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Mark Walters and Tim Schmidt Uncover TheInside Secrets of Over 33 of the Most PopularConcealed Carry Holsters On The Market!When you absorb the information in this system,you’ll save $1974.21 by NOT having to buy holstersthat will end up collecting dust in your holster drawer...Concealed Carry Basics Volume 2:The Ultimate ConcealedCarry Holster GuideHere are some video screen shots and sample workbook pages from Concealed CarryBasics Volume 2: The Ultimate Concealed Carry Holster Guide. Tim demonstratesthe draw from sportcoat concealment while Mark gives his introductory talk in front ofour giant table of holsters.One of the more fascinating aspects of our 35-page workbook is our detailed 5-pointrating system. Each holster was rated on 5 different variables. This rating was thenweighted and an average overall rating was given!Here’s what you’ll get when you orderConcealed Carry Basics Volume 2: The Ultimate Concealed Carry Holster Guide.2-Disc DVD Set: Over 2 hours and 20 minutes of detailed analysis and commentaryon over 33 of the most popular concealed carry holsters. Mark and Tim take turnsdiscussing all the ins and outs of the holsters that work and the holsters that DON’Twork!35-Page PDF Workbook on CD: The workbook contains even more detailedinformation and photos of each holster that is covered on the DVDs. Each workbookpage contains a review summary, a five-point ratings graph, information on the companythat makes the holster, and how you can go about getting one for yourself.Audio Interview on CD: After Mark and Tim spent three grueling days under thehot camera lights, they sat down and recorded a “behind-the-scenes” audio interview.You’ll have your own CD of this recording where Mark and Tim talk candidlyabout their own personal carry-holster experiences.PAYMENT INFORMATIONCheck or Money Order Enclosed(Payable to USCCA)Please charge my VISA MasterCardAmEx DiscoverNOTE: Charge will appear as US Concealed Carry Assoc.Card # ________ - ________ - ________ - ________Expiration Date_________________Signature___________________________________Mail this formwith payment to:The USCCA “BulletProof” 100% money-back guarantee gives youa full year to return ANY of our products if you are unhappy!

The Ultimate Resource for the Armed CitizenJanuary 2008 IssueJanuary 4, 2008Official Publication of the:Gun Review - George Hill - Contributing Editorcharter arms2nd Amendment - Tim Thorstenson - Guest Editorhow anti-gun propaganda works“Licensed to Fear” Column by: L. Neil SmithA Member of the JPFO Liberty Crew“goody guns” hit the target“Street Tactics: Reality-Based Gun & Knife Fighting”Column by: Gabriel Suarezon fitness for the gunfighter“A Woman’s Perspective” Column by: Kathy Jacksongun fitTim’s ThoughtsVolume 5 - January 2008HIGHLIGHTSCCM “Profile” - A. Christopher BeglinTimothy J. Schmidt/Maria HarrisGear Review - Tony Walker - Contributing Editormastering the crossdrawTraining Course Review - William Desy - Guest Editortrain with the experts at i.t.t.s.Tactics and Training - Jerrod S. Smelker - Guest EditorSafe RoomsCOLUMNS“Grassroots: In the Spotlight” Column by: Mike Harlowharlow holsters“It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense: It’s Just the Law”Column by: K. L. Jamison“signs”“SIGARMS” Column by: George Harriscenter body for concealed carry“Armed Senior Citizen” Column by: Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.Dmanaging uncertainty: five simple solutions“Force-On-Force Notebook” Written by: Jack Rumbaughvolume vIDEPARTMENTSCCM True Stories - Compiled by Sten JacksonU.S. Concealed Carry - MOUTH MARKETINGfirst-light liberator ® tactical light0615222938461118“The Ordinary Guy” Column by: Mark A. Walterstink, tink, tink 2426343541434802Letters to the Editor 051052www.usconcealedcarry.comFEATURE STORYgod bless the warriorKen Hanson, Esq.Guest Editor 12062943Concealed Carry Magazine41

CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINEPublisher & EditorTimothy J. SchmidtManaging EditorMaria HarrisArt DirectorTonnie M. LundCirculation ManagerLaura OttoCopy EditorJohn HiggsTechnical EditorsSten JacksonFred W. BlackHank J. O’MearaColumn EditorsBruce N. Eimer, Ph.DGeorge HarrisKathy JacksonK. L. JamisonL. Neil Smith - JPFO Liberty CrewJack RumbaughGabriel SuarezMark A. WaltersContributing EditorsGeorge HillTony WalkerGuest EditorsA. Christopher BeglinWilliam DesyKen Hanson Esq.Mike HarlowJerrod S. SmelkerTim ThorstensonAdvertising SalesBob Cole360-665-0542E-mail: bobcole@centurytel.netSigned articles in Concealed Carry Magazinereflect the views of the author, and are notnecessarily the views of the editors at DeltaMedia, LLC. The claims and opinions in the paidadvertisements published in this magazine are notnecessarily the claims and opinions of Delta Media,LLC. Delta Media, LLC takes no responsibilityfor these views, claims or opinions. ConcealedCarry Magazine and the U.S. Concealed CarryAssociation are registered trademarks of DeltaMedia, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2004-2007 by Delta Media, LLC. Reproduction, copying,or distribution of Concealed Carry Magazine isprohibited without written permission.Published for U.S. Concealed Carry by:4466 County Road P - Suite 204Jackson, WI 53037(877) 677-1919 Customer Service(262) 677-8877 U.S. Concealed CarryVolume 5 - January 2008 IssueConcealed Carry Magazine - January 2008Issue; January 4, 2008 (USPS: 022-302, ISSN:1550-7866) is published 8 times per year for$39.00 per year by Delta Media, LLC, 4466County Road P - STE 204, Jackson, WI 53037-9272. Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, WIand additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Concealed Carry Magazine, 4466 County Road P- STE 204, Jackson, WI 53037-9272.tIM’S THOUGHTSthe power of gratituderealize that you won’t be reading these words until sometime in 2008, but as Iwrite this sentence it is only a few days until Thanksgiving and I am feeling veryguilty. You may ask, “Tim, why are you feeling guilty, you’re supposed to befeeling thankful!” Well my friend, the reason I’m feeling guilty is because I haveSO much to be thankful for and yet, I rarely take the time to be gracious for allmy blessings.I have discovered that I am happiest in my life when I spend time every daygiving thanks and showing profound gratitude for my wife, kids, family, profession,etc. Now, does this mean that everything in my life is perfect? Heck no! In fact, mylife is very imperfect. But, the more I focus on the good parts of my life, the more“good things” tend to happen.So... even though it is way past Thanksgiving for you, I challenge you to taketen minutes right now and think of five things you are very thankful for. I promisethat it will be well worth your time!Be safe and God Bless,Tim SchmidtP.S. - I recently saw the movie “Bella.” This was one of the most moving andpowerful movies I’ve seen in a long time. I highly recommend it! (By now it’sprobably out on DVD.)JANUARY 2008 - Cover Photograph - William B MixonPHOTOGRAPHER: Ed Saunders—SouthernHeritage PhotosMODEL: Bill Mixon of Hampton, Virginia is a59-year-old retired marine designer. He has beeninto firearms for recreation and self-defense sincehe was 9 years old. As a true supporter of theSecond Amendment, he is a member of GunOwners of America, a member of USCCA, and aLife/Benefactor member of the NRA.In addition, he is a member of the VirginiaCitizens Defense League, a highly recommendedgun rights organization known for its steadfastdefense of Virginia open and concealedright to carry. Having had a concealed carrypermit since 1988, gun rights is an issue he doesnot take lightly.As can be seen in the photo, he considers dryfiring an important training aid in addition to live fire. Bill routinely shoots at his localgun club, Lafayette Gun Club in Grafton, VA. His weapon of choice, as seen on thecover, is the Glock 19 (9mm) with Trijicon sights. It is carried in a Gould & Goodrichholster. When not employing the Glock, he carries a Kahr P40 (.40 S&W) in a HumeIWB holster.Generally, his choice of ammunition for self-defense is Federal Hydra-Shok. Forpractice, he normally uses premium target rounds from Winchester.With a lifetime of firearms involvement and as a member of the Sons of theAmerican Revolution, Bill knows the importance of fighting for rights given us by theblood of our ancestors and reminds each of us that it is our duty to take a pro-activerole in defending all that we hold dear. Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

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LETTERS TO THE EDITORDear Editor,I read the article, “The SnubbyRevolver: Mechanisms and Maintenance”by Bruce Eimer in the October2007 issue of CCM. It has, by far, thebest directions on cleaning a revolverI’ve ever come across. I’d love to seehim do another on cleaning automatics.I just wanted to say that articles like thismake the membership worth paying for.Dan ReedBass Harbor, MEDear Editor,I’ve just read with delight BobJorgensen’s USCCA website articleon practical carry implications for us“every-day Joes.” I live in upper-middleclass suburbia and struggle to makeconcealed carry practical and real ona daily basis. Crime is rare here andviolent crime rarer, but frequent enoughthat thank God some of us are capableof defending ourselves and ourloved ones. I cherish this right andresponsibility.Working in an office, shoppingin town, taking the kids to school andon errands is the start of a list I’mmaking and starting to think throughif I’m called upon to perform my duty.What situations am I most likely to beconfronted with and what would I do?What are the alternatives and how dothe scenarios play out? My carry choiceis a Kel-Tec P380 with a (soon to add)Armalaser. I carry it in my front rightpants pocket.I practice entering and exitingmy vehicles, discreetly transferring myfirearm to/from my pocket. The scenariochanges if I’m carrying my briefcase.Parking lots seem to be dangerousplaces, so having a gun in hand seemslike a good idea. The USCCA doesa great job of writing about real-lifescenarios, and I’d like to see more. I’m5’9, 140 lbs. and like to run aroundin shorts and a T-shirt in the summer.Concealing a 1911 is not in my future!Thanks for a great article and pleasewrite more.Roy CarnesRichardson, TXDear Editor,No pun intended, but thanks forthe ammo your readers and I can nowuse against the gun-hating yahoos ofthis great nation. I’m referring to theamazing lesson learned from contributor,Robert G. Heinritz, Jr, J.D. inhis article, “A Brief History of the Rightto Self-Defense” (CCM - Volume 4,October 2007). I try to stay in touchwith all the gun-speak going on, butfrankly, even I wasn’t aware of some ofthe facts he wrote about, especially thepart about Australia.I recently purchased a gun magazineat a local convenience store herein my town. The 50-something clerkharassed me about it saying the usual,“Guns are bad...blah, blah, blah!”My response? I told her that she was10 times more likely to be killed on thejob than a cop, and that a good citizencarrying a gun has a better chanceof saving her life than the police. Ina typical, ignorant fashion, she said,“Yeah, right!” I hope she never has tohelp prove my point.Dan LunaSanford, FLNew USCCAForum is LIVE!After 16+ weeks of blood, sweatand tears, the brand new USCCA forumis live.You can access the forum via themain website or you can go directly tothe forum by going the link below:www.uscca.us/forumPlease use your current usernameand password to login to the new forum.If you have any questions or problems,please use the forum ‘contact us’ pagelocated here: www.uscca.us/forum/sendmessage.phpI hope you like all the new forumenhancements and features.Tim Schmidt - FounderU.S. Concealed CarryYou will need to have a USCCADeluxe Membership with a usernameand password in order to access theforum. If you would like to upgrade toa Deluxe Membership, please contactour customer service department—877-677-1919.Due to volume received, not all letters canbe answered. Letters may be edited forspace and clarity.Send your letters to:Concealed Carry MagazineAttn: Editor4466 Hwy P - Suite 204Jackson, WI 53037Or use our contact form:http://www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine

Shooting with the SIG 226 ST.The passion of biking!am an expatriate Englishman age 62,now married to an American ladyand permanently domiciled for the lastseven years in southwest Pennsylvania.Since October 2005, I have been ableto call myself a proud American, havingsecured my citizenship. I have twooffspring from my first marriage, a sonage 30, and a daughter age 32, bothmarried. I am fortunate that my sonlives a mere 24 miles away (by sheerchance), but my daughter however isstill in the UK. I taught them both aboutguns and shooting when they were veryyoung, accompanying me often on rangevisits. They are still both very competentshots, though sadly as you might expect,my daughter cannot exercise her skillsunless on vacation visiting me. Currently,I am a proud grandfather four times overfrom them both.I also have two step-children by mycurrent marriage, a son and daughterage near 20 and 22 respectively. Mystep-daughter has had some tuition fromme on shooting and I bought her a Bersa.380 for her 21st birthday, followingwhich she later procured her carry permit.My step-son joined the Navy earlier thisyear and has had good weapon trainingwith the issue Beretta 9mm sidearm,plus some extra range time with mewhen on leave. I expect he will, whenhe is of age, probably facilitate his owncarry permit.My professional career began in1967 when I qualified as a registeredosteopath (not too different from achiropractor) and I pursued this until1974, when for reasons of having myown untreatable back problem, had togive it up. I then followed various typesof work which included being a nightstation manager at a London radiostation. In 1975, I was lured back to myold college to administer the out-patientclinic. That lasted two years after whichI started my own small business, gearedvery much towards engineering-orientedwork, progressing into R&D prototypingtasks and “one-off” jobs. Partly due towork being thin on the ground, I decidedin a moment of extreme recklessness in1992 to consolidate my engineeringexperience by studying at the Universityof Plymouth, gaining my ‘’B. Eng HonsSystems 2.1’’ degree in 1995. It was asobering experience remembering whatit is like trying to “live on fresh air” andhave a motorcycle as sole transportation.Each issue of CCM containsan article that “PROFILES” aneveryday individual who carriesa concealed weapon. This article is an inspiration toour readers by helping them to realize that they are notalone in their lifestyle decision to always be armed.Had it not been for reloading, I doubt myshooting would have been so active.I started shooting originally withair weapons at a young age, and wasfirst active with firearms proper as anarmy cadet from 1960-1963, shootingcompetition long range rifle at therenowned Bisley ranges with an Enfield.303 Mk IV target rifle. There was alsosmall-bore rifle shooting during thatsame period. For many years, whileI was at college and during my earlywork years shooting took a very definiteback seat. In the later ‘70s, I resumedmore active shooting and bought a newshotgun. Not long after that, I relocatedto Devon County in the southwest UK. Isoon found and joined a small-bore club,getting into rifle and pistol again quiteseriously, and it was not long before Ifound another club within which to enjoycenterfire and competition shooting inmany disciplines. Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Over the years that followed, I builtup a collection of some 24 handguns,several rifles and some muzzle loaders.I also got enthusiastically into reloading.Two of the rifles (carbines) weredeactivated on a mandatory basis in thelate ‘80s as a result of a ban on semiautos,thanks to Michael Ryan, who ranamok in Hungerford (Berkshire County)with an AK clone August 19, 1987 (detailshere for those interested: http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/michael_ryan).It was just the excuse the governmentneeded to remove that aspect of the‘’privilege”; gun ownership was nota right. Handgun shooting continueduntil the Thomas Hamilton debacle atDunblane, Scotland on March 13, 1996(details can be seen here: http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/dunblane_massacre/?sect=8 )which resulted in a further major extremerestriction of privilege—relinquishing allmy handguns in September 1997. I hadno Second Amendment to protect my gunownership in the UK, and I didn’t havea legal option to carry either, although Iwas, from quite an early age, very awareof my own considered inherent humanright to self-defense. A short blade wasabout all I could (legally) carry but I didat least, prior to 1997, have the means tobe armed at home with a handgun.Once settled in America, and alegal permanent resident of the U.S.with a green card, I set about rebuildingmy firearms collection, investing muchfrom the proceeds of the sale of my UKproperty. It was most satisfying to be ableto resume the interest fully and again beable to utilize my retained reloadingequipment. Normalcy gradually seemedto return to this near lifelong passion asI found clubs and fellow shooters withwhom to share the sport.As a small means to “give somethingback,” I took an NRA Instructor’s coursein 2004, and became certified in allfour main shooting disciplines as well asrange safety officer. I have teamed upwith some fellow instructors to run BasicPistol courses and have also taught thePersonal Protection course. It is hopedthat in the near future I may also be ableto teach regularly at a proposed newrange in my area. I try, when possible,to also bring new shooters into the sportand promote RKBA issues.Pennsylvania is a ‘’shall issue’’ stateand, fortunately, reasonably gun-friendly;although these days it seems ever moreobvious that there are many morepeople around who have a paranoidfear of “the gun” as being, in and ofitself, some diabolical piece of inertmachinery, capable of mayhem all onits own! Much of this can be attributedto the mainstream media’s reporting witha strong bias against guns, even thoughit seems at times to be little more thandisinformation. Our collective battleagainst gut emotion over simple logicis ongoing and seems to get harder allthe time.My interest in firearms is broad,through many varieties of handgun,hunting rifles and also a number ofmilitary surplus rifles. Having ‘’teethed’’on revolvers when younger, I still retaina strong affection for those, and confessto also enjoying the large bore versionssuch as .454 Casull and 45-70.CCM: Was there a specific incidentthat caused you to carry a gun?Chris: No specific incident affected mepersonally. My prime consideration wasexercising a right as well as my ownsimple compulsion to have an effectivemeans of self-defense. I realized thatno one else was going to do it for meand so it was my responsibility entirely.I was already a long-time shooterand from there it was a simple andlogical progression.While not directly influencing mydecision to carry, I was also aware ofan experience suffered by a friend whowas walking unarmed in Pittsburgh. Hewas accosted by two youths, one ofwhom was armed, and he was robbed.He offered no resistance which wasprobably about all he could do. But hewas terrified further when the guy withthe gun on leaving, turned back andlevelled his gun as if to shoot. My friendrealized that had he been armed, thatcould have been his chance to save hislife, had the robber intended to actuallyshoot him. He was lucky and he knew it.Now he carries.CCM: Have you ever had to useyour firearm in a defensivesituation?Chris: Fortunately, no. I am glad toshare that status with probably the vastmajority of those who carry. I followthe generally adopted common sensecode of CCW which is to avoid troubleat all costs, because carrying a firearmis no invitation to a gun fight. Quitethe opposite.CCM: What training methods doyou employ? Do you have anyrecommendations?One of my many enjoyed RC airplanes.Chris: My training is probably never upto the level I would like because most ofmy shooting is very recreational—plusthe effects of age! I shoot in IDPA asmuch as time allows, and also some PPC600. These two disciplines are rathercomplementary by opposites. WithIDPA we have fast shooting from variouspositions against the clock, includingobstacles, cover, even on the move.Continued on page 8Volume 5 - January 2008www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine

