December 23, 2009
Bill dropped me a line and touched on a couple of points that weren’t necessarily in the form of a question but are relevant to our discussion of overall plans.
His lovely wife has not the driving desire for concealed carry, although she realizes the value of the license and at times its necessity, and she has been a huntress and has members of family in law enforcement, she still doesn’t feel the need to carry a firearm all the time. Absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. Everyone has to decide for themselves their needs for and planning of their own personal defense. The elements are basic, they have to pick their own weapon and decide if their environment or parts of it dictate when they should be armed. I told Bill and I have( after many years of doing this) found that women and men who don’t feel an urgency to be armed all the time, upon being trained and getting their CHL, will carry their weapon almost all the time after a period of adjustment. It is not a natural thing to carry a firearm. It takes some getting used to. A weapon should “comfort” because it is certainly not “comfortable”. It can be carried in relative comfort but we have a very particular set of environmental concerns in Texas. Extreme humidity, extremes of heat and short periods of cold, a rainy season close to tropical, and a drive to be fashionable. You have to figure out what works for you.
Tactics in everyday situations that I use are pretty basic, and are second nature after all this time.
In a convenience store I never let the door be out of my periphery and always look for the EXIT sign. When I get ready to pay I stand off to the side or “blade “my body so the door is directly ahead, even if in line. This allows me to be able to back up and knock something over with my hands if things get dicey, causing a distraction that might give me an edge. I never enter late night without full view of the clerk and a complete scan of the store before I ever approach the counter. Circle the store when you enter. If you get a soda, don’t stand directly in front of the case. Open the door from an angle and look for reflections. Get your soda and walk around the perimeter aisles to the counter as this will put you head on to the door.
In a restaurant: What is your sweetheart comfortable with as far as seating arrangements are concerned? Look. You’re going out to dinner. Not to dinner and a gunfight for two, please. You’re ahead of the game with your awareness. Keep it pleasant and simple. Let your sweetheart tell you where the FIRE EXITS are. In a booth? Does it restrict your access and mobility? Does the table move so that you can improvise cover? Can you see exits, bathrooms, kitchen doors and the entry? If at a table; what do the chairs or seats do to limit your movement? It’s not always possible or sociable to sit facing the door, back to a wall. Personally I am always uncomfortable with my back against a wall or blocked in any fashion. Be a people watcher. People watchers notice who the other people watchers are around them. Bad guys are always people watchers but not all people watchers are bad guys.
Have a good time, eat dinner, expect the unexpected a nice evening and nothing more. Above all don’t forget to include throwing your chair, your date and yourself through the nearest window to escape a deadly force situation. Most victims are trapped by fear they “freeze”.
A scream in the middle of the night: This is a nightmare for cops never mind citizens. Screams are hard to if not impossible to decipher. Make damn sure before you act. Could be loud hanky panky or brother sister fighting or a very good home theater system. A knight waits till the very last second to drop the point of his lance.
Breaking glass in the middle of the night or a home invasion. Your entire catalog of plans for home defense should revolve around you ambushing them. Do not search unless absolutely necessary. No exceptions. Don’t blast Fido and Whiskers accidentally. Wake yourself before you do anything. Your eyes will get used to the dark but it’ll take a couple of minutes. Listen, sit up, listen, stand up, listen, squat, smell and listen. Look at door cracks and windows for lighting variations and shadows. Listen. If you don’t close and lock your bedroom doors when you retire for the night……START. Hang some kind of noise maker on the doorknobs of all entry points to your home and bedroom. If you have time and are certain you have been burglarized, do not use your house phone first. Use your cell and give your address. The bad guys will certainly assign themselves the task of disabling your land line and listening on an extension while you tell the Cops (and them) exactly where you are in the house. Remember, a home invasion is rarely a crime of impulse. Most are preplanned and set up in detail.
1. Training aids: There are sites and schools beyond me and my website. Some are bulls**t some are very credible and worthy of all our consideration. Here are the ones accepted in the legitimate firearms training community and law enforcement training:
2. Gunsite
3. Thunder Ranch
4. The Chapman Academy
5. Smith & Wesson Training Academy
6. Sig Sauer Academy
7. Shoot Rite Training Facility
8. Heckler & Koch Academy
9. Video from Thunder Ranch “Defensive Handgun, Defensive Firearms, Concealed Carry Options, Defensive Tactics” $49.95 each from FMG publications. EXCELLENT
10. Video from Sig Sauer: Basic Handgun, Concealed Carry available from Sig Sauer online store approx. $23.95 to $30.00 EXCELLENT
11. TV & RADIO: Personal Defense TV Outdoor Channel Wednesday night OK to VERY GOOD
12. GUNS & GEAR VS channel Tuesday 2:00pm Thurs. 7:30am OK to VERY GOOD
13. GUN TALK RADIO 950AM Sunday 12:00 midnight to 3:00am (on line Sunday 1:00 pm) IT’S ALL THERE IS ON RADIO. BETTER THAN NOTHING. SOMETIMES VERY GOOD. INFORMATIVE BUT OPINIONATED.
There are other videos from people like Lenny Magill and the Glock Store, and Wilson Combat the gun makers that are a little hokey, and out of style, and training sites that offer rope slides and upside down machine gun shooting, and exploding targets, rappelling from helicopters with a patch over your eye and a knife in your teeth, and sales pitches ad nausea with big breasted gun babes like Frontsite and Survival, Valhalla you get my drift. The ones I noted above are real deal and you can contact them on line or get their literature from American Handgunner Magazine and the like.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everybody.
EDDIE
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Recommendations concerning holsters, belts and equipment in general
From your Instructor
First a good question:
QUESTION: Could you please recommend some good defensive and practice Ammunition brands. I have a nine millimeter I am carrying but just good brands and if possible prices would be appreciated. I have a shotgun (Ruger over/under ) and it doesn’t recommend buckshot in the manual. Is bird shot OK for home defense? Is it effective?
ANSWER: That’s another great question from a great lady trainee. Thanks for reading and asking, and kudos for reading the manual first.
Good defensive ammunition is available more and more now at retailers (Academy, Carters, Gander Mt. Bass Proshop, Wal Mart etc.). I’ve found lately that Wal Mart has had Federal and Winchester ammo in more plentiful supply. Calibers are sketchy so you will have to search for things like .45 ACP or .357 Sig. These are ball or full/total metal jacket rounds for the most part and they are still reasonably priced there. The Winchester in the white box is just fine for both practice and defense as is the Federal. If you want more potent and powerful defense ammo of hollow point or other configurations I personally recommend the following brands and type: Speer/CCI Gold Dot , Cor-Bon any type, Hornady TAP, or Personal Defense, Federal Hydra Shok, Winchester Ranger, Remington Golden Saber and Glazer Safety slugs. I use and carry this ammo. For 9mm specifically I carry Federal Hydra Shok and 147 Grain Sub sonic, and Winchester Ranger. I would call around for this ammo to see who has the best price or order it online from Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt or Shooters Supply etc. Don’t overlook the gun shows but their prices aren’t as low in some cases as local retailers.
You are correct in not using 00 buckshot in you over and under. Bird shot is just fine in the home and down the hallway it will definitely knock the predator down. You were very correct in reading the recommendations in the Ruger manual.
EQUIPMENT:
I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING HOLSTERS AND BELTS:
Make sure the holster is available for your specific make and model of gun.
Holsters: I have found a paddle holster that works and is halfway comfortable to wear for long periods of time The Blackhawk SERPA CQC. Has a lock built in so the gun can’t easily be snatched and definitely will not fall out. It is also fast to draw from. It comes with both a paddle and belt loop and you can adjust it for cross draw or strong side and angle. It’s about $35. To $40. Or less. Don Hume Leather Goods of Miami Oklahoma has a great inside the waistband holster and a JIT Slide leather high quality relatively low price and a great strong belt the B1 lined. 5.11 Tactical has a great belt for about $35.. Dillon Precision has a catalog called the Blue Press that has some incredible holsters at great prices. I have one from Mitch Rosen (for Dillon) and it is beautiful and fits my XD like a glove. Galco The Fletch is a great holster of incredible quality and reasonably priced in town you can find it a carter’s, Collectors, Bass Pro and others. Safariland is available at police supply stores but go on line and check for their line of more civilian geared products. Bianchi has several great models available at the same in town outlets I mentioned and The Pinch model has a lock too. Do not buy ballistic nylon holsters for daily carry. They absorb and transfer sweat, and are dirt and lint magnets. They are great in the woods or on the ranch but if it’s hot you’re going to have a rust problem from sweating. Do not buy a cheap belt. I can never stress that enough. It could cost you your life. Seriously. Buy a good gun belt and a good holster they will protect you and your firearm and remember….”If you buy cheap, you’re gonna buy twice.” Please trust me on this. Next to your gun it is the most important component of you personal defense. Ladies every purse I have seen from Galco, Safariland, Coronado, De Santis, Bianchi is all excellent quality and very well engineered. I understand 5.11 Tactical now has them and they can be found at the aforementioned retailers and Pro Defense in Webster. Guys you can get a “man sack “from Maxpedition or Galco and I just ordered one from Dillon called the Concealed Carry Tote that looks like more an a briefcase/laptop carrier. Check out that Blue Press they have top quality products at very reasonable prices. Galco belts are top quality but run in the $60. To $100. Range. They are worth every penny and you’ll only buy once.
If you have a rail for mounting a light on your weapon, Streamlight makes the TRL-1 and TRL-2 (with laser, surefire, and insight make similar ones but the Streamlight TRL-1 is a good light for around $75. Bucks and you can get them at Academy and the other retailers (although Gander Mtn. and Bass Pro are so high I won’t buy there). Sure fire and Streamlight make handhelds that are called Stinger and Nitrolon G2 that are very reasonable as are Maglites. Lights and magazines buy them and buy a bunch of them. Have them in depth as I like to say. Cabela’s has a series of lights (made by Sure Fire) that are excellent and very affordable. Check their website.
If your firearm came with two magazines buy no less than one more, preferably two more. This is the absolute minimum you should have for your own safety and they are available almost everywhere or you can order them from the firearms manufacturers. Go on line to Midway USA and Dillon and Pro Mag and order as many as you can afford or got to the gun store and ask or Academy and check the racks. Carry at least one spare magazine whenever you are carrying your weapon. ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST ONE RELOAD ON YOUR PERSON AT ALL TIMES. TWO IS EVEN BETTER. GUNS GO DRY IN A FIGHT ALWAYS. 90% OF ALL MALFUNCTIONS IN SEMI AUTO PISTOLS ARE MAGAZINE RELATED. IF YOU SHOOT REVOLVERS BUY SPEEDLOADERS! NO EXCEPTIONS!
You will really only have to make this expenditure once and your life is worth it. Isn’t it?
Thanks y’all…………Eddie Your Instructor.
First a good question:
QUESTION: Could you please recommend some good defensive and practice Ammunition brands. I have a nine millimeter I am carrying but just good brands and if possible prices would be appreciated. I have a shotgun (Ruger over/under ) and it doesn’t recommend buckshot in the manual. Is bird shot OK for home defense? Is it effective?
ANSWER: That’s another great question from a great lady trainee. Thanks for reading and asking, and kudos for reading the manual first.
Good defensive ammunition is available more and more now at retailers (Academy, Carters, Gander Mt. Bass Proshop, Wal Mart etc.). I’ve found lately that Wal Mart has had Federal and Winchester ammo in more plentiful supply. Calibers are sketchy so you will have to search for things like .45 ACP or .357 Sig. These are ball or full/total metal jacket rounds for the most part and they are still reasonably priced there. The Winchester in the white box is just fine for both practice and defense as is the Federal. If you want more potent and powerful defense ammo of hollow point or other configurations I personally recommend the following brands and type: Speer/CCI Gold Dot , Cor-Bon any type, Hornady TAP, or Personal Defense, Federal Hydra Shok, Winchester Ranger, Remington Golden Saber and Glazer Safety slugs. I use and carry this ammo. For 9mm specifically I carry Federal Hydra Shok and 147 Grain Sub sonic, and Winchester Ranger. I would call around for this ammo to see who has the best price or order it online from Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt or Shooters Supply etc. Don’t overlook the gun shows but their prices aren’t as low in some cases as local retailers.
You are correct in not using 00 buckshot in you over and under. Bird shot is just fine in the home and down the hallway it will definitely knock the predator down. You were very correct in reading the recommendations in the Ruger manual.
EQUIPMENT:
I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING HOLSTERS AND BELTS:
Make sure the holster is available for your specific make and model of gun.
Holsters: I have found a paddle holster that works and is halfway comfortable to wear for long periods of time The Blackhawk SERPA CQC. Has a lock built in so the gun can’t easily be snatched and definitely will not fall out. It is also fast to draw from. It comes with both a paddle and belt loop and you can adjust it for cross draw or strong side and angle. It’s about $35. To $40. Or less. Don Hume Leather Goods of Miami Oklahoma has a great inside the waistband holster and a JIT Slide leather high quality relatively low price and a great strong belt the B1 lined. 5.11 Tactical has a great belt for about $35.. Dillon Precision has a catalog called the Blue Press that has some incredible holsters at great prices. I have one from Mitch Rosen (for Dillon) and it is beautiful and fits my XD like a glove. Galco The Fletch is a great holster of incredible quality and reasonably priced in town you can find it a carter’s, Collectors, Bass Pro and others. Safariland is available at police supply stores but go on line and check for their line of more civilian geared products. Bianchi has several great models available at the same in town outlets I mentioned and The Pinch model has a lock too. Do not buy ballistic nylon holsters for daily carry. They absorb and transfer sweat, and are dirt and lint magnets. They are great in the woods or on the ranch but if it’s hot you’re going to have a rust problem from sweating. Do not buy a cheap belt. I can never stress that enough. It could cost you your life. Seriously. Buy a good gun belt and a good holster they will protect you and your firearm and remember….”If you buy cheap, you’re gonna buy twice.” Please trust me on this. Next to your gun it is the most important component of you personal defense. Ladies every purse I have seen from Galco, Safariland, Coronado, De Santis, Bianchi is all excellent quality and very well engineered. I understand 5.11 Tactical now has them and they can be found at the aforementioned retailers and Pro Defense in Webster. Guys you can get a “man sack “from Maxpedition or Galco and I just ordered one from Dillon called the Concealed Carry Tote that looks like more an a briefcase/laptop carrier. Check out that Blue Press they have top quality products at very reasonable prices. Galco belts are top quality but run in the $60. To $100. Range. They are worth every penny and you’ll only buy once.
If you have a rail for mounting a light on your weapon, Streamlight makes the TRL-1 and TRL-2 (with laser, surefire, and insight make similar ones but the Streamlight TRL-1 is a good light for around $75. Bucks and you can get them at Academy and the other retailers (although Gander Mtn. and Bass Pro are so high I won’t buy there). Sure fire and Streamlight make handhelds that are called Stinger and Nitrolon G2 that are very reasonable as are Maglites. Lights and magazines buy them and buy a bunch of them. Have them in depth as I like to say. Cabela’s has a series of lights (made by Sure Fire) that are excellent and very affordable. Check their website.
If your firearm came with two magazines buy no less than one more, preferably two more. This is the absolute minimum you should have for your own safety and they are available almost everywhere or you can order them from the firearms manufacturers. Go on line to Midway USA and Dillon and Pro Mag and order as many as you can afford or got to the gun store and ask or Academy and check the racks. Carry at least one spare magazine whenever you are carrying your weapon. ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST ONE RELOAD ON YOUR PERSON AT ALL TIMES. TWO IS EVEN BETTER. GUNS GO DRY IN A FIGHT ALWAYS. 90% OF ALL MALFUNCTIONS IN SEMI AUTO PISTOLS ARE MAGAZINE RELATED. IF YOU SHOOT REVOLVERS BUY SPEEDLOADERS! NO EXCEPTIONS!
You will really only have to make this expenditure once and your life is worth it. Isn’t it?
Thanks y’all…………Eddie Your Instructor.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Merry Christmas From Your Instructor The Fastman
To All My Trainees
December 2009
Hi Everyone. I want to wish a Very Merry Christmas to you all, and your loved ones, and a Happy New Year. I hope next year is better and safer and more prosperous for you and yours and for all the brave kids serving proudly everywhere to preserve our freedom. God and Karma bless them and keep them safe and bring them safely home again.
The City of Houston has a new mayor. Anise Parker, whom the media touts as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city (which isn’t correct, she is not the first). Big deal! What worries me about Anise Parker is that she is openly against firearms possession by law abiding citizens and is on record as such.
