February 26, 2010
Hello fellow Armed Citizen!
Get ready for a juicy start to the Armed American Report this week, because you are going to love this.
We all know there are a lot of problems with our great country right now, but here’s some GOOD news: There are still plenty of GOOD Americans out there, making a difference where it counts. Heck you’re one of them, and here’s another:
Colorado State University has recently banned concealed weapons on campus. No, that’s not the good news- that’s stupid news. But listen to this:
The sheriff in that county (Larimer County), a Mr. James Alderden is NOT happy about it. It gets better…
He’s publicly announced the following:
“I have told the CSU police chief I will not support this in any way. If anyone with one of my permits gets arrested for concealed carry at CSU, I will refuse to book that person into my jail. Furthermore, I will show up at court and testify on that person’s behalf, and I will do whatever I can to discourage a conviction. I will not be a party to this very poor decision.”
If your eyes aren’t already watering, read what he said next:
“It’s a weapons-free zone for law-abiding people, and it won’t do a single thing to keep armed criminals off of campus. It will only ensure them a lot of defenseless victims. The people who did this are lost in their own world of ideological liberalism. You would think people involved in academia would want to deal in data and experience, but this has been all about emotion.”
Wow! Does that guy think like us, or what? What a hero. Here’s to YOU, Sheriff Alderden, on behalf of 150,000 respectable, peace-loving, law-abiding armed citizens. Friend- there’s a poll on the story, at THIS website. I just voted that the students should LISTEN to their wise Sheriff, and ignore the gun-ban, and I encourage you to do the same. When I voted, 92% of the 2,935 respondents agreed with me. Let’s get to work voting, and get that number up to 99%!
Before we get started, there’s one more bit of good news. I don’t know if you’re into gadgets or not, but if you are, and if you have an iPhone, you might be interested in an iPhone app that I came across after someone pointed it out to me recently. It’s basically a handy little dry-fire practice course guide.
Check it out here: http://dryfiretrainer.blogspot.com/
Are YOU truly Prepared to Handle Whatever Comes Your Way?
“…I know as a reporter I’m supposed to remain objective, but sometimes you just can’t remain objective, when you see people hurt, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
by the USCCA
by the USCCA
There’s something very, very powerful about carrying a concealed weapon…
It’s that feeling you get knowing that you are able to protect yourself and your loved ones should trouble occur.
It’s a powerful feeling.
To know deep in your gut that you are trained and prepared to act in the face of danger.
And to know that you are contributing to the security of your community.
Friends, I’m writing to you today to warn you.
That feeling you get when you carry can be great… but it can also be deadly.
Here’s the reason:
Your Concealed Weapon Can’t Protect You
Against the Threats You Aren’t Trained to See
Carrying a concealed weapon can make you feel pretty safe and well protected.
And that’s the problem. Because “believing you’re safe” is the first step to missing potential threats that are all around you.
No, I’m not talking about a large masked thug rushing at you on the street. That’s a pretty easy threat to spot, and one that almost never happens.
I’m talking about threats that are much more subtle and far more likely. And because of that, much more dangerous.
Don’t listen to the sales guy!
A beginner’s (and especially a senior’s beginner’s) guide to purchasing a defensive handgun.
by Uli Gebhard
There are a couple of key requirements that a gun will have to fulfill to work for you.
Let’s clean up with a couple of old myths first before we go any further. The advice that you will most likely hear when you tell the sales guy that you have no prior knowledge of firearms and want to buy a gun for self-defense is this:
“Just get a 2” Snubbie in .38 and you’ll be fine!”
Sorry folks, but this is Bravo-Sierra, topped only by the recommendation to get a lightweight snubbie, so that the gun is not too heavy for you.
What is true is that a 2-inch barreled .38 is easy to maneuver around and simple to operate.
It is also true that it has a heavy double-action trigger pull, recoils heftily, offers little grip to counter the recoil and is limited to five rounds.
Slightly different perspective, isn’t it?
Other common statements are:
“Real men shoot a .45” or “A 9mm is a .45 set on stun!”
