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FEATURES THE 52 FIRST AID APPEAL OF CUT TO THE CHASE The ABCs of Your EMTs APPENDIX ❚BY ED COMBS A Contrast to Crossdraw ❚BY BOB CAMPBELL 68 TRAINING TRAINING FOR DUMMIES Set Yourself Up for Failure ❚BY SCHUYLER P. ROBERTSON 80 EDC ADJUSTMENTS ADAPT TO INJURY To Carry or Not to Carry? ❚BY BRADLEY LEWIS

84 TACTICS UP CLOSE 62 & PERSONAL CRISIS RESPONSE Extreme-Close-Quarters Battle HARDENED ❚BY CHRIS CERINO TARGET 92 KNIVES EDC Ballistic Plates PAIR UP ❚BY C.R. WILLIAMS Integrating Knife and Gun Carry ❚BY MICHAEL JANICH

96 GEAR SEND BACKUP A Little Help Is on the Way ❚BY ED COMBS 104 SIGHTS XS VISION 74 The XS F8 Sight TECHNIQUE ❚BY BOB CAMPBELL GROUND WORK Essential Shooting Positions ❚BY KAT AINSWORTH

4 www.USCCA.com | August/September AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

COLUMNS

16 44 AFTER THE SHOT 112 PRIDE Hubris Hurts ❚ BY ALAN KORWIN

August/September | www.USCCA.com 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Tim Schmidt

A HITCH IN YOUR PLAN have to imagine that you wouldn’t have a plan for that: a plan for a failed The morning of the performance, be reading Concealed Carry Mag- plan, if you will. she looked especially miserable. I I azine if you didn’t care tremen- Remember that people and equip- was concerned, and I asked her why dously about your own — and your ment are fallible. And when something she didn’t just stay home. “I really family’s — safety. goes wrong with either one, God for- don’t think it’s a good idea for you to I have to imagine that you have a bid that’s the first time you’ve thought go today,” I told her. plan in place should the worst come about what comes next. She didn’t even hesitate in her re- to pass and that you own and carry (or You already know that the bad guy sponse: “Dad, I can’t not go. My team at least are considering owning and doesn’t care if you’re sick or if you’re is counting on me.” As much as I carrying) a firearm as part of that plan. just trying to enjoy a nice meal with wanted to argue that they’d under- But what happens when things don’t your family or if you’re a new mom or if stand, she had a point: She was slat- go according to plan? you left your gun at home. A critical in- ed to be on the bottom of the pyramid What happens when you’re sick cident is all about surprise (or at least in one of the routines. and the last thing on earth So what happened? you want to do is holster your She showed up. She was firearm for a quick trip to the miserable, but she showed pharmacy? Do you suck it up THE TRUTH IS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A PLAN, up. and holster that firearm any- THINGS CAN STILL GO SOUTH — AND FAST. And when it comes to way? “ being your family’s ultimate What happens when your protector, you must show up primary firearm doesn’t function prop- that’s what the bad guy is counting too. erly? Do you know (and have you on), so the more you can do to miti- Yes, you should keep your gun practiced) how to perform malfunc- gate that element” of surprise by hav- clean and in good working condition-clearing sequences? ing a plan (and a backup plan), the tion. You should test your ammo and What happens when you’re in an better off you’re going to be. practice your malfunction drills. You unfamiliar city and the five-star restau- Remember, too, that you must al- should consider carrying a backup. rant you had planned to check out ways show up ready to win. When the You should carry your firearm when- has a “no firearms” sign posted on the stakes are life-or-death, losing is sim- ever and wherever you can, even if main entrance door? Do you sacrifice ply not an option. you feel terrible or it’s late and you’re a gourmet meal in exchange for some- I’ll never forget what happened a only running out of the house “for a thing adequate at the gun-friendly joint few years ago that really drove this second.” down the street? point home for me. My daughter Da- But none of that matters if you don’t What happens when you run out of gny, who’s been performing with a lo- show up. So do it. Show up, no matter ammo? Do you carry a spare maga- cal tumbling troupe for most of her life, what. People are counting on you. zine — or a spare gun? was slated for a big out-of-town event. The truth is, even if you have a plan, She was, to put it mildly, not feeling things can still go south — and fast. well for the few days leading up to the And so I’m asking whether or not you competition.

6 www.USCCA.com | August/September

EDITOR’S SHOT by Kevin Michalowski

TWO IS ONE, ONE IS NONE et’s assume you have heard the old tioning. Maybe you have saying, “Two is one. One is none.” run out of ammunition. L I first heard it from noted firearms Maybe the primary gun trainer Clint Smith as he talked about broke. Maybe you dropped flashlights. My first reaction was some- that primary gun or lost it in a thing along the lines of, “Oh, great. Now struggle. That backup gun can I have to carry two of everything.” be any type, style or caliber of firearm. It But, as is usually the case, Smith can be big or small. It is simply the next made some very compelling arguments. gun you will grab to help you end the I can’t say that he convinced me to car- fight. That is the extent of my definition ry two flashlights everywhere I go, but I of a backup gun. secure than it is that your gun is really certainly added an extra light to my duty Now, let’s talk about the practicality of rapidly accessible. Yes, you want to be gear when working as a police officer. Of actually carrying two firearms with you able to get to it and get it into action, but course, after you start thinking about a everywhere you go. Carrying one gun is you must ensure your gun is where you backup flashlight, the next logical step is difficult enough; now you have to answer put it if you ever need to reach for it. a discussion of a backup gun. all the same questions and overcome all the same problems knowing that your DOUBLE THE COMMITMENT IS IT A NEED OR A WANT? primary firearm already takes your favor- Carrying a second gun effectively If we are doing the math, you are likely ite, most comfortable and most accessi- doubles your requirement for pistol train- to never need a backup gun. But if you ble place to carry a gun. ing and practice. If your gun is of a dif- are involved in a gunfight and your day Settling on where and how you are ferent style, make or size, you now have goes from terrible (the fact that you are going to carry that second gun should to learn to shoot two different guns ef- in a gunfight automatically makes it ter- only be done after careful consideration fectively. You must remember which gun rible) to infinitely more terrible because and practice. Please go through a com- you have in your hands under stress. the gun in your hand suddenly stops prehensive trial-and-error process as Don’t laugh; if you only ever train with working, statistics mean nothing. And I you look for just the right location and your revolver and you suddenly REALLY certainly don’t want your final thought on method. Don’t just strap on an ankle hol- need a backup, will you remember that this earth to be, “Kevin Michalowski said ster and call it good. With an unloaded you just pulled out a micro 9mm auto? I would likely never need a backup gun. gun, practice accessing and engaging Does it have a manual safety? Is there He’s an idiot.” targets with your backup gun. Do this a round in the chamber? Are the sights In reality, you want a backup gun from compromised positions because, the same? All these factors make a dif- because you realize that someday you let’s face it, when you need your backup ference at a time when you need a near- might need a backup gun. The list of gun, chances are really good things will ly automated response. Train. Practice. reasons that might lead to this need is not be going as planned. Train some more. long and varied, so we won’t get into that Carrying a backup gun adds another right now. Instead, let’s try to define what SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS level of complexity to your daily routine. a backup gun really is. Adding an extra gun to your EDC kit Make sure you are ready, willing and Your backup gun is an alternate means you’re responsible for twice as able before you bet your life on it. means of defense that you will employ many firearms. Take the need for weap- when your primary means of defense on security seriously. Remember, it is is, for whatever reason, no longer func- more important that your backup gun is

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■ THE CONCEPT OF A “BACKUP PLAN”may be the only area of self-defense that really is best summed up with clichés: • “It’s better to have a gun and not need it than need a gun and not have it.” • “The body can’t go where the mind’s never been.” • “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Emergencies have a nasty habit of happening when we least expect them, and rarely do circumstances cooperate with whatever plans we’ve laid out ahead of time. This is why training — physically and mentally — is the cornerstone of the responsibly armed lifestyle and the responsibly prepared worldview. We carry concealed in case we’re ever faced with the kind of disaster that requires an immediate deadly force response, but that’s only one component of what we do. Just as important as the ability to put WHAT bullets where you want them to go is the ability to mentally step outside of your current life and game out the kinds of situations you may be forced to face. Like the aforementioned clichés, it’s hard to argue with one of NOW? Mom’s favorites: “An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure.”

With Kevin Michalowski TRAIN FOR THE POSSIBILITY, NOT THE PROBABILITY Get your insider information every week with the Into the Fray video series found exclusively at: www.IntoTheFrayVideo.com OSPREY ® by DeSantis WE DIDN’T INVENT CONCEALMENT, WE JUST PERFECTED IT!™

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DESANTISHOLSTER.COM Premium Leather MADE IN THE U.S.A. OWB/IWB Holster ASK THE USCCA

QUESTION: Thanks for your arti- ing in that email where you live? Let’s glass, stun gun or TASER or any other cle on the use of the collapsible baton maybe jump back even farther: Do dangerous or deadly weapon or in- (“Baton Basics,” Page 94, February/ you possess a valid concealed carry strument of like character.” March 2018), but you never answered permit? Huh? the question everyone needs to know: All joking aside, as much as I love So, it’s illegal to carry a collapsible Namely, are they legal? And, of course, helping CCM’s readers, there’s really baton with the intent to use the same that leads to the next question: Would only so much I can do for you from unlawfully against another. (Empha- I be covered by USCCA insurance if I where I’m sitting. But I’m 100 percent sis mine.) use mine? I keep seeing the phrase, “If up to the challenge, Jim. First, I’ll do a Now I’m no [location redacted] na- you have to use any legal weapon” … quick little spot of online stalking and tive, but I’ve spent a halfway decent so what? I can use a baseball bat and see if I can figure out where you live. amount of time in your county over still be covered but not my collapsible Ah! There you are! the years and specifically with- baton? We need to know! Now, I’ll Google “collapsible batons in its biggest city. From the Thanks for all you do, legal [state or municipality redacted interactions I’ve had and Jim, via email for your privacy]” for you. seen with some of the Nope … it would appear that a col- law enforcement offi- ANSWER: Oh, boy. lapsible baton would violate the “Un- cers in that county I’m afraid that asking me whether lawful Use of Weapons” statute your and especially batons are “legal” is like asking me state has enacted, but perhaps not in that city, whether a gun is “legal.” surprisingly, it’s pretty vague even by Is it legal for you to possess one in statutory standards. your municipality, county and state of It reads that, “A person commits the residence? Is it legal for you to be in offense of unlawful use of weapons possession of any weapon? Is it legal when he knowingly: … carries or for you to consult your state statutes possesses with intent to use the or, even better for a real-world answer, same unlawfully against an- your local sheriff’s office in order to as- other, a dagger, dirk, billy, certain whether an item is legal in your dangerous knife, razor, area rather than email a magazine edi- stiletto, broken bottle tor for information without even includ- or other piece of

■ SPECIFIC LAWS and statutes are often more than just different from place to place; they can be so different as to make what is legally protected behavior in one area a felony in another. It’s up to you and the lawyer with whom you’re BATONING A DEAD HORSE (hopefully) already in contact to figure out exactly what you can and cannot do. WINDY RESPONSE

12 www.USCCA.com | August/September ❚ TO SUBMIT A QUESTION TO “ASK THE USCCA,” EMAIL US AT [email protected].

PRESIDENT & CEO Tim Schmidt EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kevin Michalowski I would not relish A collapsible baton, a set of brass MANAGING EDITOR the idea of trying to knuckles, nunchucks, throwing stars or Jared Blohm explain to them why a ballistic knife? SENIOR EDITOR the weapon I was carry- I’m afraid you’d be out of luck, as Ed Combs ing was, in fact, legal rather those are not legal weapons where you CREATIVE DIRECTOR than illegal as they claimed. live. Ken Wangler Even worse, the fact that I prefer my The interesting part would begin ART DIRECTOR Dusty Reid hot dogs with neither celery salt nor an were a machete-waving home invader entire dill pickle spear laid across the to force entry into your residence and COPY CHIEF Carla Dickmann top would likely land me in even deeper knock you to the floor, breaking your PHOTOGRAPHERS trouble with the local cops. Were I to slip bottle of Malört in the process, and then Ken Wangler • Dusty Reid up and mention that I am of the opinion explicitly state that he intended to kill COLUMNISTS pizza is supposed to be flat and porta- you. John Caile • Sarah Campisi • Ed Combs ble rather than 3 inches high and basi- Were you to pick up the neck of that George Harris • K.L. Jamison, ESQ. • Mark Kakkuri cally a lasagna prepared by someone broken bottle and use it to defend your Tamara Keel • Alan Korwin • Anthony Lambert Duncan Mackie • Dan Marcou who’d only had Italian food explained to life, I would imagine that even a locale Kevin Michalowski • Rick Sapp • Tim Schmidt him or her in a foreign language, I might such as yours would have a hard time CONTRIBUTING WRITERS even end up in one of those blacked- finding a DA that would insist you be Kat Ainswoth • Bob Campbell • Chris Cerino out, off-site detention centers that hit the prosecuted under the aforementioned Ed Combs • Michael Janich • Bradley Lewis national news a few months back. legal provision. Schuyler P. Robertson • C.R. Williams But I’m getting blown way off course To me, all of this is proof of how es- Published for USCCA by: here. sential your SHIELD coverage really is. As for whether the USCCA would be You, standing alone against your county able to come through with your Self-De- or state trying to articulate why it was, fense SHIELD coverage in the event in fact, legal for you to defend yourself 1000 Freedom Way of you justly defending yourself with a with a collapsible baton is a nightmare West Bend, WI 53095 collapsible baton in an area where the scenario in my mind. You need a lawyer. MEMBER SERVICES possession of such a thing is — at least Stay safe, (877) 677-1919 [email protected] in the minds of a good number of cops Ed Combs and other employees of the justice sys- Associate Editor FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CONTACT: tem — illegal, unfortunately, as a busi- Bruce Wolberg ness entity, we have to stick to the letter (715) 445-8722 or (715) 281-4075 of the law. So, yes, were you to fight off [email protected] an attacker with a baseball bat, a piece ADVERTISING COORDINATOR of half-inch rebar, a pool cue, a curtain Carol Busse (262) 806-0117 rod, a chair leg, a table leg, a Civil-War- [email protected] era wooden leg, a turkey leg or your Concealed Carry Magazine (USPS: 022-302, own living leg, we would be able to pro- ISSN: 1550-7866), Volume 15, Issue 6, vide for your legal defense as long as AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 Issue. Published 8 times a year, monthly, except combined issues: Feb/Mar; May/ the other elements of the incident met June; Aug/Sept; and Nov/Dec. By Delta Defense, LLC, BATONING A DEAD HORSE the standards established by the agree- 1000 Freedom Way, West Bend, WI 53095. Periodicals ment between you and the USCCA. postage paid at Jackson, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Concealed Carry Magazine, 1000 Freedom Way, West Bend, WI 53095

Signed articles in Concealed Carry Magazine reflect the views of the author, and are not necessarily the views of the editors at Delta Defense, LLC. Concealed Carry Magazine and the U.S. Concealed Carry Association are registered trademarks of Delta Defense, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2004-2018 by Delta Defense, LLC. Reproduction, copying, or distribution of Concealed Carry Magazine is prohibited without written permission. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

■A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR ■FROM SLICK FINISH TO SICK FINISH a case is as follows: If you come upon Kevin, What is with the texture of the maga- such a scene and you’re willing to bet Just wanted to let you know I really zine cover (May/June 2018)? I couldn’t your life as a non-incarcerated person enjoyed the article about downsizing even open it up to see if there was a rea- that the person you’re considering de- in Concealed Carry Magazine (“Down- son why it was made this way. Before I fending is not the predominant aggres- sizing,” Page 12, May/June 2018). The will be able to read this month’s edition, sor (as I’m certain you would be, since content and information provided [were] I will have to cover it with something. It’s this is your wife we’re talking about), you very useful and interesting. But, more the weirdest texture I have ever seen. I would be entirely legally — and I would importantly, I appreciated the manner hope this is a one-time thing and you go say morally — justified in using the in which you addressed Staff Sergeant back to the shiny cover for next month. If amount of force necessary to stop the James Turner’s question. you are doing a test edition to see what attack without putting yourself at undue Your response to his question, as well your readers think, put me down for I risk of injury. as pointing out his error, was done in a don’t like it. All of that said, a sexual assault is very thoughtful and professional man- Sharon, via email an extremely dynamic scene, and the ner. You did it without trying to overem- attacker is, by nature, very close to the phasize his error or embarrass him. Thank you for the note, Sharon, and victim. Before you shoot, you’d better After I read your first sentence in your I am sorry you were not happy with the be dang sure you won’t also be shoot- response, I immediately gained respect cover coating. From time to time, we ing your wife. Atop that, there’s the legal for you, which caused me to finish read- change the cover texture as an aesthetic mess of what happens if the attacker ing the article as well as do more re- element to highlight our award-winning gets off your wife; as soon as he does search about you. photography. It was an artistic choice, and he is not holding a weapon, your Thanks again for your very thoughtful and all such choices are open to debate ability to legally apply deadly force to and professional manner in which you and interpretation. Again, I am sorry you him ceases, as it does if he attempts to handled your response to his question. didn’t like it. surrender. Respectfully, Thanks again for your input. Covers Everyone has different physical abil- Jeff, via email aside, I hope you continue to enjoy the ities, but when I ran my response past contents of Concealed Carry Magazine Executive Editor Kevin Michalowski, he ■THE WHEEL DEAL for years to come. mentioned that catching a rapist mid-at- Reading the [May/June 2018] issue Kevin Michalowski tack is one of the times that blunt ob- of Concealed Carry Magazine, I was Executive Editor jects, such as batons and sticks, are delighted to read Mark Kakkuri’s articles often very effective for stopping the at- on the two guns I carry: the Ruger LCR ■DEADLY SERIOUS QUESTION tack and are far safer when it comes to (“Revolver Evolved,” Page 24) and the Dear sirs, ensuring you do not inadvertently injure S&W 3-inch 686 Plus (“Lucky 7,” Page Heaven forbid, but here’s my ques- the victim. 64). The LCR is the gun I carry the most, tion: Hypothetically, if I were to catch an Stay safe, and heaven forbid indeed. CUSTOM HOLSTERS as it takes hardly any time to attach the intruder in the act of raping my wife in Ed Combs HANDCRAFTED IN AMERICA. one-clip IWB holster to my belt and stick our backyard beside our pool, is it rea- Associate Editor LightTuck™, meet tight tuck. a speed strip in my watch pocket. The sonable to shoot or do I have to give 686 Plus, while twice the LCR’s weight, warning? Keep in mind that I said “in the ■THE GOOD SHEPHERD Now the LightTuck Kydex IWB QUICK SHIPPING is quite doable for carry, as its dimen- act.” As a longtime member of the USCCA, from Vedder will feature our optional SHIP WITHIN 2-3 BUSINESS DAYS. sions are similar to the 1911s many of Jim, via email I was very surprised and pleased read- Claw attachment, designed to pull us carry. ing your April 2018 Member Profile on the gun closer to your body for even One caveat though: While the LCR’s Well, Jim, the pretty-much-nation- Father John Hines (Page 118). I really 250+ GUN MODELS better concealment. The Claw can WITH 75+ COLOR CHOICES. Hogue “Tamer” grips and 17.1-ounce al-standard for use of deadly force never gave it much thought about oth- weight make it more resistant to recoil states that in order to employ a level of er religious people carrying concealed. also be attached to any existing than most of the five-shot J-frames out force that you could reasonably expect My everyday carry is a Glock 19, Gen LightTuck model. Who says you LIFETIME WARRANTY there, some of the .38 +P loadings from to inflict death or great bodily harm, you 4, IWB with a simple trigger guard. As a can’t improve on perfection. ON ALL PRODUCTS. companies such as Underwood and must only do so in order to prevent or Somali Civil War combat veteran, retired Buffalo Bore can be quite stout for the stop the target of that force from inflict- Army officer and ordained minister, I’m more recoil-sensitive. By comparison, ing death or great bodily harm on an in- glad to know I’m not alone. the 686 Plus is downright fun to shoot, nocent party. Rev. Dr. Bob M., PhD. and I’d carry mine more often if it wasn’t Rape absolutely, positively meets for the LCR being so easy to pack. the standard of “death or great bodi- Robert, via email ly harm.” A decent way to weigh such

14 www.USCCA.com | August/September

006535 Vedder Concealed Carry FullPage FEB-Claw v1.indd 1 2/6/18 1:33 PM CUSTOM HOLSTERS HANDCRAFTED IN AMERICA. LightTuck™, meet tight tuck. Now the LightTuck Kydex IWB QUICK SHIPPING from Vedder will feature our optional SHIP WITHIN 2-3 BUSINESS DAYS. Claw attachment, designed to pull the gun closer to your body for even 250+ GUN MODELS better concealment. The Claw can WITH 75+ COLOR CHOICES. also be attached to any existing LightTuck model. Who says you LIFETIME WARRANTY can’t improve on perfection. ON ALL PRODUCTS.

006535 Vedder Concealed Carry FullPage FEB-Claw v1.indd 1 2/6/18 1:33 PM BATTLE BLADES

COLD STEEL SRK & SURVIVAL EDGE IF ALL SRK IN SK-5 STEEL — $69.99 SRK IN 3V STEEL — $254.99 ELSE FAILS SURVIVAL EDGE — $39.99 ■ THOUGH WE ALL LOVE our EDC folders, when mitigating a serious emergency (or facing a serious cutting task), few of us would argue against a quality fixed-blade knife. These units from Cold Steel cover a lot of ground, from an excellent starter knife for the budding preparedness enthusiast all the way up to the SRK, one of the more respected and tested hard-use small Bowies on the planet. In its premium configuration, the SRK — Survival/Rescue Knife — is the knife issued to Navy SEAL Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL school candidates, and not much more could be said about a blade. The Survival Edge is ideal for daypacks and other grab-and-go situations, specifically when you’re not expecting earth- shattering tasks and you want the security of a little extra insurance in your knife’s handle. Fishing line, wire, compass — it’s a very compact survival kit in and of itself. For other worst-case survival and fighting tools, visit coldsteel.com for additional models and plenty of demo vids.