Before Chuck Rosenthal got stupid and then bounced from his position as AG for Harris county, he had tried to circumvent State law and the CHL statute in particular. He instituted without referendum or consultation with the State AG (attorney general) a regulation prohibiting CHL holders from carrying their weapons in Harris County Parks. He got away with it until the State stepped in and struck the ordinance down as unlawful under State law. It took some time and more than twenty people were arrested and their weapons were confiscated (eventually returned of course) . Anise Parker in her then city administration position was a very vocal supporter of the ordinance (along with others in city and county govt.) and proposed the City of Houston adopt the same policy.
How does this affect us and our CHL status? The decision on the Second Amendment in Heller v District of Columbia was not just an individual rights decision. It left a broad area of gray wherein local municipalities have the right to make “reasonable” rules and ordinances of their own in regards to “Public Safety” and firearms. In case you haven’t noticed Washington D.C. and the District have as yet to institute a revocation of the ban on individual right of possession of a legally owned firearm (of any type) by its citizenry but are still fighting the decision in court to this day. They have added an unbelievable amount of “reasonable” clauses to the original gun ban and have also appealed the ruling in “.Heller” . Anise Parker has made the centerpiece of her campaign a promise to change policing in the city and the HPD in general needs to be revamped and she will try to get similar restrictions on gun ownership and other “reasonable” gun control measures through city council quickly to help make the city “safe” for citizens and police. She is on record as being a major opponent of the State of Texas Concealed Handgun License statute and signed a letter to that effect sent to the Governor and legislators in Austin. She plans to add no new cadet classes at HPD and make multi agency policing her priority. If you live in Houston and call 911 for help this means your call will be handled by the nearest available agency. Not the fastest one since the call will have to be routed and screened for availability.
You better hope to God that you live somewhere that the closest police and fire departments have the same “radio” with HPD especially if you are in low income or unincorporated areas. If you have paid any attention you know that the Harris County/City of Houston Communication Center has had it’s more than fair share of problems to this day. Ms. Parker will certainly go after your ability to have guns either in your home or on your person, and she agrees with open registration of all firearms in the City of Houston with bans on certain types a la California. Go figure. Keep an eye on the City council and regulation proposals in the paper and on tv and radio.
The Department of Public Safety in conjunction with legislators, were not able to get the “Parking Lot” rule placed in effect in the new legislative amendments and laws. This means your employer can enforce and impose regulation of your firearm in the parking lot where you lock it while at work. You can be fired if your company has this type of prohibition and you will have no legal recourse and won’t even be eligible for unemployment benefits. As I always say use your own judgment, but I won’t abide by any such rule or regulation of my vehicle and property.
The Department has also had the penalty removed for not displaying both your Texas DL and Texas CHL if you get stopped and are carrying. Your weapon and license can still be confiscated by police and they can file for suspension but this is a case where the Department itself created a grey area and no one has a clue why. Just do as I trained you. If you get stopped by law enforcement, display both licenses you will save yourself a hassle. Just give them both to the cop unless you just have to show him that old crap target of “I know my rights.” Save yourself the trouble and give em to him and go on your way. Remember, “Yes sir, no sir” goes a lot further than “I know my rights” with pretty much any cop you’ll encounter.
QUESTION: I was one of the “panic buyers” as you called us, and bought an AR-15, an AK-47 and semi automatic shotgun and as much ammo as I could afford. I took them to the range and fired them all. My buddy had an AR-15 in .308 Winchester and he told me you are wrong about using them in a house. He says he is sure that rifle bullets will not go all the way through my home and injure anyone, and he trusts his “.308” for his main home defense gun. Also, I had difficulty hitting anything that came close to a group on targets at twenty five, fifty and a hundred yards. Is something wrong with the guns sights and how could I accessorize them to make them shoot better? I expected the shotgun to kick but the rifles are pretty heavy and they kicked very hard. Is that normal? The AK-47 safety is hard to move up and down. What Can I do?
ANSWER: First of all you bought battle rifles not sniper rifles. They aren’t meant to shoot groups of target competition grade. With AKs there are simple things to do. Take a triangle file and open up the rear sight on either side (mark it 1/16” on either side, and file to that mark). With the safety lever, bend it out until it moves easier do this a little at a time don’t just crow bar it away from the receiver.
If you want to see what a rifle or handgun bullet or shotgun shell of any caliber will do in a structure at the very least level try this. Get a couple of 2x4’s a couple of pieces of drywall scrap a couple pieces of OSB or plywood. If at all possible find a trashed piece of furniture. Put together a simulated set of two or three walls and place the furniture between them. You will need a place to do this of course and you should space the walls at least six to eight feet apart or further if you like. Get your buddy with the “.308” to unplug his head from his intestinal egress portal and shoot a round of “.308” through the simulated structure and retrieve the bullet. You, fire one round from each of your weapons through the simulated structure and retrieve the bullets. Then email me again about how wrong I am. Trust me I’m certainly willing to learn BUT please don’t tell me my business. I won’t criticize your buddy but ask him how many times he’s actually fired his rifle through his house. If you really want to make it interesting set up a stack of cinder blocks and go back about fifteen or twenty yards. Take a few shots at it and see what it does. As an aside, I would not let your kids spend the night at your buddy’s house until he sees what a bullet does in a house. BTW.. How many bullets did you find?
Accessorizing any AR is totally up to you. Useful things are a good sling, extra 20 & 30 round mags and flashlight rail that mounts on the front sight. Ammo should be specific check the manual . AKs need nothing and cost mucho to add to. If you can hit a paper plate at twenty five and fifty yards that is within spec and parameters for 223/5.56mm AR and 7.62 Russian (x39 or 59) which ever variant)AKs. They all kick. They are rifles not BB guns. Were you sitting, standing, kneeling or prone when you fired? You didn’t say.
Eddie …….OUT and to all a good night.
December 2009
Hi Everyone. I want to wish a Very Merry Christmas to you all, and your loved ones, and a Happy New Year. I hope next year is better and safer and more prosperous for you and yours and for all the brave kids serving proudly everywhere to preserve our freedom. God and Karma bless them and keep them safe and bring them safely home again.
The City of Houston has a new mayor. Anise Parker, whom the media touts as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city (which isn’t correct, she is not the first). Big deal! What worries me about Anise Parker is that she is openly against firearms possession by law abiding citizens and is on record as such.
Before Chuck Rosenthal got stupid and then bounced from his position as AG for Harris county, he had tried to circumvent State law and the CHL statute in particular. He instituted without referendum or consultation with the State AG (attorney general) a regulation prohibiting CHL holders from carrying their weapons in Harris County Parks. He got away with it until the State stepped in and struck the ordinance down as unlawful under State law. It took some time and more than twenty people were arrested and their weapons were confiscated (eventually returned of course) . Anise Parker in her then city administration position was a very vocal supporter of the ordinance (along with others in city and county govt.) and proposed the City of Houston adopt the same policy.
How does this affect us and our CHL status? The decision on the Second Amendment in Heller v District of Columbia was not just an individual rights decision. It left a broad area of gray wherein local municipalities have the right to make “reasonable” rules and ordinances of their own in regards to “Public Safety” and firearms. In case you haven’t noticed Washington D.C. and the District have as yet to institute a revocation of the ban on individual right of possession of a legally owned firearm (of any type) by its citizenry but are still fighting the decision in court to this day. They have added an unbelievable amount of “reasonable” clauses to the original gun ban and have also appealed the ruling in “.Heller” . Anise Parker has made the centerpiece of her campaign a promise to change policing in the city and the HPD in general needs to be revamped and she will try to get similar restrictions on gun ownership and other “reasonable” gun control measures through city council quickly to help make the city “safe” for citizens and police. She is on record as being a major opponent of the State of Texas Concealed Handgun License statute and signed a letter to that effect sent to the Governor and legislators in Austin. She plans to add no new cadet classes at HPD and make multi agency policing her priority. If you live in Houston and call 911 for help this means your call will be handled by the nearest available agency. Not the fastest one since the call will have to be routed and screened for availability.
You better hope to God that you live somewhere that the closest police and fire departments have the same “radio” with HPD especially if you are in low income or unincorporated areas. If you have paid any attention you know that the Harris County/City of Houston Communication Center has had it’s more than fair share of problems to this day. Ms. Parker will certainly go after your ability to have guns either in your home or on your person, and she agrees with open registration of all firearms in the City of Houston with bans on certain types a la California. Go figure. Keep an eye on the City council and regulation proposals in the paper and on tv and radio.
The Department of Public Safety in conjunction with legislators, were not able to get the “Parking Lot” rule placed in effect in the new legislative amendments and laws. This means your employer can enforce and impose regulation of your firearm in the parking lot where you lock it while at work. You can be fired if your company has this type of prohibition and you will have no legal recourse and won’t even be eligible for unemployment benefits. As I always say use your own judgment, but I won’t abide by any such rule or regulation of my vehicle and property.
The Department has also had the penalty removed for not displaying both your Texas DL and Texas CHL if you get stopped and are carrying. Your weapon and license can still be confiscated by police and they can file for suspension but this is a case where the Department itself created a grey area and no one has a clue why. Just do as I trained you. If you get stopped by law enforcement, display both licenses you will save yourself a hassle. Just give them both to the cop unless you just have to show him that old crap target of “I know my rights.” Save yourself the trouble and give em to him and go on your way. Remember, “Yes sir, no sir” goes a lot further than “I know my rights” with pretty much any cop you’ll encounter.
QUESTION: I was one of the “panic buyers” as you called us, and bought an AR-15, an AK-47 and semi automatic shotgun and as much ammo as I could afford. I took them to the range and fired them all. My buddy had an AR-15 in .308 Winchester and he told me you are wrong about using them in a house. He says he is sure that rifle bullets will not go all the way through my home and injure anyone, and he trusts his “.308” for his main home defense gun. Also, I had difficulty hitting anything that came close to a group on targets at twenty five, fifty and a hundred yards. Is something wrong with the guns sights and how could I accessorize them to make them shoot better? I expected the shotgun to kick but the rifles are pretty heavy and they kicked very hard. Is that normal? The AK-47 safety is hard to move up and down. What Can I do?
ANSWER: First of all you bought battle rifles not sniper rifles. They aren’t meant to shoot groups of target competition grade. With AKs there are simple things to do. Take a triangle file and open up the rear sight on either side (mark it 1/16” on either side, and file to that mark). With the safety lever, bend it out until it moves easier do this a little at a time don’t just crow bar it away from the receiver.
If you want to see what a rifle or handgun bullet or shotgun shell of any caliber will do in a structure at the very least level try this. Get a couple of 2x4’s a couple of pieces of drywall scrap a couple pieces of OSB or plywood. If at all possible find a trashed piece of furniture. Put together a simulated set of two or three walls and place the furniture between them. You will need a place to do this of course and you should space the walls at least six to eight feet apart or further if you like. Get your buddy with the “.308” to unplug his head from his intestinal egress portal and shoot a round of “.308” through the simulated structure and retrieve the bullet. You, fire one round from each of your weapons through the simulated structure and retrieve the bullets. Then email me again about how wrong I am. Trust me I’m certainly willing to learn BUT please don’t tell me my business. I won’t criticize your buddy but ask him how many times he’s actually fired his rifle through his house. If you really want to make it interesting set up a stack of cinder blocks and go back about fifteen or twenty yards. Take a few shots at it and see what it does. As an aside, I would not let your kids spend the night at your buddy’s house until he sees what a bullet does in a house. BTW.. How many bullets did you find?
Accessorizing any AR is totally up to you. Useful things are a good sling, extra 20 & 30 round mags and flashlight rail that mounts on the front sight. Ammo should be specific check the manual . AKs need nothing and cost mucho to add to. If you can hit a paper plate at twenty five and fifty yards that is within spec and parameters for 223/5.56mm AR and 7.62 Russian (x39 or 59) which ever variant)AKs. They all kick. They are rifles not BB guns. Were you sitting, standing, kneeling or prone when you fired? You didn’t say.
Eddie …….OUT and to all a good night.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Taking It All For Granted
From your Instructor a word or two on Taking It All For Granted
Hi folks thought I’d get a few of these done before I get busy and have to lay off a little for the Holidays and upcoming work requirements.
I finally heard from NASA/JSC. The NASA budget has delayed takeover to January and the reassessment of security/police force needs and protocols, has been dropped on the front burner since the Ft. Hood massacre. I get it but watching the government minds and bureaucracy function I liken to committing suicide with a rubber band. It takes forever. I will however take my physical and PT test in January. This requires that I walk/run 3miles in forty five minutes and do a small number of sit ups, pull ups, and push- ups. Now you ask what does this have to do with CHL newsletters? This! I have to prepare by practicing. At my age that is not without pain but it is necessary.
I cannot take for granted that I’ll be hired or pass a “PT” test at my age! AND ………….. you, can’t take for granted that you will pass the test of surviving an assault on you or against your home.
I’ve been with more than a few of my friends and trainees when they purchased their firearms. I have , as all know not said “buy this or that.” I make some suggestions as to what to take a look at but I refuse to pick firearms for anybody other than myself. If you pick it for yourself you will feel more confident, and in a fight confidence should be part of your survival mindset. That said, you have all made what I consider, excellent choices and surprised me with more than a few of them. All have been excellent choices, bottom line. What have you done with your choice to ensure your survival in a lethal encounter? If you haven’t had the money to buy something to defend yourself with that is understandable. I know two trainees/students who went so far as to put firearms in lay-away only to cancel them because of financial problems. BUT…..one lady said it was too expensive ($300.00 shotgun) AND …. The others ( I forgot one ) said other things kept popping up that the money was needed for and they canceled the lay-away with restock fees involved I’m sure. Folks, I know gas is expensive and so is food and clothes for the kids, never mind the bills every month. You just can’t avoid that living expense and the money not always being there are factors. I got that, BUT ……. I DON’T GET (AND I WILL NOT CRITICIZE….AH HELL YES I WILL.) that a weekend cruise out of Galveston, a trip to the casinos in Louisiana or another piece of musical equipment was either one of those bills/necessities or in any way, shape or form, more important than your self defense and that of your home and loved ones.
We as a group of Instructors have basically been ordered to maintain contact with our trainees by OUR instructors , at the very least with something in the form of written material like this or more hopefully with hands on training.
“I have a super two thousand ninety nine millimeter with grenade launcher and satellite descrambler voltometer and…………. I leave it in the car…..or….it’s in the dresser…….or I’ve never fired it but it’s a good one…..or…or ….or.” You bet……YOUR LIFE…….on that or your loved ones? A wiser Instructor than said two things that I live and personally train not only you but myself by, “Ownership, does not equate to ability.,… and a firearm should be COMFORTING not comfortable.”
Practice or don’t it is completely up to you. I practice to stay sharp not to prove anything. If you ever meet an Instructor who says he doesn’t need practice for himself, you have wasted your time and money with that instructor. Do you think that if you get in a fight or are assaulted in your home that the Grand Jury you will face after a deadly force incident will accept that you tell them “I took the CHL course but I just didn’t have any time to practice. Isn’t that enough?” after you shot through your house your attacker and into the house next door killing the gerbil and destroying the microwave. What do you think the attorney for the recently deceased bad guy will zero in on from your testimony, after telling your ”peers” that his clients family deserves the proceeds from the sale of your home, business, your vehicles and all of your insurance policies and savings, because he deserved to be incarcerated for sure but… KILLED? Mercilessly GUNNED DOWN in the home of a gun owner who didn’t feel the necessity or the responsibility to practice with that gun that MERCILESSLY GUNNED DOWN THEIR SONS, never giving them a chance to repay their debt to a society but instead, being the judge, jury, and executioner because “I took the CHL course” but they didn’t think they had to practice any more….ladies and gentlemen kids go wrong but should they be GUNNED DOWN FOR IT?.............
Your Instructor the “Fastman” says “there’s that old damned perception thing again.”
How much is your life and those of your loved ones worth? Couple of coin? A little practice?
To me you are all priceless and so are your loved ones which is why I write and INVITE ….y’all to come to the range with me or go to the range and let me know how much fun you had.
EDDIE your Instructor
Hi folks thought I’d get a few of these done before I get busy and have to lay off a little for the Holidays and upcoming work requirements.
I finally heard from NASA/JSC. The NASA budget has delayed takeover to January and the reassessment of security/police force needs and protocols, has been dropped on the front burner since the Ft. Hood massacre. I get it but watching the government minds and bureaucracy function I liken to committing suicide with a rubber band. It takes forever. I will however take my physical and PT test in January. This requires that I walk/run 3miles in forty five minutes and do a small number of sit ups, pull ups, and push- ups. Now you ask what does this have to do with CHL newsletters? This! I have to prepare by practicing. At my age that is not without pain but it is necessary.