Really? Then let me be the unmanly girly guy that asks him to let me stun him with a couple of rounds from my dinky-girly 9mm. I have a hunch that he’s going to decline that invitation.
Seriously: multiple hits in vital areas with a controllable small caliber such as a .32 or .22 are better than a superficial wound with a large caliber that you cannot control. Shot placement has a critical role in bringing down an attacker!
Most, if not all sales guys will recommend .38 Special, or 9mm as a “minimum defensive caliber”. They have read all the tacticool test reports in the gun magazines which makes them instant academic experts on the latest one-hit ueber-manstopper round. Most likely none of them will have any practical experience.
It is true that in terms of ability to penetrate, 9mm and .38 have a decent track record for handgun calibers. However, this does not consider the ability of a person to wield the weapon that fires that round.
Key is that larger chamberings come with a stronger powder charge and hence with more recoil.
The lighter the weight of the weapon is, the more you will feel that recoil and the harder it will be for you to control it.
You should shoot a large caliber that you can control comfortably. For some people that will be a 9mm. Others may only be able to manage a .22.
What can you to effectively defend yourself with a small-caliber weapon? Learn to shoot an attacker to the ground! This means that you keep shooting until he does no longer present a threat.
There is no mystical silver bullet that deanimates an assailant upon impact. That said, a gun with a large magazine capacity and an easy to operate trigger is a wise choice.
Caliber aside, you need to look for the function of the firearm and if you can operate it easily:
First off, the grip needs to fit into your hand, allow for all fingers to get a good purchase and allow for the index finger to be comfortably placed on the trigger. When you hold the gun with the index finger on the trigger, the barrel should be in-line with your forearm.
Functional Check:
For Revolvers:
Can you pull the trigger all the way with the index finger of your favored hand?
A secure grip on a revolver should look like this:
All fingers wrap securely around the grip and the index finger can comfortably reach the trigger.
Note that this is a pretty massive and heavy handgun. The weight helps reducing the felt recoil.
On revolvers with an external hammer – can you readily pull the hammer back to a cocked position?
Can you work the cylinder latch on a revolver?
Can you work the ejector easily (the rod in the cylinder axis that you push back to eject the spent casings from the cylinder)?
Can you reload the cylinder easily with a speedloader?
Here is what it looks like working with a speedloader:
For Semi-Autos
Can you get a solid grip on the gun?
This pistol is too large for the hand; the fingers can barely reach around the front of the grip.
Can you pull the trigger all the way with the index finger of your favored hand?
Here we have a good grip, but the index finger can’t get enough purchase on the trigger
This pistol is a good fit to the hand: all fingers wrap securely around the grip and the index finger can comfortably reach the trigger.
On pistols with an external hammer – can you readily pull the hammer back to a cocked position?
Can you easily rack the slide?
Can you work the mag-release, can you reach it and press it?
Can you work the slide release?
If the pistol has a safety, can you easily manipulate it?
If you struggle with any of these tasks – try a different weapon! If the sales guy answers this request with: “Oh – you’ll get used to it!” consider this your invitation to politely hand the gun back to him and leave.
Your life may depend on this gun, not the life of the salesman, which means that you will need the ability to operate it under the worst of conditions: nervous and with a lot of adrenaline in your bloodstream that deteriorates your fine-motor skills. Find a gun that you can operate easily and that fits your hand well – and you have your defensive tool.
If you have questions or doubts – post them on the USCCA forum or check with a local instructor. A good instructor should be able to review your abilities and recommend an appropriate handgun for you.
What triggered this article was me training an older lady who had just purchased her first handgun. It turned out that the sales guy at the self-proclaimed “Southern California Hunting, Fishing & Shooting Headquarters” had talked her into an airweight .38 snubbie. She can barely cock the hammer, and needs both index fingers on the trigger to fire a round from there. She is so frail that even standard .38 loads knock her off balance.
The sales guy never walked her through the operation of the gun.
