The Newest Era of Handguns

We really haven’t seen anything revolutionary in the last 20 years of handgun manufacturing. The new slim line gun offerings might be the closest. With the explosion of these micro-compact blasters over the last 5 years I’d say they are popular and we see them in many of our carry classes. In fact, I run a slim line for just about every handgun course we offer these days because of their capability and shootability. The last bit there is one a lot of people will voice concerns, how well they can shoot these smaller guns. They offer a few challenges regarding the available gripping surface and overall reduction in mass. You can overcome the gripping surface issue by adopting new grip techniques, but there’s not much you can do about the reduction in mass…until now.

Modern Use of Comps

Ports and compensators are not new. They’ve been around for decades, but mainly in the competitive arena. I loved my comped gun I ran back in the day. For serious duty guns you don’t see them for a couple of reasons, enlarged footprint and reliability. Most compensators were “add-on’s” that extended the overall length of the slide, thus making holster options limited. There were a few integrated into the slide, but they proved less effective. The real problem was many of these were screwed on or similar attachment concept requiring routine maintenance. The newer ported slide design is addressing both these issues and doing it well.

Ported Slides Design

A new design, such as what is seen on the Sig P365 xMacro Comp, combines the ported slide with a shortened barrel to create what is called an expansion chamber. Where the gas from the round is allowed to accumulate in the chamber before vented through two integrated ports in front of the sights. The beauty to this design is you get the best of both worlds. There is no additional length to the overall footprint and no add on’s or maintenance required. I’ve been running these ported slides on all my micro-compact pistols and the results speak for themselves. There really is no down side.

The Bad of Shooting Ported Slides

The two biggest concerns with ported slides are loss of muzzle velocity and close contact shots. I’ve found while there was a reduction in muzzle velocity it varied. At the high end I was getting 50fps difference to only about 15fps on the low end. That’s not the right question to be asking. The real question is what effect will this velocity loss have on terminal performance. While there is a corollary to lower terminal velocity and poor penetration and expansion, what is the threshold. As far as the danger for contact or near contact shots. It is possible while entangled with an opponent the ports could be facing you so the real question is how much injury could the gases produce and what would be the minimum safe distance from your eyes. Again, not sure on this one and probably not really worth the effort.

Ported Slide Benefits

Often overlooked are the real benefits. Ported slides allow a new shooter to immediately reap the benefits in their shooting technique. Some claims are as much as 30% reduction in perceived recoil. When I shoot strong hand only I can see a significant difference in how fast my sights return to the target. I find this point to be important, just because you have a ported slide doesn’t mean you have to shoot fast. It means your sights generally travel less and are quicker to pick up. Or, you have the ability to shooter faster. You still need to make good judgements even between shots being fired.

I’m a big fan of the ported slides for carry, there is little if any downside.

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Close Call

Why the big change? Because, only a few days earlier my son and I sat in that very same movie theater. After enough accurate information was released I put myself back in those seats to brainstorm how I would’ve handled a similar situation. I’ve had many conversations about my thoughts with close friends. The big take aways were; low light, moderate distance and high percentage shots. I try not to let a single event reset my own system, but I’m all for allowing it to influence my thought process and in this case my loadout. It just so happened around that time, I had finished a 6-month experiment working to solve a problem for my old community. This problem centered around low light and running with pistols. In the end, mini-red dot sights or MRDS were the clear winner. I hadn’t put much thought into them for everyday carry scenario. This problem was very unique. Flash forward to the theater shooting and all of a sudden I’m interested.

Technology & Equipment

Low light is always challenging. You come to depend on technology and equipment. The use of night sights have been around for decades, but they somehow were not enough to solve my teammate’s problem, hence my involvement. Using a MRDS gave them anytime view ability, especially under night vision. In a darkened theater the MRDS would be hugely valuable, but under low light conditions it only tells me where I’m aiming. Sure, I could take aim at the muzzle flashes, but positive target identification is paramount. I’ve long opposed the necessity for weapon mounted lights for everyday carry. The added weight and size are barriers to entry for many. Over a decade and weapon mounted lights have come a long way as far as size and output. Now, I can have a smaller, more powerful light better suited for concealed carry. The problem wasn’t necessarily the WML, the problem was finding a good holster, comfortable for all day, every day type wear. Even today, there are very few. Of those around, even fewer that do a good job.