I cannot take for granted that I’ll be hired or pass a “PT” test at my age! AND ………….. you, can’t take for granted that you will pass the test of surviving an assault on you or against your home.
I’ve been with more than a few of my friends and trainees when they purchased their firearms. I have , as all know not said “buy this or that.” I make some suggestions as to what to take a look at but I refuse to pick firearms for anybody other than myself. If you pick it for yourself you will feel more confident, and in a fight confidence should be part of your survival mindset. That said, you have all made what I consider, excellent choices and surprised me with more than a few of them. All have been excellent choices, bottom line. What have you done with your choice to ensure your survival in a lethal encounter? If you haven’t had the money to buy something to defend yourself with that is understandable. I know two trainees/students who went so far as to put firearms in lay-away only to cancel them because of financial problems. BUT…..one lady said it was too expensive ($300.00 shotgun) AND …. The others ( I forgot one ) said other things kept popping up that the money was needed for and they canceled the lay-away with restock fees involved I’m sure. Folks, I know gas is expensive and so is food and clothes for the kids, never mind the bills every month. You just can’t avoid that living expense and the money not always being there are factors. I got that, BUT ……. I DON’T GET (AND I WILL NOT CRITICIZE….AH HELL YES I WILL.) that a weekend cruise out of Galveston, a trip to the casinos in Louisiana or another piece of musical equipment was either one of those bills/necessities or in any way, shape or form, more important than your self defense and that of your home and loved ones.
We as a group of Instructors have basically been ordered to maintain contact with our trainees by OUR instructors , at the very least with something in the form of written material like this or more hopefully with hands on training.
“I have a super two thousand ninety nine millimeter with grenade launcher and satellite descrambler voltometer and…………. I leave it in the car…..or….it’s in the dresser…….or I’ve never fired it but it’s a good one…..or…or ….or.” You bet……YOUR LIFE…….on that or your loved ones? A wiser Instructor than said two things that I live and personally train not only you but myself by, “Ownership, does not equate to ability.,… and a firearm should be COMFORTING not comfortable.”
Practice or don’t it is completely up to you. I practice to stay sharp not to prove anything. If you ever meet an Instructor who says he doesn’t need practice for himself, you have wasted your time and money with that instructor. Do you think that if you get in a fight or are assaulted in your home that the Grand Jury you will face after a deadly force incident will accept that you tell them “I took the CHL course but I just didn’t have any time to practice. Isn’t that enough?” after you shot through your house your attacker and into the house next door killing the gerbil and destroying the microwave. What do you think the attorney for the recently deceased bad guy will zero in on from your testimony, after telling your ”peers” that his clients family deserves the proceeds from the sale of your home, business, your vehicles and all of your insurance policies and savings, because he deserved to be incarcerated for sure but… KILLED? Mercilessly GUNNED DOWN in the home of a gun owner who didn’t feel the necessity or the responsibility to practice with that gun that MERCILESSLY GUNNED DOWN THEIR SONS, never giving them a chance to repay their debt to a society but instead, being the judge, jury, and executioner because “I took the CHL course” but they didn’t think they had to practice any more….ladies and gentlemen kids go wrong but should they be GUNNED DOWN FOR IT?.............
Your Instructor the “Fastman” says “there’s that old damned perception thing again.”
How much is your life and those of your loved ones worth? Couple of coin? A little practice?
To me you are all priceless and so are your loved ones which is why I write and INVITE ….y’all to come to the range with me or go to the range and let me know how much fun you had.
EDDIE your Instructor
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Practicing Smart, Wise and for Fun!
Hi y’all it’s the old Instructor again.,
When I train y’all I go over the basics of marksmanship. I train you first in what I call defensive shooting at distances out to ten yards. Those are realistic in an assault and usually considering the distances you’ll likely encounter in your home if attacked there. The statistical records of forensic study show that attacks on persons run for the most part from contact distance to seven yards. CHL training takes into consideration other factors and we train you to a maximum of fifteen yards as you know.
In keeping with me upgrading the quality of my training of you, I will now deal with the marksmanship aspects of your handgun training. THIS IS MANDATORY IT IS NOT A REQUEST AND IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE OR YOUR LOVED ONES!!! ……. You must learn what you and your weapon are capable of at distances and ranges that you MAY have to deal with……..Yeah I know but then there’s that one time. Better to need it and not use it than to need it and not KNOW how to use it.
If you have a place to shoot out doors do this at twenty five yards or twenty five steps normal stride. Set up a table of some kind and improvise a rest or bring one for your weapon. If you have to do this at an indoor range, run the target as far out as it goes, get a chair and once again use a rest
1. Outdoors if not a range, make sure you have a good backstop and make sure of what’s beyond it.
2. Targets: Use a silhouette (B27) and put one of those shoot n see round or oval (large) stick- on in the center of it. This will allow you to see your hits, and force yourself in these games to look at the sight picture not at the hits until you’ve fired your rounds. Someone else can spot for you if you like but you concentrate on sight picture and trigger squeeze. If you want to put a four foot stick in the ground with a balloon tied to it and try to hit it or tape it onto the shoot n see on the silhouette. If there’s a breeze you’ll have a blast tryin to hit that balloon.
3. Indoors or Outdoors sit at the table and rest the butt of your weapon on the rest that you improvised or sandbags or whatever so that your sights are at eye level. At first, don’t rest the barrel just hold the weapon so you can figure out how to hold for windage and elevation. Line up your sights so that the sight picture shows you they are all lined up evenly across the top and the front sight blade is centered in the rear with equal amount of light on either side. Put the sights on the target so that the shoot n see sits right on top like the moon or at what is known as the six o’clock position. If you have a semi auto or revolver with an exposed hammer (now you stop and say to yourself 3 times FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..and) cock the hammer. Now put your finger on the trigger and put just enough pressure on the trigger to do what is known as taking up the slack (semi autos) revolvers should just put the finger on the trigger. Take a breath, look at the sights/target, let half of the breath out and squeeze………….BANG! REPEAT…..FOR FIVE ROUNDS. LOOK AT YOUR TARGET. How’d you do? Repeat that process and swing over to try and hit the balloon for the fifth round.
4. Now that set -up except this time move your sights or raise your hold to get you sights on the center (usually a red circle or vertical oval) of the target/shoot n see. Do this for three groups of five shots each at each point on the target. This will tell you where your sights are set and how you are doing with proper sight picture/alignment. Do this for 50 rounds, cause you’ll find that’s just about the point where you either get bored or frustrated. Then your practice doesn’t do you any good.
If you reach a point of just doing something for the fun of challenging yourself try this. Take a break from the marksmanship part and put another four foot stick in the ground with a golf tee stuck in the top or attached so you can set an egg on the tee. You can also staple or tape a playing card to the stick or turn over a red drink cup and try to hit those. That sh*t is just plain fun folks. They also work great for teaching kids with a bb or pellet gun or .22 and one for both of you would be to try to hit a lollipop of any size at that distance. Kids love it.
Why do I teach you this if the self defense distances are so much closer? Come on y’all, think. You just might have that one encounter with the “rocket scientist” criminal you HAVE to engage at that type of distance. Let me give you an example: June 20, 1994 at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane Wash., a recently section 8 discharged airman went on the base with an AK 47 copy and went to the base hospital where he opened fire first inside and then out in the parking lot. He wound up shootin 27 people killing several including an 8 year old little girl in the cafeteria until an “Ape” Air Policeman who rode up on his bike in response engaged him with a 9mm Beretta he’d never even fired (it was just issued to him) and took him out with a shot to the head that entered just to the right of his nose and blasted the top of his brain to spray. He fired five rounds total from his handgun against a rifleman shootin at him. The AP had taken a kneeling position and from his own reports thought he was shootin at no more than thirty yards and couldn’t understand why he was not hitting him. Each shot was carefully aimed and fired and upon stopping the attacker the A.P. had to enter the hospital to clear it of any possible other shooters where to his horror he discovered the eight year old child by slipping in the pool of her blood as he entered to clear the cafeteria. He lives with that and the thought that if he’d only got there sooner………. The forensic investigation showed that the Air Policeman had NOT engaged the nutball at 30 yards at all. IT WAS SEVENTY THREE YARDS WHEN HE MADE THE HEAD SHOT THAT STOPPED THE NUT…and he had hit him twice. YEARS before the Ft. Hood murders folks. You can read about that in the current edition of American Handgunner in The Ayoob Files.
You never know when you might need it so know how to do it. What if that was your eight year old or mine…..?
I will be practicing at Marksman Indoor Range in South Houston , Sunday Dec. 6, 2009 at 1:00 pm I will also be there practicing on Sunday the 27th at the same time please try to come by and join me. You have to practice folks. I can’t stress it enough. Your life and liability could depend on it. If you got in a deadly force situation and faced the aftermath of both a grand jury and the bad guy’s attorney you will have to explain why you didn’t practice at all or you may be accused of practicing too much. I’ll take my chances with the latter. You don’t have to do it like I do but you do have to do it.
Eddie OUT
When I train y’all I go over the basics of marksmanship. I train you first in what I call defensive shooting at distances out to ten yards. Those are realistic in an assault and usually considering the distances you’ll likely encounter in your home if attacked there. The statistical records of forensic study show that attacks on persons run for the most part from contact distance to seven yards. CHL training takes into consideration other factors and we train you to a maximum of fifteen yards as you know.
In keeping with me upgrading the quality of my training of you, I will now deal with the marksmanship aspects of your handgun training. THIS IS MANDATORY IT IS NOT A REQUEST AND IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE OR YOUR LOVED ONES!!! ……. You must learn what you and your weapon are capable of at distances and ranges that you MAY have to deal with……..Yeah I know but then there’s that one time. Better to need it and not use it than to need it and not KNOW how to use it.
IF YOU ENJOY CHALLENGING YOURSELF THIS CAN BE SO MUCH FUN SO TRY IT.
If you have a place to shoot out doors do this at twenty five yards or twenty five steps normal stride. Set up a table of some kind and improvise a rest or bring one for your weapon. If you have to do this at an indoor range, run the target as far out as it goes, get a chair and once again use a rest
1. Outdoors if not a range, make sure you have a good backstop and make sure of what’s beyond it.
2. Targets: Use a silhouette (B27) and put one of those shoot n see round or oval (large) stick- on in the center of it. This will allow you to see your hits, and force yourself in these games to look at the sight picture not at the hits until you’ve fired your rounds. Someone else can spot for you if you like but you concentrate on sight picture and trigger squeeze. If you want to put a four foot stick in the ground with a balloon tied to it and try to hit it or tape it onto the shoot n see on the silhouette. If there’s a breeze you’ll have a blast tryin to hit that balloon.
3. Indoors or Outdoors sit at the table and rest the butt of your weapon on the rest that you improvised or sandbags or whatever so that your sights are at eye level. At first, don’t rest the barrel just hold the weapon so you can figure out how to hold for windage and elevation. Line up your sights so that the sight picture shows you they are all lined up evenly across the top and the front sight blade is centered in the rear with equal amount of light on either side. Put the sights on the target so that the shoot n see sits right on top like the moon or at what is known as the six o’clock position. If you have a semi auto or revolver with an exposed hammer (now you stop and say to yourself 3 times FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER..and) cock the hammer. Now put your finger on the trigger and put just enough pressure on the trigger to do what is known as taking up the slack (semi autos) revolvers should just put the finger on the trigger. Take a breath, look at the sights/target, let half of the breath out and squeeze………….BANG! REPEAT…..FOR FIVE ROUNDS. LOOK AT YOUR TARGET. How’d you do? Repeat that process and swing over to try and hit the balloon for the fifth round.
4. Now that set -up except this time move your sights or raise your hold to get you sights on the center (usually a red circle or vertical oval) of the target/shoot n see. Do this for three groups of five shots each at each point on the target. This will tell you where your sights are set and how you are doing with proper sight picture/alignment. Do this for 50 rounds, cause you’ll find that’s just about the point where you either get bored or frustrated. Then your practice doesn’t do you any good.
If you reach a point of just doing something for the fun of challenging yourself try this. Take a break from the marksmanship part and put another four foot stick in the ground with a golf tee stuck in the top or attached so you can set an egg on the tee. You can also staple or tape a playing card to the stick or turn over a red drink cup and try to hit those. That sh*t is just plain fun folks. They also work great for teaching kids with a bb or pellet gun or .22 and one for both of you would be to try to hit a lollipop of any size at that distance. Kids love it.
Why do I teach you this if the self defense distances are so much closer? Come on y’all, think. You just might have that one encounter with the “rocket scientist” criminal you HAVE to engage at that type of distance. Let me give you an example: June 20, 1994 at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane Wash., a recently section 8 discharged airman went on the base with an AK 47 copy and went to the base hospital where he opened fire first inside and then out in the parking lot. He wound up shootin 27 people killing several including an 8 year old little girl in the cafeteria until an “Ape” Air Policeman who rode up on his bike in response engaged him with a 9mm Beretta he’d never even fired (it was just issued to him) and took him out with a shot to the head that entered just to the right of his nose and blasted the top of his brain to spray. He fired five rounds total from his handgun against a rifleman shootin at him. The AP had taken a kneeling position and from his own reports thought he was shootin at no more than thirty yards and couldn’t understand why he was not hitting him. Each shot was carefully aimed and fired and upon stopping the attacker the A.P. had to enter the hospital to clear it of any possible other shooters where to his horror he discovered the eight year old child by slipping in the pool of her blood as he entered to clear the cafeteria. He lives with that and the thought that if he’d only got there sooner………. The forensic investigation showed that the Air Policeman had NOT engaged the nutball at 30 yards at all. IT WAS SEVENTY THREE YARDS WHEN HE MADE THE HEAD SHOT THAT STOPPED THE NUT…and he had hit him twice. YEARS before the Ft. Hood murders folks. You can read about that in the current edition of American Handgunner in The Ayoob Files.
You never know when you might need it so know how to do it. What if that was your eight year old or mine…..?
I will be practicing at Marksman Indoor Range in South Houston , Sunday Dec. 6, 2009 at 1:00 pm I will also be there practicing on Sunday the 27th at the same time please try to come by and join me. You have to practice folks. I can’t stress it enough. Your life and liability could depend on it. If you got in a deadly force situation and faced the aftermath of both a grand jury and the bad guy’s attorney you will have to explain why you didn’t practice at all or you may be accused of practicing too much. I’ll take my chances with the latter. You don’t have to do it like I do but you do have to do it.
Eddie OUT
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Q&A: Gun Smiths, Gun Mods and Gun Manufacturers
From your Instructor,
QUESTION: Would you recommend any Gunsmith (s) in our area and do you have any idea what they charge for services.
ANSWER: In the Houston area I know of two. Both are highly thought of and one is world renowned. Briley is on the West side of Houston in the Gessner/Katy Freeway area. www.briley.com (world renowned) and Vandenberg Custom Guns on Old Galveston Rd. S.Houston. I have seen and handled their work and it is first rate. I haven’t had any work done by them but I know several people and cops who have and they are totally satisfied. Price I have no idea about but like any skilled mechanic I’d bet it ain’t cheap. I personally have had work done by the manufacturers when needed and they were minor things.
QUESTION: John asked what if any modifications I have done to my personal weapons or had done?
ANSWER: I know the gun you mean in particular and I have had a very few things done by others. My 1911 Para you ask about I had refinished by the factory and the finish upgraded because as it came from Para the original finish SUCKED! WITH A CAPITAL S. I raised hell about it since it went to s**t after six months. It cost me $109.00 and shipping and I’ll never buy or recommend another Para product again. I kept the gun and have added a Wilson mag well ($21.) and some 3M bathtub/pool traction tape (black) to the front strap of it at a cost of about a dollar. I have this tape on all my weapons on the front strap and front of the trigger guard. It keeps it from moving in my hand especially when it’s hot. You buy it in packs and cut the pieces to size so that it will fit under the grips. Take the grips off cut the pieces stick em on put the grips back on. Simple as that Nite Sites are my Christmas present to me this year as it is the only weapon I have without them. I’m gonna go with XS Sights Big Dot front Nite Sight and Novak rear and that’s it. Night sites can be had usually on the spot or same day at Pro Defense in Webster/League City (shopping ctr I-45 S ) by Hooters and Burlington Coat Factory. I don’t count magazines because I won’t have any less than 4 for any weapon I own.
About manufacturers… I have dealt with Smith & Wesson. Beretta, Taurus (for a trainee), Ruger and Sig Sauer. All had excellent customer service and though I was willning to and expected to pay for what I needed/wanted not one of these companies charged me a cent.