Don’t get talked into an ineffective gun. Take the checklist in this article to the store with you and work your way through it. A good and diligent salesperson will work with you. They may voice their concern that a .22 or .32 is insufficient in their mind. That is OK – again it’s not their life that this weapon may have to defend.
The key issues are that you have to be able to operate and control the gun and to quickly get a lot of lead downrange.
Lastly – get good quality training with your firearm. There is a lot of truth in the much recited saying that you fight like you train. Learn how to shoot your gun efficiently, how to operate and reload it under stress.
Some people may think that they are too frail or that their disabilities limit them too much to participate in defensive training. Take this as food for thought: Suarez International trained an older gentleman who needed a cane to walk around – he ended up training to launch his cane as a distraction while accessing his firearm. Another learned how to aggressively maneuver his motorized wheelchair around a potential attacker before drawing his weapon.
A student of mine learned to overcome his disability of a missing lower arm and hand and is operating a semi-auto pistol fast and efficiently, including reloads and malfunction clearing.
Chances are that you are more capable than you think. You need to find the right tool and the right method to use it. I hope this article helps you with the first part of finding the right tool!
Uli Gebhard is a mechanical engineer and firearms instructor. He lives in Orange County, California. Find out more about Uli on his website www.gebhardsolutions.com or e-mail him at uli@gebhardsolutions.com
USCCA Toon of the Week
The Founding Fathers Wanted EVERYONE to be Armed
Gun Rights Roundup
by Buckeye Firearms Association
When we talk about the meaning of the Second Amendment, we often forget exactly what the Founding Fathers had in mind.
They didn’t merely want to ensure that every citizen had the right to bear arms or that the Constitution should make it difficult to disarm people. They literally wanted every man in the country to be armed and ready to defend himself and his country. They weren’t just okay with guns, they were vehemently pro-gun.
Just look at what some of the men of that period said about firearms and your duty as an American:
“A free people ought to be armed.” - George Washington
“The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.” - Thomas Jefferson
“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed, unlike the people of other countries, whose leaders are afraid to trust them with arms.” - James Madison
“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them.” - Richard Henry Lee
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined…. The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able might have a gun.” - Patrick Henry
Those are definitive and clear statements. No one could possibly misunderstand their meaning.
To this end, we want to do our part to ensure that the spirit of the Founding Fathers lives on. So we are giving away one of the best self-defense shotguns in the U.S., the Ithaca Model 37. It’s made with pride and patriotism in the state of Ohio, home of the National Matches, the “World Series of Shooting Sports.”
Click here to enter the GUN GIVEAWAY!
Gun Rights Roundup is a joint venture of Buckeye Firearms Association and USCCA. We will keep fighting until every American enjoys their natural right to carry and self-defense. For more news on pro-gun law, politics, and events, click here to subscribe to Buckeye Firearms Association’s FREE Newsletter.
Coming Up On Armed American Radio
The Official Voice of the USCCA
by Mark Walters
The unbelievable growth of Armed American Radio continues! Last week I welcomed Modesto, CA and now Statesboro, GA joins AAR beginning on 3-14-2010 along with Delray Beach, FL on the same night. In addition it looks like Tulsa Ok may be adding us to their LIVE lineup as early as April 1st…I’ll keep you posted on station and dates. Last weeks show was outstanding as I was joined in studio by 3 of the most down to earth folks you could imagine. Their story is all over the internet and hitting some major news outlets.
Seems JP Mitchell and Matt Brannan were dining at the Waffle House in Kennesaw, GA a couple of months back when a scout for a heavily armed robbery crew came wandering in. Unbeknownst to JP and Matt, who were alert and paying attention to the “out of place” young man, their OPENLY CARRIED handguns sent the scout outside to inform the crew there were guns in the store. An alert waitress, Lynn noticed the suspicious car and its occupants and called police.
The crew was arrested in the parking lot with rifles, handguns, masks and other “tools of the trade”! Seems during the interrogation, they admitted the openly carried weapons had kept them from going in to rob the place until the “guns” left! Imagine that! Head over to www.armedamericanradio.org to listen to their story in hour 2!
