecticut,acertificateofeligibilityexemptstheholderfromthewaitingperiodfor</p><p>handgunpurchases;ahuntinglicenseexemptstheholderforlonggunpurchasers.California:transfersofalongguntoaperson’sparent,childorgrandparentareexemptfromthe</p><p>waitingperiod.</p><p>7.Incertaincitiesorcounties.</p><p>8.Maybeextendedbypoliceto30daysinsomecircumstances.Anindividualnotholdingadriver’slicensemustwait60days.</p><p>9.Connecticut:Acertificateofeligibilityoracarrypermitisrequiredtoobtainahandgunandacarrypermitisrequiredtotransportahandgunoutsideyourhome.DistrictofColumbia:No</p><p>handgunmaybepossessedunlessitwasregisteredpriortoSept.23,1976andre-registeredbyFeb.5,1977.Apermittopurchaseisrequiredforarifleorshotgun.Hawaii: Purchase</p><p>permitsarerequiredforallfirearmsIllinois:AFirearmOwner’sIdentificationCard(FOI)isrequiredtopossessorpurchaseafirearm,mustbeissuedtoqualifiedapplicantswithin30</p><p>days,andisvalidfor5years.Iowa:Apurchasepermitisrequiredforhandguns,andisvalidforoneyear.Massachusetts:Firearmsandfeedingdevicesforfirearmsaredividedinto</p><p>classes.Dependingontheclass,afirearmidentificationcard(FID)orclassAlicenseorclassBlicenseisrequiredtopossess,purchase,orcarryafirearm,ammunitionthereof,or</p><p>firearmfeedingdevice,or“largecapacityfeedingdevice.”Michigan:Ahandgunpurchasermustobtainalicensetopurchasefromlocallawenforcement,andwithin10dayspresent</p><p>thelicenseandhandguntoobtainacertificateofinspection.Minnesota:Ahandguntransferorcarryingpermit,ora7-daywaitingperiodandhandguntransferreport,isrequiredto</p><p>purchasehandgunsor“assaultweapons”fromadealer.Apermitisvalidforoneyear,atransferreportfor30days.Missouri:Apurchasepermitisrequiredforahandgun,mustbe</p><p>issuedtoqualifiedapplicantswithin7days,andisvalidfor30days.NewJersey:FirearmownersmustpossessaFID,whichmustbeissuedtoqualifiedapplicantswithin30days.To</p><p>purchaseahandgun,apurchasepermit,whichmustbeissuedwithin30daystoqualifiedapplicantsandisvalidfor90days,isrequired.AnFIDisrequiredtopurchaselongguns.New</p><p>York:Purchase,possessionand/orcarryingofahandgunrequireasinglelicense,whichincludesanyrestrictionsmadeuponthebearer.NewYorkCityalsorequiresalicenseforlong</p><p>guns.NorthCarolina:Topurchaseahandgun,alicenseorpermitisrequired,whichmustbeissuedtoqualifiedapplicantswithin30days.</p><p>10.Apermitisrequiredtoacquireanotherhandgunbefore30dayshaveelapsedfollowingtheacquisitionofahandgun.InVirginia,thosewithapermittocarry</p><p>aconcealedweaponare</p><p>exemptfromthisprohibition.</p><p>11.Requiresproofofsafetytrainingforpurchase.California:MusthaveHandgunSafetyCertificatereceipt,whichisvalidforfiveyears.Connecticut:Toreceivecertificateofeligibility,</p><p>mustcompleteahandgunsafetycourseapprovedbytheCommissionerofPublicSafety.Hawaii:Musthavecompletedanapprovedhandgunsafetycourse.Maryland:Mustcomplete</p><p>anapprovedhandgunsafetycourse.Michigan:Apersonmustcorrectlyanswer70%ofthequestionsonabasicsafetyreviewquestionnaireinordertoobtainalicensetopurchase.</p><p>NewYork:Somecountiesrequireahandgunsafetytrainingcoursetoreceivealicense.RhodeIsland:Mustreceiveastate-issuedhandgunsafetycard.</p><p>12.Every person arriving inHawaii is required to register any firearm(s) brought into the statewithin 3 days of arrival of the person or firearm(s),whichever occurs later.Handguns</p><p>purchasedfromlicenseddealersmustberegisteredwithin5days.</p><p>13.“Assaultweapon”registration.Californiahadtwodatesbywhichassaultweaponshadtoberegisteredorpossessionaftersuchdatewouldbeconsideredafelony:March31,1992forthe</p><p>namedmakeandmodel firearmsbanned in the1989 legislationandDecember31,2000for thefirearmsmeeting thedefinitionof the“assaultweapons in the1999 legislation. In</p><p>Connecticut,thosefirearmsbannedbyspecificmakeandmodelinthe1993lawhadtoberegisteredbyOctober1,1994orpossessionwouldbeconsideredafelony.Arecentlaw</p><p>requiresregistrationofadditionalgunsbyOctober1,2003.InNewJersey,any“assaultweapon”notregistered,licensed,orrenderedinoperablepursuanttoastatepolicecertificateby</p><p>May1,1991,isconsideredcontraband.</p><p>14.Chicagoonly.Nohandgunnotalreadyregisteredmaybepossessed.</p><p>15.NewYorkCityonly.</p><p>16.Purchasersofhandgunswhodonotpossessapermittocarryapistolmustfileanapplicationforpurchase,whichwillberetainedbythechiefofpoliceorsheriffforoneyear.</p><p>17.VermontandAlaskalawrespectyourrighttocarrywithoutapermit.Alaskaalsohasapermittocarrysystemtoestablishreciprocitywithotherstates.</p><p>18.Provisionsofthislawarestayedpendinganongoingdisputeinthecourts.</p><p>19.Carryingahandgunopenlyinamotorvehiclerequiresalicense.</p><p>20.Arkansasprohibitscarryingafirearm“withapurposetoemployitasaweaponagainstaperson.”Tennesseeprohibitscarrying“withtheintenttogoarmed.”Vermontprohibitscarrying</p><p>afirearm“withtheintentorpurposeofinjuringanother.”</p><p>21.Loaded.</p><p>22.Municipalitiesmayprohibitopencarryingovernmentbuildingsifsuchprohibitionisclearlyposted.</p><p>23.Localjurisdictionsmayoptoftheprohibition.</p><p>24.IntheRighttoKeepandBearArmsAmendmentoftheAlaskaConstitution.</p><p>25.Preemptionthroughjudicialruling.LocalregulationmaybeinstitutedinMassachusettsifratifiedbythelegislature.</p><p>26.ExceptGaryandEastChicagoandlocallawsenactedbeforeJanuary1994.</p><p>27.Preemptiononlyappliestohandguns.</p><p>Concealedcarrycodes:</p><p>R:Right-to-Carry“Shallissue”orlessrestrictivediscretionarypermitsystem(Ala.,Conn.)(Seealsonote#21.)</p><p>M:ReasonableMayIssue;thestatehasapermissivemayissuelaw,buttheauthoritiesrecognizetherighttokeepandbeararms.</p><p>L:Right-to-CarryLimitedbylocalauthority’sdiscretionoverpermitissuance.</p><p>D:Right-to-CarryDenied,nopermitsystemexists;concealedcarryisprohibited.</p><p>Chapter4</p><p>PREPARATIONANDAFTERMATH</p><p>Nowayout.TheLindseyincidenttookplaceinthisboxed-inparkinglot.</p><p>Intheentertainmentmedia,gunfightsbeginwiththedrawandendwiththe</p><p>lastshot.Intherealworld,youneedtobepreparedbeforehand,andreadyfor</p><p>theordealthatislikelytofollow.</p><p>I</p><p>t’s about sunset right nowoutsidemyhotel room inDenver, a chilly evening.</p><p>December 7, 2006. Pearl Harbor is on our minds, of course, this being the</p><p>anniversary of the sneak attack that changed the history of America and the</p><p>world.Butrightnow,I’mdealingwithacaseofalaw-abidinggunownerwho</p><p>hassufferedasneakattackfromfate.</p><p>Thecaseclosedtoday,anditwenttothejuryabout45minutesago.Eleven</p><p>months earlier, the client, 58, was driving to the Veteran’s Administration</p><p>hospital to pick up some medicine. His name is Larry Lindsey. Already</p><p>asthmatic,hehadjustbeendiagnosedwithdiabetes,andoverallwasnotinthe</p><p>bestofhealth.Hewalkedwithacaneandapronouncedlimp,thelegacyofan</p><p>accident on a city street a few years earlier when a careless motorist blasted</p><p>througharedlightandranhimdownonacrosswalk.</p><p>Beabletoarticulatewhyyouchosethecaliberandammothatwereused.Federal+P+115-grainJHP</p><p>(left)isanexcellentchoicein9mm,butfullmetaljacket,right,isnot.</p><p>OntheInterstatethatgoesthroughDenver,ayoung-lookingmaninaFord</p><p>Taurus, racing zig-zag through the high speed traffic, cut into his lane. The</p><p>smallercarnearlyranLarry’svehicleofftheroad.Acutelyawareofthedangers</p><p>posedbysuchdriving–notonlyremindedconstantlybyhislingeringinjury,but</p><p>bythefactthathehadlostlovedonestodrunkandrecklessdriversinthepast–</p><p>Larry alwaysmade a point of calling in such dangerousmotorists on his cell</p><p>phone. But the Taurus had accelerated ahead so quickly, still cutting left and</p><p>rightthroughtraffic,thathehadn’tbeenabletogetthelicenseplatenumber.</p><p>Larryalwaysmadeapointofcallinginsuchdangerousmotoristsonhiscellphone.</p><p>He continued on his way. As he reached his exit, he saw a familiar car</p><p>stoppedattheedgeoftheexitramp:thetanTaurus,withthesameyoungmanat</p><p>thewheel.Larryinstinctivelyslowed,andsuddenly,thevehicleshotoutdirectly</p><p>in frontofhim,nearlycolliding.Larry swervedandhit thebrakes, andbarely</p><p>missedplowingintotheconcretewallontherightsideoftheexitramp.Ashe</p><p>broughthisvehiclebackonpath,LarrysawtheTaurus’drivermouthacurseat</p><p>himandraisehismiddlefingerincontempt...andthenblastthrougharedlight,</p><p>turning right, in flagrantviolationofabig sign that read,“NORIGHTTURN</p><p>ONRED.”</p><p>This,Larrydecided,wasjusttooblatanttoignore.Whentrafficallowed,he</p><p>tooturnedright,followingthetanTaurusthatwasnowaconsiderabledistance</p><p>aheadofhim.Hedecidedhewasgoing towritedownthe licensenumberand</p><p>phone it in. As he drove he dialed 9-1-1 on his cell phone, and was put on</p><p>“hold.”Aheadofhim,he saw the car take a right, thena left.He followed in</p><p>timetoseeitpullquicklyintotheparkinglotonhisleft.</p><p>Heslowed,turnedintothelot–andstoppeddeadinthenarrowmouthof</p><p>theparkinglot.Insteadofgoingtotherightwherethemainparkingspaceswere,</p><p>thetanTaurushadpulledintothethirdslotontheimmediateleftoftheexit,a</p><p>short rowofHandicapped spaces.Thevehicle had come to its sudden stop in</p><p>frontofalargeHANDICAPPEDsign.</p><p>Onlya fewstepsaway from thevehicle,Larry figuredhe’d jotdown the</p><p>license number and be out of there. 9-1-1Dispatch had not yet taken himoff</p><p>“hold.”</p><p>Trials canbe scary.Lawenforcementpersonnelbarricade the streets for ablock in eachdirection</p><p>aroundthecourthousebecauseofdeaththreatsagainstthedefendantinonecasetheauthorworked.</p><p>Butotherthingsweren’t“holding”atall.</p><p>The driver boiled out of the car, coming toward Larry, screaming</p><p>obscenities.FifteenortwentypacesaheadofLarry’scar,averytallandstrong-</p><p>looking youngman emerged immediately from the apartment house entryway</p><p>andproceededtowardhimatafastwalk.Thenanothercameoutbehindhim.</p><p>Five feet eight, pushing sixty, a little overweight, and crippled and sick,</p><p>Larrywasn’t sure hewould be amatch for one athletic youngman, let alone</p><p>three. The third one seemed to drift away, but the tall one was approaching</p><p>straightathimandthedriveroftheTauruswasalmostathisleftdoor,screaming</p><p>“I’llkickyourass!I’llkillyou!”</p><p>Inhisyoungerdays,LarryLindseyhadspenteightyearsintheUnitedStatesMarineCorps,</p><p>muchofitinVietnam,wherehisMOSwasCombatPhotographer.</p><p>In his younger days, Larry Lindsey had spent eight years in the United</p><p>States Marine Corps, much of it in Vietnam, where his MOS was Combat</p><p>Photographer.Hisissueweaponhadbeena191145automaticbackthen.Agun</p><p>guy all his life, he had grown to like the issue pistol, and had chosen as his</p><p>personaldefenseguna stainless steelKimberCustomShopGold191145.He</p><p>kept it inhisconsolewithprettymuch thesame load-out towhich theUSMC</p><p>had accustomed him: in a holster with loaded magazine and empty chamber,</p><p>backedupbytwomoreloadedmagsinaleatherpouch.</p><p>Larryflippedopentheconsoleandtookouttheholsteredpistol,holdingit</p><p>inplainsightwherehehoped theycouldsee it.Themanonhis left screamed</p><p>anotherF-wordcurse…andhisrighthanddoveunderhisjackettowardhisback,</p><p>asifgoingforapistol.</p><p>LarryrippedtheholsterofftheKimber,jackeda230-grainFederalHydra-</p><p>Shokintothechamber,andbroughtupthepistol.</p><p>Suddenly, the two men were moving back, and Larry wasn’t in danger</p><p>anymore.Hiscellphonewas still inhis lapwherehehaddropped itwhenhe</p><p>wentforhispistol.Glancingbehindhim,Larrysawanopeninginthetrafficand</p><p>hebackedoutintothestreet,thendrovetothenearestcornerandpulledintoa</p><p>parkinglotthere.Hedialed9-1-1again,andthistime,hegotthrough.Hetold</p><p>thedispatcherwhathappened.</p><p>Unfortunately,thetallmanwhohadmenacedhimhadwhippedouthisown</p><p>cellphonebeforeLarrywasoutoftheparkinglot.HiscallwentintoDispatch</p><p>at 3:02PM, andLarry’s did not get in until 3:03.The first respondingofficer</p><p>arrivedatthesceneat3:10,arespectableeight-minuteresponsetime.</p><p>Thatofficerwouldtestifythatheneverreceivedanyradionotificationthat</p><p>Larryhadcalledinhiscomplaint.Heseemedsurprisedwhenhewasshownthe</p><p>factsonthe9-1-1calllog,incourt,bydefenseattorneyPaulGrant.</p><p>The same officer would testify that he had decided almost immediately</p><p>uponhisarrivaltoarrestLarryLindsey,whowasnowinthegripofafull-blown</p><p>asthmaattack.Afterall,twowitnesseshadidentifiedthecrazymaninastateof</p><p>road rage who had waved a silver-colored pistol at them, and the man had</p><p>admitteddrawingthegunonthepairtheofficernowconsideredvictims.</p><p>LarryLindseywasarrestedatthescene.Hewaschargedwithtwocountsof</p><p>FelonyMenacing,andlaterreleasedon$50,000bail.</p><p>ThetrialbeganonDecember6.Juryselectionwasdonebymorning,with</p><p>the prosecution removing almost every gun owner. This is par for the course.</p><p>Neithersidewantssomeoneonthejurywhomightidentifywiththepeopleon</p><p>the other side of the case. Among the twelve jurors and one alternate finally</p><p>selectedtherewasbutasingleonewhoownedfirearms.Hehadtwo,whichhe</p><p>kept empty, fittedwith trigger locks, inside a gun safe.A loaded gun, he said</p><p>duringthejuryselectionprocesscalledvoirdire,wasjusttoodangeroustokeep</p><p>around.This,apparently,wasenoughtosatisfytheprosecutor.</p><p>Thestatetooktherestofthedaytoestablishitscase.Astoryemergedofa</p><p>nicetwenty-somethingkid,animmigrantfromtheMiddleEastwithnorecord,</p><p>who accidentally cut in front of amotoristwhomust have been one of those</p><p>AngryWhiteMales. The driver had boiled up in road rage, followed him for</p><p>several blocks, pulled in behind him and pulled out a big silver pistol, with</p><p>which he threatened to “blow his brains out” alongwith those of his equally</p><p>innocenttwenty-somethingfriend,animmigrantfromEasternEurope,whohad</p><p>donenothingbutcomeoutofhisapartmentbuilding.</p><p>Thecopstookthestand.Yes,saidthearrestingofficer,hehadbeencalled</p><p>tothesceneofacrimeofthreateningtoshootsomeonewithoutreason…found</p><p>twocomplainantswillingtotestify…foundthedefendantwhoadmittedhavinga</p><p>gun just like the one the complainants had described…and determined</p><p>immediatelythathewasguiltyandplacedhimunderarrest.Muchemphasiswas</p><p>placed on the large caliber of the weapon. The prosecutor elicited from the</p><p>officer that the hollowpoint bullets, 230-grain Federal Hydra-Shok, were</p><p>designedtoexpandandtear“largerwounds.”And,ohmyGod,thereweretwo</p><p>sparemagazines!Enoughbulletstokilltwodozenpeople!</p><p>Reloaded ammo is great for practice, hunting, and competition, says author, but he strongly</p><p>recommendsagainstitfordefenseuse.</p><p>On the morning of December 7, the assistant district attorney would</p><p>announcethathercasewasclosed.AttorneyPaulGranthadchosentocallonly</p><p>two witnesses: the defendant, and me. The ADA strenuously objected to my</p><p>presence,soaninformalhearingwasheldontherecordinchambers.</p><p>ItseemsthatwhenGranthadsenttheroutinelistofwitnessesheintended</p><p>to call to the prosecutorwho’d had the case previously, the fax had not gone</p><p>through.Hehadn’tknownthat.Whenhementionedtothenewprosecutoronthe</p><p>case the week before that he would be calling an expert to testify, she went</p><p>throughtheroof.</p><p>Thejudgewasnothappyabouttheglitch.However,hewasdiligentinhis</p><p>dutiesandherecognizedthatthedefendanthadcertainrights.Theprosecutor’s</p><p>questioning of the arresting officer the day before had elicited testimony that</p><p>made the pistol seem an avatar of malice because of its caliber, its spare</p><p>magazines,itshollowpointammunition;Grant,whohadseenthatbefore,argued</p><p>that hehad a right to rebut those arguments. Incredibly, theprosecutor argued</p><p>thatsinceitcamethroughamaterialwitnessinsteadofanexpert,thatmaterial</p><p>couldnotberebuttedbyanexpert.Grantresponded,successfully,withalogical</p><p>argument:whoeverhadsaidit,thepoisonwasinthewater,andhehadtheright</p><p>toadministeranantidoteofhischoice.Thejudgeagreed.</p><p>Grant wanted me to testify also as to the standards of care for private</p><p>citizens in such things, the rules of engagement as it were. The prosecutor</p><p>adamantlyobjected.Iwas,shesaid,goingtotellthejurythatthedefendant’suse</p><p>of the gun was justified, and that issue was something only the jury could</p><p>determine.Thejudgeaskedmewhatmytakewasonthat.</p><p>The trial beganonDecember 6. Jury selectionwas done bymorning,with the prosecution</p><p>removingalmosteverygunowner.Thisisparforthecourse.</p><p>IexplainedthatIhadnointentionofgoingto“theultimateissue,”theguilt</p><p>orinnocenceofthedefendant,andthatIagreedthiswasaquestionthatonlythe</p><p>triers of the facts could answer. However, I added, I believed the defense</p><p>attorney’sjobwastoshowthejurythatareasonable,prudentperson,inthesame</p><p>situation andknowingwhat his client knew,wouldhavedone the same thing.</p><p>Theelementof“knowingwhat thedefendantknew”requiredhim toshowthe</p><p>juryhowsuchdecisionsaremadebylawfullyarmedcitizens,andwhattherules</p><p>ofengagementareunderstoodtobe.Itwastoestablishthoseparametersthathe</p><p>hadbroughtmein.</p><p>And,ofcourse,thejudgeagreed.</p><p>I went on the stand first thing after court convened. The prosecutor</p><p>stipulated</p><p>tomycredentialsandexpertise,aprofessionalmovebyanyadvocate</p><p>against an adverse expert witness because it limits how much of his</p><p>qualifications and background the jury will hear in the opening moments of</p><p>testimony.</p><p>DefenseattorneyGrantaskedtherightquestions,andIlaidoutthose“rules</p><p>of engagement,” which will follow shortly in this chapter. We explained the</p><p>“furtive movement” element: that when someone such as the young Iranian</p><p>immigrant made a move consistent with going for a gun, and not reasonably</p><p>consistentwithanythingelseunder thecircumstances, itwouldreasonableand</p><p>prudentofsomeonesuchasthedefendanttoimmediatelydrawhisowngunand</p><p>takehimproactivelyatgunpoint.</p><p>One by one, we cut down the shibboleths that had built up around the</p><p>defendant’s choice of gun and ammunition during the prosecution’s case. The</p><p>45-caliber pistol was quite common in America, very popular in law</p><p>enforcement,infactapprovedfortheDenverPoliceDepartmentandcarriedbya</p><p>great many of its officers. The type of gun the defendant had employed was</p><p>adoptedbytheUnitedStatesMilitaryin1911,hadbeenstandardwithourarmed</p><p>forces until the mid-1980s, and was still used by our military among pistol</p><p>teams,theArmy’sDeltaForce,andtheMarineCorps’Reconunit,whichinfact</p><p>had recently purchased a quantity of Kimbers functionally identical to the</p><p>Kimber45inevidence.</p><p>IexplainedthatgenerationsofAmericanservicepersonnelhadreturnedto</p><p>civilian lifeaftercompleting their termsofservice,andhaddecided that if the</p><p>191145pistolwasgoodenoughtobeissuedtothembyUncleSamtoprotect</p><p>theircountry,itwasgoodenoughforthemtopurchasetoprotecttheirhomeand</p><p>hearthand lovedones. In turn, countlessAmericanswhohadnever joined the</p><p>militaryhadbeentaughtbytheirparentstousethosesame45s,andboughtone</p><p>ormorewhentheyinturngrewupandmadethelawfuldecisiontohaveagun</p><p>toprotectthemselvesandtheirlovedones.Thiswaswhythe1911wassovery</p><p>popular and common among armed citizens, and also the fact that its design</p><p>featuresmade it ideal formany forms of pistolmatches,which the defendant</p><p>would testify he had competed in regularly until becoming too physically</p><p>debilitatedtodoso.</p><p>Thetwosparemagazinesthataugmentedtheloadedpistol?Iexplainedthat</p><p>thiswasatypical“load-out”forthosewhocarriedagun.Sincebeforeanyofus</p><p>wasborn,thestandardlawenforcementrulewasaloadedgunplusenoughspare</p><p>ammunition for twofull reloads. I told the jury that theywouldseeuniformed</p><p>officers in thecourthouseduring theirbreaks,and that theywouldnoticeeach</p><p>had a double pouch on their duty belts to carry two spare magazines to</p><p>complement their fully loadedweapon.Sincemanyof themhadhigh-capacity</p><p>pistols,somewouldbecarryingasmanyas54dutycartridgesontheirperson,</p><p>i.e.,afullyloadedGlock17with189mmroundsinitandtwospare17-round</p><p>magazinesinthepouches.Themilitaryload-out,sincethe45’sadoptionin1911,</p><p>hadbeenloadedguninholsterplustwomagazinesinpouches.Ipointedoutthat</p><p>testimonywouldshowthat thedefendanthadservedforsomeeightyearsasa</p><p>USMCcombatphotographerinVietnam(wherehehadbeenwoundedinaction)</p><p>andthateverydaytherehecarriedwhattheGovernmentissuedhim:a191145</p><p>auto with an empty chamber and full magazine, and two spare fully loaded</p><p>magazines,intheholsteranddoublemagpouchhewasissued.Thiswasexactly</p><p>whathe’dhadinthecarwithhimonthedayinquestion,albeitwitheight-round</p><p>competitionmagazinesinsteadofseven-roundGImags.</p><p>As a competitor for many years, the defendant needed at least two</p><p>magazines to shoot even prosaicNRA bullseyematches, and three to shoot a</p><p>stageinIDPA.Ifhejuststoppedatthepublicoutdoorrangeforsomeshooting–</p><p>which,recordswouldshow,hehaddonejustacoupleofdaysbeforetheincident</p><p>–therewouldbeafiniteamountofactualshootingtimeinbetweenstand-downs</p><p>toexamineandchangetargets.Duringthosestand-downs,therewouldbetime</p><p>torefillthemagazines.Then,whenitcametimetoshoot,theguywhocameto</p><p>shootcouldspendhisshooting timedoingmoreshooting, justas theguywho</p><p>cametoagolfcoursetoplaygolfwouldratherplayeighteenholesthannine.I</p><p>couldseesomeofthejurorsnoddingtheirheadsinaffirmation.Andofcourse,</p><p>shouldadefensivepistolhavetobeusedforseriouspurposes,moreammocould</p><p>berequired,orasparemagazinemightbenecessarytoclearamalfunction.They</p><p>“gotit.”Theyrealizedapersonforwhompistolshootingwasasportmightwant</p><p>tohavemultipleloadedmagazinesforpurposesotherthanmassmurder.</p><p>Criminaldefenselawyersrarelygettodefendinnocentmen.Whentheydo,acquittalisallthe</p><p>sweeter,aperfectvalidationofsuchaprofessional’sveryexistence.</p><p>Thehollowpoints?Iexplainedthatvirtuallyeverylawenforcementagency</p><p>in the country had adopted such ammunition, including theDenver PDwhich</p><p>last I knew had SpeerGoldDot as standard issue for every approved caliber.</p><p>(Detroit,Michigan isclutchedso tightly in the ironfistofpoliticalcorrectness</p><p>that “hollowpoints” are anathema there, soDetroit coppers are issued Federal</p><p>Expanding Full Metal Jacket ammunition, in which the operative term is</p><p>“expanding.”)I thenwentontopointout thereasonsfor that,whicharelisted</p><p>elsewhere in this bookbut, briefly, include reduced likelihoodof ricochet that</p><p>could endanger bystanders, reduced likelihood of over-penetration that could</p><p>jeopardizethesameinnocents,etc.TheFederalHydra-Shokinparticularhadat</p><p>onepointbeenthe“goldstandard”amongAmericanpolicebeforethecomingof</p><p>higher-tech JHPs from that maker and others, and remains in wide law</p><p>enforcementuse.</p><p>PaulGrantclosedthedirectexaminationbyaskingmeifItoldmystudents</p><p>that theymightbewise toavoidfollowingdangerouspeople to report themto</p><p>police.Itoldhimthatwastrue,andexplainedwhy:thatfolkswhocameinlate</p><p>anddidn’tseewhatyousawcouldmistakeyouastheaggressivepursuerchasing</p><p>ahaplessvictim,and the resultcouldbea“falsepositive” thatmade thegood</p><p>guylooklikethebadguyandviceversa.Itwasagoodnoteonwhichtoendthe</p><p>direct.</p><p>Cross-examination was interesting. The seasoned prosecutor was well-</p><p>spokenandutterlyprofessional.Ifyoudrewagunbecauseyouthoughttheother</p><p>manwasgoingtodrawone,butheturnedouttobeunarmed,wouldn’tthatbea</p><p>mistake?No,Ianswered,notifthetotalityoftheotherman’swordsandactions</p><p>werereasonablyconstruabletoanyprudentpersonasindicatingthathedidhave</p><p>a gun. Besides, two strong young men threatening to beat up and kill a</p><p>physically disabled man in his late fifties constituted disparity of force twice</p><p>over.Ihadalreadyexplainedtothejuryondirectthatdisparityofforcemeant</p><p>that even ostensibly unarmedmenwere so likely to kill or cripple you under</p><p>theseviolentcircumstancesthatthislikelihoodconstitutedtheequivalentofone</p><p>orbothofthembeingarmedwithapersedeadlyweapon.</p><p>Andsoitwentforalmosttwoandahalfhours,untilIwasdone.Iheaded</p><p>backtothehoteltowaitincaseIwascalledback.Outofhearingofthejury,the</p><p>prosecutor informed the judge and the defense lawyer that she might call a</p><p>rebuttalwitness,whosepurposewouldbe to refutemy testimony.Therefore, I</p><p>had to stick around for sur-rebuttal,whichwould involvemy taking the stand</p><p>onceagaintoshootdowntherebuttaltestimony.</p><p>Which</p><p>brings us to late afternoon ofDecember 7. I learn after court has</p><p>adjournedforthedaythattheprosecutorhasgivenuponrebuttal,thedefendant</p><p>has told his story, and both advocates have given their closing arguments.</p><p>There’snothingmoreIcandohere.Ipickupthephoneandmakearrangements</p><p>toflyoutearlythenextmorning.</p><p>December 8, 2006: I’m in the Atlanta airport waiting to board my</p><p>connectingflightforthefinallegofmyjourneyhomewhenmyTreorings.It’s</p><p>PaulGrant.Thejuryhascomeinwiththeverdict.</p><p>NotGuiltyonallcounts.</p><p>Criminaldefenselawyersrarelygettodefendinnocentmen.Whentheydo,</p><p>acquittal is all the sweeter, a perfect validation of such a professional’s very</p><p>existence.ArelievedPaulGrantremindsthejudgethatthereisthesmallmatter</p><p>ofsomeofhisclient’sproperty,whichatthismomenthasceasedtobeevidence</p><p>inthecustodyoftheCourt,whichshouldbereturnedtohisclient.</p><p>The prosecutor jumps to her feet and says, “Your Honor, the state is</p><p>preparingamotionfortheguntobedestroyed.”</p><p>Thejudgelooksatherinsomethingclosetodisbeliefandasks,“Onwhat</p><p>grounds?”</p><p>“There’sastatute,”sheblurts.</p><p>Patiently,thejudgeasks,“Whatstatute?”</p><p>The prosecutor replies that she doesn’t know, exactly, but she intends to</p><p>findit.</p><p>Somepeoplejusthatetolose.</p><p>Lessons</p><p>A week later, I received an email from the defendant. “This is the first</p><p>chancesincethetrialthatIhavehadtoactuallysitdownandcomposealetterto</p><p>properlythankyou,”hewrote.“Thewholeordealofthetrial,coupledwiththe</p><p>emotional and financial drain of the previous elevenmonths had taken such a</p><p>tollonmywifeandmyselfthatwejusttookafewdaysofftospendsometime</p><p>witheachother.ItisamazingjusthowmuchbetterIfeelnow.</p><p>She’s 5’0”, and they’re about 6’4”. Howmany elements of “disparity of force” could be present</p><p>here?</p><p>“Ican’ttellyouhowmuchweappreciatedyourpresenceinthecourtroom,</p><p>andyour testimony.Becauseof you andPaul,Natasha and Iwill be spending</p><p>Christmastogetheragainthisyear.WebothagreethatthisisourbestChristmas</p><p>ever.We hope that you and your family have a veryMerry Christmas, and a</p><p>HappyNewYear!</p><p>“TheonethingthatInevercouldhaveanticipatedwasthattheelementsof</p><p>a confrontationwithbadguyshere in a ‘civilized’ environment couldhave so</p><p>many similarities to an engagement in active combat. There was the same</p><p>tendencytofocussolelyonthethreatathand,excludingalmosteverythingelse,</p><p>andthesameauditoryexclusionandtimedistortion.Thestressofthesituation</p><p>alsomadeitverydifficulttorememberthechronologicalorderofthings.</p><p>“Itisaverystrangesensationtohaveyourmindracingatsuchspeedsasto</p><p>makethemomentseemasif it is takingplaceinagonizinglyslowmotion.It’s</p><p>almost impossible to keep tabs on everything at once…assessing the danger,</p><p>keeping an eye on two or more aggressors (who happen to be in different</p><p>locations), trying to safely retrieve and handle your handgun, while</p><p>simultaneouslytryingtowatchthetrafficbehindyousothatyoucansafelyback</p><p>outoftheparkinglot.ThewholetimeIwasprayingthatIdidn’thavetoshoot</p><p>this idiot, but I also realized that pulling thepistolwasmyonlywayout of a</p><p>deadly situation.Thankfully, it didwhat I intended for it to do. It defused the</p><p>situationimmediatelyandIwasabletoextractmyselfandwaitforthepolice.</p><p>“I used my pistol in self defense, knowing full well what the aftermath</p><p>would most likely be. I knew that Denver almost always prosecutes an</p><p>individual ifhehasusedafirearmtodefendhimself,butIalsobelievedthatI</p><p>hadnootherchoiceinthematter.”</p><p>He concluded, “After the trial, a juror askedme if this had changedmy</p><p>mindaboutcarryingafirearmforselfdefense.Sincesheclaimedtobeoneof</p><p>mydefendersearlyonindeliberation,I’msurethatwhatshemeantwasthatifI</p><p>hadnothadmyhandgunwithmethat Iwouldnothavehad todefendmyself,</p><p>yetasecondtime,incourt.Evenafterthetrialandmyacquittalofallcharges,</p><p>she still could not see the whole picture, and failed to consider the likely</p><p>outcome had I been unarmed. I explained to her that the experience had only</p><p>reinforced my belief that we live in perilous times, and that I should always</p><p>carryafirearmtodefendmyself.”</p><p>Whew!Wheredowebegin?Let’sstartwiththeobvious.</p><p>I can’toveremphasize that “falsepositive effect” that I spokeof in court.</p><p>Thiswhole thingwent theway it did after the gunwasput awaybecause the</p><p>defendantdidn’tgethisstoryintotheauthoritiesbeforehisantagonistsdid.The</p><p>entirecriminaljusticesystemisgearedontheassumptionthatwhoevercallsin</p><p>firstisthecomplainant,thevictim.Thegoodguynow,bydefault,becomesthe</p><p>badguy:thesuspect.Theperpetrator.</p><p>Insituations like these,you’reacontestant inwhatI’vecometocall“the</p><p>race to the telephone.” The winner gets to be the good guy, and the loser</p><p>automaticallybecomesthebadguy.</p><p>Iknowwhatyou’re thinking: that’snothowitshouldbe,and it isn’t fair.</p><p>You’re right. It isn’t fair, and it isn’t how it should be.But, ya know, I don’t</p><p>thinkyoupaidthepriceofthisbooktofindouthowIthinkthingsshouldbe.I</p><p>thinkyoupaidittofindouthowthingsare,and,well,thisishowtheyare.</p><p>Please don’t think that the criminal justice system always goes after the</p><p>wrongguy.That’sactuallyfairlyrare.Mostofthetime,thesystemworks.But</p><p>that’spartlybecause,mostofthetimethings“goasusual.”</p><p>BythatImean,whathappensmostofthetimeisthatthepersonwhocalls</p><p>inistheinnocentvictimaswellasthecomplainant.Mostofthetime,theperson</p><p>complainedaboutistheperpetrator.Afteryoudocriminaljusticeforalivingfor</p><p>a while, it becomes business as usual to accept things as such. Complainant</p><p>equals victim, complained about equals suspected perpetrator. Soon everyone</p><p>fromthedispatcherwhotakesthecall,tothecoponthebeatwhoresponds,to</p><p>theprosecutorwhotakesthecasetocourt,acceptsthisasamatterofcourse.</p><p>Carefullyconsidertherisksbeforeyoupursueorevenfollowawrongdoer.</p><p>That’swhy,when testifying in this particular case, I used the term “false</p><p>positive” to the jury. Iwasn’t there to blame the arresting officer.Heworked</p><p>withwhathehadtoworkwith.Callsays,“Manwithgunthreatenspeople.”A</p><p>BadThing.Getstoscene.Complainantsconfirm,“Yup,threateneduswithgun!”</p><p>Hmmm.Suspectsays,“Sure,Ipulledthegun–it’srightthere–andwarnedthat</p><p>Iwouldshoot,but–“</p><p>Well,youandImightalsosay,“Saveitforthejudge,buddy,you’reunder</p><p>arrest.” Probable cause now exists tomake the arrest. Sorting out the excuses</p><p>andalibis?That’slargelyforthecourtroom.</p><p>Atonepointinthattrial,IwasaskedinfrontofthejuryifIwasprejudiced</p><p>againstcops.Hardly, I replied; Ihadbeena swornpoliceofficer for33years,</p><p>andstillwasone,albeitonaparttimebasis.Iftheassistantdistrictattorneyhad</p><p>askedme on cross if Iwas prejudiced against prosecutors, Iwould have said</p><p>muchthesame:Hardly,becauseI’vespentmorethanseventeenyearsasapolice</p><p>prosecutor.(InthestatewhereIserve,selectedpoliceofficersaresenttoatwo-</p><p>weekcourseat thestate lawenforcementacademyafterwhich, ifwecanpass</p><p>thestringentfinalexam,wearedeclared“policeprosecutors.”Wecanprosecute</p><p>violationsandmisdemeanorsallthewaythroughonourown,andcangoasfar</p><p>asarraignmentwithfelonies</p><p>andsecondseatfortherestofthetrialwitha“real”</p><p>prosecutorifheorshewantsusto.“Secondseat,”called“secondchair”insome</p><p>jurisdictions, mean that you’re acting as co-pilot to the designated prosecutor</p><p>who is the pilot. Only a few states have this system, but it works amazingly</p><p>well.)</p><p>Just as I respect cops and prosecutors, I respect physicians and other</p><p>medicalprofessionals.Theyrarelymakemistakes…butthey’rehuman,andthey</p><p>canmakemistakes.Theyworkdailywithreliablesystemsandprotocolsthatlet</p><p>them diagnose and treat problems.Most of the time, those things perform as</p><p>intended.But,everynowandthen,anunforeseenaberrationoccurs in theway</p><p>things normally work, and a test registers “positive” when in fact it should</p><p>register“negative.”Professionalhistory,logic,themomentumofroutine,anda</p><p>little thingcalled“business asusual”nowcome together, andbecause the test</p><p>indicated“positive,”thepatientistreatedasifhehadthedisease.Hopefully,the</p><p>wrong treatment is discovered in time to rectify the situation, give the proper</p><p>treatment,andhealthepatient.</p><p>Thecriminaljusticesystemworksexactlythesameway.</p><p>Whentheguywhostartedtheproblemcallsinfirst,andsaysthegoodguy</p><p>isthebadguy,wehavethe“falsepositive”result.Inthemedicalexample, the</p><p>symptoms have mimicked those of the given disease, and treatment for that</p><p>diseaseisprescribed.Inthelegalexample,actionsmimicthoseofagivencrime,</p><p>so the “patient” is treated as if he had committed the crime. In the medical</p><p>environment, continued monitoring of the patient’s condition will hopefully</p><p>determinethatthewrongtreatmentwasprescribedbecauseofthefalsepositive,</p><p>and thematterwill be rectified. In the legal environment, that usually doesn’t</p><p>happenuntilyougettocourt,aswasthecaseforthisunfortunatedefendant.</p><p>So,tomakealongstoryshort,thelessonis,bethecomplainant!Winthat</p><p>“racetothetelephone”intheaftermathoftheincident.</p><p>Anotherlesson,discussedinbothdirectandcrossandworthyofreiteration</p><p>here, is: carefully consider the risks before you pursue or even follow a</p><p>wrongdoer.AsIsaidonthestandthatdayinDenver,aprivatecitizenchasinga</p><p>suspectisalittlelikeadogchasingacar:hehasnoideawhathe’sgoingtodo</p><p>with his quarry if he catches it, but hewill feel an almost irresistible urge to</p><p>chaseit.</p><p>Our society sends a verymixedmessageon this. Somewhere inAmerica</p><p>almosteveryday,somebravecitizenwillchaseathieforfollowabankrobber</p><p>ortrailaroad-ragingdriverasLarrydidinthiscase.Often,thereisasuccessful</p><p>conclusion.Thankstothatconcernedcitizen’sdiligenceandwillingnessto“get</p><p>involved,” the person who did the bad act is captured by the police and the</p><p>publicismadesafer.Sometimes,it’seventhecitizenwhocapturesthebadguy,</p><p>andthenthenewspaperslionizethatgoodcitizenasahero.</p><p>Author,right,observesaslightingexpertsdetermineambientlightatacrimescene.Thiscouldbea</p><p>criticalelementforthejurytoweigh.</p><p>Well,Ithinkthat’sagoodthing,inthemoralsense.BackwhentheEnglish</p><p>CommonLawwasformed,itincludedanelementcalled“hueandcry.”Aformal</p><p>policedepartmentwouldnotbeestablishedinEnglanduntillongafter,underthe</p><p>greatSirRobertPeelforwhomBritish“bobbies”arenicknamed.Inthoselong</p><p>agotimes,itwasunderstoodthatcitizenshadtodotheirownpolicing.Thus,it</p><p>wasapublicdutyto“raiseahueandcry”whenonesawacrimecommitted:to</p><p>shout “Stop, Thief!” and give chase, hopefully soon joined by a like-minded</p><p>crowdofgoodcitizens,andlayhandsuponthemalefactorandholdhimuntilthe</p><p>travelingmagistratecouldbebroughttothevillagetosupervisetheimposition</p><p>oftheKing’sjustice.Itisfromthisheritagethatwehavetoday’slawscreating</p><p>somethingcalled“citizen’sarrest”invirtuallyallofourUnitedStates,wherethe</p><p>EnglishCommonLawremainsthemodelofoursystemofjustice.</p><p>However,whenthenewspaperandTVnewsstoriesappearapplaudingthe</p><p>heroic citizenwho led the police to the bad guy or even captured him by his</p><p>lonesome, please notice that there’s almost always a quote from a police</p><p>spokesmanwhosays,“Weappreciatethiscitizen’sheroism,butwehavetourge</p><p>the public not to go after people they see commit crimes. It can be very</p><p>dangerous.”</p><p>They ain’t just blowing politically correct smoke. The bad guymay just</p><p>turnonyou,justasthecarthedogischasingcansuddenlygoinreverseandrun</p><p>over thepuppy.Whatareyougoing todo if thebadguy screamsatyou, “I’ll</p><p>blowyourf—kin’headoff!”ashereachesasifforapistol?</p><p>Well,ifyoucan’tgetagunonhimasquicklyasLarrygota45onthisguy,</p><p>you could be on the fast track for your body heat going from 98.6 degrees</p><p>Fahrenheit to room temperature.And ifyouareas fast asLarry, you can find</p><p>yourselfgoingthroughthesameterribleordealincourtthathedid.</p><p>Maybe you’re faster than Larry. Let’s say you’re in the exact same</p><p>circumstances,andyouputa230-grainHydra-Shokintotheman’scenterchest,</p><p>heartintospine,beforehecangethisgunhereachedforfirst,outofitshiding</p><p>place.He’swhatsomefolkswouldcallDRT:DeadRightThere.</p><p>Thefirstrespondingofficerswillapproachthebody.IFtheyfindapistolin</p><p>hishand,youmaybe home free.But IF theyDON’T, you’re in deep trouble.</p><p>You’vejustshotanunarmedman.</p><p>Gobacktothewaytheprosecutorcross-examinedmeinthiscase.Shewas</p><p>tryingtogetmetosaythatifyoupullagunonamanyouhavereasontobelieve</p><p>isgoing tocriminallyshootyouwithagunofhisown,andhe turnsout tobe</p><p>unarmed, it’swrong.Well,as Iexplained, that’splainandsimpleBS.The law</p><p>hasneverdemandedthatthebadguyactuallyhaveagun,orthatthegunbereal</p><p>insteadoffake,loadedinsteadofempty,operableinsteadofbrokenanduseless.</p><p>All the lawhaseverdemanded, insofaras theattackerbeingarmed, is thathis</p><p>manifest intent – his obvious intent, as manifested by his words and/or his</p><p>actions–besuchthatanyprudentpersonwouldbereasonabletoconcludethat</p><p>hewasindeedcapableofkillingyou.</p><p>Alas,overtheyears,ahugenumberofprosecutorshavefailedtoseethat.</p><p>Inlawschool,deadlyforcelawisatinydropinagreatseaoftortlaw,contract</p><p>law,andgenerallegalprinciples.I’vetalkedtoattorneyswhospentmoretimein</p><p>law school studyingmaritime law than deadly force or self-defense law. This</p><p>forcestheprosecutor,absentspecialtraining,tofallbackonlegalformulae.</p><p>TheformulasaysthatthekeyingredientsofManslaughterarerecklessness</p><p>or negligence, coupled of course with the death of the alleged victim. Some</p><p>perceive bad judgment to be the equivalent of recklessness and/or negligence.</p><p>“Hmmm…you thought he had a gun, but he didn’t. Your judgment was</p><p>obviouslywrong.Youkilledhim.Let’sseewhatmylawschoolnotessay…bad</p><p>judgment, plus death, equals…Manslaughter! Yes, that seems to be an</p><p>appropriatecharge.”Andthereyouare,incourtwithyourfutureontheline.</p><p>Eveniftheotherguydidturnouttohaveagun,rememberthatIonlysaid</p><p>youmaybehomefree.Waybackin1984,Iwashiredbytwofamouscriminal</p><p>defenselawyers,RoyBlackandMarkSeiden,tospeakinthedefenseofOfficer</p><p>LuisAlvarez. Luiswas aMiami street copwho, alongwith his young rookie</p><p>partner,wasarrestingamanforillegalpossessionofaconcealedhandgunina</p><p>crowded video arcade. The man went for his gun, a stolen RG-14 revolver</p><p>loadedwithhyper-velocity</p><p>Stinger22LongRiflehollowpoints,andAlvarezshot</p><p>himdead.</p><p>Itwasacross-racialshooting,andittriggeredaraceriot.Thecityneededa</p><p>scapegoat, and Alvarez was the chosen sacrifice. He was charged with</p><p>Manslaughter.Now,atthetimethesuspectmadethedrawingmovementthatled</p><p>tohisdeath,Alvarezalreadyknewthismanwasarmedwithahandgun.Hehad</p><p>approached him, put a hand on the bulge under the suspect’s sweater, and</p><p>instantlyrealizedthathishandwasonarevolver.Thecopaskedhim,“What’s</p><p>that?”The suspect replied–withwhatwould turnout tobehis lastwordson</p><p>Earth–“It’sagun.”</p><p>Onceyou’velearnedtodoit,youcanshootwithdeadlyaccuracyathighspeedwithagooddouble-</p><p>actionrevolverlikethisTaurusTracker.There’snogoodreasontorelyonadefensegunwitha“hair</p><p>trigger,”opinestheauthor.</p><p>Theprosecution,togetaconviction,neededtoshowthatAlvarezhadacted</p><p>recklessly.TheirpositionwasthatAlvarezshouldhavewaitedtoactuallyseethe</p><p>man draw the gun. They put forth an expert as a witness who testified, “He</p><p>shouldn’thavefireduntilhesawthegun.”Askedaboutthatwhenmyturncame</p><p>onthewitnessstand,myreplywas,“Ifyouwaittoseethegun,you’regoingto</p><p>seewhatcomesoutofit.”Ithendidademonstrationandshowedthejuryhow</p><p>quicklyaguncouldbedrawnfromawaistbandwhencarriedasitwasfoundon</p><p>thedyingsuspect’sbody.Therewasawholelotmoretotheeightgruelingweeks</p><p>BlackandSeidenputinonthattrial,fromjuryselectiontoverdict,butitended</p><p>inanacquittal.Whichtriggeredanotherriot,butthat’sanotherstory.</p><p>Now,let’sgetbacktotheLindseycase,theoneinDenver.Youwillrecall</p><p>the discussion of actions leading up to the final encounter, and how it is</p><p>important that the juryknowandassesshoweachof theplayerswasacting in</p><p>the short period of time leading up to the encounter. If you have a case like</p><p>Lindsey’s that’s “he said/she said,” in this case two complainants versus one</p><p>defendantandnoimpartial,objectiveeyewitnesses,it’sgoingtocomedownto</p><p>takingoneman’swordsoverthoseofanother,orthoseofacouplemore.</p><p>Thenumberofpeopletestifyingononesidecanbeconvincing,butisnot</p><p>necessarilythebestevidence.(Bythatstandard,ifavictimwasgang-rapedand</p><p>alltheperpetratorssolidlydeniedit,thevictimwouldnevergetjustice.)Whenit</p><p>goes to “he said/she said,” the relative credibility of eachwitness’s testimony</p><p>must beweighed separately. This will include other factors in what the court</p><p>calls“thetotalityof thecircumstances.”Therefore,eachindividual’sactionsin</p><p>the short time frame leading up to the encounter can be used by the jury to</p><p>determine who seemed most likely to have committed a reckless act that</p><p>disregardedthevalueofhumanlife.