Most recently, last year I sent my most carried Sig P220 back because it rusted on the slide after a weeks worth of carry in the very hot humid summer here in ’08. I asked and as stated fully expected to pay for refinishing and a basic refurb. I was told I would have to pay approx. $149. and change but to my delight it was returned to me refinished and refurbished along with the replaced parts and an invoice for $0.00. True story and with the major manufacturers I named that has been their standard way of treating their customers. Para Ordnance on the other hand were rude and said I had abused the weapon which as anyone who knows me can attest to is a complete lie. It had been in the holster or safe most of its time and only on the range never on duty, never dropped, never anything. Yet after only six months after purchasing it new the finish had worn off in four different places. Calling them got nothing but attitude after I called several times just to make contact and discuss the problem and get a ra#. I was told that the finish is sprayed on not blued which is a chemical process and if I wanted it blued I’d have to pay. If I wanted it re sprayed I’d have to pay but less. I guess since they are a Canadian firm they don’t feel that customer service is a priority never mind just answering the phone or returning a call. That is why I don’t recommend Para products.
I hope y’all checked out the Taurus on sale at Academy (the Beretta styled .40 S&W} for $299.00
Tis the season...
Your Instructor Eddie
QUESTION: Would you recommend any Gunsmith (s) in our area and do you have any idea what they charge for services.
ANSWER: In the Houston area I know of two. Both are highly thought of and one is world renowned. Briley is on the West side of Houston in the Gessner/Katy Freeway area. www.briley.com (world renowned) and Vandenberg Custom Guns on Old Galveston Rd. S.Houston. I have seen and handled their work and it is first rate. I haven’t had any work done by them but I know several people and cops who have and they are totally satisfied. Price I have no idea about but like any skilled mechanic I’d bet it ain’t cheap. I personally have had work done by the manufacturers when needed and they were minor things.
QUESTION: John asked what if any modifications I have done to my personal weapons or had done?
ANSWER: I know the gun you mean in particular and I have had a very few things done by others. My 1911 Para you ask about I had refinished by the factory and the finish upgraded because as it came from Para the original finish SUCKED! WITH A CAPITAL S. I raised hell about it since it went to s**t after six months. It cost me $109.00 and shipping and I’ll never buy or recommend another Para product again. I kept the gun and have added a Wilson mag well ($21.) and some 3M bathtub/pool traction tape (black) to the front strap of it at a cost of about a dollar. I have this tape on all my weapons on the front strap and front of the trigger guard. It keeps it from moving in my hand especially when it’s hot. You buy it in packs and cut the pieces to size so that it will fit under the grips. Take the grips off cut the pieces stick em on put the grips back on. Simple as that Nite Sites are my Christmas present to me this year as it is the only weapon I have without them. I’m gonna go with XS Sights Big Dot front Nite Sight and Novak rear and that’s it. Night sites can be had usually on the spot or same day at Pro Defense in Webster/League City (shopping ctr I-45 S ) by Hooters and Burlington Coat Factory. I don’t count magazines because I won’t have any less than 4 for any weapon I own.
About manufacturers… I have dealt with Smith & Wesson. Beretta, Taurus (for a trainee), Ruger and Sig Sauer. All had excellent customer service and though I was willning to and expected to pay for what I needed/wanted not one of these companies charged me a cent.
Most recently, last year I sent my most carried Sig P220 back because it rusted on the slide after a weeks worth of carry in the very hot humid summer here in ’08. I asked and as stated fully expected to pay for refinishing and a basic refurb. I was told I would have to pay approx. $149. and change but to my delight it was returned to me refinished and refurbished along with the replaced parts and an invoice for $0.00. True story and with the major manufacturers I named that has been their standard way of treating their customers. Para Ordnance on the other hand were rude and said I had abused the weapon which as anyone who knows me can attest to is a complete lie. It had been in the holster or safe most of its time and only on the range never on duty, never dropped, never anything. Yet after only six months after purchasing it new the finish had worn off in four different places. Calling them got nothing but attitude after I called several times just to make contact and discuss the problem and get a ra#. I was told that the finish is sprayed on not blued which is a chemical process and if I wanted it blued I’d have to pay. If I wanted it re sprayed I’d have to pay but less. I guess since they are a Canadian firm they don’t feel that customer service is a priority never mind just answering the phone or returning a call. That is why I don’t recommend Para products.
I hope y’all checked out the Taurus on sale at Academy (the Beretta styled .40 S&W} for $299.00
Tis the season...
Your Instructor Eddie
Monday, November 30, 2009
Claude responds to: Situation Awareness and How it Affects You
Claude sent me a reply this a.m. to the incidents Debbie and T-Bone (Previous Post) had and generally asked as to how many John Q. Dumbasses spent the night in the hoosegow or face up on a cold slab because of their brains bein vacuum packed for freshness......but their mouth motor was still able to run on its own. And it reminded me.....
When I was still married years ago, and my kids were very young I had a brother in law who is a great person but an even bigger smartass than I and that takes some doin folks. He was young and bulletproof as most of us usually are and was out at a club in South Houston. On his way home or wherever he shot down Edgebrook to the Whataburger or Burger King at the Gulf Freeway and went in to get some clubbers haute cuisine. Fast food.
As he stood in line, a punk came in with what he described as an Uzi or Mac-10 sub machine gun and came to the counter. Being the perennial smartass he turned to the bad guy and asked ,"Is that thing real?" (knowing him the entire family knew he asked in his best smartass fashion and tone) to which the bad guy replied by placing it against his chest and BANG!,pulling the trigger. We got the call from Ben Taub and rushed there....long story short
He got the million dollar wound. Close contact range, full metal jacket bullet, high speed projectile passing through the lung without striking bone on the way in and on the way out. As we call it a through and through. He lived and to this day as my kids say he's still a smartass.
DON'T THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOURS, AND DON'T THINK IT ONLY HAPPENS IN DESERTED PARKING LOTS OR HOME INVASIONS.
IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR SENDS THANKS TO CLAUDE AND DEBBIE, AND T-BONE....... AND TO GOD, GOOD KARMA AND EXCELLENT TRAINING THAT THEY ALL CAME HOME SAFE AND ALIVE.
Eddie
When I was still married years ago, and my kids were very young I had a brother in law who is a great person but an even bigger smartass than I and that takes some doin folks. He was young and bulletproof as most of us usually are and was out at a club in South Houston. On his way home or wherever he shot down Edgebrook to the Whataburger or Burger King at the Gulf Freeway and went in to get some clubbers haute cuisine. Fast food.
As he stood in line, a punk came in with what he described as an Uzi or Mac-10 sub machine gun and came to the counter. Being the perennial smartass he turned to the bad guy and asked ,"Is that thing real?" (knowing him the entire family knew he asked in his best smartass fashion and tone) to which the bad guy replied by placing it against his chest and BANG!,pulling the trigger. We got the call from Ben Taub and rushed there....long story short
He got the million dollar wound. Close contact range, full metal jacket bullet, high speed projectile passing through the lung without striking bone on the way in and on the way out. As we call it a through and through. He lived and to this day as my kids say he's still a smartass.
DON'T THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOURS, AND DON'T THINK IT ONLY HAPPENS IN DESERTED PARKING LOTS OR HOME INVASIONS.
IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR SENDS THANKS TO CLAUDE AND DEBBIE, AND T-BONE....... AND TO GOD, GOOD KARMA AND EXCELLENT TRAINING THAT THEY ALL CAME HOME SAFE AND ALIVE.
Eddie
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Situation Awareness and How it Affects You
Paw Paw Davis or T-Bone as I have called him has been my best friend for 20+ years. He has known me as an instructor the entire time but I never pushed him into nor did he ever show interest in having me train him until about two years ago when he took my CHL course Sua Sponte or of his own accord. Interestingly, he took it with the woman I’m about to tel y’all about in second.
T-Bone had an interesting encounter the other day. He and I share a house since his wife passed away couple years back and my engagement to my last lady friend also met its demise. Bein best friends we share expenses and whiskey, never run out of bullshit to talk, and just makes sense cause neither of us is rich or presently connected to a relationship other than short term. The whole “why haven’t you called? Where are you? Trip helps keep that crap at a distance and we each got a dog so……..hey who need the aggravation? Anywho..he has taken to his training very responsibly and since he lives in the same house as his instructor, he gets the added benefit of havin me there to ask and gather from….”
T-Bone and I have over the years ended many a bar fight some of which have reached legendary status (trust me the stories are always better the way he tells them) but we have never started any and he has never seen or heard me threaten to use my weapon. Until Thursday his personal experience had never put him in condition Orange or “get ready cause it looks like this is gonna get nasty real quicklike…..” He had slipped down to The House of Pies on Kirby in Houston to get a pie for my birthday and one to take to his sisters for the Turkey Day family dinner he was going to. Time frame is 07:00 am to 8:00 am and of course there was a line out the door and down the walk. As he tells it a lady in line commented to people that “there’s a cash line…” and people bailed to go get in it. Upon finding out that no such line existed people returned and most went to the back of the line except for the gentleman who had been in front of T-Bone. He slipped back in line in front of T-Bone who asked “what are you doin?” the fella replied “this is my spot” to which T-Bone replied “Nah , you got outa line and lost your place.” The gentleman made a short reply and basically asked what he was gonna do about it when behind him T-Bone heard John Q Dumbass chime in to the effect “Yeah! What are you gonna do about it….cause I won’t mind spending the night in jail.” J.Q Dumbass was in line with girlfriend whom T-Bone says wasn’t looking of like mind as her dumbass male companion and was mortified. Point here is the guy said it loud enough and with clear enough intent and inference to alert T-Bone that he was serious. Up went the flag in his mind and the accompanying physiological responses. What I am extremely proud of in regards to how T-Bone took his training and responsibility as a CHL holder carrying his weapon at the time was how his reply to J.Q. Dumbass was fantastically “ You won’t spend the night in jail, You’ll spend it in the hospital….” And he turned around as Dumbass deflated and backed down with no further “Gore” gas exiting his pie hole. All the while T-Bone is keeping an eye on him in the reflection in the window of the establishment, real good tactic and one all should use. He got the pies, came home gave me mine with a “happy Birthday” and recounted the story and how much it affected him Paramount in T-Bones after action assessment of his own actions is just how incredibly stupid “Dumbass” was about something that was none of his business and how the adrenalin rush had kicked in because he knew the guy wasn’t foolin. Over a place in line for a pie.
Today, two days later T. is still amazed at the guys stupidity and how the release of the adrenalin from his system (and I’m sure the carbs from the feast) put him in a lethargic fog all day yesterday. Adrenalin dump does that. I have told him over and over that he did the exactly correct thing and responded in the exactly appropriate manner. and I am proud of him for taking his training and using it and trusting it to get him safely out of what could have easily been real badddddddd. He will replay it over and over again for quite some time. That is part of the process. Eventually the realization will come to him that he was correct in being both scared and in a heightened state of alert/readiness. You see it takes a while to let your conscience accept that in that type of incident you don’t solicit the assault, “Dumbass” just jumps in and presents an assault. You are forced to deal with it and T-Bone did it just right or by the book. Non Violent conflict resolution.
Debbie is my best trainee proficient, intelligent, open minded and conscientious about her situational awareness (most times, she’ll know why I said that). She came to training because no matter what anyone in her family had told her she had an “incident” in the parking lot of a mall/retail place. She knew in her gut that she was targeted and being stalked by a predator. I always tell y’all “go with your gut”… if deep down inside something tells you that something just ain’t right……IT ISN’T! ! ! She was lucky enough to gain entry to her vehicle (which is a 2500 lb. weapon if needed) and unass herself from what could have been baddddddddddd. She has professed to me both before and after training and licensing that she didn’t like guns, didn’t like handguns, and had no use for guns……. Until then. She went from the ground up. Chose her own weapon and method of carry and aced the course. She takes instruction as well as anyone I’ve trained and better than some so much so that I’ve recommended that she become an instructor herself. She’s comfortable with right where she is for now so kudos to her.
T-Bone and Debbie were both LUCKY……cause it coulda been a lot worse. They are both very intelligent and went with their gut feelings and maintained their cool long enough to get away from what could have been a deadly encounter and as I say “GO WITH YOUR GUT”. They did.
TIS THE SEASON TO BE CAUTIOUS
………YOUR INSTRUCTOR Eddie
T-Bone had an interesting encounter the other day. He and I share a house since his wife passed away couple years back and my engagement to my last lady friend also met its demise. Bein best friends we share expenses and whiskey, never run out of bullshit to talk, and just makes sense cause neither of us is rich or presently connected to a relationship other than short term. The whole “why haven’t you called? Where are you? Trip helps keep that crap at a distance and we each got a dog so……..hey who need the aggravation? Anywho..he has taken to his training very responsibly and since he lives in the same house as his instructor, he gets the added benefit of havin me there to ask and gather from….”
T-Bone and I have over the years ended many a bar fight some of which have reached legendary status (trust me the stories are always better the way he tells them) but we have never started any and he has never seen or heard me threaten to use my weapon. Until Thursday his personal experience had never put him in condition Orange or “get ready cause it looks like this is gonna get nasty real quicklike…..” He had slipped down to The House of Pies on Kirby in Houston to get a pie for my birthday and one to take to his sisters for the Turkey Day family dinner he was going to. Time frame is 07:00 am to 8:00 am and of course there was a line out the door and down the walk. As he tells it a lady in line commented to people that “there’s a cash line…” and people bailed to go get in it. Upon finding out that no such line existed people returned and most went to the back of the line except for the gentleman who had been in front of T-Bone. He slipped back in line in front of T-Bone who asked “what are you doin?” the fella replied “this is my spot” to which T-Bone replied “Nah , you got outa line and lost your place.” The gentleman made a short reply and basically asked what he was gonna do about it when behind him T-Bone heard John Q Dumbass chime in to the effect “Yeah! What are you gonna do about it….cause I won’t mind spending the night in jail.” J.Q Dumbass was in line with girlfriend whom T-Bone says wasn’t looking of like mind as her dumbass male companion and was mortified. Point here is the guy said it loud enough and with clear enough intent and inference to alert T-Bone that he was serious. Up went the flag in his mind and the accompanying physiological responses. What I am extremely proud of in regards to how T-Bone took his training and responsibility as a CHL holder carrying his weapon at the time was how his reply to J.Q. Dumbass was fantastically “ You won’t spend the night in jail, You’ll spend it in the hospital….” And he turned around as Dumbass deflated and backed down with no further “Gore” gas exiting his pie hole. All the while T-Bone is keeping an eye on him in the reflection in the window of the establishment, real good tactic and one all should use. He got the pies, came home gave me mine with a “happy Birthday” and recounted the story and how much it affected him Paramount in T-Bones after action assessment of his own actions is just how incredibly stupid “Dumbass” was about something that was none of his business and how the adrenalin rush had kicked in because he knew the guy wasn’t foolin. Over a place in line for a pie.
Today, two days later T. is still amazed at the guys stupidity and how the release of the adrenalin from his system (and I’m sure the carbs from the feast) put him in a lethargic fog all day yesterday. Adrenalin dump does that. I have told him over and over that he did the exactly correct thing and responded in the exactly appropriate manner. and I am proud of him for taking his training and using it and trusting it to get him safely out of what could have easily been real badddddddd. He will replay it over and over again for quite some time. That is part of the process. Eventually the realization will come to him that he was correct in being both scared and in a heightened state of alert/readiness. You see it takes a while to let your conscience accept that in that type of incident you don’t solicit the assault, “Dumbass” just jumps in and presents an assault. You are forced to deal with it and T-Bone did it just right or by the book. Non Violent conflict resolution.
Debbie is my best trainee proficient, intelligent, open minded and conscientious about her situational awareness (most times, she’ll know why I said that). She came to training because no matter what anyone in her family had told her she had an “incident” in the parking lot of a mall/retail place. She knew in her gut that she was targeted and being stalked by a predator. I always tell y’all “go with your gut”… if deep down inside something tells you that something just ain’t right……IT ISN’T! ! ! She was lucky enough to gain entry to her vehicle (which is a 2500 lb. weapon if needed) and unass herself from what could have been baddddddddddd. She has professed to me both before and after training and licensing that she didn’t like guns, didn’t like handguns, and had no use for guns……. Until then. She went from the ground up. Chose her own weapon and method of carry and aced the course. She takes instruction as well as anyone I’ve trained and better than some so much so that I’ve recommended that she become an instructor herself. She’s comfortable with right where she is for now so kudos to her.
T-Bone and Debbie were both LUCKY……cause it coulda been a lot worse. They are both very intelligent and went with their gut feelings and maintained their cool long enough to get away from what could have been a deadly encounter and as I say “GO WITH YOUR GUT”. They did.
