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58
94
44» GUN REVIEW:
KAHR ARMS CM-9
48» AMERICA’S PISTOL
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GLOCK
54» GUN REVIEW: SPEC OPS 9
58» TRAINING THE TRAINERS:
INSTRUCTORS NEED TO KNOW WHY
60» JUST ASK!
1911 VS. A POLYMER PISTOL
64» HOLSTER YOUR XD-M 45
72» POLYMER 1911S
NEVER MADE IT BIG
76» DOES THIS MAKE MY
BUTT LOOK FAT?
80» ROUGH IT UP
STIPPLE YOUR POLYMER PISTOL
90» LASER MYTHS EXPLAINED
94» GUN REVIEW:
STAND BEHIND THE SHIELD
44

COLUMNS
26
26» BALLISTIC BASICS:
A LOOK AT LIGHT RAILS
28» LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN:
LEARN TO AVOID SURPRISES
32» IT’S JUST THE LAW:
WHAT TO DO DURING A TRAFFIC STOP
36» REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR:
FIELD -TESTED GEAR THAT WORKS.
40» DEFCON 1: BLOOD ON OUR HANDS
DEPARTMENTS
28
32
36
40
6» PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
7» EDITOR’S SHOT
8» ASK THE USCCA:
AN OPEN FORUM FOR USCCA MEMBERS
10» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
12» TRUE STORIES: TALES OF DEFENSE
FROM AROUND THE NATION
13» LEGISLATIVE NEWS
14» DRILL OF THE MONTH: VERBALIZING
18» MEMBER PROFILE: SCOTT WAGNER
20» USCCA ONLINE AND ON THE AIR
MULTI-MEDIA MAYHEM
22» GEAR WE LOVE: NEW GEAR
WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
42» ABOUT THE COVER
86» INSTRUCTOR’S CORNER:
SHOOTING PLATFORMS
98» ONE TO THE HEAD:
COMMENTARY IS OUR BUSINESS!
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
5

PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
BY TIM SCHMIDT
THE SYMBOL OF FREEDOM
» ON JUNE 20TH, 1782, the bald eagle was
chosen as the icon that would represent our great nation.
It was immortalized as our country’s emblem for a number of
reasons, but one of my favorite folk stories about America’s
history with the bald eagle is from the Revolutionary War.
It is said that during one of the very first battles of the
Revolution, which happened early in the morning, the
sound of the battle awoke sleeping eagles high
above in the trees. As the battle raged on, the
eagles leaped from their nests, circled above the
battle, and vented their cries while the Patriots
fought their adversaries. As they fought, the
Patriots on the ground said the eagles were
shrieking for freedom. It became a battle cry
and foreshadowing of our nation’s tenacious
commitment to victory from our oppressors.
As I have spent time reflecting on the
emblem of our nation, it has reminded me
of the power of symbols. Symbols have
been used to communicate ideas and information
since the beginning of humanity,
and to this day they play an incredibly
influential and important role in our everyday
lives. Symbols influence what we
buy, where we go, how we think, what
we eat, where we live, and so much more.
Without a doubt, symbols play a key role
in defining who we are and how we live.
As you opened this second issue of our
newly reinvented magazine, you may have
noticed the USCCA has a new logo. Our
entire organization has been growing and
evolving over the past year, and I felt it was
important for our identity and mission to
design a new logo that would reflect all
that we stand for in a new way. I wanted
to see something that would not just simply
let people know what our name was.
I wanted something that would make a
statement about our mission. I wanted an
emblem worthy of our cause.
The USCCA is an organization of Patriots.
As such, it was vital that we communicated
our convictions by using a symbol
worthy of that title. Our decision to use
the eagle is not a coincidence. The eagle
is not only the symbol of our nation, but it
is a majestic creature of strength and long
life. Our mission to stand strong and fight
for the cause of liberty and freedom is a
part of the fabric of our nation’s history,
and it is a major part of the USCCA. The
eagle represents everything we believe in
as an organization.
The shield represents our God-given,
natural-born right to defend our families,
our homes, and ourselves. Every human
life is precious and worth protecting from
harm, and we are committed to helping
people become prepared to do whatever
it takes to safeguard life in the face of any
potential threat.
The sword overlaying the shield on the
right represents our resolve to fight for
what we believe is right, and our willingness
to use force to protect our loved ones
and ourselves.
The star represents knowledge, as well
as our commitment to stand together as
one, unified voice.
And lastly, the colors of our logo
are chosen with obvious
homage to our great nation
and the values our founding
fathers fought for. We are Patriots,
and we will continue to
honor the values our nation
was founded upon.
Our nation is at an ideological
crossroads. The battle we find
ourselves in is nothing new, but there is
no excuse for complacency in the midst of
this war of convictions. It is my hope when
you see our new logo, you see a symbol of
freedom and deep beliefs. My hope is you
are inspired to stand and make your voice
heard in the midst of the attack by those
who would seek to strip good people of
their liberties and rights. My hope is you
will join us in our mission to fight for our
natural-born human rights.
Thank you for being a part of our cause.
There is no other cause more worthy of
your time, passion and resources. I applaud
your patriotism and vision, and I
count it an honor and privilege to be able
to support you as we all seek to prepare
others to be responsibly armed Americans.
Together, we can change our nation
for the better.
Take care and stay safe,
Tim Schmidt
President USCCA

EDITOR’S
SHOT
BY
KEVIN MICHALOWSKI
POLYMER PISTOLS
COME OF AGE
» I AM OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER all the hype surrounding the introduction
of the Glock pistol in the United States. Remember how people told us this “plastic gun”
could pass right through metal detectors and X-ray machines to be smuggled on to
airliners and into secure areas. And it had a 17-round magazine. The resulting carnage
would surely send society spinning into some post-modern dark age where new
technology would cause humans to revert to prehistoric thugs with auto-loading pistols.
The carnage never materialized. Not a
single polymer pistol was secretly carried
onto an airplane or past the metal detectors
into a prison yard. The post-modern
dark age of thugs with auto-loading pistols
was spawned by crack cocaine, not a
new firearms’ design. If anything, the rise
of the polymer pistol made it easier for
Americans to defend themselves against
such thugs. But I digress.
This column is about polymer pistols
and the people who love them. The number
of those polymer-lovers is great and
varied. We come from all walks of life. People
of every race, creed and color carry
polymer pistols. Polymer pistols do not
discriminate; they serve us all regardless
of our foibles and idiosyncrasies. Polymer
pistols are so welcoming, so forgiving and
so willing to serve. Is it any wonder they
have become so popular?
As much as I would like to attribute human
qualities to an inanimate object, I will
leave that to the anti-gun crowd. The truth
about polymer pistols is much simpler.
Polymer reduces the overall weight of a
pistol, making it easier to carry and conceal.
Modern Americans value their comfort.
If a pistol is lighter and easier to carry we
are more likely to carry it. We also understand
no one who has survived a gunfight
ever said, “Damn, I wish my pistol held fewer
rounds. I was looking forward to a magazine
change in the middle of that mess.”
So, you got your reduced weight. You got
your increased capacity. But there’s more.
Done correctly, polymer also gives you
durability, variety and reduced production
costs. This material is to gunmaking what
the printing press was to the production of
Bibles; it is a major game changer.
I understand there will be holdouts.
There is still a devout group of men who
demand a steel-framed pistol with a single-stack,
seven-round magazine. God
bless you, gentlemen. You are warriors
from a different age, but warriors nonetheless.
I am glad to have you on my team
and will try not to besmirch your choice of
weaponry any more than I have to in order
to make this point. Back to my point.
Polymer is the right choice for a fighting
handgun. Polymer works. Polymer
gives us all of the benefits with very few
drawbacks. Anything a steel-framed gun
can do, a polymer gun can do with more
versatility and less weight.
One of the great things I really enjoy
about polymer is the versatility allowed
when it comes to personalizing a pistol.
If you want to change the gripframe, add
some stippling, or otherwise rough-up
(or smooth out) the surface, polymer is so
easy to work with, even a guy like me can
do it well. I’m certain I will get letters and
emails telling me why I don’t know what
I’m talking about, but I put a polymer pistol
on my hip every day and when I go on
duty I carry one every night and I wouldn’t
have it any other way. It comes down to a
matter of taste. I happen to like my polymer
guns. But I’m not inflexible. If you
want to tell me why I’m wrong, I will listen.
Those who eschew polymer pistols do
it only out of nostalgia. Still that may be as
good a reason as any. I’m not telling you
to totally abandon your blued steel fetish.
We should all own more than one gun. I’m
telling you to own your steel-framed pistol
and carry it proudly but with the understanding
that polymer will serve you
better if you chose to make the switch.
Stay safe,
Kevin Michalowski
Executive Editor,
Concealed Carry Magazine
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
7

ASK THE
USCCA
WHAT EXACTLY IS AN
ASSAULT WEAPON?
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
8
» I UNDERSTAND there is a new push to ban them, but I don’t
understand exactly what would be included in a ban. Jaime S., Sunnyvale CA
Jaime, that’s a great question, and we’d
be willing to place a bet that if you conducted
a national poll on that question,
the most common answer you’d get would
be, “a machine gun.” Unfortunately, that
answer would be wrong.
Here’s the reality—while most firearms
can be defined by one or more mechanical
properties, the term, “assault weapon”
is more of a descriptive verb, used by the
media and anti-gun politicians to make
a particular gun sound, well, scary. To
explain that further, if you were to walk
into a gun store and ask to see a “revolver,”
that term denotes a specific type
of firearm, with a specific mechanical
function (a rotating cylinder). The same
thing goes for a “striker-fired handgun,”
“bolt-action rifle,” or “pump-action shotgun.”
The term “assault weapon” on the
other hand, has no specific mechanical or
functional meaning, and instead, it tends
to mean, “scary looking black rifle.” Most
recently, the AR-15 has been at the forefront
of a renewed effort to ban these so
called “assault weapons.”
Mechanically speaking, an AR-15 is a
semi-automatic rifle, that uses a detachable
magazine. The AR-15 stock is made
from black plastic and composite materials,
but of course, that feature doesn’t
make it any more powerful than the average
hunting rifle with a wood stock. In
fact, the AR-15, chambered in the Remington
.223, is considered too light a caliber
to be legal in many states for deer hunting,
with less than half the kinetic energy of
the .30-06, the most common deer hunting
round on the market. In addition, the
“semi” in “semi-automatic” means that the
rifle fires a single round each time the trigger
is pressed, rather than multiple rounds
that are fired on a fully automatic firearm,
or what might otherwise be called a “machine
gun.” The problem is, when politicians
(including President Obama, Charles
Schumer, and Dianne Feinstein) refer to
assault weapons and the types of guns
they’d like to ban, they’ll mention AR-15s,
AK-47s, and Uzis all in the same breath.
While all of those firearms are available
in semi-automatic versions, the President
and others are trying to conjure up the
idea that fully automatic machine guns
have flooded the streets, and that an “assault
weapons ban” would rid the country
of those military-grade firearms.
The now-expired Federal Assault Weapons
Ban (AWB) which passed in 1994 and
expired in 2004, banned a class of firearms
not based upon their function or power,
but based upon cosmetic characteristics. In
other words, the ban didn’t outlaw firearms
based upon a certain caliber size; it didn’t
ban firearms based on a certain physical
size; and it didn’t ban machine guns, which
were already controlled under the National
Firearms Act of 1934. Instead, it outlawed
semi-automatic rifles that used detachable
magazines, which also had two or more
cosmetic features including: a folding or
telescoping stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet
mount, a flash suppressor or threaded
barrel, or a grenade launcher (for what
it’s worth, actual grenade launchers were
already illegal before the AWB was signed
into law). When arguing why a pistol grip
should be included on the list of banned
cosmetic characteristics, proponents of
the ban suggested that a pistol grip on a
rifle allowed it to be, “shot from the hip,
leading to more accurate and deadly fire.”
Those making that argument had obviously
never actually fired a rifle, otherwise
they would know that shooting from the
hip is a great way to miss your target. To
give you an idea of the ridiculous nature

TO SUBMIT A QUESTION TO ASK THE USCCA,
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/USCCA
›› The AR-15 is neither
a machine gun, nor
an “Assault Weapon.”
When certain models
were banned from
1994—2004, it wasn’t
because of a dangerous
caliber (it has less than
half the power of the
average deer hunting
round) or because it
could be fired in full
auto (it can’t). It was
banned if it had certain
cosmetic features such
an adjustable stock
and a pistol grip.
of the ban, manufacturers who
had existing AR-15s in stock
that had pistol grips and adjustable
stocks, simply “pinned”
the stocks in place, so that they
were no longer adjustable. So
a feature of the rifle that had
nothing to do with its power
was eliminated, and in the eyes
of the lawmakers who passed
the AWB, the exact same firearm
was no longer considered
a danger to the public.
So that begs the question, “Did the
1994—2004 Assault Weapons Ban reduce
gun violence?” In a word, no. After the expiration
of the federal ban in 2004, the National
Research Council concluded that the
10-year ban, “Did not reveal any clear impact
on gun violence.” They went on to say
that, “due to the fact that the relative rarity
with which the banned guns were used in
crime before the ban..., the maximum potential
effect of the ban on gun violence
outcomes would be very small.”
The revived discussion of a Federal Assault
Weapons Ban has of course, originated
from the horrific shooting at Sandy
Hook elementary school in Connecticut,
although it is not clear from media reports
if the gunman, Adam Lanza, used an AR-15
during the shooting. It is known that he
used handguns and an AR-15 was found
at the scene. Beyond that, accurate reports
are rare and no definitive statement from
authorities has been made. Yet the Presi-
dent and anti-gun politicians
are using Sandy Hook as their
rallying cry for a renewed AWB.
But attempting to ban a class
of firearms based upon common
functional and cosmetic
characteristics not only has no
hope of preventing another
Sandy Hook, it can also result
in turning the average firearms
owner into a felon, and
it can turn pro-gun advocate
against pro-gun advocate.
For example, a firearms owner who enjoys
putting holes in paper with his Ruger 10-
22 chambered in the diminutive .22 long
rifle, might back a ban on those so-called
“military-grade, evil black rifles.” Yet if that
Ruger owner had upgraded his rifle’s stock
to a sporting model with a pistol grip, he
would find himself in violation of Dianne
Feinstein’s new Assault Weapons Ban. That
firearms owner who was willing to throw
other firearms owners under the bus, could
suddenly find himself facing felony charges
because of a bill that he supported.
Our advice is to not fall into the trap of using
the phrase assault weapon, and instead,
call it what it is. If you’re talking about an AR-
15, call it an AR-15. If you’re talking about a
semi-automatic rifle, call it that. And call the
term, “assault weapon” what it is as well. A
made-up phrase designed to scare citizens
into blindly allowing a right to slip away in
the name of “security.”
Michael Martin
President & CEO
Tim Schmidt
Publisher
Delta Defense
Vice President of Media
Michael Martin
Executive Editor
Kevin Michalowski
Media Director
Ken Wangler
Art Director
Dusty Reid
Copy Editor
John Higgs
Photographers
Ken Wangler • Dusty Reid
Columnists
Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D. • Tamara Keel
K.L. Jamison, ESQ. • Duane A. Daiker,
M.D. Johnson • Duncan Mackie
Mark Walters • Tim Schmidt
Michael Martin
Contributing Writers
R.K. Campbell • Duane Thomas
Scott Wagner • Rich Grassi
Duane A. Daiker • Bob Pilgrim
Kayla Lindsey • George Harris • Chris Bird
Rory Miller • Rob Pincus
Advertising Sales
ads@deltamediallc.com
Published for USCCA by:
N173W21298 Northwest Passage Way,
Jackson, WI 53037
(877) 677-1919 • Customer Service
(262) 677-8877 • USCCA
Concealed Carry Magazine (USPS: 022-302,
ISSN: 1550-7866), Volume 10, Issue 1, January
2013 Issue. Published 8 times a year,
monthly except combined issues:
Feb/Mar; May/June; Aug/Sept and Nov/Dec.
By Delta Defense, LLC, N173W21298 Nortwest
Passage Way, Jackson, WI 53037.
Periodicals postage paid at Jackson,
WI and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
Concealed Carry Magazine, N173W21298
Northwest Passage Way, Jackson, WI 53037
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 2004-2013 by Delta Defense, LLC.
Reproduction, copying, or distribution of Concealed Carry Magazine
is prohibited without written permission.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
9

LETTERS THE
EDITOR
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
10
» JUST TO SET THE TONE
Folks, there is no denying Concealed Carry Magazine took a big step
between December 2012 and January 2013. Some of you like it. Some of
you don’t. That is to be expected. Change often elicits strong emotions.
I want to let you know that we listen to our readers and members and
while we cannot possibly implement the suggestions of every single
reader, each letter is read and each point of
view is considered. We will work to satisfy as
many as we can. As an example, I will point out
that we have already made changes, based on
reader input, to the typography in an effort to
make the magazine more readable. The type size
is increased and we have done some other things
to fine-tune our presentation. We will continue to
work to improve the magazine with each passing
issue. Reader satisfaction is paramount, but again we
cannot possibly satisfy everyone. When we unveiled
the new look of this magazine at the 2013 SHOT
show in Las Vegas, the response was overwhelmingly
positive. We continue to expand the magazine, offering more content,
better photography and a wider range of insights for the legally armed
citizens we serve. I am very proud to be associated with this magazine.
I do have one comment I feel I need to address directly. In a letter
published below I am accused of “glowering” and the photos of some
of the regular writers are considered to be uninviting. First off, I never
“glower.” That’s my happy face. Perhaps that’s why I don’t get asked to
play Santa in the local Christmas pageant. But all joking aside, the photos
are meant to reflect that self-defense is serious business. Everyone
at Concealed Carry Magazine takes his or her part in this publication
completely seriously. We offer you insight and information designed to
help keep you safe. We did that before this redesign and will continue to
do it. The only change to the content is an expansion. All the writers you
love are still here and we’ve added more. Our goal remains the same:
Helping keep people safe. We will try to balance that with a mixture of
hard-edged commentary and welcoming, inclusive advice. But we will
always keep moving forward in support of the 2nd Amendment.
Kevin Michalowski, Editor, Concealed Carry Magazine
» LOVING THE REDESIGN
Kevin,
Just wanted to say that I really enjoy
the new magazine format and loved the
looks of the cover on this issue. I know it
took a lot of work from all involved... JOB
WELL DONE!
Jim Norris, Via email
Kevin,
I finally finished the January 2013 issue
of US Concealed Carry. In your editorial
comments you asked your readers
for evaluations of the new format. It’s
my pleasure to do so. In short, and with
specific examples, I LOVE IT!!!! Keep up
the good work. Specifically:
I love the new impetus on fundamentals
and techniques this month. Trigger reset,
and grip on semi-auto pistols specifically.
Your article on grip led me to go to my
gun safe and extract my Glock 35 (it being
in the gun safe it was empty and cleared
but I double checked anyway) and lay in
bed alternately reading the article and
dry-firing my Glock with the illustrated
grip. I have often had a problem
with a good grip, and have used
techniques described by several
different gun writers. I believe
the grip technique your magazine
described will solve my
problems. Thank you. Dry
firing my Glock 35 with your
grip suggestions makes it
seem almost like cheating,
it is so effective. Always
cheat! Always win!!
The well-stocked box of
holsters in my den bespeaks either my ongoing
metamorphosis as a practitioner of
CCW, or lack of ability to make a decision
and stick with it. In any event, I believe I
will have to give the CrossBreed Holsters a
try. They sure do look good.
Your article telling the story of Sarah
McKinley by Chris Bird was great. What
makes it so poignant was that every
young mother in those circumstances is
going to be experiencing the same feelings,
and by reading your article they will
realize it is normal and ok.
I read the page titled “Meet Your Mayors”
with avid attention and disgust. Well,
the same electorates that elected those
politicians just re-elected Barack Obama
to the Presidency.
Finally, on the article by Mark Walters
titled: “New Rules” I have a comment or
two and a question. To quote Admiral
Chester Nimitz during WWII: “When put
in a position of command, command.”
Your standards and requirements to be
on your show “Armed American Radio”
are just right. There is no point in wasting
valuable airtime on a bunch of liberal
whiners that should all go live in Stalin’s
Russia. My hope is that you maintain that
standard during your tenure as host of
your radio show.