Surgical Style Shooting

Depending on where you sit in a movie theater you could have a close shot, or an extended shot under low light conditions. I have long commented the greatest MRDS advantage is accuracy at distance. Distances in movie theaters can vary, but a 10, 20 or 30 yards plus impossible shots becomes possible. High percentage shots were similar to a hostage type shot. Where there was minimum target availability along with maximum risk. With people running through a smoke filled theater it would be chaotic to say the least. Should you have a clear shot, you still have to be aware of your backstop and surroundings. While not technically a hostage the field of fire would more than likely be small if not tiny. The level of precision again is something a MRDS does exceptionally well. But, when you merry up the use of a powerful white light and target focus, it makes for an impressive package. Those that work in low light enough know the narrowing of your perceivable field of view. In this case, narrowing on the target and still being able to aim precisely are a winning combination.

The Tradeoffs Are Big

Up until the beginning of the pandemic I carried a compact as my daily carry pistol. At the time, it was not equipped with a MRDS or a WML. The primary reason was simple, many of my government clients were running iron sights on their duty pistols so it didn’t make sense for me. I would add the WML during training and remove it for concealment work after hours. Flash forward and currently the proliferation of MRDS at the government level is quickly growing. A client’s new program had me revisiting the subject, but in reverse. Now, I don’t want to be the only one without a MRDS. Due to the nature of the program it also required a WML. I was back to solving the problem of size and weight. As I mentioned so many advancements have made this easier today. Even so, there is still a massive difference in size and weight that cannot be ignored. The tradeoff is the very small percentage of scenarios where this combination would dominate versus the most likely scenario where they probably wouldn’t make a large enough difference.

Forward Thinking

With hostilities increasing on the home front I thought about this mass shooting and our new program. I don’t feel “under-gunned” running my micros, but I’m limited with WML’s and available holsters that accommodate both. This problem was the reason I revisit my compact pistols. I’m still carrying the micros, that’s not changing, but I had to be honest about my movie theater debrief. Was I ready for another similar type of event? Don’t mistake my commentary for only being able to solve this type of scenario with technology. It will always be the indian and not the arrow. But, it did spark my loadout reevaluation. My loadout also depends on the perceived threat. For instances, during the pandemic we saw some crazy behavior. Did it make sense to go with a heavier loadout, absolutely. Does it make sense to default to this condition, absolutely not.

The point is we all need to periodically review our loadout and preparation. Have you put critical thinking into these topics and if so what has changed as a result.

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Course Description:

The Tactical Carry (202) is an intermediate 2-day class on the fundamentals of everyday carry. In this intermediate carry class, students learn the essential skills for concealing and drawing a pistol under a variety of environmental and logistical considerations. Contact range shooting will focus on quickly defeating the cover garment for fast shots on target while extended range shooting will focus on accuracy under pressure. Subjects include various concealed carry methods, drawstroke techniques, hand position, defeat methodology, supporting equipment and defensive mindset. A major objective is the ability to defeat any cover garment then deliver quick and effective shots to stop an deadly force threat. Supporting objectives include movement, choosing cover garments, verbal commands, ammunition management and strong hand only.

Gear & Equipment:

• Defensive pistol, 9mm recommended
• 1,000 rounds of practice ammunition
• 25 rounds of defense ammunition
• 5 x pistol magazines minimum (8 for single stacks)
• 5 x inert training rounds
• Training uniform required:
  • Polo or T-shirt
  • Button-down shirt
  • Jacket or coat
  • Sweater or hoodie
• Concealed carry gear
  • Sturdy belt
  • Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster
  • Outside the Waistband (OWB) holster
  • Single and or double magazine pouch
• Handheld flashlight with pocket clip
• Clear/tinted ballistic wrap around eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Cleaning kit and lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Water and snacks
• Open mind

Course Prerequisites:

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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Former Navy SEAL and Buds instructor – Jeff Gonzales – joins the show and recounts the psychological pressure that he both endured and incurred upon other applicants.