TIS THE SEASON TO BE CAUTIOUS
………YOUR INSTRUCTOR Eddie
Friday, November 27, 2009
Big Thanks to a Student and Friend
Hi Y’all, Your Instructor here,
One of my trainees surprised me on my birthday with a wonderful gift. A web site where these update info sessions are being posted. Bookmark: eddiesteeves.com as my ver yown web site. Bill Robertson is a good friend and a genius at setting up web sites and marketing. His company is BigTexasDesigns.com check out his work and I may have him contact my trainees if I screwed something up with my plentiful “computer skills” In his world this Instructor becomes da “instructee”. Thanks to Bill and his lovely wife Barbara. I’ll have pictures up on it in the very near future and you can subscribe to my blog so you don't miss anything. Email me specific gun stuff to my new email address at: instructor@eddiesteeves.com Google Bill and toss some work at him he’s a good guy but…… don’t try to sneak up on him he’s well trained!
Eddie
One of my trainees surprised me on my birthday with a wonderful gift. A web site where these update info sessions are being posted. Bookmark: eddiesteeves.com as my ver yown web site. Bill Robertson is a good friend and a genius at setting up web sites and marketing. His company is BigTexasDesigns.com check out his work and I may have him contact my trainees if I screwed something up with my plentiful “computer skills” In his world this Instructor becomes da “instructee”. Thanks to Bill and his lovely wife Barbara. I’ll have pictures up on it in the very near future and you can subscribe to my blog so you don't miss anything. Email me specific gun stuff to my new email address at: instructor@eddiesteeves.com Google Bill and toss some work at him he’s a good guy but…… don’t try to sneak up on him he’s well trained!
Eddie
Lower price alternatives in a high priced field of dreams
Hi Y'all,
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. This update has no question. It does in a way carry on the theme of the last question.
Firearms and handguns particularly are not cheap. Oh I guess as compared with cars or flat panel TV's, or country club memberships, their not so bad, but they can be very expensive, and that's not even considering collecting and that marketplace. Fine firearms at Sotheby's and Christies Auction houses regularly sell from the tens of thousands to the millions, and those weapons are never fired. If you had the coin and the willingness to deal with the BATFE you could pay the tax stamp and buy a fully automatic machine gun. The wait for permission and the actual transfer if allowed takes months and the cost of let's say a fully automatic M-16 rifle is about $5000.00 and a Browning M2 .50 Caliber machine gun will run at least $15 to 20,000. That is serious jack and they are investments that don't lose value. But who has that kind of coin layin round? Not me. That's for sure. As CHL holders and normal people with normal jobs and lifestyles it's sometimes hard to put money aside even for self defense needs which are usually down the list of priorities. That is incredibly wrong folks ! ! ! In this day and in this world, if you don't have anything to defend yourself with and that one incident happens everything else changes in the "BLINK of an eye" and it changes forever. "Killin a man takes away all he's got and all he's ever gonna be..." Paraphrased but true. How much is your life worth? Your husband, wife, children, grandchildren and their lives? I can suggest some lower cost alternatives. Let's take a look. If you take heed and get your self/families self defense needs taken care of you will stand a good chance of keepin what you have inanimate or human when the door gets kicked in or you're attacked in the parking lot or your own driveway.
Revolvers: Smith & Wesson has a police trade in program. They take police revolvers back from Departments and officers who upgrade and rebuild/refurbish them and wholesale them at a fraction of original cost. I see them all the time at gun shows although they appear at different times due to upgrade fiscal year policies. They are outstanding values. I usually see .38 special and .357 magnum models running from $230. to $300.00.
Rossi makes fine revolvers available at stores like Academy running $199. to $300. brand new, Taurus has some also. You can also find great deals at pawn shops and gun show tables used sections, and you can bargain with those folks. Don't overlook Ruger single action/cowboy type guns the Blackhawks run around $300. on used tables as do their double actions in older varieties.
E.A.A. has revolvers in the $250. range. all are good guns I have seen and handled
Semi Automatic Handguns: Price leader new is Hi Point from .380 to .45 ACP most under $200.00. Some "experts" and retailers will tell you they're cheap, and they're right. That is cheap folks. Not pretty but they go bang. I know this for a fact. Seen em and handled em. I see Ruger and Taurus 9 mm handguns in pawn shops and at gun show tables used at around $239.00 to just under $300.00 great guns great buys. EAA has a witness line that new runs about $350 to $450. Once again you can find Police trade ins from Smith & Wesson running just under $300. to $400. depending on model if you shop at the gun shows. Glock and Sig Sauer both have the same programs but are slightly higher yet still far below new price. FN and FEG both have high quality Hi Power (Browning 9mm) spin offs that are fantastic buys.
The first rule of a gunfight is ...."Have a gun". You will have more success if you shop around. Trust me. By the way. The Police trade ins all come with full factory warranties and most semi autos have some frills like Nite Sites a must have. These are all weapons I have handled and fired and would feel perfectly safe defending myself with, and when you just gotta have that fancy 1911 from Baer..... trade it in or pass it down and knock yourself (and your checkbook) out! Me..... I don't need a thousand dollar gun. All these I recommend are under $500.00 sooooooooo...How much IS your life worth? your wife? your kids? your grandkids?
Ask me about any weapon you are curious about. Truthfully I've seen damned about all of them and handled and fired most.
Thanks y'all. Your Instructor......EDDIE
A HUGE P.S.: Academy is running a Taurus PT 101 ( I think that's the model) in .40 S&W for $299.00. Taurus firearms are usually outstanding values anyway but this is an exceptional one. This weapon is what I consider to be a product improved Beretta model 92/M9 Taurus firearms come with a lifetime guarantee and are top quality. I have handled and fired several and they are very accurate and well made. They come with two magazines (I believe 14 rounds) adjustable 3 dot sights and trigger locks. They have a hammer drop safety as well as the ability to carry in what is known as "cocked and locked or condition 1. That is where you have a round in chamber, hammer cocked and safety in on safe hence cocked and locked.
Hey, if you want a quality weapon this a hell of a deal. It is a full size service type weapon but I carried its Beretta counterpart for years and had very little difficulty concealing it. It would be a great Christmas present. Eddie
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. This update has no question. It does in a way carry on the theme of the last question.
Firearms and handguns particularly are not cheap. Oh I guess as compared with cars or flat panel TV's, or country club memberships, their not so bad, but they can be very expensive, and that's not even considering collecting and that marketplace. Fine firearms at Sotheby's and Christies Auction houses regularly sell from the tens of thousands to the millions, and those weapons are never fired. If you had the coin and the willingness to deal with the BATFE you could pay the tax stamp and buy a fully automatic machine gun. The wait for permission and the actual transfer if allowed takes months and the cost of let's say a fully automatic M-16 rifle is about $5000.00 and a Browning M2 .50 Caliber machine gun will run at least $15 to 20,000. That is serious jack and they are investments that don't lose value. But who has that kind of coin layin round? Not me. That's for sure. As CHL holders and normal people with normal jobs and lifestyles it's sometimes hard to put money aside even for self defense needs which are usually down the list of priorities. That is incredibly wrong folks ! ! ! In this day and in this world, if you don't have anything to defend yourself with and that one incident happens everything else changes in the "BLINK of an eye" and it changes forever. "Killin a man takes away all he's got and all he's ever gonna be..." Paraphrased but true. How much is your life worth? Your husband, wife, children, grandchildren and their lives? I can suggest some lower cost alternatives. Let's take a look. If you take heed and get your self/families self defense needs taken care of you will stand a good chance of keepin what you have inanimate or human when the door gets kicked in or you're attacked in the parking lot or your own driveway.
Revolvers: Smith & Wesson has a police trade in program. They take police revolvers back from Departments and officers who upgrade and rebuild/refurbish them and wholesale them at a fraction of original cost. I see them all the time at gun shows although they appear at different times due to upgrade fiscal year policies. They are outstanding values. I usually see .38 special and .357 magnum models running from $230. to $300.00.
Rossi makes fine revolvers available at stores like Academy running $199. to $300. brand new, Taurus has some also. You can also find great deals at pawn shops and gun show tables used sections, and you can bargain with those folks. Don't overlook Ruger single action/cowboy type guns the Blackhawks run around $300. on used tables as do their double actions in older varieties.
E.A.A. has revolvers in the $250. range. all are good guns I have seen and handled
Semi Automatic Handguns: Price leader new is Hi Point from .380 to .45 ACP most under $200.00. Some "experts" and retailers will tell you they're cheap, and they're right. That is cheap folks. Not pretty but they go bang. I know this for a fact. Seen em and handled em. I see Ruger and Taurus 9 mm handguns in pawn shops and at gun show tables used at around $239.00 to just under $300.00 great guns great buys. EAA has a witness line that new runs about $350 to $450. Once again you can find Police trade ins from Smith & Wesson running just under $300. to $400. depending on model if you shop at the gun shows. Glock and Sig Sauer both have the same programs but are slightly higher yet still far below new price. FN and FEG both have high quality Hi Power (Browning 9mm) spin offs that are fantastic buys.
The first rule of a gunfight is ...."Have a gun". You will have more success if you shop around. Trust me. By the way. The Police trade ins all come with full factory warranties and most semi autos have some frills like Nite Sites a must have. These are all weapons I have handled and fired and would feel perfectly safe defending myself with, and when you just gotta have that fancy 1911 from Baer..... trade it in or pass it down and knock yourself (and your checkbook) out! Me..... I don't need a thousand dollar gun. All these I recommend are under $500.00 sooooooooo...How much IS your life worth? your wife? your kids? your grandkids?
Ask me about any weapon you are curious about. Truthfully I've seen damned about all of them and handled and fired most.
Thanks y'all. Your Instructor......EDDIE
A HUGE P.S.: Academy is running a Taurus PT 101 ( I think that's the model) in .40 S&W for $299.00. Taurus firearms are usually outstanding values anyway but this is an exceptional one. This weapon is what I consider to be a product improved Beretta model 92/M9 Taurus firearms come with a lifetime guarantee and are top quality. I have handled and fired several and they are very accurate and well made. They come with two magazines (I believe 14 rounds) adjustable 3 dot sights and trigger locks. They have a hammer drop safety as well as the ability to carry in what is known as "cocked and locked or condition 1. That is where you have a round in chamber, hammer cocked and safety in on safe hence cocked and locked.
Hey, if you want a quality weapon this a hell of a deal. It is a full size service type weapon but I carried its Beretta counterpart for years and had very little difficulty concealing it. It would be a great Christmas present. Eddie
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Second Amendment, Associations and Gun Laws
Dear Folks,
I have been asked many good and intelligent questions by you as my Trainees, and I truly appreciate them. I have been asked to comment on subjects like of course, politics and political associations that would affect us. I have been asked about the current president and his administration. I have been asked about The Second Amendment to The United States Constitution.
As a firearms Instructor and owner I, as you am affected by all of the above. I’m gonna pass on Obama because anyone who knows me knows how I feel about that particular can of worms opened on the last election day.
1. The Second Amendment: I am not a Constitutional scholar. I don’t even know any. That said, I do NOT believe that it guarantees ME the right to anything. I have read and re read it over and over again and after listening to Justice Sotamayor and her colleagues during their discourses on application of the Second Amendment during the Heller case, I realize that that right as seen or imagined is in real jeopardy. I know I over simplify but if twelve politically appointed judges decide what are and are not rights then what is a “RIGHT” other than a turn you make? The so called Constitutional Guarantees are not guaranteed at all when twelve people you probably never have nor ever will meet decide “the law” and for the hell of it, look up the word “right” definition #10. Don’t be naïve. Fear the government that fears you.
2. Associations: The NRA. I am currently a member. I am not always a member because I don’t always agree with them and how they treat people that don’t agree with their rather hard line. They do some good work. I was taken aback when I took a tour of their HQ some years back and saw what I consider to be gross opulence by way of artwork, furnishings, structures and how the whole tour was very propagandized and constantly filled with suggestions of donations for this and that. Let me tell you, the doors in that place were some of the most beautiful pieces of solid American hardwoods I’ve ever seen and proudly stated by the tour guide as “ costing anywhere from $5000.00 to $17,500.00 per door. The NRA sends out more junk mail and requests for money than AARP or those Life Insurance companies. Considering the place I can see why and where those donations go for the most part.
3. The Texas State Rifle Association is the only one I stay in membership with. It is in Austin all the time on the hill taking care of us as citizens and gun owners in Texas. They do very good work. They have been responsible for major legislation that directly affects us from the CHL law to Castle Doctrine to Traveling definitions, to laws that affect the safety of law enforcement. I suggest you join and it is the only one I suggest you join. I have the membership brochures if you want one. Let me know.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY has a new gun law that just took effect. In the Heller Decision the Supreme court said states could institute “reasonable” gun laws even after asserting that the Second Amendment is an individual right……. So in a nutshell New Jersey has instituted a new restriction law that is either that you can only buy one gun a month (or I could be wrong; one gun a week) which includes GUN STORES AND RETAILERS ! ! ! NO BULLS**T. I believe that at present it is only a provision for handgun purchases but even so….what retailer of any product could survive buying only one piece of merchandise per week or month? Doesn’t take a genius to see that Jersey wants gun dealers out of business, and now they’ve instituted a legal way to do it.
Anyway there you have it for what it’s worth. Ya want to discuss politics or religion come on by and sip a little whiskey and we’ll do it but then again as Claude and T-Bone always say “ Don’t get me started….About the Space Station” …….
Your Instructor EDDIE
I have been asked many good and intelligent questions by you as my Trainees, and I truly appreciate them. I have been asked to comment on subjects like of course, politics and political associations that would affect us. I have been asked about the current president and his administration. I have been asked about The Second Amendment to The United States Constitution.
As a firearms Instructor and owner I, as you am affected by all of the above. I’m gonna pass on Obama because anyone who knows me knows how I feel about that particular can of worms opened on the last election day.
1. The Second Amendment: I am not a Constitutional scholar. I don’t even know any. That said, I do NOT believe that it guarantees ME the right to anything. I have read and re read it over and over again and after listening to Justice Sotamayor and her colleagues during their discourses on application of the Second Amendment during the Heller case, I realize that that right as seen or imagined is in real jeopardy. I know I over simplify but if twelve politically appointed judges decide what are and are not rights then what is a “RIGHT” other than a turn you make? The so called Constitutional Guarantees are not guaranteed at all when twelve people you probably never have nor ever will meet decide “the law” and for the hell of it, look up the word “right” definition #10. Don’t be naïve. Fear the government that fears you.
2. Associations: The NRA. I am currently a member. I am not always a member because I don’t always agree with them and how they treat people that don’t agree with their rather hard line. They do some good work. I was taken aback when I took a tour of their HQ some years back and saw what I consider to be gross opulence by way of artwork, furnishings, structures and how the whole tour was very propagandized and constantly filled with suggestions of donations for this and that. Let me tell you, the doors in that place were some of the most beautiful pieces of solid American hardwoods I’ve ever seen and proudly stated by the tour guide as “ costing anywhere from $5000.00 to $17,500.00 per door. The NRA sends out more junk mail and requests for money than AARP or those Life Insurance companies. Considering the place I can see why and where those donations go for the most part.
3. The Texas State Rifle Association is the only one I stay in membership with. It is in Austin all the time on the hill taking care of us as citizens and gun owners in Texas. They do very good work. They have been responsible for major legislation that directly affects us from the CHL law to Castle Doctrine to Traveling definitions, to laws that affect the safety of law enforcement. I suggest you join and it is the only one I suggest you join. I have the membership brochures if you want one. Let me know.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY has a new gun law that just took effect. In the Heller Decision the Supreme court said states could institute “reasonable” gun laws even after asserting that the Second Amendment is an individual right……. So in a nutshell New Jersey has instituted a new restriction law that is either that you can only buy one gun a month (or I could be wrong; one gun a week) which includes GUN STORES AND RETAILERS ! ! ! NO BULLS**T. I believe that at present it is only a provision for handgun purchases but even so….what retailer of any product could survive buying only one piece of merchandise per week or month? Doesn’t take a genius to see that Jersey wants gun dealers out of business, and now they’ve instituted a legal way to do it.
Anyway there you have it for what it’s worth. Ya want to discuss politics or religion come on by and sip a little whiskey and we’ll do it but then again as Claude and T-Bone always say “ Don’t get me started….About the Space Station” …….
Your Instructor EDDIE
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving, a question and why I love my kids...
To all my trainees and friends........HAPPY THANKSGIVING ! ! !....
Don't fergit ta take off yer PEESTOHLAH befer ya loose up dat belt. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy......
