Saturday, January 02, 2010

A Gun Will Not Solve All Your Problems
The Case for Leaning to Use Avoidance Strategies, De-escalation Techniques, Empty Handed Close Combat Skills, and Less than Lethal Weapons


Note: Average Joe is not an attorney and the material that follows is not legal advice and should not be considered legal advice; I am merely offering my perspective. I accept no liability for anyone taking actions based upon what is written herein without conducting their own legal research. Questions regarding use of force and other legal issues should be discussed with your personal attorney, addressed to the attorney general of the state in which you reside, or queried to your local county prosecutor’s office .


Buckle up; this is going to be a long ride. The material you are about to read is the most lengthy piece I have every written at well over 5,000 words and there aren’t many photos to go along with this article. However, I do feel that the material covered here is worthy of consideration by anyone who carries a handgun for self defense. So…let’s go:


Quite a while ago I wrote an article about the importance of getting proper handgun handling training and advanced training in self defense/tactical shooting skills. I do truly feel that anyone who procures a handgun for self defense (whether they legally carry it outside of their residence or not) is doing themselves a huge disservice if they do not get the most comprehensive training that is available to them. If you haven’t read that piece please search “The Importance of Training” in the search box located in the right sidebar.


As my study of shooting has continued I find it also important to learn avoidance strategies and de-escalation techniques to stay out of a shooting situation in the first place. It is equally important to learn empty handed close combat skills and weapons retention techniques. Avoidance strategies, de-escalation techniques, empty handed combat, weapons retention techniques and tactical shooting skills are all a part of a well balanced personal protection training program. Unfortunately, you will be hard pressed to find one training facility that incorporates all of these skill sets. You are going to have to do your research to find instruction for all of them. While engaging in your search here are some things to take into consideration.


Presenting Your Concealed Weapon Is Not Always Appropriate
My first premise for writing this article is that the use of your handgun is not appropriate for all situations in which you feel threatened. A common condition that must be present in order to present your weapon (which shows that you intend to use deadly force) is that you must be in fear for your life or in fear of great bodily injury (and by great bodily injury I am referring to serious physical damage from which a person may not completely recover). If you wind up using deadly force and there is any question as to the legality of your choice you will probably find yourself in court with a jury of 12 people judging your actions against the Reasonable Man Doctrine. Basically this means that the jury will be contemplating your use of deadly force and saying “is this what a reasonable man would have done under the same circumstances?” If the answer is “no” there is probably prison time in your future. Therefore it is important to understand when deadly force can be used, have some less than lethal options and avoidance/de-escalation strategies.
I am always saddened when I see a news report where a concealed weapon permit holder is in trouble because they responded by shooting when the circumstances did not warrant it, usually firing their weapon in response to verbal harassment. This is due to a lack of understanding the laws surrounding the use of deadly force and not being trained to employ any other options.


In order to consider whether the use of deadly force can legally be employed in response to verbal harassment there must be a threat or a statement of an intention to do harm. If someone is calling you names, making racial slurs, or questioning the morals of your mother as long as there is no statement of an intention to do you harm there is no threat. Even if there are statements of an intention to do you harm you may not legally be able respond with force unless the instigator not only made the threat but also has the means to imminently carry it out. If someone is threatening to kill me and they are brandishing a gun I am going to assume that they intend on using the gun and be in genuine fear for my life.


On the other hand, threats that are vague, implied, or not realistically possible may not be cause for the use of deadly force. If you are told that “someday you are going to get it” that statement in and of itself alone, does not pose an imminent threat.


Avoidance and De-Escalation; The Art of Staying Out of Trouble
Part One: Avoiding the Wrong Kind of People


It seems that all my life I have encountered people who have a hard time staying out of trouble. Earlier in my life they were kids in school who always seemed to pick fights and later they were college acquaintances who drank too much (and then committed acts of vandalism, insulted the wrong person, or made a pass at girls whose boyfriends were nearby). As an adult I realized that there were people who thrive on creating drama wherever they go that could occasionally escalate into physical confrontations. All of these people have one thing in common: they are always stirring up the pot. They are experts at creating turmoil where turmoil did not exist, and dragging others down with them. Trust me on this; you will lead a much happier life if these people are not in it. Avoiding them, avoids trouble.




Part Two: Staying Out of the Wrong Place At All Times


Whenever possible stay out of places where you know trouble likes to visit. If there is a small corner tavern where four generations of your family have gathered every Friday night to celebrate the end of another workweek then it is understandable that you want to continue to participate in this tradition. However, if this corner tavern has become a hangout for undesirable elements resulting in frequent visits from local law enforcement to break up fights, bust drug dealers, and mop up after assaults and periodic homicides, then it is time to move your family tradition to another location. Avoiding these places avoids trouble.
This is probably best illustrated by a fellow student in the tactical shooting class who told us that, on the prior week, he decided to take a short cut home through a higher crime area. While sitting at an intersection waiting for the green light a man in a hooded sweatshirt came bursting out of a convenience store on the corner and ran past the front of the student’s car. A second later another man burst out of the convenience store’s door; he was presumably employed there, and was brandishing a handgun. This man fired at the man running who spun around and returned fire. In the flash of a second the student’s mind began calculating possible scenarios and his probably options. Fortunately the shootout was over quickly, the light turned green and the student drove off while fumbling with his cell phone to call 911. From this point on the student took the freeway. Although it was not as direct of a route there were no late-night convenience stores that were prone to robbery along the highway.


Part III: Getting out of the Wrong Place at the Right Time


Although we don’t necessarily want to go to the wrong place sometimes we find ourselves there. Your child comes down with an ear infection and high fever at 1 AM and you have to go to the emergency room; an hour later you find yourself at the all night pharmacy getting the prescription for an antibiotic filled. The pharmacy may be in a high crime area but you can still utilize skills to help keep you out of harm’s way.


