Concealed Carry Report

Before I say ANYTHING, I know that you are dying to hear the results of the Bug Out Sweepstakes Raffle. To enter, you could send a post-card in.. or you were automatically entered by purchasing the USCCA’s Buggin Out & Stayin’ Alive Crash Course.

The raffle was for a set of 21 DVDs by Ron Hood from Survival.com- a collection of what I believe to be the most comprehensive survival video library in existence… and we raffled off FIVE sets.

Out of the 787 people who were in the drawing, here are your lucky five. These folks have NOT been contacted yet, so if you are one of them, just sit tight and you’ll be getting a call or email from us shortly! I’m going to truncate their information a bit, to protect their identity.

J. Campbell, SC
K. Groneman, TX
F. Nasto, TX
S. McNeff, CO
M. Lair, NV

Okay, now onto the Armed American Report!

This week Tony Walker gets us thinking about a distracting device that just about everyone owns. It’s such a conditioned thing to just use without thinking about it. That’s why I’m glad that Tony wrote the article to get us to think about how a device that can save your life could actually be a contributing factor in your death if it is used irresponsibly.

We bring you information that you can apply to your life each week that will help you increase the odds of surviving just about any disaster type of situation. We are all about Concealed Carry but due to the mindset of people like us being tuned into more than just self-defense use of firearms, we also bring you information needed to help get through many other dangerous situations whether they be natural or man-made.

Keep reading each week for information and instruction about all things concealed carry as well as stuff that will help you get through just about any natural or man-made disaster. Let’s get started with this week’s issue of the Armed American Report!

USCCA Laugh of the Week

by Chaim’s Cartoons

Can Cell Phones Kill?

By: Tony Walker

As one of the few people left in the civilized (?) world who doesn’t own a cell phone, I read the newspaper reports about the possibility that cell phones cause brain cancer with equanimity. However, there is a real threat to life and limb that’s caused by cell phone users.

We’ve all seen reports of accidents being caused by drivers who were so involved in their phone conversations that they missed seeing the eighteen-wheeler that had suddenly stopped in front of them, or have almost been hit in a parking lot by someone who was trying to steer with one hand, while carrying on a conversation on the phone.

I’m not talking about occurrences like these, however. What I am talking about is how having a cell phone conversation can drop you straight into Condition White, and into possibly life-threatening situations. Most of you will know about the Color Codes of Consciousness, devised by the late Jeff Cooper. These begin with White, a state of total unawareness, followed by Yellow, a state of relaxed alertness — and you should always be in that particular condition. You move into Orange when a possible threat is perceived, and Red is the state achieved when you realize it’s time for flight or a fight.

When you own a cell phone and it rings, chimes, vibrates, or even plays a short extract from a Beethoven symphony, you answer it. Then, because there’s a voice at the other end talking to you, you do what all humans do: you listen. While you are listening, the caller generally has your full attention, which immediately takes you out of your normal (I hope) Condition Yellow, and drops you into Condition White, a state that should only be reached when you are safe somewhere, asleep, in a hypnotic trance, under anesthesia, or, in more extreme cases, dead.

While you are happily chattering mindless inanities into the phone — “Yeah, it’s me. Are you OK? I’m fine. I’m just going to meet my wife/husband/lover/friend/ at the mall/bar/golf course/restaurant.” You’ve all overheard conversations like these, and maybe participated in them. Have you ever realized how vulnerable you are when one hand is holding the phone, and you are concentrating hard on trying to hear what the caller is saying?

I tried an experiment with a friend of mine recently. My wife Vannessa (the Amazon Queen) and I met a friend of ours for lunch, and I had asked my wife before meeting him to go to the ladies room and call him while we were eating. She excused herself, and I carried on the conversation until his phone rang. He immediately grabbed it and listened intently as my wife spoke in a garbled German accent. While he was talking, I stood up and made a vague gesture towards the men’s room, but instead, I looped round behind him and stood there as he listened.

It took him at least thirty seconds to realize that I was standing behind him, and I finally tapped him on the shoulder and said quietly, “bang, bang, you’re dead.” As he turned round to see me, I could see the “Duh, you got me,” expression on his face. When my wife returned, we discussed what we’d done, and our friend admitted that while he was trying to comprehend what Vannessa was saying, he was totally focused on her voice, to the exclusion of everything else.

I’m not saying you should stop using your phone, but if you do get a call when you’re out of the house and out of your vehicle, keep scanning the area for possible threats. Keep your back to a wall if possible, and don’t do what many people seem to do: look at the ground while you’re on the phone. The ground isn’t a threat to you: the people you don’t see are the threats.

So, if you own a cell phone, be warned. Using it can get you killed.

