Well, we’ve received some excellent feedback on our new Armed American Report design, which is great. I’m glad everyone likes it as much as I do 
Look- We’ve got an excellent issue of the Armed American Report for you… so let’s get started!
Holster Safety and the Four Rules
“…Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy…”
by Kathy Jackson
I received an intriguing question in my email the other day. In a nutshell, my correspondent wanted to know, “How can the Four Rules apply while the gun is holstered, since many holsters seem to point the weapon in unsafe directions?” Here is my answer:
The Four Rules
1. All guns are always loaded. 2. Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target (and you have made the decision to shoot). 4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
The second of the Four Rules is the main focal point of this article: “Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.”
This rule applies every time you pick up, hold, or put down a firearm. While you are holding the gun, you never deliberately or cluelessly let it point at stuff you don’t want holes in.
But what about muzzle direction when you are not directly holding the gun?
I am of the opinion that a gun, by itself, is an inert object. There is no rational reason to fear a loaded gun lying on the kitchen table as long as no one is touching it. (See footnote1) Gun shop customers do not need to worry about a gun of unknown state (loaded? unloaded?) which is behind a gunshop counter, no matter which direction the gun is pointed, as long as no one is touching it. An untouched firearm is only a thing. It is not a living creature with a mind or a will of its own.
The risk comes when human beings enter the picture. Because human beings are prone to accidents and mistakes, the gun must be pointed in a safe direction whenever human hands touch it. If you cannot pick a firearm up without pointing it in an unsafe direction (or if it is already pointed in an unsafe direction), you should not put your hand on it. If you cannot put a firearm down without pointing it in an unsafe direction, you should not put it down. This is necessary because the mixture of human hand and unsafe direction can cause bad stuff to happen.
With me so far?
When considering whether a holster is “safe” or “not safe,” I don’t worry much about muzzle orientation while the user’s hand is not on the gun. A gun held securely inside a trigger-covering holster, and which is not being handled by a human being, is as safe and as inert as one which is lying on the table untouched.
But notice the italics in the paragraph above. The real danger comes when the gun is being placed into, or withdrawn from, the holster, because that is the point at which human hands get involved in the process. With some holsters, this risk can be avoided entirely. For instance, with a dropped and offset OWB holster on the point of the hip, it takes a near-determined effort of will to cover oneself with the firearm (though I’ve seen it done!). Yet this sort of rig isn’t easily concealed and thus isn’t practical for those who want to carry a concealed firearm.
The risk of pointing the gun in an unsafe direction during the process of getting the gun into or out of its holster can be greatly minimized so that it is nearly avoided. This deliberate action takes a very conscious effort of will, and should never become a matter of complacency.
One example of minimizing the risk would be the careful process of safely holstering and unholstering with a shoulder holster. Most smart folks I know who carry with one of these rigs make a conscious effort to place the left elbow high into the air while drawing with the right hand. This moves the brachial artery far away from the risk of inadvertent discharge. (See footnote 2)
Important!
Any time you absolutely must come close to violating one of the Four Rules, it should be a red flag to slow down and pay special attention to all the other rules. The safety rules should be so engrained in your habits and thoughts that it should take a really conscious act of the will to do anything near the line.
Another example. Since I carry my IWB holster in the appendix carry position, I never reholster while sitting down. Ever. If I did so, the gun’s muzzle would be pointed directly at my femoral artery while I handled the gun — a very dangerous combination of circumstances! Even standing up, I’m always very conscious of where my trigger finger is while I am reholstering, and hold my trigger finger far outside the trigger guard at all times. And I don’t simply stand up straight. Instead, I put my right leg slightly to the rear, suck my gut in as far as it will go, and lean back slightly while reholstering. This allows me to angle the muzzle away from me during the process. Doing it this way, if a shot were to fire it would most likely strike the ground in front of me rather than hitting any of my favorite body parts. Nevertheless, I’m always very conscious of the risk while reholstering, and never reholster in a hurry.
My point here is that the combination of human hand plus loaded gun is dangerous. Every carry method you might choose will probably allow the gun to point at stuff you don’t want shot during the day, and there’s simply no way around that fact. For safety’s sake, remember that if the gun is pointed in an unsafe direction, you must never be the one doing the pointing.
If you are uncertain whether you have been using your holster safely, please be sure to read the “Safety Matters” article on the Cornered Cat website that corresponds to your holster type, and contact a qualified instructor to discuss any specific concerns you might have.