Now, the question: Where on my radio
dial do I find “Armed American Radio”? I
live in the Pacific Northwest, specifically
in Gig Harbor, WA. Just west of Tacoma. I
In sum, I love the new format of your
magazine. Please keep up the good work.
One suggestion just occurred to me. If
possible, could you send someone to
some of the different firearms academies
around the country to give your readers
sort of a first person experience when attending
the classes?
Harold C. (Hal) Hansen, Gig Harbor, WA.
Hal,
You can find all you need to know
about AAR at www.armedamericanradio.
org. And if you can’t find a station nearby,
you can listen online!
Kevin Michalowski,
Editor, Concealed Carry Magazine
Congratulations! Kevin,
I’m really impressed with your redesign.
It’s way more attractive and enjoyable to
read. Regarding your new section on legislation,
I would suggest readers become
familiar, if not join, the NRA-ILA (Institute
for Legislative Action), which often has
even state/local information available.
As you said yourselves, I think you
nailed it.
Bill Long, Via Email
» …AND SOME
NOT SO HAPPY
Hi Kevin,
I’m quite unhappy with the changes in
your format. I subscribed for the primary
purpose of passing on the magazine to
those who were new to guns or were considering
getting a gun for self-defense. I
made it a habit to leave my copy in the
waiting room of the large medical clinic
where I work. The pictures of real people,
especially women, with holstered handguns
caused many to pick up the magazine
and start turning the pages. I’ve
long admired the work of Oleg Volk and
enjoyed seeing his photos on the cover.
Instead of pictures of normal people,
you now have what I jokingly call gun
porn. We don’t need another mag that
features slick photos of shiny guns and
cartridges.
The new article format, with dark and
scary photos will turn away the group I
was trying to reach. The high contrast
black and white photos of glowering writers
are not inviting.
I’m afraid you have turned a unique
publication into one that will appeal only
to experienced gun owners, and they already
have many magazine choices.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael S. Brown
Vancouver, WA Dr. Brown,
I still believe Concealed Carry Magazine
is something you can leave in the waiting
room to encourage new shooters. Our
content line up includes columns like “Ballistic
Basics,” “Behind the Line” and “Instructor’s
Corner” designed specifically to assist
those new to the concealed carry lifestyle
with instruction and advice.
I encourage you to give the new format
a chance. Sure, an abrupt change can
be unsettling, but with the exception of a
few minor corrections that still need to be
made, we here at the USCCA feel we are going
in the right direction and giving readers
more and better content with each issue.
Kevin Michalowski,
Editor, Concealed Carry Magazine
Kevin,
While I applaud your efforts to make
the magazine better, I don’t think you
necessarily did that this time. I always
liked the look and “feel” the magazine
had. True, it wasn’t the slick polished look
of the large magazines but that is what
I liked best about it. It made me feel like
it was a very personal magazine, sort of
like the way each of us is just down home
people, ordinary everyday people trying
to keep our loved ones and ourselves safe.
Now to me the magazine seems very
cold, almost sterile not warm and personal
like it used to be. My two cents, for what
it’s worth.
Dave VonAllmen
Via Email
» STAND TALL,
CARRY PROUD
The Journal News (the White Plains
newspaper that published the names and
addresses of firearms permit holders) was
obviously trying to shame and intimidate
its targets by pinning a modern day
scarlet letter on each and every one of
them.
This is not an original idea. Another
newspaper in Richmond, Virginia (my
state) did this a few years ago. I suspect
many other newspapers in many other areas
have done the same.
We should continue to challenge this
tactic on safety reasons but we should
also refuse to be shamed. In fact, we
should be proud.
Think about it: If you are a permit holder,
the state has most likely fingerprinted
you and verified that you are a mature,
responsible, stable, law-abiding citizen
who has consistently demonstrated good
judgment throughout your life.
That same check or one very like it has
probably been repeated every time you
purchased a new firearm and every time
you renewed your permit.
Now how many of your non-permit
holding neighbors can say the same? If
we’re going to start making assumptions
about who is good or bad, perhaps we
should start celebrating firearms permit
holders.
Ken Moser
Fairfax, Virginia
I wholeheartedly agree, Ken. We here
at Concealed Carry Magazine and the US-
CCA work from the assumption that guns
in the hands of honest citizens are tools
of good and those who carry guns in support
of law and order are good people. I
am not ashamed or afraid to say “I carry.”
Kevin Michalowski,
Editor, Concealed Carry Magazine
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
11

TRUE
STORIES
GUNS IN THE HOME
STOP INVADERS!
» ARMED MICHIGAN OCTOGENARIAN
THWARTS RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY
An 81-year-old Detroit resident was awakened recently at 7
a.m. by the sound of his sliding glass door breaking. Realizing
someone was breaking into his home, he took up a smallframe
.22 revolver that he had owned for more than half a
century but never fired, and waited in his bedroom in case
the intruder came for him. When the intruder opened the
bedroom door, he fired, putting the intruder to flight.
Source: ClickOnDetroit.com, Detroit, MI
» ALABAMA WOMAN SHOOTS
ARMED HOME INVADER
A Bessemer, Ala., woman awoke in the middle of the night to
see a stranger standing over her bed. Fearing for her life, she
struggled hand-to-hand with the burglar, until the noise of
the tussle awoke a guest in a nearby room. When the visitor
distracted the burglar, the 63-year-old homeowner retrieved
her .44 Magnum revolver and shot the intruder, putting him
to flight. He was arrested a short time later after seeking
medical treatment for a gunshot wound.
Source: CBS42.com, Bessemer, AL
» TEXAS WOMAN FOILS
DAYLIGHT BURGLARY
A 22-year-old Dallas woman was asleep
following her night job when she was
awakened by her front door being
kicked in. Retrieving a pistol she kept by
her bed, she hoped the intruders would
not find her.
In fear for her life and safety when they
approached her upstairs bedroom, she
fired on them, wounding one fatally and
putting both to flight. The subsequent
investigation revealed at least one of the
men was armed with a pistol, which was
left behind when the men fled.
Source: NBC Channel 5,
Dallas-Ft Worth, TX
» TEXAS MAN
SAVES COP’S LIFE
WITH A LONG SHOT
A neighborhood argument over dog
droppings in Early, Texas, ended in death
for several people and the near-death of
a police officer. After two RV park residents
argued over a dog relieving himself
in a neighbor’s yard, the offended
party (later identified as deranged), resorted
to a gun to settle matters, killing
two people and several dogs. A police
officer responding to the shooting was
pinned down behind his vehicle by the
killer, who had good cover behind a tree.
Fortunately, another RV park resident
saw what was happening and the tactical
disadvantage of the police officer. He
realized that since he had a clear flank
position on the bad guy, he was in a position
to help.
Taking up a magnum-caliber revolver,
he fired on the killer at a distance of
more than 150 yards, hitting him three
times and distracting him sufficiently for
the policeman to break cover and put
his own AR-15 rounds to good effect.
The killer died at the scene.
The civilian who intervened on the
side of the police is being hailed as a
hero. www.guns.com

LEGISLATIVE
UPDATE
» MICHIGAN BILL TO EXPAND
CONCEALED CARRY SENT TO HOUSE
As the Michigan Legislature worked through the final weeks of its
2011-2012 session, the state Senate approved Senate Bill 59 by a
vote of 27 to 11. This bill was sent to the House where it has been
assigned to the Committee on Natural Resources, Tourism, and
Outdoor Recreation.
The pro-Second Amendment reform legislation sponsored by Sen.
Mike Green, R-Mayville, would streamline the process for a concealed
weapons license, while creating expanded carry zones in previously
prohibited places for those willing to undergo enhanced training.
Along with many other improvements, SB 59 would, if enacted,
also eliminate concealed weapons licensing boards and assign
the role of licensing authority to county sheriffs effective May 1,
2013. Requirements to streamline and improve the license process
include establishment of a system for refunds of fees, requirement
of county sheriffs who maintain fingerprinting capability to provide
reasonable access to fingerprinting services and a requirement to
either issue or deny the license within a 45-day period from the date
of application. At the time of this printing the House Committee on
Natural Resources, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation had not finalized
its calendar. Source: The National Rifle Association — Nov. 30, 2012
» STATES OPPOSE
FEDERAL GUN PERMIT LAW
Attorneys general in New York and nine
other states have written to U.S. Senate
leaders urging them to stop legislation
that would allow licensed gun owners to
carry concealed firearms across state lines.
Letters sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell, R-Ky., said the National Rightto-Carry
Reciprocity Act would restrict
their states’ abilities to control gun permits
inside their borders, forcing them to recognize
permits from states with weak oversight
and making it harder to prosecute
illegal gun traffickers.
The NRA supports the bill. The organization
says the bill allows owners to protect
themselves in other states. The other attorneys
general included in the letter are from
California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada and Oregon,
along with Pennsylvania’s attorney
general-elect.
Source: The Associated Press —
Dec. 1, 2012
» JUDGE UPHOLDS SAN
FRANCISCO GUN LAWS
A federal judge has rejected an NRA effort
to block enforcement of San Francisco
gun laws. A 2007 San Francisco ordinance
requires handgun owners to keep weapons
locked up or use trigger locks when
stored at home. A 1994 law bans bullets
that can expand or splinter on contact,
causing more damage to a human body
than solid bullets. The NRA sought an injunction
on behalf of gun owners.
But the San Francisco Chronicle (http://
bit.ly/WYpw93) says federal Judge Richard
Seeborg ruled on Nov. 26, 2012, that the
laws don’t appear to violate standards set
by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 2008 ruling
that declared a constitutional right to
possess firearms at home for self-defense.
Source: The San Francisco Chronicle —
Nov. 28, 2012
» COURT UPHOLDS
NEW YORK REQUIREMENT
FOR PERMIT
New York State’s requirement that gun
owners prove they have a special need for
protection in order to obtain a concealed
weapons permit does not violate the Second
Amendment right to keep and bear
arms, a federal appeals court ruled recently.
The three-judge panel unanimously
upheld a state law requiring applicants
to prove that they’d received a personal
threat or had some other special need for
protection before being granted a permit
to carry a concealed firearm in public.
An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is
expected.
A group of gun owners backed by a major
gun rights group challenged the permit
requirement as a violation of its Second
Amendment rights.
The group’s members contended that as
law-abiding citizens they should be able
to carry concealed weapons without the
need to prove to government officials that
they had proper cause to do so.
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
13

DRILL
OF THE MONTH
Did you draw from concealment, racing against a timer
to add some stress? That’s better, but think about what
you are doing. You could be imprinting a training scar in
your efforts to improve your skills. You are teaching yourself
to draw and shoot; draw and shoot; draw and shoot.
Good skills, yes, but that is not the correct sequence for a
deadly force encounter. Here is the sequence you should
engrain in your head. When you recognize a threat you
should do the following: Verbalize, move, draw, and decide
if you need to fire.
Before the emails start flowing in, hear me out. The threat
does not have to be deadly for you to take control of the
situation with words. Perhaps, with a few words, you can
de-escalate and never be forced to draw your gun. But the
sequence must start with words and a gesture.
Consider this scenario: You are walking to your car in dark,
nearly empty parking lot and someone begins to approach
you. Of course you go on alert, get nervous and think about
your next step. Well, don’t wait for the person to cross some
imaginary line. As soon as you feel like the situation could
go bad, take control. Extend your arm with the palm facing
the threat, fingers up and say, “Stop! Leave me alone.” Do
this in a clear direct voice. This is a command, not a request.
If you wish to get a firing grip on your concealed handgun,
feel free, but there is no need to brandish the gun.
This gesture and these words do two things: They tell the
person you are talking to that you are aware of them and
ready to respond and they turn any bystanders into wit-
TALKING TO YOURSELF
nesses. The gesture is important. Get your
arm extended, palm out. No culture in the
world sees this as a welcoming gesture
and even a deaf subject knows what you
mean. And the words might serve to get a
bystander’s attention. You want that. If this
scenario goes bad and you are forced to
shoot and you HAVEN’T given a command
to “Stop. Leave me alone!” that potential
witness over there minding her own business,
she sees nothing until she hears a
gunshot, then tells responding officers, “Yeah that guy in the
black coat was just walking through the parking lot and then
I heard the shots. I guess that other guy just shot him.”
I would much rather have the bystander say, “I heard the
guy by the car shout ‘Leave me alone!’ then there was a couple
shots.”
Now, we take the scenario another direction. You raise
your hand and tell the guy to stop. First off, he has lost the
element of surprise and he may turn to bolt or get flustered
and start making some furtive movements. If all you have
ever done in your training is draw and shoot; draw and
shoot; draw and shoot, you might, thanks to adrenaline,
fear and confusion, draw and shoot when you don’t have
to. He may have been trying to run away, or surrender or
reach for a cell phone. Your shot needs to be a conscious
decision, not a reflex action.
I know this puts us behind the curve, but we are always
behind the curve in a self-defense situation. At least this sequence
gets you moving in the right direction, literally and
figuratively. It gives you a bit of control in the situation and
helps build your legal defense should you need it.
You fight like you train. You won’t remember to do these
things in the parking lot unless you do them on the range
or even during dry practice in your home. You may want to
practice your verbal skills and lateral movement in the privacy
of your own home. I’ve gotten some strange looks on
the range when I start shouting at the target stand before
firing. But I’ve always been able to explain to the person
»WE ALL KNOW THAT WE FIGHT like we train.
But do we really train effectively? Think about your last
session at the range. First of all, let’s hope it was recent
enough that you remember it. Next, did you simply just
load up a few magazines and put a few rounds downrange
as you focused on the front sight and worked the singleaction
trigger pull? That is shooting and while we need a
foundation in marksmanship, that is not training.

BY KEVIN MICHALOWSKI
›› Take charge with a firm verbal command and step
offline and toward cover with every draw. This is how it
must work in the real world, so this is how you should do
it in training. Giving a command can help turn bystanders
into witnesses, let’s the person you are talking to know you
are ready for anything and helps to build your legal defense
should the situation turn into a deadly force incident. Practice
these skills. They are important and they are perishable.
next to me that I’m training for a real fight, not a static event
that takes place with a stationary target 7 yards away.
If your gun club does not allow you to practice these skills
on the range, find a new club, or go down in your basement,
paste a target on the wall, triple check your weapon is unloaded
and practice your draw from concealment including making
a move toward cover and giving a command to the threat.
In the real world all these things will happen quickly. We
know that and we train for it. Remember, these actions will
allow you to take command of the situation, get you moving
toward a position of tactical advantage and turn bystanders
into witnesses. Those are all important elements in a deadly
force situation.
Train hard. Stay safe.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
15

LINE
BEHIND THE
»MANY OF YOU are familiar with the
“Seven P’s of Project Management.” It
occurred to me there are five A’s of
defensive firearms training.
BECOME AN
‘A’ STUDENT

BY TOM GIVENS
As trainers, we must make students
aware that all of these essential
elements must be recognized,
trained for and the skills developed in
order to ensure a successful outcome
in a crisis.
As students, we must recognize
that owning, or even carrying, a gun
is not enough. We must work on or
prepare for each of these A’s.
Acceptance: For many years I
worked as an investigator. While interviewing
victims of violent crimes, I
was struck by how many of them just
froze up when attacked and did nothing
to defend themselves. They usually
said that they were stuck in the
mental denial loop of, “I can’t believe
this is happening to me.”
I firmly believe this is the direct result
of spending so much mental energy
over the years trying to convince oneself that “it
will never happen to me.” After years of self-delusion
the victim is stunned into inaction when the event
comes. This can have very bad results.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of the U.S.
Department of Justice, classifies four crimes as violent:
murder, aggravated assault, robbery and forcible
rape. I believe these are the exact crimes one would use a
handgun to defend against.
According to the BJS, 5.8 million of these four crimes were committed
in the United States in 2011 alone. Thus, instead of, “I can’t
believe this is happening to me,” your mental reaction must be, “I
knew this might happen. Now, it’s my turn at bat.”
Awareness: The subject doesn’t matter. It can be math, plumbing
or self-defense but one cannot fix a problem until one is
aware there is a problem. The one action most people could take
to enhance their personal security would be to become more
alert when out in public. Stop talking or texting while walking
across the parking lot. Hold your head up, open your eyes and
look around. Look for people, activities or circumstances that look
odd, out of place or out of character and are, therefore, suspicious.
Thugs do not beam down from the Mother Ship and attack you.
They wait for you and attack when you are not paying attention.
Avoidance: I will give you a double-your-money-back guarantee
you will survive every single violent confrontation you don’t
get involved in. Don’t go to specific places while armed if you
would not go to them unarmed. Resist the temptation to flip off
the jerk who cut you off in traffic or took the parking space for
which you were waiting.
›› Crime happens.
Accept that it can
happen to you and be
prepared to defend
yourself. Awareness
and Avoidance will
keep you safe. Action
may be required.
Be ready.
It’s not worth it. As an armed citizen,
you will be held to a higher
standard of judgment and discretion
than an average person. Avoid trouble
if you can.
Action: If, despite your best efforts
at awareness and avoidance, you
are faced with an imminent deadly
threat, you need to act swiftly and
decisively. This requires skill at arms.
Skill requires work in the form of
training and practice. At a minimum,
you should be well versed in these
physical skills with your sidearm:
Quickly, safely and efficiently
present your handgun from concealment
or be able to quickly and
reliably access it from its storage
space at home.
Achieve rapid, multiple hits at realistic
distances very quickly.
Reload your pistol quickly and reliably.
Fix common malfunctions and keep the gun running.
Aftermath: One of the dumbest things I see
repeatedly and often in TV/movie crime dramas is
when the hero is involved in a fatal shooting and is
back on the job the next day, with no further mention
of the incident. Life just goes on.
In real life — not so much. In all jurisdictions in the United
States the shooting of one person by another will be, at least initially,
treated as a criminal investigation. You may be taken into
custody, searched, handcuffed, even taken to a police facility for
questioning. Your gun will be seized as evidence.
Depending upon where you are in the United States at the
time, you might or might not be charged with a serious crime
and need to hire an attorney and a bondsman to assist you. If you
are fortunate enough to live in a self-defense friendly part of the
country, you might be released at the scene after the initial onscene
investigation but that does not mean your ordeal is over.
Don’t hesitate to seek professional help, whether legal counsel
or treatment by a qualified psychologist. Regardless of how justified
and necessary your actions might have been, this will be a
traumatic experience for you and your loved ones.
To be fully prepared to defend yourself or loved ones against
an attack by violent criminals, remember the Five A’s: Acceptance,
Awareness, Avoidance, Action and the Aftermath. They should all
be given serious consideration before the event to make it more
likely you will deal with the event successfully.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
17

MEMBER
PROFILE
»
Police Sergeant and USCCA
member Scott Wagner stands
in front of one of the area
schools that he has sworn to
protect, on duty and off duty.
SCOTT WAGNER, USCCA
MEMBER SINCE 2012.
SERGEANT/TACTICAL TRAINER,
VILLAGE OF BALTIMORE, OHIO,
POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
18
» Sergeant Wagner was recently honored by the Secretary of State of Ohio,
Jon Husted, and through a proclamation by the Village of Baltimore,
for his efforts in creating a program of all-volunteer, off-duty police officers
to place armed guards at all area schools. Secretary Husted said in part,
“I read the story about your thoughtful and generous commitment to
volunteer your time to help provide security and peace of mind to the
families in your community. May God watch over you.”
EVERYDAY CARRY:
DUTY GUN IS THE 9MM BERETTA 92, WITH XS SMALL DOT
EXPRESS SIGHTS AND CRIMSON TRACE LASER GRIPS.
OFF DUTY, SMITH AND WESSON 642 WITH CTC GRIPS.
» BACKGROUND: 33 years as a police officer, with 23 years as an instructor
and trainer. My philosophy is simple. As a police officer, I swore an oath
to protect and serve. Nothing in that oath says that I was supposed to
do that only when I was getting paid to do it. In 33 years of policing, this
experience has been my finest moment. I was able, with the blessing of my
Chief, Michael Tussey, to give the children, teachers, staff and parents of my
community, a Christmas present of relief in the aftermath of Sandy Hook.
Departments who want to engage in meaningful community policing
programs should try this. The rewards are amazing for all involved,
both for the officers and agency alike.

NEWPPQ M2
WE ENGINEERED
THREE NEW PRODUCTS
AND WE’RE RE-ENGINEERING
A GREAT BRAND.
There’s a new Walther in town.
NEWPPK/S 22
We updated the ergonomic PPQ with a new
magazine release to make this popular handgun
even more comfortable to operate. The iconic
PPK/S is now available in .22 L.R. rimfire. The
new PPX offers all the features you want in a
self-defense handgun at a surprisingly low price.
The quality line of Walther premium handguns
has had a remarkable change. Ask your retailer
to see all the innovative new designs. For
details, visit www.WaltherArms.com
NEWPPX
Discover the new Walther Arms.
WWW.WALTHERARMS.COM

ON-LINE AND
THE AIR
Reenact the Federal
“Assault Weapons Ban.”
FACEBOOK POLL OF THE MONTH
Q: What is the best way to prevent tragedies like Sandy Hook?
January 29 • 6,644 Votes
176
Limit magazine capacity
to 10 rounds or fewer.
Place armed police officers at all
schools, paid for with tax dollars.
Create a program similar to the
“Armed Pilot Program” of willing teachers.
Allow any teacher or parent with a
Concealed Carry Permit to carry at school.
Harden-up schools by allowing all
access points and doors to be locked.
89
845
571
4224
214
Create a volunteer program of off duty
police officers to guard all schools
525
0 1250 2500 3750
5000
FAN COMMENT: “As a federal employee,
I see metal detectors and armed guards at every
federal building I walk into. Why is this so wrong a
choice for protecting our nation’s children?”
Greg DeMott
FACEBOOK
WALLPAPER
OF THE
MONTH
February 1 • 17,972 Likes
Fan Comment:
“Our guns are like
our American express.
Never leave home
without them!”
Donna Sario

SHOW
HIGHLIGHTS
Download Podcasts at www.ArmedAmericanRadio.com or on iTunes
DECEMBER JANUARY JANUARY JANUARY JANUARY
30 6 13 20 27
Human Events editor,
Neil McCabe, More Guns
Less Crime author, John
Lott, and GOA head, Larry
Pratt. Get the facts
from three of America’s
freedom fighters telling
the truth about the
current gun grab.
Grassroots with
Connecticut Carry’s
Rich Burgess and Florida
Carry’s Sean Caranna as
they discuss the state
level attempts by the
enemies of our Second
Amendment freedoms.
Editor and writer, John
Higgs, JPFO’s Charles
Heller, and a brief visit
from Alan Korwin. More
current event news
from some of the most
dynamic voices in the gun
rights movement.
Alan Korwin returns
for a full two hours we
dub the “Alan Korwin
Experience.” NOBODY tells
it like Alan Korwin. Why
else would I give his
appearances on AAR their
own special name?
Washington Times
columnist Emily Miller,
author Kathy Jackson,
and the NRA’s Stephanie
Samford. Three of
America’s leading female
voices bring their vast
experience to America’s
premier gun rights
radio broadcast!
FACEBOOK FAN COMMENTS
MOST COMMENTS: 3,999 MOST LIKES: 51,909 MOST SHARES: 66,990
Tim Schmidt weighs in
on Sandy Hook
“I’m a teacher...if you train me, I’d take
down any lunatic that tries to harm
innocent children.” Lucy Irace
“Defenseless victims are what these
domestic terrorists are looking for,
and if there were tactically armed
teachers or guardians at schools,
malls, and so forth, they would have
a harder time planning out an attack,
in my honest opinion.” Kevin McBride
“The only thing that stops a bad guy
with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.
So I say, make it easier for the good
guy to have guns, and maybe the
bad guy will think twice.”
Jeff Norwood
Federal Court Strikes
Down Illinois Ban on
Carrying Concealed
“Finally the Second
Amendment prevails!”
Bruce Winters
“Let freedom ring!”
Rudy Cardenas
“I feel a lot safer in Texas and
Arizona than in Illinois.”
Al Knapp
“It’s about time. Wouldn’t it
be nice to see a newspaper
with the headlines, “Not safe
for criminals to walk the
streets, now that citizens can
protect themselves!”
Stephen Sandgren
Spoof on Obama
“I’d still rather go hunting
with Dick Cheney than ride
in a car with Ted Kennedy.”
Alex Craven
“All I can say is I sure do
miss president Bush!”
Allen Daniels
“Didn’t Hitler take guns
away from his citizens?”
Lisa Konarska
“You can’t regulate evil.
A law-abiding good citizen
with a gun is the first line
of defense!”
Timothy Williams
CONTEST
WINNERS
Anthony E. from Virginia,
George N. from Iowa, Larry
M. from Wyoming, and
Ronnie L. from Missouri all
won $1,000 to purchase the
gun of their choice in our
January Concealed Carry
Magazine promotion
and giveaway!
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
21

