Sometime you have to tell Tactical Ted to take a hike – the story of it’s OK to look at the holster when you are holstering.

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We all know a Tactical Ted.  He’s the dude that is yelling tactical truisms when you are on the range.  DON’T LOOK AT THE HOLSTER, KEEP YOUR FOCUS DOWN RANGE ON THE BAD GUY.  YOU HAVE TO KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN OR YOU’LL MISS HIS BUDDY.  RELOAD AT ARMS LENGTH TO KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON THE BADGUY.

Now, someone, somewhere instilled this stuff in Ted’s brain housing group like the importance of brushing your teeth, chasing girls, and drinking beer.  Ted screams it at every opportunity.  It is a way of life to Ted to the point that the takes joy in screaming it at his student’s like the sadistic sensei from the Karate Kid.  (the good one, not the  crappy PC remake).  Let’s examine a few things, shall we?

First off, the whole “DON’T LOOK AT THE HOLSTER” thing?  Look at the holster if you want.  It’s ok.  I’ll go as far as telling you that bad things aren’t going to happen in that half second that you look down to ensure that the gun goes back in the holster.  Remember, there’s no race back to the holster.  These Instagram dudes that post the videos from the two yard line?  Yeah, you’ve seen them.  They are at the two yard line.  They draw and put two rounds (supposedly) somewhere on a realistic bad guy target in a blinding speed.  They then jerk the gun back, bobs their heads back in forth like the plastic dog in the back window, and jam the gun back into the holster?  Mongofail.  There is no race back to the holster.  None.  If/when I go back to the holster, I’m doing it on my terms.  I have either A- put a bad guy down, B- holding one that has given up at gunpoint or C- I’m holding an unknown trouble such as a doorway or the like.  Completely no race back to the holster.  In most of those circumstances, another officer is going to have a gun out, when I go back to the holster.  Guess what?  I won’t die if I need to look at the holster for that half second to make sure it goes in.  Tactical Ted is wrong again.  In 21 years of LE, I can think of MAYBE one instance where I might need to holster up in a hurry.  Only one.

KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN OR YOU’LL DIE.  Yeah, no.  Ted often forgets here that the most important thing here is……….wait for it………putting bullet mass on target.  Yep, not reading an eye chart.  Yelling at people to keep their eyes open if they are having vision problems is negatively effecting their ability to put bullet mass on target.  Or maybe they are lazy and don’t want to put the time in learning to shoot with both eyes open.  Who cares.  Most people that I know that don’t shoot with both eyes open do so because of their vision.  And I’m good with it.  My job as an instructor is to teach them to hit stuff as fast as they can.  The dudes/dudettes that are just being lazy or resistant to a better technique?  Me yelling at them over their eyes isn’t going to help them or me.  As far as missing the bad guy’s buddy, that’s why we scan before we holster.  You know, scan and actually look at stuff instead of the range theatrics of jerking the gun back, bobbing the head back and forth, and jamming the gun in the holster.

RELOAD THE PISTOL AT ARMS LENGTH OR YOU’LL DIE.  This one I have a bit of problem making fun of.  I went to a distinguished school by a great instructor.  He teaches this.  The instructor, who’ll we’ll anonymously call Flint, is an all around great guy.  He still teaches to load the gun at arms length.  At the end of the class, he was again a class act.  He caught me in the shoot house and thanked me for trying to do stuff his way.  Class act all the way around.  But, I can put it on the timer, under stress and load the gun faster pulling it back.  More over, I can put students on the timer and it’s faster. Your dentist doesn’t work on you at arms length, unless you have really bad chronic halitosis.  Your dentist works on you up close, where he has power and dexterity.  The dexterity to drive that pick thingy through the top of your head from a molar.  KEY POINT-  That half second that you look at the magwell during  the reload?  You won’t die.  Ideally, we don’t want to stand out in the open and reload the gun at slide lock that we practice on the range.  We want to be moving, or behind cover/concealment.

We all know Tactical Ted.  It is far worse for many of us when it is SGT/LT/CAPT/MAJ Tactical Ted.  The next time you see Ted, remind him that putting fast hits on target is what matters.  Can you/should you train to shoot with both eyes open?  Yes, but it isn’t the end of the world if you can’t.  Can you/should you train to be able to holster without looking at the holster? Best I can say is OK.  In a perfect world, yes.  But, I’ve missed the holster before while working the street.  Yeah, holster is in the same place, but not the same angle because of how my body is positioned behind cover.  I know of no one who has died from taking that half second to look at the holster on the way back, and beings there is no race back to the holster, this surely pisses Ted off for some reason.  Can you/should you train to load the gun at arms length?  No.  It is faster to pull the gun back and load it.  I can’t find any documentation of any armed citizen or copper dying because they pulled the gun back to load it.

Don’t be a Tactical Ted.  Be Specific.  Be Fast.  Be Accurate.  Pay attention to the things that matter.  Hitting stuff fast.  Putting the gun in the holster like there is no race.

The Arm Brace Debacle(s)

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Seller’s remorse is something most firearms enthusiasts suffer from on occasion. Such was the case with my SIG SAUER® P556. For those unfamiliar, the P556 is a pistol version of Sig’s 556 model semi-automatic gas piston rifle chambered in 5.56 mm. The design lends itself well to a Short-Barreled Rifle (SBR) conversion.