This is a banger of an episode you don’t want to miss!
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Tactical Carry Course Description:

The Tactical Carry 2 (202) is an intermediate 2-day class on the fundamentals of everyday carry. In this intermediate carry class, students learn the essential skills for concealing and drawing a pistol under a variety of environmental and logistical considerations. Contact range shooting will focus on quickly defeating the cover garment for fast shots on target while extended range shooting will focus on accuracy under pressure. Subjects include various concealed carry methods, drawstroke techniques, hand position, defeat methodology, supporting equipment and defensive mindset. A major objective is the ability to defeat any cover garment then deliver quick and effective shots to stop an deadly force threat. Supporting objectives include movement, choosing cover garments, verbal commands, ammunition management and strong hand only.

Tactical Carry Gear:

• Defensive pistol, 9mm recommended
• 1,000 rounds of practice ammunition
• 25 rounds of defense ammunition
• 5 x pistol magazines minimum (8 for single stacks)
• 5 x inert training rounds
• Training uniform required:
  • Polo or T-shirt
  • Button-down shirt
  • Jacket or coat
  • Sweater or hoodie
• Concealed carry gear
  • Sturdy belt
  • Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster
  • Outside the Waistband (OWB) holster
  • Single and or double magazine pouch
• Handheld flashlight with pocket clip
• Clear/tinted ballistic wrap around eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Cleaning kit and lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Water and snacks
• Open mind

Tactical Course Prerequisites:

Concealed Carry 1 or similar (See Course Description page for details)

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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Know the Course Material

Every school is a little different, but they will all usually have some type of course description. Some students will use this solely as their criterion for decision. Others will have “shopped around” through internet searches or word of mouth. I encourage you to know what you need, not what you want. For instance, if you need a better understanding on the drawstroke. Find an instructor who is known for doing an excellent job on the subject. You may find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what you need, you don’t know what you don’t know and that is perfectly acceptable. Have a broader goal in mind, to expand your knowledge base for example.

Review the Gear List

Read through the course description, all of the available material. If there is something you don’t understand, then do a little research. If there are terminal objectives or goals of the class, do they meet your needs. A good course will be well thought out and have an agenda or curriculum. The curriculum will guide the student towards the terminal objective through enabling objectives. All the information is important, but probably the most important is the required gear list and in this case the importance of your concealment carrying system. A lot of times, students will think of this as a suggestion. It is not, it is a list of required gear to ensure you have the best chance of doing well in the class. Don’t convince yourself you do or don’t need something. Read the list, even print the list out and check each item to make sure you are good to go. Think of this as an IQ test, can you follow simple instructions. Then at class, it is nice to be prepared and of course to not be “that guy.”

Do a Map Study and Plan Your Route

Logistics are a big thing to me. The old saying, “amateurs argue tactics and professionals argue logistics” is incredibly accurate. Start by knowing where you are going and how you will get there. Give yourself a little fudge factor on day one just to cover your basis. Don’t just know where you are going, but know the surrounding area. For instance, are there eateries near by or are you going to be packing a lunch or snacks. Something else to consider is how long is the commute. After a long day of training I suggest you consider the drive home. Be extra alert when going home since the fatigue of the day can affect your situational awareness as you drive home.

Get Your Eyes On Everything

The final preparation for your class will be to review your gear, like literally lay it all out and get your eyes on them. It is one thing to go over the required gear list and say to yourself I have that in my range bag. Only to realize you took it out to clean, replace or repair and failed to return it to your range bag. Some items are less important, a flashlight is not essential to a day light course. But a magazine pouch can make or break your experience in the class. Go over each item and ask yourself is this ‘thing” good to go. Has it been cleaned, or maintenance recently. Are there fresh batteries in use or am I running on empty. The devil is in the details so really go through the list.

