Holster update

Since warm weather finally decided to arrive, well actually HOT weather seems to have snuck in bypass the warm stuff, I've been trying to figure out the off duty carry stuff.  My issued holster is on the duty belt, although I have a duplicate I wear when working out of uniform, It conceals fine under a jacket, but not so much under a t-shirt.  By IWB options on the compacts are the Alien Gear or the Desantis sof-tuck. These holsters also handle the Glock 26 and 30s.   I usually carry under an untucked shirt, but it's much slower to draw from the 4 or 5 o'clock positions I usually carry these in.  For some reason 3 o'clock doesn't work for IWB for me, either very uncomfortable, or prints horribly or both.  Also, Glock stipling can be a little rough on the old skin during long periods of exposure.  I have recently been experimenting with wearing sleeveless undershirts tucked in the pants with a untucked t-shirt covering the gun.  Works okay so far, but I sweat a lot, even with the moisture wicking stuff I am wearing, not sure I am going to pull off 2 shirts all day during summer activities.  The alien gear rig has a sweat guard, so less of the gun touches skin and also less of the gun gets covered in sweat, but it's a larger holster and harder to take on or off discretely if needed.  I have a Desantis sof-tuck for the 42.  It's smaller, and the stippling less aggressive.  I have another option with it also.  I have a small hybrid belt slide holster from K and N holsters that keeps the little gun pretty tight on the body.  It conceals almost as easy this way and more comfortable.  Just make sure the top shirt is a loose fitting one.  The rig doesn't come on and off easily, so not to be worn if this is needed.  I don't have an IWB holster yet for the Glock 42.  Thinking of going polymer for it.  Been looking at the Blade-Tech Klipt.  Anyone have any experience with it.  Heard good things about their Kydex, but this is a fairly new, cheaper injection molded model.  They also offer both it and their Phantom for the 19/23.  I am confident this would also fit the 26.  I just wonder if it would fit the 30s.  Every holster I have for the 19/23 so far has handled the 26, but I have one holster, a Fobus paddle holster, that won't fit the 30s.  I like that I get quadruple use out of most holsters.  It makes me feel efficient.  When I traded for the 43, it came with a Fobus.  I came to like it.  Although paddle holsters don't conceal as well as belt holsters, with the little 9mm I can hide it as long as I cover it with a loose fitting t-shirt.  It can be discretely taken on and off.  That's why I bought one for the larger weapons.  It's still a decent deal I think, as 3 of my 4 compacts with carry in it.  And I like the OWB 3 o'clock when it's an option.  Haven't had a chance to test the bigger Fobus.  I think it's on the calendar for this weekend.

Here's what I'm considering:

The Blade-tech Klipt IWB for the 43 and maybe the 42.

The Blade-tech Phantom for the 19, 23, 26 and 30s.

I am also interested in the Safariland ALS 7ts-7377 retention holster for the 19/23/26/30s.  This is a belt slide.  They also offer a paddle model and a belt clip.  I think you can also by the attachments and convert from one to the other.  

Apparently people are looking at my ramblings.  Anyone have any experience with any of these holsters?  Anyone have an idea if the Phantom or Safariland for the 19 would also fit the 30s?  I read somewhere that any holster for a 19 that didn't cover the muzzle would work, but I think it has more to do with how it locks on for retention.  The hybrids like the Alien Gear have some flexibility on the back, so I see it working.  The same with the Desantis.  I think a full kydex would be less likely to work.  But the Blackhawk Serpa I have to use for work is a polymer holster and it works with it.  Didn't even have to adjust the tension.  This makes me think the ALS and Phantoms might work.  Neither are super expensive.  

Battle of the Mighty Midgets

I recently decided I didn't need the Glock 30 since I liked the 30s so much.  So I listed it for sale.  Instead, someone contacted me and wanted to trade.  I had a 2 week old Glock 43.   He had fired about 100 rounds through it.  His department issued 21's and allowed the 30 for off duty and plain clothes carry.  So we met and worked out a deal.

So now I have the 26, the 43 and the 42.  That's the smallest Glocks.  So why don't I fire them all back to back and compare?  Sounds like a plan to me.

First the facts.

The Glock 26 is the one that's been in production the longest.  It, and it's almost twin the 27 are called the Baby Glocks.  The smallest Glocks available in the US until the arrival of the 42.  You can go to Glock's website and check the dimensions and things.  I can duplicate them, but not sure I agree.  My 26 is the Gen 3.  It doesn't have the adjustable back straps or reversible magazine release.  Gen 3 26's have the double recoil spring that all Model's of gen 4's have.  It also came with only 2 magazines. The stippling is also less aggressive on the gen 3's.

Before firing the advantages of the 26.
1.  It holds more rounds.  Being a double stack, with the unmodified factory magazines, it holds 10 rounds.  There are things like Magguts kits and Pierce grip extensions with +1 or +2 that can increase capacity.  The Magguts even leaves the flush fit of the magazines.  I believe you can also find 12 round magazines for the 26 now.

2.  It works with magazines for the larger 19 and 17 models.  You can carry 15, 17 or even 30 round magazines for the larger 9 mm if you want.

3.  More weight and larger grip.  This is an advantage while firing I think.  It should make both aiming easier and recoil easier to manage.

The disadvantages:
1.  It's fatter, harder to conceal. This was also an advantage.
2.  It's heavier.  Less comfortable to carry.

The Glock 43 is one of the newest Glocks on the market.  It is now the smallest 9 mm made by Glock.  It seems to be one of the models that doesn't fit into a generation.  It's kind of like a Gen 3 with no finger grooves.  Looking at them together, I would say the 43 is a slimmer, leaner version of the 26.  Sort of like the 26 after a year of paleo and crossfit training.  In other words, identical except in width.  Glock's website doesn't agree, claiming it;s taller, with a shorter length and barrel, as well as thinner and lighter.

The pros:

1.  This gun is easy to carry, it's thin and light.

The cons

3.  I have a feeling that thin and light are going to mean harder to aim and control and much less pleasant to fire.
4.  Unmodified factory magazines only hold 6 rounds.
5.  No extended mags.  The second mag did include a pinky extension, but still only holds 6 rounds.