That was the intent of this purchase. Under federal law, a rifle is a shoulder-fired firearm with a barrel of at least 16 inches and an overall length of at least 26 inches. Any rifle with a shorter barrel or overall length is an SBR and is subject to the restrictions of the NationalFirearms Act. I was excited about the project and was perfectly willing to pay my tax and wait for the proper paperwork to be filed.

However, between the mandatory frame engraving, optional legal trust, $200 tax stamp, the criminal legalities of “Constructive Possession,” and all the other legal nuances, I began to get worried. Still, only one of the regulations was truly scary. It’s a federal offense to take an SBR out of its registered state without filling out paperwork and waiting for approval. I was concerned what might befall my wife or daughter if something happened to me and they decided to move out of state without fully understanding the legal requirements.

I couldn’t stand the thought of my girls being held legally responsible for my choices. Granted, the P556 is a fun pistol to shoot, but my primary intention for its purchase was to convert it to an SBR for SWAT and patrol use. The gun did not fit into department policy as a rifle or a pistol in its factory form. With no practical reason to keep it, I sold it and continued to use the more traditional M-4 size rifle with a 14.5-inch barrel (plus flash hider which brings the barrel length to just over 16 inches) at work.

Invention/Introduction

In 2013, Sig somewhat quietly introduced the SB-15 Pistol Stabilizing Arm Brace. It was designed by Alex Bosco of SB Tactical, a veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, to help people with limited mobility enjoy the AR-15 pistol platform. It should be noted that Sig donates $3.00 for every brace sold to Honored America Veterans Afield (HAVA).

This brace slides onto the buffer tube of a traditional AR-15 style pistol and then wraps around the shooter’s forearm which allows him or her to hold the pistol more steadily.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) had ruled in November of 2012 that installing the SB-15 on a pistol does not violate any laws, in itself. Sig sent out documentation of this ruling with each SB-15 it sells. After Sig Sauer put this handy device into large scale production, the shooting public was quick to notice that the arm brace could be used to shoulder fire an AR-15 style pistol.

It wasn’t intended for that use, but the potential was pretty obvious. A lot of us held our breath and our dollars at that point waiting for the other shoe to drop. In March of 2014, the ATF responded to a direct inquiry asking if shouldering a pistol with the SB-15 brace would re-classify it as an SBR. The now highly-circulated letter states firing a pistol from the shoulder does not change its intended purpose and is, therefore, legal. I began to regret liquidating my P556.

Shortly after that, some law enforcement agencies approved the use of AR-15 style pistols for duty use as long as it was equipped with an approved arm brace like the SB-15, and the officer could successfully pass the carbine qualification course with it. I considered buying an AR pistol and adding the arm brace. I even bought most of the necessary parts.

The Party’s Over (or is it?)

On January 16, 2015 just a few days before SHOT Show, the ATF released yet another letter which can be found on the BATF website. That letter seems to very clearly prohibit the use of the SB-15 as a shoulder stock and is obviously contrary to at least two previously released letters. The letter was clear in that contradiction when stating, “Any individual letters stating otherwise are contrary to the plain language of the NFA, misapply Federal law, and are hereby revoked.”

Obviously, the whole thing is confusing. How does the law change two or three times without legislative intervention? Well, it didn’t. It’s just that the agency in charge of interpretation misled the firearms owning public at least once or twice. The problem is now: we don’t know which one to believe.

I stopped by the BATF booth at SHOT Show 2015 to inquire further. We first spoke to an agent who quickly punted us to another agent who, in turn, booted us to one of their attorneys. It was the opinion of the attorney that merely installing a brace on a pistol, thereby allowing it to be shouldered, made it a short barrel rifle and subjected it to NFA controls.

That information was even more restrictive than what the letter indicated. He directed me to, “read the letter” which I told him I had just done 24 hours prior. One of the agents was quick to point out that there were several letters sent out by BATF and not just the three I was aware of. What?  I asked the attorney if shouldering just the buffer tube would have the same legal effect. He said he didn’t want to, “get too far afield” in our conversation and added that his agency was not in the business of hurting innocent people or law enforcement officers.

To paraphrase, there was a mistake on their part and they were just trying to clear it up. I asked if all of those who had taken part in Internet videos shouldering AR pistols with SB-15’s had committed prosecutable offenses. He again said BATF was partially culpable for this confusion and that he, personally, did not see the need to begin prosecutions. The attorney added, though, as the letter becomes common knowledge, that possibility could become more of a reality. At this point, my friend began tugging at my shirt as an indicator that the conversation had run its course. I left more confused than I had arrived.

To be fair, it was obvious on that first morning of the show, people had been throwing rocks at those poor folks at the BATF booth. We found them both professional and gracious. We thanked them for their time.

And Yet Another 180

On March 21, 2017, the BATF seems to have, once again, reversed their opinion. This letter seems to state that the addition and use of an arm brace is perfectly lawful. I think I’ll be waiting for some sort of legislative action before I break out the credit card. I’m not sure how this situation could ever be un-clustered without clear language from the legislature.