</p><p>Let’slookattheLarryLindseycaseagainwiththatinmind.Lindseywasa</p><p>sickmanenroute to theVeteran’sAdministrationhospital togetmuch-needed</p><p>medication,yethedivertedfromhisownneedstogetthelicensenumbersohe</p><p>could report the offending vehicle to the authorities before the reckless driver</p><p>could kill someone. This, I submit, would be seen as a selfless and highly</p><p>responsibleactionbyaprivatecitizenwhohadnolegaldutytodothat,though</p><p>ofcoursehehadtheright.</p><p>Now,let’slookatthechiefwitnessagainstLarry.Howmanyrecklessacts,</p><p>connotative of irresponsible action and therefore corroborative of Larry’s</p><p>accountoftheincident,didthisguycommit?Atleastfiveareevident.</p><p>(1) He initially cuts Larry off on the Interstate, nearly running</p><p>himofftheroad.</p><p>(2)HesuddenlydartsontotheexitrampandcutsLarryoffagain,</p><p>nearly forcing his vehicle into a concretewall this time. (The driver</p><p>will later admit to this particular offense, butwill say that he didn’t</p><p>meantodoit.)</p><p>(3)TheotherdriverflippedLarryoff.Now,obviously,that’snot</p><p>a “shooting offense,” but it shows you that you’re dealing with</p><p>someone who has some hostility going and perhaps an anger</p><p>managementthing.Afterall,wewouldalltellourkidsthatgivingthe</p><p>bird to a stranger you’ve cut off in traffic is provocative at the very</p><p>least,andtherefore,notaresponsiblethingtodo.</p><p>(4) Larry saw him blast through a “no right turn on red” light.</p><p>Anotherdangerousactthat’sconstruableasshowingdisregardforthe</p><p>safetyofoneselfandothers:moreirresponsibility.</p><p>(5)Inthepenultimatemomentbeforetheconfrontation,thedriver</p><p>who became the complainant whipped his car into a handicapped</p><p>space, with no apparent need for that sort of speed. Again, while</p><p>obviously not an offense that warrants gunpoint, it’s something that</p><p>showsyouanagitatedmaninahurry,amanwhodoesnotcaremuch</p><p>abouttheneedsofothers…andanirresponsibleman.</p><p>If you are the jurorwho has to determinewhich of thesemenwasmost</p><p>likelytoactirresponsiblyinthemomentsthatfollowed,whatdotheiractionsin</p><p>themomentsleadinguptotheconfrontationtellus?Thisiswhatthecourtsand</p><p>thelawarelookingforwhentheydemandthatactionsbeconsidered“withinthe</p><p>totalityofthecircumstances.</p><p>HardwareLessons</p><p>Be able to explain your choice of gun and ammunition, and even</p><p>accessories.There are some who will be your adversaries in court who will</p><p>makeitappearthatyourhavingagunwithyouatallwasparanoid.Beableto</p><p>articulatewhyyoudidchoosetoarmyourhome,yourshop,oryourperson.Be</p><p>able toexplainwhycarryingsufficientammunition isapractice recommended</p><p>byresponsiblefirearmsprofessionalsforverygoodreasons,andhasnothingto</p><p>dowithanyplantomassacreshoppersatthemall.</p><p>Atthiswriting,I’mconsultingonanamicusbrief foranappellatecase in</p><p>the Northeast, Commonwealth v. Pepicelli. Amicus curae are “friend of the</p><p>court” briefs,which explain in depth a certain issue in the case at bar.At his</p><p>original trial, the armed citizen defendantwas convicted of criminal homicide</p><p>afterfightingoffmenwhohadcomeafterhimandendangeredothersatafamily</p><p>cookout. Aware of a previous pattern of threats, Pepicelli was armed with a</p><p>Glockpistolandcarryingasparemagazinewhentheincidentwentdown.The</p><p>prosecutionarguedthatonlyamanwhointendedtoshootsomeonewouldbring</p><p>a loaded pistol to a family barbecue…that only amanwho intended to shoot</p><p>manypeoplewouldcarryasparemagazine…and thatcarryingahigh-capacity</p><p>semiautomaticpistolsuchastheGlockwassomehownefarioustobeginwith.</p><p>And they got away with that. The reason is, their argument went</p><p>unchallengedbyadefenselawyerwhoapparentlywasnotwellversedinthese</p><p>particularareas.Pepicelliwasconvictedandsentenced toprison.Hisappeal is</p><p>nowunderway,under theabledirectionofLisaSteele,oneof thenation’s top</p><p>appellatelawyers.Theoriginaltriallawyerhadbeenwiseenoughtoseekoutan</p><p>expertwitness,andhechoseTomAveni,whoisahighlyqualifiedinstructorand</p><p>researcher in the field, and very capable. Unfortunately, the judge refused to</p><p>allowanytestimonyintheaboveareas.Itistheexclusionofthattestimonythat</p><p>isbeingchallengedintheappeal,andinthevariousamicusbriefsthatarebeing</p><p>submitted.</p><p>Ammunition can also be an issue. I have seen many cases where the</p><p>prosecutors and plaintiff’s lawyers have argued that the use of hollow points</p><p>constitutesmalice.Theirargumentsgenerallycomealmostwordforwordfrom</p><p>anarticle published some thirtyyears ago in the liberalmagazineTheNation.</p><p>This article was titled “The</p><p>timeshewasarmedandpreparedtodefendherself.Or</p><p>theRomanCatholicpriest,whogrewupinaforeigncountryknownforitscivil</p><p>strife.Hehasbeenshotfivetimesandstabbedonce,allinseparateincidents.He</p><p>nowlivesintheUnitedStates,carrieseveryday,andwhenhequietlyrelateshis</p><p>story,hesimplysays:“Neveragain.”</p><p>ThesearethesortofpeopleMasspendstimewithasbothateacherandasa</p><p>studentof thehumanexperience.Andthatexperienceiswhathewillinglyand</p><p>skillfullyshareswithhisstudentsandhisreaders.Inthisbook,hehascompiled</p><p>decades of experience in not just the carryingof firearms, but the shootingof</p><p>firearms.MashasbeenacompetitiveshootersincetheoldPPCdays.Hewasa</p><p>“regular” at the Bianchi Cup and other national matches. He still competes</p><p>regularly in law enforcement competitions and International Defensive Pistol</p><p>Association(IDPA)matches. In fact,Maswasoneof thefirst IDPAFourGun</p><p>Masters and became the first Five Gun Master, when an additional revolver</p><p>category was established by IDPA a couple of years ago. He is also an avid</p><p>researcher of the history of carrying firearms and their use by police and</p><p>ordinaryprivatecitizensalike.Assuch,hewasaguestlecturerataconference</p><p>ofwritersandhistoriansinTombstone,Arizona,assembledtodiscussprobably</p><p>themostfamousgunfightever, theshootoutat theOKCorral.And,onamore</p><p>contemporarynote,hewasrequestedtorepresentthe“expertwitness”pointof</p><p>viewonapanelofAmericanBarAssociationlegalexpertswhoweremakinga</p><p>Continuing Legal Education training tape for attorneys. The tape specifically</p><p>addresses the investigation, prosecution and effective defense of people who</p><p>havehadtousedeadlyforcetoprotectthemselvesorothers.</p><p>In thisbook,MasdiscussesbothWHYwecarryandHOWtocarry.Mas</p><p>explainstheconceptsbehindthetwostylesofholstershehasdesigned,theLFI</p><p>RigandtheAyoobRearGuard,andwhyholsterselectionissuchanimportant</p><p>partofyourcarry“system.”Healsoexplainstheneedtopracticedrawingfrom</p><p>concealment,inordertoquicklyrespondtoanythreat.Heexplainstherationale</p><p>behind two drawing methods that he developed: using the StressFire “Cover</p><p>Crouch” todrawfromanankle rigand theFingertipSweep(hecalls it“reach</p><p>out and touch yourself”) used to positively clear an open front garment for a</p><p>smooth same-side draw. Mas began developing his “StressFire” shooting</p><p>techniques back in the 1970’s. By late 1981, at the suggestion of world</p><p>champion shooterRayChapman, he established theLethalForce Institute and</p><p>has been instructing “certified card carrying good guys” there ever since. The</p><p>ChiefofPoliceofthedepartmentwhereMasservesasaCaptain,RussellLary,</p><p>hasentrustedhissontoMas’tutelagetotheextentthathehasattendedallofthe</p><p>LFIclasses,LFI-I, II& III, andhe just recentlycompleted themostadvanced</p><p>class, LFI-IV. Yes, Mas really is a Captain in the Grantham, NH Police</p><p>Department. IknowtheChief,andhe isdelighted tohavesucha true“human</p><p>resource”availabletotheresidentsofhiscommunity.</p><p>And,makenomistake,youareyourown“FirstResponder.”</p><p>Alothaschangedinthenearly40yearssinceIstartedinthisfield.Alot</p><p>happened before that, of course, but I see the nextmajor steps coming in the</p><p>immediatefuture.Peoplearetiredofbeingvictimizedbypeoplewhouseguns</p><p>andotherweaponsillegally.Andpeoplearetiredofbeingvictimizedbyanti-gun</p><p>advocatesandthelawsandrulesforwhichtheyareresponsible.Theyhavebeen</p><p>showntobeworsethanineffective.Theyhaveputdecentpeopleunnecessarily</p><p>at risk in “Gun-Free Zones,” that are only gun-free to the law abiding. They</p><p>continue to attempt to thwart efforts tomake concealed carry by law abiding</p><p>peopleanationwidereality.Theyhavemadepeoplevulnerableata timewhen</p><p>they should be seriously thinking about, and preparing for, their own self</p><p>protection.Not to become “vigilantes,” but to be able to hold the line against</p><p>violence, until the professionals can respond. And,make nomistake, you are</p><p>yourown“FirstResponder.”Justasyouwouldhaveafireextinguisherinyour</p><p>homeorcar,ortakeacourseinfirstaidandCPR,youneedtoconsiderhowwell</p><p>youarepreparedfor theotherkindofdeadly threat thatmaysuddenlypresent</p><p>itself: a violent, criminal attack on you or those who depend on you. In this</p><p>book,Massad Ayoob has brought together all the essential elements that you</p><p>need to know if you are currently carrying concealed firearms or if you are</p><p>considering doing so. This is your opportunity to take advantage of all of the</p><p>research,knowledgeandexperience thatMashasaccumulatedovermore than</p><p>fourdecades.Ican’tthinkofabetterteacher.</p><p>SteveDenney</p><p>FirearmsandDefensiveTacticsInstructor</p><p>FirearmsTrainingContributortoOfficer.com</p><p>FormerPoliceSupervisorandOrdinaryCitizenoftheUSA</p><p>http://Officer.com</p><p>Chapter1</p><p>THECCWLIFESTYLE</p><p>AsGailbeginstogivehimahug,Stevetuckshiselbowsintohisbodyandwillseemtobehugging</p><p>back,buthis forearmplacementwillpreventher fromfeeling theSIG357onhis righthipor the</p><p>sparemagazineonhisleft.</p><p>Whenyoucarryagun,youlearntokeepotherpeoplefromnoticing.</p><p>I</p><p>fyou’rereadingthisbook,thattellsmethatyou’veeithermadethedecisionto</p><p>CCW(CarryaConcealedWeapon),orarethinkingaboutit.Eitheroneisagood</p><p>starttoenhancedpersonalsafetyofoneselfandlovedones.</p><p>It surprises some people to hear that from a guy who’s been carrying a</p><p>badgefor threeandahalfdecades.Surprise: therearemorecopswhofeel the</p><p>samewaythanyoumightthink.Factis,forthemostpart,theanti-guncopsfall</p><p>intotwonarrowcategories.Oneisthechiefappointedbyananti-gunmayoror</p><p>citycouncil,whoservesatthepleasureoftheappointingauthorityandcanget</p><p>bustedbacktoCaptain–thehighestranknormallyprotectedbyCivilService–</p><p>if he doesn’tmakehimself amouthpiece for the politician(s) in question.The</p><p>otheristheyoungrookiewhodidn’thaveagunofhisownuntilhegotintothe</p><p>Academy, and associates theweaponwith the new identity intowhich he has</p><p>investedsomuchofhis time,effort,egoandself-image. It’snotsomethinghe</p><p>wantstosharewiththegeneralpublic.</p><p>Ifyoucarry,becompetentwithyourgun.Youdon’tneedtobeabletoshootthisperfectqualification</p><p>scorewithaGlock30and45hardball,butyouwanttocomeascloseasyoucan.Confidenceand</p><p>competenceintertwine,saysAyoob.</p><p>Give him time.My experience has been that the greatmajority of LEOs</p><p>(lawenforcementofficers) inthemiddleofthosetwoends, theseasonedstreet</p><p>copswho’veseenthereality,haveamorerealisticview.Agreatmanyofthem</p><p>make sure they leave a gun at home for their spouse to use to protect the</p><p>householdwhilethey’regone.They’velearnedthatpolicearereactivemorethan</p><p>proactive, and that the victimhas to survive the violent criminal’s attack long</p><p>enoughforlawenforcementtobesummonedandarrive.</p><p>I’ve carried a concealed handgun since I was twelve years old. My</p><p>grandfather,thefirstgenerationofmyfamilytoarriveintheUSA,wasanarmed</p><p>citizenwhowentforhisgunwhenhewaspistol-whippedinhiscitystorebyan</p><p>armedrobber.Heshotandwoundedtheman.Thesuspectfled,onlytobekilled</p><p>later that night in a shootoutwith the city police. Thewoundmy grandfather</p><p>inflicted slowed him downwhen he tried to kill the arresting officer, and</p><p>Vietnamization ofMain Street.” The focus of its</p><p>attack was the sweeping adoption of hollowpoint ammunition by America’s</p><p>police.ThethingreeksofBSandtotalmisconception.Itincludesphrasessuch</p><p>as “bullets shaped like the nacelles of jet engines” and “The bullet doesn’t</p><p>explode,youdo.”</p><p>Thereareseveralwaystodefusethisattack.Onethathasworkedwellfor</p><p>meforsomeyearsistoadvisedefensecounseltoaskeverypoliceofficerwho</p><p>testifies during the state’s case an important question on cross-examination:</p><p>“What sort of ammunitiondoyoucarryonduty,Officer?”Almost certainly it</p><p>will prove to be some sort of hollowpoint, though the counselorwill want to</p><p>confirmthiswellbeforehand,priortoaskingthequestion.It’safoolishortoo-</p><p>adventurousattorneywhoasksaquestion towhichheor shedoesnotalready</p><p>knowtheanswer.</p><p>It’sstillgood tohaveanexpertwitness foryourownsidewhose training</p><p>andexperienceencompassesthisarea.Thisguaranteesbringinginthetestimony</p><p>that theHPs are less likely todangerouslyover-penetrateor ricochet.Such an</p><p>expert should also bring out the point that since hollowpoints have come into</p><p>use,mostshootingswiththemendwithfewergunshotsinflictedthanintheold</p><p>days,whencopswithimpotent158-grainround-noseleadbulletshadtoempty</p><p>theirrevolversintothebadguystoputthemdown,andsometimesdidn’teven</p><p>stopthefightwiththat.</p><p>OnethingItrytoavoidiscarryingmydepartment-issue45autoorevenammoidenticalto</p><p>whatmyPDissueswhenI’mnotworkingforthedepartment.</p><p>Themoregunshotwoundsamansustains,themorelikelyheistodie,all</p><p>otherthingsbeingequal.TheHPround’shistoryofimproved“stoppingpower”</p><p>means the bad guy has to be shot fewer times tomake him cease hostilities.</p><p>Moreover,becauseitwasdesignedtostayinthebody,thehollowpointslugwill</p><p>belesslikelytopunchasecondopenholeinthebodyasitexits.Thisreduces</p><p>tension pneumothorax, the “sucking chest wound,” and some believe it also</p><p>somewhatreduceshemorrhage.Thedeeperpenetrating“regularbullet”willby</p><p>definition be capable of piercingmore bone structures, blood vessels, organs,</p><p>etc.Thus,with all these factors taken into consideration inTheBigPicture, a</p><p>solid argument can be made that the hollowpoint bullet is less lethal and</p><p>thereforeevensaferfortheperpetratorwhoforcesyoutoshoothim!</p><p>Someauthoritiesrecommendthatthearmedcitizencarrythesameroundas</p><p>that used by local law enforcement, on the theory that the prosecutor can’t</p><p>accuseyouofusing“extra-deadlymaliciousbullets”ifthataccusationislikely</p><p>totarnishlocalpolicewhocarrythesameload.Somefolkshaveattributedthis</p><p>advicetome.Thisisincorrect.Ihavementionedthatsomeexpertssuggestthis,</p><p>but Iwasn’t the onewho cameupwith the idea. Is it smart?Well, it is if the</p><p>departmentinquestionusestherightammo!In1998,ifyoulivedinNewYork</p><p>Cityandwantedtopackthesamestuffasthelocalpolicedepartment,thatwould</p><p>havebeen115-grainfullmetaljacketroundnose9mm“ball,”oneofthepoorest</p><p>choicesforself-defenseorlawenforcement.</p><p>Oneargumentagainst thishasbeen,“Carrying thesame loadas the local</p><p>copsmight allowopposingcounsel to suggest,YourHonor, thedefendant is a</p><p>wanna-be Rambo! Why, he even loaded his deadly weapon with the same</p><p>ammunitionasourpolicecarry,asifhewasimpersonatinganofficer.</p><p>IhavetotellyouthatIdon’tworryawholelotaboutthatparticularattack.</p><p>Ihaven’t seen ithappenyet.But,ofcourse, someonenot seeing ithappenyet</p><p>doesn’tmeanithasn’thappenedyet,orthatitwon’thappeninthefuture.That</p><p>being thecase, itwouldn’thurt tohaveananswer to thechallengingquestion,</p><p>“Isitnottruethatyouloadedwithpoliceammobecauseyoufancyyourselfto</p><p>beacop,eventhoughyouaren’tone?”</p><p>Thebestansweris,“No,sir.Thepoliceareexpertsinprotectionagainstthe</p><p>kind of criminals who attack citizens. I thought if the ammunition was good</p><p>enoughforthepolicetousetoprotectmyfamily,itwasgoodenoughformeto</p><p>usetoprotectmyfamily.”</p><p>One thing I try to avoid is carryingmydepartment-issue45autoor even</p><p>ammoidenticaltowhatmyPDissueswhenI’mnotworkingforthedepartment.</p><p>ThereasonisthatIdon’twantthedepartmentgettingtiedintoasuitthatmight</p><p>evolve from something I had to do to protectmyself from death. The lawsuit</p><p>won’t do either entity, me or the department, any good. Each officer on my</p><p>departmentisissuedapermittocarryaconcealedhandgun,justlikeacitizenin</p><p>ourjurisdictionmightpossess.No,aswornofficerdoesn’tneedapermittocarry</p><p>agunoffduty,butIlikethemhavingtheoption.</p><p>Here’swhy,andit’skindacomplicated,sopleasefollowalong.Remember,</p><p>the lawsuit doesn’t seek justice so much as it seeks money. Therefore, the</p><p>plaintiffwillgoforthedeeppockets.WhenHouseResolution218wasatlong</p><p>lastsignedintolawbyPresidentGeorgeW.BushandbecameLEOSA,theLaw</p><p>Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act, sworn police and honorably retired cops</p><p>aroundthecountrybecameeligibletocarrygunsnationwide,ontheirowntime,</p><p>irrespective of arrest powers in a given jurisdiction. I personally think that, in</p><p>time, this will be the precedent that could get a nationwide concealed carry</p><p>privilegeforarmedprivatecitizenswhoareprovablybothcompetentand law-</p><p>abiding.Itestablishesakeyingredientcalled“obviouslegislativeintent.”When</p><p>LEOSAbecamelaw,theobviousintentoftheRepresentativesandSenatorswho</p><p>voted for itwas to recognize thatwhen bad people attempted tomurder good</p><p>people,itwasagoodideatohavemorearmedgoodguysandgalswhomightbe</p><p>theretostopthecarnage,anditdidn’tmatteriftheyhadthepowertoarrestthe</p><p>malefactor in that jurisdictionornot.Policechiefs incities fromNewYork to</p><p>Chicago have dragged their feet and gotten in theway of other cops carrying</p><p>there, or their cops carrying elsewhere, but once that is sorted out we’ll start</p><p>seeing“saves”fromLEOSAthatwillprovetheobviouslegislativeintenttobe</p><p>justified. Now, it will be a much shorter step to expanding the privilege to</p><p>privatecitizenswhocanshowthesametrustworthinessandcompetencyasthose</p><p>copscarryingnationwide.</p><p>Dennis Tueller did a great service for cops and armed citizens alike with his 1983 research that</p><p>provedtheaveragemancouldclose7yardsfromastandingstartanddeliverafatalknifethrustin</p><p>1.5seconds.Here,heexplainshisresearchatadeadlyforcesymposiumconvenedbytheauthoratan</p><p>ASLETseminar,2006. In thebackgroundarenotedauthoritiesBrianStover,HarveyHedden, and</p><p>JohnHolschen.</p><p>If I’moutsidemy jurisdiction and have to shoot someone in self-defense</p><p>while I’m carrying on LEOSA, my police department is effectively immune</p><p>from lawsuit. I was not acting under “color of law” on duty; I was merely</p><p>exercisingaprivilegegrantedbytheFederalgovernmenttomeandmanyothers.</p><p>If,however,I’moutsidemyjurisdictionandshootsomeoneinself-defense</p><p>withthecompanyhardware,theagencycanbesued.Afterall,theygavemethe</p><p>ammunitionandwhatisnow“thedeathweapon.”</p><p>Thelawsuitseeksbigbucks.Idon’thavebigbucks,andain’tworthsuing</p><p>bymylonesome.Butthecommunityanylawenforcementagencyserveshasa</p><p>taxbase thatplaintiffs’ lawyersdo see as representingbigbucks. If there’sno</p><p>moneythere,thereislesslikelytobealawsuitatall.Keepthebloodoutofthe</p><p>water,andyoudon’tattractthe</p><p>sharks.</p><p>Avoidthe“HairTriggerTrap.”Icall ita trapfor tworeasons.First,cops</p><p>and civilians and security professionals alike aremuchmore likely to have to</p><p>takepeopleatgunpoint thantoshoot them.If thefingergoes to the trigger,as</p><p>studiesshowitoftendoesunconsciously,evenwhenthepersonholdingthegun</p><p>ishighly trained, thestage isset foraccidentaldischargedue toseveralcauses</p><p>first identified by famed physiologist Roger Enoka. These include startle</p><p>response, postural disturbance, interlimb response, etc. The lighter the trigger</p><p>pull, the more prone the gun is to such unintentional discharges, often</p><p>automaticallyconsidered“negligentdischarges”byfirearmsprofessionals.</p><p>But there isamuchmoresubtle trap. Ithasbecomeacottage industry in</p><p>shooting-related lawsuits, and to a lesser extent in criminal prosecutions, for</p><p>opposingcounseltopresentafalsecaseofaccidentaldischargewheninfactthe</p><p>shootingwas intentional. This is because experienced lawyers know that self-</p><p>defense to a charge of an intentional shooting iswhat’s known in trial tactics</p><p>parlance as “a perfect defense,” but it’smuch harder for a defendant to prove</p><p>thathedidn’tcockthegunandrecklesslysetthestageforanunintentionalhair-</p><p>triggerdischarge.</p><p>The best way to avoid that bogus attack is to have a gun whose trigger</p><p>weight is within factory specifications for police duty as opposed to target</p><p>shooting.Thisisanargumentagainstanygunthatcanbecockedtocreateavery</p><p>lightpull,unlessthesingle-actionpullisatleastfourpoundsormoreinweight.</p><p>This is one reason somanypolicedepartmentshavegonewithdouble-action-</p><p>only handguns. One reason for the Glock pistol’s enormous popularity,</p><p>particularlyamongcops, is thatBATFEhasruled it tobeadouble-action-only</p><p>design. Justdon’t install the3.5-poundconnector,creatinga lightpull that the</p><p>factory says should be usedONLYon competition pistols, and you should be</p><p>fine.</p><p>The handload trap.Use all the reloads you want for practice, or match</p><p>shooting, or handgun hunting. Heck, I do. But for a home defense gun,</p><p>concealedcarryhandgun,orpolicedutyweapon,factoryammoisthewaytogo.</p><p>In most cases, the factory round will have better quality control and more</p><p>reliability than a reloaded cartridge. If youdon’t believeme, ask anyonewith</p><p>experience as a range officer in any form of handgun competition, “Which is</p><p>more likely to misfeed or misfire, a factory load or a handload?” Moreover,</p><p>everyfactorydefenseroundrecommendedinthisbookhasaproventrackrecord</p><p>as aman-stopper in actual gunfights.No home-brewed ammo has that; actual</p><p>shootings with reloads are very few and far between. (You could assemble a</p><p>handload that duplicates a given factory load, and save somemoney, but now</p><p>you’reliterallydefendingyourfamilywithacheapimitation.That’sthekindof</p><p>cloneammotouseforpractice,notforstreetcarry.)</p><p>Two real problems come up in court with handloads. In New Jersey v.</p><p>DanielBias,whetherthedeathofayoungwomanwassuicideormurderatthe</p><p>hands of her husband came down to forensic evidence testing, to wit, the</p><p>determination of how far the gunmuzzle was from her head before the fatal</p><p>woundwasinflicted.However,thedeathweaponwasaSmith&WessonModel</p><p>586revolverchargedwithverylightreloadsin38Special+Pcases.Thepolice</p><p>insisted on doing their gunshot residue (GSR) testing with actual +P, which</p><p>leavesGSRforaconsiderabledistance,andtherewasnonefoundonherheador</p><p>hair.Defense experts tested reloads duplicatingwhat the husband said he had</p><p>madeupandputinthegun,andcouldhaveshownthatthesewouldn’thaveleft</p><p>residueatthedistancethegunwaswhenthedefensebelieveitdischargedinthe</p><p>victim’sownhand.</p><p>AyoobwroteIntheGravestExtremetoshowarmedcitizenstherulesofengagementindeadlyforce</p><p>encounters. It is available through Police Bookshelf, PO Box 122, Concord, NH 03302,</p><p>www.ayoob.com.</p><p>However, tomakea longstoryshort, thatevidencenevergot in. Itwould</p><p>http://www.ayoob.com</p><p>haverequiredthecourt totakethedefendant’swordforthehandload“recipe.”</p><p>Evenyour reloading records,meticulousas theymaybe,won’thelp.Yousee,</p><p>theevidencewasmanufacturedbythedefendant,andthatgoesfortherecordsas</p><p>well as the ammo. You can’t prove it wasn’t some BS you came up with</p><p>afterwardtogetawaywithmurder.IhavechallengedmanyInternetadvocatesof</p><p>defensivehandloadstofindacasewherethedefendant’srecordsortestimonyas</p><p>toloadwasacceptedasGSRevidence.Nonehasevercomeupwithacase.</p><p>SomescoffthatGSRisunlikelytobeanissue.They’rewrong.Lookata</p><p>fewrandomissuesofAmericanRiflemanmagazine’s“ArmedCitizen”column,</p><p>andseeatwhatcloserangesmostofthoseshootingstakeplace.It’scriticalfor</p><p>youtobeabletoprovethattheopponentwascloseenoughtokillyouwithhis</p><p>knife,andheorhisadvocatesincourtarelikelytotellthejurythathewastoo</p><p>farawaytopresentanydangertoyou.Gunshotresiduetestingmaysaveyou…if</p><p>wecanget it in.We regularly introduceGSR testingwith factory ammo; I’ve</p><p>neverseenthatfailtogetin.</p><p>HowlikelyisitthatGSRwillbeanissue?Well,let’stakealookatmyown</p><p>caseloadatthemoment.WiththeLindseycasefinishedbyajustacquittal,I’m</p><p>down to tenon the current schedule, anice roundnumber that’s easy towork</p><p>with.Oneofthosecasesinvolvesacitizenwhodrewaknifetoprotecthimself,</p><p>andanother focusesona copwhodefendedhimselfwithblunt force.Neither,</p><p>obviously, have anything to dowith gunshot residue since no guns came into</p><p>playatall.Oftheremainingeight,GSRisanissueinfourofthem,andinone,it</p><p>isacompellingissue.That’s40percentofthecasesoverall,andhalfoftheten</p><p>cases in this example.Does that sound as ifGSR is “unlikely” to be an issue</p><p>whenyourshootingcomes?</p><p>Another thing toworry aboutwithhandloads is the argument, “Thisman</p><p>was so intent in causing horrible, deadly wounds that regular bullets weren’t</p><p>deadly enough, so he made his own extra-deadly bullets!” That was the BS</p><p>pulledbytheprosecutioninStateofNHv.Sgt.JamesKennedy.Thatargument</p><p>wasshotdownbyJimCirilloasexpertwitnessforthedefense.However,every</p><p>courtroomargumentislikeagunfight:it’sbettertoavoiditthantohavetofight</p><p>it,andeverynowandthen,theothersidecangetluckyandwin.</p><p>By the way, remember those two cases the next time you hear on the</p><p>Internet, “There has never been a case of anyone getting in trouble for using</p><p>handloads.” TheKennedy case ended with an acquittal, and that was justice.</p><p>However,theBiascasewentthroughthreetrialsbeforethethirdjuryfoundthe</p><p>kidguiltyofManslaughterandsenthimtoprison.Bothhislawyerstoldmethey</p><p>felt that if he’dhad factory ammo in thegun, theydon’t thinkhewouldhave</p><p>beenconvicted.</p><p>Tobejustifiable,deadlyforcemustalwaysbealastresort.</p><p>TheRulesofEngagement</p><p>Every encounter will be different from every other: sometimes hugely,</p><p>sometimessubtly.Theonlywaytomakesureyou’rerightistofollowaformula</p><p>whenyoumakethedecisionwhetherornottouselethalforce.TheformulaeI’m</p><p>abouttoshowyouarerock-solid,engravedinthestoneofthelawandwhatthe</p><p>courtcalls“commoncustomandpractice”alike.</p><p>Deadly force is only permissible in a situation of immediate, otherwise</p><p>unavoidabledangerofdeath</p><p>orgreatbodilyharmtooneselforanotherinnocent</p><p>persononehastherighttoprotect.Thepresenceofthatsituationisdetermined</p><p>bythesimultaneouspresenceofthreecriteria:ability,opportunity,andjeopardy.</p><p>Abilitymeans the attacker has the power to cause death or great bodily</p><p>harm: that is, tokillorcausecrippling injury.Thisusually takes theformofa</p><p>per seweapon such as a gun or knife or club, but as noted above, can also</p><p>manifest itself as disparity of force. Force of numbers, a hugely larger and</p><p>stronger attacker, an able-bodied person attacking the disabled, high skill at</p><p>unarmed combat that is known to the shooter, an adult violently attacking a</p><p>child, even a male violently attacking a female are examples of disparity of</p><p>force.Eventhoughtheyareostensiblyunarmed,theirgreatersize,strength,etc.</p><p>issolikelytokillorcripplethatitbecomestheequivalentofadeadlyweapon.</p><p>AsnotedearlierinthischapterasrelatedtoColoradov.LarryLindsey,afurtive</p><p>movement that is consistent with going for a weapon (and consistent with</p><p>nothingelse)alsosufficestocreatetheabilityfactor.</p><p>Opportunitymeans the attacker is capable of immediately employing that</p><p>power.In1983,DennisTuellerdidtheground-breakingresearchthatprovedthe</p><p>average adult male can close a gap of seven yards from a standing start and</p><p>inflictafatalstabwoundin1.5secondsontheaverage.From100yardsaway,it</p><p>wouldtakehimlonger,andshootingamanwithaknifefromtheotherendofa</p><p>football field would probably not be seen as justifiable in most courts today.</p><p>Withinsevenoreventenpaces,though,themanwiththeknifehassatisfiedthe</p><p>opportunityfactor.</p><p>Jeopardyisthefinalfactor.Theopponentmustbeactinginsuchamanner</p><p>that any reasonable, prudent person in your situationwould conclude that his</p><p>intentwastokillorcrippleyouortheinnocentpersonyoudeployyourgunto</p><p>protect.Asnotedearlier,we’retalkingaboutmanifestintent:anintentexpressed</p><p>inwordsand/oractions.</p><p>Thereisalsoanelementthatmustbeconsideredthathasbecomeknownas</p><p>preclusion. To be justifiable, deadly force must always be a last resort.</p><p>Preclusionmeans,was there anyway of avoiding this?Not just escape at the</p><p>scene, but prevention: did youdo anything to start the fight or “keep the ball</p><p>rolling”?Ifyoudid,itimpairswhatthecourtscall“themantleofinnocence.”</p><p>Some instructors teach preclusion as part of the same formula as ability/</p><p>opportunity/jeopardy. I disagree, and separate it out in the training I give at</p><p>LethalForce Institute andelsewhere.There are twobig reasons for this.First,</p><p>Ability/Opportunity/Jeopardy (AOJ, for short) speaks to the assailant and the</p><p>threathepresentstoyou.Preclusionspeakstoyou,andyourexactsituation,and</p><p>your options in a given moment and place. It’s “apples and oranges.” Both</p><p>elementsneedtobeconsidered,buttheyneedtobeconsideredseparately.</p><p>Second,AOJiswritteninstone,butpreclusionisfungible.Areyouacop,</p><p>actinginthelineofduty?Ifso,youhavenodutytoretreat,andindeed,under</p><p>certain circumstances your retreat might be construable as cowardice or</p><p>misfeasance of public office.Were you an armed citizen attacked in public in</p><p>Floridaintheyear2004?Ifso,thestatelawsaidyouhadadutytoretreatbefore</p><p>using lethal force in self-defense. But today, the new (and, I like to think,</p><p>improved)Florida law allows you to stand your groundwithout attempting to</p><p>retreatifyouareattackedinanyplacewhereyouhavearighttobe.NewYork</p><p>andmanyotherstatesstillhave“retreatrequirements”forpublicattack.</p><p>However,inanyjurisdiction,youareallowedtostandyourgroundwithout</p><p>resorting to retreat if you are in your home. It is called the “castle doctrine”</p><p>because it stems from the ancient English Common Law that held “a man’s</p><p>homeishiscastle,”andattackedthere,heneednotretreat.</p><p>Remember, however, that in any jurisdiction that has a “retreat</p><p>requirement,” retreat is never demanded unless it can be accomplished in</p><p>completesafetytooneselfandotherinnocentpersons.Inotherwords,youaren’t</p><p>expected to turn your backon amugger’s gun and attempt to outrun a bullet.</p><p>Youaren’texpectedtorunawayandleaveyourchildrenbehind,helplessagainst</p><p>the attacker, like throwing the babies from the sleigh to placate the pursuing</p><p>wolves. (Interestingly enough, I’ve been in cases against ruthless lawyers and</p><p>prostituteexpertwitnesseswhotriedtoconvincejuriesthatyouweresupposed</p><p>tostooptosuchlevels.Theydidnotwintheircases.)</p><p>Powerandresponsibilityarecommensurate.</p><p>If thishasbeena longchapter, it’sbecause it’savery involvedcornerof</p><p>concealed carry, andwe’ve barely scratched the surface here.Mybook In the</p><p>GravestExtreme: theRoleof theFirearminPersonalProtection isdevoted to</p><p>thistopic,andhasstoodthetestoftimeandthecourtsformorethanaquarterof</p><p>acentury.Deadlyforcelawbeingoneofthemorematurebodiesoflaw,nothing</p><p>terribly significant has changed in “the rules of engagement” since it was</p><p>written. It is available through Police Bookshelf, PO Box 122, Concord, NH</p><p>03302,1-800-624-9049,www.ayoob.com.Atthesamewebsiteyou’llfindalink</p><p>fortheclassesIteachthroughLethalForceInstitute.ThecourseI’drecommend</p><p>would be the 40-hour LFI-I, which encompasses the legal/ethical/tactical</p><p>elements plus several hundred rounds of hands-on combat shooting. If you</p><p>alreadyfeelyou’resufficientlycompetentwiththe“how”andwantmoreabout</p><p>the“when,”consider theweekend(two-dayintensive lecturesetting)Judicious</p><p>UseofDeadlyForceprogram.</p><p>Thehowand thewhencan’tdo itby themselves, though.Youneedboth.</p><p>Powerandresponsibilityarecommensurate.Withgreatpower,obviously,comes</p><p>great responsibility, because power unchecked by responsibility becomes</p><p>bullyingamongindividualsandterrorismandtyrannyinthecollective.</p><p>At thesametime,responsibilitywithout thepowertofulfill itmaybethe</p><p>ultimatehopelessness.</p><p>http://www.ayoob.com</p><p>Chapter5</p><p>“GENTLEMEN(ANDLADIES),</p><p>CHOOSEYOURWEAPONS”</p><p>(L)S&WBodyguard(M/649)withshroudedhammer,DA/SA.(Center)factorybobbedhammeron</p><p>DAORugerSP101.(R)“hammerless”configurationofDAOS&WCentennial(M/40-1).</p><p>Threeapproachestosnag-freecarryrevolvers.</p><p>O</p><p>necan’tcarryaconcealedweaponwithouthavingaconcealableweapon.Some</p><p>aresuitablefortheconcealedcarrytask,andsomearenot.</p><p>We can’t cover every possible choice here. A swing through the Krause</p><p>catalogwillshowyouwholebooksonthe1911,theGlock,theSIG-Sauer, the</p><p>Beretta, the Smith&Wesson series, etc. al. Other good choices from Paladin</p><p>includeLivingwith1911sandLivingwithGlocksbyRobertBoatman,and the</p><p>outstandingTheSnubbyRevolverbyEdLovette.I thinkLovette’sbookshould</p><p>bereadbyanyonewhoownsoristhinkingofowninga“snub-nose.”Itputsthe</p><p>wholegenreinperspective.</p><p>The competent shooter loses little going double-action-only with a snubby. This oldM/36 Chief</p><p>SpecialwithHerrett stocksmade5outof5head shotsat20yards singleaction (left) and double</p><p>action(right).</p><p>Cockedtosingleactionasshown, thisS&W649canbeaproblemwaiting tohappen ina tactical</p><p>situation.Authorprefersdouble-action-only(DAO)S&Ws.</p><p>Asnotedearlier,it’smoreconvenienttohavea“wardrobe”ofconcealable</p><p>handguns, but it’s not entirely necessary. Generations of</p><p>young cops have</p><p>learned that it’s cheaper to buy a concealment holster for their full-size</p><p>department-issueservicehandgunthantopurchaseawholenewgunandleather</p><p>setforoff-dutycarry.Similarly,manyarmedcitizenshavelearnedthatthefull-</p><p>size handgun they bought for home protection is concealable if they set their</p><p>mindtoit.</p><p>Abit largerthanJ-frames,andheavier,TaurusTracker45(top)andRugerSP101357(below),are</p><p>very“shootable”andsubstantiallymorepowerfulthan38s.</p><p>Copshavepickedupon this, too. In1967,OrdnanceSgtLouisSemanof</p><p>theIllinoisStatePoliceconvincedtheISPtobecomethefirstlargedepartment</p><p>inthenationtoadopttheSmith&WessonModel399mmsemiautomaticpistol</p><p>as a duty weapon. The reason was not firepower. At the time, troopers were</p><p>requiredtobearmedoffduty.Theycarried4-to6-inchbarrelColtandSmith&</p><p>Wesson service revolvers in uniform, and generally wore 2-inch barrel small</p><p>frame 38 versions of the same guns on their own time. At qualification, the</p><p>“snubby”scoresweredismallyinferiortothosewiththelargerrevolvers.Seman</p><p>reasoned,correctly,thattheModel39autopistolwouldbelightandflatenough</p><p>forconcealedcarry,butwoulddofineforuniformwearaswell.Hewasproven</p><p>right:scoresskyrocketed,andthetroopersbecamecomfortablewearingtheslim</p><p>Smith 9mmson their off-time.More recently,whenNYPDwentwith 16-shot</p><p>9mmpistolsandgavetheirofficersthechoiceoftheSIGP226DAO,theheavy</p><p>S&WModel5946,orthepolymer-frameGlock19,theoverwhelmingmajority</p><p>chose the latter. This was partly because the Glock 19 was cheaper (NYPD</p><p>officers buy their own guns through the department), but also because it was</p><p>muchlighterand theonlyoneof the threeoptions thatwas trulya“compact.”</p><p>The G19 was easier to carry all the time off duty, or when transferring to a</p><p>plainclothesassignment.</p><p>Today’snewparadigm:polymer-framed,striker-firedautos.Fromtop:Glock22in40,S&WM&Pin</p><p>9mm,SpringfieldXDTacticalin45GAP,45ACPKahrP45,40cal.Taurus24/7,and9mmRuger</p><p>SR9.</p><p>Justashuntersandsportsmenhavehistoricallymodeledtheirriflechoices</p><p>on thenation’smilitarysmallarms,America’sarmedcitizenshavehistorically</p><p>followed thepoliceestablishment inchoosingdefensivehandguns.Whenmost</p><p>of America’s cops carried 38 Special revolvers to work, that same type and</p><p>caliberwasthemostpopularchoiceofhomedefenseandconcealedcarrygun.</p><p>Though private gun enthusiasts embraced auto pistols before American law</p><p>enforcement in general, they did not switch to autoloaders enmasse until the</p><p>police did the same. Today, the snub-nose “detective special” genre remains</p><p>extremelypopularamongcopsforbackupandoff-dutywear,andthesamestyle</p><p>gunisverypopularamongarmedcitizens,butbothtendtowardtheautoloader</p><p>asaruleforfullsize“heavyduty”handguns.</p><p>Let’s take just a cursory look at available choices today. In eachweapon</p><p>type,varioussizesandcalibersareavailable.Thisallowsarmedcitizenandcop</p><p>aliketohaveadeepconcealmentgun,alargerhandgunthat’sconcealableunder</p><p>heavier clothing, and perhaps a still larger one for home defense or target</p><p>practice,allwith thesame firecontrolsandgeneral“feel” forcommonalityof</p><p>trainingandhabituation,sothatskillsdevelopedwiththeonewilltransfertothe</p><p>other.With some (but not all) combinations, one can alsouse the larger gun’s</p><p>speedloadersorhighercapacitymagazinesforefficientspareammorecharging</p><p>withthesmallergun.</p><p>Manypreferamixofmodernandtraditional.Thesearemodernpolymer-frameautoswithhammer-</p><p>firedmechanisms.Fromtop:9mmSIGP250DAO,45ACPHeckler&KochUSP45,and45ACP</p><p>RugerP345.</p><p>Secrets of experience: moderately long-barrel guns with short grips deliver great shooting</p><p>performance,andmaybeeasiertocarryatthewaistthan“snubbies.”Fromtop:KahrCovertP40in</p><p>40S&W;S&WModel6438Specialwith4-inchbarrelandCraigSpegelBootGrips;andColtCCO</p><p>with41/4-inchbarrelofCommandermountedonshortOfficersframe,in45ACP,wearingBarnhart</p><p>Burnerstocks.</p><p>TheNewParadigm“Automatics”</p><p>Thepropertermisconsideredtobe“semiautomatic,”butformygeneration</p><p>“automatic”wasanacceptabledescriptorofautoloadingpistolswhichonlyfired</p><p>one shot per pull of the trigger, so forgive me if I use it in this book for</p><p>convenience.Weallknowwhatwe’retalkingabout.</p><p>Themostpopulargenreofautomaticstodayarestriker-firedpistolswithno</p><p>“hammers”per se,andwith polymer frames. Pioneered byHeckler andKoch</p><p>withtheVP70ZandHKP9seriespistolsofthe1970sand’80s–butpopularized</p><p>morethan20yearsagobythemarket-leadingGlockbrand–thepolymerframe</p><p>reducesweight, reduces cost, and is impervious to corrosion. The latter is an</p><p>important point with guns carried concealed and often exposed to salty, rust-</p><p>creating human sweat.Most of these pistolswill have a trigger pull that’s the</p><p>same from first to last shot, whichmakes them easier to learn to shoot well.</p><p>These include theGlock, of course, and also the SpringfieldArmoryXD, the</p><p>Kahr,Smith&Wesson’ssuccessfulMilitary&Policeseriesandcost-effective</p><p>Sigmaline,andtheslim,reliableRugerSR9amongothers.TheGlocklineisfar</p><p>and away themost popular inAmericanpolice service at thiswriting, but the</p><p>S&WM&Piscomingonstronginthatsectorandso,toalesserdegree,isthe</p><p>XD.</p><p>Double-action semiautomatics can be had with polymer frames (Beretta</p><p>Ninety-TwoandPx4,thecurrentHKseries,SIGP-250andSIG-Pro,RugerP95</p><p>9mmandP34545,forexample).Theserequirealong,heavy(read“deliberate”)</p><p>pullofthetriggerforthefirstshot,andareconsideredbysometobelessprone</p><p>to stress-induced accidental discharges for that reason. They can be ordered</p><p>DAO(double-action-only,withthatsameheavypullforeveryshot,suchasthe</p><p>popularKel-Tecseries),orTDA(traditionaldoubleaction) inwhich thepistol</p><p>cocksitselftoaneasy,lightpullforeveryshotafterthefirst.Thelatterwillbe</p><p>fittedwithadecocking lever tosafely lower thehammerwhen theshooting is</p><p>done.Ofcourse,thesamecompanies–plusSmith&Wessonandmanymore–</p><p>offerdouble-actionautoswithsteeloraluminumframeconstruction,too.</p><p>Two approaches tomaking 1911’s butt less protuberant in concealment. Top: shortenedOfficer’s</p><p>frame on Colt CCO. Center: “Bobtail” configuration developed by Ed Brown, shown on his</p><p>Executivemodelpistol.Below:standardsize1911frameforreference,hereaSmithSW1911.All3</p><p>are45ACP.</p><p>S&WlightweightCentennialshavebeenthechoiceofexpertsfordeepconcealmentformorethan</p><p>halfacentury.Top:OriginalCentennialAirweight,circa1953.Center,Model442,early’90s,with</p><p>Eaglegrips.Below,Model340M&P,withfactory-furnishedHoguegrips,introduced2007.</p><p>A classic favorite among American shooters is the single action</p><p>semiautomatic, typified by the 1911 pistol that has been popular since the</p><p>eponymous year of its introduction. To be ready for immediate, reactive self-</p><p>defense, the1911 typehandgunhas tobe carried cockedand locked (hammer</p><p>back,thumbsafetyinthe“safe”position)withaliveroundinthechamber.This</p><p>alarms some people not in tune with the tradition, and there is no shame for</p><p>those people to simply go to a double action or striker-fired handgun instead.