Help Garand4Life & win a DROID by Motorola

Thank you, thank you to all of the 280+ of you who have clicked the “SUBSCRIBE” button over the last year or so. Thank you to all of you who have commented, favorited, messaged, questioned, corrected, shared, and even laughed at the videos I have uploaded here on YouTube. It has been a privilege to work on these videos not only because getting to play with incredibly expensive and fine firearms is exciting to say the least, but, because it has provided me with an opportunity to make friends with like minded people who share my passion for shooting sports and self defense.

Over the last year I have had to deal with a number of personal challenges, not the least amongst them the loss of my job. As, I’m sure, others know when you lose a job you go through an initial period where you think that the loss is only going to be short lived and you try to carry on business as usual to some extent. But after a few weeks and then months your world is turned upside down. I nearly lost my car, my home, and my future. To keep my head above water I sacrificed all but two of my wonderful firearms, my M&P9 and my SIG P220ST. I say this not because I am looking for sympathy. In fact I say this to give you an idea of what lead me to the point I’m at now.

It goes without saying that producing these videos cost me nothing but time. I already owned a fantastic camera and computer, yet, the products I review do come with a sometimes hefty price tag. I am not a professional and I never claimed to be one. I do not have the sponsorships some of the other guys do, so everything I do is on me. My ammo expenditure from November 2009 to June 2010 was over 3,700 rounds (Almost all of which I already had stockpiled).

So let me get to the point, if you are still reading this and haven’t already tuned me out. I currently stand at 280 subscribers on YouTube and who knows how many more who frequent the page but have yet to subscribe. I will be posting a link to a video here tonight or tomorrow in which I explain in more detail my upcoming plan. But for now let me give you the summary. Over the next few weeks I am looking to raise a total of $1500 via $1, $2, $5 donations from friends on YouTube and the various forums that I support and am a part of. It is my goal to use these funds to purchase a AR platform rifle in conjunction with my own money to start a new custom build project and to more importantly begin a local project of taking high school age children who do not necessarily take to more traditional sports and begin a youth 3 Gun team or 2.

I want to build a program that takes to the more fringe students and teaches them safe handling of firearms as well as other practical uses of “sporting rifles” while instilling in them the appreciation of the American Rifleman’s heritage without the costs associated with participating in the larger programs that cost hundreds of dollars.

I will be running the donations through PayPal for security and donor safety. If you don’t have a PayPal currently you can get one for free at PayPal.com. For those of you who already have an account you can donate by send a gift in the amount of your choosing to natetinstman@gmail.com. Please make sure you select “gift” as the type to avoid fees being assessed to either account. If you would like to donate in a different amount you can. Any amount is appreciated.

In return for the generosity I will be taking the names of donors (with their consent only) and putting those names on a custom print of the team photo once we have it and will make it available online so that you can have a picture of the youth 3-Gun team with the names of all the donors at the bottom. You can provide us the name you would like printed through the PayPal website in the comments section of your donation. If you would like to use your YouTube profile name that is excellent as well.

Lastly, if we make the $1000 dollar mark I will take the names of all the donors and put them into a random drawing for a Motorola Droid. It is not BRAND NEW but it is only 3 weeks old. I won a Droid 2 at work so I am offering this up to you guys. It is for Verizon Wireless and is absolutely incredible.  I have added a picture below. Thank you in advance to all of you who decide to donate and good luck in the drawing. If you have questions or would like to contact me you can by emailing me at natetinstman@gmail.com.

