Armed American Report

January 29, 2010

Hello friends, another solid edition of the USCCA’s Armed American Report for you. Let’s dig in.

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.

Click HERE to Learn More…

Good, Better, Best

“…taking them to the range to shoot at paper targets may hone their entry level skills, but it will do little to save them in a real life scenario…”

by Patrick Benner

(Good)

For decade’s, firearms instructors have been taking their students out to the range and setting up paper targets and helping their students hone their aiming and firing techniques. (THIS IS GOOD)

(BETTER)

Some instructors engage their students in skill-based tactical exercises at professional ranges where the student is placed under pressure such as firing from doorways, hallways and up & down stairways. Students have to make shoot and don’t shoot decisions with split-second timing. (THIS IS BETTER)

(BEST)

Either of the above scenarios would be great for a student that simply wants to learn how to use his or her firearm for target practice or even competitive shoots. However, instructors today are training an ever growing number of individuals who use their firearms for personal defense–and more so for home defense. So taking them to the range to shoot at paper targets may hone their entry level skills, but it will do little to save them in a real life scenario.

Professional ranges and their competitive time training may quicken their actions, but it does not take into account the psychological pressure that you are under in a darkened room, in your bed, tucked snuggly under the blankets and half asleep when someone kicks in your front door, awakens you from a sound sleep and demands all your valuables! What races through your mind? “Where’s my gun? Can I reach it? Is it loaded? Should I or shouldn’t I confront this individual?” Are you even awake enough and alert enough to make a life and death decision? None of this happens at the range, professional or otherwise. But, it is all too critically real.

You’re not going to be challenged on the range, at your desk or in line at the grocery store. It most likely will happen at night. In your car at an intersection or as you complete your transaction at the ATM and turn around with a hand full of cash, or as I said earlier, at home in bed half asleep. I call this “Murphy’s Law at Muzzle Velocity.”

In another article article, I spoke of taking a new student through the proper gun, proper holster, legalities and proper range training aspects. After that, I try to encourage students to move onto reality training techniques. For example: After all of one of my students level one training, she confided in me that now that she is trained, she would “put the gun in the nightstand” where it would be when she needed it. I asked if she preferred lilies of orchids at her funeral. Her bedroom windows were only two feet off the ground and the nightstand six feet from the bed, closer to the entry window than to her hand (get the picture?). She would most likely be assaulted with her own gun. We’re about real life tactics and training. If you’re going to keep your gun in the nightstand, you have to be able to get to it before the attacker gets to you. That’s it! It’s that simple! It has to be loaded and un holstered. Seconds count!

The gun in your glove compartment can’t help you if someone opens your driver-side door and yanks you out by the scruff of your neck. Your gun should be in a shoulder holster or waistband holster. It has to be where you need it, when you need it. Tucking your gun away in the zipper compartment of your purse will not help you when you’re grabbed from behind at the ATM. I practice these drills with students and I show them that I can get from their front door to their bedside before they can even throw off the blankets. I can pull them from their car before they can reach for the glove compartment. And, when my arm is around their neck cutting off their air supply, they’ll need both hands to pull me off of them just to catch their next breath. So a zippered purse is out of the question. All of these sound cruel but we know they are brutally real. I teach my students to think in terms of real life. Because, a wise man once said “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it”. (THIS IS BEST!)

Patrick Benner owns Armed and Ready, a civilian training/instruction company in Vermont. You can e-mail Patrick at: maj.benner@verizon.net

USCCA Toon of the Week

by Chaim’s Cartoons

Gun Rights Are About More Than Guns

Gun Rights Roundup

by Buckeye Firearms Association

If you’re reading this newsletter, you firmly believe in gun rights. You’ll fight for gun rights, debate about gun rights, and support the idea of protecting gun rights.

But have you ever thought about what that really means? What are gun rights? What exactly are you trying to protect with all the fighting, debating, and supporting?

Wikipedia says this: “Gun politics is a set of legal issues surrounding the ownership, use, and regulation of firearms as well as safety issues related to firearms both through their direct use and through legal and criminal use.”

Is that what it’s all about? Legal issues? Owning guns? Crime?

I don’t know about you, but that rings hollow. I think gun rights are about a lot more guns. I think it runs deeper than that.

When former NRA President Charlton Heston held aloft a muzzle loader from the Revolutionary War and in a loud, firm voice declared to the world that it could only be taken from his “cold, dead hands,” every gun rights supporter knew exactly what he was talking about. And it wasn’t about that rifle.

It was a challenge. But it was also a prayer, a voice lifted up in steely resolve calling to Americans like you and me who hold in our hands something more powerful than a gun, something that must be cherished and guarded each day. It’s something no one has ever invented a word for but which we all know to be true.

Read more here.

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

TED NUGENT JOINS MARK WALTERS ON ARMED AMERICAN RADIO THIS SUNDAY NIGHT 1-31-2010 FOR ONE SOLID HOUR!

STOP the presses.  My original blurb announcing the guest lineup for this weeks Armed American radio show changed at the last minute!  PLEASE JOIN ME THIS SUNDAY 1-31-2010 on Armed American Radio as I will be joined for ONE SOLID hour with TED NUGENT!  That’s right, Uncle Ted will be on Armed American Radio for a solid hour to give you his thoughts on YOUR RIGHTS and freedoms.  Trust me ladies and gentlemen, this is one Armed American Radio broadcast YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!  No one, and I do mean NO ONE speaks louder for your freedoms and second amendment rights than Ted Nugent and WE WILL BE TAKING YOUR CALLS LIVE THIS SUNDAY!  Check out www.armedamericanradio.org to see the video of this weeks upcoming broadcast and remember to CRANK UP THE VOLUME!

In addition to the Nuge, TN State House Representative Curry Todd will join me to discuss the activist judge who tossed out the restaurant and bar right to carry law passed by the TN Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.  Mr. Todd will tell us just exactly what they plan to do about this freedom hating judges decision in an effort to restore the rights of law-abiding citizens!

I am also happy to announce new cities joining the AAR family in Kingman, Arizona, Bullhead City, Arizona, Del Ray and West Palm Beach Florida…Your prescription for freedom has been filled.  Welcome to the broadcast!  More cities to come folks,I just can’t give them away yet!

Please visit me at www.armedamericanradio.org for up to the minute information and don’t forget to join the growing list of fans at FACEBOOK by visiting Armed American Radio over there, too!

This interview has been in the making for months and I am thrilled to bring this incredible freedom fighter, author, patriot, lifelong outdoorsman, NRA board member and AMERICAN ROCKER to YOU on ARMED AMERICAN RADIO!

Ted Nugent and I will see YOU on the radio THIS weekend, 1-31-2010 at 8-11pm EST, 5-8pm PST.

For Gosh Sakes BE THERE FOR THIS ONE!

Mark

Quark 1232 Tactical Flashlight

USCCA Gear Review

by Chris Fry - USCCA Member

Another trainer and friend of mine recently pointed me to a new series of “tactical” flashlight offerings from 4sevens.com. For some reading this you already know about my light and gear habit, so it will be no surprise to hear I immediately contacted 4Sevens for a light and liked it so damn much I decided to do a review. Be warned, I am no professional gear reviewer. I have included the information I think is important prior to purchasing a tactical light.
I received my Quark 1232 Tactical flashlight early last week and have been carrying and testing it out ever since.

4sevens owner David Chow used his experience and knowledge as well as the feedback from Candlepowerforums.com members to create a light that he hoped would meet everyone’s demands. The Quark Series is the culmination of his efforts. Quark is a new series of flashlights produced and manufactured by 4sevens.com and their team of engineers over the last five years. 4sevens.com has been around for awhile and I have purchased a couple Fenix flashlights and a Nitecore from them over the last couple years and have been very satisfied with every purchase.

What’s in the Box?

First, I have to say that for the price of this light (which I will touch on again later) they spared no expense. The packaging itself is high end and I was immediately encouraged by this fact. Sometimes we see things we want and when we finally get them the cheap packaging is a bad omen for the product in general. This was not the case with the Quark 1232 Tactical.

Included in the package is the light body itself, instruction, manual, integrated and reversible clip, a set of CR123 batteries, a set of replacement O-rings (another very nice feature) for the bezel and tail cap, a quark grip, belt holster and lanyard.

