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Josh fires an AR
during the final
qualification shoot in
Ayoob’s LFI-2 class at
the Firearms Academy
of Seattle.
Other than that, I cannot name just
one class—because I’ve taken so many
from them—but working with Tom
Givens and John Farnam, definitely. It’s
not so much the course, it’s the instructor,
and Tom Givens and John Farnam
have both been very very helpful.
Your primary carry gun is a semi-auto.
Did you have a hard time learning how
to rack the slide?
Not really. I’m pretty quick at adapting
some things. When I was younger
my dad just ran it for me but obviously
that wasn’t going to work for defensive
handgun. My one-handed reload, my
shooting ability and how I carry came
from different instructors pretty early
on.
My shooting ability just came from
working with Tom Givens. He’s really
been very helpful. The cross-draw
carry came out of a Gabe Suarez class.
And then when I took the course with
John Farnam, he taught me how to do
a one-handed reload, so my reload
technique came from John Farnam. I
started shooting in August when I was
21 (in 2004). I took my first class from
Rangemaster in August, and took the
Gabe Suarez class also in August, right
after my first class. In September that
year I took the class with John Farnam.
So it all went really quick. I just kept
taking classes, figured out what kind of
holster I needed, and then was able to
work out the one handed reloads. It all
happened in a matter of just a couple
months, bringing everything together.
What weapons do you carry, and
what ammunition?
I carry a Browning Hi Power that’s
been worked on by Jim Garthwaite, and
also a Springfield XD, both in 9mm. I
had a beavertail added to the Hi Power
and a Teflon finish and all the parts fitted.
It’s got Heinie sights with a gold
bead front sight. You can pick the front
sight up in any light conditions, or if
it’s too dark to see the gold bead it’s too
dark to see what you’re shooting at. My
Browning Hi Power carries 15+1 and the
Springfield XD-9 carries 17+1. I use 127-
grain Winchester Rangers in those.
What concealment holsters do you
use?
Right now I use a crossdraw holster,
the FIST Driving Holster. The holster
has a snap where you can move it
around on your belt from driving to on
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USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n JULY 2008