Using intuition


One of the best works on personal survival is a book titled “The Gift of Fear, Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence”. It was written by Gavin De Becker in 1997 and was published by Little, Brown, and Company. It is available in paperback and should be stocked in most bookstores if not, Amazon.com carries it. Gavin De Becker’s company, Gavin De Becker & Associates, offers fantastic training. Aside from the book they have a number of DVDs and other training material along with live training seminars. Their training seminars are normally not open to the public but if you work in a profession that has “a need to know” such as law enforcement, security, executive protection, social work, counseling, etc. they are happy to share their knowledge with you.


De Becker states that everyone is born with a very powerful survival tool called intuition. Frequently men refer to it as a “gut reaction or gut feeling”. Intuition quite simply is “knowing something without knowing why” and in the context of what we are talking about it is “knowing that something is wrong without immediately knowing why”. Unfortunately all of your life you have been socialized not to pay attention to your intuition. You have been told by your parents and taught all throughout your schooling not to “judge a book by its cover” and to deal in facts, not emotion. Unfortunately many people wrongfully conclude that intuition and emotion are the same, but they are clearly not the same thing. Intuition is your subconscious mind recognizing danger signs and communicating that to you before your conscious mind evaluates the situation and provides you with the hard data.


Let’s go back to the scenario mentioned above; it’s 2 AM and you find yourself at an all night pharmacy getting a prescription filled for your child. As soon as you open the door to the pharmacy you see someone talking with the Pharmacist and you feel uncomfortable, nervous, your stomach begins producing too much acid (hence the origins of the “gut feeling”) and you are a little confused because you feel that something is not right but you are not immediately able to detect the cause of that feeling. Your subconscious, in a split second evaluated the facial reaction of both the pharmacist and the customer when you opened the door, it evaluated their body language, what the customer was carrying, whether or not the customer’s appearance was appropriate for the surroundings, and the whether his clothing was compatible with the weather conditions and many other factors that you cannot immediately recognize.


Your intuition is telling you to leave; will you listen to your intuition or suppress it?


Gavin De Becker’s book has a lot of excellent material in it. Please purchase a copy or borrow it from your library. Chapter four, “Survival Signals”, details seven methods by which an attacker may try to ingratiate himself with his intended victim so that the victim will let their guard down and ignore their intuition. This chapter also lists 13 messengers of intuition to help you understand the form in which your intuitive survival signals may come to you. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.


Part IV: De-Escalation Techniques


De-escalation techniques can be effective if used early in a confrontation when it is still in the talking stages, well before it turns physical. Even if the person you are dealing with is not completely rational trying these techniques will at least show that you attempted peaceful alternatives before force became necessary. If physically attacked, respond accordingly, but if the encounter begins with words, see if you can give these techniques a try.
To de-escalate a confrontation I follow what I have termed the A.C.C.O.R.D. process which stands for:
Acknowledgement
Common Ground
Compassion
Or
Redirect
Deflect



Acknowledge that they are upset.


Show some compassion for their perspective (even though it may not be justified or rational).


Try to find some common ground between you.


Or, if the above techniques are not working


Redirect and Deflect their anger toward something else.


Let’s look at an example involving “parking lot” rage.
Let’s say that you’re at a crowded shopping mall and as you pull into a aisle a car pulls out and you park in the recently vacated space. As you exit your car you see that another vehicle has pulled up behind your car. The red-faced driver jumps out of his car and aggressively approaches you spewing all sorts of salty language. You calmly acknowledge that he certainly seems upset and ask him why. In between his expletives and spitting you ascertain that he had just passed this space as the previous driver was getting into his car. Your new agitated acquaintance drove around the aisle to get back to this space just as you were pulling in. You show some compassion by stating that you understand why he is upset. Looking for Common Ground you ask how long he had been circling the lot looking for a space. He tells you 15 minutes. You could apologize stating that you did not know he had “seen the parking space first” and you offer to move. Hopefully by now you have de-escalated his rage and he declines your offer to move. Even if he doesn’t wouldn’t it be worth moving your car to keep from becoming entangled in a physical altercation?


If these techniques don’t work then I would try to redirect his anger and deflect it onto some other issue. Try to get the person to agree that the reason this happened was due to some factor other than you. For instance, I might try to get him to agree that the reason for the shortage of spaces is because of all the empty handicapped spots available in the lot and tell him that after you move your car you are going to march right into the mall’s office and give them a piece of your mind (and I would march right to the mall office but only to tell them what happened and give them a description of the man so that their security staff can be on the lookout in case he is intent on causing other problems while in the mall).


One of the keys to controlling and de-escalating these types of verbal encounters is how you react to and treat the other person. Treating them with dignity and respect won’t hurt and may help diffuse the situation; treating them with sarcasm and anger will probably only escalate the situation. Please note: treating someone with dignity and respect should be done with focus and control so that it is not perceived as fear by the other party. Try to conduct yourself with a gracious but command presence. In his book Gavin De Becker explains that “fear is the currency” of the person making the threat. This is a simple but very important observation. The more fear you show when threatened the more threats and verbal harassment you have just purchased from the instigator. If the person can see that their harassment or threats have had an impact on you, you are bound to get more of them. I like to follow a process (are you ready for another acronym?) I refer to as “C.E.R.T.” which stands for Calm Control, Eye Contact, Relaxed, and Tactful. C.E.R.T. is all about “maintaining” yourself; maintaining your calm control over both your temper and the situation, maintaining eye contact with the person (this shows that you are in control and not afraid), maintaining a relaxed appearance (showing a tense appearance will only create more tension in the situation), and maintain tact in your responses.


A long time ago a Cook County, Illinois Corrections Officer that I was working with taught me a great technique that was my basis for C.E.R.T. This officer, who was charged with controlling the worst of the worst in the City of Chicago and County of Cook faced threats and verbal harassment from gang bangers, degenerates, and the criminally unstable on a daily basis. He told me to pick a spot on the instigator’s forehead and stare at it while they are spewing their verbal garbage. This will give them the appearance that you are looking them in the eye without having to see (and possibly react to) their facial expressions. Then, make yourself yawn. Nothing shows a complete lack of fear any more than a yawn. The icy stare and the yawn have helped me suck the wind out of many a blowhard.