1
SIG SAUER
SHOULDER BAG
While most tactical over-the-shoulder
bags are designed a bit more around
bugging out, this shoulder bag from
Sig Sauer is perfectly designed for
the range, including a dedicated
pocket for a pistol, additional
pockets to store extra magazines and
ammunition, and our favorite part,
the large open pouch on the side,
perfect for storing loose ammunition
or a water bottle. MSRP: $84.99
GANDER MTN.
ACADEMY TARGETS
6
Even if you don’t have a Gander Mountain
Academy in your backyard, you can get the
next best thing by picking up a 12-pack of
the Academy’s custom designed targets,
and shooting them at your range of choice.
These targets were developed with Rob
Pincus’s theories in mind, and when used
with an appropriate drill, will force you to
balance speed versus precision, rather than
just punching holes in paper. MSRP: $7.99
SELF-HEALING
TARGETS BY DO-ALL
7
These self-healing targets from Do-All are
some of our favorite non-traditional targets,
mostly because they’ll take up to 1,000
rounds before they begin to show wear
(just leave the hollowpoints at home).
The 9” gong gets staked to the ground like
a traditional steel target, while the “Hot Box”
and “Dancing Ball” are designed to bounce
around with each hit. MSRP: $99.99
2
RADIANS
EARMUFFS
Pink is in, including hearing
protection from Radians, which sport
a unique moisture wicking headband
and a low profile design. With a
noise reduction rating of 21db, these
earmuffs are just what you need to
make a statement next time you hit
the range. MSRP: $19.99
GALCO
3 UNDERWRAPS
The Underwraps Bellyband from
Galco goes beyond the traditional
bellywrap holster by offering a
number of options for discretely
carrying one or even two handguns,
with additional pockets for storing an
extra magazine, a tactical flashlight,
and even your wallet. Wear it with
the covert performance shirt from
5.11, and you’ll be set. MSRP: $58.95
SABRE RED
4 PEPPER SPRAY
Our pink theme continues, even
when we’re talking about Sabre Red.
Conveniently disguised as a lipstick
tube (a very large lipstick tube), this
option from Sabre should be nicely
camouflaged in the typical purse.
Don’t let the packaging fool you
though. If you hit an attacker in the
face with Sabre Red, the illusion that
pink is cute will vanish pretty quickly
and painfully. MSRP: $11.99
RADIANS
5 EARPLUGS
We tested out these custom molded
earplugs from Radians on our last
trip to Gander Mountain Academy,
and give them an A grade. Within
20 minutes we had the two supplied
materials mixed and molded to our
ear canals, which resulted in plugs
with many times the sound reduction
of traditional ear plugs. A bit of
advice? Trim your ear hair before
getting started. MSRP: $15.99
1
4 2

6
7
4
3
5
23
WWW.USCCA.COM
SHOT ON LOCATION AT GANDER MOUNTAIN ACADEMY, LAKEVILLE MN

1
While most bags we review would
fall into the “tactical” category, this
backpack from Oakley has become
so popular at the Delta Defense
offices, that we figured we better
review it too. The Kitchen Sink is
the sturdiest backpack we’ve found,
including the hard-shelled pocket
on the top, perfect for safely storing
sun glasses or a back-up pistol.
If you’re looking for a bug-out
bag that doesn’t look like a bugout
bag, this is it. MSRP: $200
OTIS AR-15
2 TOOLSET
If Diane Feinstein’s new Assault
Weapons Ban passes, you’re going
to need to maintain your existing
AR-15 for years, and this toolset from
Otis might just be the ticket. With six
cleaning, scraping and picking tools,
your AR-15 will appreciate the extra
love and care, and Diane Feinstein
will hate it. MSRP: $18.99
DARK ANGEL
3 TRAUMA KIT
In a traumatic emergency, two things
call quickly kill your patient. Bleeding
out, or a compromised airway. This
trauma kit from Dark Angel can help
to protect your patient from both risks,
and includes a CAT tourniquet in a
front dedicated pocket, plus an Israeli
bandage, 2 halo chest seals, QuickClot
combat gauze, 2 rolls of compressed
gauze, and even a nasal airway and
trauma shears. MSRP: $165
4
Another one of our favorite survival
kits from the one and only Bear
Grylls. Packaged and sold by Gerber,
the Scout Essential can easily fit in
your pocket on extended hunting
trips, in the car, or in a small bug
out bag. Unlike even larger kits, the
Scout includes a functional knife, plus
plenty of other life saving equipment.
MSRP: $43
5
KITCHEN SINK
OAKLEY
BEAR GRYLLES
SCOUT
REMINGTON HD
AMMUNITION
The first thing you’ll notice about the
Ultimate Home Defense (HD) rounds
from Remington are the brass jacket
and nickel plated case, both of which
are designed to prevent corrosion,
which is something you’ll appreciate if
you tend to let your home defense gun
gather dust. With larger than average
cavities, these hollowpoints opened
consistently for us even on shorter
barreled compact guns. MSRP: $25.99
5.11 UNCLE MIKE’S
REFLEX HOLSTER
While most Level I holsters force the
operator to use fine motor skills to defeat
the retention mechanism, the Reflex Holster
from Uncle Mike’s depends on gross motor
skills instead, by releasing the handgun with
a simple twist the right, which is something
that happens on the draw anyway. As a
bonus, the holster comes with a pancake
and paddle attachment. MSRP: $36.95
4
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If CCM’s executive editor Kevin Michalowski can
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3
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25
WWW.USCCA.COM
SHOT ON LOCATION AT GANDER MOUNTAIN ACADEMY, LAKEVILLE MN

TAMARA KEEL
BALLISTIC BASICS | LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S JUST THE LAW | REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR | DEFCON 1
»A SHORT HISTORY of light rails on pistols
LET THERE

›› Light rails were not uniform until Glock got
into the game with the “Universal Glock Rail.”
That started the trend for simple mounts
allowing one light to be used on many guns.
A HECKLER & KOCH STARTED IT.
had added to their third generation of pistols. Although referred
to in the literature as the “Universal Glock Rail” this
In the early 1990s, flashlights became small enough to be
mounted on a pistol, bright enough to be useful and sturdy simple-slotted dovetail was instantly recognizable as being
enough to stand up to the abuse of recoil.
pretty much dimensionally identical to the long-established
Piggybacking off their experience working on a pistol for Weaver mount.
the U.S. military’s Special Operations Command, H&K included
grooves on the frame of its new USP model that would or removed, the Weaver system had long been an industry
Originally designed to allow scopes to be quickly mounted
allow mounting a proprietary flashlight, called the Universal standard and was about as far from proprietary as a mounting
Tactical Light, under the dust cover.
system could be. Before long, practically every maker was offering
lights to fit the Glock rail.
Within a couple years several other manufacturers followed
suit: Walther’s P99, Smith & Wesson’s “Enhanced” Sigma,
and SIG-Sauer’s SIG Pro all featured accessory rails like rail standard finalized at the Picatinny Arsenal, Mil-STD-1913,
While all this was going on, the military was settling on a
the USP’s. Unfortunately for the end-user, they — like Heckler commonly referred to as the Picatinny rail. Similar to the
& Koch — retained the proprietary nature of their rails. As a Weaver, the Picatinny rail differed in having slightly wider
matter of fact, when S&W added rails to the tactical versions slots with uniform spacing from center-to-center.
of their traditional metal-framed autos, they used yet another When the military sneezes, gun manufacturers catch a
rail, completely different from all others, including their own cold. Any handgun maker desirous of military sales began offering
models with Picatinny-type rails.
on the Sigma pistols.
This proliferation of differing rail standards caused endless This brings us to where we are today. Most of the early proprietary
accessory rails are gone, leaving the field to the Glock
problems for shooters who had to search for lights that were
compatible with their pistols. The proprietary lights often and Picatinny systems. This is a boon for the manufacturers
wound up costing a significant fraction of the sticker price of of lights and lasers because the same devices can be used on
the guns to which they were clamped. The fact that one light either by changing the lateral locking key that fits in the slots.
could not be shared on different brands of pistols in a shooter’s
safe did nothing to help their popularity.
allow them to fit on both rails. That makes for happy owners
Most common models ship with interchangeable keys that
The way out of this situation was hinted at by the rail Glock who finally have a cost-effective, high-speed light rail.
BE LIGHT
27
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM

BALLISTIC BASICS | LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S JUST THE LAW | REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR | DEFCON 1
BRUCE N. EIMER, PH.D
AVOID
SURPRISES:
BE PREPARED

›› You can’t always be totally
aware of your surroundings, but
it pays to maintain focus on your
surroundings, travel with a friend
and keep your strong hand free
should you need to reach for your
pistol. Being prepared means
working to avoid surprises.
» IT WAS A COLD WINTER MORNING at a local
stop-and-rob. I had my hot coffee and my newspaper
in my hand and I was getting into my SUV. I often stop
at the 7-Eleven in the early morning on my way to work.
People are generally friendly and polite. They hold doors
open for one another and say thank you.
I live in the City of Brotherly Love, also known as
Philadelphia (aka “Kill-a-delphia”). Random unsavory
characters are consistently hanging around outside
the store and in the parking lot, panhandling and
muttering to themselves and passersby.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
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On this particular morning, as I opened
the door to my SUV, I put my coffee on the
roof of my vehicle and juggled with my
keys and my newspaper. I was momentarily
distracted. My driver’s-side door was open
and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man
standing to my left. I immediately realized
that he was waiting to get through the
narrow corridor between my door and the
vehicle parked next to mine. (The corridor
was blocked by my open door.) I politely
closed my door and let him pass. He replied,
“Thank you.”
I looked around and took a deep sigh as
I realized that I had let my 360 degrees of
awareness momentarily lapse to about 10
degrees in those few seconds. If the gentleman
who was patiently waiting behind me
had been a criminal looking for a victim, at
that moment, that second in time, I would
have been vulnerable because I was unaware
of his presence on a conscious level.
Recalling the late Col. Jeff Cooper’s text,
“Principles of Personal Defense,” I remembered
Cooper’s “Xs and Os Game.” Well, I had
gotten a big O on that one, which meant
that I had let someone creep up on me. Being
human, we all make mistakes. Letting
our 360-degree awareness of our world
momentarily lapse, especially outside in the
dangerous world, is a mistake. The key question
is: Can we recover from such a mistake
and how quickly can we recover?
BRIDGING THE REACTIONARY GAP
If this man had attacked me, I would
have had to immediately react to his action,
which would have put me behind the reactionary
gap. We all know action is faster than
reaction. As a result, I would have been at a
slight disadvantage to say the least. I asked
myself several questions: Am I prepared to
deal with a surprise attack? The answer was
yes. What would I have done if the gentleman
behind me was a violent assailant? I
would have automatically launched into
fighting mode. Col. Jeff Cooper’s “Condition
Black” – you are in the fight, ready or not.
I believe we must be prepared (i.e.,
trained) to automatically and reflexively
deal with whatever comes our way so that
we can immediately turn the tables on an
assailant. We must make his attack morph
into his defense against our vicious counterattack.
But how do we prepare ourselves
to deal with nasty surprises when we make
the mistake of letting our attention lapse?
Lapses of attention happen to the best
of us. It is important to think about how we
can train to recover from such a lapse if we
are attacked during such a lapse. We must
learn fighting skills and then physically and
If we really want to be
prepared to turn the
tide on an attacker, we
have to understand we
are surprised because
we have failed to
observe and notice the
pre-attack indicators.
mentally train them into motor memory. In
addition to physical training, it is also important
to use mental imagery to repeatedly
rehearse different scenarios in our minds.
REAL PREPAREDNESS
The goal of training is to be prepared
when attacked. The key word here is “when”
not “if.” Preparedness means recognizing
that we’re not going to have time to present
our firearm if we’re carrying one. We might
not even have time to present a blade. Our
immediate response must deflect whatever
the attacker has launched, and as part of
that deflection, cause significant injury to
the attacker to stop the action and disable
the attacker.
KRAV MAGA FOR PERSONAL SECURITY
During the past year, I have been training
intensively in the Israeli contact fighting art
of Krav Maga. As an ordinary civilian turning
60 next year, I certainly do not consider myself
a commando or a commando prospect.
I have never been a commando type. To use
my friend Mark Walter’s phrase, I am just an
ordinary guy — well not so ordinary.
However, I have come to the realization
that one is never too old to resume one’s
training. I have trained on and off through
the years in a number of martial arts but unfortunately
I made it a habit to drop out before
I went past my brown belt in each case.
This is not the way to develop competent
expertise in any discipline.
I felt foolish when that man snuck up me
and I gave myself a double tap of Os. Would
I have been able to handle the situation if
he had been a miscreant bent on violence?
Most likely. However, there are no guarantees
in this world except that we are all
here temporarily.
While there is no guarantee, we can increase
our chances of being able to survive
and prevail in an uninvited, violent encounter
by devoting ourselves to a reasonable
program of contact combative training.
Most of us will never become as hard as
an elite special ops commando. However,
most of us can train to handle the types of
social confrontations we are most likely to
encounter.
U.S. Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Army Special
Forces, RECON Marines, Israeli Elite Commandos,
etc., put their minds and their bodies
through grueling and torturous ordeals
to harden themselves. They rigorously train
for anything that might come their way and
everything that they might seek out.
My personal credo does not allow me to
be satisfied with my firearms’ expertise as
my only defensive tool. I find it necessary
to keep training and thinking about how
I can apply my training to avoid the failure-to-survive
syndrome – the result of losing
a violent confrontation.
I believe there is no other option than
to win a fight. Sure, we teach how to avoid
fights because (a) we want to avoid causing
grave bodily injury, or worse, death to self or
others, and (b) we want to avoid living the
rest of our lives behind bars. But, to use the
old worn cliché, “It is better to be judged by
12 than to be carried by six.”
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION
In the context of street fighting and
combat, failure is not an option. Failure
means we missed the opportunity to take
down an assailant and stop the threatening
behavior. In combat, a mistake can
mean that you have put yourself in more
danger by missing something or doing
something wrong. To avoid making such
life-threatening mistakes in a real fight, we
must anticipate them when we train, correct
the moves that lead to those mistakes,
and practice moving and fighting in a more
efficient manner.

In Israeli Krav Maga contact fighting
training with my Israeli Commando friend,
and in other classes, we train hard. We practice
responding to surprise attacks. And
that means learning how to recover from
situations where our 360-degree awareness
lapsed for a critical moment.
In my morning gaffe in the stop-and-rob
parking lot, I had several makeshift weapons
at my disposal. I had my hot coffee.
I had my newspaper. I had my car door.
I had my car window. I had my hands, my
forearms and my elbows. I had my head. I
had my knees, my legs and my feet. I had
my wits and I also had several other pieces
of Emergency Rescue Equipment (ERE) that
I carry in case something like this happens
to me.
I also had my keys. What do you carry on
your key chain?
I carry a rugged little defensive folding
knife made by Cold Steel that is small
enough to put in my pocket but quick to
deploy. And I also carry pepper spray.
I also ride with a motor vehicle holster
for quick access to my firearm. The one I use
and recommend is a rugged Cordura nylon
rig mounted unobtrusively with a strap tied
around my driver’s seat. This makes it feasible
to quickly grab my gun in a pinch.
“ORIENT HIT-SURPRISE HIT
INTENSIVE TRAINING” (“OH SH*T!”)
What are we going to do at that OH
SH*T moment when we are surprised by a
violent attacker? That OH SH*T moment is
likely to occur because it is inevitable that
we will experience lapses of attention and
awareness. Therefore, we have adapted a
label to represent the concept we study in
Israeli Commando Contact Fighting which
is Orient Hit and it is installed into your
muscle and motor memory through Surprise
Hit Intensive Training.
If we really want to be prepared to turn
the tide on an attacker, we have to understand
we are surprised because we have
failed to observe and notice the pre-attack
indicators. We will have no time to decide
and then act as modeled in the famous
OODA loop based on the work of Air Force
Jet Eye fighter pilot Col. John Boyd. The
OODA sequence stands for Observe, Orient,
Decide, Act.
We will be lucky if we have time to orient
to the threat before we act. In that OH
SH*T moment, the observe part of the
OODA loop is missing. We must orient to
the threat, and our immediate response is
to counter-attack viciously.
KRAV MAGAPS
In our training we repetitively train to
respond to surprise attacks. We train to respond
immediately and take down assailants
from a multitude of surprise positions,
such as gun and knife attacks from the back,
the front, the side, the bum’s rush, the wild
man’s attack and so forth.
These scenarios are practiced repetitively
and exhaustively so that they become
imprinted into the subconscious and our
muscle or motor memory. The student never
knows from where the attack will come,
which hand the attacker has the weapon in
and so forth. We train to successfully accomplish
weapon disarms with guns and knives,
sticks and bludgeons.
This type of training is important preparation
for the real world of self-defense. The
harsh realities of violence in the real world
are that we will be surprised at least once.
We need to train for this if we want to go
home and have dinner or a beer.
The old adage, “Ready, Aim, Fire,” is replaced
with the new adage, “Ready, Fire, Aim.”
For more information about Krav Magaps
training classes and private instruction,
check out www.KravMagaps.com or www.
PersonalDefenseSolutions.net
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
31

BALLISTIC BASICS | LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S JUST THE LAW | REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR | DEFCON 1
K. L. JAMISON
KEEP IT
FRIENDLY
» I WAS STOPPED for speeding. Because
I was on my way to interview witnesses, I
considered this to be an obstruction of justice.
I could count on the patrolman to disagree so I
cooperated. I turned off the engine.
(They hate it when you seem prepared to run
away.) I turned off my radio. (Police do not want
to hear a Golden Oldies rendition of “Cop Killer.”
They want the driver focused on what they have
to say.) I stayed in the car and placed my hands
on the wheel. (Police think they lose control of
the driver if he steps out of the car and they
hate that.) It was daylight so he could see that
I had nothing in my hands, otherwise I would
have turned on the overhead light. (One of my
clients had been pulled over for weaving. He had
dropped something on the floor; when he picked
it up he had a .38 in his ear and was few pounds
of pressure away from being a headline.) It never
hurts to keep the hands visible.