Specifications

The Quark 1232 Tactical comes with an impressive array of options. It takes the standard CR123 batteries that most “tactical” lights do and although costly the performance of these batteries is better according to 4sevens literature than the lights which run AA. The emitter is a Cree LED XP-G R5, it has 5 current regulated output levels, 3 flash modes (strobe, sos and beacon), momentary activation and level memorization. The body is fully knurled aircraft grade aluminum with a Type III hard anodized finish with IPX-8 waterproofing and comes with a reversible/removable pocket clip. The lens is impact resistant glass with a dual coating, a sapphire coating on the outside and anti-reflective coating on the inside for maximum efficiency and durability.

Output settings and runtime are generous with the 8 basic output levels/modes available and the option to program the light for 2 specific user-defined modes. See below for exact output specs:

Moonlight: 0.2 lumens for 30 days
Low: 4 lumens for 5 days
Medium: 22 lumens for 20 hours
High: 85 lumens for 4.5 hours
Max: 230 lumens for 1.8 hours
Strobe: 230 lumens for 3 hours

Beacon: 0-230 lumens pulse for 23 hours

The Quark 1232 tactical light measures 4.5 inches in length, it is 0.86 inches in diameter and weighs 1.8 ounces.
It is very comfortable in the hand and enough of the light protrudes from the front and rear of the hand to facilitate striking with the light when justified.

One feature I really prefer on my lights is a “clickie” tail cap. This offers the user the ability to momentarily touch the tail cap and emit a burst of light without having to fully click the light on. I recently got another tactical light for more money than the Quark and while it is nice a big negative is that the light has to be clicked fully on prior to operating any of its special modes such as the strobe feature or low level navigation mode.

The Quark also comes with a protruding tail cap where the switch sits higher than the actual body. See picture above (you can buy a “flat” tail cap if that’s what you prefer). I also prefer this type of tail cap as it facilitates easier function of the light from various flashlight/gun techniques such as the Roger’s/Surefire or Hargreaves lite-touch techniques.

The Quark 1232 tactical comes with a unique “grip” that I have never seen before. It looks and feels like bicycle inner tube which loops around the bezel and tail cap forming a horseshoe grip. It seems pretty durable but I am not convinced of any tactical application for this type of grip.  Once on and in the hand it does not facilitate switching grips or provide the ability to remove the light from the working surface (palm) of hand momentarily to perform tasks such as magazine changes or manipulations. This may be why a lanyard was also included. It bears more testing on my part.

Personal Impressions

This is a solid light and meets all the requirements I look for in a “tactical” flashlight that I may have to depend upon in a bad situation. It is rugged, having survived 2 drop tests from shoulder height onto the concrete floor at the range. It also survived 1 throw test where I threw it from my porch out onto my paved driveway. It is waterproof having been dropped into a puddle of water and left there for several minutes, rolled around, submerged and then ran flawlessly. I cannot say how many feet underwater it is waterproof to.

The Quark 1232  tactical output is a tightly focused bright white hotspot with excellent throw. Beam spill is also good providing a large corona of light with which a large room or area can be viewed. The user interface is simple with only a twist of the bezel to change between your two user-defined output modes. Programming the two user-defined modes took me a few minutes but 4sevens manual and website with YouTube video helped with the process.

Quark 1232 Tactical hot spot on right, 190 lumens
Surefire L4 Digital Lumamax hotspot on left, 120 lumens with slight donut effect

Offering 190 lumen max output this light is more than capable of location, identification and engagement of potential threats. Even the high output setting emits 85 lumens which are well above the industry accepted standard of 60-65 lumens for indoor tactical usage.

Conclusion

Overall I am very pleased with this light. When I first got it and noticed the cylindrical body I was a little worried about the potential for the light to roll if dropped. However, design and placement of the removable/reversible pocket clip prevents this. 4sevens offer some great products with this new Quark line taking the lead, in my opinion. Especially nice is the price point of the Quark 1232 Tactical compared to some of the other “tactical flashlight” industry offerings. I have paid a lot more for a lot less.

Price: $69 + Shipping

Quark 1232 Tactical Light

About Chris Fry

Chris is the owner and director of training and curriculum development for Modern Defensive Training Systems in Utica, NY where he conducts courses in reality driven practical combatives, extreme close quarters physical defense, tactical folding knife and edged weapon combatives and combative pistol, carbine and shotgun skills. Chris has been an active instructor with Progressive F.O.R.C.E. Concepts in Nevada since 2003, servicing law enforcement, military and select government agencies. Chris is a certified AR15/M4/M16 and Glock armorer, contributor to various online firearms resource websites and a frequent presenter at national and international personal protection and small arms training conferences for both citizens and law enforcement. For more information see: www.MDTSTRAINING.com
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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.

Quote of the Week

“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them…”

—Richard Henry Lee, 1787

Letter to the Editor

Have something you want to get off your chest? Post it here, and share it with the Armed American community.

Russ T. Roxboro, NC

Sorry to disagree with you Tim, regarding your statement that the job of the police is not to predict where the next armed robbery will occur. Sadly, that statement just reinforces the reactive nature of police work as the public sees it. Only the larger departments, have “Intelligence Units” that believe it or not can be proactive by developing strategic (long range) intelligence through the analysis of previous committed crimes, the use of informants, and other techniques such as “profiling” when allowed to do. Tactical deployment of police can then prevent or interrupt the criminal activity before or as it happens. Being allowed to do so, isn’t politically correct. So as I said, sadly, most police action is reactive and after the fact. In some cases serious bodily injury, loss of valuable property or fatality to the victim occurs. Then only through extensive investigation is it possible, some of the time, to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the crime. Prediction of certain crimes by certain persons, groups or gangs is possible, certainly not with 100 % accuracy, but the citizenry and the politicians have to allow such proactive conduct by the police for that to occur. I doubt I’ll see such a change in my lifetime, and so I chose to be as best prepared as I can, to protect myself, family and my property. Best Regards

–

After my wife and I received our CCW we needed a place to practice. The only place is the police range and you must have special permission and have your own targets and stands. I asked and got the permission and then with a little ingenuity I made the target stands. My wife, who by the way, carries a 357 magnum revolver as her concealed weapon, and I went to the range where I proceeded to unload and set up the target stands. She looked at me quizzically and asked why there were two stands. The look on her face when I told her that one was hers was priceless. It is the only stand on the target range that is stained and polished and receives a weekly dusting. By the way, with her 6 shots at 7 yards the bullseye is gone.

–

Mike W.

Regarding the post “MORE REVIEWS FOR OTHER BODY TYPES” I am 5′11″, 325lbs. I sympathize with the problem of finding a comfortable IWB holster. I daily carry 1911-style .45’s. A Springfield V-10 Ultra is on me most often, but I also carry a full size Combat Commander or a Combat Elite. After several purchases….I found the Galco Royal Guard series is the most comfortable. The RG218 fits the smaller Springfield. The RG 212 fits the full size Colts. Over time, I have found real leather to be the most comfortable vs. the Serpa-style of hard material or even ballistic nylon. for what it’s worth…

Submit your letter to the editor HERE, and I might 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!

*******************

This week in the Forum Highlights I’m giving you an example of the responses members get from their posts. I want you all of you who aren’t yet members of our exclusive online members only forums to not only get a taste of the questions and other posts, but also the wonderfully informative replies.

Reasons Mature Men Conceal Carry

I was reading another thread and was just wondering if most mature men, that now conceal carry, have military in their background. I do but it is not the reason I conceal carry. I would have done it any way because I learned very young how important it is.

I also wonder if diminishing capabilities are another factor influencing our carry. I know I sure recognize my lessened alpha-male prowess. I have diabetic neuropathy in both hands and feet and are real unstable on my feet. I have decided to work on my overweight status and physical conditioning. Exercise brings much pain and I am in pain this morning. Diminished health may also be an influencing factor. There are no more fist fights, in my future, if you “know-what-I-mean!

My main reason was protection of my wife and myself, in that order. It would really upset me if I knew it was my fault my wife, or daughters when around me, were physically harmed because of my lack of means and ability to protect them.

What say You?

Church Security

Well, I don’t know if I’m in the right forum, but here goes. I am looking for information from someone who is part of a church security team. Our church is in the beginning stages of starting one. So far, we have never had an incident, but we want to be a head of the game. I’m kind of looking for help in establishing a church policy for our team members who have a CCW permit. I figure that someone out there has already done this so we don’t have to re-invent the wheel. I know there are lots of organizations out there and that for $299.00 a person you can sit in a seminar and learn that stuff, but we are a small church, and I personally don’t have that kind of money at the moment. I would appreciate any help that I can get. It’s looking like my husband and I will be heading this thing up. Thanks Everyone!

A new AR in 5.56 or an M1 Carbine?