The Glock 42 has been around a little longer than the 43.  It looks like you tossed the 43 in the dryer on too high of a heat setting and it shrunk just a little.

The pros:

1.  It's very easy to carry this gun.  It's even smaller than the 43 and 4 ounces lighter!
2.  Being a .380 the recoil should be much less.

The cons:

1.  Factory magazines hold only 6 rounds.
2.  Not even a pinky extension on the extra magazine.
3.  It's a .380, while modern .380 ammo is much better than it was, it is still a big step down in power.

All three of these guns suffer from small gun syndrome.  In other words, unless your hands are tiny, you aren't going to get more than a 2 finger grip on them with the flush fit magazines.  The pinky extension on the 43's spare mag might help.  If I like it I may get one for the .42.  I don't know that it's worth it to lose the bit of concealability by adding on to both mags.  I've heard the + extensions use the factory magazine spring and tend to weaken the springs quickly making them not so reliable.  Don't know that is true, but it makes it unlikely I will try them.  The magguts uses it's own stronger spring and a thinner follower to make the extra room without lengthening the mag.  They have a pretty good reputation at the moment.  I might go that route if extended mags don't become available.  May eventually get a 12 round or two for the 26 if they don't add much to the length, although I usually just carry 19 mags for reloads, so hadn't seen it as a priority.

Post Shooting:

The Glock 42

The smallest of the firearms I fired today in both physcial dimensions and caliber.  The 43 is one of the "no" gen guns lacking the finger grooves of the gen 3 and 4 and having very little in the way of texturing on the frame.  With the thin frame and small dimensions it was the most difficult of the guns to manipulate.  That being said, it wasn't really a problem.  I have to requalify soon, so I used this as a practice session.  I put 50 rounds through the gun with no issues.  I used the requalification course, firing magazines of 4, 5, and 6 rounds, two handed strong side and weak side, standing and kneeling as required.  The only thing I did not do was run a timer.  Being a small gun, the 42 has smaller controls, although in the standard positions of my service weapon.  We are taught to chamber a round by racking the slide with an overhand grip as opposed to slingshotting or using the slide release, so the only control I had to worry about was the mag release, which worked fine.  The shooting experience was pleasant.  It was the quietest firearm of the day, and even in the small package, there was very little recoil.  As far as performance, this was probably my largest group.  I don't claim to be a marksman, and for some reason I tend to pull left with Glocks.  I have worked on using less finger, but I usually have to compensate by aiming a bit right.  This weapon seems to tend to magnify that.  I  shot it at 4, 7, 10, 15, and 25 yards.  My pattern really opened up at 25 yards, I suspect it was me though, not the gun.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying I was missing the target, I wasn't putting it in the 10 ring, but 95% of my shots went to the same area, the gun grouped well, it was just left of center.  It was still very acceptable for self defense.  The stuff that didn't was the result of my either rushing a shot or jerking the trigger.

The Glock 43

My first time with this gun and I was pleasantly surprised.  The 43 is only a bit bigger than the 42, but a 9x19 mm.  I was worried about it being unpleasant to shoot.  It wasn't that bad.  You do know you fired something when it goes off, but it isn't painful to shoot.  It is like the 42 in that it is a "no" gen weapon and the same concerns apply.  I had heard it was a skinny version of the 26 and mentioned earlier that I thought maybe the Glock website measurements were wrong, but on closer comparision, I found that the 43 does have a shorter slide and barrel and is a bit shorter in height as well.  I grouped well with this gun also, although my pattern opened up again at the 25 yard line.  This one wasn't as bad to pull to the left, although I may have just warmed up.  I did pull a flyer though, and it went low.  No idea why.  I also had 2 failures to feed.  I will put this down to the fact that I had not cleaned or lubed the gun since buying it used, both were simple to fix.

The Glock 26

I've had this gun longer than the other 2 and fired it more.  It's a gen 3.  It has considerably less recoil than the 43, but is heftier in the hand.  I grouped well with it, but was shooting high with it for some reason.  The thicker grip gives you more to hold onto, but for some reason it feels less comfortable for my pinky to dangle than with the others.  I didn't notice a huge difference in feel for the grip extension on the 43's spare magazine, but maybe that would help me a bit.

Glock 19

I fired the 19 as a control.  Also, it's the same physical dimensions as my 23 for service.

Ideas.

I think I may try grip extensions on the spare magazines for the 42 and 26 and see if I like it.  If so may go for it on all magazines.  .I may also try talon grips for the 42 and 43 since they are a bit smooth.  Never felt the need for them on any of my larger Glocks.

Conclusion

Not sure I came out with much new.  I like the 43, even better than I thought.  It still bothers me that it's only 6+1, and it isn't going to replace the 26, but I see it getting a lot of use this summer when it's uncomfortable in more than shorts and t-shirt.  The 42 I still like, but not sure what I am going to do with it.  The size difference isn't much between the 42 and 43.  Maybe a second gun on occasion?  I like it too much to get rid of it, but have trouble seeing it's niche now.

The 42

The 43 on left, 42 on right

26 on the left, 43 on the right

Self Defense Guns

If you are the resident gun nut, excuse me, gun enthusiast or expert, then it is very likely you here some variation on a couple of questions often.

1.  "I want to buy a gun for x, what should I get?  With x being self defense, hunting sasquatch, target practice, cowboy action shooting, ect.

2.  "I want to get a x, for y, what caliber should I buy, with x being model of firearm and y being x in question 1.

I don't hunt, so rarely get asked anything about that.  Most of the questions I get concern firearms for self defense or just recreational shooting.  Let's discuss the self defense side briefly.

On question one, I usually try to get some more information.  For instance, is this going to be a carry gun or a car gun or for home defense?  Are you the only likely user, or will other people use it?  How much are the users willing to practice?

At this point I would then suggest a basic type of firearm, shotgun, rifle, revolver, compact semiauto, ect.  I would suggest they try out some different makes and models in whatever category.  We have a couple of ranges around that rent some guns, and I have no problem taking someone out and letting them shoot what I have, however my armory is rather limited in scope and range.