16 www.USCCA.com | August/September

IN THE 10-RING

TRIUMPH TARGET SYSTEMS HOLD YOUR FIRE ■ WHEN YOU TRAIN — or when you train your students — to consistently draw, fire, assess and reholster, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that you or your students reliably draw, fire, assess and reholster every time hand meets gun. The only problem with that is the fortunate reality that most things on this planet don’t need to get shot. Integrating “don’t shoot” targets into your training regimen is one of the wisest investments you can make. Double-sided targets such as this one from Triumph Systems (Triumph-Systems.com) are designed for use on that company’s Pivotal Trainer target system but can be just as effectively put to use in a turn-and-shoot context or other training environments. These are especially effective in that the only difference between the “shoot” and “don’t shoot” sides is what the pictured subject is holding. If your “shoot” target is always the man in the overalls and your “don’t shoot” target is always the woman in the white blouse, all of a sudden your students aren’t looking at hands; they’re looking at clothes. When the stakes are as high as they are in a real-world "shoot/don’t shoot" crisis, it pays to have trained in as realistic a fashion as possible. MSRP: $7.25 (DOUBLE-SIDED)

18 www.USCCA.com | August/September

TRUE STORIES Compiled by Duncan Mackie BREAK IT UP! IT BREAK

ILLINOIS GUN OWNER USES AR-15 TO STOP KNIFE ATTACK ■ Hearing an altercation outside his apartment, a Chicago man looked out his door to see several men, one of whom was armed with a knife and another bleeding from a knife wound, in a fight in the building's hallway. The resident retrieved his legally owned AR-15 and confronted the men, ordering them to stop. The assailant fled the scene, only to be captured by police later. The stabbing victim was hospitalized for his wounds. MRCTV.com

20 www.USCCA.com | August/September

TRUE STORIES Continued from Page 20

■NORTH CAROLINA MAN HOLDS ■WASHINGTON STATE HOMEOWNER FOILS BURGLARY BURGLAR AT GUNPOINT FOR POLICE A Ferndale homeowner armed himself with a pistol when he Hearing his usually quiet dog barking in his residence at went to investigate a loud banging noise around his home at 2 about 7:30 one Sunday morning, an Iredell man saw an un- a.m. He found a window broken on his garage and a strange known man in the outdoor sunroom trying to enter. Fearing for man nearby. The intruder promptly surrendered at the sight the safety of his fiancee and two daughters and still in his un- of the homeowner, who held the invader at gunpoint until po- derwear, the homeowner took up a .22-caliber bolt-action rifle lice arrived to arrest him on burglary and malicious mischief and confronted the intruder. On the homeowner’s demand, charges. the intruder stopped trying to break into the house and re- MyFerndaleNews.com, Washington mained passive while the resident called the police. The burglar was later charged with breaking and entering, posses- ■NORTH CAROLINA MAN DEFENDS sion of drugs and drug paraphernalia, and resisting an officer. AGAINST UNPROVOKED KNIFE ATTACK The Statesville Record & Landmark, North Carolina A Lenoir County man was checking his dog pens one day when his neighbor attacked him with a knife, badly slashing ■CALIFORNIA MAN SHOOTS HOME INVADER his side. The wounded man fired a shot that failed to stop his An early morning noise in a Stockton house prompted the attacker. After being slashed a second time, the victim fired resident to take up a gun when he went to investigate. Find- again, wounding the assailant in the shoulder and finally driving a strange man in his home, the homeowner confronted ing him off. Responding police arrested the attacker, whom the intruder, who threatened the owner and his family. Fearing witnesses described as being mentally unstable. for his life, the homeowner shot the intruder, who later died WITN.com, Greenville, North Carolina of his wounds. Police reported the incident to be a case of self-defense. ■UTAH MAN FIGHTS BACK AGAINST HOME INVADER KCRA-TV Channel 3, Stockton, California A Salt Lake City man was at home one evening when an acquaintance kicked in the front door of his residence and at- ■NORTH CAROLINA HOMEOWNER STOPS ARMED ROBBERY tacked him. The resident quickly retrieved a gun from a back A Raleigh homeowner was accosted by two armed men room and shot the intruder, hitting him in the leg and ending who demanded money. Responding with his own gun, the the attack. Investigators said the shooting was in self-defense. homeowner shot both robbers during a brief exchange of KSL.com, Salt Lake City gunfire that left one robber dead and the other seriously wounded. The homeowner’s 11-year-old son was also seri- ■TEXAS LIQUOR STORE CLERK SHOOTS ATTACKER ously injured in the incident. An acquaintance of a San Antonio liquor store employee ABC 11-TV, Raleigh, North Carolina came to the store and started an argument. When things turned hostile, the employee told the man repeatedly to back ■FLORIDA HOMEOWNER FIGHTS OFF ASSAILANTS away. Rather than comply, the instigator cornered the employ- A Hudson man was accosted at his home by several men ee and disregarded repeated demands to back off. At that who yelled at him and broke several of his windows. The point, cornered and fearing for his life, the employee drew a homeowner called police, then took up a gun and ordered the pistol and fired on the assailant, killing him. Police said the men to leave. When one of the group charged him, the home- shooter would not face charges for the self-defense shooting. owner fired several shots at the attacker, hitting him once and KENS-TV Channel 5, San Antonio putting all to flight. WFLA-TV Channel 8, Tampa, Florida ■WISCONSIN CCW HOLDER STOPS EARLY MORNING CARJACKING ■NEW MEXICO MAN DEFENDS AGAINST A 21-year-old man held a 24-year-old Milwaukee concealed KNIFE-WIELDING BURGLAR carry permit holder at gunpoint in a carjacking attempt. For- At about 9 one morning, when an Albuquerque couple tunately, the concealed carrier was armed, and he used his went to check on a house they were preparing to sell, they pistol to defend himself by firing on the robber, killing him. The found an unknown man had broken into the property. A scuf- shooter stayed at the scene, cooperated with investigators fle broke out between the property owner’s boyfriend and the and voluntarily gave them a statement. His assailant, despite burglar, during which the burglar drew a knife and slashed at his youth, was already a felon twice over for felony battery the boyfriend’s face. That’s when the boyfriend drew his legal- and burglary. ly carried pistol and fired on the burglar, wounding him, and Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee held him for police. The shooter, who was defending himself, is facing no charges, while the assailant is facing charges of aggravated assault and aggravated burglary. KOB-TV Channel 4, Albuquerque

22 www.USCCA.com | August/September CBH_USCCA_MainStreetAd.pdf 1 9/1/16 3:38 PM BENCH REPORT by Mark Kakkuri

■ THOUGH IT OFTEN FLIES below the radar, the Ruger LC9s, a small, easily carried single-stack 9mm, is worth a close look.

RUGER LC9s CONCEALED COMPANION 24 www.USCCA.com | August/September CONCEALED COMPANION August/September | www.USCCA.com 25 sk your average gun-store coverage of every gun. Rather, it is to nect concept. I happen to like it, as it clerk to rattle off a few of the forward a report about how excellent gives me one more option to render the A top-selling carry guns, and he a carry gun the LC9s is, regardless of gun safe. As for the thumb safety, same or she will probably include the likes of whether it gets a lot of attention. Spoil- story: It’s an added step to complete the Glock 43, SIG P365 and S&W Shield. er alert though: You should pay atten- before the gun will fire, but it’s also … I’m guessing you might list those as tion to this gun. an added step to complete before the well. I don’t know if those three are actu- Ruger’s Lightweight Compact 9mm gun will fire. ally the top-selling carry guns — I’m just (hence the “LC9” designation) used Second, the Ruger LC9s boasts an speculating — but my next request for a to have a hammer and firing pin. Now impeccable record of reliability. I have gun salesperson would be to show me Ruger manufacturers it with a striker. loaded magazines with every variant of some of the guns that are unknown or (Hence the “LC9s” designation.) In ei- 9mm cartridge I could find — everything underrated. My guess — speculation, ther case, it is every bit a “slim 9” as from whatever randoms were in my ac- again — is he or she will pull out some any. At 0.9 inches wide, it’s thin. At 17.2 tual bucket labeled “9mm” to the best of the offerings from Ruger. ounces in weight, it’s light. At 4.5 inch- self-defense loads available. Add my Every now and again, someone es in height and 6 inches in length, it’s buddy’s reloads, and every round fed, finds out about my compact. The frame fired and ejected without issue. Maga- gun-writing gig and is made of high-per- zines went in and out, seating and re- asks my opinion formance, glass- leasing perfectly every time. The thumb about what I con- I HARDLY EVER filled nylon with a safety never faltered. I hardly ever clean sider good, popu- CLEAN THE THING, checkered texture. the thing, and it just keeps firing. lar carry guns. I too “ It is grippable and Third, Ruger LC9s boasts amazing AND IT JUST rattle off some of feels solid and tough accuracy. This gun is more than just the aforementioned KEEPS FIRING. — not plasticky. The “combat effective” (often code of sorts models, and then he LC9s retails for $479 for “not the world’s most accurate gun”) or she always asks and, as such, rep- at normal self-defense distances; I can what I actually carry. That’s when I bring resents one of the greatest values in nail the round steel silhouettes of a du- up the Ruger LC9s. The next question concealed carry today. Here are four eling tree at 7 yards with ease. In fact, a is usually some variation of, “Why didn’t” reasons why: particular steel target on a rusty dueling you mention it at first?” And my answer First, the Ruger LC9s boasts an tree wouldn’t swing around when I hit it is usually that I’m not sure the very ex- array of safety features, including a squarely in its center. So I aimed just a cellent Ruger LC9 (in any of its variants) frame-mounted thumb safety, integrat- bit wider to generate a bit more lever- qualifies as a popular gun. ed trigger safety, inspection port (to age, and — “pling” — the target swung I mean, people who know guns know preliminarily check if there’s a round in all the way around as it should have. Ruger, so it’s not like the company it- the chamber; clearing a gun is still al- That’s a micro adjustment in aim. self is unknown. It’s just that the LC9s ways up to whoever’s holding it) and a Fourth, the Ruger LC9s is customiz- doesn’t seem to get the same coverage magazine disconnect. None of those able and accessorizable. Don’t like the as the others. Ruger also manufacturers need much comment except for the flush-fit magazine? Swap it out for one an EC9, which is very similar. thumb safety and the magazine discon- with a place for a pinky. Want to change This Bench Report isn’t about level- nect. People seem to have a love/hate out the sights? Go for it. Want to add ing the publicity field and ensuring fair relationship with the magazine discon- a laser? You can. And, as for holsters, there’s only about a bazillion available — IWB, OWB, pocket, ankle and so on. If that sounded like a report about a HOW I CARRY THE LC9s gun that does everything it should, such The LC9s gets straight A’s in safety, reliability and accuracy, which means we that it borders on boring, then you’ve should take a moment to discover some of the best means of carrying this gun gotten the right idea. And so you can concealed. My favorite holsters include a plastic MultiHolster for IWB carry at 4 see how this gun might be talked up less o’clock, a plastic Blade Tech Klipt for IWB carry at 1 o’clock and a leather De- and therefore underrated. But, really: Santis Mini Scabbard for OWB carry at 5 o’clock. This gun also carries well in an So what if it doesn’t get mentioned with Undertech Tank Top or in a Falco Breathable Belly Band Holster, but I’ve even some of the others? On its own merits, carried it very successfully in a Versacarry ZeroBulk Holster, usually at 3 o’clock. this is a fantastic carry gun and an out- I invariably carry at least one reload (and usually two) in a Galco Double Mag rageous value. As such, it is one of my Carrier at 8 o’clock, which balances me out and equips me with a total of 22 highest-rated guns for concealed carry. rounds of 9mm. Both of the extra magazines sport the extended baseplate, while the magazine in the gun has the flush-fitting magazine.

26 www.USCCA.com | August/September MICRO 9™ BEL AIR POLISHED PERFORMANCE

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KIM_2017_M9_BelAir_GA.indd 1 5/4/17 2:48 PM DRILL OF THE MONTH by Ed Combs

his issue’s selection from the Burnett Live Fire Drill Cards training system T is simply called “The Test Drill,” and it comes our way via highly respected trainers Larry Vickers and Ken Hackathorn. When everything’s gone wrong enough that you’re drawing and firing your sidearm in an effort to preserve innocent life, the name of the game is accuracy and precision. All talk about “combat accuracy” aside, you’re going to need to put your rounds where you need them to go. Misses can mean a threat that isn’t stopped or, even worse, an innocent party struck by a bullet you fired. You need to be able to shoot fast, yes, but you need to be able to shoot accurately if you intend to be the one stopping the disaster rather than contributing to it. To run this drill, all you need is your carry sidearm, 10 rounds, a timer and Live Fire Drill Cards Target T-020, an NRA B8- style target or something similar. Set your target at chest-level on your target stand and set your firing line at 10 yards out. When the timer signals you to begin, draw and fire all 10 rounds, only counting hits to the 9-ring and better as “hits.” The given “par” in the Live Fire Drill Cards system is 10 seconds, but as always, never mess around timing yourself until you’ve mastered the fundamentals necessary to successfully pass the drill at a relaxed pace. Speed will come with competency, and if you start pushing yourself too early, all you’ll do is demoral- ize yourself and train unsuccessful, slop- py skills into your skill set. A “passing” score is 10 hits in the 9-ring or better in 10 seconds, though that’s a lot more time than you might think. Whichev- er kind of target you’re using, your goal is to land all 10 rounds in the approximately 6-inch-wide ring, which becomes a lot more achievable as you diligently rack up trips to the range. Hit up Live Fire Drill Cards on Face- POP book or Instagram @livefiredrillcards. To peruse the complete selection of drills and targets in the Handgun Training Log System, visit livefiredrillcards.com. QUIZTHE TEST DRILL

28 www.USCCA.com | August/September DOTM-JAN-2018.pdf 1 12/11/17 1:15 PM

CMY

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: livefiredrillcards.com/downloads

August/September | www.USCCA.com 29 LEGISLATIVE NEWS by Rick Sapp

■ MAINE: THE ‘ME TOO’ STATE? that they are not a risk to the communi- islation that he believes “would help Mark Dion, a lawyer and first-term ty. They are, in essence, forced to dis- prevent gun violence and mass-shoot- Democratic state senator representing prove a negative. ing tragedies without infringing on the District 28 — Westbrook, a Portland NRAILA.org, MaineGunSafety.org, rights of people who hunt or use fire- suburb, sponsored LD 1884, “An Act to MaineSenate.org, PressHerald.com arms for protection.” Create a Community Protection Order His bill would, he says, “empower to Allow Courts to Prevent High-Risk In- ■ PENNSYL-MANIA family members to petition a court to dividuals From Possessing Firearms.” Pennsylvania Senator Wayne Fon- temporarily suspend an individual’s ac- Dion’s bill would authorize Maine tana, a Democrat from Allegheny, has cess to firearms if [the family members] courts and cops to enforce an ERPO, circulated a “co-sponsorship memoran- can prove that the person is threat- an “extreme risk protection order.” dum” asking other senators to support ening.” We can assume that the legal ERPO legislation allows “protective or- his proposal to ban many commonly standard of proof under Fontana’s leg- ders” to be issued based on third-par- owned semi-automatic firearms and islation would be low: an angry sister ty allegations that an individual is standard-capacity magazines. And or ex-spouse, a waiter who claimed to or could be a risk to harm himself or that’s only the half of it… overhear a conversation at a bar, per- herself or other people. Such an order “It’s time for reasonable people to haps a neighbor who doesn’t like your would allow a Maine court to seize fire- find reasonable solutions,” Fontana mariachi music … the list is endless. arms from “high-risk individuals,” peo- preached, calling those of us who sup- Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Made- ple who, Dion indicated, “demonstrate port and defend the U.S. Constitution — leine Dean said, “Family and friends are a clear and consistent pattern of con- and therefore question the legality and often the first ones to see when a person cerning behavior.” After 21 days, the wisdom of his proposals — “extremists.” is in crisis. But if a firearm is involved, the individual could appear in court for a “We must take strong steps to pre- only recourse for many is to have a per- hearing. vent gun violence and mass shootings son involuntarily committed — a desig- “No law provides absolute protec- by banning combat-grade, semi-auto- nation that has lasting effects for some- tion, but that should not deter us from matic weapons from civilians,” he said. thing that may be a temporary issue. taking reasonable steps to address Fontana boasts that his legislation ERPOs are a compromise that will keep potential threats to our collective safe- would broaden the scope of what Penn- people safe, without harming the rest of ty,” Dion said. “This order presents the sylvania considers an “assault weapon” a person’s life as they work through their legislature with an opportunity to ad- and would ban more than 150 firearm crisis.” vance the public safety in a manner models. His legislation would also ban Well, we’ll see… that is both reasonable and compatible the sale and possession of magazines NRAILA.org, SenatorFontana.com, with the principle of self-protection that that hold more than 10 rounds of am- CeaseFirePA.org, PAHouse.com underscores the rationale of our state munition. Fontana declared that this constitutional right to bear arms.” ban would mirror a law enacted in Con- ■ ARKANSAS: PARTY LINE PARTY Dion also said, “Responsible gun necticut — one of the worst standing During the 2017 regular session of ownership is also about making sure infringements on Second Amendment the Arkansas Legislature, lawmakers we keep guns out of unsafe hands. rights in the nation. passed the state’s new concealed car- This bill provides an important pathway In an effort to justify his paycheck, ry law. Republican Rep. Charlie Collins, to de-escalate concerning behavior of Fontana claims (questionably and with of Fayetteville, sponsored Act 562 of a high-risk individual and intervene be- little more than anecdotal evidence) 2017. The bill allowed permit holders fore a tragedy occurs.” that Pennsylvania’s “law-abiding hunt- who have eight hours of “enhanced State ERPO bills are sweeping Dem- ers, sportsmen and gun enthusiasts” training” to carry guns in many public ocrat-controlled legislatures. (Minne- support him. venues, including college campuses sota is considering one now.) Such “Very few believe that assault weap- and government buildings. bills repudiate due process; police ons have any practical or rational use,” Act 562 included exemptions to keep can forcibly seize an accused individ- Fontana said. “Most also support limit- guns out of sports arenas, the state ual’s firearms based on any manner of ed efforts to keep firearms away from hospital and the University of Arkansas hearsay, anti-hunting or vegan strat- criminals and the mentally ill.” (In which for Medical Science campus. Although egy, family rumors, or even vindictive case the senator is once again abso- the rules went into effect on Sept. 1, the gossip. lutely wrong, as all “law-abiding hunt- Arkansas State Police was given an ad- “Respondents” must then prove, in ers, sportsmen and gun enthusiasts” ditional 120 days to design the training absolute violation of America’s funda- want to keep firearms out of the hands requirements for handgun owners who mental and long-standing “innocent of criminals and the mentally ill.) wanted to obtain the enhanced license. until proven guilty” legal philosophy, Fontana also introduced ERPO leg- Now, resolutions by Rep. Bob Ball-

30 www.USCCA.com | August/September inger, of Berryville (Dist. 97), and Sen- Four months later, in January 2017, at ing the transfer of a firearm to conduct ator Trent Garner, of El Dorado (Dist. the request of Montana House Speak- a background check of the recipient, to 27), both Republicans, would eliminate er Austin Knudsen, a Republican from hold the firearm for 10 days before re- the additional training requirements to Culbertson, Attorney General Fox wrote leasing it to the buyer and to require the acquire an enhanced concealed carry that the Missoula ordinance oversteps a recipient to possess a safety certificate license. Their proposal would allow Ar- state law that denies local governments and demonstrate safe handling. kansas gun owners to carry into bars any power that “affects the right to keep Now California Assemblyman Chris and restaurants, airports, state build- or bear arms.” One exception is that lo- Holden, a Democrat from Pasadena ings, the state capitol and on college cal governments may regulate the car- (where he formerly served as mayor), campuses — in short, the very places rying of concealed weapons. wants to prohibit gun raffles. in which homicidal gun violence so of- Missoula has an elected mayor and At best, says the NRA, Holden’s As- ten occurs. 12-member City Council. Although mu- sembly Bill 3199 is “a solution in search Fortunately, Senate Resolution 10 nicipal elections are, in theory, non-par- of a problem.” Raffle winners are still failed in March. Sponsored by Little tisan, the city has a reputation for being subject to background checks and the Rock Democrat Will Bond, it includ- far more liberal than the rest of the state. state’s 10-day waiting period. They are ed anti-gun language that sought to In fact, Missoula has 13 Democrats and also required to demonstrate safe han- roll back the personal-protection leg- just two Republicans in its state legisla- dling of the firearm and have a safety islation. SR 10 would have prohibited tive delegation. certificate. Transfers are made through law-abiding individuals with a valid The city has requested a judge to is- licensed firearm dealers. In short, the enhanced carry permit from carrying a sue a ruling that says the city ordinance new ban would target firearms transfers firearm for self-defense onto public col- is valid and enforceable, not pre-empt- that are already legally, peacefully hap- lege and university campuses. ed by state law. City officials believe pening between legal California resi- In Arkansas, two-thirds of the House their ordinance will close the “loophole” dents and approved, federally licensed and Senate are required to approve that allows people who are not allowed gun dealers. consideration of the measures during to own firearms — convicted felons or Sal Rodriguez, an editorial writer and the brief 30-day fiscal session since individuals with a record of mental insta- columnist for the southern California they are not budget bills. Every Arkan- bility — to possess them. News Group, has written, “If the point is sas Democrat opposes Ballinger and “It does not apply to or affect the right to keep guns out of the hands of people Garner and supports Resolution 10. to keep or bear arms, much like the who shouldn’t have them, maybe we USNews.com, ArkansasOnline.com, federal background check requirement should better enforce current laws that TalkBusiness.net, SourceWatch.org does not implicate the right to keep and already aim to do that? If the idea [is] to bear arms,” wrote city attorney Scott save lives, maybe we should pursue poli- ■ MONTANA: BIG SKY, LITTLE MINDS Stearns, of Boone-Karlberg P.C. cies that would actually do that instead of Missoula, a city of 73,000 people, Michael Bloomberg’s “gun-safety” wasting time on pointless bills like this?” has sued Montana Attorney Gener- advocacy group, Moms Demand Ac- After input from hundreds of individual Tim Fox. Missoula wants to expand tion, called the city ordinance a “com- als and organizations, Holden amended background checks to include private mon-sense” public safety measure. the bill to limit charitable organization gun sales. Fox has opined quite clearly “Missoula’s leaders know we don’t to “no more than three auctions, raf- that Missoula’s background check ordi- have to choose between supporting fles or similar events per year in which nance is prohibited by state law, and a the rights of law-abiding gun owners firearms, other than handguns, may be municipality simply cannot make laws in and closing dangerous gaps in our gun auctioned, raffled or otherwise sold…” violation of existing state law. laws, and they have our strong support Gun Owners of California has argued In September 2016, Missoula’s City as they work to prevent gun violence “this bill needs to go away and go away Council passed an ordinance requir- in our great city,” said Pamela Owen, a permanently because punishing the ing background checks on gun pur- spokeswoman for the Montana chapter. law-abiding for the misdeeds of the un- chases from private, unlicensed sell- NRAILA.org, BooneKarlberg.com, lawful will never have its intended con- ers, the only law of its kind in a state MomsDemandAction.org, sequence.” of a million people. While federal law USNews.com Amen, brother. requires background checks on gun HoldenForAssembly.com, purchases from licensed sellers, such ■ CALIFORNIA: POINTLESS, AS USUAL NRAILA.org, OCRegister.com, as gun stores, it is quite permissible for Existing California law requires the GunOwnersCA.com one neighbor to sell his gun to another transfer of a firearm to be conducted neighbor without local, state or federal through a licensed dealer. Existing law paperwork or taxation. also requires a licensed dealer process-

August/September | www.USCCA.com 31 GEAR WE LOVE

UNDERWOOD AMMUNITION Now that summer’s in full swing and millions of Americans are hitting the hiking trails again, defensive needs are likely changing as well. These solid- copper Xtreme Hunter .44 Magnum loads from Underwood Ammo are excellent defensive options for combating potential threats who walk on two (or four) legs. The cartridges, and the rest of the extensive Underwood line, are available at UnderwoodAmmo.com. MSRP: $42.50/20

32 www.USCCA.comTRAIL | August/September BOSS STREAMLIGHT PROTAC 2L-X MSRP: $85 “Tactical” lights that are extremely well-suited to patrol and home-defense use are often too large to effectively carry as part of your EDC, but this unit from Streamlight is ideal for belt or pocket carry. It’s a 500-lumen powerhouse with a programming system that allows for three different operating modes, and it can run on 123A or rechargeable cells. See it and the dizzying array of emergency lighting options available at Streamlight.com.