I have resisted the urge to buy a black gun for a long time. One of the reasons is I already have a perfectly good M1 carbine including several 30 round and 10 round GI magazines that all work and there are Picatinny rails available to install an ACOG type sight and all the current goodies for a lot less than a new or used AR. During WWII I have read special ops troops, US and Allied, actually preferred the Carbine. Neither they nor I need something that will guarantee a kill at 300 plus yards/meters and they felt its stopping power at close range was more than adequate.

So my question is: If I already have a perfectly good carbine why should I spend a whole lot more for an AR? Has anyone actually compared the two for the purpose of home defensive use.

I have no varmint hunting opportunities in central FL and I am not going to compete or hunt with it. My question is about use as a home defensive weapon only. Obviously I would use it for whatever else appeals such as plinking etc but defensive use is my question.

Video of the Week

Love guns? Write a song about it! That’s what this guy did…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TC2xTCb_GU

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!

January 15, 2010

Mission, Texas

From: KRGV

Homeowner Shoots Intruder

An 11-year-old shot during a home invasion is expected to recover. But one of the men involved in the crime is now in a San Antonio hospital.
Sheriff’s deputies say he was shot in the neck, as he and two other masked men tried to rob a home. It happened overnight in Mission on Minnesota Road and 8 Mile.

The men allegedly forced their way into the home. We’re told the family barricaded themselves in a bedroom. Deputies say the home invaders shot through the door and hit the 11-year-old.

The homeowner had a rifle and fired back, hitting one of the men. The homeowner’s son was the child hit. The 11-year-old is in the hospital and expected to recover.

Closing Thoughts

Last Week’s Question: ANSWERED.

“I hear and read a lot on the need for carrying a big 45 but I don’t especially like the 1911 and I’m more comfortable carrying a Kel-Tec P11. primary with a P32 loaded with Xtreme Shock ammo. Is this enough firepower, or am I wimping out?”

Bruce, Wellington, NV

As someone who has carried concealed for quite a number of years, here are some realities I have come to accept. If it’s not comfortable to wear, you will begin to find reasons not to carry it. Caliber is not as important as it was in times past. With the new ammunition available, opinions have truly changed regarding caliber. When person (good or bad) looks at the business end of a weapon in the “heat of battle” all bores are at least 2″ in diameter. Psychologically, perception is reality.

Anonymous:

My concern for the reader who asked “my primary cal.for carry is .32. Am I wimping out”? If I may, “sir I applaud your courage to carry anything less than a ,45. No, you are not a wimp at all. It takes more courage to carry something that most likely be ineffective than one which has has an excellent 1 shot center mass stopping record. I encourage you to check a ballistic chart any of the well known ammo manufacturers to reach an informed decision, Statistics continue to show ,”handgun defense cases occur at 6 feet our less”. Justified use of lethal force tends to have very short distances and time limits,do take care my brave friend !!!

Paul from Austin

Hello, in regards to the gentlemen carrying a Kel-Tec P11 and P32. I don’t believe for one minute you are wimping out by not carrying a .45. I don’t think it is as important as to the round you are shooting as it is the steadfast placement of that round. An Accurate deadly shot with your P11 or P32 is better than a miss with your .45 or .50 AE. A properly controlled and well placed shot is paramount to the round you are shooting.

This week’s question. Have an answer? Use the “Ask Tim” form below to give an answer- I’ll share them here next week!

I am having rotator cuff surgery to repair my right shoulder- my primary shooting hand. I’ll lose true range of motion for several months while I rehab it. I have been practicing with my left hand somewhat I have 2 sidearms (Taurus millennium pt 145 ACP 45 10+1 and a Taurus 38 spec 5rd J frame 2″) both conceal carry holsters BUT FOR RIGHTHANDED CARRY ONLY. Should I invest in two left handed holsters or just learn to draw from them differently (ie, Cavalry style)?

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!

January 15, 2010

Happy Friday, and happy reading: I’ve got yet another amazing Armed American Report on deck for you.

Is it just me, or do these keep getting better each week? Let’s get started!

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

We all know that we need to be prepared for the very realistic possibility of having to defend our lives from a violent attacker.

You and I both know that this happens dozens of times every single day in the USA, and we KNOW how it usually ends up if the victim has no means to defend himself.

We love the police, because they are ’sheepdogs’ like us. BUT- we know that you absolutely cannot count on the police being there to save you when an attacker strikes- and 99% of police officers understand that- that’s why they are in favor of armed citizens- they hate seeing evil triumph as much as we do.

Not to mention, the police are about as good at predicting the next armed assault as the Red Cross is at predicting when the next natural (or man-made) disaster will occur- it’s not only impossible; it’s not their job.

It’s OUR job to prepare in advance for these things.

I know you are actively working on becoming prepared for when an attacker strikes, because you’re a member of the USCCA, you are armed, and you are reading this right now.

But how are your preparations for when a disaster strikes?

We’re here to help you.

The Great Debate

“…what should you do when you encounter someone who just doesn’t share your belief in the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms?…”

by Robert Childers

Because humans have the ability to reason, we’re unique in being aware of our own mortality. It’s why we worry so much about the future, our personal security and spend vast amounts of time, money and energy planning for both. Yet despite this, the unexpected does happen and it usually happens when we are least prepared.

Though individual reasons vary, a common thread through all of this is protection against the unexpected. That’s why the insurance business is the mega-billion-dollar, worldwide industry it is today. With the attacks of 9/11 and the ensuing war on terrorism, a large number of police departments are being stretched thin due to new homeland defense responsibilities. Add to this fact that many experienced LEO’s are being recalled for service in the military, and the result is fewer officers are available to protect us from the normal crimes we encounter every day here at home.

In New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina showed us another sobering fact; there will be times when our government either can not or will not be there when we need them most, leaving us to fend for ourselves. Along with other events, this should be a wake up call to all Americans that we must take responsibly for our own safety and well-being. For many of us, that responsibility includes the owning and carrying of a firearm. If asked why we own and carry a concealed weapon, most would likely respond that we consider it our BEST form of personal protection “insurance.”

Despite the above facts and the current nationwide interest in passing concealed carry and right to carry legislation, what should you do when you encounter someone who just doesn’t share your belief in the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms? There are still tens of millions of Americans who have never seen a real gun unless it was carried by law enforcement officers. Even more have never seen a gun fired except in movies or on TV. Due to this unfamiliarity and the constant barrage of negative information put out by anti-gun groups and the media, many people are afraid of guns and see them not as a tool in defending us against crime, but a cause of it.

We should all begin by educating non-gun owners about the true purpose of firearms. Like an automobile, a gun is no more dangerous than the person using it. My favorite analogy is comparing a firearm to my home’s smoke detectors; I hope they will never be needed, but they can and do save lives when used as intended. You can also point out countries like Australia and Great Britain, or American cities like Washington, DC. where gun ownership has been banned in for most citizens for at least a decade now. In all of them, crime rates have consistently risen yearly since gun control laws were passed, not dropped compared to the United States on general!

Still, we must remember while there are a vast number of positive reasons to support firearm ownership, you must first get a ‘non-believer’ to hear them. We’re all entitled to an opinion in America. Unfortunately, the expressing of that opinion can lead to arguments. Though it may sometimes be tempting, arguing with someone and saying he has no idea what he’s talking about won’t win you much support. All too often, one (or both) of the participants enters a discussion with the assumption, “My opinion is right. Since you don’t agree, yours must be wrong”. After that, things usually go down hill faster than water rolling off the side of Mount Rushmore. Participant “A” begins to push his view while participant “B” begins to defend his and soon, nobody is listening anymore. On the other hand, most people are willing to listen if you try talking WITH them instead of at them.

Listening to an opinion contrary to your own with an open mind can be very difficult at times. However, you’d be surprised at how often you can effect a change in opinion by letting the other person have his say without becoming too defensive of your own. By stating your side of the discussion, listening to the other person’s perspective and saying; “Think about what I’ve said and decide for yourself,” most people will at least consider what you have to say. The WORST thing you can do is tell someone that they’re wrong, they’re stupid, blind or a fool because they don’t agree with you. It’s a part of human nature that nobody wants to admit that they may be wrong, especially on issues they feel are important to them — Even if I had been willing to consider your opinion before, if you’ve just insulted me, I’ll probably no longer listen to anything you have to say.