Safety Matters: Using a Belt Holster — http://www.corneredcat.com/Holster/belt.aspx
Safety Matters: Using a Shoulder Holster — http://www.corneredcat.com/Holster/shoulder.aspx
Safety Matters: Using a Waist Pack Holster — http://www.corneredcat.com/Holster/waist.aspx
Stay Safe!
Footnotes 1. Please note the exception! If there is a possibility of children, the criminal, or the clueless picking the gun up, it’s not safe just lying there. But as long as none of those pesky and unpredictable human beings come on the scene, the gun isn’t going to do anything on its own. 2. It does not, however, reduce the danger to people standing behind or to the left side of the person wearing the shoulder holster. For this reason, these rigs are rarely allowed on crowded ranges — though you may be able to find an instructor willing to work with you to learn safe drawing techniques under carefully-controlled conditions.
Kathy Jackson is the Managing Editor of Concealed Carry Magazine. This article is from her website. She has an incredible amount of information for those who carry concealed at www.corneredcat.com. Go check out her website and bookmark it. You will definitely want to revisit!
USCCA Laugh of the Week
Coming Up On Armed American Radio
The Official Voice of the USCCA
by Mark Walters
Armed American Radio continues its march across the United States of America now as a NATIONALLY SYNDICATED RADIO PROGRAM adding affiliate stations to the growing list of cities every week.
Help us get AAR in YOUR city by calling your local talk station and ask them to FEED YOUR HEAD with the nationally syndicated Armed American Radio Network! Until then, listen live every Sunday at 8 PM Eastern on www.920wgka.com. Armed American Radio Network with host Mark Walters, brought to you every week by the USCCA!
Subscribe to, and download our podcasts here: www.ArmedAmericanRadio.org
Review of Blackhawk’s SERPA High Performance Carbon Fiber Composite Holster
USCCA Gear Review
Okay, I like it. Apparently I’m not the only one who likes this holster system; however, there are some detractors. With any product that I test, I run it through its paces then check out other opinions about it after I have formed one of my own, based on thorough analysis.
I read about the issue with the shape of some early models, and I read some of the beautiful prose of those who opined about the SERPA holster as I found them from a GOOGLE search. A select few of the opinions were explicitly unkind, but many of the replies were equally as vehement in their approval of the holster.
Such is the life of a product in the age of the Internet. Customers get on the Internet and search up and down for opinions about a product before they make the leap to parting with some of their hard-earned cash to actually buy something. The problem is that many of the Internet opinions are based either on half-truths or the failure to follow proper procedures and/or instructions for using a product.
I read a couple of posts on a couple of different forums that were supposed to have been written by instructors who won’t allow their students to use the SERPA holster in their classes, because of hearing how another instructor had a student who had an experience at some point somewhere. It’s sort of like my uncle has this friend at work who said he has a cousin whose neighbor did something stupid with a holster. So what I’m going to tell you about in this article is my direct experience and results of my analysis of the SERPA holster system from Blackhawk.
I evaluated the SERPA made for a 1911 style .45 ACP in commander size. The very first time I slid the gun into the SERPA I liked it, and I’m more of a fan of leather than any kind of plastic type of holster no matter how sturdy it is. I used to carry a Smith & Wesson 9mm in a retention style holster while working a couple of different jobs where I had to wear a duty-belt. Of course that was many pant sizes in the downward numerical direction many years ago.
That retention holster was a pain to get used to because my draw stroke had to be modified to get the gun out of the holster. The gun had to be tilted forward then withdrawn. I suppose it would work great to fool a criminal trying to snatch the gun, but I didn’t like having to have a modified draw stroke just to have a bit of extra security.
Some concealed carry permit holders have never considered just how much a wrestling match or trip to the ground is very likely to occur in a life or death encounter with a criminal. An open top holster, or even one with a thumb break, may serve a person very well for years. However, if one has considered maybe employing the extra security a retention holster offers, the SERPA is a great system to consider.
My SERPA employs the use of a locking mechanism that holds the gun at the front of the trigger guard to keep the gun from coming out. The locking mechanism of the SERPA is naturally disengaged by activation of the release lever by simply having the index finger in the position it should be in when drawing the gun.
One of the issues that the detractors had was users of the SERPA were using the tip of their fingers to release the locking mechanism instead of the pad of their straight finger as they are supposed to do. The argument was that a student used the tip of his finger to release the locking mechanism, which resulted in the student’s finger then slipping inside the trigger guard and causing a negligent discharge under the stress of an intense training environment.