Meaningless post…

I may have strayed from the flock a bit but as with many things those that don’t evolve die. Everyone who knows me, has read my posts, or seen my videos knows I love the Smith & Wesson M&P. I still do, however I think that those who swear by only one gun are complete and utter idiots. I tend to hear it most from 1911 and Glock fanatics.
This weekend I acquired my first polymer gun that I absolutely adored other than my beloved Smith. A compact version of Springfield Armory’s XD45. My initial impression echoed my first thoughts of the M&P. It fits my hand extremely well, packs some awesome firepower (up to 14 rounds of .45ACP), points as naturally as my own finger and has enough metal to conduct electricity.
This particular gun has a metal trigger with many similarities to that of a Glock in terms of the tab insert in the middle of the trigger that functions as a passive safety device. What differs from the Glock is not only the material the trigger is made of but the pull and the width. This is a single action handgun, meaning that the striker is fully cocked by the cycling of the slide allowing for a short and light pull to disengage the sear and fire the gun. The take up, though, is longer than say a 1911 but is still clean and light. The second factor is that the trigger is wider allowing for a more positive grip on the trigger without what some experience on the Glock as a sharp discomfort when shooting the “Safe Action Trigger” for a prolonged amount of time.
Something that surprised me most was how the gun fit in my hand. This may be a “compact” gun but it doesn’t feel to me to be any smaller than a Glock 19 or 23. It is only fair to mention Smith & Wesson have followed this pattern with their 45 M&P as well. To add to that comfort factor the XD45c also comes in the box with a fullsize magazine from a XD45 Tactical model that will accomodate 13 round as opposed to the compact magazine which carries 10 rounds. For a bedside gun or as a secondary carry magazine this is a nice bonus. The extra fullsize magazine also has a grip extender to make it one seamless grip more comparable to the service 45 or tactical 45 model.

The most surprising aspect of the XD is how naturally the gun points. For me this is a key must have in any self-defense gun. When having to use a gun in self defense or in a stressful, dynamic situation, you need to be able to get rounds on target and deliver accurate fire quick, fast, and in a hurry. The XD45 does just that. In my opinion someone at Springfield Armory must have been shooting a lot of 1911s before making the decision to import this Croatian beauty. The grip mimics the feel of a 1911 almost perfectly, as does the Ruger SR9 but that’s another article all together. When I pick this up after shooting my Taurus PT1911 I am blown away that the feel is so similar, down to the grip safety. Even though the girth of the grip is wider to support the double column 13/10 round magazines it’s not overally large. In fact the reach to the trigger is surprisingly short for a polymer gun.

All in all this gun is everything you would expect for a stiker fired polymer service pistol. It excels in several areas such as ergonomics, value, and capacity and absolutely puts up a fight with the long timer Glock and other newcomers to polymer such as Smith & Wesson. I obviously am not going in to every aspect of the gun, and that is as to not speak for the XD. This is a gun that many will love and some will hate. It all comes down to preference and how the gun feels in your hands. Check it out at your local shop and decide for yourself if this is a gun for you.

Just thought we all could use a laugh…

Politics explained – MODERN VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, `It’s Not Easy Being Green…`

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news stations film the group singing, “We shall overcome.” Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray & damns America for the grasshopper’s life.

President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper’s plight.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn’t maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010.

Join the NRA and I’ll pay $10 of your dues…

Hey everyone, right now if you join the NRA or renew your membership I’ll pay $10 of your dues. That’s right get 1 year of your choice of American Rifleman, America’s 1st Freedom or others with your 1 year membership in the NRA and it only costs you $25. Not only will you be supporting the NRA in it’s ongoing fight to protect the 2nd Amendment you’ll receive countless benefits such as discount car rental, hotel stays, firearms insurance and NRA firearm training. Just click the JOIN THE NRA image to the right of the screen and follow the onscreen prompts. Make sure to sign up today through this site so you can get the special $25 deal (normally $35). Thanks guys!!! G4L

The State of Things…

I know it’s been a while since I’ve been able to post anything and I’m sorry. I know the 3 of you who actually read this are probably all bummed out by the lack of interesting reading due to my laziness. So what is this world coming to!?

I am by far the biggest fan of the M&P out there. I have defended it at every turn. When some bozo online in the forums starts ripping the Glock-off that Smith and Wesson created I go to bat. So why the hell would I give up my long time partner, my M&P40? I was made an awesome offer by a member of one of my forums. I exchange for my 3 year old M&P40 and my remaining ammo for it I received a brand new SIG-Sauer P226 9mm NYPD edition. This is an absolutely beautiful piece of German engineering. This is  the BMW of the handgun world. Notice I did not say the Mercedes of handguns. Mainly because I DON’T LIKE MERCEDES!!! Yeah I like Bond cars.

This is a production overrun that was made to fill a contract with the NYPD when they began allowing their officers to carry either a Glock 19, SIG 226 or a 9mm Smith & Wesson (Not a M&P Big mistake). After the contract was fulfilled SIG began selling the left overs on the civilian market.