I consider arguments just another version of leading a horse to water; you can talk until your jaw hurts, but you can’t force the other guy to listen if he doesn’t want to. After many years of trial and error, I discovered that the other guy is usually more open to your side of a discussion if you state your point using facts instead of opinion, if you listen to your opponent without being argumentative or judgmental, and can offer a logical rebuttal or alternative to their opinion. If I still can’t persuade him to change his opinion and he can’t persuade me to change mine, we’ll just have to “agree to disagree.” While I may not have changed his mind, I’m more likely than not to at least get a positive response because I was willing to listen to his viewpoint, even if I didn’t agree with it.

If you find yourself engaged in the great debate over the pros and cons of firearms, just remember the old saying, “You catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar”.

Bob Childers has a Degree in Theology and retired from the United States Navy in 1994. He’s a member of the NRA, Texas State Rifle Association, the East Texas Rifle and Pistol Club and holds a Texas CCL. You can find out more about him at his website: http://vchilder.home.netcom.com

USCCA Toon of the Week

by Chaim’s Cartoons

More Guns, Less Crime in 2009

Gun Rights Roundup

by Buckeye Firearms Association

Driven by fear of Barack Obama’s anti-gun past, Americans bought more guns in 2009 than in any other year on record, yet homicide and violent crime rates plummeted nationwide.

The most striking decrease took place in Washington D.C., which had the lowest number of homicides since 1964 despite the end of the city’s longtime ban on private ownership of firearms. Not surprisingly, the city’s administration and the anti-gun doomsayers were wrong. As any clear-thinking person knows, law-abiding residents of Washington D.C. are perfectly suited to owning guns for self-defense.

The Chicken Little predictions of mass killings and bloody scenes of gun owners running amok never materialized, and the panic about the presence of guns in people’s homes was much ado about nothing.

Even though the country enjoys historic low homicide rates, the anti-gun community continues to circulate press releases claiming an unprecedented level of gun related mayhem. Most recently, they fed the media stories about how concealed carry license holders are going on killing sprees across the nation. Yet, when the end-of-year crime rates showed a huge decrease in violent crime, mainstream reporters never questioned the anti-gun group’s unfounded ravings.

But facts are facts. And the sharp decline in homicides in 2009 is something to celebrate, and something that all Americans can understand and be happy about. Violence has decreased. The m-urder and mayhem so prevalent in cities like Washington D.C. has abated. And once again we see the wisdom of the Second Amendment.

Click here to read the full article about guns and crime.

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

Holy Growth, Batman!  It never stops folks, I’m telling you!  More interest in Florida cities…I can’t name them yet BUT, they’re coming!  More interest in Oregon…Can’t name them yet but they’re coming too!

So the bottom line is that the march continues and the guest lineups keep growing bigger and bigger.  This week coming up is HUGE.  I’ll be speaking with a PRO GUN candidate for sheriff in San Diego County, California, Mr. Jay La Suer (www.sheriffjay.org)  This is a great guy and someone that AMERICA needs in office, not just Californians.  I’ll be doing anything I can to help him and you will hear from him yourself this weekend.  Remember the old saying “So goes California, so goes the nation”.  You know darn well how important it is to put someone like this in office out on the left coast!

In addition to Mr. La Suer, Gabe Suarez will be back to talk about a couple of DVD’s I want to cover with him and the advice you will get is absolutely priceless.  Joining me for the entire broadcast will be Mr. Rob Pincus from Best Defense TV on the Outdoor Channel and we’ll be getting some great info to you from all of the guests!.  Finally, the third hour which is rapidly becoming known as the “roundtable” promises to be the best one yet!  I will be joined by Rob Pincus, The Mad Ogre, George Hill and get this, Morgan Boatman, son of the late and GREAT gun Writer Robert Boatman, author of Living with Glocks, Living with the Big 50 and Living with the 1911 will chime in for the ENTIRE hour.  In addition to a tremendous lineup for the Roundtable, we will be discussing the upcoming events in Vegas at the SHOT show where the Roundtable members will literally come together hours after our on air discussion.  The information we will be able to bring you from SHOT will be insight that no one else will get unless they attend themselves.

This weeks AAR promises to be one of the best yet and YOU stand to learn from of each of my guests this weekend!  For more information about Armed American Radio please visit www.armedamericanradio.org and for up to the second info that also links to Twitter, please visit us on Facebook and click the “become a fan” button to add your name to the ever growing list of AAR fans online.

Also, this past weekend, Tom Gresham named my book, Lessons from Armed America, co written with Kathy Jackson and foreword by Massad Ayoob, one of the TOP 5 recommended books for those interested in self defense.  That folks, is a HUGE honor and one that we are very proud of.. especially considering the company he was comparing us with!  For your own copy, please visit any online book retailer (which are selling out and constantly backordering)!

Thanks for listening and I’ll see YOU on the radio!

Mark

Review SERPA Quick Disconnect System

USCCA Gear Review

by Cody S. Alderson

This holster platform just might have more civilian applications than military and law enforcement put together. SERPA holsters come with both a belt loop and paddle mount that the user can choose from. Add the Quick Disconnect Kit and this holster is absolutely incredible.

I like the SERPA’s reflex activated safety locking system that retains the firearm. In my opinion a firearm retention device is a great idea for civilian weapons, but the SERPA retention lock is by far the best I’ve ever seen. If one follows his training of keeping his finger off of the trigger by keeping it straight along the side of the gun until it is time to fire, then the SERPA lock works perfectly every time.

Every training class and instructor I have ever heard teaches his students to keep their trigger finger straight until it is time to fire. This naturally places the trigger finger in the exact spot needed to release the SERPA retention lock mechanism.

The SERPA is comfortable, and it stays right where I want it. It is also angle adjustable to suit the desired level of cant forward or backward to satisfy every user. It’s built like a tank so it should last as long as the gun it is holding. It has a one-year warranty that I think Blackhawk should extend to suit the product. The SERPA is made very well and priced right.

Now what does the Quick Disconnect Kit for a SERPA holster do? Well if you don’t already know, you are in for a treat. How would you like a holster platform that offers a retention lock that is naturally disengaged during a proper draw stroke and also allows the holster to be mounted just about anywhere?

Ever hop in the vehicle and think how tough it might be to draw that gun on your hip if it is needed while you are still seated in the vehicle? How about being able to disengage the holster from the belt loop or paddle mount, and instantly lock it into place at an easy to reach spot somewhere inside the vehicle? This is all made easy with the SERPA Quick Disconnect Kit.

How about being able to take the holster off your body and lock it in place under a desk, or behind a piece of bedroom furniture such as a nightstand? Maybe even lock the holster in place on a bed frame, behind a door, in a locker, in a filing cabinet, under a shelf, or just about anywhere?

The Quick Disconnect Kit was designed for military and law enforcement so that the SERPA holster could be easily swapped back and forth from different platforms such as a tactical vest or a drop-leg holster mount. However, we civilians who are incredibly ingenious with any new product have quickly discovered that the SERPA Quick Disconnect Kit makes it easy to mount the SERPA retention holster just about anywhere.

Each SERPA Quick Disconnect Kit comes with one male adapter and two female adapters. The male adapter mounts to the holster as shown below.

Then take one of the female adapters and attach it to either the paddle mount or belt-loop mount. Then you can mount the other female adapter somewhere else where you would like to be able to quickly attach and detach the holster. Maybe you have a need to switch back and forth between paddle and belt-loop mounts often. The Quick Disconnect Kit makes it easy and quick!

To attach the two pieces of the Quick Disconnect Kit together, just align the male and female adapters at the angle you want, press, turn, and it’s locked.

To disengage the Quick Disconnect Kit adapters, just lift the tab on each side of the female adapter, twist in the opposite direction, and they come apart. I could do it one-handed on the first try, though I must admit that it appears to be designed to be a two-handed operation.

Of course it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway—do the operation in as safe a manner as possible. You must decide if it is safer to do it with the gun in the holster or placed aside in another safe location. I can’t make that decision for you. It makes sense to attach and detach the parts without a gun in the holster, but always mind your muzzle no matter what you decide because YOU are the one who is responsible if something should go wrong.

Even if you don’t want to use the SERPA as a carry holster, it is still perfect for its mounting option versatility. Hey, maybe someone out there has a need to mount a handgun in a retention holster on a piece of farm equipment. Though that might seem a bit extreme to many of us, I’m just pointing out that it is easily possible with a SERPA holster and a Quick Disconnect Kit. Maybe Bubba needs a place to holster his handgun while he is using the outhouse at his backwoods cabin. The SERPA with a Quick Disconnect Kit will do the job. What I’m telling everyone (and pay close attention here) is that a SERPA retention holster with a Quick Disconnect Kit can be mounted just about anywhere.