Part V: Retreating


One sometimes overlooked avoidance strategy is to retreat. In a stressful situation some people get confused and do not recognize that they have an opening to retreat while others get their adrenaline flowing and disregard the option altogether. Some jurisdictions legally mandate that you retreat if that opportunity is available. Other jurisdictions believe in the “your house is your castle” doctrine and do not require you to retreat if you are in your home. A few states have passed legislation that do not mandate retreat under most conditions. While you need to understand the legal limitations on the use of deadly force in your place of residence my perspective is that discretion is the better part of valor and if retreat is available and does not put anyone else in danger then take it. Why run the risk of a physical or shooting encounter if it is not necessary?


Part VI: Less than lethal options and empty handed combat skills.


All threats are not equally serious. There are times when you may need to defend yourself but the use or even presentation of a firearm may be considered excessive force. In these instances empty handed combat skills and less than lethal weapons may be more appropriate. Just a few days ago someone asked me for advice on less than lethal weapons for a relative that had no interest in firearms. First of all it is important to understand what is classified as less than lethal. Some people think that it is anything outside of a firearm and this is incorrect. Lethal weapons could include any implement that could cause death or great bodily injury such

as expandable batons, knives, and blackjacks and may also pertain to tools designed for other purposes but used as a weapon such as hammers, nail guns, letter openers, and box cutters (remember on 9-11-2001 we incurred a major terrorist attack that was primarily perpetrated at the beginning of the attack by the use of box cutters).


Less Than Lethal Weapons


I have not really had any experience with most less than lethal weapons but, like most internet writers, I have an opinion that I am more than happy to share; unlike most internet writers however, I am happy to own up to my lack of experience. So let me run down the most common less than lethal weapons and my feelings toward them:


  1. Mace or Pepper Spray. I am not a big fan of sprays for a couple of reasons:
    1. I am aware of them being used in retail establishments causing the establishment to have to close while the fire department’s hazmat unit comes in and blows out the building with their fans.
    2. I am aware of them being used in a high school where many students not involved in the altercation, especially those with asthma, had to be treated at a local hospital.
    3. I have seen episodes of “Cops” (here’s where my lack of experience really shines) where the perpetrator was inebriated and the Mace/Pepper spray had little effect.
    4. In other episodes of cops it was sprayed on a perpetrator outside and several of the officers had to be treated because the wind blew the spray into their faces.
That being said, there are important differences between Mace and Pepper Spray. Chemical sprays like mace take 5 to 30 seconds to become effective; they cause pain & irritation to the mucus membranes, but rely on pain compliance to be effective. So drunks, people on drugs, people on an adrenaline high, or those with extremely high pain tolerances might not be affected by mace/chemical spray. Pepper spray (as the name indicates) is made from peppers and not only causes a burning sensation, but also creates inflammation of the airways. When a person is sprayed with Pepper Spray two things happen; his eyes involuntarily slam shut (and if he is able to open them he can't see because the ingredient, Oleoresin Capsicum, dilates the capillaries of the eye causing temporary blindness) and an immediate fit of uncontrollable coughing doubles the person over and often sends them to their knees.


As mentioned above my fear is that sprays can cause too much collateral damage indoors and outdoors it might be blown right back into your face. Kimber has two fairly new products that have been designed around these concerns called the “Pepper Blaster”and the “JPX Jet Protector”.

The Pepper Blaster is a small handheld unit that gives the user two measured blasts with an effective range of 13 feet. These blasts of Pepper Spray are delivered at a velocity 90 miles per hour. The velocity helps in several ways: it makes the blast less likely to be affected by wind and blown back into your face, it improves the accuracy, and the velocity helps penetrate clothing etc. The JPX Jet Protector

is a polymer handgun looking device that also provides two measured blasts with an effective range of 23 feet at an increased velocity of 270 miles per hour. The problems with the JPX is that it is another holster carried implement, is not all that concealable, and is fairly expensive. I cannot attest to their effectiveness but from some YouTube videos of people using them on each other they appear to be a cut about the normal Pepper Spray. There are a couple of things to keep in mind; one is that with any chemical weapon is that there is usually an expiration date so you if you purchase one you will want to make sure you get one with the longest shelf life. The other issue is that both the Pepper Blaster and the JPX Jet Protector give you two blasts of the concentrated chemical; if you miss with those two blasts you’re done.


  1. Stun Guns. I am not a big fan of these because they are a close quarter weapon. You have to push the electrodes on the device against the attacker. If the stun gun is not fully charged or the attacker is wearing heavy, thick clothing it might not have the intended effect. If this is the case you are up close and personal and in position to be pummeled by the attacker.
  2. Tasers. In my opinion Tasers are a step up from sprays and stun guns. They allow you to use them at some distance and are usually (but not always) effective. The two negative aspects of the Tasers are their size (again they are another belt holstered weapon) and price. Good ones run from $400 to $1,000.00.
Another thing to bear in mind with Sprays, Stun Guns, and Tasers is that they are not convenient weapons with which to practice. Bear in mind that in a stressful situation muscle memory wins the day. During an attack is no time to learn to use a new weapon system. Even though they are simple devices to use fine motor skills disappear under extreme stress. Remember the tactical student mentioned above who witnessed a shoot out just in front of his vehicle? I wrote that as he drove away he fumbled trying to dial 911. Under normal circumstances he can drive, dial, and talk on the phone very easily. Add gunfire to the equation and this normally simple process becomes anything but simple.