I have to say, in the most delicate way possible, that I understand the fear and concern of having a student make a mistake under stress; and an instructor wouldn’t want any piece of equipment to even be remotely associated with having anything to do with a student’s failure to perform safely. I personally know some individuals who exercise their right to bear arms, but I’m not satisfied that they would be able to perform satisfactorily with their gun in a life or death situation due to inexperience with the adrenalin dump.
I could give names and examples of some very nervous people who do not respond well to any negative stress, and inferring how they may perform in a live-fire combat situation against an assailant causes me some concern. Blame it on genetics or my training that started with my dad, I’m not made up of those same jittery nerves. I have had some interactions with some of our less than law-abiding citizenry to the extent that I have become familiar with how I will react to a bad situation.
Thus being said, I can only state that the SERPA holster is a holster that I like and will trust. My draw stroke is the same during practice as it is under stress. Due to situations that have occurred in my past, I’ve been able to make that declaration. If anyone reading this thinks for even just the briefest of moments that they may possibly react like Don Knotts’ character Barney Fife would under stress, then not only should another holster possibly be considered, but maybe not carrying a gun at all should be considered too.
I know . . . Tough words to swallow, but just because we have a right to bear arms does not mean that everyone is competent to do so. Afraid of your own competency? Get proper training. Get proper training. Get proper training. Hey, I didn’t forget to tell you to get proper training, did I?
THE WRONG WAY
THE CORRECT WAY
Since the first gun was made, no gun or ancillary gear product can react to the misuse of a handler. The products are objects without a will of their own, and can only function correctly according to the handler following the directions flawlessly.
Thumb break holsters have been left unsnapped. So-called safe action triggers have been activated during the careless reholstering of such equipped guns into any type of holster. Guns have gone off in pockets due to them not being in a holster and/or other objects such as keys or coins being in the same pocket. In fact, except for the extremely rare occurrence of a catastrophic multiple system failure on any gun, they only go bang when the user presses the trigger either intentionally or unintentionally. And in my experiences, I have never even heard of a catastrophic multiple system failure happening.
It’s a good thing to ALWAYS keep in mind that if your gun ever goes off, it is YOUR FAULT. If I press the trigger at the range intentionally to hit the target, whose fault is it? Mine. If I shoot a person who is trying to maim or kill me, whose fault is it that bullets from my gun went into the criminal? Mine. Of course I defended myself, but the fault, cause, reason of the gun going off when aimed at that hypothetical criminal is mine alone.
Now think of this scenario too. Someone gets hold of your gun and accidentally shoots someone. Whose fault is that? Yours, because it is YOUR gun. If your gun goes bang while you are reholstering, or goes bang before it is supposed to when being drawn from the holster, it is YOUR fault. It cannot be blamed on a holster.
The SERPA also has a passive retention system that can be tightened or loosened to the personal desire of the user. The retention screw on the front of the holster can be tightened or loosened to adjust how tight of a grip the holster has on the gun. I really didn’t care too much that the bolt of the retention screw on the holster spun freely instead of being locked onto place, but I really didn’t have much of a problem tightening it using both hands and a screwdriver.
Now the second best part of the SERPA system next to the locking mechanism is the mounting options. There are new mounting systems available that open up a wide variety of mounting options all the way from a soldier’s MOLLE vest to mounting the holster under a desk to have a gun ready for mighty quick deployment.
My SERPA came with the options for belt loop mount and paddle mount. Both the mount for use with belt loops and the paddle are adjustable for cant.
Both mounting systems are also adjustable for the user’s particular belt width. Shown here is the belt hooks with the paddle mount. The adjustments for belt size on the belt loop mount can be seen in the photo of that mount type above.
Now the locking mechanism does operate by the use of a spring loaded mechanism. Is that a part that could fail? Well, certainly. The design appears to be of a very sturdy construction, though I did not disassemble it to see how it was put together. I would suppose that in all likelihood that I will experience more firearm malfunctions than malfunctions of the locking mechanism of the SERPA holster. Its construction is solid.
I like it that the holster has nylon in its construction. I had a 1972 Dodge Polara that had a nylon timing gear with a metal timing chain. The gear was made of nylon to quiet some of the noise the system would make. That nylon gear only had to be replaced once, but if I remember the incident correctly, it was the chain that went bad, not the gear. The gear was just replaced incidentally along with the chain.