›› With red and blue lights
in the mirror tensions can
sometimes run high. It is
best to maintain a friendly
cooperative demeanor and
keep your hands visible.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
34
HOW TO REACT:
Roadside Rules
»Arguing with a police officer on the side of the road is no way to
smooth over a situation. If the officer is clearly in the wrong, you will have
an actionable case to take to court, where you will likely win.
When the officer walked up to my window
I immediately told him that I have a
license to carry. This notice is not required in
my state but the officer would have found
out quickly and law enforcement officers
hate surprises.
In states where it is not mandatory to
reveal a concealed carry license, some
commentators have advocated evasive answers
to the question: “Are there any guns
or drugs in the car?” (This question seems
to have replaced, “Good morning” in some
departments.)
Evasive answers lead to suspicion which
often leads to delays while the officer summons
a K-9 unit that seemingly can find
everything from drugs to explosives to evil
intentions. (There is no such thing as an
evil-intentions-sniffing dog but such bluffs
have led to permission to search.)
The officer might claim he can make the
driver wait for as long as he likes for these
dogs but that is not true. What is considered
a reasonable time to wait for the dog varies
from state to state.
It is unwise to display your gun without
giving notice. A disproportionate number
of officers are injured or killed in car stops.
This makes them a trifle tense during the
contact. The phrase “license to carry” is preferable
to “gun,” which is a warning in police
circles. License to carry (or whatever the
state calls its license) is code that the driver
is a certified good guy and very unlikely to
make trouble.
While it is extremely rare for a licensee
to engage in violent crime, to the officer
involved in that rare incident it is 100 percent
of the time and they can be excused for
proceeding with caution. When confronted
with citizens demanding their rights, this
caution may rise to annoyance and even
alarm. In either case the driver will not like
the result.
In my case the officer appeared surprised
at my announcement; my guess was that he
had never encountered one of our people.
He told me that he was going to disarm
me, which surprised me. The usual reaction
ranges from disinterest, to “Where is the
gun?” followed by an exchange like:
“What kind of gun do you have?”
“A Colt Combat Commander.”
“Cool, I’d like to get one of those myself.”
My state law does not specifically grant
officers the option of seizing the licensee’s
gun. I could have cited the Fifth Amendment
protection against deprivation of
property without due process of law. (Police
hate being lectured on the law and
they really hate it from lawyers. It makes
them think of “jailhouse lawyers” and everything
else they hear will be filtered
through that prism.)
If it came to court I am sure that the
judge would decide the seizure was acceptable
in favor of officer safety. At a more practical
level, officers have boasted that they
can take any traffic stop and turn it into a
federal case. The officer was polite with his
commands and I saw no reason not to reinforce
that attitude.
Some officers do not approach their job
with a polite attitude. They approach it with
the philosophy of a posterior orifice. The Internet
overflows with videos of abusive law
enforcement officers. These videos do not
always show the beginning of the encounter,
much less the officer’s day leading up to
the encounter.
The most famous such video is of an officer
who angrily prevents a concealed carry
holder from giving him the required notice
and then, in a boiling rage, threatens to
kill him for not giving the notice. Through
the miracle of squad car video cameras —
cameras ironically intended to protect officers
from false charges of brutality —his
conduct was exposed to the world. He was
fired. Through the miracle of the civil ser-

vice system, he was reinstated. The system
decided he was a victim of PTSD.
As proud as I am of the fellow lawyer who
engineered this result, as sympathetic as I
am to persons with PTSD, I am concerned
with having a PTSD victim of this magnitude
patrolling the streets with a badge, a
gun and the authority to misuse both.
Some drivers have tried to argue the officer
down or even shout him down. This
does not work and is reliably reported as
counterproductive. It is reported that some
officers angrily demand, “Why do you people
think you need guns?” This question
does not require an answer. It is best to allow
the hysteria to wind down and take care
of the matter in court.
When shown a gun, police often feel
compelled to show a faux expertise. In my
practice this has taken the form of declaring
hollow-point ammunition to be “armor-piercing,”
declaring Black Talon ammunition
to be “illegal” (in a state with no such
law), that the gun has been checked against
a database and found not to be registered (in
a state which has never registered firearms).
This brings into question what database the
officer checked or if he was simply lying.
The most popular excuse is that all guns
encountered must be seized for ballistic
testing. There is no such law. Such a law
and such a practice would violate the Fifth
Amendment’s guarantee not to be deprived
of property without due process of law. The
gun owner could sue under 42 U.S. Code
§1983 for actual and punitive damages as
well as attorney fees. These cases are fondly
known to lawyers as “1983 suits.”
Shortly after Missouri’s concealed carry
law went into effect, a licensee’s gun was
seized in a small town in the eastern part of
the state for ballistic testing. The owner was
advised by a number of persons who were
unburdened by legal knowledge that he
should sue and “end up owning the town.”
The gentleman considered that if he ended
up owning the town he would have to
take care of it and wisely declined. In reality,
court judgments are a function of the damages
incurred by the party. In this case the
gun was swiftly returned by a wiser superior
and the matter was not worth the filing fee.
A mid-Missouri doctor was pulled over
for suspiciously driving safer than normal.
The officer approached the car aggressively
shouting that he knew she had a concealed
weapon. He demanded the gun. The doctor
politely replied that she did not have it that
day. The officer said that this gave him probable
cause to search her car.
It did nothing of the kind; one has a right
to go unarmed. The doctor did not give permission
for the search but casually warned
him to be careful of the mole traps in her
trunk. The officer considered this development,
wished her a good day and drove off.
Police officers cannot know all the laws
they are called on to enforce and some latitude
for honest mistakes should be granted.
There are cases worth far more than the
filing fee but it is useless to debate them
with the officer on the side of the road.
Thoughtful Founding Fathers have established
a vast legal apparatus for the education
of the obstinate and abusive; it is
unpatriotic not to use it.
Police vehicles typically have cameras
that automatically record events in front
of and inside the vehicle. This has provided
a mountain of grist for reality shows and
some surprise defenses.
It has gotten better. The U.S. Supreme
Court recently declined to hear ACLU v Alverez,
a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the 7th Circuit handed down on May 8,
2012. This case struck down the Illinois law
which forbade recording a public official
without his knowledge. This has the effect
of granting a nationwide constitutional
blessing on the popular pastime of recording
police officers. This pastime is not popular
with police officers and if detected they
may take offense. Their offense may motivate
them to find other vehicle violations.
Throughout my traffic stop I called the
policeman “officer.” All law enforcement officers
are required to go to a training academy
of some sort. After this training they
have earned a title and like to hear it used.
For his part he continued to call me “sir.” This
worked to a very collegial atmosphere.
The officer ran my gun, which showed
that it was not stolen or had its serial number
written in blood at a crime scene and discreetly
returned it to me. He thanked me for
being so understanding about the matter.
This was the great victory. The officer
rode away thinking that concealed carry
people are solid citizens, even the lawyers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin L. Jamison is an attorney in the Kansas
City, Mo., area concentrating in the area
of weapons and self-defense.
Please send questions to Kevin L. Jamison
2614 NE 56th Ter Gladstone Missouri 64119-
2311 KLJamisonLaw@earthlink.net. Individual
answers are not usually possible but may be
addressed in future columns.
This information is for legal information
purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
For specific questions consult a qualified
attorney.

DUANE A. DAIKER
BALLISTIC BASICS | LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S JUST THE LAW | REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR | DEFCON 1
»THIS COLUMN REVIEWS a variety of high-quality
personal safety, self-defense and concealed carry related gear.
Each product is thoroughly evaluated under real world conditions.
SLIM, HIDDEN
&
VERSATILE
WOOLRICH VEST
›› MSRP: $99.
WOOLRICH ELITE LIGHTWEIGHT VEST
Woolrich, which started in 1830 selling
woolen clothes in Pennsylvania lumber
camps, bills itself as “The Original Outdoor
Clothing Company.” More recently, Woolrich
has made a serious commitment to
the concealed carry clothing market.
The Woolrich Elite Tactical line
has a whole collection of concealed
carry and tactical gear, including
shirts, pants and jackets. I
have reviewed a number of these
products over the years, and all of
them are quality items.
This time I am reviewing a staple
of the concealed carry lifestyle
— the Elite Vest.
I have mixed feelings about
photographer-style vests for
concealed carry. Such vests have
gotten a bad reputation as neon
flashing “shoot me first” signs on the assumption
that bad guys will equate this vest with
an armed citizen. I suppose that is possible but I think the risk
is greatly overstated. An outdoor vest in the Woolrich style is
common in many parts of this country. Like any other concealment
method, you have to dress appropriately for your surroundings
and your locale. The vest is just one option in your
concealed carry wardrobe.
The Elite Vest is extremely versatile. It has a number of front
pockets with various types of closures for all manner of stuff.
The pockets will easily hold all your everyday carry gear — like
a flashlight, knife, spare magazines, cell phone, pen and more.
There is also a large pocket at the small of the back.
The vest closes with a zipper front and also has a quick-release
front tab to keep the vest closed when unzipped while still
permitting fast access to a holstered gun or anything else on the
belt or the inside pockets.
The Elite Vest has all the features you would expect in quality
outerwear, like fitted expansion pleats, a vented back and sidetab
adjustments for a custom fit. The
quality is obvious, with double-stitching
and bartack stress points. The entire
garment is treated with DuPont
Teflon Fabric Protector for a finish
that is breathable but still water
and spill resistant.
This Woolrich Elite Vest is
perfect for its intended use.
The cover garment is made
of heavy-duty canvas material
that is perfect for hiding the
outline of a firearm. A quick perusal
of nearly any IDPA match
will show that this vest is a favorite
among competitors —
which is strong praise.
The vest is available from
directly Woolrich or retailers
around the country. Colors include
khaki, black, navy, sage
and olive drab; sizes run up to 3XL. I find the
sizes to be quite accurate and the length appropriate
for a cover garment.
Suggested retail price is $99 but street prices can be significantly
lower. The Elite Vest is a worthy investment in quality
gear. If you are ready for a concealed carry vest, the Woolrich
Elite Vest is the standard against which other vests are judged.
I suggest you pass on the $20 knock-off at the local gun show,
and get yourself a genuine Woolrich vest. You can find out
more about the Elite Vest and other Woolrich products at
www.woolrich.com.
SOG SLIMJIM
Here is the line that caught my eye — “the slimmest assisted
knife in the world.” An assisted-opener knife that looks impossibly
thin? I had to check it out.
The SOG SlimJim is definitely slim. The total thickness of the
knife (without the pocket clip) is roughly that of two quarters
stacked on top of each other. While the knife blade is not unusu-

ally thin, the handle of this knife is remarkably svelte but don’t let
that fool you. The handle is very sturdy, constructed from a piece
of bead-blasted 420 stainless steel bent around the blade.
The blade itself is crafted from AUS 8 stainless steel and measures
just less than 3.2 inches, with a modified drop point profile.
Despite being made of all stainless steel, the knife weighs
only 2.4 ounces.
The SlimJim is an assisted-opening folding knife. Once you
start the blade opening by pushing on one of the ambidextrous
thumb studs, the spring assist takes over and snaps the blade
open with authority. The SOG Assisted Technology is a great feature
because it’s a little hard for me to get the proper leverage to
open this knife because of its extremely thin profile.
Once deployed, the SlimJim’s blade is unlocked by depressing
the exposed lever on the spine of the knife. Since the knife opens
with a spring assist, SOG has included a safety with a dual purpose.
The safety slider locks the knife open or closed. If the knife
is closed, engaging the safety prevents accidental opening. If the
knife is open, engaging the safety prevents accidental closing.
While probably necessary, the safety sliding lever is my least
favorite feature of the knife. Using the safety makes for a much
slower deployment since the safety needs to be disengaged and
the slider is very small. For this reason, I think the SlimJim is more
of a gentleman’s knife than a true tactical knife. I wouldn’t want
to trust my life to a quick deployment of this knife.
As with all SOG knives, the quality of the SlimJim is obvious.
The knife is very sturdy and should handle any common cutting
tasks with ease. The size and weight of the SlimJim make for easy
carry. This knife can be easily clipped to dress pants or a business
suit without a problem. The reversible clip is designed for deep
carry; pocket clip carry is very discrete.
SOG offers the SlimJim in two colors (satin and black) and two
sizes. The larger SlimJim XL is an exact copy of its smaller sibling
but has a blade length of almost 4.2 inches. The suggested retail
price for the standard SlimJim shown here is $65. The Hardcase
Black finish adds another $10, and the larger XL model is priced
at $80 to $90, depending on the finish. You can view the SlimJim
and other SOG knives at www.sogknives.com.
ALESSI POCKET HOLSTER
A few names have become synonymous with leather holsters;
Lou Alessi is one of them. Alessi had been making high-quality
leather holsters for nearly 40 years when he died in February
2009. Since then, his daughter, Alexandra, and longtime friend
Tom Kulwicki have continued making holsters in the Alessi tradition.
The company continues to thrive and meet or exceed the
expectations of its demanding customer base.
After obtaining a Beretta Nano sub-compact pistol for testing,
I called Alessi for a pocket holster. The Alessi pocket holster design
is very simple, consisting of a single piece of leather folded
around and molded to the particular gun in question. The holster
is stitched together, with no need for screws, rivets or other metal
parts. The leather is turned rough side out to provide a bit more
friction in the pocket while also making the draw from the holster
very smooth.
I have been carrying guns in my pocket for a long time, and
have tried many pocket holsters. I have come to the conclusion
SOG SLIMJIM
›› MSRP: $65
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
37

that you don’t need super sticky
artificial materials, thumb pushoff
devices, funny shaped hooks
or other extraneous features. The
Alessi holster is exactly what I prefer
— a quality piece of leather
hand-crafted to fit my gun.
Because of its simplicity, the Alessi pocket
holster can be used right- or left-handed.
This is particularly nice for those who
might occasionally carry their pocket gun
as a backup on their nondominate side.
Any pocket holster that cannot be used
with either hand is probably more complicated
than necessary.
Using the proper form, a pocket pistol
is easily separated from the holster on the
draw. Normally, pushing the holster off with
the second and third fingers of the drawing
hand is all that is required. Pocket holsters
simply don’t require much retention and are
easy to separate from the gun. However, if
the pocket holster is coming out with the
pistol, the rear edge of the holster can easily
be snagged against the back edge of the
pocket on the draw to force the separation.
Alessi makes a pocket holster for a wide
variety of guns, including small revolvers
and all the popular sub-compact pistols. The
holsters are available in black or brown, and
are priced at a very reasonable $60. I think
the pricing reflects a good value for a holster
of this quality. You can view and order Alessi
holsters at www.alessigunholsters.com.
Alessi customer service is top notch.
All of the Alessi holsters are worthy of
your consideration but the pocket holster is
a classic design that incorporates all of what
a pocket holster should be and none of what
it shouldn’t. The next generation at Alessi
Holsters thinks you shouldn’t stake your life
on any lesser quality holster. That makes a
lot of sense to me.
XGRIP MAGAZINE ADAPTERS
One of the advantages of carrying a compact
version of a full-size pistol is the ability
to use larger magazines when desired. For
example, a Glock 19 (which holds 15 rounds
in a standard magazine) can be used with
Glock 17 magazines (which hold 17 rounds
in a standard magazine). Many people carry
full-size magazines as a reload for their compact
pistol. This makes a lot of sense since
the magazines are easier to conceal than the
pistol itself. And who is going to argue with
having a few extra rounds of ammunition in
the larger magazines?
However, there are a couple of issues that
can arise when using full-size magazines in
a compact pistol. One potentially serious
ALESSI POCKET
HOLSTER
›› MSRP: $60
XGRIP MAGAZINE
ADAPTERS
›› MSRP: $13
risk is over-insertion of the magazine. When
an over-size magazine is inserted, there is
no natural stopping point created by the
magazine base contacting the bottom of
the pistol grip. As a result, a forceful insertion
of the magazine can drive the top of
the magazine too far into the pistol, causing
potential damage to the magazine or
the pistol. At a minimum, the over-insertion
can cause functional problems with feeding
from that particular magazine. The degree
to which particular pistol models are prone
to this problem varies; a detailed discussion
is beyond the scope of this column.
Even if over-insertion is not an issue with
your pistol, the use of a full-size magazine in
a compact frame leads to bad ergonomics.
An extra inch or so of extended magazine
does very little to enhance your grip on the
firearm, and can actually make your grip
more awkward and unstable.
Both of these issues can be corrected
by using a proper magazine adapter, like
the ones produced by XGRIP. The XGRIP
magazine adapter fills the gap between
the base plate of the full-size magazine
and the bottom of the compact pistol’s
frame. This prevents over-insertion,
and actually increases the useful grip
length of your compact pistol. As a bonus,
the magazine adapters give the
pistol a clean look, even when used
with extended-length magazines.
If you are in the habit of using full-size
magazines in a compact pistol, the XGRIP
magazine adapters make a lot of sense.
There is really no downside to the adapters
that do very little to increase the size or
weight of the magazines but offer tangible
benefits.
I tested a set of XGRIP adapters on my
Sig Sauer P226 full-size magazines while using
them in my Sig Sauer P229. I used the
full-size magazines throughout a five-day
intensive shooting class with no issues. The
reliability of the XGRIP adapters should not
be a surprise. XGRIP adapters are factory-approved
and offered as original equipment
by a number of manufacturers, including
Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer and HK. I like the
feel of the extended magazines with the
adapters providing a little extra space for
that bottom finger to grip a compact pistol.
XGRIP magazine adapters are easy to install
and require no tools. With some types
of magazines, a replacement floor plate is
required; the replacement is included with
the XGRIP. The adapters have a retail price
around $15 and are available from a variety
of sources.
XGRIP offers magazine adapters for many
popular brands, including Beretta, Glock,
Sig Sauer, HK, Walther, Smith & Wesson and
the 1911 variants. You can view the models
available and consult a list of distributors at
www.x-grips.com. If you use full-size magazines
in compact pistols, you should definitely
consider the XGRIP magazine adapters
as part of your carry gear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Duane A. Daiker is a contributing editor for
CCM, but is otherwise a regular guy — not
much different from you.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
39

JOHN CAILE
BALLISTIC BASICS | LEGALLY ARMED CITIZEN | IT’S JUST THE LAW | REAL WORLD CARRY GEAR | DEFCON 1
BLOOD ON
OUR HANDS
» STOP SACRIFICING our children on the altar of gun control
Barely hours after the Connecticut school shooting, Democrats
were hardly able to contain their enthusiasm for their
newfound excuse for the gun control they’ve always wanted.
They couldn’t even wait for the victims to be buried. From President
Obama’s thinly veiled threats to the outright demand for
yet another “assault weapons ban” courtesy of Democrats like
Senator Diane Feinstein, the gun control zealots came scrambling
out of the woodwork. They were only too happy to dance
in the blood of children to advance their political agenda.
Naturally, the mainstream media jumped on the “gun control”
bandwagon, continuing to astonish us with their embarrassing
ignorance of firearms (e.g. calling a .223 carbine a
“heavy weapon” – my military veteran friends laughed out loud
at that one). CNN’s Soledad O’Brien dropped all pretense of being
an objective journalist, ignoring the fact that virtually every
mass shooting occurs in so-called “gun free zones” and refusing
to admit that arming people would solve anything, in spite
of the number of cases where armed citizens intervened and
stopped the attacker long before police arrived. She even editorialized
that allowing regular people to carry guns to protect
themselves “boggled” her mind.
What really boggles my mind is that Ms. O’Brien (or anyone
with an I.Q. above that of a houseplant) would be so naive as to
believe that some silly “No Guns Allowed” sign is going to cause
a psychotic mass murderer to suddenly change his mind and
go home to watch “Survivor.” On the contrary, such a sign has
the exact opposite affect; announcing to the world that “this is
a defense-free killing field, so come on in and do what you will,
no one can stop you.”
CNN’s Piers Morgan, another ex-patriot Brit who still hates
America for the drubbing that his beloved “Red Coats” took at
the hands of us pesky Colonials, was of a similar view. He virtually
attacked crime and violence researcher John Lott, refusing
to allow Professor Lott to answer the questions he was asked.
Unfortunately, ignorance about guns and the consequences of
gun control seems to be a resume-enhancer in the newsrooms
of mainstream networks and newspapers.
FOX was not much better–even Bill O’Reilly showed at best
a meager understanding of firearms, and was more than willing
to accept the idea that certain guns should be “registered”
or otherwise “restricted” in some way, and portraying pro-gun
people as “just as unwilling to compromise” as the gun-control
zealots.
The reason for this almost religious zeal on the part of those
opposed to people owning, much less carrying, firearms for
self-defense is that their views are essentially just that: a religion.
Thus no amount of fact, empirical data, or serious research
will change their view. To them, “guns are bad” unless
they are carried by police (or the armed bodyguards of “special”
people like Soledad O’Brien and Piers Morgan).
Think about it, the same people who barely raise an eyebrow
at the idea of armored car guards carrying guns to protect bags
of cash, suddenly go apoplectic over the prospect of teachers
carrying guns to protect young children. If that’s not misplaced
priorities, I don’t know what is.
There has also been some discussion about mental illness. A
glaringly large percentage of mass public shooters have been
mentally disturbed young adults who were found to have been
on a range of mood-altering prescriptions. Such medications
are known to have side-affects that include suicidal and homicidal
impulses, especially in teenagers and young adults.
Yet in spite of warnings by drug companies that such drugs

should be limited to those with “fully-formed” brains (i.e. those
in their mid-20s or older), too many doctors ignore the warnings.
“Hey, you’re teenager is feeling depressed? Here, have him
take a pill.”
Mental illness and treatment should be investigated, but the
media prefers the focus remain on guns. “What kind of guns did
the shooter use? Where did he get them?” The obsession with
the type of gun used is puzzling. After all, drunk drivers kill infinitely
more people each WEEK than all of the school shooters
combined. Yet when some inebriated idiot slams into a minivan,
killing several people, no one frantically demands, “what kind of
vehicle was he driving?” or “where did he get the car?”
Not surprisingly, some of the same liberal “do-gooders” we
face today actually did want to ban high-performance “muscle
cars” back in the 1970s, for similar ideological reasons. Joan Claybrook,
Jimmy Carter’s head of the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, once proclaimed America
really needed “socially responsible vehicles” (I’m not
making that up). And you thought the sort of “nanny
state” insanity that characterizes the anti-gun crowd
was something new.
But all of this is beside the point. The real issue is:
What do we do now? How do we protect our school
children, as well as those in other public places? We
need to take steps that have a genuine chance
of success, rather than “feel good” measures
because we “must do SOMETHING.”
First, NOTHING we do will guarantee
that people bent on violence will be unable
to get any gun they want if they have
the will to do so. Just watch any episode
of the History Channel’s series, “Gangland”
where it is abundantly clear that
even in cities with extreme gun control,
gangs are as heavily armed as ever. In 2012
alone, Chicago had 2500 shootings, 515 of
them fatalities!
Second, no matter how many “preventive”
measures we attempt (background checks,
“high-capacity magazine” bans, etc.) or whatever
“passive” devices we put in place (metal
detectors, surveillance cameras), at some point,
a committed killer WILL eventually defeat them.
Therefore, the real issue should be, when the next
maniac shows up in a school or shopping mall,
what should our policies be? And those policies
MUST be based on pragmatism, not on appeasing
the anti-gun fanatics.
NRA head, Wayne LaPierre and others have suggested
that putting a police officer in every school
is the answer. Certainly increased police presence
would help. But there are other issues, such as the
prohibitively high price-tag (estimated at over $5
billion). But there is also another, more critical issue.
Having any armed defenders (whether police or pri-
vate security staff) would be helpful, but uniformed personnel
are too easily identified and located. The Columbine killers did
just that; they learned the guard’s schedule and made allowances
for it in their plans. No, a potential killer must have no way
of knowing WHO may be armed. It is this uncertainty that also
reduces the likelihood of an attack in the first place; not because
the killer fears death (they usually intend to kill themselves anyway)
but because they want to be in control as the one who has
absolute power over others. As soon as that power dynamic
shifts away from them, they fold.
Opponents argue that arming civilians is dangerous because
they “aren’t trained enough” to handle an “active shooter” scenario.
Even some pro-gun-rights conservatives have, when it comes
to schools, limited their support to “retired law enforcement” or
“ex-military” personnel. But this is a canard. As a firearm instructor
for almost 40 years, I certainly agree some special training
for school staff is appropriate. But unlike cops on TV, who
almost never miss, after-action reports from major cities
like New York and Chicago show that most cops
have abysmal “hit rates” in shootouts with suspects.
These reports show cops are more likely to hit innocent
bystanders than are concealed carry permit holders
(who, incidentally, practice far more than most cops).
And while a combat veteran is probably the ideal
choice in a shootout, the cost of putting them
in every school would be astronomical, and that
still leaves malls, coffee shops, churches, and
the millions of other public venues unprotected.
Besides, a defender does not need to be a
Navy SEAL, or a SWAT team member. When a
mass shooter encounters ANY armed resistance,
he typically retreats, or more often,
commits suicide.
It is clear that “gun-free zones” have
failed. Whatever route we take, it MUST include
armed, on-site personnel, UNKNOWN
to the potential shooters. This is the only way
to deter, and if necessary, defend against a
mass public shooter. Ironically, it is the legal
civilian carry permit holders of America who
can be our best, and most practical, defense.
It is time to provide our children with the same
level of protection that we are willing to use to
guard our money. But we must act now, because
having our precious little children hiding under
desks, quivering with horror, hoping the police will
save them, is something we should refuse to tolerate
for even one more day.
›› We cannot afford nor would we want an
armed solider in every school. But a few teachers
with concealed weapons could make a huge difference in
keeping children safe. We must reconsider the Gun Free
School Zone law as a means of protecting our children.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
41