The mounting options are limitless for this platform. Just use common sense and follow the safety rules. Also consider gun laws for your own geopolitical location. I can’t begin to address the nutty laws that exist across our Great Land.

Check out both the SERPA line of holsters and the Quick Disconnect Kit at www.blackhawk.com. While you are there take some time to check out the rest of Blackhawk’s gear line. Honor. As A Way Of Life. Blackhawk.

—–

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.

Quote of the Week

“Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? … If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?”

—Patrick Henry

Letter to the Editor

Have something you want to get off your chest? Post it here, and share it with the Armed American community.

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!

*******************

This week in the Forum Highlights I’m giving you an example of the responses members get from their posts. I want you all of you who aren’t yet members of our exclusive online members only forums to not only get a taste of the questions and other posts, but also the wonderfully informative replies.

How would you handle this?

This is based on a situation that happened to me a short time before I started carrying and I’d like some opinions on how to handle something similar to this.

You take your dog for a short walk in your neighborhood at night and encounter a group of 5 or 6 apparently high-school aged males who upon noticing you begin to approach you and taunt you apparently trying to start trouble. To continue back to your home you need to pass by or through this group of individuals. Other than superior numbers and a confrontational attitude they have made no physical or verbal threats but are directly in your path and approaching you. You are legally carrying a concealed firearm, as well as a flashlight and a cell phone, while walking a small dog which serves as no deterrent. There are no side streets at this point and yards are fenced. What are some good ways to approach this situation? If they have no visible weapons but are attempting to block your path and confront you what kind of action should you take? 6 people is definitely disparity of force. People also tend to be more bold in groups.

Should you turn around and head the other way? You can’t get home that way and they are already walking towards you and less than 50 feet away. How should you verbally and physically respond in this type of situation?

I know this is kind of a loaded scenario but it is very similar to a situation I encountered where I was able to turn onto my street and be within about 60 feet of my front door and just went inside. I also wasn’t carrying at that time. I have since pondered the appropriate response to that situation if I were further away from my house and not able to immediately escape it.

I wouldn’t think it would be advisable to try to split the group and walk through them.

I’m sorry if this thread isn’t very well constructed but I would appreciate some input on possible ways to handle this situation because to this point nothing that has happened would justify brandishing a weapon which is illegal in my state.

January Issue of Concealed Carry Magazine - Feedback Please!

(Note: Members of USCCA have direct access to the editor of the magazine on our Members Only Forums. Where else do the subscribers have such access and input in shaping the direction the company goes? If you are a member, then go to the link above and reply!)

What did you all think of the January issue of the magazine?

What could we do better?

Which of the articles taught you something you didn’t know?

Which one was your favorite?

Which one could we have left out?

As always, I’m available via PM or email if you’d rather give your feedback in private. I don’t promise to respond to every feedback message, but I do promise to read every one and reflect on it.

Thanks,

Kathy Jackson

Tactics for “Pocket Pistols”

I’d like to solicit some thinking along a new line in the tactical arena.

Since this forum has been around, and on many other forums, the prevailing wisdom is “Carry the biggest gun you can, with the largest capacity”. Usually, whenever someone states that they carry a Beretta Tomcat it’s “open season” and everybody else pounces denouncing the efficacy of a small caliber weapon with limited capacity. The original poster then says something like “Do you want to take three in the chest from my Tomcat?” and it’s out the door with reasoning, and the thread is into hysterics.

I’d like to try something new, an experiment, if you will.

Imagine that you have NO option to carry anything but a Snubby, or a small caliber semi auto, with a 5-7 shot capacity. How would you adjust your tactics to make the most of the situation?

Thoughts anyone?

I think you kind people will be able to help us limit the downside in those situations when we might be “under armed”. And it’ll no doubt be more productive than “That gun’s just too little!” . . . “Would you like to be shot with it?” etc.

Video of the Week

Yes it can happen to you! This is actual footage of a crime from 2008, but the video can teach a whole lot to the student of self-defense who wants to learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-1O5IpERY0

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!

January 4, 2010

Houston, Texas

From: The Examiner

Violent Home Invader Shot By Armed Homeowner

A Houston, TX homeowner reportedly used his shotgun to save himself and his wife from a violent burglar.

Police say that the husband and wife, who own a home on Cloverleaf Street in Houston, were awakened by the sound of breaking glass and their home security system siren. The wife reportedly noticed an intruder, and yelled for her husband to grab his shotgun. Shotgun in hand, the husband is said to have seen a burglar dressed in black, who was brandishing a fire extinguisher. The husband reportedly fired one shot in self defense, hitting the burglar in the hip and causing him to scream then flee. Police are said to have found a suspect, who was reportedly identified as 17 year old Mark Galvan, laying in a neighbor’s yard and suffering from a gunshot wound. Galvan was reportedly taken in to custody, treated for his wounds, and then charged with burglary.

As this case shows, it is not wise to trust one’s life to the hope that a violent burglar will flee upon hearing an alarm.  A burglar may decide that although the alarm is sounding, they can complete their crime in the (at least) several minutes that it will take for the police to arrive.  Or, the criminal could be a drug user or mentally disturbed person who is simply not amenable to reason.  Regardless of the criminal’s underlying motive, the net result can be unarmed citizens harmed in their own home by a violent burglar.

A couple of real-life examples reinforce this point, while showing the value of gun ownership for self defense:  In one case, a man was asleep in his home when his burglar alarm woke him up.  Standing over him was a knife wielding criminal, who forced the man to turn off the alarm, and then proceeded to rob the man at knife point.  Luckily that man was a gun owner, and managed to grab a self defense gun and scare the criminal away.  In another case, a woman was home sick from work when her burglar alarm went off.  Despite the fact that the alarm was sounding the police were on their way, the criminals continued to break in.  Upon seeing the woman, the three criminals fled.  Amazingly, however, one of the criminal circled back and tried to break in yet again.  Fortunately, the woman had a gun, and shot the home invader in self defense.

Closing Thoughts

Last Week’s Question: ANSWERED.

“Armed American Report Reader: I keep a .357 revolver in my car year round in the center console. It gets very hot in the car in the summer, and sometimes below zero in the winter. I have had no problems shooting the gun at all, but would like to know if these extreme temperature fluctuations will affect the gun in any way.”

Anonymous:

The main environmental threat to your gun in the console is a car burglar who may or may not be much intimidated by your car alarm. These guys only need about a minute to be inside, have everything loose or in the glove box or console bagged, and back out. The one who got me a few months ago was extremely efficient. High temps may gum your lube and could affect ammunition. Low temps cause condensation on metal and subsequent rust. I’d say dry-lube the innards to the extent possible and wipe out and lightly re-lube the rest fairly often; use up old ammo every time you get to the range.

Anonymous:

If the revolver doesn’t get wet or too dusty there should be no problem. One issue would be the stocks. If they are wood the severe changes in the micro-environment of the console could have major negative effect on the structure of the wood. Some inexpensive plastic stocks will also show extreme deterioration due to such environmental changes.

Anonymous:

In regards the the question about temperature extremes while leaving a gun in the car: This shouldn’t be an issue. It is irresponsible and absolutely unacceptable, in my opinion, to leave any gun (especially a handgun) outside of your home, unsecured or under-secured not on your person. Adequately securing a handgun in a vehicle is very difficult, if not impossible. A handgun kept in the console of your vehicle is not adequately secured and is, whether you care to admit it or not, far too likely to end up stolen. The thought of YOUR gun ending up in the hands of a criminal should be appalling to any responsible gun owner. You should be willing to do whatever is necessary to avoid a dangerous practice like leaving a handgun unsecured off your person while away from home.

Anonymous:

You do not say if the gun is blue or stainless steel. The blued gun is prone to damage because the humidity levels change with the temperature also.The gun should be cleaned and oiled often, inside and out. The extreme heat will make the oil dry out and get sticky and extreme cold will cause it to gel. Mil spec oil like Break Free should be used. The unstable temps also will cause the ammo to deteriorate quickly and should be changed every 6 month or at a minimum once a year.Use ammo with nickel plated cases, they resist corrosion. Police officers weapons are exposed to temp extremes also but not to the levels of a firearm left in a car 24/7/365 a year. If you want it to work when you need it, take care of it.

This week’s question. Have an answer? Use the “Ask Tim” form below to give an answer- I’ll share them here next week!