Training Day in Oklahoma 2016

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The instructors of Training Day in OK, Left to right and top to bottom: Will Andrews, Spencer Keepers, Chuck Haggard, Warren Wilson, Vince O’Neill, Mike Seeklander, Tyler Grant, William Aprill and Matt Bagley.

Training Day in Oklahoma (TDOK) is premised upon the long-running and wildly successful Polite Society Tactical Conference. TDOK is a local version of that fine institution spearheaded by Oklahoman Spencer Keepers and the rest of the crew at Keepers Concealment. It was held at the world class BDC Gunroom in Shawnee, OK. Training blocks were taught by some truly heavy hitters in the training community. There are between three and five two-hour blocks being taught at a time. The student is free to choose which instructor/topic they wish to attend. The cost for a training day with folks of this caliber typically costs $225 to $250 a day. At TDOK 2016, the tuition was only $125. This event will likely become an annual central states training tradition.

Will Andrews

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Will Andrews is the lead instructor at Oklahoma Shooting Skills.

Will Andrews is the lead instructor at Oklahoma Shooting Skills. He is a well-respected trainer in a variety of areas including pistol, shotgun and unarmed defense. Andrews has spent much of his adult life both attending and providing training. Andrews did a block on the shotgun; specifically in the home defense role. His class covered everything from weapon manipulation to ammunition selection for particular styles and sizes of homes. Here is a more complete bio on Will.

Mike Seeklander

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Some folks think of Mike Seeklander as a, “gun celebrity” but he really shines as a competitive shooter and firearms instructor.

Mike Seeklander’s Recoil Control block was excellent. Many folks see Mike as a celebrity considering that he makes regular television appearances and even has his own show co-hosted by Michael Bane and Michael Janich called The Best Defense (on The Outdoor Channel). I suppose Mike is a celebrity, but you’d never know by it taking one of his classes. His students think he’s just a great shooter and a great teacher who has been recognized for those talents by media outlets. Seeklander almost instantly picked up on a technical mistake I’ve been trying to figure out for years. I heard two other veteran shooters make similar comments. If you get a chance to take a Seeklander class, take advantage of the opportunity.

William Aprll

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William Aprill has the unique and eclectic experience of being a former law enforcement officer, practicing mental health professional and martial artist.

Dr. William Aprill, who shuns the moniker, “doctor” and insists on being called his first name is among the leading  researchers of violence behavior in the country. Aprill taught three blocks from his, “Unthinkable” program which covers weapon disarms, how criminals select victims and how not to be selected as a victim. The student pictured above is a psychology major. She attended all three of Aprill’s blocks and was more than satisfied that her tuition was well-spent. His preparation and hard work during the class are obvious in the finished product. It’s rare to have a this kind of specialized knowledge and training in the defensive training arena. See a full review here.

Chuck Haggard

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Chuck Haggard is one of the most highly-respected instructors in the law enforcement and defensive training community.

Chuck Haggard is well known in the law enforcement and firearms training community. His twenty-eight years at Topeka PD was well spent. He’s an experienced and well-respected instructor of firearms and uses of force. Chuck has personally responded to two active shooter incidents. He’s spent a few decades studying these horrific incidents and is considered one of the foremost experts on the topic today. Now retired from cop work, he continues to teach in various venues including his own company, Agile Training and Consulting. Haggard presented blocks on OC spray and active shooter in both the classroom and on the range.

Vince O’Neill

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Vince O’Neill is nothing short of a legend in law enforcement training. He’s spent decades teaching cops and citizens various defensive disciplines.

For those who haven’t had the privilege, Vince O’Neill is a world-renowned instructor in nearly every defensive discipline. He’s been the range master for Oklahoma’s Council of Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers and also headed the Defensive Tactics training unit for quite some time. Click the link below for more.  O’Neill took a different approach to his class on the defensive mindset. There was no Powerpoint. There were no videos. He just taught and did so very well. I have to admit to a little jealousy of his grasp of the topic and his ability convey information effectively without visual aids. Here is a little more detail on Vince.

Tyler Grant and Matt Bagley

Dynamic Training Strategies is a defensive training company in Arkansas.  They offer self-defense classes in firearms and unarmed defense as well as the much-overlooked topics of fitness and emergency medicine. Tyler Grant and Matt Bagley of DTS taught blocks on general fitness, everyday defense and tactical medicine. Staff Sgt. Grant is a National Guard veteran who did two tours in Iraq. He’s an EMT, firefighter and a Combat Focus Shooting instructor. Bagley is also a firefighter and a paramedic with more than ten years of experience. I heard several students raving about Grant and Bagley’s classes.

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Spencer Keepers

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Spencer Keepers is known for his exceptional customer service as a trainer and is a leading expert on AIWB carry.

Spencer Keepers is one of the best pure shooters I’ve ever seen. I don’t make this claim lightly. I’ve seen some good ones and Spence is on a different level than most. He’s one of only eleven folks certified as “Handgun Master” by Rangemaster Training Services and that tens of thousands of top quality students have tried. He’s an equally talented instructor, mostly because he loves it. I’ve personally witnessed Spencer surreptitiously fist pumping like George Brett after a home run in celebration of a student’s success. It’s a kick to watch Keepers teach, but even more fun to be taught by him. He taught blocks on pistol and situational awareness. This is a review of Keepers’ AIWB class.