CELTIC HOLSTERS CLENS PROTECTOR MSRP: $14.99 SIG SAUER 365 AMMO FULL CELTIC For decades, the biggest drawback MSRP: $18.95/50 MSRP: $55 to live-fire training with your EDC or These cartridges are specifically This American-made tuckable IWB is weapon-mounted light was cleaning designed to match the recoil, velocity thin, comfortable, rugged and features it after you got home from the range. and point of impact you get from your a wide sight channel to accommodate THYRM solved this issue with its SIG Sauer V-Crown carry rounds. This steel combat sights. It’s adjustable CLENS system — sheets of adhesive functionally eliminates any difference for cant and ride height and ships appliqués that effectively cover the between how you shoot on the range with a lifetime warranty, and there lens of your light while on the firing and how you will shoot during an are dozens of options for Kydex color, line and then peel off without residue, emergency, bringing your training up leather styles and gun models. taking carbon and other fouling with to a level that was almost impossible Head to CelticHolsters.com them. They are available in multiple to achieve in the past. Find them to design your own. sizes at Thyrm.com. online at SIGSauer.com or at your local retailer.

HOLOSUN HE403C-GR ELITE MSRP: $254.11 This 2 MOA green-dot optic is ideal for those shooters who have an easier time acquiring and using a green dot than a red one. It mounts easily to a standard rail system and offers battery- and solar-powered modes, allowing the optic to run even without battery power in good lighting conditions. Visit HoloSun.com to get yours.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 33 ■ A BACKUP PLAN needs to include more than a second gun. When everything gets bad enough, you might be surprised how some people respond to an emergency.

(IN)BREAKDOWN IN THE ’BURBS ❚ BY ED COMBS SECURITY 34 www.USCCA.com | August/September ne of the most disturbing re- ty! What in the hell were they paying Oalities of self-defense is that those extremely high property taxes you are probably more likely to be for, anyway? attacked by someone who is known Power was out in their subdivision, to you than by a complete stranger. and the power was out at the grocery Nothing about that is pleasant. At store and gas stations closest to their best, it means that you may already exit from the highway, but other areas know your future attacker and may, of the city were mostly unaffected by therefore, have a better shot at de- the storm. The stores and stations fending yourself. At worst, it means that sold the food and fuel and oth- that if someone does attack you, it er commodities that the folks in this may be someone you trusted. neighborhood were accustomed to A large percent of those attacks buying were down for days on end, are related to household violence. but even a 30-minute drive away, life With as big a problem as domestic was rolling along like normal. battery is on this planet, it shouldn’t Then the unpleasantness started. be shocking that those numbers are No electricity meant no stoves, as driven by intra-household attacks. all of the homes had the most expen- But what about the rest of them? Not sive glass-top ranges money could to be flippant, but there’s a lot of room buy, and this was before the renais- between “awful husband” and “com- sance in cooking television that re-in- plete stranger.” troduced gas ranges to America’s Unfortunately, there’s a story here. trendiest kitchens. No stoves meant It’s a true story about a very nice outdoor cooking, and outdoor cook- neighborhood and a very nasty reality. ing meant liquid propane, since, of Some number of years ago, there course, everyone had the most lux- was a man who lived in a wealthy urious models of outdoor grills, none suburb of a very large American city. of which burned anything but LP. As He and his neighbors all fell about you can probably imagine, everyone even on the socioeconomic ladder: got tired of “playing picnic” after the mostly wealthy professional men with first night. mostly wealthy professional wives Speaking of cooking, no elec- and mostly high-achieving children tricity meant no food on hand after in high school or varying Big 10 uni- the first one or two days, since (as versities. They all lived mostly happy we all know) canned food is for the lives with ski boats and nice cars, and poor and no one in this subdivision they all mostly worried more about liked to eat anything but the finest losing those last 10 pounds than they and freshest of locally sourced worried about anything else. meats and vegetables. What was in Then there was a storm. the fridges wilted within 36 hours, and some families were eating sal- THE UGLY TRUTH sa sandwiches and finishing off the BREAKDOWN IN THE ’BURBS It wasn’t Hurricane Katrina or last box of crackers not much more even anything remotely similar, but it than a day after that. After all, no (IN) knocked power out for many blocks one wanted to look like some kind and for what turned out to be a long of crazed doomsdayer by keeping time. Well … it turned out to be a long an emergency supply of food in time by their standards at least. More the basement. They’d all learned than a week without electricity was their lesson with that embarrassing SECURITY not only a long time, it was a traves- “Y2K” nonsense. August/September | www.USCCA.com 35 LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN

Do bear in mind that all of this was way to keep everything fresh and ap- roofs over their warm, dry heads. You happening within a 20-minute drive of pealing to the average shopper. A de- might be stunned to learn how quickly grocery and hardware stores, but those cent argument could be made that were an individual can flip from “world’s nic- were 20 minutes few of them felt like the trucks to stop rolling into any Amer- est guy” into someone who, in a split spending after a long day at work or ican city for even a week, the societal second, will rationalize in his mind that school. They would begrudgingly refuel foundations of that city would crumble, what he’s doing is not only acceptable their vehicles at unfamiliar gas stations and its citizens would devolve into clan- but the right thing to do. Worse yet, any- and load up on gas station food while nish monsters, fighting to the death over one who would stand in his way would doing so, but then they’d hurry home to simple necessities like potable water not only be wrong, he or she would be … well, they weren’t sure why they were and food that wouldn’t make them sick. evil. He or she would be standing be- hurrying home. No television, no inter- Some of those statements are proba- tween him and what he is rightly owed net. They were going to have to make do bly accurate, and some of those state- and what he needs to keep his family with the phones they charged at work ments are probably exaggerations. One safe and healthy. all day and then ran almost dead every that you can take to the bank though We’re talking about backup plans in night watching cat videos on YouTube. is that after those few days discussed this issue, so you know what? I’m going Then the downright scariness started. above, most of those residents were to challenge you to initiate the organiza- After two days — 48 hours — cases probably wise to the errors they’d made tion of an extremely important emergen- of water and soft drinks started disap- and had already vowed to never get cy backup plan all too many ignore: an pearing from unlocked garages. Cylin- caught that short again. investment in your surrounding human ders of propane started walk- beings. ing away from grills in fenced Make that apology you’ve backyards. Neighbors, some known for years you really ought of whom had known each LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD OF to make. Engage neighbors with other for more than a decade, CRISIS MITIGATION, IT’S A LOT EASIER TO whom you’ve never spoken. Get began to steal fuel and pota- “ to know the people who surround HANDLE THIS NOW THAN LATER. ble water from each other. you and become more than nod- Two days. Not a month, not in-the-morning acquaintances. a week. Forty-eight hours. Sadly, I’d be willing to bet you a thou- Settle any old scores and make it clear This neighborhood wasn’t even fac- sand dollars in cash that fewer than half to your neighbors (if you have any) that ing hardship yet. They’d barely dipped of them followed” through on that vow. you’re there for them. Socialize. You defi- their toes into inconvenience, and yet People remember this kind of thing, but nitely shouldn’t broadcast your status they were already raiding each other’s often not for very long. as a gun owner or any emergency pre- properties for essentials. More repul- paredness measures you’ve taken, but sively, they were doing so when they AMNESIA? you should let your neighbors know that were only a 20-minute drive from where If you steal from a neighbor, he will you’re not a standoffish, raise-the-draw- the rest of their city was humming nor- likely never forget it. If you threaten a bridge kind of household either. mally along. neighbor, he will likely always remem- Because you know what? ber. However, if you help a neighbor, It’s a lot easier to turn on the man to MENTAL GYMNASTICS there’s a decent chance that he’ll forget whom you’ve never spoken than the man Before hopping the fence, the neigh- about it within a few months. who you have over for beers and burg- bor who stole that first cylinder of LP Why? ers on football Sundays. It’s a lot easier made about half a dozen rationaliza- Plenty of people love to talk about to maintain a community during a crisis tions in about an eighth of a second. how they live in a good town filled with when you don’t have to wear name tags. The moment that he realized his pro- good people. They love to talk about Most importantly, it’s a lot easier to keep pane cylinder was empty, he’d already Christian charity and compassion for you and yours safe, fed and housed decided that he was headed next door their neighbors and how sympathetic when everyone else understands that to steal one from his neighbor because, they are to others. They will regale you though they’re not all necessarily in the well, he’d think up a reason. Humans with tales of how nice they were to the same boat, they’re all definitely in the are frighteningly good at that. homeless or share photos they took of same flotilla. There’s an old saying that any soci- themselves raking leaves for the unfor- Like everything else in the world of cri- ety is “four missed meals away from tunate. Some of them are legit selfless sis mitigation, it’s a lot easier to handle anarchy.” It can be hard to refute; the altruists, but some of them aren’t. this now than later. average grocery store has no more than I hate to say it, but a good number a few days’ worth of anything on hand of them are all about selflessness and and often far less, as there’s no other altruism when they have full bellies and

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IT’S IT’S FILED J UST THE LAW | LAW THE UST AWAY MATTERS OF THE LAW ❚ BY K.L. JAMISON BALLISTIC BASICS | AFTER THE AFTER SHOT | DEFCON 1 DEFCON

38 www.USCCA.com | August/September here was a drive-by shooting there are other problems. In the after- T during which the target, an old math of a shooting, the shooter is typ- man, shot back; the drive-by became ically arrested. It could be for murder a retreat. The police arrived and took a (or, as it’s called in some jurisdictions, report. They also took his gun because “intentional homicide”), some variety it was evidence. A car found with bul- of assault, firing a gun within the city lets traceable to his gun would tie the limits or just to initiate an investigation, car to the incident, and other forensic which is when the second self-de- mysteries would follow. Perhaps a fense incident begins. young man would check into an emer- After the authorities adopt a su- gency room and a bullet traceable to perstition about a case, it is nearly the gun would be recovered. If so, it impossible to change their minds. would be very difficult for the young There have been cases in which DNA man to claim he wasn’t there. proves that the prisoner in hand did If left with the old man, the gun could not leave the DNA recovered from the be lost or sold, or the old man might de- scene. This only causes the prosecu- cide that he didn’t want to prosecute,1 tion to claim that there was a second which can complicate but not end a person involved with the crime and prosecution. It was efficient to seize sometimes a third, which makes the the gun: The defense would have the crime a conspiracy and opens many right to test the relation between the re- new opportunities for the prosecu- covered bullet and the old man’s gun. tion. A lawyer can divert the line of It would be hard to get a conviction if superstition or at least plant the seed the defense got this wrong. of a defense. A lawyer is the second But the seizure was done in the old self-defense weapon to draw; the trick man’s front yard, in front of God and is making contact. everybody. The seizure was in front of Each jurisdiction allows the police to members of the gang involved in the hold a person for investigation without drive-by shooting, and, as such, they charges. The period can be measured knew he was disarmed. in hours rather than days, but those This accelerated the urgency of early hours of a case are the ones in recovering his gun, but only for him. which theories of the case are devel- When a police officer uses his or her oped. Some departments operate on gun in combat, it is also taken as the theory that suspects can be held evidence, and a new one is issued. incommunicado — even from lawyers Concealed Carry Magazine columnist — during this period. This is unconsti- Alan Korwin has often remarked that tutional under the Sixth Amendment to civilians are not treated as well as po- the U.S. Constitution: “In all criminal lice officers in these matters. prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy In a perfect world, the old man would the right to . . . have the Assistance of have a backup gun. In a very perfect Counsel for his defence.” It does no world, the backup gun would be the good to argue. Isolation is a tactic to same make, model and caliber as the provoke the prisoner into talking, and seized gun. The same ammunition, the only counter-tactic is patience. magazines and habits of operation The only thing that should be said would be used. In this less-than-per- is, “I want a lawyer,” and those four fect world, we do the best we can. words are the only way to phrase the In this best of all possible worlds, request. Courts have found that any

August/September | www.USCCA.com 39 IT’S JUST THE LAW other terms are not sufficient. One pris- in the same firm is preferred. Solo at- gardless of how they came into police oner demanded that he be given “a torneys may have a backup attorney in possession. There will be claims that a lawyer, dawg.”2 The court ruled that the another firm, and these details can be ballistics test must be done or a back- police could not possibly understand important in selecting counsel. ground check conducted; there is no this as a request for a lawyer. (The Conversely, choosing an attorney at such law. Frequently, a bill of sale or a court speculated that it might be taken the moment you need one is like buy- 4473 is demanded to prove ownership; as a request for some sort of canine.) ing the first used car off the first lot you usually neither is available. This is what we call a system of justice. see. Great lawyers learn their craft rep- Seized firearms will not be cleaned. resenting guilty people, but represent- One man had his gun returned with a HOLD THE PHONE ing an innocent person requires a dif- case number etched on the frame. This When a call is allowed, the defendant ferent mindset. To the guilty, a plea that arguably makes it more collectible, but will be in a holding cell with a battered evades prison is a great deal. To the that was not his reaction. There has yellow pages and a phone that places innocent, it labels him or her a criminal been some success with a lawyer’s let- collect calls, a cost for which lawyers and complicates life and reputation. ter to the attorney for the department. are prepared. Prepared or not, a call To the guilty, arrest is a cost of doing The letter says: “My client only wants from jail goes through a server that tells business. To the innocent, it disrupts her property back. I want to sue for the recipient that the call is from a jail, life and plunges him or her into a world damages under 42 US Code Section and a credit card payment is required in which his or her protestations of in- 1983. Which of us gets his wish?” The for the call to go through. nocence are described as exactly the cited code section allows lawsuits for Many persons keep the number of a kind of thing a guilty person says. deprivation of property without due lawyer in their cellphones, which is not A guilty person usually starts by tell- process of law. Damages available a terrible mistake but certainly inade- ing his or her lawyer that he or she is include actual and punitive damages, quate, as phones are seized on arrest. innocent, and, as such, a lawyer’s cre- court costs and attorney fees. The fil- Police often find evidence in them, al- dulity will be callused (and sense of ing fee in federal court is $400. There though a warrant is required. A card in outrage dulled). This should not be tak- will be other costs, but a lawsuit is the wallet with essential contact num- en as disinterest, and never forget that worth the effort. bers is ideal. one of the values of legal counsel is a Whatever secondary guns, knives, A man acted in self-defense but dispassionate review of the evidence. bludgeons or sprays an individual failed to be the first to call 911. He was carries, a lawyer’s card is the ultimate arrested and offered the chance to SPECIFIC PARTICULARS backup weapon. Don’t leave home, make a phone call, but his cellphone USCCA members have money avail- armed or otherwise, without one. had been seized and he hadn’t dialed able for bond, and anyone else should a number since dials went out of fash- keep a credit card available to pay a Kevin L. Jamison is an attorney in ion. He’d spent the last however many bondsman. A bondsman will typical- the Kansas City, Missouri, area con- years making calls with the push of a ly demand 10 percent of the bond centrating in the area of weapons and single button and, as such, couldn’t amount, and for a low bond, he will self-defense. remember anyone’s phone number or typically demand twice that. He will Please send questions to Kevin L. address. In the most technologically also want a co-signer to guarantee the Jamison, 2614 NE 56th Ter, Gladstone, connected country in the world, he was deal. If the defendant does not show MO 64119-2311 or KLJamisonLaw@ unable to call anyone. up for trial, the bondsman must forfeit earthlink.net. Individual answers are Members of a nearby organization the amount of the bond to the court not usually possible but might be ad- are provided with a card carrying a and then sue the co-signer to get his dressed in future columns. 24-hour emergency number. A rela- money back. Bail is a business, and This information is for legal informa- tionship with an attorney may include better terms can be negotiated if pay- tion purposes and does not constitute leaving emergency contact numbers in ment guarantees can be made. legal advice. For specific questions, a file such that if the worst thing hap- No access to firearms is usually a you should consult a qualified attorney. pens, the attorney can make the nec- condition of bail. This denies a consti- essary notifications. tutional right. There is a trifle of expe- ENDNOTES rience in fighting this ban. The prose- (1) Some victims believe that they NIGHT COURT? cutor may call a hearing to establish can drop the charges. They cannot. (2) Bad things happen after dark, and that the defendant is dangerous and “Dawg” or “dog” is a slang term for a if a lawyer cannot be reached after perhaps too dangerous to be on bond. man. hours, it is necessary to find one who A defendant’s guns will be held lon- can be reached. Attorneys take vaca- ger than the defendant if for no other tions, get sick and have their time con- reason than there is reluctance in the sumed with trials, so a backup attorney legal system to return firearms, re-

40 www.USCCA.com | August/September

LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S IT’S J | LAW THE UST BALLISTIC BASICS

AFTER THE AFTER SHOT GET

DEFCON 1 DEFCON OUT!EJECTION REJECTION ❚ BY TAMARA KEEL

42 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ A STOVEPIPE like this used to quip that I’d like to be a coro- shooting is functionally doing the same one is a common type ner because, if I were, I’d just list the thing as limp-wristing: moving the ejector of failure to eject, and Icause of death as “lack of oxygen to backwards through space at the same it can happen for any the brain” in each and every case. time the slide is traveling rearward. number of reasons. This old joke returned to memory in a re- The most pedestrian reason for the cent discussion about pistol reliability. We spent case not hitting the extractor with were discussing why a known good pistol sufficient force is the slide being slowed was exhibiting issues in a training class by friction. The source of the friction could when I remarked that, assuming the gun be external, such as an errant thumb had no broken or out-of-spec parts, there pressing against the side of the slide or was only one real cause of malfunctions: the shooter’s body or clothing in the case The spent case wasn’t striking the ejector of a poorly indexed retention position. It with sufficient force to eject cleanly. could also be internal friction. The rub is that there are multiple things While modern service pistol designs that could cause that to occur. tend to be relatively indifferent to dirt and The most common cause in my experi- lack of lubrication, they’re not magic. It’s ence is weak-sauce range ammunition. In- possible for enough dry dirt and crud expensive 115-grain 9mm FMJ ammo isn’t buildup to provide drag on the slide travel loaded very heavily under the best of mar- sufficient to impact proper ejection. Older, ket conditions. During ammo panics, there metal-framed designs tend to have much seems to be a tendency at some manu- larger bearing surfaces between the slide facturers to lighten powder charges and and frame rails, with concomitantly more pass the savings along to the customer. sensitivity to dirt and lack of lubrication. I’ve chronographed separate lots of So you can see how, while the actu- 115-grain that were barely supersonic al cause of the malfunction is the same, on average, with the slowest rounds of a there are many overlapping roads that 10-round string struggling to top 1,050 feet can lead to it. The typical real-world exper second. Subsonic 115-grain ammo ample of this is the shooter who turns up doesn’t give much recoil impulse to work at a class like Extreme-Close-Quarters with in order to function the gun. Where Combat with his regular carry gun — we’ll this rears its ugly head the worst is when say a Glock 19 — that’s been a paragon the feeble recoil of these rounds meets the of reliability for the last 6,000 rounds. Be recoil spring assembly of a gun like an HK, that as it may, he’s suddenly clearing mal- intended to stand up to the force of tens of function after malfunction. “I don’t get it,” thousands of duty loads. The owner of the he’ll say as he clears yet another failure- previously super-reliable pistol is left won- to-eject, “It’s been 100-percent reliable up dering why it’s suddenly a jam-o-matic. until now. I even put a fresh recoil spring That rearward velocity of the slide rela- in it just last week.” tive to the comparatively stationary frame But he bought a case of inexpen- can be dissipated in other ways too. The sive FMJ for the class, which has barely pistol would obviously eject most positive- enough energy to run the gun under ideal ly if the frame were somehow held mag- circumstances, and now it’s trying to cy- ically still, while at the other end of this cle the slide against a fresh recoil spring GET spectrum is the malfunction most com- while the friction of the shooter’s thumb is monly referred to as the “limp-wrist,” in pressing against it in hundreds of rounds which the frame is allowed to move rear- of retention-position shooting. It’s a per- ward enough under recoil that the spent fect storm for turning a previously reliable case can’t get all the way out of the gun gun into a hot malfunctioning mess. before the slide closes on it. Use good ammo, keep the gun lubed to That same malfunction can be induced spec and don’t hold it wrong. Everything in other ways as well. For example, I’ve else should take care of itself. OUT! been in classes that involved shooting while pulling the gun back into a retention position. Pulling the gun toward you while