Coming up this week, Sheriff Mack will join me along with the grassroots folks from Ohioans for Concealed Carry and the Nevada Gun Owners. In addition, we’ll open up the Roundtable for another great night of FREEDOM on the nations airwaves!
Oh yeah, and check out the press release below as we continue to refine and grow the broadcast to focus on the things YOU want to talk about! Below is the Press Release circulating around the nation as Rob Pincus joins me EVERY THIRD WEEK as an official co-host to talk about training and everything else related to your CCW needs and desires!
Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my book, co-written with Kathy Jackson Lessons from Armed America, by heading to amazon or any other major online book retailer!
For more information on AAR, please visit me over at www.armedamericanradio.org
If you get the chance, tune in to the G. Gordon Liddy Show MONDAY 3-1-2010 from 11am till noon as I’ll be a guest on the show for the entire hour. There’s a slight possibility that by the time you read this there may have been a program change but as of press time, we’re all set to talk about our right to keep and bear arms on the G-Mans nationally syndicated radio show!
Join the ever growing fan base of one of the fastest growing radio programs in the nation by becoming a fan over at Facebook under Armed American Radio!
I’ll see YOU on the radio!
Mark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Armed American Radio, the nation’s fastest growing syndicated firearms talk program, announces that Rob Pincus will be a regular co-host on the show. Pincus owns I.C.E. Training Company, is the host of several Television Programs on Outdoor Channel and is the developer of the Combat Focus Shooting(tm) program.
Pincus will join host Mark Walters every third week, beginning tonight, February 7th, 2010, for the entire 3 hour program. Over the past year, Pincus has been a guest host several times on Armed American Radio, a three hour powerhouse voice of freedom heard nationwide every Sunday evening on radio stations coast to coast.
“I am really proud that Mark has asked me to join him regularly on Armed American Radio,” says Pincus, “the show is incredibly popular and it gives me the chance to address a lot of topics important to firearms owners and training enthusiasts.”
In addition to conducting training for armed professionals and those interested in personal defense at sites around the United States, Pincus currently hosts and writes for Outdoor Channel’s wildly popular show “The Best Defense” and his own “S.W.A.T. Magazine TV“, which also airs on the network. Pincus has written for or been featured in Guns & Ammo Magazine, American Handgunner, Women & Guns, GQ,Robb Report, Tactical Weapons and several other magazines including, most recently, Concealed Carry Magazine, the official publication of AAR’s sponsor, the US Concealed Carry Association.
Armed American Radio began as a one hour broadcast in Atlanta, Georgia in April of 2009. Since its inception, AAR has grown at a record pace to become one of the nations fastest growing radio shows. Achieving national syndication on September, 1st 2009, AAR is now heard from Florida to Alaska and worldwide on the live feed. The show’s host, Mark Walters, a lifelong gun owner and NRA certified trainer has been an outspoken second amendment activist since an attempted car-jacking against him several years ago just two weeks after the birth of his daughter. Using a lawfully carried Glock 36, Mark successfully repelled the 2 attackers without having to fire a shot. An avid writer and co-author of the recently released book, Lessons from Armed America (Whitefeather Press, Oct 2009), Mark used the incident against him to dedicate his writing to the right of self defense and the right to keep and bear arms. He has been a regular columnist for Concealed Carry Magazine for the previous 5 years and is currently working on his second book with Ms. Kathy Jackson in addition to hosting AAR.
“I am thrilled to have Rob join the AAR family as a regular contributor. As the host, one of my biggest responsibilities is stressing the importance of training and I can think of no one better than Rob Pincus. His cutting edge methodology, the success of I.C. E. his popularity and dynamic personality provide a natural fit for Armed American Radio!”, says Mark.