Have a Plan and a Backup Plan

Think about the essential items. Your handgun for instance. Even though I have done a good job of picking a reliable model along with routine maintenance, things do break. Having a backup on standby has come to the rescue on more than one occasion. Spare magazines are another example. If you have the minimum as prescribed in the gear list that is great, but what if one of them goes down or you leave it in the hotel. There’s a myriad of reasons, so planning is key. Contingencies can go beyond your gear to your plan. Any physical activity will take its toll on your energy level. If you are planning to get lunch nearby, but all the local places are packed and you have to make a decision between being late or skipping lunch you might consider packing a lunch or some snacks.

Holsters, Be Prepared

When it comes to our Concealed Carry classes there are three main failures from the gear list. The first is not having an “on the waistband” or OWB holster. You may try to justify you don’t need it because you have an IWB holster. That would be a mistake. The purpose behind the OWB holster is to start from a known and safe condition. Before we dive into the deep end of drawing and holstering from concealed, we have to ensure you have well developed and safe drawstroke from the lowest risk condition possible. That would be open carry, on the waistband.

Bring All The Required Clothing

The second mistake would be in failing to have all of the required clothing. In this class, you will be forced to work from a variety of cover garments. Not your favorite or go to, but a wide array to ensure you are prepared. It never fails, there is always that one person who thinks they know better. Trust me, you don’t. Bring all the clothing listed. Even if you don’t have something on the gear list for whatever reason you can probably borrow it from a family member or friend. Most of the items are pretty normal, but if you don’t have a rain jacket and you don’t want to buy one, they ask around to get a loaner.

Have an Open Mind

Last mistake we see often is when students fail to have an open mind. It doesn’t matter what you think or know, be open to new ideas. If you say to yourself while reading the gear list I don’t need this or that you would be demonstrating someone who has a closed mind. Don’t be that guy. Instead it should pique your curiosity. You should be wondering what are we going to be doing with that and why. Curiosity is your super power as a student. It is the single greatest characteristic that leads to expanded knowledge base. Back it up by understanding the why you are doing something a certain way or why you don’t do things a certain way.

If you take the time to review the course material paying attention to the required gear list, you have the best chance of succeeding in class. Or at least you won’t be held up because you don’t have this or forgot to bring that. Knowing the logistics will help you ensure you are not late or miss any course material. Some instructors will not allow you to participate if you miss the main emergency and medical plan brief so don’t be surprised if you have to sit down initially why the rest of the class trains. Double check and even triple check your gear. Have a system so you make sure you have all the gear you need and it is centrally located so when you load out early in the morning probably in the dark you don’t leave that one bag on the work bench. These are not just suggestions, they are observations over decades of training to help ensure you as the student have the best chance of success in our training classes.

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Predictable As Always

It wasn’t even minutes before the left was foaming at the mouth for more gun control. As predictable as the sun rising, we heard it all once again. I saw it first hand while presenting at this year’s NRA Annual Meeting in Houston. I don’t need to make an obligatory statement about how terrible and tragic the event, as if I need to remind the public. I don’t need to be lectured or as was the case in Houston, screamed obscenities by people who only have one objective. To subjugate the armed citizenry.

Negotiating Terms Of Surrender

That’s it, that is all there is to the rapid almost psychotic rhetoric we are witnessing. And they are playing you! Here’s how and why. Every time a tragic event occurs that fits their narrative there is the immediate confrontation with those who wish to protect their freedoms. Rather than confrontation, think of it in terms of a negotiation. We are negotiating terms of our surrender. Any negotiation to be successful must have compromise from both parties and that is how they are playing you. By immediately taking to the airwaves and demanding more gun control they have the initiative, the proverbial high ground.

Understanding Lost Aversion

The logical outcome of their strategy is to achieve a compromise. Whatever the compromise, it further erodes or in some cases neuters our freedoms. When you enter into these negotiations, there is an implied agreement that will be reached. That agreement means that someone will lose. Because quite simply, a compromise is not a win, therefore it is a loss. Losses will always loom larger than gains. Meaning, lose aversion can be better understood by realizing that bad is stronger than good. It is an evolutionary outcome, we are predisposed to treat bad with a higher priority than good. Winning $10,000 is great, but loosing the same amount has a more devastating result.