I am a 100% disabled Veteran that has to use a wheelchair for mobility. I have no problems using my upper body. I am very concerned for our safety when out in public places with my wife because I feel that we are vulnerable to attack. At present, I carry a .38 special in a concealed weapon fanny pack but am afraid that if some store manager should decide to inspect it, that my weapon might be discovered. Is there a better method of carry or choice of handgun and holster that someone like me could carry that would ease my concerns?

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!

January 1, 2010

Happy New Year! Let’s make 2010 one heck of a good year.

To kick off the FIRST Armed American Report of the decade, I’ve got a call-to-action special message from the host of Armed American Radio, Mark Walters.

Mark Walters:

Ladies and Gentlemen, 2009 was absolutely one for the record books on Armed American Radio!  We defied the odds according to some of the biggest names in radio syndication management!  They told us that "we were crazy", that we would "need to be on the air for at least a year" before we could "even THINK of national syndication".  

You know what my response was?  "Yeah, sure"! 

Guess what, in less than 3 months of being on the air in one city for one hour, Armed American Radio defied those predictions and went national.  In addition to that, in less than 3 months of syndication, AAR is now heard on DOZENS of stations across American and all time zones LIVE for THREE solid hours. Those career radio folks have since apologized for doubting our dreams!  Although it felt good to hear them tell us we were doing things that they thought could never happen, WE KNEW FROM THE START IT COULD BE DONE!

See, what those career radio folks didn’t understand was our PASSION for freedom as LAW-ABIDING gun owners!

Operation Velvet Hammer is designed to defy the odds even greater!  Your response so far has been overwhelming and humbling to say the least BUT we can do even better!  So far, hundreds of you have offered your assistance in growing AAR even faster than it has in 2009 and with your help, together we can OWN 2010.  Please help us show the radio guru’s that not only do we mean business and not only have we become one of the fastest growing radio programs in America but WE CAN BE EVEN BIGGER even FASTER. 

Get involved in this fight today by clicking here and learning more…

Situational Awareness

"…The major desired result from awareness is of course gaining thinking time and therefore the greater ability to escape safely or determine when things have gone too far and escape is no longer possible, then responding to hopefully survive another day…"

by Chris Beglin

One of the prerequisites of concealed carry should (must) be avoidance of dangerous situations, by which I mean we escape them at all costs rather than enter into conflict. To maximize that requires good awareness, which I consider the most important and vital aspect of being alert. Our firearm is no passport to a gunfight. The major desired result from awareness is of course gaining thinking time and therefore the greater ability to escape safely or determine when things have gone too far and escape is no longer possible, then responding to hopefully survive another day.

There are popular "condition" colors we can allude to, suggested originally by the venerable Jeff Cooper (white, yellow, orange and red) which conveniently separate and demarcate the levels of awareness we can employ. As we may know, many people do indeed live most of their lives in condition white - meaning that while they might think they look and listen, they do not in fact see and hear as an effective information gathering experience. Rather they remain in their personal space sometimes oblivious to most of the environment that is around them. I think we all see vehicle drivers who can be labeled this way! There are other factors that can play a part also, including excessive alcohol intake effects and severe tiredness. It is these people who also perhaps exhibit what we may refer to as "victim status," because they can be recognized by criminals as unaware, sometimes slow, often trance-like and certainly potentially vulnerable.

Fish-eye view to show the choice of a seating position with a near-full scanning view of the whole interior. The outside window is to the author’s back.

Condition yellow is a step up from white and in my opinion where we should all be as responsible firearm carriers. It does not need any stress level because it is calm and relaxed but does require that we hone our senses to maximize their usefulness and habitually absorb the incoming information to good effect - ALERTNESS! It is what I think we should practice at all times possible, all our waking hours.

Orange is effectively an enhanced yellow state where we sense something is not quite right and things do not add up, so we think through our options for flight or fight.

Finally, condition red. The fight is on and you have to take decisive action to defend yourself or flee the latter being as ever the better choice if possible. It is though please note only with a firm grasp on yellow that the transition to orange and red can be properly and usefully achieved as, with white as a starting point sensory overload and denial will possibly be the main consequence resulting in a very non-productive panic. The transition through these three important stages is actually seamless.

Of all the senses, sight and hearing are the most obvious and applicable here, with touch taste and smell being secondary. The final one I include is "intuition" which is actually a "cerebral sense" and less apparent. I may be stating the obvious to some but, there is a very significant difference between looking and seeing, as there is also with listening and hearing - even the sense of smell should not be totally disregarded though I am not dealing with that here, other than to maybe state the obvious whereby if we smell smoke there just may be fire! I am assuming that all readers have their senses intact, however for those who may be hearing or vision impaired then they must further hone their remaining sense skills that much more. The majority of people I find do tend to let their senses run on "idle" when actually they have much remaining potential.

Let’s look briefly at specific sensory aspects and ways to better exploit them for situational awareness.

For the majority of us blessed with sight, this is perhaps the best sense to capitalize on, and remember, looking is not always seeing. Here is where practice with peripheral vision really helps because not only is that function acutely motion sensitive but also most people can manage very nearly 180 º coverage. To most gainfully use that however requires some extra work initially, so as to "register" in the mind what is out there over and above the central vision field, forming a habit of including that wide area in one’s appraisal.

When eating out next, for example, try to observe what you can see with peripheral vision and notice that movement in particular is well included by the eyes. Extend that further to try and recognize colors and types of clothes and you may be amazed that with a small increase in mental concentration and analysis you actually "see" a great deal more. Try also to practice subtle scanning actions, which can include extra eye movements side to side as well as subtle head movements, disguised more as general interest looks than actual intrusive intrusions into the space of others. Even an apparent cursory look at one’s wristwatch can effectively allow for a wider sweep which would not be noticed by most others. When out and about, even reflections in window glass can be very informative, such as glancing in a store window to see a reflection in another area while seeming to be window shopping. Auto glass can also be useful in a similar manner. Another ploy that can be used is to make a casual glance upward as if interested in something flying perhaps and then when returning to a low gaze, include a target area in the return sweep! Learn to place image "frames" grabbed during a sweep in temporary store and if possible make 360º sweeps too.

It is further important to practice scanning at all ranges. We have probably seen drivers who appear isolated in their own small cocoon and probably looking no further than ahead by one vehicle. It is they who may fail to see a wreck a quarter mile away and fail to act soon enough to avert trouble. They might equally fail to see the same distance behind and not see an errant truck barreling down on them with failed brakes. Apply this to everyday life. Do not just look within your local space but also scan at distance for anything unusual. In a street situation it might mean spotting a vehicle behaving strangely long before it has got close, or a person moving in an odd manner.

Much of our waking life, sound is a constant input and also very mixed in content. One thing we can fail to exploit is "selective hearing," which we often use unwittingly in a crowd when talking, shutting out extraneous sounds as we concentrate on a speaker. This can be developed considerably if when listening to input we consciously do a separation exercise. An easy example might be imagined when again, sitting in a restaurant, we attempt listening to and trying to tune in on and identify each voice or sound, attempting then also to even listen for outside sounds like vehicles.

Shop front to demonstrate using reflections to advantage - in each case an oblique view shows people or vehicles - and of course movement is easily seen with no obvious give-away of what one is doing. This is useful for those situations if you are suspicious of being followed etc.

Intuition. What is it? Well as individuals we have it to greater or lesser degrees and it is perhaps (arguably) something more applicable to older people with more experience. How can we train for this? I doubt we can but we can allow ourselves to listen to our inner self when alarm bells ring and try to rationalize our "gut-feelings." It is I consider a part of condition yellow anyway and goes with a heightened state of awareness. The hardest part is knowing whether to heed or disregard. This decision will necessitate a rapid weighing of facts as available. Imagine a noise in the night and we wake in a state of immediate heightened alertness, at which point we have to make quick decisions. Is the sound we heard a "normal" one such as a dog stretching his legs, or a cat jumping off a chair? We could call this waking to yellow. Rapid analysis is essential.

So, where are we now? Well, I have covered aspects regarding our two main sensory tools and also our intuitive instincts but also under this heading of situational awareness I am choosing to include what we might call situational assessment. Let us flex the imagination and suppose that we are in a public place, having already been alerted to some less than desirable people nearby. This we have ascertained by already being in yellow condition. Being unsure of our company we may now slide into condition orange because we feel uncomfortable and want to leave the area but also consider options if escape is not possible. This is where awareness usefully becomes assessment and there is much to be gained sometimes by looking at someone close enough, in the eye. In some cases this can be taken as an offensive gesture if not subtle enough but it can give some clue as to the possible intentions of third parties. A firm confident return of a look may well show no evil intent whereas a shifty look may well show nervousness, sometimes a danger sign.