</p><p>The 1911 was popular for concealed carry from the beginning because it is</p><p>extremelythinforagunofitspowerlevel,and</p><p>isthereforeverycomfortableto</p><p>wear inside the waistband or even in a shoulder holster. The most popular</p><p>chambering is the one this gunwas designed around, the 45ACP (Automatic</p><p>ColtPistol), but enthusiasts have bought them in 38 Super, 9mm, 10mm, and</p><p>other chamberings. The 1911 was designed by firearms genius John Moses</p><p>Browning,whobeforehisdeathdid the initialdesignworkonanother famous</p><p>weaponthatbearshisname,theBrowningHi-Power.Evenslimmer,andcapable</p><p>of holding 14 rounds of 9mm Parabellum, this high quality weapon has</p><p>somethingofacultfollowingintheCCWworld.</p><p>Revolvers have earned a reputation for good reliability and have been</p><p>around since the year 1836.A swing-out cylinder double action design is the</p><p>easiest handgun for new shooters because of its simple “administrative</p><p>handling,” the routine loading and unloading, checking, and cleaning that</p><p>accompanies all responsible firearmsownership. Its “manual of arms,” i.e., its</p><p>physical operation, is without parallel for simplicity. This is one reasonmost</p><p>experts recommend the double-action revolver as a “starter gun” for new</p><p>shooters.</p><p>Model642Airweight38Spl.maybetoday’s“bestbuy”inacarrysnub,opinesauthor.</p><p>642withUncleMike’sgripsandpocketholster,backedbySpeedStrip,andloadedwith135-grain</p><p>GoldDot38Spl.+Pisanexcellenteverydaycarrysnubbyset-up.</p><p>CrimsonTraceLasergripsmakeanexcellentadditiontohard-to-shootsnubbyrevolvers.</p><p>Seenherewith340M&P,Centennial’sdesignletsthehandgethigheronthebackstrapforsuperior</p><p>recoilrecoveryinrapidcombatfire.</p><p>RevolverorAuto</p><p>As you assess your particular balance of needs, you’ll find some stark</p><p>differences between the attributes of the double action revolver and the</p><p>semiautomaticpistol.Let’sgoforaquickoverview.</p><p>Allautoloadingpistolshavelongbearingsurfacesbetweenslideandframe,</p><p>making themsensitive toproper lubrication.Theyarealsodependedonclean,</p><p>pristine magazines with unfatigued springs. Thus, auto pistols are more</p><p>maintenanceintensivethanrevolvers,whichcanbeleftunlubricatedandatrest</p><p>literallyfordecadeswithnodegradation infunction.Militaryspecautopistols</p><p>suchastheGlock,Beretta,SIG,etc.havelargetolerancesbetweenthemoving</p><p>parts, allowing them to functionwhen sand or dirt get in themechanism; the</p><p>morefinelyfittedrevolversmaychokeifdroppedinasandpileorimmersedin</p><p>mud.Thus,whiletherevolverismoreforgivingoflackofroutinemaintenance,</p><p>theautomaticismoreforgivingoffieldabuse.</p><p>Ayoobsays“Friendsdon’tletfriendscarrymouseguns.”ComparedtoS&W40-138(top),theNAA</p><p>22Magnum(center)and22Short(bottom)mini-revolversshouldbeseenasenjoyablerecreational</p><p>guns,notfightingweapons,hefeels.</p><p>Intheseriousdefensecalibers(38Specialandup)revolvershaveonlyfive</p><p>shots in the small frame models, six in the standard frame, and occasionally</p><p>sevenoreightinthelarger,progressivelyhardertoconcealsizes.Thesmallest</p><p>9mmautosstartatsevenroundsonboard,quicklyprogresstotenoreleven,and</p><p>if you can carry a light polymer-frame, full size 9mm auto, you’re up to 18</p><p>roundsor so, twenty ifyoudon’tminda smallmagazineextensionprotruding</p><p>from the butt. With quick-interchanging magazines, the autos are also much</p><p>fastertoreload.Byanymeasure,iffirepower’swhatyouwant,asemiautomatic</p><p>iswhatyouneed.</p><p>Mostsemiautomaticscanjamifpressedagainstanassailant’sbodybefore</p><p>firing,ascanhappeninabelly-to-bellyfight to thedeathorrapeattempt.The</p><p>pressurewill pushmost autos’ slides out of battery, or firing alignment of the</p><p>parts, preventing even one shot from being fired. If the first shot discharges,</p><p>viscousblood,fat,andbrainmattermaybeback-blastedfromashotagainstbare</p><p>flesh into thebarrelbushingareaof theautoloaderas it cycles,preventing the</p><p>slidefromclosingintobatteryforasubsequentshot.Witharevolver,however,</p><p>this is not a consideration. If your likeliest threat profile is a contact-distance</p><p>mugging, rape, or murder attempt, the revolver will give you an advantage.</p><p>Muzzlecontactshotsareparticularlydevastatingsince theviolentlyexpanding</p><p>gasesofthemuzzleblastaredirectedintotheopponent’sbody,causingmassive</p><p>additionaldamage.</p><p>Revolver shooters have tended historically to practice with light loads,</p><p>usingmild wadcutters or feeble 130-grain generic 38 Special range loads for</p><p>training,andthenloadingmonsterElmerKeithMemorialMagnumloadsof357</p><p>persuasion for the street. Cops got away from that long ago, because they</p><p>realizedthatlightloadsdidn’tpreparetheofficertohitwithahard-kickinggun</p><p>at themoment of truth. Toomany private citizens still delude themselves this</p><p>way.Anadvantageoftheautopistolisthatitwon’trunwithlightloads,forcing</p><p>theshooterintorelevantpractice.</p><p>Thereissuchathingas“toobig”indefensiverevolvers,suchasthe460Smith&Wesson.Author</p><p>whimsicallyholds83/8-inchversion,left,andshortbarrel“emergency”model,right.</p><p>Shorter,moreefficientautopistolloadstendtoproducelessmuzzleflashat</p><p>night than revolver ammo of equivalent power levels, i.e., 38 Special versus</p><p>9mm, 357 Magnum versus 357 SIG, or 45 Colt versus 45 ACP or 45 GAP</p><p>(GlockAutoPistol).Thelessmuzzleflash,thelesstheshooterisblindedbyhis</p><p>orherownweapon,anotheradvantagetotheauto.</p><p>Autostendtohavesquared-off“handles”thatpresstightlyagainstthebody,</p><p>particularlyinpocket,ankle,belly-band,orotherdeepconcealmentcarrymodes.</p><p>This means the fingers of the drawing hand may have to fight a little to get</p><p>betweenthefleshand theguntogainadrawinggrasp.Theroundedprofileof</p><p>thesmallframerevolverallowsamuchfastergrasp,henceamuchfasterdraw.</p><p>Scoreapoint for therevolverhere,particularly inpocket,ankle,orbelly-band</p><p>carry.</p><p>Revolvers tend, overall, to be somewhat more reliable than auto pistols,</p><p>whichcan jam frombeingheldwitha limpwrist, fromusing too shortor too</p><p>longacartridge,orfromlackoflubricationormagazinedamage.Particularlyfor</p><p>non-experiencedshootersandthosewhodon’troutinelylubricatetheirguns,this</p><p>gives the“wheelgun”a reliability edge. (Auto shooters, remember to lubricate</p><p>yourcarrygunmonthly,evenifyoudon’tshootit.Lubricantisliquid;itdrains</p><p>and evaporates.) If you carry in an ankle holster, grit builds up on the gun</p><p>quickly. Only a few “military-spec” small autos seem to survive this buildup</p><p>without jamming: theKel-TecP11andP3AT, thebabyGlocks,and theKahrs,</p><p>forexample.Revolverstoleratethisgritbuildupinankleholstersmuchbetter.</p><p>One thing we’ve seen more and more since autoloaders became</p><p>predominant in police work is that if they are carried with a manual safety</p><p>lockedinthe“safe”position,theyofferanelementofproprietarynaturetothe</p><p>user if a criminal gains control of the weapon. This feature is generally the</p><p>province of auto pistols instead of revolvers. However, the K-frame (38-size</p><p>frame)orlargerS&WrevolvercanbeconvertedtoMagnaTriggerconfiguration</p><p>by Rick Devoid. Such a conversion can only be fired by someonewearing a</p><p>magneticring.Whenmylittleoneswerenotyetatanageofresponsibility,my</p><p>“housegun”(andoftenmycarrygun)wasa4-inchbarrelSmith&Wesson357,</p><p>MagnaTriggered. Itwill comeoutof retirementnow that I’vegotgrandkids. I</p><p>gavea21/2-inchbarrelMagnaTrigger</p><p>CombatMagnumtomyyoungestwhen</p><p>shebecameamom–Devoidtunedtheaction,too–whileheroldersisterwas</p><p>comfortablewithherpetS&WModel39139mmautomaticinthisregard,since</p><p>itisequippedwithbothmanualsafetyandmagazinedisconnectorsafety.Devoid</p><p>(www.tarnhelm.com)canalsofitaCominollithumbsafetyforallGlockpistols</p><p>buttheModel36,offeringproprietarynaturetotheusertoGlockfans.</p><p>http://www.tarnhelm.com</p><p>Kel-TecP3AT(belowJ-frameS&Wshownforcomparison)isextremelyflatandeasytocarry,but</p><p>authordoesnottrustits380cartridgeasmuchashedoes38Spl.+P.</p><p>P3ATbyKel-Tecisreliableincurrentproduction,saysauthor,andcertainlylightandflat.</p><p>Thecarrygunofyourchoicewillprobablybeavailableinavarietyofsizeformats.Herearethefour</p><p>currently produced 9mm Glocks. From top, target size G34; service size G17; compact G19;</p><p>subcompactG26.</p><p>Thereareotherfactorstoconsider,butthesearethekeypoints.Theyhelp</p><p>to explain why serious shooters today seem to prefer autoloaders, but most</p><p>expertsrecommendrevolversforbeginnersandforthatclassofgunownersthat</p><p>expert Mark Moritz defined as NDPs, or non-dedicated personnel. It also</p><p>explainswhy the revolver is so popular as a hideout/backup gun among even</p><p>highlytrainedgunpeople.</p><p>Whenindoubt,dowhatIdo.Withaservice-gradeautomaticonmyhipand</p><p>alight,snub-nosedrevolverinmypocket,IfigureI’mcoveredwhetherSt.Peter</p><p>turnsouttobeaBillJordan/revolverfanoraJeffCooperautofanwhenImeet</p><p>himonJudgmentDay…</p><p>ConcealedCarryGunFeatures</p><p>Whateveryourchoice,therearesomefeaturesthatareparticularlysuitable</p><p>for concealed carry. Youwant a carry gun that is snag-free.No sharp edges.</p><p>Nothingtohookonclothingandrevealthepistol,orwearholesinthegarments,</p><p>orcatchonfabricandfatallystalladefensivedraw.Ifyoujusthavetohavea</p><p>sharp-edged, non-ramped front sight, make sure your holster has a “sight</p><p>channel” thatwillprevent“catching.”Someshootersreallydohaveaneedfor</p><p>adjustable rear sights – they’re carrying a hunting handgun ormatch handgun</p><p>that needs to be precisely zeroed, and may need the sights adjusted to take</p><p>advantage of different ammunition power levels – the edges of those sights</p><p>shouldberounded,evenifacustomgunsmithhastodoit.</p><p>Theoldrevolverparadigm,seenwithS&W38Specials.Fromtop:6-inchK38forpistolteamuse,4-</p><p>inchCombatMasterpieceforuniformwear,and2-inchChiefsSpecialforconcealmentneeds.</p><p>Yourmodelof choicemaybeavailable invarious lengths.Theseare single-action-onlySIGP220</p><p>45s.Fromtop:5-inchbarreltargetmodel,41/4-inchservicemodel,and3.9-inch“Carry”model.</p><p>Makesurethegripandgrip-frameareagivethehandenoughtractionifwet</p><p>withsweatorbloodorrain.Thedefensivehandgun,remember,isanemergency</p><p>tool. Smoothmetal frames coupledwith pearl or even ivory “handles,” if the</p><p>latterdon’thave fingergrooves,mightaswellbecoatedwithwetsoap.Some</p><p>secure grip surfaces can be too tacky for concealed carry. Depending on the</p><p>garments,“rubber”gripshavebeenknowntocatchinnerclothingsurfacesand</p><p>hikeup thegarment to reveal thehandgun.Skateboard-likegrips that lock the</p><p>gunsolidlyintothehandcanabradecoatlinings.IfindIcanwearthemnextto</p><p>bare skin, but a lot ofmy colleagues find themagonizing.On theother hand,</p><p>someof thosefolkscanwearcocobologripsnext to theirskin,but inmycase</p><p>theycauseanangry red rash.Therearea lotof individualistic little tastes that</p><p>youdevelopoveryearsofconcealedcarry,andtheytendtobehighlysubjective.</p><p>Nightsightsareagoodidea.Mostarmedencountersoccurindimlight,and</p><p>Tritiumsightscanhelp.Whenyouwakeupinpitchdarknessinastrangemotel</p><p>room,thoseglowingsightdotsguideyourhandtothebedsidedefensesidearm</p><p>likeairstriplandinglights.Lasersights,particularlytheconvenientdesignssuch</p><p>asLaserMax(replacingtherecoilspringunderthebarrelinpopularautos),and</p><p>the Crimson Trace LaserGrip (bolt-on, for popular revolvers and autos) can</p><p>enhanceyourhitpotentialinthedark.They’reaGodsendforthosewithvision</p><p>problems that allow them to identify a threat, but don’t let them focus on</p><p>gunsightsthatareatarm’slength.Thedeterrenteffectoftheredlaserdotona</p><p>suspectatgunpointmayhavebeenover-ratedbymanufacturersandadvertisers,</p><p>butifthere’sachanceofthatworking,it’sachanceyouwantonyourside.Laser</p><p>sightsarealsoatremendoustrainingaidindryfireandevenlivefire,allowing</p><p>theshootertobetterbecomeaccustomedtoholdingthegunassteadyaspossible</p><p>astheindexfingersmoooothlyrollsthetriggerbackuntiltheshot.</p><p>Commonality of training and ammo, duality of purpose. Top, Glock 31 with ScottWarren night</p><p>sightsandInSightM3Xwhitelightunit,forpolicepatrolandhomedefense.Below,Glock33with</p><p>Trijiconnightsightsforbackupandconcealedcarry.Bothfirethepowerful357SIGcartridge,and</p><p>smallergunwillworkwithlargergun’smagazines.</p><p>ThicknessisanimportantdimensioninCCWselection.Toptobottom,left:SpringfieldXD,Glock</p><p>22, Kimber 1911, SIG P226. From top at right: Kahr P40, S&W K-frame, S&W J-frame, and</p><p>Browning Hi-Power. Note slimness of 1911 and Hi-Power formats, a reason for their popularity</p><p>amongCCWprofessionals.</p><p>“Fluffythepetrevolver,”author’sS&W357fittedwithMagnaTriggerconversion.Guncanonlybe</p><p>firedbysomeonewearingmagneticring,provided.Thisconcepthasmanytacticalusesforhomes</p><p>withsmallchildren,prisonertransport,etc.</p><p>Carrygunofauthor’soldestdaughter is thisSokol-tunedS&WModel39. Itholdsnine roundsof</p><p>9mmandisaperfectcarrysize.SIG’sanalogouspistol,theP239,wasadvertisedas“PersonalSize,”</p><p>forgoodreason.</p><p>Whitelightattachmentsmakegreatsenseforhomedefense,anditislogical</p><p>topurchaseasanall-arounddefensepistolanautoloaderthathasintegralframe</p><p>rails that allow slide-on/slide-off units by SureFire, InSight, Streamlight,</p><p>Blackhawk, and soon.Police aregoing to largerholstersmade to carry light-</p><p>mounted guns, and a few manufacturers (Blade-Tech, for one) produce</p><p>concealable holsters that carry light-mounted automatics. As the light units</p><p>becomesmaller,thispracticewillbecomemorepracticalforconcealedcarry.</p><p>SizeandShapeFactors</p><p>Bulgesundertheclothingarethekeyenemyofeffectiveconcealment,and</p><p>the“handle”areaoftheguntendstobethebiggestoffenderhere.Thelonggrip-</p><p>frameofafull-sizedutypistolisbestconcealedbycarryingitonthestrong-side</p><p>hip,tiltedsharplyforwarduntilthebackstrapofthegripispointedalmostatthe</p><p>armpit.Thismayrequireaslightcrouchtoeffectthedraw,butthat’ssomething</p><p>mostpeopledoinahigh-stressdangersituationanyway.</p><p>Nonetheless,smallergunbuttsareaplusforconcealment.Oneofthelesser</p><p>recognized concealment secrets is that amedium-length barrel coupledwith a</p><p>minimizedgrip framecangive thecarrier thebestofbothworlds.Threegood</p><p>exampleswouldbetheK-frameSmith&Wessonrevolverwitha4-inchbarrel</p><p>and stocks cut levelwith themetal butt;my favorite concealed carryColt 45</p><p>auto among the extensive line the company has offered since 1911, the CCO</p><p>with41/4-inchCommanderbarrelandcommensurate lengthslidemountedon</p><p>theshort-buttLightweightOfficersframe;andthepopularKahrCovertseries,in</p><p>which the barrel/slide of their standard-length guns (compact by most other</p><p>makers’standards)ismatedwiththestubbyframeoftheirMicro</p><p>models.With</p><p>autos, this generally reduces cartridge capacity by a round or two due to the</p><p>necessarilyshortermagazine,butthat’sareasonablepricetopayforagunthat</p><p>conceals like a snubby but shoots like a service pistol. My old friendMarty</p><p>Hayes, the master shooter and instructor who directs Firearms Academy of</p><p>Seattle, once created a Glock 40 perfect for concealed carry that I called the</p><p>Glock 22-1/2. He took the standard service-size sixteen-shot Glock 22 and</p><p>shorteneditsbutttotakethe13-roundGlock23magazine.Thisgavemaximum</p><p>concealment, still offered an excellent grasp, and a total of fourteen versus</p><p>sixteen roundswas not deemed to be an unfair price to pay for the improved</p><p>concealment.</p><p>Sizeisnotnecessarilyrelativetopower.Fromtop:ColtPocketNinein9mmLuger;ColtPony380;</p><p>NAAGuardian32,andBeretta25/22Short.</p><p>Thishammer-shroudedColtDetectiveSpecialpickedupthismuchlintanddirtcarriedinanankle</p><p>holsterbetweencop-owner’srangequalifications. Itstillworked,onereasonauthor likesrevolvers</p><p>forpocketandanklewear.</p><p>White lightattachment railondustcoverofmodernpistols isauseful feature,converting themto</p><p>higher-capabilityhomedefenseweaponswhenthelight is inplace.This is theSIGP250cin9mm</p><p>Luger.</p><p>Roundedbuttsworkwell.EdBrowncameupwitha“bobtail” lower rear</p><p>endforhisownlineoffactorycustom1911automatics,whichhehaslicensedto</p><p>the DanWesson company for their brand and which is available for custom</p><p>gunsmithing as well. With any handgun (revolvers are particularly suitable)</p><p>roundingtheedgesofthegripsatthebottomwillimproveconcealability.</p><p>AdditionalSafetyFactors</p><p>The trigger pull should be smooth on a defensive handgun, but not</p><p>particularly light. One factor that occurs to human beings under stress is</p><p>vasoconstriction.Bloodflowisredirectedawayfromtheextremitiesandintothe</p><p>internal organs and major muscle groups, as if to “fuel the furnace” for the</p><p>superhuman effort about to come. This is why frightened Caucasians become</p><p>deathly pale, and it is why people in life-threatening stress situations become</p><p>grossly clumsy. A light trigger pull can now much more easily discharge</p><p>prematurelyandunintentionally.</p><p>AuthorhascarriedthisBrowningHi-Power, tunedbyCylinder&SlideShop,coast tocoast inthe</p><p>U.S.A.andfromEurope toAfrica.Great feeland“shootability”combinewith thinness tomake it</p><p>moreconcealablethanitlooksinprofile.WorldwideavailabilityofBrowningpartsand9mmLuger</p><p>ammodoesn’thurt,either.</p><p>EdLovette,whowrotethebookTheSnubbyRevolver,amust-readforCCWpractitionersinauthor’s</p><p>opinion.</p><p>GunexpertDeanSpeirpronouncedtheGlock30theidealconcealedcarrypistol.Match-accurateand</p><p>totallyreliablewithdutyloads,itcarries11roundsof45ACP.</p><p>There are two problems with this. One is the potential for unintentional</p><p>dischargeitself.(Yeah,Iknow,it’strendytocallit“negligentdischarge”unless</p><p>therewasamechanicaldefect.I’veworkedinthecriminaljusticesystemsince</p><p>1972,andIstillbelieveinthe“innocentuntilprovenguilty”part.Theautomatic</p><p>assumptionofnegligenceifthedischargewasnotcausedbymechanicalfailure</p><p>seemstohavearisenfromfirearmsacademiessponsoredby liabilityconscious</p><p>firearms manufacturers. I’m still comfortable with the term “accidental</p><p>discharge”(AD)untilnegligencehasbeenclearlyandconvincinglyproven.)</p><p>Accidental discharges, sometimeswith tragic and fatal results,have been</p><p>clearly and convincingly related to very light trigger pulls over the years by</p><p>countless police departments. Decades ago, the police departments of Los</p><p>Angeles andNewYorkCitywent to double-action-only revolvers, because so</p><p>manybad things had happenedwith revolvers cocked to single action.NYPD</p><p>nowmandatesanearlytwelve-pound(NY2,or“NewYorkPlus”)triggermodule</p><p>in allGlock pistols carried bymembers of their service. TheNewYork State</p><p>Police, for the exact same reason, pioneered the original “NewYork trigger”</p><p>(NY1)fortheGlock179mmstheyadoptedinthe1980s,andfortheGlock37</p><p>45 GAPs they carry today. This brings pull weight up to 7.75-8.0 pounds. It</p><p>workswellunderstressforaccuratehits;it’sactuallylesslikelytobreakthanthe</p><p>standard trigger spring it replaces; and I foronehave it in eachof the several</p><p>Glocks I regularly carry concealed. In a 1911 pistol, no streetwise police</p><p>instructororgunsmithwill recommendasingle-actionpullweightof less than</p><p>fourpounds,andmostsuggestsomethingclosertofive.</p><p>Yourcarrygunshouldbeaccurateathighspeed.Authorfiredthis60-shot,perfectscorequalification</p><p>targetwithoneofhisColt45CCOpistols,shown.</p><p>Colt Lightweight Commander 45 auto has been a favorite of concealed carry professionals since</p><p>1950.</p><p>Subcompact 1911s are popular amongprofessionals. Famed instructorGilaHayes carries hers, an</p><p>Ultra Compact 9mm Springfield Armory, as shown with modified safety, sights, and LaserGrips</p><p>added.</p><p>Lasersightsareuseful,especially inpoor light.Hereauthorcentersa targetafterduskwithRuger</p><p>SP101revolverequippedwithCrimsonTraceLaserGrips.</p><p>CrimsonTraceLaserGripactivateswhenmiddlefingerdepressesbuttononfrontofgripinnormal</p><p>firinggrasp.It’sshownhereonaSmith&WessonTitaniumModel34238Special.</p><p>Precision shots are needed in self-defensemore often than folks think. Latemodel S&WM/40-1</p><p>(right),hasbettersightsthansuchJ-frameS&Wsusedtohave,butevenbetterarethoseonModel</p><p>340PD(left).BigAOExpressnightsightinfrontiseasytopickupinclose,fastshooting,andthe</p><p>eyesettlesitintogenerousU-notchrearsightifprecisionshotisneeded.</p><p>Thesecondproblemwiththelighttriggerpullisthefalseallegationofan</p><p>accidentaldischarge.Here’sthesituationI’veseenplayoutoverandoveragain</p><p>in both civil and criminal cases over the years. Good guy shoots bad guy.</p><p>Publicity-hungry prosecutor or money-hungry plaintiff’s lawyer needs a</p><p>scapegoattograbpoliticalorfinancialprofit.Thisattorneyfabricatesacaseof</p><p>accidentaldischargeduetorecklesslycockinghammerandcreatinghairtrigger</p><p>(orcarryingpistolthatwouldalwaysfirewith“hairtrigger”).ThisBSallegation</p><p>isdignifiedincourtastheaccuser’s“theoryofthecase.”Withoutthisfrailhook</p><p>onwhichtohangtheboguscase,itprobablywouldhavegoneaway.Instead,the</p><p>shooterwhofiredinself-defensegoesthroughanightmarish(andnightmarishly</p><p>expensive)ordeal.Seethe“Aftermath”chapter.</p><p>Camera catches recoil andmuzzle flash as author firesRugerSP101, themost controllable of the</p><p>“babyMagnums” inhisopinion,with fullpower125-grain357 loadsatdusk.Theseweaponsare</p><p>controllable at speed, but onlywith the right techniques and enough shooting experience. Notice</p><p>slightjolttoheadandupperbody.</p><p>Threemodifications stand out on thisGlock 17.Heinie Straight-8 sight…Cominolli thumb safety</p><p>fitted by RickDevoid at Tarnhelm…and oversizemagazine release fromGlockWorks. Not every</p><p>shooterneedseveryavailablemodification.</p><p>Good lights are essential to self-defense in poor light. FL/GARegionalChampionwithEnhanced</p><p>ServiceRevolver,JonStrayer,demonstratestheveryusefulLiberatorflashlightbyFirstLight,Inc.at</p><p>2007national championships.Affixingquickly to the backof the hand, it leaves both hands free.</p><p>RevolverisMulkerinCustomS&W45.</p><p>Oneiswisesttoavoid</p><p>itentirely.TherevolversIcarryforpersonaldefense</p><p>will fire double action only. Some came that way from the factory and some</p><p>were modified. My carry autos are either double action (with heavier-than-</p><p>target-grade trigger pulls even on single action), my XDs have 6 to 7 pound</p><p>triggerpulls,noneofmycarry1911sarelighterthan4pounds,andasnotedmy</p><p>carryGlockshaveNewYorktriggersinthe7-8poundpullrange.Anyonewho</p><p>tells you it’s impossible to shoot well with these guns, doesn’t know how to</p><p>shoot. I’ve won IDPAmatches with Glock and XD pistols in the above pull</p><p>weights,andforthreeyearsrunningwontheNHPoliceAssociationannualstate</p><p>shootwithaGlock22thathadaNewYorktrigger,shootingagainstsomewho</p><p>hadput3.5poundpullsintheirgunsbeforethematch.</p><p>SelectingtheGunWardrobe</p><p>Inaclothingstore, it’shardtogowrongwith“thebasics”:“basicblack,”</p><p>graypinstripe,andallofthat.IntheworldofCCW,thefirstof“thebasics”isa</p><p>smallrevolver.</p><p>S&W’sJ-frameseriesistheodds-onchoiceofprofessionals.Highquality,</p><p>smartengineering,andawiderangetochoosefrom:22,32H&RMagnum(off</p><p>andon),38Special,and357Magnum.Myadvicewouldbe togowith the38</p><p>Special, though the little 22 Kit Guns make great “understudies” for cheap</p><p>practice.Anall-steel2-inch (actually17/8-inchbarrel inmost cases)will run</p><p>about 20 ounces. The aluminum frame Airweights go about 15 ounces, a</p><p>profound difference when the gun is carried in a pocket or on the ankle, but</p><p>much less noticeable in a belt holster. The AirLites are available in various</p><p>mixesofTitaniumandScandium, and areproportionally expensivedue to the</p><p>rarematerialsusedintheirconstruction,buttheycangetdowntotheelevenand</p><p>twelve ounce weight range. There’s no excuse not to carry when adequately</p><p>powerfulhandgunscomethislight.</p><p>Of course, the lighter the gun, the harder it kicks with the same</p><p>ammunition.Theall-steelsmallframesaren’ttoobad,evenwith38Special+P</p><p>ammo.TheAirweights aredownrightunpleasant, andafter I’ve finisheda50-</p><p>shot qualification I’m glad it’s over. The AirLites, however, are downright</p><p>painful, and with Magnum loads they’re torture devices. I find them more</p><p>painful to shoot than the mighty Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum hunting</p><p>revolver,by far. Ifyouget themin357, load themwith38sanddoyourselfa</p><p>favor.</p><p>Modern paradigm handguns are widely considered inferior to the classic 1911 45, but that’s not</p><p>necessarilyso.Inthesingle-action45division,CDP,thetopthreeplacesatthe2007IDPANational</p><p>ChampionshipswentinordertoDavidOlhassowithSpringfieldArmoryXD45(top),DavidSevigny</p><p>withGlock21SF(center),andErnestLangdonwithS&WM&P(below),allin45ACP.</p><p>It’samyth,by theway, that it’sOKtopracticewithmild loadsbutcarry</p><p>monsterMagnumsbecausesomehow,fightorflightreflexwillmakeupforthe</p><p>kick in an actual defensive shooting. True, the dump of nor-epinephrine and</p><p>endorphinsthataccompanieshighlevelbodyalarmreactionmayblockthepain</p><p>oftherecoil,butthatwon’tkeepatoo-powerfulgunfromtwistinginyourhand</p><p>andpreventingyoufromgettingfast,accuratefollow-upshots.Youdon’tneed</p><p>metotellyouthatahitwitha38Specialbeatsamisswitha357Magnum.</p><p>This latemodelS&Whascurrentstylecylinder latch,designednot todingthethumbuponrecoil,</p><p>andaboveittheInternalLockingSystem,whichpuristsdespiseandnewshootersseemtolike.</p><p>Introduced in 2007, this Model 40-1 Classic was the first S&W in years to appear without the</p><p>internal lock. It has the old “lemon-squeezer” grip safety, and traditional square latch that purists</p><p>associatewiththeS&Wbreed.</p><p>TheJ-frame–a32-sizeframewithacylinderboredoutforfive38rounds</p><p>instead of six 32s – can be had in three styles, all dating back to the period</p><p>between1949and1955.TheoriginalChiefsSpecialseriesisthe“conventional</p><p>style”double-actionrevolver,withexposedhammerthatallowsthumb-cocking</p><p>to single action. The Bodyguard style is that gun with a built-in “hammer</p><p>shroud”patternedafterthebolt-onColtshroudintroducedshortlybefore,which</p><p>keepsthehammerspurfromsnaggingonclothingorpocketliningsduringafast</p><p>draw. A small button-size portion of the hammer is exposed to allow thumb-</p><p>cocking for light-pull single-action shots.The thirdvariation is theCentennial</p><p>series,knowncolloquiallyasa“hammerless”butactuallyhavingahammerthat</p><p>istotallyenclosedinsideitsstreamlinedframe.</p><p>Subcompactcarrygunscanbe“toosmallforyourhand,”necessitatingtechniquechanges.Trigger</p><p>reach issoshorton thisKahr thatauthor’s trigger finger isblockedby thumbin traditionalgrasp;</p><p>thumbwillneedtocomeup.Littlefingeristuckedundershortbuttsincethere’snoroomforitonthe</p><p>frame…</p><p>…author’stwo-handgraspontheKahrputsfiringthumbonsupporthandoutofthewayoftrigger</p><p>finger, and support hand thumbwell forward to avoid the sharp edge on theKahr’s slide release</p><p>lever.</p><p>Itisgenerallyacceptedthatforfastdefensiveshooting,doubleactionisthe</p><p>waytogo.Withthisinmind,theCentennialisclearlythebestbet,followedby</p><p>the Bodyguard, followed by the Chiefs. The reason is found by analyzing</p><p>shooterergonomicsinlivefire,nottheorybornindryfire.</p><p>Whena revolver recoils, itwants to torque itsmuzzleupand to the side.</p><p>Withtheconventional-hammerChiefsseries,thebuttcanrollupintothewebof</p><p>thehand,gettingafteronetothreeshotstoapositionwherethatwebofthehand</p><p>blocksthehammerandpreventssubsequentshotsfrombeingfireduntilthegun</p><p>isre-gripped.Thatwon’thappenwiththeBodyguard,whosehammerisshielded</p><p>withinitsslot,andwhoseshroudisshapedinawaythatcatchesatthewebof</p><p>thehandandprevents“roll-up.”TheCentennialisevenbetter,becausenotonly</p><p>can’t the gun roll up, but in addition the shape of the rear frame allows the</p><p>shooter’shand tograsp thegunhigher.This lowers thebore axisvis-à-vis the</p><p>gun hand and arm, keeping the muzzle down, and maximally enhancing the</p><p>shooter’srecoilrecoveryrateforthemostaccuratepossiblerapidfire.</p><p>Carry gun choice involves a balance of “heavier gun easier to shoot, lighter gun easier to carry.”</p><p>Authorweighschoicebetween14oz.KahrPM9(left,allblack)and22ounceKahrMK9(stainless,</p><p>right).Eachisa7-shot9mmofidenticaloveralldimensions.</p><p>Longerbarrelequalseasiertoshootaccurately,hardertocarry.Lefttoright:2”barrelS&WJ-frame</p><p>Centennialhasproducedaroughly4”group.S&WModel64andRugerGP100with4”barrelshave</p><p>shotmuchtighter.Bestgroupofallcamewith6”barrelS&WK-38,farright.Allfiredat25yards</p><p>withSpeerLawman158-grain+P.38Specialammo.</p><p>S&WM&P 11-shot 45ACP has optional thumb safety, comeswith rails to hold this Streamlight</p><p>whitelightattachment.Somewhereoutthereisahandgunwithexactlythefeaturesyouwant.</p><p>Because the Centennial can onlybe fired double action, it also prevents</p><p>cockedgunaccidentsandpossiblefalseaccusationsofsame.All thesereasons</p><p>havecombinedtomaketheCentennialseriesnotonlythemostpopularoftheJ-</p><p>framesoverall,butinmostyearsoflatethebestselleramongJ-framesoverall.</p><p>Factoring in cost, shootability, and portability, the S&W Model 642</p><p>Airweightismypersonalchoiceamongallthoseavailable,mostofwhichIown</p><p>orhaveownedandallofwhichI’veshot.It’stheoneI’dpersonallyrecommend.</p><p>Taurus</p><p>has a line of similar revolvers in all three hammer styles which are</p><p>acceptablealternatives,tradinglessfancyfinishforalowerpricetag.</p><p>Goingupanotch,thereareslightlylargerrevolversthataremorepowerful.</p><p>ThetwoIcouldmoststronglyrecommendarethesnub-nosedRugerSP101357</p><p>Magnumand the2-inchbarrelTaurusTracker in45ACP.The latter takes the</p><p>rimlessautopistolcartridgesinafast-loading“moonclip,”andmineshootsto</p><p>pointofaimat25yardswithgroupslikeaservicerevolver’s.TheSPalsohas</p><p>target-gradeaccuracy.Eachhasextra-cushionytripstobringtheirrecoildownto</p><p>manageable levels. In the 25-ounceweight range, these are too heavy formy</p><p>tasteforpocketoranklecarry,butfor thepersonwhowantsasmall,powerful</p><p>snubbyinabeltholster,they’regreat.</p><p>Next on the “concealed handgun wardrobe necessities list” is a compact</p><p>semiautomaticpistol,ifyou’recomfortablewiththattypeofhandgun.Glocksin</p><p>compact(G199mm,G23.40,G32.357SIG,G30.45ACP,andG38.45GAP)</p><p>areallgoodchoices.Soarethemanyothercompact(i.e.,mediumsize)modern</p><p>autosyou’llfindintheGunDigest,where there’smorespace toporeover the</p><p>various models and size/weight specifications than here. In the 1911,</p><p>Commander and Officers size work well. For many, something more sub-</p><p>compactfitsthebodybetter.Thesewouldincludethe“babyGlocks”inthesame</p><p>calibers, theMicro-seriesKahrs, and the smallest of the 1911s by theirmany</p><p>makers.</p><p>Finally, a full-size gun makes particular sense under cold-weather</p><p>wardrobes,whichcanamplyconcealthem.Incoldweather,withglovedorcold-</p><p>numbedhands,apistolwithalongergrip-framemaybeeasiertohandle.Ilike</p><p>somethingwith a large trigger guard, andwhose triggerwon’t rebound so far</p><p>forwardthatitcansnagonorbeblockedbythickglovematerial,whichcould</p><p>makeitfail tore-set.ATDAautopistolwillgenerallyfill thatbill,aswill the</p><p>Glock or XD. I get leery of single-action pistols when cold or gloves have</p><p>furtherreducedavasoconstrictedhand’sabilitytofeelthetrigger,andtheglove-</p><p>blockingfactorleavesmostrevolversoutentirely.</p><p>The bottom line of “concealed handgun wardrobe selection” is this: the</p><p>gun’s size and shape must fit hand, body, and clothing selection alike. You</p><p>probablydon’tdressthesameeveryday.Whenyou“dresstokill”(forgiveme,I</p><p>couldn’t resist) you also need to vary that particular “wardrobe” to better suit</p><p>yourdailyneeds.</p><p>Finaladvice:IntheimmortalwordsofauthorandbiggamehunterRobert</p><p>Ruark, “Use Enough Gun.” Small-caliber weapons simply don’t have the</p><p>“oomph” tostopaviolenthumanbeing. Icoined thephrase“Friendsdon’t let</p><p>friends carry mouse-guns,” and I’ll stick by that. The cessation of homicidal</p><p>human threat is the raison d’etre of CCW. If the Weapon you’re Carrying</p><p>Concealed isn’t powerful enough to do that job, you’ve undercut the whole</p><p>purposeofthemission.Ipersonallydrawthelineabovethemarginal380ACP</p><p>andconsidertheminimumstobe38Special+Pinarevolverand9mmLugerin</p><p>a semiautomatic pistol. On the top end, only master shooters can handle the</p><p>violentrecoilof41and44Magnums.Formostpeople,thebestbetisinacaliber</p><p>range that encompasses 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 9mm Luger, 40 Smith &</p><p>Wesson, 10mm Auto, 45 ACP, and 45 GAP. There are other rarely-carried</p><p>roundswithinthatrange,butanyofthose–withproperhigh-techhollow-point</p><p>defensive ammunition – can be reasonably counted on to get you through the</p><p>night.</p><p>Formoreongunandammoselection,I’dreferyoutomyGunDigestBook</p><p>ofCombatHandgunnery,SixthEdition,availablefromKrause.Thebottomline</p><p>is,it’snotabout“whatgundidyouhave”somuchasit’sabout“didyouhavea</p><p>gun?”Modern ultra-compact, ultra-light 38Special and 9mmLuger handguns</p><p>giveyouadequatepowerinextremelysmallandlightpackages.Youjustdon’t</p><p>havetosettleforanythingless,wheninnocentlives–includingyourlifeandthe</p><p>livesof thoseyoumost love–will likelybeatstake ifandwhentheshooting</p><p>starts.</p><p>Evenguncolor isadebatable issue.Somelikematteblack,as in theKahrPM9above,because it</p><p>doesn’tcallattention to thegun.Otherswantthebadguy to realizehe’s at gunpoint, and like the</p><p>conspicuoussilvercolorofstainlessMK9,below,bythesamemaker.</p><p>Chapter6</p><p>DEFENSELOADSOFCHOICE:</p><p>TheWordFromTheStreet</p><p>Premiumlinesfromfourbigmakers,coveringfourpopularcalibers.This,forthemostpart,is</p><p>thetypeofroundtheauthorrecommends.</p><p>Sterilelabtestinginballisticgelatinisgreat,buttheultimatelaboratoryis</p><p>thestreet, theauthormaintains.Hereare the loads thatseem tobedoingbest</p><p>there,inputwritteninbloodfromgunfightspolicedepartmentshaveexperienced</p><p>withthisammunition.</p><p>D</p><p>efensive ammunition choice is about picking what works best to neutralize</p><p>armedanddangeroushumanbeingsbeforetheycanmaimormurder.Scientific</p><p>testing of ammo in ballistic gelatin can help predict bullet performance in the</p><p>field,butattheendoftheday,itistheperformanceandnotthepredictionthat</p><p>willmatter.</p><p>This230-grainstandardvelocityGoldDot45ACPbulletexpandedtosome60-caliberafterstriking</p><p>bone, kept ongoing to delivermassivewound track.Expansionwasnot textbook, but neither are</p><p>livingthings.GoldDothasdoneverywellinofficer-involvedshootings.</p><p>Thirty-four years of carrying a sworn police officer’s badge, 20 years as</p><p>chair of the firearms committeeof theAmericanSocietyofLawEnforcement</p><p>trainers,andseveralyearsnowon theadvisoryboardof the InternationalLaw</p><p>Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association have combined with several</p><p>trips to major seminars of groups like the International Law Enforcement</p><p>Firearms Instructors Association and the International Homicide Investigators</p><p>Seminarstogivemeasolidbaseofcopswho’veinvestigatedalotofshootings</p><p>fortheirdepartments.Thesearen’t“warstories,”theyarefull investigationsof</p><p>shootings including evidence recovery, complete autopsy and forensic ballistic</p><p>testing protocols, and intensive debriefings of the shooters and the witnesses.</p><p>From that collective pool of knowledge emerges a profile of which duty</p><p>cartridgesperformthebest.</p><p>OBVIOUSLY, POLICE ISSUE AMMUNITION IS USED IN A</p><p>SIGNIFICANTMAJORITYOFTHESESHOOTINGS.That’swhypoliceduty</p><p>calibersandloadshavethestrongest“databases”tolearnfrom.Fortunatelyfor</p><p>armedcitizens, theyandthepolice tendtochoosethesamecalibers.Pickinga</p><p>loadthathasprovenitselfondutywiththepolicegivesthearmedcitizenadded</p><p>confidenceinwhattheirchosengun/cartridgecombinationcandeliver.Asmany</p><p>havenoted,usingammunitionthatiswidelyissuedtopoliceisastrongdefense</p><p>againstunmeritoriouscourtroomallegationssuchas,“Heusedevilhollowpoint</p><p>bulletsthatrendandtear,andthatshowshehadmaliceinhisheart!”</p><p>Hst isFederal’scurrent topdefense load.These twobulletsexpandeddifferentlybecause theymet</p><p>differentresistance.Theoneonleftwent throughahog’sheavyskullbeforeutterlydestroyingthe</p><p>brain; the one on the right entered the shoulder and tore a large wound through the chest. Both</p><p>animalswere stopped instantly.+P230-grain45 roundwasdoingbetter than950 fps from5-inch</p><p>barrel.</p><p>Let’slookatwhatthe“streetfeedback”isindicatingisworkingbestinthe</p><p>“ultimatelaboratory”thesedays.</p><p>38Special</p><p>Concealed carry permit instructors tell me that the 38 Special revolver,</p><p>usuallyincompactshort-barrelform,isoneofthemostcommongunsbrought</p><p>to their classesby students, andoften the singlegun that their graduatesmost</p><p>commonlycarryonthestreet.Formostofthe20thCentury,thiscaliberrevolver</p><p>wasalsobyfarthemostpopularinlawenforcement,withplainclothesandoff</p><p>dutyofficersgenerallycarrying“snubbies,”anduniformedpersonnelgenerally</p><p>carryinglargerframed,longerbarrelmodels.</p><p>At this writing, there are still thousands of senior cops carrying</p><p>“grandfathered”38revolversondutyinNewYorkCityandChicago,andmany</p><p>more who carry them as backup or off-duty guns. In fact, the snub-nose 38</p><p>seems to be the most popular police backup handgun to this day, and is still</p><p>widelyusedforoffdutycarry.</p><p>Onlytwocartridgesreallystandoutasheadandshouldersabovethelarge</p><p>pack of available 38 Special rounds. These are the “FBI load” and the “New</p><p>Yorkload.”</p><p>TheFBIloadgetsitssobriquetfromthefactthatthisroundwasadoptedby</p><p>theFederalBureauofInvestigationcirca1972,rightafterWinchesterintroduced</p><p>it. Itwasalsoadoptedby theChicagoPD,and remains the38Special loadof</p><p>issuetheretothisday.Metro-Dade(nowMiami-Dade)policelikewisefoundit</p><p>toperformsuperbly, asdidcops throughout theU.S.A., and it continues tobe</p><p>knownby some locally as the “Chicago load”or “Metro load.”This cartridge</p><p>comprisesanall-lead,semi-wadcuttershapedhollowpointbulletat+Pvelocity.</p><p>Seenfrombottom,thisWinchesterRanger127-grain+P+9mmroundexpandedtoslightlyover60-</p><p>caliber,andat1250footsecondsimpactvelocitydidmassiveandinstantlyfataldamagetoaman-</p><p>sizehog.</p><p>Base-onviewofexpanded45ACPFederalHst230-grain+Pbulletthatinstantlydroppedaman-size</p><p>hogwithachestshot.Bulletdestroyedbothlungsandtopofheart,expandedtoapproximately90-</p><p>caliber.</p><p>Base-onviewof still-bloodyHst 230/45+P recovered fromhog shot in skull andkilled instantly.</p><p>Expandeddiameter isahairunderan inchatwidestpoint. Irregularexpansionwasdue tostriking</p><p>heavyboneonslightangle,whichdidnotdeviatebullet fromits trajectory.Penetrationdepthwas</p><p>optimal.</p><p>Federal 9BPLE, a 115-grain+P+ jacketed hollowpoint, shattered skull of hog at entry point for a</p><p>morethan2-incharea,wentontovirtuallyliquefybrainandlodgeinbaseofskull.Trulymassive</p><p>damage,optimumpenetration.</p><p>It works particularly well out of a 4-inch barrel, but cops quickly</p><p>discovered that the projectile generally upset and expanded at least to some</p><p>degree–evenoutofshortbarrelsthatreducedvelocity.Thereasonwasthatwith</p><p>notoughcopperjackettopeelback,thesoftleadexpandedmoreeasilyinflesh.</p><p>Winchester and Remington both produce this 158-grain LSWCHP +P</p><p>round.TheRemingtonseemstohave thesofter leadof the two,and therefore,</p><p>opensabitmoredramatically.Thisisagoodthing.</p><p>The9mmLuger(aka9X19,9mmParabellum,9mmNATO)isoneofthemostpopularamong</p><p>armedcitizens,andalsostillwidelyusedbythenation’spolice.</p><p>A fewyearsago,NYPDrealized it stillhad some three thousandofficers</p><p>carrying 38 Special service revolvers as primary handguns, and that the</p><p>overwhelming majority of their plus/minus 35,000 sworn personnel carried</p><p>snub-38sasbackupandoff-dutyguns.TheyapproachedSpeertocreateaload</p><p>thatwould optimize 38 Special terminal ballisticswhen fired from a revolver</p><p>with a barrelmeasuring 1-7/8 inches.ErnestDurhamat Speer led the project,</p><p>and the result has now become known colloquially as the NYPD load. It</p><p>comprisesawide-mouthed135-grainGoldDotbonded,jacketedhollowpointat</p><p>+Pvelocity.</p><p>Innumerousshootingswithbothsnubsand4-inchservicerevolvers,NYPD</p><p>officialstellmethattheyaremorethansatisfied.Becauseofthelighterbullet,it</p><p>kickslessthantheFBIload,andbecauseofthemodernGoldDottechnology,it</p><p>expandswidelyandreliably.Theyhavefoundittobeagoodman-stopper.</p><p>Eitherwillworkwell.Inasnubby,Iprefer theGoldDotfor tworeasons.</p><p>First,thelighterrecoilishelpfulinfast,accurateshooting.Second,theall-lead</p><p>FBIloadismorelightlycrimpedthantheGoldDot,andwhenfiredinasuper-</p><p>light snubby in the tenor elevenounceweight range, suchas theTitaniumor</p><p>Scandium S&W AirLites, recoil is so severe that after a shot or two, the</p><p>projectilescanstartpulling loosefromthecasemouths.They“prairiedog”up</p><p>outofthechamberatthefrontofthecylinder,wheretheycanstriketheforcing</p><p>cone of the barrel and lock the gun up solid.While this can happenwith any</p><p>makeoftheall-lead+PFBIload,itdoesnotoccurwiththeSpeerNYPDload.</p><p>RemingtonGoldenSaber124-grain+Pfrom4-inchbarrelGlock19killedman-sizehogcleanlyand</p><p>instantlywithoneshot,penetrateddeeply,andexpandedtoroughly50-caliber.</p><p>9mmLuger</p><p>The9mmLuger (aka9X19,9mmParabellum,9mmNATO) isoneof the</p><p>mostpopular amongarmedcitizens, and also stillwidelyusedby thenation’s</p><p>police.Asaresult,wehaveahugeamountofstreetexperiencetotapintoasto</p><p>whatworkswellandwhatdoesn’tinthiscaliber.