August/September | www.USCCA.com 43

LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN

| IT’S IT’S PRIDE J UST THE LAW | LAW THE UST BALLISTIC BASICS

AFTER THE AFTER SHOT

DEFCON 1 DEFCON HUBRIS HURTS ❚ BY ALAN KORWIN

44 www.USCCA.com | August/September hy don’t people take A NATURAL URGE TO CHAT W the time-tested ad- Your turbulent state of vice to just keep their mouths mind after being forced to shut after a shooting incident, fire (no matter how cool you thus helping to preserve their imagine you’ll be), your fran- freedom and safety? Hav- tic desire to get out of such ing interviewed many folks a dire situation or your hope who’ve had the unfortunate against hope that you can experience of needing to use free yourself from law en- a firearm, it seems pride is of- forcement custody may well ten the culprit. end up being small motiva- After an officer of the law tors compared to plain old utters the magic phrase, pride. “You’re under arrest,” no The innocent victim (you), amount of talking gets you off now a survivor, feels ma- the hook. That phrase is as ligned being treated like a close to literal magic as you suspect. You will be treated can get, and it has power be- like a suspect because you yond most other words. Even are a suspect, at least ac- the officer who utters them cording to the strangers in cannot properly “take them uniform arriving to secure the back” after saying them. It scene. Pride compels people becomes the ironclad rule of to speak up, often with righ- law, so the officer uses them teous indignation at the very with care and precision. Af- least. Good intention … really ter they’re spoken, you are bad idea. indeed under arrest, and the Keeping your mouth shut wheels of the system begin to under such a circumstance is turn. unbearably hard. You just did So why on Earth would you the right thing, precisely what start blabbing at that point? you’ve trained for, and you’re Why, indeed? You, like ev- alive because of it. Some hor- eryone, have heard the ex- rible, murderous criminal lies pression, “Anything you say dead at your feet, where the can and will be used against villain belongs, and you’re be- you in a court of law.” That’s ing treated as a villain instead. a paraphrase from the find- Handcuffed, facing inquisi- ings in the Miranda v. Ar- tors, stuffed into a squad car izona case, 384 U.S. 436 on your way to a place you’ve (1966). It’s better to think of never been, you’re packaged it in a clearer, more realistic up with people who real- sense: Anything you say will ly belong there, unlike you. be used against you, period. Who wouldn’t feel prideful, in With regard to unrecorded need of explaining to anyone statements, police some- who would listen? Sit quietly? times joke, “Anything you say Damn near impossible! will be lied about and used against you.” They don’t like it REAL-WORLD PROOF when that statement sees the At a recent speech, I asked light of day because it hits too the hundreds of attendees if close to home. anyone experienced a false

August/September | www.USCCA.com 45 AFTER THE SHOT draw. I wanted some real-life exam- less than 10 minutes. It was four hours was a chance to act, at last! Grab- ples to use for this very column, a later when he retrieved his .44 Mag- bing his favored “sawed-off shotgun” method I’ve used on several other num revolver in response to a noise (which made it sound like an illegal occasions. A false draw happens in his now-trashed-out place. A plank hacksaw job), he ran out into the when you honestly thought lethal had fallen; no one was actually there. street, barefoot and in his underwear, danger lurked, and you reached for a Cops had already located and arrest- and chased the kid down the block. handy sidearm or retrieved one from ed the repeat-offender perps they’d Police were called, and he was fu- its waiting place, only to find it wasn’t been tracking, aided by a fingerprint rious that instead of arresting the al- really needed because the situation found on this man’s doorway. leged peeping tom, they secured him, wasn’t what it initially appeared to be. The surprise was how many folks in his skivvies, with his shotgun, and It makes you feel, well, fill in the ad- waited around afterward, just busting returned him home with a warning. jective. (There are plenty from which to tell me their tales. They didn’t shoot, (Talk about luck.) He was grinning the to choose.) It’s an experience with they didn’t face a deadly threat, it was whole time he related the tale, seem- staying power, right? I can hear you all their mistake, and they couldn’t ingly oblivious to the outrageous na- thinking back even now. wait to literally brag about it. “That ture of every element of his actions. In this instance, I was surprised time I didn’t actually have to shoot” The other proud tales, including by the enthusiasm of the responses. came off as one of the greatest sto- almost drawing down on a guy bran- A dozen people were bursting for a ries of their lives, including this one dishing a burrito … well, pride seems chance to relate their experiences special guy oozing with pride. You tell to be a trap you must guard against right there in front of an audience. me if you think he should be so proud. jealously, and it doesn’t get a lot of We only ended up with time for one His family spotted a curious kid play in the average training class. gentleman to relate his tale. His ex- peeking in through a bedroom win- perience was quite real and took time dow. From the sound of it, this was to tell, with fine details, including the not a skulking pervert or attempted part where police response to the break-in but rather some neighbor’s home burglary he discovered took kid looking through a window. But it

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AFTER THE AFTER SHOT

DEFCON 1 DEFCON

FALLBACK❚ BY JOHN CAILE KEEP YOUR HEAD AS OTHERS LOSE THEIRS

48 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ NO ONE EVER kind of needs a backup parachute.

o battle plan survives wouldn’t want that to be the very first the first 10 seconds of time you tried to fire your gun that way, “N contact with the enemy.” would you? You need to train in that The above military quote (or a ver- kind of thing before you need to do it sion of it) has long been one of my fa- for real. vorites because it is true — not just in The same principle goes for draw- battle but in every aspect of life. This ing your firearm. Too many people reality ultimately produced another mil- practice dressed in their range-only itary axiom that also applies to those of clothes that allow for easy drawing us who carry firearms for self-defense: and firing. But look at the outrageous When the unexpected happens, “im- weather this past winter. Other than provise, adapt, overcome.” those who live in Florida or south In a sense, all of us who carry guns Texas, you were likely carrying under for self-defense already embrace jackets, coats, vests and every other these realities. After all, you carry a warm stitch of clothing you owned — gun on your person in the event that not to mention often wearing gloves. a threat appears, and you train for the It is precisely for this reason that most common situations you’re likely to we urge you to practice drawing from face. But that is only your Plan A. You concealment dressed in exactly the also need to think about a backup plan clothes you will be wearing when you — the proverbial Plan B. head out the door. It’s easy to do safe- No matter what situations you train ly at home and costs nothing but a lit- for, you should also always have a tle time each week. Here again, you’re backup plan for whenever you’re practicing for the reality that not all vi- forced to face the unexpected. It could olent attacks happen in nice weather. be something as simple as carrying an As if it needs to be said aloud, bad extra magazine or speedloader. Sure, things happen in every kind of weath- the odds are overwhelming that you er. will never need that extra ammunition, but isn’t it better to be prepared? JAM SESSION In my younger days, I got into sky- Another oft-neglected drill is prac- diving. While the odds of a main para- ticing to quickly and effectively clear chute failure occurring are incredibly a stoppage. Here again, modern au- small, I always carried a reserve, or to-pistols have become impressively backup, parachute. While waiting to reliable, and the likelihood of a mal- go up for my very first free-fall jump, function is pretty small. But remem- my fellow jumpers and I watched over- ber, even a Mercedes dealer has head as an extremely experienced a service department. Mechanical skydiver who had more than 900 jumps stuff can always fail and, as per Mur- behind him had to cut away from his phy’s Law, it will do so at the worst main chute and deploy his reserve. possible moment. As amazingly safe Needless to say, the lesson stuck. and reliable as modern aircraft are, they can and do sometimes fail. Just TRAIN FOR PLAN B ask any airline pilot. Concealed Carry Magazine Execu- If you don’t know how, swallow your tive Editor Kevin Michalowski is a big pride and ask someone — ideally a proponent of “training for the unexpect- good defensive firearms instructor — ed.” For example, he advocates prac- to show you how to clear a failure with ticing shooting with your non-dominant your personal handgun. Then prac- FALLBACK hand. Why? Suppose you were shot or tice the procedure — regularly — until otherwise injured and were unable to you can do it rapidly and without even use your primary shooting hand. You thinking.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 49 DEFCON 1

CAUGHT NAKED Even the actual written laws governing officer’s gun. Fortunately, the good Sa- Another recommendation is to have the use of force are interpreted differ- maritan was armed and fired one shot, a backup plan should you find your- ently by different juries and judges. ending the fight and likely saving the self without your gun when forced to There is simply no foolproof way to officer’s life. handle a deadly emergency, such as predict in advance how any particular The Indiana State Police conduct- while at a parent-teacher conference case will end. ed the investigation, which was later at your child’s school or visiting some- Therefore, trusting that everything reviewed by the Dearborn County one in the hospital. If you’re an ac- will go your way in the legal system Prosecutor’s Office, who found that complished martial artist, your trained is pure fantasy. True, there are a few the woman’s actions were justified; skills and techniques ARE your back- (very few) cases where everything fell no criminal charges were filed. Case up plan. Otherwise, you might carry into place perfectly for the defendants closed. pepper spray or a tactical knife, de- who used deadly force. But, unfortu- Well, not quite. On April 6, 2018, that pending on the circumstances and nately, they are the exception. More good Samaritan received a summons your skill with a blade. As popular as than likely, you will find yourself having from an attorney regarding a wrongful tactical knives are, always remember to defend your actions: at minimum in death lawsuit for the now-deceased that in order for that knife to be an ac- a preliminary hearing or, depending assailant, J. Holland (Ohio County tionable backup, you’re going to have on the particulars, in a full-blown trial. Superior Court Case No. 58C01-1802- to train with it. Regardless of where As a result, you should have your CT-00001). The Officer involved was you are, always have some kind of own legal Plan B in place, meaning also named in the suit. Plan B. you have the number of a criminal de- While the department and the Fra- fense attorney programmed into your ternal Order of Police’s Legal Defense LEGALLY SPEAKING phone. This is non-negotiable. Not Fund will cover the officer’s legal ex- I’ve been a firearms instructor for having an attorney that you can call penses and any potential settlement, decades, concentrating on concealed on at any hour of the day or night is they will not do so for the young wom- carry and defensive tactical training like skydiving without a reserve para- an, even though her actions were in for almost as long. Yet, even now, after chute. If you don’t have one, start defense of a law enforcement officer. the passage of shall-issue carry laws looking now — and look into the USC- She’s on her own, and so are you if in all but a handful of states, I continue CA’s Self-Defense SHIELD program if you don’t have some kind of legal to be amazed by the myths and misin- you haven’t already. backup plan. formation surrounding the legal use of Insurance is (or should be) a deadly force. FINANCIAL THREATS no-brainer. But remember that while In most cases, when I ask students Another Plan B that you should have your personal liability policy will likely under what circumstances they can is some way of protecting yourself apply to any civil monetary judgment legally use deadly force to defend from financial hardship, whether in- against you, it may be woefully inad- themselves, their answers are shorter flicted by your criminal defense attor- equate to cover the loss. Should the than the question. “If you’re in fear for ney’s bills or other costs incurred de- settlement turn out to be in the millions your life” is probably the most com- fending yourself against a civil lawsuit. (as they often are), you could end up mon. “If a guy’s in your house, you can Remember, you could be found not broke, even losing your house or per- shoot ’em” is another. When I respond, guilty in a criminal trial or never even sonal business. Check with your insur- “That’s it?,” I’m usually met with si- be charged in the first place and still ance agent now while the question is lence or, “Well, what else is there?” be sued in civil court, most often for still a rhetorical one. Beyond that, there are comments “wrongful death” by the family of the Finally, most liability policies do not about all sorts of technical details, person you were forced to shoot. cover legal bills, be they criminal or such as, “If you shoot someone in A perfect example is a case that civil. You need a policy specifically the back, that’s murder,” or, “You can began on Feb. 20, 2017, in Indiana. designed for legal fees. Thankfully, only use a gun if they have a knife.” Apparently, a suspicious man was in this can be quite reasonable, wheth- Of course, none of these categorical a car parked on an elderly woman’s er you opt for the USCCA’s coverage, pronouncements will necessarily be property for an extended period of which I obviously recommend, or true. The answer to just about any time, blocking her driveway. Shortly af- some other plan. question regarding self-defense is “it ter a police officer arrived in response Bottom line: Train regularly, be pre- depends.” to the call, the man and the officer be- pared and be aware. Having a Plan B, The reality is that every self-defense gan struggling, falling to the ground. C and D won’t hurt either. case is unique — from time of day and Then, a young woman standing location to the age, sex, height, weight nearby ran to help the officer. She be- and number of assailants and wheth- lieved that the officer was losing the er or not those assailants are armed. fight and saw the man reaching for the

50 www.USCCA.com | August/September MAINSTAY ™ CLIPLESS IWB / POCKET HOLSTER

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THE ABCs OF YOUR EMTs CHASE❚ BY ED COMBS

52 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ EMS SHEARS are one of the unsung heroes of crisis management, and it’s about time they were given their due.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 53 ■ AVAILABLE in sizes ranging from small to quite large, and shown here with a few 9mm rounds for scale, EMS shears should be part of any emergency kit.

or the average adult, I do not be- You cook with a knife. Just those two zon.com. They last a surprisingly long lieve that there is a more import- activities alone have given you so many time and, equally importantly, they’re Fant individual tool than the edged more reps than with any other imple- inexpensive enough that they’re dang instrument. Without the knife, we as a ment that it’s going to be the most im- near disposable. species have nothing. Without the knife, portant and second-safest cutting im- we could not have created anything plement in your kit. ‘YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO TOSS ’EM’ else we wrung from the earth, and those But, as this issue is all about backup When I began my transition from first knapped stones half-wrapped in plans, I’ll have to admit that one specific teaching to law enforcement, a very vine set us as humans directly on our backup plan that’s ridden in my gear — knowledgeable, very kind police offi- path to the top of the global food chain. be it in the backwoods or in my vehicle cer helped me more than almost any- A little melodramatic for these pages? — takes some gear aficionados aback. one else. He and his wife edited and Perhaps, but if you really want to argue re-edited my long-form answers on it, the farther back we applications; he got go through the most me hooked up with the important technological THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I’LL TELL YOU right people in the right advancements of man TO JUST BUY SOME OF THE $3 SETS FROM areas; he was (and I — shelter, clothing, ag- “ assume still is) a true SOMEPLACE LIKE AMAZON.COM. riculture, paper, lenses, treasure. But more than et cetera — the more surely you end up anything else, one piece of advice he arriving at the edged instrument as the That’s right, we’re getting out the blunt gave me stood out above the rest: one advancement that made all the oth- scissors … the sharp ones are only for “Boots? Those are tricky. They have to ers possible. the older kids. ” be good enough that they won’t cripple I love my axes and my goloks and my Seriously though, as far as emergen- you after 12 hours a day for two weeks, saws and any other number of cutting cy kits go, you need to have at least but they have to be cheap enough that tools, but when it comes to cutting, ev- one set of EMS-style shears. Plenty of you can just drop ’em in a dumpster and ery adult on this planet is most skilled retailers sell plenty of very high-quality walk away. If you get dead guy all over at cutting things with a knife because specimens, but this is the only place your boots, you’ll just have to toss ’em. that’s the cutting implement he or she where I’ll tell you to just buy some of They’re done. You can’t get dead guy has used the most. You eat with a knife. the $3 sets from someplace like Ama- off of boots.”

54 www.USCCA.com | August/September That’s one that you can take home selves angled to be more in-line with the they were often advertised in the back with you. Not the casual reference to patient’s anatomy. As mentioned above, of Boys’ Life and other magazines as a deceased person, but the idea that this kind of duty can be messy, which is “the scissors that can cut a penny in some of your gear just has to be dis- another reason to save your money and half!” (They were usually next to the posable. Dire emergencies have a nas- stick with the imports. X-ray glasses that at least appeared to ty habit of sometimes being really dis- let you look at the bones in your hand; gusting, and having the implement with CUTTING SEAT BELTS difference being, the scissors actually which you will do the hero’s share of the Similar to cutting clothing, there isn’t worked as advertised.) In fact, I’ve used work be disposable goes a long way. I’ll really an emergency situation under this type of shears to cut canvas, bail- leave it at that and move on into other which cutting a seat belt can be done ing wire, extremely heavy nylon web- areas in which inexpensive EMS shears calmly, collectedly and without high bing, leather, fence wire, coat hangers, really haul the mail as part of your ex- emotion. Even professionals — firefight- license plates (because when shouldn’t panded EDC. ers, EMS techs and law enforcement you be practicing the fashioning of ex- officers — realized that pulling a pock- pedient fishing lures?), rope of all de- CUTTING CLOTHING etknife on a dark state highway was scriptions … I don’t have the space to This is the task for which these scis- not the ideal way to extract an injured list it all out here. Flimsy as they may feel sors were designed, and you may also passenger from a vehicle when time is a when compared to a knife, don’t let that recognize them from prizefighting as factor. When compared to a knife, EMS fool you: They cut, and they cut well. the scissors cornermen use to remove shears drastically reduce the harm to tape from boxers’ hands. The entire anyone involved in a vehicle extraction, KEEPING YOU SAFE point of the EMT shear was to devise a especially since seat belts occupy re- As much practice as you have using set of scissors that could be employed gions dangerously close to the carotid a knife, you have almost as much with under emergency situations, such as and femoral arteries. scissors. As much practice as you have removing articles of an injured subject’s using scissors — even non-EMS-style clothing to expose a wound with the CUTTING STRONG MATERIALS scissors — you almost invariably have least risk of inflicting additional dam- I always hate to use so nebulous a a better record of using scissors without age. To accomplish this, the tips were term as “strong materials,” but when cutting yourself than you have of using completely blunted and the jaws them- I was small and these were fairly new, knives without cutting yourself. WE’RE ALL RELAXED RIGHT NOW, SO WE ALL REMEMBER THE RULES, BUT THIS CAN CHANGE WHEN THERE’S“ GLASS BREAKING AND PEOPLE SCREAMING.

Doubt me? Let’s take a quick run to there’s glass breaking and people in your expanded EDC, if not right on the physics department. screaming. your belt. Just like you never knew Exerting pressure on the edge of a Equally importantly,” think of any ex- how often you needed a set of nee- blade is the name of the game while pedient fix you’ve completed or read dle-nosed pliers until you started car- using a knife; it’s why you probably about completing with a knife. Now rying a Leatherman multi-tool back in cut yourself within about five minutes think through the specific motions the early ’90s, you might be surprised of receiving your first pocketknife as a necessary to complete it. Chanc- how often you end up using a set of 7-year-old. While using a knife, when- es are, most of them could probably shears after you always have them ever you’re not exerting pressure on have been accomplished just as easi- with you. the edge, you’re poking the tip into ly with a set of shears, and almost cer- If you’re particularly inclined to car- something, which can often be just as tainly faster and more safely. ry a set of shears as part of your EDC dangerous (if not more so). I cannot Look, I’m usually not much for safe- — and if you’re a fan of fashioning calculate the number of times I sliced, ty-oriented hand-wringing, but the your own Kydex holsters, it just might punctured and borderline-fileted vari- number of injuries I’ve seen over the be worth your time to do so — then ous parts of my hands before age 10, decades among individuals under it’s not a particularly difficult pattern to but you know what? I never once did some kind of stress attempting to do create. Most of your retention will be so with a set of scissors. something with a knife that wasn’t down on the end of the jaws, provided If you’re ever using a knife in a true cutting bread or cheese (and some- by the pronounced outward bend at emergency capacity, chances are you times even cutting bread or cheese) the tip of one of the blades. It’s not im- will not be as cool and levelheaded as got me carrying a set of EMS shears perative that you carry a set though. you otherwise might be. Even if you’ve by the time I was only halfway through Buy a few and drop them here and faced dire emergencies in the past, it my teens. Almost no one — adult or there: a set in your console or glove can be easy to forget all of what you child — is capable of operating at box, a set in your desk at work, a set learned in the Boy Scouts, such as the same level of effectiveness and in your shooting bag, wherever else “never cut toward yourself” and “nev- precision when under stress as they you think $3 might be wisely invest- er cut above your hand when you’re are when relaxed. If you’re interested ed. As for “go-belts” or other disaster holding onto something.” We’re all rein mitigating an emergency as safely packs, they’re essentials and proba- laxed right now, so we all remember and as effectively as possible, then it bly merit multiple redundancies. the rules, but this can change when makes sense to keep a set of these STAY SHARP These are pretty much the direct opposite of what I usually recommend in these pages. They’re intended for cutting, but they’re not really even sharp. They’re available in bulk from China and are about as exciting to look at as a napkin dispenser. They’re one-size-fits-all, and I have hands large enough to make certain vending machines almost impossible for me to use. All of that aside, I’m a big fan, and they’re near-universal lifesaving tools all over the globe. If you’re as interested in backup plans as I, they’re definitely worth a few minutes of your time.