Why do I love my Kids? Too many reasons.....but here's a small one......
My son and I were chattin last nite and of course he receives these updates as I've been training him since he was eight? years old. And like his sister he is a pretty sharp individual and overall good guy in my humble opinion. He was tellin me bout my "computer skills" such as "Dad. You need to use your Spell Checker before you send these out. To which I replied I do son...his retort...well then you need to proof read before you hit send....." Great point, and point well taken. Moi?...MOI? Yeah me. I harkened back to the question about my "computer skills DUDE" email. But who said old dogs can't learn new tricks? Well I certainly am "an old dog". And I sorta think I'm loinin a new trick just gettin this machine turned on but bottom line is he's right and I will do better. Thanks son ! I apologize to y'all for not bein more astute about my publishing ability and appreciate your patience. I may not like criticism but I welcome it and learn from it so keep it comin. It's very helpful.
The question was slightly technical actually two questions about weapons so I'll try to follow the K.I.S.S. principle.
QUESTION:
"I TOOK YOUR ADVICE AND WENT BY A LOCAL RETAILER (WHO'LL REMAIN NAMELESS) . I wanted to look at a 45 Automatic and an M-16. The folks were very friendly and showed me more guns than I can remember the names of and models with all kinds of letters and titles like TRP, SUB COMPACT, 1911 PLATFORM, and a myriad of others. The same was true when I went to look at M-16s which I was told are AR 15s or ARs. I had to leave because of information overload and the sales people at the different counters kept telling me I need this or I need that and then My God ! the prices were outrageous. What is the difference between all those 45s and AR-15s, why is it called AR-15 and not M-16, and are there any of them or their type that I can get for less than a starting price of $800. to $3000. dollars. Help? Oh and why is ammunition for these guns so expensive and hard to get?"
ANSWER:
Wow. Another great and very pertinent question. Thank you. I totally empathize. Let me try and give it a shot. The 1911A1 platform/ Automatic Pistol is NOT an automatic pistol it is a semi automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP or its "guvamint name" .45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge (ACP). The original John Browning patent drawing was in the .38 Super or Super 38 Colt cartridge. Now. Real deal "J."? A 1911 is a 1911 is a 1911....... An AR is an AR, is an AR, is an AR..........blah blah blah. The only differences are manufacturers names and cosmetics/accessories and of course price. They sure are proud of the damn things. "I need this or I need that" bulls**t! ! ! all you need is a holster and ammo and belt. These things are like cars. A Honda is an Infinity and a Toyota is a Lexus etc etc so you pay for looks and name but the parts are all the same under the hood.
There are cheap alternatives or shall I say cheaper ones. Taurus makes a great 1911 for around $600. as does Para Ordnance and Springfield Armory has their US model? all basic pistols with some good upgrades. Charles Daly has some very low cost well made pistols and shot-guns. Now salesmen are just that salesmen . They will tell you that this pistol is made here or there and this is a custom this....yeah I know. There is only one manufacturer of truly custom pistols every part made in house and if you look at Les Baer pistols (1911s) the prices start at $1400.+ and their sights are Novak or others. all the other manufacturers outsource their frames, slides and get parts from various vendors. Springfield gets most of their parts from Brazil where they are owned so don't fall into that trap of this custom gun or their "custom shop" ya ya ya.... a 1911 is a 1911 is a 1911....... The same is exactly true of AR-15s which are the semi-automatic counterpart to the M-16. About ARs....don't let anyone tell you you can put one together from parts. You can assemble one but gettin it to function all the time and every time is an entirely different proposition. If you haven't put one together as a professional armorer/gunsmith, a book and how to video will be of absolutely no help. If you buy one great get it at a gun show and I suggest you get the bare bones version and learn how to use it before you mess with gettin "all Barbie Doll" with it and dressin it up in everything but common sense accessories like a sling and spare magazines. Alternatives to ARs are the Ruger Mini 14 Ranch rifle, SKS carbine/rifles, lever action rifles from Mossberg and Henry and Winchester in 30-30 all of which are cheaper and in the case of lever actions and the Mini 14 you can find some real deals in the Pawn shops used gun racks at retailers and gun shows. The Mini 14 uses the M-16/AR15 cartridge and the SKS cartridge and in the Ranch rifle with wood stocks sell cheap cause they don't look "high speed". They are totally reliable and accurate same goes for SKSs and lever rifles.
The ammo problem is directly related to both the panic buying caused by Obamas election and the wars we are fighting. Prices are high and they ain't gonna get no lower no time soon. The calibers (.45 ACP and .223 or 5.56) are used in all the theaters and the military get theirs first, as should be.
I hope that covers it and have a Happy Thanksgiving all of you.. ...... Your Instructor Eddie
P.S. Hey Sean how's this one? I proof read and used Spell Checc.....OOPS
Don't fergit ta take off yer PEESTOHLAH befer ya loose up dat belt. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy......
Why do I love my Kids? Too many reasons.....but here's a small one......
My son and I were chattin last nite and of course he receives these updates as I've been training him since he was eight? years old. And like his sister he is a pretty sharp individual and overall good guy in my humble opinion. He was tellin me bout my "computer skills" such as "Dad. You need to use your Spell Checker before you send these out. To which I replied I do son...his retort...well then you need to proof read before you hit send....." Great point, and point well taken. Moi?...MOI? Yeah me. I harkened back to the question about my "computer skills DUDE" email. But who said old dogs can't learn new tricks? Well I certainly am "an old dog". And I sorta think I'm loinin a new trick just gettin this machine turned on but bottom line is he's right and I will do better. Thanks son ! I apologize to y'all for not bein more astute about my publishing ability and appreciate your patience. I may not like criticism but I welcome it and learn from it so keep it comin. It's very helpful.
The question was slightly technical actually two questions about weapons so I'll try to follow the K.I.S.S. principle.
QUESTION:
"I TOOK YOUR ADVICE AND WENT BY A LOCAL RETAILER (WHO'LL REMAIN NAMELESS) . I wanted to look at a 45 Automatic and an M-16. The folks were very friendly and showed me more guns than I can remember the names of and models with all kinds of letters and titles like TRP, SUB COMPACT, 1911 PLATFORM, and a myriad of others. The same was true when I went to look at M-16s which I was told are AR 15s or ARs. I had to leave because of information overload and the sales people at the different counters kept telling me I need this or I need that and then My God ! the prices were outrageous. What is the difference between all those 45s and AR-15s, why is it called AR-15 and not M-16, and are there any of them or their type that I can get for less than a starting price of $800. to $3000. dollars. Help? Oh and why is ammunition for these guns so expensive and hard to get?"
ANSWER:
Wow. Another great and very pertinent question. Thank you. I totally empathize. Let me try and give it a shot. The 1911A1 platform/ Automatic Pistol is NOT an automatic pistol it is a semi automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP or its "guvamint name" .45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge (ACP). The original John Browning patent drawing was in the .38 Super or Super 38 Colt cartridge. Now. Real deal "J."? A 1911 is a 1911 is a 1911....... An AR is an AR, is an AR, is an AR..........blah blah blah. The only differences are manufacturers names and cosmetics/accessories and of course price. They sure are proud of the damn things. "I need this or I need that" bulls**t! ! ! all you need is a holster and ammo and belt. These things are like cars. A Honda is an Infinity and a Toyota is a Lexus etc etc so you pay for looks and name but the parts are all the same under the hood.
There are cheap alternatives or shall I say cheaper ones. Taurus makes a great 1911 for around $600. as does Para Ordnance and Springfield Armory has their US model? all basic pistols with some good upgrades. Charles Daly has some very low cost well made pistols and shot-guns. Now salesmen are just that salesmen . They will tell you that this pistol is made here or there and this is a custom this....yeah I know. There is only one manufacturer of truly custom pistols every part made in house and if you look at Les Baer pistols (1911s) the prices start at $1400.+ and their sights are Novak or others. all the other manufacturers outsource their frames, slides and get parts from various vendors. Springfield gets most of their parts from Brazil where they are owned so don't fall into that trap of this custom gun or their "custom shop" ya ya ya.... a 1911 is a 1911 is a 1911....... The same is exactly true of AR-15s which are the semi-automatic counterpart to the M-16. About ARs....don't let anyone tell you you can put one together from parts. You can assemble one but gettin it to function all the time and every time is an entirely different proposition. If you haven't put one together as a professional armorer/gunsmith, a book and how to video will be of absolutely no help. If you buy one great get it at a gun show and I suggest you get the bare bones version and learn how to use it before you mess with gettin "all Barbie Doll" with it and dressin it up in everything but common sense accessories like a sling and spare magazines. Alternatives to ARs are the Ruger Mini 14 Ranch rifle, SKS carbine/rifles, lever action rifles from Mossberg and Henry and Winchester in 30-30 all of which are cheaper and in the case of lever actions and the Mini 14 you can find some real deals in the Pawn shops used gun racks at retailers and gun shows. The Mini 14 uses the M-16/AR15 cartridge and the SKS cartridge and in the Ranch rifle with wood stocks sell cheap cause they don't look "high speed". They are totally reliable and accurate same goes for SKSs and lever rifles.
The ammo problem is directly related to both the panic buying caused by Obamas election and the wars we are fighting. Prices are high and they ain't gonna get no lower no time soon. The calibers (.45 ACP and .223 or 5.56) are used in all the theaters and the military get theirs first, as should be.
I hope that covers it and have a Happy Thanksgiving all of you.. ...... Your Instructor Eddie
P.S. Hey Sean how's this one? I proof read and used Spell Checc.....OOPS
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A very good question cause it "tis the season to be cautious"
Hi y'all,
I finished my Christmas shopping on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Since I try to practice what I teach, I was extra observant of others. I tend to be a people watcher whether or not my situational awareness is heightened via holidays or whatever. Following my normal shopping (holiday or not), I parked in a more open area of the WalMart (Humble,TX.) lot. Any woman that has ever been around me knows that I'd rather take an ass whoopin' by a liberal democrat at a gay rights rally than shop. Yes I know that the ones who really know me would say "yeah but you can spend 2 hours at Kroger's" and they'd be right... ... hey what can I say? That aside I do have Christmas presents to buy for 2 granddaughters and my son, daughter and select friends. So I just suck it up and try to get it done as early as possible.
In store: I was amazed at how many purses left unattended and little children also. Amazed! I was also as amazed that more people didn't shield the credit card terminal swipe thingy from view and how loudly they gave out their phone numbers. These are very simple things to do folks. At the terminal just turn your body to block the view and when you process the transaction make sure you hit the CLEAR button. If you are required to give a phone number do it by writing it down on a post it or something and hand it to the clerk to record and TAKE IT BACK.
In the parking lot: Not one person made eye contact with me. Always make eye contact. I park far away so that if a turd is setting me up he's gonna have to follow me for a ways and with my head on a swivel scan, I have a real high probability of spotting a predators and his crew. I was once again, amazed that women were simply bent over the trunks or head in the doorways of their vehicles, men too but mostly I saw ladies as it was mid week morning. Now here's what I do all the time at either a retailer or Kroger. I approach my vehicle as far out in the traffic lane as safely possible and put my cart at the rear right quarter panel. I look around and open my passenger door all the way. I grab a bag put it inside while looking over and around, grab another and repeat same thing till loaded. I never put my head inside my vehicle until I get in it to drive off. I saw people walking out with bags in both hands and no keys out. Think here. Both hands full and no improvised weapon to defend self with? Remember what I say? "If you look like a victim you will be a victim. Remember the turds are ALWAYS looking for victims. ALWAYS.
These simple techniques take no skill and are not "high speed tactics" just common sense.
Bill asked this excellent question considering the season, and it's useful all the time as a trained CHL holder.
Question: If you're out at dinner or shopping (armed with your CHL, weapon and spare magazine as always) and you see an assault or robbery in progress in the parking lot... ... What would you do? what would you recommend your students do? I'll split the answer ito two pieces.
Answer: I would react immediately without regard to the gender of the victim or the assailant (s).
Answer part 2: I'll split this because my tactics should apply to all of my trainees as well as to their Instructor.
React immediately. I would approach the assault and assailants from an angle or loop around it since this would allow me to observe and note all the factors, and help me slow down the fear adrenalin rush because you will be scared. Second as I react I will dial 911 and leave the line open. I will give as slowly as I can a description of the incident the, the victim, assailant myself and my weapon, and injuries if visible. The approach from an angle will help you see innocent bystanders and things like cover but most paramount of considerations other than the attack ... it might help me spot the perpetrators other predators cause wolves travel in packs.
Do not shout warnings other than STOP !....Remember Joe Horn any body? Why do we shoot? We shoot to STOP the attack.
Approach do not charge and if you don't have to engage the bad guy (s) don't run in there with a drawn weapon if the cavalry is on scene. You might get kinda shot real accidental like. Richard Pryor said it best...."I ain't gonna be no mother fu**in accident."
Now should the turd abscond with the victims purse let's say; and you decide to pursue make sure your phone line is still open and keep giving description and direction, and know when to quit especially if the cavalry roll up. I never recommend pursuit......but if you do, know when to quit
and attend to the victim and deal with law enforcement. If you have had to use deadly force to prevent the commission of serious bodily injury or death to you or a third person then you are gonna have to deal with lawyers and cops and the lawyers are gonna be on both sides of the aisle. I'm not worried about multi-tasking here but be prudent and think. Your gonna have to do a lotta things under a great deal of stress so do it slowly kinda quick-like.
In the end I look at it from what would I want someone to do for me or for my sweetheart or granddaughter or family members? How bout you?
Your Instructor .......... Happy Thanksgiving everybody........Eddie OUT
I finished my Christmas shopping on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Since I try to practice what I teach, I was extra observant of others. I tend to be a people watcher whether or not my situational awareness is heightened via holidays or whatever. Following my normal shopping (holiday or not), I parked in a more open area of the WalMart (Humble,TX.) lot. Any woman that has ever been around me knows that I'd rather take an ass whoopin' by a liberal democrat at a gay rights rally than shop. Yes I know that the ones who really know me would say "yeah but you can spend 2 hours at Kroger's" and they'd be right... ... hey what can I say? That aside I do have Christmas presents to buy for 2 granddaughters and my son, daughter and select friends. So I just suck it up and try to get it done as early as possible.
In store: I was amazed at how many purses left unattended and little children also. Amazed! I was also as amazed that more people didn't shield the credit card terminal swipe thingy from view and how loudly they gave out their phone numbers. These are very simple things to do folks. At the terminal just turn your body to block the view and when you process the transaction make sure you hit the CLEAR button. If you are required to give a phone number do it by writing it down on a post it or something and hand it to the clerk to record and TAKE IT BACK.
In the parking lot: Not one person made eye contact with me. Always make eye contact. I park far away so that if a turd is setting me up he's gonna have to follow me for a ways and with my head on a swivel scan, I have a real high probability of spotting a predators and his crew. I was once again, amazed that women were simply bent over the trunks or head in the doorways of their vehicles, men too but mostly I saw ladies as it was mid week morning. Now here's what I do all the time at either a retailer or Kroger. I approach my vehicle as far out in the traffic lane as safely possible and put my cart at the rear right quarter panel. I look around and open my passenger door all the way. I grab a bag put it inside while looking over and around, grab another and repeat same thing till loaded. I never put my head inside my vehicle until I get in it to drive off. I saw people walking out with bags in both hands and no keys out. Think here. Both hands full and no improvised weapon to defend self with? Remember what I say? "If you look like a victim you will be a victim. Remember the turds are ALWAYS looking for victims. ALWAYS.
These simple techniques take no skill and are not "high speed tactics" just common sense.
Bill asked this excellent question considering the season, and it's useful all the time as a trained CHL holder.
Question: If you're out at dinner or shopping (armed with your CHL, weapon and spare magazine as always) and you see an assault or robbery in progress in the parking lot... ... What would you do? what would you recommend your students do? I'll split the answer ito two pieces.
Answer: I would react immediately without regard to the gender of the victim or the assailant (s).
Answer part 2: I'll split this because my tactics should apply to all of my trainees as well as to their Instructor.
React immediately. I would approach the assault and assailants from an angle or loop around it since this would allow me to observe and note all the factors, and help me slow down the fear adrenalin rush because you will be scared. Second as I react I will dial 911 and leave the line open. I will give as slowly as I can a description of the incident the, the victim, assailant myself and my weapon, and injuries if visible. The approach from an angle will help you see innocent bystanders and things like cover but most paramount of considerations other than the attack ... it might help me spot the perpetrators other predators cause wolves travel in packs.
Do not shout warnings other than STOP !....Remember Joe Horn any body? Why do we shoot? We shoot to STOP the attack.
