Thoughts on Methods of Carry

On By Tom LindsayIn CCW, Concealed Carry, Training

Sometimes you need to carry 2 Glocks.

JP over at the Empty Mags Podcast recently did an episode about pocket carry, that is, carrying a pistol in a pocket holster. I was reading other blogs who commented on this, and I wanted to share my thoughts.

There are several ways to carry a gun, and there is no way I can be exhaustive, but here is how I’ve done it.

My choice of carry method depends on several things, including the clothes I’m wearing and where I’m going.

By far the preferable way for me is belt carry, the traditional holster on the belt on the strong side, which I do when I can wear a concealing garment like a jacket or over shirt. I carry at almost the 3 o’clock position, maybe 3:30, and I would carry it even farther forward if I could work out reliable concealment. I just find that a draw at 3:00 or farther forward works best for me. When I open carry, I carry at 3:00.

I’ve used several kinds of holsters for this: Kydex paddle holsters, Kydex belt slide holsters, and leather belt slide holsters. Again it depends on what I’m wearing and where I’m going. If I need to take the holster off to go in a restricted place like the courthouse, I’ll use a paddle holster, although I’ve also taken to using a leather belt slide holster, and carrying a leather IWB holster to put the gun in, and put it in safe keeping.

I also have a Bladetech double offset drop belt holster that I use for competition. That’s it in the forward position in the picture.

Next on my preferred carry methods is Inside-the-Waistband, or IWB. All my IWB holsters are leather. I carry them at 3:00 also. I find that when the gun is canted forward a little, it rides right on my hip bone, which works really well.

Next is a fanny pack with an IWB holster in it. I stress that I always use a holster whenever I carry, even if it’s in a fanny pack, so that the trigger guard is covered to prevent accidentally pressing it. I use a fanny pack when I’m out walking, wearing gym clothes. I’ve also used a very large fanny pack to carry in the car, and I sling it over my shoulder like a ruck sack. No one knows.

I also have an ankle holster that I bought at a gun show on a whim. I’ve never carried using it. My plan was to use it to carry my G19 as a backup gun. Maybe I should work on it.

Now, back to the issue of pocket holsters. Admittedly, I’ve never carried a gun in a pocket holster. In fact, I don’t own a gun that’s small enough to carry in a pocket holster.

I don’t rule it out though. Michael Bane talks in his Down Range Podcast about methods of concealed carry, and I really like his strategy – whatever he’s carrying on his belt, he almost always has a pocket pistol in his left front pocket as a backup. In his case, it’s a Ruger LCP.

His thinking is this, and I like it – he doesn’t plan to have to draw the gun quickly in most cases because his plan is to have his hand on the pistol, already partially drawn, when trouble goes down. Weer’d also talks about having his pocket pistol out and on the console.

Of course, this assumes we know when trouble is happening, which isn’t always the case. But if we work on our situational awareness the chances of this go up a lot.

The Evolution of My Pistol Shooting Stance

On By Tom LindsayIn Competition, Training5 Comments

I was looking at photos of people shooting, and I noticed the different ways people hold their guns when shooting. This got me thinking about how my own shooting stance has changed over time.

Here is a brief history of my shooting stance.

The Dueling Stance

This is the classic one handed bullseye stance. The shooter aims along the arm, and puts one hand in their pocket. I have no idea if this is still being done, but if I had to guess, it probably is, by bullseye competitors.

I’ve played around with this stance on occasion, but I don’t have the arm stamina to do it effectively. However, if I did need to do it, I would just get some training and practice.

The good news is I don’t have much reason to use this stance. I don’t shoot bullseye and I don’t settle quarrels with a duel.

Weaver Stance

This stance was the major stance in use in the early days of Practical Pistol. A lot of more experienced shooters still use this stance. A lot of Hollywood people who don’t have a good instructor use this stance, some of them using the Teacup method with the support hand.

R. Lee Ermey uses the Weaver stance. This is interesting, because the military taught a one-handed shooting style with the 1911, up until adoption of the Beretta M92 in the 1980’s.

I used the Weaver stance early on, because it gave me a better view of the sights. The gun is closer to the eye. It also turns your body a little bit, which stabilizes you against the recoil. Proponents also say it presents a smaller target to the bad guy, but to me that assumes you are standing there shooting at a bad guy, and not running like hell to get away, like you should be.

Isosceles Stance

This stance is named for the triangle that the arms make when holding the gun in front of the shooter. It was pioneered by Brian Enos and Rob Leatham in the 80’s.

I noticed that a lot of shooters used this stance, and I tried it a number of times. Some of them lock their elbows, like Dave Sevigny, and some leave the elbows a little bent, like Doug Koenig. I tried it both ways.

But because it was uncomfortable to me – that is, unfamiliar – I quickly went back to the Weaver stance.

On a couple of practice occasions, I decided to see how accurate I could be with each stance. I found out that I was a lot more accurate using the Isosceles stance than the Weaver, and I mean a lot more accurate. I think it has to do with the variability of the hold. In the Weaver I kept my strong arm a little bent, and I think this led to differences from shot to shot.

After a few sessions, I finally convinced myself to switch to Isosceles. It wasn’t easy – no change ever is. But it’s paid off for me.

Now, I occasionally find myself back in the Weaver stance, for no apparent reason. Habit I guess.

My point of all this is to say, try all the stances. Don’t use a stance just because you think it looks good on Jack Bauer. Use what works. And if people give you grief, let your score do the talking.

Stuff

On By Tom LindsayIn Uncategorized

I write myself notes all the time about ideas for blog posts. From time to time I get them together and try to make sense of them.

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I found another shooter at work last week. He and I spent lunch at the range on Friday. He’s got a Glock 21SF like me, so we shared our experiences with them. I noticed his has the normal Glock magazine release, while mine has the ambidextrous SF release. To be honest I would prefer the normal release – I should have asked when I bought this one.

I was cleaning out my stuff Sunday and found an old G21 magazine, 10 rounds, that I’ve had 10 years or more. A guy I used to work with flipped repo’d cars as a hobby, and I was helping him detail a Corvette when we found it under the seat. I tried to trade it a couple times over the years, and I was disappointed that it didn’t work with my new gun when I got it.

Anyway, I gave it to my friend. I guess kept it all these years just for this time.

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I’m working on a post about my Rules of Engagement, and it’s sparked some interesting discussion around the house. What started out pretty straightforward turns out to be more complicated than I thought. The post will likely involve not only my rules, but the process behind them.

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Reviewing my traffic numbers, the most hits I get from Google are for my ammo reviews. Not that I’m writing for more traffic, but is that something I should be doing more of?

Thoughts?

Other People’s Money – revisited

On By Tom LindsayIn Uncategorized

As you may have read before, all my guns have been bought with other people’s money – bonuses, stock options, awards, and the like.

The company I work for has offered an end of year bonus, if we meet certain goals, which we are on target to achieve. If my performance matches last years, I will make enough in bonus to build a new AR-15. That’s my goal.

But I was thinking this through the other day, and I realize, as I’ve said before, that adding a new gun like an AR-15 means adding a new caliber of ammo for me to buy.

So, I’ve decided to amend this goal. I decided to take the bonus and make my first foray into the world of reloading. Then, if I have enough left over, I’ll build the AR. At worst, the AR will be my next project after that.

I’ve never been a great one for deferred gratification, but what’s working for me is the economic analysis. It’s sweet that I can shoot for half the price by reloading. And, if I buy the reloading equipment using other people’s money, it’s even sweeter.