  1. High Intensity Flashlights. Now these I like. In the 1970’s every cop in Chicago carried a large aircraft aluminum Mag Light, many times in place of their traditional hickory nightstick. They were big, heavy and wouldn’t break. They also provided a good amount of light. Fast forward to today and every cop carries a small high intensity flashlight. They are lightweight and take up little space on the officer’s belt. They are still made pretty darn indestructible but they have a huge advantage over the large Mag Light; they produce high intensity, blinding white light. The most prolific manufacturer of these items is Surfire and years ago when they first introduced their lower priced polymer G3 with an output of 80 lumens I picked one up. One night a storm knocked out the power and my Surefire G3 was in easy reach so I picked it up. I was making my way down the hallway and, without thinking opened the bedroom door. The 80 lumens of light hit the bedroom mirror and shown back in my face. I was immediately blinded and somewhat disoriented. For a few seconds I wondered if my eyesight would return. I learned from that how powerful these little lights are. I have learned to respect their power and keep one with me. I may not be able to take my handgun with me to New York City or Los Angeles but flashlights are still allowed. These days I carry the Browning Pro Hunter Tactical flashlight shown at the right in the photo below.
IT produces 210 lumens of light. I used it during the tactical class when we performed room clearing drills in complete darkness. The other two students hiding in the room said that the light was so bright that it caused them to both close their eyes and turn away. Firing their weapon was not the first reaction they had. The advantage goes to the high intensity flashlight.
    Leaning Empty Handed Close Combat Skills


    You May Not Be Able to Get to Your Weapon


    The attack may begin at close quarters. Ever heard of the Tueller Drill? Salt Lake City Police Sergeant Dennis Tuller was working as a training instructor when a police recruit asked him how close he should let a charging assailant come before using force. Tueller assumed it would be about four paces but decided to find out. Knowing that it took the average officer 1.5 seconds to draw and fire from a duty holster Tueller decided to find out how much ground someone could cover in that amount of time. He was surprised to find that the answer was 21 feet. That’s a pretty fair amount of real estate. If someone within 21 feet is charging with a knife, a club, or even their fists, they will be on you before you can draw and fire especially if you are carrying your weapon in deeper concealment than a uniformed police officer. Do you have the close quarter fighting skills to ward off this attack until you can get to your pistol?


    Also pulling your handgun at close quarters may not be a good idea unless you have some training to learn how to protect the draw. As one gun writer (whose name I have long forgotten) once said “when you and your assailant are at arm’s length away from each other the pistol belongs to both of you”. If someone has the will to do it, it is not difficult to disarm someone holding a handgun. If you grab the slide of a pistol and push it slightly to the rear it will not fire. If you grab the cylinder of a revolver and hold tightly the trigger cannot be pulled unless the hammer is already cocked. Once someone has a hold on the handgun it is a simple process of wrenching the pistol against the joint of the trigger finger and wrist, usually breaking the finger as the pistol comes free. Prison inmates have been noted practicing this in their exercise facilities. Do you know how to protect, retain, and properly present your weapon when you are up close and personal with an assailant?


    Creating Space


    Do you know how to create the space needed to draw and fire under close quarter combat distances by throwing a powerful kick with the weak side foot or by shoving your weak side palm into the sternum while digging your middle finger into the trachea and violently pushing the assailant backwards? If so, do you practice these techniques regularly enough to develop the muscle memory needed to make them happen automatically? Do you regularly practice handgun retention techniques?


    The Need for Competent Instruction; My Choice is Krav Maga!


    Everything mentioned above is a part of the curriculum of Krav Maga.
    While I stumbled into Krav Maga it turned out to be an excellent choice of empty handed combat training for the shooter who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Krav Maga is the hand-to-hand system taught to the Israeli Defense Forces; the words Krav Maga are Hebrew meaning “contact combat”. The reason that Krav Maga is an excellent choice for me is because it is a modern fighting system which incorporates modern weapons and firearms into its scope of training. Krav Maga was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld in 1948. Lichtenfeld was born in Hungary and grew up in Czechoslovakia. His father, who was a police detective and self defense instructor, had Imi studying wrestling, boxing, and judo throughout his youth. In the 1930’s as fascism began to rear its ugly head in Czechoslovakia gangs of young male fanatics began roaming the streets beating Jews. Lichtenfeld organized his community and taught people to defend themselves. He escaped Czechoslovakia and fled to Palestine in 1940 where he fought with the British in their Middle Eastern campaigns. After the war he stayed in Palestine. When Israel became a State Lichtenfeld was already there teaching Jews the close combat skills he had developed over the last 18 years. He very quickly was appointed as the self defense instructor to the Israeli Defense Forces.
    Back in Czechoslovakia during the 1930’s Lichtenfeld found that his training in boxing, wrestling, and judo had not prepared him for street fighting. Boxing, wrestling, and judo are competitive sports; there are rules, you only fight one opponent with whom you square off in the middle of the mat or ring, the opponent is not armed, and there are time limits on the rounds. In a street fight the opposite of all of the preceding is true. There are no rules; you will frequently have to fight multiple attackers who sometimes “come out of nowhere”. There is no time limit and your attackers may be armed. Krav Maga trains their students for all of those conditions. Many martial arts that incorporate weapons training (both uses of and defenses against) utilize weapons from the period when the martial art was created. Being an amateur historian I certainly appreciate and applaud these arts for preserving traditions and teaching their classical weapons but there aren’t that many street fights involving samurai swords, lances, etc. While many of these classical techniques can be adapted for use against modern weapons, the midst of a street fight is no place to begin to develop that adaptation.