The second question I usually answer with, whatever you shoot best or like most within parameters.
While not all cartridges are created equal, modern ammunition has most of the popular carry caliber sel defense ammunition performing well within the FBI standards for law enforcement duty ammo, which is generally considered the gold standard for self defense.  Once you pick your caliber, just look for any of the major ammunition maker's bonded hollow point, usually labelled either defense or duty ammo and you should be good.  If you want to take additionally steps, you can easily research on the net and find all kinds of data on any load you want.

If you want to break it down more then lets take a very brief, and somewhat bias look at common calibers of handguns carry for self defense.

Most civilians usually look to law enforcement when picking carry guns.  I guess they figure since these people carry everyday they must know what's best.  Unfortunately, what a law enforcement agency carries is dictated by the agency policy, which may have little to nothing to do with performance, reliability, ergonomics, ect.  It usually has more to do with reducing cost and liability than anything else.  Also, state and local law enforcement tend to look to federal law enforcement, particularly the FBI.

The 4 most popular calibers used by law enforcement in no particular order ate the 9mm Parabellum, the .357 Sig, the .40 Smith and Wesson, and the .45 ACP.

Briefly, the 9 mm Parabellum, aka the 9 x 19 mm led the law enforcement switch from revolvers to semi-autos during the 1970's through the 1980's.  It is the oldest cartridge in our short list, dating back to the early 1900's.  It had a couple of advantages, it was a popular military cartridge, the US military hadn't adapted it yet, but was some special units were looking at it and the military was considering it.  Many of the semi autos chambering it had double stack magazines.  The average capacity was 15 rounds, which is a lot if you are used to a revolver holding 5 or 6 rounds.  I got interested in firearms in the late 80's and started shooting in the 90's.  Back then autoloading handguns tended to be much more finicky about what ammo they would feed reliably and 9mm ammo back then tended to over penetrate and under incapacitate.  This is why the .40 Smith and Wesson exists.  Modern 9 mm self denfense ammunition has been fine tuned to perform to perfection.  The FBI had dropped the 9mm going to the 10mm briefly, then the .40 S&W.  It has recently dropped the .40 to go back to the 9mm citing modern ammunition improvements.

So why should someone pick the 9mm?  1) It's popular.  Ammo is easy to find, there is lots of variety,, and it tends to cost a little less.  2) Lots of options in ammo and firearms.  Everybody that makes handguns make a 9mm model, most make several.  3)  It's an old cartridge that still around because it works.  It's as accurate as the gun and shooter are.  4)  Recoil depends very much on the ammo selected and the firearm itself, obviously if your carrying a full-size duty weapon with a 5 inch barrel you will have less recoil than if you're carrying a tiny five shot subcompact with a 2 inch barrel, but one the average, the 9mm should have less felt recoil than the other 3 calibers listed. 5)  The 9mm should offer the maximum magazine capacity in same size catagory weapons.  Full size duty weapons usually hold 15-20 rounds in flush fit factory magazines, compacts usually 12--15 rounds, subcompacts usually 6-12 rounds, micro compacts usually 5 or 7 rounds.  6) Wear and tear, the 9mm is the second lowest pressure round on this list.  Barring a steady diet of plus p loads, a reasonablely good quality 9mm firearm shouldn't be cracking frames or slides or breaking down for many years.

The .357 Sig round was developed in an attempt to duplicate the ballistic performance of the 125 grain jacket hollow point .,357 magnum round as loaded by most of the major ammunition makers during the 90's.  This was, at the time, the gold standard for law enforcement.  It was credited for more one shot incapacitations of bad guys than any other ammunition, caliber combination.  Since, with the exception of a couple of rather large and heavy autoloaders, the .357 is primarily a revolver round, Sig decided they should try to duplicate that performance in a non cylinder fashion.  This is probably the least used by law enforcement of these 4 cartridges.  Basically it's the .40 S&W case necked down to hold a 9mm bullet.

Why should someone pick the .357 Sig?  1) Penetration.  The .357 Sig packs a punch.  It's a high pressure cartridge and has a lot of velocity.  It seems to be popular with Highway Patrol agencies.  I suspect that's because it's good at penetrating barriers.  That could be useful if you might have to shoot someone in a vehicle, or stop a moving vehicle.  Not as important for a civilian though, maybe even a negative. 2)  Range,  all that velocity means it holds a flat trajectory  over a longer distance.  So it has more range.

Why might someone want to avoid the .357 Sig?  1) Ammo.  The ammo is expensive, probably the most expensive of the 4 and hardest to find.  Also, since this cartridge was developed to imitate a single loading of another cartridge, there isn't that wide a variety of ammo.  2) Penetration.  I mentioned that his was probably the best pick of the lot for barrier shooting, well that penetration could be a problem if you are firing inside your home for example and you miss the target.  The round might plow through a wall and hit a loved one.  3)  Recoil and muzzleflash.  When you fire one of these, you know it.  It probably has more muzzle rise and definitely more muzzle flash than any of the other rounds.  I think it has the most recoil, some might argue.  It isn't uncontrollable.  It's not like shooting a 460 magnum, 4) Wear and tear.  All that power takes a tole on what is basically a beefed up 9mm handgun.  That's one of the reasons law enforcement is beginning to move back to 9mm.  Most people aren't going to put as many rounds through a firearm as a law enforcement agency though, 5) Most .357 Sigs hold about 2 less rounds than the same size 9mm. Honestly, out of all these, probably the fact that the ammo isn't as widely available and it's price are what I would weigh most, and I'm basing them on where I live, Maybe be different other places.

After a shootout gone bad, the FBI decided to reevaluate their carry guns.  The 9mm and .38 specials there agents were armed with hadn't done so well.  There were a lot of other issues with the particular incident and a lot of law enforcement training changed too, but FBI armorers started studying handgun cartridge performance and actually started publishing data and set up criteria for what a law enforcement cartridge should and should not do.   They set standards.  The FBI initially switched to .45 acp while this was going on, then switched to 10mm.  This proved too much for some of their agents, so a reduced load was adopted to reduce recoil.  Smith and Wesson thought they could duplicate the reduced load in a smaller cartridge and fit it in a 9mm frame rather than the .45 ACP size frames of a 10mm.  Thus was born the .40 S&W.  Which was really weird since the .41 Action Express already existed at the time and was almost exactly the same thing, only a tad hotter.