COVER
GUNS
POWERFUL
POLYMER
»
THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XDM (top) and
the GLOCK MODEL 17 GEN 4 are two of the most
popular polymer handguns in the world, offering
versatility, reliability, safety and power. Each
pistol offers unique options like interchangeable
backstraps and enhanced grip textures designed
to provide the shooter with comfort and control.
SPECIFICATIONS
SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY XDM-9 4.5
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine capacity: 19
Barrel: 4.5 inches
Trigger Pull: 5.5 to 7.5 pounds
Overall length: 8 inches
Height: 5.6 inches
Weight empty: 32 ounces
SPECIFICATIONS
GLOCK MODEL
17 GEN 4
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine capacity: 17
Barrel: 4.48 inches
Trigger Pull: 5.5 pounds
Overall length: 7.95 inches
Height: 5.43 inches
Weight empty: 32 ounces
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
43

» IN THE HANDGUNNING WORLD, the hottest items
of late have been the micro-.380s (as originally represented
by the Kel-Tec P3AT) and the mini 9mm, .40 and .45ACPs
as best represented by the Kahr pistol line.
Kahr has been around the longest and,
in my opinion, really got the ball rolling. It
is clearly the leader in the field, cataloguing
a whopping 77 different models, 9mm, .40
and .45, as well as its take on the micro-.380.
Frames are available in polymer, matte stainless
steel, polished stainless steel and blackened
stainless steel. With all these choices,
Kahr is certain to have a CCW pistol that is
ideal for you.
Recently I received a sample of their new
CM9 — a mini 9mm pistol that is representative
of the breed. The CM9 is a 6 or 7+1 shot
(depending on magazine used), single stack
pistol with a polymer frame and three-inch
barrel that features conventional rifling. The
fact that it has conventional rifling over polygonal
rifling means that firing rounds loaded
with plain lead bullets won’t cause any
pressure issues as they are reported to do in
polygonal rifled barrels. Unloaded weight of
the CM9 is a feathery 14 ounces.
The action is a Browning style locked
breach with recoil lug; the only way a pistol
this powerful can be kept this small. The slide
is matte stainless and nicely but not elegantly
finished. The rear-angled cocking serrations
are very positive.
I don’t favor the still-in-vogue front cocking
serrations. It is simply too easy to get desirable
body parts in front of the muzzle and
accidentally remove them while performing
a chamber check at the front of the gun. It
is just as easy and much safer to perform
chamber checks at the rear.
The only external controls on the CM9 are
the magazine release, mounted in the standard
position, and the prominent and slightly
angled slide release. There is no manual safety.
The trigger face is smooth and polished.
The trigger is very smooth with no hitch in
pull. While the pull will seem somewhat long
and not extremely crisp for those used to the
Glock trigger system, it is set up this way to
help prevent inadvertent discharge because
there is no safety lever built directly into the
trigger face. I like it.
The Kahr shipped in a cardboard, rather
than plastic box, and I was pleasantly surprised
to find a total of three magazines in
the box. One was a flush fitting six rounder
with stainless floor plate, ideal for carrying in
the gun to keep the dimensions as small as
possible, with two seven rounders that featured
a plastic extension on the base.
For those with large hands, the extension
gives you a bit more room to loop your pinkie
around. Those are my reload mags. The body
of the mags is matte stainless and worked
flawlessly, dropping free without issue.
I have to take a moment to talk about the
Kahr sighting arrangement. The sights are
black polymer, with a white dot on the front
and a vertical white stripe on the rear. They
are prominent, and not vestigial, the way
sights have become on certain other brands
of mini and micro pistols.
This is hugely important to me because
I am a progressive bifocal wearer. Sights
like these are easy to pick up no matter
which part of my eyeglass lens I am looking
through. Alignment only requires that
one form a “lollypop” white dot on white bar
which for a newer shooter is an easy concept
to understand.
It is also much preferred over three dot
sights, which are more confusing (at least
for me) to align. They are windage adjustable
only and do not have tritium inserts. I
am sure tritium sights could be added, but
the objective of the CM lineup is to keep
down costs.
How did Kahr do that, and is the consumer
missing out on anything?
In a nutshell, Kahr opted to use the same
materials that it does on its other pistols with
just a bit less fine finishing. That means the
edges haven’t been “melted” for comfort or
sculpted as nicely as the more expensive
Kahrs, nor is there much detail to the engrav-
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
46

ing on the slide. The CM9 slide is etched “CM9” and “Kahr” on the left
side. Etched on the barrel hood is “9x19 CM.” The serial number is
contained on a metal plate on the underside of the frame, ahead
of the trigger guard. The polymer frame is checkered on the front
and rear, and stippled on the sides with a circle “K” emblem (not
the convenience store emblem) on both sides.
I tested the CM9 in two ways. First, I ran it through my police department’s
qualification course, and second I carried it by as many
methods as possible.
For the qualification course of fire, which included a relatively
slow fire six rounds at 50 feet in 18 seconds, I used standard pressure
defensive loads, instead of FMJ training ammo. This is the
type of ammo with which it is going to be carried. While I have no
doubt that the CM9 could handle +P loads, I doubt much would
be gained in terms of effectiveness from its three-inch barrel to
warrant the extra battering.
I had a small quantity of Winchester 115-grain Silvertip JHP loads
on hand, which while being a standard pressure load, is rated as
having a muzzle velocity of 1220 fps. In the early 1980s, the Silvertip,
in 9mm, .38 Special and .45 ACP was the first high-tech series
of defensive loads used by law enforcement. Two things made it
unique. Its silver jacketed bullet—every other brand was copper—
and the fact that the silver jacket totally enclosed the hollow point
bullet, leaving no lead exposed.
The no-longer-available 95-grain .38 Special format served
as my first duty load in my Model 19 revolver. Silvertip ammo is
still available under the Super X line. In fact it is loaded in a wide
range of handgun calibers, including less common rounds like the
10mm, .38 Super, 9x23 Winchester and .45 GAP.
While it is no longer considered a primo law enforcement round
(it is not rated to pass all aspects of the FBI’s firearms protocol
test—primarily windshield glass), I would have no problem carrying
it in the CM9 or my Beretta 92 on the street. It may not be the
newest but it still works for most situations. It is also less expensive
than the newer, even more high-tech loads.
For a representative of the latest in defensive bullet technology,
I obtained a sample of Hornady’s Critical DUTY law enforcement
ammunition. Hornady also makes a similar round under the Critical
Defense label. The only difference is that the Critical DUTY round
is designed to meet all the FBI protocols. Hornady figures that civilians
won’t be shooting at windshield glass like law enforcement
officers might.
The 9mm Critical DUTY version is loaded in both standard and
+P versions (1010 fps. vs. 1110) with a 135-grain FlexLock bullet.
The FlexTip polymer tip is not pointed as it is in their LEVERevolution
rifle ammunition line; it is shaped more like a round pellet. The
tip is designed to prevent plugging of the hollow point when it
encounters barrier material and to assist in expansion when it hits
soft tissue. I chose the standard pressure version for qualification.
There was just not much to be gained by a boost of maybe 100 fps
of velocity of the +P round. If I wanted higher speed, I could use
the Silvertip load.
Qualification went off without a hitch. The gun ran flawlessly
with both the Silvertip 9 and the Critical Duty 9. Point of aim was
dead on out to 50 feet, and the gun was pleasant to shoot. As in
any polymer framed pistol, there is some slight flexion of the frame
each time the gun is fired, which helps to mitigate recoil; that was
certainly at work here.
Now that I was good to go for the street, I moved to stage two
of the test— the actual carry. I carried the CM9 on a regular basis
in a variety of modes, in a thumb break paddle holster made by
Gould and Goodrich, an ankle holster with adjustable thumb break
by DeSantis, a belly band and fanny pack by Galco and a soft inside
the pocket holster by Uncle Mikes.
Herein lies the beauty of a compact, full-power concealed carry
pistol. You can adapt the pistol via multiple carry modes to whatever
you are wearing. You never have to adapt your dress to the
gun like you would have to do for a full size gun.
During the test, another point came to light. The fact that there
is no meltdown treatment of the CM9 is not significant. The gun is
not big enough to need it; it doesn’t pressure the body like a full
size gun. It carried beautifully no matter what the mode, with the
two spare magazines in my pants pocket.
A CM-40 and CM-45 will soon be available. The CM-9, as well as
its upcoming larger siblings, represents an opportunity to own a
Kahr pistol at a much more economical price.
How much more economical? Well the beautifully finished, polished
stainless steel, similar sized MK9 Elite has an MSRP of $932.
The MSRP for the CM9 is $517. That’s right, $415 less. The polymer-framed
PM9, which is the same pistol with fancier finishing,
is priced at $786. If you want the nicer finishes and frills that Kahr
offers on its upscale pistols, go for it. But if you can or need to do
with a bit less, the CM9 will do everything that you could possibly
ask of it.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
47

All you ever wAnted
to know in one plAce
By MArk kAkkuri
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
49

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
50
»THE GLOCK PISTOL holds the enviable position
of being one of the most popular pistol designs
in the history of modern side arms. A majority of
police officers in the United States carry a
Glock and the pistols are the standard
sidearms for many military and police
agencies abroad. The Glock appears in
popular culture, playing prominent roles
in movies and music. The pistols and
the company are relatively young, have
a unique story and enduring lawsuits,
rumors and other corporate drama.
Aside from the corporate and cultural
hullabaloo that surrounds these pistols,
the Glock brand stands for pistols that
are tough, reliable and durable
while being inherently
safe and
easy to operate.
Glock pistols are
also relatively inexpensive
and easy to
maintain, yet, even if
not maintained well,
they have a well-established
reputation
for functioning perfectly
every time.
Still, Glock pistols
have been called ugly. The trigger
action has been described as mushy. The
grip angle has been maligned as violating
basic human sensibility. Some have doubted
the wisdom and viability of a “plastic”
gun. While people seem to love them or
hate them, Glock sold 5,000 of its Model 19
pistols in just one week in May 2009, at the
beginning of the current spike in gun sales.
Named after founder Gaston Glock,
an Austrian engineer/inventor, the Glock
pistol comes in various sizes and calibers,
including 21 models ranging from .380 caliber
(available for law enforcement only) to
.45 Auto. The company also makes combat
knives and an entrenching tool.
For a thorough history of Glock — the
man, the company, the pistols, and the crisis
that ushered in their dominance in the
modern law enforcement market — read
Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun by Paul Barrett
(Crown Publishers, New York, 2012).
In 268 pages over 20 chapters, Barrett
describes in detail everything from founder
Gaston Glock’s early work as a maker of brass
fittings for doors and windows to the 1986
FBI shootout in Miami that prompted the FBI
to find a suitable gun to replace its low-capacity,
slow-to-reload snub-nosed revolver.
Barrett also provides insights into Glock
Inc.’s lavish sales and marketing efforts and
the story of betrayal by a company insider.
(Barrett’s book spent a couple weeks on the
NY Times extended bestsellers list. The paperback
version is due out in January 2013.)
POCKET ROCKETS
Of particular interest to Concealed Carry
Magazine readers is Chapter 13 (Pocket
Rockets) that details Glock’s entry into
the sub-compact pistol market. The Glock
Model 26 and 27, 9x19 and .40 caliber pistols,
respectively, came to market in 1995,
offering those with a concealed pistol
license the opportunity to carry a shortened,
smaller version of the larger duty
pistols carried by police.
Keep in mind that the 1994 assault
weapons ban limited the manufacture
of pistol magazines
with a capacity greater than 10
rounds. The Glock 26 and 27
held 10 and 9 rounds, respectively.
Glock sales were actually
enhanced by the ban. Moreover,
the concealed pistol market
was increasing in popularity
while state after state enacted
laws allowing civilians to legally
carry concealed handguns.
In 1995, 28 states had some
form of concealed carry laws
for civilians. Today, all states
except Illinois have some form
of concealed carry licensing.
For Glock in the mid-1990s, the
timing couldn’t have been better
for introducing the smaller
pistols.
In the realm of practical
shooting, the Glock 26 and 27
were relatively easy to shoot
and operate, compared to the
snub-nosed revolvers, their key
competition. Like a revolver,
just squeeze the Glock trigger
to fire a round. Unlike a
revolver, the recoil of a Glock
firing was partially absorbed
by the gun as a spring compressed
and the slide moved
backward to eject spent brass and pick up
a fresh cartridge.
The shooter of a revolver absorbed the
recoil of a fired round because a revolver
has no moving parts other than a rotating
cylinder. Firing a revolver was more punishing
for the shooter, making it more difficult
to fire accurately.
A compact Glock held 10 rounds —
twice as many of the snub-nosed revolvers.
Reloading the Glock required dropping the
empty magazine and inserting a fully loaded
one, a quick operation versus the more
complex process of reloading the revolver.
All of these features — easier shooting and
reloading and greater ammunition capacity
— combined with laws favorable to civilian
concealed carry resulted in record sales
for Glock.
Since the introduction of the Model 19
in 1988 and the Models 26 and 27 in 1995,
Glock has added other compact and subcompact
pistols. The compacts include the
Model 23 (.40), 38 (.45 G.A.P.), and 32 (.357

Sig). In addition to the aforementioned
Model 26 and 27, other Glock subcompacts
include the Model 29 (10mm), Model 30
(.45 Auto), Model 39 (.45 G.A.P.), and Model
33 (.357 Sig). Each of the subcompacts features
a shortened slide and barrel as well
as a shortened frame, making them easier
to conceal.
One other Glock well-suited to concealed
carry is the Model 36, a .45 Auto that
fits neither in the compact nor subcompact
categories but which Glock denotes as a
“thin line” model. While it holds six rounds
of .45 Auto, the slide measures only 1.1
inches wide — thinner than all the other
Glock models.
GLOCK’S GROWTH CHART
In his book, Barrett provides some of the
more technical details of Glock products
and also provides insightful commentary
on the American gun industry and the
political climate that culminated into the
fast-growing popularity of Glock pistols,
especially for civilian concealed carry.
American military and law enforcement
agencies use primarily foreign-made side
arms — the Italian-made Beretta for the
U.S. Army and the Austrian-made Glock for
the majority of U.S. police departments.
Barrett says comparisons can be made to
the U.S. automotive industry.
“In the 1980s, when the switch from
Colt/S&W to Beretta/Glock was made,
foreign manufacturers of guns benefited
from the same advantage as foreign
manufacturers of cars. American brands
had deteriorated in terms of innovation
and reliability. Foreigners came in and ate
the Americans’ lunch. As in cars, American
gunmakers have recovered since the fallow
years, mostly by imitating what the foreigners
were doing with design, durability
and service. But the damage was done. The
Austrians and Italians (and Brazilians) had
grabbed market share, and that’s tough to
win back.”
THE RESULTS OF GUN
CONTROL EFFORTS
As he researched and wrote the book,
Barrett says the most consequential historical
fact was how attempts to regulate
lawful gun ownership in the United States
have tended to backfire, especially in the
case of the Glock, which benefited repeatedly
from anti-gun scare tactics (the plastic
pistol controversy), legislative enactments
(assault weapons ban) and public policy
moves (the municipal litigation).
“The pattern is truly striking, and continues
today,” he says. “The mere threat of new
gun control legislation results in increased
sales and no new gun control legislation. A
comment by Bob Costas about gun ownership
results in NRA fundraising campaigns
and popular criticism of Costas.”
According to Barrett, the anti-gun movement
has backed itself into a corner. “Some
of it,” he says, “is due to falling overall crime
MRSP: $11
The Ultimate
Glock Book
Based on 15 years of research,
this book is the riveting story of
the weapon that has become
known as american’s gun.
Today the glock pistol has been
embraced by two-thirds of all u.S.
Police departments, glamorized
in countless hollywood movies,
and featured as a ubiquitous
presence on prime-time tv.
rates, which undercut the simplistic ‘more
guns equal more crime’ equation. Some of
it is due to marketing savvy, especially fear
marketing by gun makers and the NRA.
Some of it is due to hypocrisy and poor
strategy by the gun control movement.”
A shift in popular attitude also contributes
to what now is a generally pro-gun
culture. “People seem less convinced today
than they did 25 years ago that gun control
will work,” says Barrett. He cites the falling
overall crime rates since 1994 and possible
strengthening of the libertarian strain in
American political thinking (e.g., the Supreme
Court’s decision in Heller, clarifying
the reach of the Second Amendment). “It’s
interesting stuff, whatever one’s views are
on wise public policy.”
GOOD READ, FAIR TREATMENT
Barrett says “Glock: Rise of America’s
Gun” has generated plenty of positive reviews.
What’s most surprising to him, however,
is the feedback from gun owners who
are shocked “that someone who works for
BLOOMBERG Businessweek magazine (my
day job) wrote a fair book about the gun
industry.”
According to Barrett, he tells countless
readers that Mike Bloomberg, his employer,
has strong opinions on gun regulation
but has never interfered with anything he
has written on this topic. “I have nothing
but admiration for Mike Bloomberg as a
magazine owner and employer.”
AMERICA’S GUN
Whether the Glock is “America’s gun” is
open for interpretation and debate. However,
Glock’s presence in the gun industry
— including the concealed carry market
— and in the larger culture is without
question. No matter your political leanings,
if you’re interested in learning about the
people, the company and the circumstances
behind Glock’s rise, get a copy of “Glock:
Rise of America’s Gun.”
Mark Kakkuri is a freelance writer in Oxford,
Mich. You can follow him on Twitter @markkakkuri.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
51

A RESPONSIBLY
ARMED CITIZEN IS
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EQUIPPED AND
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS...EVERY YEAR LAW ABIDING AMERICANS’
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OF A JUSTIFIABLE USE OF THEIR FIREARM FOR SELF DEFENSE. IF YOU’RE FORCED TO USE YOUR GUN IN
DEFENSE OF YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY, THE INSURANCE PROVIDED WITH EACH USCCA MEMBERSHIP
WILL HELP YOU FIND, HIRE AND PAY FOR AN EXPERT PRO-2ND AMENDMENT
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USCCA MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES THE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND-MOST
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THE INSURANCE—TO ALLOW YOU TO CARRY YOUR GUN CONFIDENTLY WITHOUT
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WILSON COMBAT TAKES
ON THE POLYMER 1911
BY R.K CAMPBELL

SPEC
OPS
9
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
55

»POLYMER IS EVERYWHERE in modern firearms.
Still, the main focus of polymer technology
is reserved for the personal defense handgun.
Among the types that perhaps we did not
expect to see benefit from polymer technology
was the tried and true 1911 handgun.
Just the same, this application makes a lot
of sense. There is a great deal of precision
work involved in machining a steel frame
designed prior to 1905. There must be easier
ways to accomplish the same thing in
modern times.
A purpose-designed polymer frame
beats the odds with precision and ruggedness.
Function and an affordable price are
possible with the complexity of the 1911
brought to a manageable level. The polymer
frame 1911 will never become a collector’s
item but it will save your life or give
long service in competition.
Another advantage of the polymer frame
is its light weight. A pistol that weighs less
might have greater recoil, but polymer
frame pistols of 30 ounces or so are not a
problem to control. The polymer frame is often
praised for its ability to absorb a certain
amount of this recoil in any case. A service
pistol that weighs much more than 30 ounces
can become a burden over the course of
several hours of carry; the polymer frame
pistol alleviates some of this concern.
Polymer frame technology is appealing
to the manufacturer wishing to offer a credible
product at an affordable price. Injection
molding setup is expensive but once the
production line is operating, actual production
costs are much lower than steel forgings.
Production economy is good because
molded parts are quickly and cheaply made.
This is importantly in today’s economy.
In service, polymer frames have proven
durable. They are also neutral to heat or
cold. The polymer grip frame doesn’t become
excessively hot or cold in inclement
weather. The construction advantages include
a thinner grip frame than is possible
with standard steel frames, allowing a comfortable
grip frame to be coupled with a
double-column staggered-feed magazine.
In search of a good example of the polymer
frame 1911, we found perhaps the premier
version to date — the Spec Ops 9 from
Wilson Combat. Polymer frame pistols are
to be admired not desired but the Wilson
Combat pistol has much to recommend.
As we look at the Wilson Combat pistol,
we must realize that there are two things
concerning the Spec Ops 9 pistol that might
cause the traditional 1911 shooter to cringe.
First, the pistol is a 9mm and second the frame
is polymer. The pistol is a sign of the times.
While vehicles are no longer Detroit steel,
plastic and aluminum rule the vehicle world,
traditionalists prefer a steel frame pistol.
Those that are looking for a hard-use service
pistol that is a step above the rest might
find the Spec Ops 9 a credible choice. The
pistol is a 17-shot tactical pistol that is aimed
at the high-end market. It’s essentially a
16+1 9mm polymer framed 1911 designed
to offer the end user every advantage.
Inside of the polymer frame, the action
is pure 1911. This means single action, the
trigger does one thing — it drops the hammer.
Since the pistol is from Wilson Combat
the action is crisp and tight with a 3.5
pound trigger compression.
Second, the pistol features the advantages
of a positive slide lock safety. Many of us
believe that a self-loading pistol without a
safety abrogates many of the advantages
of the type. The Wilson Combat pistol offers
a rapid and accurate first shot hit with the
short trigger action but by the same token
there is a positive safety that is ergonomic
and effective.
A grip safety is true to the 1911 template.
If the pistol is dropped, this safety will block
the trigger. This dual safety — slide lock and
grip — are among the great advantages of
the 1911 handgun. The magazine is metal
rather than polymer, of obvious high quality
and unique to this handgun. The pistol
does not use the conventional 1911 locking
lugs but rather a modern SIG type lockup.
The barrel hood locks into the slide. This is a
proven and effective design feature.
When all is said and done a significant
advantage of this pistol is that the weight is
just less than 30 ounces unloaded. The slide
is similar to the Browning High Power, with
its stepped profile, but also very 1911 like.
As an aside, a 9mm 1911 is a better shooter
than the 9mm High Power for many reasons.
Foremost is that the High Power’s tangent
trigger is very difficult to master compared
to the straight-to-the-rear compression of a
good 1911 pistol.
The slide is slightly thinner than the already-thin
1911 handgun, aiding in concealed
carry. Angled slide cuts are an advantage
when holstering the pistol.
The premium grade barrel features a
fully supported chamber. You may fire the
hottest 9mm loads in this piece without a
worry. There is no barrel bushing. The 9mm
Wilson Combat pistol uses the proven bell
type lockup for the barrel to slide mating.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
56
›› The fiber optic
front sight is bright
and clear, offering
excellent combat
sighting. The rear
of the grip frame
offers a good
gripping surface
for tactical use.
Note extended grip
safety that funnels
the pistol into the
firing hand.
SPECIFICATIONS
CALIBER
9MM
MAGAZINE CAPACITY 16
BARREL LENGTH 4.5 INCHES
OVERALL LENGTH 7.9 INCHES
SIGHT RADIUS 6.2 INCHES
HEIGHT
5.3 INCHES
WIDTH
1.3 INCHES
WEIGHT EMPTY 29.6 OUNCES
WEIGHT LOADED 36.7 OUNCES
BASE PRICE $2285