56 www.USCCA.com | August/September

A CONTRAST TO CROSSDRAW ❚ BY BOB CAMPBELL

tend to go with proven handguns and equipment I’ve used for many I years. This includes the strong-side belt scabbard, which should be the default carry unless there are other concerns, including but not limited to concealment, body type and daily routine. Better concealment necessi- tates a move to an inside-the-waistband holster with a draping garment, such as an untucked shirt. Problem is, when the user is seated or driving, the strong-side holster doesn’t allow that user to draw easily (and the IWB holster is hopeless if carried properly behind the hip). Under such a circumstance, the crossdraw holster might be the best bet. Not every body type allows the crossdraw though, and reaching across the body isn’t exactly the most natural motion. Recently, I’ve been exploring appendix carry. Since the appendix holster rides in the front, it would seem to work as well as a crossdraw to provide access when seated or driving, but since it rides inside the pants, it might replace the traditional IWB as well. ON THE RISE Appendix carry is currently riding a wave of popularity, in no small part because the draw is as natural as reaching for the navel, and the holster does not print when the user bends (as a more traditional IWB might). A decade ago, few purpose-designed appendix-carry holsters were available, but today the demand is such that quite a few makers have offered their inside-the-waistband holsters with an “A” prefix and marketed them as appendix holsters. This isn’t necessarily the best way to handle such matters, as the holster should be specifically built for the appendix draw — and some are not. The draw is different and the angle is very important, particularly with relation to gun size when you get above the snub-nosed revolver or small auto. Yes, the ap-

58 www.USCCA.com | August/September THE APPEAL OF APPENDIXTHE APPEAL OF

■ THE MODERN APPENDIX carry position is quickly establishing itself as a go-to for many concealed carriers, and the holster market is responding in kind with traditional and unusual designs.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 59 pendix rig is worn inside the ■ THE “ZERO-BULK” waistband, but there are IWB Holster from demands on the appen- VersaCarry is a prime dix holster that must be example of the kind of understood. innovation happening in the holster world Similar to with the today (shown here crossdraw, the angle without its trigger must be matched to the cover for clarity). drawstroke. Just as you can’t just take a strong-side holster and wear it as a crossdraw, the same goes for an appendix holster. If you take a traditional IWB and move it to the front of the beltline, the draw angle will be mostly, if not entirely, wrong. The AIWB holster must have a very specific tilt in order to work with the average shooter’s body and draw. With the strong-side holster, a neutral draw works, as does a slight tilt, muzzle to the rear. With an inside-the-waistband holster properly worn behind the hip and to the rear, the muzzle must be angled to the rear to work. With the AIWB holster, the muzzle is forward-tilted, which is unique their hands will fall naturally to- among holsters, save for a few spe- ward their waists or their outside cialized competition units. With an pockets, within easy reach of their the crossdraw is a defensible holster IWB holster, we have a nice hollow appendix holsters. when the wearer understands how to over the kidney to cradle and con- Another advantage is that con- drop the weak-side arm and defend ceal a handgun. Most of us, wheth- cealment isn’t as difficult as with the the gun. The AIWB holster seems er endomorph or mesomorph body crossdraw. The long covering gar- easily defended and does not pres- type, will have a slight bulge at the ment needed to conceal a crossdraw ent the gun butt toward the adver- front of the body. or strong-side holster isn’t needed sary. with the AIWB, and the draw is even APPENDIX UPSIDE easier than with the traditional IWB. THAT SAID... Appendix carry has been prac- The hands simply tug the covering Appendix carry and the AIWB hol- ticed by many for years, and it is a garment up, and the strong-side ster are beginning to look good on type of casual carry most often af- hand draws the pistol. Doing so is many counts, but that’s not to say fected by criminals. (I’ve never seen more difficult with the IWB, when the there aren’t some downsides. a criminal wearing a holster.) When covering garment must be raised The most common demerit of ap- properly executed by the law-abid- by either the reaction-side hand or pendix carry is that the muzzle is ing though, appendix carry involves some combination of both. pointed toward anatomy. A cross- a holster worn forward of the hip on A side issue is the ability to protect draw holster never points the muzzle the strong side and to the right of the handgun from a gun grabber. at the body. IWB holsters seldom do the midline, technically making it a The strong-side holster isn’t difficult either (as long as the draw is execut- strong-side draw. to protect, and the inside-the-waist- ed properly and the holster is prop- The appendix carry offers a sharp, band holster worn in the small of the erly worn). fast draw. I find the appendix draw back is perhaps more difficult if the Most accidental discharge in- faster than a crossdraw, and it is also attack originates from the rear. While cidents occur when holstering or a more natural draw. After all, when some say the crossdraw offers the drawing a handgun. The answer is most folks are standing or relaxed, gun butt to the adversary, I feel that to always exercise strict muzzle and

60 www.USCCA.com | August/September trigger discipline and to never allow spilling over the belt line. The holster a strong-side holster because it is the trigger to become entangled in and handgun would be tilted over an easy draw and the holster rides clothing, the holster or any part of dangerously. The only way to over- comfortably. When I need concealed either. If you cannot accept that the come this body-size and holster-car- carry, I will adopt a strong-side IWB muzzle is pointed toward the body ry-mode conflict is to wear the trou- holster. When I am driving for long when holstered — if that gives you sers high over the waist bulge. Even periods or seated, then the cross- a real case of the heebie jeebies or with the average belt line, a problem draw is a great choice. Those times other nervous frets — then the AIWB called “rollout” may occur. Rollout when I couldn’t conceal a crossdraw holster and appendix carry are sim- strikes when the holster and the gun holster while driving or seated were ply not for you. butt move outward from the body. once a problem. In this situation, the An advantage the crossdraw hol- The solution? Ingenious: JM Cus- appendix holster is a first-rate choice. ster holds over the appendix is that tom Kydex developed a wedge that The appendix draw may, in time, a larger handgun may be carried in prevents rollout through a wing that replace the IWB above the right-back a “high-ride” model and still be con- extends from the holster. Units from pocket in my arsenal. I have used the cealed under a covering garment. Keepers Concealment use a wedge IWB for so long that this is a major The AIWB holster is best with rela- that may be glued to the holster to change, but the appendix carry is a tively short handguns, such as the accomplish the same thing. These real eye-opener. Glock 19, Glock 43, Honor Defense features are specific to appendix hol- Honor Guard or a revolver with a 2- sters and make a difference in com- to 3-inch barrel; a Government Mod- fortable and effective deployment. el 1911 or a Beretta 92 may be too large. By the same token, a standard THE TAKEAWAYS SOURCES IWB with a larger handgun will work I’ve yet to disavow my long-stand- JM Custom Kydex: for some of us; for others, the longer ing allegiance to the crossdraw. Far JMCustomKydex.com barrel will pinch when we sit. from it. However, I have adopted Keepers Concealment: The Appendix draw isn’t well-suited the appendix draw for some situa- KeepersConcealment.com for those with a middle-aged bulge tions. When I am hiking, I may carry HARDENED

TARGET62 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ CERTAIN BACKPACKS, such as this zip-open unit EDC BALLISTIC PLATES ❚ BY C.R. WILLIAMS from CYA Concealment that transforms into a vest of sorts, allow private citizens magine you are part of the crowd the ability to discreetly of concertgoers at the country carry and rapidly deploy music festival in Las Vegas at the effective body armor. I moment Stephen Paddock opens fire from his 32nd floor room, and you are carrying whatever pistol you normally carry. What can you do? You’re caught in the open, people around you are being hit, and cover (there’s not much) is several yards or more away. Returning fire would require a combination of superhu- man ability and lottery-winning luck. What can you do? There exist other situations in which you would not or might not want to start shooting back immediately, though this is the most extreme circumstance of which I’ve so far heard. You might be caught beyond your accuracy-over-range limit and need to cross an open space to get the shot you need. You might have someone else you want to protect, with whom you can’t stay or whom you want to cover better than you can with just your body. You might be in range of the fight but unable to move any direction other than directly forward or back- ward. You will shoot back, of course, while you counter-attack or escape, but what else can you do to reduce your chance of taking hits while you deliver them? If you have a reasonably sized bag with you and the right items in that bag, there sure is something you can do. I’m not talking about what is sometimes called a “bag gun,” which I define as a gun carried off- body as a supplement to the one you carry on-body. A bag gun can be anything from a larger version of your carry gun to a full-sized rifle (and, yes, you can conceal a full- sized rifle in a bag quite well if you want to). I’ve written about bag guns in articles here and in books before, but that’s not what I’m suggesting

August/September | www.USCCA.com 63 ■ THIS .45 ACP SLUG was stopped dead by one of the backpack inserts available at Man-PACK.com.

NO MATTER THE SHAPE, ONE OF THESE BALLISTIC ARMOR PLATES WILL EASILY FIT IN A LAPTOP BAG OR A BACKPACK OF COMPARABLE“ SIZE, WHERE IT CAN REST BEHIND THE E-READER, THE BOOKS OR THE DIAPERS AND WET WIPES OR, YES, EVEN THE BAG GUN AND SPARE AMMUNITION IF THAT’S THE WAY YOU WANT TO ROLL. in this specific case because another ly, there is at least a front and a back rable size, where it can rest behind the gun won’t help keep you from being hit plate, which are available in a few e-reader, the books or the diapers and if you’re caught in a circumstance like standard sizes” (sometimes, smaller wet wipes or, yes, even the bag gun I described above. side plates are added as well). The and spare ammunition if that’s the way most common plate size is 10 inches you want to roll. PLATE PROTECTION wide by 12 inches high; they are also What I’m suggesting is the inclu- available in small sizes. PACKING PLATES sion of what is usually called a “rifle If worn in front, the plate will be ta- The way you put such a “bag plate” plate,” a sheet of hard body armor that pered to a narrower top edge (start- into use depends mainly on what kind is certified by standardized testing to ing around a quarter of its height from of bag or pack you have it in at the be able to stop multiple rounds of the the upper edge) in order to allow the time. Assuming you want to protect most common types of ammunition. wearer freedom of shoulder and up- your front, a backpack would have You might also see it referred to as a per-arm movement. The back plate to be taken off, and you would have “ballistic plate.” It is physically rigid can be fully rectangular or have a ta- to put your arms through the straps (as opposed to the soft armor that is per, which is called a “shooter’s cut” backwards (or should it be front- worn in a concealed armor vest under or, if the taper is more pronounced, a wards?) to get the pack facing for- a shirt). “swimmer’s cut.” ward on your chest. A sling bag can Ballistic plates are carried in vests No matter the shape, one of these usually be grasped by a strap at either worn by our troops in combat and by ballistic armor plates will easily fit in a the top or bottom and rolled over your law enforcement entry teams. Normal- laptop bag or a backpack of compa- shoulder or under your arm to where it

64 www.USCCA.com | August/September would be hanging in front of you — a very quick movement if you have practiced doing so. A shoulder bag (or “man purse”) would have to be lifted and held in place in front of you, with one hand through a strap or handle and one hand running your carry pistol. You could hold a backpack or sling bag with the armor in it the same way, providing you some protection of your mid-to-upper body’s vital areas and a better chance to get through an attack alive and intact. To protect another per- Custom Leather Holsters & Belts son, you would hand it to him or her and have that individual hold it the same way as you would yourself. Besides the size and shape, factors that might affect your carry and use of hard armor in a bag like this are the weight of the plate and the fact that ballistic armor meant to be worn in a carrier on the body is curved. You can get anything from a single-curved to a triple-curved plate; triple-curved will generally fit better when it’s worn as intended in a vest, though it may be less handy in a sling bag. In Specializing in versatile, comfortable ﬁeld & concealment fact, the curve of the plate will make it take up more room holsters for standard in a bag. The weight of the plate, however, is a larger factor or non-standard barrel lengths. and will vary depending primarily on its construction. Bullet Proof ME, for example, offers Level III+ and IV-rated plates that range in weight from about 4 pounds to about 8 pounds for an 8-by-10-inch single-curve “Shooters Cut” plate. Obviously, lighter is better for something you’re Made in USA going to carry around a lot, but the lighter plates are also 928.227.0432 more expensive. There is, and probably always will be, a P.O. Box 10700 • Prescott, AZ 86304 • trade-off like this that you’ll have to take into account. www.simplyrugged.com FREE UPGRADE! Order Any Eagle Series Safe and Get a Free Size Upgrade

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Oﬀer good for 6 or 7 Series America’s Finest: Safes, Vault Doors and Shelters Eagle Safes Superior Thee and Fire Protection · Lifetime Warranty LIMITED TIME OFFER - CALL FOR DETAILS 800-299-6929 vaultprousa.com When shopping for a rifle plate, limit your choice to Level III+ or some (but not all) Level IV plates if you want to be as sure as possible that you’ll be protected from multiple hits from the 5.56-caliber M855 (sometimes also referred to as SS109) round. Without getting too detailed about it, this is a 62-grain AR round with a steel core, denoted by a green-tipped bullet, that is commonly available in the U.S. If the attacker is using a rifle, history says that it is likely to be an AR. That AR might not be loaded with this specific ammunition, but any armor that can stop this round can probably stop anything else the shooter may have loaded. Level III and some Level IV plates, even if they will stop multiple hits from a heavier-caliber rifle, are not always proofed against the M855, so do the research and be as certain as you can heit and greater than ■ RIFLE-PROOFED PLATES plates in a closed vehicle about what you’re getting before you 150 degrees Fahrenheit. can be easily slipped in the sun, unprotected put your life behind it. Excessive direct sun- into shoulder bags of all on asphalt in intense sun, light and the resultant descriptions, and there are or unprotected on top of plenty of models specifically UV exposure can eas- metal in the sun. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS designed for carrying them. You have to take care of plate ar- ily inflict heat damage In short, if it’s too hot mor in somewhat the same way that to the external surface, and the plate for your body, don’t leave your body you have to take care of soft armor. should be replaced if it begins to look armor there. There are additional considerations any different than when you bought it. Ceramic rifle plates can be dam- as well. Bullet Proof ME points out Don’t take any chances by leaving aged if abused, especially if they’re that plate-armor materials may be your rifle plates in extremely cold or dropped on one of their corners. They adversely affected or permanently re- hot environments or by inadvertently are not delicate like fine tea china, duced by prolonged exposure to tem- letting them “cook” in the sun. For ex- but… peratures below -15 degrees Fahren- ample, it’d be best to avoid leaving rifle YOUR TURN I can only touch the surface of the bag-armor concept here. I have to leave additional discussion to other times and other places. I encourage you to do some research and think about this idea and, if you come to the conclusion that it’s time to order a system, choose wisely and be as fully informed as you can be about your choice. We all plan for the worst and hope for the best, but if you want to protect yourself or someone else against a rifle, hoping will only go so far.

SOURCES Bullet Proof ME: BulletProofME.com

66 www.USCCA.com | August/September Is Your Current Level Of Protection Really Enough? If You’re A USCCA Member, It May Be Time For An Upgrade...

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DUMMIES68 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ DUMMY ROUNDS, such as these from A-Zoom, Tipton and Traditions, are essential components to safely training to mitigate firearms failures.

DUMMIES August/September | www.USCCA.com 69 here are two undeniable truths strikes them, there is no chance of a street, and if your attacker is no longer when it comes to shooting: Fire- negligent discharge. This makes them a threat when you shoot, you could face Tarms skills are perishable, and me- indispensable training tools, specifical- prison, crippling lawsuits or both. chanical failures will eventually happen. ly in the realm of malfunction clearing. How to Set Up: Include a few dummy Both of these are reasons why shooters There are two main types of dummy rounds when you load your magazines need to practice clearing malfunctions. rounds commercially available: units on the range. As you shoot, you will I’ve spent more than two decades made entirely out of plastic and units encounter the dummy rounds and can teaching soldiers, police and military with metal cartridges and some plastic take appropriate action. contractors. When someone is under components, such as primers or “bul- stress, whether induced by competi- lets.” The latter will hold up better, as TYPE 2: FAILURE TO FIRE tion or combat, he will do what he has the rims of the all-plastic models tend Symptom: Mush trigger trained to do. Thus, a person who has to wear down and break after repeated Action: Tap-roll-rack or combat reload not trained to clear a malfunction will use. This type of malfunction is caused by do what he has trained to do: noth- the slide not being in battery. When you ing. When he pulls the trigger and his TYPE 1: FAILURE TO FEED pull the trigger, there isn’t even a click. gun doesn’t go “bang,” he’ll freeze. He Symptom: Click and no bang Nothing happens, and the two primary might try to figure out how to fix it, or he Action: Tap-rack causes are a spent cartridge case not might wait for the problem to fix itself. The slide is fully in battery (meaning fully ejecting or an empty magazine. While the former option is better than all the way forward), but the chamber is A spent case stuck in the ejection the latter, both waste precious time. If empty. When the trigger is pulled, there port is often caused by limp-wristing the someone is shooting at you, you don’t is a click from the hammer falling or the pistol. The recoil energy isn’t sufficient have time to learn how to fix a malfunc- striker releasing, but nothing happens. to move the slide fully to the rear, and tion. The time for that was long before. This is a very common malfunction, the used case gets stuck, which means

WHEN SOMEONE IS UNDER STRESS, WHETHER INDUCED BY COMPETITION OR COMBAT, HE WILL DO WHAT HE HAS TRAINED TO DO. THUS,“ A PERSON WHO HAS NOT TRAINED TO CLEAR A MALFUNCTION WILL DO WHAT HE HAS TRAINED TO DO: NOTHING.

GET TO WORK and the main cause is the shooter for- there almost certainly won’t be a round The best option is to perform an im- getting to chamber a round. The next- in the chamber either. mediate-action drill, which is just what it most-common ”cause is the shooter To correct this type of malfunction: sounds like: performing an action right failing to properly seat the magazine, 1. Bring the gun in, rotating it so you’re away without even taking time to think which means that when the slide went looking at the side of the slide. Observe about it. The faster you get your gun run- forward, the cartridge on top of the if the slide is partly or fully to the rear. If ning again, the faster you can resume magazine was too low to be stripped off partly to the rear: saving lives — yours or someone else’s. and chambered. 2. Tap the magazine to fully seat it. The only way to ingrain this in your mind To correct this type of malfunction: 3. Bring your hand over the top of the to the point that it becomes a reflex will 1. Bring the gun in, rotating it so you’re slide, roll the pistol so the ejection port sound painfully familiar: practice, prac- looking at the side of the slide. is pointed toward the ground and force- tice and then practice some more. 2. Tap the magazine to fully seat it. fully rack the slide to the rear. With modern arms and factory am- 3. Bring your hand over the top of the 4. Punch the gun out, reacquire the munition being as reliable as they are, slide and forcefully rack it to the rear. target and shoot (if necessary). unintended malfunctions are few and 4. Punch the gun out, reacquire the By properly rotating the gun, the far between. Not to worry though. Dum- target and shoot (if necessary). spent case will fall out when you rack my rounds provide a way to set up mal- Don’t train yourself to automatical- the slide. Exaggerate the rotation if the functions so you can practice clearing ly shoot at the end of the drill or that’s dummy round doesn’t fall consistently. them through the course of your training what you will do in a real-time shooting If the slide locks fully to the rear, you regimen. incident. Do a threat assessment; in are out of ammunition. This is the most Dummy rounds are nothing more than the time it took to clear that malfunc- common version of any malfunction objects shaped like cartridges that will tion, your adversary might have surren- you are going to encounter, and it isn’t load into a magazine, chamber and dered, run away or lost consciousness. so much a “malfunction” as what’s sup- eject but which have no powder and If you always train to shoot at the end of posed to happen when you’ve run all the no primer. As such, when the firing pin the drill, you will probably do so on the ammo out of a pistol. When this happens:

70 www.USCCA.com | August/September 1. Bring the gun in, rotating it so you’re caused by a spent case failing to eject 4. After the jam is clear, insert a new looking at the side of the slide. and a new round trying to feed up into magazine and rack the slide. 2. Drop the empty magazine while re- the chamber. What you’ll first notice is 5. Punch the gun out, reacquire the trieving a full magazine. a “mush” trigger, which should imme- target and shoot (if necessary). 3. Insert and properly seat the mag- diately cause you to execute a Type 2 How to Set Up: Lock the slide to the azine. drill. It won’t clear the malfunction, but rear on an empty pistol. Insert a dummy 4. Bring your hand over the top of the it’s faster than assessing what’s wrong round into the chamber and then insert slide and forcefully rack and release it. and only then trying to clear the mal- a magazine loaded with dummy rounds 5. Punch the gun out, reacquire the function. into the pistol. Press the magazine re- target and shoot (if necessary). After the tap-roll-rack, your slide will lease to create the malfunction. How to Set Up: Set up for the first still be out of battery. version of this malfunction by starting 1. Lock the slide to the rear to relieve REVOLVER RELOAD with a fully cleared pistol. Pull the slide the tension on the rounds causing the Symptom: Click-click to the rear enough to allow the dummy jam. Action: Combat reload round to fit and insert it. Ease the slide 2. Strip the magazine out of the pistol. Even in this age of high-tech polymer forward so you don’t crush the case rim Just hitting the mag release won’t work, auto-loaders, there are still plenty of us on the dummy. The second type can be so press and hold the mag release and who carry wheelguns, and I have to ad- set up by loading only a few rounds into pull the magazine out of the pistol. Even mit that, in the summer months, I carry a your magazines. You’ll expend fewer though there might be rounds in this snub .38 more often than my 1911. One rounds before running dry, which will magazine, drop it on the ground. big advantage to revolvers is reliability, save money when practicing this drill. 3. Rack the slide several times to but one drawback to revolvers is they clear the offending rounds. Don’t ride are usually limited to five or six rounds. If TYPE 3: THE DOUBLE-FEED the slide forward, or the extractor might you carry a revolver for self-defense, you Symptom: Mush trigger not grab the round in the chamber. Jerk will need to be able to reload it quick- Action: Strip-rack-rack-reload-rack the slide to the rear and release it with ly, and dummy rounds will let you safely A double-feed is a major problem all of the force from the recoil spring. practice combat-reloading your revolver. As with all reload training, for safety lutely, positively never happen. the cylinder and passing the middle purposes, ensure there is absolutely no To perform a combat reload: and ring fingers of your support hand live ammunition in the gun or even in the 1. Bring the pistol in while hitting the around the cylinder. room. Mistakenly grabbing a live round cylinder release. 3. Hit the ejector rod to clear the instead of a dummy round must abso- 2. Tip the barrel up while opening chambers of spent rounds. 4. Holding the cylinder with your support hand, retrieve a speedloader with your strong hand. 5. Tip the barrel down and insert the cartridges into the chambers. 6. Release the cartridges from the speedloader. 7. Close the cylinder, let the speedloader fall to the ground and index the cylinder. 8. Punch the gun out, reacquire the target and shoot (if necessary). Reloading a revolver looks more com- plicated than it really is; with practice, you can be almost as fast reloading a revolver as you are with an auto. Since the release mechanisms of speedloaders vary, make sure to only buy one style of speedloader so you only have to master one technique. And if you carry your speedloaders in a pocket, that’s your speedloader pocket — don’t put anything else in there. Loose change can get lodged between MagazineAd-4x3.indd 1 10/3/2016 4:36:08 PM the cartridges and ruin your day. MOVING ON, MOVING UP As you get more comfortable clearing misfires, you can add greater degrees of difficulty. Set up a pistol qualification course and, when you load your magazines (or when you have a friend load your magazines), mix in dummy rounds and don’t load all magazines fully. Set up a double-feed in your pistol and run the course. Since you won’t know when you’ll encounter a dummy round or run dry, you’ll be surprised when it happens. This will give you experience clearing malfunctions under pressure and allow you to build your skills to the next level. When you begin to practice training in clearing misfires, don’t worry about rapid execution. Learn the steps and follow them in sequence; as they say, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. It is far better to clear a misfire slowly but cor- rectly than quickly but wrong.