Right Here in Oklahoma

Something else that makes Training Day in Oklahoma unique is the instructors are compensated only for their travel expenses, hence the low tuition. These instructors are only in it for the satisfaction of teaching and the hope that some information they provide to a student may enhance their safety somewhere down the road. Be on the look out for 2018 dates at BDC Gunroom or Keepers Concealment. If you can’t wait that long, there will be a similar training event with many of the same instructors on June 3rd, 2017  in the form of the “Big Saturday” Training Event at H&H just off of I-40  for only for $150 for the whole day. Register here. Either way, come down and see us.

Short barrel ARs and barrier penetration: Corbon DPX

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DPX .223 Round

The DPX is widely considered an excellent performer.

Short barreled rifles (SBR) and AR-15 style pistols are seeing a spike in popularity in spite of some recent confusion over the legality of arm braces. Presumably a lot of these guns are being purchased or built with self defense or duty use in mind. AR-15 pistols and SBR’s can have barrels as short as seven inches in length, but the most common are between nine and thirteen. There are some real advantages to these configurations for law enforcement. Shorty AR’s come out of the car quicker, are easier to maneuver in close quarters and are much lighter than their full-size brethren. Of course, there are downsides to everything.

One factor that makes the .223/5.56 cartridge effective in spite of its small diameter and light weight is velocity. That advantage naturally diminishes as barrel length decreases. It is widely accepted that at least one particular 5.56 mm military round becomes substantially less effective with an impact velocity of less than 2700 feet per second. It reportedly needs that velocity to fragment and create reliable wounding for incapacitation. The Internet has made certain that the 2700 FPS rule applies to all ammunition in the hearts and minds of many AR aficionados, although that may not be exactly true.

I suppose the same can be said for barrier penetration. The .223 already has a mediocre reputation against vehicles. As the .223/5.56mm’s velocity decreases via an abbreviated barrel, barrier penetration also suffers. That’s a big factor in law enforcement shootings. So, how does a decrease in barrel length affect barrier penetration?  We wanted to find out for ourselves. Typical barrier penetration tests involve the obligatory four layers of denim, wall board, plywood and steel. I’ve never seen a felon wearing more than one layer of denim and what in the world is made of a single sheet of plywood?  I suppose people smarter than yours truly put these criteria together and probably for good reason. That said, those with some experience in law enforcement have undoubtedly seen actual crime scenes with bullet holes in wallboard and car doors. We chose those barriers for our pseudoscientific test. Wallboard is easy, but I was concerned about using car doors for testing because of the inconsistency of the internals. Those things have gears, bars, glass and all kinds of other inconsistent obstructions inside them. I consulted Dr. Martin Topper who does this kind of thing regularly for a large federal law enforcement training agency and expressed my concerns. He told me not to discount the vehicle door because they are realistic to law enforcement and to just be certain the test was as consistent as possible.

I also consulted Peter Pi, the founder and owner of Corbon for this article. He is also not new to terminal ballistics experiments. In fact, this guy is responsible for the consumption of more gelatin than tonsillectomies. Peter realized very early on that there were benefits to all copper bullets for defense against violent felons. Corbon is so dedicated to the concept, in fact, that they stopped outsourcing the production of their projectiles and started manufacturing their own. I mentioned to Peter that I was considering some barrier testing with short barreled AR-15s. He highly recommended DPX. Corbon offers .223 DPX in both 53 grain and 62 grain weights. We used the lighter 53 grain DPX for testing.

The .223 Corbon DPX expanded well and consistently through barriers.

We used The Bullet Test Tube media to measure penetration and expansion. While ballistic gelatin purists might disagree with this choice, TBTT is good quality, cost-effective and easy to use. Moreover, it has similar penetration qualities to ballistic gelatin which is all that is required for this experiment. Each tube is just about 12″ long. I acquired a couple of vehicle doors from a local salvage yard and built two mock interior walls out of wallboard and 2×4’s.

At the Range

As is always the case, Corbon ammunition velocity is as advertised. The box says 3000 feet per second. That might seem a little low for a 53 grain .223, but DPX doesn’t need as much velocity to perform well, as will be evidenced below. A side benefit to the shooter is lower recoil and muzzle blast. The five-shot average with a 16″ barrel was a little over 3000 feet per second and about 2700 feet per second out of an 11.5″ barreled pistol.  I managed to put three shots in under an inch at 50 yards from the seated position on my first attempt with that gun.