I know - I shouldn’t smoke!Some of the guys at Bedford PA, RC Flying club.This hones certain skills such as reloads,malfunction clearances, and almostpoint shooting. PPC however is gearedto fixed time exposure of turning targets.This helps skills like draw, fast targetacquisition, and perhaps most important,the ability to not only shoot quite fast butsufficiently accurately at many distances,not just close-up.Apart from what we may call‘’tactical’’ training, I am firmly of theopinion that simple, intimate familiaritywith a chosen platform is essential. Thiscan be acquired with regular shootingand competition. I consider this alsoincludes familiarity with a gun’s internals,and regular dry-fire exercises (which are,of course, carried out with a properlycleared gun). My main range practiceusually includes at least two aspectsI regard as vital over and above juststatic paper perforation: shooting on themove, and weak hand drills,. As mostprobably agree, repetition leading to abuilding of muscle memory is essentialin order to facilitate smooth, fast, andsafe operation.CCM: How long have you carrieda concealed weapon?Chris: I obtained my CCW early in2002. I carry all my waking hoursregardless, even though I work from homeand live in an ostensibly pretty safe area.The rationale being simply that no onecan ever know when something mightoccur. Two years ago, my wife obtainedher CCW and is aware of the value of it,even though she carries intermittently.CCM: What weapons do youcarry?Chris: I started off carrying a TaurusM85 snub in .38 Spl. This served wellbut was replaced by a Ruger SP-101which I liked a lot, and it was less proneto corrosion from sweat. I was placingsome reliance on the revolver over asemi-auto at this stage due to almostguaranteed reliability, even if lower onround count (though I always had at leastone speedloader on my person). Threeor more years ago, having been givena holster that was ideal, I transitionedto a semi-automatic Browning Hi Power.This served for some while until I boughtmy current carry, which is a SIG 226ST in 9mm. For me, the SIG is about theperfect carry sidearm. It is, of course, a“full-sized” firearm and thus quite heavy,but weight does not bother me to carry,plus giving the benefits of a more stableplatform. The capacity of 15+1 meansthat I feel reasonably well-equipped evenwithout a spare magazine.I should, for completeness sakeinclude two other guns: One, a NorthAmerican Arms Mini revolver in .22Magnum is a BUG (back-up gun) andresides most times when I’m out, in avest or shirt front pocket. While it is whatmany call a “mouse gun” it is nonethelessa back-up to hand should the primaryfail for some reason. The other back-upoption is the Rohrbaugh R9, a superlativepocket pistol in 9mm which can, at timesdue to conditions, become sole primaryas well as otherwise BUG category.One very useful extra I employis Crimson Trace Lasergrips. I havethose on my SP-101 as well as the SIG.Predictably, they don’t do well in verybright light, but once light levels drop theyare excellent, permitting unconventionalshooting positions and very fast targetacquisition. I practice with open sightsof course, including dry fire to improvepoint shooting skills. But consideringsituations often occur in subdued light,I rate the lasergrips as most desirable,while acknowledging that they are anadjunct and not a primary sighting tool.CCM: What type of ammunitiondo you carry?Chris: For the old M85 it was just Federal.38 Spl. HydraShock 110 grain JHP.I charged the SP-101 with CorBon 110grain +P JHP in preference to the 140grain .357 Mag. loads—controllabilitybeing my pre-requisite. Once I was onthe 9mm route, I selected Speer Gold Dotammunition. I use 124 grain standardpressure for the R9 (no +P for thatgun) and used the same when carryingthe BHP.With the SIG 226, I carry 9mm124 grain +P Gold Dot, and if wetpackperformance is anything to go by for anapproximate assessment, they performvery consistently as well as functioningreliably in the gun.CCM: What concealment holstersdo you use?Chris: I have always used outside-thewaistband(OWB) holsters. Inside-thewaistband(IWB) did not work for meno matter what I tried. It is a functionof build mostly, as well as comfort andwhat suits me. The snubs were carriedin a canted Jim Burke Hi-ride belt sliderig which gives a close hold to the body.Sadly, Jim died in late 2003 and I hadKevin of K&D Holsters make me anothernear copy because I liked the style somuch. While carrying the BHP, I used a Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

very comfortable horseshoe leather beltslide rig (actually sold as being for amodel 1911, but the BHP sat just fine).With the SIG as my daily primary the lasttwo and a half years, it lives in anothercreation of K&D holsters: the “EagleDefender.” Again, a canted belt slide, itsuits me admirably. It is also important,as most realize, to have a suitable sturdybelt on which to hang a holster andaccessories, as an inferior item will onlycreate problems.I carry the Rohrbaugh R9 in severalmodes depending on circumstances,including K&D pocket rig, K&D beltslide, Uncle Mikes #2 pocket holster,and finally, sometimes I use an ankle rigmade by ProTech. This small gun can, ifneed be, go straight into a pocket withoutany holster.My final and last ditch option forvery deep concealment is a SmartCarryholster. It is rare, because of my lifestyle,that this is needed at all. But I keep itagainst the very odd time that I do needit because it does what no other formof concealment can do—whether forsmallest pocket pistol like the R9, or evenup to full size.CCM: What do you do for aliving?Chris: Over the last several years, Ihave deviated from my engineeringsystems path to become involved withweb design, data conversion, and imagemanipulation (as much as anything, dueto being asked to do such work). I like tothink that I am somewhat semi-retired; I’mlucky to be able to work when there iswork and play when there is not!CCM: Do you have any advice forour readers?Chris: Can I write a book? First andforemost, I must stress the responsibilitythat comes with concealed carry. Thisis not a “macho” exercise or any greatdemonstration of prowess. No, it is theultimate means to be able to protectoneself as a LAST DITCH RESORT. Ialways stress the need to avoid troubleat all costs even if the ego seems tosuffer. We have no special status, in factquite the opposite should we becomeembroiled in a shooting confrontation. Ihope to never employ what I regard asmy final sanction.Learn to dress to carry, which meanschoosing clothes that best enhance theability to conceal well. Concessions haveto be made to work environment andtime of year. This may further affect theindividual’s choice of carry platform andcover garments. But my advice ultimatelyis: carry the largest and best you canwithin the constraints of everydayliving, as well as ensuring that personalchoice is based on what feels right andfits properly.I place great importance onsituational awareness—even if notcarrying. The ability to spot (or sense)a problem in advance is a major wayto avoid trouble, using the senses to thefullest extent and not ignoring intuitioneither. If things seem less than good,then back off if possible. Recently I havebecome more aware of “task fixation”as being something to be addressedconscientiously. These are instanceswhere we are distracted by such thingsas using a cell phone and can allow ourattention to become much diminished.I cannot emphasize how vital Iconsider it for all who carry and operatefirearms to keep sharp on matters ofsafety. Familiarity over the years canbreed complacency and lead to thepotential for carelessness. We have aduty to ourselves and those around us toact responsibly.We should do our best to supportall RKBA matters, whether by writing toCongressional representatives on relevantmatters or just getting new shooters tothe range. We are under threat, make nomistake. We all have to put in our smallcontributions. I am particularly cognizantof this, having lost most of the guns I hadin the UK; we are not as protected bythe Second Amendment as we might liketo think, considering how it is seeminglyalways under attack.I also recommend that if peopledecide to carry, that they do itconscientiously as a full-time habit,wherever legal and practicable. Wewould not, if sensible, decide on anygiven day to leave out the spare tirefrom a vehicle, simply because we thinkthat day we will not get a flat. We donot usually, if a full-time watch wearer,decide that one day the watch can be leftoff, just because somehow we know therewill be no need to tell the time. Nothing,could be worse than being caught upin a threat situation, reaching for ourmeans of protection, only to find that itwas not there that day. Having a CCW isa dedication. Make it a full-time missioneven if as I do, you work at home.Volume 5 - January 2008www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine

WOULD-BE Robber escapesafter man pulls handgunJOPLIN, MISSOURI — A Joplin manreported thwarting a robbery attemptSaturday night in downtown Joplin witha handgun he was legally carrying.Thomas W. Doyle, 38, 2931 N.Michigan Ave., reported at 7:28 p.m.Saturday that after he obtained somecash from an automated teller machineat Seventh Street and Virginia Avenue,he was approached by a man whileparked in the 700 block of VirginiaAvenue, according to Cpl. Chuck Niessof the Joplin Police Department.Doyle told police that the man pulledout a knife and demanded his money,Niess said. But the man fled when Doylepulled out a handgun for which he has aconcealed carry permit, Niess said.No arrest had been made byMonday afternoon, Niess said.Joplin GlobeOctober 15, 2007TEEN ARRESTED FORATTEMPTED ROBBERYJACKSON, MICHIGAN — A suspect isbehind bars after an attempted robberyin Jackson. It happened Friday at theQuick Mart party store on GreenwoodAvenue. Police say a male suspectentered the store, showed a handgunand in response, the clerk grabbed hisown handgun and chased the suspectout of the store. Then on Saturday, policesay they received a tip that led them toarrest a 14-year-old Georgia boy forthat crime.He is currently being held at theJackson County Youth Home pendingformal charges.Lansing’s WLNS.comOctober 16, 2007MAN FIGHTS OFFHOME INVADERSCHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE — AnEastview Drive man fought off threehome invaders and traded shots with oneof them on Tuesday night.Police said 30-year-old CourtneyBrown was treated for several injuries,including a shot to the calf. Around 9:30p.m., Chattanooga Police responded toa home invasion call with shots fired at311 Eastview Dr. Upon arrival, officerstalked with the victim, who said hewas returning home and was backinghis vehicle into the garage when threeblack males came out of the closet andattempted to rob him.Mr. Brown said he fought the threesuspects and yelled for his daughterto call the police. One of the suspectsgot into the house and went upstairs towhere the daughter had locked herselfin the bedroom. The suspect then kickedthe door in and demanded she lie on thebed and she would not be hurt. He thentook her cell phone.Mr. Brown continued to fight with theother two suspects and was able to getaway from them. He managed to lockthe door behind him.Mr. Brown then encountered thesuspect who was inside the house andthey fought in the hallway. Mr. Brownbroke free, retrieved a handgun from hisbedroom and started back to the frontdoor area. The man who was still insidethen fired a shot at Mr. Brown, strikinghim in the calf. Mr. Brown returned firebut did not hit the suspect.All three of the suspects fled on foot.Mr. Brown was taken to Erlanger wherehe was treated for several cuts to hishead and face and the gunshot wound tohis calf. He was treated and released.Chattanooga Police are looking forsuspect #1 who is tall and thin wearing adark-hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.Suspects 2 and 3 were medium build withscarves over their faces and knit caps ontheir heads.All three of the suspects were armedwith chrome handguns.Chattanoogan.comOctober 17, 2007WOMAN SHOOTS homeinvasion SUSPECTWITH HIS OWN GUNJACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — A womanconfronted by two home invasion suspectsin a west side apartment on Wednesdaymorning wrestled a gun away from oneof them and shot him, police said.According to the JacksonvilleSheriff’s office, two suspects posing asmaintenance men entered the woman’sapartment in the 4400 block ofConfederate Park Road.When one of the men pulled agun, the woman got it away from himand shot him. The man was rushed toShands-Jacksonville Medical Center inserious condition. His name has not beenreleased.The other suspect ran away and isbeing sought by police. The woman wasnot hurt.News4Jax.comOctober 31, 2007STORE OWNER FIGHTSOFF ROBBERALBANY, GEORGIA — A little afterseven o’clock Wednesday night, aman entered the Mini-Mart at 2422Stuart Avenue, showed a gun anddemanded money. That’s when storeowner Mike Patel pulled out his owngun and fired one shot at the wouldberobber.WALB Channel 10November 8, 2007CLERK SHOOTS MAN INATTEMPTED ROBBERYSPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS —Police said they followed a trail of bloodto capture a city man who was shot by aconvenience store clerk during a botchedrobbery attempt yesterday morning.The clerk had been pistol-whippedduring the crime, and had a cut to hishead, said Detective Bureau Capt.Robert T. McFarlin. The clerk, a 44-yearoldnative of Iraq, will not be charged,he said.As described by police, two malesentered Wheeler’s convenience store at597 Dickinson St. around 11:20 a.m.One had a stun gun and the other a semiautomatichandgun. A struggle ensued,and the clerk took the handgun and shotone of the suspects in the leg.Police followed the blood and foundAbraham Ramos, 20, of 227 White St.,in a garage at 146 Draper St., McFarlinsaid. He was taken to Baystate MedicalCenter where he was being treated for agunshot wound to the leg.Springfield RepublicanNovember 9, 2007Disclaimer: Any of the above named actionsmay not be considered an acceptable use offorce according to your states’ laws. Pleasecheck/know your local laws.10 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

By: L. Neil SmithA member of the jpfo liberty crew“goody guns” hit the targetn the public eye for only a week ortwo at this writing, “Goody Guns”, aunique new program from Jews for thePreservation of Firearms Ownership,designed to heighten Bill of Rightsawareness on several fronts, has alreadybegun provoking appreciative laughter,thoughtful discussion, and a greatdeal of cross-talk all across the WorldWide Web.“Goody Guns” is a packagedevised by JPFO founder Aaron Zelman,con-sisting of a cookie cutter shaped likea revolver or semi-automatic pistol, acouple of cute little American flagson toothpicks so the cookies can bedecorated, and a couple of JPFO’sfamous “Gran’pa Jack” comic books:“Gun Control Kills Kids” and “Do GunProhibitionists Have a Mental Problem?”Spelling out the issues for kids andparents alike. With it, they are urged tomake and enjoy gun-shaped cookies.Some correspondents think it’s justplain crazy and could do more harm thangood. Others think it’s the niftiest ideathey’ve ever seen. Still others crouch andfreeze, intellectually paralyzed like theproverbial deer caught in the oncomingheadlights, locked in a state of “cognitivedissonance”, unable to react coherentlyone way or another. One writer, certainto be unfriendly to the idea, can’t seemto do anything but post a brief articlehe wrote—composed mostly of the verypress release he’s trying to react to—overand over again, everywhere.In Zelman’s view, the fact thateven gun activists are arguingamong themselves about “GoodyGuns” constitutes a successful proofof concept.Meanwhile, S.G., of Cortez, Colorado—staunchsupporter, she claims,of JPFO—writes to the group somewhatfrantically: “ ... but ... as a mother, I haveto say [it] is one of the worst, most awfulideas, ever ever ever! ... for God’s sakepull this immediately—remove the personwho ... came up with this idea from anyfuture idea meetings.”J.M., from Indiana says: “ ... it is adumb idea. It will raise the hackles ofthe anti-gun crowd ... If it served a usefulpurpose it would be OK to pull theirchain, but ... Surely we can do betterthan this!”On the other hand, Larry Pratt,Executive Director of Gun Owners ofAmerica, writes to say: “Gun ownershave a wonderful opportunity withGoody Guns to counter the ZeroTolerance nonsense. Whether at school,or any other place, Goody Gun cookiesand other snacks should be ostentatiouslyenjoyed. Yummmmmm!!”In fact, the vast majority of Zelman’scorrespondence about “Goody Guns”has been positive. A born risk-taker witha deep understanding of human natureand a subtle sense of humor, he knowshow to make important legal, moral,and constitutional points clear, evento children.But “Goody Guns”, he says, isabout more than just defending theSecond Amendment. All over thisonce-free country, innocent childrenare being railroaded from the publicschools for “infractions” ranging fromdrawing pictures of guns, or soldierswith guns, to pointing an index finger attheir playmates in the schoolyard andshouting “Bang!”It’s predictable that considerablefuss will be made when kids show up atschool with “Goody Guns” in their lunchboxes and brown paper bags. Imaginewhat will happen when they hand theirteacher a copy of “Gun Control KillsKids” or “Do Gun Prohibitionists Havea Mental Problem?” The program willreveal the insane hypocrisy of today’s“Zero Tolerance” policies, defending theFirst Amendment as well as the Second,while finally doing something aboutan oppressive school system that—increasingly—seems more like somethingyou’d find in Soviet Bulgaria, thanthe Land of the Free and the Home ofthe Brave.The place to look for “GoodyGuns” is: http://www.GoodyGuns.comThe price, postpaid, is $9.95 for onepackage, and $16.95 for two. As AaronZelman says, “Put the gun haters on therun, with your ‘Goody Gun’.”Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 11

FEATURE ARTICLEBy: ken hanson esq.PHOTOGRAPH BY: OLEG VOLKWWW.OLEGVOLK.NETWWW.A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM12 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

I worry about my children.I am only 37 years old, yet I amalready worrying about what kindof adults my kids’ generation will be.My generation, by and large, did notfight any wars, as there were no realconflicts when I was growing up. Myfirst recollection of conflict was that somescraggly looking people took a group ofAmericans hostage for over a year andwe did nothing about it. All I rememberbeyond that is some footage from a smallisland in the Caribbean that hosted amedical school. I vaguely rememberthe Falklands and Panama. Next thing Iknew, the Berlin Wall came down andSaddam committed the Mother of AllMistakes. The Great Cold War we wereraised to be ready for ended withouta whimper.Against this backdrop, I am raisingchildren that are not allowed to playdodge ball in gym class, since thatwould be teaching them violence andaggression. My kids are forced to go tobullying workshops, and there is “zerotolerance” for them handling bulliesin the time-honored fashion. Schoolsroutinely agonize over whether it is okayto give grades to a student when youconsider the emotional scarring it mightcause to call someone a failure. I cannotunderstand my daughter’s report cardsbecause all of the grades are like “meetsexpectations, exceeds expectations,progressing….” Um, so is she doingokay in school? Is this an A, a B…?First graders are now taught conflictresolution: “Stop, we have a problem.When you take my toy, it makes me feelangry.” “I see that I have made you angry.I did not want to make you feel……” Mywife just finished her Masters in Educationand I typed most of her papers from herdictation. I remember thinking to myself,“If I had tried that insane type of stunt,I would not have eaten lunch my wholefirst grade year.” So my generation—which did not, by and large, engage inany mass conflicts—is now forcing largeamounts of milquetoast down the throatsof our children.If somehow a child is havingproblems, it is the system’s fault. Weput together an intervention team andoffer additional services to children. Ifthat doesn’t work, the child is probablysuffering from some mental disease thatwas only recently discovered, for whicha pill may be given to make it all right.The default mindset is now: “It is probablysome ‘extraneous source’s’ fault.The government/school/police shouldfix that.”When did self-reliance andresponsibility for actions become amindset that should be attacked bythe intelligentsia? We have an entiregeneration of adults right now that firstand foremost looks to other people tosolve our problems. Divorce rates are skyhigh, personal bankruptcy is through theroof, our court systems are crippled, wepass laws as fast as they can print them,Katrina was so bad because FEMA didn’tget there to handout $2,000 ATM cardsquick enough…. All of these things haveone element in common: people are nottaking total responsibility for themselves.Who is best situated to help you?To paraphrase Heinlein: Gasolinedoes not come from the gas station.Personal security does not come fromthe government. News is not somethingthat happens to other people. If Katrinahit your neighborhood tomorrow, wouldyou be able to make it through the firsttwo weeks by yourself, or would you bein front of a news camera blaming thegovernment for not being there quickenough with replacement housing?I worry very much about the mindsetof our generation and the overwhelmingpassivity we are passing along to ourchildren. Where have all the warriorsgone? You know, the ones who couldstrike out tomorrow under just aboutany circumstance and survive whateverwas thrown at them, providing for theirfamily and self as needed? The onesthat, no matter what life throws at them,are going down swinging, not croucheddown waiting for someone to come tothe rescue?Warriors are not male and are notfemale. They are not tall and athletic;they are not short and pudgy. They arenot white; they are not Native American.They are not meek/passive yet theyprobably are not wearing an “I don’tdial 911” T-shirt. They defy all physicaldescriptions and attempts to categorizethem. You might be sitting next to onenow. A warrior can be a school teacher,an accountant, a dentist, unemployed,in a wheelchair, a poet, illiterate, urban,rural, an eleven-year-old little girl; even,I suppose, a newscaster. A warrior doesnot spend 24/7 developing a plan to killeveryone they meet, but doesn’t considerit strange to look for exit doors, fireextinguishers and first aid kits.“Warrior” is a mindset, nothingmore. I fear that mindset has beenstrongly diluted in my generation. Asmy meeker generation is now raisinganother, even more passive generation,warrior is on the endangered species listfor our children’s generation.In the last four weeks, we have seenmultiple examples pointing to our warriorshortage. In Cleveland last month, Mr.Wells, a concealed carry license holder,shot young Mr. Buford, a 15-year-oldthug/probationer. The community’s initialreaction to this shooting was shocking:neighbors setting up a shrine to the15-year-old repeat-armed robber, theshooter who defended himself receivedthreats, his house was vandalized, thetypical apologies for the thug: ”he wasa good kid”, “wrong place at the wrongtime”, “guns aren’t the answer”. None ofMr. Wells’ neighbors were there for himin his time of need; a lone warrior to facethe wrath of a mis-programmed public.The Virginia Tech shooting is evenmore problematic. Most details arenot known at this time, and this mightend up being an entirely inappropriateobservation. I apologize in advance ifso. However, one gunman fires nearly300 shots over a period of time, andapparently not one student fought theattacker? A building full of 19-22 year oldmen and women in their physical prime.Continued on page 14Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 13