In typical New York fashion this gun has quite a few interesting traits. Of course as most Glock owners know NY requires Glocks and many other guns have an incredibly heavy trigger. Hence why the New York trigger made for Glocks weighs in at about 12 pounds. This P226 is no exception. Though for SIG this heavy trigger is reached by using the often lamented traditional DAO (Double Action Only) trigger system. For this SIG that boils down to a double action pull of about 12 pounds. I haven’t been able to measure it but this trigger feels more to me to be about 8-9 pounds. Still heavy but not un-reasonable for a Service Pistol, which is exactly what this is. This gun while not uncommon in the civilian world for concealed carry or home defense was made for the elite law enforcement and military units world wide. Among some of the the finest of those LEO/Military users would be the none-other than the U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.S.

Some of the other interesting things about this particular handgun is the cosmetic features. I have never seen a SIG that was all black with Nickel highlights. While the frame and the slide have a matte black finish the trigger, hammer, slide lever, take down lever, and magazine release are all nickel colored. Which to me makes the look of this gun absolutely stunning. This also has the short reach trigger making the distance from the back-strap of the frame to the front of the trigger easier to reach for those with even larger sized hands. So, to cover all the bases this gun comes packaged with 3 phosphate coated 15 round magazines.

A couple of things to mention about the fit and finish of the gun. First this gun feels like it was built perfectly slide-to-frame. The fitting is absolutely amazing. I would rank it higher on the fit & finish list than even H&K. The phosphate coating on the magazines also improves the drop free characteristics of the design. I noticed that while doing reload drills with dummy rounds that not only do the mags drop-free very easily but the full loaded magazine seats without much effort with the slide forward. One thing on my list is to replace these current 15 rounders with the new factory 18 round magazines. You can’t beat 19 rounds of 124 grain +P 9mm. I also noticed that the magazine release, while not at all difficult to press when needed, is not easy to press accidentally. The biggest surprise to me was how easy it was to reach the release without adjusting my grip on the firearm.

One thing about SIGs in general that is different is the placement of the slide lever. While most handguns follow the 1911 example and place it forward of the shooter’s grip requiring the thumb to reach out to press it, often requiring a drastic and uncomfortable change in shooting grip, the SIG places the lever toward the rear of the gun allowing the user to operate with the shooting hand’s thumb by simply reaching up. No change in grip is typically required. But for someone like myself with larger hands it is a little awkward but not at all difficult to do.

Another A+ goes to SIG for the sights on this gun. This 226 came from the factory with SIGLITE Night Sights. Basically 3-dot trititum night sights like you would find on most any modern service pistol. The thing about these sights I really like it not only are they steel and dove tailed into the slide for better durability but they are also designed in such a manner that the sights can serve to assist the operator in racking the slide one handed in a situation where one hand has been disabled. This again shows the focus on making a combat worthy handgun to fit the needs of true extreme operators.

The weight of this gun surprised me. I was expecting it to be heavier but when I compared it to my M&P45 it was about the same or even a hair lighter. Both were fully loaded to standard capacity so that may have influenced the results slightly. But as a carry gun it is still on the heavy side because of the frame. Which is not polymer by the way. This weekend I hope to get her to the range to test the legendary accuracy of this SIG. So be sure there is more to come!

Handgun Safety Course

Hey Everybody,

Some time ago I told you I would be putting together a course to meet the required training requirements to apply for either a West Virginia or Ohio Concealed Handgun License or just to make you safer with a handgun. Well the time has come. Beginning the last week of March and going forward I will be conducting the course in one of two ways. I will offer it in a classroom setting with multiple students followed by the required amount of live fire training or by conducting the same content in a one-on-one basis.
Initially you expressed interest in taking such a course and while it has been some time since I have been able to work on this project I would like to invite you to register for this course.

The tentative dates for the first weekend course is March 27th-28th. However understanding that work schedules are not always in tune with personal time I am able to conduct a one-on-one on a date that is convenient for you. Here is some important information to help you make your decision.

1. This course satisfies the requirements to apply for a state issued Concealed Carry Permit as well as covers the safe handling, operation, and storage of a handgun.
2. This course is divided in two parts: the first being a classroom setting to cover the laws and safe handling skills in a safe environment and the second being actual time on a range demonstrating and practicing those skills.
3. You do not have to own a handgun or purchase a handgun to complete this course. While it is recommended that you take the course using the firearm you will be carrying, for the sake of familiarity, it is not required. In fact you can rent a handgun from me in one of several calibers to make it easier for you to determine what may be a good fit for you prior to buying. Ammo can also be provided for a rental gun for a small charge to cover the cost of the ammunition. If you need help with this contact me.
4. This course can be completed in one longer session same day or in two shorter sessions over a two day period. For ONE day courses lunch is provided as it will be a working lunch to ensure we meet the state requirement for hours of training.