Some might be thinking the nylon of disco shirts from the seventies. I certainly hope that you never wore any of those! I’m thinking nylon of internal engine parts designed to take high wear and high temperatures. The SERPA is tough like that. No, not the disco shirts. The other one.
I don’t like wearing paddle-style holsters, so I figured I would try out that mounting system first. Hey, I never get anywhere with testing these products by only doing what I like to do. Anyway, I really liked this paddle mount. It was really comfortable. Surprisingly comfortable actually. Now of course I had the butt of that forty-five digging into my side a bit, but the holster itself wore just fine. And man could I draw fast from the SERPA even though it is a retention style holster.
It was a surprise for me that this holster would facilitate such a quick draw and still offer the protection of a retention holster. If one doesn’t feel the need to use a retention-style of holster, then maybe the SERPA might not be for you. If one would like the extra bit of security of a retention holster without having to relearn or modify the natural draw stroke, the SERPA is a great choice.
Sliding the gun into the holster makes a positive click as the locking mechanism engages. I didn’t test to see just how much the lock could hold before breaking, but it holds up just fine to a hefty yank on the gun. That brings me to another thing the detractors mentioned. One complaint was that one student at a training school was able to release the locking mechanism and take the gun belonging to another student.
Let me just say DUH! A student of the proper handling of firearms would naturally have the index finger in the proper place to deactivate the locking mechanism. The holster is designed to RETAIN the gun from falling out of the holster during hand-to-hand combat with an assailant as well as stopping an attacker from just doing a quick grab of the gun by yanking on its grip.
In a fight you should think that you may very well end up on the ground even if you are the baddest Ninja that ever lived. Going to the ground with a snap or open-top holster the first time will have you putting a whole lot of concentration on gun retention every time thereafter. Protruding gun grips get caught on things throughout the carrier’s life of carrying concealed. The likelihood of a criminal going for your gun if it is spied by him or her is high. I really like the extra security the SERPA gives me while maintaining the natural draw stroke.
The SERPA High Performance Carbon Fiber Composite Holster is made for a wide variety of handguns, and it is available in black, foliage green, coyote tan, and olive drab in either right or left hand style. Check them out at www.blackhawk.com.
A Must Read…
USCCA Exclusive
Dear Tim,
I am not writing to ask a question, I am writing to say thanks for the Beat the Ban. I thought I was ahead of the curve, but only realized I had been putting off buying what I may need and what I really wanted before the Obamanation takes place. I wanted to beat the ban.
I was going to joke and say your Beat the Ban cost more than 17.00 dollars, hell I bought a Saiga 12 Shotgun overpaid but got it anyway and to 2 RRA AR15s at retail cost due to having a gunsmith relationship. I also bought some fantastic 5.56 ammo and over 2k rounds of practice ammo.
My next purchase will probably be an SKS or AR47. I have read a great deal more about my rights to arm myself and to protect my country from a threat.
Thanks for placing me ahead of the curve and your book only cost me over 2800.00 dollars in guns and ammo. Well lets just say it was a good investment in my family’s future! Best to you and your family and may you continue with success and great health.
-Mike P.
Proud USCCA Member
Proud Member of the NRA
Proud American!
This is a DIGITAL PRODUCT on PDF and MP3, so you get this timely information instantly delivered to your inbox, so you can Beat the Ban ASAP!
Quote of the Week
“If a forty-five weighs you down too much on one side then carry more spare magazines on the other side to balance it out!”
-Cody S. Alderson
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== Survival Update == |
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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!
*******************
I have never had the misfortune of needing to pull out my concealed carry gun before, but this weekend, my little pistol really came in handy.
However, it may not be what you are thinking…
Let me explain:
I sometimes carry a Bersa Thunder .380 in a SmartCarry rig (it hangs inside the pants, and in front of the “boys”). I was at a friends house who has several small children. Well, it turned out that one of his sons was feeling a little spunky that night, and he started to wrestle with me. I wasn’t in a mood to wrestle, but everything was in good fun. He decides that this might be the right moment to take me to the floor with his favorite “kick-to-the-groin” maneuver that always works on his brothers.
Here’s where it got funny…
He wasn’t wearing any shoes when he made that fateful kick. I didn’t feel any pain, but he sure did when his toes came into contact with solid metal! The look on his face was priceless!!! I hate to imagine what he must have been thinking, but you could tell that this whole situation didn’t make a lot of sense to him.