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WORK74 www.USCCA.com | August/September ESSENTIAL n 1983, Trooper Roy Boleyn lay SHOOTING broken and bleeding on the floor Iof a suspect’s home with fallen POSITIONS comrades around him. And just ❚ BY KAT when the firefight seemed to be AINSWORTH shifting in favor of the brutally violent perpetrator, Boleyn summoned ■ A GOOD WORKING knowledge of physical his remaining shreds of strength to shooting positions is one lift a 12-gauge from its location on of those fundamentals that the floor near him. From a supine is SO fundamental it can position — in which he found him- slip right by some people. self because he’d been shot — Bo- leyn raised the shotgun and took the shot that would end a bloody battle that had unfolded into signifi- cant loss of life. If you’re thinking only those in law enforcement find themselves in such situations, think again. In 2014, a crazed man broke into the psychiatric unit at Sister Marie Lenahan Wellness Center in Darby, Pennsylvania, and shot and killed a female caseworker. The attack ended when Dr. Lee Silverman drew a concealed pistol — one he wasn’t supposed to have per the hospital’s “gun-free zone” policy — and shot the assailant. You can neither choose nor predict the moment at which you will fight for your life, just as you will be unable to choose what position your body is in when you take those potentially lifesaving shots. Becoming a well-rounded self-defense and combat shooter is a process. Just as no one morphs into a skilled shot overnight, no one becomes a competent shooter by standing on a firing line and punching holes in paper. And while there are numerous facets to self-defense training, perhaps one of the most vital is learning to shoot accurately from multiple positions. If the bulk of your trigger time involves standing on two feet, square to the target, you might well be in for an ill-timed and unfortunate surprise should you ever be forced to fight for your life.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 75 ■ ALL PERMUTATIONS POINT OF ORDER of kneeling are some of the First and foremost, understand that most common and practical various shooting positions must be sta- positions used by law enforcement, military and ble. The stability found while kneeling, private citizens alike. seated, prone and so on comes from your frame. Your body, not bone-on- bone contact, makes you rock solid. Placing the point of your elbow directly onto your kneecap while kneeling doesn’t provide a firm foundation because that bone-on-bone placement results in a precarious platform from which shooting quickly becomes unpre- dictable and inaccurate. Another detail worth highlighting is natural point of aim. Train to be confident your gun is pointed where you want it to point without major adjustment as you move. As with all aspects of shooting, it takes practice, but it’s an essential skill to hone. Working to keep your gun on your assailant as you take whatever position necessary (or as you’re forced into one) is how you stay alive. STANDING Yes, standing is a position. The ma- jority of gun owners use it at the range by bracing their feet shoulder-width apart, with their bodies either squared or angled to the target. Standing bears mentioning because learning to consistently hit your target while standing must be mastered before moving on to other positions. Trigger control, grip and learning to lean into the firearm rather than away from it are some of the abilities a new shooter needs to focus on. Take the time to get a solid grasp on the basics before attempting more advanced drills. KNEELING There is an entire subset of kneeling to consider, including speed kneeling, braced kneeling, double kneeling and others, but let’s begin with what’s most ideal: braced kneeling. Braced kneeling has quite a bit to recommend it. It provides a stable platform, it’s relatively quick to transition into, and you’re able to return to standing in one fluid movement. Assuming you’re already standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, simply extend your left foot toward the target and lower yourself onto your right

76 www.USCCA.com | August/September knee (if you’re left-handed, reverse your down on the ground isn’t a place you left and right sides). Your torso should want to be during an attack. However, remain upright as you rock back to rest it’s quite possible you’ll find yourself on your weight on your rearward leg. At this the ground, meaning you should prac- juncture, your support-side arm should tice for it. Firing your handgun while press against the front of your raised left prone takes practice, but repetition leg. This will feel significantly different does help significantly concerning the than standing with both arms extended aforementioned natural point of aim and in Isosceles or Modified Weaver, but it related point of impact. When your line provides an advantageous anchor point of sight shifts, so can shot placement. not available with both arms raised. There are two obvious ways to go Reverse kneeling is an option related prone: fast and controlled. To go prone to braced kneeling. To do this, simply re- fast, be sure your handgun is aimed in verse the leg onto which you drop down. the direction you need it (this is where Rather than your strong-side knee being repetition comes into play) and lean on the ground, your support-side knee your upper body forward while reach- will be down — and so on. ing your support hand out to brace Braced and reverse kneeling can be yourself. Kick both feet behind you and executed with the shooter’s arms ex- lower your body with your support hand tended rather than with one arm sup- controlling your descent. Think of it as ported by a knee. If you’re given the op- a reverse one-handed push-up. As you portunity to brace yourself, take it, but hit the ground, extend your strong hand spend some training time firing without in front of your body until the butt of bracing. You may be unable to brace your handgun touches the ground. Af- yourself when countering an attack. ter you’re prone, use your support hand Double kneeling is exactly what it to obtain a strong two-handed grip, with sounds like: both knees touching the the gun extended ahead of your body. ground. Lowering can be done one In a best-case scenario, you could rest knee at a time if you have bad joints, the gun on the ground before firing, but but keep in mind that, if you’re being in a self-defense scenario, it isn’t likely. attacked, you will not have the luxury Controlled prone is similar to fast but of careful knee placement. When dou- with a few additional steps. Rather than ble kneeling, angle your hips back and kicking your feet behind you, lower to shoulders slightly forward for better bal- your knees. From there, lean forward ance as you move. and extend your support hand in front Two methods are used for this stance: of your body, keeping your handgun upright and lowered. Upright involves pointed at your target. Use your sup- your torso remaining up, with your port hand to control the movement from weight centered above your knees. kneeling to prone. This is also the meth- Lowered drops your hips back on your od for moving from kneeling to rollover heels. In the latter position, some shoot- prone. ers keep their toes tucked under their Rollover prone is more likely to be of bodies as third and fourth points of con- use during self-defense shooting than tact with the ground, while others allow straightforward prone. For this position, their toes to cant out to the sides, resting go prone, then flex the knee on your their rear ends on the ground between non-firing side. There are variations to their heels. All methods involve arms leg placement in rollover prone: You extended from the body in a shooter’s might prefer to tuck your non-firing usual grip. While double kneeling can foot behind your firing-side knee, or ground a shooter more firmly, it also you might simply leave your non-firing takes more effort to transition into and leg bent with your foot flexed. Use the out of, which can make it less desirable method that provides the best support under certain circumstances. for your specific needs. Raising the support-side knee push- PRONE es the shooter over onto his or her firing Going prone is extremely useful on side. From there, the shooter can rest the range and while hunting, but face- his or her cheek on the bicep of the firing-side arm, with both arms extend- ■ THE KEY TO ALL shooting positions ed to grip the handgun. This shifts the is to train until you shooter’s weight up onto the firing-side can snap into them shoulder and torso. Keep in mind that instinctively. Like sight picture is affected as the gun your draw and your cants with rollover prone, which is yet magazine changes, another reason to train hard in advance. proper positions should become Rolling over provides support while al- second-nature. lowing you to angle more easily around objects. TRIGGER TIME Proper training is paramount in self-defense, and no, you cannot teach yourself. While it’s true there are drills you can practice without assistance, having a qualified instructor demonstrate skills and critique your performance is essential to your growth as a self-defense shooter. There are various options for training, including renowned institutions such as Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona, and Firearms Acade- my of Seattle in Onalaska, Washington, both of which are well worth the time and cost. However, there are also qualified instructors across the country. When choosing a firearms instructor, take care to examine his or her creden- tials and experience. Don’t accept time put into an outside job as qualifications either. For example, work in law enforcement or the military does not guarantee someone is a competent teacher. An accomplished firearms instructor should be able to execute the drills and skills he or she teaches at a level of ability above those of the people he or she teaches. If you’re an advanced shooter, the instructor not only should be but MUST be savvy enough to improve your performance. His or her lesson plans should be specific to your needs; basic pistol is fine for a brand-new shooter but not for self-defense work, and time on the firing line won’t hone your shoot- house techniques. Find an academy or instructor suited to your needs. Learn the difference between cover and concealment. Practice drawing your handgun from wherever you actually carry every day. Become proficient in rapid target acquisition and firing with your support-side hand. Study force-on-force and edged weapons. Make self-defense a craft at which you excel because one day your

78 www.USCCA.com | August/September life or the lives of your loved ones may sitions is time well-spent for shooters depend on how much time and energy whose abilities are beyond the basics. you put into training. Seems cliché, but Bottom line? Intermediate and ad- some clichés are firmly based in reality. vanced shooters should be spending their time doing more than punching STAY READY holes in paper from 10 yards away. -You cannot predict the time or place Everyone has fnancial and time con of an attack. If you are unlucky enough straints, but you should do all you can to be attacked, you hope to stay on your to avoid putting a price tag on your life. feet and take advantage of good cover An Affordable Simulator but are more likely to be out in the open for Marksmanship And and quickly adjusting your position to avoid injury. Training in a variety of po- Use of Force Training

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INJURY80 www.USCCA.com | August/September TO CARRY OR NOT TO CARRY? ❚ BY BRADLEY LEWIS

stood at my dresser, looking at my EDC gear, and asked myself, “Is it worth it?” I I’d injured my leg and could not move around without assistive devices, and on this particular day, I would be on crutches. Dealing with crutches was hard enough; did I really want to have the extra weight of a carry gun and a couple magazines? Would they get in the way of using the crutches? Would I be able to effectively draw my weapon if needed? As these thoughts swirled through my head, I recalled the point made in Lesson 1 of the USCCA Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals course: “Don’t look like a victim.” It was with this thought in mind that I grabbed my gear and made my way out the door. However, I soon realized that carrying while temporarily disabled would mean some adjustments to the way I carry, not to mention draw, my weapon. DOWNSIZING My first change was to carry a smaller gun. I switched from my trusty Smith & Wesson M&P 9C to a Ruger LCP. Setting aside the “real fighting cartridge” argument (although I say a well-placed .380 trumps a .45-cal miss any day), the Ruger allowed me to carry a smaller and lighter weapon. Smaller and lighter meant it was less cumbersome. My LCP is fitted with a Crimson Trace LG-431 Laserguard, which alone helps me get on target more quickly when having to work around crutches. It is also equipped with a Hogue 18110 grip designed to work with the Crimson Trace laser. My hands are slightly larger than most, so the extra grip and rubber texture ensures a firm grasp of the firearm while still allowing me to activate the laser. When changing out your carry weapon, it will also likely mean switching out how you carry it. For the LCP, I chose the Mitch Rosen OWB and a Travax belt. The belt is light and infinitely adjustable, and the ■ CONCEALED CARRY can become challenging if you find your mobility holster has a slight curve and sits tight to temporarily or permanently hindered. my body. Even better, the holster is also designed to accommodate the laser.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 81 ■ WITH OR WITHOUT a laser, the Ruger LCP (shown here in its Gen 1 configuration) is a go-to for millions, and the Select Carry Pistol Pouch from 5.11 offers versatility, comfort and discretion.

NO DAYS OFF another option is to use the firing-side for concealment, I use the Select Carry I’m in the habit of training with my crutch to push the attacker away while Pistol Pouch from 5.11 Tactical. I can carry gun more than any other, so this simultaneously dropping the crutch comfortably carry my M&P 9C and an meant more range time with the LCP. and drawing your weapon. extra magazine in it, and it also has side Not only did I have to spend time on After carrying on crutches for a few pockets that allow me to hold a tourni- the firing line acclimating to the LCP, weeks, I needed to travel out of town quet and some QuikClot combat gauze. I needed to practice drawing while on to an event that required a lot of walk- For my time on the electric scooter, I crutches. To do this, I picked a safe ing. It is not uncommon to walk 10 to chose this configuration, wearing the place in my home — the fireplace wall, 12 miles a day during this three-day pouch at about 10 o’clock on my waist which is brick — and ensured my gun event, and the thought of doing so on in a crossdraw configuration. was unloaded and there was no live crutches was unpalatable. Fortunately, With this change in carry method, I ammunition in the room. This should I was able to borrow an electric scoot- also changed my practice routine. In be standard protocol for all dry-fire er. You can probably see where this the unlikely event that I would need to training. is headed: more changes and more draw my weapon, reaching for it from I found that the best method of practice. a holster on my firing side while it was drawing while on crutches was to let in a pouch on my support side would the crutch on my firing side fall forward HAVE A SEAT waste precious seconds. Practicing while keeping the other crutch in place The scooter came with armrests this carry and draw method also rein- for support, which had the added ben- that made drawing from a strong-side forced the awareness that when cross- efit of placing an obstacle in the path holster difficult. Although the armrests drawing, you risk muzzling yourself of a potential attacker. Albeit a small were removable, I chose to leave them and others as you rotate the weapon obstacle, it still may cause an assailant in place for comfort during the long into position. to stumble and buy me a half a sec- days. During the warm summer months Another area that required some ond or so. If an attacker is rushing you, when I don’t have an extra layer to use practice was tactical and emergency

82 www.USCCA.com | August/September reloads. One of the reasons I like to incorrectly, could fall out. If inserted cor- but because I hope doing so presents carry the M&P 9C is the double-stack rectly, the floorplate or finger guard will an example of how one man adapt- capacity, and in my everyday car- catch and keep the magazine in place. ed to his circumstances. My choices ry configuration, I would have three With a couple different ways to car- made sense for my leg injury, but what 12-round magazines and one round ry and some practice under my belt, I will you do if your strong-side arm is in the chamber. Moving to the LCP began to consider cover and conceal- in a sling? How will you lift your con- meant carrying three six-round maga- ment. Being disabled makes getting to cealment garment if your support-side zines and one in the chamber; in oth- cover and concealment more difficult, hand is bandaged closed? How will er words, I was carrying half as many and I had to change my mindset a bit. you get a sight picture if your dominant rounds and would more than likely While I’ve always scanned my surround- eye is covered in a patch? need to reload were I to find myself in ings for cover and concealment, my Don’t become a victim by setting a shooting situation. limited mobility made it more important aside your everyday carry gear until In a tactical reload, you’re reloading that I proactively consider my options. you heal. your weapon even if the magazine is I found myself balancing staying far not empty. You have a break in defend- enough away from an object that could ing yourself and you elect to replace conceal me from an attacker and being your partially depleted magazine with close enough that I could use that same a fresh one. While on crutches, I prac- object to my advantage if needed. SOURCES ticed keeping the crutch on my support Smith & Wesson: side in place while I reached through BACK IN THE GAME Smith-Wesson.com it to retrieve a fresh magazine. I then I’m happy to say that the crutches Ruger: Ruger.com pulled the magazine through the crutch have been put away, the scooter has Crimson Trace: and continued with a normal reload. I been returned to its owner, and I’m CrimsonTrace.com then placed the partially used maga- back to my original everyday gear and Hogue: HogueInc.com zine in my pocket on my support side. habits. I share my journey with you not Mitch Rosen: MitchRosen.com The mechanics of an emergency re- because my specific choices would 5.11 Tactical: 511Tactical.com load — reloading because your pistol necessarily be the perfect fit for you is entirely out of ammunition — were the same in my situation. I practiced retrieving a fresh magazine in the same way as a tactical reload, while also stripping the spent magazine and letting it fall to the ground. The challenge with an emergency reload is speed. As a result of your limited mobility, you may not be able to get to cover or concealment. I found myself often dropping my support-side crutch in practice. Realizing this is a likely scenario, I continued practicing disregarding the fallen crutch and allowing my strong leg to support my weight. THE PARTICULARS I also practiced reloads from a seated position in the scooter while wearing the Pistol Pouch. Being in a seated position provided a firmer foundation for the tactical and emergency reloads, but if you choose to use the Pistol Pouch, please be aware that there is a pull-tab that allows quick access to the weapon and that the pouch then remains open while you shoot. This is important to remember because your extra magazine is secured in the open flap and, if inserted

August/September | www.USCCA.com 83 UP

& PERSONAL EXTREME-CLOSE- QUARTERS BATTLE ❚ BY CHRIS CERINO PHOTOS BY MICHELLE CERINO

84 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ KNOWING WHAT TO DO when an attacker is right on top of you is an essential skill set for concealed carriers, and some techniques can seem counter-intuitive.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 85 ■ CONTACT SHOTS, or shooting an attacker with your gun pressed up against him, are an oft-neglected skill in most training. Unfortunately, they’re also not uncommon.

lose-quarters battle is just that: for an attack launched from 10 yards is attacker who’s rolling around with his or close-quarters … battle. always in the back of my mind. Getting her victim isn’t a good idea and certainly C To begin to prepare for CQB, you the gun out and on target with the bad isn’t easy. Picture two people wrestling, have to acknowledge that it can happen. guy piled up on top of me raining hay- constantly changing positions, arms The body usually can’t go where the makers is concerning. flailing … and you’re trying to make a mind hasn’t been, and the streets are a shot on one of them. The armed citizen poor place to improvise. Being forced to CONTACT! who came to the aid of a Florida State make a contact shot under duress with- There are those who say, for a variety Patrol officer being assaulted comes to out ever training to do so will likely set of reasons, that you should never press mind. into motion a swirl of consequences you or push your muzzle into anything. How- Making any urgent shot under stress almost certainly haven’t properly pre- ever, pushing your muzzle into a bad is hard, especially on a moving target. pared for, and understanding the spe- guy and firing is an awesome way to And what about concerns of over-pene- cific tactics and possible outcomes will deliver a well-aimed shot to areas on tration? I don’t want to accidentally harm prepare you for a worst-case scenario. a moving target, and it’s likely to stop a person I’m trying to protect. My time in When a hand-to-hand fight turns into a lethal attack. Understanding proper law enforcement afforded me firsthand a deadly assault and you need to use techniques, how to deal with knocking recollections from officers who walked your firearm, a contact shot may be your the slide out of battery and knowing that into calls only to find a knife-wielding best tactic. But if you haven’t thought plugging the muzzle is not a concern suspect on top of a victim, stabbing about it and trained for it, you may never are why we train. and slashing away. If this type of situa- even get the chance to try it. Moreover, contact shots are not al- tion hasn’t occurred to you, let that end Years of training, both live fire and in ways a last-ditch effort. In fact, if you now. Knife attacks continue to grow in force-on-force simulations, have taught find yourself in a violent hand-to-hand frequency in this country. me valuable mental and physical skills. fight with someone you’re incapable of Shot placement to end the fight is Close-in fighting has always been a part fighting off, a contact shot may be your as crucial as ensuring you don’t harm of that training and, as a citizen who car- first response. It can also be employed the wrong human. With contact shots, ries a gun just about all the time, the con- to defend another innocent party who is you generally only get one at a time, cern that my gun won’t just be needed being violently assaulted. Shooting at an as malfunctions are likely. Head, upper

86 www.USCCA.com | August/September chest, hips and shoulders are good target areas. There’s also the problem of blood, bone and the elements. Blood is slippery, whether it’s leaking from you or your attacker. Slick blood, bone chips and torn clothes can cause second shots or even first shots to be hard to get off. I’ve spoken with officers who couldn’t get their guns out of their holsters because they had been cut and the blood made everything too slippery. A great number of permit holders carry semi-automatics. I drift back and forth between a revolver and a semi-au- to, and the type of gun you carry greatly factors into how you need to train. In this specific context, by learning how to deliver contact shots, you can also learn to defend against them. Knowing how your gun and other types of guns function and managing to keep your gun functioning, even under less-than-optimal circumstances, is half the battle. Know- ing what causes your gun not to work can keep your gun in the game, and it can also help you take an assailant’s gun out of the game. FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS? Since revolvers are often referred to as “the original point-and-click technology” (though you’ll be hoping for something more along the lines of “point-and- bang technology” if it’s your sidearm we’re talking about), I’ll begin with them. They aren’t as failsafe as you may have thought or heard. A cylinder can be stopped from moving with very little force, and revolvers with an exposed hammer can be stopped from firing by placing an object between the cocked hammer and the firing pin. Even easier is keeping the hammer from cocking and, again, it doesn’t take much. Take the time to try this for yourself: Using an unloaded revolver, firmly pinch the cylinder between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand and try to pull the trigger. It won’t budge. Slowly decrease the pressure you’re exerting on the cyl- ■ KEEPING THE inder until you’re able to pull the trigger, slide in battery is and you’ll see just how little pressure essential, whether with a two-handed you need to keep it from cycling. method as shown Next, if you can get hold of an ex- here or a one- posed-hammer, double-action revolver, handed method as apply force to the rear of the hammer shown on Page 85. while pressing the trigger. You can’t

August/September | www.USCCA.com 87 force the trigger through that obstacle to as revolvers. Preventing external ham- tion port could easily inflict injury. complete the cocking stroke, and with mers from moving and blocking triggers Manually pressing and holding the no cocking, there’s no firing. from behind are obvious, but knock- slide in battery to facilitate a contact Another way to keep a revolver and, ing the slide out of battery just a small shot will allow the gun to fire once but indeed, any gun with room behind the amount can keep almost any semi-auto will also cause the gun to malfunction by trigger from firing is to place an obstruc- from firing. not allowing it to eject the empty case tion behind the trigger itself. In a defen- Clear and unload your pistol and then and load the next round. This could sive context, getting a finger behind the check it again. After you’ve double-con- be good or bad; it could leave the gun trigger while fighting over a gun is an firmed that it is completely unloaded, non-functional after that one shot is fired, option, which means that you need to gently push the muzzle into any piece which could be good if you are unarmed understand it and know how to defend of furniture or forgiving-but-firm surface or otherwise unable to return fire. This against it as well. and press the trigger. Do it several times, could also, of course, be bad if you’re Contact shots with a revolver are sim- using more force or less force to see the one delivering the contact shot and ple — as long as you can press the trig- what happens. Your hammer or striker that one round didn’t deliver the desired ger. If you press the trigger partially or may fall, but probably not with enough effect. stutter-step your press, follow-up shots force to activate a cartridge primer. Keeping the gun in battery can be can be made without incident. Barring In fact, many of today’s modern done with one or two hands, but it’s best the various circumstances listed above, semi-autos have a feature referred to if you start your training with a two-hand- revolvers generally function shot after as an “out-of-battery safety.” Designed ed technique. Using two hands requires shot under conditions that often cause to keep a gun from firing when the slide your strong hand on the pistol in a firing semi-auto pistols to fail. is not properly seated all the way for- grip and your support hand over the top ward, this safety generally won’t allow and grabbing the slide tightly as if to AUTOMATIC FAIL the firing pin to drop when the slide is rack it. You could also place your palm Semi-autos are the most prone to mal- knocked even a little out of full lock-up. against the back of the slide to hold it in functioning in close quarters and, with The fear is that, if a cartridge is fired with battery, though this isn’t an option with so many different configurations, they the slide unlocked, explosive gases and external-hammer-fired guns. Either way, can suffer from some of the same issues cartridge parts rupturing from the ejec- the principal idea when firing is to hold