As this course does require me to order the booklets and other materials that can take several weeks to receive I need to confirm who will be taking the course as soon as possible. The costs are listed below and include all the necessary materials less firearm and ammo. Please review them carefully and contact me as soon as possible to ensure that I can make this as inexpensive and time efficient as possible. Also to make sure that the best price is available, as this is the first course, special pricing will be available for this course.

Basic Course Cost = $100 (If you respond to this email $50)
Handgun Rental with Ammo for qualification = $20

If you know someone who would like to attend this course pass this email on to them and invite them to take advantage of this ONE TIME offer. If you are unable to register at this time and wish to be removed from this mailing list please reply to natetinstman and let me know so I can address this. Note I have provided my contact information below.

natetinstman@me.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/natetinstman
YOUTube: www.youtube.com/natetinstman

Big Bore Polymer in the 21st Century

So among the other additions to my collection over the past few weeks this is the most exciting for me. In 2006 when Smith and Wesson introduced the M&P series of handgun the industry braced itself for the inevitable introduction of this awesome service pistol in the all-american caliber .45ACP. Well in 2007 at SHOT Show S&W did just that. It was at that moment I knew I wanted a piece of the big bore action.

I am a huge fan of the .45ACP especially in the legendary 1911 platform. Not only does the caliber offer the range of flexibility no other cartridge has at this point but it also comes with a time tested history of being a true man-stopper. I know many of you reading this are starting to tune out right now, so let me just say YES the 9mm and .40 S&W are excellent calibers as well. Those of you who have watched my videos know I love my 40S&W M&P immensely. But this is a proven tool on a excellent platform. So at the bottom is my hands on review of my new M&P but let me just point out some of my favorite features on this gun.

1) Size – This is the first polymer handgun I have ever handled in .45ACP that is not overly large in frame. Compared to the Glock 21, it’s closest rival, the slide is thinner. To be honest the measurements from S&W put at the same thickness as all the other M&Ps in the family. On top of a reasonable slide the frame is a familiar feel. More specifically it’s the same diameter as it’s smaller caliber brethren. With the large backstrap inserted it fills my hand better than any .45 I’ve ever picked up. When I pick this gun up after handling my H&K USP45 I can really feel how that smaller diameter frame comes into it’s own. My ability to reach the trigger and magazine release are very natural on the M&P unlike my hand on a Glock where it’s a task to operate the magazine release without changing my grip on the gun.

2)Compatibility – This category is actually a very short one. Every holster I keep for my M&Ps fit this gun. So no extra money needed to outfit this gun for daily carry.

3) Capacity – Out of the box the M&P fits 10 rounds of .45ACP in the 2 provided magazines. Compared to the Glock 21 (13 rounds) and the FNP45 (15 rounds) this may seem fairly low, and with that I would agree. This is the weakness in the package for me. However, 14 round factory magazines are available and I plan to acquire a few myself. This is kind of a give and take situation. You can have high capacity or slim frame and with the M&P Smith and Wesson seems to have gone with more of the frame than the capacity. So I won’t fault them on this too much. 10 rounds of a big caliber is still a pretty potent solution to a violent encounter. Not to mention the simple fact that carrying extra ammo in your EDC is probably important no matter what gun you carry or how many rounds it holds. So GLOCKERS here you go, you win this one.

4)Familiarity – Everything on this gun is in the same place across platform. From my full size 40 caliber M&P to my subcompact M&P9c now to my .45 all of the operations that I need to perform are the same on each gun. Making training even easier from one to the other.

So in short will you find me carrying this gun daily, probably not. But considering how light this gun feels even fully loaded I may be carrying it for the majority of the remaining cold months before switching back to the compact 9.

Failure Is Not an Option

So not 48 hours after purchasing my Crimson Trace Laser Grip for my Smith & Wesson M&P40 I had to take them back. Oh course by this point the majority of you reading this have seen my review of the Laser Grips on YouTube but for those that haven’t a link is included at the bottom here. In that video I explain the primary advantages of this product especially in use as a defensive tool. And most of us know that when it comes to the defense of your life or the lives of those we care about failure is NOT and option.