</p><p>In the late 1980s through most of the 1990s, 147-grain hollowpoints of</p><p>conventional copper jacketed constructionwere the trendy issue rounds. They</p><p>worked spottily– sometimes theyexpanded, and sometimes they justpunched</p><p>narrowlittlethroughandthroughwoundslikeballammo–andasaresult,most</p><p>departments that used this stuff either switched tomore powerful calibers, or</p><p>wentto9mmammothatwasgoingfaster,withlighterbullets.</p><p>Formanyyears,the“IllinoisStatePoliceload”–a115-grainstandardJHPlaunchedatsome</p><p>1300fps–proveditselftobethemostdecisiveman-stopperavailable.</p><p>Formanyyears,the“IllinoisStatePoliceload”–a115-grainstandardJHP</p><p>launchedatsome1300fps–proveditself tobethemostdecisiveman-stopper</p><p>available. It still works great. Federal’s version of this load, the 9BPLE, is</p><p>standardissuefortheDeKalbCountylawmen,onthetoughturfthatsurrounds</p><p>andencompassesAtlanta,Georgia.Theseguysget intosomanyfirefights that</p><p>they’vedrawnpoliticalheatfor“shootingtoomanypeople.”Theyhaveproven</p><p>thatwhentheyshootpeoplewitha115-grainJHPdoing1300footsecondsout</p><p>oftheirissueBerettaservicepistols,thebadguysgodownandstoptryingtokill</p><p>them.ThisisAGoodThing.</p><p>Otherloadingshaveemergedthathavethesamedecisivestoppingpowerin</p><p>9mm. They include Winchester’s 127-grain Ranger series +P+ at 1250 foot-</p><p>seconds,andSpeer’sGoldDot124-grain+Pat thesamevelocity.ChicagoPD</p><p>switched to the124-grain+Paftermultipledismal stopping failureswith147-</p><p>grainsubsonic,andNYPDhasusedthisroundwithgreateffectforsomefifteen</p><p>years.Botharedelightedwith it.Orlandocopsare issuedP226SIGsand127-</p><p>grain +P+ Winchester, and many shootings since, they’ve found it to be as</p><p>effectiveasanyhandguncalibercouldbe.</p><p>Personally,Icarrythe9BPLEinoneparticularBerettathatshootsitbetter</p><p>thananyothercarryload,andWinchesterRanger127grain+P+invirtuallyall</p><p>myother9mmpistols,longorshortbarrel.</p><p>Some folks have bought into the theory that the 147-grain subsonic has</p><p>beensowidelyrecommendedbyauthorityfigures,itmustbegood.Thefactis,</p><p>there’sanewgenerationof147-grainsubsonicthatisprettydarngood.Itutilizes</p><p>new-generation high-tech expandingbullet technology expressly engineered to</p><p>makethebulletsopenupatvelocitybelowthespeedofsound.Theseincludethe</p><p>CCISpeerGoldDot,theFederal</p><p>the</p><p>cops thanked him for that.My dad had been in his twenties when he had to</p><p>resort to deadly force in the same city’s streets. A would-be murderer put a</p><p>revolvertohisheadandpulledthetrigger;mydadduckedtothesideenoughto</p><p>missthebullet,butnotenoughtokeepthemuzzleblastfromdestroyinghisleft</p><p>eardrum.Momentslater,myfather’sreturnfirehadputthatmanontheground</p><p>dyingfroma38slug“centermass,”andthethug’saccompliceinafetalposition</p><p>clutchinghimselfandscreaming.</p><p>It’snowonderthatgrowingupinthe1950s,gunswereapartofmylife:in</p><p>thehome,and inmy father’s jewelry store.When Iwent towork thereat age</p><p>twelve, I carried a loaded gun concealed. There were strategically placed</p><p>handgunshiddenthroughouttheareabehindthecounterandinthebackroom,</p><p>butDadwas smart enough toknow that Iwouldn’t alwaysbewithin reachof</p><p>onewhenIneededit.Thelawsinthattimeandplaceallowedthepractice.</p><p>Irealizedthiswassomeprettyseriousstuff,andsettolearningallIcould</p><p>aboutthepractice.Mydad’scustomersincludedlawyers,judges,andhisfriend</p><p>thechiefofpolice.Ipickedalltheirbrainsontheissue.WhatIlearnedstunned</p><p>me.</p><p>Therewerebooksthenongunfighting:howtodoit,whattodoitwith,and</p><p>howtodevelopthemindset todo it. Interestingly, therewerenoneonwhen to</p><p>shoot.Mydad’slawyerfriendstoldmethatevenkidslikemecouldusealegal</p><p>library;wedidn’thave tobeattorneysor lawstudents toget in there, and the</p><p>librarianwould showus how to findwhatwewere looking for. I lived in the</p><p>statecapital,andtheStateLegalLibraryhadthesamerule.AsIbeganthatself-</p><p>education,Ifoundmyselfthinking,“Somebodyoughttowriteabookaboutthis</p><p>forregularpeople!WhenIgrowup,ifnobody’swrittenthatbookyet,Iwanna</p><p>writeit!”</p><p>And I did. “In theGravest Extreme: theRole of the Firearm in Personal</p><p>Protection”hitprintin1979,andhasbeenabest-sellereversince.AndI’vebeen</p><p>carryingaconcealedhandgunsince theyear1960, inpubliconapermit since</p><p>theyear1969.By1973,Ihadbecomeapolicefirearmsinstructor,andfromthen</p><p>to now have taken training as avidly as I’ve given it. I’ve been teaching and</p><p>researching this stuff full time since 1981, when I established Lethal Force</p><p>Institute (www.ayoob.com). That has included expert witness testimony in</p><p>weapons, shooting, and assault cases since 1979. From 1987 through 2006, I</p><p>served as chair of the firearms committee for the American Society of Law</p><p>EnforcementTrainers,andhavebeenontheadvisoryboardfortheInternational</p><p>LawEnforcementEducators andTrainersAssociation since its inception. I’ve</p><p>also had the privilege of teaching for the International Association of Law</p><p>EnforcementFirearmsInstructorsinsideandoutsidetheUS,andservedacouple</p><p>ofyearsasco-vicechair,withMarkSeidenunderDrewFindling,oftheforensic</p><p>evidencecommitteeof theNationalAssociationofCriminalDefenseLawyers.</p><p>I’ve had the privilege of studying the firearms training of the DEA, NYPD,</p><p>LAPD, numerous state police agencies, and countless other law enforcement</p><p>organizations. I’ve been able to study hands-on with such great shooting</p><p>champions as Ray Chapman, Frank Garcia, Rob Leatham, and manymore. I</p><p>learned one-on-one from living legends like Charlie Askins, Jim Cirillo, Jeff</p><p>Cooper,Bill Jordan,FrankMcGeeandmore.Someof the “more”have asked</p><p>thattheirnamesnotappearinprint,andIwillrespectthathere.</p><p>http://www.ayoob.com</p><p>Manywho carrygunshave learned to carry two.Here, twinbabyGlocks ride in double shoulder</p><p>holsterbyMitchRosen.</p><p>Ithasbeenalongandeducationalroad,andwithalittleluck,itwon’tbe</p><p>overanytimesoon.Thebottomlineis,I’mnotasuper-copassomanyofthose</p><p>menliterallywere.Inalltheseyears,thoughI’vehadmygunonalotofpeople</p><p>andwasstartingtopullthetriggerafewtimes,I’veneverhadtoshootaman.</p><p>Withalittleluck,thatwillstaythesame,too.Iseemyrole–asaninstructorand</p><p>asthewriterofthisbook–asafunnelofknowledge.You’reatthereceivingend</p><p>ofthefunnel.</p><p>When you become accustomed to carrying, you learn to have at least one weak-side holster and</p><p>ambidextrousgun soyoucanprotect yourself andyour lovedones if you sustain an injury to the</p><p>dominantarm.Thisisoneofauthor’sSpringfieldArmory1911s,withambidextroussafetyandleft-</p><p>handHighNoonconcealedcarryscabbard.</p><p>There have been tremendous advances in the last fifty years in holster</p><p>design, handgun design, and ammunition design. We now have the finest</p><p>concealed carry firearms, holsters, and defensive rounds that have ever been</p><p>available.We likewise have techniques that have taken advantage of modern</p><p>knowledge of the humanmind and body thatwas not available to the famous</p><p>gunfightersofold.(ButtheOldOneshavelefttheirlessonstous,andmanyof</p><p>thosearetimeless,too.)</p><p>“CCW”</p><p>Let’ssortoutthealphabetsoupforthosereadersnewtoconcealedcarry.To</p><p>thosewho practice it, CCWcan describe the practice of (lawfully) carrying a</p><p>concealedweapon. It can also be a shorthandnoun, e.g., “MyCCW is aColt</p><p>Commander45.”Unfortunately,tosomethelettershaveanegativeconnotation.</p><p>In many jurisdictions, police know them as the abbreviation for the crimeof</p><p>illegallyCarryingaConcealedWeapon.</p><p>Insomepartsofthecountry,CCWreferstothepermittocarryitself,asin:</p><p>“IcarrymyCCWnexttomydriver’slicense,soIcanhandbothtotheofficerif</p><p>I’mpulledoverforspeeding.”Buteachstatehasitsownterminology.Thatlittle</p><p>laminated cardmight be a CPL (Concealed Pistol License), CWP (Concealed</p><p>WeaponsPermit),CHL(ConcealedHandgunLicense),orsomeotheracronym.</p><p>We’retalkingaboutthesamething.Hell,inthestatewhereIgrewupandspent</p><p>mostofmyadultlife,itwasknownsimplyasa“pistolpermit.”(And,no,we’re</p><p>not going to use these pages to debate whether “license” or “permit” is the</p><p>proper term. The book is about concealed carry, not what I’ve come to call</p><p>CombatSemantics.)</p><p>The concealed carry lifestyle changes you. Most of the changes are</p><p>positive.Ifyou’renewtothepractice,whatthisbooksayswillbehelpfultoyou.</p><p>Ifyou’vebeendoingitforaslongasIhaveorlonger,youmightfindanewtrick</p><p>or two, and at worst will have a book to back up your advice when you’re</p><p>sharingthisknowledgewithyourstudents.</p><p>Changes</p><p>Peoplewhodon’tunderstandthelifestylethinkagunonyourhipwillturn</p><p>youfromDr.JekylltoMr.Hyde,ormakeyou“gowhereangelsfeartotread.”</p><p>Aucontraire.Thosewho’veactuallylivedtheCCWlifestylecantellyouthatit’s</p><p>justtheopposite.</p><p>Concealedcarrymeansseveralsmallchangesofhabit.Ifreachingtoahighshelfmightraiseyour</p><p>outergarmentandexposeholsterorgun…</p><p>Whenyoucarryagun,younolongerhavetheoptionofstartingfights,or</p><p>evenkeepingtheballrollingwhenanotherpersonstartsonewithyou.Whenyou</p><p>arearmedwithalethalweapon,youcarrytheburdenofwhattheCourtscalla</p><p>“higher standardof care.”Becauseyouknowadeadlyweapon is present, and</p><p>youknowthatayellingmatchor“merefisticuffs”cannowdegradeintoakilling</p><p>situation,lawandethicsalikewillsaythatyouofallpeopleshouldhaveknown</p><p>enough to abjure from a violent conflict. This is why a phrase from science-</p><p>fictionwriterRobertHeinlein, popularizedbyCol. JeffCooper, has become a</p><p>guiding light for CCW practitioners: “An armed society is a</p><p>HST,andtheWinchesterRanger.</p><p>WinchesterRangerSXTisanexampleofmodern147-grain9mmsubsonichollowpoints thathave</p><p>proven themselves suitable topoliceandcitizen self-defenseuse.Earlierversionsof this cartridge</p><p>expandederraticallyandoftenover-penetrated.</p><p>Amarillo, Texas Police report excellent results with their issue load for</p><p>those officers who choose 9mm pistols, the 147-grain Gold Dot. A major</p><p>department in the Pacific Northwest is now issuing Federal Hst 147-grain</p><p>subsonic, and reports excellent results in numerous shootings. LAPD and LA</p><p>CountySheriff’sDepartmentfindthatfewerofficersanddeputiesareoptingfor</p><p>largercalibergunsboughtoutoftheirownpockets,becausetheyarereassured</p><p>byhowwellWinchesterRanger147-grain9mmhasworked for their brothers</p><p>andsistersinnumerouslineofdutyshootings.</p><p>Still, the faster bullets seem to be the way to go. There is much more</p><p>corollarytissuedamagearoundthewoundchannelswiththefaster9mms,with</p><p>medical examiners documenting “macerated” flesh, that is, tissue chopped up</p><p>likeburritofilling.Youdon’tseethatwithsubsonicrounds,eventhoughahigh-</p><p>techmodern 147 grainmay actually expand very slightlymore than a lighter</p><p>9mmbullet,simplybecauseithas“moreleadtospread.”</p><p>Developedfor thesnub-noserevolversofNYPD,SpeerGoldDot135-grain+Pisauthor’s loadof</p><p>choicein38Specialstoday.Thebulletswillnot“pull”fromrecoilinsuper-lightrevolverslike11-</p><p>ounceS&W342,left,ashappenswith158-grainlead+Ps.</p><p>357Magnum</p><p>One cartridge stands above all others in this caliber in the history of</p><p>Americanlawenforcement:the125-grainsemi-jacketedhollowpointloadedtoa</p><p>velocity in the 1400 foot-second range (from a 4-inch barrel). Some experts</p><p>argue whether the wide-mouthed Federal version of this load, or the scallop-</p><p>jacketRemingtonversion thatoriginallypopularized the125-grain357among</p><p>cops, is the single best of the breed. It seems to be an argument akin to how</p><p>manyangelscandanceontheheadofapin.TheWinchester125-grainMagnum</p><p>loaddoesnothaveeitherofthosefeatures,butworkedeverybitaswellforsuch</p><p>departmentsastheMaineStatePolicewhentheycarried357revolvers.</p><p>AffordablypricedClassiclineFederal155-grainJHPhasperformedsuperblyin40S&Wshootings</p><p>bypoliceinthefield.Sometimesyoudon’tneedpremium-priceammoto“carrywithconfidence.”</p><p>This round tends to create awound channel that is nine to eleven inches</p><p>deep,butverywide,with tremendousdamagearound the radiusof thewound</p><p>track.Italsohasanastymuzzleblastandprettysharprecoil.Thegreatcombat</p><p>shootingtrainerandcombatpistolchampionRayChapmanusedtosaythatthe</p><p>125-grainMagnumload’salmostmagicalstoppingpowerwastheonlyreasonto</p><p>load 357 instead of 38 Special +P ammunition into a fighting revolver</p><p>chamberedfortheMagnumround.Itendtoagree.</p><p>WhendepartmentssuchasCityofIndianapolisPoliceDepartment,andthe</p><p>statetroopersofKentuckyandIndianaissuedthatload,therewereliterallytons</p><p>ofbadguysshotwith125-grainMagnums,and they tended togodown“right</p><p>now.”TexasDepartmentofPublicSafetypersonnelwereknowntorefertothis</p><p>round’s“lightningbolteffect,”andIknewKentuckytrooperswhocalledit“the</p><p>magic bullet.” Even though velocity dropped considerably from the 2.5-inch</p><p>barrelsofIndianaStatePolicedetectives’CombatMagnums,orfromthe3-inch</p><p>Military&Police357sofIndianapolisplainclothesmen,thebadguysseemtogo</p><p>downjustasfast.The125grain357Magnumsemi-jacketedhollowpointearned</p><p>itstitle,bestowedbyexpertEdSanow,as“KingoftheStreet,”andthisremains</p><p>theMagnum load of choice today. I have no personal preference between the</p><p>Federal,Remington,andWinchesterbrands.</p><p>Check your carry ammunition carefully before loading. Even the best manufacturers can make</p><p>mistakes.Thisvisiblydefective9mmballcartridgecameoutofafactorybox.</p><p>This140-grain40S&WCor-BonDPX,usingall-copperBarnesXbullet,didasatisfactory jobof</p><p>quicklykillingalargehog.</p><p>ThisSpeerGoldDot124grain+P9mmroundfrom4-inchGlock19instantlykilledalargehog,did</p><p>massive internal damage, and had expanded impressively by the time it stopped at optimum</p><p>penetration depth. This load has worked famously well for NYPD for several years in many</p><p>shootings.</p><p>Relativebulletexpansion.Left,Winchester127-grainSXT9mm;centerandright,FederalHst+P45</p><p>bullets,each230-grains.Largerbulletshave“moreleadtospread,”butlighterbulletscanberunto</p><p>highervelocities.Eachcreatesmassivewounds.</p><p>357SIG</p><p>Intheearly’90s,spurredbyTexastroopersandrangerswholovedtheSIG</p><p>45pistolbutmissedthat“lightningbolt”stoppingpowereffectoftheirold357</p><p>Magnum revolvers, SIGworkedwith FederalCartridge to create the 357SIG</p><p>round. It resembles a 40 S&W necked down to 9mm, though the actual</p><p>constructionissomewhatmorecomplicatedthanthat.Differentcompaniesload</p><p>to different velocities, and depending on pistol and barrel, factory 125-grain</p><p>JHPsaredelivering1325toover1400fps.</p><p>High-techbullets thatopenrapidlybutstaytogetherseemtoworkbest in</p><p>thiscaliber.ThemostwidelyprovenistheGoldDot.FromTexastoVirginia,it</p><p>hasbeenkickingbuttwithnohorror storiesof stopping failures.NewMexico</p><p>StateTroopers fell in lovewith the357SIGa fewyearsago, and stayedwith</p><p>that cartridge when they ordered their new S&W M&P auto pistols. North</p><p>Carolina Highway Patrol gave up its beloved Beretta pistols after more than</p><p>twenty years to adopt theSIG-Sauer, because they could get it chambered for</p><p>357SIG.</p><p>The180-grainFederalHsthasproducedsometrulyimpressiveone-shotstopsinthePacific</p><p>Northwest.</p><p>Gunfights indicate that this cartridge is particularly good for shooting</p><p>throughautosheetmetalandwindowglass,yetdoesnotdeliveronthestreetthe</p><p>dangerousover-penetration thatsomegelatin testshadindicatedmighthappen.</p><p>The spent, expanded bullets are normally recovered from the far side of the</p><p>criminal’s body, or from his clothing, or from the ground within a few feet</p><p>behindwherehewaslocatedwhenshot.</p><p>Winchester Ranger in 125-grain 357 SIG has worked well in actual</p><p>shootings.RemingtonBondedGoldenSaberin125-grain357SIGisdeliciously</p><p>accurate,andperformssuperblyinFBIprotocolgelatintesting,thoughIhaven’t</p><p>runacrossanyactualshootingswith ityet.Theoverwhelmingmajorityof357</p><p>SIGshootingsbypolicehaveoccurredwiththe125-grainSpeerGoldDot,andit</p><p>hasworked sowell it is unquestionably themost “street proven” load in this</p><p>caliber.</p><p>40Smith&Wesson</p><p>Introducedin1990byS&WandWinchester,this9mmLuger-length10mm</p><p>cartridgewasdesigned tosplit thedifferencebetween the9mm’shigher round</p><p>countinthegun,andthe45auto’slargercaliber.Itsucceededhugelyatthatin</p><p>policework, being chosen bymore law enforcement agencies today than any</p><p>other. It has become popular among armed citizens for that exact same</p><p>compromisefactor.</p><p>First generation ammo, a 180-grain subsonic with a conventional JHP</p><p>bullet, did better than expected, but still wasn’t spectacular. It pretty much</p><p>duplicates theballisticsof theold38/40blackpowderhandgunloadof the19th</p><p>centuryfrontier.I’verunacrossalotofshoot-throughswith180-grainstandard</p><p>JHP,morethanwouldbedesirableforhomedefense.Thosewholike the180-</p><p>grainsubsonic’sballisticswanttogowithhightechhollowpoints</p><p>thatopenmore</p><p>aggressively, penetrate a little less, and seem to produce a more decisive</p><p>stoppingeffect.The180-grainGoldDothasearnedagoodreputation incities</p><p>suchasBostonandMilwaukee.The180-grainFederalHsthasproducedsome</p><p>truly impressive one-shot stops in the Pacific Northwest. The 180-grain</p><p>WinchesterRanger,particularlyinitslatestiteration,alsoworksdistinctlybetter</p><p>thanaconventionalcopper-jacketedbulletofthisweightandvelocity.</p><p>Itappearsthatthemedium-weightbulletsathighervelocitiesareproviding</p><p>thebestcombinationofpenetrationdepth,expansion,andoveralldecisivenessof</p><p>endingencounters.Not the165-grainsubsonic .40–theso-called“minus-P”–</p><p>but165-grainJHPstravelingat1140orsofeetpersecond,and155-grainersat</p><p>about 1200 fps. The latter has worked very well for the U.S. Border Patrol,</p><p>whichseemstohaveusedmostlytheRemingtonbrand.Othernon-high-tech.40</p><p>caliberJHPsinthisweightrangethathavedeliveredimpressiveperformanceare</p><p>theFederalClassic and theWinchester Silvertip, both 155-grainers.These are</p><p>alsolessexpensivethanthetop-linepremiumlines.</p><p>Whycarryspareammo?Somethingcouldmuckup themagazine inyourgun.If thismuddy1911</p><p>9mmmagwasnotproperlycleaned,itwouldbeajamwaitingtohappenthenexttimeitwasputina</p><p>defensivefirearm.</p><p>High-techbulletsstilldowell inthisweightrange,though.The165-grain</p><p>Winchester Ranger and Speer Gold Dot seem to lead the pack by a narrow</p><p>margin.</p><p>45ACP</p><p>Astandardpressure230-grain45ACPwithconventionalJHPbulletpretty</p><p>much duplicates the recoil and trajectory of GI hardball in the same weight,</p><p>allowingcost-effectivetrainingoncetheuseriscertainthegivenpistolwillfeed</p><p>the hollowpoint of choice. The 45’s big bullet and well-earned reputation for</p><p>stopping power make it more forgiving of less-than-optimum ammo choices,</p><p>thoughyoustillwanttostayawayfromfullmetaljacketbecauseofitstendency</p><p>togrosslyover-penetrate,andtoricochet.</p><p>Inalow-pricedround,genericWinchester230-grainJHP“whitebox”isa</p><p>street-provenchoice.Itusedtobesoldinboxesmarked“ForLawEnforcement</p><p>Only,”ifthattellsyouanything.Formaximumeffect,though,apremiumbullet</p><p>is theway togo.Federal’sHydra-Shok isawell-provenman-stopper, long the</p><p>“gold standard,” and still a good choice today, but expansion characteristics</p><p>(especially through intervening substances) are enhanced in the new Hst line</p><p>fromthesamemaker.CCIGoldDothasworkedwellfornumerousdepartments</p><p>in both 200-and 230-grain weights; Remington 230-grain Golden Saber has</p><p>workedquitewellinthehandsofcertainunitsduringtheWaronTerror;andone</p><p>statepoliceagencyI’mawareofhasexperiencedastringofone-shotstopswith</p><p>theWinchesterSXT/Ranger230grain.Theseareallstandardpressureloads.</p><p>Withone17-roundmagazineinplace, twomorein thebelt,andonemoreroundtoppedoff in the</p><p>chamber,thisGlock17puts52shotsatthewearer’simmediatedisposal.</p><p>Kimberstainless45,fullyloadedandbackedwithtwomoreeight-roundACTmagazinesofFederal</p><p>230-grainHydra-Shok,givesthewearera22-roundload-out.Elsewhereinthebook,readthestory</p><p>ofthemanwhogot introubleforcarryingjustsuchanoutfit,butwasacquittedoncerationalefor</p><p>spareammowasexplainedtojury.</p><p>Short barrel 45ACPsare extremelypopular amongarmedcitizens today.</p><p>CCIoffersaGoldDotShortBarrel45load,especiallydesignedtoopentofull</p><p>effectat lowervelocities. Ihaven’t runacrossanyactualshootingswith ityet,</p><p>butgeltestingindicatesthatithasmetitsdesignparameters.</p><p>The+P45ACPhasworkedwellin185-,200-,and230-grainloadings.The</p><p>185-grain+Phas earnedagood“stoppingpower” rep in its conventional JHP</p><p>loading fromRemington and is also available inHydra-Shok andHst formats</p><p>fromFederal,andinRemington’sownhigh-techGoldenSaberline.Asaruleof</p><p>thumb, the185-grain+Proundwillshootprettymuch topointofaim/pointof</p><p>impact out to roughly 100 yards in a pistol sighted in for 230-grain standard</p><p>pressure45ACPat25yards.Thatmakesitofspecialpurposeinteresttothosein</p><p>ruralareaswhocananticipateunusuallylongshotswiththeirpistols.</p><p>Anotherreasontocarryspareammo.Topmostroundpositiononeachofthese1911magazineshas</p><p>beencompromisedbyclearingextractionfailure/doublefeedmalfunction.Afreshmagazinereadyto</p><p>grabandreloadcanbealifesaverinsuchcircumstances.</p><p>The45GAP,orGlockAutoPistol,isashortenedandstrengthened45ACP</p><p>round at standard pressure. Guns for it have been produced by Glock,</p><p>ParaOrdnance, and Springfield Armory. The state troopers of Georgia, New</p><p>York, and Pennsylvania have adopted the Glock in 45 GAP as standard, and</p><p>shootings with it using 200-grain Speer Gold Dot and 230-grain Winchester</p><p>Rangerhavethusfarprovenittobetheabsoluteequalofthe45ACPwiththe</p><p>samebullets.Lookforthisroundtogaininpopularityinyearstocome.</p><p>Thatconcludesthefeedbackfromthestreet,withthecalibersmostusedby</p><p>cops and, therefore, most thoroughly evaluated in the wake of intensive</p><p>investigationofofficer-involvedshootings.</p><p>Atthetimeofthiswriting,it’sthebestthiswriterhastooffer.</p><p>Copshave longunderstood thathollowpointammoissafer forallconcerned.This is“FBI load,”</p><p>158-grain+P leadsemi-wadcutterhollowpoint, ina4-inchModel15S&Wservice revolver.This</p><p>was thebullet that“made” the38Special intoa fightinghandgun in theearly1970s,and isstilla</p><p>goodchoiceexceptinultra-lightsnubbies.</p><p>WinchesterRangerSXT127-grain+P+ammoinGlockmagazine,comparedtoholethroughmuscle</p><p>tissuemadebysuchabulletonhog.Rememberthisthenexttimesomeonetellsyouthebulletcan</p><p>onlydestroywhatitphysicallytouches.</p><p>Fullmetaljacket9mmammolikethishasbeenknowntobeanimpotentman-stopperforacentury,</p><p>andithorrendouslyover-penetratesinlivingtissue.Aftermanyinnocentover-penetrationcasualties</p><p>withit,NYPDdroppedthisammoforhollowpoint,andsolvedtheproblem.</p><p>THE DANGERS OF OVERPENETRATING</p><p>BULLETS</p><p>Onecriticalruleoffirearmssafetyisthatthebulletmuststayinitsintended</p><p>backstop.Noresponsibleshooterwouldgotooneoftheolderindoorshooting</p><p>ranges that have a warning poster saying “LEAD BULLETS ONLY,</p><p>JACKETEDBULLETSCANPIERCEBACKSTOP”andthenproceedtopump</p><p>hard-jacketedbulletsintothatfrailbacking.</p><p>Onthestreet,theonlysafebackstopforthedefensivehandgun’sbulletsis</p><p>the body of the offender. Therefore, it is not exactly responsible to be firing</p><p>bulletsthatarelikelytoshootthroughandthroughtheassailant.Thisisoneof</p><p>themainreasons lawenforcement in itsvirtualentiretyhasgone toexpanding</p><p>bullethandgunammunitioninthiscountry.Itwasalessonwritteninblood.</p><p>SevenCasesHighlighttheReality</p><p>In1999,NewYorkCitybecamealmostthelastmajorpolicedepartmentto</p><p>adopt hollow point ammunition. They did so in the face of huge, long-term</p><p>opposition based on political correctness and the erroneous perception of</p><p>hollowpointsaswicked“dum-dumbullets.”Onereasontheywereabletopassit</p><p>was that the city fathers had been made to realize how much danger the</p><p>supposedly “humane, Geneva Convention-approved” ammunition previously</p><p>usedpresentedtoinnocentbystandersandpoliceofficerswhenthedutyweapons</p><p>werefiredinself-defenseordefenseofothersbytheofficers.</p><p>From the early ’90s adoption of 16-shot 9mm pistols (Glock 19, SIG-</p><p>SAUERP226DAO,andSmith&Wesson</p><p>Model5946) through1999,NYPD</p><p>issueda fullmetal jacket“hardball” round,comprisinga round-nose115grain</p><p>bullet in the mid-1100 fps velocity range. The New York Times exposed the</p><p>followingfactsinitsstartlingreportonthematter:</p><p>“Accordingtostatisticsreleasedbythedepartment,15innocentbystanders</p><p>were struck by police officers using fullmetal jacket bullets during 1995 and</p><p>1996, thepolice said.Eightwerehit directly, fivewerehit bybullets thathad</p><p>passedthroughotherpeopleandtwowerehitbybulletsthathadpassedthrough</p><p>objects,”statedtheTimes.</p><p>In otherwords, in rough numbers, 53 percent of these tragic occurrences</p><p>wereapparentlymissedshots,while33percentwere“shoot-throughs”ofviolent</p><p>felony suspects. Counting bullets that went through objects to hit presumably</p><p>unseen innocent victims (13 percent), that tells us that roughly 46 percent of</p><p>these innocent bystanders were shot by over-penetrating bullets that “pierced</p><p>theirbackstops.”Let’scallthosevictimsCasesOneThroughSeven.</p><p>EventheU.S.militaryislookingatswitchingfromballammotoexpandingbullets.ThisisFederal’s</p><p>“LimitedPenetrationFMJ”…</p><p>…andcausingbullettoexpandto50-caliberorbetter.</p><p>…which uses Expanding FullMetal Jacket technology developed by TomBurczynskito deliver a</p><p>moreeffectivewoundchannelinballisticwaxbyBallisticTechnologies’BulletTestTube…</p><p>17OfficersShotDuetoOver-Penetration</p><p>TheTimescontinued,“In that sameperiod,44policeofficerswerestruck</p><p>by gunfire using the old ammunition: 21 were hit directly, 2 were struck by</p><p>bullets that ricochetedand17were struckbybullets thatpassed throughother</p><p>people.”Inroundnumbers,52percentofthose“friendlyfire”casualtieswerehit</p><p>by bullets that apparently missed their intended targets. 42 percent passed</p><p>throughthebodiesoftheintendedtargetsafterthebulletsstruckthepeoplethey</p><p>were aimed at. Let’s tally those victims of over-penetration as Cases Eight</p><p>throughTwenty-Four.</p><p>Why would officers hit more of their own brethren than “civilian”</p><p>bystandersinthisfashion?Forthesimplereasonthatwhilevictimsandpotential</p><p>innocentbystanderstendtofleedangerscenes,thecopsareconditionedto“ride</p><p>tothesoundoftheguns.”Inaclose-quarterssituationwhereaviolentcriminal</p><p>is attempting to harmor evenmurder another officer, cops try to grab himor</p><p>stophimorevenmaneuver intoapositionfromwhich toshoothim.All these</p><p>actionscanputtheminthelineoffireofbrotherofficers.</p><p>Tunnelvisionoccursinamajorityoflife-threateningencounters.Thisisthe</p><p>perceptualphenomenonofbeingabletoseeonlythethreatandbeingunableto</p><p>cognitively recognize other people or objects thatmight be in the line of fire.</p><p>Moreover, thebodyof theoffendermaysimplyblock the shooter’sviewof the</p><p>brotherofficerwhoistryingtoapprehendorrestraintheattackerfrombehind.</p><p>Inthesesituations,a“shoot-through”ishighlylikelytokillorcrippleoneofthe</p><p>GoodGuysandGals.</p><p>What does this have to dowith private citizens’ use of CCWhandguns?</p><p>Only this:Where the cops jump in to protect their brother and sister officers,</p><p>bravecitizensmaystepintoprotecttheiractualbrothersandsisters,husbands</p><p>and wives, sons and daughters, or fathers andmothers. Now it is your loved</p><p>oneswhoarebehind theoffender–unseenbyyou–whenyoudischargeyour</p><p>CCWweapon.</p><p>Those115-grainjacketedball9mmroundswillpiercemorethantwofeetof</p><p>muscletissuesimulatingballisticgelatin.Sowill230-grainfullmetaljacket45</p><p>hardball.Bycontrast,thedepthoftheaverageadultmalethoraxisprobablyno</p><p>more than ten inches, from front of chest to back.Nor is it solidmuscle: the</p><p>spongytissueandlargeairvolumeofthehumanlungofferlittleresistancetoa</p><p>bullet.It’snotjustaboutNewYorkCityand9mms.InArizonasomeyearsago,</p><p>apeaceofficer firedhis 45 service automatic at a largemaleoffender rushing</p><p>himwithaknife.Hecouldn’tsee thatabrotherofficerwasrunningupbehind</p><p>the offender to grab and restrain him. His gunfire dropped the offender…and</p><p>passedthroughhisbodywithenoughforcetodeeplypiercetheabdomenofthe</p><p>second cop,who had been trying to rescue the onewho fired. Thatwounded</p><p>officer almost died from those injuries, inflicted unintentionally by shoot-</p><p>through with 230-grain full metal jacket 45 ACP. Call that incident Case</p><p>Twenty-Five.</p><p>Ballammo,liketheexcellentAmericanEagleatleft,shouldbeusedstrictlyforpracticeinauthor’s</p><p>opinion.147-grainJHPSubsonicaspioneeredbyWinchester(right)wasbetter,butstillerraticand</p><p>unpredictable in its performance. Today there aremuch better ammo choices than either of these</p><p>antiqueroundsfor“street”use.</p><p>Federal158-grainleadhollowpoint+P,firedfrom2-inchS&Wintochestofhog.Thebulletkilled</p><p>quickly,expandedtoapproximately50-caliber.</p><p>Manyyearsago inLosAngeles,anAryanBrotherhood thug tookseveral</p><p>peoplehostage inanoffice.Hedemandedanescapevehicleand threatened to</p><p>startshootinghostagesifhedidn’tgetone.Avehiclewasprovided,andhegot</p><p>into the car with the victims. At this point, the LAPD SWAT team launched</p><p>smoke,andtwomembersoftheteamwhomIhappenedtoknowmovedforward</p><p>through thegraycloud, their issueColt45automaticsupandready.When the</p><p>perpetrator reached forhispistol, thecopsopened fire,usingdepartment-issue</p><p>230-grainhardball.Theyfiredfourshotsbetweenthem,andkilledtheoffender</p><p>beforehecould launcha singlebulletofhisown.Autopsyshowedanyof the</p><p>four hits would have been quickly fatal. However, only one of those bullets</p><p>stayed in theoffender’sbody.Oneof the three exiting slugs struckoneof the</p><p>hostages.Fortunately, thewoundwasnot in a life-threatening location.LAPD</p><p>quicklyswitchedtohollowpoints,whichiswhattheyusetoday.Lessonlearned.</p><p>CallitCaseTwenty-Six.</p><p>Another reason for carrying spare ammo is the fact that today’s small carry guns don’t carry that</p><p>manyrounds“onboard.”S&WJ-frame,left,holds538Specialcartridges,andKahrMK9atright</p><p>holds79mms.</p><p>BallStopsPoorly</p><p>Particularlyinthesmallcalibers,ballammunitionisinfamousforitspoor</p><p>stoppingpower.WhentheIllinoisStatePoliceissuedballfor their9mmS&W</p><p>pistolsfrom1967throughtheearly1970s,theirOrdnanceSectiontoldme,they</p><p>neverhadasingleone-shotstoponanarmedfelonunlesshewashitinthebrain</p><p>orspinalcord.ThisledtheISPonanodysseyinsearchofmoreeffectiveammo,</p><p>whichculminated in the famouslyeffective“IllinoisStatePolice load,”a115-</p><p>grainjacketed9mmhollowpointat+P+pressureand1300fpsvelocity.Today,</p><p>Illinois troopers carry 180-grain high-tech hollowpoint in 40 S&W caliber</p><p>servicepistols.</p><p>InCase Twenty-Seven,NYPD’s last high-profile shooting incident with</p><p>9mm ball ammo, four plainclothes officers engaged a young man named</p><p>AmadouDiallowhenheturnedonthempullinganobjectthatappeared,inthe</p><p>poor light, to be a small automatic pistol.All four opened fire, and some five</p><p>seconds later they had fired some 41 shots. Nineteen of those bullets struck</p><p>Diallo before he went down and dropped the object he was holding, which</p><p>turnedouttobeablacknylonwallet.Sixteenofthenineteenbulletshadover-</p><p>penetrated.Diallo died of hiswounds.After a long and arduous trial, all four</p><p>officers were acquitted. Had these officers been issued the department’s new</p><p>124-grainSpeerGoldDot</p><p>+Phollowpointsintime,thereisanexcellentchance</p><p>that he would have gone down much sooner, perhaps with as little as one</p><p>gunshotwound, givingDiallo a far better chance of survival. No such horror</p><p>storieshavehappenedonNYPDsincethehollowpointammohasbeengeneral</p><p>issue.</p><p>ForensicConcerns</p><p>When a bullet goes through and through a human body, it is not always</p><p>possibletocorrectlydetermineentryfromexit,particularlyifthegunshotvictim</p><p>lives long enough for the healing process to begin. Consider Case Twenty-</p><p>Eight, in which the O.J. Simpson lawyers defending him against charges of</p><p>murderinghiswifeandheryoungmaleacquaintancelaidplanstoimpeachone</p><p>ofthestate’smedicalexaminersbybringingupapreviouscaseinwhichhehad</p><p>mistakenlydiagnosedathroughandthroughgunshotwound,confusingback-to-</p><p>frontandfront-to-back.</p><p>In late 2007, thiswriterwas involved in amurder case inMassachusetts</p><p>whereitwasallegedthatthedefendanthadshothisopponentinthebackofthe</p><p>neck,with the bullet exiting his face, implying that hewas in no danger and</p><p>thereforecouldnothaveactedinself-defense.ThedeathweaponwasaBeretta</p><p>Model96Fpistol,andthedeathbulletwasa180-grainroundoffullmetaljacket</p><p>UMC40-caliberpracticeammunition.Infact,thebullethadenteredthefaceof</p><p>theattackingman,andcoursedrearwardanddownwardbeforeexitingtheneck.</p><p>However,theassailantlivedforaweekbeforehesuccumbed.Duringthattime,</p><p>hewaslyingsupineinahospitalbedwithhisbodyweightpressingtheexithole</p><p>downagainstdressingsandbedclothesashisbodyworked toheal the injury.</p><p>Thisgavethewoundapuckeredappearanceconsistentwithanentrywound.At</p><p>the same time, doctors and nurses were treating the open wound in the face,</p><p>debridingit topreventnecrosis,sobythetimehefinallydied, thatwoundhad</p><p>been cratered outward andmimicked an exit instead of an entry. Themedical</p><p>examinerhad,apparentlyforthesereasons,determinedafterdeaththatentrywas</p><p>inthebackandexitwasinthefront.Notuntiltrial,afterathree-yearordeal,did</p><p>treatingphysiciansfamiliarwithgunshotwoundstestifythatwhenthe“victim”</p><p>came in, they diagnosed the wound as front entry/ rear exit. Defense experts</p><p>concurred,andthejuryacquitted,astheyshouldhave.ButCaseTwenty-Nine</p><p>probablywouldn’thavegone to trialatall if thedefendanthad loadedhisgun</p><p>with proper hollow points, which almost certainly would have left the</p><p>mushroomedbulletembeddedinsidethebackoftheneckandshownbeyonda</p><p>shadowofadoubtthattheattackerwasinfactshotfromthefront.</p><p>MicroKahr 9mm comeswith sparemagazinewith finger extension that holds seven rounds, not</p><p>countingeighthinchamber.Withthiskindofcartridgecapacity,carryingspareammoisallthemore</p><p>important.</p><p>Yearsbefore,intheTampaarea,Ihadbeeninvolvedinasimilarcasethat</p><p>showed even the wrong hollowpoint can over-penetrate and cause the same</p><p>confusion. In Case Thirty, a young undercover narc became involved in a</p><p>strugglewithanarmeddopedealerwhotried tokillhim.Thecopwasable to</p><p>turn the suspect’s own gun on him, a snub-nosedColt Lawman 357Magnum</p><p>revolver loaded with 158-grain semi-jacketed Magnum hollow points, which</p><p>have a history of frequently over-penetrating. At very close range, the high</p><p>velocitybulletcausedalarge,“explosivewoundofentry”inthesofttissuesof</p><p>the throat, and being largely spentwhen it exited the back of the neck, left a</p><p>smallerwoundatthatpoint.Onceagain,thesuspectlivedformanydays,lying</p><p>supineandundergoingtreatment.Afterhedied,thestate’spathologistconcluded</p><p>thatthesmallwoundinthebackoftheneckmusthavebeentheentry,andthe</p><p>largeroneinfrontmusthavebeentheexit,leadingtothetheorythathehadbeen</p><p>“shotinthebackoftheneckinapoliceexecution.”Fortunately,thepathologist</p><p>hadthepresenceofmindtosectionoutthewoundtrackandpreservethefleshin</p><p>Formalin, and it was sent to the Southwest Institute of Pathology for deeper</p><p>examination.There,gunshotresidueembeddedin thethroatareaof thewound</p><p>trackconclusivelyprovedthebullethadcomeinfromthefront,exoneratingthe</p><p>wrongfullyaccusedyoungofficer.Butifthedistancehadbeenanothercoupleof</p><p>feetapartatthetimetheshotwasfired,thatcriticalexculpatoryevidencewould</p><p>nothavebeenthere.Thisisanotherreasonwhyit’sbesttouseabulletdesigned</p><p>tostayinsidethehumanbody.</p><p>IrresponsibleAttitudes</p><p>Somepeopleeitherjustdon’tgetit,orhaveatotallyirresponsibleattitude.</p><p>ApopularInternetgunforumrecentlyhadathreadinitsCaliberCornersection</p><p>titled, “Why is over-penetration bad?”Most of thosewho posted had a pretty</p><p>good grasp on the issue. One or two responsible, gun-wise participants even</p><p>postedalinktotheNewYorkTimesstoryandstatisticsabove.</p><p>Yet,evenafterthatwasposted,oneparticipantwrote(thecapsarehis):“I</p><p>haveNEVERreadANYarticleorreportaddressingIDENTIFIEDandactually</p><p>occurringsecondaryvictims.”Now,youcanputthatdowntosimpleignorance,</p><p>or haste in posting an opinion in a discussion he had not read and brought</p><p>himselfuptospeedwith.Buthowwouldyouexplainthefollowing?</p><p>Thepracticeofcarryingspareammunitionisalong-standingone.This1960svintageColtAgentsix-</p><p>shot 38 revolverwas carried for decades bynow-retiredChicago cop JamesMoore.Bianchi“spill</p><p>pouch”withsixspareroundsof38SpecialwascommonpracticetocarryevenoffdutybyChicago</p><p>coppersoftheday.</p><p>One fellow posted in the same discussion thread, “…and should over-</p><p>penetrationoccur,ohwell.Thechancesofithittingsomeoneelseispractically</p><p>nonexistent.”</p><p>Well, let’sdo themath.46percentofwounded innocentbystandersbeing</p><p>hit by bullets that went through offenders’ bodies or through objects that</p><p>hopefullyshouldhaveactedasbackstops,isnot“practicallynonexistent”byany</p><p>stretchoftheimagination.42percentofcopsshotbyfriendlyfiretakingbullets</p><p>thatpassedthroughthefelonysuspectfirstarenot“practicallynonexistent.”On</p><p>thecontrary,theyarehugelysignificant.</p><p>In that same thread, one poster callously said, “It’s too bad about the</p><p>bystanders.Icallitgenepoolcleansing.”</p><p>Idon’tthinkanycommentisnecessaryonthatone.</p><p>Neverforgetthatweliveinatimewhenpolicedetectivesaresmartenough</p><p>to get awarrant to seize the computers of those they investigate. Technology</p><p>originally developed to track pornographers, childmolesters, andwhite collar</p><p>criminalswillbeappliedtodeterminewhatInternetboardsyoumayhaveposted</p><p>to.Whenstatements like“It’s toobadabout thebystanders. Icall itgenepool</p><p>cleansing,” are discovered and tracked to the suspect, his conviction for</p><p>somethingfromattemptedmurderupwardisalmostaslam-dunk.</p><p>Ignorance won’t save you. You’ve heard and read people say that over-</p><p>penetrationis irrelevantbecausemissedshotsareamorelikelydanger.First,a</p><p>defense that says in essence, “You must forgive me this mistake because I</p><p>figured I’dprobablymake amuchworsemistake” is a frail reed thatwill not</p><p>withstandthegale-forcewindsofcross-examination.Second,53percentmisses</p><p>versus 46 percent shoot-throughs in the unintentional bystander shootings in</p><p>NewYork hardlymakes the latter “irrelevant.” 52%misses versus 42 percent</p><p>shoot-throughsinthefriendlyfireshootingsofcopsinthesamestudyobviously</p><p>showsthattheover-penetratingbulletisnotan“irrelevant”danger.</p><p>The</p><p>nexttimesomeInternetninjaadvisesyoutoloadballammoforhome</p><p>orpublicdefense,thinkoftheabovethirtycases.Theyaredocumentedreality.</p><p>Andtheyarenottheonlysuchcases.</p><p>Collective reality has given us a message, and it is this: Save the over-</p><p>penetrating “hardball” for range practice. Load your concealed carry or home</p><p>defense handgun with ammunition designed, and proven to be likely, to stay</p><p>insidethebodyoftheoffenderwhoforcesyoutoshoothim.It’stheresponsible</p><p>thingtodo.</p><p>Chapter7</p><p>HIPHOLSTERS</p><p>Safariland567-83Modelhipholsterrideslow,carriesGlock17inthisexample.</p><p>T</p><p>he strong-side hip – i.e., the gun hand-side hip – is the odds-on choice for</p><p>weaponplacementformostofthosewhocarryconcealedhandgunstoday.Itis</p><p>also the standard location for law enforcement officers in uniform. This is</p><p>probablynotcoincidental.</p><p>Many ranges, police academies, and shooting schools will allow only</p><p>strong-side holsters. The theory behind this is that cross draw (including</p><p>shoulder and fanny pack carries) will cause the gun muzzles to cross other</p><p>shooters and range officerswhenweapons are drawn or holstered. Some also</p><p>worryaboutthesafetyofpocketdrawandankledraw.Thereareactionshooting</p><p>sports –PPC and IDPA, to name two –where anything but a strong-side belt</p><p>holsterisexpresslyforbidden.Onceagain,safetyisthecitedreason.</p><p>Qualityconcealed-carryhipholstersaren’tnew.Thisone,carryingaperiodS&WModel399mm…</p><p>Itisworthwhiletolookatothersuchsportswherecrossdrawholstersare</p><p>allowed…butareseldomseen. In theearlydaysof IPSC,crossdrawsactually</p><p>dominated the winner’s circle for a while. Ray Chapman wore one when he</p><p>capturedthefirstworldchampionshipofthesport.Today,however,eventhough</p><p>it’sstillallowed,thecrossdrawhasallbutdisappearedfromthatsport.Alittle</p><p>historyisinorder.Inthemid-1970s,acommonIPSCstartpositionwasstanding</p><p>with hands clasped at centerline of the torso. With a front cross draw, this</p><p>allowedthegunhandtobepositionedbarelyabovethepistolgripatthemoment</p><p>the start signalwent off. IPSC started to gomore toward hands-shoulder-high</p><p>startpositions(togiveeveryoneamorelevelplayingfield,andtobetterallow</p><p>rangeofficers to see if ahandwentprematurely to thegun), and the last such</p><p>matchIshotusedmostlystartpositionswithhandsrelaxedat thesides.These</p><p>positionsfavoredagunon thesamesideas thedominanthand. Inanycase,a</p><p>strong-sideholsterbringsthegunontargetfasterbecause,standingproperly,the</p><p>weaponisalreadyinlinewiththemarkanddoesnothavetobesweptacrossthe</p><p>target.