    Krav Maga is based upon instinctive movements to respond to attacks. Imi Lichtenfeld kept it simple as he knew that the fine motor skills deteriorate under stress. Because of the effect of stress on one’s ability to execute their training Krav Maga incorporates drills designed to increase the stress level as Lichtenfeld knew that the only way to overcome the effect of stress was to train for it. In Krav Maga you learn to fight in your first class. Krav Maga also incorporates aggression drills to bring passive people out of their shell and prepare them to react to an attack with the speed and force necessary to defeat their attacker.
    Krav Maga was developed to get students (originally military recruits) to a basic level of proficiency in a very quick time and you can devote many years to continued training gaining advanced levels of expertise.
    I realize that recommending a martial art is as controversial as recommending a particular firearm. Somebody is always going to take issue with your suggestion. Let me say this: what you carry and what fighting style you study are not nearly as important as what YOU are prepared to do with them. You can own the finest and most accurate handgun in the world but if you can’t bring yourself to pull the trigger when being attacked it has done you no good. Similarly you can be an expert in any martial art, but if you are not mentally prepared to fight back and stay focused while responding with aggressive finality, then your training has done you no good. Like most things in life your successful deployment of your survival skills is a 70% mental and 30% physical proposition. This is the reason you must find a competent instructor who provides realistic training for both your shooting and fighting skills.


    In conclusion (and not a minute too soon)


    The piece has discussed subjects that I have wanted to write about for quite a long time. I cannot completely cover everything within the confines of this blog, nor do I know “everything” that should be discussed. My intention has been to provide you some food for thought. Hopefully this discussion will inspire you to do your own research to provide more options and expertise to your personal self defense program. If it has done that then I will feel very satisfied for having written this article. I hope you are never attacked. If you are I hope you make it home safely.

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009

    Thoughts on Pocket Holsters

    This morning I received the following comment from an anonymous readers;

    Anonymous said...

    I would like to hear your thoughts on actually carrying and deploying this pistol from I assume a pocket holster and I assume "cocked and locked" condition. If this is the case, do you have any apprehension about the idea of a cocked and locked pistol without a grip safety in your pocket?

    I thought this was an insightful question so rather than talk about it in the comment section I thought I would write about it within the blog.

    Anonymous,

    I have no apprehension about carrying the P238 cocked and locked in my pocket as long as certain conditions are met:

    1. It must be carried in a pocket holster. Any handgun carried in a pocket must be carried in a pocket holster in order to keep the pistol in place. If you do not use one you will find that the loaded magazine has made it grip heavy causing the grip to to shift downward in your pocket. This leaves it in an inverted "v" position. When you attempt to draw your hand will find itself grasping the the rear of the slide instead of the grips.

    I like the synthetic holsters from Uncle Mike's or DeSantis. I have had instances where a leather holster comes out of the pocket with the pistol. Even those that have a rougher exterior still rely on a lip at the top of the holster on which the thumb can push off. Some have a hooked portion at the bottom of the holster which will hopefully catch on the bottom of the pocket opening as the pistol is drawn. The synthetic pocket holsters are made with a tacky exterior that grips the inside of the pocket so the holster stays put when the pistol is presented.

    2. The pocket holster must cover the trigger and side-frame mounted safety in order to protect the safety from becoming disengaged and the trigger from becoming engaged. If these things happen it will go bang.

    The Uncle Mike's pocket holster shown above is small but provides no protection to the safety and the trigger.

    This Uncle Mike's pocket holster fits perfectly, is lightweight, thin and offers the proper protection to the safety and trigger.

    This DeSantis pocket holster goes a bit too far. It offers excellent protection (and believe me this holster is pretty much guaranteed to stay in the pocket) but the SIG P238 sits so low that it is going to take another second or so to grasp it properly in order to draw.

    The lack of a grip safety is really of no mind to me. John M. Browning only put it on the 1911 because the Army was afraid of accident discharges if dropped by the Calvary while riding on horseback. Browning left it off of the P35 better known as the Browning High Power which is also a single action pistol with just the frame mounted slide safety.

    The cocked and locked pistol in the proper pocket holster is just fine as long as you put it in your pocket and leave it alone. Many people who are new to their CCW permit get a pocket pistol, place it in their pocket and then fidget with it. I used to do this and I recall talking with a business colleague who told me that he was waiting for his wife in a Sears and was completely zoned out when he realized his hand was in his pocket, gripping the pistol, with his finger on the trigger of his Kahr PM40.

    I also have an inside-the-waistband tuckable holster for the SIG P238 because not every pair of pants I have are conducive to holding a pocket pistol. The first consideration is the depth of the pocket. You have probably not thought much about this if you haven't carried a handgun in your pocket. Some pockets are just not deep enough to conceal the handgun. The second consideration is the structure and weight of material of the pants. Material that is light and loose allows the pistol flop around and possible print against the fabric or allow the pistol to shift even though it is in a pocket holster. Chinos and denim are the best fabrics for keeping the pistol in place and guarding against it printing. However, blue jeans pose a somewhat different problem. First of all the pockets are usually rather tight against the body making it a little more difficult to get into the pocket and retrieve the pistol. The second consideration is the shape of the pocket opening. Chinos and dress slacks usually have a vertical slash pocket which is very easy and quick to access. The pocket opening on jeans however, are usually somewhat horizontal. That opening, coupled with the tightness of the material covering the pocket make it more difficult to draw a pocket pistol. I said difficult, not impossible. If you normally wear jeans and desire to carry a pocket pistol you are going to have to spend a little more time practicing your draw. You will need to unload the pistol and check it twice more, making sure that there is not a round in the chamber. You will need to practice stabbing your flattened hand into your pocket to access and get a good purchase on your pistol. It is not difficult, but you will not perform this well in a stressful situation unless you practice and build up muscle memory so that the movements are automatic without conscious thought.

    So that's it for pocket holsters. If you have a question or comment, please let me know.








    Sunday, December 06, 2009

    Sig P238 1911 Style .380 Semi-Automatic Pistol

    It is very safe to say that .380 pocket pistols have become very popular. With the proliferation of States that have passed Concealed Carry Laws people have been looking for their own solution for the compromise between power and size. The .380 renaissance started back in the middle of this decade with the introduction of Kel-Tec's diminutive P3AT. Kel-Tec's offering was somewhat controversial as many people branded them unreliable. Gunsmiths began offering reliability tune-ups and the internet was abuzz with posting on how to perform your own P3AT fluff and buff job (which darn near sounds like a service offered at the Moonlit Bunny Ranch in Nevada). While it may have been a controversial pistol it gained near cult status due to it's size and weight. I owned one for about a year and a half and found it to be completely reliable. My problem involved the trigger pinching my finger and the slender polymer grip frame gave me nothing to hang onto. I solved the latter issue by wrapping rubber bands around the grip and eventually I found some decal grips that fit nicely.