We first shot the media through the wallboard with both the 11.5″ and 14.5″ barrel lengths. In both cases, the DPX penetrated the door and the tube leaving a fist sized hole in the ground behind it. I dug down several inches to try to find the bullet to no avail. Next, we shot the media through the vehicle door with both barrel lengths being certain to hit it in the same general area for consistency. In both cases, the DPX penetrated the door and the media tube before creating a fist sized hole in the ground behind it. I was starting to see a pattern. Granted, modern vehicle doors aren’t good cover, but they can significantly affect the travel and velocity of small bullets. The .223 is not supposed to do well against vehicles, right?  I was determined to capture a bullet to measure and photograph. I put two tubes together behind one of my hastily-crafted miniature walls and fired a round from the 11.5″ barrel. After 30 minutes of digging, I located the perfectly expanded DPX bullet at a little over 18″ into the media. It’s recovered diameter was .487″ x .462″ and weighed 52.6 grains. (For inanimate objects, expanded DPX bullets sure do look angry.)  Being on a bit of a roll at that point, I decided to try the car door again.  I placed two tubes behind the door and fired a round from the 11.5″ barrel. The DPX penetrated the door, both tubes and made a fist-sized hole in the ground behind it. “Okay, DPX. You win,” I thought. The finishing “test” was to shoot a box of DPX through all different areas of the door to see if there was any area of the door that could even slow the bullet down. After the barrage, there were 20 fist-sized holes in the ground behind the door. There was not a single ricochet; just a mock prairie dog town at my department’s range. Instead of fruitlessly digging for projectiles, I chose to just sheepishly fill in the divots like an embarrassed novice golfer.

DPX testing mock wall

A mock wall built by the author made of wallboard and typical 2×4’s.

Corbon DPX Performance

We considered shooting DPX through a windshield, but that’s almost pointless. Not to go down a rabbit hole, there are few occasions when standing in front of a vehicle and firing at an occupant through the windshield is wise. On those rare occasions when that may be an officer’s last option, heavier bullets from other platforms are much more advisable.

None of these results should be a complete surprise as the heavier 62 grain .223 DPX has performed similarly in many other tests with more traditional rifle barrel sizes. Still, one would think the lighter bullet combined with the short barrel might have caused some difficulty. That does not appear to be the case here. DPX in all of its calibers and weights is designed to penetrate barriers and still expand with some reliability. The DPX in .223 is a very different round. It works well in bare gelatin and with all of the normal barriers including steel. There just isn’t anything else in the caliber which can provide these results. I will be stocking up very soon.

Thought for Today- March 8, 2017

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When it comes time to fight, you fight like you are that third monkey trying to board Noah’s Ark.  And it is starting to sprinkle. #thirdmonkey

First Responder medical training – Prioritize what’s important

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When I write an article, I always stay in my lane. I write about stuff that I have pretty close to complete mastery of. This topic, and by extension the reason for the article, is stuff I don’t feel I have mastery of when the time comes. Or should I say, stuff that you can train for, but the real thing isn’t the same. An argument can be made that the same is true about gun fighting. It may be that I am far more comfortable shooting Bill Drills, doing force-on-force with Simuntions®, doing building clearing and the like than I am with practicing first responder level medical care.

Stay with me for just a minute to explain some things. I have been cop for going on 21 years now. My career is almost legal to drink on its own. I have worked patrol, general investigations, dope, K9 and supervision on a SWAT Team. I currently work the road by choice, work SWAT and train other cops. My agency gives me quite a bit of freedom. This freedom has put me at the right place, at the right time on several occasion to do some good. My dispatchers always make fun of me because I am always in the “right place, right time.” I don’t write this as a “look at me” type article. I do what I do, just like many folks that do the same job around the country. This experience has given me some perspective, and a lane to stay in.

On Internet gun forums, I often read posts by people that are looking for advice on intermediate to advanced level medical training, advice on Quick Clot®, and tourniquets. All of this stuff has a place. All of this stuff is important. But, how important is it? In the grand scheme of things, there are more important things. I’m not suggesting an “all or nothing” approach. But, we seem to think a lot about “Bug Out Bags” filled with the medical cool guy goodies, instead of the meat and potatoes of rendering aid. Basic CPR and First Aid.

In my experience, we are much more likely to use CPR, or clear and airway in our day to day lives then we are to put on a tourniquet. I have put a tourniquet on in the field exactly once. I have performed CPR and cleared airways many times. While the other stuff is really cool, the basic skills of a good first aid class will do a lot for you. These skills, like shooting, are perishable. I always have some trepidation in the moment when it comes time to do it. After the fact, I always call my medic like a child looking for guidance from a parent. Looking for reassurance because I feel as if I have screwed things up because during CPR you can hear ribs breaking. Each time, like a Rabbi giving spiritual advice, he says “Life over limb, brother.”

The American Red Cross offers many options in basic first aid classes. They are affordable. CPR, clearing airways, direct pressure. They will solve most problems at our skill level and within our standard of care. At worst, a mastery of the basic first aid/CPR is a good start for further training.

As corny as it may sound, you might even save a life.

Let the buyer be aware: Advice for the novice gun owner

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On Jan. 2, I posted an article here called, Poor choices for the novice gun owner. I expected some typical ‘net backlash, but instead several readers inquired further about what gun would be good for the novice owner. The question begs an answer. Let’s look at some of the things that typically go wrong for new purchaser.

Caliber

In the mid 90s, I decided to consolidate calibers. The choice was between: 9mm and. 40 caliber. I sold or traded everything but .40 caliber guns, ammunition and accouterments.  The deciding factors were that I couldn’t tell much difference in recoil between them and .40 caliber brass and bullets are larger and therefore easier to handload for my gangly, lower primate fingers. After a few decades of creeping toward decrepitude, I most definitely notice the difference in recoil between the calibers.