Was there not one warrior present?Where was the rush of warriors to stompon the psychopath?Yet in the midst of these troublingexamples, we find solitary examples ofwarriors who shine by example.I have heard some glimmers of hopein the VT coverage, an Eagle Scout whowould have died but for taking decisive,improvised action. A teacher who throwshimself in front of the door so that othersmay escape. These are warriors. Whenthe worst presented itself in front of themon this day they stood up to be counted.On 9/11, four planes were hijacked,only three reached the target. On 9/11,there were warriors present in the fourthplane and on the ground as emergencyworkers looked up at the destruction inthe twin towers and rushed in anywayto try and help others. Warriors are inour midst.The most encouragement I find is incoverage of the aftermath of Mr. Wellsshooting the thug in Cleveland. ReginaBrett with the Plain Dealer brings us anexcellent series of stories of how, in theweeks after the shooting, the silent masseshave unanimously sided with the licenseholder and chastised those who mournedthe thug. The Cleveland NAACP is willingto place the blame on the neighborhoodthat allowed the thug to reach the pointhe had reached. One of Ms. Brett’s mostpoignant pieces is the one where she talksto the license holder and his twin brother,and they reflect upon how they almostwere lead down the path to thugdom dueto their inner-city upbringing. They creditthe kindness of a neighbor, a stranger,who took interest in the brothers stayingoff the path to thugdom.In this Cleveland neighborhood, wesee that perhaps the silent masses are notsheep, helplessly poisoned by a steadydiet of pacifism. Overwhelmingly, theresponse, albeit delayed, was to closeranks behind Mr. Wells. I pray thesesilent masses take the next step and reactmore quickly and visibly after the nextevent. I also pray there are more specialneighbors who will take interest in ayoung man’s life and see that they don’tslip down the path that swallowed Mr.Buford whole. Mentors are warriors; theysee a problem, they take action.We all should take a page from theNAACP in this. A neighborhood is notpowerless unless the neighbors chooseto be. Human beings are not prey unlessthey choose to be. We should chooseto be warriors, not prey. This cannothappen overnight, and it is not as simpleas flipping a light switch.Numerous people interviewed byMs. Brett conveyed a consistent message:We are tired of living in fear. If therewas a 12-step program to becoming awarrior, step one would be to admit youare tired of living in fear and realize thatYOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT.Think what would happen if the nextyoung thug, who is now only nine or ten,meets a community where their behavioris not tolerated. If, instead of becomingentrenched in the thugocracy for thenext three or four years until finally lostfor good, the community starts kickingthe young man in the behind. There isa neighbor that takes interest where thefamily would not. “Go down that path,young man, and this is what awaits you.”What if, when the teddy bears are beingdropped off at the shrine for the gangbanger, the neighborhood is out therejeering those who glorify the thug witha simple message: He got what he hadcoming to him; any of us would havedone the same thing.You, young thug, might continuedown this path towards becoming apredator, but you will find no prey inthis neighborhood. You do not have afather, your mom is strung out on drugsor whatever social ill has befallen you.We lament the loss of the family and theruined innocence of your childhood. Wedo not want to come back in three yearsand mourn the loss of your life. Becauseif it comes to that choice, it will be you,not me, they are mourning.But what about society beyondthe neighborhood? We see the samementality. People bemoan randomshootings and Virginia Tech-like “whackjob” incidents. Until we as a societyare prepared to live our lives in acondition where we are willing andable to immediately and overwhelminglyconfront these attacks wherever andwhenever they may occur, we willcontinue to have the police show up onlyafter the shooting has stopped, to countbodies and document the crime scene.The ONLY way to stop these psychopathson their one-way trips to infamy is to killthem quickly, once they finally snap. Nopreventative measure is ever going tocatch the deranged 100% of the timebefore they act. Making sure we canswiftly end their madness seems to bethe strongest insurance to those of us stillable to think rationally despite the yearsof pacifist programming.You do not have to be a bloodthirsty“mall ninja” to be a warrior. Acceptresponsibility for providing for yourfamily and yourself wherever you maybe. Be willing to act immediately withouthesitation or restraint. Do whatever needsto be done to survive the encounter, andsleep soundly that same night.If you read the above and findyourself nodding in agreement, repeatafter me: It is okay to think and act thisway. You are normal, it is the ToledoBlade Editorial Board that is abnormal.We are not doing enough of this type ofthinking and living, and all it gets us isVirginia Tech, gang bangers, Jihad andabsurd editorials.“God Bless the warrior” is such apowerful idea. Be willing to voice to yourfriends, neighbors and co-workers thatyou have accepted the burden, and talkto them about what they can do to livetheir life as a warrior rather than as prey.As silly as it sounds, metaphorically,show up and say to your colleagues,“Hi, I am a warrior.” Let them know in nouncertain terms: “At the soccer game, atwork, at the movie, at the mall, wherever,whenever, if the unthinkable happens,you can count on me, my family, and,after I am gone, my children. Can I counton you?”Maybe if the warriors begin to liveopenly again, our children will learnby example that somewhere betweensubmission and aggression is the desiredpath of self-reliance.Ken Hanson is a private practice attorney inDelaware, Ohio and serves as the LegislativeChair for Buckeye Firearms Association.He is a firearms trainer for Ohio and Utah,and gives legal presentations for numerousother trainers, including Blackwing ShootingCenter, Right Defense LLC and On TheDefense LLC.14 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

GUN REVIEWBy: george hill‘ve been studying global markets andthe U.S. economy in greater detaillately. We are importing goods of everytype from every corner of the world andexporting comparatively very little outsideCoke ® , McDonald’s ® , Paris Hilton gossip,and really bad Hollywood movies.Quite a bit of our favorite guns areimports. SIG, HK, Glock, IMI, Walther,CZ... all imports... or at least all foreignownedcompanies. Much like the autoindustry, a lot of imports are now beingmanufactured here while U.S. companiesare struggling or moving manufacturingout of country. HK and FNH both havelarge manufacturing operations here now.Look at Detonics. Remember the DetonicsCombat Master I recently reviewed? Ihailed it as excellent, and before themagazine hit the press they closed shopagain. Look at Springfield Armory. Aproud U.S. company, sure. But their XDpistol was designed and made in Croatiaand their 1911s are built off framesmade in Brazil. Remington’s new line ofMauser-type rifles (the 798s) are madein Serbia of all places. This is interestingbecause the only things I’m aware ofSerbia ever exporting are refugees andethnic cleansing.If you want a U.S.A. made snubby foreveryday concealment, where does thatleave you? Just Ruger and S&W? Well,there is another one here. A notoriousone. Charter Arms made a small, lightlittle snubby that became famous becauseof a serial killer. It wasn’t long after thatincident that politicians denounced small,inexpensive revolvers as “Saturday NightSpecials” often referring to a CharterArms gun specifically. This isn’t thehistoric backdrop a gunmaker wouldwant. Not like, say, Winchester, whichuses American history as their logo: theicon of the cowboy racing on a horsewith pistol in hand. Yet, Winchester’sold New Haven Connecticut factoryis shut down—a decision made by theforeign owners who also own Browning.The name Winchester is still aroundand merchandise is actually abundant.Too bad Winchester as a brand is nowmeaningless. Almost universally thesedays a Winchester-stamped item is totalcrap. Usually cheap Chinese madeknock-offs of otherwisedecent items like Gerbermulti tools and Old Timerknives. Okay, I’ll comeback to the subject at hand:Charter Arms. The mightyhas fallen and the meekhas sent us a pair of newrevolvers to test out.I’m going to beperfectly honest and blunthere: When I first lookedat these guns, I didn’t likethem one bit. I didn’t likethe way the grips don’t evenfit together. Two differentmodels and neither one hasa grip panel that matchesthe other. And they are notcheap either. Compared tothe other American madewheel guns, they are the cheapest, sure.However if you open it up to other gunmakers, the dealer cost is greater thanwhat my shop retails Brazilian madeRossi snubbies for. If we put them on theshelf it would sit there for the same priceas a Taurus, and the Taurus has betterfit and finish and a lifetime warranty. Ihonestly couldn’t see why anyone wouldbuy a Charter Arms. But when it sits nextto a Smith & Wesson or a Ruger, it doesso with a huge price advantage. Buyingan American gun is something that isimportant to a lot of people these daysand they wouldn’t have a gun madein Brazil. This is where Charter ArmsContinued on page 16Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 15

This is the Off Duty. Even in the small hands of Marie, she can only get two fingers on thegrip. Charter is proud of the 3 point lock up to keep the cylinder closed. Unfortunately, thehammer drops before the cylinder actually rotates enough to lock up. This could cause aserious timing issue, something more critical than the cylinder falling open during recoil.comes into play, and they will sell bythe boxful.I know I’ve been called a gun snob,and I would rather review a slick newWilson Combat or a Walther. I like nicethings and I’ll make no apologies forthat. I’ve also promised readers that I willbe 100% honest with them. I’m not goingto beat something up without pointingout any good points, and these twoCharters do have some solid good pointsto them that make them worthy arms forconcealed carry and self-defense. Solet’s get to it.The first revolver is called theUndercover. It is a small, very light, 5-shot, double action only (DAO), .38Special revolver that sports a spurlessand snag free hammer. It’s nothing morethan that. It is what it is. The trigger pullis heavy, the grips are short, and mostof your hand doesn’t get to hold them.Since it is a DAO gun, you can’t cock thehammer for a single action trigger pullbecause there isn’t one. Overall, this isa rough little bugger. Much like an AK-47, what is at first perceived as shortcomings become strengths and evenbecome endearing qualities. This gun isvery small, smaller than the snub nosedS&W model 60 I reviewed. Shorter ingrip than a Rossi, lighter than a Taurus.The only thing as small and light is acertain Smith & Wesson which has amuch higher sticker price.I wanted this gun to fail so I couldreport that. So I shot the hell out of it. Ireally did. Charter says these guns are+P rated, so that was what I used. I hadeight boxes of +P loads that I often use inmy .357 Mag Ruger Vaquero for when Iwant to get my Cowboy on. I didn’t havemuch in the way of standard loads, only acouple boxes of Winchester and Blazer.I shot it all up and the gun didn’t fail me.It kept on chugging. Firing, extracting,locking, and firing just like it was made forthe Soviet Military or something. Simple,unpolished, but effective in getting thejob done.I want to talk about the cartridge fora second. I think these Charters just mightbe the first .38 Specials I’ve reviewed forCCM. Most of us are well familiar withthe mighty .357 Magnum. But the .357is the steroid pumped son of the sagely.38. It’s the same bullet, but the brasscase is a bit shorter and it is loaded tolower pressures. Where the .357 is full ofsound and fury with all due significance,the .38 is a much more pleasant cartridgeto shoot. In fact, you can shoot it all daylong without fatigue. The .38 might notbe a hotrod, but it remains a favoriteof detectives and bull’s-eye shootersbecause of the reliability and accuracythat is inherent in the cartridge. A famousNew York detective, Jim Cirillo used.38s through his colorful and powderburntcareer.The other Charter I was sent is calledthe Off Duty. It is exactly the same asthe Undercover, but it has a shroudedhammer like the S&W 460. The OffDuty is the one I like. Even loaded with 5rounds of .38 Special hollow points, theOff Duty remains light enough to dropinto a jacket pocket and stay there allday long. This is a good characteristicgiven the cooler weather we are havinghere in the fall as I write this. By the timeyou read this, it will probably be deadof winter and the weight of your CCWgun will be less of a concern than frostbite, frozen car batteries, and slippingAt first glance the Charters don’t look bad at all. But upon closer examination, the poor fitof the grips are obvious. If it was just that, I’d say just get some aftermarket grips. Anothergun magazine had recently said that Charter’s fit and finish is on par with other productionrevolvers. In all honesty, it is the worst fit and finish I’ve ever seen.16 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

This is what I got from the factory. Lookclose at the marks on the frame paneland how the trigger guard slid apart. I’venever seen that in a firearm before, but Ihave seen it looking at cars that have beenin collisions.on ice. But autumn is all about cozy andcomfortable. We are looking forward topumpkin pies and wearing sweaters thatonly Bill Cosby would love, while sippingcups of sweet beverages that give offsteam as you hold them to your lips. Wecan think of shoveling snow, jump-startingcars and black ice later. Right now, thisis a pleasant, Norman Rockwell sort oftime. For this time, the Charter Arms OffDuty is perfect.Last week I had dropped the OffDuty into my wool-lined Moose Portjacket and totally forgot about it until Iwas searching for a movie ticket that Iknew I had stashed someplace in allthose pockets.“Oh yeah, the Charter!” So why didI strap my .45 Commander to my hip,and the Guardian around my ankle?Because the Charter is so light and smallthat I forgot all about it all week. That,and I probably have way too many gunsbecause I didn’t count the ones locked inmy vehicle, and the one I have with mylaptop, and the, well, no. That’s not toomany. I mean, come on. I could have asudden need for a .338 Ultra Mag. Wedo have Moose out here. Seriously. Ihave pictures.Speaking of laptop, wouldn’t it becool to have an optical drive holster?Push a button and the laptop ejects asmall pistol? Just thinking out loud. Backat the theater, I stood there in line for my“medium Diet Coke ® , easy on the ice” thatcosts as much as a box of shells. Casuallywaiting, and watching a big biker-typewith a suspicious eye. If somethinghappened and I needed to draw, the onegun I had on me that I could have gottento the easiest without drawing attentionto myself would have been the CharterArms Off Duty.Shooting the Charters isn’t as bad asI thought they would be. Even for suchlightweight guns, all the .38 Specialloads I tried were not bad at all in thehand. I was expecting a sharper feltrecoil. The trigger pulls on both gunswere heavy and made accuracy achallenge. But in fairness, accuracy isn’treally a requirement with these sorts ofhandguns. Going bang is.Being a gun snob, I have a deepappreciation for aesthetic qualities andrefinements such as mechanicals thatwork like the internals of a Swiss watch. Ilike that sort of thing. Now, I’m not seeingthose things with these Charters. Thisdisappointed me, but maybe it wasn’tthe guns fault. Perhaps I was a victim ofmy own expectations. Looking at theseguns without bias, they do exactly whatthey are made to do and they deliver thegoods. These are not gun safe jewelry.They are made to be packed with youat all times. These guns are unadornedand unpretentious, just like life rafts. Theyare simple and they work. And when itcomes right down to it, that is all thatreally matters in the end.If you want a real American-madegun but don’t have a lot of money, thenCharter Arms has you covered.George Hill is an NRA Certified Pistoland Personal Protection instructor and thewriter and publisher of MadOgre.com.Visit his website for more information onMad Ogre.www.madogre.comPhotography by George.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 17

In the SpotlightConcealed Carry:What Works, What Doesn’tdging close to four decades, I havecarried a concealed weapon as acombat rescue air crewman in the Navy;as a police officer, then as a P. I. andbodyguard, and finally as a civilian witha concealed carry permit. During thejourney, several attempts were made torid the earth of my shadow. Because ofthis (and for no other reason), a gun isalways within reach. I like to clank when Iwalk. My bed clanks. My shower clanks.When I pushed a stroller, the strollerclanked. My car clanks and my dogclanks. I think you get the picture.This journey required a lot of holsters.In 1980, I made my first one. I even did itin basket weave. It was one ugly holster,but it worked. It was sewn by hand, aswere the following nine. When I realizedI wasn’t going to make money that way,and doing it by hand is hard, I got a sewingmachine. The rest is history. Twenty-sevenyears later, I am still carrying concealedweapons and I am still making holsters.I have used every type of holster knownto man, and I formed some opinions byhaving been there and done that. Mygun has dropped out of holsters and hitthe ground three times. I’ve been on theground wrestling for my gun three timesand have had to take bad guys down bythe horns at least a hundred times. I haveused leather, plastic and nylon holstersfrom some well known makers. Somegood, some bad.As a lot of the readers of thismagazine are new to the habit of carryinga concealed weapon, the editor and Ithought we might be able to save you alot of time and money learning holstersother than by the Braille method. If I hadthe money I have spent on holsters overthe years, it would probably pay for avacation. I will cover the various typesstarting with the most popular.Strong side, beltFor good reason, this is the mostpopular option. Properly done, it’s fast,concealable, and comfortable. Do notoverlook these three reasons for choosinga holster. If one of these three elements ismissing you won’t own the holster verylong or it will find its way into a closetnever to be seen again. The one-loopaffair is “Old School”. It is a bad choicein most cases because it allows the gun toflop around on your belt and sometimesslide either forward or backward. RoyBaker showed us a better way with his“Pancake” design. It has two loops to stopthe holster from rocking and spreads outthe load over a larger area. Every currentholster maker copies Roy’s design in oneway or another, including yours truly.The design pictured below is my BS-1.It is my best seller.As you can see, this offers twoloops (hidden in this case) spread out forstability and can comfortably hold largeframe revolvers all day.HARLOW HOLSTERSInside-The-PantsMike’s InsiderThe holster that is second in orders(for me) is the inside-the-pants rig. Itplaces second in popularity for goodreason; it holds full-size fighting gunswith good concealment. It is not withoutits problems, however. Sticking a gun inyour pants can be less than comfortable.Some guns are thicker than others. Add tothat a holster with snaps over the gun andnow you have several layers of leatherplus the gun, plus the snaps and wow!You have to buy pants one to two inchesbigger in the waste to accommodate thisrig—not to mention a bigger belt.If the concealing shirt or jacket ridesup, passersby can see the straps, hooks,snaps, clips or screws used to secure it.Any smart cop (or criminal) will knowyou are carrying. Some makers evenreinforce the top of this holster withsteel (and even more leather) to makere-holstering easier. Now it’s about asflat as a fireplace log. A hideout holstercounts more on its ability to hide thegun and afford a fast presentation. Fastre-holstering never won any gunfights.Because of this, I never could standthe things and never wore them—until recently.I knew I wanted it thin and with nogiveaway clips, straps, hooks, snaps, etc.18 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

It absolutely had to remain in the pantswhen the gun was drawn, or you andI would be a laughing stock when theholster came along for the ride whenwe drew our gun. Not only does itlook comical, but it refuses access tothe trigger, and that could get us killed.I tried a few methods and materials tokeep it in the pants with varying degreesof success. Not good enough. I realizedthat the slick, stitch pattern following theline of the gun gave it a “bitchin‘ lookand fit” but was still allowing the holsterto come along for the ride. So I dumpedthe bitchin’ look and made it into a simpleleather bucket that did not hug the gun.Next I added a 2x2 inch square ofthin synthetic material that was grabbyto the inside of the waistband. That wasit! I put several of them out in the fieldfor research and development and allworked perfectly and still do. This newdesign is so successful, I am droppingthe traditional small of the back holsterbecause Mike’s Insider can be worn inside(small of the back) with much greatercomfort and concealment. It is also aneasy-on and easy-off holster. I normallyhate these because if it’s easily taken off,guess where it is when the defecationhits the fan? The upside of mine is that itis so comfortable, you don’t need to takeit off. If you weigh seven hundred poundswith half your butt crack showing, this isnot the holster for you. God only knowswhere it might wind up. It requires a tightbelt. If you want to try this one in a SOB(small of the back position, get it in anopposite draw model. Righties get a leftyholster and vice versa. More good newsis that the gun can be accessed by eitherhand. Murphy’s Law states that if you getinto a gunfight you will start the fight witha broken strong hand. Fight over? Not bya long shot. Draw weak hand and seizethe day! This is a terrific holster for thegals. Because of those wonderful curvyhips, a strong side belt carry puts thegun handle into your ribs. Front biasedcross draws work but are impossibleto conceal. If it isn’t concealed, you’rebreaking the law.your gun, you need it in a hurry). I nevermade tuckables and I quit making theother two.These little jewels are twice as fastas the ankle rig and three times fasterthan the tuckable rigs and the crotchholsters. It is not only faster than an anklerig but you can wear this one with shorts.Oh sure, you can wear an ankle rig withshorts too, but you will attract men in bluesuits. If you are large, you wear largerpants with larger pockets and hiding afive-shot .38 revolver isn’t difficult. Thistype of holster breaks up the outline of agun. It keeps the gun upright and readyfor a clean draw. It keeps lint out of themechanism and prevents wear and tearon your pocket. Notice the stitch line doesnot hug the contours of the gun? Becauseof this, it won’t come along for the ride.These holsters are good choices foryou buffet champions. If like me, you aresmart and have already obtained a Kel-Tec 380 auto. It is feather light, flat as asaltine cracker and holds seven roundsinstead of five. This is a terrific way forcops to carry a second gun. A Kel-Tecin my Pocket Rocket holster means thereis no longer an excuse for going aroundunarmed! If you have gone to the troubleof obtaining a concealed carry permit,you are no longer a grass eater. You areautomatically enrolled in the heraldedorder of sheep dogs and as such, itis your responsibility to clank whenyou walk.Shoulder HolstersMike’s “Murphy Rig”These are great for just about anyone.The prices go anywhere from yard saleto the “Rob Report”. They are made ofall three materials; leather, nylon andplastic-fantastic. There are two types:horizontal and vertical. Big guns need avertical carry and belt tie downs. Smallerstuff can be carried horizontal as longas it doesn’t print through clothing. Autosare more flat therefore more comfy whenunder your arm in a horizontal carry.Never buy a holster that doesn’t includeat least two reserve magazine poucheson the off-side for a balanced load.You will immediately notice somethingabout the mag pouches. They are eitherhorizontal or vertical. If vertical, you willknow that the maker doesn’t carry a gun.Continued on page 20Pocket HolstersMike’s Pocket RocketThese little rascals are so cool itnearly defies description. They makeobsolete three holsters that I’m awareof. Namely the Ankle Holster; theTuckable Holster and the Crotch Holster.Tuckables are an abomination if youneed your gun in a hurry (if you needFront view of a horizontal shoulder holster.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 19