Approach do not charge and if you don't have to engage the bad guy (s) don't run in there with a drawn weapon if the cavalry is on scene. You might get kinda shot real accidental like. Richard Pryor said it best...."I ain't gonna be no mother fu**in accident."
Now should the turd abscond with the victims purse let's say; and you decide to pursue make sure your phone line is still open and keep giving description and direction, and know when to quit especially if the cavalry roll up. I never recommend pursuit......but if you do, know when to quit
and attend to the victim and deal with law enforcement. If you have had to use deadly force to prevent the commission of serious bodily injury or death to you or a third person then you are gonna have to deal with lawyers and cops and the lawyers are gonna be on both sides of the aisle. I'm not worried about multi-tasking here but be prudent and think. Your gonna have to do a lotta things under a great deal of stress so do it slowly kinda quick-like.
In the end I look at it from what would I want someone to do for me or for my sweetheart or granddaughter or family members? How bout you?
Your Instructor .......... Happy Thanksgiving everybody........Eddie OUT
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tis the season to be cautious...True Stories
When my children were young we lived in an apartment complex in Pasadena. I was working days at the Elementary School across the street where my son and daughter were students and at night i worked in a band playing five to six nights a week. We worked in a series of beer joint/dives owned by a gentleman named Frank St****ns. He and his bar manager girlfriend Donna ( I have heard they're both no longer of this life and have cast off this mortal coil. As I said I've heard.) were well known cocaine users/smokers. One day they were visiting their mutual friend at the complex myself and my family and my bassist and his family all lived. They went in to visit their mutual lady friend who it so happened was also their "connection" as small time dealers are known. They proceeded to get high and smoke some crack. This of course after leaving Donna's less than three year old little boy down in Franks Red Ford pickup; motor running, a/c on and........LOADED WEAPON UNDER THE FRONT SEAT! ! The baby was NOT secured in a child car seat. Guess what the baby found? Yep. The weapon! Horribly, the baby discharged the weapon grievously wounding himself and thankfully not killing himself. The Angels were there that day. .......
The next stories I am excerpting fro The American Rifleman that came in yesterdays mail. (NRA Publication/periodical) in the "the Armed Citizen". column.
The stories other than Donna's child have some striking similarities and one fact in common.
"one fact in common." The attackers were all stopped by the citizen/residents. Why? They had and produced their WEAPONS and used them ! ! !
Similarities' The residents were all at home at the time of the attack. The attackers were armed and were intent on committing the crime. The attackers entered through doors left unlocked, open or unsecured by....THE VICTIMS.
The powers that be are intent on disarming all of us. Don't think so? If the powers don't trust soldiers to have arms during peace or war, on post ( ref. Ft. Hood) what makes you think they trust you? The police in all incidents including the murders at Ft. Hood were reacting (not on scene).
We all remember the time you could leave your doors unlocked blah blah blah blah........ Come on the key word in there is REMEMBER. That time is gone forever. Sadly.
DON'T MAKE THE CROOKS JOB EASIER ! ! ! Our government wants to do that for you.
From your Instructor Eddie... OUT
The next stories I am excerpting fro The American Rifleman that came in yesterdays mail. (NRA Publication/periodical) in the "the Armed Citizen". column.
- Item one: "Dressed in black hooded jackets, and black masks, two men entered a Columbus Ga. area home around 2a.m. through a lower level door...
- Item two: Bradley Fugate recalls of a frightening home invasion. Police say the armed suspects burst in the home shortly after Fugate opened the front and back doors to let some cool air inside."
- Item three: "Rocking her baby to sleep one night, a Traverse City, Mich. woman heard her kitchen open and saw a strange man enter her home."
- Item four:"Police say a club-wielding intruder entered a home's unlocked front door while the residents were inside. He snuck down the hallway, entered a bedroom and began....Hilton Head S.C."
The stories other than Donna's child have some striking similarities and one fact in common.
"one fact in common." The attackers were all stopped by the citizen/residents. Why? They had and produced their WEAPONS and used them ! ! !
Similarities' The residents were all at home at the time of the attack. The attackers were armed and were intent on committing the crime. The attackers entered through doors left unlocked, open or unsecured by....THE VICTIMS.
The powers that be are intent on disarming all of us. Don't think so? If the powers don't trust soldiers to have arms during peace or war, on post ( ref. Ft. Hood) what makes you think they trust you? The police in all incidents including the murders at Ft. Hood were reacting (not on scene).
We all remember the time you could leave your doors unlocked blah blah blah blah........ Come on the key word in there is REMEMBER. That time is gone forever. Sadly.
DON'T MAKE THE CROOKS JOB EASIER ! ! ! Our government wants to do that for you.
From your Instructor Eddie... OUT
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Answer to Questions Regarding CHL Laws
Hi again from your Instructor.
This is a continuation of answers to "Questions" but I'm going to combine all the questions into one answer. O.K.?
The State of Texas Penal Code- PC chapter 46.13. MAKING A FIREARM ACCESSIBLE TO A CHILD.
In this section:
A person commits an offense if a child gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm and the person with criminal negligence:
" IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABANDON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE FIREARM" ( this is exactly as printed in the Penal Code)
It is a Class C Misdemeanor "unless the child discharges the child discharges the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury to another person or himself." or " the child, in discharging the firearm caused the death of or serious injury to the child" (shot themselves)
Then it's a Class A Misdemeanor. This also includes now unauthorized adults.
How many of us know someone who has told us. "My guns are put up and my kids know better than to go poking around in my closet" or where ever? or It's always in my room/closet and they never go in their. They know better or they know the rules. Yeah until they do. Lock it up it is not an option it is the law. It is your responsibility. None of us are immune to a curious child or lapse of attention. None.
I have a six year old granddaughter who has said when I walk in the house from training and head for my safe " I know where you're going Paw Paw." and one time when I was wearing it and trying to fix a quick supper after a training session she told me "Paw Paw. You need to take that off and put it away cause I'm here." to which I replied. "you're right Ca***" and I did right then. It was in a police level 3 duty holster totally secure but there are NO exceptions when she's around.. EVER.
A child will climb the Empire State Building looking for Christmas presents so think. How many times have we seen in and on the news a report of a child who got a firearm out of Grandmas nightstand drawer and shot themselves or another child? A police officer in Houston was murdered by a prisoner who was both an illegal alien and a multiple felon who got hold of his Security Guard wife's firearm she had put on top of the ice box. An unauthorized prson gaining access to a weapon negligently left un secured by a professional not just a person. The cop's just as dead isn't he?
Please don't feed me that crap that "they know better than to....." that's just what it is . CRAP !
Locks are cheap. How much is a childs life or adults life worth?
Look....if it's a revolver open the cylinder and put a padlock through the frame and hang onto the key .
If it's a semi auto ..Lock the slide back, drop the magazine out, and stick a wooden dowel in the gun through the chamber and magazine well and release the slide. or if room behind the trigger lock the padlock behind the trigger.
Rifles take out the bolts, mags, or disassemble the entire weapon. Ditto shotguns.
It's the holiday season. Historically a time when tragedies occur related to unauthorized access to firearms by a child or a suicidal adult.
Olease don't let this happen in your home or to your family. STAY ALERT & THEY'LL STAY ...ALIVE.
Your Instructor... Eddie
This is a continuation of answers to "Questions" but I'm going to combine all the questions into one answer. O.K.?
The State of Texas Penal Code- PC chapter 46.13. MAKING A FIREARM ACCESSIBLE TO A CHILD.
In this section:
- "Child" means a person younger than 17 years of age.
- "Readily dischargeable firearm" means a firearm that is loaded with ammunition whether or not a round is in the chamber.
- "Secure" means to take the steps that a reasonable person would take to prevent the access to a readily dischargeable firearm by a child, including but not limited to placing a firearm in a locked container or temporarily rendering the firearm inoperable by a trigger lock or other means.
A person commits an offense if a child gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm and the person with criminal negligence:
- failed to secure the firearm, or
- left the firearm in a place to which the person knew or should have known the child would gain access.
" IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABANDON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE FIREARM" ( this is exactly as printed in the Penal Code)
It is a Class C Misdemeanor "unless the child discharges the child discharges the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury to another person or himself." or " the child, in discharging the firearm caused the death of or serious injury to the child" (shot themselves)
Then it's a Class A Misdemeanor. This also includes now unauthorized adults.
How many of us know someone who has told us. "My guns are put up and my kids know better than to go poking around in my closet" or where ever? or It's always in my room/closet and they never go in their. They know better or they know the rules. Yeah until they do. Lock it up it is not an option it is the law. It is your responsibility. None of us are immune to a curious child or lapse of attention. None.
I have a six year old granddaughter who has said when I walk in the house from training and head for my safe " I know where you're going Paw Paw." and one time when I was wearing it and trying to fix a quick supper after a training session she told me "Paw Paw. You need to take that off and put it away cause I'm here." to which I replied. "you're right Ca***" and I did right then. It was in a police level 3 duty holster totally secure but there are NO exceptions when she's around.. EVER.
A child will climb the Empire State Building looking for Christmas presents so think. How many times have we seen in and on the news a report of a child who got a firearm out of Grandmas nightstand drawer and shot themselves or another child? A police officer in Houston was murdered by a prisoner who was both an illegal alien and a multiple felon who got hold of his Security Guard wife's firearm she had put on top of the ice box. An unauthorized prson gaining access to a weapon negligently left un secured by a professional not just a person. The cop's just as dead isn't he?
Please don't feed me that crap that "they know better than to....." that's just what it is . CRAP !
Locks are cheap. How much is a childs life or adults life worth?
Look....if it's a revolver open the cylinder and put a padlock through the frame and hang onto the key .
If it's a semi auto ..Lock the slide back, drop the magazine out, and stick a wooden dowel in the gun through the chamber and magazine well and release the slide. or if room behind the trigger lock the padlock behind the trigger.
Rifles take out the bolts, mags, or disassemble the entire weapon. Ditto shotguns.
It's the holiday season. Historically a time when tragedies occur related to unauthorized access to firearms by a child or a suicidal adult.
Olease don't let this happen in your home or to your family. STAY ALERT & THEY'LL STAY ...ALIVE.
Your Instructor... Eddie
Wow! and Yeah! Ladies
I got some great questions from ladies even through their not so better halves. Here goes:
1."You have mentioned about carrying in purses. Is there any purse or pouch you can recommend?" Outstanding! Sorry ladies after all I am a man.
2. I can't accessorize for sh*t. There are purpose built purses available from Galco Leather, Bianchi, Safariland and others. They are very stylish and available in different styles configurations and colors. The thing I like most about them is THEY LOOK LIKE A PURSE and not a "gun purse". They all have a separate compartment for your weapon that allows immediate access to your weapon. The access is easy and well hidden from sight and they almost all, have a holster in that compartment that secures your weapon. I know you could walk with your hand on your weapon same as if you had your hand on your keys and no one can tell. The shoulder straps are all reinforced. Coronado Leather makes good ones too. A man with a holster can't get away with walkin around with his hand on his weapon but a woman with her hand in her purse? No problem. Fanny packs scream GUN ! ! and crooks even look for them and practice how to steal them off a wearers body so I stay away from them generally. You have to practice drawing from them though. Tip: You can shoot through your purpose if you have to. If you have an old one you don't ever use, take it to the range put your weapon in it and shoot through it. I mean if you were gonna get rid of it why not give it a warriors death. Also, I wouldn't want to get hit in the head with a purse never one that had a three pound (loaded) piece of steel in it. If all else fails girls, think about that.
3. "My son says I should have this or that.....what do you think?" Screw him. Think he'll be there if you're attacked. I doubt it. The philosophical discourse usually goes " Man: I have 4000 super magnum and the little woman's got the poodle shooter." Man: "Trust me honey. You need this little..." Two of my ex's have had no problem picking their own full size large caliber weapons without my help (other than one happened to be my S& W Model 19) one a six shot .357 Magnum revolver and the other a full size Sig Sauer 9mm service semi auto pistol. You know who you are girls. They both qualified with them and have no problem handling them proficiently.
4. " Who are better shooters? Men or women?" In my 30 + years of doing this Instructor thing I do have an opinion about that and it is generally agreed upon by most professional Instructors. My best trainees have been....The envelope please.......WOMEN. Now before the guys go to bitchin I have to say this and you gotta admit it fellas; ladies take instruction more readily and open minded. I am a guy and I am a very good shooter but dat's my yob. Ladies generally come a little timid at first but almost all of them are there for my instruction because they really want to be there. I've had plenty of male shooters who are there for my instruction because it is required for their qualification and as far as their attitude projects, I'm not gonna show them anything. They already know all they need to know. No one in this email list (guys) makes that group which is why I send these to y'all male and female alike. Every woman I have ever trained and qualified has done so without any special consideration for her being a female when she took the proficiency test. I wouldn't want to get shot by any of them. They're all pretty damn good and one is my best overall trainee.
Your Instructor... Eddie
1."You have mentioned about carrying in purses. Is there any purse or pouch you can recommend?" Outstanding! Sorry ladies after all I am a man.
2. I can't accessorize for sh*t. There are purpose built purses available from Galco Leather, Bianchi, Safariland and others. They are very stylish and available in different styles configurations and colors. The thing I like most about them is THEY LOOK LIKE A PURSE and not a "gun purse". They all have a separate compartment for your weapon that allows immediate access to your weapon. The access is easy and well hidden from sight and they almost all, have a holster in that compartment that secures your weapon. I know you could walk with your hand on your weapon same as if you had your hand on your keys and no one can tell. The shoulder straps are all reinforced. Coronado Leather makes good ones too. A man with a holster can't get away with walkin around with his hand on his weapon but a woman with her hand in her purse? No problem. Fanny packs scream GUN ! ! and crooks even look for them and practice how to steal them off a wearers body so I stay away from them generally. You have to practice drawing from them though. Tip: You can shoot through your purpose if you have to. If you have an old one you don't ever use, take it to the range put your weapon in it and shoot through it. I mean if you were gonna get rid of it why not give it a warriors death. Also, I wouldn't want to get hit in the head with a purse never one that had a three pound (loaded) piece of steel in it. If all else fails girls, think about that.
3. "My son says I should have this or that.....what do you think?" Screw him. Think he'll be there if you're attacked. I doubt it. The philosophical discourse usually goes " Man: I have 4000 super magnum and the little woman's got the poodle shooter." Man: "Trust me honey. You need this little..." Two of my ex's have had no problem picking their own full size large caliber weapons without my help (other than one happened to be my S& W Model 19) one a six shot .357 Magnum revolver and the other a full size Sig Sauer 9mm service semi auto pistol. You know who you are girls. They both qualified with them and have no problem handling them proficiently.
4. " Who are better shooters? Men or women?" In my 30 + years of doing this Instructor thing I do have an opinion about that and it is generally agreed upon by most professional Instructors. My best trainees have been....The envelope please.......WOMEN. Now before the guys go to bitchin I have to say this and you gotta admit it fellas; ladies take instruction more readily and open minded. I am a guy and I am a very good shooter but dat's my yob. Ladies generally come a little timid at first but almost all of them are there for my instruction because they really want to be there. I've had plenty of male shooters who are there for my instruction because it is required for their qualification and as far as their attitude projects, I'm not gonna show them anything. They already know all they need to know. No one in this email list (guys) makes that group which is why I send these to y'all male and female alike. Every woman I have ever trained and qualified has done so without any special consideration for her being a female when she took the proficiency test. I wouldn't want to get shot by any of them. They're all pretty damn good and one is my best overall trainee.
As Forrest Gump said... "That's all I have to say bout that.."
Your Instructor... Eddie
Monday, November 16, 2009
Questions: Nite Sites, Registration & Close the damn door!
Wow! I am blessed with some great trainees and they are highly intelligent too. The exact opposite or antithesis of the gun totin' redneck trailer trash beer guzzlin' guacamole eatin' Cowboys and Caowgirls the media portrays us as. And aren't y'all supposed to be bloodthirsty? What's goin' on?
Today I looked at the emails and questions you've sent and the feed back. Please let me know what your thoughts are. All of you. It will make me a better and more effective instructor.
I got a bunch of questions today and BTW if you have email addresses of folks who trained with you please get them to me if you can or feel free to forward these emails or print em. I'm good to go on all that. Give them to any friends and family who are shooters or nay sayers. Educating is the best way to make converts not trying to ram it down their throats. Education = enlightenment for the timid and the ignorant.