Tony Walker is the author of the critically-acclaimed book How to Win a Gunfight, and he also wrote Snides, the action thriller that introduced ex-SAS trooper John Pilgrim and his swift-shooting wife Sally. The new John and Sally Pilgrim novel, Pilgrim’s Banner, has been published. Find more information on Tony Walker’s website at www.johnpilgrimbooks.com.

Coming Up On Armed American Radio

The Official Voice of the USCCA

by Mark Walters

This week AAR brings the training discussion to the next level. Let me tell you…most gun owners and CCW holders spend most of their shooting time poking holes in paper targets. We all know that a violent criminal will not behave the way that zombie target behaves on the range… simply standing still while you slaughter it. Now I’ve been fortunate enough to have taken some professional one on one training in the past but like you, time (and money) are difficult to come by. This week though I was fortunate enough to attend some world class defensive pistol and defensive carbine training from one of the nations most respected firearms instructors, Mr. Tiger McKee, owner of Shootrite Academy in Langston Alabama. Langston just happens to be a 120 mile hop, skip and a jump from my humble abode sooooo, a training session was arranged with Tiger. Let me tell you, I learned just how much work I needed and I’m not afraid to admit it.

This week on AAR Tiger McKee, who you may have seen featured in episodes of Tom Gresham’s Personal Defense TV, will join me for at least the first full hour of the broadcast and quite possibly the entire second hour. Tiger and I will discuss the work I did and the things I needed help with and you’ll learn from one of the nations masters some of the techniques he teaches during his world class instruction courses. Tiger is a tremendous instructor and an all around nice guy and I look forward to working with him again. As a result of my experience with him this week, you will benefit.

Join me this Sunday LIVE at 8-10pm Eastern for a full two hours of some of the best firearms related discussion in the nation on Armed American Radio. To pick up last weeks episode or any other one for that matter or to find out where to listen live, visit www.armedamericanradio.org. Be a part of the best personal defense and firearm related radio broadcast sweeping the nations airwaves!

See ya on the radio!

Mark

Pro Ears Gold: Hearing is Believing

USCCA Gear Review

by Kathy Jackson

The Gold series of electronic muffs from Pro Ears provide top of the line quality hearing protection.

At upwards of $300 per set, they are obviously not the choice for the budget-minded. But for frequent shooters, firearms instructors and others who truly need the durability and other features that a high-end pair of amplified muffs can provide, they may be just the ticket.

First, a little about amplifying muffs in general: if you teach firearms classes, you truly need some type of active hearing protection while you are on the line. There are two reasons for this. First, being able to hear what your students are up to – wherever they stand on the range – is an important element of safety. I know more than one instructor who, while wearing active hearing protection, have heard beginning students on the off relay doing something dangerous behind the line. Second, active muffs amplify the behind-the-scenes comments and questions students ask each other, allowing good instructors to address concerns that they would not otherwise have heard.

Serious shooters, especially those involved in competitive shooting sports, also benefit from electronic hearing protection. In addition to the safety factor of being able to clearly hear range commands, those who spend long hours on crowded ranges enjoy being able to carry on conversations with those around them without risk to their hearing. Further, this ability to easily carry on a true conversation while watching others shoot greatly improves the likelihood that loved ones who are not enthusiastic shooters will still willingly visit the range.

Finally, firearms students who have paid to attend a firearms class often find that active hearing protection helps them get the most out of their tuition dollars. This is particularly true for the hearing impaired. “I don’t need muffs,” one older gentleman said to me, “I’m deaf as a post. I’ll just turn my hearing aid off.” Unfortunately, without muffs, his remaining hearing would still be at risk. Persuaded to wear standard ear muffs without his hearing aid, this gentleman was unable to hear the range commands, the lectures given by the lead instructor, and the specific instruction of his line coach – thus losing a great deal of the benefit of attending a professional firearms training school. If he had instead had electronic muffs available to him, he would have been able to actively amplify the world around him just as his hearing aids ordinarily do, and still protect the remnants of his hearing ability.

For these and other reasons, I had been shopping for good electronic muffs for over a year. With the Pro Ears Gold Mag, I’ve finally found what I was looking for – durably-designed muffs with excellent electronics that provide supreme comfort. The Gold series is so named because these muffs feature gold-plated connections on the electronics, which improve corrosion resistance. Even so, one durability tip that I received from the company that I had never heard before, and that makes Darn Good Sense for any form of electronic hearing protection, is to place a small desiccant pack within the ear cups when the muffs are not in use. This pulls any moisture back out of the internals, further extending the life of the electronics.

