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This column reviews a variety of high-quality personal safety, self-defense, firearms and concealed carry related gear. Each item reviewed is thoroughly evaluated under real world conditions. [ BY DUANE A. DAIKER ] The minimalist design of the Yaqui Slide makes it very versatile. Andy’s Leather Shop Yaqui Slide Holster One of the simplest holster designs is the Yaqui Slide, originally made popular by Milt Sparks Holsters. This particular style was used and endorsed by Colonel Jeff Cooper, which made it an instant classic among the API/Gunsite followers. Milt Sparks discontinued the Yaqui Slide in 1995, but a number of other holster makers have jumped in to fill the gap. Andy Langlois, of Andy’s Leather Shop, is just one current source for this style of holster, but you don’t need to look any further. Andy runs a small shop in New Hampshire, and churns out high quality leather goods with true old world craftsmanship. Andy doesn’t have a flashy website or a professional ad agency, but his work is top notch. Andy’s Yaqui Slide is a very basic holster for 1911 pattern pistols. It does what a holster is supposed to do, which is hold the gun secure and close to the body, and protect the trigger. These holsters are crafted from thick, high quality bridle leather, which translates into great toughness and durability, and true to the original design, the holster is fully sewn—no shortcuts with rivets or screws. The minimalist design of the Yaqui Slide makes it very versatile. The same holster works for any size 1911, from sub-compact to full-size. The low cut design and fully exposed grip make for a very fast draw. Interestingly, when the holster is empty it looks very nonthreatening. For those who carry different size 1911s, or have to deal with removing their gun from time to time, this type of holster could be ideal. Critics of the Yaqui Slide design would say the holster provides little protection for the gun’s finish—which is true. There is also a possibility that the open bottom design will permit the gun to be pushed up and out of the holster during normal activity. I didn’t experience this problem, but it is something to consider when making your carry decision. If you are interested in trying a classic Yaqui Slide holster, I suggest you give Andy a call at (603) 630-4072. Andy is very pleasant, and you can actually talk to the guy who will cut the leather and hand mold your holster. The Yaqui Slide is available in a variety of colors and even exotic skins. The basic model starts at $45, and if you mention this n MAY/JUNE 2011
column, Andy will give you free shipping on your order. If the Yaqui Slide is not your cup of tea, Andy also makes a scabbard-style 1911 holster that fully covers the pistol’s slide. Also, if you are into long guns, Andy makes a variety of rifle slings and accessories. His “Ching Sling” is very popular, and is actually distributed by Brownells (www.brownells.com). You can see all of the Andy’s Leather Shop products at his old website, www.shottist.com, or his new e-commerce enabled website, www.andysleather.com. Adventure Medical Field Trauma Kit with QuikClot You live the “prepared” life style, right? You are ready to defend yourself and your family if necessary. You prepare for the worst. But, do you have a professional quality first aid kit immediately available to you? If not, you should be ashamed of yourself. I am not talking about some freebie first aid kit or the little plastic box of adhesive bandages and alcohol swabs you have had in your car’s glove box for a decade. I mean a real first aid kit that will handle first responder needs for a serious injury—like a gunshot wound. For these types of high quality kits, I look to Adventure Medical Kits. AMK has a diverse line of medical kits to meet nearly any needs. In my car, I carry the Field Trauma Kit with QuikClot. This particular kit is from the “Professional” line and is recommended for hunting guides, as well as military and law enforcement personnel. This kit has your standard supplies for minor bites, cuts, and scrapes, but also contains a trauma pad and dressing, and an application of QuickClot Sport. QuikClot is an emergency wound dressing that promotes rapid natural clotting and prevents blood loss. The