Why would someone pick the .40 S&W?  1) Availability.  Since bunches of LEO adapted this round it's almost as easy .40 S&W ammo as 9mm and since this is just a beefed up 9mm frame, almost every model 9mm is available as a .40.  2) Bigger, heavier bullet.  The .40 S&W is of course .400 diameter and usually weighs from 160 to 180 grain versus the 9mm's .355 diameter and weights from 90 to 142 grain.  3)  More penetration than the 9mm.  The .40 is a higher pressure cartridge and offers more penetration than the 9mm, though probably less than the .357 Sig.  This could also mean a flatter trajectory over a longer range also.  This might mean less to civilians than LE though.

Why pick something else?  1) Capacity.  The .40S&W typically holds about 2 rounds less than the same size 9mm.  2)Recoil.  I don't find these unpleasant to shoot, but it is a bit noisier and kicks a little more than a 9mm of the same type.  3)  Expense of ammo.  The ammo is a bit more expensive than 9mm, but not as expensive as .357 Sig or .45 acp.  4) Variety of ammo.  There isn't as much variety in bullet weight or performance as the 9mm or .45.  Probably a bit more than the .357 Sig though.  5) Wear and tear.  Like the .357 Sig, the .40 is a high pressure round and batters the frames more than the 9mm or .45.

As an afternote, both the .40 S&W and the .357 Sig are based on 9mm framed handguns.  The .357 Sig round was based on the .40 S&W case.  So just by changing the barrel and recoil spring you can convert a .40 S&W to a .357 Sig and vice versus.  You don't even have to have different magazines.  And as an added bonus, if you switch magazines, barrels and recoil springs you can convert a either to a 9mm.  At least you can with Glocks.  It's not as easy to go from a Glock 9mm to the other calibers though, you also have to have the heavier slide, so a complete upper is needed.  But if you buy a Glock .40 or .357, you can just buy 2 barrles, 2 recoil springs and some 9mm mags and have a firearm that can handle 3 different calibers.

The .45 ACP is the second oldest and lowest pressure of our 4 calibers.  It was developed at request of the US military who wanted an autoloader round that duplicated the performance of the.45 Colt round they had been using in their revolvers.  The rest is history.  The .45 ACP round has been very popular with the civilian market.  Some law enforcement agencys love it, but it's probably used much less than the .40 or 9mm.  It haa been picking up a lot of use lately since the FBI decided to switch back to the 9mm.  I know at least 2 local sheriff's departments here carry Glock 21s.

Why should someone pick the .45 ACP?  1) Projectile size.  If you like slinging heavy chunks of lead downrange and putting big holes in things, this caliber is for you.  Average weight range on .45 ACP bullets are 180 -- 230 grains, There are heavier bullets available.  Bullet diameter is .451.  So this is the largest and heaviest of the three.  2) As the second oldest round in the group, it must be doing something right.  Although the military went to 9mm to be compatible with NATO allies in the mid 80's, special units have continued to use .45 ACP weapons to this day.  3)  Accuracy.  While all these rounds are probably capable of as much accuracy as the shooter, the .45 ACP has a reputation as a very accurate cartridge.  4) Availability.  The ammo is almost as easy to find as 9mm.  It may not be as plentiful in variety though.  Our local big box store tends to carry about a dozen 9mm loadings, but only 3 or 4 .45 ACP.

Why might I not want to pick the .45 ACP?  1) Big.  Of the 4 cartidges listed, this one tends to be the one chambered in the larger framed firearms.  This makes them less comfortable for people with smaller hands to shoot and can make them more difficult to carry concealed. If you go with a single stack it isn't as bad, and if you like Glocks, both the 30 and the 21 are offered in short-framed versions which fit smaller hands better.  The 30s is also available which is the shortframed .45 ACp with a thinner slide, which makes it easier to both shoot and carry.  2) Recoil. The .45 ACP has a reputation as recoiling.  I've owned several, including 2 polymer frames, a couple of steel frames and an aluminium framed model and never really thought they kicked much.  I think the kick is more straight back into the arm instead of the sort of slap to the palm from a .40 or .357 Sig.  3)  Capacity.  Being the largest diameter cartridge also means holding the least  number of rounds.  Most .45 ACP firearms are single stacks.  Depending on size they tend to hold 6 to 8 rounds, When double stacked mags became popular the guns got fatter.  A full size model will usually hold 13-14 rounds.  Most companies make a model that falls between what would be a compact and subcompact model in the smaller frame.  This usually holds 9 to 10 rounds.  There are some even smaller single stacks designed for concealed carry that hold 5 to 6 rounds. This might be a plus though on the little guns, which would you prefer, a 9mm micro compact with 6 rounds or a slightly larger .45 with 5?

Other options

These were just the calibers common to law enforcement.  There are other choices available that law enforcement don't use as duty weapons (except maybe on TV).

The .380 ACP, otherwise known as 9x17mm, 9mm short, ext.  Back in the day, this was considered a fine round.  Then somewhere along the line, it was determined that it was underpowered for self-defense.  Nowadays it is again being considered an acceptable round for self-defense.  One of the issues, in my unworthy and unexpert opinion, is that .380 caliber handguns keep getting smaller and smaller.  You can't expect the same load to perform identically in a weapon the size of a subcompact 9mm as it does in a weapon only slightly larger than a .25 ACP pocket pistol.  This is an area of firearm manufacturing that seems to be growing in leaps and bounds.  Lots of new models appearing.  Glock introduced the 42 not long ago, Colt, Walther and Sig seem to have always had a presence here.  Ruger, Taurus and Smith and Wesson have strong performers here.  .Ammo wise, most manufactures have self-defense stuff out there.  You need to try the different loads in your gun to insure both it feeds reliably and that you can hit with it.  Some of the littler .380's can be difficult and unpleasant to shoot.  The larger ones tend to be a pleasure.

The 9mm Makarov.  This was once considered an exotic round.  It is now more common and some domestic ammo makers offer loads including self-defense rounds.  A lot of surplus military and police weapons from the former Soviet Union have been imported chambered in this round.  They tend to be mainly all steel guns, so heavy, but not bulky for carry.  I think some of the Austrian and Hungarian weapons may be aluminium framed now.  I think the current wave of imports are Bulgarian Makarovs and Polish P64's.  The have good reputations.  Most are single stacks with 7 or 8 round magazines I think.  I believe there is a double stack weapon chambered in this cartridge though.  It There is also supposed to be a surplus of inexpensive practice ammo available.  I would check in my arear on ammo availability before investing in one if it were to be my main carry gun.  This round falls between 9mm Parabellum and .380 in Power.