</p><p>…wasmadecirca1974bySeventrees,theinnovativecompanyledbythelateParisTheodore.</p><p>WesawthesameinNRAActionShooting.MickeyFowlerformanyyears</p><p>hadamonopolyontheBianchiCup,usingafrontcrossdraw,specificallyanISI</p><p>Competition Rig he and his colleague Mike Dalton had designed with Ted</p><p>Blocker.However,inlateryears,theCuphasalwaysbeenwonwithastraight-</p><p>drawhipholster.</p><p>Becausetheybeginattheacademywithhandgunsontheirdominanthand</p><p>side,copstendtostaywiththesamelocationforplainclotheswear.Habituation</p><p>is a powerful thing.Master holstermaker and historian JohnBianchi invokes</p><p>Bianchi’s Law: the same gun, in the same place, all the time. It makes the</p><p>reactivedrawsecondnature.</p><p>Aclassicfromoneofthegreatholsterauthoritiesofalltime,thisleft-handedIWBholstercarriesa</p><p>DanWessoncloneoftheBrowningHi-Power…</p><p>BianchiBlackWidowhaseither-sidebeltloopsfortightcarryofthisRugerGP100357againstbody,</p><p>and fast thumb-breaksafety strap. It ridesonamatedBianchidressgunbelt.Holsterandbelt are</p><p>morethan20yearsoldandinexcellentcondition,atributetoBianchiquality.</p><p>…andwasmade by the greatChicGaylord,whose timeless designs are now reproduced byBell</p><p>CharterOak.</p><p>WesawthisinactionintheIPSCworldinthelateSeventies.Thesecond</p><p>American tobecomeIPSCworldchampionwas thegreatRossSeyfried.Ross</p><p>shot a PachmayrCustomColtGovernmentModel 45 from a high-ridingMilt</p><p>Sparks #1AT holster that rode at an FBI tilt behind his right hip. He was a</p><p>working cattleman in Colorado and a disciple of both Elmer Keith and Jeff</p><p>Cooper. It was a time when the serious competitors mostly either went cross</p><p>draw,orworeelaboratespeedrigslowonthehip.Onewhochosethelatterwas</p><p>amultimillionaire forwhom IPSCwas purely sport. Frustrated that Ross had</p><p>beatenhimat thenationalchampionships inDenver, this fellowhireda sports</p><p>physiologisttoexplaintohimhowSeyfriedhadmanagedtobeathim.“Idon’t</p><p>understandit,”thefrustratedprofessionaltoldthewealthysportsmaninessence</p><p>after viewing tapes of Seyfried. “Your way is faster than his. The way this</p><p>Seyfriedfellowcarrieshisgunismechanicallyslower.”</p><p>Whatphysiologistandrichguyalikehadmissedwasonesimplefact: the</p><p>multimillionaireonlystrappedonhisfancyquick-drawholsteronmatchdayand</p><p>atpracticesessions.RossSeyfriedworea#1ATMiltSparksholsterbehindhis</p><p>hipeverydayofhis life, thoughinthesaddleontheranchhecarrieda4-inch</p><p>Smith&WessonModel2944Magnum.Rossandthatholsterhaddevelopeda</p><p>symbiotic relationship. Reaching to that spot had become second nature, and</p><p>made him faster from there than a part-time pistol packer with a more</p><p>sophisticated,moreexpensive“speedrig.”</p><p>Strong-SideHipAdvantages</p><p>If thenavel is12o’clock,aproperlywornconcealmenthipholsterputsa</p><p>right-handedman’sgunat3:30.Inthisposition,justbehindtheileaccrestofthe</p><p>pelvis,clothingcomesdowninanaturaldrapefromthelatissimusdorsitocover</p><p>thegunwithoutbulge.Onaguyofaveragebuild,theholsteredgunfindsitself</p><p>nestledinanaturalhollowbelowthekidneyarea.Withthejacketopenedinthe</p><p>front, the gun is usually invisible from the front.Being just behind the hip, a</p><p>holsteredguninthislocationdoesnotseemtogetinthewayofbucketseatsnor</p><p>most furniture, and doesn’t press into the body when the wearer leans back</p><p>againstachairsurface.</p><p>Becauseof its proximity to thegunhand, andbecause thegun can come</p><p>directlyupontargetfromtheholster,thestrong-sidedrawisnaturallyfast.For</p><p>males, simply bringing the elbow straight back brings the hand almost</p><p>automaticallytothegun.</p><p>DesignedbythelateBruceNelson,theserough-outSummerSpecialIWBholsterswereproducedby</p><p>MiltSparks.Left, standardversion forMorrisCustomColt 45 automatic.Right, narrowbelt loop</p><p>model to go with corresponding thick but narrow dress belt for suits, also by Sparks, here with</p><p>BrowningHi-Power.</p><p>Authorsaysatleastoneambidextrousmodelisimperativetotheholsterwardrobe.ThisisGlock’s</p><p>own,inveryeconomicalpolymer,withaGlock3045auto.</p><p>ThePagerPalcarriesthegun,inthiscaseaKahrPM9,notonlyinsidethewaistbandbutbelowit.</p><p>Fakepager(shown)orknifepouchorcellphonecarrierdisguisestheconcealmentsystem.</p><p>Women’shipsdon’tadaptwelltomale-orientedholsters.NotewhereJulieGoloskicarriesherS&W</p><p>M&P9mmasshepauseswhilewinning2006NationalWomanIDPAChampiontitle..</p><p>MitchRosen’sWorkmanholster, named after designerDaveWorkman,was the first and defining</p><p>“tuckable.”Notice“V”ofleatherbetweengunandbeltloop.Shirt,tuckedintotheVandinsidethe</p><p>waistband,hidesthisGlock26.Beltloopcanbedisguisedbyputtingakeyringonit.</p><p>Galco’s affordable</p><p>Tuckable is suede-out (a.k.a. “rough-out”) and secures to beltwith low profile</p><p>polymerJ-clip.PistolisGlock269mm.</p><p>This Safariland synthetic OWB holds Glock 39 subcompact 45GAP tight to the body of a state</p><p>policeinstructor.</p><p>“Deep Concealment Special” IWB holster designed by Elmer McEvoy at Leather Arsenal has</p><p>rearward flange to help keep holster fromdigging into body, or shifting. Pistol isGlock30 in 45</p><p>ACP.</p><p>Exotic leathers have become a status symbol among CCW people. This ParaOrdnance SSP 45</p><p>automaticlivesinthissharkskinOWBholster/beltcombobyAker.</p><p>“Plastic”CQCholsterforGlock17hereholdsalongerGlock34,whichworksfineinthisinstance</p><p>despiteexposedportionofbarrelandfrontsight.Itholdstheguntighttothebody,andisveryfast</p><p>forIDPA-typecompetition.</p><p>One of the great classic IWB holsters is the #3 Pistol Pocket designed by Richard Nichols for</p><p>Bianchi.HereholdingasquarebuttS&W357CombatMagnum,ithaswide,handyone-way-snap</p><p>for easyon-off, leather reinforcedmouth for easy reholstering, and fast, secure thumbbreak.This</p><p>onehasbeeninservicefordecadesandstillworksfine.</p><p>STREETTIP:Ifweightofgunispullingpantsdown,don’tpullitbackuplikethis.Itlooksasif</p><p>you’regoingforagun.INSTEAD…</p><p>…pullwholebeltup,withbothhands, likethis.Now,you’rejustanotherguy“doingaguything”</p><p>and“hitchinguphispants,”anddon’tbroadcastthefactthatyou’re“carrying.”</p><p>AuthordesignedthepopularAyoobRearGuard(ARG)holsterforMitchRosen.Itridesinsidethe</p><p>waistband, weight of gun levered forward by rear-placed belt loop to prevent “printing.” This</p><p>exampleisinsharkskinandcarriesS&W191145auto.</p><p>Replaceable belt-clipmodules ofKydex IWBholster byMach 2, theHonorman, “flex” and help</p><p>concealthisGlock27withoutshifting.Notealso“bodyshield”tokeepsweatawayfromgun,and</p><p>sharpgunedgesawayfromunderlyingskinandclothing.</p><p>Authordemonstrateshis“fingertipdraw,”whichhecalls“ReachOutandTouchYourself.”Asdraw</p><p>fromunderopen-frontgarmentbegins,allfourfingertipstouchabdomen’scenterline…</p><p>…and,fingertipsmaintainingtorsocontact,handsweepsbacktogun.Notethatknifeedgeofhand</p><p>hasbeguntosweeptheWoolrichElitevesttotherear…</p><p>…andwillinstantlyandpositivelysweepitallthewaytotherear,andholditoutof thewayuntil</p><p>handhastakenitsdrawinggrasp,shown.CarrycomboisBeretta92G9mminMiltSparksExecutive</p><p>CompanionIWBholster.</p><p>Authorexplainswhyhedoesn’tlikepaddleholsters,butwhytheycanworkforsomepeopleinsome</p><p>situations.Thisisoneofthebestofthebreed,byAker,carryingRugerGP100357Magnum.</p><p>STREETTIP:Whenyoufeelthegunbuttmovingtotherearand“printing,”DON’Tadjustitlike</p><p>this.Itwillbeobvioustoanyoneinlineofsightthatyou’re“carrying.”INSTEAD…</p><p>…useyourforearmbehindyourbacktopushthegunforward,stretchbackalittle,andyoulookto</p><p>theworldlikesomeonewithasoreback,notsomeonecarryingagun.</p><p>BlackhawkSERPAisasnatch-resistant,concealablerigthateffectivelyhidesthisS&WM&P9mm</p><p>underacoat.Ithasbeenadjustedtodesirableforwardtiltangle.Fingerpaddleiseasilyreleasedby</p><p>owner’ssafelyextendedtriggerfingerwhendrawbegins.</p><p>ConcealmentRigbyTedBlockermakesthisfull-sizeGlock17concealableforitsaverage-sizemale</p><p>owner.</p><p>Disadvantages</p><p>Thehipdrawdoesnotlenditself toasurreptitiousdraw–thatis,starting</p><p>withthehandalreadyonthegun,unnoticed–unlessthepractitionercangetthe</p><p>gun-sidethirdofhisbodybehindsomeconcealingobjectorstructure.Because</p><p>ofthehigher,moreflaringpelvisandshortertorso,womendon’tfindthiscarry</p><p>nearlyascomfortableorasfastasmen.Asnotedelsewhereinthisbook,cross</p><p>drawandshouldercarryseemmoreeffectiveformanywomen.</p><p>AyoobdesignedtheLFIConcealmentRigwithTedBlocker,whosenamesakecompanynowinother</p><p>hands still finds it agood seller.Velcro tabonholster (andsparemagcarrier, shown)mateswith</p><p>Velcrolininginsidethedressgunbelttosecuresolidly,andallowwideoptionstowearerastoheight,</p><p>angle,andlocation.PistolisSIGP220st45,withHoguestocks.</p><p>AuthordemonstratesproperhipdrawcontinuumwhilewinningWisconsinStateServiceRevolver</p><p>Championship,IDPA2007.GP100isblurringasitcomesuptopectoralisposition,inlinetoalready</p><p>hitafast-coming,closerangethreat…</p><p>…and then extends for precise aim with mandatory one-hand head-shots from behind simulated</p><p>cover.</p><p>STREET TIP:When driving, you don’t want your hip holstered gun trapped by seat belt and</p><p>concealinggarment.Here,safetybeltisfastened…</p><p>…butthendrivershouldreachunderseatbeltandgrabtheconcealinggarment…</p><p>…andpullitfreeoftheseatbelt!It’snottheseatbeltthatusuallytrapsahipholsteredgun,it’sthe</p><p>coatthatistrappedbytheseatbelt.Now…</p><p>Christine Cunningham, an instructor and competitor in the Pacific</p><p>Northwest, isalsoaholster-maker.Shespecializes in“bywomen,forwomen”</p><p>concealed carry gear. Her stuff is tops in quality and function, and very well</p><p>thoughtout.You’llfindmuchgoodadvice,aswellasmanyusefulproducts,at</p><p>herwebsite,www.womenshooters.com.</p><p>Thegunbehindthehipispositionedsoastobesensitivetoexposureand</p><p>bulge when the wearer bends down or leans forward. This simplymeans the</p><p>practitionerhastolearndifferentwaystoperformthesemotionsinpublic.See</p><p>photos.</p><p>BeltHolsterOptions</p><p>Continuingwiththe“clock”concept,let’slookatdifferentspotsonthebelt</p><p>forholsterplacement.12o’clock,centerlineoftheabdomen,willbecomfortable</p><p>onlywithasmall,short-barrelgun.It’saquickandnaturalposition,particularly</p><p>forwomenthankstotheirrelativelyhigherbeltlines.Myolderdaughter,talland</p><p>slender, prefers to carry her S&WModel 3913 9mmhere, in anAlessi Talon</p><p>inside thewaistband holster, or a belly-band. It disappears under an untucked</p><p>blouse,shirt,orsweater,butprovidesveryfastaccess.</p><p>1o’clockto2o’clockbecomestheso-called“appendixposition.”Anopen</p><p>front garmentmust be kept fastened to keep it hidden, but a short-barrel gun</p><p>worksgreathereforaccessduringfightingandgrappling.Atoptrainerwhois</p><p>still active in undercover police work and teaches under the nickname</p><p>“Southnarc”favorsthislocation,withhisretiredcopfather’shammer-shrouded</p><p>ColtCobra 38 snub-nose inside thewaistband at the appendix. It is very fast.</p><p>Some top IPSCspeeddemons, suchasJerry“theBurner”Barnhartcarry their</p><p>competitiongunsinspeedrigsatthesamelocation.Asmallgunconcealswell</p><p>hereunderuntuckedclosed-frontgarments.However,theappendixcarrycauses</p><p>allbuttheshortestgunstodigintothejunctureofthighandgroinwhenseated,</p><p>andthemuzzleispointingatgenitalsandfemoralartery.Therearethoseofus</p><p>whofindthisincongruouswithourpurposesforconcealedcarry,oneofwhichis</p><p>topreventweaponsbeingpointedatsuchvulnerablepartsofourbodies.</p><p>http://www.womenshooters.com</p><p>…you’re“readytoride,”andyourhandcanquicklygettoyoursidearm.</p><p>TheYaquiSlideisextremelypopularforconcealedcarry.Here,theGalcoversioncarriesacustom</p><p>.40cal.Glock23withCaspianslide,BoMarsights,andHybrid-Portrecoilreductionsystem.</p><p>STREETTIP:Here’showtodrawfromhipholsterwhileseatbeltedbehindasteeringwheel.Gun</p><p>handdoes“fingertipdraw,”whichclearscovergarmenteveninstaticposition…</p><p>…andauthorrocksupperbodysharplytolefttocreatemorerangeofmovementfor</p><p>rightarm,which</p><p>draws Blackhawk dummy of Beretta 92 used for demo, lifting it up and over steering wheel to</p><p>preventsnaggingthere…</p><p>…anddriverisquicklyinaready-to-shootposture.</p><p>Holster-makersarekeepingupwithtactical trends.Thissouthpawcopcarrieshisdepartment-issue</p><p>Glock22withwhitelightunitalreadymounted,inconcealableBlade-Techholsteroffduty.</p><p>…butsamegunistightertothebodyinElmerMcEvoyQuadConcealmentholsterworn“inthebelt”</p><p>(ITB),betweenbeltandtrousers.However…</p><p>Comparisonsinconcealability.DaveLauckCustomfull-size191145leansoutalittlefromthebody</p><p>inLauckoutside-the-waistband(OWB)Kydexholster…</p><p>…inside-the-waistband holster by Secret Squirrel carries same gun even closer, and concealing</p><p>garmentcancomeallthewayuptobeltwithoutrevealingholsteredgun.</p><p>With tunnel loopat back and rear-mountedbelt loop, thisDerryGallagher scabbard carries anN-</p><p>frame (.44 size) S&W Model 27-2 357 Magnum with 4-inch barrel with surprisingly good</p><p>concealment.</p><p>Movingmoretotheside,thetrue3o’clockpositionisnotidealforallday</p><p>concealed wear. Riding on the protuberance of the hip, the gun protrudes</p><p>accordingly,callingattentiontoitselfevenunderbig,heavycoats.Theholstered</p><p>gunat3o’clockwillgratemercilesslyonthehip-bone.Copsgetawaywithitin</p><p>uniform because their holsters have orthopedically curved shanks, and the</p><p>weightisdistributedontheirwideSamBrownebelts.Neithermitigatingfactor</p><p>willbeatworkinaconcealmentholster.</p><p>3:30, justbehind thehip, seems tobeoptimumforcomfort,concealment,</p><p>andspeed.It’swheremostprofessionalsendupparkingtheirholsters.</p><p>By the time you hit 4 o’clock, there is more likelihood of the butt</p><p>protruding.When you hit 6 o’clock, the trueMOB (middle of back) or SOB</p><p>(smallofback)position,you’regettingintodangerousterritory.TheSOBisan</p><p>SOB in more ways than one. While accessible to either hand, it can be</p><p>mercilesslyuncomfortablewhenyouareseated.Therearcenterhemisthefirst</p><p>partofanoutergarmentthatliftswhenyoubendforwardorsitdown.Thegun</p><p>buttcancatchthehemandcompletelyexposetheholsteredgun.Youcan’tseeit</p><p>andusuallycan’tfeelit,meaningyou’retheonlyoneintheshoppingmallwho</p><p>won’tknowthatyourweaponisexposed.</p><p>Anotherextremedangerofthiscarryisthatanyfallthatlandsyouflaton</p><p>yourbackwillbe theequivalentof landingona rockwithyour lumbarspine.</p><p>Veryseriousinjurycanresult.</p><p>YetanotherproblemwithSOBcarryisthatyoucan’texertanysignificant</p><p>downwardpressuretoholdtheguninplacewhentryingtocounteragunsnatch</p><p>attempt.Moreover,biomechanically,youareprettymuchputtingyourselfinan</p><p>armlockwhendrawing.Asaruleof thumb,anytechniquethatrequiresyouto</p><p>putyourself inanarmlockwhendefendingyourself isa techniqueyoushould</p><p>probablyre-evaluate.</p><p>MiltSparksSummerSpecialholster,wornfromdecadesofservice,stillworksfine.ThisclassicIWB</p><p>carriesanequallywell-wornSmith&WessonModel5841Magnumservicerevolver.</p><p>Authordemonstrates“HackathornRip,”hispreferredtechniquefordrawingfromhipholsterunder</p><p>closed-frontgarment.Supporthandgrabshemofshirtatappendixposition…</p><p>…andjerks itupwardtowardshoulder,asgunhandgoesforsidearm, in thiscasefull-sizecustom</p><p>Beretta92inMiltSparksIWBholster…</p><p>…aspistol“rocksandlocks”upwardintodraw,supporthandreleasesgarment,and…</p><p>…shooterisontargetinstrongfiringstancewithmaximumspeed.</p><p>STREETTIP:Rockinghip tosideawayfromholster(i.e., to leftwithright-handeddraw)speeds</p><p>drawfromunderclosedfrontgarmentbecauseithelpspullholsteroutfromunderpistol.</p><p>InsideorOutsidetheBelt</p><p>Aninside-the-waistband(IWB)holsterwillconcealthegunbetter.Simple</p><p>as that. The drape of the pants from the waist down blends the shape of the</p><p>holsteredgunwiththatof thebody.Thehemoftheconcealinggarmenthasto</p><p>riseabovethebelttorevealthehiddenweapon.Thiscarryallowsaveragesize</p><p>guyslikemetocarryfull-sizeservicehandgunsconcealedundernothingmore</p><p>thananopaque,untuckedteeorpoloshirt,onesizelarge.Heldtighttothebody</p><p>bybeltpressure,thisdesignminimizesbulge.</p><p>Some have tried IWB and found it uncomfortable. This is because their</p><p>pantswere sized for them,and now contain them – plus a holstered gun. For</p><p>preliminarycomforttesting,unbuttonthepantsatthewaistandletoutthebelta</p><p>notch,andtryitagain.Ifit’scomfortablenow,natureistellingyoutoletoutthe</p><p>pantsifpossible,orstartbuyingtrouserstwoincheslargerinthewaist.Asnoted</p><p>elsewhere here, this practice “keeps you honest” (i.e., keeps you carrying)</p><p>becausenowthepantswon’tfitrightwithouttheguninitsIWBholster.</p><p>One-hand-onlydrawfromunderclosedfrontgarmentiscriticaltoknow,saysauthor,demonstrating</p><p>hisowntechnique.Supporthandrises inclose-rangeblockpositionas thumbofgunhandcatches</p><p>shirthem…</p><p>…andpullsitstraightupward.Handnowdropsintodrawinggrasp…</p><p>…andguncomesupon target in“rockand lock”motion forone-handed firing ifnecessary, from</p><p>close-range“protectedgunposition.”</p><p>Thisexecutive’swhitedressshirtisjustslightlyblousedabovehispinstripesuitpants…</p><p>…but pressing hand reveals the presence of a full-size Glock service pistol, completely hidden</p><p>beneathinabellybandholsterinstrong-sidehipdrawposition.</p><p>Beltclipsdon’tsecureaswellasleatherloops,forthemostpart.Thereare</p><p>exceptions, such as the appropriately named Alessi Talon, the clips used by</p><p>BlockerontheirDA-2,andthemodularKydexclipsontheMach-2Honorman</p><p>holster.CheaperIWBholstersarenotoriousfortheirpoorclips.</p><p>TheIWBholsterstaysinplacelargelythroughbeltpressure,soyouwanta</p><p>rigid holster mouth to keep the opening from collapsing and interfering with</p><p>reholstering. The classic Bianchi #3 Pistol Pocket, a Richard Nichols design,</p><p>usedstiffleatherreinforcementforthis.Mostothersfollowedtheleadofthelate</p><p>BruceNelson inhis famousSummerSpecial design, andused leather-covered</p><p>steel inserts to keep the holster mouth open. On rigid Kydex, of course, the</p><p>materialdoesthisbyitself.</p><p>Insidethewaistband,slimnessbecomesmoreimportant,onereasontheflat</p><p>BrowningHi-Powerand1911pistolsaresopopularwiththosewhopreferthis</p><p>carryformat.Thefatterthegun,themorethebeltispushedoutfromthebody.</p><p>Thisallowsthepantstostartslidingdownintheholsterarea,causingfrequent</p><p>needforreadjustment.</p><p>Becausethegunistighttothebody,sometimesagainstbareskinorsweat-</p><p>soakedshirts,manymakershavebuilt“shielding”intothedesigntoprotectthe</p><p>gunfromsweat,andbareskinfromsharpedges.Thisworksprettywell,butcan</p><p>slow the thumb’saccess toaperfectpre-drawgrasp,dependingongundesign</p><p>andhandsize.</p><p>I’ve only designed two holsters in my life. Both were IWB. The first,</p><p>designed with Ted Blocker, is the LFI Concealment Rig. It’s comprised of a</p><p>dress gunbelt linedwithVelcro, andyour choice of open topor thumb-break</p><p>safetystrapholsterwithcoordinatedVelcrotab.Thisletstheconcealinggarment</p><p>ride all the way to the top edge of your belt without revealing anything, and</p><p>perhaps more important, lets you adjust the holster almost infinitely for your</p><p>particularneeds:high,low,exactdegreeofrake(orientationofmuzzle)andtilt</p><p>(orientationofbutt)thatyouwant.Highversuslowisimportantif,likeme,you</p><p>have to switch between suit</p><p>pants and uniform pants that tend to ride at the</p><p>waist,andjeans/cords/BDUsthattendtorideslightlyloweratthehips.Nowthe</p><p>gun is in exactly the same where-you-want-it spot no matter what you’re</p><p>wearing. The combination of Velcro shear factor and belt tension holds it in</p><p>place.It’sverysecure,andI’vetaughtweaponretentionclasseswithonewithout</p><p>it coming loose. Matching magazine pouches are available, and the LFI</p><p>ConcealmentRigalsoworksasacrossdraw.</p><p>The other was designed for Mitch Rosen, at his request. He wanted an</p><p>open-top rig that would carry a heavy, full-size fighting handgun without the</p><p>weightoftheloadedmagazineinitsbutttiltingitbackwardto“print,”orexpose</p><p>itselfthroughclothing.IdesignedanFBI-tiltIWBscabbardwithasinglestrong</p><p>beltloopattherear,behindthegun,wheretheloop’sbulkwouldn’taddtothe</p><p>holster’s.Inthisposition,theholster“levered”thegunforwardandpreventedit</p><p>fromtiltingbackwards. Icalled it theRearGuard,because the loopat therear</p><p>guardedagainst rearwardholstershifting.Mitchwaskindenough tocall it the</p><p>AyoobRearGuard.ItwasshortenedtoARG,whichI’vealwayspronouncedas</p><p>Ay-Arr-Gee. Unfortunately, folks started pronouncing the acronym in one</p><p>syllable,whichsoundedlike“Arrgghh.”IsupposeIshouldjustbegladIdidn’t</p><p>nameitSuperHolsterInsideTrousers.After9/11/01,Mitchchangedthenameto</p><p>AmericanRearGuard.Stillthesameexcellentholster,though.</p><p>ThisDonHumeIWBholster,hereinleftyversionholdingGlock19,isanexcellentvalue.</p><p>Thebelly-bandisavariationofinside-the-waistbandcarry,approximately</p><p>four inchesofelastic strappingwithagunpouch. It iswornbestatbelt level,</p><p>“overtheunderwearandundertheover-wear.”ThefirstoftheseIeversawwas</p><p>a John Bianchi prototype inGunWorldmagazine, circa 1960. Bianchi didn’t</p><p>bringitoutbackthen,butinafewyears,afirminBrooklynnamedMMGRdid.</p><p>IworeanMMGRbelly-bandtomygradschooltestsonehotsummerdaywhen</p><p>Iwas 21, and noticed the day I got home that the beautiful blue finish ofmy</p><p>S&WModel36ChiefSpecialhad turnedbrownon the sidenext tomybody.</p><p>Somelaterbelly-banddesigns,suchas theGould&Goodrich,usedaseparate</p><p>plasticshieldonthegunpouchtoprotecttheweaponfromthis,butexpectsome</p><p>degreeofsweatexposurewiththistypeofcarry.TheTeniferfinishoftheGlock</p><p>pistols seems to standup to thisbest, followedby the similarMellonite finish</p><p>used on S&W M&P autos, followed by industrial hard chrome finishes and</p><p>stainless. The Glocks will discolor after long carry in this fashion, but won’t</p><p>actuallyrust.</p><p>WhileIprefer thebelly-bandin thefrontcrossdrawpositionfora2-inch</p><p>38, larger guns work best behind the hip. They’re a great alternative under a</p><p>tucked-inshirtforthosewhoworkinbusinesssuitenvironmentsandmusttake</p><p>thesuitcoatoffintheoffice,butcan’taffordfortheguntobecomevisible.A</p><p>“Hackathorn rip” movement is the best drawing option here. I also know</p><p>medical professionals in gun-free zones in high crime areas, who wear small</p><p>handgunsthiswayundertheirscrubs.</p><p>There aremany good belly-bands.My personal favorite has always been</p><p>theunfortunatelydiscontinuedBianchiRanger,withbuilt-inmoneybelt.Ithas</p><p>beenmycompanionallovertheworld.I’vecarriedS&W4-inch44Magnumsin</p><p>it,perfectlyconcealedonthestreetsincitiesfromSouthAfricatoEurope.</p><p>Sincetheyofferlittleprotectionagainstsharpedges,belly-bandsworkbest</p><p>with edge-free guns. That said, properly adjusted they can be incredibly</p><p>comfortable.Onedownsidetothem,though,isthatyoupracticallyneedashoe-</p><p>horntogetthegunbackin.Thenear-impossibilityofquicklyreholsteringmeans</p><p>thatregularrangepracticeisoutofthequestion,andyouhavetohaveanaction</p><p>plan that includesputting thegunaway inpocketorwaistbandaftermakinga</p><p>belly-banddrawonthestreet.</p><p>The“tuckable”isadifferentbreed,thelatestdevelopmentinthisareaand</p><p>oneofthemostwidelycopied.ItgoesbacktoDaveWorkman,aholster-maker</p><p>who is also a leadingSecondAmendment advocate andgunauthor.For those</p><p>withofficedresscodes,Davecameupwithaninsidethewaistbandholsterthat</p><p>hadaseparatepaddlethatsecuredonthebelt,creatingadeep“V”betweenthe</p><p>holsterandthatsecuringportion,intowhichadressshirtcouldbetucked.Worn</p><p>at3:30,orintheappendixposition,orat11o’clockinafrontcrossdraw,ithid</p><p>the gun perfectly. The snap-on belt loop could be disguised as a key holder</p><p>simply by putting a small key ring in the loop.When he looked for a larger</p><p>manufacturer to handle the design, I steered Dave to Mitch Rosen, who</p><p>introducedittotheworldasTheWorkman.Itinstantlybecamethemostcopied</p><p>new rig in the holster field. This style also functions perfectly well as an</p><p>ordinaryinsidethewaistbandholster.</p><p>Authoronlytrustsafewmetalbeltclip-typeIWBholsterstostayinplace.OneisthisDonHume,</p><p>hereholdinga4-inchcustomKimber.</p><p>AnotherIWBvariationthatgoesdeepinsidethewaistbandisthePagerPal.</p><p>Aflatsemi-diskofleathercontainsasmallrevolverorautothatridesinsidethe</p><p>pants and below the belt, hooked onto the belt by a camouflaged pager, cell</p><p>phonecarrier,knifepouch,etc.Whencarriedcrossdraw,thesupporthandgrabs</p><p>thepagerorwhateverandpullsupward,exposingtheholsterforthegunhand’s</p><p>draw.Ifoundthatifyoudon’thavealargebutt,youcancarryitonyourstrong</p><p>sidebehindthehipandknifethehanddowninsidethepantstogetatthegun.</p><p>Notmyfirstchoice,butaninterestingoptionthatsomehavefounduseful.</p><p>OutsidetheBelt</p><p>Outside-the-waistband (OWB) is more comfortable, but requires more</p><p>effort forconcealment.Themostconcealabledesignscopy tosomedegree the</p><p>PancakeholstersofRoyBaker.Rounded,thustheireponymousshape,Baker’s</p><p>holstersandsomeoftoday’scopieshavethreebeltslots,oneintherearandtwo</p><p>inthefront.Thisallowstheshootertosetupforforward“FBI”tilt,straightup</p><p>hip-draw,orstraightupcrossdraw.Withthebelttensioningtheholsterforeand</p><p>aftoftheactualscabbardbody,thegunispulledintightertothehipforbetter</p><p>concealment.</p><p>TheYaquiSlideholster,a“skeleton”designpopularizedbyMiltSparks,is</p><p>handyinthatitfitsanumberofdifferentbarrellengthgunswiththesameframe.</p><p>Pointstonotewithit,though:1)Ifsittinginanarmchairandthearmofthechair</p><p>bumpsthegunmuzzle,thewholeguncanbepushedupandoutoftheholster.2)</p><p>Carbonanddirton thegunafter firingcan,while it’sholstered, transfer to the</p><p>underlying trousers.3)Sharp-edgedsights,ordeepPicatinny-style railson the</p><p>dustcover(lowerfrontofframe)ofsomemodernmilitarystyleautopistols,can</p><p>snag on the bottom edge of theYaqui Slide, dangerously stalling the draw. 4)</p><p>Backinthe’70s,asellingpointofthisdesignwasthatitcouldstayonthebelt</p><p>with the gun removed, andwould often go unrecognized as a holster. This is</p><p>probablynot thecasetoday.TheDonHumeversioniscertainlyabestbuyfor</p><p>qualityvis-à-vispricetoday,andakeyobjectionablepointtothisparticularstyle</p><p>is removed with models that have thumb-break safety snaps, as offered by</p><p>Bianchi,TedBlocker,andothers.</p><p>Skeletonized holsters and aggressiveM1913 rails don’tmix. This first-generationGlock 21SF so</p><p>equippedappearstofitperfectlyinaregularGalcoYaquiSlideforstandardG21but,indrawing,the</p><p>deeply-cutaccessorynotchescancatchtheedgeoftheholsteranddangerously</p><p>snagthedraw.</p><p>With any strong-sidehipholster, a4-inchbarrel revolveror5-inchbarrel</p><p>autopistolareaboutthemaxinoveralllengththatwillcarrycomfortablybefore</p><p>themuzzlehitsthechairorseatwhenyousitdown,causingsomeawkwardness</p><p>and discomfort factor. Largermen, with larger butts and higher beltlines, can</p><p>perhapsgetawaywithlongerhandguns.</p><p>An outside-the-belt holster is particularly vulnerable to the gun leaning</p><p>outwardbecauseofthebuttportion’sweight.Eachgenerationofpistolpackers</p><p>seemstodiscoverthata3-inchorparticularly4-inchrevolver,orasimilarsize</p><p>auto,mayactuallyconcealbetterbecausethelongerbarrelbearslightlyagainst</p><p>hiporleg,pushingthebuttintowardthetorsotobettermaintainconcealment.</p><p>TheIn-BetweenOption</p><p>Forsome,at least insomecircumstances, themostviableoption isagun</p><p>carriedITB,orinthebelt,thatis,betweenthebeltandthetrousers.Thisallows</p><p>theusertoweartrousersthatfithimnormally,butthebeltpressurepullsthegun</p><p>intightasonIWB.However,theIWBadvantagesofallowingthebottomofthe</p><p>garmenttorisehigherwithoutrevealingthegun,andofbreakinguptheoutline</p><p>oftheholsteredgun,arelost.MitchRosen’sappropriatelytitled“Middleman”is</p><p>one holster designed expressly for this purpose. Another that is perfectly</p><p>adaptable to this is the Quad Concealment from Elmer MacEvoy’s company</p><p>LeatherArsenal.Itsnamecomesfromthefactthatthisingeniousandextremely</p><p>usefulrigcanbewornoutsidethebeltorbetweenbeltandtrousers,andcanbe</p><p>worneitherwayambidextrously.</p><p>PaddleHolsters</p><p>Somebeltholstersaremadewithapaddle thatgoesinsidethewaistband,</p><p>securing on the belt and holding the holstered gun outside the pants. The one</p><p>strongpointof thisdesign isconvenience:easyon, relativelyeasyoff. Idon’t</p><p>care for them for the following reasons. 1) I’ve seen toomany fail to secure,</p><p>resultingintheholstercomingoutwiththegun.It’sfunnyatamatchoraclass,</p><p>but on the street, itwouldget youkilled.Theonly thing thatwould saveyou</p><p>would be if your opponentwas laughing at you too hard to shoot straight. 2)</p><p>Sincethebeltissecuringonthepaddleratherthantheholsteritself,gunscarried</p><p>inthisfashiontendtoleanoutawayfromthebody,compromisingconcealment.</p><p>3)The junctureofpaddleandholsterbodyis,bynature,weak. I’veseeneven</p><p>the best brands break here, yielding the holstered gun to the “attacker,” in</p><p>weaponretentiondrills.4)Theconvenienton/offnatureofthisholsterfostersan</p><p>“I’llwearitwhenIneedit”mentality,causingtheguntobeleftbehindandto</p><p>notbepresentwhen,unpredictably,itisneeded.</p><p>Therearemanycompaniesthatmakehighqualitypaddleholsters,butnone</p><p>can get past these inherentweaknesses in the paddle concept.Go to the same</p><p>maker,turnthepageoftheircatalog,andorderoneoftheirholstersthatproperly</p><p>securestoagooddressgunbelt.</p><p>Construction</p><p>Leather or synthetic? Leather is the classic, and so long as it gets an</p><p>occasional application of neatsfoot oil or other leather treatment, won’t</p><p>“squeak.” Cowhide is by far the most common. Horsehide has its fans: it is</p><p>thinner and proportionally more rigid, but seems to scratch more easily.</p><p>Sharkskinisexpensive,butextremelyhandsomeandverylong-lastingandscuff-</p><p>resistant. Itmay last you longer than it did the shark. (I oftenwear sharkskin</p><p>beltsincourt.Doesn’twardthelawyersofforanything,butseemsappropriate,</p><p>especially during some cross-examinations.) Elephant hide? Hellaciously</p><p>expensive,butcertainlytough,andpredictablythickerthanyouprobablyneed.</p><p>Alligatorandsnakeskinholstersseembettersuitedto“show”than“go.”Forthe</p><p>mostpart,cowhideandhorsehidearewhereit’sat.</p><p>Rough-outorgrain-out?The latter ruleswithoutside-the-waistbandcarry.</p><p>Theonlyguywhoeverseemedto likerough-side-outbeltscabbardswasJohn</p><p>Wayne,whoworeapersonally-owned rigof thatkind inmanyofhis cowboy</p><p>movies. It tends to hold sand and dust. The guy who popularized rough-out</p><p>holster design in concealed carry was the late, great Bruce Nelson, whose</p><p>SummerSpecialdesignwashugelypopularizedbyanotherdepartedgiantofthe</p><p>industry, Milt Sparks. They found that inside-the-waistband, the rough outer</p><p>surfacehadenoughfrictionwithclothingtohelpkeeptheholsterfromshifting</p><p>position;earlyversionshadonlyonebeltattachmentloop,andwerelessstable</p><p>than the later, improved two-loopSummerSpecial variations.As a bonus, the</p><p>smoothgrainoftheleatherwasnowtowardthegun,lesslikelytotrapsandand</p><p>dustandcausewearonthefinish.Sometheorizedthatthisalsomadethedraw</p><p>smoother.However,sweattendedtorapidlymigratethroughtheseholsterstothe</p><p>gun,muchmoresothangrain-outIWBholstersthatseemtorepelperspiration</p><p>better.</p><p>Plastics,particularlyKydex,donotloosenwithagelikeleather,nordothey</p><p>tendtostartouttootightandneedabreakin,againacommonthingwithgood</p><p>leather.Kydex certainly providesmore sweat protection to the gun.However,</p><p>I’m not persuaded that they’re longer lasting. The reason is that their belt</p><p>attachments are more likely to break. In retention training, with constant</p><p>strugglesfortheneutralizedgunsbetweentwomenmovingfullpower,I’veseen</p><p>alotmoreKydexandgenericplasticholstersbreakthanleatherones.Themost</p><p>secureoftheKydexholstersaretheinside-the-beltvariations.Agenuinetactical</p><p>problemwithKydexisthatitmakesadistinctivenoisewhenthegunisdrawnor</p><p>holstered.Sometimes,theconcealedhandguncarrierwantsasurreptitiousdraw,</p><p>inwhichtheweaponisslippedoutoftheholsterunnoticed.Thisismuchmore</p><p>difficultwithKydexandrequiresachingslowness.Scoreapointfortraditional</p><p>leatherinthatsituation.</p><p>However,oneadvantageofKydexholstersisthatthebetteronescomewith</p><p>spacersintheirbeltloopstoallowthewearertoadjusttheholstertoproperlyfit</p><p>belts of different widths. For the person switching between casual pants and</p><p>dresspants,thelattergenerallymandatingnarrowbeltsduetofashionpressure</p><p>orbeltloopsize,thiscanbeanadvantage.ThebetterKydexholsterstoday,such</p><p>astheBlade-Tech,canridesufficientlytighttothebodyforgoodconcealment.</p><p>They also lend themselves better than leather to carrying a pistol already</p><p>mountedwithflashlight,withreasonableconcealment.</p><p>Thereareveryfewfabricholsters,i.e.,ballisticnylon,whichwillstandup.</p><p>Mostmakeitdifficulttoreholster.Forthemostpart,the“cloth”holstersareat</p><p>their best as cheap “belt-mounted gun bags” that hold the gun for plinking</p><p>sessionsattherange,andnotfordailycarryinwhatmightbecomeadangerous</p><p>tacticalenvironment.</p><p>SecurityDevices</p><p>“Snatch-resistant” concealment holsters are discussed in the Open Carry</p><p>chapter.However,theyshouldnotbeneglectedinconcealedcarry.Peoplewho</p><p>haven’tlearnedtoproperlyactivateretentiondevicescallthem“suicidestraps,”</p><p>and prefer open top. Theywill tell you, “It’s concealed, so you don’t have to</p><p>worry about someone grabbing it.” Rubbish!Your attacker may know from</p><p>previouscontactwithyouthatyoucarryapistol,andevenwhereyoucarryit.</p><p>Hemayhavespotteditwhenscopingyouout.Oryoumightgetintoafightand</p><p>theotherguywrapshisarmsaroundyourwaistforabearhugorthrowandfeels</p><p>thegun,atwhichtimethefightforthepistolison.</p><p>It is good to have at least one “level of security,” that is, one additional</p><p>thingthesuspecthastodotoshootyouwithyour</p><p>guninadditiontotheobvious</p><p>movementofpullingitoutoftheholster.Anon-safepistolshouldcountasone</p><p>levelof security.So shoulda thumb-break safetydevice.Ahiddenor “secret”</p><p>releasedevicemaycountastwolevels.Aholsterrequiringapushinanunusual</p><p>direction todraw isanother level. It’snotabad idea for theholster tohaveat</p><p>leastone“levelofsecurity.”</p><p>Asafety strapcanalsokeep thegun in theholsterwhen somethingother</p><p>than a hand pulls at it. The gun butt can catch in brushwhen sliding down a</p><p>hillside, or on a counter you’re pushed against in a physical fight, or simply</p><p>comeoutifyoutakeatumblebutt-over-teakettle.Therehavebeencasesofguns</p><p>falling out of holsters on amusement park rides that put the rushing riders</p><p>upside-down.</p><p>Some, likeme, justify theoccasionalwearofopen-topholsterswith their</p><p>extensiveexperienceinhandgunretentiontraining.However,evenwearelikely</p><p>to have at least a safety strap when out in the brush or performing other</p><p>strenuous physical activity, orwhen “open carrying” as police investigators at</p><p>the station or other environments that increase the likelihood of a gun-snatch</p><p>attempt.</p><p>Appendix carry. As shown, it works particularly well for females. Combo is S&W 342 with</p><p>LaserGripsinSafarilandJ-hookIWBdesignedbyBillRogers.</p><p>With practice and proper technique, the difference between open-top and</p><p>thumb-breakindrawingspeedisaverythinfractionofasecond,afairpriceto</p><p>payfortheaddedsecurity.</p><p>BeltFactors</p><p>Holsters andbelts are as symbiotic as automobiles and tires.We firearms</p><p>trainerscantellyouadnauseumofstudentswhocomeinwithexpensivegunsin</p><p>holsters that shouldhaveaFruitof theLoomlabel,ormaybeproof incarnate</p><p>that you can skin a chicken and tan its hide and make a holster out of it.</p><p>However,wecanalsotellyouaboutthestudentswhocomeinwithfinegunsin</p><p>topqualityholstersthatarehangingoffcrappy,floppy,narrowlittlebeltswhose</p><p>institutionalmemoryisprobablythewords,“AttentionK-Martshoppers!”</p><p>Eventhebestholsterwill,onapoorbelt,hangoutwardfromthebody. It</p><p>will shift its position constantly, violating the twin needs of discretion and</p><p>comfort. There may be so much slop between the belt and the holster’s belt</p><p>loops,andsomuchundesirableflexibilityinthebeltitself,thatyoucanexertthe</p><p>drawingmovementforaninchormoreandthegunhasnotbeguntoleavethe</p><p>holster.</p><p>The belt should be fairly stiff, and should be fitted tightly to the holster</p><p>loops.Often, theeasiestwaytoachievethis is tousea“mated”gunanddress</p><p>gun belt from the same maker. This also gives a certain pride of ownership.</p><p>Looksgreatatanopencarrybarbecue.Ofcourse,wecarrythemconcealedfor</p><p>themost part, so it’s not really a fashion statement, just amatter of personal</p><p>satisfaction.Ipersonallydon’tcarewhomadethebeltandtheholster,Icarethat</p><p>theygotogether.</p><p>Youwouldn’t saveup tobuyaVolvoor aMercedes tokeepyour family</p><p>safe,andthenputontwo-plyretreadtires.Counterproductive.Dittoagoodgun</p><p>inacrappyholster,oragoodgun inagoodholsteronacrappybelt. Iwould</p><p>ratherhavea$300policetrade-inhandguninagoodholsteronagoodbelt,than</p><p>a$3000custompistol inaninappropriateholsteronaninappropriatebelt.The</p><p>manwiththelattercombinationwillinevitablyloseaquick-drawcontesttothe</p><p>equallyskilledmanarmedwiththeformer.</p><p>Forthosewhodon’tcareforleather,top-qualitynylondressgunbeltssuch</p><p>asthedefiningWildernessInstructor’sBeltwillworkfinewithcasualclothing,</p><p>andcompanies likeBlackhawkmakenarrow faux leatherbeltswithmatching-</p><p>loopholstersthatwillworkwellinconcealment.“Armedandgreen,”asitwere.</p><p>Alargerguninawell-selectedholsterwillcarrymorecomfortablyandin</p><p>morediscreetconcealmentthanasmallerguninapoorly-selectedholsteronan</p><p>inappropriatebelt.Gun,holster,andbeltareallpartofasystem,andifanyof</p><p>those links fail, the whole chain will fail. We’re talking about life-saving</p><p>emergencyrescueequipmenthere.Failureisunacceptable.</p><p>Chapter8</p><p>CROSSDRAW</p><p>Polymer-framed9mmKahrPM9ridesinsideandbelowthewaistband,andwasdesignedfor</p><p>crossdrawwear.</p><p>T</p><p>hecrossdrawholster–carryingthehandgunbuttforward,onthehipopposite</p><p>thedominanthand–seemstobeoneofthose“loveitorhateit”issuesamong</p><p>experiencedpistoleros.Thereareseveralhandgunsportsthatactuallybanthem</p><p>assafetyhazards.Buttherearealsosomefolksouttherewhofindthemperfect</p><p>fortheirneeds.</p><p>Let’slookattheupsidesanddownsides,andathowtostreamlinethecross</p><p>drawconceptinwaysthatmayhelpgetpasttheconcernsofthedetractors.First,</p><p>let’sdefinesometerms.</p><p>AssortedCrossDrawConcepts</p><p>Therearecrossdraws,andtherearecrossdraws.</p><p>Conventional crossdrawgenerallyputs thegunall thewayoveron the</p><p>oppositehip.</p><p>Frontcrossdrawbrings thegun toapointbetweenhipandbeltbuckle,</p><p>whatwouldbetheappendixpositionforasouthpaw.Thiswasthepositiononce</p><p>favoredbyIPSCshooters,andbytheIllinoisStatePolicebackintheSeventies</p><p>andearlier.It’salsoafavoritelocationforbellybandcarry.</p><p>Transparentraincoatisusedtodemonstratecrossdraw.Ifgarmentisclosed,frontpositionshowncan</p><p>workwell,butzipperedgarmentlikethisshouldbefastenednohigherthanabdomen,andbuttoned</p><p>garmentshouldhaveunbuttonedopenspacenearthegun…</p><p>…assumingtarget/threatisincamera’sposition,firstmovementistostepbackwithdominantside</p><p>hip. Support hand begins to rise, partly to block attack and partly to clear it from path of</p><p>practitioner’sownmuzzle.Gunhandsfingersbegintoform“spearhand”configuration…</p><p>This is also a top choice for placing the second single-action revolver</p><p>requiredinCowboyActionshooting.</p><p>Fannypacksareoftenworn inaposition that,effectively,puts themina</p><p>crossdrawlocation.</p><p>Shoulderholsters require avariationof crossdraw tobring thehandgun</p><p>intoaction.</p><p>Backupgunrigsattachedtobodyarmorarenormallywornlikevertical</p><p>shoulderholsters,andthereforecallforcrossdrawtechniquesandtactics.</p><p>TheKramerConfidante,atee-shirtwithbuilt-ingunpocketsunderthe</p><p>armpits,isdesignedforwearunderadressshirtorcasualshirt.Thedrawisthe</p><p>sameasthatfromaconventionalshoulderholster:avariationofcrossdraw.</p><p>CrossDrawAdvantages</p><p>Many of those who choose the cross draw do it because of range of</p><p>movement issues. Proportionally more female than male cops and CCW</p><p>civilians carry crossdraw than theirmale counterparts.This is becausewith a</p><p>female and a male of the same height, you can expect the woman to have a</p><p>shortertorso,ahigherpelvis,andrelativelylongerandmorelimberarms(vis-à-</p><p>visthetorso)thanmen.Awomancanreachfartherunderheroff-sidearmfora</p><p>shoulderholster,and farther towardheroppositesidehip, for these reasons.A</p><p>crossdrawbeltholsteror shoulder rig thatmightbe literallyoutof reachofa</p><p>brawny,broad-shoulderedmanmightbeperfectlyaccessiblewhenwornbyhis</p><p>sister.</p><p>Forwomen,thecrossdrawisalsoanalternativetotheproblemsthatcome</p><p>with strong-sidehipholsters that havebeendesigned “bymen, formen.”The</p><p>higher hips and more pronounced buttocks of the average woman push the</p><p>muzzle area of a strong-side holster outward,which concomitantly pushes the</p><p>buttintowardthebody.Becauseofthehigherbeltline,agun“handle”thatsits</p><p>comfortably in thehollowbeneatha</p><p>polite society.”