    Fast forward about 5 years and we are now awash in .380 pocket pistols. Two SHOT Shows ago Ruger introduced its LCP which was so much like the Kel-Tec that internet folk lore had Kel-Tec producing them for Ruger. In my opinion the Ruger was better made and smoother in both the manipulation of the slide and the pull of the trigger.

    At last year's SHOT show .380's from Taurus, Kahr, Walther, and SIG debuted.

    I wanted one, but which one.

    Pistol

    Weight

    Width

    Kel-Tec P3AT

    8.3 OZ

    .77 Inches

    Ruger LCP

    9.4 OZ

    .82 Inches

    Taurus 738

    10.2 OZ

    .775 Inches

    Kahr P380

    9.97 OZ

    .75 Inches

    Walther PK 38

    19.4 OZ

    1.2 Inches

    SIG P238

    15.2 OZ

    1.1 Inches


    I eliminated the Walther right out of the chute because it is not really a pocket pistol. There are 9mm pistols about the same size as the Walther PK38. The Ruger LCP and the Taurus 738 share the same "thin-ness" issues I had with the Kel-Tec P3AT. They were so thin that is was difficult to get a good grips on them and, post firing recoil, they needed to be repositioned in my hand. The Taurus was tempting due to it's very smooth trigger pull. The other problem I have with the Ruger and Taurus offerings is that they are pretty much devoid of useful sights. Technically they have sights but practically they are of little use. This leaves the Kahr P380 and the SIG P238. Both of these models come with useable sights and optional night sights are available. Upon further consideration I decided not to go with the Kahr for the following reasons:

    1. I have found that their long trigger pull erodes accurate firing under stress.
    2. The sights on the SIG were larger and therefore more useful.

    The SIG also has a lot going for it:

    1. The bi-tone model with blackwood grips and night sights is just a downright beautiful pistol.
    2. The single action trigger with a 7 pound pull will be perfect for shooting under stress.
    3. At 1.1 inches in width it is the widest of the true pocket .380's currently made. It is thin enough to conceal in my pocket but thick enough to get a good hold around the grip.

    SIG P238 At-A-Glance

    Handling

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Fit & Finish

    Terrible

    Rough

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Sights

    None

    Too Small

    Useable

    Good

    Excellent

    Trigger

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Power Scale

    .22LR

    .380 ACP

    9mm

    .40 S&W

    .45 ACCP

    Carry/Concealment

    Too Large

    Compact

    Ultra Compact

    Micro Compact

    Pocket Pistol

    Reliability

    Unreliable

    Somewhat Reliable

    Fair

    OK

    Completely Reliable

    Accuracy

    Poor

    Fair

    Acceptable

    Combat

    Bullseye


    (The SIG P238 is smaller than the Walther PPK which set the standard for pocket pistols back in 1931)


    (The SIG P238 along side the Colt Model 1908 "Pocket Hammerless" . This was the standard for pocket pistols in 1908.)

    Let’s examine the individual characteristics of the SIG P238:

    Handling

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent


    The SIG P238 is a SIG redesign of the Colt Mustang .380 ACP. With seemingly little foresight Colt stopped marketing this little pistols just as the acknowledgement of concealed carry started to be formally recognized by many states. In very short order the Colt Mustang .380 and its predecessor, the Colt Government .380 ACP, became sought after handguns selling for double or triple their original retails. I have already talked about the handling characteristics that caused me to select the P238 over the rest of the field so there is not much more I can say other than one of the obvious design goals was to keep this pistol flat. As such the slide stop lever has been flattened and the frame mounted safety is flat compared to the larger sized safeties that have evolved onto the major caliber 1911's over the past decade or so. Also, there is no ambidextrous safety to add extra bulk. The safety on the P238 does not block the movement of the slide. I like this feature as it allows me to work the slide for loading or unloading with the safety still engaged. I also like that the safety locks with a very positive "click" and stays in place. On both my Mustang and Colt Government model there was some loose "play" in the engagement of the safety. I was always mindful that the safety might become disengaged while in my pocket. I do not have this phobia with the SIG.

    Fit & Finish

    Terrible

    Rough

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    The fit and finish of the P238 is superb. SIG took the Colt mustang platform and improved upon it. SIG did hit a snag when the pistols were first issued. Pre-production promotional media stated that the pistol would have some very attractive aluminum grips. Many people who had eagerly awaited the arrival of the 238 were disappointed when they found the grips to actually be silver colored plastic. This was a sore point since the SIG was the highest priced .380 on the market. Not too long after that SIG began producing them with beautiful rosewood and black wood grips. The pistols with wooden grips seem to out number the plastic handled ones now. The fit of the pistol is just what you would expect from SIG which is known to be a prestige brand. The two toned model I located is just simply classy.

    Sights

    None

    Too Small

    Useable

    Good

    Excellent


    Most pocket pistols were made without sights of any useful fashion. The original pocket pistol, Colt's Model M 1903 Pocket Hammerless is an excellent example of this (see the model 1908 pictured above with the SIG P238). The Colt Government .380 and the Colt Mustang also were manufactured with sights that left a lot to be desired. Once upon a time I recall seeing a Colt Government .380 on the Cylinder & Slide website that they had worked over and one of their improvement was a set of decent sights. The P238's sights are the most visible and useable of all of the current crop of .380 pocket pistols. The model I was able to find had night sights (thank you SIG). I had the gunsmith at the range drift the rear sight slightly to the right and I am now able to hit man sized targets out to 25 yards.