The prominent ears that run in my family have always made finding comfortable muffs a significant challenge for me. Fortunately, Pro Ears offers their Gold series muffs in several cup sizes and configurations. The Pro Slim Gold and Predator Gold both sport a slim profile, while Sporting Clay Gold muffs feature chop-side cups for use around long arms. Since I am primarily a handgunner, I opted to go with the product that had the most generous cup size for my oversized ears and selected the Pro Mag Gold. Without a doubt and without qualification, these have been the absolute most comfortable muffs I have ever worn.

Very soft foam and leather sealing rings conform to the face and allow a secure, leakproof seal even while wearing glasses. Outside sounds are shut out very effectively, and the noise reduction rating (NRR) of 33 makes the Pro Ears Gold Mag among the quietest muffs on the market. The seals are replaceable, and the company suggests they should be replaced every 9 to 15 months. After six months of heavy use, however, I see no signs of wear and the existing seals remain as supple as they were the day my muffs arrived.

One feature that buyers of electronic muffs often look for is a fast “attack time” – that is, how quickly the muffs act to shut out the noise they have previously been amplifying and passing along to your ears. Pro Ears brags that the attack time for the Gold series muffs is a speedy 1.5 milliseconds. Sounds are crisp, clear, and non-distorted, with none of the fuzziness or ringing one generally associates with electronic amplification.

Pro Mag muffs feature dual controls. There are two schools of thought about dual controls on electronic muffs. One school touts the convenience of having only one switch to fiddle with. But personally, I greatly prefer the flexibility of two controls. For example, when there’s a soft-spoken student to the left of my station and a booming voice to the right, I like being able to adjust my hearing to suit the circumstances. Two controls also means there are two circuit boards, which in turn doubles the likelihood that even rough handling will not cause the entire system to go down. And it provides true stereo hearing, which improves your ability to pinpoint and locate sounds. Finally, the dual-control system means there are no fragile wires to be yanked out of place while bumping around in the range bag, and no point of weakness where the wire joins the cup for water to infiltrate if I need to be on the range in the rain.

In addition to the standard rheostat dials outside the muffs, each cup has other controls inside the battery compartment. These additional controls allow the units to increase the gain and speaker level. When both gain and speaker are set to high, outside sound may be amplified by as much as 50 decibels. Obviously designed to appeal to hunters, these additional controls also assist the hearing-impaired and those who require a more personalized sound configuration.

An auxiliary jack allows you to plug in your MP3 player, radio, or scanner – a nice touch.

The only true drawback I’ve found with these otherwise-perfect muffs is the battery choice: they use four N-size, 1.5-volt alkaline batteries. While the company claims this is a common battery, I’ve never found it in any store near me, and have resorted to ordering replacements online. They are also not inexpensive, at roughly $3 apiece. However, Gold series muffs have two awesome advantages that more than make up for the awkward battery choice. First (and most important to my way of thinking), these muffs feature an auto shut off. So even if you forget and toss your muffs into your bag without shutting them off at the end of the day, the muffs will automatically shut down to conserve battery life after a few hours. Second, the units – which are designed to run for up to 200 hours between battery changes – will notify the user with a series of beeps upon activation whenever the batteries have less than 50 percent of their power remaining. When the remaining charge drops to 10 percent, the electronics will beep softly once every hour. With these two features, the Gold series muffs reduce wasted power, and enable the user to efficiently track battery life while proactively managing battery changes at convenient times rather than inconvenient ones.

Oh, and about the color: don’t worry, guys! Of course these are available in the standard choice of black or green for tactical sensibilities. I chose to go with the pinkoflage just in case I ever needed to stalk a pink elephant through a pink bamboo forest.

Check out the Pro Ears line of electronic hearing protection at www.pro-ears.com

Quote of the Week

“What do you need a gun for?”

That quote is one that most of us have heard over and over from friends, family, and coworkers when it may have been discovered that either we carry a gun or that we promote the carrying of firearms.

When you hear that quote, do you have a powerful and appropriate answer? You should have a quick answer that will get them to think and not just dismiss your answer, and you should have the facts for an in-depth conversation that may then result.

USCCA Forum Highlights

Every paying website member has complete access to the USCCA forum, which is constantly being accessed by members sharing information, knowledge, insight, and fun. With well over sixty-thousand posts and growing by the hour, this is one heck of a valuable resource!

If you have never logged in but are a member, visit THIS location to watch help videos, including how to find out your username and/or password!

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Christians With Guns

Does any one have any links or suggestions on Biblical arguments for owning a gun and personal/family protection. Also if any one has written any papers on the subject I would love to have a copy of them. I really appreciate everyone’s help.

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Reholstering Your XD safely

I was shooting at an IDPA shoot this weekend and after I got down with one of my COF’s (courses of fire) a guy that also shot an XD (m) pulled me aside and showed me a little tip.