Someone is going to mention 10mm.  I don't have a lot of experience with this caliber.  I have a friend of loves 10mm Glocks and swears by them.  He tends to be smart guy, and has a lot of firearm knowledge and experience, so I wouldn't argue with him.  It's a potent round, but has lots of muzzle flash and some recoil.  Bullet weights are pretty much the same as for the .40 S&W although there may be some heavier offerings.  This caliber is used a lot for hunting.  Ammo tends to be pricier and this is going to be a large frame weapon.  Again glock is offering the sf model for there main 2 10mm's.

The .32 ACP used to be a really popular carry cartridge,  it's just about been replaced by the .380.  This is odd, since the .380 is only about 9 years younger than the .32.  This may only be a US phenomena since I have read the .32 acp is still extremely popular in other parts of the world.  Current companies I can find that still list .32 acp chamberings are Beretta, Seecamp, Kel-tec, and NAA.   NAA also offers to proprietary cartridges, the .25 NAA which is a .32 acp case bottlenecked to hold a .25 projectile and the .32 NAA which is a .380 acp case bottlenecked to .32.  Some of the lower end manufactures,

This is not meant to be a list of every cartridge that can be carried for self defense.  Just a list of the most common ones I know of.  For instance I have seen a few handguns chambered for the 7.62 x 25 round in local law enforcement firearms auctions.  Mostly older CZ's but a few years back Tokarev's were imported and apparently some people were carrying them.

As far as what gun to carry, if you really want advice, my best advice would be to answer, REALISTICALLY, the questions I mentioned earlier, then go check out different firearms that meet your needs.  If it's going to be the carry gun then you need to consider some things.  You also need to be realistic in your considerations.  The best weapon in the world is useless if you don't have it with you when you need it.

Back in the day, everyone was big on caliber.  If the gun wasn't the right caliber you were going to die.  By this logic everyone nowadays would need to lug a 500 Magnum around.  Next it was capacity, if your firearm held less than 20 rounds you were going to die.

So when you go looking for the gun, first, you want something you would be willing to carry.  That 50 AE Desert Eagle is cool, but how likely are you to carry in on a 98 degree day in August?  Or when you make that quick run to Stop and Rob for a gallon of milk?  Five to six days a week a carry a Glock 23 on my hip for between 9 and 12 hours a day.  So on the weekend when I make a run to the Dollar Store because the boy has a craving for Hot and Spicy Cheetos do I strap that on for 20 minutes?  Sometimes, but fortunately I am what they call a gun nut, errr enthusiast, so if I don't feel like carrying my service weapon I have other choices.  Maybe I carry the 42 or, more likely, my 43.  Smaller, lighter, easier to hide, but still effective and still the same manual of arms.  I DON'T leave my house unarmed.  Maybe I am paranoid, but I made that commitment.  I am not going to say you should or should not, but if you plan to carry, plan to buy something you are willing to carry.  I know a lot of guys who swear they will only carry a full size 1911, or a full size 10mm Glock, ect.  But if they don't feel like carrying that, then carry nothing.  What happens if you need it?  A woman was beaten to death in the parking lot of the Dollar Store where I buy the boy's Cheetos 2 years ago.  The stop and rob next door to it was robbed last year.  Some idiot has been beating on the car windows of people and trying to get into their cars at stop signs on nearby roads.

Assuming you find something you feel like you would be willing to carry, shoot it.  No matter how comfy it is to carry, if you can't hit what you aim at, need two fingers to pull the trigger or have to stand on it to rack the slide, it isn't a good carry gun.

Third, pick something chambered in an effective self-defense cartridge.  I own a Walther P-22.  It's compact, light and very easy to carry.  Do I use it in my carry rotation?  No I do not.  I do sometimes carry my Glock 42. That's a .380.  A long time ago I had tip up barrel .25 Taurus I pocket carried sometimes.  Even with the improvement in ammunition, I don't think the .25 round performance has enhanced much.  The .380 is as small as I go now.  The .42 is a bit large for pocket carry in my opinion.  They do make some smaller .380's.  Not sure I want one.  I have considered trying to track down a TCP and try it. I've heard they have a decent trigger for a tiny .380.  Just not sure I want to pocket carry.  Handguns are limited in incapacitation power.  We would all be better off with long guns.

Fourth, think about capacity.   How many rounds are you likely to fire in a self defense senario?  I don't know.  In my recent visit to the firearms simulator, I don't think I fired more than 6 rounds in any of the situations.  But that isn't real life.  My 23 has a 13 round magazine.  We are required to carry one in the chamber plus a full magazine.  That's 14 rounds, so I fired less than half my rounds.  We are also required to carry 2 extra filled magazines.  So I have 26 extra rounds.  In my personal rotation I have the 19, which holds 16, plus 2 extra magazines of for 30 extra rounds.  The 30s holds 11 with 2 extra mags for an additional 20 rounds.  So carrying my service weapon I have 39 rounds, my 19 I have 46 rounds, and with my 30s I have 31 rounds.  Then if I drop to my second teir, which happens in warm weather and when I get lazy, my round count drops.  My 26 holds 11 rounds.  I only have 1 spare 10 round with it, so a total of 21 rounds.  Still not shabby.  I also have the option, unless the way I am dressed makes it impossible, of carrying my 19 mags for backup, in which case I could have, if I want to go nuts, 66 rounds.  The 26 with one in the pipe would be 11, 3 19 mags of 15 each would be 45 for a total of 56, then the spare 10 round 26 mag for 66 rounds.  If I drop down to the 43, I still maintain the 9mm chambering, but with 6 round mags.  With a round in the chamber I have 7 shots.  I have a single 6 round spare magazine, so I have a total of 13 rounds.  The same with the 43 except it's a .380.  That compactness comes with a price.  Being paranoid I am very aware of the decrease in fire power when I drop to the single stacks.  I plan to acquire a second spare magazine for the single stacks.  I've been holding off in hopes that Glock would release an extended mag.  I would think you could do a 7 round mag for the 42 without lengthening beyond the pinky extension on the spare mag now.  I would be fine with a slightly longer spare magazine if it held 8 rounds.  I could carry the flush mag with a round in the chamber for 7, then have 2 spare 8 rounds for a total of 23.