</p><p>Answeringacursewithacurse,oranobscenegesturewithaone-fingersalute,</p><p>isnolongeryouroptionwhenyoucarryagun.</p><p>Another saying among CCW people is, “Concealed means concealed.”</p><p>Onlytherankestrookiecoporfirst-timepermit-holderwillallowthehandgunto</p><p>become visible in anything less than an emergency. In professional circles,</p><p>peoplewhodon’tfollowthisrulearesometimesknownasgun-flashers,andare</p><p>looked down upon with only slightly less opprobrium than the other kind of</p><p>“flashers.”</p><p>…youlearntoreachwiththeotherhand.Similarly,topickupanobjectontheground,youlearnto</p><p>bendatkneesinsteadofwaistsothegunatyourhipwon’t“print”throughyourconcealinggarment.</p><p>Responsibility comes with CCW. The responsibility to keep that deadly</p><p>weapon secured from unauthorized children, incompetent guests in the</p><p>household,andburglars.Theresponsibilitytousetheweaponasjudiciouslyas,</p><p>in thewordsof theCourts,“a reasonableandprudentpersonwoulddo, in the</p><p>samesituation…”</p><p>Ifthegunmustbedrawnandfiredtosaveyourlifeorthelivesofothers,</p><p>thereisaresponsibilitytomakecertainthatyourshotsflytrue.Didyoulearnto</p><p>shoot,perhapseven“qualify”withyourweaponlikeapoliceofficer?Ordidyou</p><p>justbuy it, strap iton,and think itwouldsomehowprotectyouby itself?Did</p><p>you become sufficiently skilledwith it that, in a state of stress, you could be</p><p>reasonably and prudently confident of hitting your target and not an innocent</p><p>bystander? Did you carefully choose ammunition designed to incapacitate a</p><p>violentattacker,anddesignednottoshootthroughandthroughhimandstrikea</p><p>bystanderhiddenfromyourviewbehindhim?Didyoubecomefamiliarwiththe</p><p>lawsofyourjurisdictionthatgovernthecarryingoffirearmsandthelawfuluse</p><p>ofdeadlyforce?</p><p>It’s critical that you learn to draw expeditiously and safely.A legal gun</p><p>carriernot instantly recognizable as aGoodGuyorGal, thewayauniformed</p><p>coporsecurityguardwouldbe, risksstartingapanic ifdrawing inpublic.An</p><p>onlookerperceptionof “thecophashisgunout,getoutof theway”becomes</p><p>“good Lord, that psycho just pulled a gun!” This means that in “iffy</p><p>circumstances,”theplainclothescarriermayhavetowaitlongertoreact,putting</p><p>apremiumondrawingspeed.In thefollowingpages,we’llemphasizediscreet</p><p>“surreptitious draw” techniques that let you sneak your hand onto the still-</p><p>hidden gun without frightening the crowds. For the same reason, lack of</p><p>identifiability,youwanttobeabletoholsterthatgunsmoothly,one-handed,by</p><p>feelwithouttakingyoureyesoffthedangerinfrontofyouifcopsarearriving,</p><p>because you don’twant those tensely responding officers seeing “manwith a</p><p>gun,therenow.”</p><p>Going out and drinking to the point of intoxication in public is not your</p><p>optionifyou’recarryingagun.ThereareplacesinAmericawheresettingfoot</p><p>inabarstonesober–or,hell,evenaliquorstore–cancostyouyourpermitand</p><p>“buy you some time,” the latter phrase not in the good sense. There are also</p><p>placeswhereit’stechnicallylegaltogetsmashedinaginmillwhilepackinga</p><p>piece.ButthereisnoplaceinAmericawherethatwon’tgetyouintoverydeep</p><p>troubleifyouhavetodrawtheguninself-defenseinthatcondition.</p><p>Wewhocarrygunsinpublicareaminority.Wehaveanunwrittencovenant</p><p>withtherestofsociety:“Youcanbeassuredthatwewillnotendangeryou.”It’s</p><p>acovenantwemustliveuptoineveryway,ifwe’regoingtokeeptheattendant</p><p>rightsandprivilegesandpreservethemforourchildrenandgrandchildren.</p><p>ThepracticeofCCWcomeswithacommitment,ifyou’reserious,andthat</p><p>commitment is thatyouwillactuallycarrythedamnthing!Criminalattackers</p><p>don’tmake appointments.Themindset of “I’ll only carry it when I think I’ll</p><p>needit”isafalseone.I,andanyonemyagewho’sbeencarryinggunsaslongas</p><p>Ihave,can tellyoustoriesallnightofpeoplewhose livesweresavedbecause</p><p>they were carrying guns in places where they didn’t think they’d need them.</p><p>Criminalsattackyoupreciselywhenyoudon’tthinkyou’reinasituationwhere</p><p>you’ll be ready for them.That’swhat they do for a living. If you are serious,</p><p>you’ll carry your gun like you carry your wallet: daily, constantly, unless it’s</p><p>illegaltodoso.</p><p>Which brings us to another responsibility: make sure you’re carrying</p><p>legally!As you’ll see later in these pages, today’s situation makes concealed</p><p>carrylegalformorepeopleinmoreplacesthanatanytimeinthememoryofany</p><p>living American. If you’re in one of those places where legal carry is not</p><p>possible, I have to advise you,don’t carry there.Yes, there are peoplewhose</p><p>liveshavebeen savedbyguns theywere carryingwithoutbenefit ofpermit. I</p><p>became,atage23,oneofthem.IknowmorenowthanIknewat23,andtoday,I</p><p>eitherwouldn’thavebeen in thatplace,orwouldhave foundaway to legally</p><p>carrythere.</p><p>“Theywon’tfindoutI’mcarryingillegallyunlessIneedtouseit,andifI</p><p>needtouseit,gettingbustedforitistheleastofmyworries.”You’veheardthat,</p><p>right?Well,it’samyth!Thelikelihoodofthegunbeingfoundonyouafteracar</p><p>crashormedicalemergency,thelikelihoodofitbeingspottedorfeltbysomeone</p><p>incontactwithyou,maybegreaterthanthelikelihoodofyourneedingtodraw</p><p>it in self-defense. Remember that in many jurisdictions the first offense of</p><p>illegally carrying a gun is a felony, often bringing aminimum/mandatory one</p><p>yearimprisonment.Andwhereit’s“onlyamisdemeanor,”rememberthat“only</p><p>amisdemeanor”means“only364daysinjail.”Nottomentionafirearms-related</p><p>crimeonyourrecord.</p><p>Besmart.Belegal.Carryonlywherethelawallowsyoutodoso.</p><p>When it’ssohotyouneed to takeyour jacketoffandhavean ice-creamcone,youdo it like this.</p><p>(Note thatpaper isheldup to read, soheadanddanger scanaren’t “buried.”)Unlessyouneed to</p><p>standandreachforit,noonewillnotice…</p><p>ThePriceoftheWardrobes</p><p>Youdon’tjustgotothepawnshop,buythecheapesthandgunthey’vegot,</p><p>stuffitinyourpocketandgo.Ifyouareseriousaboutthis,therearewardrobes</p><p>you’llhavetoacquire.Threewardrobes,infact.</p><p>Thewardrobeof clothing.Thiswill be discussed at length in following</p><p>chapters,butyouwillfindyourselfchangingyourclothingto“dressaroundthe</p><p>gun”ifyou’reseriousaboutCCW.Ididn’tgetabigchargeoutofbringingmy</p><p>gunandholsterintothetailorshoptoget“courtsuits”madethatwouldconceal</p><p>a fullsize handgun…but I’m glad I did. I don’t especially like the look of</p><p>Dockers-typesportslacks,atleastonmybody,buttheydoagreatjobofhiding</p><p>guns, and they’ve become a staple of the “sport coat and tie” section of my</p><p>wardrobe.When I seemyself in themirrorwearing avestwith a short sleeve</p><p>shirt,IseeEdNortonfromtheoldTVshow“TheHoneymooners”…butwhen</p><p>you carry a fullsize pistol and spare ammo in hot weather, believe me, these</p><p>garments become your new best friend. You learn to appreciate the extra</p><p>pockets,too.</p><p>You’lldiscoverthe“two-inchwaistrangefactor.”Ifyourwaistsizeis38,</p><p>andyoucarryahandgun inside thewaistband,you’llquicklygravitate toward</p><p>size40forcomfort.Thiswillalsokeepyoucarryingthegun,sincewithoutthat</p><p>holster,yourpantswillfeelasifthey’regoingtofalldowntoyourankles.And</p><p>thedaywillcomewhenyougainsomeweight,anddecidethatanoutside-the-</p><p>beltholsterischeaperthanawholenewwardrobeof</p><p>man’sribcagecanpresswithexcruciating</p><p>discomfort intoawoman’sribs.Whenthemostpopularsolutiondoesn’twork,</p><p>youneed toexplore lesspopularalternatives,andcrossdraw/shouldercarry is</p><p>one.</p><p>…assupporthandcontinuestorise,spearhand“knifes”throughcoatopeningforsmoothaccessto</p><p>gun…</p><p>…access isachievedonCom-TacdummyGlock19 (usedhere for safetypurposes), trigger finger</p><p>straightandclear.Now…</p><p>It’s not just a woman’s issue. One of my fellow gun writers has some</p><p>seriousarthriticissuesthatlimittherangeofmovementofhisshoulder.Hefinds</p><p>theconventionalhipholstersofhisyouthtobeawkwardanduncomfortable,and</p><p>excruciatingly slow. So, he wears his sidearm, usually a 1911 45 auto, cross</p><p>drawontheoppositehip.Voila:problemsolved.</p><p>Many bodyguard chauffeurs and others who must constantly be seated,</p><p>especially at thewheel of an automobile, have come to appreciate across-the-</p><p>bodycarry.Manytypesofcarseatsinhibittheelbow’sflexionandthereforethe</p><p>reachofthegunhandwhengoingforastrong-sidehipscabbardwhilesittingin</p><p>avehicle.Aquickreachdownacrossthefrontofthebodyisgenerallyfaster.In</p><p>the1990s,anewbreedofholstercalledthe“counter-car-jack”rigmadeabrief</p><p>appearance,thoughitdidnotseemtocatchon.Itheldthepistolbuttdown,with</p><p>thebarrelalmosthorizontal,justtotheoff-sideofmidlineoftheabdomen.Men</p><p>behind thewheel found it deadly fast. It did, however, have some downsides</p><p>whenonegotoutofthevehicle.</p><p>Huntingadvantages.Inthegamefields,Ilearnedtoappreciateasidearm</p><p>inacrossdrawholster.Ifitwasbackuptoalonggun,themaingun’sstockwas</p><p>nolongerbangingintothehandgun’sbuttallthetime.IftravelinvolvedATVs</p><p>andsuch,thecrossdrawseemedmoreaccessible.Shoulderholstershavealways</p><p>beenhuntingfavoritesbecausetheoutercoattotallyprotectsevenbighandguns</p><p>frominclementweather.</p><p>I’mnotahorseman–theclosestI’vecometohuntingwithahorsehasbeen</p><p>drivingtothedeerwoodsinaFordBronco–butfriendswhohavehuntedalot</p><p>onhorsebacktellmethecrossdrawismuchmoreaccessibletoapersoninthe</p><p>saddle.Thisisonereasoncrossdrawwassopopularamonggenuinecowboysin</p><p>theOldWest.AttheOKCorralshootout,witnessessaidBillyClantondrewhis</p><p>44-40ColtFrontierSix-Shooterfromacrossdrawrig.Andhewasprettyquick</p><p>withit.WyattEarphadgoneintothefightwithhisownColt45inthecapacious,</p><p>custom-madepocketofhisovercoat,withhishandontheguntostart.Yet,when</p><p>Clantonwent to draw, hewas so fast from his cross draw scabbard that both</p><p>Wyatt and Virgil Earp testified later that Billy and Wyatt had fired</p><p>simultaneouslyattheopeningmomentofthegunfight.</p><p>…pistolisdrawnacrosschest,rockinguptowardthreat…</p><p>…andbodyisideallypositionedforclassicWeaverstance.</p><p>Weakhandaccessibility.Ifyouneedtogettoyoursidearmwithyournon-</p><p>dominanthand,nothingisfasterthanagunalreadyholsteredonthathand’sside.</p><p>With a regular cross draw rig on the belt, you simply use the “cavalry draw.”</p><p>Turn yourweak hand so the thumb is pointing to the rear and themetacarpal</p><p>bones are toward your torso. Grab the pistol and lift. As it starts to clear the</p><p>holster, point themuzzle down in front of you. The gunwill now be upside-</p><p>down.Rotate yourhand to conventional gunorientation asyoubring it upon</p><p>target, and you’ll avoid the common “cavalry draw”mistake of crossing your</p><p>ownbodywiththegunmuzzle.</p><p>Is this fast?Well, on theOldWest frontier, therewere thosewhocarried</p><p>their guns butt forward and always did a cavalry draw from them! These</p><p>includedthemenoftheU.S.Cavalryitself,whocarriedtheirsabersontheirleft</p><p>hipspositionedfordrawwiththepresumed-to-be-dominantrighthand,andtheir</p><p>servicerevolversontheirrighthips inbutt-forwardflapholsters.Therationale</p><p>wasthat if thecavalry trooperneededaweaponineitherhand,arevolverwas</p><p>easiertomanipulatewiththe“weakhand”thanasaber,andaconventionalcross</p><p>drawwouldbeexecutedwiththeweakhand.Ifthedominanthandreachedfor</p><p>thegun,itwoulddosowiththe“cavalrydraw”describedabove.</p><p>JamesButler“WildBill”HickokcarriedamatchedpairofColtNavy36-</p><p>caliberrevolversathiswaist,buttsforwardatthepointsofhiships.Heusedthe</p><p>cavalrydrawexclusively…andhe shot hisway intohistory as, some said, the</p><p>deadliestgunfighterofhistime.</p><p>Compatibilitywithheavywintercoats.Aknee-lengthovercoatisnotthe</p><p>easiest thing to sweep out of the way when you need to suddenly, reactively</p><p>drawahandgunfromastrong-sidehipholster.Ontheotherhand,ashoulderor</p><p>crossdrawbeltrigisveryfastforaright-handedmanoraleft-handedwomanto</p><p>reach,throughthe frontof thewintercoat.All that is required isacoatdesign</p><p>thatallowsonebuttontobeleftundonetoallowaccess.(Isayright-handedmen</p><p>andleft-handedwomen,becausemen’scoatsbuttontotheleftandwomen’s,to</p><p>theright.)</p><p>Sliderloopinright(forward)slotofBlockerDA-2hipholsterismoveduptoorienttheholsterina</p><p>vertical position, ideal for cross-draw carry. Pistol is Glock 17 full-size 9mm with Heinie night</p><p>sights.</p><p>Onebitterlycold,darknight in thewinterof1970Iwaswearingaheavy</p><p>winterovercoatoverasuitasIsteppedoutofahotelandmademywaythrough</p><p>thebitingwindtothefar,dimcorneroftheparkinglotwhereI’dhadtoleave</p><p>mycar.Tomakealongstoryshort,I“sawthemuggerscoming,”andunbuttoned</p><p>both coats so I could get at the Smith & Wesson 38 I was carrying in a</p><p>Bucheimerscabbardbehindmyrighthip.Whentheymadetheirmove,Imade</p><p>mine, and once my gun came out it was all over. On the way home, I kept</p><p>thinking about how itmight have ended if they’dbeenmore stealthy, andmy</p><p>gunhadbeenbuttonedunder twocoatswhen Ineeded toget itquickly.From</p><p>then on, for a long time after, I carried my gun in a cross draw or shoulder</p><p>holsterindeepwinter.</p><p>Thecavalrydraw.Assumethisoldfatguy’srightarmhasbeenhitbyfirstopposingfire,andhisonly</p><p>gunisinacrossdrawAkerholster,buttforwardonhislefthip…</p><p>…leftthumbsweepsbackcoataspalmturnsoutwardandslidesbetweengunandtorso…</p><p>Compatibilitywith likely“hand start”position.Back in the Seventies,</p><p>whenIPSC(theInternationalPracticalShootingConfederation)firstgotupand</p><p>running,thefrontcrossdrawwashugelypopular.Concealmenthasneverbeen</p><p>an issue in IPSC, so a big 45 auto just to port of the belt buckle posed no</p><p>problems in that regard.RayChapman,andmanyotherchampionsof theday,</p><p>shot from cross draw.Ray designed the popularChapmanHi-Ride holster for</p><p>Bianchi, and the (Ken) Hackathorn Special was a bestseller for Milt Sparks</p><p>Leather,oftenwornbuttforward.</p><p>Why thepopularity?Only a fewofus seem to remember that back then,</p><p>oneofthemostpopularstartpositionsat thebeginningofacourseoffirewas</p><p>withthehandsclaspedatmidlineofthebody.Thisputthegunhandjustaninch</p><p>or twoabove thegrip-frame,andgave theuserofa frontcrossdrawholstera</p><p>“runningstart.”Manyofthehipholsters“backintheday”werelowslung,even</p><p>using thigh tie-downs and riding on buscadero-like belts. The also popular</p><p>“handsup”startpositionputahigh-ridingcrossdrawcloserwithintheshooter’s</p><p>reachthanmanyofthestrong-siderigs.Astimewenton,itwasdiscoveredthat</p><p>movingyourChapmanHi-RideoryourHackSpecialtothegun-handsideofthe</p><p>beltbucklemadethingsjustas</p><p>quick,andsoonthecrossdrawwasarelicofthe</p><p>pastamongIPSC’stopcontenders.</p><p>The Bianchi Cup has always used a hands-up start position. I was there</p><p>whenRonLerchwonthefirst,drawinghisColt45fromafrontcrossdraw,and</p><p>fortheyearsfollowingwhenMickeyFowlerruledtheCup,drawinghiscustom</p><p>GovernmentModel from the ISI front crossdraw righehadco-designedwith</p><p>manufacturer Ted Blocker, and named after International Shootists, Inc., the</p><p>schoolhefoundedwithtrainingpartnerMikeDalton,anotheracegunner.</p><p>…with“handbackward,”conventionalgrasp is taken.Thumbwouldpop safety strap if therewas</p><p>one,andthentakegraspingpositionasshown…</p><p>…gunispulledstraightupalonggivenholster’snaturaldrawingpath,andwhenbarrelorslidearea</p><p>havecleared,gunisrotatedbuttoutward…</p><p>What does any of this have to dowith serious pistol packing?Only this:</p><p>thereweretimesandplaceswheremenwhoknewwheretheirhandswouldbe</p><p>whentheybegantheirdraw,andhadalotridingontheoutcome,chosethefront</p><p>crossdrawpositionbecauseitwasfastertoreach.</p><p>Ifyoucarryagunfordefense,whenthedaycomes,you’llhavealotbigger</p><p>stakesonthetablethanevensoprestigiousatrophyastheBianchiCup.Ifyou</p><p>canfigureoutawaytohaveyourhandsclosertothegunbeforetroublestarts,in</p><p>situationswhereyoucan’tjusthaulitoutwhenyousmelldanger,thecrossdraw</p><p>tendstolenditselftoearlyreadiness.</p><p>Foldyourarmsatyourchest,andletyourgunhandslipinsideyourjacket.</p><p>Ta-da!Yourgunhandisalreadyonyourshoulder-holsteredpistol,andreadyto</p><p>draw. The two key portions of a draw are access and presentation.Access –</p><p>getting to thegunand takingadrawinggrasp– is the toughestpart.Our tests</p><p>showthatstartingwiththehandontheguncutsyourdraw-and-firetimeroughly</p><p>inhalf.Withthecrossdrawshoulderrig,armsfoldedacrossthechestputsyou</p><p>discreetlyinposition.</p><p>Crossdrawholsteronthebelt?Thesametechniqueworks,simplylowering</p><p>thefoldedarmsmidriffhigh.Bellybandholster ina frontcrossdrawposition?</p><p>Slidethegunhandinthroughtheopeningabovethebeltthatyou’llhaveifyou</p><p>leave the secondbutton above that belt undone.Takeyourdrawinggrasp.Let</p><p>yourfreehandfoldoverthatgunhand.Slouchforwardalittle.Youlooklikea</p><p>scaredguywringinghishandsinabodylanguage“surrender”position…butthe</p><p>belly gun is already in your hand, and you’re ready to draw with the fast,</p><p>efficient technique that made Chapman, Fowler, and Dalton the famous</p><p>championstheyare.</p><p>This,Isubmit,isagoodthingtohaveonyoursideofafight.</p><p>…andthatway,muzzlenevercrossesownbodyasOdinPressdummyofS&W38isthrustforward</p><p>andsimultaneouslyrotatedupright…</p><p>…andshooterisinastrongfiringstance,hereusing“McMillan/Chapmantilt.”</p><p>DisadvantagesofCrossDraw</p><p>Crossdrawisnowherenearaspopularasitusedtobe.Remembertheold</p><p>TVseriesDragnet,whereJackWebbasJoeFridayalwayshadhissnub-nose38</p><p>buttforwardontheoppositehip?Rememberhowmanyothercopshowsofthe</p><p>FiftiesandeventheSixtieshaddetectivescarryingtheirgunsthesameway?</p><p>That’s almost gone now. I very rarely see cross draw holsters on</p><p>plainclothescopsanymore,andwhenIdo,they’reusuallyonthehipsoffemale</p><p>officers for reasons discussed earlier. Shoulder holsters are somewhat more</p><p>common,butlesssothantheyoncewere,eventhoughtoday’sshoulderrigsare</p><p>thebestandmostcomfortablethathaveeverexisted.</p><p>Asfarasuniformwear, thecrossdrawdutyholsterhasbeen relegated to</p><p>the police museum. When I was young, cross draw was standard uniform</p><p>equipment for Metro-Dade officers in Miami, and for the state troopers of</p><p>Florida,Illinois,Iowa,MichiganandWashington.Thelaststubbornholdout,the</p><p>IowaStatePatrol,switchedtoSafarilandsecurityholstersonthestrong-sidehip</p><p>just a fewyears ago for theirS&W4046Smith&Wesson40s.They recently</p><p>replaced those guns with S&W’s new Military & Police autos in the same</p><p>caliber,butstayedwiththestrong-sideSafarilands.Today, there isnotasingle</p><p>major police department in theUnitedStates that issues or, tomyknowledge,</p><p>evenauthorizescrossdrawholstersforpersonnelinuniform.</p><p>Oneof the biggest complaints about the cross drawwas that the forward</p><p>butt made the gun altogether too accessible to an opponent you were facing.</p><p>Indeed,withthegunallthewayoverontheoppositehip,itwasliterallymore</p><p>accessible to a facingman than to thewearer, if theywere positioned to each</p><p>othersquarely.BillJordanwarnedagainstcrossdrawsforjustthisreason.</p><p>The late,greatgunexpertDeanGrennellwasagood friendofmine, and</p><p>onedayhetoldmethatearlyinhisshortpolicecareer,heequippedhimselfwith</p><p>a31/2-inchbarrelS&Wheavyframe357Magnuminacrossdrawholsterthat</p><p>lookedjustspiffy,andseemedhandytoreachwhenhewasatthewheelofthe</p><p>cruiserintheGreatLakesareacommunityheserved.Then,onedayafterlunch,</p><p>he was washing his hands at the rest room sink and, looking in the mirror,</p><p>realizedjusthowinvitingthatforward-projectinggunbuttwouldlooktoaman</p><p>standinginfrontoftheuniformedofficer.Onhisnextshiftofduty,hetoldme,</p><p>hisSmith&WessonMagnumwasinastrong-sidehipholster.</p><p>Snub revolver like this S&W340M&P is ideal for front cross-draw (navel orweak-hand side of</p><p>abdomen)atbeltlinewithbellybandlikethis.It’stheauthor’sfavorite,anoldBianchiRangerthat</p><p>alsoservesasahiddenmoneybelt.</p><p>Polymer-framed9mmKahrPM9ridesinsideandbelowthewaistband,andwasdesignedforcross</p><p>drawwear.Thisisthesidethatfacesthewearer.</p><p>Anotherbigproblem,particularlywhen thegunwaswornasa truecross</p><p>drawall thewayoveron theoppositehip,was that thedrawcould sweep the</p><p>range officer behind the shooter on the range, andwould definitely sweep the</p><p>shooterontheholsterside.Thisiswhycrossdrawhasbeenbannedfrompolice</p><p>combat/PPCcompetitionsinceitsinceptioninthelate1950s.Thisiswhyithas</p><p>been banned in IDPA (InternationalDefensive PistolAssociation) competition</p><p>sincethatorganizationwasfoundedin1996.IrecallvisitingtheIowaStateLaw</p><p>Enforcement Academy about thirty years ago, back when Iowa state troopers</p><p>carried S&WModel 13 357Magnum revolvers in cross draw flap holsters. I</p><p>learned thatwhen Iowa State Patrol recruits came through theAcademy, they</p><p>wereforbiddentousetheirissuedutyholsters,andinsteadwerefurnishedbythe</p><p>AcademywithFBI-stylestraight-drawscabbardsforthestrongsidehip.</p><p>Crossdraw lends itselfwell tosurreptitiousdraw.Regular jacketwouldhidewhat this transparent</p><p>onereveals:standingwitharmscrossed,authoralreadyhasdrawinggraspofdummyGlockincross-</p><p>drawLFIConcealmentRig.</p><p>Anotheroptionforcrossdraw.Ifconcealinggarmentisopenasshown…</p><p>…supporthandcangrabgarmentasshownandpeelitback,givingdrawinghandfasterandclearer</p><p>accesstotheLFIConcealmentRigwornherecrossdraw…</p><p>…butthistechniquetakessomewhatmoreefforttokeepsupporthandoutofgunmuzzle’sdrawing</p><p>path,andthathandmaybebusywardingoffanattacker.</p><p>A third concern with the cross draw holster is that it has to ride farther</p><p>forward on the hip than a strong-side rig. This causes concealment problems.</p><p>The strong-side concealed carryholster generally is locatedbehind the hip. In</p><p>crossdraw,ifthemancarryingitistobeabletoreachthegunquicklyenoughto</p><p>savehislife,thebutt-forwardscabbardhastoride</p><p>eitherontheoppositehip,or</p><p>aheadofit.Thismakesitmuchmoredifficulttoconcealwhenthatwintercoat</p><p>is takenoff at restaurant,office,or a friend’shome,unless theunderlying suit</p><p>coatorotherconcealinggarmentremainsclosedinthefront.</p><p>ShoringUptheWeaknesses</p><p>Whatever theconcept,myrule is“go towardyourstrengthsandshoreup</p><p>your weaknesses.” The strengths and weaknesses of cross draw carry have</p><p>alreadybeenidentified.Let’slookathowtoshoreuptheidentifiedweaknesses</p><p>ifyou’vedecidedto,atleastsometimes,carrythegunoppositeyourgunhand.</p><p>Handgunretention.Takea tip fromtheIllinoisStatePolice.For the last</p><p>several years of cross draw carrywith their Smith&WessonModel 39 9mm</p><p>autosbeforeswitchingtostrong-sideholstersinthelate1970s,theyworetheir</p><p>flapdutyrigsinafrontcrossdrawposition,withtheguntiltedabout30degrees</p><p>toward the dominant hand.Like the IowaState Patrol and theMichiganState</p><p>Police, they taught troopers to lift the flap with their nearby weak hand, and</p><p>drawwiththestronghand.</p><p>The draw would start from the interview position, with the weak side</p><p>(which, with cross draw, is the holster side) of their body toward the threat.</p><p>Whenthisstanceiscombinedwiththe30-degreeangleofholsterrake,thebutt</p><p>isnolonger“offered”tothemaninfrontofyou.Indeed,it’syourmuzzlethat’s</p><p>pointingtowardhim.Thisisamuchmoredefensibleposturefromwhichtostart</p><p>astrugglefortheholsteredweapon!</p><p>With a cross draw holster on the belt, the Lindell System (Kansas City</p><p>system) proven for three decades now and created by JimLindell,willwork.</p><p>Yousimplytreattheright-handedcrossdrawholsteronyourleftsideasifyou</p><p>were a left-handed person carrying your weapon on your dominant side. The</p><p>entirerepertoireoftechniqueswillworkfine.</p><p>TheLindellSystemhasneverreallyaddressedshoulderholsters.Iteachmy</p><p>studentsasetofshoulderrigretentiontechniquesthatweredevelopedbyTerry</p><p>Campbell, late of theMarionCounty (Ohio) Sheriff’sDepartment, one of the</p><p>toughest and best defensive tactics instructors I’ve ever had the privilege of</p><p>trainingwith.No handgun retention technique (at least, none of the ones that</p><p>actuallyworkonthestreet)canbetaughtinamagazinearticleorachapterofa</p><p>book.But,make nomistake, retention techniques thatwill protect cross draw</p><p>andshoulderholstersdoinfactexist.</p><p>Reachingthroughaconvenientlyunbuttonedopeningtobellybandpositionedforfrontcross-drawis</p><p>oneofthefastestwaystobringalittleJ-framesnubintoaction.</p><p>CrossdrawasshownisbestaccesstoAirLiteS&W,worninhiddenpocketbehindbreastpocketof</p><p>thisWoolrichEliteshirtdesignedbyFerdinandCoelho.Thumbisontopofhammerareatoreduce</p><p>thecombinedwidthprofileofthedrawinghandandthegun,smoothingandacceleratingthedraw.</p><p>“Sweeping”andSafetyProblems.Yes,thecrossdrawisbannedinIDPA,</p><p>PPC,andmostpoliceacademies.Thatsaid,it’sstillallowedtomyknowledgein</p><p>NRAActionPistolShooting(includingtheBianchiCup),IPSC,andofcourse,</p><p>cowboyactionmatches.The requirement thatmakes it safe in thosevenues is</p><p>theoneyouwanttousereligiouslyforyourownpractice“forthestreet.”</p><p>Always remember: “If it’s not safe to practice on the range, you’ll never</p><p>build enough repetitions to make it work reflexively and safely in the real</p><p>world.”</p><p>Tomaketheacross-the-bodydrawsafeandefficient,drillinthefollowing</p><p>steps.They’llworkwith conventional crossdraw, front crossdraw,bellyband,</p><p>fannypack,shoulderholster,et.al.</p><p>Stepone:Takeastepbackwith the legonyourgunhandside,</p><p>turningtheholstersidetowardthethreat.</p><p>Steptwo:Dropthegunhandstraightdowntothegrip-frame.As</p><p>youdo so, raiseyournon-dominanthandas shown inphotos, into a</p><p>blockingposition.Thiswillkeepyourgunarmclearofyourmuzzle’s</p><p>path.</p><p>Stepthree:Asyoudraw,bringthepistolbackacrossyourbody</p><p>towardyourstronghandsideuntil themuzzlecomesupandinto the</p><p>target.Thereshouldbeno“sweep”laterally:themuzzleshouldcome</p><p>rightupoutoftheholsterandtowardthethreat.</p><p>Stepfour:Punchtheguntowardthetarget.</p><p>Stepfive(Optional):If thereis timeforatwo-handhold,bring</p><p>thesupporthanddownandforward,cominginonthegunfromabove</p><p>and behind so your support hand is never swept by the muzzle.</p><p>Becauseofthetorsoangle,thistypeofdrawlendsitselfverywellto</p><p>theclassicWeaverstance,orthemodifiedWeaverstancepopularized</p><p>by Ray Chapman. To go to Isosceles if that’s your preference will</p><p>require an additional movement, a turn of the hips that squares the</p><p>targettothethreatwhileleavingthenon-dominantside’slegforward</p><p>and the dominant side’s leg to the rear, leaving your feet still in a</p><p>boxer’sstance.</p><p>InSummation</p><p>The cross draw holster is not at its height of popularity right now. That</p><p>doesn’tmean that therearen’t somepeople forwhomit’s thebestchoice.Nor</p><p>doesitmeanthateachandeveryoneofusmightnotfindsomespecialpurpose</p><p>thatisbestfulfilledbysomesortofacross-the-bodycarry.</p><p>Only the smallest and shortest of combat autos, such as this 9mmKahrMK9,workwell in front</p><p>crossdrawinsidebellyband.ThisrigisfromActionDirect.</p><p>TheChapmanHi-RidewasBianchi’scompetitionholstercommonlyusedasfrontcrossdraw.This</p><p>onewascustommadebythefactoryforlong-slidecompetitionpistol.LesBaer45isshownhere.</p><p>It’slikesomanyotherthings.It’ssafeifyoudoitcorrectly,andmayeven</p><p>bemoreefficient.Butwhenanyofusgotoanewtechnique–orresurrectanold</p><p>one, like this – we have the responsibility of making sure we’re doing it</p><p>correctly,andmakingtherightchoicefortherightreason.</p><p>Chapter9</p><p>SHOULDERHOLSTERS</p><p>BianchiX15shoulderrigthatmustbeaquartercenturyold,butstillworksperfectly.</p><p>T</p><p>hedrivingrainsweepsthenightstreetsandsidewalksofthecity,makingthem</p><p>looklikeglisteningpoolsofink,streetlightsandautomobileheadlampssending</p><p>swordsof lightacrosstheiroilysurfaces.Youpullupthecollarofyourtrench</p><p>coat, and tug the brim of your dripping fedora a little lower down over your</p><p>eyes.Youreachinsidethecoattofeelthereassuringsolidityoftheguninyour</p><p>shoulderholster…</p><p>Ah,yes, theshoulderholster isapartofwholenoirscene, inmoviesand</p><p>novelsalike.FrankSinatracarriedaColtpocketmodelinaHeiser-typeshoulder</p><p>holsterinSuddenly,andonebiographersaysheworetheidenticalcombination,</p><p>loaded,underhiscustomtuxandsuitcoats,inatimewhenmostcarrypermits</p><p>werediscretionaryandmostmoviestarscouldget them.RobertStackasEliot</p><p>NesscarriedaColtOfficialPolice4-inchinabutt-upspringclipshoulderrigof</p><p>theHeiserstyle,asdidallhismenontheTVshow.Playingthesameroleinthe</p><p>movieTheUntouchables,KevinCostnerworeaColt1911autoinashoulderrig.</p><p>Asamatteroffact,therealEliotNessdidwearashoulderholster,andaColt.</p><p>However,Ness’Coltseemstohavebeenanearly38DetectiveSpecialwitha2-</p><p>inchbarrel.</p><p>Recommended draw from vertical shoulder holster. Transparent raincoat used here for illustration</p><p>purposes reveals a vertical shoulder holster, with Odin Press dummy 1911 pistol used for safety</p><p>reasons.</p><p>Movement begins with gun hand side quartering back from threat, support hand rising to block</p><p>attack,andtogetitoutofshooter’sowngun-path.Gunhandfingersform“spearhand”thatknifes</p><p>intoopeningofcoat,whichisfasteneduptosolar</p><p>plexus…</p><p>On the printed page, themid-20th century sawMickey Spillane’s classic</p><p>“hard-boiledprivateeye,”MikeHammer,carryinga45automaticinashoulder</p><p>rig. In onebook– Iwant to say “Vengeance IsMine,” but I’mworking from</p><p>memory here –Hammer replaces a lost 45with amilitary surplus Colt 1911</p><p>bought fromaNewYorkCitygundealer. In the lastof thenovels,The Black</p><p>Alley,Hammer’sshoulderholstercarriesanupdated,commercialColt45auto,</p><p>theCombatCommander.Apopular paperback private eye of the 1960s, Shell</p><p>Scott,wasarmedbyauthorRichardS.Pratherwithasnub-noseColtDetective</p><p>Special38ina“clamshellshoulderholster,”whichIalwayspicturedasaBerns-</p><p>MartinLightning.</p><p>The glamorous image of the shoulder holster went beyond private</p><p>investigators.Oneoftoday’sbest-sellingnovelistsisLaurellK.Hamilton,who’s</p><p>most popular character is “Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter.” Set in an alternate</p><p>reality in which vampires and assorted were-beasts are out of the closet,</p><p>politicallyactive,andlegallyprotected,theycanonlybeslainifajudgesignsa</p><p>warrant and dispatches a Licensed Vampire Hunter like the heroine. A petite</p><p>female,AnitaBlakewasarmedbyhercreatorwithaBrowningHi-Poweranda</p><p>StarStarFire,bothloadedwithall-silver9mmhollowpoints,andonecarriedina</p><p>shoulderholsterwiththeotherbackingitupinaninside-the-waistbandholster.</p><p>…andtakesfirmdrawinggrasp.Now…</p><p>…gunhanddraws,NOTdownandout,butSTRAIGHTACROSSCHEST,whichwillclearsupport</p><p>armnowandalso…</p><p>What character in modern adventure fiction could be more famous than</p><p>JamesBond,Agent007?ThelateIanFlemingequippedhimwithaBeretta25in</p><p>a chamois shoulder holster in the early novels. (This ignored the fact that</p><p>chamoiswouldprobablyholdmoistureand rust thegun it contained,which is</p><p>probablywhyyouneverseeanyoneintheholsterindustryactuallymakingthe</p><p>things out of chamois.) In Doctor No, Fleming summoned the assistance of</p><p>leadingBritishhandgunauthorityGeoffreyBoothroyd,whomoreorlessplayed</p><p>acameoashimselfinthenovel,butapparentlyFlemingdidn’tkeepgoodnotes</p><p>ofBoothroyd’sadvice.007woundupwitha32-caliberWaltherPPKinaBerns-</p><p>MartinTripleDrawholster,whichcouldbewornaseitherabeltorshoulderrig.</p><p>Problemwas,thisdesignsecuredonthecylinderandwasavailableforrevolvers</p><p>only,notautoloaderssuchastheWalther.</p><p>WhentheZodiacKillerstalkedSanFrancisco,thecrackSFPDinvestigator</p><p>who hunted him was the famed Dave Toschi. Photos of the period show</p><p>Toschiwearingashort-barrelrevolverinashoulderrig.Toschiissaidtobethe</p><p>real-lifemodel for the character SteveMcQueen played inBullitt, and in that</p><p>moveMcQueenwore a 2 1/2-inch barrelColtDiamondback 38 Special in an</p><p>upside-downSafarilandshoulderholster.</p><p>…morequicklygetthemuzzleonthethreat…</p><p>…andsmoothlyflowintoaclassicWeaverstance.</p><p>RealLife</p><p>Why so much “reel life” before getting to “real life” use of shoulder</p><p>holsters?The reason is,noholster choicehasbeen somuch influencedby the</p><p>entertainmentmedia–print, film,and television–as theshoulder rig. In their</p><p>classicnon-fictiontextonholsters,BlueSteelandGunleather,JohnBianchiand</p><p>RichardNicholssaid,“Perhapsnoothercategoryofholstershasmorenostalgic</p><p>appeal.Althoughsuchholsterswere firstusedmanydecadesearlier, thecops-</p><p>and-robbersmoviesof theThirties, followedbysubsequentprohibitionmovies</p><p>oftheFortiesandFiftiesbroughtshoulderholsterstotheattentionofthepublic.</p><p>The old gangster-versus-police films featuring James Cagney, Edward G.</p><p>Robinson, andHumphrey Bogart (whowere alternately cast as good and bad</p><p>guys), were liberally sprinkled with a wide variety of shoulder holsters.</p><p>Wardrobeandpropertydepartmentsmadeliberaluseofthedramaticimpactof</p><p>theseharnessrigs.”</p><p>The fact is, though, that art was imitating life, as it should have been.</p><p>Nichols and Bianchi were correct to note that the shoulder holster had long</p><p>precededcinema.Dr.John“Doc”Hollidaywasknowntofrequentlywearone,</p><p>andasnoted,sodidtherealEliotNess.Shoulderrigswereseenontheotherside</p><p>ofthelawintheRoaringTwentiesandtheDepressionyears,aswell.BabyFace</p><p>Nelson was partial to shoulder rigs. So was John Dillinger, who had been</p><p>observedwearinga twinshoulder rigwithapairofColt45automaticsby the</p><p>nervousfolkswhodroppedadimeonhimattheLittleBohemiaLodgeandset</p><p>thestageforwhatwasthentheFBI’smosthumiliatingdebacle.(Dillingerdidn’t</p><p>wear shoulder holsters or 45s when they weren’t suitable for his lifestyle,</p><p>though. On the hot summer night when he was killed outside the Biograph</p><p>Theater inChicago, hewas coatless, and carrying aColt 380 automatic inhis</p><p>pantspocket,andasparemagazineofUMC380ballammoinanotherpocket.)</p><p>Oldandnew.NewEdBrownExecutiveCarry.45autorestsinaBianchiX15shoulderrigthatmust</p><p>beaquartercenturyold,butstillworksperfectly.</p><p>RealLife,NotReelLife</p><p>ShoulderrigsweremorepopularinthetimeofEliotNessthannow.Partof</p><p>thatcamefrommostfolksnotyethavingfiguredout thatgoodgunbeltswere</p><p>necessary forhipholsters, andpartof itwas thathipholstershadn’tyetcome</p><p>anywhereclosetotoday’sstateoftheart.</p><p>Nowadays, cops and armed citizens alike vastly prefer belt carry to</p><p>shoulder carry, but that does not by any means make the shoulder holster</p><p>obsolete forgunconcealment.Thereareseveralsituationswhere theycomein</p><p>handy.</p><p>FemalePractitioners</p><p>Female users seem proportionally much happier with shoulder rigs,</p><p>particularlydetectiveswhoweargunsconstantlyanddaily.Manyofthefactors</p><p>onthemalebodythatmakethestrong-sidehipholsteraguy’sfavorite,arenot</p><p>present on his sister, even if she’s the same height. The female torso is</p><p>proportionallyshorterthanthemale’s,andherpelvisproportionallymuchhigher</p><p>and usually a lotmore flared.The gun butt that rests just perfectly below the</p><p>ribcagebehindthebrother’shipdigspainfullyintohissister’sfloatingribs,due</p><p>tothehigherpelvisandshortertorso.Moreover,theflareofherhippushesthe</p><p>bottomoftheholsteroutwardatthebarrelend,whichconcomitantlyforcesthe</p><p>buttenduncomfortablyintoherside.Asifthisisnotenough,theweaponsitsso</p><p>high that she practically has to disarticulate her shoulder joint to perform a</p><p>properhipdraw.</p><p>BabyGlock 27 that backs up this officer’sGlock 22 is carried in holster clipped to body armor,</p><p>reachedwithsupport-sidehandshoulderholsterstyle.</p><p>Shoulder holsters lend themselves toweak-hand draw.Here,with vertical rig, left hand comes in</p><p>palmouttotakedrawinggrasp…</p><p>…andisrockedoutmuzzleforward,upsidedown,tokeepgunfromcrossingitsownuser…</p><p>If the hip holster is a “bymales, formales” design that is ideal formost</p><p>menanddifficultformanyorevenmostwomen,theshoulderholsterturnsout</p><p>to be the exact opposite.A greatmanymen, particularly big guys, have tried</p><p>shoulder rigs and found themmercilesslyuncomfortable,whilewomendonot</p><p>havethesameproblemswiththemastheirbrothers.</p><p>Onceagain, it’sacaseofvive ladifference.Awoman’s torso tends tobe</p><p>narrowerthroughthechestandribcageareathanthatofamanthesameheight,</p><p>andherarmswillbeproportionallylongerandusually,morelimber.Thismakes</p><p>certainanglesofshoulderholstercarry–notablythe45-degreemuzzleup/butt</p><p>downposition,</p><p>andespeciallythemuzzlestraightupposition–difficultforthe</p><p>male to reach in terms of proper grasp and draw. This becomes increasingly</p><p>worseasthemalegetsmorebroad-shouldered(forcinghisarmtoreachfarther)</p><p>andmorebroad-chested(alsoimpedinghisreachinthatdirection.)</p><p>Trythissimpletest.Puttogetheramanandawomanofroughlythesame</p><p>height,andaskeachtoraise their leftarmandreachtheirrightarmacross the</p><p>left armpit areawhere the shoulder holsterwould hang. See how far they can</p><p>reach.Mostmaleswillrunoutofrangeofmovementwiththetipoftheirlongest</p><p>fingersomewhereinthearmpitarea.Typically,though,the femalewillbeable</p><p>to reacharoundso far that shecanpatherselfon the shoulderblade, and I’ve</p><p>seenaveryfewwomensoslenderandflexible,theirmiddlefingercouldtouch</p><p>theirspine.</p><p>In other words, she can reach much farther in the direction a shoulder</p><p>holsterdrawrequires,thanhecan.</p><p>Thereareotherreasonssomanywomenprefershoulderrigs.Onlythemost</p><p>casualfemalewardrobewillallowthesortofqualitydressgunbeltthatmencan</p><p>wearevenwithbusinesssuits.Theself-suspensorynatureoftheshoulderholster</p><p>solvesthatproblemnicely.Hangingasparemagazineortwoundertheoff-side</p><p>arm from a flat, soft, well-designed piece of leather or synthetic seems to be</p><p>morecomfortableand lessprotuberant thanhanging iton thebelt.And, if she</p><p>has a narrowwaist, space there is at a premium, but there’s a vacant place to</p><p>hanggearrightthereunderthearmpit.</p><p>…andisrotateduprightasitisthrustforwardintothethreat.Dummy.45isfromOdinPress,used</p><p>hereforphotographer’ssafety.</p><p>Thishorizontalshoulderrig,theStylemasterbyMitchRosen,concealsevenonanaveragesizetorso</p><p>withthe“babyGlock.”</p><p>ConstantlySeatedPractitioners</p><p>Some occupational requirements force the person wearing the gun to be</p><p>constantlyseated.Ateller’scage.Anofficeorcubicle.Behindasteeringwheel.</p><p>Awheelchair.Manypractitionershavefoundacomfortableshoulderrigtowork</p><p>wellintheseapplications.However,theoptimumwordis“comfortable.”</p><p>You can achieve the same goals with a cross draw belt holster, but the</p><p>shoulderrighassomeadvantages.Dependingwhichsideoftheseatyou’reon,</p><p>thearmeddriverorbodyguard/chauffeurmayfindseatbeltsgettingintheway</p><p>of the cross draw holster. A “shoulder system” with spare ammo suspended</p><p>beneath the armpit opposite the holster may also give faster access to spare</p><p>magazinesthanwouldabeltpouchforaseatedperson.</p><p>These“reach”factorsmaysignificantlyfavorthepersonwhoisconstantly</p><p>plantedinother typesofseats.Anarmchair’sarms,andthoseofawheelchair,</p><p>cancatchahipholsteroneithersideofthebody.Theshoulderrigwillliterally</p><p>be“aboveallthat.”</p><p>There can be a downside, however, and again it goes to comfort factor.</p><p>“Concealed means concealed,” and in an automobile, that means a covering</p><p>garmentmustconstantlybeworn.Thelong-hauldriverwithahandgunholstered</p><p>oneithersideofhisbeltcangenerallytakehiscoatoff,anditwillprobablygo</p><p>unnoticedbyanyonenotinthevehiclewithhim,ornotleaningintothevehicle</p><p>andpeeringin.Notsotheshoulderrig.Failuretorealizethisledtothefortunate</p><p>arrestofAmerican terroristTimothyMcVeigh,whowas stoppedbya lawman</p><p>whospottedMcVeighdrivingwhilewearingaGlock45auto in anuncovered</p><p>shoulderholster.Thepolicemandrewhis ownGlock and arrestedMcVeigh at</p><p>gunpoint. Apparently more comfortable blowing up children with explosives</p><p>from a safe distance than he was facing armed good guys, McVeigh meekly</p><p>surrendered.</p><p>Bianchi’sclassicX15,shownherewithKimber45auto.</p><p>Horizontal shoulder holster needs subtly different draw fromvertical style.Here dummyGlock is</p><p>visibleinRosenholsterunderarm,thankstotransparentjacket…</p><p>…asdrawbegins,gun-hand-sidelegstepsback,pivotingbodyasshown,whilesupporthandrisesto</p><p>blocking position and fingertips of drawing hand knife through opening in coat, which as shown</p><p>shouldbefastenednohigherthansolarplexus…</p><p>The shoulder holster workswell for “drivers” of conveyances other than</p><p>automobiles.MostofthepolicepilotsI’veflownwith–andvirtuallyallofthe</p><p>policehelicopterpilots–woreshoulderholsters.</p><p>Thatgoesforfarmvehiclessuchastractors,aswell.Don’tforget,partofa</p><p>day’slaboronaworkingfarmisgettingunderthetractororthemachinerytofix</p><p>it.Ifasnakeslithersalongatthatpoint,itmightbedifficulttogetatyourhip.</p><p>NoonehasabetterperspectiveonthisthanmyoldfriendFrankJames.Awell-</p><p>recognized authority on firearms and the gun industry, Frank also owns a</p><p>successfulworking farm. In fact, his good-naturednicknameamong friends is</p><p>“FarmerFrank.”Oneof those friends isnotedweaponsexpertRichGrassi. In</p><p>the 2008 edition of Harris Publications’Concealed Carry annual, Rich asked</p><p>half a dozen of uswhatwe carried on our own time andwhy, and called the</p><p>article“CarryGunsoftheProfessionals.”FrankJameshadthefollowingtosay:</p><p>“Unlikemany in the gun-writing field, I am an advocate of the shoulder</p><p>holsterbecauseinmyexperience,waistorhip-mountedholstersarepoorchoices</p><p>duringoperationand/ortherepairoffarmmachinery.