Rear view of the horizontal rig.Vertical pouches are nearly impossibleto reach unless you have spidermonkey arms.Porkers rejoice! Shoulder holsterswill not pull your pants down any furtherthan your gut already has. If you have touse a public toilet, you already have asafe place to hang your gun. It won’t fallin the toilet or be left on the back of thetoilet when you leave. It didn’t happen tome, but it has happened—a lot.If you opt for elastic tie downs, it canactually be used as suspenders. You willlose some of the concealment value ofthis rig if you do. Used without tie downsyou can put a shirt on over it and actuallytuck it in (leaving one button open forthe draw). It isn’t super fast, but it’s wayfaster than a tuckable, a crotch rig, oran ankle rig. It’s not as quick as a strongside, but it’s pretty quick. I used one for aweek long summer bodyguard job yearsago on private property where gunswere prohibited. I had to be armed, andit absolutely could not show. It didn’t.These rigs come in all kinds ofdifferent designs. Most have adjustmentbuckles and/or snaps, screws and whatnot.I am currently the only guy on theplanet using Velcro ® for adjusting thestraps. Now that I ran my mouth, this willchange. I use straight straps instead ofthe cobra style seen on many TV shows.Next time you watch a cop show likeLaw & Order, observe how the widepart of those straps usually wind upwrinkled in the guy’s armpit. I even sawa TV detective wearing an upside downholster on the wrong side. He couldnot have retrieved his gun if a problemarose. I also neglected to use a crossover center piece where the straps crossin the back because they cause lumps.Keep the holster hung on a chair backwhile sleeping. Come morning, grab itoff the chair and slip into it like a sportjacket (you remember those).As many women’s pants andskirts have no belt loops, this is anexcellent choice.Another easy give away clue thata maker “doesn’t carry a gun” is theabsence of snap flaps on the magpouches. When it hits the fan you mightneed to run, hurdle trash cans, dodgeguard dogs, and scramble over fencesincluding high ones with (oh yes) barbedwire on top. This is how you and yourspare ammo part company. I don’t trustmy life to an adjustable tension device. Ialso don’t trust my life to a horizontal rigwith the thumb snap under the hammer.Why? Because I lost my .38 Super out ofMike’s “Murphy Rig” showing thumb strapunder the tang.a snapped big name, holster twice in oneday, that’s why. I threw it away that nightand made my first “Murphy Rig” with thestrap under the grip tang. This methodwill not allow the gun to slip from theholster while playing miniature golf likeit did with me. That famous name holstermaker and all the copiers are still makingthem the same way. Now you know.Carry the big guns vertically. Theyconceal better than you think and believeit or not, this is a fast rig.The Bra HolsterNow you’re seeing another holsteraimed solely at the girls again becauseof the hip problem and the fashionproblem (no belt loops). There is a holsterthat allows a girl to “carry concealed”on even the hottest summer days withexcellent concealment and comfort. Fastdraw? Not very, but it satisfies the firstrule of gun-fighting—Have a gun.Yes, that’s a .40 caliber Kahr in a braholster.To my knowledge, I have neverseen one advertised anywhere but myown website (www.harlowholsters.com).The holster is made of a soft polyesterfuzzy material. It looks exactly like teddybear skins. If it picks up a little sweat, it‘swashable. It has no loops as it doesn’tattach to a belt. It goes anywhere insideyour bra that you find comfortable.20 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Yes, you heard it right. Gals stuff braswith all sorts of gear outside the designparameters. Cigarettes, combs, decksof cards, dice, switchblade knives andcrack cocaine are just some of the itemsI have found in bras. So why not a gun?If you’re pretty, I also offer free fittings.I’m seeing more and more women atconcealed carry classes and I’m actuallyselling these holsters. I made one recentlyfor a 40 S&W Kahr. She promised tosend a photo but never did!Live: 7.375"Hunter style HolstersMike’s Hunter with Ruger GP100These are old designs but still useful.Here is a Tom Three Persons designfrom way back. I made this one with anopen muzzle, so as not to jab car seats as much. Thisdesign is great for big revolvers. It is a high ride with adecorative border. I use a solid brass button instead ofa snap, because they are quiet and can’t be jammed bydirt or sand. This holster can be used for concealmentif limited to revolvers with no more than a fourinch barrel.Well that’s all for now. It certainly isn’t all the stylesavailable from me or other holster makers but it’s acompendium of what is working well for me after thesemany years of taking the road less traveled. I havedwelled on my having been a gun carrier as well as aholster maker. To me, buying a holster from a guy whodoesn’t carry is like buying a parachute from a guywho refuses to jump.For more information, visit:www.harlowholsters.comor call: 970-314-2059.Live: 7.375"Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 21

GEAR REVIEWBY: TONY WALKERhe most famous practitioner of thecrossdraw was Wild Bill Hickock. Hisnormal carry method for his Navy Coltpistols was to have them in a sash aroundhis waist, with the pistol butts pointingforward. From all accounts, he was anexpert marksman, but this still didn’tstop him from being caught in ConditionWhite in a saloon in Deadwood in 1876,where he was shot in the back.Some law enforcement agenciesused to have their patrolmen carry theirsidearms in crossdraw holsters, someof them with a military-style flap-topfastening, which were suspended from amilitary-style Sam Browne belt. This musthave made for some very slow drawsin emergencies! Nowadays however,with all the equipment carried on thebelt, a crossdraw rig like that would beunnecessarily cumbersome.For civilians wanting to carry theirhandguns concealed, crossdraw canbe an extremely valid carry method,which was brought to mind recently,when I was running an advanced class.One of my students showed up with acrossdraw holster. His reason for thiswas that he was from one of the northernstates, where the winters are extremelycold. Consequently, when he carriedconcealed, he carried the gun, a Glock19, where he could access it quickly fromunder his jacket, rather than having tosweep the jacket aside on the draw for anormal, strong side holster.As a resident of Arizona, wheresummer temperatures rarely dip underthe hundred-degree mark, few peoplewear a jacket, unless their job calls for it.Concealed carry here is simply a matterof letting your shirt hang outside yourpants, to cover the holstered handgun,which is usually carried on the strongside, with the holster mounted just behindthe hip bone.The student had brought his coldweather jacket with him, and hedemonstrated his draw method whilewearing it. The jacket was a zip-fastenedparka, and his draw was made byunzipping it with his left hand, while atthe same time, his right would reach inand grab the gun. This seemed to workwell for him.Right now, I can sense dedicatedConcealed Carry Magazine readersmentally composing letters, telling methat having a crossdraw means that thegun is within reach of your opponent. Tothis, I have an answer. One of the firstrules of self-defense is create distancebetween you and your attacker. If hegets too close, you have two choices:step back and make the draw, or “stickone on him.”—a British term used whenone uses a fist, or the point of the elbowto the face!With crossdraw in mind, I went backto the range and worked out a few simplemoves. As I no longer own a crossdrawholster, I used the old favorite, ‘MexicanCarry,’ with the gun simply stuffed insidethe waistband of my pants.With a target set out at ten feet, Ifound that the best way to draw the gunwas by taking a step back with my rightfoot (I’m right-handed), which broughtthe gun more into line with the target.Left-handers should reverse this. Fromthere, it was a simple move to draw thegun, and hits could be made at any time,even one-handed just after the gun had22 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

cleared leather. I tried this method whenwearing a jacket and it still worked well,with the weak (left) hand dragging thejacket aside to enable the strong hand togrip the gun.I also tried the crossdraw using atechnique I learned long ago, back inthe UK. I balanced a one-gallon milkcontainer (half-filled with water, to giveit some mass) on top of the target. I thenstood facing the target and pressed thebutton of my shot timer. At the sound ofthe timer’s ‘beep,’ I hit the milk containerwith the heel (never use the fist) of myleft hand, knocking it off the target, and atthe same time, I stepped back and drewthe gun and fired, with the trigger beingpressed just as it cleared leather. Apartfrom getting splashed when the lid cameoff the container, I found this techniquereally worked, and that good centerhits were easily made, in reasonablyfast times.This technique was designed forcases when your opponent has managedto get close to you, and could be in aposition to snatch the gun. By striking himin the face (NEVER use your fist!), youare achieving three things. First, you areusing force with your left hand to keephim away from you. Second, while yourhand is in his face, you’ll have blockedhis vision. Third, you can draw and shootwith no danger of getting your hand inthe way of your bullet.I found that for me at least, thecrossdraw position worked best with thegun placed just to the left of the navel. I’mnot a big guy, and there’s not too muchroom between the mid-line of my bodyand the hip bone, so placing the gunfurther away from the navel didn’t work.Wider people than me, with more fleshon their bones may find that the gun canbe moved closer to the hip bone.A crossdraw also works well forwomen, as their body shape generallyworks against a strong side holster,which, unless specifically designed forwomen, will force the butt of the gun intothe body. This has the unfortunate result,which I often see on the courses I run,of them doing a “Quasimodo lurch”;leaning away from the gun to allow theirhand to make the draw.Another plus point for crossdrawcarry is that it makes carrying in a carso much easier. The gun is right therewhere you want it and making a drawfrom a seated position is a far simplerproposition than trying to get a gun froma holster behind the hip. Of course, withU.S. cars having the driver’s side onthe left, it’s difficult to shoot out of thewindow, unless you’re left-handed!There is a downside to crossdrawcarry. You should make sure that theholster doesn’t have too much of a rake,with the muzzle of the gun facing too fartowards the hip. This can make the gun’sbutt come too near to the waistband ofthe pants, which could interfere withthe draw.Most holster manufacturers haveat least one crossdraw holster in theirrange, and some of their products willbe reviewed in a future article. In themeantime, here are a few companieswhose products are well worth a look:DeSantis Holsterswww.desantisholster.comGalcowww.usgalco.comHorseshoe Holsters (UK)www.holsters.orgBob Mernicklewww.mernickleholsters.comFinally, this story is true, and showsthat words really do have wings. Afriend of mine had worked in Hollywoodas a stunt double for a well-knownWestern movie star. He decided that hewould like to learn how to shoot froma crossdraw rig, using his customizedColt Officers ACP pistol. He bought aholster, and worked hard at his draw,until he was regularly achieving sub-onesecond draws.Some wit in the class named him‘Johnny Crossdraw,’ and the next time Isaw him, he told me that he had boughtanother Officers ACP, with a matchingleft-handed holster, and was practicinghis double crossdraws with it. I later sawhim in action, and I can honestly saythat he was a true inheritor of Wild Bill’slegacy. I only hope he stays away fromsaloons in Deadwood!Tony Walker is President of SASTraining, Inc., in Scottsdale, Arizona.He teaches regular defensive handgunclasses with his wife, Vannessa, andhe is the author of numerous magazinearticles, which have been publishedin the US, Australia, South Africa, andthe UK.Tony is also the author of the actionthriller, Snides. He has recently completeda sequel, Pilgrim’s Banner, which will bepublished later this year. You can e-mailhim at tony1911@cox.net or check out hiswebsite at www.johnpilgrimbooks.comto learn about his novels, which featurethe hard-hitting John Pilgrim and his swiftshootingwife Sally. In addition to hisnovels, Tony has also recently completedHow to Win a Gunfight, which will beavailable soon.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 23

ordinarytheguyTINK, TINK, TINKHappy New Year to everyone! Thisis one of the heaviest travel seasons of theyear, and I want to take the opportunity toclear up some things regarding travelingwith handguns, particularly when flying.I receive a ton of e-mail every month,and it seems that this topic comes upquite frequently. Well, as luck—and Ido mean luck—would have it, I recentlyhad an experience (or should I say thatI didn’t have an experience) that all ofus can learn from. I’ve become quiteaccustomed to airport, airline, and TSAregulations when it comes to flying withmy guns. I’d like to clear a few things up,and then relate what could have been avery scary experience. Let me explain:First of all, there is absolutelynothing to worry about when your travelplans involve a flight. I wish I had adollar for every time I have read someposting somewhere from someoneasking about packing heat on boardan aircraft. Let’s start there; you can’tpack heat on board an aircraft. Youcan however, pack your weapon orweapons, as well as ammunition, insideyour checked luggage. How many timeshave you seen some news story aboutthe individual who was arrested at thesecurity checkpoint with a loaded gun intheir bag or briefcase?It happens all the time. I used to think,“What a dumb ass. How could anyonebe so stupid as to forget they had a gunin their briefcase and not remember ituntil they went through airport security?”I’ll get back to that in a minute.First, some things to know when youare traveling by air with a handgun andammunition: It is NOT required that youarrive at the airport an extra two hoursearly! Don’t believe what you read fromall of these folks who tell you to wakeup with the roosters and arrive at 0800for a noon flight. Not necessary. Youdo want to give yourself an extra fewminutes to account for the possibility thatthe person behind the counter may notbe familiar with their own policy or TSArequirements, but the process is a simpleone, and most employees are aware ofthe procedure.Here are the things you need to know.First, make sure you have a “hard-sided”,locked container to place your gun in. Inmany cases, you can use the containerthat the gun came in when you boughtit. Smith and Wesson, for example, sellsguns in a plastic container that is designedto be locked. This works just fine. I dohowever, recommend the Center-of-Mass(www.center-of-mass.com) travel safes,and in fact, I have two of them for largeor small guns, depending on my flavor ofthe day. These things are the greatest! Itake the cable that comes with the safeand place it around one of the supportsinside the suitcase and not only does mygun reside locked in the container but theentire safe itself is securely fastened tothe suitcase.Second, the suitcase itself must alsobe locked. Make sure you have a suitcasethat has the ability to place a small lockthrough the zippers to keep the bagsecure and while you’re at it, make sureto purchase the small TSA locks availableat most pharmacy stores. They will havethe little TSA logos on them and in theevent that security needs to get into yourbag, TSA will already have a key; all the“...there is absolutely nothing toworry about when your travel plansinvolve a flight. I wish I had a dollarfor every time I have read someposting somewhere from someoneasking about packing heat onboard an aircraft. Let’s start there;you can’t pack heat on boardan aircraft.”24 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

more reason to have the Center of Masssafe securely fastened to the suitcase!Third, under TSA regulations yourammunition can ride inside the sameluggage as your firearm. Accordingto TSA, “You must securely pack anyammunition in fiber (such as cardboard),wood or metal boxes or other packagingthat is specifically designed to carrysmall amounts of ammunition.” I leave theammunition in its factory container.Now for the kicker: the airline Ihappen to fly most frequently, Air Tran,is the only airline I am aware of thatdoes not follow TSA regulations as faras ammunition is concerned. Believeme, I have shown them TSA regulationsin print and their policy goes a stepfurther. They require that all ammunitiontravel in a second bag altogether. I havesimply accepted the fact that they will notallow the ammo in the same bag, and Inow keep a second box of ammo at mydestination. If I happen not to be flying tothat particular location, I carry a secondchecked bag—pain in the tail, but it’sthe rules.Now to the ticket counter. After youarrive at the airline ticket counter, simplytell the agent how many bags you haveto check and that you are travelingwith a firearm in this particular bag. Atthis point, I bend down and unlock thebag showing the agent the hard-sidedcontainer (which I have placed on topof my belongings) and unlock it in theirpresence. You will then be asked to signthe orange declaration tag that the gunis unloaded, and you will then place itinside the luggage. The bag itself willthen be re-locked. Depending on theairport and or the airline, you will theneither be escorted, or told where to takethe bag for its TSA screening. After thebag is screened, you will then be onyour way.This entire process only takes theextra time it takes to open the bag andshow the firearm, sign the form, and walkit to TSA for screening. I fly out of thebusiest airport in the world (Atlanta) andthe process is only about an extra tenminutes. I have never had any problems.And if you follow those rules, neitherwill you!Now for my story: I had a meetingin Sarasota, Florida and another meetingthe next day in Jacksonville, Florida. Iflew from Atlanta to Sarasota, rented acar, drove to Jacksonville and returnedto Atlanta the following day via the JAXairport. I flew with two firearms in onechecked bag and ammo in thesecond (Air Tran.) Upon my returnhome, I emptied the suitcaseand went about my businessfor the next six days until I waspacking for a subsequent trip toTampa the following week. Thistime I was driving. I reached formy trusty travel suitcase and whenI picked it up it was upside down.That’s when I heard the tink, tink, tink.Upon placing the case right side up, itjust fell out; a 9mm round of WinchesterRA9T. Just like that. Dropped right ontothe floor. Holy Shit! I had just beenthrough the Atlanta and Jacksonvilleairports and used that particular bag asa carry on. Where in the hell did that liveround come from? I have no idea. In fact,I have no idea how many times I mayhave carried that bag with that roundin it. Upon further examination, I foundthat it had been tucked up against theside of the bag and the plastic flap thatholds the retractable carry arms supportsinside the bag. Now I know good andwell that I didn’t open that suitcase andintentionally place a round in it so it onlystands to reason that it had traveled withme for quite some time. I could havebeen arrested, one of those folks youread about in your local paper or see onthe local evening news and think, “Whatan idiot”. Fortunately I wasn’t. I am verythorough when I pack to travel, as I carrya gun in my computer bag on occasionand I turn that thing upside down beforeI fly. I have absolutely no idea how thatround ended up in that bag or just howlong it may have been there.I can laugh about it now but whatreally bothers me is: how did it gounnoticed by security screening atthe busiest airport in the world, and inJacksonville as well? Lord knows howmany other airports? Although I’mcounting my lucky stars, it makes mewonder what else gets through.Mark is the Vice President of DTI, Inc.based in Atlanta, Ga. He is a memberof the Professional Outdoor MediaAssociation (POMA) and the NationalShooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).He is a NRA certified instructorin three disciplines and a secondamendment activist in his hometown.He encourages readers to contacthim at:theordinaryguy@comcast.netVolume 5 - January 2008www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 25

It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense:IT’S JUST THE LAWodern concealed carry lawshave contained a provisionwhich allows paranoid persons to banconcealed carry on their premises. Theprocedure is to post a sign in the traditionof “No Irish Need Apply”, “WhitesOnly” or “TWAK”. 1 Some statutes specifya terminology, size, placement or evencolor. 2 The specifics of these signs havebeen subject of some dispute.Minnesota’s original concealedcarry law specified the language to beused on signs. This prompted a lawsuitby certain religious groups whichclaimed the required language violatedtheir religious beliefs. These “religiousbeliefs”, it was claimed, demanded signsreading “Peacemakers Only”. While theCowboy Action Shooters could havelived with this language, that was not thepoint. One gathers that if the statute haddemanded signs reading “PeacemakersOnly” the plaintiffs would have found thatobjectionable as well. The court struckdown the entire law, which was promptlyre-enacted with better sign requirements.“SIGNS”COLUMN By: k. L. JamisonSign, sign, everywhere a signBlocking out the scenery, breaking my mindDo this! Don’t do that! Can’t you read the sign?“Signs” —Five Man Electrical BandParking lots where the customer takes his keys with him are usually not responsiblefor security. Parking lots where the customer leaves his keys usually are responsiblefor security. The liability is the same when the store takes away the customer’s meansof security.Some states have avoided litigationover signs by assigning their design tostate agencies. This avoids risking thestatute itself to challenge.The Missouri statute only requiresthat the sign be posted in a prominentlocation, be eleven by fourteen incheswith letters an inch high. It does notspecify what the letters must say, only thatthey gather together in some organizedfashion to prohibit weapons. Somelocations had opted to use the silhouetteof a handgun with a slash mark throughit. This raises the question of whether thissilhouette constitutes letters an inch high.There is no answer. The question maycome up as violation of posted areas isan infraction which involves fines and thepotential loss of the License To Carry. 3 Itmight also be charged as trespass whichtriggers misdemeanor penalties. 4The casual observer will findnumerous signs which do not comply withstate statutes. The question then becomeshow to respond to these non-conformingsigns. When Missouri passed its law, theactivists who had spent thirteen yearsfighting for concealed carry reformconsidered this question. The unanimousdecision was to urge License to Carry(LTC) holders to obey non-conformingsigns. The theory was that in every statewhere such a law was passed there wasa period of “Chicken Little” hysteria thatthe sky was falling and the signs went up.In time, business owners found that thesky was not falling, and the signs camedown. The question then became howto help them realize that the sky was notfalling. Confrontation was clearly not thebest route. When faced with confrontationpeople tend to stop listening. Shortlyafter Missouri’s law passed, a gentlemanin Columbia, Missouri had to do businessat a location with a “no weapons” sign.Being a proud new LTC holder he toldthem exactly what he thought of their sign;and he was not a silver-tongued devil.The clerks “felt afraid”. The police werecalled and the gentleman was arrested.By the time the police caught up with himhe was carrying a weapon, a knife. Thecounty judge ruled that Missouri’s lawdid not cover concealed knives. 5 Thesign remained.There have been some claims thatinsurance companies are insisting onthese signs. There are other indicationsthat the landlords of malls require them oftenants. This is a shortsighted approach.Since the signs are obviously not effectiveagainst criminals and psychopaths, theymust be aimed at lawful LTC holders. Thisassumes 1) that the LTC holder is likelyto suddenly turn homicidal, or 2) theLTC holder is likely to be careless andaccidentally shoot another patron. Thefirst excuse is absurd. Even if possible itis not likely that a sign would deter thesuddenly homicidal. The second excuseis unlikely. While accidents happen,they are no more likely to happen afteran LTC law is passed than before. 6Continued on page 28An example of an illegal sign (wrongsize). This sign appears on the LibertyMissouri Driver’s License Bureau, whichhas responsibility for issuing the LicenseTo Carry.26 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 27