The polymer frame features a steel insert for
rigidity.
The grip frame, incidentally, isn’t pure
polymer. There is an element of the bullet
proof vest stuff, Kevlar, and reinforcing Zytel
as well. The grip pattern gives a shooter
plenty of purchase whether his hands are
wet or cold. The grip is rather thin for a high
capacity 9mm, a product of the design features
as well as the polymer frame.
In common with many high-capacity pistols
the magazine is tapered, which allows
easy and rapid insertion of the magazine.
Sixteen rounds in the magazine allow a
good reserve of ammunition and should be
more than adequate for any foreseeable defensive
situation.
The sights are particularly good. The front
sight is dovetailed in place and may be
changed with a minimum of effort. The fiber
optic sight supplied with the pistol allows
rapid acquisition in dim light conditions. The
rear sight offers a bold profile that makes for
an excellent sight picture.
The sight is open more than most which
makes for excellent highspeed
target acquisition.
If the shooter understands
sight alignment and sight
picture this is a first-class
sighting system for rapid
combat shooting.
Some of the modifications
to the 1911 offer little
in the way of tangible
improvement but
a good set of sights is
a great aid in shooting well.
The Spec Ops 9 comes with an accuracy
guarantee. This warrants that the Spec Ops
9 will group five shots of quality ammunition
into one and one half inches at 25
yards. Overall, a top flight 1911 is well worth
your examination.
9MM CRITICAL DUTY
If you are going to deploy a 9mm service
pistol, you need to give careful consideration
to the load carried. Some 9mm bullets
expand too quickly, some too little.
Hornady’s new 135-grain Critical Duty
penetrates more than 15 inches of gelatin
while expanding to some .498 inch. Performance
in clothed gelatin, wallboard and vehicle
glass is impressive. This is a load well
worth considering for anyone facing criminals
in a true four-season climate or with the
likelihood of facing criminals behind cover.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
57

TRAINING
TRAIN
INSTRUCTORS
NEED TO
KNOW WHY
BY ROB PINCUS
»SECOND TENET of Instructor Professionalism:
I believe that it is my responsibility to understand not
just what I’m teaching, but why I’m teaching any
technique or concept, or offering specific advice.
In last issue’s column, I discussed the
first Tenet of Instructor Professionalism,
which addressed an instructor’s responsibility
to balance the expected benefit of
any training activity with the perceived
risk of that activity. In this issue, I’ll be
discussing the Second Tenet of Professionalism,
(listed above) which speaks to
the depth of an instructor’s knowledge
and that instructor’s ultimate professionalism
as an educator. It’s my belief that
too many instructors have been certified
merely to pass on, verbatim, information
presented to them. This approach
to instructor development is incredibly
flawed, and often results in a poor learning
environment for the student.
Now, you may be saying you can’t imagine
instructors would teach something and
not know why they were teaching it, but I
submit to you it might be happening a lot
more often than you think. Any time an instructor
justifies a technique by saying it is,
“another tool for your toolbox,” or explains
that he teaches that particular method
because some other instructor or team believes
in it, I believe that you are witnessing
a violation of this tenet. Instructors owe
their students true explanations to justify
why they teach what they teach. They owe
it to their students to be able to answer
the “Why?” questions with substance and
logical information. Third-hand authority
or simply sidestepping the explanation/
discussion are not means by which trust
should be built; especially when dealing
with life-or-death subject matter.
Let me say clearly, instructors who
don’t understand why they are teaching
a technique, or those that use one of the
above-mentioned methods to justify their
teaching might still be great instructors.
Furthermore, the techniques they are
teaching may also be outstanding. But,
they aren’t meeting the highest levels of
potential and they aren’t going to be able
to convince the most skeptical students.
The best students, the ones truly interested
in learning and not just going
through some drills, are bound to be
skeptical. They are bound to ask questions
about techniques. The questions
won’t be limited to how something is
supposed to be done. The problem is,
most instructors are in their comfort zone
when describing (or demonstrating) how
to do something. If that’s where the instructor’s
ability to teach ends, he may
be overwhelmed by the next set of questions.
When the student clearly understands
how to do something, but doesn’t
understand why it must be done, or if the
student is curious about the reasons why
the instructor is teaching something, the
student deserves thorough answers. Answers
that rely on opinion rather than observation,
or answers that undermine the
very value of the technique or tactic being
taught (“it’s just another tool for your

THE
ERS
toolbox”) will only appease a lower-level
student. To satisfy the best student, answers
need to be objective and quantifiable.
They need to be based on physics,
physiology, observations and evidence.
I advise those interested in teaching to
always avoid teaching at the limit of their
knowledge. We, as educators, should always
be researching, experimenting, discussing,
sharing and learning more about
our subject matter. If we do this we will inevitably
have sound, thorough and objectively
compelling answers to our students’
questions and we will meet the goals set
forth in the tenet above.
Let’s imagine you are currently teaching
a skill you believe in, but you don’t
have solid objective reasons for why. How
do you go about formulating your explanation
for why you are teaching it? You
could go back to the person who taught
you and ask. You could compare the efficiency
of the technique you are teaching
to other options. You could try teaching a
different technique to some students and
see how easily they learn or perform, as
compared to your experiences with the
first technique. Once you have all of this
information, you will be well equipped to
explain why you are teaching what you
are teaching. Of course, through your research,
you might find that you were not
actually teaching the best technique in
the first place. This is the beauty of following
this tenet. Once you start looking with
a critical eye and a skeptical mind, you
might find that your own explanations
don’t even convince you and you will find
opportunities to improve your program
while developing your ability to teach at
the same time.
There are many ways to accomplish defensive
training goals and most instructors
have strong preferences. Inevitably,
you will have students who have learned
things that contradict what you believe.
This is probably the most important time
for explanation and justification. If you
cannot explain your preferences thoroughly
and articulately, you will leave
your students to fend for themselves.
Unfortunately, many instructors will defer
responsibility to decide what is “best”
back to the students. Some even see that
as a mark of professionalism. But immediately
putting the choice back in the
student’s hands betrays the student-instructor
relationship. After all, they have
come to you as an expert to see what
you recommend. Of course, at the end
of the day, the students will make their
own decisions and choose what to adopt
and practice, but they should do so with
the benefit of a thorough understanding
of why you, as a professional, advise one
thing over another.
True education should be accomplished
through explanation, and you
can only truly explain something that you
understand thoroughly. It is very easy to
fall into the trap of repeating what you’ve
been told or simply teaching through
demonstration and never actually justifying
your curriculum or methodology.
Always be prepared for the student who
needs more than just a demonstration
and isn’t satisfied with your subjective
opinion about a technique or tactic. In
the end, it will make you a better teacher
and it will increase your students’ trust in
and respect for what you have to offer.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
59

DRAGGED INTO THE POLYMER AGE:
WILL A “PLASTIC” GUN PERFORM?
BY GEORGE HARRIS
JUST
ASK

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
61

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
62
»QUESTION: I AM A RECENT RETIREE from the corporate
world who hasn’t picked up a handgun since I was in Vietnam in
1967. I have decided to get into shooting for fun and personal
defense since I have moved to a gun-friendly area and live off the
beaten path. My son is helping me find one or two pistols suitable
for concealed carry and plinking as well as some local competition.
Every one of his suggestions has a plastic this or that. I relied on
a 1911 in the jungle and it served me well more than once.
It was all American-made steel and did the job every time.
Should I acquiesce and go with a gun that has plastic parts or go
with what I know and buy a couple of 1911s to get started?
ANSWER: I, too, cut my teeth on a
1911 and have an affinity for that style pistol
to this day. That said, I ventured over
into what I call “synthetic-framed guns” in
the mid 1980s when the Glock 17 hit these
shores. I bought it because I thought it to
be a novelty and because I thought that it
would be outlawed before it got a foothold
in the U.S. market. (Boy was I wrong!)
The first time I shot it, I went six-forsix
on bowling pins at 60 yards. I was impressed
with the accuracy but didn’t know
how long a plastic frame would last so I
shot it sparingly at first, spending most of
my time with the 1911. As time progressed
I was blessed with an almost infinite supply
of 9mm ammunition so I started shooting
the Glock more often for economic reasons
more than anything else.
Fortunately, I kept an accurate count of
the rounds fired in that pistol because I was
sure it would break sooner or later and I
wanted to know how many rounds it would
take before it failed. After more than 25,000
rounds I quit counting (that was more than
20 years ago) and figured that every round
after that was a gift and it was just a matter
of time before the old girl gave up the ghost.
I estimate that I have doubled that figure in
subsequent shooting with little more than
replacing the recoil spring every so often
and regular cleaning and lubrication.
I dug the now vault queen out of retirement
before writing your answer just to
see if she shot as well as I remembered. I
thought something similar to the first test
I put it through would be appropriate so I
decided to shoot plates at 50 yards and let
the chips fall where they might.
I first verified the ammunition I was using,
Black Hills 124 gr JHP, would hit and group
where I needed it to on a paper bull’s-eye at
50 yards. I found if I covered the target with
the front sight, I was good to go. Upon moving
to the plate rack it took me two tries to
go six-for-six — not the gun’s fault, not the
ammunition’s fault, purely operator error.
Needless to say, this synthetic pistol has
the right stuff after all these years.
In another case, I was the team leader in
an acceptance test for a major federal agency
adopting the .40 caliber SIG Pro pistol as
an issued sidearm. Part of the test was to
fire 10,000 rounds per pistol, through five
guns selected at random and to measure
mean accuracy at the beginning and at the
end of the test.
The guns were cleaned, inspected and
lubricated every 500 rounds over four days
of shooting and then tested for accuracy.
No parts broke and the few failures to
function were attributed to ammunition
or shooter error. At the end of the test, the
guns were shot for accuracy with the astonishing
result of an improvement in average
mean accuracy over what we recorded at
the beginning of the test.
At the present time, in federal, state and
local law enforcement communities, depending
on whose statistics you listen to,
approximately 70 percent of those sworn to
protect and serve carry a synthetic-framed
pistol on duty every day. Economics play a
part in today’s law enforcement purchases
but the end result in pistol selection is clear:
The pistol must work the first time every
time to be accepted for duty use.
Today, I own synthetic-framed pistols
from all of the major manufacturers and
a Ruger LCR, a synthetic-framed revolver.
For everyday carry a Kahr PM-9 (or two)
gets the call to provide personal protection
for the “boss lady” and me. We trust these
guns without reservation to work the first
time, every time and their accuracy is way
beyond the scope of what they were designed
for. More important is that they are
100 percent reliable with the ammunition
we prefer for concealed carry.
I think I made my point. Your son is a
pretty astute young man in his thinking
about modern-day handguns. There is no
need to have reservations about a plastic
pistol, versus a metal-framed pistol.
On the other hand, personal preference
has a lot to do with the satisfaction and success
in owning and using a firearm. If you
think a 1911 is what you would be most
comfortable with, start there and take the
time to try other brands and models to see
what feels good to the hand and allows you
to hit what you are aiming at. You might be
surprised at what you find works best.
Remember, it is no sin to own more than
one or two guns. If it were, a lot of us in this
business would be in real trouble.
George Harris answers gun questions in
every edition of Concealed Carry Magazine.
Send them to JustAsk@Usconcealedcarry.com

PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
PHOTO BY MICHAEL MARTIN
IALEFI MASTER
INSTRUCTOR COURSE
SNIPER ED KIENZLE OF THE DELAWARE COUNTY
PENNSYLVANIA EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM,
COMPLETES A COMBAT SHOTGUN DRILL WHILE
ATTENDING THE IALEFI MASTER INSTRUCTOR
COURSE IN CORTLAND, NEW YORK.
» IF YOU’RE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER who’s looking for a new level of
training, we can’t recommend highly enough a decision to join the International
Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI). This organization
is dedicated to making law enforcement firearms instructors more effective at
training their students, and it succeeds wildly through the Master Instructor
Development course. To join, visit www.IALEFI.com.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
63

HOLSTERING
THE SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY XDM .45 ACP
BY MARK KAKKURI

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
65

»SPRINGFIELD ARMORY’S successful XD line of polymer pistols
continues with the XD-M series. Unofficially, for the .45 ACP duty
version of the XD-M, the “M” stands for massive, major, monster or
whatever other M-word that conveys the sheer size and awesomeness
of this handgun.
With a magazine capacity of 13 rounds and sporting an aggressive
grip pattern and slide serrations, the XD-M in .45 ACP is serious business,
giving the Glock 21 a run for its money in the high-capacity,
polymer, duty .45 smackdown.
If size matters, the .45 ACP XD-M competes
well against, well, just about anything
— including itself. Sometimes a lot of gun
can be too much gun, especially when trying
to carry it concealed. My quest here is to
determine if this variant of the XD-M in .45
ACP is just too much gun to carry concealed.
Or, do holsters exist that make it feasible?
Disclaimer: Read any online gun forum
for six minutes and invariably you’ll see a
comment from someone who claims to successfully
conceal and carry two Mac-10s: his
favorite .44 Magnum revolver, and a Government
Model 1911 for backup.
Yes, it might be possible to do such feats,
but not well advised and not necessarily
within reasonable bounds for the average
citizen who wants to carry concealed. For all
of you who can get away with such things,
more power to you. For the rest of us, I’ll
look at three holsters that may do the job at
effectively carrying and concealing the XD-
M, if that’s the gun you choose.
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
PADDLE HOLSTER
Springfield Armory ships its XD pistols
in large, very robust plastic gun cases that
contain not only the pistol but also a few
well-appointed accessories: two extra magazines,
different-sized back straps, a loading
tool, a double magazine holster and a belt
paddle holster. These items are well-constructed
and quite helpful, especially if a
new shooter is acquiring his or her first gun.
It’s a great idea to include all of them with
each pistol because it increases its usefulness
and value.
The paddle holster is very well made, offering
a curved paddle with a protruding
piece of plastic that affords very good belt
retention. You won’t draw the holster off
your belt when you draw the gun. Additionally
the holster provides a sight channel and
a means of tightening its grip on the gun.
The XD-M clicks positively into the holster
— the muzzle protrudes about an inch beyond
the holster — but draws out smoothly.
Wearing the .45 ACP XD-M in its supplied
holster brought out a few points. While the
holster held the gun adequately, it soon became
clear that this gun was just a bit much
for this holster. The weight of the slide and
the 13 rounds of .45 ACP on board bowed

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY PADDLE HOLSTER
MSRP: COMES INCLUDED WITH GUN
THIS HOLSTER is included with the XD-m. It is very well made with a
number of great features, but is clearly not the best holster available for
this pistol. The XD-m is a big pistol and, when loaded with a full magazine
of .45 ACP, gets a bit heavy. Carrying with this holster allowed the gun
to sag a bit away from the body. This was not so serious as to require a
different holster, but serious enough to make the writer consider one.
to gravity and threatened to bend my belt
until I tightened it one more notch.
A true gun belt or a duty belt would
probably handle the weight much better.
As it was, wearing this XD-M in this holster
was passable but not comfortable.
While the paddle holster pulled the gun
in fairly close to my side and gave it a slight
forward cant, it still stuck out away from my
body more than with other holsters. A jacket
or an untucked shirt (or two) would probably
hide it just fine but that means that the
.45 ACP XD-M makes a better winter gun for
those of us who live in colder climates.
GALCO M7X MATRIX
The Galco M7X Matrix, another polymer
or plastic holster option, offers an even
more minimal design than the Springfield
Armory holster. With belt loops that snap on
and off, the M7X Matrix is an easy-on, easyoff
design. The big .45 ACP XD-M clicks into
this holster positively and the belt snaps are
robust. The muzzle of the XD-M protrudes
well past the end of the holster but rests
against my hip, actually helping it stabilize
and draw in tighter.
For a plastic holster offering less total area
than the Springfield Armory holster, the design
is actually equal if not more inspiring.
Wearing the XD-M in the M7X Matrix, however,
only provided another lesson in physics:
the size and weight of the XD-M caused the
holster to strain against my belt and waist.
Without the stabilizing benefit of the surface
area of a paddle, the XD-M tended to fight
against the M7X Matrix as I moved.
The M7X Matrix did, however, pull the
XD-M closer in to my body than the Springfield
Armory holster, especially when I bent
it just a bit by hand, which made it easier
to conceal. But not by much. The best con-

GALCO
M7X MATRIX
A great holster at a great price,
the M7X holds the XD-m high and
tight, but be sure to get a good
belt for this holster.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
68
MSRP:$32.95
MSRP:$299
JACKSON
LEATHERWORK
This leather IWB holster not only
keeps the pistol concealed, but
helps keep it close to the body
and comfortable, too.
MSRP:$75
MSRP:$299
cealment of the massive
XD-M in this holster still
required a jacket, extra
large sweatshirt, or multiple
shirt layers.
Concealing this .45
ACP XD-M in outside the
waistband holsters such as the one provided
by Springfield Armory or the Galco M7X
Matrix underscored not only the importance
of thoughtful holster design but also
of having a true gun belt that can handle
the weight of a handgun.
Both of the plastic holsters can accommodate
other Springfield Armory XD pistols, a
strength if you carry multiple versions of the
same pistol, but a weakness if the variant of
the pistol you carry simply overtaxes the
holster’s design.
It is possible to carry this XD-M in the
Springfield Armory holster or the Galco
M7X Matrix; just be sure to have a stable
belt to support it and the right clothing to
conceal it.
›› Three holsters, three
different levels of control and
concealment. From left, the
Jackson Leatherwork IWB
holster, the Galco M7X Matrix
and the holster provided
by Springfield Armory
all worked, but the two
aftermarket holsters worked
better. You can carry a big
pistol easily with the right
holster and belt.
JACKSON LEATHERWORK
An altruism that may be emerging here
is that larger guns simply carry and conceal
better in inside-the-waistband holsters.
To test that theory and balance out the
reviews, I ordered an inside-the-waistband
holster from Jackson Leatherwork in Charlotte,
NC. Although plastic inside-the-waistband
holsters are available, a leather holster
would simply be more comfortable with a
large gun like this XD-M. In addition, I wanted
to see if the XD-M’s new-school, polymer
pistol technology would be well-served by
old-school leather craftsmanship.
The Jackson Leatherwork holster looks
good, smells good and feels good. Owner
John Jackson hand makes each holster using
replica gun molds to ensure proper fit.
The holster for the .45 ACP XD-M featured a
reinforced mouth and a metal belt clip, both
attached with neat, trim and strong stitching.
You can tell Jackson
takes pride in doing careful
work.
While at first the XD-M
fit was tight, over just a
few days of use the holster
began to break in,
an aspect of holster use you obviously don’t
have to worry about with Kydex. Carrying
the Jackson Leatherwork holster inside the
waistband at 4 o’clock allowed me to employ
a slight forward cant, which put the butt of
the gun more up than back, affording greater
concealability of the stock. With this, however,
the rear sights of the XD-M stuck out
just a bit at around 3 o’clock. Still, the gun
was easier to hide under just a shirt or two.
The Jackson Leatherwork holster design
provided other advantages: Because it covered
the XD-M just past the barrel and because
it is worn inside the waistband, the
extra amount of leather over a wider space
provided a stabilizing force.
Combined with a belt, it was far more
secure than the other two holsters. The
break-in period also allowed the holster to
conform more to the gun and more to my
body and mode of carry. As a result, it became
more comfortable over time.
It is possible to holster the XD-M, despite
its size and weight, for concealed carry. The
key to finding the right holster for you is
knowing what amount of comfort you’re
willing to sacrifice to have the mighty XD-M
at your side.
Keep in mind the importance of a good
gun belt, regardless of whether you carry
inside or outside the waistband. And don’t
overlook the effectiveness of old-school,
traditional leather for the modern XD-M.
Mark Kakkuri is a freelance writer in Oxford,
Mich. You can follow him on Twitter @markkakkuri.