Looking back, it would have been smarter to stick with the 9mm. I’ve grown to hate the caliber wars or even caliber conversations because of some enthusiasts’ emotional involvement with their caliber choice. Every bit of credible, actual data out there on the topic strongly indicates there is little if any measurable difference between service calibers in effectiveness against human aggressors. Being a bullet nerd and having read everything I could on the topic over the years, I strongly recommend that new self-defense gunners consider the 9mm. Almost anyone of reasonable health can effectively handle this soft-recoiling caliber and practice ammunition is both cheap and available. Good self-defense ammunition is also reasonably priced and available. Still, if you like your caliber, you can keep your caliber.

All that said, I have even recommended the .380 caliber Glock 42 to a student and will do so again under similar circumstances. In the case of a mid-30 year old, petite woman with serious shoulder and wrist issues, it made particular sense. She perfected every technique I knew of to manipulate the slide on a Glock 43 (9mm) and she just did not have the strength to work the gun reliably. Though, I’m not as confident in the caliber, she was certainly better off with a .380 she could effectively use than a 9mm with which she fumbled and lacked confidence.

Size

The size of a pistol is incredibly important to its “shootability” from individual to individual. I refer you back to the February 2016 article in Modern Service Weapons entitled, Operation Specific Training: Practical Fundamentals. I had expressed frustration with our own Jerry Jones (who was the lead instructor in the class) that I had a diminutive female student back home who’s grip needed work. Jerry taught me that she had simply chosen a pistol that was too big for her and there was no way she would ever successfully grip that pistol well. The pistol must fit the shooter.

That doesn’t mean necessarily, that one should go to the fun shop and find a gun which,”feels good in the hand.” That is yet another fallacy purveyed by gun shop folks who don’t know any better. It takes weapon manipulations and live fire to truly judge a shooter/pistol fit. For example, I hate the feel of the large grip on the M&P line, but the proof is on the paper. My groups and split times are better. Go with what works. Gun ranges which rent pistols and provide instructors for new students are invaluable in this regard. Although, my mantra has always been, “Carry a Big One,” I have found a surprising number of students who shoot well with the Glock 42, Glock 43, M&P Shield and even the Sig P290. To some smaller folks, these pistols are full size.

Specifics

For those of average size and strength, I would unequivocally recommend the following handguns for the new owner who is willing to attend some basic training: Glock 17, Glock 19, S&W M&P 9mm, Sig Sauer P320, and K-Frame size revolvers from quality manufacturers. There are a lot of other perfectly viable platforms out there, but I have had personal experience with the above.

Wheelguns

There is little to be discussed with Glocks, M&P’s and P320’s. They’re well established and known to work well. They will be as trouble-free as anything a novice gun guy or gal could hope for.

There is more discussion warranted with revolvers, however. Many believe the wheelgun is long past its “use by” date and that argument has merit. Anyone who thinks revolvers are perfect should attend a high-round count class and watch the students hurriedly cleaning their guns between rounds with toothbrushes and tornado brushes. Another sacred cow: Revolvers experience stoppages! Yes, they do.

When a wheelgun stops working, they are not readily put back into action. Keep that in mind. That said, many new shooters are comfortable with a revolver because of its simplicity. Comfort level is important, though I try to sway new shooters toward bottom feeders when I can. I recently had  student who insisted on using a revolver for his handgun license class. He did very well with it and has expressed the desire to learn about autopistols as he built confidence and perhaps someday demote his revolver to the role of backup in the future. It’s hard to argue with that approach.

Be careful to whom you listen

Tom Givens coaching students during his renowned Firearms Instructor Development course.

There’s a bible verse which cautions against trusting the words of just anyone. Someone new to a particular hobby or skill will likely turn to the nearest enthusiast they know. That isn’t always the best course. Enthusiasm and education are often far apart when it comes to technical topics like firearms and self defense.

A good example is the Taurus Judge in all its inane splendor and the seemingly endless stream of uneducated enthusiasts who embrace it as the end-all people blaster. Our mentors must be properly vetted. How much training do they have and how often do they attend classes?

Practical differences in defensive handgun calibers

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The idea that the difference in splits do not matter in defensive shooting is a red herring at best. It does matter. We tend to cling to metrics that prove our point, despite the truth being otherwise. There is a difference in the calibers.

Square range capabilities carry little metric in real life defensive encounters. To say that “in a gunfight” this or that gives us a major disservice.

A skilled practitioner can say that there is very little difference in the calibers. That is what makes us skilled. We understand the fine detail in technique, understand the difference in results oriented shooting and process oriented shooting. But, to say that somehow that negates the fact there is a difference between the calibers is wrong.

Is there a practical difference in splits between a .25 and .35? Yes, one is faster. I keep hearing really good instructors say “I have never seen a timer in a gunfight,” to which I counter I have yet to hear a single gunfight survivor say “You know, I wish I could have scored hits slower and drug out that fight.”

Using the metric of “there’s very little difference” is hugely misleading and has little to do with value. Performance based evaluations are good. However, we can’t get wrapped around the axle about them. And I am a big splits guy.

If you believe that there is no practical difference in calibers, follow up shots, etc do this one simple thing for me.
Stay up 24 hours. Lay on the ground on your side. Place the gun in your weak hand. Have another shooter step on your neck. Fire five rounds for time and accuracy at a head box at 12 yards. Now, repeat that with a 9mm and report back on how huge he difference is.