quick application of QuickClot to a severely bleeding wound greatly increases the chances of surviving long enough to reach professional medical help. QuikClot should be in every medical kit, but often is not. The Field Trauma Kit comes packed in a small black nylon zippered pouch that will fit just about anywhere. You can view a list of the entire contents of this kit and other kits at www. adventuremedicalkits.com. The Field QuikClot is an emergency wound dressing that promotes rapid natural clotting and prevents blood loss. MAY/JUNE 2011 n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM Trauma Kit is a great compromise between size and capability, while remaining affordable. The Field Trauma Kit retails for $45, and can be had for a few dollars less with some comparison shopping. Before you buy another piece of tactical gear, be sure you have a high quality medical kit like this one. ReadyShot Laser Training System When I contacted ReadyShot about testing a system, I received a very surprising response. The owner, Brent Backhaus, actually credits some of the inspiration for this product to an article I wrote on cost effective practice that appeared in CCM in May 2008! Well that made me even more interested in giving the ReadyShot system a try. ReadyShot converts your carry gun into a laser trainer with an interactive electronic target. This gives you the ability to conduct “dry fire” training simulations in your home, with instant real-time feedback on your sight alignment and trigger control. Short of live fire practice, this is as good as it gets for training. I ordered the ReadyShot system for my Glock 19. The “Gun Insert Kit” consists of a replacement magazine that contains the system’s electronics and battery, a short cable, and a laser emitter diode. The magazine is inserted into the gun in the usual fashion, and the cable runs down the barrel to the laser unit, which is inserted into the muzzle end of the barrel. One of the tricks with a Glock, Springfield XD, or Smith & Wesson M&P, of course, is designing a system that permits multiple “dry-fire” shots without having to rack the slide. These types of guns generally don’t permit multiple dry fire shots without at least partially cycling the pistol’s action. ReadyShot has solved this problem. In the Glock model I tested there is a spring in the replacement magazine that hooks on the Glock’s ejector tab and provides spring tension resistance to the trigger. The trigger doesn’t actually “break,” but reaches an end point of travel. The laser “fires” when an electronic sensor in the magazine senses the proximity of a small magnet that adheres to the 51
Page 1 and 2: REVIEW! SIG SAUER P229 vol.8, ISSUE
Page 3 and 4: tIM’S THOUGHTS ACROSS THE EDITOR
Page 5 and 6: COLUMNS 13 CCM PROFILE Nick Antrill
Page 7 and 8: TRUE STORIES CARRY A GUN... IT MAY
Page 9 and 10: I am a lefty, so finding a good hol
Page 11 and 12: THIS IS USCCA I hope he does, but I
Page 13 and 14: CCM PROFILE Nick Antrillo “Owning
Page 15 and 16: PROFILE No, and if I run my life ri
Page 17 and 18: SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS work, what’s
Page 19 and 20: Amid the unimaginable horror of des
Page 21 and 22: Selecting a gun for Sarah is a chal
Page 23 and 24: BETTER LET HER PACK be the best to
Page 25 and 26: left: In the past 20 or so years, t
Page 27 and 28: The 15-round magazine from the full
Page 29 and 30: Learning how to shoot around cover
Page 31 and 32: The Balance of Speed & Precision Ta
Page 33 and 34: THE WARRIOR EXPERT This pistol is p
Page 35 and 36: above: Guns America’s web site, a
Page 37 and 38: BUYING GUNS ONLINE Ways to protect
Page 39 and 40: Many are unwilling to pull the trig
Page 41 and 42: LOWER LEVELS OF FORCE Even perfect
Page 43 and 44: PHOTOS BY OLEG VOLK • A-HUMAN-RIG
Page 45 and 46: Caution should be taken should the
Page 47 and 48: above: Firing from behind cover is
Page 49: DRILLS FOR HANDGUN SELECTION above:
Page 53 and 54: The Switchback uses three different
Page 55 and 56: There are worse things than being s
Page 57 and 58: The Sayoc Tactical Group regularly
Page 59 and 60: ARMED SENIOR CITIZEN a habit that b
Page 61 and 62: ...IT’S JUST THE LAW equivalent.
Page 63 and 64: Mark Walters and Tim Schmidt Uncove

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