For more information on Armed American Radio or to listen to past programs, please visit www.armedamericanradio.org. The current station affiliate lineup can be found by visiting the “Where to Listen” tab at the top of the page. Due to the rapidly changing market as new cities are constantly being added to the lineup, please check back often. For more information and to join AAR’s sponsor, The United States Concealed Carry Association, please visit www.usconcealedcarry.com
I.C.E. Training Company is a full service tactical and defensive organization with instructors and regional representatives throughout the United States and Europe. I.C.E. Training was founded by Rob Pincus in 2007 to be consolidate various training activities and programs. The Combat Focus Shooting(tm) is an intuitive defensive firearms training methodology designed for shooters of all backgrounds. For more information, visit www.icetraining.us
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ATTENTION USCCA MEMBERS!
How would you like to have your gun or gear review published in this Armed American Report?
To have your review considered for publishing, simply email your word document with photos as separate attachments to gearreview@usconcealedcarry.com
Reviews should be between 800 and 1600 words long. Photos are encouraged and should be in .jpg format and less than 500 kb in size (each).
I look forward to reading your submission.
P.S. -Be sure to include your full name and email address so I can email you with questions or comments.
Letter to the Editor
Have something you want to get off your chest? Post it here, and share it with the Armed American community.
When I purchased my first weapon, a Ruger 45, I was advised to also purchase a book believe it or not. The book “How to own a gun & stay out of jail” by John Machtinger, a lawyer yet. That book and lawyers scare me more than having to some day use that 45 for protection. It has become; “The burden of proof on a deadly self defense tactic” lies with the defender of all things. If you have no witnesses to back you up the cops will have to make a quick determination as to whom is at fault. If you don’t submit to their authority, they will ruff you up almost as bad as the mugger you were trying to defend yourself from.
I want to say this to all law enforcement agencies; “If you are afraid for your life, then find another job”. The psychological mind set they have to endure in their positions, is that after a while, everyone becomes suspect. Everyone then is treated as such even the righteous defender of life and limb. I have so much more I want to expound upon, but Suffice it to say, we the average citizen are at a distinct disadvantage, and the criminals know this, for all the reasons you mentioned in your article.
The “Armed American Report” Issue 185 had some most excellent advice and information on self-defense. Hopefully it won’t have to be exercised, but essential to know.
-Skip, USN Ret. - Florida
I personally like the generic term ‘weapon” when discussing firearms to a group. I appreciate precise language. The term weapon covers revolver, pistol, handgun, etc. which tools all might be present in the group. Def: WEAPON, n. “a devise designed to inflict injury or death upon an opponent; something used to gain an advantage in a situation.” Don’t get squeamish about why we have that 38 oz. hunk of steel or plastic on our hip.
-Bob
Tim: Not so much a letter, but a thought you can feel free to elaborate on. Becoming a CCDW holder here in Kentucky has made me a better person. I find I don’t do a lot of things I used to do in order to not jeopardize my permit. Before, I could always drive after a few beers without a problem, but I don’t any more. Why take the chance. I stick a lot closer to the speed limit than I used to.
Why put a LEO through the tension of stopping a person he knows is armed. I control my anger a lot better when some idiot cuts me off and haven’t given an obscene gesture in a long time. Why do something that could potentially cause a situation where I might have to defend myself with deadly force. That won’t look good on the police report. I’m sure other permit holders can think of ways that getting their permit has changed how they act in public. It’s made me a better person
-Allan SGM USA (Ret)
. Submit your letter to the editor HERE, and I’ll share it next week!
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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The Last Bastion of Home Defense
The bedrooms at my house are at the end of a hallway. I had installed, in the end wall, a battery backup floodlight that comes on if the power goes off. I can also flip the light on via wall switch that is next to the home alarm control box, if need be.
When it comes on at night there is a 100 watt spot light that illuminates the hallway.
Should a BG decide to break into the house while we are sleeping, I will use the wall switch to flood the hallway (and the BG) with light.
What the BG does not see is a handgun and/or shotgun aimed at him with the sights perfectly visible and the BG perfectly blinded.
No need for flashlights on the home defense guns.
Any comments?
******
What have you done to make your front door, or any door for that matter, more secure from a break-in or home invasion?