Square range theatrics have little bearing on real world encounters. People talk about the “average” gunfight with great pride. 1-3 feet, 1-3 rounds, 1-3 seconds as if it is the holy grail. If that is the fight they are training for, all of this is academic. Any monkey can stare at the target at that distance and slap off four or five shots with NO skill. So easy a caveman can do it.

If you want to get average, the average gunfight never happens. So, if you truly want to be “average” there is no reason to carry a gun at all. Because that is truly “average” in the US. But, somehow, that “average” fight seeming becomes the bedrock of so much discussion. And it is flawed. Average is no fight at all. Beyond that nothing is average.

Gunfights rarely occur when we are expecting them. Rarely, if ever, do we get out of bed in morning and say “you know, I think I’m going to smoke check a dude today.” Rarely, if ever, can we directly relate out square range performance under stress. We can get close, but that .10 difference in calibers is probably going to be double that when you start taking rounds. That eight inch group into that circle we are used to shooting at probably just because sixteen inches. Rarely, do fights come when we are fresh. Rarely, do they come when the weather, lighting, or background is perfect. Rarely do we get to put the gun in both hands and stand flat footed.

So, yes, there is a difference. And the difference can be felt in skilled shooters. So, if a skilled shooter can feel it, what do you think it is like for a lesser skilled employee?

I carry a Glock 35 at work, and I love it. On the square range, I can bang out .19 splits all day long. I do not feel under-gunned strong hand, or weak hand. I hated the gun for years, but have gotten to the point I can shoot the crap out of it. That comes at the expense that I get quite a bit of training time, and have a near endless supply of .40 at my disposal. But, I can’t deny that my performance changes as the conditions go to crap. I can’t deny that my splits are faster on the square range with the 9mm. I can’t deny I am faster with a 9mm when the gun goes into one hand. I can’t deny that I am faster on transitions with a 9mm. All things that can have a bearing on an outcome of whether I live or not. There is a practical difference.

Yes, there is a practical difference in the guns in real world defensive shooting. Faster is better. Even up close. If we want to trade off a little speed for a bigger caliber, hey, drive on. Nothing wrong with that.

Original posted on SIGforum.com

J-Frame Revolver

Poor gun choices for the novice owner

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J-Frame Revolver

Some pistols are not well-suited for novices.

“The Marines taught me every way there is to shoot a gun.” I was trying to convince this gentleman to attend a novice handgun class. I was raised with the utmost respect for our armed forces. Still, we’ve seen a lot of former military recruits at our police department who had little or no training with pistols during their service. I had to inquire. His answer was, “oh, we didn’t shoot handguns.” He believed that because he’d shot rifles during military training, he was qualified to shoot any gun in any circumstance. Now think about the mindset of someone who has absolutely no formal training or experience and where they go for advice?   The Internet, the grocery store gun magazine, an uncle who used to be military/law enforcement or the local gun shop. None of which is necessarily the best place to go for wisdom.

Pump Shotguns

Photo courtesy of ATK.

Pump guns are incredibly and rightfully popular. As defensive tools, they’re  relatively inexpensive and effective in the right hands, but can be a disaster otherwise. Firstly, uninitiated “splatter gun” owners tend toward a lot of misconceptions about their boom stick. Contrary to popular belief, a shotgun must be aimed, will not destroy entire city blocks with single load of birdshot and determined violent actors will not soil themselves upon hearing the “thwack, thwack” of a pump gun. I can’t count the number of times a novice shooter has told me they don’t need any training with a shotgun. “You just point and shoot. That’s all.” This thought process is favored by some because it relieves them of responsibility. Humans like simplicity. Reality, however, is much more complicated. Also, there are a lot of really cool things the pump gun can do which will only be revealed by a quality instructor. Novice pump shotgun users are more likely to experience malfunctions under stress. A good instructor can help with that, too.

J-Frame Revolvers

Chuck Haggard of Agile Training and Consulting often includes gelatin testing of popular .38 Special defense loads in his snub gun class.

The J-frame revolver (or similar offering from other manufacturers) is among the most deservedly-beloved defensive tools of the modern era. They’re light and quick to put into action. They are also very difficult to shoot well without training on their specific operation. Gun shops push these five-shooters off on the novice like they are a talisman which will ward off evil spirits. In fact, without an above average level of skill, the J-Frame is not the best choice for a primary defensive pistol. They’re difficult to shoot quickly and accurately without some specific training and dedicated practice. Ammunition choices with the .38 Special (which is the most common snub nose revolver caliber) is critical and requires a good bit of research. I recently took a snub-specific class from Chuck Haggard of Agile Training and Consulting. Within two hours, my 12-yard group was halved and my split times substantially improved. I adopted a completely new grip and trigger finger position which made that possible. I didn’t consider myself a novice, but we don’t know what we don’t know. The only way to grow our own knowledge is to open ourselves up to the knowledge of others.

Starter Guns

micro semi-auto pistol

A typical “starter pistol.”