</p><p>“Throughouttheharvest,IusuallyrelyonanS&WM65741Magnumwith</p><p>a custom4-inchbarrel and aWaltRauch-designedgoldbead front sight.This</p><p>revolver is routinelycarried inanA.E.NelsonModel58shoulderholsterwith</p><p>theold-styleAlGoergshoulderharness.OncertainoccasionsIwillsubstitutea</p><p>custom-builtHeinieSpringfieldArmory10mm1911pistolfortheS&WM657.</p><p>ThisismysecondHeinie10mm1911pistol,sinceIworethefirstone(builtona</p><p>ColtDeltaElite)out,but I’vealsowornout threedifferentS&W41Magnum</p><p>revolvers. The holster used with the 1911 is the Galco Miami Classic, but I</p><p>adjusttheholstertoahighlyangledrakewiththemuzzleupandthebuttdown</p><p>becausethatmakesthewholethinglesspronetosnaggingonhoses,levers,and</p><p>otherstuff,”Frankconcludes.</p><p>…gun hand takes firm grasping hold with all but trigger finger, as thumb releases safety strap.</p><p>Meanwhile,supportarmhasrisenhigherthanusualtoNajiola-styleblock…</p><p>…andnowpistol isdrawnstraightrearwardacrosschest,quicklycomingtobearonopponentand</p><p>withoutcrossingshooter’sownleftarm…</p><p>ShoulderSystemUsers</p><p>Themanwhoinventedboththeconceptandtheterm“shouldersystem”is</p><p>generally conceded to be Richard Gallagher, with his early Jackass Shoulder</p><p>System line that became the cornerstone of his laterGalco gunleather empire.</p><p>Herewehadacomfortablefigure-eightharnessthatdidnotputdirectpressure</p><p>on the neck.Under the armpit opposite the dominant hand swung the holster,</p><p>which could be adjusted fromhorizontal draw if the gunwas short enough to</p><p>concealthatway,to45degreesormoreangleofmuzzleup/buttdown.And,on</p><p>the opposite side, there were pouches for ammunition – loose revolver</p><p>cartridges,autopistolmagazines,evenspeedloaderslater–andhandcuffs.</p><p>This absolutely captivated the type of plainclothes officer who is</p><p>uncomfortablecarryingagunallday.Bypullingopenthedeskdrawerwhenan</p><p>emergencycallcamein,thispractitionercoulddontheshoulderrigaseasilyas</p><p>throwingonacoat,andvoila!Gun,ammo,andcuffsweresuddenlyonboardand</p><p>readytogoinonesmoothswoop.</p><p>Therearethoseofuswhodon’tcareforthisapproach,sinceweknowthat</p><p>onemightbeawayfrom</p><p>thatdeskdrawer,orwherevertheshoulderrigisstored,</p><p>whenthecall toarmscomes.Weprefer toputourgearonin themorningand</p><p>takeitoffwhenwearecertainwewillnolongerneedit.However,wehaveto</p><p>realizethatnoteveryonewhocarriesagunonthesideoftheGoodGuysn’Gals</p><p>shares this attitude.Aquicklydonned setofgun-and-gearbeatshelloutofno</p><p>gun and gear, and that’swhy, even if this had beenRichardGallagher’s only</p><p>design,itwouldhaveearnedhimaplaceinthehistoryofgreatholsterdesigners.</p><p>Anotherusefulpurposefortheshouldersystemisthebedside“roll-outkit.”</p><p>Onlythemostparanoid(orthoseatgenuinelyredalertlevelofrisk)sleepwith</p><p>theirgunson.Whentheburglaralarmgoesoffortheglassbreaks,ashoulderrig</p><p>rightbythebedallowstheawakenedhomedefendertodoexactlywhatthatlax-</p><p>about-carrying cop does with his shoulder system. In a trice, with little more</p><p>thanashrugof theshoulders, thenecessarygear is strapped tohimeven ifhe</p><p>doesn’thavetimetofullygetdressed.Asmall,powerfulflashlightclippedtothe</p><p>shoulderstrap,perhapsevenapouchattachedforacellphone,andthedefender</p><p>isequippedto“rollout”andhandlenecessarydefensivetask.</p><p>…andthedrawsmoothlyflowsintoaclassicWeaverstance.</p><p>Upside-downshoulderholsters(muzzleup,buttdown)workbestwithsmaller,lighterguns,author</p><p>has found.This is theoldBianchi209,carryinganAirweightS&WJ-frame38SpecialwithEagle</p><p>“secretservice”grips.</p><p>The“Orthopedic”ShoulderRig</p><p>One reasonIkeepshoulderholsters inmypersonalwardrobe is thatover</p><p>the years, I’ve occasionally “thrown my back out.” It always seemed to be</p><p>something in the lumbar region. There are also hip injuries that can make</p><p>anythingheavywornonabelt(orevenabeltitself)intolerable.Insituationslike</p><p>that,ashoulderholstercanbeaGodsend.</p><p>Indulgemeinalittlepersonalremembrance.Intheearly1990s,Imanaged</p><p>tothrowmylowerbackoutbigtime.Thedoctoldmeinnouncertaintermsthat</p><p>Iwasnot tohaveanyweightonmybelt. If Iwasgoing todopolicework,he</p><p>said,itwouldhavetobeadministrativeorinvestigative,soIwouldn’tneedtobe</p><p>inuniform,becausehehad treateda lotofpolicebackpatientsandknewhow</p><p>heavytheSamBrownedutybeltwas.</p><p>Many men have difficulty reaching far enough across their chest to get good drawing grasp on</p><p>upside-downshoulderholsters.Here’sAyoob’ssuggestion:snagitwithyourmiddlefinger…</p><p>…flipitforwardintodrawinggrasp,andthencompletethedraw.ThisisBlackhawkdummyversion</p><p>ofS&WCentennialrevolver,inBianchi209shoulderrig.</p><p>Shoulderholsterslendthemselveswelltosurreptitiousdraw.Evenwithtransparentraincoat,folded</p><p>armshidethefactthatAyoob’sshoulderholstered38isalreadyinhisgunhandandreadytodraw.</p><p>“Noproblem,”Itoldhim.“I’msuremychiefwillletmedoplainclothesfor</p><p>awhile.I’lljustwearashoulderholster.”</p><p>He lookedatme,dead-levelserious,andanswered,“Makesureyouwear</p><p>oneoneachside.”</p><p>Therewas a longmoment of silence. I ventured uncertainly, “Uh, you’re</p><p>kiddingme,right?”</p><p>“Notatall,”snappedthedoc.“Thinkaboutit.Yourlowerbackistryingto</p><p>heal.Yourlowerbacksupportsyourupperbody.Ifweightisoff-centeronone</p><p>sideofyourupperbody,yourlowerbackisn’tgoingtoheal,isit?”</p><p>Iwenthometotheholsterroomandcobbledtogetheradoublerigforapair</p><p>ofSmith&Wessonrevolvers.Theharnessandtheleft-handholsterwerefrom</p><p>anearlyBillRogersdesign,andtheright-handholsterwasfromanoldJackass</p><p>Shoulder System. It was exactly balanced. The short-barrel K-frames were</p><p>adjusted to horizontal carry, held securely in place by thumb-snaps, andwere</p><p>veryquicktogetat.And,sureenough,mylowerbacksighedinrelief.</p><p>Noteorientationofmuzzleofupside-downshoulderholster:subclavianarteryandothervitalparts</p><p>areinlineofthemuzzle.Withthese,authorrecommendsdrawbeginwiththisKerryNajiolablock,</p><p>elbowhigh,clearingbrachialarteryoutofthewayandgivingheadgoodprotectionagainstphysical</p><p>blowsandcontactweapons.Drawisotherwisethesameaswithhorizontalshoulderholster.</p><p>MasterconcealmentholsterdesignerChicGaylordobservedthatanadvantageofhorizontalshoulder</p><p>holster is that it carries the gun alreadypointed atmugger or rapistwho jumps you frombehind.</p><p>Unfortunately,itwillalsobepointedatanyoneelsestandingbehindyou,andisprobablythemost</p><p>antagonisticholsterwithwhichtopracticeopencarry.</p><p>AndIfeltlikeSonnyCrockett’solder,strangerbrother.</p><p>SonnyCrockettwasthecharacterplayedbyactorDonJohnsononthethen-</p><p>popularTVseries,MiamiVice.ShowcreatorMichaelMannwasbig intoboth</p><p>cuttingedgegunsandauthenticity.Hehad theCrockettcharactercarrya little</p><p>Detonics45inablacknylonankleholsterforbackup,andasprimary,aSmith&</p><p>WessonModel64545autoor,formuchoftheseries,anoh-so-trendyBrenTen</p><p>10mm auto. Both were big, heavy pistols, so the Crockett character wore</p><p>whicheverhecarriedinagivenseasoninashouldersystem.Theshoulderrigdu</p><p>jourwas either a Ted Blocker or a Galco, again depending on the season of</p><p>production.</p><p>I spent a little time with a postal scale, and determined that a Colt</p><p>Lightweight Commander pistol loaded with 185-grain jacketed hollowpoints</p><p>exactlybalanced out with two spare loadedmagazines, a pair of handcuffs (I</p><p>forget which set, but they may have been the old S&WAirweights made of</p><p>aluminum like theCommander’s frame), and finally aSpydercoPoliceModel</p><p>knifeclippedontotheharnessontheoppositeside.Thatwastherigthatcarried</p><p>me through to recovery, at which time I went back to my old, familiar hip</p><p>holstersandbelt-mountedmagazinepouch.</p><p>ColdWeatherCarry</p><p>The shoulderholsterhasmuch to recommend it inverycoldweather.By</p><p>leavingonebuttonundone,thehandcanknifethroughtheopeninginthecoatto</p><p>grasp thepistol, evenwhenbundledupagainst sub-zeroweather.Livingmore</p><p>thanhalfacenturyinNewHampshire,whichcanbecomeafrozenwastelandin</p><p>winter, I foundthatwhenI tookmyovercoatoff inanofficeorrestaurant, the</p><p>sportcoatorsuitcoatbeneath itgenerallystayedon,andthe thermostat in the</p><p>givenplacewasgenerallyadjustedtoallowforthat.</p><p>Others had noticed it long before I came along. Hunters in particular</p><p>learned toappreciate shoulderholsters.Partof thatwas thatbig-gamehunting</p><p>season generally falls in the cooler months, and part of it was that the outer</p><p>garment made a perfect protector of the shoulder-holstered handgun from</p><p>inclementweatherinthegreatoutdoors.Whenthehandgunisbackuptotherifle</p><p>orshotgun,italsokeepsthestockofthelonggunfromgettingscratchedagainst</p><p>thehandgunon the same-sidehip,or theadjustable sightson theholstered44</p><p>Magnum from being inadvertently knocked out of alignment by the butt of a</p><p>longgun.PioneeringhandgunhunterAlGeorg,inthe1950s,didagreatdealto</p><p>popularizetheshoulderrigamonghandgunhunters.</p><p>Thehunter’sconcealedhandguncanprotecthimfrommorethandangerous</p><p>wildgame.ThefollowingaccountappearsinthebookStreetStoppersbyEvan</p><p>MarshallandEdSanow,publishedbyPaladinPress.</p><p>“Whilehuntingbear in thenorthwesternUnitedStates,hecarriedaS&W</p><p>Model5741Magnumwithan83/8-inchbarrelinashoulderholsterasbackup,</p><p>loadedwithWinchester170-grainJHPs.Heandhishuntingpartnerhadspenta</p><p>frustrating daywithout even seeing a bear. They had returned their rifles and</p><p>relatedequipmenttotheirmotel</p><p>roombeforegoingouttodinner.</p><p>“Theywerereturningtotheircarwhentheywereapproachedbyashabbily</p><p>dressedindividualwhoaskedformoney.Thehuntergavehim$5,buttheman</p><p>madea sarcastic remarkabout thebiggerbills inhiswallet. Ignoringhim, the</p><p>hunterturnedtowardhiscarwhenhewasstruckintheback.Thinkingthatthe</p><p>panhandlerhadhithimwithhisfist,heturnedaroundtoseethemanholdinga</p><p>large knife in his hand. Realizing that he had been stabbed, he pulled the</p><p>revolverfromtheshoulderholsterandshothimtwice.”</p><p>The shoulder systemalsoworks verywell in coldweather for uniformed</p><p>police officers. When you’re working a dangerous job, a second full-size</p><p>fighting handgun can be a comforting thing. In a tailored uniform,with some</p><p>pieceofequipmentalreadyoccupyingeveryinchofspaceonyourdutybelt,it’s</p><p>allyoucandototuckasnub-nosedrevolverintoahideoutholstersomewhere.</p><p>But,with a jacket on, a shoulder system lets you not only utilize that unused</p><p>spacebeneathyourarmpit,itletsyoucarrysomethingmoresubstantialthere.</p><p>On NYPD’s legendary Stakeout Unit, each officer was required to carry</p><p>two handguns and have a long gunwithin reachwhile on that particular Job.</p><p>Someusedaservicerevolverandanoff-dutysnubby,butmanycarriedtwofull</p><p>service-sizeguns,andashoulderholsterwasoftenthechoiceforoneof them.</p><p>Sincetheywerequasi-uniformedinheavyvestsstenciledPOLICEinbigletters</p><p>onthefront,conveniencewasagreaterconcernthanconcealment.Notallused</p><p>theshoulderrig.ThelateJimCirillo,theSOU’smostfamousalumnus,carried</p><p>one4-inchbarrelS&WModel10inastrong-sidehipholster,andasecondina</p><p>cross draw belt scabbard where he could reach it with either hand. However,</p><p>Jim’s frequent partner Bill Allard – probably the one guy on the squad who</p><p>killedmorecriminalsinthelineofdutythanJim–wasfondoftheshoulderrig.</p><p>Hecarriedbuttup/muzzledown,andthegununderhisarmwasgenerallyeither</p><p>aheavybarrel4-inchModel10,ortheColtNationalMatch45autothathehad</p><p>special permission to carry on duty, and with which he killed at least three</p><p>gunmenthatIknowof.A38Specialrevolverwasgenerallyintheholsteronhis</p><p>righthip.</p><p>IhadthechancetoridewithDaveVenezianandFrankBianculli,knownon</p><p>NYPD as “the Batman and Robin of Queens.” Each carried one gun on the</p><p>strong-sidehip,and theother inashoulder rig.Theyworkedplainclothes,and</p><p>theywereabletoconcealtheirshoulderrigsinspiteofsultryheatinNewYork</p><p>summers.</p><p>When you’re working a dangerous job, a second full-size fighting handgun can be a</p><p>comfortingthing.</p><p>RemembertheY2Kthing?Welaughaboutitnow,butwhentheclocksand</p><p>thecomputerstickedoveronNewYear’sEvethatyear,manypeoplebelievedit</p><p>wasgoingtobeTEOLAWAKI,theendoflifeasweallknowit.Anditwasn’t</p><p>justparanoidcomputergeeks.Afewmonthsbefore,Ihadbeenataconference</p><p>oftheNewEnglandChiefsofPoliceAssociation,whereplanningforY2Kwasa</p><p>major themeof the event.Wewere toldby someveryheavy-hitters that there</p><p>wasanexcellentchancethattheentireNewEnglandpowergridwouldgodown</p><p>foranindeterminateperiodoftime.Moreover,solidgangintelligenceindicated</p><p>that criminal groups in theBoston andNewYorkmetroplexeswereunder the</p><p>assumption that apower failurewould somehowmagicallyunlockvaultdoors</p><p>insidebanks,andallthebangerswouldhavetodowouldbetorunstolendump</p><p>trucks through the frontdoorsandgatherup the loot. Informersalso indicated</p><p>that small banks in suburban and rural areas, where “the thin blue line” was</p><p>thinnest,weredeemedbythegangstobeprimetargets.</p><p>ThiswasbynomeansjustaNewEnglandperception.InNewYorkCity,</p><p>generators and thirty days’ supply of food were stockpiled at every precinct</p><p>house. Across the nation, law enforcement and other emergency services</p><p>personnel found leave cancelled. Manpower often doubled for the shift that</p><p>wouldsee“theturningoftheclock.”</p><p>In the small town I served then and now, two bankswere located a few</p><p>hundred yards from each other, and in line of sight from a major interstate</p><p>highway. Given the intelligence we had been provided by unimpeachable</p><p>sources,thesetwolocationsmightaswellhavehadbulls-eyesonthem.</p><p>Mydepartment, likemost, had its people out in force that night.Wehad</p><p>issuedM147.62mmNATOriflestosupplementtheRugerMini-14sandthe12-</p><p>gaugeautoloadingshotgunsthatwerealreadypermanentfixturesineachpatrol</p><p>vehicle. Itwas a typical, coldNewEngland night, so as I and another officer</p><p>stood watch over the two banks from a suitable vantage point, I had a spare</p><p>pistol on undermy uniform coat in aBianchi Tuxedo shoulder rig. Since our</p><p>department issue sidearm at that timewas the excellent Ruger P90 45 auto, I</p><p>simplykeptoneof those inmySafarilandSSIIIuniformholster anda second</p><p>P90 in theBianchishoulder rigundermycoat.Myprimaryweapon,however,</p><p>wasamatch-gradeM1ASpringfieldArmory308withTrijiconscope.</p><p>And,ofcourse,theclocktickedpastmidnightandpowerdidn’tgoout,and</p><p>lifewasgood.Thepointwas,onthatbitterlycoldnightwhenhardintelligence</p><p>indicatedwe could expect very serious problems from very dangerous people</p><p>whoruninpacks,Iforonehadfounditcomfortingtobeabletowearasecond</p><p>full-sizeservicepistolundermyuniformcoattobackuptheoneinmysecurity</p><p>hipholster…andashoulderholsterprovedtobethemostconvenientwaytodo</p><p>that.</p><p>DesignFeatures</p><p>The first selection criterion for shoulder holsters is comfort, because for</p><p>well over a century, that has been the end user’s biggest complaint. Narrow</p><p>straps can cut cruelly into the shoulders, andwill do somore inproportion to</p><p>howheavythegunandaccessoriessuspendedfromthosestrapsmightbe.Wide,</p><p>softharnessesthatdistributetheweightarecriticalhere.</p><p>Allleather(orallplastic)strapsthatcan’tstretchasyoumoveyourarmsor</p><p>bendyourtorsowillnotonlybeuncomfortable,butwilltendtolimityourrange</p><p>ofmovement.This iswhy judicioususeof elastic in theharness canmakeor</p><p>breakthecomfortandpracticalityfactors.Theall-elasticoff-sideshoulderstrap</p><p>oftheclassicBianchiX15,andelasticaroundthecenterpointoftheharnesson</p><p>Mitch Rosen’s Stylemaster holster, are reasons both designs were successful.</p><p>Galco’s use of strategically placed swivels in one of its harness designs was</p><p>anotherapproachtoachievingthesameobjective.</p><p>Ifyou’regoing tobewearing theshoulderrigformore thanafewhours,</p><p>youdon’twantonewhoseharnesscrossesthebackoftheneck.Thepressureit</p><p>applieswillquicklycausefatigue,andcouldprobablyexacerbateexistingneck</p><p>injuries.Aharnessthatdescribesafigure8turnedonitssidewillgenerallybe</p><p>more comfortable for that reason, all other design factors being equal. This</p><p>design is sometimes called “H-type,”because if theholster andothergear are</p><p>removedfromtheharnessandtheharnessislaidoutsideways,itmayresemble</p><p>acapitalletter“H.”Someotherswillresemblean“X”.</p><p>As to gun carry position, shoulder holsters intended for concealment use</p><p>will actually break down into about four types. Terminology differs from</p><p>manufacturertomanufacturer.</p><p>Ifyou’regoingtobewearingtheshoulderrigformorethanafewhours,youdon’twantone</p><p>whoseharnesscrossesthebackoftheneck.</p><p>WhatI’llcallherebuttupverticalcarry is theoldestconfiguration.</p><p>The</p><p>gunmuzzle is pointed straight down to the ground, and the gun butt projects</p><p>forwardfromunder thearmpitof thenon-dominantarm.Thesegoback to the</p><p>19thCentury.Theearlyonesweresimplepouches,fromwhichtherevolverhad</p><p>to be lifted up and out. Later came spring-loaded designs such as the classic</p><p>Heiser,whichallowedtheguntobepulleddownandoutthroughthefrontofthe</p><p>rig.Thesewere the sortworn byEliotNess, and accurately depicted on actor</p><p>RobertStack,whoplayedhimintheclassictelevisionseriesTheUntouchables.</p><p>Amoreeffectiveversion,theHardy/Cooper,wasnamedafterfamedgunexpert</p><p>JeffCooper,whodesigneditandpreferreditinthe50sandpartofthe60s.</p><p>Shoulder rigsof this style are stillmanufactured,by companies including</p><p>A.E.Nelson,Bianchi,Galco,andothers.Theyusuallyworkbestwhenanchored</p><p>to the belt, with a leather or fabric strap that is provided for that purpose.</p><p>Otherwise, the holster wants to come along with the gun when you tug it</p><p>forward. With a short handgun, such as a snub-nose revolver, the belt-strap</p><p>anchordoesn’tseemtobeneeded.</p><p>Theseareyourbestbetsforconcealing largeframe, longerbarreledguns.</p><p>Some books on holsters, and even some manufacturers’ instructions, suggest</p><p>drawingfromthesebyrippingthehandgundownthroughtheentireopenfront</p><p>of the spring-mouthed holster. You can do this, but the gun ends up down at</p><p>bellyormidrifflevel,insteadofupinlineofsightwhereyoucanseewhereit’s</p><p>pointing.This sortofdrawalso requires theconcealinggarment tobeopen in</p><p>front.</p><p>A faster,moreefficient, andmoreusefuldraw is tograsp thebutt firmly,</p><p>rockthebuttforwarduntil theareaof therearsight isclearof theleather,and</p><p>thensimplypullupandout,bringingthegunacrossthechest.Thisalsoallows</p><p>you to draw from this type of shoulder rigwhilewearing heavy coldweather</p><p>coats.Simplyleavetheareaatthesternumunbuttonedorunzipped.Soyoudon’t</p><p>sufferpneumoniainexchangeforfasterdraw,makesureyourovercoatiscutso</p><p>that the upper front will remain in position, blocking wind, even if it is</p><p>unbuttoned.</p><p>Butt down vertical carry, sometimes called “upside down carry,” came</p><p>along circa 1930 with the Berns-Martin Lightning holster. Riding high in the</p><p>armpit,itwasdesignedforsnub-noserevolvers,thoughI’veseenthemusedover</p><p>theyearswithuptofour-inchbarrelguns.Huggingthegunhighandtighttothe</p><p>armpit,itprovedveryconcealable.Ariptothefrontpulledthegunthroughthe</p><p>strongspringsthathelditssplitfrontclosed,andthisbroughtthegunnaturally</p><p>upwardtowardlineofsight.Ittendedtoworkbestwithanopen-frontgarment,</p><p>suchasanunbuttonedsportjacket.</p><p>Becausethebuttistowardtherearinthistypeofcarry,thehandhasfarther</p><p>toreachtotakeadrawinggraspthanwithanyotherangleofshoulderholster.A</p><p>guywithabigchestandthickarmsmayhavetocatchthegun’s“handle”with</p><p>themiddlefinger,thelongestdigitonhishand,andpullitforwardbeforehecan</p><p>complete thedrawinggraspwith the rest of his fingers.Another liabilitywith</p><p>thisdesignisthatthemuzzleispointedstraightuptowardthearmpit.Thereare</p><p>stories of guys dying when they accidentally triggered their gun while</p><p>reholstering,andputabullet through theirownsubclavianartery. (There isno</p><p>outsidepressurepointforfirstaidhemorrhagecontrolofaseveredsubclavian.)</p><p>Horizontal carry was first proven to work in the 1950s by the great</p><p>concealmentholsterdesignerofthatgeneration,ChicGaylordinNewYorkCity,</p><p>whosespirit iscarriedon inholstersmanufactured todaybyBellCharterOak.</p><p>Gaylordwrotecirca1960thathorizontalwassimplythefastestoftheshoulder</p><p>holsters.Alltheseyearslater,Ihavetoagreewithhim.</p><p>Asthenameimplies,ahorizontalshoulderholstercarriesthegunwiththe</p><p>buttforwardanddownandthebarrelparalleltotheground.Goodnews:it’sno</p><p>longerpointingatyourhipasinbutt-upverticalcarryoratyourownarmpitas</p><p>in butt-down vertical carry. Bad news: it is now pointed at anyone standing</p><p>directlybehindyou.(Gaylordfeltthiswasagoodthing,sinceifthemuggerwas</p><p>directly behind you with a forearm across your throat, your gun was already</p><p>pointedathischestandallyouhadtodowaspull thetriggerandfire through</p><p>thebackofyourcoat.Thistheorywillbelostonthosestandingbehindyouina</p><p>policesquadroomwithyourgunmuzzlepointedattheirchests.)</p><p>Thisrigisfastbecauseofallshoulderholsterdesigns,itputsthegrip-frame</p><p>theclosesttoyourreachinghand.Evenifyouhavegiantpecsandbiceps,ifyou</p><p>canscratchyourarmpityoucanmakeaquickdrawfromahorizontalshoulder</p><p>holster. As the gun is presented, its muzzle swings neither up nor down: it’s</p><p>alreadyatchestheight,andallyouhavetodoisgetit180degreesfromwhereit</p><p>rests to where you need it pointed. It comes out and on target with the least</p><p>possiblemovement.</p><p>WE DON’T DO IT THISWAY ANYMORE!! This is the old-fashioned draw that got shoulder</p><p>holsters banned from police academies and action shooting matches. Shooter starts facing target</p><p>squarely…</p><p>…and,pausingonlytoslowhimselfdownwithextramovement,shooterripsgundownandout.He</p><p>isnowmuzzle-crossingrangeofficerbehindhim.Thisrequiresopenfrontgarment,and…</p><p>…swinginghorizontallytohistarget–andhavingjustmuzzle-sweptanyonetohisleftontherange</p><p>–theshootermustnowslowdownattheworstpossibletime,orriskover-swingingpasthistarget…</p><p>…andendsup in a cowboy-lookingposturewherehe can’t seewherehis gun is pointed.Didwe</p><p>mentionthatWEDON’TDOITTHISWAYANYMORE!?!?</p><p>Onedownsideisthatitwantsafairlysmallgun.Isupposetherearebody</p><p>builders out therewho can carryColtGovernmentModels in this fashion and</p><p>concealthem.Theremayalsobesumoswhocancarryevenlongerguns.I’mnot</p><p>abigguy,though,andformeababyGlockautoloaderora2-to21/2-inchbarrel</p><p>revolverareaboutthemaxIcanconcealbeforethegunmuzzlestartstentingout</p><p>the back of my jacket under the armpit. How big a gun you can carry in a</p><p>horizontalshoulderholsterwillbedetermineddirectlybyhowdeepyourchest</p><p>is.</p><p>For a handful of people, the shoulder holster is TheAnswer for constant, daily wear of a</p><p>concealedhandgun.</p><p>45degreebuttdowncarrywaspopularizedbyRichardGallagherwiththe</p><p>previouslymentionedJackassShoulderSystem,whichstartedtheGalcoholster</p><p>empire. Somemakers offer tie-down straps that secure on a belt. This feature</p><p>keepsthegunandgearfromslappingagainstyourribsifyouhavetorun(and</p><p>believeme,thatcanwhaleonyourribcagewhenithappens),butitalsoseems</p><p>to restrict range ofmovement a little, as it doeswhen a butt-up vertical carry</p><p>shoulderrigissecuredthesameway.It’suptotheend-user.Mostpeoplewho</p><p>likethistypeofholster,I’venoticed,don’tusetiedowns.</p><p>Goodnews:thisisanothershoulderholsterstylethatgenerallywon’thave</p><p>thegunmuzzlepointedatsomepartofthewearer’sbody.Badnews:whenthe</p><p>coatisoff,itwillnowbepointingatthefacesofcolleaguesbehindyou,instead</p><p>ofattheirchests.Backinthe‘70s,whenDominicNapolitanowasdoingpolice</p><p>salesforHecklerandKoch,heandIwentonadeerhuntingtripwithsomeguys</p><p>from the SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division) near Edgefield.</p><p>SLEDSWATusedallHKgunsatthattime,andthatwastheplanforthehuntas</p><p>well.DominicandIwantedtotakeourBambiswithhandguns,soweeachhad</p><p>an</p><p>HKP9S,Dom’s in9mmandminein45ACP.Eachofuswascarryingour</p><p>pistolinoneofGallagher’sshouldersystems.Itwasawarmday,punctuatedby</p><p>anoonbarbecue,andourconcealinggarmentswereoff.More thanoneof the</p><p>localstookumbrageatlookingdownthemuzzlesofourpistolswhentheystood</p><p>inthefoodlinebehindus.Iwoundupparkingtheshoulderrigwithmygearand</p><p>stuffingthe45intomywaistband“Mexicanstyle”fortherestofthelunch.</p><p>FinalThoughtsonShoulderHolsters</p><p>For ahandfulofpeople, the shoulderholster isTheAnswer for constant,</p><p>daily wear of a concealed handgun. For some, it’s just not in the cards. X-</p><p>number of folks just think it’s too “Hollywood.” For most who get into</p><p>concealedcarry,though,there’satleastoneshoulderrigintheholsterwardrobe,</p><p>andIforonethinkthat’sagoodthing.</p><p>Foramajorityofconcealedcarriers, therewillbecertain timeswhen this</p><p>thingjustcomesintoitsown.ThebackproblemImentioned,ortheleginjury</p><p>thathasmeatthemomentwritingthiswithalaptopliterallyinmylap,andmy</p><p>rightlegelevatedinareclinerchair.Thechair’sdesignmakesitawkwardforme</p><p>to get at my usual hip holster. A Rosen Stylemaster double rig, perfectly</p><p>balancedwithababyGlockundereacharmpit,keepseverythingoutoftheway</p><p>andhascomeinashandyasthecane.</p><p>Shoulderholstersdopresentsafetyproblemsthatthewearermustdeal</p><p>withconscientiously.Becauseofthepotentialfortheguntocrosstheshooter’s</p><p>ownweaksidearm,andthewholebodyoftheshooternexttohimonthefiring</p><p>line when he draws, absolutely scrupulous care must be taken not to let the</p><p>finger or anything else touch the trigger until you are in the very act of</p><p>intentionallyfiringtheweapon.Ontherange,turnyourbacktothetargetbefore</p><p>you reholster, so themuzzlenever goesuprangeor points at anyoneon either</p><p>sideofyou.</p><p>One little-recognized downside of the shoulder rig is that it may be</p><p>inaccessibletoyouifyouropponenthasyouinachest-crushingbearhug.Ifthe</p><p>attackcomesstraighton,you’llbefront-to-frontwiththeassailant,andyourgun</p><p>hand’sreachtotheweaponbeneaththeoppositearmpitmaybeblocked.Access</p><p>bythesupporthandwillprobablyalsobeblocked,at least tosomedegree.Ed</p><p>LovettetellsthefollowingstoryinthepagesofhisexcellentbookfromPaladin</p><p>Press,TheSnubbyRevolver(secondedition).</p><p>“Jim,adetectivebuddyofmine,andhispartnergo intoa trailerhometo</p><p>serveawarrant.At theknock, thesuspectopenshisdoorandpermits them to</p><p>enter.Butassoonastheystepintothetrailerafightbreaksout,andmyfriend</p><p>reaches for his handgun – a Colt 45 Gold Cup that he carries in a shoulder</p><p>holster.Ashishandwrapsaroundthebuttoftheweapon,thebadguygrabshim</p><p>inabearhug,effectivelytrappingthe45andJim’shandbetweentheirbodies.(</p><p>Jim tellsme later that his left hand is free.Had he had a snubby in his pants</p><p>pockethecouldhaveeasilygottenitintoaction.)Fortunately,Jim’spartnerpulls</p><p>her trustyColtDiamondback–the38Specialversionwiththe2.5-inchbarrel,</p><p>certainlyoneofthehandsomestandmostaccuratesnubbiesever–andrestores</p><p>ordertothefracas,”BrotherLovetteconcludes.</p><p>Thephotosequencesinthisbookshowsafedrawsfromallfouranglesof</p><p>shoulderholstercarry.Burn them intoyourprogram.Safety isone reason that</p><p>some police departments – and most shooting academies – forbid shoulder</p><p>holsters.</p><p>Allthatsaid,shoulderholstersdohaveaplace.</p><p>AndthatplacegoesfarbeyondHollywood.</p><p>Chapter10</p><p>POCKETCARRY</p><p>Left-hand trouser pocket holster by Bill Rodgers for Safariland conceals J-frame S&W</p><p>Airweight38withEagle“secretservice”stocks.</p><p>Inallkindsofweather,pocketcarrymakessense.Formany, it’s the ideal</p><p>answer.</p><p>P</p><p>eoplehavebeencarryinggunsintheirpocketseversincefirearmsbecamesmall</p><p>enoughtofitthere.</p><p>WildBillHickokcarriedoneormorederringersinhispocketstobackup</p><p>hisfamouspairof36-calibercap’nballNavyColts.WyattEarptestifiedunder</p><p>oathinrethedeathsofFrankMcLaury,WilliamClanton,andThomasMcLaury</p><p>thathebegantheOKCorralshootoutwithhishandonthebuttofaColtSingle</p><p>ActionArmy45revolverinthepocketofhisovercoat.Colt’sin-housegunshark</p><p>J.H.Fitzgeraldmadeupapairofheavy frameNewService45 revolverswith</p><p>stubbed barrels, and wore a pair of them in leather-lined side pockets in his</p><p>trousers.HemadeuponeofthosegunsforCol.RexApplegate,whopackedone</p><p>inahippocketwhenhebodyguardedFranklinD.Roosevelt.LegendaryBorder</p><p>Patrol gunslickBill Jordanwas partial to a bobbed-hammer Smith&Wesson</p><p>Model37AirweightChiefSpecial38inahippocketforbackupandsometimes</p><p>off-duty wear. On duty or off, famed NYPD Stakeout Squad gunfighter Jim</p><p>Cirillocarriedahammer-shrouded38ColtCobrasnubbyinatrouserpocket.</p><p>Author’spreferenceisalightweightJ-frame38infronttrouserpocketonnon-dominanthandside,</p><p>forbackup,soeitherhandcanaccessaweapon.</p><p>Today,inthe21stCentury,wedon’thavethebaggypantsoftheDepression</p><p>Yearsthatallowed“Fitz”tocarryabig-frame45ineachpocket.But,thanksto</p><p>the caprices of the fashionworld,wehavebillowyDockers-style trousers and</p><p>BDUs.Wehave light, powerful handgunsonlydreamtof inFitzgerald’s time.</p><p>And,perhapsmostimportant,wehavethefinestpocketholstersthathaveever</p><p>existed.</p><p>ThePocketItself</p><p>Intheoldendays,thepocketwastheholster.Thehistoryof theOldWest</p><p>tellsusthatLukeShortcarriedhisColtThundererdouble-action41inaleather-</p><p>lined hip pocket, and used that combination to outdraw and kill a gunman</p><p>deemedmuchmore dangerous than he, “Long-Haired Jim”Courtright. Famed</p><p>lawmanDallasStoudenmirecarriedapairofshort-barrelSmith&Wessonsingle</p><p>action, top-break 44s in special pants,whose hip pockets he had likewise had</p><p>linedwithleatherbyanobligingtailor.</p><p>Today, the leather-lined pocket has gone the way of the dodo bird.</p><p>However, reinforced pockets designed expressly for handguns remain. A</p><p>companycalledBetzstartedthetrendtojacketswithhidden,built-inholsters.A</p><p>Betzcoatcancarryafull-sizeserviceautoinsidenexttothebreast.It’sdrawnin</p><p>afashionsimilartowhatyou’dusewithashoulderholster.TheRoyalRobbins</p><p>5.11Tacticalvesthasbuilt-ingunpocketsofsimilarstyle.Ournation’slargest</p><p>sheriff’sdepartment,comprisedofseveral thousanduniformeddeputies,orders</p><p>alltheiruniformjacketswithaspecialinsidepocketofthiskind,cutfortheJ-</p><p>frame S&W snub-nose 38 most of their sworn personnel carry for backup.</p><p>Concealed Carry Clothiers has reinforced side pockets for small handguns in</p><p>theirlineofvestsmadeespeciallyforCCWcarriers.</p><p>Author’spreferredpocketdrawtechnique.“Spearhand”fingerconfigurationslideshandrapidlyinto</p><p>pocket…</p><p>…toallowfortightpocketsandspurredhammers,thumbtakesthisposition.Itdramaticallyreduces</p><p>hand’s thickness profile, thus reducing chances of a snag. It also turns the thumb into a hammer</p><p>shroudforconventional-hammerrevolvers…</p><p>…asS&WModel 342withLaserGrips emerges, note that trigger finger is still straight on frame,</p><p>completelyclearoftriggerandtriggerguard…</p><p>…andasgunclears theholsterandbeginstorockuptowardthreat,fingeronlynowenters trigger</p><p>guard,andthenonlyifpurposeofdrawistoimmediatelyfireinsteadoftakingthreatatgunpoint.</p><p>Nor have pants pockets been neglected. For decades, the troopers of a</p><p>certain state havebeen issued twohandguns, one</p><p>full size andone small.The</p><p>full-sizegun,ofcourse,wentinauniformbeltholster.Thesmallerwascarried</p><p>inasidetrouserpocket:mandatory,noexceptions.Thepantswereorderedwith</p><p>one reinforcedpocket from theuniformmanufacturer.Over theyears,many a</p><p>trooperinthatstatewassavedbythislittlepantspockethideout.Sometimes,it</p><p>happenedwhensomeonegottheprimarygunawayandthetrooperhadtoresort</p><p>to “PlanB.”Sometimes, itwas just easier to approach a stopped carwith the</p><p>hand inconspicuously in the pocket and wrapped around the little 38. When</p><p>dangerthreatened,thismadeforalightningfastdrawandreturnoffire.Overthe</p><p>yearsthatdepartmentwentfromthe38Specialasaprimaryservicerevolver,to</p><p>the357Magnum, to the9mmauto, to theircurrently issued40-caliberservice</p><p>automatic.Thebackuphasstayedprettymuchthesame:asmall-frameSmith&</p><p>Wesson revolver with short barrel. The current issue is the Model 640-1</p><p>“hammerless” 357 Magnum, loaded with +P+ Hydra-Shok 38 Special</p><p>ammunition.</p><p>“Civilians”havenotbeenneglected.BlackieCollinscreatedspecial jeans</p><p>for pistol-packers, appropriately calledToters.Both hip pockets and both side</p><p>pockets are specially reinforced for carrying handguns. Since this is the very</p><p>sameBlackieCollinswhofirstbecamefamousasaknifedesigner,there’salsoa</p><p>specialquick-accesspocketforatacticalfolder.</p><p>PocketHolsters</p><p>EvenbythetimeoftheOldWestgunfighters,ithadbecomeapparentthat</p><p>regular pockets by themselves weren’t enough to sustain the carrying of a</p><p>defensivehandgun.Thepistol’sweight, and sometimes its sharp edges,would</p><p>tearthroughpocketlinings.Asmallhandguncouldchangeitsorientationdueto</p><p>bodymovement through theday, andperhaps turnupsidedown in thepocket.</p><p>The shape of the gun was likely to “print” through the fabric, betraying the</p><p>“concealed”elementofconcealedcarry.</p><p>Thefirstpocketholstersweresimplyleathersquaresorrectangleswithgun</p><p>pouchessewnon,sometimescrudely.Inmoderntimes,theartanddesignofthe</p><p>pocketholsterhavebeenrefineddramatically.Inadditiontoleather,wenowsee</p><p>them crafted of Kydex, nylon, and assorted other synthetics. Greg Kramer</p><p>popularized a leather model with a flat Kydex square on the outside, which</p><p>brokeuptheoutlineofthegun.Withtightpants,someonemightbeabletosee</p><p>thatyouhadsomethinginyourpocket,buttheywouldn’tbeabletotell that it</p><p>wasafirearm.</p><p>Therearenumerousfinepocketholstersavailabletoday.Manufacturersof</p><p>sameincludeJerryAhern,LouAlessi,GeneDeSantis,Galco,GregKramer,Ky-</p><p>Tac, Mach-2, BobMika, Milt Sparks, Mitch Rosen, Thad Rybka, Safariland,</p><p>UncleMike’s,andmore.I’veusedmostoftheabove,withgoodsuccess.</p><p>Personal favorites, formyown specific needs, have comedown to three.</p><p>With a snub-nose J-frame revolver, I’vehad thebest luckwith theSafariland.</p><p>DesignedbyBillRogers, it’smadeofsyntheticPorvairon the insideand faux</p><p>suedeon theoutside.Theoutersurfacemakes it stick to thepocket liningand</p><p>yieldtheguninsteadofcomingoutwithit,nomatterwhattheangleofdraw;the</p><p>smooth Porvair on the inside reduces friction and speeds the draw.</p><p>Unfortunately,itseemstobemadeonlyforJ-framesnubsatthiswriting.(Seems</p><p>towearhelloutofthegun’sfinish,too.)</p><p>Youmayhavetotailoryourdrawtothetypeofholsteryou’reusing.</p><p>ForthebabyGlock,IuseeithertheMach-2ortheKy-Tac.Botharemade</p><p>ofKydexandaresocloseindesignandfunctionthatthey’rehardtotellapart.</p><p>Analmostcurlicueflangeatthetopcatchestheupperedgeofthepocketasyou</p><p>clear the square-shaped auto pistol, and a similar protrusion at the rear of the</p><p>holster catches the bottom edge if you prefer to draw horizontally out of the</p><p>pocket.</p><p>Formost anything else – for instance, the neat littleKahr PM9polymer-</p><p>framed9mm,afavoritepocketauto,orthe380sizeColtPocketNine–Iprefer</p><p>GregKramer’s classic pocket rig.MikeDillon,whomakes a point of putting</p><p>only the best of everything in hisBlue Press catalog, lists theKramer pocket</p><p>holsterinthosepages.It’sahellofanendorsement,andwhenyouworkwitha</p><p>Kramerpocketrig,anunderstandableone.</p><p>DrawingFromthePocket</p><p>Starting with your hands well away from the gun, you’ll probably find</p><p>drawingfromthepocketfasterthanfrom,say,anankleholster,butit’llneverbe</p><p>as fast as getting it out of a good hip scabbard. The reason is, your hand is</p><p>surrounded(and,intightclothing,distinctlyhampered)byfabricasitmakesits</p><p>waytothegun.</p><p>Thehandneedstobeflatasitentersthepocket.Fingersshouldbestiffand</p><p>straight,intheconfigurationofamartialartist’s“spearhand.”</p><p>Once the hand is in the pocket, middle finger and ring finger (and little</p><p>finger,ifthegripframeislongenough)wraparoundthestocks.Keepthetrigger</p><p>finger stiff and straight. If the gun snags on the draw and the finger is on the</p><p>trigger, there’s a good chance you’ll shoot yourself in the leg. The finger</p><p>shouldn’t enter the trigger guard until the gun is not only up and out, but on</p><p>target,andnotuntilyouhavemadethedecisiontofiretheweapon.</p><p>Don’t let the trigger fingerpress tightly against thepocketholster. If you</p><p>do,itwillcomeoutwiththegun,renderingyouunabletoshoot.</p><p>Witharevolver,put the thumbonthehammerorwhereahammerwould</p><p>be. First, if you have a spur-hammer revolver, the thumb will now act as a</p><p>hammershroudandkeep it fromsnaggingon thedraw.Second,andformany</p><p>most important, this streamlines the shape of the drawinghand,which iswhy</p><p>youshoulddoitevenifyourrevolver’shammerisbobbedorshrouded.</p><p>Asimpleexerciseyoucandorightnow,even ifyou’re reading this inan</p><p>officeorairport,willshowyouwhy.Putyouremptyhandinyoursidetrouser</p><p>pocket.Makeafist.Nowtrytopullthefistout.Diditsnag?Well,guesswhat:</p><p>thisistheconfigurationyourhandwillbeinifthethumbiscurleddownaround</p><p>a handgun’s grips, and it’s going to snag then, too.Now, put the hand in the</p><p>pocket again.Make a fist if youwant, but put the thumbup as if itwason a</p><p>revolver’shammer.Dothedrawagain.Snakedrightoutofthepocket,didn’tit?</p><p>OK–you’vegotit.</p><p>This is one reason revolvers seem to be somuch faster than autoswhen</p><p>drawingfromapocket.Togetthethumbuponthehammerareaorthebackof</p><p>theslide,whichismuchfartherbackonanautopistol thanonarevolver,you</p><p>havetocompromiseyourgrasponthehandgun.</p><p>Youmayhavetotailoryourdrawtothetypeofholsteryou’reusing.Ifit</p><p>wasdesignedtorocktothebacktoescapethepocket,withtheholstercatching</p><p>onthebottomedgeof thepocketopening,you’llhavetomasteradrawwhich</p><p>bringsthehandgunoutinthatdirection.Ifits“catchflange”isatthefrontofthe</p><p>holster,itwantstocatchatthetopedgeofthepocket.Thismeansyoudrawthe</p><p>gunstraightupwarduntilitiswelloutofthepocket,thenperformthesamerock</p><p>andlockmovementyouwouldwhendrawingfromahipscabbard.Thatis,rock</p><p>themuzzleupwardandlockitonthetargetinfrontofyouasyoubringthegun</p><p>up into firing position. It’s now on target if you have to fire sooner than you</p><p>wantedtobecausethethreatisclosinginonyourapidly.</p><p>Most of us use the side trouser pocket for handgun carry. It’s fast and</p><p>secure.Inthehippocket,aguncanbeuncomfortablewhenyousitdownandis</p><p>more likely to be pushed out of the pocket by pressure</p><p>trousers…</p><p>Thewardrobeofholsters.This bookwill explainwhydifferent holsters</p><p>workbetterindifferentsituations.WhenIpackasuitcaseandgoontheroadfor</p><p>afewweeksofteachingand/ortestifying,therewillbemorethanoneholsterper</p><p>gun in the suitcase. The pocket holster for the snub-nosed 38 may bulge</p><p>obviously in the side pocket of the tailored suit-pants, but that samegunmay</p><p>disappearunderthe“classicsuitstraightcuff”ofthesametrousersinanankle</p><p>holster.Oneinside-the-waistbandandoneoutside-the-waistbandhipholsterwill</p><p>accompanytheprimaryhandgun,andifneitherofthoseisambidextrous, there</p><p>willalsobeaweak-sideholster incase I sustainanarmorhand injuryon the</p><p>road and can’t use the dominant hand. (Been there, done that.) A bellyband</p><p>holster thatdoublesasamoneybeltwillgo in the suitcase too, and I’vebeen</p><p>knownto toss inashoulder rig toallowfor lowerback injurieswhereIwon’t</p><p>wantweightonthehips,oracaseofintestinalfluthatmighthavemedropping</p><p>mypantsconstantlyinpublicrestrooms,asituationwherehipholstersaretough</p><p>(thoughnotimpossible)toaccommodate.</p><p>Thewardrobeofguns. I’ve gotten pretty good at gun concealment over</p><p>theyears,butI’velearnedthatIcan’thideafullsize45automaticinaswimsuit.</p><p>A good friend ofmine carries a little Smith&Wesson J-frameAirweight 38</p><p>snub-noserevolverinhis,though.</p><p>Asnub-nose38isagreatlittlecarrygun,andit’sastapleofanyCCW“gun</p><p>wardrobe.” However, I’ve been in a lot of places where I was way more</p><p>comfortablewithsomethingbigger,easiertoshootaccuratelyandfast,thatheld</p><p>more–andmorepowerful–ammunition.</p><p>You’llfindyourselfbuyingmorefirearmsasyouget intoCCWseriously.</p><p>Somewillsuityou,andyouwillkeepthemforcarry.Somewillturnouttobe</p><p>greatgunsbutjusttoobigandheavy,andyoumaykeepthemashomedefense</p><p>orevenrecreationalweapons.Somewill turnout tonotbeforyou,andyou’ll</p><p>tradetheminforsomethingthatworksbetter.That’sallOK.</p><p>Asmallgunthatwillbethereincircumstanceswhereyoujustcan’tcarrya</p><p>biggeronemaystillsaveyourlife.Therewillbetimeswhenalargergunwill</p><p>giveyounotonlymoreconfidence,butmorecapability.I’vedebriefedgunfight</p><p>survivorswhowouldhavedied if they’dhadonlya five-shot38,butsurvived</p><p>because they had something that carriedmore ammo and let them stay in the</p><p>fightlongenoughtowinit.So,astimegoeson,you’llwantatleastonesmall</p><p>CCW handgun and one larger one. Don’t be surprised if, like so many</p><p>professionals,youfindyourselfcarryingbothatonce.It’sabelt-and-suspenders,</p><p>“samereasonthere’sasparetireinmycar”kindofthing.</p><p>…thatyouhavedrapedthegarmentstrategicallytocoverafullsizeBerettapoliceservicepistolina</p><p>quick-accessDillonholster.