To help you understand exactly what happened to lead to this situation I will start at the beginning. As I explained in the video these grips have to be sighted to your gun. At the factory Crimson Trace says they are sighted to 50 feet. In my opinion that is a little far for a defensive handgun to be sighted. At 50 feet I am more likely going to be moving away from the threat or at least to a position where I can safely take cover. I would rather such a device be set for a more realistic confrontation distance, somewhere around 15-20 feet. Why is it important to be sighted to a confrontation distance? Because under stress or in low light I am relying considerably more on the laser than my iron sights on the gun. Mainly for one of two reasons: I can’t see the sights due to low light, or I am in a position where a traditional sight picture is impossible to achieve. Because of this reliance I am trusting the laser to identify my point of aim for me. I won’t get into the math of how the distance effects the laser but simply the farther away you go the more of a difference there is between the bore and the laser and when I am trusting my life to my accuracy I want the dot to be as close to impact as possible. So I adjusted the laser to meet my chosen distance, 15 feet.

Well the problem I encountered with my grips is that the slightest impact to the gun, not to mention recoil from the fairly powerful .40 S&W cartridge, would cause the laser to shift drastically. If I bumped the button, much like I do to seat the magazine in a high stress reload, cause the laser to shift as much as half an inch at 10 feet. That is a lot if you consider that this is not just once but every time I bumped it. So I contacted Crimson Trace to get some guidance on what the problem could be. All I got in response was that this was a defect in the grip I received. So I took them back to the location I purchased them from and returned them, well that’s not exactly true, I exchanged them for another set.

But why would you do that if the first one’s didn’t work. Because everything I have ever learned about CT is that their product is exceptional in quality and I won’t let one bad experience over rule the experience I have had with them from instructors and shooters I know who have relied on multiple pairs of grips for the last decade. I have used this product as I mentioned in the video on about 5 or 6 different guns and every one I have used has been exceptional. I’m not going to let one grip change that. I still put my trust in this product and I still trust it and my M&P with my life. I have repeated my “abuse” test on this second set and the POA (Point of Aim) has held strong. I will be taking it to the range this weekend to see it perform in real life.

Just remember when you read on forums and other websites about “HOW BAD” a product is you keep in mind that one incident does not make a bad product. So keep checking back as I review in the next week or so a few new products for you. A couple of which will include:

Smith & Wesson M&P compact

Mossberg 930 Home Defense Semi-Auto Shotgun 12 gauge

Insight Tech Gear WX150 Weapon Light

Surefire E2D LED Defender

And hopefully

The Ruger LCR and FNH FNP9 (I Hope!!! Fingers crossed)

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”

Okay so Bono I am not. But, the words still ring true to me today after a visit to a few of my favorite firearms dealers. For nearly five months I have been looking for that “ideal” compact carry pistol. So before I run down my top three contenders let me detail for you the criteria I have set for this new mini-boom-boom stick.

1. Reliability – Above all else what ever I end up carrying as my new concealed carry handgun must be reliable. Seems like a no brainer to me but for some reason when I go into a gun shop I always run into some idiot who thinks that because it’s as small as the ‘Noisy Cricket” from Men in Black it’s the only gun for concealed carry. Never mind the fact that it’s in a caliber that is too underpowered to be a reliable man stopper or the fact it could get lost in the smallest pocket making it impossible to access under stress. I want a gun I know has a track proven record and design that is mechanically simple to operate especially when my fine motor skills go out the window due to the physiological response the body goes through when confronted with a lethal threat. I don’t want to have to operate any additional safeties to make the gun go bang. Some people prefer to have the additional insurance that a manual safety brings. I know from my experience that 9 times out of 10 the stress of an attack can cause you to forget to flip the safety off. So if you chose to get a handgun with a manual safety make sure you practice extensively with the gun especially working on drawing and disengaging that safety. This gun has to be rock solid so as to withstand the rigors of daily carry regardless of how it’s carried. I don’t want some small little petite gun that was made for ornamental use or for show. So basically it needs to go bang every time with no frills or flash. It could be the butt ugliest block but as long as it will work when needed we are good to go.