    Trigger

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent


    In my youth I used to think that light trigger pulls were a fantastic thing. That ceased when I realized that 2 to 3 pound trigger pulls were an invitation to negligent discharges. They may be good on bullseye competition guns but you do not want them on a carry pistol. The SIG P238 has a trigger pull of 7 pounds. It feels lighter because it is smooth with very little creep or over travel. I believe that most gun scribes who are paid to write reviews would call it "crisp".

    Power Scale

    .22LR

    .380 ACP

    9mm

    .40 S&W

    .45 ACP/GAP


    Most things in life involve compromise and so it is with carry pistols. The easiest to carry are the least powerful and so it is with the SIG P238. It is easy to carry. I suppose one very positive way to describe the power factor would be to say that...ahem, "The .380 ACP is the most powerful of the weak pistol cartridges". One of the benefits of the popularity of the .380 pistols has been that ammunition manufacturers are continually looking to produce more efficient ammunition. They are stretching the velocity which provides very reliable and maximum expansion from the hollowpoint bullet. This is wonderful although we have to realize that there is only so much expansion that a 95 grain .380 inch diameter bullet can produce. This is a pistol caliber that can help change the attitude of an assailant that assessed you to be a weak target. This is not a pistol to take into combat hostilities.

    Carry/Concealment

    Too Large

    Compact

    Ultra Compact

    Micro Compact

    Pocket Pistol


    While not as small as the Kel-Tech P3AT or the Ruger LCP the SIG is still a pocket pistol. Mine rides either in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster or a Galco U.S.A. ULTIMATE SECOND AMENDMENT inside the waist-band tuckable holster.

    Reliability

    Unreliable

    Somewhat Reliable

    Fair

    OK

    Completely Reliable


    As expected, SIG has ensured that these pistols are completely reliable.

    Accuracy

    Poor

    Fair

    Acceptable

    Combat

    Bullseye


    When I first began shooting the P238 I was not happy with the accuracy; it was acceptable.
    It was on par with my recollections of what the Colt Mustang has to offer but I was never really
    overwhelmed by the Mustang's accuracy. After having the rear sight drifted over I found that
    moving my trigger finger almost all the way to the first joint have me much better accuracy. So
    let's see the targets:

    Here are the first 50 out of the box. 25 fired at the head and 25 fired at the torso from 21 feet.


    38 rounds at 15 feet.
    3 from 21 feet.


    I then decided to see what the excellent sights on the P238 were capable of . It was difficult to get head shots at 50 feet (35 rounds were fired):


    It was easier to get torso shots at 75 feet (again, 35 rounds were fired):

    I have but one stingy little complaint and it deals with disassembly. Because this is a concealed carry pistol one of the design goals, as mentioned above, was to keep the pistol as flat as possible. Because of this the slide stop pin which holds the pistol together is flush with the frame where it exits the right side of the pistol. This requires me to line the slide's take-down cut away arc with the slide stop on the left side of the pistol while holding it in my left hand while I try to gently tap the pin through the hole on the right side of the frame. If my left hand lets the slide slip just a centimeter, the alignment is fouled and the pin will not come out. Most of the time this has not been a problem, however today it was about 19 degrees outside when I attempted to disassemble the P238. I don't know how much warmer it was in my garage but I do know it was cold enough that my fingers did not have the necessary dexterity to pull this off in one attempt. That being said this is a minor complaint for an otherwise superb pistol.

    My normal carry pieces are chambered for either 9mm or .45 ACP however there are times when circumstances dictate deeper concealment for my carry piece. The SIG P238 fills this niche very nicely.


    Sunday, November 29, 2009

    Glock Model 38 .45 GAP

    OK, I know what you are saying:

    1. “A .45 GAP, has he lost his mind?”

    2. “It’s an obsolete cartridge. “

    3. “It serves no purpose.”

    4. “Ammunition is too expensive.”

    5. “Ammunition is too hard to find.”

    6. “The round is not as good as the .45 ACP”

    My responses:

    1. “"A .45 GAP, has he lost his mind?” Under advice from counsel I am respectfully invoking my rights under the 5th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America and refusing to answer that question on the grounds that it may tend to incriminate me.

    2. “"It’s an obsolete cartridge." Hardly. There are enough police agencies using it (and happily so) to keep it around. The major players are:

    a. Fulton County Georgia SWAT

    b. Georgia State Patrol

    c. Louisiana Office of State Parks

    d. Huntington Park, CA. P.D.

    e. Denver, CO. P.D.

    f. Vanderburg County Indiana Sheriff’s Office

    g. New York State Police

    h. Pennsylvania State Police

    i. South Carolina Highway Patrol

    3. “"It serves no purpose.” Yes it does. The purpose of the .45 GAP was to provide a shorter .45 semi-automatic cartridge that would allow the pistols that chamber it to have a reduced grip making the pistol more ergonomic to people with smaller hands. Now you may claim that the venerable 1911’s grip isn’t that large and, being a 1911 lover, I am not going to argue that point. What I will remind you is that much of the world is shooting polymer pistols and those folks have moved on from the 1911. (I do not disparage the 1911—I’ve got a real honey coming up for review soon.)

    4. “"Ammunition is too expensive.” What ammunition isn’t too expensive these days? In fact, I have found many a gun or sporting goods shop that hasn’t bothered to take any price increases on their .45 GAP ammo over the last two years.

    5. “"Ammunition is too hard to find.” Is it as popular as the .22 Long Rifle? No, of course not, you might have to look, but it is available.

    6. “"The round is not as good as the .45 ACP” Yawn…look at the ballistics tables imported from Guns & Ammo and tell me where the disparity lies:

    AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR: .45 GAP


    BULLET

    BARREL
    LENGTH

    VELOCITY (fps)

    ENERGY

    30 yd.
    MIDRANGE

    CARTRIDGE

    WT.

    TYPE

    MFG

    (INCHES)

    MUZZ.