ON THE FORCES OF IGNORANCE
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THERE’S NOTHING WRONG
WITH A ‘PLASTIC’ M1911!
BY DAVE WORKMAN

›› Way back in 1991, STI produced
the Model 2011, an updated
1911-style pistol with a polymer
frame and several other nice
features. But for the most part
polymer 1911 pistols have never
really caught on with consumers.
73
WWW.USCCA.COM

»POLYMER-FRAMED PISTOLS are hardly new on the
landscape, but when the subject turns to the Model
1911 — arguably the greatest semiautomatic handgun
design the world has ever seen because it has been copied,
customized and modified more than any other model —
there is a reluctance on the part of many die-hards to accept
the idea of a “new order” material on an old warhorse.
The concept first appeared way back in
1991 when STI International unveiled the
Model 2011, and today if one looks at this
company’s website, they will find an entire
family of these handguns, 16 models in all.
The lineup includes everything from a
concealed carry model to tricked-out raceguns
built specifically for gun gamers.
STI pistols are well-designed and actually
rather clever. The frame, according to STI’s
website, is CNC machined from a 4140 Maxxell
alloy steel billet that’s been cut for a high
ride beavertail grip safety and an ambidextrous
thumb safety.
Below that, however, is the 2011 grip,
made from a glass-filled nylon polymer. This
is tough stuff, and specimens I have seen and
handled feature 30 LPI checkering on the
front grip surface and 25 LPI on the trigger
guard, which is squared and molded for
a higher grip purchase. Colors include
black, blue, gray and red, and they’re
rather eye-catching. Metal inserts in
the grip allow metal-to-metal contact
with the frame.
›› Charles Daly began importing
polymer 1911 pistols in 2008 and
offered the Israeli-built guns in
several variations, with doublestack
magazines and barrel
lengths of 3, 4 and 5 inches.
Kimber had marketed
very similar guns
earlier in the 1990s
but dropped the
models by 2006.
It seems some
traditionalist
prefer steel.
THIS IS DEFINITELY
NOT YOUR GRANDPA’S
MODEL 1911!
Now there’s a new kid on the block
from Rock River, and it’s not really
like the pistols that preceded it.
The 1911 Poly is already getting
decent reviews, and some of its
features might be surprising.
More about that in a minute.
In the late 1990s, Kimber unveiled a
series of polymer-framed pistols, all with
double-stack magazines, with models available
in 3-, 4- and 5-inch lengths. They were
offered with either stainless steel or carbon
steel barrels, and in the latter, the barrel either
came “in the white” or with a blue finish.
Kimber’s pistols, all chambered for the
.45 ACP, included a target model called the
Gold Match, with an adjustable
rear sight. The others all had
fixed dovetailed front and
rear sights, and the compact
model had a 10-round magazine
while the others came
with either 10- or 13-round
magazines, depending upon
when they were made. This was
to comply with magazine limits
in effect at the time they were
manufactured and sold. That
limit ended in 2004, but the
pistols were out of the Kimber
lineup about two years later.
One still can find them for sale occasionally
at gun shows, and read rave reviews
from their owners on any number of firearms
forums. They were offered in either
plain blue/black or two-tone models with
stainless slides contrasting nicely with the
black polymer frames. I’ve had the opportunity
to fire one or two specimens. They
were accurate and reliable, and seemed
every bit as rugged as their all-steel or alloy-framed
counterparts.
A couple of years after Kimber’s guns
disappeared, Charles Daly began importing
essentially the same guns, made by
Bul Transmark, and they bore the “BUL-M5”
designation on the right front side of the
frame. These Israeli-built handguns were of
essentially the same genre´ as the Kimber
models in that they were all equipped with
double-stack magazines, and came in barrel
lengths of 3, 4, and 5 inches. And just
as in the Kimber days, there was a target
model with an adjustable rear sight, this
time dubbed the “IPSC.”
›› Charles Daly began importing
polymer 1911s in about 2008 and
offered a couple different models.
This version included adjustable
sights and was called the IPSC.

›› Rock River Arms offers a polymer 1911 worth serious consideration. The
1911 Poly not only tips the scales as a slender 2.04 pounds empty, it also
has nice checkering molded right into the frame, and it comes in colors.
Again, the Charles Daly models were available in either
blue/black or two-tone with stainless slides and fixed dovetailed
front and rear sights, with the exception of the aforementioned
IPSC model.
Wilson Combat has a Model 1911 of sorts with a polymer frame,
chambered for the 9mm cartridge. This one is called the “Spec Ops
9” and it looks rather like a combination of pistol designs. The front
end of the slide is reminiscent of the Browning Hi Power, with the
remainder of the slide looking like that of the basic Model 1911, and
the lower end being the polymer frame.
The Spec Ops 9 is a Commander-length gun with a 4.25-inch barrel,
fixed sights and 6.2-inch sight radius. It has a 16-round magazine.
One might think that with two good tries from two good companies,
a third go-round might not be a smart business move. Ah, but
the third time just might be that proverbial charm, so Rock River’s
1911 Poly is definitely worth serious evaluation.
This is not where the rubber meets the road, but where the polymer
meets the palm.
Rock River’s piece is unlike the predecessors in significant ways.
First and foremost, this gun is a single-stacker, so it takes a traditional
seven- or eight-round magazine. Instead of a single molded polymer
frame, the 1911 Poly actually has rubberized grip panels that may
be removed.
There is yet another difference, and this one I believe is the most
important of all. Rather than a full-length recoil spring guide rod,
Rock River designers decided to stick with tradition. There is a standard
recoil spring, an original guide and a plug that is held in by the
barrel bushing.
Rock River also molded checkering into the polymer frame and the
mainspring housing, both of which can be made in different colors.
The “inside story” on Rock River’s 1911 Poly is that the polymer
frame is reinforced with a 4140 steel billet insert, and the Parkerized
slide is also made from a 4140 steel billet. The 5-inch barrel is chrome
moly steel cut with 1:16-inch rifling on a left-hand twist. Rock River
designers have also lowered the ejection port and slightly flared it,
as is the common practice these days.
The trigger comes factory set at 4.5 pounds, which — by no small
coincidence — is the same threshold at which the triggers break on
my own street carry guns. Perhaps I’m not so foolish after all, eh? This
seems like a very good trigger break weight, just right for responding
to an emergency, and for preventing an emergency to descend
into a tragedy.
Another point worth mentioning is that, according to Rock River,
the 1911 Poly hits the scales at 2.04 pounds empty. Compared to the
standard weight of the original Model 1911, at just over 2.4 pounds,
that may seem insignificant until one spends a whole day packing
that pistol in an IWB rig. The loss of a quarter-pound of weight on
one’s side becomes noticeable after a while.
Fitted with a good beavertail featuring a bump, the 1911 Poly also
has the traditional thumb safety and a Commander-type hammer.
The MSRP is $800, and that’s not bad in a world where the competition
might be — how should one put this — a bit healthier.
Let’s talk practicality for more than just a moment. One thing that
has earned points for pistols such as the Glock and Smith & Wesson
M&P is that the polymer frame is impervious to weather. Here in my
native Pacific Northwest, that’s a plus because we have eight months
of rain, followed by a couple of months of intermittent showers and
when the sun comes out, it’s merely getting ready for a downpour.
It’s also an advantage in a humid environment because polymer
doesn’t rust or corrode. With basic maintenance, no harm comes to
the steel reinforcing skeleton insert, either, and that Parkerized finish
stands up well under all kinds of conditions.
It may not be the same pistol designed by John Moses Browning,
but a polymer-framed Model 1911 is as modern an approach to his
concept as possible, with all of the original design components combined
with space-age technology. If the old gentleman were still
around today, my guess is that he would have done this personally.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
75

LittLe changes
can reaLLy
Make your
poLyMer pistoL
FeeL Better in
your hanDs.
By toM giVens

Does My
Butt Look
» Over the past 15 years
or so polymer-framed handguns
with high-capacity, double-column
magazines have become one of
the most popular choices for law
enforcement and personal selfdefense.
Compared to older, steelframed,
single-column designs like
the 1911, the plastic pistols offer
lighter weight and double the
ammunition capacity in a pistol
of very similar or slightly more
compact size. two of the most
popular of these newer handguns
are the Glock line and the smith &
Wesson M&P series.
Fat?
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
77

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
78
In the past 15 years my school has trained
more than 35,000 students; a lot of them
were shooting Glock handguns. It has been
my observation that somewhere between
30 percent and 40 percent of the male students
and at least 50 percent of the female
students were somewhat handicapped by
the size and shape of the standard Glock
grip frame. I fall into this category. Although
I am a fairly large man, I have smaller hands
and a short index (trigger) finger. The outof-the-box
Glock grip frame causes several
problems for me. They include:
The finger grooves are in the wrong place
for my hands.
The size of the grip frame causes me to
have less ability to hold onto the gun in an
attempted disarm.
The pronounced hump at the bottom rear
of the grip frame makes the gun come up
with the front sight too high.
I cannot clear the frame with enough of
my finger on the trigger to deactivate the
trigger safety reliably.
» A standard Glock gripframe does
not work for everyone. Luckly there
are plenty of things you can do to
customize the grip for your hand
size and personal tastes. There
are currently dozens of gunsmiths
out there working on polymer pistols,
making everything from minor changes
to drastic makeovers. And don’t think it
is only the Glock that can use work.
S&W pistols can benefit,too.
I like the Glock’s simplicity, robustness, reliability
and capacity so I set about finding
how to modify the gun to suit my needs. I
found that a grip reduction was the answer.
In the photos, you will see several different
grip reduction treatments by different
gunsmith shops. There are currently dozens
of gunsmiths that offer this service. It is typically
not an expensive modification. If you
have smaller hands you will find this modification
will really help you handle the gun
quickly and positively with better accuracy
at speed.

Let’s look at the complaints that I listed
about the standard Glock grip frame and see
how the grip reduction addresses each. You
will notice in all of these examples, the finger
grooves were removed. This allows me
to get a higher grip on the gun, which aids
in recoil control and recovery. My carry gun
is a Glock 35, in .40 S&W caliber; a high grip
really assists in fast shooting.
The overall circumference of the grip
frame was reduced a good bit. This allows
me to get a more secure grip on the gun.
The slimmer grip, coupled with a more aggressive
texture, makes the gun much easier
to hold onto in rapid fire when my hands are
wet or I’m in a struggle. The smaller grip also
reduces the trigger reach — the distance
from the back strap to the face of the trigger.
This helps for those with short index fingers.
The hollow hump at the lower rear of the
grip frame on these examples was filled in
with epoxy and ground down to approximate
the grip angle of the 1911, which is
perfect for me. This did away with the tendency
for the gun to come up with the front
sight significantly higher than the rear sight.
Finally, the smaller grip allows me to
place my finger on the trigger in the correct
position without dragging it along the
frame of the pistol. Ideally, the only place
the trigger finger should touch the gun is
on the face of the trigger. If we wanted it to
touch the frame, we’d call it the frame finger.
Wouldn’t we?
The muscle on the first joint of your trigger
finger (where your finger joins your palm)
is called the flexor digitorum superficialis.
I prefer to think of it as your trigger finger
bicep. When you work your trigger finger to
the rear — as when pressing the trigger —
this muscle contracts and bows up, just like
the bicep in your upper arm does when you
bend your arm.
If that muscle is lying in contact with the
frame, as it contracts and bows up it places
lateral pressure on the frame. For a right
handed shooter, this results in hits off to the
left. This is one of the most common issues
we see with right-handed Glock shooters
that shoot to the left and don’t know why.
In some of the examples shown here, the
grip frame is thinned a bit in that area; on
others there is an actual groove in the grip
frame to assure that the trigger finger does
not put lateral pressure on the frame.
Other polymer pistols, like the M&P, also
share another characteristic with the Glock:
a somewhat slippery grip surface, particularly
if your hands are sweaty or wet. On the
M&P shown here, the grip insert has been
stippled in a more secure pattern than the
one found on the factory part. This gives a
more positive grip on the pistol.
I have included contact information for
the gunsmiths who did the work pictured
here. (There are many others but I cannot
recommend any of them from personal experience.)
If you find your plastic pistol to be
too blocky or a bit chunky in your hand, give
one of these guys a call.
Southwest Shooting Supply
674A E. White Mountain Blvd./PO 3797,
Pinetop, Ariz. 85935
www.southwestshootingauthority.com
Arizona Response Systems
http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com
Boresight Solutions
http://boresightsolutions.com
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
79

GET A
GRIP

ROUGHING UP
AN OLD GLOCK
BY MARK KAKKURI
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
81

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
82
»IT HAPPENS TO MOST
of us. We see a more recent
model of our carry gun and
begin to wonder whether
its time for an upgrade. We
consider how much our current
gun might be worth in a trade.
Or we wonder whether any addons
— maybe new night sights
or a laser — will increase our
current gun’s functionality.
Your interest in upgrading could be ambition
or discontent, or in some cases, sheer
madness. You’ll know you have gone over the
edge, however, when you decide to press a
hot soldering iron scores of times into the
grip of your polymer pistol. “Stippling” as it is
called, has ushered in a new era of customization
in the realm of polymer pistols and is a
process performed around the nation by professional
businesses as well as by gun owners
in their own garages.
For years, I have carried a Generation 2
Glock 19. Although legendary in its reliability
and durability, Glock is now producing
Generation 4 or‚ “Gen4” pistols. And although
my Glock 19 has Truglo night sights and a
custom slide color treatment, next to a Gen4
Glock 19 it looks a little dated.
Moreover, the Gen4 Glocks have a larger
magazine release, tactical rail and a new grip
pattern on the stocks, which are all excellent.
While acquiring a new Glock 19 Gen4 would
be nice, I to feigned contentment and did a
home stippling job on the stocks of my Generation
2 Glock 19 as another upgrade. I knew it
would either cost me nothing because I did it
right or it would cost me $500 or more (and my
pride) because I’d ruin a perfectly good gun.
In my office/basement laboratory, also
known as the spare bedroom, I plugged in a
standard soldering iron after screwing in a tip
with an end that’s shaped like a dash. After
setting up the camera to capture the event
for you here (or for the emergency room personnel
and insurance company), I looked at
my trusty Generation 2 Glock 19.
Long pause.
Here in front of me lay years of faithful
service and classic workmanship, indeed a
sort of tribute to a faithful carry gun and one
of the most significant designs in firearms’
history. Lying there, the Generation 2 Glock
NEED TO KNOWS!
From Good to Great!
» BE CAREFUL! It does not take much pressure to
add texture to a polymer pistol frame. You may want to
try your hand first on a useless piece of plastic. Let the iron
get hot and GENTLY touch it to the frame. You will learn quickly
how much pressure you need.

›› With a little spare time, a soldering iron
and a steady hand you can improve the
grip on any polymer pistol. Take your time
and think about what you want to end up
with before you start. Then, go slowly and
stipple your pistol.
sported clean lines and quiet resolve.
I could feel the heat from the nearby soldering
iron. This is nuts, I thought. Gaston
Glock would have my head for messing
with perfection. What business, really, did
I have in permanently altering the polymer
stocks? I’ll tell you what business: my business.
This was my gun, my assignment and
it sounded like fun.
Like a mad scientist, I was focused on the
work and locked in a basement room doing
what most gun owners would never dream of
doing. Hot soldering iron in hand, I hovered
over the Glock like a doctor about to perform
surgery on a patient. In one second my work
would void any warranty on the gun and
commit me to the project.
Pressing the tip of the
soldering iron into the stock,
the polymer instantly sizzled
and melted. A wisp of smoke
rose from the surface of the gun’s
stocks. It took about a half second
to impress a dash-shaped indentation.
I pressed another and then another, laying
down a fairly neat row. Then I traveled up,
level by level, pressing in row after row.
Even though the Generation 2 Glock 19
has some texture to the side panels as well
as a pattern on the front and back straps,
the untextured parts of the stock are quite
smooth. In fact, when holding the Glock, the
fingers on my right hand (my shooting hand)
end up on the smooth polymer between the
front strap and the left side panel.
It’s not outright slippery but purchase,
as it is called, could be improved.
So my plan was to cover the side
panels of the stocks with these
dash-shaped indentations. I
also wanted to alter the front
strap. Simply, I wanted more
raised edges all over the
grip area.
Smoke again rose
from the tip of the soldering
iron as I created
additional rows. Carefully I
worked my way around the area where
the magazine release would extend when
pressed in from the other side. Once I became
accustomed to the feel of pressing in
the indentations, it wasn’t long before I could
complete a row in just several seconds.
With the right panel complete, I began
working on the left panel. The indentations
went down easily and neatly and required
only a few minutes to complete. Laying
down the hot soldering iron, I picked up the
Glock frame to check it out.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
83

›› Ready for action! A steady hand and
some serious repetitions gave the old
Glock 19 an entirely new look and feel.
Forget about skateboard tape or rubber
bands, stippling is permanent and can be
as aggressive as you want.
The purchase definitely had improved although
the panels needed a gentle sanding
to eliminate some of the sharper points and
plastic strings created by the stippling. With
two panels complete, I turned my attention
to the front strap.
Since the stock front strap was already
equipped with a checkered pattern, stippling
it would require extra care. I pressed the hot
soldering iron into it a row at a time and began
what in essence was a reducing but also
a sharpening of the checkered pattern. Once
complete, I checked it and found the quality
of purchase to have increased yet again.
I didn’t stipple the back strap since it is already
designed with a pretty good checkered
pattern and I wanted less stippling facing up,
if you will, when carrying the gun concealed.
So far, so good.
Still something was missing. I began adding
indentations to the areas between the
front strap and the left and right panels, as
well as under the panels, as these were key
areas where my hands and fingers would
contact the gun.
A few minutes later, the stippling job was
complete. I reassembled the gun, racked the
slide several times, and gripped the stocks
hard to test whether the gun was stable and
functional until I got to a range to test fire it.
It seemed to still be the durable Glock I started
with so I went on to the next test: putting
it in a few holsters to determine how it carried
and drew from concealment.
Even as a mid-sized pistol, the Glock 19 is
eminently concealable. With the new stippling
job I wondered whether it would be
both easier and more difficult to carry and
draw. My concern was whether the stippling
job would catch on clothing or irritate
my skin even as it made it easier to grab
and draw.
My two favorite holsters for the Glock 19
are a Galco Triton Kydex IWB — for easy-on
and easy-off, run into the store carrying —
and a DC Holsters tuckable Kydex/leather
IWB — when I know I’ll be carrying for a longer
period of time.
I did not think the stippling job on the
Glock 19 would affect how it fit in the holsters
but I thought I might feel the stippling
against my skin if I wore the IWB holsters with
no layer between them and my skin. I was
correct on both counts. As far as the holsters
were concerned, the stippling job created no
functional difference. It was, however, more
irritating to wear the gun against my skin. A
cotton T-shirt or other layer would solve this
minor problem.
Drawing from these inside-the-waistband
holsters I found an increase in purchase
as my fingers sought to get around
stocks to draw it. This would yield more sure
draws and better handling in cold, hot or
wet conditions.
Thankfully, the stippling job only improved
what was already a great carry gun.
And the price was just right: zero dollars.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your
polymer carry gun, all you need is a soldering
iron and a steady hand. It may also help
to have a little bid of mad scientist in you
as well.
›› The beauty of using a soldering iron is
that you can choose from among several
different tips to get just the texture you
want. Practice on something other than
your firearm. But once you get the look
and texture you like, go for it.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
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INSTRUCTOR’S
CORNER
THE FUNDAMENTALS:
A NATURAL AND NEUTRAL
SHOOTING PLATFORM
» IN THE JANUARY ISSUE, I explained that the purpose of a proper
grip was to create and maintain control of your handgun during the firing cycle. In
that column, I mentioned how control equated to more shots in a shorter period of
time, and how combining a solid grip with full arm extension offered the best
method of maintaining control over your handgun.
In this issue, I’ll continue with the topic of
shooting fundamentals, by discussing how that
solid grip and full arm extension become the
basis for a “natural and neutral” shooting platform.
In the classroom or on the range, the term
“shooting stance” usually implies a specific position
for the arms, the head, the upper body,
the legs, and the feet. When it comes to the
“perfect” stance, instructors can argue for hours
about the optimal angle of the shoulders to the
target (if any), how far apart the feet should be,
and whether the arms should be flexed a little,
flexed a lot, or not flexed at all. While you might
have the luxury of perfecting each of those
body positions when standing on the firing line
at your local range, under the extreme stress of a
violent attack, you’re not going to have the time
or the luxury. In fact, I’ll often mention in my
classes that the only “perfect” shooting stance
occurs at the range, and that during a dynamic
critical incident, you’ll have to be prepared
to shoot from whatever awkward position you
find yourself in, which might include being
seated, rapidly retreating, or lying flat on your
back. In addition, there is now ample evidence
from a decade of police dash cam videos that
suggest that the “automated responses” that
occur during violent attacks, will have more of
an effect on our body position, than will dozens
or even hundreds of hours spent on the range.
While it’s often said, “we’ll fight the
way we’ve trained,” those dash cam
videos suggest that we should, “train
the way we’ll fight.” So let’s talk about
those automated responses, which if
you’re interested, originate within an almond
sized structure in the brain called
the amygdala. The amygdala contains
most of the brain’s alarm circuits designed
to react to any imminent threat,
which would include a violent attack.
When its alarm circuits are tripped,
the amygdala has a direct connection
to the motor cortex (that is, it skips
the reasoning and planning part of
the brain) in order to take immediate
action, such as: freezing our legs if we
were about to step in front of a speeding
bus; raising our hands to protect
our head from a flying rock; or ducking
into a crouch, orienting toward a
threat, and pushing the arms out to
full extension to defend against the
threat. It’s that last automated response
that has been recorded time
and time again on dash cam videos
during police shootings, and it’s the
one that we’re going to focus on
when it comes to discussing a “natural
and neutral” shooting platform.