</p><p>AboutThisBook</p><p>Thisbookisnotaboutwhenyoucanshoot.ThatwouldbeIntheGravest</p><p>Extreme. It’s not about how to shoot a handgun under stress. That would be</p><p>StressFire. It’s not about a total approach to personal safety and crime</p><p>prevention. That would be The Truth About Self-Protection. All three are</p><p>available from Police Bookshelf, PO Box 122, Concord, NH 03302,</p><p>(www.ayoob.com). I recommend them, but hell, I wrote them, so take the</p><p>recommendationfromwhenceitcomes.</p><p>The chapters on guns and holsters are generic. If I don’t recommend a</p><p>particularbrand,itdoesn’tnecessarilymeanit’sapieceofcrap;itmayjustmean</p><p>thatIhaven’tworkedwithitlongenoughtogiveitarecommendation.Anything</p><p>I recommend inherebyname issomething I’ve testedsufficiently to trustmy</p><p>own life to; I can’t do that with every product. I’ve tested guns that were</p><p>obviously designed by peoplewho didn’t carry them and didn’t knowhow to</p><p>shoot them, and holsters obviously designed by people who didn’t carry</p><p>concealedhandguns.Idon’thavetimetolistthejunk,nordoIhavethetimeor</p><p>thefinancialresourcestofightnuisancesuitsbyjunk-makerswhosuepeoplefor</p><p>tellingthetruthabouttheirproducts.IfIsayit’sgood,I’mputtingmynameand</p><p>reputationonthatfact.IfIdon’tmentionit,well,I’mjustnotmentioningit,but</p><p>remember,there’sgoodstuffouttherethatIprobablyjusthaven’ttestedyet.</p><p>Imaybeafunnel,butIcan’tfunnelthewholeindustry.</p><p>Somepointswillberepeatedindifferentchapters.Isupposethatreflectsa</p><p>littleoftheinstructor’smantra,“Tell‘emwhatyou’regonnatell‘em;tell‘em;</p><p>thentell‘emwhatyoutold‘em.”Ithinkitreflectsmorethesimplerealitythatin</p><p>anadultlifetimeasanauthor,I’vefoundthatfolksreadnovelsstraightfrontto</p><p>back, but non-fiction books like this a chapter at a time, piece-meal, jumping</p><p>backandforth.Somepointsneedtobemadeincontextforthesporadicreader.</p><p>Useyourpowerwisely.Keepyourgoodpeoplesafe.</p><p>TV and movie characters are mentioned here a lot. That’s because such</p><p>thingshavelargelydefinedpublicperceptionaboutconcealedcarrymethods.It</p><p>neededtobeaddressed.</p><p>Insomechapters,you’llseemedrawingfromunderatransparentraincoat.</p><p>No,I’mnotrecommending“transparentconcealment”!It’sadeviceIhitonto</p><p>demonstrate concealed drawwithout hand andweapon being hidden from the</p><p>learner’sview.</p><p>Inreadingthisbook,it’simportanttomaintainsomeperspectives.</p><p>The raison d’etre is important. Carrying a concealed handgun reflects</p><p>http://www.ayoob.com</p><p>serious understandings about predictable danger in Life, and it brings more</p><p>seriousunderstandingswithit.We’lltalkaboutthat.</p><p>This book is laid out the way it is for a reason.Rules of the Road are</p><p>important.We’lltalkaboutwhereyoucancarry,andwhereyoucan’t.Whenyou</p><p>should,andwhenyoushouldn’t.</p><p>Hardware is important. We’ll discuss which handguns have proven</p><p>themselves best suited for concealed carry for different purposes in different</p><p>“dress code” situations. Hardware encompasses not only the guns but the</p><p>holsters,theammunition,thereloadingdevices,andotheraccessories.</p><p>Deployment is important. It’s amazing, for instance, how many people</p><p>havedesigned and sold bellybandholsters but obviously don’t know themost</p><p>effectivewaysofeithercarrying themordrawingfromthem…not tomention</p><p>how many people have carried ankle holsters for a career as an armed</p><p>professional andnever learnedhow tomostquickly andefficientlydraw from</p><p>one.Let’sseeifwecan’tfixthat…</p><p>Iknowitsoundscomplicated.That’sbecauseitiscomplicated.Bythetime</p><p>youfinishthisbook,youwillhavenoticedthatI’veneverinvokedthecurrently</p><p>popularweaponstrainingbuzzwordthatisthe“KISSprinciple.”KISSstandsfor</p><p>“KeepItSimple,Stupid.”</p><p>Ican’tutterthatingoodconscience,fortworeasons.</p><p>Foronething,Idon’tthinkyou’restupid.</p><p>Foranother,Iknowfordamnsureitain’tsimple.</p><p>Ifanybodywants“simple,” thesimplefact is,a lotofpeoplediedfor the</p><p>lessons thatwere funneled into this book. Some of themwere good guys and</p><p>galswhodiedonlybecause theydidn’tknowthe things thegunfightsurvivors</p><p>andmastergunfightersgavemetofunnelintothewordsthatfollow.Andwe’ll</p><p>never knowhowmany innocent victims diedbecause they didn’t have a gun,</p><p>rightthereandrightthenthattheycouldhavedrawnfromconcealmentandused</p><p>tosavetheirlivesandothers.</p><p>AndIthinkyouknowthat,too,oryouwouldn’tbereadingthis.</p><p>Within a few days of my deadline for this book, a mass murderer in</p><p>Colorado hit two religious institutions, and killed people at both. At the</p><p>against the surface on</p><p>whichyousit.Still,someshooterspreferthatlocation.</p><p>MyfriendJimJacobe,theacefirearmsinstructorfromOregon,foundthat</p><p>the hip pocket better suited his personal range of movement. Finding no</p><p>commercialpocketholsterthatwouldworkfromthatlocationinsteadoftheside</p><p>pantspocket,hehadaleathershopmakeoneuptohisspecifications.Thesupple</p><p>leatherofthatcustomholsterholdshisS&WModel442verycomfortably,and</p><p>he’slightningfastwithit.</p><p>TheWeaselinYourPocket</p><p>JeffCooperandRayChapmantaughtpistolcraft.Theyarebothbig,strong</p><p>men. I’m little and weak, so I concentrate on weaselcraft. In a world where</p><p>actionbeatsreaction,andwherethebadguygetstobetheactorandyouandI</p><p>getstuckhavingtoreact,IwantallthelittletricksofthetradeonoursidethatI</p><p>canget.</p><p>Asnotedearlyon,gettingintoyourpocketandwithdrawingyourguncan</p><p>take longer than drawing from a conventional hip holster.However,when the</p><p>gunisinyourpocketanddangerthreatens,nothingsaysyouhavetostartwith</p><p>yourhandsclearofyourbodyinanIPSC“ready”position.Ahandonyourhip-</p><p>holsteredfirearmmightbetacticallyunsound,butyoucanslipahandintoyour</p><p>pocketandlookperfectlycasual.</p><p>Thegunisnowinyourhand.Thatchangeseverything.</p><p>Therearetwobasicstepstodrawingagun,accessandpresentation.Access</p><p>isgettingyourhandwrappedaroundtheblaster.That’s thetoughpart, thefine</p><p>motorskillpart.Presentationissimplyrippingitoutoftheholsterandbringing</p><p>it on target. That’s raw grossmotor skill,which is awhole lot easier – and a</p><p>wholelotfaster.</p><p>Back in the 2002Complete Book of Handguns fromHarris publications,</p><p>(stillavailablefromPoliceBookshelf,800-624-9049,www.ayoob.com)Isetout</p><p>totestthismethodforspeed.Ibeganwithmynon-dominantlefthandinmyside</p><p>trouserpocket,wrappedaround theCrimsonTraceLaserGripsofmySmith&</p><p>WessonModel 442 Airweight. I was standing as I would on patrol beside a</p><p>stoppedsedan,withthetargetinaboutthesamepositionandataboutthesame</p><p>distance as a seated driver.When the PACT timerwent off, I drew and fired</p><p>“from the hip,” the time stoppingwhen the 38 Special round blasted into the</p><p>silhouette. Five runs took 0.76, 0.62, 0.66, 0.65, and 0.54 seconds, which</p><p>averaged to0.65ofone second.That included reaction time,which formeon</p><p>thatdayaveraged0.21ofonesecond.Thismeansthattheactualdrawandfire</p><p>timealoneaveraged0.44ofasecond.</p><p>In other words, the simple weasel trick of sneaking my hand onto the</p><p>pocketed38beforehandhadgivenmesub-half-seconddrawandfirecapability.</p><p>FiringThroughthePocket</p><p>Forthesamearticle,whichwastitled“TheSavvyFastDraw,”Iwasableto</p><p>enhance react-and-fire speed stillmore by using an old street trick. The same</p><p>revolverwasinthehandinsideajacketpocket,andalreadypointedatthetarget,</p><p>which was just barely within punching distance. On the signal, the 38 was</p><p>simplyfiredthroughthecoatpocket.</p><p>The times recorded for five runs were 0.50, 0.46, 0.48, 0.54, and 0.49</p><p>seconds.Average time roundedoff to0.49ofone second.Takingout reaction</p><p>time,theactualshootingwastakingonlyaquarterofasecond,thetimeittook</p><p>togettheindexfingerofftheframeandontothetrigger.</p><p>http://www.ayoob.com</p><p>Obviously,youwant topracticewitha jacket thatyoudon’tplan towear</p><p>anymore,sincethemuzzleblastwilltearitapartonthefirstshot.Mostofyour</p><p>practice,justforthesakeofpracticality,willhavetobedryfire.Still,youwant</p><p>todoitlivefireafewtimestobesurethatyou’reontarget,sincethisispoint</p><p>shootinginthetruestsense,withnovisualindexofgunontargetpossible.It’s</p><p>strictlyacloserange(asin,withinarm’sreach)proposition.</p><p>Take particular care if you are heavy through the midriff, since barrel</p><p>cylinder gap gas blast from a revolver can cut through fabric and injure a</p><p>protruding abdomen. It goes without saying that this technique should not be</p><p>practicedlivefirebypregnantwomen.Ifthegarmentinquestionisananorakor</p><p>heavywintersweatshirtwithapocketthatgoesacrossthebelly,makesurethat</p><p>there is enough room to get the gun muzzle pointed straight away from you</p><p>beforefiring.</p><p>Conventionalwisdomtellsusthatarevolveristhewaytogoforshooting</p><p>through a pocket, since pocket lining can snag the slide or block an ejecting</p><p>casing,jammingthepistol.Itisalsopossibleforarevolverwithanunshrouded</p><p>hammer to snag, even if the hammer spur has been bobbed off. A fold of</p><p>clothing can get caught between the hammer face and the frame, causing a</p><p>misfireandevenjammingthewheelgunenoughtopreventanothershot.</p><p>Three of the best pants pocket holsters, in the author’s opinion. Left, Ky-Tac ambidextrous with</p><p>Glock2740.Center,right-handGregKramerwith357Glock33.Right,left-handSafarilandpocket</p><p>holsterwithEagle-grippedS&WModel442.</p><p>Now, Ihasten toadd thatwe tried this recentlyatLethalForce Institute’s</p><p>newCQB(CloseQuarterBattle)class,attheFirearmsAcademyofSeattlerange</p><p>inOnalaska,Washinton.Threeof theparticipantsusedautosforfiringthrough</p><p>coat pockets. The guns represented were the Kel-Tec P32 and the North</p><p>American Arms Guardian. All three specimens went five shots for five tries</p><p>without amalfunction. The shooters did notice that it was distracting to have</p><p>trapped,hotcasingsburningtheirhandsandwristsinsidethepockets.</p><p>Dofifteenshotswithoutamalfunctionmeanthatit’sagoodideatotryto</p><p>shootanautopistolthroughacoatpocket?No!DamonRunyaniscreditedwith</p><p>saying,“Theraceisnotalwaystotheswift,northebattlealwaystothestrong…</p><p>butthat’sstillthewayyoushouldbet.”Somethingsimilarisgoingonhere.The</p><p>autopistolmaynotalwaysfoulandjamafterfiringthroughclothing…butthat’s</p><p>stillthewayyoushouldbet.Considertheshootingthroughpocketsthingtobe</p><p>the province of the shrouded-hammer revolver, a’la the Smith & Wesson</p><p>BodyguardorCentennial.</p><p>I’veheard folks talkaboutclothingcatching fire ifagun is fired through</p><p>coat pockets. I suppose it could happen with old blackpowder guns. With</p><p>modern smokeless powder ammunition, I’ve run students through live-fire</p><p>shoot-through-pocketdrillsanddoneitagoodbitmyself.Whileyoucanfeela</p><p>flashofheatwhenthegungoesoff,I’veneveryetseenagarmentcatchfire.I</p><p>suppose,however, that theremightbe someparticularly flammablecoat fabric</p><p>outtherethatcouldprovemewrong.(Pleasedon’ttrythisafterspillinggasoline</p><p>onyourselfattheservicestationpump…)</p><p>Finally,remembertoshootthroughonlythepocketsofoutergarmentslike</p><p>coats,andrememberthatthegarmentneedstofitlooselyforthistowork.Trying</p><p>toshootthroughapantspocket,orthroughthepocketofatightlyfittingjacket,</p><p>canleadtoyoushootingyourselfinsteadofthebadguy.</p><p>Breast pocket draw, using hidden gun/wallet pocket behind breast pocket ofWoolrich Elite shirt</p><p>designed by Fernando Coelho, now CEO of EoTac tactical apparel. Movement pattern is like</p><p>drawingfromashoulderholster;thumbisonhammerareaforreasonsstatedelsewhere.</p><p>Summary</p><p>Pocket carry has been proven effective since handguns became small</p><p>enoughtofitintopockets.Forthemostpart,youwanttheguntobeinapocket</p><p>holster.Practiceregularly.Rememberthatfiringthroughthepocketisaspecial</p><p>purposeemergencytactic;asarule,you’llwanttodrawandvisuallyindexthe</p><p>weapon on</p><p>first</p><p>location,hekilledinnocentpeopleandsaunteredaway.Therewasnoonethere</p><p>withthewherewithaltostophim.</p><p>At the second death scene, he opened fire in the parking lot, and then</p><p>entered thebuilding.Hedidn’tget thirty feetbeforehewas interdictedbyone</p><p>JeanneAssam,amemberofthechurchwhowaslicensedtoCCW,hadherown</p><p>gun,andknewhowtouseit.Sheshothimdownlikethemaddoghewas,andin</p><p>hislastbullet-riddledmomentstheonlypersonhecouldstillshootwashimself.</p><p>Hedied.Nomoreinnocentpeopledid.JeanneAssamhadtaughtalessontous</p><p>all.</p><p>On the pro-gun side, people started posting on the Internet the story of</p><p>CharlvanWyck,astoryIhadputintothismanuscriptmonthsbefore.Icanonly</p><p>hope that thegeneral publicwill look at bothAssam’s storyandVanWyck’s,</p><p>and the lessons thatcamebefore. Iamsure–sadlysure– that similar lessons</p><p>willbewritteninbloodafterthisbookispublished.</p><p>Thankyoufortakingthetimetoreadwhatfollows.Thankyouforhaving</p><p>thecouragetobethesheepdogpreparedtofightthewolvesbackawayfromthe</p><p>lambs.Ihopeyoufindthefollowingpagesuseful.</p><p>Useyourpowerwisely.Keepyourgoodpeoplesafe.</p><p>Chapter2</p><p>WHYWECARRY</p><p>Why dowe carry?AskDr. SuzannaGratia-Hupp, photographed herewhile testifying for</p><p>concealedcarrylegislation.ShewatchedherparentsmurderedduringtheLuby’sCafeteriamassacre</p><p>inKilleen,Texas,helplesstostopthegunmanonlyafewfeetaway,becauselawoftheperiodforced</p><p>hertoleaveherrevolveroutsideinhercar.</p><p>Thequestionisconstantlyasked,“Whydoyouwanttocarryagun?”Here</p><p>areseveralprovenanswers.</p><p>F</p><p>orty-eight ofAmerica’s fifty states nowhave at least some provision for law-</p><p>abiding private citizens to carry loaded, concealed handguns in public. This</p><p>comesasashocktomanypeopleinAmericansociety.Thoseresponsibleadults</p><p>whochoosetoavailthemselvesoftheconcealedcarryprivilegewillconstantly</p><p>bechallengedastothisdecisionbyfriends,family,co-workers,andotherswho</p><p>havenotbeeneducatedon the issues involved.This isone reason it isalways</p><p>sensibletobeextremelydiscreetaboutconcealedcarry,andtonotbroadcastthe</p><p>factthatonegoeslegallyarmed.</p><p>Atthesametime,theoldphrase“forewarnedisforearmed”appliestothe</p><p>argument aswell as the practice itself. Those of uswho’ve had to debate the</p><p>issuerepeatedly, inforumsrangingfromStateHouseswherereformconcealed</p><p>carrylegislationwasonthefloortoradio,TV,andprintmedia,havelearnedthat</p><p>thebestresponseisoftena“soundbite.”Agoodsoundbiteisshort,memorable,</p><p>andsologicalthatthelistenertendstoaskhimself,“Whydidn’tIthinkofthat?”</p><p>Thefollowingeffectivesoundbiteanswerstothemostcommonchallenges</p><p>againstconcealedcarryhavebeenproventoworktimeandagain.Asdonehere,</p><p>alwaysbeable toback themupwithmoredetail.Keep it logical,andalways,</p><p>alwaysapplycommonsense.</p><p>AmuchyoungerAyoobwithoneofhiskids,todayanadultandaparentherself.Here,she’slearning</p><p>aboutammunition.Inherlateteens,shewonanationalhandgunchampionshiptitle…andnotlong</p><p>after, used her legally-carried handgun to defend herself successfully against two largemale rape</p><p>suspectsonacitystreet.</p><p>“Whydoyoucarryagun?”</p><p>Kathy Jackson said it best on her website</p><p>(www.corneredcat.com): “I carry a gun because I can’t carry a</p><p>policeman.”</p><p>Itisgenerallyacceptedthatthepopulationofthiscountryisapproximately</p><p>three hundred million, and that there are only a bit over 700,000 currently</p><p>servingpoliceofficers.Bytheirnature,wolvesattacksheepwhenthesheepdog</p><p>http://www.corneredcat.com</p><p>isn’tthere,andcriminalsarecarefultomakesuretherearenopoliceofficersin</p><p>sight when they attack their victims. This leaves the victim alone to fend for</p><p>himselforherself.</p><p>Carryingaconcealedhandguninpublicisverymuchlikekeepingasmall</p><p>fireextinguisherinyourcar.Neithermeansthatbypossessingit,youbecomean</p><p>officialmemberof thepublic safetycommunity.Neithermeans thatyoudon’t</p><p>needpublicsafetypersonnelfromthefiredepartmentorthepolicedepartment.</p><p>But the concealed handgun and the fire extinguisher are each emergency</p><p>rescue toolsdesignedtoallowfirst responders tocrisis tohold the lineagainst</p><p>death and injury, to control things and save lives, until the designated</p><p>professionalscanget to thescene todowhat they’repaid todo.That’sall the</p><p>responsiblycarriedconcealedhandgunis:emergencyrescueequipmentforuse</p><p>by a competent first responder, who in this case, often turns out to be the</p><p>intendedvictimofintentional,violentcrime.</p><p>“But aren’t you worried that if more people carry guns, more</p><p>argumentswillescalateintopeoplebeingshotandkilled?”</p><p>No.Responsiblegunownersaretoopracticaltoworryabout</p><p>thingsthatdon’thappen.</p><p>Ever since the1980s,whenFloridastarted the trendof reform legislation</p><p>thatreplacedtheelitismandcronyismoftheold“discretionary”permitsystem</p><p>with themodern,enlightened“shall issue”model,opponentsof self-protection</p><p>andcivillibertieshavemadetheargumentthat“bloodwouldruninthestreets.”</p><p>Ithasn’thappenedyet.Ifanything,statisticsshowthatviolentcrimeagainstthe</p><p>personseemstogodownaftershall-issuelegislationispassed.</p><p>In thewakeof the recent confirmationof this byMinnesota’s experience</p><p>withtheirfledglingshall-issuepermitsystem,myoldfriendJoeWaldronofthe</p><p>Citizens’CommitteefortheRighttoKeepandBearArms(CCRKBA)putitas</p><p>well as it’s ever been said. The Committee had noted, “According to the</p><p>(Minneapolis Star Tribune) newspaper, people with gun permits are far less</p><p>likelytobeinvolvedinacrime,whetheritisaphysicalassault,adrugcrimeor</p><p>evendrunkendriving.Authoritieshaveconfirmedthatthehystericalpredictions</p><p>about gunfights at traffic stops and danger to children simply have not</p><p>materialized.”</p><p>CommentedWaldron, executive director of the CCRKBA, “Youwill not</p><p>hear an apology or any kind of acknowledgement from the anti-self-defense</p><p>crowdabout the statistics.Nodoubt theywill try to blame the law for crimes</p><p>committedbypeoplecarryinggunsillegally.Butthenewspaperdidagoodjob</p><p>ofsortingoutfactfromfiction,andithasfoundthatonlyaminisculenumberof</p><p>licensed citizens have been involved in serious crimes, and a tiny fraction of</p><p>armedcitizenshavehadtheirpermitsrevoked.</p><p>“We knew all alongwhatHennepinCounty Sheriff Rich Stanek told the</p><p>newspaper:theworstpredictionsofguncontroladvocateswhobitterlyfoughtto</p><p>keep this law off the books just haven’t come true. We’re delighted that the</p><p>press,whichdidnotsupportthelaw,hasatleastacknowledgedthepublic’sright</p><p>toknowhowthelawisworking.</p><p>“Minnesota is just one more state where people have been given the</p><p>opportunitytopassalawandseehowitreallyworks.Thestate’slegally-armed</p><p>citizens have proven not only that they are overwhelmingly responsible with</p><p>firearms,thedatashowsthatprovidingthemeansforcitizenstogoarmedisnot</p><p>athreattopublicsafety,andneverhasbeen.”</p><p>Concluded Waldron, “The Personal Protection Act (in Minnesota) has</p><p>succeeded in destroying the myth that legally-armed citizens are somehow a</p><p>threattothegeneralpublic.Weknewtheywerewrong,andnoweverybodyelse</p><p>knowsit,too.”</p><p>“Whyshouldapersonwholivesinalowcrimeareafeeltheyhad</p><p>tocarryagun?”</p><p>Famed combat small arms instructor John Farnam said it</p><p>best.Hewasteachinganofficer</p><p>survivalclasstoruralpolicewhen</p><p>oneofficeraskedhim,“Hey,howoftendoyouthinkcopsgetkilled</p><p>around here, anyway?” Farnam’s reply was classic: “Same as</p><p>anywhere.Justonce.”</p><p>In the 19th century, Coffeyville, Kansas and Northfield, Minnesota were</p><p>quiet, safe towns where no one might have thought ordinary citizens needed</p><p>guns…untiltheywererobbedbyviolent,professionalrobberygangsfrom“out</p><p>oftown.”OneofthosegangswasledbyJesseJamesandColeYounger,andthe</p><p>otherconsistedprimarilyoftheinfamousDaltonbrothers.Bothgangswereshot</p><p>to pieces by armed townsfolk acting in defense of themselves and their</p><p>communities.</p><p>In theearly20th century, the automobile allowed criminals to range even</p><p>morewidely.The JohnDillinger/BabyFaceNelsongangsmadea specialtyof</p><p>robbing small townbanks and escaping in their high-speedHudsons andFord</p><p>V8s.They,too,feltthestingofarmedcitizens’gunfire.Whenrobbingabankin</p><p>SouthBend, Indiana,BabyFaceNelsonandHomerVanMeter,bothhardened</p><p>cop-killers, were shot and wounded by a jeweler with a .22 target handgun.</p><p>Nelson was saved by his bullet proof vest, and Van Meter, while knocked</p><p>senselessbythebulletthatricochetedoffhisskull,wouldhavebeenkilledifthe</p><p>shooter’saimhadbeentruerbyaninch,orifthearmedcitizenhadlauncheda</p><p>moreappropriateround.Inanotherbankrobbery,JohnDillingerandaccomplice</p><p>JohnHamiltonwere each shot in the right shoulder by a retired judge, armed</p><p>withanantiquerevolverandfiringfromawindowacrossthestreet.</p><p>Now, in the21st century, little has changed.Criminals are highlymobile.</p><p>Theyhavelearnedthat“thethinblueline”isthinnestinthehinterlands.Police</p><p>inruralcommunitiescantellyouthatmanyoftheirmajorcrimesarecommitted</p><p>bycriminalsfromcitieswho“commutetothecrimescene.”Andanysmalltown</p><p>copcantellyouthateven“Mayberry,RFD”cangrowitsownviolentcriminals</p><p>withoutanyoutsidehelp.</p><p>Thesmallerthetown,themoreruralyourlocation,thelongeritgenerally</p><p>takespolicetorespondtoanemergencycall.Thus,whileinthebigpicturethere</p><p>maybefewercrimescommittedin“lowcrimecommunities,”thatdoesn’tmake</p><p>themsafebyanymeans…and,moreremotefrompoliceassistance,thepotential</p><p>victim in such an area has all themore need to be self-sufficient in terms of</p><p>beingabletoprotectselfandlovedonesfromnomadiccriminals.</p><p>Why carry a gun? Suppose you’re a petite female, coming home alone, and are confronted by a</p><p>knife-armedattacker…</p><p>“Whycan’tyoufacethefactthatastudyhasproventhatagunin</p><p>the home is 43 timesmore likely to kill amember of the household</p><p>thanaburglar?”</p><p>Probablybecause,beinglogicalpeople,mostofuswhocarry</p><p>guns detest having to look at such fact-twisting exercises in</p><p>sophistry.</p><p>“Discredited” isa strongword,but thestudy inquestion is indeedoneof</p><p>the most thoroughly discredited exercises in twisted statistics of the late 20th</p><p>century. It compared all deathsbygunfire in twocommunitiesof similar size,</p><p>oneinCanadaandoneintheUnitedStates.Under“gunskillinghouseholders,”</p><p>itincludedsuicides,manyofwhichtypicallyaretheso-called“rationalsuicide.”</p><p>Thisiswhathappenswhenanindividualdiagnosedwithaterminaldiseasethat</p><p>brings a long, agonizing death chooses to depart life with dignity. (In some</p><p>foreign countries, this process is assisted by state-approved euthanasia, not an</p><p>optionintheUSA.)</p><p>…doyouthinkamartialartsstancewillwardhimoff?Or…</p><p>That study’s use of human body count as the ultimate arbiter of a</p><p>complicatedsocialissuepoisoneditsresultsinandofitself.Thefactisthatmost</p><p>law-abiding citizens who confront criminals and take them at gunpoint, don’t</p><p>havetokillthem.Thelateststudies,byProfessorJohnLott,indicatethatinwell</p><p>over90percentof such incidents, the feloneither fleesor submits tocitizen’s</p><p>arrestwhen takenatgunpointbyhis intendedvictim,andnoneofhisblood is</p><p>shed. The oft-quoted bogus study interprets this benevolent lack of bloodshed</p><p>180degreesawayfromreality,as if theobjectof theexercisehadbeen tokill</p><p>intrudersandanythinglessthana“kill”didn’tcountforthe“goodguys.”How</p><p>ironic…ahypocriticalattempttomeasuresafetyfrommurderbybodycount.</p><p>The Federal government’s own statistics, at this writing, show that the</p><p>UnitedStatesisatanall-timelowingun-relatedfatalaccidents.</p><p>Gun ownership quite aside, the cultural mores of each country in the</p><p>“study”werenottakenintoconsideration.Thereissimplylessviolentcrimein</p><p>CanadathanintheUS,byvirtuallyeverymeasurement,includingmeasurements</p><p>thatfactoroutpossessionoffirearms.</p><p>All told, then, the “43 times more likely” story will be remembered by</p><p>history as a classic example of how to liewith statistics, how to conveniently</p><p>manipulatethetruth,andhowtomisinterpretreality.Itsproperplacewouldbein</p><p>abookof“DirtyDebateTricksThatWon’tWorkintheLongRun,”notinany</p><p>logical discussion of concealed carry that is subjected to critical thinking and</p><p>honest,fact-baseddebate.</p><p>“AreviewofstrategydiscussionsonInternetgunboardsreveals</p><p>thefact thatmanypeoplewhoarelicensedtocarrygunscarrymore</p><p>thanone.Ifthisisnotanindicationoftwo-guncowboymentality,how</p><p>elsecanitbeexplained?”</p><p>FirearmsinstructorandauthorDavidKenikwasonceasked,</p><p>“Whydoyoucarrythreeguns?”Hecalmlyreplied,“Becausefour</p><p>wouldbeostentatious.”</p><p>The simple fact is, armed citizens to a large degreemake their choice of</p><p>defensivefirearmsbasedonthemodelofthedomesticlawenforcementsector.</p><p>Forgenerations,whenthe38Specialrevolverwastheoverwhelmingchoiceof</p><p>Americanpolice,itwasalsotheoverwhelmingchoiceofarmedcitizens.Though</p><p>freedomofchoiceallowedthecitizenrytocarryautoloadingpistolsbeforethose</p><p>gunsbecamepopularwithpolice,thegeneralreplacementoftheservicerevolver</p><p>withtheservicepistolinAmericanpoliceworkgreatlyincreasedthepopularity</p><p>ofthesemiautomaticpistolintheprivatesector.</p><p>Similarly,thelastseveraldecadeshaveseenavastincreaseinthenumber</p><p>of police officers who carry backup handguns on duty. A number of police</p><p>departments even issue a second handgun to all sworn personnel for just this</p><p>purpose.Notsurprisingly,thearmedcitizenryhasmodeledonthisaswell,and</p><p>forthesamegoodreasons.</p><p>Any firearm can run out of ammunition, malfunction, be dropped by a</p><p>wounded“goodguy,”orbesnatchedfromitslegitimateuser.Inallthosecases,</p><p>recoursetoasecondhandgunisthefastestavenue–andoftentheonlyavenue–</p><p>tolast-ditchsurvival.</p><p>Just off the top of my head, I can think of at least seven cases where</p><p>recourse to another immediately-available weapon saved the life of a private</p><p>citizen caught up in a gunfight. In three of those seven instances, the primary</p><p>defensive handgun had been snatched away by a homicidal criminal, and the</p><p>secondgunsavedthelifeofthelaw-abidingcitizen,whoineachcasewasable</p><p>todeploythebackupweaponquicklyandeffectively.Ineachof theotherfour</p><p>instances, the primary handgun had run drywhile shooting it outwith armed</p><p>criminals, and because reloading the empty gun was impractical or even</p><p>impossibleunderthecircumstances,theabilitytoinstantlytransitiontoasecond</p><p>loadedhandgunliterallymadethedifferencebetweenlifeanddeath.</p><p>…perhapsthiscanofpepperspray?Ordoyouthinkjustmaybe…</p><p>There</p><p>isanotherareainwhichhavingasecondweapononone’spersoncan</p><p>make a huge difference to law-abiding armed citizens when deadly danger</p><p>threatens. In the “concealed carry community,” there are a greatmany people</p><p>who only actually carry guns part of the time. The carrying of a back-up</p><p>handgunallowsonecompetentarmedcitizentoarmanothercitizen,whomight</p><p>be equally competent but, at the moment, unarmed in the face of suddenly</p><p>breakingdanger.</p><p>Forexample,atthiswritingIamspendingtimewithmygirlfriendinoneof</p><p>America’slargestcities.Thisparticularmetropolishasmanyattractions,butitis</p><p>alsoanotoriouslyhighcrimearea.Theladyinquestionishighlycompetentwith</p><p>a handgun, in fact is a current regional IDPA (International Defensive Pistol</p><p>Association) champion, but as it happens, while I am legal to carry in this</p><p>particularjurisdiction,sheisnot.</p><p>Iamcarryinga9mmSIG-Sauerpistolonmydominantsidehip,anda38</p><p>Specialsnub-noserevolverinapocketholsteronmynon-dominantside.Sheis</p><p>perfectly competent with either. Should danger threaten, the common law</p><p>principle as recognizedby state law in this particular jurisdictionwould allow</p><p>me toarmherdue toexigentcircumstances.Thus, therewouldbe two trained</p><p>andequipped“threatmanagers”capableofdealingwiththesituation,insteadof</p><p>justone.</p><p>“You bloodthirsty gun people only carry weapons because you</p><p>wantachancetohurtorkillsomeone!”</p><p>On the contrary, we carry guns so we will be less likely to</p><p>have to kill or cripple someone. It’s called “Peace Through</p><p>SuperiorFirepower.”</p><p>Historyhasshownthatthegreatestpowerofthegunisitspowertodeter.Bearinmindthatcriminals,</p><p>bydefinition,targetonlyvictimstheybelievetheycanoverpower.Whentheintendedvictimdrawsagun,</p><p>thepredator realizes that theirerstwhile targethas theability tokill them instantly.This tends tomodify</p><p>theirbehaviorimmediately,withoutashotbeingfired.</p><p>Remember the Lott study, referenced above, which showed in the 1990s</p><p>that the overwhelming majority of times a citizen drew a gun to ward off a</p><p>criminal, the incident ended with no blood being shed on either side of the</p><p>encounter. The studies of famed criminologist Gary Kleck showed the same</p><p>thing in the1980s.A studyby theCaliforniaAttorneyGeneral’sOffice in the</p><p>1970sshowedit,too.</p><p>Another way to see it is to simply take the gun out of the picture, and</p><p>examine the remaining alternatives. When asked about self-protection,</p><p>opponents of gun ownership rights will typically suggest pepper spray or an</p><p>unarmedcombatclass.Let’slookathowwellthathasworkedonthestreetfor</p><p>police, who have the strongest pepper spray and some of the best unarmed</p><p>combattraining.</p><p>Whilepepperspraycertainlyhas itsplaceat the lower levelsof the force</p><p>continuum, it has never been seriously put forth by police or other protection</p><p>professionals as adequate for dealing with an armed antagonist. In fact, law</p><p>enforcement history is rifewith criminals so violent that pepper spray had no</p><p>effectonthem,andtheydidnotstoptheirviolentaggressionafterbeingsprayed</p><p>untilafterofficershadbeenforcedtoshootthem,orstrikethemwithbatonsso</p><p>manytimesthattheyhadbeenpermanentlyinjured.</p><p>…this9mmSIGP239isthelikeliestofalltodeterhimwithnobloodshedoneitherside,oratworst,</p><p>stophimdecisivelybeforehereachesherwithhisknife?</p><p>Attending anywomen’s rape prevention class or basic self-defense class,</p><p>onewillbetaughttoattacktheassailant’sgenitals,eyes,orthroat,ortopickup</p><p>someobjectandstrikehimrepeatedlyinthehead.Wearetalkingaboutcrushed</p><p>testicles,eyesgougedout,suffocation,andfracturedskullsresultinginprofound</p><p>brain injuries. All these results fit in the category of life-threatening trauma</p><p>and/orgravebodilyharm:adeadlyforcelevelofinjury.Deadlyforceisdeadly</p><p>force,whetherdeliveredwithbarehands,clubbedobjects,oradeadlyweapon</p><p>perse.</p><p>The big difference is deterrent effect. It is greatly lacking with “lesser</p><p>weapons.”Inonenotoriouscase,arapistmurderedtwowomenbecause,hesaid</p><p>later, he became enraged when one of them sprayed him with a Mace-like</p><p>substance.Aviolentaggressorislikelytodolittlemorethanlaughifanintended</p><p>victimheperceivestobesmallerorweakerthanhimselfsquaresoffinamartial</p><p>artsstance.</p><p>Contrast thiswithavictimwhodrawsagunandisobviouslyprepared to</p><p>immediately open fire. The difference in deterrent effect is literally night and</p><p>day. In termsofbody language, a shooting stancewith adrawn firearm is the</p><p>ultimateexclamationpoint.</p><p>Thus,wehaveanironicreality.Thepersonwhoisnotarmedwithadeadly</p><p>weaponwillverylikelyhavetokillorcrippleadeterminedattackertodefeatthe</p><p>threat. By contrast, the personwho is armedwith a deadlyweapon is hugely</p><p>more likely tobeable toend the threatwithnophysical injuryoneither side,</p><p>duetothetremendousdeterrenteffectofferedbytheirlegallycarriedfirearm.</p><p>“You don’t have any right to carry guns anyway! The Second</p><p>AmendmentisabouttheNationalGuard,notpersonalprotection!”</p><p>The Bill of Rights was framed shortly after the American</p><p>Revolution. A “National Guard” in the time of the revolution</p><p>wouldhavebeenTories loyal toKingGeorgeandduty-bound to</p><p>crushtheAmericanpatriots.Doyoureallythinkthiswaswhatthe</p><p>framersintendedtoempowerandenable?</p><p>TheAmericanBillofRightsmaybethemostcarefullycrafteddelineation</p><p>ofindividualrightsinthehistoryofthehumanexperience.Itstrainscredibility</p><p>tothebreakingpointtoaskthinkingpeopletobelievethatsomehow,thosewho</p><p>wroteitaccidentallyincludeda“state’srights”issuenearthetopofthelist.The</p><p>BillofRightswasdrawnlargelyfromtheconstitutionsoftheexistingcolonies</p><p>that preceded it,manyofwhich are absolutely explicit about the right to bear</p><p>arms being an individual right, not a collective one, and many of which</p><p>expresslyincludepersonalandfamilyprotectionamongthereasonsforensuring</p><p>thatright.Anyonewhodoubtsthishasnotdonehishomework.Evenopponents</p><p>ofindividualfirearmsownershiphaveadmitted,afterreviewingthevastbodyof</p><p>Constitutional scholarship, that the SecondAmendment was indeed originally</p><p>intendedtobeanindividualright.</p><p>Theargumentswillnotbeconcludedwithinthelifetimesofanyonereading</p><p>this.Thedebatehasbecometooemotionalandtoopolarized.Thosepersonswho</p><p>have accepted the responsibility for their safety and the safety of those who</p><p>countonthemcanonlystandpreparedtodefend,notonlyinnocentlives,butthe</p><p>verypracticeofcarryingweaponstofulfillthoseresponsibilities.</p><p>Chapter3</p><p>WHEREYOUCAN</p><p>(ANDCAN’T)CARRY</p><p>Manyliketobelievethatthe“beararms”portionofSecondAmendmentmeansthattheBill</p><p>ofRightsisalltheyneedforconcealedcarry.Notinthisworld.IfthatsweetlittleKahrEliteMK9is</p><p>tobecarriedconcealed,youhavetobewithinthelaw!</p><p>W</p><p>henandwheretocarryagunisalittlelikewhenandwheretogonude.Ineither</p><p>case, therewillbe timesandplaceswhereyou’ll find itcomfortable,andeven</p><p>times and places where others will be happy that you’re in that condition.</p><p>However, there are also times and places where it will be inappropriate,</p><p>offensive,andevenillegal.</p><p>HousesofWorship</p><p>IremembergoingtochurchoneSundaywithmyoldersisterwhenIwasa</p><p>littlekid,andbeingshocked</p><p>andevenoutragedwhenastatetrooperwhoworked</p><p>thatareacameinandsatinthepewinfrontofus,withhisbig6½”barrelSmith</p><p>&WessonModel27357Magnumswinginginplainviewinitsflappedswivel</p><p>holster.Howdarehebringadeadlyweaponintoahouseofworship!</p><p>TherehasbeenalotofwaterunderthebridgesincethatSunday,andIhave</p><p>totallychangedmyviewonthetopic.</p><p>Afewyearsago,amaniacwalkedintoareligiousservicebeingheld ina</p><p>hotel conference room in Wisconsin. He opened fire, and committed mass</p><p>murderbeforekillinghimself.Heapparentlyassumed,correctly, that inastate</p><p>which had no provision for private citizens to carry concealed handguns in</p><p>public,noonecouldstophimfromcarryingouthismonstrousplan.Thatwas</p><p>exactlyhowthingsturnedout.</p><p>Inrecentyears,greatadvanceshavebeenmadeforconcealedcarryrightsinMidwesternstates,but</p><p>thetwoworststatesforCCWareinthatregionalso.Pistolisthehandy,effective9mmEMPfrom</p><p>SpringfieldArmory.</p><p>InTexas,not longafter then-GovernorGeorgeW.Bushsignedshall-issue</p><p>concealed carry into law, the lawwasmodified to allow permit-holders to be</p><p>armed inplacesofworship.Amassmurderer entered a church inFortWorth,</p><p>scouted around until he found a prayer meeting peopled exclusively by</p><p>teenagers, and opened fire there, exacting a terrible toll in human tragedy.He</p><p>apparently knew that elsewhere in the church, there just might be armed,</p><p>responsibleadultswhowouldshootbackandputhiminjeopardy.Hecarefully</p><p>selected the one sub-group of victims who, too young to have carry permits</p><p>underTexaslaw,wouldbehelpless.</p><p>OntheWestCoast,arabidanti-SemitelookedforJewstomurder.Helater</p><p>admittedthathethoughtabouthittingasynagogue,butfearedsomeonemightbe</p><p>armedandshootback.So,instead,hecommittedmassmurderinaJewishday</p><p>carecenter.Thisistypicalofcowards:theyseekunarmed,helplessvictims.</p><p>Allovertheworld,terroristshavelearnedthattostriketerrorliterallyinto</p><p>thesoulsofthosetheyintendtointimidate,massmurderatareligiouscentercan</p><p>get themorbid attention they seek.Militant Islamists havemurdered those of</p><p>otherbeliefsystemsathousesofworshipfromtheMiddleEasttoPakistan,and</p><p>amadIsraelimilitaryreservistkilledseveralinnocentMuslimswhenheopened</p><p>fireatamosque.ClergymanPeterHammondofSouthAfricaliststhefollowing</p><p>seriesofterroristicmassmurdersatchurchesinhisforewordtoCharlvanWyk’s</p><p>book, Shooting Back. (Christian Liberty Books, Cape Town, South Africa,</p><p>2001.)</p><p>“When I saw the shocking carnage at St. James Church (in Kenilworth,</p><p>SouthAfrica), it immediatelybroughtsimilarbloodyscenesfloodingbackinto</p><p>mymind,”wroteHammond.“Overthelast19yearsofmissionaryworkIhave</p><p>personally come across scores of similar atrocities, in Angola, Mozambique,</p><p>RwandaandSudan. InAugust1983,Frelimo troopskilled5pastorsandburnt</p><p>down all 5 churches inMaskitoVillage, Zambezia Province,Mozambique. In</p><p>September1983,Frelimotroopskilledover50Christiansandburnedachurchin</p><p>Pasura village.AtChillesoEvangelicalChurch, inAngola,Cuban troops shot</p><p>150Christiansduringachurchservice.AtNewAdamsFarminZimbabwe,16</p><p>missionariesandtheirchildrenweremurderedinNovember1987…On23June</p><p>1978, terrorists who supported Robert Mugabe murdered nine British</p><p>missionaries and four young children, including a three-week old baby, at the</p><p>ElimMissionStation.”</p><p>Wherethelawsaren’tright,workforchange!AuthorleavesWisconsinStateHouseinMadisonafter</p><p>testifyingforshall-issueconcealedcarry.BillpassedLegislature,butwhenanti-gungovernorvetoed</p><p>it,gunowners’civilrightsforcesfellonevoteshortofover-ride.</p><p>AddedHammond,“ItisworthnotingthattheonlyBritishmissionaryatthe</p><p>ElimMissionStationwhohadafirearm–heowneda38revolver–wasalsothe</p><p>only survivor! Being cowards, the terrorists left him alone, preferring</p><p>defencelessvictims.Thefirst thearmedmanknewabout theattack,waswhen</p><p>hewokeupthenextmorningtofindthebasedeserted.Helaterdiscoveredthe</p><p>bodiesofhisfellowmissionariesonthesportsfield.Gun-freeisnoguarantee.”</p><p>TheauthorofthebookShootingBack:TheRightandDutyofSelf-Defence,</p><p>CharlvanWyk,wasintheSt.Jameschurchthatterribledaywhentheterrorists</p><p>openedfire.Hereishisownaccount:</p><p>He wrote, “Grenades were exploding in flashes of light. Pews shattered</p><p>under theblasts, sending splinters flying through the air.Anautomatic assault</p><p>riflewasbeingfiredandwasfast ripping thepews–andwhomever,whatever</p><p>wasinitstrajectory–topieces.Wewerebeingattacked!</p><p>“Instinctively,Ikneltdownbehindthebenchinfrontofmeandpulledout</p><p>my 38 Special snub-nosed revolver,which I always carriedwithme. Iwould</p><p>havefeltundressedwithoutit.ManypeoplecouldnotunderstandwhyIwould</p><p>carry a firearm into a church service, but I argued that thiswas a particularly</p><p>dangeroustimeinSouthAfrica…</p><p>“…Wellmymomentoftruthhadarrived,Ithought,asmyhandssteadied</p><p>aroundtherevolver.Thecongregationhadthrownthemselvesdown–inorderto</p><p>protect themselves as far as possible from the deluge of flying bullets and</p><p>shrapnel. ByGod’s grace, the view of the terrorists frommy seat, fourth row</p><p>fromthebackofthechurch,wasperfect.Thebuildingwasbuilt likeacinema</p><p>with the floor sloping towards the stage in front. Sowithout any hesitation, I</p><p>kneltandaimed,firingtwoshotsat theattackers.Thisappearedineffective,as</p><p>mypositionwastoofarfrommytargetstotakepreciseaimwithasnub-nosed</p><p>revolver.Ihadtogetclosertotheterrorists.</p><p>“So I startedmoving to theendof thepewonmyhaunchesand leopard-</p><p>crawled the restof thewaywhen I realized thatmypositionwas toohighup.</p><p>TheonlywayIcouldmakethoseheartlessthugsstoptheirviciousattackwasto</p><p>tryandmoveinbehindthemandthenshoottheminthebackatcloserange.</p><p>“Isprintedtothebackdoorofthechurch,pushingaladyoutoftheway,so</p><p>thatIcouldkickthedooropenandnotbehinderedasIsoughttogetbehindthe</p><p>gunmen to neutralize their attack. As I desperately rounded the corner of the</p><p>building,outsideintheparkingarea,Isawamanstandingnexttowhatwasthe</p><p>‘getaway’car.Restingonhishipwashisautomaticrifle.Hehaditpointedupto</p><p>theheavensasifindefianceoftheLordshipofJesusChrist!</p><p>“Themanwaslookinginthedirectionofthedoorthroughwhichtheyhad</p><p>launchedtheirattack.Washewaitingforpeoplewhowouldmakeeasytargetsto</p><p>comerunningout,ormaybeevenforme?Isteppedbackbehind thecornerof</p><p>thewallandpreparedtoblastthelastofmyfirepower.Istrodeoutinfullview</p><p>of the terrorist and shot my last three rounds. By this time, the others were</p><p>alreadyin thecar.Mytarget jumpedinto thevehicleandthedriverspedaway</p><p>immediately, leaving behind the acrid stench of burning tyres and exhaust</p><p>fumes…”</p><p>Elsewhereinthisbook,wediscusssuchfactorsastheselectedcarrygun’s</p><p>ammunition capacity, and the carrying of spare ammunition. In this case, van</p><p>Wyk’s five-shot revolverwas now empty, but it is telling to examine his first</p><p>thoughts in the immediateaftermath.WrotevanWyk,“It’shard toexpressmy</p><p>feelings as I watched them drive away, but I remember thinking, ‘Lord, why</p><p>haven’tIgotmoreammunition?Why?Why?Why?’”</p><p>ItturnedoutthatoneofvanWyk’sshotshadwoundedoneoftheterrorists,</p><p>oneKhayaChristopherMakoma,andhisfirsttworoundsofreturnfirehadbeen</p><p>enough</p>