When you reholster your XD (or I suppose any gun with a grip safety), if you rotate your thumb from around the grip and simply place it on the back of the pistol (where the hammer or striker is) you are no longer activating the grip safety. This should make reholstering a charged pistol a little safer.

I went home and practiced this about 100 times and I think it is now habit.

I know, this is simple and may seem like common sense but it was helpful for me. So there you have it.

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Finally…..After 14 years!

While shooting at home, my wife asked if she could try. I gave her a Phoenix Arms .22 with a target barrel to try and after her first clip she was hooked! She then tried a .380, 9mm, then my .45, doing well with all of them. She now wants a Crimson Trace Kimber Compact .45 for carry. Ladies, what big caliber guns do you carry, and recommend for her for a lifetime type piece? How many still want girly colors on your handguns?

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New Taurus 9mm Perfect For Women

I love my GLOCK 26 — even if it is tad too big for my hand with the smallest grip. I’ve been looking for a thinner 9mm that could also work better for CC — and I’ve FINALLY found a great gun that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Plus the reviews are great.

I just bought the brand new Taurus PT709 — 9mm with a 7 stack cartridge. It fits smaller hands like a dream and I can finally hold a gun with the proper grip.

It’s only been out for 2 months or so. I can hardly wait to get to the range this weekend to try it out.

So any ladies who haven’t found the right gun yet — go look at this one. Plus the price is right — about $400-$420.

Video of the Week

This is the Taurus PT 709 mentioned by the poster of the thread “New Taurus 9mm Perfect For Women” in the Forum Highlights section of this newsletter.

Gunblast.com - Taurus PT709 9mm

USCCA Photo of the Week

All Photos of the Week are taken from Mr. Oleg Volk’s website:
http://www.a-human-right.com/.
It is a fantastic site. Please check it out!

USCCA Self Defense Story

Every day, thousands of Armed Americans use their firearms to preserve human life. Let this section of my newsletter serve as a record of this fact!

October 15, 2009

Shreveport, Louisiana

From: KSLA News 12

Suspect Shot During Break-In Found At Hospital

Caddo Parish Deputies say they’ve made an arrest related to an early Thursday morning home invasion.

Investigators say the break-in happened just after 3 am at a home in the 1100 block of Oak Grove Lane. According to deputies, the homeowner was awakened when he heard someone kicking in the front door of his house. The homeowner said he grabbed a handgun, and when the suspect came into the bedroom, the homeowner shot at the suspect several times. The suspect then ran from the house.

When deputies arrived at the home, a loaded AK-47 was found near the front door. About 30 minutes after the shooting, deputies learned that a man showed up at Willis-Knighton Pierremont with gunshot wounds to both legs.

Deputies identified the man as 30-year-old Dion Lewis.

Lewis was treated at Pierremont then later transferred to LSU Hospital. Detectives say Lewis will be taken to jail on a charge of aggravated burglary once he recovers from his wounds.

Two other people were in the house at the time of the attempted robbery - a woman and the homeowner’s 17-year-old son. No one inside the home was injured.

Closing Thoughts

Dear Tim,

What do you think I should do? Thanks, Matt

…

Hello Matt! I hate to say it, but I think your friends have been watching too many movies. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cringed watching someone in a movie cycle their shotgun every time they turn a corner. Or when someone is confronting another person by sticking a gun in their face, the gunman gets angry after a minute and cycles the slide of the gun, or pulls the hammer back.

Give me a break! Every time I see this happen, I wish the victim would say, “Wait- do you mean to tell me that for the last two minutes, you were pointing a gun at me that wasn’t ready to fire?? If I’d known that, I’d have attacked you!”

Matt, it’s like this: It may take some getting used to, but as long as your handgun is in a good holster that covers the trigger guard (and your handgun is modern and in good condition), it is always better to have a bullet loaded into the chamber. Here’s why:

Only in movies do criminals give you time to dramatically cycle the action of your pistol, and only in movies are people able to retain 100% control over their motor skills when they are in fear of losing their life. That’s right- you may not physically be able to load a bullet in your gun in a pressing situation.

Even more likely, you won’t have time to do it. Of all the self defense stories I’ve heard (which is a lot when you’re in this business), most of them happen so fast that the person simply wouldn’t have lived had their gun not been ready. In many cases, even the safety release of their guns took WAY too much time to disengage.

Let me wrap this up: If it comes down to carrying WITHOUT a round loaded into the chamber, or not carrying at all, I would recommend that you at least have your gun on you…

But this is almost never the case. Do what you must to become comfortable with the idea of having a bullet ‘racked in’. This is how police carry, and it is the way guns were designed to be carried. Trust your equipment and yourself.

Do you have a pressing concern? Use the ‘Ask Tim’ contact form found at this page to let me hear your advice. Just use the graphic below!

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