BY MICHAEL MARTIN
WHERE IT ALL STARTED:
WEAVER STANCE
Anyone who’s attended a shooting
school in the past few decades has
most likely heard of the Weaver stance,
named after the late Jack Weaver. The Weaver
stance was a staple for nearly four decades at
police academies across the world, and takes up a
“bladed” body position, with the strong side foot
placed to the rear and the body bladed at approximately
45 degrees to the target. The arms create
solid isometric pressure with the strong arm slightly
flexed and pushing forward, and the support
arm elbow down, and pulling back. The theory
behind the Weaver stance was that the isometric
pressure between the two arms helps to manage
recoil, and the arm position places the firearm in a
location which allows the shooter to easily focus
on the front sight. If your shooting requirements
were limited strictly to the range, those theories
would be meaningful. The problem is, dozens
of dash cam videos have proven that regardless
of how often police officers had trained on the
Weaver, the body’s and the mind’s natural reaction
to face the attacker head on with the arms
at full extension took over during dynamic
critical incidents. That evidence was enough
to cause most police academies (and most
civilian schools) to gravitate toward the more
natural and neutral Isosceles platform.
The Isosceles platform is more natural,
and it matches the body’s and mind’s
natural reaction to take up a low crouch,
face the attacker head on, with the arms
at full extension. The firearm is elevated
high enough to allow the shooter to use
the sights (when the brain allows it), or
the shooter can look over the top of the
sights when using unsighted fire, or when
using a “flash sight picture.” In addition to
taking up more of a natural body position,
the Isosceles is almost direction neutral, in that
the defender can place rounds in nearly a 180
degree arc, without moving the feet.
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Jack Weaver
THE WEAVER STANCE was
developed by L.A. Deputy Sheriff
Jack Weaver, in an effort to
win Jeff Cooper’s “Leatherslap”
competition in Big Bear,
California in 1959. At that
time, the typical competitive
shooter shot from the hip or
one-handed from the shoulder,
and according to Jack, “What
started out as serious business
soon produced gales of
laughter from the spectators
as most of the shooters blazed
away…” and “with guns empty
and all 12 rounds gone
but the 18-inch balloons
still standing, they had a
problem: load one round
and take aim or load six
and blaze away again.” By
the time the 1959 Leatherslap
rolled around, Jack had
realized that, “A pretty
quick hit was better than a
lightning-fast miss,”
and decided to bring the
pistol up using both hands
and use the pistol’s sights,
rather than just shooting
from the hip. Jeff Cooper
commented, “Jack walloped
us all, decisively. He was
very quick and he
did not miss.”
ISOSCELES PLATFORM
The Isosceles (which gets its name from the
perfect triangle formed by the squared shoulders
and straight arms) squares the body to
the target, with both arms at full extension,
pointed directly at the target. The stance is
designed to match the body’s and mind’s
natural reaction to face an attacker head on
and to push the arms out defensively, which
allows shooters to “train the way they’ll fight.”
In addition, since both arms are at full extension,
recoil and follow-through are easily managed—shooters
will find the firearm dropping
back on target immediately after the muzzle
rise. Since the arms point at the target using
the Isosceles, it also provides a simple, repeatable
method of using unsighted fire in a
stress situation. You’ll
notice that I didn’t
refer to any specific
position for the legs
and feet—in a perfect situation,
the feet would be firmly
positioned under the body, but
the “natural and neutral” nature of the
Isosceles doesn’t require that, in fact, the only
real focus on the Isosceles is to face the target,
and push the arms out to full extension
(or as far as possible) which creates a
While the Weaver stance
natural, straight line from the shoulder
to the fingertip. We’re born with
looks pretty cool, a decade
of dash cam videos has proven
that during dynamic critical
the ability to point that straight line
incidents, we’ll be more likely with a high degree of accuracy, especially
when we’re talking about the
to take up a stance that
matches the body’s and distances of most self-defense shootings,
with nearly ninety percent fall-
mind’s natural reaction
to face the attacker head ing between 9—15 feet. Considering
on, with the arms at full most adults have at least a two-foot
extension. In addition reach, that means that the distance
to placing the body in between your gun and your attacker,
an unnatural position, will most likely fall between 7—13
the Weaver is also not
feet. Stepping back to the original
“neutral,” in that it’s
theory behind the Weaver stance, it
designed to place
was believed that the Weaver allowed
rounds in just one
the shooter to position the firearm
direction. For example,
trying to place rounds
for easier acquisition of the firearm’s
at a second attacker sights, leading to more accurate fire.
to the right side of the That’s a great argument if you’re trying
to make a silver dollar sized hole
defender, would require
the defender to literally at 50 feet, but it’s less meaningful if
rotate their body
you’re trying to hit an attacker a dozen
feet away (or one who’s already on
90-degrees to the right.
top of you), when speed will typically
be critical, and trying to align your
front sight, rear sight, and the attacker will be
the last thing on your mind. Don’t blame me,
blame your amygdala.
Next issue: Aligning our Barrel to the Target.

BY MICHAEL MARTIN
The Ultimate Resource for anyone considering
owning or carrying a firearm for self-defense.
Available in paperback and as
an interactive iPad book.
“Michael Martin is one of the most
creative communicators in the firearms
industry. This book is a must read for
anyone with a defensive firearm!”
Rob Pincus
GET YOUR COPY AT
www.ConcealedCarryFundamentals.com

LASERS ARE JUST
TOOLS. LEARN TO
USE THEM WELL.
BY DON STAHLNECKER
LASERMYT

HS
91
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM

» SEVERAL MANUFACTURERS have offered laser sights
for almost 20 years. They are quite popular; some are even
starting to come preinstalled on certain handguns. Despite their
growing popularity, there is still a lot of misinformation about how
they work and how they are used. Here are some of the most
common myths I encounter when discussing the use of lasers
with my students during low-light training classes.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
92
THE RED DOT IS INVISIBLE
ON RED CLOTHING
Actually the opposite is true. A red shirt is
particularly good at reflecting red light. A
red laser dot shines brighter off a red shirt
than off many other colors.
If you want the awful truth, black clothing
is best for obscuring a laser dot. Black doesn’t
reflect any light at all. In a way, this is a case
where the truth is worse than the fiction
since it is far more likely that a criminal will
dress in black than in bright red. But don’t let
it worry you too much. The red dot is plenty
visible even on a dull black sweatshirt.
Oddly, I haven’t heard this argument
made about green lasers but the same principle
applies.
THE LASER MAKES ME WOBBLY
AND INACCURATE
I’ve had a couple people tell me lasers are
inaccurate because they wobble all over
the target and it is impossible to hold
them still. It is true that it is impossible to
freehand hold a laser dot perfectly still on
a target seven yards distant. The dot will
wobble around inside a small circle, usually
about two inches in diameter for the average
person. But this is not the laser’s fault.
This is pure physiology. That same wobble is
present when using iron sights; it’s just not
noticeable without the telltale red dot.
Solicit the help of a friend and try the
following experiment. If you don’t have
any friends, set up a video camera to watch
your target.
Step 1 – Adjust your laser’s point of aim
slightly low so the body of the gun hides the
red dot when you are using iron sights. This
way you won’t be distracted by the laser dot
while you are aiming with the iron sights.
Step 2 – Have your friend watch your target
while you aim with the laser sight. Try to
hold the dot steady on a small spot on the
target. Have your friend observe how much
wobble takes place.
Step 3 – Now aim at the target using
iron sights but with the laser on. The laser
will appear slightly below the spot you’re
aiming at. That’s fine; we’re not interested
in where it is pointing, only in how much it
moves. Have your friend observe and compare
the amount of wobble.
Step 4 – Don’t forget to reset your laser
sights when finished.
In the experiments I’ve done, the wobble
when using iron sights is about the same
(actually often worse) than it is when using
the laser.
LASERS ARE ONLY GOOD IN THE DARK
Granted, a red laser dot is just about impossible
to see at seven yards outside on a bright,
sunny day. Since many people choose nice
sunny days to go outside and practice, lasers
have gotten the reputation of only being
useful at night when it is too dark to properly
see and use iron sights.
Obviously it is true that lasers do work well
in the dark, however, that does not mean
they are useless in all other situations. In fact,
lasers are perfectly visible in most situations
the average person will encounter in a normal
day. Indoors, even in a brightly lit room
mid-day with all the curtains open, a laser dot
is quite visible.
Carry around a $5 laser pointer for a few days
and try it out in different places. You’ll quickly
learn when and where a laser pointer will and
won’t work. It’s good training whether or not
you plan to use a laser sight on your pistol.
LASERS REQUIRE NO TRAINING
OR PRACTICE
Lasers are indeed easy to learn, but “just
point the dot and pull the trigger” ignores
the fact that one of the most difficult aspects
to master is a good, smooth trigger
press. It doesn’t matter how accurately you
aim, if you yank the muzzle off target because
your trigger control sucks, then you’re
going to miss the mark. A laser does not replace
or negate the need for proper training
and practice.
This was a lead cause of many negative
reviews in the early days. Laser manufactures
would excitedly pass out samples of
their new products to skeptical trainers
who would try the laser for 50 rounds and
then declare them novelties. Naturally a
person who expended thousands of rounds
honing his skills with iron sights and point
shooting would not perform as well with a
laser as he would using his practiced technique
because using the laser is a new skill
that requires training and practice.
These days, many trainers have spent
time working with lasers and have come to
realize that with proper training and practice,
the laser improves both speed and accuracy
in many situations. But it doesn’t do
so all on its own. It requires work. Never try
to replace practice with equipment.
THE RED BEAM WILL
GIVE YOUR POSITION AWAY
Quite frankly the loud bang and the bright
flash of burning powder will give your position
away more effectively than will the laser.
But I guess most proponents of this argument
don’t mean it will give your position
away while you’re shooting. They mean it will
give your position away while you’re hiding.
That’s easy enough to deal with. You don’t
need a laser to help you hide; you only need
the laser to help you shoot. So turn it off until
you’re ready to shoot. All good modern lasers
can be turned on very quickly; the best
ones are activated automatically when you
squeeze the grip. This solves the problem entirely.
Of course this requires a little training.
LASERS ARE ONLY GOOD
AS TEACHING AIDS
It is true that lasers can be very helpful as
teaching and learning aids. However they
also have some major advantages that can’t
be replaced by other sighting methods.

• It is much easier to observe and track a
moving target with a laser than it is with
iron sights.
• It is much easier to aim while moving
when using a laser sight which means
you can move faster and hit your target
more accurately.
• Laser sights provide much more flexible
use of cover.
• Laser sights can be used effectively
from a much broader variety of shooting
positions.
• Iron sights force you to block a large
portion of your field of vision when aiming.
Laser sights can be aimed from any
position, such as from the hip, which
leaves your full field of view open.
• Laser sights enable you to keep your focus
on the target rather than on the gun.
LASERS CAN COMPLETELY
REPLACE IRON SIGHTS
Not so. As handy and flexible as lasers
are, there are many situations where the
laser is not the best choice. When the
target is quite far away for example, the
laser dot will be hard to see making iron
sights a better choice.
In certain lighting conditions the laser
dot may not be readily visible; again
making iron sights a better choice. At
very close ranges good point-shooting
skills will prove much faster than using
a laser, and at close ranges speed can be
the difference between life and death.
While a laser can add a whole bunch of
new and flexible options and abilities to
your defensive arsenal, it cannot replace
good training or other good aiming
methods and techniques.
GREEN LASERS ARE THE BEST
A green laser dot is significantly more
visible and appears much brighter than
a red laser dot. But that is really the only
place where green lasers have an advantage.
Granted, it is a significant advantage
and for some people it may outweigh
the numerous disadvantages.
Red lasers are: less expensive to
manufacture and thus less expensive to
purchase, much smaller and easier to
integrate into a firearm, more durable
and can stand up to more punishment
and abuse, more stable and less prone
to failure, have significantly longer battery
life for comparable battery type, far
less vulnerable to ambient temperature
variations; green lasers lose intensity in
extreme conditions, have less impact on
night vision and tend to live longer and
provide more value for the money.
Fortunately the technology continues
to improve on green lasers so hopefully
the issues with green lasers will go away
and someday they truly will be the best.
Meanwhile my preference and recommendation
remains with red lasers for
defensive handguns.
LASERS ARE UNRELIABLE
Unfortunately this is often true but it is
not a problem with all lasers. It’s a matter
of money. A good-quality laser sighting
system is expensive. Most people don’t
want to spend the money required to
mount a solid laser. I don’t fault anyone
for that. I have to budget money myself.
Several manufactures, recognizing this
trend, have opted to produce low-quality
equipment that can be sold for a low
price. These products are poorly built,
inaccurate and unreliable. They wear out
quickly and ultimately leave a consumer
disappointed with the product and disillusioned
with the concept as a whole.
It is these low-quality products that
give lasers a bad name. The upper-end
products are in fact quite reliable, quite
durable and well worth the additional
cost. I’m not trying to sell anyone on lasers.
But if you are going to spend any
money at all, don’t waste it on the lower-end
garbage just to save a few bucks
because in the end you won’t.
The bottom line is this. A good,
high-quality laser is a great addition to
a defensive firearm. It will provide additional
tactical options that can’t be
achieved with standard sighting methods.
However, it is not a one-size-fits-all
solution and it is certainly not going to
do much of anything for a person who
refuses to practice and train with it.
www.laser-ammo.com
516.858.1262

A COMPACT THAT
PACKS A PUNCH
BY MARY WEDDINGTON

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 WWW.USCCA.COM
96
»THIS GIRL LOVES A SEXY pair of comfortable heels.
That’s the same reason I love the Smith & Wesson’s M&P
Shield. Today’s women have limited options for concealment
without limiting our wardrobes or being uncomfortable. Smith &
Wesson has created a great pistol for women to carry on-body.
The slim, sleek design rests inconspicuously against the body
without forcing huge adjustments to your wardrobe.
However, this pistol is not just for the
ladies. Men who prefer athletic-cut clothing
can easily conceal the Shield inside the
waistband whether it’s on the side of a hip
or at the appendix. The versatility and reliability
of the Shield makes this little beauty
the gun perfect for men and women.
The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield was
introduced to the shooting community
at the National Rifle Association’s Annual
Meetings & Exhibits in St. Louis, Mo., in April
2012. Unlike anything before, Smith & Wesson
had the Shield available for purchase on
the release date. Smith & Wesson already
had several thousand guns produced and
in stock, ready to ship.
They had also
quietly worked
with accessory manufacturers
to ensure gear as well
as inert training guns were also available
immediately. Some of those companies include
Blackhawk, Blade-Tech, Galco, Crimson
Trace and XS Sights.
Since the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield’s
release, several smaller companies have begun
making custom holsters to fit customer
needs for every day carry (EDC).
At its widest point the Shield is less
than an inch wide — .9 inches to be exact.
It weighs only 19 ounces unloaded and is
available in 9mm or .40S&W, satisfying those
who would prefer carrying the larger caliber.
The .40 comes with two single-stack
magazines holding six and seven rounds,
respectively. The 9mm also comes standard
with two single-stack magazines holding
seven and eight, respectively. In both the
lower round count magazine has a flat base.
The other offers a slightly extended base
lengthening the grip to allow an additional

Model:
Caliber:
Magazine:
Action:
Barrel Length:
Front Sight:
Rear Sight:
Overall Length:
Frame Width:
Overall Height:
Weight:
Frame Material:
Barrel/Slide Finish:
Trigger Pull:
Sight Radius:
M&P9 Shield
9mm
Seven- and Eight-Round
Striker-fired
3.1 inches / 7.874cm
White Dot
White 2-Dot
6.1 inches / 15.5cm
.95” / 2.413cm
4.6 inches/ 11.684cm
19.0 ounces / 538.7g
Polymer
Black Melonite 68 Hrc
6.5 lbs +/-
5.3 inches / 13.
finger on the grip.
The trigger pull is a manageable 6.5
pounds. The small, black, polymer frame
fits well in the hand and the stippled grip
is ergonomically designed so that while
compact and slim, it allows a good, firm
grip straight from the holster. The Shield
does not have interchangeable grips like
the larger M&P pistols but it still offers the
18-degree grip angle shooters seem to love.
Barrel length for both calibers is 3.1 inches.
The double-action-only pistol is striker
fired. A manual safety on the left side is
easily manipulated with the right thumb
(lever up, safety is on; lever down, safety is
off). The manual safety can be left in the off
position without fear of accidentally being
pushed into the safe position. The Shield
offers no magazine-disconnect safety. The
pistol will fire without a loaded magazine
inserted. Unlike most small pistols, the
Shield also has an external slide lock lever
and locks open after the last round.
The Manufacturers’ Suggested Retail
Price on the Shield is $449, which is reasonable
compared to similar compacts that do
not offer the same reliability.
There had been so much discussion associated
with the Shield, I could not wait to get
on the range and try it out. This is not a gun
to handle gently. I had to firmly tap the magazines
to ensure proper seating. The stock
sights are well designed and getting on target
quickly and accurately is not a problem.
Thanks to the low weight the Shield offers
some recoil so, as with any gun, you
need to make sure you have a proper grip.
I noticed that because of the thin frame,
the trigger finger will ride in on the trigger
during recoil and rapid fire. However, I was
able to make adjustments and maintain
smooth trigger control.
I shot more than 500 rounds during the
day doing different tactical drills and had
no issues with malfunctions other than the
ones I specifically created for training purposes.
I used Federal 9mm FMJ 115-grain
brass ammunition.
The only real issue I have with this gun is
the trigger reset; it is extremely long. You’re
almost back to the original trigger position
before it finally resets. This — coupled with
a slightly heavier trigger pull — means you
need to spend some time on the range
shooting this gun and getting familiar with
it before using it as an everyday carry piece.
I seriously suggest taking a pistol course.
Not only will you get plenty of trigger time
but you should always train how you carry.
I have tried several different methods
of carry but found that appendix inside-the-waistband
(AIWB) is the most feasible
for the Shield. I wear low-cut jeans with a
Viking Rigger’s belt and use a Kilo Concepts
holster. The outside clip fits perfectly on the
belt and allows for adjustments when seated
or standing. The slim frame allows the
gun to sit along the waistband of the jeans
with the stock riding just above but virtually
flat against my abdomen.
Wearing a tight-fitting tank top tucked in
allows the holster to sit comfortably without
rubbing the skin. Using an additional
tank top pulled down over the stock keeps
it tucked close to the body and allows concealment
wearing tighter T-shirts or other
girly shirts with no issues.
I normally wear my clothes layered and
have not really had to modify my wardrobe
as much carrying the Shield as I have
with other guns. To carry the Shield while
wearing shorts and tanks, just use the same
method of layering. Although there is a
slight bulge on a woman’s midsection it’s
not anything that would draw attention to
the fact that you are carrying a gun.
The Shield can also be worn very well on
the side of the hip. Again, the slim design
allows the stock to rest comfortably with
the shape of the body. It is also compact
enough that men can carry it in their pockets
using a pocket holster.
As with any gun, I suggest trying different
methods and choose the one that
works best for you.
The Smith & Wesson Shield offers the
most advantages for the money, hands
down. It’s affordable compared to other
compact pistols and offers the reliability,
concealment and functionality of larger
standard carry guns. It has the durability to
withstand even the toughest training class
without malfunctions and handles rapid-fire
strings with ease.
Women who were once forced to carry
off-body now have an opportunity to carry
on-body while still maintaining their feminine
edge. Men who have been concerned
with printing issues are now able to effectively
carry without changing their wardrobe
drastically. Everyone can feel secure
knowing that if the threat is presented, the
Shield will do its job.
Mary Weddington lives in Camden, Tenn.
and works for Tactical Response, Inc., as a
bookkeeper. Her passion is to educate others
about firearms, training and personal safety.
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ONE TO THE
HEAD
BY MARK WALTERS
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HOLD THE COMMENTARY?
HOW ABOUT YOU HOLD THIS!
» MANY OF YOU WILL RECALL READING a letter to the
editor in the last issue from a Mr. Cam Conley titled, “Hold the
Commentary.” If you missed it, I would kindly ask each of you to
go back and read it...then re-read it again. (Jan. CCM, pg. 11). In
it, Mr. Conley took issue with my column “Crunch Time” that
appeared in the October issue of this magazine right before the
presidential election. Specifically he took issue with the fact
that I had warned readers that it was “do or die” regarding the
re-election of Barack Hussein Obama and what a second term
would mean for the future of our gun rights.
Mr. Conley referred to my article as “typical
of this extreme right-wing propaganda
BS that seems to permeate through the
gun community.” He then went on to feed
readers one of those Obama crap sandwiches
that the Kool-Aid-drinking left
continues to swallow. He claimed, “The
Obama administration has done nothing
to infringe on our rights and if he started
to do so after winning a second term, the
democrats would pay the price in the midterms.
As far as this being ‘Crunch Time’
and ‘DO or DIE’, that’s just pure BS.”
I’ll tell you what pure bullshit is, Mr.
Conley. You sir, pretending to give two
cents about “gun rights” while at the
same time pulling the lever for the single
most dangerous threat to America’s
right to bear arms ever to occupy the
White House. What’s next from you? Are
you one of those who think the current
massive attack against our freedoms is
an instant knee-jerk political reaction to
the shooting in Newtown, CT? I’ll happily
profit from you on the oceanfront property
I sell you in Nebraska.
Here’s the deal Cam, and anyone else
who’s swilling the leftist Kool-Aid. Let me
let you in on a little secret. Anyone with
half of a working brain cell knows damn
good and well that the current well-funded,
coordinated, and systematic attacks we
are experiencing have been pre-planned
for years. That’s right Cam, the last election
was “do or die” and you as a Kool-Aid drinker
missed the boat. In fact, that ship sailed
a long time ago and you were apparently
unaware of the departure.
Think about that. We’ve been telling
you for four years that this was coming.
You missed it, not us. Obama made
references to it in a discussion with the
Brady’s in a meeting at the White House
when he said, “we are working on it.” Of
course the “it” referred to more gun control.
He then proceeded to famously
mention that they were doing it “under
the radar.” Guess what Cam? The submarine
has surfaced, bro. The agenda is now
clearly on the radar and thanks to voters
like you the battle lines have been drawn
by this freedom-hating, anti-gun administration.
That’s right. Voters like you
who had the Obama T-shirt pulled so far
over your head you couldn’t see the sidewalk.
Don’t trip!
Now the cat is out of the bag and
Obama’s team is exploiting tragedy to
further an agenda (“never let a crisis go
to waste”) that those of us with our eyes
open knew was coming well before the
Newtown shooting gave him the excuse
he was looking for. And that begs another
question. What else did Cam and those
other Kool-aid sippers miss? You see Cam,
we were right. You were wrong. What else
were you wrong about? Could it be that
you have also had the wool pulled over
your eyes in other areas? Do you do everything
your Democrat party tells you to?
The word “sucker” comes to mind.
There really is one born every minute.
Quite frankly Cam, and the rest of those
Obama supporters who claim to be gun
rights supporters, disgusts me. They’re
not welcome in my home. I wouldn’t
grill them a burger and I most definitely
wouldn’t sit down to share a drink. If they
couldn’t see this one coming they are
certainly capable of missing that gigantic
tractor-trailer rig, the one with the “Gun
Control” sign on the side, barreling down
the highway ready to crush anything in
front of it.
How’s that Obama crap sandwich taste
about right now? Enjoy it. Meanwhile the
rest of us will continue to fight this battle,
even on behalf of you suckers.
Cam, are you willing to re-write that letter
to the editor now? Tell me again how
Obama won’t be pushing an agenda of
draconian gun control measures.

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