The “No Guns, No Money” card politelyinforms the business that his sign drivesaway business.These excuses are the product of prejudicerather than research. Regardless,these superstitions are very real to thepersons holding them. They must bedealt with as if they were real. Telling themanager that one needs a gun for theoccasional gunfight does not engage themanager on a subject he wants to thinkis possible, or wants to think about at all.What has proved successful is the “NoGuns, No Money” card. The size of adriver’s license, the card tells the managerthat gun owners are perplexed that hedoes not want to do business with peoplewho have undergone background checksand safety training, but we will respecttheir wishes and do business with theircompetition. 7 A loss of business tends toget the owner’s attention.The greater question is what businessowners get for their signs. I am remindedof TV coverage on what the police calledan “active shooter” (they mean killer) ata Kansas City, Kansas business. As thesomber reporter did his stand up in frontof the building, the camera panned to asign reading “No Guns Allowed”. Clearly,suicidal, homicidal, criminal psychopathseither do not read signs or disregardwhat they read. 8 For all the effort inputting up these signs, the businessowner gets financial responsibility for hiscustomer’s safety.The traditional rule has been thatbusiness owners are not responsible forthe safety of customers. Under this rule,criminal activity is an intervening andunexpected cause of any injury on thepremises. Business owners are allowedto carry on in the blissful superstition thateveryone will obey the law. As in anylegal rule, there are exceptions, and inrecent years, the exceptions have grownlarger. The business owner can becomeresponsible for his customer’s safetyif the criminal activity is foreseeable:“An intervening criminal act will notnecessarily shield the landowner fromliability where a jury question ariseswhether the landowner breached hisduty to maintain safe premises.” 9 If thebusiness owner denies a customer themeans of self-defense, the owner mustprovide protection from the time thecustomer leaves his gun in his car, to thetime that he returns to it. The businessowner may avoid liability if the customerretains his weapon. The owner’s (thedefendant’s) “...duty may also dependupon the defendant’s ability, or lackthereof, to provide effective protection.The capacity of the victim of such acriminal attack to protect himself mayalso affect the question of the defendant’sliability, since his duty is... proportionatelyless if the victim was armed or otherwiseprepared to repulse an attack.” 10Denying customers the means of selfdefenseis akin to car lots which requirecustomers to surrender their keys to theattendant. When the car is stolen orproperty stolen from the car, such lots arealmost always found liable for the loss;regardless of what waivers, limitations,excuses or incantations are printed on theback of the ticket. 11 Car lots which allowcustomers to park and take the car’ssecurity with them are almost alwaysnot found liable. 12 Giving dominion overone’s property to another party is called abailment. 13 Rights are not usually thoughtof as bailed. 14 However, the requirementof leaving the right of self-defense atA CCW friendly sign produced byCCWorks, LLC in Wichita KS.The late Gary Davis was a 6 foot 5 inchsign for our rights.the store entrance is a comparativelynew concept. Under premises liabilityrules or bailment concepts the businessowner who forces LTC holders to disarmbecomes responsible for their safety.So I got me a pen and paperAnd I made up my own little sign“Signs” —Five Man Electrical BandI have often been in a line wheresomeone indicates my “Guns Save Lives”button and whispers “I like your button.”Why they think they have to whisper is amatter of some concern. If we will fly ourcolors people will become accustomedto seeing us, and fear us less. This has thedisadvantage of allowing hoplophobesto identify us and project their paranoidfantasies onto us. 15 It is possible thatcriminals will shoot first. However, thesigns will come down.Kevin L. Jamison is an attorney in the KansasCity, Missouri area concentrating in thearea of weapons and self-defense. Pleasesend questions to Kevin L. Jamison, 2614NE 56th Ter, Gladstone, Missouri, 64119-2311, KLJamisonLaw@earthlink.net. Individualanswers are not usually possible, but may beaddressed in future columns.This information is for legal informationpurposes and does not constitute legaladvice. For specific questions, you shouldconsult a qualified attorney.1 “Trade With A Klansman”. Really, if the Klan didnot kill people their terminology would have themlaughed out of existence.2 See www.Handgunlaw.us.3 An infraction is specifically not a crime in Missouri;it is a civil penalty begun by a citation from a policeofficer and ending in court.4 Some prosecutors are salivating to put us in jail onany grounds.5 This ruling is a gross misinterpretation of Missouri’slaw which clearly exempts LTC holders from ourconcealed weapons law. An appeal was filed but aplea was negotiated before the gentleman rolled thedice on our rights.6 Lott More Guns, Less Crime 2d ed. The University ofChicago Press, Chicago 2000 at 110-112.7 Download the template at www.learntocarry.com.8 There really should be a term for persons who wantto die while taking a number of innocent parties withthem, perhaps “omnicidal”.9 62 Am Jur 2d Premises Liability § 46.10 62 Am Jur supra.11 Knight v. H & H Chevrolet, 337 N.W.2d 742 (Neb1983) at 745.12 Equity Mutual Insurance Co v. Affiliated ParkingInc, 448 S.W.2d 909 (St. Louis Ct App. 1969) at 914.Some effect must be credited to good lawyering.13 Not like a bail bond which will be discussed someother time.14 Unless we get back to bail bonds.15 Hoplophobes are people with an unnatural fear ofweapons and weapon owners.28 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

TRAINING COURSE REVIEWBY: WILLIAM DESYStudents engage the knife attack simulator from various distances. A realeye-opener if you have not done this before!Uncle Scotty demonstrates properbody position when using a vehiclefor cover.egally carrying a concealed firearmhas become the standard for themajority of our nation’s fifty states.Thousands of everyday citizens are nowexercising their right to carry, and havethe ability to protect themselves and theirfamilies. Exercising this right comes withgreat responsibility, and a sense of dutyto become more skilled at arms. Initialtraining courses offered for concealedcarry are an excellent introduction, oftencovering firearm safety, gun handlingand manipulation, as well as use of force,and related firearms laws. However, itis up to the individual permit holder todevelop and maintain their current skillset, and seek out quality training to learnand develop new skills.While marksmanship can beimproved through range practice, I am afirm believer in training with experiencedinstructors. If you have been shootingfor years, or have developed a solidfoundation from your basic firearmstraining, I highly recommend you consideran intermediate or advanced trainingcourse. Courses offered by nationallyrecognized schools like Gunsite andThunder Ranch offer excellent training;however, they tend to be more expensiveand somewhat inconvenient. There are afew less publicized training facilities thatoffer very high quality training. One suchfacility that has been gaining popularityin Southern California is InternationalTactical Training Seminars. I.T.T.S. offerstraining at their main range facility inthe Angeles National Forest, as well asvarious locations across the United Statesand Europe.I have had the opportunity to trainwith I.T.T.S. on four separate occasions.These courses were either two-day,or three-day weekend classes. Myinitiation to I.T.T.S. was a three-dayintermediate class several years ago.This was an excellent class that I willalways remember. I have since attendedthree advanced classes, most recentlythe “Problem Solver” that includes all ofthe elements, drills, and evolutions fromthe prior courses I have attended. Theinstruction at I.T.T.S. is top notch, and Icontinue to train with I.T.T.S. several timeseach year.Continued on page 30Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 29

The charging knife attack simulator is used to engage targets from inside or immediately after exiting a vehicle.Safety Officers were assigned to monitor each shooter during these live-fire drills.The first thing you will notice whentraining with I.T.T.S. is that Lead InstructorScott Reitz, or “Uncle Scotty” has aprofessional and confident demeanorthat reflects his many years of hands-onexperience with the LAPD Metro Divisionand SWAT. Scotty introduces himself andconducts an initial safety briefing thatreally sends home the message that youmust be “switched-on” whenever you arehandling a firearm. Safety is the priorityin training. No exceptions. Further stating“Safety is not a stand-alone issue; safetyis an integral part of tactics.”The issue with experienced shooterstoday is not ignorance, they know therules. The problem, if left unchecked,becomes ego, carelessness, andcomplacency. These three issues haveno business in any training environment,much less on the street. Your ability tosafely operate and manipulate yourfirearm must be hardwired from therepetition of basic fundamental drills.Complete situational awareness, muzzlediscipline at all times, finger straight, offthe trigger, alongside the frame until thesights are aligned on the target. Manageyour ammunition. Stay “switched-on”when handling any firearm.What adds another unique dimensionto training with “Uncle Scotty” is hisstraightforward and friendly personalitythat I find genuinely helpful and veryapproachable. I must emphasize howimportant it is to feel confident andcomfortable with the people that youtrain with. Scotty is always open toquestions and comments, and promotesan open forum for discussing tactics andmethodologies. However, he is quickto point out that the training offeredby I.T.T.S. is not based on speculativetheories or supposition, but on whathas “actually worked in real gunfights.”Having testified in numerous OfficerInvolved Shootings, and as an expertwitness on appropriate use of force,Scotty’s material comes from real-lifegunfights and current court cases.I recently attended an advancedI.T.T.S. course called the “ProblemSolver”. This was more of a “Skills Test”using everything learned from priorclasses to run through complex shootingdrills using both live-fire and force-onforcedrills with Airsoft guns. These drillsincluded engaging multiple targets,shooting on the move, shooting movingtargets, night shooting, shooting at, from,and around vehicles. Scotty says, “Thegreater the complexity of the problem,the more time and effort it will take tosolve.” The emphasis is on keeping yourhead, thinking through the problem, andavoiding a panic response.My favorite feature of this trainingcourse was that these drills were givento us with minimal direction, other than“solve the problem”. After runningthrough the drill cold, you find out thatthe drills were derived from actual streetshootings. Scotty then provides the actualshooting data and explains the dynamicsand outcome of the actual gunfight tothe class. It’s like getting a history lessonalong with your hands-on training.It really teaches you to think, move,and shoot.Scotty reiterates that gunfightingis 95% mental and 5% mechanical.The Problem Solver course is designedto combine all of the elements andfundamentals of shooting, with the addedelements of target and shooter movementunder stress. Beginning and intermediatecourses at I.T.T.S. always stress themechanics of shooting, while advancedcourses like the Problem Solver allow youto revert to pure mechanics with yourshooting skills and focus your attentionon solving the problem.Scotty conducts several drills thatare performed on moving targets (bothlateral movers and the charging “knifeattack” simulator). I never get tired ofeither of these drills, partly because Icannot duplicate the true dynamics ofthese moving targets on local ranges,and partly because they are challenging.Another plus is that Scotty is very goodat moving the class through progressivelymore complex drills at a steady pace. Byswitching between paper, steel, movers,and force-on-force drills, Scotty is able tokeep your attention and focus throughoutthe entire class.Seasoned instructor and LAPDveteran, Bill Casey, assisted Scotty withthis Problem Solver course. Bill ran allof the force-on-force drills, which againemphasized safety. Each participantunloaded their primary and backupfirearms, and removed their knives.Everyone went through a cursoryweapon search from fellow students priorto entering the force-on-force area. Onehot issue with Scotty is preventing injuriesContinued on page 3230 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

WHY TRY TO FIT YOUR HAND TO A PISTOLWHEN YOU CAN FIT A PISTOL TO YOUR HAND?INTRODUCING THE NEW,HIGHLY VERSATILE,BERETTA Px4 STORM.3 INTERCHANGEABLE BACK STRAPSARE INCLUDED.2 REVERSIBLE MAGAZINE RELEASE BUTTONSARE OPTIONAL.No two people are exactly alike. And neither aretheir hands. Which is what makes the Beretta Px4Storm so unique. It’s the only pistol you can configureto precisely fit both your shooting style and yourhand size. Plus, the Px4 Storm is incredibly accurate,durable and can accommodate an extensive line ofaccessories. To see why Beretta is the choice of policedepartments and serious pistol shooters, contactyour Beretta distributor to check out the Px4 Storm.INDIVIDUALIZED PERFORMANCEFOR A FREE GUN LOCK (S&H FEE APPLIES) OR INFORMATION ON BERETTAFIREARMS, APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES, OR TO LOCATE A DEALER NEAR YOU,VISIT WWW.BERETTAUSA.COM 1-800 BERETTAWWW.BERETTA.COMVolume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 31

in training. Scotty shared several storiesof incidents where students or instructorshave shot, and killed or seriously injuredother students in training exercises. Themain issue regarding these firearm relatedaccidents is that they are preventable!By simply implementing the appropriatesafety protocols, and following them tothe letter—and not getting complacent orcareless—safety truly does become anintegral part of your training and tactics.Force-on-force training is somethingeveryone needs to experience first-hand.You can’t get it out of a book or fromwatching a DVD. It’s a very enlighteningand humbling experience, especially ifyou have spent the majority of your timeon a square range, shooting at stationarytargets. It really drives home the lessonsthat smooth is fast; you must gain quickaccess to your firearm while moving; usecover efficiently if available.The distance = time theories put forthby Dennis Tueller, and the Tueller Drill (21foot rule) are better understood whenyou have actually experienced them firsthand. This training also reminds us thatno matter how fast your draw is, due tothe surprise and proximity of the threat,you just may not have time to accessour weapon. Your initial reactive responsemay be a physical defensive action, suchas redirecting a knife or gun attack, priorto creating distance and accessing yourown firearm.I.T.T.S. “Problem Solver”Day One:We started out with some basiccold drills. One drill I really like is the“Metro Drill” that utilizes two shootersfacing down range. One is the initiator,the other is the defender. The initiatorstands with his arms straight out, whilethe defender has his arms relaxed by hisside. After counting to 10, the initiatorcan take any amount of time to start thedrill by drawing his firearm and firingone accurate head shot. The defendermust react to this peripheral movement,draw and fire two center-mass hits.Instead of reacting to an audible promptsuch as a whistle or buzzer, the defenderis learning to react to the visual queue ofhands moving toward a weapon.From the cold drills we moved to thelateral mover, then retention drills on thesquare range, and then to the retentionproblem solver evolution that really gotthe blood pumping. We switched up toforce-on-force drills that had us exiting avehicle and engaging an armed movingsubject. Then it was on to the chargingknife attack simulator, where two rapidlymoving targets advance toward theshooter at a high rate of speed. This drillwas later conducted with shooters exitinga vehicle, with the vehicle facing toward,away from, and alongside the movingtarget system. Students must react to theinitial movement of the target, safely exitthe vehicle and engage the targets. Thesedrills require a high degree of focus, andwere always conducted in a safe andefficient manner.Day Two:While working with the LAPD, ScottReitz experienced five Officer InvolvedShootings—four of those shootingsoccurred at night or low light, with theuse of flashlights. Night shooting is areality of combat, and remains a commonelement in most I.T.T.S. course offerings.The Problem Solver included the useof two “shootable” vehicles that givesthe students a real-world experience ofpersonal observation of the effects ofBY: WWW.JPFO.ORGGoody Gun Cutter - $9.95 each (postage paid)or $16.95 for two (postage paid)32 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Force-on-force included shooting movingsuspects while avoiding incoming roundsusing Airsoft guns.Students learn the dynamics ofshooting a laterally moving target.These drills were also performedat night, using night sights andvarious flashlight techniques.Scott Reitz, and the author,William Desy.bullets on vehicles. Shooting througha vehicle’s windshield, a car door, orother part of a vehicle that you oncethought would provide good cover isquite educational.After running through several squarerange drills, we began shooting at thevehicles. For this drill, students werepositioned inside a second vehicle, headdown, eyes closed. Multiple steel targetswere then placed in and around the targetvehicles. A loud impact on the rear of thevehicle, along with the command “GO,GO, GO” had students quickly exitingtheir vehicle and engaging multiple falldownsteel targets that first had to belocated and identified with flashlights.These drills were repeated with vehiclesfacing forward and away. Seeing my230 grain 45 ACP rounds punch bigholes through a car door, and still havethe energy to knock down a steel targetinspired me with added confidence inthis round.A sign of a very seasoned Instructoris the fact that Scotty takes time to explain“why” we do something a particularway. Instead of just stating this is the wayI was taught, or this is “my way”. Scottyexplains what has worked for him andother officers on the street, and why itworked. He then leaves you with severaloptions to pick from. For example, whenshooting at moving targets in low lightconditions, there are several flashlighttechniques to pick from. My preferencehas always been the Harries method.Uncle Scotty recommends trying severaldifferent techniques, and personallyvalidating which work best for you.Scotty has this training down to ascience, and unless he has a tiny littleoutline taped under the brim of his cap, Isee him running these drills based entirelyon memory, from years of experiencetraining LAPD Metro Division and SWATOfficers. I highly recommend trainingwith “Uncle Scotty” and InternationalTactical Training Seminars. Their coursesare an excellent value compared to thenational “name brand” schools, usuallytwo or three-day weekends, and theyare conveniently located in SouthernCalifornia. This combined with Scotty’svery professional and positive demeanor,a strong emphasis on safety and basicshooting fundamentals, and movingtargets that are difficult to duplicate, theonly thing you will leave wanting, is moretraining from I.T.T.S. You can get moreinformation about International TacticalTraining Seminars and their completecourse schedule at:www.internationaltactical.com.Author:William Desy, CFE, CFS, is a StateLicensed Private Investigator and CertifiedFirearms Instructor under the Bureau ofSecurity and Investigative Services. Heis a Certified Firearms Instructor by theCalifornia Department of Justice, The UtahDepartment of Public Safety, and the SanDiego County Sheriff’s Department. Mr.Desy has been an NRA Certified Instructorsince 1992. He is the Owner and LeadInstructor for CCW USA FirearmsTraining, located in Southern Californiawww.CCWUSA.com, offering FirearmsTraining for California, Utah, and FloridaConcealed Carry Permits.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 33

Column By: George Harris - Director of SIGARMS Academycenter body forconcealed carrySponsored By:www.sigarmsacademy.com603-679-2003here are a lot of perspectivesregarding the concepts of carrylocation when in reference toconcealed carry. I will touch onseveral points of view in the next fewparagraphs and perhaps answer somequestions for the reader and certainlystimulate some thought as to what mightbe the ideal concealed carry location.Accessibility and security, oftenreferred to as weapon retention,are two primary concerns whencarrying concealed other than actualconcealment itself. Accessibility is theability to produce the gun with speed,minimal effort, and or surreptitiously ifthe situation dictates. Recovery back tothe original or alternate location is alsoan important consideration. Securitysimply means maintaining possessionand control of your concealed carrypiece at all times during confrontation,physical activity, or just livingeveryday life.Consideration should be givento the carry location, type of holsterused, clothing, and anticipated activitywhile carrying concealed, with bothaccessibility and security in mind. It ispossible to secure the weapon so wellthat accessibility would be allowed inonly a limited number of circumstances.That being said, having a gun, but notbeing able to get to it when we needit is worse than not having one at all.There is a fine line between having yourgun accessible and ensuring security.However, with a little thought andapplication a viable compromise canbe found.Carrying concealed itself providesan element of security that open carrydoes not. If our concealment is effective,the surrounding population has noidea that a gun is present. In the caseof physical confrontation, the elementof surprise in producing a weaponof defense out of nowhere gives us adistinct advantage. The carry locationon our person should be given someconsideration in optimizing our controlof the weapon while carrying in a nontypicallocation. The physical activityof running across a busy street whiletrying to avoid becoming another trafficstatistic can blow your concealment ina heartbeat. If you are seen runningholding on to something under yourclothes, do you think that observersof your actions might be alerted to thepossibility that there is something heavythat you are holding on to that you don’twant anybody to see? Even worse, if thegun gets to the other side of the streetbefore you do, there is no speculationleft as to what you were carrying.Simple movements such as reaching foran item on the top shelf at the grocerystore often rearrange our clothing sothat concealment and weapon securityis compromised.Through significant study of theequipment and objectives of carryingconcealed, a strong case can be madefor a carry location at the beltline on theanterior side of the body. Some refer tothis location as center body, appendix,or pelvic carry. In general, they aresimilar enough to be called the same:Center Body.Think for a moment where your handshave the most power and dexterity. Mostpeople will volunteer that the area inthe front of the torso from point of hip topoint of hip is where they can generatethe most effort with the economy ofmotion–speed–desired along with themotor skills necessary to manipulatethe weapon and fire accurate shots.Ask the armed professional who carriesconcealed all day, every day, bothseated and standing, male or female,where they prefer to carry their dutygun. If they are progressive thinkers andoperators the answer will be inside-thewaistband,between the center line of thebody and the point of the hip where thethigh and the torso come together. Spareammunition can be carried on the otherside of the body’s centerline, in front ofthe hip, or in an easily accessible pocketby itself.Variations of the inside-thewaistbandholster include the aprontype holster which is worn over theunderwear but under the outer garment,positioning the gun just at or under thebelt line for optimum access and security.The age old bellyband holster is wornin a similar manner, over the underwearand under the outer garment, but islocated above the beltline for optimumaccess and security. Depending on thesoma-type category you fit in, thick, thin,or in-between, one of the options listedabove will fit your needs.Of course, there are numerous carrylocations and methods of carry that areregularly used successfully in specificcircumstances. However, regardless ofan individual’s size, gender, mode ofdress, activity, or area of responsibility,for general everyday use the CenterBody carry location meets the objectivesof concealed carry better than allthe others.About theAuthor:George Harris has spentover 30 years in the fieldof Adult Education withmore than 17 years atthe SIGARMS Academy.George completed hisundergraduate studies atthe University of Virginiaand earned his degreein Communications fromthe DeVry Institute of Technology. He has focusedhis efforts in the arenas of small arms, small armstraining and combat skill development. Georgehas evolved from an Infantry Soldier, Small ArmsRepair Technician, and Drill Instructor to becomethe Coach and Firing Member of the Internationallyrecognized United States Army Reserve CombatMarksmanship Team. As a competitive shooter,George has the coveted distinction of beingDistinguished with both the Service Pistol and theService Rifle.Rated as a Class “C” Coach by the NationalRifle Association, George has a long list ofInstructor certifications from Federal and StateAgencies as well as private training organizations.He holds Armorer Certifications from the majorfirearms manufacturers currently producing smallarms for law enforcement and the military.George is active in a number of professionalorganizations which include among others,International Association of Law EnforcementFirearms Instructors, American Society for Trainingand Development and American Society forIndustrial Security.As Director of the SIGARMS Academy,George is committed to the safe and successfuluse of firearms by armed professionals andresponsible citizens alike through using the SIGPrinciple of Training: Simple Is Good!34 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