    50 YDS.

    MUZZ.

    50 YDS.

    TRAIL

    .45 GAP

    185

    JSP

    (W)

    5

    1000

    938

    411

    361

    1.1

    185

    JHP

    (F)

    5

    1090

    970

    490

    385

    1.0

    185

    JHP

    (C)

    4

    1030

    942

    436

    364

    0.9

    185

    FMJ

    (F)

    5

    1090

    970

    490

    385

    1.0

    185

    FMJ

    (C)

    4

    1030

    930

    436

    355

    1.1

    200

    JHP

    (C)

    4

    950

    895

    401

    355

    1.0

    200

    FMJ

    (C)

    4

    920

    853

    376

    323

    1.1

    230

    JHP

    (W)

    5

    880

    842

    396

    363

    1.1

    230

    FMJ

    (W)

    5

    850

    834

    369

    338

    1.2

    230

    LF

    (W)

    5

    875

    840

    391

    360

    1.1

    AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR: .45 Auto


    BULLET

    BARREL
    LENGTH

    VELOCITY (fps)

    ENERGY

    30 yd.
    MIDRANGE

    CARTRIDGE

    WT.

    TYPE

    MFG

    (INCHES)

    MUZZ.

    50 YDS.

    MUZZ.

    50 YDS.

    TRAIL

    185

    JHP

    (C)

    5

    1050

    956

    453

    375

    1.1

    185

    FMJ

    (C)

    5

    1000

    909

    411

    339

    1.0

    185

    FMJ

    (W)

    5

    910

    861

    340

    304

    1.4

    185

    FMJ

    (F)

    5

    780

    700

    245

    200

    2.0

    200

    JHP

    (C)

    5

    1080

    994

    518

    439

    0.9

    200

    JHP

    (C)

    5

    975

    917

    421

    372

    1.4

    200

    FMJ

    (C)

    5

    975

    897

    422

    357

    1.0

    230

    JHP

    (S)

    5

    850

    814

    369

    338

    1.6

    230

    JHP

    (S)

    5

    835

    800

    356

    326

    1.6

    230

    FMJ

    (S)

    5

    845

    804

    363

    329

    1.6

    230

    FMJ

    (S)

    5

    830

    795

    352

    323

    1.7

    So, for those of you with an open mind, let’s continue:

    Glock Model 38 At-A-Glance


    Handling

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Fit & Finish

    Terrible

    Rough

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Sights

    None

    Too Small

    Useable

    Good

    Excellent

    Trigger

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Power Scale

    .22LR

    .380 ACP

    9mm

    .40 S&W

    .45 ACCP

    Carry/Concealment

    Too Large

    Compact

    Ultra Compact

    Micro Compact

    Pocket Pistol

    Reliability

    Unreliable

    Somewhat Reliable

    Fair

    OK

    Completely Reliable

    Accuracy

    Poor

    Fair

    Acceptable

    Combat

    Bullseye


    The Glock model 38 is the Compact model so the specifications should come as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the Glock compact frame. Yet, something was amiss and I didn’t realize it until I tried to slip the G38 into a holster. The Glock website and printed catalogues at the gun shop gave the G38 the same dimensions as the 9mm G19 and the .40 S&W G23. However it is a little wider. I didn’t notice it at the store but when I got home and tried to put the G38 into my Blackhawk Serpa holster designed for the G19 & 23 she just wouldn’t go! Same for every other Kydex or leather G19/23 holster I had on hand save this attractive paddle holster from Galco. While designated for a G19 the leather was just pliable enough for the wider G38:

    The G38 also fit perfectly in my favorite ballistic nylon holster, the DeSantis “Tuck This”.

    Specifications

    Caliber

    .45 GAP

    Capacity

    8 + 1

    Action

    Double Action Only

    Trigger Pull

    5.5 Pounds

    Length

    6.85 inches

    Height

    5 inches

    Width

    1.18 inch

    Barrel Length

    4.02 inches

    Weight

    24.16 Ounces

    Let’s examine the individual characteristics of the Glock Model 38:

    Handling

    Terrible

    Poor

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent

    Reviewing a Glock is not something you are going to undertake if you are trying to be popular as there are two types of gun people out there: those who love Glocks and those who don't. However, to be true to myself I have to say that I find Glocks to handle excellently. Not all people take to them right away (I was one of them) but, given shooting time (and an IDPA match or a Tactical Pistol Class) and you will begin to realize the beauty and simplicity of the Glock. It took a little while to get used to the angle of the grip as Glocks have more of an angle that a 1911 pistol. However, one notices pretty quickly that they point on target pretty well, you don't have to fumble (and possibly forget) to engage or disengage a safety or decocker lever, the sights are good right out of the box, and the trigger is the same on each pull. I know a shooter in Arizona who swears by his 10mm Glock Model 2o. He keeps it stoked with some hot, high performance ammo from Double Tap and is well protected whether an attacker has 2 legs, four legs, or 4 wheels.


    One of the modifications I make to all of my Glocks is to have an extended slide release put on. I was delighted to see that, on this model Glock had already realized the improvement this would make in handling the pistol and were good enough to make this standard on the G38.

    Fit & Finish

    Terrible

    Rough

    Acceptable

    Good

    Excellent


    Fit & Finish...OK the fit and finish is...well...very Glock-like. Glocks are kind of like the Ford Model T of handguns. Their fit is always the same and you can have one finished in any color you want as long as it is black. Glocks are not beautiful collectible pieces, barbecue guns, a canvas for engravers, or a safe queen. Their purpose is to even the odds when the chips are down, in fact the Glock may tip the odds in your favor. It is designed, built, and finished for combat, plain and simple.

    Sights

    None

    Too Small

    Useable

    Good

    Excellent


    Glock sights are very visible right out of the box, however they are not night sights so that is on the only other alteration I will make to a standard Glock. The regular out-of-the box sights are good, night sights are excellent.

    Trigger