We see a whole lot of mouse guns or “starter pistols” being sold to novices as the ultimate defensive pistol. (We call them starter pistols because they are much better at starting a fight than ending one.)  The usual suspects are tiny pistols in tiny calibers. I regularly hear and read the inane myth about the .22 LR bouncing around inside a bad guy like a pinball and the purported effectiveness of the round because of how many people have been killed with it. It’s difficult to sway folks away from deeply-ingrained myths until they are provided solid evidence to the contrary.

Granted, some folks have physical challenges which make service calibers difficult or even impossible, but most people don’t fall into that category. Of course, reasonably-sized rimfires are excellent trainer pistols for novices and accomplished shooters alike. I keep a S&W Victory around as a student loaner for that exact purpose, but it only comes out of the safe for fun or training.

Judge Not

Here’s where the toe stepping really begins. The Taurus Judge is the derpest gun anyone could ever buy for bipedal defense. Unlike some of the above-mentioned firearms, no amount of training can make a .410 pistol an ideal defensive tool. This five-shot revolver is huge and difficult to conceal. The recoil and muzzle blast are substantial while terminal ballistics are generally laughable with common .410 loadings as seen here. After its introduction, ammunition manufacturers came out with several offerings designed specifically for the Judge seemingly to justify the existence of this monstrosity. I have to admit that Federal has produced a five-pellet 000 buckshot loading which does penetrate well and creates a more-than-respectable wound channel in gelatin as can be evidenced here at close range. Still at 15 yards with this revolver, performance diminishes and pellets start to find inappropriate down-range resting places.

Additionally, there is a .45 Colt round specifically designed for the Judge by Lehigh Defense which also shows promise. It’s a single projectile round which does expand impressively and has reasonable penetration in gelatin. It’s $3.00 per round. Again, we are still talking about a five shooter with substantial recoil. Judge fans espouse all the imaginary situations where this titanic wheelgun might be useful, but seem to be missing the point. That fact is it’s not ideal for most defensive situations. We do not get to choose the circumstances of a violent encounter. We must choose emergency equipment for the typical and extreme situation; not the ideal we have in our imaginations. I implore you, if you must buy a Judge, use it as a fun gun or for small animals. Leave the serious work to service pistols in service calibers.

Revelations and Genesis

The list could go on. More and more new folks are entering the defensive world and getting poor advice from poor sources. Meanwhile, service caliber Glocks, M&P’s,  P320’s, et al. are out there seeking a good home. They only want to serve their masters with distinction and the promise of solid performance as well as a noteworthy lack of embarrassment at the next or even first training class I hope they attend.

Breaking gun parts is normal – replace and move on

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Gun Parts - Shoot them till they breakGun parts. Shoot them till they break.

In my last installment of Things Do Break, I looked at some high round count guns, and the fact that some stuff does eventually break. What a concept, if you use a piece of gear, a lot, it may eventually fail.

Now, I don’t say that as a point of reference for me to be a smartie. I say that from the point of reference that it has been on my mind quite a bit here of late. We have become a nation obsessed with hardware. Internet forums are littered with literal arguments over sights, which grip stippling, or whether or not to use the slide lock lever during an emergency reload. And 99 percent of these conversations do not lead to a worn out gun or broken gun parts. It is more mental masterbation of pundits. Table-top chess of the what-if club. There is more talk of worn out guns, than actual worn out guns.

Here’s my concept. How ’bout we just keep shooting them, and then when gun parts break, we’ll replace the broken parts, and shoot them some more.

Follow me on this. On a recent internet gun board conversation, someone asked the merits of using the slide lock lever to chamber a round on an emergency reload. This type of question leads to a number of sacred cows. One of which being the whole fine motor skill thing, which is a whole conversation for another day. Another point that was brought up was if you use the slide lock lever, it might wear it out or break it sooner. Seriously? That is a real concern for people?

Let’s say it takes 20,000 rounds and as many dry fires to break a slide stop lever on a Glock 17. (I use the Glock because I recently looked up prices and the amount is fresh in my head.) Let’s say for the sake of argument that we are shooting Blazer Brass from Ammo to Go at $220 per thousand. That’s $4,400. A slide lock lever costs $7.05.

Get it?

The next logical argument is “Well, I run the risk of it breaking when I need it the most.” Ok, check understood. Two options.

  1. PM your gear. Yep, every so often detail strip the pistol and look at the parts. If they look a wee bit worn, ditch them for new. Parts are cheap.
  2. Have two guns. If wear-and-tear worries you, have one gun that you shoot the crap out of it, and a second that is set up just the same to carry that you don’t shoot as much.

A few months ago, I taught a class in Ohio where I joked to a student that I was starting to show up to classes looking like Jed Clampett. (Millennials will have to look that one up.) All my stuff is worn out. I’ve got a couple of pistols I teach with the most that the barrels are near shot out. My work gun is going to need a major rebuild next year. Parts are cheap. Keep shooting them. Magazines are not supposed to last forever. Buy new ones. Keep shooting. When the frame cracks, buy a new gun for $500 and start over. Start shooting that gun.

Worrying about, and playing the what-if game on parts breakage, is a minor player in the overall scheme of things. Someone recently made the proclamation that round counts on designs have gone way above what John M. Browning ever dreamed of. To which I reply “Life is good.”

Shoot them till they break. Replace parts, keep shooting them.