Now some  people will have these in a different priority.  My reasoning is this.  If you won't carry it, it's useless.  If you can't use it, it's next to useless.  If you are carrying it and can use it, but it's not an effective caliber then you are relying on sheer luck.  Suppose I get stuck in a robbery and have 2 assailants and I'm carrying my XDS .45.  Will my 6 rounds be enough to stop 2 people?

There is a lot that goes into it.  I'm a firm believer that a gun in the hand is way better than no gun.  If all I had was an NAA .22 mini revolver, that's better than unarmed, but why limit myself to a .22 if I can carry a .380?  Anyway, there's tons of information and advice out there, some good, some not so good.   This list was also limited to primarily semi auto calibers.  I plan to do a second post on common self defense calibers in revolvers.

Holsters

I am not an expert at any of this.  I claim no special background or tactical anything.  I have had the basic civilian carry permit class offered in my state and the handgun qualification course for my agency.  Anything I know beyond that comes from either reading or watching videos or from personal experience.

I think holsters have to do two things.  They have to carry the firearm safely and allow you quick access to the firearm if you need it.  Unfortunately, these two things can be in direct conflict with one another.  If the firearm is too secure, you may not be able to get it into action fast enough.  If it isn't secure enough, it may fall out, shift someplace you can't get to it, or get taken away from you.  Then there is the trigger factor.  A good holster should cover the trigger completely.  This is especially important if you carry a striker fired weapon that doesn't have a safety.  If you carry a double action only weapon, or a double action/single action with the hammer down, it may not be as critical, since you have a longer trigger pull before the round goes off, but I would still recommend it.  Even more so with a single action carried in cocked and locked position, since safeties can fail.  I once had a clone of a Colt Mustang where the safety would work itself into the fire position.  After finding it that way a couple of times, I quit carrying it completely.  I think it was just old and worn out.  Traded it before I had it to a gunsmith to look at fixing the issue.

I have recently been seeing a lot of things about cheap holsters and negligent discharges.  The day of the "one size fits all" holsters is at hand.  In the day, everything was either a revolver or equipped with a safety.  With a striker fired handgun, you don't have the long trigger pull and may not have an external safety.  If something gets caught in the trigger, it could discharge.  I have pretty much given up holsters that aren't made of a rigid material and moulded specifically for my firearm.  I use either all rigid leather, all kydex or some type polymer, or a hybrid.  I do have 2 generic holsters.  One is a nylon holster, the only thing I carry in it is a .22 that is both double action and has an external safety.  I don't carry it often and intend to get a kydex holster for it soon.  The other is a leather holster I picked up at a gun show.  it's a rigid leather slide holster.  It slips on a belt, although it does have a metal clip where you can iwb it.  It's basically two pieces of leather attached at each end.  You can cram pretty much anything in to it and it will hold it.  I usually only use it when I acquire a new firearm and need time to get a more permanent solution.  I have carried the Glock 42, 26, and 30 all in it.  It covers the trigger and is reasonably secure.  It isn't a retention holster by any means and not the most comfortable, but not horrible.

The only thing that worries me when carrying concealed, is the thought of part of the cover garment getting caught in the trigger guard when I reholster during warm weather.  Tshirts or a light button up shirt worn over the top of a tshirt kind of worry me.

EDC Knives

A long time ago I did a post on my daily carry knives.  A lot has changed since then.  I did carry a Benchmade Stryker assist open for several years.  Then, after changing to a bit more dangerous job, and finding out that we were classified as law enforcement and allowed to carry automatic knives (Tennessee has now changed the law and anyone can carry automatic knives), I bought and started carrying this big boy:

It's a Benchmade Adamas Automatic.  Super heavy duty knife, just in case you need to pry open a tank.  It uses the Axis lock system.  I carried this for several years.   The only problem I had with it, is that occasionally it opens itself.  I carry it hooked to my right front pocket.  Most tac style pants, like we wear for work, have an extra thick seam at the back of the pocket to give a knife clip or similar something extra to hook to.  If I'm working, that pocket is otherwise empty.  I sometimes keep car keys in it if I'm off duty and carrying IWB.  I could solve this if I used the sliding lock button on the back of the knife, but it seemed to defeat the purpose of having an automatic knife if I had to deactivate a safety before deploying the blade.  I still have this beast of a knife, but just recently I added another Benchmade to my list.  

This might look a bit familiar if you read the older post.  It's Benchmade's Auto Stryker.  It uses a push button to open the blade and also to unlock the blade to close it.  It also has a safety on top of the handle.  I've only been carrying it a couple of days,  So far it hasn't opened itself.  We will see.  It is a much lighter, thinner knife, so easier to carry. 

Two Glock .45 ACP's Head to Head

I am seriously considering selling my Glock 30.  I don't carry it very much, the 30S is so much easier to carry and it's mostly just being a safe queen.  Thinking of this, I realized that I had never shot the two Glocks back to back.  So last week end I braved the rain and headed to the range.  I needed to put in a practice session anyways as I have to requalify in May.  I packed both .45's and my service weapon.  Then decided what the heck and packed the Bushmaster too.

I ran an approximation of our qualification course with the .40 first.  Then I shot the two .45's.  I shot first at 7 yards, then at 10, then at 15 yards.  I shot the 30 first, then the 30S at each location.  All the shots were done two handed.standing.  I had enough of kneeling on the gravel at the outdoor range after the first session.

The 30 has always been a sweet shooting handgun for me.  I always assumed the 30S was less so.  I think I was wrong.  According to Glock the 30S is a bit over 3 ounces lighter than the Gen 4 30.  I assume most of this comes from the slide.  I guess I figured with the lighter slide recoil would be more pronounced.  I couldn't tell much difference from the targets.