2. Conceal-ability – Now to most people this is a real trick because when you go small you sacrifice a little in a lot of areas. The smaller it is the more perceived recoil, the less capacity, the shorter the sight radius and in a lot of cases the less there is in terms of actual sights. Of course all of these vary from gun to gun. So for me, I’m not looking for something I can tuck in the littlest pocket on my jeans. Simply put I want a gun that is small enough. I prefer a semi auto that is thiner than my full size duty gun and that has a shorter grip frame and maybe a partially shortened barrel to aid in lowering the profile when carrying in a bet holster and to prevent printing the butt of the gun when I’m wearing in the waist ban. I really want this gun to have real sights versus bumps in the slide, why. If I am relying on it to defend myself I want to be able to aim IT! Granted this gun is mainly intended for distances of under 12 feet but again I want them. This is mainly a personal preference and in most cases I am going to add the wonderful laser grips from Crimson Trace. Just as a side note, every gun I am considering does have available to it the CT Laser Grip.

3. Knock Down Ability – When I say it has to have a strong knock down factor I am referring to two different factors, caliber and capacity. Now I know I said you sacrifice capacity when you go small but for me there is still a minimum I want a gun to hold even in a reduced size. But before I talk capacity let me say that more than capacity I am going to luck at caliber. Why? Because I can get a good amount of capacity, up to 15 rounds in fact, from a .22LR. But, would I carry a .22 for personal defense? No, .22 is not particularly suitable for stopping an assailant in the heat of the moment. So where do I draw the line? For me the smallest caliber i would carry, and your preference may differ, is .380ACP. The .380 cartridge has undergone a real revolution in the past 24 months with the introduction of a slew of new guns from everyone from Taurus and Ruger to Magnum Research (most notably for their .50AE Desert Eagle) and Smith & Wesson. So to capitalize on this ammunition manufacturers have invested a lot of time and money into developing a suitable cartridge that provides enough penetration to deal with a more heavily clothed attacker and still be controllable out of a 12 oz. gun. That being said I still am willing to sacrifice a little capacity for more power so I tend to lean towards either a 9mm or at the largest a .40S&W. I say this because in the size of gun I prefer for a concealed handgun I can still get about 9 to 12 rounds out of these larger calibers while still maintaining a compact package with decent control. This brings up the question of who many rounds should a concealed carry gun hold. There is no right answer because to each person there is a different answer. To me I prefer as many as I can get in the size gun I am comfortable with. I am not a big fan of derringers. Simply because I don’t want something that small with so little ammo. For that size I could carry a second magazine.

So for now here are my top choices in order from my favorite down.

1. Smith & Wesson M&P9c (Maybe 40S&W doesn’t make a huge difference if I can’t get one I’ll get the other)

2. Glock 26 9mm

3. Springfield Armory Sub-Compact 9mm

So let me reiterate that this is my opinion and I hope that you take into account that for me I have set criteria of what works for me. If you disagree awesome! I hope you do. All of these guns allow me good capacity with a good caliber. Each one fits my hand well and gives me good control. Each one allow for a laser grip and has REAL SIGHTS! All are simple with no additional safeties to operate. All are known for reliability. So in about a week I’ll have one of these depending on what I can afford and which one feels right! So when YOU go out to get your concealment handgun keep these issues in mind to help you think through what works for you. Keep your barrels clean and KEEP SHOOTING!

Kick it OFF!

So what can I say… I am long winded and YouTube won’t let me make 2 hour movies for public viewing. Wait, that’s probably a good thing. So here I am and from here on out this will be my flagship project and with any luck I will not only be able to eventually put together an audio podcast with more in-depth reviews of products like firearms, flashlights, and other ‘tacti-cool’ stuff, but theoretical items as well. Such as how best to implement a flashlight in your home and how best to review your home to ensure you and your family can live in safety within your walls and outside them as well.

Of course I have said it numerous time but for yall new people let me say it again. I am NOT a member of special forces, the military, law enforcement or a contractor running around in khaki tactipants and vest everyday with sunglasses on day and night… of wait I have done that though. Anyway I am simple a civilian who has taken it upon himself to learn as much about defending himself and his family from some of the most incredible trainers and instructors and put that knowledge into a simple, down-to-earth package to provide it freely to those just starting out or those that simply enjoy a fresh look into that world. So if you have ideas for topics you specifically want me to drop my 2 cents on let me know.

As new firearms come out I will try to put together something to help you see beyond the advertisements and hype put out by the manufacturers and the gun magazines to see if it is worth you every disappearing bucks. I also will be posting some articles I think may be relevant in other areas of life as well so you may on occasion have to weed through to find the good stuff that’s relevant to you.

For now keep your barrels clean and keep shooting!