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88 www.USCCA.com | August/September CONTACT SHOTS — WHETHER THEY RESULT IN GUN MALFUNCTION OR NOT — ARE A LOT MORE COMMON THAN SOME“ CONCEALED CARRIERS MIGHT REALIZE. the slide forward in place, which keeps long-sleeved shirts and gloves if you to immediately reacquire your target; your pistol in battery and ready to fire. desire. These techniques can be prac- finish up with control commands or ad- The one-handed method is easily ticed with no target,” paper targets or ditional shooting. done with a striker-fired gun but not as improvised targets. For most shooters, easily with a pistol that has an external it’s probably best to start with no target TRAIN FOR THE REAL WORLD hammer. When pressing the muzzle into so as to concentrate entirely on the me- Contact shots are an important ECQB your target, you simply press the thumb chanics of the technique at hand. technique and should be visualized and of your firing hand into the back of the Since a revolver is not compromised physically trained for. Atop that, gunfight slide. The gun will not cycle and your by pushing the muzzle into a target and reality is that contact shots — whether thumb will not be injured, but you must firing, you won’t need to do more than they result in gun malfunction or not — press firmly. If the gun unlocks even a press the gun into a target and pull are a lot more common than some con- little, the slide will want to travel all the the trigger to experience the effects of cealed carriers might realize. Learn to way to the rear, and your thumb could muzzle blast and weapon function on a safely and effectively integrate contact be cut by the sharp edges that are usu- close-in target. The semi-auto requires shots into your training regimen. If there ally unexposed. more training and time for proper exper- ever comes a time that you’re forced to imentation. shoot an attacker who’s literally right on READY ON THE LINE After firing into the backstop or a tar- top of you or a loved one, you’ll be glad Practicing contact shots can be done get while physically holding the pistol you did. in a variety of ways. Normal protective in battery, train to create distance while gear should be worn, but you can sup- “tap-racking” to clear the malfunction. plement eye and ear protection with After the pistol is functional again, train

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August/September | www.USCCA.com 89

INTEGRATING KNIFE AND GUN CARRY

❚PAIR BY MICHAEL JANICH UP

92 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ HOW AND WHERE you carry your knife makes a difference. Whether you consider it to be a secondary or last-ditch defensive tool, you need to take your usual carry methods and routine into account.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 93 IF POSSIBLE, TRY TO INCLUDE YOUR KNIFE SKILLS — OR AT LEAST THE ABILITY TO DEPLOY “YOUR KNIFE QUICKLY AND REFLEXIVELY — IN YOUR GUN TRAINING. ”

any people who carry a requires you to draw and open it be- of a crowd of innocent bystanders. handgun for personal de- fore you can use it to its full potential. • When you are in a non-permissive M fense also carry a knife. After you have some skills to work environment or traveling where you While some regard it as purely a utility with, your next step should be to truly do not have reciprocity to legally car- tool, others insist that their blade is a integrate the knife into your everyday ry a firearm. second line of defense and a back- carry gear and your personal-de- • As a handgun-retention tool. up, or even alternative, lethal-force fense tactics and strategies. To do In all but the last of these circum- option. While I believe very strongly that, it helps to first understand the stances, the knife becomes your pri- in the defensive potential of knives, circumstances when you would draw mary lethal-force option because the insisting that your knife is a weapon your knife instead of — or in addition gun is non-functional or completely and actually having the skill to use it to — your gun. unavailable. If that were the case, you effectively as one are two very differ- The most logical situations for a would logically want to wield it in the ent things. gun-armed individual to resort to a most effective manner possible: with Just as with any other weapon, if knife include: your dominant hand. Your dominant you’re going to trust your life and the • When your handgun suffers a cat- hand is stronger, faster and more lives of your loved ones to a knife, astrophic malfunction that cannot be coordinated than your “weak” hand, first get some good training in its use. resolved in the middle of the fight. so it is by far the preferred choice for That training must include the tactics • When you have exhausted all employing contact-distance weap- of fighting with the knife and the skills your ammo, but a potentially lethal ons. Despite that fact, many shooters to deploy it quickly and reliably under threat is still present. blindly follow the practice of carrying stress. This is particularly important if • When the use of a gun is inappro- their knives on their non-dominant you carry a folding knife, as its design priate or unsafe, such as in the middle sides to position them out of the way

94 www.USCCA.com | August/September of their holsters and guns and, theo- if you carry your handgun in a belt retically, as handgun-retention tools. holster at 3 o’clock, clipping a folding Be smarter than that, especially if you knife to your right-front pocket won’t carry only one knife. work. However, tucking the knife Carry location for a personal-de- into an appendix position in your fense knife should make it easily waistband or carrying it in your back accessible to the dominant hand. pocket would allow it and your gun Typically, this means anywhere from to happily coexist without interfering centerline around the strong side of with each other. Conversely, if your your body to the small of your back. established gun carry is a J-frame in Positioning your knife on this side of an IWB appendix holster, your front your body not only allows you quick- pocket could be the perfect home for er access and a more reliable draw, a folding knife. it should also enable you to share the If you are a less-experienced con- “common ground” of your close-quar- cealed carry permit holder, you may ter gunfighting tactics with your knife not have settled on a consistent car- skills. For example, the mechanics of ry strategy for your gun. For you, the a guarded draw that protect you and process is basically the same but your handgun while you get it into the may be a bit more fluid as you ex- fight would also be completely con- periment with your options. One thing sistent with a dominant-hand knife you must keep in mind, though, is that draw. Similarly, unarmed combat- all of your choices must work togeth- ive skills that serve as a first line of er by allowing each of them to work defense while you “earn” your draw well independently. Neither weapon should lead you just as smoothly to should interfere with the other in any your knife as they would your gun. way, and deploying or manipulating one should not dislodge or affect the EDC INTEGRATION security of the other. Based on this logic, the most practical place to carry a defensive ALL TOGETHER NOW knife, particularly a folder, is your After you think you’ve found the dominant-side front pants pocket, perfect synergy of carry positions, waistband or back pocket. All three validate and reinforce that belief with of these locations allow you easy good training. If you’re on the mat access to your knife and, with prop- training on knife skills, wear your hol- er deployment skills, to facilitate a ster and a blue gun to ensure that quick, reliable drawstroke. To deter- everything still works with them in mine which one works best for you, place. Simulate a catastrophic mal- you need to put your knife and the function with your training handgun, MADE IN mechanics of deploying it into con- pass it to your non-dominant hand THE U.S.A. text with your holster, your handgun and bring your training knife into ac- and your other EDC items. For a sea- tion against your partner. If possible, soned pistol-packer, this should the- try to include your knife skills — or at oretically be easy because you have least the ability to deploy your knife already established consistent carry quickly and reflexively — in your gun positions for your gun, spare mag- training. azines and other items. You should Like any weapon, simply carrying have also settled on a preferred hol- a knife isn’t enough. Make your blade ster type and, most likely, a fairly con- a real defensive tool by integrating it sistent style of dress that works with into your complete personal-defense all of your preferences. strategy. If this describes you, then integrating a defensive knife into your current carry strategy is simply a matter of finding available real estate in your pocket or waistband. For example, BACK SEND UP

A LITTLE HELP IS ON THE WAY ❚ BY ED COMBS

96 www.USCCA.com | August/September ■ EVEN THE FINEST modern gear will do you no good if you leave it all at home. With a few tweaks though, you can augment your EDC to make sure that’s never an issue.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 97 s I walked toward my front door size of a canned ham has ■ THE STREAMLIGHT The Kel-Tec CL-42 has on the way to work one morning, a belt loop doesn’t mean MicroStream USB, like been my primary EDC I noticed a multi-tool sitting in the it would be reasonable to the other items on these flashlight for more than five A pages, is shown next to a large brass ashtray into which I drop wear all day — unless you years now. For a mini back- round of 9mm for scale. my watch and keys every evening. It were standing on a range up, I’ve become a big fan of was a real beaut: all stainless, Ameri- instructing a class or get- the Factor Ghost 130, a sur- can-made and designed to incorporate ting a client onto a monster prisingly bright two-stage dozens of individual tools, from can 6x6 elk 50 miles from the keychain unit. One of the opener to blasting-cap-crimper, into nearest paved road. major benefits of the design one compact unit. It was the kind of mi- So, in the spirit of this is- is that it doesn’t require you to raculous hyper-modern gizmo so useful sue’s theme, I’d like to move fiddle with those little watch bat- and advanced as to make a guy think away from the holdout guns teries. It recharges with a micro he’d be able to accomplish just about and into the rest of your USB, just like many cellphones. anything when away from his garage equipment that can make As such, you can charge it and the toolboxes it contains. just as big a difference. through a wall charger, a vehi- And there it was, sitting on my entry- Before I move on though, cle charger or right off of a com- way table. Not in a pocket or a sheath. I’ll say this puter’s USB port. Mine shipped Not leaving the house with me. Sitting about pock- with a stainless clip that allows there, not out and about being of use to et guns: The me to quickly and easily remove anyone in the wider world. I sheepishly great thing it from my keys for charging, picked it up and resolved to at least get about tiny and it hasn’t even slowed down it into my vehicle’s glove box. guns is that after about two years of contin- they’re tiny, and uous use. It retails for $24.95 RIDE-ALONG the terrible thing and will quickly pay for itself. Concealed carry is more about the about tiny guns is that My normal backup is the “carry” than the “concealed.” Sure, it’s they’re tiny. I often re- MARATAC single-AA flash- best not to let anyone know that you’re fer to double-action-only micro light. It rides very unobtru- carrying what you’ve got, but it’s even .380s as “borderline experts’ sively in an inner jacket pock- more important that you have it imme- guns” because, for shots past et, runs on the most common diately on your person in the first place. about 5 yards, the combination batteries on Earth and is For example, we’ve reviewed scores, of a tiny sight radius, long trig- available in different mate- if not hundreds, of flashlights over the ger press, ineffective sights (if rials and at varying price years here at Concealed Carry Maga- any at all) and a tiny operational points. Streamlight puts zine, and to be honest, many of them profile usually means inexperi- out a similar unit called the are far better suited to home-defense enced shooters will have trouble MicroStream and, like the and patrol use than to private-citizen reliably hitting what they shoot at Factor, it too is micro-USB-re- concealed carry. When a manufacturer or even running the guns in the first chargeable. I have my recommen- sends us the newest “next big thing” in place. dations, but the most important thing is flashlight technology to assess, it’s al- Bearing that in mind, here are a few that, regardless of make or model, you most never disappointing, but I often of my picks for gear that allow you to, carry more than one flashlight. find myself thinking the same thing: as Steve Martin used to say, “get really Basically no one who’s not a small.” MEDICAL MARVEL plainclothes cop is actu- Some of the saddest stories you’ll ally going to carry this BRIGHT IDEAS ever hear are about individuals who with him or her every Even more so than a loaded died for no reason other than no one day. The same goes firearm, a flashlight is the most could get them to stop bleeding in for medical kits. Just important piece of emer- time. This is where we get into hemor- because that pouch the gency lifesaving gear rhage control, and this is where some you can keep with of you might want to make a change in you at all times. your EDC. ■ THE PICO WIDGY PRY In fact, you’ll find If your wardrobe allows it, one of the bar from CountyComm isn’t yourself using it easiest ways to carry extra gear that necessarily a self-defense far more often than isn’t attached to your keys is to basically tool, but it’s an immensely your sidearm (God willing), so it pays carry an extra wallet. You may recall our handy EDC component that punches well above its weight to spend a little heavier on your light own Anthony Lambert discussing such class when hanging on your and backups than you might have a technique a few issues back. Don’t keys from a split ring. originally considered. go any bigger than a wallet though, or

98 www.USCCA.com | August/September you’re likely to leave it at home. Some ing to improvise either, ■ THE GHOST 130 from Factor kind of small zippered pouch about the and I’m tired of hearing is a two-stage mini-torch that size of a wallet is just about perfect, so about good people dy- clips easily onto and off of a long as you remember that you’re not ing because a bystand- key ring. Even better, there’s no need to mess with tiny batteries looking to assemble a full-on IFAK. This er’s belt and T-shirt didn’t because it recharges with a is just for immediate trauma care until do the job in time. standard micro-USB cord. you can get to an emergency room. Speaking of which, toss in a few sets of CUT IT CLOSE nitrile gloves too. It’s a lot easier to get Blade length is not near- help when buddies or passersby can ly as important as ease “glove up” before maintaining pressure of deployment and, SMUGGLER’S on your leaky brachial artery. of course, whether If you’re willing to rig another contriv- you’ll actually car- BLUES ance onto your belt, the good folks at ry the knife with MAKE SURE YOU’RE ‘FLYING CLEAN’ phlsterholsters.com offer the Flatpack, you every day. As the simplest and easiest way I’ve found Martial Blades Con- to carry a combat-style tourniquet. It’s cepts founder Mike Jan- he beauty of little tiny EDC $25 well-invested, even if you only wear ich said a few issues back, the old adage components is that they’re so it while you’re at the range or engaging in about a stab being more effective than a T easily carried that you can any potentially risky task; chainsaw duty slash in stopping an attack just isn’t true forget you even have them with and hunting trips immediately jump to today. That came out of the old Roman you. That’s also their downside, and mind. They also make their own version Legion days of the 30-inch gladius, not failing to remember as much can of the “extra wallet,” the Pocket Emer- to mention it was part of military doctrine be unpleasant and costly. gency Wallet, which comes pre-loaded rather than private-citizen self-defense When you’re getting ready to with trauma essentials. training. If you’re defending yourself with travel by air, it pays to complete- I’ll leave the selection a knife, forget about stabbing; you’re ly empty all of the pockets and of your specific tour- going to want to study cutting. compartments in everything you niquet and bandage Since almost all attacks against intend to bring through any security models up to you, as which you will defend yourself with checkpoint. Sounds basic and even I know some of you al- a knife will be by an attacker holding silly to mention, but many-a backup ready have your pref- a blunt or edged weapon, knife and multi-tool have been sac- erences, and some of the whole idea is to get rificed on the altar of the TSA. you will simply consult him to drop that weapon, I travel quite a bit, and the night the Lifeline department and that is best accom- before I fly, I entirely empty my here in CCM, which is plished by severing the carry-on and repack it, ensuring trauma medicine advice muscles and tendons that anything that’s a no-go for clear- straight from a veteran allow him to close his fingers ing the screening ends up in my U.S. Navy Corpsman. and move his arm. So don’t checked bag rather than lost to the Either of those is fine sweat only carrying a 2-inch government. At the airport, I literally with me. All I ask is that blade. If you keep it sharp and do pat myself down — as I would you carry a very few piec- your homework, you’ll be as ready pat down a suspect I was taking es of basic emergency as you can be for such an unpleas- into custody — before checking medical gear. Even a thin ant task. my bag. That way, I never end up SWAT-T tourniquet and a When you’re looking to get a realizing that I’ve still got a knife single trauma dressing really tiny yet still really useful clipped to my pocket as I inch are far better than try- knife, it’s hard to beat a fixed- closer to the front of the line. blade unit such as the Bartender You work hard for what you Defender XL from TOPS. It’s an have, and I want you to be able to extremely versatile little number, hang onto it. Few feelings are as ■ TOPS KNIVES OFFERS and sheaths are available that frustrating as surrendering quality the Bartender Defender XL, will mount inside the waistband, gear to someone who will treat it a slim, discreet unit that is on a ball chain around your neck no differently than he or she would most easily worn around or wherever you like. Just remem- a set of Chinese nail clippers, so the neck on a ball chain. ber to never, ever try to reholster an do what you can to make sure you Not just a potent EDC knife, IWB-carried knife without removing never have to. it functions as a bottle opener when still snapped the holster first. Too much can go too •ED COMBS into its sheath. wrong too quickly.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 99 QUALITY DUCT TAPE IS A TRAUMA TREATMENT ESSENTIAL, AND IF YOU CAN’T NAME ABOUT 30 OTHER THINGS A FEW FEET OF DUCT TAPE“ CAN DO UNTIL A PROPER FIX CAN BE ARRANGED, I DON’T KNOW WHAT GOOD THE REST OF THIS ADVICE WILL BE TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I DON’T MEAN TO PRY… STOP ANY THREAT DEAD IN ITS TRACKS! While I would urge anyone who can ” to carry a high-quality multi-tool on his or her belt, I also understand that not everyone enjoys wearing a belt or even pants capable of accepting a belt. Either way, that “extra wallet” that’s already carrying your tourniquet, gloves and bandage can solve a few ® other organizational problems as well. I’m a huge proponent of the pry bars BULLPUP9 MADE IN of varying sizes available at county- TEXAS BY comm.com. They range in size from THE MOST TEXANS. COMPACT 9MM SHOOTS BOTH the CERT Bar we’ve featured here in DOUBLE-ACTION ONLY PISTOL .45LC & .410 the past, which is almost a foot long and capable of everything from shut- Buy a Bond Arms Handgun ting off a gas valve to breaking through this Month & Get an Extra % a residential wall, down to the Widgy Barrel at 50% OFF! Pry Bars, which range in size from 4 50OFF Excludes .22LR, .22MAG & 6” Barrels and Tank Slayer inches down to 2. We’ve all seen peo- FOR MORE INFO OR A FREE BROCHURE, call 817-573-4445 or go to BondArms.com ple pressing other tools into service as pry bars over the years, and not only is doing so dangerous and damaging, it’s ineffective. A small pry bar is one of the tools I would list as an “essential extra.” It’s not going to win any gun- fights or stop any bleeding, but dang is it handy for all kinds of other stuff. Several yards of high-quality duct tape should also be in that extra wallet. A quick YouTube search will point you in the right direction for how to flat- roll your tape, as carrying it any other way is basically unworkable. Quality duct tape is a trauma treatment essential, and if you can’t name about 30 things a few feet of duct tape can do until a proper fix can be arranged, I don’t know what good the rest of this advice will be to you in the first place. Just remember to spend heavy on your emergency duct tape; the real thing will cost between $9 and $12 a roll, and it will be as strong as the original 3M stuff you remember from the 1980s. That’s what you want on hand during an emergency, not the junk that sells for a buck at the gas station checkout. Other than those two, the second wallet can be the place to tuck other emer-

100 www.USCCA.com | August/September ”I said, please, my kids are here ... Please don’t shoot!” Forced To Pull The Trigger To Defend His Children...

David Jackson, USCCA Member

David jumped into action and saved his children and innocent bystanders from two armed robbers. But when the smoke cleared, David’s gun was confiscated and he was taken to the police station for questioning. Just like it did for David, your USCCA Membership will arm you with an experienced criminal defense attorney AND the funds to replace your confiscated gun. After all, doing the right thing shouldn’t cost you everything...

Join USCCA Now For Complete Peace Of Mind: www.GetUSCCAMembership.com Or Call Our Wisconsin-Based Team At 877-677-1919 gency incidentals, such as extra meds than anything else, but the difference ring passes is small and thus limits or other personal items for which you they make is only barely less important your range of motion with the tool. Not haven’t really found a better spot. than the gear itself. Ever notice how only do these small rings act as a piv- much of a pain it can be to use a tool ot point for tools and important keys LET’S SPLIT (or even a key) that’s threaded onto on your main ring, they make them far Those extra-small split rings are more a split-ring keychain? Sure, it’s on easier to remove from your keys for of a way to carry your newfound bounty there, but the hole through which the serious jobs. I’ve found that the half- inch models work best, but if you’re going to rig more than a few items onto your keys, it might pay to bump down a little smaller. Experiment a bit and see which works best for you. If your local hardware store can’t set you up with what you need, the inter- net certainly should be able to. JUST BE READY These are only a few of the items I’ve assessed over the years that stood out to me as mini-EDC all-stars. There are more I wish I could have included, and I’m sure there are even more that some of you will email me about. Choices aside, what really matters is that we carry these items every day. As humans, it was our giant, tool-designing brains that dragged us up out of the mud, and just because everywhere you usually go is currently climate-controlled, well lit and running smoothly doesn’t mean that it always will be. Just as bones heal, chicks ANNOUNCINGSkinner® THE SKINNER Sights HTF GARMENT LLC BAG dig scars and glory lasts forever, stuff breaks, people get hurt and what • Up to a 40" long gun and two handguns you’ll have is what you brought. You • Room for three rifle and eight pistol • Knife, flashlight and accessory pouches can vastly increase your prepared- • Courdura construction ness with a few very simple items, HTF Garment • Heavy duty stitching but they won’t do you any good if you Bag leave them at home.

Who Steals Clothes? SOURCES Kel-Tec: FOLDS FOR EASY CARRYING KelTecWeapons.com WITH WRAP AROUND HANDLES Factor Equipment: REMOVABLE HOLSTERS FactorEquipment.com WITH MAGAZINE POUCH MARATAC: CountyComm.com PHLster: PHLsterHolsters.com SWAT-T: SWATTourniquet.com THE SKINNER® SIGHTS “HTF” BAG ALLOWS YOUR Streamlight: Firearms and accessories shown are for illustrative FIREPOWER TO BE “CONCEALED IN PLAIN SIGHT” purposes and are not included with Skinner cases. Streamlight.com YET READY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. TOPS Knives: www.SKINNERSIGHTS.com TOPSKnives.com

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owo o o... here are shooters, and even some instructors, who don’t believe you Tneed to use your handgun’s sights at close range. They might even con- tend that the handgun isn’t very useful past 10 yards to begin with, so sights aren’t really that important anyway. I’m being serious here. I wouldn’t kid VISION about something so important or an opinion that is so wrong. Much of the myth of point shooting sprang from a time when handguns did not have much in the way of sights. If you were using a Colt 1903 automat- XS ic or a Colt Single Action Army, then a fast look at the front sight was about all that you could hope for in a gunfight. But we don’t deliver mail in Ford Model Ts anymore, nor do we use those firearms outside of a hobbyist context. Point shooting in the Old West was actually a myth as well. Factory letter documentation shows that lawman Bat Masterson ordered a front sight taller than normal for his 45/8-inch Single Ac- tion Army. Tom Threepersons’ similar .45 now rests in a museum but exhib- its a custom tall, square front sight. I would say those men used their sights. SIGHTS FOR THE MODERN SHOOTER For those of us skilled in the modern school, it is important to use the best sights possible, and that doesn’t mean target sights. Many models are fragile, and you really don’t need adjustable units, but you do need whatever sights THE XS F8 SIGHT you use to be highly visible. ❚ BY BOB CAMPBELL

104 www.USCCA.com | August/September August/September | www.USCCA.com 105 ■ NOT ONLY ARE THE SIGHTS EASY TO USE and reliably bright, they’re also steel. Steel sights are important to a lot of concealed carriers and law enforcement officers, as the ability to use them to release the slide on a pistol when only one hand is available for operation is a primary concern when selecting potentially lifesaving equipment.