Needless to say, he hasn’t tried that move again…
*******************
Chambered Round in Springfield XD
Hello, I have a Springfield XD 9 sub-compact. Can anyone tell me if it is safe to carry a round in the chamber when using it for concealed carry? Everyone I ask seems to have a different idea. Thanks for any help you can give.
*******************
[Abridged – Read entire post at link]
From me:
I just left a voice mail for you, so if you haven’t gotten it yet, you can ignore it and just reply to this email. Folks, I am all too aware that top quality products are very time intensive and can create a backlog. I think I have been patient, considering my debit card was charged on 12/23/2008 (*that was incorrect — bank had it listed incorrectly). It has now been over 28 weeks, well over the 16-24 week estimated delivery time. I’m sure your products are wonderful, but this is just bad business practice. I really don’t understand how you could be so far off your estimated delivery time and not be in touch with your customers. It’s not only bad business, it’s downright rude.
As you can tell, I am extremely frustrated at this point. If you cannot provide the holsters I ordered within one week, please cancel my order. This will give you more time to get to the other customers who have been waiting too long. It will also give me time to spread the word of the way you treat your customers.
Thank you,
From them on July 9:
Sir,
We bend over backwards to do the very best that we can for our customers, but sometimes things do not go as planned. As far as your threats go, do as you see fit. I do not respond well to being threatened and you just [expletive removed] me off. I do wish to thank you for canceling your order - It will indeed allow me to serve another customer who’s business I value highly. Thank you.
Video of the Week
This video is of a reholstering accident. These accidents are caused by the handler of the gun failing to keep their finger and any foreign object out of the trigger guard. This is a security cam video which makes the incident look as if it was taken from an old Keystone Cops movie.
Court House Shooting: El Paso, Tx
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!
Houston, Texas
July 23, 2009
From: The Houston Chronicle
74-year-old man shoots carjacker in SW Houston
A 74-year-old man shot and wounded a teenager who attempted to carjack him with a knife early this morning in southwest Houston, police said.
The 18-year-old male suspect was wounded in the abdomen and was caught by police after he tried to run away following the shooting. He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital in fair condition.
No other injuries were reported.
Police have not released the suspect’s name because no charges have been filed against him, but investigators said that he will mostly likely be charged with aggravated robbery.
The shooting happened outside a home in the 10900 block of Corona in southwest Houston about 6:30 a.m., police said.
The victim, August Peters, had just parked his car in front of his wife’s home when he noticed another car drive past him and park at the curb across the street.
When the victim got out of his car, he told investigators that the teen came up to him and pressed a knife against his throat.
“He said, ‘Give me your car or I’ll kill you,’” said Victor Senties, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department.
The victim was able to reach inside his car to get a pistol. He fired two shots at the suspect, Senties said.
The suspect ran into the driveway of a home across the street and then somehow got into the home. He broke a window to get out and continued running away. Senties said no one was at the home at the time.
Police found the teen moments later on bridge on Wilcrest near Bellaire about two blocks from where he was shot.
Investigators are uncertain if the teenager got out of the car the victim had seen park on the street. They have no description of the vehicle and no other suspects at this time.
Closing Thoughts
Tim, I frequently ride my motorcycle in rural areas and want to carry while riding. My 9 is too bulky and uncomfortable, and my Baretta 22 is too small. I am considering a Seecamp 32 or 380 because of their compact size. The 32 is readily available, but the 380 is extremely hard to find. Question: Is there a huge difference in stopping power between the 32 and the 380?
This is a very good question. With all handgun rounds (including .45 ACP!), you’re relying more heavily on shot placement than raw power, for when it comes to stopping an attacker.
I’d say a .45 ACP belly wound would be a bit less survivable than a .32 ACP belly wound- but to really put someone out of the fight, you’re going to have to hit something important- brain, spine, or pelvis.
I don’t know if a .32 ACP, or a .380 could shatter a pelvis or not, and in fact, I’ve heard a couple pro’s talking about .32 ACP and .380s being mostly “eye ball guns”- meaning, try to shoot for the face.
Of course, this is all just what I’ve heard and read. I would recommend that if you’re a member, you scoot on over to the member’s forum, and ask the community there.
Good luck!
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!
Tim Schmidt
Founder - U.S. Concealed Carry
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com
Related posts:
- “Barrel Questions & Gun Safety for Kids…” May 14, 2010 Hello, fellow Armed Citizen. I’m very excited...
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