Impressions:

First, both .45's seemed louder than the .40.  Not sure if that was just my imagination, or if it maybe the air was more humid and conducted sound better, but they seemed noisier.  Also, both .45 had more recoil, but less muzzle jump than the .40.  That may sound weird, but for me it's true.  The .45 acp has some recoil, but it seems like it pushes straight back into my arm, where the .40 seems more like it pushes up.  That said, the 30S has more muzzle jump than the 30.  I could probably do a mag dump faster on the 30 than the 30S.  On the other hand, the SF frame fits my hand better, I have stubby fingers.  So, even though the muzzle comes up a little harder, I feel like I have better control of the handgun.  I definitely prefer to carry it.

Second, I let my 13 year old adopted son run 5 rounds through each .45 back to back.  He is very much a beginner.  I have let him shoot various firearms, but mostly he sticks to .22's.  He also prefers archery.  He actually thought the 30 had more recoil than the 30S.  Then he griped about how his hand stung.

Third, the AR-15 was nosier by far than all three handguns.

Gun Belts

Why do I need a gun belt?

This is a question I asked myself for years.  For years I carried IWB and OWB using a normal belt.  Of course I didn't carry every day and rarely if ever carried all day.  Even after I started reading and hearing about the benefits of a belt specifically designed for carrying a firearm, I still put it down to people trying to sell me stuff.

Then we became an armed agency.  My position is on call also.  Work did, eventually provide us with duty belts, which is fine for work when I am in uniform.  When I'm in court clothes, plain clothes or off duty, it doesn't work as well.  I tried carrying with the nylon uniform belt.  Basically I spent all day pulling up my pants, not to mention how the weight of the handgun broke down the nylon belt.  I started thinking hard about a better belt.  The problem though is most gun belts are leather and expensive.  Typical gunbelts seemed to run $80 to $150.  That's a lot for a civil servant and single dad to invest without being sure something will work.  So I searched for a cheaper option.

To make a long story short I found a few, and have tried some of them.  Having a belt designed to carry a firearm helps a lot.  The weight of the weapon doesn't drag down your pants, or exhaust you near as much.  There is also the added factor that the gun stays put and is there when you need it.  It also makes concealing it easier.

A gun belt is much stiffer than a regular belt.  This can be accomplished in different ways. The traditional way it's done with leather is to start with a thicker piece of leather or stitch together several layers of thinner leather.  Most makers use a heavy grade of thread and use a lot of stitches to increase strength and stiffness.  Some nylon belt makers do the same things with nylon, starting with a heavy grade of strong nylon and using a lot of heavy duty stitches  Another way stiffness is sometimes added is by placing something between layers of material.  Often kydex or another type of polymer is used.

So now you are asking, so what are these cheaper ways to go.  Well, first, I am not saying these are the way to go, I am saying these are ways you can see if a heavier duty belt might not work better for you.  The firearm is a tool, but it's really just one piece of a bigger whole.  Your firearm, ammunition, holster and belt all have to work together.  It's kind of silly to spend $400 - $1,500 on a firearm, put it in a $20 holster and hang that off a $10 Walmart belt.  I'll talk about holsters later.

The first item I'll throw out I haven't personally tried yet, and may not.  I use a similar belt that works well.  This is the rigger's belt.  Rigger's belts run anywhere from $25  to nearly $100.  The differences can be the buckles, the material, ect.  A rigger's belt, if authentic, should include a rating for weight.  If it doesn't have that, than it's possible the nylon webbing or fasteners are subpar.  It might still function as a carry belt, I don't know.  Rigger's belts are actually meant as rescue belts and to carry gear, but many people swear they make good carry belts.  If you want to try one,  I would suggest going with a known name.  Blackhawk offers some around the $30 mark online.

I went with an instructor's gun belt.  This is a belt designed similar to the rigger's belt, but it usually doesn't have the metal d ring and has a buckling system that isn't rescue rated.  I wasn't planning on doing any repelling, and the lack of the d ring made it a lower profile  My requirement was for an 1.5" belt.  At the time, I could only find 3 companies online that offered the instructors gunbelt in that size, Blackhawk, Uncle Mike's, and 5 11.  The Blackhawk belt and the Uncle Mike's belt were both stiffened with polymer inserts.  The 5 11 was not.  The Blackhawk belt was around $45, the Uncle Mike's was around $35 and the 5 11 was somewhere between $50 and $60.  The Blackhawk was not available in the 1.5" in my size, so I went with the Uncle Mike's  It's been great.  The kydex insert is only in about 3/4's of the belt, so the part of the belt that fastens is not stiffened.  It uses velcro to fasten, so it is very adjustable.  It does look a little odd, but most people don't seem to notice it isn't a normal belt.  The belt fits well with tac pants, cargo pants, jeans, but it can be a chore to feed through the belt loops of dressier pants.

I basically need 2 kinds of carry belts.  I need something for casual dress and I need something more appropriate for dressier occasions.  I saw a youtube video about Trakline carry belts.  Trakline uses a ratchet buckle system rather than the traditional holes so it's more adjustable than a traditional belt.  Currently they are available online from koreessentials.com around the $60 range.  I've only had mine a few days.  I've worn it three times.  The first two I carrying the Glock 42 and it was great.  Today I wore it to court and afterward added the 26 and 2 spare mags.  So far so good.

It you want a more traditional belt, Alien Gear has released a leather gun belt that uses a spring steel core as a stiffener.  I've had great luck with their holsters, so I suspect the belt would work great.  They are selling them for a little under $60 and offer $15 off if you pair them with a holster.  Another belt I haven't tried yet, but plan to soon is SOE's EDC belt.  It's a 1.5 inch nylon web belt with tons of stitching, the youtube videos I've seen, it looks like a tough belt.  It uses a 1 inch cobra buckle.  I like the looks of the belt, and there are youtube videos of all the company's belts. It's also a company located in my state, so I can support a local business.  If you are interested look up Special Operations Equipment.  I will post when I try it.

The Uncle Mike's belt has been in use for almost a year.  I've even used it as an inner belt for the duty belt.  The Trakline, I've only had for about 4 days. I will post when I've had more time to let you know how it holds up.  I'll also let you know when I get the SOE belt.  It may be a coupld of months.

Things You May or May Not Have Heard About Concealed Carry

My state issues a carry permit, not a concealed carry permit.  This means you can carry either concealed or open.  I usually opt for concealed unless I am at work.  It's a personal preference, but there are a couple of reasons behind it.