In conclusion, remember once more that your prime responsibility as a bearer of a concealed weapon is to avoid trouble. The best way to do so is to know what is going on around you at varying distances and positions and it is something everyone can do, because the potential is there but it must be used and enhanced through practice. Every extra piece of sensory input you can accumulate represents vital fractions of time you may be better able to plan for flight or flight.

I have had to keep this fairly concise but it should hopefully set you off in the right direction, all the better to be a responsible and safe bearer of a firearm.

About The Author

I am an ex-pat’ 60-year-old Englishman and a proud American citizen, married to an American lady for the last six years and living happily in SW Pennsylvania. My daily carry is a SIG 226 ST in 9mm, in a custom K&D Holsters belt slide. I used to do freelance photography. I am a degreed Engineer, even though these days, I work mainly on the computer dealing in web design and kidding myself that I am semi-retired! In 1997, I suffered the ignominy of loosing my prized collection of 24 handguns, thanks to the UK Government revoking my "privilege." As a result, I now cling on tightly to our right to keep and bear arms in the U.S.A. I am an NRA Certified Instructor in all disciplines and enjoy passing on my experience as well as bringing in new shooters whenever possible. This allows me to feel that I give a little something back. 

USCCA Toon of the Week

by Chaim’s Cartoons

Disabled Man Stops Home Invasion with 3 Gun Shots

Gun Rights Roundup

by Buckeye Firearms Association

Gary Wroblewski is confined to a wheelchair and therefore an easy target for criminals. His physical limitations and lack of mobility are the type of weakness that cowards look for in an easy mark. But, Mr. Wroblewski is anything but a helpless victim.

That’s because he exercises his natural right to bear arms, which may have saved his life on December 15th when thugs attacked him inside his home in Ocala, Florida.

In a premeditated act of crime, three young hoodlums forced their way into Wroblewski’s home, knocking over Wroblewski in his wheelchair. On his way down, he fired three shots, fatally wounding one of the men and scaring off the other two. 

If the anti-gun crusaders in America had their way, instead of a .45 in his hand to ward off his attackers, Mr. Wroblewski would have had nothing but a telephone to feebly dial 911, perhaps after he had been beaten. Or worse, the police may have had one more brutal murder to investigate that night.

The Founders knew what they were doing when they wrote the Second Amendment. And it had nothing to do with target shooting or sport. Our liberty is predicated on feeling secure in our own homes and having the ability to protect ourselves. Without that, the American experiment is a failure. 

Read the full story, watch a video interview with Wroblewski, and listen to the 911 call.

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

Well, it’s here. The new year. 2010. Elections. The choice between freedom and socialism. This is the year we can make our voices heard and KICK some well deserving arse out of DC permanently.  

The previous year was a huge success for Armed American Radio and 2010 is already looking like it’s going to blow 2009 right off the map. The interest in the program nationwide is building to unbelievable levels and more great things are bound to come.  

For now, I’ll make this one short and sweet and let you get back to enjoying your families on another deserved day off but before I go I want to say THANK YOU!  Thank you for making AAR one of the most talked about radio broadcasts in America and for all of your support. The lineup for the first show of 2010 is a huge one with Tim Schmidt, Oregon Firearms Federation’s Kevin Starrett, Dr Bruce Eimer exploring the criminal mind, the unbelievable gun photographer Oleg Volk and MORE!

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook at Armed American Radio and visit www.armedamericanradio.org for up to the minute info on everything we’re doing to bring freedom to America’s airwaves, coast to coast every Sunday evening for 3 solid hours of hard hitting talk about YOUR rights.

You have my word that I will continue to put myself on the line to carry the torch of freedom nationwide in 2010!  Keep the letters and emails coming, the show suggestions, and when you see the freedom haters in your back yard be sure to let me know… I’ll take them to task and make sure the entire nation knows what they are up to!  Buckle up folks, 2010 is gonna be a wild ride and I’m driving!

Thanks again and I’ll see YOU on the radio, this Sunday January 3rd at 8pm EST, 5pm PST!

Mark Walters

A Big Boy’s “Toy” - The Ruger LCR

USCCA Gear Review

by Todd Metzger - USCCA Member
www.greenandbrass.com/

Squirt guns, airsoft equipment, Nerf blasters, Glocks and the Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver (LCR) all have one thing in common: plastic as a material of construction. Plastics are materials that are typically known for their light weight, relative strength and corrosion resistance. Modern day technologies allow for the manufacture and production of economical, high performance plastics that rival the properties of many materials of construction that have traditionally been used in the past for everything from spaceships to firearms. It is the use of plastics in modern day firearms that has created a revolution in their design and manufacture over the past several decades and brought new and unique products to the market.

I have been an owner and user of the commonly labeled Tupperware guns, Glocks, for years. I have even carried one as a law enforcement officer. Within the last couple of years, we have seen an explosion in the Tupperware handgun market, from pocket sized, semi automatics to even a revolver, the Ruger LCR. The plastic revolver is something that is quite unique in regards to the world of handguns. The Ruger LCR, with its use of plastic (polymer for those that don’t care for the term plastic) as the material of construction for its frame, aluminum and streamlined design, is one of, if not the lightest pocket snubbie out there when it comes to a .38 special pocket revolver.

In addition to the use of plastic, aluminum and component optimization achieves further lightening of the revolver. The great design of the LCR goes beyond just simple weight reduction. The fire control system was designed in such a way as to produce a very smooth and consistent trigger pull from start to finish. Even the grips of the revolver are designed to reduce the impact of recoil on the shooter in an effort to counter the increased recoil from such a lightweight handgun. The individual features of the Ruger LCR are designed and produced to work together to achieve a smooth, homogeneous system that leaves little to be desired.

I have read the reviews and seen them in the shops. While I found the revolver interesting when it first came onto the market, I didn’t have any interest in owning a LCR or any snubbie for that matter. However, over the last few months, I have evaluated and revised my daily carry gear, training and mindset where required. While OC Spray is an example of a new carry tool that I added that this reevaluation resulted in, I also realized that as much as I wanted my daily carry, IWB Glock 26 to serve all purposes, all of the time, it simply could not. I needed something that could be easily moved from pocket to pocket, accessible in bulky outer layer, cold weather garments and a lightweight pocket gun for my lawn mowing shorts. The Ruger semi automatic, .380 ACP LCP was actually on the top of my list to begin with. However, I realized that I wanted something with more energy, more punch. The .38 Special cartridge, which is the chambering for the Ruger LCR, in +P will give approximately 30% more energy than the .380 ACP cartridge. Additionally, snubbies purposely built for concealed carry, i.e. double action only, lightweight, short grip, concealed hammer, have a reputation for being workhorses. Given my requirements, the Ruger LCR was a near perfect fit. Since the LCR can actually be found in various stores and shops today, I was able to recently purchase one and bring it home with me.

The LCR was supplied with a nice Ruger emblazoned pistol case, user manual, various paperwork, fired casings in an envelope and a gun lock.  Right from the box, I found that everything that I had heard about the revolver was accurate and truthful.  The Ruger was lightweight, good looking, had a smooth trigger and lightweight.  Yes, I said lightweight twice for emphasis!  The LCR is also available with factory installed Crimson Trace Laser Grips for an additional price if desired.  The size of the Ruger is consistent with every other .38 Special snubbie on the market.  The LCR is about the same size as my Glock 26 and, obviously, slight smaller than the Glock 19 as seen in the photo below.

The LCR, as should be any concealed carry weapon, is rugged, simple and requires little in the way of supporting accessories.  The direct supporting accessories for the LCR that are required are quality personal defense cartridges, an adequate holster and at least one reload worth of cartridges in the form of QuickStrips or other speedloader.

Based on my personal experience with firing this load as well as various technical/review data that is available, I prefer the Winchester’s Bonded PDX1 +P JHP Personal Protection cartridge as my primary self defense load.

The best method that I have found for carrying a spare load of cartridges is the Tuff Products QuickStrips.  They allow for all of the rounds to lie flat in line, can slip in and out of my pocket easily and much quicker than carrying individual rounds loosely.  While a traditional revolver speedloader is the quickest method to reload an “empty” revolver, I have found that the “cushy” Hogue Tamer grips supplied with the LCR interfere with the correct size HKS speedloader, size 36-A.  While the HKS speedloader can be used, the grip interference requires some rather fine motor skills to align and drop the rounds into the cylinder that I do not believe would be available during a high stress event such as a self defense scenario.