******
A 5.56 or 7.62. Which is better?
My question is which is better to have a 5.56 or 7.62 what ar the pros and cons of the two. Which has more choices of ammo to choose from. Which one has better barrier penetration, which one would you choose for self defense.
******
I have the NRA model, and I want a really nice scope that will really reach out there. A lot of people seem to like the Bushnell 9×40,say its accurate and sturdy, and holds a zero well. I want a good Varmint scope, that is sturdy, but will give a good sight picture up to, and beyond 200yds. Even in low light conditions. Too many options, any suggestions of tried and proven models? Thanks for any advice. Oh ya, for shooting anything from prairie dog 2 coyotes and hogs.
Video of the Week
Look at this surveillance footage of a shooting on a public street. See how quick it happens. Watch the movements of the people involved, and pay particular attention to the people coming into view at the end of the short video. They walk into frame and just stand there! The old “Duck & Cover” from the 50’s still applies, but to more than just nukes. See the vehicles coming on scene that have no idea what is going on? What about the slow exiting of the pickup? I would have been flying out of there! Watch. Think. Learn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNXOWXGjUfA
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!
February 23, 2010
Shelburn, Indiana
From: WAVE3
Neighbor Shot Intruder During Home Invasion
Police say an attacker who had tied up two women inside a rural western Indiana home was stopped when a neighbor shot him in the leg.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department says a man broke into the home near the town of Shelburn Sunday morning, tying up a woman and her mother and sexually assaulting the younger woman.
Sgt. William Snead says the older woman was able to send a text message to a neighbor asking for help. The neighbor’s boyfriend, Sonny Osborn, heard the confrontation and went inside with a gun.
Police say Osborn told the attacker to leave before shooting him in the leg three times. The man was treated at a hospital and was being held in the Sullivan County Jail.
USCCA Q&A
Last Week’s Question: ANSWERED.
“I am left handed and carry a ‘double-action-only’ handgun. The safety is on the left side, and can’t be changed. Is it safe to leave the safety off when carrying? The gun is a Taurus PT 140 Rockwall.”
Russell McConnell:
I was accident prone as a young man. I beat it by being super aware of the possibilities while working or playing. As you practice with your Taurus, think it through. Can you live with the consequences of a loaded pistol off safe? My four year old son came close to blowing his head off with his grandfather’s revolver. For the past fifty years I have been safe but not sorry.
Eli Whitney:
In a real crisis with Bubba coming at you, ANYTHING that keeps you from responding as quickly as possible with your weapon could lead to disaster. Keep the safety off and learn to live with it. I carry a Glock which has no safety, so I have learned to always be extremely careful when handling my weapon under normal circumstances.
Anonymous:
MY GOD MAN… for your’s and everyone else’s safety, TRADE GUNS for a left handed safety, it’s a NO BRAINER!!!! Please let me know where you live so I may keep my friends and family safe…
Anonymous:
If it is double action only the safety should not be on, it is like having a double action revolver.Have you seen a modern double action revolver with a safety?
Bruce Luedeman from www.safeshoot.com:
My answer to you may be controversial for some. If the safety on your hand gun is in an inconvenient place for you then carry with the safety off. The only real safety, and the best safety on a fire arm, is keeping the finger off the trigger. Your gun will not fire unless a finger pulls the trigger back. When you do your dry fire drills concentrate on proper trigger finger placement i.e. keeping your finger on the hand gun frame above the trigger until you know what your target is and there is a safe back ground. Every time you touch your hand gun concentrate on keeping your trigger finger in the proper position; write sticky notes to your trigger finger and put them on the mirror; when you say your prayers at night the last line should be, “and Lord help me to remember where to keep my trigger finger”. The point is “you will react as you train and by the habits you ingrain”.
This week’s question. Have an answer? Use the “Ask Tim” form below to give an answer- I’ll share them here next week!
We stress the total concealment of our weapon under our clothing. Other than the element of surprise if encountered, is there any legal reason it should/must not be visible? After all the constitution doesn’t say it must be concealed.
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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