First, I like the idea that should I ever need the weapon, and there have been some times that I have, it will come as a surprise to someone.  Drawing from concealed is slower than drawing from an exposed holster so that might offset some of the advantage though.

Second, I feel that in certain circumstances, carrying open can make you a target.  On the other hand, seeing an armed person in a place might serve as a deterrent to anyone up to no good.

Third, seeing a firearm makes some people nervous.  Early in my carry experiences, someone caught a flash of my firearm and alerted store management.  I had the fun of explaining myself and showing credentials.  This did teach me some lessons about printing and concealing better.  On the other hand, I frequently wander into stores now on my way home, or on my lunch break open carrying, badge but plain clothes and no one seems to notice.  I've even gone into a walmart and been mistaken for an employ on several occasions.  Our uniforms are navy blue polos with khaki pants.  We also have large gold badges on our polos, a smaller metal badge on the large duty belt and we have pepper spray, baton, flashlight and a Glock on that same belt, but I've been mistaken for an associate.  I think most people don't pay attention.  There is one thing, though, the first experience I mentioned was when carry permits were new to the state and smart phones were non-existent.

I've tried several different methods of concealed carry:  Back when I first started kydex wasn't around.  Basically there were three choices for holster material, nylon, molded leather, or suede leather.  Being a working college student, I didn't have tons of cash, so I tended to buy low end stuff.  I still don't have tons of cash to spend, so I still tend to look for less expensive alternatives, but I have learned some lessons.

I read too much, and back in the day shoulder holsters were the in thing.  Super cool and stealthy, they were all over the books, tv and in the movies.  I had two.  One was an Uncles Mike's nylon vertical rig for a medium/large frame revolver.  Mostly I toted a Model 19 Smith and Wesson in it, though I think I also carried a Ruger Redhawk a little too.  It concealed easily, provided it was snowing and I was wearing a parka.  Not the most comfortable thing to wear either.  It did hook to my belt though.  The other rig was also an Uncle Mike's but was a horizontal draw for a small revolver or autoloader.  I carried a Taurus 85, a Starr Model F, and possibly a few others I can't remember.  This rig didn't secure to a belt, so it tended to shift toward your back, especially if you were sitting.  Retention was achieved though the judicial use of straps.

I also experimented with some iwb holsters.  The first two I bought were super cheap, They were suede leather with a steel clip.  They had no retention other than a tiny amount of friction and the pressure between your waistband and body.  They also collapsed on removing the weapon, so reholstering was futile.  I eventually moved to some Uncle Mike's nylon iwb holsters.  They also collapsed on removing the weapon, but offered better protection.

I did have an Uncle Mikes pocket holster I carried a Taurus PT25 in for a while,  It worked pretty well.

I still have that horizontal rig, found it in a draw a month or so ago.  Even have one of the suede iwb holsters in that same drawer.  I also have a generic, hard leather, one-size-fits all holster with steel clip on it.  It's actually not bad for iwb, although retention wouldn't be the greatest.  I use it as a temporary holster occasionally if I acquire  something new until a more specific holster can be obtained.  I keep a nylon iwb around too for the same purpose, but it's less versitile.  I used the leather job for my glock 42 for awhile, the nylon option being too large.

My current two methods of carry are outside the waistband and inside the waistband.  My agency dictates the holster we use at work, the blackhawk serpa cqc holster, so I use the same for most of my personal firearms.  Since we carry a glock 23 for work, it makes it simple.  I bought the some holster for personal use.  I actually bought 2, since the 30 takes a different rig.  The holster that works for the 23 also works for my 19, 26 and 30s. This works pretty decent for concealed carry under a coat or jacket.  It evens works decently with my under armor zip-up hoodie.  Not so well with pull over hoodies or untucked shirts, unless the shirt was hugely oversized.  I have a kydex hybrid holster I bought from KN holsters, their "Slim n Sleek" model for my 42.  It works pretty decent with most cover, even the untucked t-shirt.

For IWB, I have 3 Desantis Sof Tuck rigs.  One fits the 42, one fits the 19/23/30s.  I bought a separate one for the 26.  Not sure if I ever tried the 26 in the one for the 19.  These are made of soft leather and are pretty comfortable.  They have a harder leather reinforcing the lip of the holster to keep it from collapsing when the weapon is drawn so reholstering is possible.  They use a j-hook so you can slip the hook over your pants waistband, but the lip of the j goes under your belt so the holster stay put when you draw.  This holster is adjustable for cant only.  The gun rides kind of deep in your pants which is great for concealment, but maybe not so good for quick access.  The j-hook is plastic, which has held up well for me but some might prefer metal. They don't make a sof tuck for the 30, so I have a holster from a holster maker out of Florida.  it is similar in material and looks, but uses a standard metal waistband clip rather than a j-hook.  Comfort is about the same, concealment about the same, but never been as fond of it.  On the other hand, rarely carry the 30 this way.  I will say the sof tuck does something I haven't noticed the other 2 doing.  When I disrobe for the day, I remove the weapon, undo my belt then remove my pants.  Usually the holsters stay in place, but the one made for the little Glock falls off everytime.  It has a shorter clip I guess since the 42 is a much smaller firearm.

I recently purchased a couple of Alien Gear cloak tuck holsters.  One form my 30 and the other for my 19/23/30s combo.  I bought the original model, with the leather back, rather than the synthetic backing.  I've had them a few month and have to say I am pleased overall.  They have two hooks, one either side and are a hybrid holsters.  Retention is adjustable, cant is adjustable, concealment depth is adjustable.  Depth and cant adjustment is done with the hooks.  The holster already has some cant built into it.  I left the hooks in th e middle holes.  So far this has worked great.  The holster is comfortable, it rides higher than the sof tuck, so it's quicker to draw from and reholster.  I can move the hooks up if I want more concealment, but so far it's not been necessary.  It can be a bit of a pain to get the hooks positioned around the belt loops though.  The holster come standard with plastic "c" hooks that go over both the waistband of your pants and your belt, This works similar to the j-hook to keep your hoster in place when you draw.  Alien gear however offers different hooks if you want.

I haven't tried ankle holsters.  Have thought about it, but never took the plunge.  Probably will eventually.