Many experienced shooters pre- In broad daylight, however, the fast flash sight picture we know is im- fer night sights on their handguns, V-notch makes for easy errors in portant to personal-defense shooting. though these could best be de- windage when you’re trying for pre- I am willing to concede that 15 scribed as day-and-night sights, as cision shots since you automatically yards is a long shot in personal de- they offer a good sight picture during line up and look through the rear sight fense, particularly in dim light, but any hour. They’re usually three-dot to the front post with the usual set of we cannot give up the ability to land affairs, but this isn’t always the best sights. It would be good to have a set hits at long range if needed. I have choice for combat shooting at rela- of night sights to preserve this type plenty of files in my cabinet that show tively close range. of aiming. A sight that forces you to that self-defense shooting and, par- I’ve used the express-type sights concentrate on the rear sight isn’t ticularly, firing in defense of others, for many years on several handguns, the best choice either. With three-dot sometimes happen at longer range, specifically those from XS Sights. I night sights, you have to take more though this is a rarity. But that is why like the Big Dot and find it does what time to aim than with the big-dot mod- my favorite long-range handgun — it is designed to do: offer a brilliant- els, but daylight aiming is more ac- the SIG Sauer Emperor Scorpion ly fast aiming point for personal-de- curate. There should be a solution to 10mm — wears a good set of night fense use in dim light. In good light, this problem. sights. the round front sight and V-notch rear Perhaps luminescent paint on the On the other hand, the larger dot on don’t allow precise aiming out to 25 front sight would help, but it would not the front post of some sight systems yards as some sights do, but for fast last long. So there should be a tritium actually covers a pretty wide slice of work in dim light, nothing is more ef- center. And perhaps a yellowish-or- the target, even at 15 yards. You need ficient. ange color might help in gaining that to strike a balance.

106 www.USCCA.com | August/September USCCA Ads.qxp_USCCA 1-3 V 3/27/18 9:38 AM Pa

THE XS F8 sight bars to quickly acquire the front I considered these factors when sight when moving from concealed I was testing a Springfield XD .357 carry to the firing position with real Unleash SIG, a powerful but fairly compact speed. The figure-eight advantage is handgun with much potential. The fast alignment of the rear vial to the pistol, loaded with the fast-stepping front dot. SIG Sauer Elite V-Crown hollow-point, I’ve used variations on this theme in is a potent handgun. I purchased it the past, and such arrangements are used, and the finish was well-worn, often called the “Old Man’s” sight, as XL650 but the function was utterly reliable. they make for easy sight acquisition STANDARD FEATURES: The Springfield factory sights are when firing quickly. A wide notch and • Automatic Indexing above average, but my eyes are los- a broad front sight are ideal for eyes • Loading Rate: 800-1000 Rounds/Hr. ing some of their acuity. The original losing their snap, as the wide notch tritium was fading after many years of increases the visibility of the large, • 5-Station Interchangeable Toolhead use, so I decided to add a modern bright front post. Such a sight sys- • Lifetime “No-B.S.” Warranty set of high-visibility personal-defense tem isn’t for target shooting; it is for • RISK FREE 30-Day Trial Period! sights. I studied the available options combat. It is fast — very fast — on and chose the XS F8 system. target no matter what the light con- Designed for fast target acqui- ditions are. The front sight practically sition in all light jumps into the rear conditions, these notch during com- sights feature a bat drills, and the figure-eight, inline rear sight may be sight with a single WHEN YOU USE snagged on a belt dot above the oth- THE SIGHTS IN and used to rack er. The front sight “ the slide if need be. DAYLIGHT, THE ORANGE is 0.16 inches RING WILL ABSORB LIGHT wide, and contrast AND PRESENT A GLOW TESTED AND is achieved with a APPROVED photo-luminescent OF ITS OWN. I THINK The night-time orange-colored THAT THEY ARE ON TO sight picture with ring that surrounds SOMETHING. one dot above the a tritium dot. The other makes for ex- orange ring has cellent accuracy. In a good portion of daylight, be certain NOTE: yellow tint for maximum visibility, and to use both dots as the aiming point. Pictured research indicates this is one of the” If you use the iron-sight outline in a here with most visible colors in low light. When conventional sight picture, you will available you use the sights in daylight, the or- find your shot groups are low. options. ange ring will absorb light and pres- No sighting system relieves a ent a glow of its own. I think that they shooter of the need to practice, but are on to something. the XS F8 is an outstanding option On the range, the figure-eight in- that will impress a shooter who un- line sight picture makes for very fast derstands the need to land shots in shooting with excellent accuracy. any lighting. The photo-luminescent orange ring is actually more visible than the tritium dot in almost all light conditions, but in very dim light, the tritium dot comes into its own. The front sight is SOURCES a combination of yellow and orange, Colt’s Manufacturing: Colt.com leaning toward orange. The rear XS Sights: XSSights.com notch leads the eye to the front sight SIG Sauer: SIGSauer.com and makes for an excellent sight pic- Springfield Armory: ture. Equally importantly, there is a Springfield-Armory.com www.dillonprecision.com wide enough space between the rear FREE Catalog L88-14690, Call 800-762-3845

August/September | www.USCCA.com 107 INSTRUCTOR’S CORNER by George Harris

■ WHEN TEACHING STUDENTS new and old, it is always relevant to KEEPING cover the topic of immediate action, what it is, how to perform it, what the expected outcomes should be and, most importantly, how to THE GUN minimize the likelihood that it will ever need to be implemented. In any repeating firearm, immediate RUNNING action is the procedure performed after the gun ceases functioning in order to put it back into operation CONCEPTS OF IMMEDIATE ACTION in the least amount of time.

108 www.USCCA.com | August/September These procedures may vary depen- Secondary immediate action is de- dent on the type of firearm, but the goal PRIMARY IMMEDIATE ACTION scribed in training as “rip, cycle, tap, remains the same. Primary immediate action refers to the rack, ready,” referring to the actions tak- The need for immediate action is procedure implemented on a firearm en to bring the gun back to operational rooted in an interruption in the cycle when the trigger is pulled and the gun status. Note that taking cover should of operation of a firearm. This interrup- doesn’t fire, indicating there is no round always be considered any time the gun tion is often referred to as a malfunc- in the chamber to fire or the round in the quits working simply because there is no tion, a stoppage or, more generically, a chamber is a dud. Since it is important way to tell how long it will take nor what jam. Typically, these conditions can be to get the gun into operation as quickly must be done to get the gun up and run- traced back to the type of ammunition as possible, there is no time to analyze ning again. In a perfect world, you’d be being used, poor cleaning and mainte- the situation. The most expedient thing to able to take cover. But then again, in a nance, lack of lubrication or poor han- do is firmly tap the bottom of the mag- perfect world, you wouldn’t even be in a dling on the shooter’s part. azine to ensure it is fully seated, retract gunfight. As instructors and teachers, it is im- and release the slide to chamber a fresh portant to have our students understand cartridge, and be ready to continue what IN TRAINING the cycle of operation of their firearms you were doing when the problem arose. In the interest of simplicity and effi- and what the contributing factors are In short, primary immediate action is of- ciency, why not just train initially to per- that cause interruptions. More impor- ten recognized by most trainers as “tap, form an emergency reload when the pis- tantly, we should teach our students rack and ready.” tol quits working? That’s about the only how to avoid being put into a position of A variant of primary immediate action option we have with a revolver except having to perform immediate action in a could be when an empty cartridge case for continuing to pull the trigger to turn

IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU’D BE ABLE TO TAKE COVER. BUT THEN AGAIN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BE IN A GUNFIGHT. time of grave“ danger. is trapped in the ejection port, preventing the cylinder for the next round. As for Space doesn’t allow getting into the the slide from closing and the gun from autos, former Marine and retired range- intimate details of a gun’s cycle of opera- firing. In some cases, there may be other master Larry” Nichols says, “Reloading tion, and the specifics of proper mainte- unseen issues, and performing primary the pistol will solve 95 percent of your nance or the recommended ammunition immediate action doesn’t get the gun up problems when it quits working. The oth- for a particular gun are sufficiently cov- and running again. This is where second- er 5 percent will require more time than ered in the owner’s manual and always ary immediate action will be necessary in you have to fix, so it will be prudent to available from the manufacturer. In reorder to get your sidearm back into the go to a backup gun or leave the area.” ality, following the recommendations in fight. I agree with this philosophy. If the the owner’s manual and practicing tried- problem can be resolved quickly, an and-true shooting techniques will greatly SECONDARY IMMEDIATE ACTION emergency reload is a good technique reduce the need for spending time prac- Secondary immediate action is per- with which to be proficient. Keep the ticing immediate-action drills. formed when it is apparent that prima- primary and secondary immediate-ac- All that said, our nemesis “Murphy” is ry immediate action failed to solve the tion techniques as tools in the inventory often working overtime when the chips problem. This usually happens when a — just in case — with the hope they will are down, which means if it CAN happen, cartridge case is stuck in the chamber, never be needed. it WILL — and at the most inopportune causing a double-feed, or when a faulty The greatest impact instructors can moment. magazine fails to feed ammunition prop- have in regard to any type of immediate No matter why we shoot or carry a gun, erly into the gun. In either case, since action is to train students who will nev- it is prudent to know how to get it back in there is no time for analysis, the most ef- er need to implement such measures. firing condition when it fails. This is im- fective technique is to clear the gun of Regular maintenance and inspection of portant, and perhaps critical, when a life ammunition and magazine and start over the firearm and ammunition, combined is in the balance. with fresh. This involves ripping the orig- with solid shooting techniques, will all There are several common methods inal magazine out of the gun, cycling the but eliminate the need for immediate ac- taught for performing immediate action action several times to clear the cham- tion in a time of peril. on magazine-fed, semi-automatic fire- ber and ejection port, inserting a fresh arms carried for personal defense. More magazine, cycling the slide to chamber often than not, they are referred to as pri- a round and being ready to fire if the situ- mary and secondary immediate action. ation still dictates.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 109 HANDS ON by Dan Marcou

ometimes, the Chicken Wing, which is a com- Smon hold, is used by a bouncer to escort an unruly patron from a bar. This article is not designed to assist the unruly patron in escaping this hold to finish his drink. Don’t be that guy … ever. Additionally, if you are drinking alcohol while armed, you are not a solution to the world’s problems; you are one of the world’s problems. AS AN UNLAWFUL ATTACK To accomplish the Chicken Wing, the attacker will hook his intended victim’s arms and, while keeping them hooked, secure the arms behind the victim’s back. The Chicken Wing has, in the past, been used to control, kid- nap or rape victims. It has also been commonly used to hold a person’s arms while others pummel him with blows or rifle through his pockets for a wallet. In the case of a life-threatening event, you might decide to escape this victimization. The tendency of an untrained victim would be to try to out-muscle the attacker and pull the arms out by bringing them forward and out. Ironically, this merely serves to further tighten and secure the attacker’s grip. A different ap- proach needs to be taken. STEP 1 Turn your gun-side foot sideways so your toes are pointed out. Lift the foot, keeping the toes turned out. With the side of your foot, find the attacker’s shin and rake the foot against the shin, downward, with intensity. Find and stomp the foot as hard as you can. Pain will naturally cause the attacker to at least rear back and loosen his grip, if not let go all together. DON’T

WINGESCAPING THE COMMON CHICKEN WING IT

110 www.USCCA.com | August/September STEP 2 a strangle hold is. However, it is a restraint To take advantage of this natural sep- often used to facilitate life-threatening aration caused by the stomp, allow your events. In the case where it is being gun-side arm to go totally limp. As you used in conjunction with a life-threaten- do, use your reaction-side (non-gun- ing event, you could now access your side) foot as the planted post and piv- firearm and make your decision to shoot ot the other foot forward and to the left or not based on your assessment of the while you keep your gun-side arm limp. threat at that moment. Slip the gun-side arm out of the grip as If there is no such life-threatening if you are letting someone assist you in event at the moment of your escape, the taking off your coat. Pivot forward and mere application of a Chicken Wing on toward your reaction side (non-gun-side) your person does not generally justify the in a 180-degree arc. use of deadly force after you escape it. However, the use of pepper spray could STEP 3 be defensible if you have been unlawful- You should end up side-by-side with ly attacked in this manner. the attacker, with your non-gun-side Perhaps the most viable option af- arm still hooked with his, which will ter escaping a Chicken Wing is to flee leave you perfectly set up for a take- while the suspect is still down, calling out down. Bring your non-gun-side leg, “Help! I’ve been attacked! Call 911!” as which is closest to the attacker, up you run. Successfully fleeing the attack and forward and then shoot it sharp- does not make you a chicken. It makes ly back between the attacker’s legs. you smart. Don’t just sweep the leg but rather Now, if you’ve read this far, practice thrust it hard between the attacker’s the escape. Don’t just wing it. legs from behind and plant the toe of your reaction-side foot on the ground as far through the legs as possible while still maintaining your balance. The attacker’s feet should come out from under him and he should land on his back or side, turned away from you. You will be able to unhook your other arm at this time and escape or effectively and legally address the threat if one still remains. AFTER THE ESCAPE The Chicken Wing is not inher- ently a life-threatening attack like DON’T

WING IT ■ REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE of physical hold, you need to escape as soon as possible. Ideally, your escape will create distance between you and your attacker or attackers, allowing you time to assess and draw your sidearm if necessary.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 111 LIFELINE by Anthony Lambert

MEDICATIONS FOR EMERGENCIES STRAIGHT DOPE he Mayo Clinic, a world-re- prescriptions are all filled. purchase and are readily available. As nowned medical center in To simplify this discussion, let’s you look at OTC drugs for your minor T Rochester, Minnesota, esti- separate medications into two cate- aches and pains, there are a few things mates that seven in 10 Americans gories: to consider: Do you buy brand name or — 70 percent — are on some type of Over the Counter (OTC): Drugs generic, and is there even a difference? prescribed medication. This got me sold directly to the consumer without a Let’s look at Tylenol, one of the most thinking about how I plan to main- doctor’s prescription. popular non-aspirin pain relievers in tain my personal medications during Prescription Medication: Drugs the country. That’s the name brand that everything from long trips away from sold only to the consumer with a val- most of us know, but the generic name home to natural disasters. Some peo- id doctor’s prescription, normally ob- is acetaminophen. If you compare the ple depend on daily medications to tained from a pharmacy. labels on the two different packages, stay alive, so having a workable plan Your typical OTC drugs include aspi- they will read exactly the same in rein place may be crucial in your per- rin, Tylenol, Motrin, cold medicines and gard to the ingredients and dosages. sonal-protection plan. After all, disas- anything else that can be found at your Buying generic will, in many cases, be ter rarely strikes after confirming your local drugstore. They’re fairly easy to cost-effective.

112 www.USCCA.com | August/September to sustain ourselves for three to five until several years ago when I learned days without any outside assistance? that the antibiotics used to keep fish I suspect that most of you reading this and their aquariums safe and clean have your defensive plan in place but are the same we humans prescribe may have overlooked the importance to patients, just with different brand of your personal medical plan. Other names. than a first-aid kit and trauma kit, have I want to clarify that I am in no way you thought about prescriptions for advocating self-diagnosis or self-pre- yourself or others who live with you? scription. If you have any kind of med- For some, this is going to be very chal- ical emergency, you need to seek lenging. If you live with someone who professional medical attention as requires in-home care, your plan is go- soon as you can. What we’re talking ing to require some serious foresight. about here is for general knowledge Start by making a list of your medi- and in cases of extreme emergency. cations and medical requirements. Re- Now that that’s out of the way, run member to include the name, quantity, a Google search for “Fish Mox” — it’s dosage and frequency. Make sure you amoxicillin for fish. If you read the la-

MID-EMERGENCY ISN’T THE TIME TO REALIZE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE “TO BE BETTER PREPARED.

keep that list updated as your medica- bel, it will categorically state that it is tions change. Talk with your medical” intended for aquarium and ornamen- provider to possibly get some extra tal fish only and absolutely not for doses. It will be important to explain human use … but the composition of why you are requesting additional dos- the amoxicillin is no different. It’s not es and, in some cases, depending on regulated like a prescription drug be- the medication, clinical policies or the cause it is intended for fish care rath- ■ TRAINING AND GEAR can only do law may render them unavailable. er than human care, but it’s the same so much if you’re too sick or physically Speaking of clinical policies, this stuff. Don’t just take my word for it ei- compromised to employ them. While should go without saying, but unfor- ther. Google searches are free. we’re talking about backup plans, let’s tunately it doesn’t: Stay on top of your talk about pharmacological regimens. refills and don’t wait until you’re out to BETTER NOW THAN LATER reorder. Mark your calendar or sched- I always maintain a minimum of WHAT’S THE PLAN? ule your smartphone to call in your refill a 30-day supply of my medication When looking to plan for emergen- at least a week before you run out. needs at any given time. I hope that cies, it can sometimes be challenging none of us ever have to go through to even know where to begin. I’m not FISH OUT OF WATER? a tragic incident or natural disaster, going to lay out a specific plan here Now, imagine it’s the proverbial but unfortunately, we cannot foresee and tell you to follow it, as your needs “zombie apocalypse.” You’re hurt and or dictate when such events will oc- will almost certainly be different from need antibiotics to prevent infection. cur. We need to always remain vigi- mine or another reader’s. Rather, I will You go and break into the local drug lant and aware of what is happening present ideas for you to consider in store or pharmacy and it’s wiped out. around us, and mid-emergency isn’t the context of your own personal situ- You’re flat out of luck … or are you? the time to realize we should have ation. When I formulate a plan to meet Were it me we’re talking about done more to be better prepared. the needs of my family and myself, I here, I would head to my local pet think about the worst-case scenar- store and search in the fish medica- io — the worst situation in which we tion section. Did you know that fish could end up. What would we need need antibiotics too? I had no idea

August/September | www.USCCA.com 113 CLEAR IMPACT by Ed Combs

WINCHESTERDOUBLE .410 PDX1 TROUBLE 114 www.USCCA.com | August/September VELOCITY: 750 FPS WATCH CLEAR SHOT WEIGHT: 0.25 OUNCES CHARGE: 3 DEFENSE DISCS, IMPACT AT 12 PLATED BBs https://youtu.be/ILzopKgMo7w MSRP: $13.99/10

■MULTI-BARRELED AND DERRINGER-TYPE PISTOLS have been popular backup options for more than a century — and even longer if you count the “pepperbox,” “duckfoot” and other early multi-barrel handguns. Today, since the advent of the “derringer renaissance” led by Bond Arms and the shotshell revolver craze started by the MIL, Inc. “Thunder 5” in the early 1990s that Taurus picked up and ran with in the early 2000s, .410 shotshells aren’t just for small-game hunting or pest control anymore. These self-defense- specific rounds from Winchester pack three plated discs ahead of 12 plated BBs atop a powder charge substantial enough for close-range fighting, and they’re especially at home in the hands of concealed carriers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel. When delivered into an attacker from car- window-distances, the effect can be substantial. For more information on these shells and the rest of Winchester’s defensive offerings, hop on over to winchester.com.

August/September | www.USCCA.com 115 MEMBER PROFILE by Sarah Campisi

hen Colonel Rodney Jackson Wwas 16 years old, he and his friends attempted a bank robbery. It was COLONEL the only trouble he ever had with the law, but it almost ruined his life. When he was in his jail cell, he promised, “God, if you RODNEY get me out of this, I’ll do better.” He got a second chance when the judge asked him about his life’s ambi- JACKSON tion. Jackson replied that he wanted to ■LEESBURG, OHIO become “a police officer with a heart.” DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONSULTANT AND RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER The judge agreed to give him six months probation and said that she would help EVERYDAY CARRY: him become a police officer as long as SPRINGFIELD he stayed on the right path. DOUBLE-STACK .45 Jackson kept his promise and enrolled in his high school’s vocational police officer program during his junior and senior years. After high school, he spent two years in the Army and became a police officer in 1982. He worked for five police departments before retiring in 1995. For the last 17 years, he has consulted for the Department of Justice and educated police departments on public safety. He also created a DVD on public safety and the Americans with Dis- abilities Act several years ago. A few years back, Jackson had to decide whether or not to use his gun when a neighbor who was addicted to drugs and alcohol broke into his house in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the neighbor left the house on his own without incident. Jackson later found out from another neighbor that the intruder was having a blackout at the time. It was a tense experience, but Jackson took comfort in the fact that he is a USCCA member and that the organization would be there for him if needed. “What was nice about it was knowing that I had insurance from [the USCCA],” he said. Jackson stresses the need for members to use caution in a self-defense incident. “Being a good member is using good judgment,” he said. “So, when you do require help, you’re going to your organization saying, ‘I made a sound decision. I wasn’t reckless.’” Jackson is currently retired and living in Ohio, but he still occasionally consults for the Department of Justice.

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■NECK KNIVES are nothing new, and America is decades into the most common iteration: a small knife with a Kydex sheath hung around the neck and drawn from under a shirt. There's a lot more to it than that though, and in October's issue of Concealed Carry Magazine, Martial Blade Concepts founder Mike Janich will walk you through the ins and outs of these diminutive but potentially lifesaving last resorts. PAIN IN THE NECK

118 www.USCCA.com | August/September No More Lazy Leather.

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