The Rationalizing of Negotiations

If you want to safeguard your freedoms the first thing you need to do is not to engage in the existing negotiations since nothing will be gain, only lost. With this theory in mind you are far better to effectively safeguard our freedoms. The strategy should be simple, go on offense. Any negotiation has forced us to be defensive. We rationalize what we are willing to give up. To prioritize what we value more over what we value less. For example, if countries were negotiating the peaceful disarmament of offensive weapons they look at it from a strategic view. What do I not mind giving away as a way of ensuring I can keep what I really want, but still give something away.

Be Strategic In Your Outlook

Common ground if often cited as a solid approach towards achieving a better outcome. Find something both parties can agree to and agree to it hard. We can all agree the needless loss of life is a series issue. When both parties agree to this directive then we can start working towards achieving an effective strategy. In this case, that strategy would have almost nothing to do with gun control since needless loss of life related to firearms is infantile compared to other methods. We are not even talking about violent crimes, we are talking about life. Look up the current causes of death in our country and you will quickly realize the top five all have nothing to do with violence. You stand a higher chance of being struck by lightening than being in an active killer event.

With this in mind, why would we recklessly barter with our constitutional rights. There is no value, not any at all and there never will be. Which is why you are being played.

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With the growing popularity of concealed carry there are more than ever a broad range of options for carry pistols. While there may be a trend for carrying larger framed pistols, sales numbers show an unprecedented interest in the micro-compact pistols.

The Logic is Undeniable

I’ve been a big fan of these pint size blasters for a while. I’ve talked a great deal about the value they bring to the table. A major obstacle for many is the perceived difficulty some will have shooting these smaller framed pistols. Most of the time, this is a perception based on a few observations. These pistols have a shorter barrel length and frame height, making them smaller obviously. The real issue is how much lighter they are and the effect recoil has with less weight. This perception is backed up by the laws of physics. How many will comment the physics involved is irrefutable.

It is Always The Indian

That may be the case, but science isn’t the only reason. Ignorance or lack of understanding come into the picture. I have been shooting these smaller platforms extensively for some time, at least the last couple of years. My round count log on these platforms puts me at several thousand rounds combined. What I have learned is like anything, this is a learned skill. Once you learn how to adapt your stance, mount and grip along with a few common errors you quickly learn the disadvantages often quoted aren’t as signifiant as once believed.

It’s All About the Size

This allows us to then expand on the versatility of these micro-compacts. There are a couple of these platforms that can cover a broad range of carry options. My original thought process was the smaller and lighter pistol made it easier to carry. Without a doubt this is true. It just makes sense from a longevity point of view. Add some extreme weather conditions and going with these micro pistols is a much easier decision to make than previously considered. When you are in it for the long haul, size does matter.

Not Just a Pretty Face

Being able to adopt other carry options such as pocket and ankle carry is a huge advantage. You may frown upon these methods. You may even talk down to those who choose to carry them because they are different from your own methods. That is certainly your opinion, but it is shortsighted. There are several reasons to consider these lesser known carry methods. Wardrobe restrictions, inclement weather and personal choices are all often the reason when you take the time to ask why they our popular.

Don’t Be That Guy

Some will look at these micro-compact pistols and feel they are out gunned and under supplied with ammunition. Shooting like anything takes practice. Someone who is competent and proficient at the fundamentals will not have a difficult time transitioning. The novelty of the new platform takes a short while to “figure out” then it is full speed ahead. It is those who lack the proficiency or ignorance into these micro pistols capability who are the biggest naysayers.

The tricked out pistols are not going to go away anytime soon, but their popularity is much smaller when compared to the popularity of the micro-compact pistols. Some will look at this as a who’s right type of equation. Truthfully, you’re wrong if you fail to see the benefits of both options.

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