COLUMN BY: BRUCE N. EIMER, PH.D.MANAGING UNCERTAINTY:FIVE SIMPLE SOLUTIONSIf you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans.— Old Yiddish folk sayingho knows what the world willbe like five years from now, letalone in twenty years? The only thingwe know for sure is that change anduncertainty will continue, and that thosewho know how to adjust to change anduncertainty will live more comfortablyand successfully. Unfortunately, the lifeskills you need for coping with changeand uncertainty are not taught in school.Uncertainty is an ever-present issue,as is the need to cope with it. This hasalways been so and probably alwayswill be so. For many people, it is often thecumulative stress of the small hassles ofdaily life that gets to them, or contributesto their eventual ill health by precipitatingstress-related disorders.Uncertainty is a condition in whichyou lack knowledge or confidence aboutwhat will happen to you in your daily lifeas it relates to your job, financial security,health, wellness, shelter, family, and safetyon a personal, family, and communitylevel. This brief article will address theissue of successfully dealing with the everpresent uncertainty about your personalsafety, security and survival. The wayyou deal with uncertainty has an impacton your overall health and well-being.The ability to cope successfully withuncertainty is necessary and essentialto leading a productive and happylife. Failure to cope with uncertaintyhas unhealthy effects on your mindand body.The key point to coping successfullywith uncertainty is to stay calm, keep acool head, and apply logical, rational,and effective ways to mastering the perilsof uncertainty (i.e., good tactics). Stayingcalm means controlling the intensity ofyour negative emotions: anxiety, fear,anger, grief, sadness, rage, helplessness,alienation, cynicism, and the feeling thatyou have no future. When these emotionsare not controlled, they impede yourability to think clearly and to process theinformation and facts around you in aneffective and organized fashion.Staying calm is a way of tamingyour emotional brain so that yourexecutive, logical brain can rationallyassess the facts in the present and planyour actions to be the most effective foryour day-to-day living. The payoff forstaying calm in the face of uncertainty isthat you are able to see your options andchoices more clearly and thus make theright choices. Staying calm enables youto ignore matters that could intrude andhinder you from achieving your goals.Here, we are referring to distractions thatcreate noise and more anxiety.The costs of not staying calm inthe face of generalized uncertaintyinvolve damaging your health, familylife, effectiveness on the job, and thepossibility of ending up feeling miserableand hopeless. When uncertainty in dailylife is not effectively managed, yourbody may become a dumping groundfor negative emotions, and you mayexperience a variety of bothersomephysical symptoms. This negative mentaland physical state is not conduciveto maintaining personal security andassuring survival.In addition, ineffective managementof ongoing generalized uncertaintycan lead to a chronic sense of feelingContinued on page 36Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 35

alienated from society. This can manifestin the form of cynicism, rejection of allmoral and religious principles, andthe feeling that life has no meaning,causing you to feel lost, dejected, andadrift, without purpose or direction.When you feel alienated like this, youbecome internally distracted and unableto stay abreast and aware of what isreally going on in the immediate worldaround you.Uncertainty is a fact of life. I believethat all uncertainty is fruitful, as long asit is accompanied by the wish tounderstand. On the other hand, uncertaintybecomes an unnecessary burdenwhen the fact of its reality is accompaniedby the wish to deny that it exists, avoidthe unknown, and by maladaptive effortsto manufacture evidence for certainty.Nowadays, there seems to be morereasons to be afraid than in previousdecades. The world is a more uncertainplace than ever. There has been a sharpincrease in the frequency of terrorist actsaround the world, including in the UnitedStates. People are living with the threat offurther terrorism, and the television andnews media provide a continual streamof information that heightens the focus onthese threats. Understandably, all of thishas led many people to feel frightened ofwhat the future may bring.During this first decade of the 21stCentury, many people, with goodreason, have become less trustingin general, given increased mediaexposure of new kinds of scams, and awide range of ways in which innocentpeople have been criminally victimized.Threats of violence, local, domestic andinternational, wars around the world,unstable and oppressive governments,and the use of terror also have contributedto instability. This has been reflected in amajor change in the stability of the worldeconomy. In addition, technology ischanging at a pace that can be describedconservatively as “warp speed.” All ofthis change, instability, and uncertaintyhave made people feel more vulnerable.Vulnerability stems from thefeeling that one has no control over theoutcomes of what happens in the world.Feeling vulnerable leads people to feelmore endangered and threatened. Itcan shatter our basic sense of trust andsecurity in the world, our belief thatthe world is a safe place to live in, andour expectations that we will be heretomorrow. Our vulnerability can becomea breeding ground for fears of all types,and erode our feelings of comfort andsecurity in carrying on our day-to-dayactivities. The lack of adequate supportand connectedness to other peoplecan also become a breeding groundfor alienation.Given all the instability anduncertainty in our world today, mypurpose in writing this brief article is toempower you by giving you five simpleand practical solutions for coping withdaily uncertainty. These solutions canhelp you to counter your feelings ofvulnerability, fear, and alienation, andaid you in mastering your fears of thefuture. For a more detailed exposition ofthese concepts, see our book, CopingWith Uncertainty: 10 Simple Solutions(B.N. Eimer and M.S. Torem, 2002).1. Accept uncertainty as part oflife:Let’s face it. When you leave thehouse in the morning, we don’t know forsure what is going to happen to us. Wecan get hit by a Mack truck, attackedby terrorists, accosted by criminals,come home to a burglarized house,and so on. So, it is necessary for us toaccept uncertainty as a fact of life. Wemust follow the Boy Scout motto andbe prepared for the worst and expectthe best.2. Learn to think tactically:Prepare yourself mentally for tacticalsituations. Use mental rehearsal to goover different scenarios in your mind andrehearse mastery of them. Learning tothink tactically means learning to thinkabout how you can apply various selfdefenseand personal security techniquesto accomplish survival tasks. These canbe as simple and as common place asentering and exiting your vehicle.3. Stay present and aware:This means avoiding distractions.Awareness refers to self-awareness aswell as other and environmentalawareness. You want to nurture adeveloping, ever present awarenessof how you appear and employ yourpersonality in different situations. Andyou want to develop a continual 360degree awareness and attention to theworld around you. You do not want to letpeople sneak up on you.4. Manage your negative moods:Our moods include negative feelingstates as well as positive feeling states.Managing negative moods is imperativefor maintaining your personal safety.When you are depressed, or angry, orafraid, you are often focused inward andnot paying attention to the world aroundyou. You then become a prime target forvictimization. Additionally, if you sufferfrom chronic feelings of fear, which canoften turn into depression and angerturned inward, this is not conducive tocarrying concealed. Your focus insteadis on how you feel rather than what youcan do. It has been said that chronicfeelers are losers. The solution is to acthealthfully no matter how you feel. Don’tdawdle. Make decisions even if they aresmall ones. Take action. Don’t languishin regret. Focus on what you haveto accomplish.5. Improve your tolerance forfrustration:Improve your tolerance for frustrationso you can weather any storm. Frustrationmeans not getting what you want orgetting what you don’t want. It refers toan obstruction that prevents you fromreaching your goals. It refers to beinghindered or restrained. Unfortunately,frustration is a fact of life. Ever since wehumans were thrown out of the Gardenof Eden, instant gratification has been arare event. So, to live a healthy life, youmust improve the coping skills that enableyou to deal with frustration.Frustration tolerance refers to theability to continue living a balanced,healthy life despite encounteringrepeated interferences. It refers to howrobust you are in the face of life’s stressorsand challenges. How well you handlefrustration forms the basis for how well36 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

you cope with uncertainty. When youbuild strong frustration tolerance skills,you empower yourself to cope moreeffectively in times of uncertainty.Chronically facing uncertainty withno resolute strategy or tactics for handlingit can lead to a state of chronic stress. Thisis because we have a basic biologicalneed to resolve uncertainty. This needto resolve uncertainty is what motivatesnew learning experiences. In fact, thereis an optimal level of uncertainty. Toomuch uncertainty may provoke excessiveanxiety and tension; too little uncertaintymay lead to boredom and indifference.So, one key to not becoming wornout by persistent uncertainty is tofind ways to moderate the degree ofuncertainty that you deal with in yourday-to-day living. A second key is tocontrol your anxiety about uncertainty.This entails learning how to acceptand tolerate uncomfortable feelings.Unbound continuing uncertainty extractsa toll on your body. It triggers the “stressresponse,” also called the “fight-flightresponse.” This set of physical and mentalreactions to uncertainty, to excessivedemands, and to perceived or realthreats is actually an adaptive response.It motivates you to reorient yourself in areflex-like way, so that you can bettercope with the stress of uncertainty.This set of basic responses wasnecessary for survival in prehistorictimes when humans lived in the wildwith regular exposure to danger andlife-threatening uncertainties. In fact,this fight-flight response continues to bebasic to survival. However, when it isexcessively or unnecessarily activated,your mind and body wear down. Whenthe fight-flight stress response continuesactivating various cascades of hormonaland biochemical changes in your body,even after the reasons for your stressare gone, then you don’t get any rest.Eventually you and your body becomeexhausted from the continual strain.Your body is like a brilliantly designedmachine. Without proper tune-ups atappropriate intervals, you are likely towear it out.Your brain and body work in harmonytogether because there is a feedbacksystem of chemical messenger moleculesand hormones called neurotransmitters.Chronic stress triggers this hormonalneurotransmittersystem to work onoverdrive, and eventually it gets worndown and you get worn down with it. Avariety of mental and physical disordersmay result.The neurotransmitter system is acommunication system. It exists so thatyour cells can communicate with eachother. It transmits electrical and chemicalmessages up and down your nervoussystem, to and from your brain, with therest of your body. It needs to be wellcared for and not to be on “red alert”all the time for your body and mind tofunction properly. Paranoia is not good.Chronic states of stress throw thissystem out of balance. When we areover-aroused and anxious most of thetime, this may result in certain conditionsassociated with running continually onoverdrive. This may eventually leadto a system slowdown, producingother conditions, such as burnout orparanoia which then may lead to clinicaldepression. Moreover, being habituallystressed-out often leads to painful,distressing symptoms such as, insomnia,general fatigue, loss of energy, loss ofenthusiasm, impaired concentration,being easily distracted, indecisiveness,lapses in judgment, slowed thinking,feeling drained, nervous, and irritable.Summary:Learn to manage uncertainty andstay safe and secure. Remember to packyour personal defense tools on andaround your person every day, and don’tforget to be as prepared as you can befor every conceivable emergency.References:Eimer, B.N., & Torem, M.S. (2002).Coping With Uncertainty: 10 SimpleSolutions. Oakland, Ca: New HarbingerPublications.Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D. is a licensedclinical and forensic psychologist, NRACertified Firearms Instructor, Florida andUtah Concealed Firearms Instructor, anda Professional Writer in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. As a co-owner of PersonalDefense Solutions, LLC, Bruce offers individualshooting instruction and teaches concealedcarry and handgun safety classes that preparepeople to apply for the Florida Non-ResidentConcealed Carry Permit which is honored by28 states. For more information, he can bereached by phone at 215-938-7283 and bye-mail at:Dr.Bruce@PersonalDefenseSolutions.netFor a schedule of upcoming classes,you can log on to the PDS website:www.PersonalDefenseSolutions.netBruce is also the co-author of the“Essential Guide to Handguns: FirearmInstruction for Personal Defense andProtection.”1-888-459-2358(MC or VISA orders)1-727-581-7001Chat Linesmartcarry@univox.comCarry in comfort, all day long, even in 90º + temperatures!SmartCarry ® requires no clothing or movement restrictions,has no downward facing seams, which eliminate snags, anda waterproof rear panel which makes them sweat proof!$47.95+$6.00 S&H 60 day trial period (7% tax FL orders)http://www.smartcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 37

2ND AMENDMENTBY: TIM THORSTENSONf you are a sincere gun owner, youprobably try to argue the gun issuewith your non-gun acquaintances to getthem to see the light. This IS your dutyand your rights and freedoms depend onit. And, by the way, you are already ablyassisted in this effort by both Constitutionaland factual experts who write onthe gun issue here and elsewhere. Theyequip you with impeccable statistics andclear-cut facts. So it is actually fairly easyto become well-prepared to executeyour duties.But with all this being said, do youever leave a conversation with a non-gunfriend feeling like you were talking to asandbag? Why is it that people fall forthe anti-gun propaganda? Worse, why isit that the endless mountains of evidencewe can heap before them do not seem tochange their minds, or change them onlytemporarily? Of course, some of thesepoor folks are professional idiots. Theybase WHAT to believe on their emotionsand WHO to believe on who they like.They latch on to gurus and blindly followthem. If their favorite guru tells them thatthey can cure depression by crappingin their hands and smearing it on theirheads, they may very well do it. However,there are also a lot of far more sensiblepeople who ALSO buy the anti-gunners’bill of goods. You probably have friends,neighbors, colleagues and relatives whofit this description. Why do THESE peopletake their cues on guns from out-oftoucheggheads, air-headed Hollywoodtypes, old hippies, fear-mongers andprofessional activists who have a painfullyobvious vested interest? We all know thestandard explanations. People are beingdeceived. A complicit press seizes a fewbona fide tragedies and harps on themendlessly. A complicit media, seekingObjectively, the Taurus 38 Special is smaller than the Para Ordnance 14.45 LDA.Subjectively, an anti-gunner could say that nice people have no need for a gun as smallas the Taurus or one that holds as much ammo as the Para. Our problem? Far too manypeople can see no difference between the objective and subjective statements just madeabout these guns.to bolster the scant availability of realgun tragedies, writes fictional ones intomovies and TV programs. Several timesa week, people see concealed carrylicensees mowing down the innocent,terrorists buying machine guns at thegun show and cartoon coyotes mailorderingbazookas. When the gun issuecomes up at some later point, peopleforget that these things were all fictional.When you try to point out that federallaw already prohibits cartoon coyotesfrom mail-ordering bazookas, it seems afine point relative to all the dead soapopera characters.Now, these standard explanationsare all true. However, there is a differencebetween explaining a phenomenon andunderstanding the cause of it. In thecourse of teaching introductory collegechemistry, I noted a very common andvery fundamental error in the humanthought process which I later realizedmay help us understand (rather than justexplain) why people buy the anti-gunarguments. Before we get into it, let meacknowledge that this sort of thing maysound like an “academic curiosity” of thetype that eggheads just love to wastetheir time talking about. But the fact ofthe matter is that a better understandingof how people get deceived by anti-gunpropaganda may make us better able toeffectively argue the issue. Understandingthis PROBLEM sets the stage for manypractical SOLUTIONS that we canultimately apply to the matter of practicalgun rights debate with our friends.To see what I am talking about, I mustask you to forget about the gun issue forjust a couple minutes. Let’s take a quicklook at the human thought process itself.Some beliefs are objective and othersare subjective. This distinction appliesto almost ANYTHING that people thinkabout. Objective beliefs can be proveneither true or false (gasoline burns = true;water burns = false). Subjective beliefs arematters of simple opinion and words liketrue and false really do not even apply (Ilike Italian food, you like Chinese; neitheropinion is “correct” or “incorrect”). Well,we all know THAT. But what may not beso clear is the surprising amount of troublepeople sometimes have in correctlydistinguishing between objective beliefsand subjective ones. Actually, mostpeople, even the professional idiots,do pretty well with this in the practical38 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

More of the same. It is objectively true that ball ammo penetrates without deformationwhile hollowpoints expand (usually, anyway). Depending on the needs of the moment, theanti-gunners can find something bad to say about either. Thanks to people’s confusion,they need not worry about crossing the line between objective fact and subjective opinionwhen they spout sound bites. Handy, isn’t it?matters of everyday life. They understandthat favorite musicians are subjectiveand checkbook balances are objective.But when things get controversial, oreven simply abstract, people can losethe sensibility they otherwise possess. Ifyou are not convinced of this, observethe world around you for a while. Listento your friends and neighbors. Listento conversations in the restaurants andcoffee shops. Watch the “reality” showsand watch the “guru” shows like Oprah,Larry King, The View and Dr. Phil. Seehow people think and talk when it comesto the “issues”—and you need not confineyour experiment to the “gun issue”.If this assignment causes nausea, youhave my permission to ignore the specifictopics as best you can and simply look forfailures and/or errors that people make indistinguishing between the objective andthe subjective. Once you start looking forthis, you may be surprised by how muchof it you see. Or maybe it won’t surpriseyou a bit. Either way, this is an extremelyserious problem. When these distinctionsare NOT made correctly, beliefs basedpurely on subjective opinion can beaccepted as objective fact. In the sameway, clear objective facts can get writtenoff as nothing more than subjectiveopinion. And I would argue that it isexactly this mental error that causesotherwise sensible people to buy into theanti-gun propaganda. Let’s consider thisfor a minute.The gun-haters, of course, do not likeguns and they do not like gun people.Unfortunately for them, their beliefs arenot supported by objective facts. Forinstance, the problems they promise tosolve by banning guns are generally notfixed and are, in fact, usually made worse.In other words, most anti-gun beliefs donot meet the burden of proof demandedfor factual beliefs. Now here’s the thing:a belief that is not supported by the factsis really nothing more than a subjectiveopinion. This immediately creates aproblem for the gun-haters. Why?Because sensible people generallyunderstand that it is wrong to forceeveryone into agreement about subjectiveopinions. Most folks would have afundamental objection to legislationdecreeing that blue is a prettier colorthan red or that lasagna is tastier thanpepperoni pizza. Even the total fruitcakesunderstand that they cannot ram theirsubjective opinions down other people’sthroats, at least not with the force of law.So, what’s a total fruitcake to do? Hereis the trick: if they can convince peoplethat their belief is a matter of objectivefact rather than one of mere subjectiveopinion, they can get people to buy intoit. Now, if this sounds illogical to you,the reason that it does is because IT ISILLOGICAL! Yet, it happens all the timeand it is very effective.If you think about it, this is exactlywhat happens with the gun debate.Millions of people—including sensibleones—DO take their cues on guns fromout-of-touch eggheads, air-headed Hollywoodtypes, old hippies, fear-mongersand professional activists who have apainfully obvious vested interest. Why?Of course, you can understand the“professional idiots” doing such things,but the fact of the matter is that thosein the “generally sensible but confusedabout guns” category also fall for theContinued on page 40Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 39