As far as holsters, I own and recommend both a pocket and a belt, tuckable IWB in my case, holster.  I purchased a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster that works like a pocket holster should.  It holds the LCR as it should, covers the trigger guard as it should and stays in your pocket on drawing your revolver as it should.  The belt holster, a tuckable IWB, that I purchased was a High Noon Leather Hidden Ally.  The High Noon is a basic leather, IWB without any major bells or whistles, but it gets the job done.

I have mentioned numerous times as to how lightweight the LCR is.  Ruger specifications indicate that the LCR, empty, weighs in at a tremendous 13.5 ounces.  For a means of comparison, an unopened 12 fluid ounce can of soda weighs approximately the same.  But, we all know that we don’t conceal empty weapons.  If you conceal an empty weapon regularly, I will give some free advice that will save you hundreds of dollars:  sell the gun and get a rock!  Returning to the subject of weight, the revolver empty is light and the revolver loaded is still light.  The revolver fully loaded with PDX1 and in a holster weighs in at a whopping  1 pound 2.7 ounces, an addition of 5.2 ounces.

The revolver not only looks and feels good, it operates great too!  The revolver, for its intended purposes of personal defense, provides the accuracy needed!  I have only had the opportunity to put approximately 30 rounds downrange in an effort to proof the basic operation of the revolver.  However, those 30 rounds proved that the revolver puts the rounds where I need them.  I fired 25 rounds of Winchester White Box FMJ and 5 rounds PDX1 +P.  The recoil of the standard pressure rounds was stout but more than manageable.  The +P loads definitely are snappier than standard pressure rounds, but are still manageable, although I wouldn’t care to put 200 rounds of +P downrange in a single session.  The target pictured below is from the 30 proofing rounds that I fired during the first and only range session with the LCR.  The target was at a distance of approximately 7 yards. The red circle indicates the location of aimed, snap shots, the yellow circle indicates the location of point shots and the green rectangle indicates the location of a mixture of a few hip shots (one hip shot was dumped) and a few shots on the move.  As one can see, the revolver puts them where they are needed.

The final verdict is…  This one is a keeper!  I like this handgun so much that, if it weren’t for the limited capacity, it would be my daily carry piece starting yesterday.  I am definitely happy with the purchase and it will certainly fill the niche that I was intending it to fill as well as much more!

The end.

ATTENTION USCCA MEMBERS!

The review you just read was written and photographed completely by a member of the USCCA, who originally posted it on the USCCA Member’s Only Forum.

Over 130,000 Armed Individuals will read this review, and be helped immensely because of it.

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 included or as seperate 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.

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.

Quote of the Week

(From The Editor: Is this the source of the gun control tactics?)

“Tell a lie loud enough and long enough and the people will believe it.”

—Adolf Hitler

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!

*******************

This week in the Forum Highlights I’m giving you an example of the responses members get from their posts. I want you all of you who aren’t yet members of our exclusive online members only forums to not only get a taste of the questions and other posts, but also the wonderfully informative replies.

This Happened To Me–Forced To Disarm

(From The Editor: What this person posted in the forums is totally unacceptable, and absolutely ridiculous! Sure officers need to be kept as safe as possible in these troubled times, but ordering a person in his own home to disarm is not the answer. There is no argument here for that police agency, for if the homeowner meant any harm to the police, he would not have told them he was armed!)

On Dec. 18th 2009 at or around 12 noon, I had someone attempt a forced burglary on my home here in South Seattle. I called the Police to report it. Operator 117 took the phone call. She asked me if I had any weapons. I replied yes I do. I am armed all the time. Told her I also have a permit. I also told her I was reporting it for information so they would know that something was going on in this area and I did not request they send the Police. She requested that I disarm. I asked why should I since this is my house and home. Her response was because I said so. She then referred me to Chief Dispatcher 20 who demanded that I disarm before they would even dispatch.

Very nicely as with the other dispatcher I stated I would not. My weapon is in my holster. She got on the radio and I heard her say “he is arguing with me and refuses to disarm” I informed her that I was not arguing with her. She stated again sir disarm and come out of the house with your hands up or we will not respond onto your property. I told her I would put the gun down and come out but not with my hands up. 2 minuets later there was a knock and I went outside. 2 officers then began to lecture me that I should obey the dispatcher and do what they tell me to do. There were about 9 officers outside.

They did not take a report or check the property or look at anything except for walking up and down the street. Then they left. I cannot understand why a legal gun owner on their own property has to disarm just to have the Police show up. Plus why I should come out of the house with my hands up.

Testimonial

Just installed a Crimson Trace on my SA 1911. Went to the range yesterday and all I can say is WOW. Drew and fired as soon as it cleared the holster and oddly enough it hit where the little red spot was. Every time. I fired from the close ready position with deadly accuracy. As a sideline benefit, as I fired the laser traced my hand and trigger mistakes for me. As I corrected them, accuracy improved. Only regret was that I only had 300 rounds. If you are on the fence about one get off and get it.

Best Value Officer’s Model 1911?

Hello all, I am looking for a budget minded officer’s model 1911. Does anybody have any input who makes a good one at a decent price?

Video of the Week

The tones of the voices, the words, the body language and facial expressions. This video tells me all I need to know. Watch it closely, and never give up the fight to keep the Second Amendment an individual right to bear arms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4138T2VRgxs&feature=related

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!

December 28, 2009
Peoa, Utah

From: KSTU

Mountain Lion Shot After Killing Family Dog

PEOA, Utah - Elain Jorgenson walked outside her house to feed her dog only to discover her 11-year-old Yorkshire Terrier mauled to death, bloodied and in nearly an unrecognizable state. She turned around and took two steps back to find a Mountain Lion hissing at her. Reeling in shock, she turned and ran into the house calling out her husband. "So I’m yelling at him ‘please get the gun’; he shoots it, we call 911 to let them know what happened."

The couple is from Peoa, a small town just northeast of Park City, nestled in the mountains.

Wildlife experts call this an isolated incident, but warn those to be safe and try to keep pets inside as much as possible this winter.

"This situation was a young juvenile cat, first winter on its own in my estimation… looking for food in the winter," Jorgenson says.

Closing Thoughts

Last Week’s Question: ANSWERED.

"How important in performance is barrel length? Specifically, is 4.5″ an whole lot better than 3.8″ in 9 mm or .40 cal? -John"

Paul from Austin:

Hello John, in response to your question about a barrel length of 4.5 or 3.8 inch barrel in 9mm and 40mm calibers and the difference of the two. I don’t believe you will find a whole lot of difference in barrel length in regards to close quarter confrontations. There may be a 5-20 fps difference in velocity through the chronograph maybe a bit more or less but not much with the length you’ve given. Even in sniper applications in the military they are looking at a shorter barrel as opposed to a longer barrel on their rifles for better portability and lighter overall weight. But with your case it’s which ever you like best. You can’t go wrong with either length, both will shoot excellent groups. Hope this helps your decision.

Phil R.:

In my opinion the only real concern over barrel length is it’s relation to sight radius. The shorter the barrel the shorter the sight radius thus a small sight misalignment equals a miss. Of course the speed of the bullet will be effected but that will not matter as much as missing the target. The target will not ask was that a 3 or 4″ barrel after being hit. If you are going to use a compact or sub-compact just practice with it until you can put all your shots in a 4″ paper plate out at 10 yards.

Mark Avery, Beavercreek, Ohio “DesertLion” on the USCCA Forum:

Barrel length - To some extent, it depends on what you mean by “a whole lot better”. There are differences in ballistics between barrels of different lengths in otherwise similar guns, but the differences are small. The main difference most people will notice is due to sight radius. The longer barrel guns have their sights further apart. The longer sight radius magnifies any sight alignment inaccuracies and are therefore easier to align properly. A very small error in sight alignment (the precision with which the sights are aligned with the eye) will have a much greater effect on shot placement, especially at longer distances, than small errors in sight picture (where the sights are aligned on the target). Most people attribute the perceived difference in accuracy between longer and shorter barrels to the barrels themselves, but the majority of the difference is due to the ease of aligning the sights correctly. At typical personal defense distances, from contact out to about 15 feet, precise accuracy is less of an issue. For that, you need to be able to get to your gun in the very few seconds you have from the time you have identified the threat. If a smaller gun means you are more likely to have it with you and easily accessible, the decreased ease of aiming precisely and very slight decrease in muzzle energy will be trumped by having the gun when you need it.

This week’s question. Have an answer? Use the “Ask Tim” form below to give an answer- I’ll share them here next week!

I understand old ammunition can be dangerous. My question is, How old is TOO old?? Thank you!

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!