There is no legitimate use for electricaltape THAT wide! If you think about it, someof the very successful anti-gun sound bitesare just as silly. The thing to recognize isthat even sensible people can lose theirobjective/subjective barometer (and theireye for the simply stupid) when the topicat hand is controversial, unfamiliar orabstract. For our non-gun friends, gunsoften fall in all three categories.same stuff. Folks in the latter categorydo not follow gurus blindly, they do notgive out their bank account informationin response to e-mails from Nigeria andthey do not buy miracle creams designedto swell their unmentionable body partsto enormous size. They are not idiots.But many of them DO buy the anti-gunpropaganda nonetheless. Apparentlythey have been convinced that theseanti-gun beliefs are something more thanmere subjective opinions.To fully appreciate the scope ofthis technique, we also have to look atthe other side of the coin. Legitimateexaminations of the evidence, such asProfessor John Lott’s book: More Guns,Less Crime, are based on the honestanalysis of objective fact. Yet, you will findthe anti-gunners writing off this objectivefactuality as nothing but the subjectiveopinion of a gun-nut. In other words, atthe same time these people are pushingtheir own subjective opinions as objectivefact, they are painting objective fact assubjective opinion! This is not hard to do;they simply couple emotionalism with areliance on the fact that semi-interestedpeople will not actually READ scholarlyand factual analysis. So much for howpeople get fooled, but what do we do toaddress it?What I am about to say may at firstsound blasphemous, so please reservethe tar and feathers until you have heardme out. With certain non-gunners, it maybe appropriate to forget (at first) thespecific facts and (God help me) eventhe Constitution itself and explore insteadthe basic concept of objective andsubjective beliefs. Here is the essentialthing to realize: You and I understandthat “what Oprah says” means somethingfundamentally different than “what thefacts show”, whether the topic at handis guns or not. Facts are facts, opinionsare opinions, and gun people are usuallyquite good at telling the difference. Butthe thing we need to recognize is that,for reasons I explore in more detail in anarticle in American Handgunner (May/June 2007), gun people are generallymore astute at sorting out these distinctionsbetween objective and subjective beliefsthan are a lot of people. This can cause usto make a fundamental error; we assumethat other people possess the sameclarity of distinction as we do. Unlesswe recognize that they may not, andwe first address the errors in distinctionthat may be present in the minds of ouraudience, anything else we say may bemeaningless—or at least carry far lessweight than it should.If our best factual and Constitutionalarguments do not get recognized by ournon-gunning friends as objective, theywill not carry the weight they deserve—no matter how well they are delivered.Further, they can all be blown out of thewater by a single “Oprah says” if THATis not properly understood by the nongunneras a subjective opinion.We gun people naturally makecertain assumptions—not necessarilyabout guns but about reasoned thoughtITSELF—that are as obvious to us as thecrap in some people’s hair. But thesethings may not be obvious to our nongunningfriends. Unless we are awareof this and make efforts to explicitlyclarify the thought process behind ourarguments, our discussions may be farless productive than otherwise possible.The principle of “know thy enemy” isas old as the Ancient Chinese militaryphilosophers. However, the idea ofunderstanding our potential friendsis one that could perhaps use a littlemore attention.This brings us to a final point. Iurgently ask that you understand thisarticle is an exploration of a PROBLEM.In that regard, it can seem to berather depressing stuff. However, anunderstanding of this PROBLEM can letus explore SOLUTIONS. Let me put itlike this: Given the fact that people’svulnerability to anti-gun propagandaseems to stem from thought and perceptionproblems, can an understanding of theseproblems make us more effective indefending our rights? I would argue thatit can. And in closing, I would like to leaveyou with a few SOLUTIONS that we willexamine in some subsequent articles:1. We gun people get beaten upall the time over our appearance. Butunderstanding the perceptions of ourundecided audience can allow us tojustify our appearance and establish thatour beliefs are the well-reasoned ideasof honest and intelligent folks. Before weargue “what we believe” with our friends,let us examine “how we think.”2. With some of our friends,arguing the facts can be a hopelesseffort because the anti-gunners can trotout their own laundry list of “facts” andmost folks will not conduct the researchneeded to find out what is true and whatis not. But what if we could show thesepeople the fundamental errors in theanti-gun reasoning process? THAT sort ofthing is pretty hard for the anti’s to refutebecause all the needed truth-checkingresources already exist in the brains ofour friends.3. You already know intuitivelythat some people are simply undecidednon-gunners while others are hardcoreanti-gunners. But what if we had sometools for spotting the difference betweenthose who are “sensible but confused”and those who are probably beyond allrational argument? This could certainlymake us much more efficient advocatesof our rights.There is more to the story, butthat is enough of a hint for now. Wealready know that we pro-gun folks havecorrect factual beliefs that are firmly onthe side of the truth. But to carry ourmessage effectively to others, we needto understand why the facts and thetruth do not pack as much wallop asthey should with the undecided. Havingnow diagnosed the root problem, we arepositioned to move on to an examinationof solutions.Tim Thorstenson is a chemist, NRAmember, part-time writer and lifelong gunenthusiast who lives and shoots in Bismarck,North Dakota. His experience includesteaching college chemistry. It was in theclassroom that he realized how basic errorsin the thought process itself can lead to theacceptance of anti-gun propaganda byotherwise sensible people. His goal in writingthese articles is to share his observations withothers so that we can more effectively defendour fundamental rights and freedoms.Tim welcomes comments and feedbackand you can reach him at:timthorstenson@gmail.comPlease look for follow-up articles offering“SOLUTIONS” on the U.S. Concealed Carrywebsite in the near future.40 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

spoke with a man today whowanted to attend classes, but saidhe was too old (55!) and out of shapeto do anything but “target shoot”, anddidn’t think he could take being “bangedaround”. I asked him what he wasexpecting out of training and he replied,“to be a better shot.” He also admittedto already being a very good shot tobegin with. There is a myth prevalentin the shooting community that all thephysicality one needs to win a fight is theability to pull a trigger. This notion waspromulgated by certain gun gurus whoscoffed at, what they called, “the cult ofthe body”, as they sat on the couch andsipped their sixth scotch of the day. Listenfolks, if all you want to be is a “shooter”you probably don’t need any training atall. Just buy a little bit of ammo and go outand burn it until your accuracy makes youfeel warm and fuzzy all over. Or betteryet, go to an Olympic shooting coachand have him tune you up to put themall on top of each other at 25 yards. Butdon’t for one minute think that skill alonewill help you at all in a real street fight.If you are interested in winning anactual fight, then read on. Everythingwe teach is for fighting, and onlycoincidentally has to do with shooting. Ithink in many shooters there is a “lazinessfactor”, and an “ego-gratification factor”.It’s easier to go to the range and firecontrolled pairs between puffs of thecigarette and bites of the doughnuts. But Iask: How will that “shooter” do against a25-year-old that grabs him by the collarand throws him against a brick wall? Howwill his “ticker” handle the alarm reactionwhen and if, he is able to get his pistolout, and he has to shoot for blood?One of the preeminent concepts inour combative technique is the completearsenal. This means that the individualshould have developed his physicalabilities as far as his age and medicalcondition will allow. Now that doesn’tmean that you can say, “I am 45, andnow I don’t have to do anything anymorebecause I am old.” To the contrary, itmeans that as much as your true physicalcondition will allow, you need to keepup with your physicality now morethan ever.Quick movements, not only for getting off the line of fire, but also for the draw are easier if one is ingood physical condition. And although few consider this, injuries–such as gun shot wounds, are moresurvivable for those who are in good condition.Let me put something on the tablefor your consideration: if you are too outof breath to fight, or too weak to fight,or whatever, you will not do yourself,or anyone else any good—least of allthose for whom you are responsible.And before anyone starts reachingback for their canned “can’t” excuses, Iwill bring out two gents as examples ofguys who would be more justified thananyone in saying “I can’t”, who had itworse than many reading this, and yetmanaged the fight.One was a man nicknamed“Geezer” (a regular at my online forumwww.warriortalk.com until he went to theLord earlier this year). This guy had badlegs, walked with a cane, and to top itall off, had a pacemaker of all things!Hardly the young, power lifting stalwart,yet he attended AMOK knife trainingand multiple force-on-force classes.And he did very well, I might add. Hecould not get off the X too well to savehis life. Yet, he didn’t fall back on the“target shooter” mentality. He realizedthat he needed to improvise with whathe still had left. He devised and refineda way to use his cane as a distraction.He would launch the cane at the target,and a blink of an eye later, the sametarget would be peppered with bullets.He caused me a little concern one daywhen he launched his cane at a younglad working as his aggressor at a forceon-forceclass and nearly flattened him.He never complained about being old,frail, or weak, and would have takenoffense at anyone even suggesting sucha thing.Another was a young man inMemphis, TN. We will call him Caleb.Caleb is challenged by having only onehand that works, the other one and hislegs are totally inoperative. He lives ina motorized wheelchair. He came to aforce-on-force class (YES, A FORCE-ON-FORCE CLASS!). I will admit to beingdaunted by him when I saw him, but Isimply asked him what he could do. Headvised me and showed me that he hada really fast draw, and that he couldmaneuver the motorized chair fasterContinued on page 42Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 41

The ability to move quickly can spell the difference between living and dying in afight. This shooter sprints to cover and can fight well when he arrives. Would you beable to do that, or would you be sucking wind and unable to fire when you arrivedat cover?than most men could walk or maneuver.Thus, we worked out a plan. In his firstforce-on-force evolution, he managed tomove off the line of attack in his motorizedchair as the knife man was chargingat him to the cheers of all the watchingstudents. The cherry on top was when theknife man lost his footing and fell downonly to receive a volley from the wouldbevictim’s Airsoft pistol. The softest andleast physical among you is probably inbetter physical shape than Caleb is, yethe came to class and tested himself! Soas far as I am concerned, excuses are justa substitute for laziness.There is a third gent. This man is agood friend of mine, but he rarely trains.He is 7 years younger than me andweighs close to 300 pounds. He is agood man, a family man, and just had histhird child and his first heart attack. Hecan shoot a one-hole group with any ofhis handguns in slow fire, but just walkingforward to tape targets winds him like aset of wind sprints. He is certainly not inthe physical situation the previous guyswere in. There is no medical reason forhim to be as he is. Heck, with his size, hecould be an NFL animal that hardenedconvicts would cross the street to avoid!What made him how he is? Laziness,self-indulgence, complacency and lackof discipline. Can he protect anyone?Unless he is able to ambush an attackerwithout having to physically exert himself,the answer is no—no matter how good ashot he is. And even if he were to prevailin the fight, will his body even be able tohandle the adrenal dump of a life anddeath fight?Does that describe you? Why wouldyou choose that for yourself? Set downthe TV remote, throw out the doughnutsand cigarettes, get your rear end out onthe street, and get to training—physicaltraining. Start off slow, BUT START OFF!I think the most important issues areas follows:1) Do something physical every day.2) Stay fresh on your exercises. Don’tpush beyond what is reasonable (thisidea is from one from Pavel Tsatsoulineof www.dragondoor.com)3) Variety rules. Run one day, lift weightsthe next, go for a hike the third day, swimon Day Four.4) Cut the smokes, sweets, and theexcess beer.5) Depending on your age and physicalconditioning, prioritize Anaerobic,Strength, and Aerobic training asneeded.6) Eat like a warrior and not like Jabbathe Hut.Remember, the adversary, yourenemy, who will administer your “finalexam” on the street, will not be some outof-shapestockbroker, or a pimple-facedpunk. He will be a capable criminalor terrorist, a warrior for evil, who istraining right now to kill you and yourwhole family.Cover is rarely comfortable. The ability, via flexibility, to accommodate to what you have is veryappreciated by these shooters.Will you be up to the fight?Gabriel Suarez is an internationallyrecognized trainer and lecturer in thefield of civilian personal defense. Hehas written over a dozen books andtaught courses in several countries.http://www.suarezinternational.comhttp://www.warriortalk.comSuarez International, Inc.303 E. Gurley St., Ste. 461- Prescott, AZ86301 USA - (Office) 928-776-449242 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

A WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVECOLUMN By: kathy jacksonFrom working with beginners, I cantell you that many of the hardest-to-fixshooting problems come from dealingwith equipment that Just Doesn’t Fit. Theshooter may be struggling with a leverthat can’t be reached, or a fat grip thatkeeps squirreling around in the hand, ora trigger finger that cannot be placedproperly on the trigger without awkwardcontortions, or pain from recoil going intothe thumb joint, or difficulty holding thegun securely enough to avoid unpleasantrecoil effects. Each of these problemsare very definitely related to gun fit,and each can cause flinch, wild shots,trigger yank, and genuine difficulty withsafe firearm manipulation. Because theseproblems are so critical and so prevalentamong new shooters, I’m of the opinionthat a beginner should never be taxedwith shooting a poorly-fitted gun if it is atall avoidable.As most experienced shootersrealize, it really isn’t that hard to shoota slightly over-size gun accurately on therange when there is no particular pressureto perform well. It isn’t even hard to shootsuch a gun accurately under the moderatestress of timed drills, provided time limitsare not too tight for the shooter’s basicabilities. But that changes as a shootermoves into performing advanced skills.Advanced skills include rapid drawsand accurate shots from concealment,rapid multiple shots on multiple targets,shooting moving targets, one-handedshooting, and shooting in low light.These are the kinds of skills which aremost likely to be needed on the street,and which are least likely to be practicedon the range by casual shooters. Gunfit can make a critical difference in thespeed and accuracy a shooter is able toachieve with these advanced skills.That’s why high-level competitionshooters become so obsessive aboutpersonalizing their guns to fit theirhands; it is because they know that whenthe time is tight and the stress levels arehigh, a properly-fitted gun can boostthem over the edge and allow them towin a match they might otherwise havelost. So what, I guess. Competition isn’tcombat. But here’s the deal: if you everneed to use the gun in real life, you’llhave to be able to do it as fast and asaccurately as possible under stress. Youmay be attacked in low light, or you andthe attacker might both be moving, oryou may need your non-gun hand to bedoing something else such as shoving achild down and to safety, or there mightbe more than one attacker who needs tobe neutralized in a big hurry. The needto perform these advanced skills quicklyunder stress is one way in which selfdefenseis like competition (there areother ways in which the two differ, ofcourse). A defensive handgunner maythus benefit from the same good gun fitthat the competition shooter demands.A certain percentage of shooters willnever become dedicated enthusiasts likemost of CCM’s readership are. Instead,they’re going to buy a gun, shoot(maybe) a hundred rounds, (maybe)take a CCW class, and then leave thegun in a nightstand drawer against theremote chance of a home invasion.For measuring purposes, placethe finger’s distal crease on thetrigger.For these folks, gun fit may become evenmore critical than it is for the dedicatedshooter. Practice, after all, might enablesomeone to overcome an unnatural gripangle or an awkwardly-sized gun. Butwithout regular practice, all that is left isthe natural fit of the gun in the hand, andinstinct. Instinct points the human handstraight, with the bones aligned. Instinctdoes not point the hand at an angle,nor with the wrist crooked, but a poorlyfittedgun almost invariably needs to becorrected by bending the wrist slightlyto bring the sights into alignment. Theseunpracticed shooters are really unlikelyto make such minor and fundamentallynon-instinctual corrections when facedwith a deadly threat.So that’s why I think gun fit can bea critical issue for many shooters. But ifyou already have a gun—even a poorlyfittingone—that you are happy with, andyou regularly practice with it, you areprobably better off than you would beif you had a gun which fit you perfectlybut with which you never practice. Onthe other hand, if you don’t practicemuch, and your gun doesn’t fit your handwell either, it may be time to consider ashopping trip.There are three basic componentsof firearms fit: grip angle, triggerreach, and access to the gun’s controls.To some extent, all three are a bitsubjective, but you can easily learn tocompare them once you’re armed with alittle information.DA/SA trigger reach should be measured in DA mode, since the gun willmost likely be in DA mode if needed for defense.Assessing Grip AngleSome folks prefer guns with ahigh bore axis, while others find a lowbore axis more comfortable. Similarly,the angle at which the handgun’s gripconnects to the operating parts of the gunContinued on page 44Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 43

This gun is small for the shooter’shand. The gun aligns with thebones of the arm, with extra slackin trigger finger.When shooting a gun which issmall for your hands, avoid usingtoo much trigger finger.When the gun is large for theshooter’s hand, recoil will go into(or beyond) the thumb’s basal jointand the gun will not align with thearm bones.can make a difference both in comfortand in shootability.The grip angle you find mostinstinctual and comfortable depends inpart upon the natural geometry of yourhand. To a lesser extent, the grip angleyou find most natural also depends uponyour personal experience. If you’vesent a gajillion rounds downrange fromone grip angle, a gun which uses adifferent grip angle might feel unnaturaland awkward to you. Since continuedexperience can definitely influence thepreferred angle, grip angle is perhaps theleast significant of the gun fitting factors.If the gun fits well in every other way, butthe grip angle feels awkward to you, itmight still be worth taking a gamble onthe purchase.The test for a good angle fit israther simple. Start with an unloadedgun, and make sure you have a safedirection that includes a small targetat which you can aim. Pick the gun upand acquire a solid, two-handed firinggrip. Quickly raise the gun to eye level,aligning the sights on target. Did thegun naturally line up with the target?Or did you find yourself making largeadjustments to the point of aim once thegun was at eye level?Now do the same thing again, butthis time with a one-handed firing grip.Was the result different when you heldthe gun with only one hand? Perform bothtests again; two-handed and then onehanded.Close your eyes as you bring thegun quickly up into a comfortable firingposition. Freeze in place and open youreyes. Is the gun pointed at or near thecenter of the target? Is it pointed high orlow? If the gun consistently points towardthe ceiling or the floor as you do this, agun with a different grip angle might suityou better.Measuring ReachThe distance from the handgun’sbackstrap to trigger is called the triggerreach. To assess whether the gun’strigger reach suits your hand, start withan unloaded gun, and make sure youhave a safe direction for the muzzle.Place the distal crease of your index fingeron the trigger, then—without moving yourfinger or pulling the trigger—carefullywrap the rest of your hand around thegun to obtain a firing grip. With thecrease of your finger on the trigger, ifthe gun’s backstrap is firmly centered inthe web of your hand, midway betweenyour thumb and forefinger, then the gunfits your hand perfectly. Notice how thisperfectly-sized gun aligns with the bonesin your forearm. Recoil will go directlyinto the cushioning web of your handand be transferred along the long bonesof the arm, allowing a strong and naturalgrip without much strain.If your hand has a lot of extra slack,with your trigger finger curving far outfrom the side of the gun (so that youwould be able to put a large portion ofyour trigger finger through the triggerguard), then the gun is small for yourhand. Note that the small gun still linesup with the forearm bones. Except inextreme cases, a small handgun is rarelytoo small for effective shooting, so don’tlet this deter you if the gun is otherwisesuitable for your purposes. Unless thegun is radically undersized, it’s generallynot difficult to adapt your shooting styleto match a small gun.If the gun’s backstrap cannot becentered in the web of your hand whilethe crease of your trigger finger is onthe trigger, then the gun is large for yourhand. In the photo above, notice thatthe large pistol does not line up withforearm bones, and the recoil will thusgo more into the thumb joint than into theabsorbent web. Provided you are able toreach all the controls, you can probablywork with a gun that is a little large foryour hands. You may be able to simplyslide your hand around the backstrap sothat the backstrap becomes slightly offcenterwhen your finger is firmly on thetrigger. Or you might consider installinga shortened trigger, which will reduce thedistance between trigger and backstrap.However, if the gun is very much toobig for your hand, recoil will be goingstraight into the joint at the base of yourthumb when your finger is properly on thetrigger. An exceptionally large gun mayeven place the center of the backstrapsomewhere outside the base joint, puttingsevere strain on your thumb as you fire.You will be able to shoot that way, butsuch a hold is not very secure, especiallyone-handed. Further, it will probably bepainful to fire a lot of rounds. Even if itdoesn’t hurt at the time, the strain anddirect recoil into the joint can causemedical problems down the road. Forthese reasons, shooting a significantlyoversized gun on a regular basis may notbe worth it in the long run.Incidentally, one possible cause oflimp-wristing may be firing a gun that islarge for one’s hands. Notice the directionthe recoil will go in the picture above,and compare that to the solid platformprovided by the long bones of the armwhen the gun is the ideal size for theshooter. An excellent fix for this is to fire aA perfect fit: the muzzle aligns with the long bones of the arm allowing astrong and natural grip.44 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

large gun from a solidly-locked isoscelesstance, rather than from Weaver.Checking Accessto ControlsThe final test of gun fit is whether youare able to reach and use all the gun’scontrols. It isn’t enough to simply be ableto (barely) touch the slide stop lever orthe safety. You must be able to move thelevers quickly and easily whenever youneed to.How essential is each control?How essential iseach control?Slide Stop/Slide Release: In order tolock the gun open, you must be able topush up on the slide stop while rackingthe slide. It’s okay if you have to moveyour hand around slightly in order to dothis, but make sure you can still punchthe gun forward hard enough to rack theslide. If you have to move your hand sofar around that it becomes impossible tomove the slide, that’s a deal killer.It’s nice to be able to lower the slideby pressing down on the slide releaselever. However, if you can’t, it’s not reallya big deal; you’ll just have to releasethe slide using the overhand or slingshotmethods instead, pulling the slide backslightly and letting it fly forward underspring tension.Decocker: Generally speaking, ordinarycitizens will have no particularneed to operate the decocking lever withthe gun hand. It’s okay if you need to useyour other hand for this.Safety: You absolutely must be able toflick the safety off with the thumb of yourgun hand. This one is non-negotiable. Itis okay if you need to use the other handto put the safety back on again.Magazine Release: It is best if youcan run the magazine release with yourgun hand. If you can’t, your reloads willbe slower and less smooth than theyotherwise would be.Kathy Jackson is a freelance writer wholives with her husband and their fivechildren in Washington state. An AssistantInstructor at the Firearms Academy ofSeattle, Kathy takes special pleasure inteaching other women how to shoot.Her personal website may be found at:www.corneredcat.comGuns for Small HandsFinding a gun that really fits your handscan be among the greatest challengesfacing small-handed shooters. Withthat in mind, here are a few handgunsthat I believe are particularly wellsuited for those with smaller hands. Itis by no means a definitive list, but maygive you a place to start your search.(Please note, these are not all smallguns; they are simply guns which mayfit smaller hands, or which may beadapted to fit smaller hands.)Glock–subcompacts and compactsH&K P2000SKKahr–most modelsRuger GP-100 withappropriate compact gripsSpringfield EMP 9mmSpringfield XD subcompactsS&W M&PS&W J-FramesTaurus Model 851911 officer-sized modelwith slim grips and short triggerContinued on page 46Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 45

TACTICS AND TRAININGBy: JERROD S. SMELKERhe phrase safe room has beenaround for a long time and itseems that everyone has theirown definition of what a safe room isor should be. I don’t believe there is anyone right answer and that a safe room iscustom to each household. For those whoalready have and utilize a safe room intheir house, kudos on your planning andI hope you never have to use it. For thosewho do not have a safe room or don’tknow much about the subject, perhapsthis article will help you out.In any home security plan, thesafe room is probably one of the majorpriorities. The safe room is basically asecured room located somewhere withinthe house, where you and your familycan go in the event of a home invasion,safety and security emergency, andsometimes a weather related emergency.This can become your stronghold or thefortress of the castle.A safe room can be as simple or ascomplex as you want it to be. A simplesafe room could consist of a bedroomwith the items discussed below. You canuse the bed or dresser as a concealmentitem and the window as means ofescape. A more complex safe roomcould consist of a specially designed andMy safe room tools consist of a Smithand Wesson SWAT folder, MACE PepperSpray Pepper Guard—Michigan formula2%, SureFire Centurion Flashlight, aBeretta 90 .40 cal., a cell phone andhouse and car keys.built room in the basement or first floorthat incorporates a strong solid metaldoor and frame, multiple locks, hiddendoors and escape hatches and multipledefense items. Whatever you choose tobecome your safe room, be sure that itis a safe and highly secured place withgood locks and the ability to defendor escape.A safe room should always be a partof a family plan. The plan should includewhen to go to the safe room, for what,and, what to do while you’re in the saferoom. Be sure your family knows howto secure the room and how to operateall of the equipment. It is a good ideato include your children in these plans,but be aware of ages, maturity andmentality when it comes to using thedefensive weapons or tools. Babysittersor nannies should only be in the loop ofthe family plan or safe room if they are atrusted person or another family member.Sharing some information can be usefuland wise, but share only that informationthat is needed at the time. Be sure tochange any plans, keys, codes, etc. ifyou have any problems with babysittersor family members.Below are recommended itemsto keep in a safe room and why. Notall safe rooms will contain all of theitems discussed, it depends on yourspecific room and what type of securityyou desire.Cell Phone - A cell phone (withcharger or extra battery) provides thecommunication you need to get emergencyservices and responding policeto your location and advise them of thesituation, directions, etc. A cell phoneallows you to make calls even if homephone lines are tampered with or cut. Italso prevents intruders from listening inon details from another home phone. Acell phone also lets you keep in constantcommunication with emergency serviceswhile escaping from your home or movingabout your home or safe room.Defense Weapon - Defensiveweapons or tools can consist of manydifferent type of items such as a firearm,pepper spray, baton, etc. Whateverdefensive tool you choose (you can havemultiple defensive tools) to be in your saferoom, be sure you and your family areaware of the items and are all properlytrained on how and when to use them. Ifyou use a firearm, be sure to keep extraammunition within your safe room. Knowthe legal aspects, responsibilities anddetails for each defensive tool and theuse of those tools. Consult an attorneyspecialized in the field.House Keys - Keeping a set ofhouse keys, including any garage orentrance keys, in your safe room willallow you to toss them out to respondingpolice to give them quick access to thehouse to conduct a search for an intruderor assist in an emergency. Extra keysshould be made and checked with thelocks to insure proper working order. Keysshould be secured to a key chain or ringof a large item, flashlight or preferably asnap glow stick. Be sure to tell the policeon the phone that you have keys and willtoss them out when they arrive. Do nottoss them out before the police arrive. Anintruder or accomplice could be outsideand gain access. Do not include keys toyour safe room on the key ring.Note that vehicle keys can be keptin a safe room as well, to provide anescape once you get outside your saferoom and house.House Plans - House plans (notblueprints) kept in the safe room that showa brief sketch of the interior and exteriorof your home can assist respondingpolice to where your safe room is, alongwith each room, wall, hallway, etc. thatan intruder could be hiding. Your planscan be tossed out your safe room windowalong with your house keys to assistpolice in getting in and clearing yourhome safely and quickly. Include howmany people, including children, live inthe house, and brief descriptions of yourfamily. This may help police identify youfrom an intruder.Flashlight - A flashlight, preferablyone that is rechargeable, is very useful inproviding light if the power goes out or iscut by an intruder. It can help illuminateany room or help to blind an intrudertemporarily. A flashlight can also be usedas a defensive tool much like a batonand can be used to signal respondingemergency services.Door Scope - Installing a doorscope (or peep hole, but door scope is46 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

preferred) on your safe room door orbedroom door allows you to see outsideyour safe room into a hallway or room tosee if anyone is near your safe room, andwhat he or she may be doing.Alarm Control Box - If your houseis equipped with an alarm, dependingon your system, having a control box inyour safe room can be used to call forassistance. If an intruder came into yourhouse without setting off the alarm, youcan manually set it off by the controlpanel, which will contact the policeto respond.Light Control Box - A controlbox that can turn lights on and off insideand outside your home can prove to beuseful in deterring intruders. If someoneis in the house, perhaps turning on thelights will be enough to scare the intruderout and can also provide lighting forresponding police.CCTV Monitors - If your house isequipped with closed circuit televisioncameras, the monitors in your safe roomwill allow you to see your house, perhapsinside and out. This will keep you inconstant view of where an intruder is,thus assisting police in determining his/her location and what they are doing.Other items that can be kept in asafe room that may not necessarily applyto an intruder or home break in, but couldbe useful are:Food/Water - When referring tofood and water kept in a safe room, itdoesn’t imply that you should keep tonsof these items stored like a warehouseor bomb shelter. It simply means thatsome snack type food such as beef jerky,candy bars, trail mix, and a few bottlesof water may be a good idea in caseyou are holed up in your safe room forany length of time. It also may help keepchildren calm.Radio/TV – This would apply moreto tornado type emergencies, but havinga TV or radio in the safe room can beuseful in keeping children calm andentertained, distracting them from theunfortunate events. Be sure to keep thevolume low or include headphones. Thisitem is not what you would call a priority,but you never know.Be sure to check all of your itemsand equipment regularly, keep themmaintained and working properly at alltimes. Your life could depend on them.For those who live in apartmentsor condominiums, most of the aboveinformation still can apply to you as well.For a safe room, a bedroom can beused and temporary locks or door jamscan be used if you are not allowed tobuild special rooms, doors, etc. Usedoor jams, small mobile door alarms,and even under the door peep sightsor cameras.A safe room can be just one roomin the house, but it is a good idea thatevery room in your home be viewed asa possible safe room in case you or afamily member cannot get to the mainsafe room in time. If you have a smallamount of the above mentioned itemsin each room, you will cover your basesand be better prepared for anything thatcomes your way.Jerrod S. Smelker is the owner and seniorinstructor for Edge Advantage Consultantsa business which conducts courses andseminars in crime prevention, safety andsecurity, personal defense and firearmstraining for law abiding citizens:www.edgeadvantageconsultants.comMr. Smelker has an extensive backgroundand experience in the fields of security,law enforcement, corrections and crimeprevention. He is a certified defensive tacticsinstructor and NRA firearms instructor andthe instructor for the Online Police Academy’sOfficer Safety course for law enforcementagencies.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 47

TACTICS & TRAININGBy: JACK RUMBAUGH - SUAREZ INTERNATIONAL STAFF INSTRUCTORPhotography by Author and Ashley Weakley10 years or so. I did what I could do anddidn’t really push it. Dino introduced meto kettlebells this summer. And I am veryglad he did.Happy New Year and Welcome to 2008!Tools of the trade: Kettlebells (l) and dumbbells (r). Both weigh thesame: 35 lbs.I’m going to do something a littledifferent for the New Year. We aregoing to talk a bit about those dreadedNew Years’ resolutions. I know whatyou are thinking, what does this have todo with force-on-force? The answer is:everything!If you review all my past articles,you’ll see a couple of common threads.One is that you have to move to survive.The second is that there is a very goodchance that the confrontation willgo hands-on at some point. We, asconcealed carry permit holders, shouldbe able to move efficiently and brisklyand have some “gas in the tank” if theconfrontation gets physical.This brings us to our New Year’sresolutions. Some of us are blessed withfast metabolisms and no body fat. Someare natural athletes and able to movegracefully and quickly. Those of you thatare in these groups, you can skip aheadto the Suarez International advertisementand book a class. The rest of us, myselfincluded, need to work at keeping fit,and practice performing the skillsnecessary for carrying a pistol.I’ll tell you a bit of my own storythat began on January 1, 2007. I hadattended a class with Tom Sotis inDecember of 2006 and I had a greatdeal of trouble moving and fighting formore than 10, or 20 seconds at a time. Ihopped on the scales and was shockedat what I saw. I was the heaviest I haveever been, with a weight of nearly 230lbs. I vowed to lose weight and get inshape. I started a diet and exerciseprogram as of the New Year, and by theend of January, I had dropped 15 lbs. ByMarch, I was down another 10 lbs andsoon I was hovering just below 200 lbs.I felt pretty good, and I was able to doa lot of the drills much easier. I thought Iwas doing well, until my association withDino Zervos and the Warrior’s Forge tookan unexpected turn. He convinced meto try things his way and see how I felt.That one workout changed my life.Let me expand on that a bit. I havealways worked out since high school.I had the 300 lb bench press and the500 lb squat. But due to some injuriesand some unfortunate genetics, I haven’tbeen able to train at that level for the lastWhat are kettlebellsyou might ask?From Wikipedia:The kettlebell or girya is atraditional Russian cast iron weightlooking somewhat like a cannonballwith a handle... Some modernkettlebells feature adjustable weights.Kettlebell workouts are intended toincrease strength, endurance, agilityand balance, challenging boththe muscular and cardiovascularsystem with dynamic, total-bodymovements.Let’s examine the last statement inthat paragraph. “Kettlebell workoutsare intended to increase strength,endurance, agility and balance,challenging both the muscular andcardiovascular system with dynamic,total-body movements.”In one simple device we get thebenefits of an entire gym full of equipment.All of the benefits of the kettlebell training,strength, agility, endurance, and balanceare benefits that we as warriors wantto cultivate.Continued on page 50The author, executing a 36 inchstanding box jump. Dino Zervos,left, coaches from the sidelines.48 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 49

One of the core kettlebell exercises,American Swing in thestarting position.Keeping up with a routine is thetoughest part. Kettlebells are not boringin the least. I love doing the routines andthey have had a profoundly positiveeffect on my body. I have several injuriesthat were always nagging at me. Withthe kettlebell workouts, I am almostpain free and able to do many thingsthat I could not do prior to starting thekettlebell program. Dino was right.And I am grateful he badgered me intotrying things his way. I make time everyfew weeks to go learn more kettlebellexercises and I have made up a few ofmy own just playing around.They really do work as advertised. Istarted with the 35 lb kettlebells in Juneand in early October I was able to use an88 lb kettlebell for the same exercise. Allaccomplished with three to five workoutsa week of less than one hour each.Kettlebells are fairly portable and canbe taken along on trips. Mine came onvacation with me. I urge you to investigatethe kettlebell as a new alternative to yourusual workout routine.Now, on to the resolutions.Repeat after me:I (state your name) do hereby resolve todo one or more of the following during2008:1. I resolve to get off the couch and putdown the remote at least three times aweek, and do something physical.American Swings finish overheadas shown. Russian swings finishparallel to the ground.2. I resolve to train with my concealedcarry gear at least once a week.3. I resolve to attend at least one trainingclass during 2008.4. I resolve to lower my body fatpercentage. I’ll increase my activity and/or decrease my caloric intake.5. I resolve to strive to make progressevery day. A journey of a thousand milesbegins with a single step.Did you take the oath?You did? Great!Let’s go over these in greater depth.1. I resolve to get off the couch and putdown the remote at least three times aweek, and do something physical. Youneed to walk your dog, take a stroll withyour significant other, play tennis, go tothe gym, or perhaps even train the TeamRuthless way. The more you move, themore energy you will have. You will findthat you will sleep better, too.2. I resolve to train with my concealedcarry gear at least once a week. It iscritical that you do your dry practicerepetitions with your gear in the positionsyou normally carry it and concealed inthe manner that you normally wear it.Train with Airsoft, or hit the range. Get inthe repetitions to make your techniquesnatural and reflexive.3. I resolve to attend at least one trainingclass during 2008. As a concealed carrypermit holder, it is imperative that youtrain with a first tier instructor at leastonce a year. They can correct any badhabits you might have fallen into andkeep your techniques up to date.4. I resolve to lower my body fatpercentage. I’ll increase my activity and/or decrease my caloric intake. Pills andfad diets don’t work. The only way tolose weight is to burn more calories thanyou take in. There are no magic pills.If you are like me, with nagging jointissues, every pound you lose is better foryour joints. It’s better for your heart, andlowers your blood pressure.5. I resolve to strive to make progressevery day. A journey of a thousand milesbegins with a single step. Keep with it.Get a trainer, coach or accountabilitypartner. When my wife and I went on ourdiet, we were accountable to each other.It’s so much easier to reach a goal withthe support of another person.I’d like to relate to you the story ofone gentleman and his wife who beganthe journey to fitness in March of 2007.We’ll call him Ricky, and his wife Lucy.Ricky:“It was at the Suarez Internationalforce-on-force class at the Warrior’s Forge(Team Ruthless) in Manassas, where Iwas brought to the painful conclusionthat I am in lousy shape and completelyunable to adequately defend my familyor myself. I decided that enough wasenough. I needed to drop more than 100pounds and get into much better shape.I e-mailed Dino on May 25th, askingif I should try to reach some minimumconditioning level before starting to trainwith him. His response was ’call me;we’ll talk.’“I went down for my evaluationon Wednesday, May 30th. My entireevaluation consisted of about thirtysquats and body weight thrusters andalmost three sit-ups. I say almost becauseI couldn’t make it up for the third one.I was in pain for two days! My wifewasn’t in much better condition. Afterher evaluation, they had to ice down herlegs to help relieve the cramps. Dino toldme that I had no core and that wouldbe our first priority. He said that theprogress would be up to me. If I did thework, I would see the results. Dino is adynamic person and his enthusiasm was50 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008

Another key exercise is theKettlebell Snatch. You start in asquat.so contagious that I signed up for sevenweeks before leaving that night. Whiletalking to my wife later that night, shesurprised me by saying that she wantedto start training too. You see, we are bothin our mid-50s and have been confirmedcouch potatoes for more years than Ican remember. But my wife said that shefeels that this is our last chance to get inshape—if we don’t do it now, we won’tdo it at all.“Now after a little over four months,Dino e-mails our workouts for threenights, and we work out at the Warrior’sForge with Dino and Ashley one night aweek. Many of the exercises such as thebasic squat, dumbbell thrusters, powercleans, etc. involve squats. So sometimesour program will require that during oneworkout, we do as many as 400 squatsand 125 sit-ups. Don’t get me wrong, wehave a long way to go to get where wewant to be physically, but this programis incredible. Dino and Ashley alwayschange things from one week to anotherso you never get bored or stuck in a rut.My weight hasn’t decreased much yet,but I have reduced my waistline by atleast three inches and we both find wecan do things now we couldn’t have evenattempted four months ago.“It’s funny, during the workoutswe are both hurtin’ puppies, but thefeeling of accomplishment that we haveafter the workout is incredible. This hasreally become addictive. My wife is alsoExplode out of the squat andpull the weight up. Notice my feetactually leave the ground duringthe pull.joining me at the range and has eventalked about getting a concealed carrypermit herself.”I had the pleasure of meeting Rickyat the force-on-force class and he couldn’tget out of his own way. He and his wifehave made positive progress and bothof them are on a journey that will takethem to a point where they are fitter andhealthier than they have been in years.I’m proud to know them both. If Ricky andhis wife can take the first steps to achievea goal of being a more effective fighterand healthier individual, anyone can. Ihave at least five more stories like Rickyand Lucy’s; complete couch potatoesreinventing themselves into healthier,fitter individuals. It’s positively inspiring.Go ahead. Take the first step.Next month we are back on trackwith another scenario based on asituation described in a thread on the U.S.Concealed Carry forum. It appears to bea no-win scenario—a Kobayashi Maru ifyou will. So far, I have been unable tofigure out a way to win the encounter.Perhaps by next issue, I’ll come upwith a solution for the no-win scenario.Stay tuned!Dino Zervos - Team Ruthless7049 Gateway CourtManassas, VA 20109www.teamruthless.comABOUT THE AUTHORJack Rumbaugh is a Suarez InternationalStaff Instructor. To participate in “TheFinish with the weight lockedout overhead. I use the free armfor balance.Force-On-Force Notebook,” you can mailyour force-on-force scenarios to:Jack Rumbaugh - CCM FOFPO BOX 1353 - Purcellville, VA 20134If you would like to participate online in“The Force-On-Force Notebook,” pleasevisit: www.usconcealedcarry.comPlease go to “Force-On-Force NotebookForum. You will need to have a USCCADeluxe Membership with a usernameand password in order to access thewebsite. If you would like to upgrade toa Deluxe Membership, please contactour customer service department—877-677-1919.CALL877-677-1919www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine, USCCA and Delta Media, LLC arenot responsible for mishaps of any kind which may occur fromuse of published firearms information, equipment recommendations,tactics and training advice or from recommendationsby staff or contributing writers. Carrying a concealed weaponcan be very dangerous if you are not well trained and familiarwith the weapon you carry. Now don’t get us wrong, it’s notthe government’s job to tell you how much training you need!It is your responsibility as an armed citizen. Notice: Someadvertisements may concern products that are not legallyfor sale to California residents or residents in other jurisdictions.If this bothers you, GET INVOLVED! Support the Bill ofRights and vote for folks that believe in the natural born rightto self-defense. No advertised or reviewed item is intended forsale in those states, or in those areas where local restrictionsmay limit or prohibit the purchase, carrying or use of certainitems. Check local laws before purchasing. Mention of a productor service in advertisements or text does not necessarilymean that it has been tested or approved by Concealed CarryMagazine, USCCA or Delta Media, LLC.Volume 5 - January 2008 www.usconcealedcarry.comConcealed Carry Magazine 51

U.S. Concealed Carrymouth marketingSEYMOUR, ILLINOIS – The Office ofthe United States Border Patrol, a divisionof the Department of Homeland Securityand United States Customs and BorderProtection, recently announced a purchaseorder that allows for its expanded use of theLiberator ® GP Tactical Light.This purchase will enable numerousUnited States Border Patrol Agents,including all Canine Officers, to utilize thisground-breaking lighting technology.“As border security continues to beone of our nation’s most pressing issues, weare pleased that such a high-profile agencyrecognizes the benefits of our product andits ability to help their Agents work moreeffectively,” said Jeremy Ross, First-Light USACEO. “We are proud to have worked closelywith Border Patrol Agents in discoveringtheir operational needs, which has allowedus to refine our technology to better servethose needs.”Training will also be a key componentof the agreement, with First-Light USAproviding instruction to each Liberator ® -equipped Border Patrol Agent throughoutLIBERATOR ® TACTICAL LIGHTthe United States. The training is designedto help agents maximize the hands-enablingcapability of the Liberator ® system.“The hands-enabling nature of ourproduct is a perfect fit for today’s borderpatrol professional,” said Clyde Caceres,First-Light USA President. “It offers sucha distinct advantage over a traditionalflashlight, whether the officer is handling acanine, riding a quad, operating a firearmwith their normal two-handed grip, orperforming everyday administrative tasks.First-Light USA - www.first-light-usa.comis the innovation leader in the design andmanufacture of hands-enabling, capabilityenhancing,performance-based lightingtools for law enforcement, military andtactical professionals. Product offeringsinclude the Liberator ® Tactical Light andthe Tomahawk Tactical Light (available inlate 2007). Established in 2004, First-LightUSA is headquartered in Seymour, Illinois,with a network of training partners locatedthroughout North America. For moreinformation, please call: 877.454.4450U.S. Concealed Carry Give-Awaywww.usconcealedcarry.comCovertCarrier ® is a unique concealed carry application designedfor narrow hideout guns. The CovertCarrier concealment systemhas been adapted to handguns in caliber sizes ranging from 22to 45; it allows you to carry a small or medium sized pistol IWBwithout a traditional holster, case or pouch. The platform of the CovertCarrier system beginswith the stainless steel metal fastener; it can be adapted to a wide variety of handguns whichare designed with removable grip panels. Forhandguns where adding a metal fastener isnot possible or preferred, CovertCarrier offerscustomers the option of two Universal Sleeves.The EPDM rubber sleeves come in a small orlarge. The small sleeve fits many 22, 25 and32 pistols. The large sleeve will fit largerhandguns that have a backstrap width nowider than 1.18 inches. The large sleeve will fit Baby Glock’s, and Glock Slimline models.Additionally, CovertCarrier makes grip panel replacements for Beretta Bobcat, Tomcat and21a’s; NAA Guardian 25, 32, ACP 32, and 380. And, new for 2008, CovertCarrier willoffer panel replacements for Seecamp 25, 32 and 380 pistols.Retail Prices: Metal Fastener $32.00; Sleeves $43.00; Panels $48.00U.S. Concealed CarryAttn: January 2008 Give-Away4466 Hwy P - Suite 204 — Jackson, WI 5303752 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 5 - January 2008