For my trainees please understand that as far as your instructor is concerned; I understand that carrying a weapon is not for everyone. That is not a problem. Crime on the other hand concerns everyone and can affect anyone at any time. Self defense... first word in the term is SELF. It's your responsibility. It's our responsibility. Do you know that the police and all law enforcement have no duty to protect you or I? That's right. They may swear to it and it may be a saying on the cars but they have no duty to do it. If your family members or friends have grandpa's shotgun for home defense offer your insight and safety knowledge to them or have contact me. It won't cost them anything but time and as I say just might save their lives.
I will answer as many question as I can and I promise that eventually I'll get em all. Some of you know me well enough that my memory runs in the "CRS" category sometimes. No not the "can't remember s**t group. I like to say "can remember sometimes> covers me. So please don't get offended. I'll get to it. As it is I'm playing catch up with y'all since my DPS re-certification.
QUESTIONS
1. "Will there be gun control, registration or what?" Great question. Comes up all the time. Do you remember that form that you and I have to fill out when we bought our weapons? Who did it go to? BATFE is who. The U.S Government Bureau of Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms and Explosives and it never goes away so you tell me if there's registration. Gun control I have already taught you. "See the front sight." That is gun control, one round at a time or what(?)ever.
2. "What are Nite sites also spelled Night sights?" They are sights that have small tubes of radioactive material in the place where they are usually black or have white dots etc' They glow in the dark BRIGHTLY. They have a variable shelf/working life that is about ten to thirteen years. They are invaluable and are available as direct replacements for your factory sights without voiding warranties. Most quality shops have them and install them. Drop em off and you can usually wait or get them later the same day. They are worth every penny. Get them. They are available for most handguns and other platforms ( rifle, AR, shotguns etc.. Revolvers are only slightly limited due to structural consideration so have revolver sights installed by a gunsmith. If you need info on where holler at me. BTW the material is Tritium>
3. "What TV shows or video or printed material do you know is available for me as a trainee that you can recommend?" Funny you should ask. I was just about to send out that info without being asked so that is a great one. The "all new" Sportsman Channel" 131 Comcast has a few shows that are very informative and I stumbled across it a couple weeks ago so I don't have scheduling down totally yet. They ron three shows on Thursday nights from eight pm on called Tactical Arms,Personal Defense T.V., Tactical Impact and at other times I'm not sure of there is Guns & Ammo tv check them out they are not too bad. I actually know one of the instructors. DVDs are available from Thunder Ranch and I use them in classes I swear by them. Sig has two you can find on their website and BTW anything you can't find can be Googled. I personally read American Handgunner magazine () and have for years. A great source of info and like Clint Smiths Thunder Ranch videos is full of good true stuff and common sense material. I'll tell you one everybody should watch for the amount of bulls**t that goes on. It's called Lock and Load on channel 475 on Comcast at various times. This is not to be confused wit Lock N Load with R. Lee Ermey on the History Channel (58 Comcast) which is very good and technical in a minor way. The show on 475 is set at a gun store in Colorado and will PISS YOU OFF! Guns pointed everywhere, bad information, worse safety as a matter of fact last nite there was not one mention of safety in the entire program. You tell me what it makes those of us safety conscious shooters look like. The range shots are some of the most maddening crap you'll ever see. The salesman is living proof of why some people just Need shootin. The show is a lawsuit in waiting for Showtime and personally I can't wait but for the fact that someone might get injured in the process Heaven forbid.
4. "What alternatives do I have for defense?" Simply? Use your imagination. Pepper or OC spray but remember in a house or car you're gonna be just about as affected as the crook. Tasers are legal to own in Texas and other states and run in the three hundred dollar range or slightly less. steel bodied flashlights, knives, bats, garden and kitchen implements, are contact weapons which means the crook is in contact range and when you get blood or tissue on an knife it's damn bout impossible to hang on to. Improvise. Keys between your index and middle fingers in your fist to the neck and eyes or face, Pens , cologne to the eyes again. A good swift kick to the nuts, purse to the head and balls or knees finger gouging thrown coffee or coke , all with screaming accompaniment. If you're in that kind of fight screw the worries about bodily fluid. Punch scratch,kick, gouge and bite the sh*t out of em. You can live with the bodily fluid exchange key word LIVE. If they try to get you in your car don't do it. Do everything you can to draw attention to yourself but better to die where you stand fighting than to be dragged off and face that. Same if they try to force you into another vehicle. The latest national and regional statistics on crime show that home invasions have doubled and assaults both aggravated and sexual against persons are up dramatically and resulting injuries are up proportionately. Interestingly home invasions are being set up by parties that have information from sources we have come to accept as part of everyday lives of convenience. Lawn/landscaping crews where released crooks can find work and where gang members and illegal aliens work are passing info to family members who are dirt bags or using the info themselves. Lock your damned doors and close your garage doors especially if you are at home alone. One thing about knives is that they never run out of ammunition so stick one in your pocket by the supplied clip. Stay alert stay alive. Watch for transient traffic in your neighborhood and if you don't personally know any contractor or their references don't leave them alone in your home or on your property. It is not rude. Never let a contractor or lawn crew work on your property or in your house when you ain't there. Hide a key? Don't be a fool. Hard facts folks.
5. One more. "What are your favorite brands of guns Eddie?" Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Remington shotguns, Springfield Armory, and no preferences for rifles they're all pretty much the same let me not forget Ruger firearms. All these products are my favorites.
Man I'm gettin tired so I'm gonna bail off here. I'll get the rest of the questions next time.
Stay safe and happy, Your Instructor... Eddie
PS: Personal Defense tv is run on Mondays at 9:30 pm, also.
Today I looked at the emails and questions you've sent and the feed back. Please let me know what your thoughts are. All of you. It will make me a better and more effective instructor.
I got a bunch of questions today and BTW if you have email addresses of folks who trained with you please get them to me if you can or feel free to forward these emails or print em. I'm good to go on all that. Give them to any friends and family who are shooters or nay sayers. Educating is the best way to make converts not trying to ram it down their throats. Education = enlightenment for the timid and the ignorant.
For my trainees please understand that as far as your instructor is concerned; I understand that carrying a weapon is not for everyone. That is not a problem. Crime on the other hand concerns everyone and can affect anyone at any time. Self defense... first word in the term is SELF. It's your responsibility. It's our responsibility. Do you know that the police and all law enforcement have no duty to protect you or I? That's right. They may swear to it and it may be a saying on the cars but they have no duty to do it. If your family members or friends have grandpa's shotgun for home defense offer your insight and safety knowledge to them or have contact me. It won't cost them anything but time and as I say just might save their lives.
I will answer as many question as I can and I promise that eventually I'll get em all. Some of you know me well enough that my memory runs in the "CRS" category sometimes. No not the "can't remember s**t group. I like to say "can remember sometimes> covers me. So please don't get offended. I'll get to it. As it is I'm playing catch up with y'all since my DPS re-certification.
QUESTIONS
1. "Will there be gun control, registration or what?" Great question. Comes up all the time. Do you remember that form that you and I have to fill out when we bought our weapons? Who did it go to? BATFE is who. The U.S Government Bureau of Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms and Explosives and it never goes away so you tell me if there's registration. Gun control I have already taught you. "See the front sight." That is gun control, one round at a time or what(?)ever.
2. "What are Nite sites also spelled Night sights?" They are sights that have small tubes of radioactive material in the place where they are usually black or have white dots etc' They glow in the dark BRIGHTLY. They have a variable shelf/working life that is about ten to thirteen years. They are invaluable and are available as direct replacements for your factory sights without voiding warranties. Most quality shops have them and install them. Drop em off and you can usually wait or get them later the same day. They are worth every penny. Get them. They are available for most handguns and other platforms ( rifle, AR, shotguns etc.. Revolvers are only slightly limited due to structural consideration so have revolver sights installed by a gunsmith. If you need info on where holler at me. BTW the material is Tritium>
3. "What TV shows or video or printed material do you know is available for me as a trainee that you can recommend?" Funny you should ask. I was just about to send out that info without being asked so that is a great one. The "all new" Sportsman Channel" 131 Comcast has a few shows that are very informative and I stumbled across it a couple weeks ago so I don't have scheduling down totally yet. They ron three shows on Thursday nights from eight pm on called Tactical Arms,Personal Defense T.V., Tactical Impact and at other times I'm not sure of there is Guns & Ammo tv check them out they are not too bad. I actually know one of the instructors. DVDs are available from Thunder Ranch and I use them in classes I swear by them. Sig has two you can find on their website and BTW anything you can't find can be Googled. I personally read American Handgunner magazine () and have for years. A great source of info and like Clint Smiths Thunder Ranch videos is full of good true stuff and common sense material. I'll tell you one everybody should watch for the amount of bulls**t that goes on. It's called Lock and Load on channel 475 on Comcast at various times. This is not to be confused wit Lock N Load with R. Lee Ermey on the History Channel (58 Comcast) which is very good and technical in a minor way. The show on 475 is set at a gun store in Colorado and will PISS YOU OFF! Guns pointed everywhere, bad information, worse safety as a matter of fact last nite there was not one mention of safety in the entire program. You tell me what it makes those of us safety conscious shooters look like. The range shots are some of the most maddening crap you'll ever see. The salesman is living proof of why some people just Need shootin. The show is a lawsuit in waiting for Showtime and personally I can't wait but for the fact that someone might get injured in the process Heaven forbid.
4. "What alternatives do I have for defense?" Simply? Use your imagination. Pepper or OC spray but remember in a house or car you're gonna be just about as affected as the crook. Tasers are legal to own in Texas and other states and run in the three hundred dollar range or slightly less. steel bodied flashlights, knives, bats, garden and kitchen implements, are contact weapons which means the crook is in contact range and when you get blood or tissue on an knife it's damn bout impossible to hang on to. Improvise. Keys between your index and middle fingers in your fist to the neck and eyes or face, Pens , cologne to the eyes again. A good swift kick to the nuts, purse to the head and balls or knees finger gouging thrown coffee or coke , all with screaming accompaniment. If you're in that kind of fight screw the worries about bodily fluid. Punch scratch,kick, gouge and bite the sh*t out of em. You can live with the bodily fluid exchange key word LIVE. If they try to get you in your car don't do it. Do everything you can to draw attention to yourself but better to die where you stand fighting than to be dragged off and face that. Same if they try to force you into another vehicle. The latest national and regional statistics on crime show that home invasions have doubled and assaults both aggravated and sexual against persons are up dramatically and resulting injuries are up proportionately. Interestingly home invasions are being set up by parties that have information from sources we have come to accept as part of everyday lives of convenience. Lawn/landscaping crews where released crooks can find work and where gang members and illegal aliens work are passing info to family members who are dirt bags or using the info themselves. Lock your damned doors and close your garage doors especially if you are at home alone. One thing about knives is that they never run out of ammunition so stick one in your pocket by the supplied clip. Stay alert stay alive. Watch for transient traffic in your neighborhood and if you don't personally know any contractor or their references don't leave them alone in your home or on your property. It is not rude. Never let a contractor or lawn crew work on your property or in your house when you ain't there. Hide a key? Don't be a fool. Hard facts folks.
5. One more. "What are your favorite brands of guns Eddie?" Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Remington shotguns, Springfield Armory, and no preferences for rifles they're all pretty much the same let me not forget Ruger firearms. All these products are my favorites.
Man I'm gettin tired so I'm gonna bail off here. I'll get the rest of the questions next time.
Stay safe and happy, Your Instructor... Eddie
PS: Personal Defense tv is run on Mondays at 9:30 pm, also.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Mindset for Surviving, When ya got no choice!
A little more than a year ago, a friend of mine who is an instructor at a Police Dept. nearby, asked if I could work with an officer who was frustrating him. Actually two of them but only one is relevant to this part of our training. The gentleman who is a member of the law enforcement and related to a high ranking member of the agency he works for does not work the street. Thank God. He stated to me that, and I quote " I'm not sure I could shoot somebody." and he was serious. " I work in the office" Obviously the gentleman is in the wrong line of work. It's a career path to politics for him. I certainly let him know that he is in the wrong line of work and is doing a disgraceful disservice to all the communities he is supposed to serve.
Folks as CHL holders and as trainees, I know each one of you is capable of using deadly force to defend yourselves and your loved ones. You made that decision before you came to me for training. That is the first step to a "mindset" that you have. Now, that said you can't stop there. Please read this list of philosophical precepts I live by in regards to defending my world. As with everything I've taught; take what works and make it your own. Some of them are my own and the ones in quotation marks are ones I've learned from others.
Let me know what you think.
1. The rules of gun fighting are simple. Have a gun.
2. "Better yet have two."
3. Ammo is cheap. How much is your life worth?
4. "Only hits count, close doesn't."
5. If your shooting stance is good you're not moving fast enough or usin cover effectively.
6. "Move away from your attacker. Time and distance are your friends."
7. "If you know there's gonna be a gunfight and you have a choice of what to bring, bring a rifle, and invite all your friends who have rifles and all their friends with rifles."
8. " In ten years nobody will remember the gun you used , the caliber or your stance and tactics they'll only remember who lived and who didn't."
9. If you're not shooting you better be reloadin' or gettin' to cover
10. "Use a gun that works."
11. If I'm ever killed with my own gun, I'll have been beaten to death with it cause it was empty.
12. I'll never get killed for lack of shootin' back.
13. "In a gunfight always cheat, always win. There are no rules. The only unfair fight is the one you lose."
14. "Have a plan. Have a backup plan cause yer first one won't work."
15. The only visible target should be the one in your sights. Use cover. Get down.
16. Don't drop your guard even after you drop the bad guy.
17. "Watch their hands.Hands kill. In god we trust. Everyone else keep your hands where I can see em."
18. "The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you'll get." Just cause you're shootin' doesn't mean you won't get shot.
19. Your number one priority should be to be the one at home watching the news about the gunfight you were in.
20. Don't forget to duck.
21. When the shootin' stops look around. Wolves run in packs.
22. Look up, look em in the eye. Your attackers eyes won't be on the ground nor should yours be.If you look like a victim you will be a victim. If I look like a victim it's an ambush.
23. "Stay alert! Stay alive! it's as simple as that."
24. "Be ready to shoot rather than waiting to be shot."If you are looking into the belly of the beast....SHOOT HIM AGAIN.
25. "Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six."
26. He who hesitates........ LOSES. Hit first, hit hardest, hit decisively but ....above all ......HIT!
You must be mentally prepared all the time when you have the mindset and equipment for defending yourself. This doesn't mean to go around teeth clenched, white knuckle paranoid. Trust me you don't have to look for trouble it'll find ya.
When I went through my first phase of law enforcement training, I saw a behavioral study tape made in the penitentiary. In the video (scuze me) they interviewed a rapist/robber/multiple murderer awaiting execution. The agent asked him this question, "When do you normally look for your victims? His answer sent a chill up my spine..."Man, I'm always lookin' for victims." His last murder victims were slaughtered when he was walkin' home and he spotted an open garage door. Are y'all payin attention? As I recall he got some food and about thirty three dollars.
Remember this. Are the inmates the ones running the asylum? Ever watch the T.V. shows about maximum security prisons? Who's keepin' those people in the asylum and apart from us? A man or woman with......a gun.
Make it simple and repeat it to yourself often. "STAY ALERT! STAY ALIVE! It's as simple as that.
Your Instructor... Eddie
Folks as CHL holders and as trainees, I know each one of you is capable of using deadly force to defend yourselves and your loved ones. You made that decision before you came to me for training. That is the first step to a "mindset" that you have. Now, that said you can't stop there. Please read this list of philosophical precepts I live by in regards to defending my world. As with everything I've taught; take what works and make it your own. Some of them are my own and the ones in quotation marks are ones I've learned from others.
Let me know what you think.
1. The rules of gun fighting are simple. Have a gun.
2. "Better yet have two."
3. Ammo is cheap. How much is your life worth?
4. "Only hits count, close doesn't."
5. If your shooting stance is good you're not moving fast enough or usin cover effectively.
6. "Move away from your attacker. Time and distance are your friends."
7. "If you know there's gonna be a gunfight and you have a choice of what to bring, bring a rifle, and invite all your friends who have rifles and all their friends with rifles."
8. " In ten years nobody will remember the gun you used , the caliber or your stance and tactics they'll only remember who lived and who didn't."
9. If you're not shooting you better be reloadin' or gettin' to cover
10. "Use a gun that works."
11. If I'm ever killed with my own gun, I'll have been beaten to death with it cause it was empty.
12. I'll never get killed for lack of shootin' back.
13. "In a gunfight always cheat, always win. There are no rules. The only unfair fight is the one you lose."
14. "Have a plan. Have a backup plan cause yer first one won't work."
15. The only visible target should be the one in your sights. Use cover. Get down.
16. Don't drop your guard even after you drop the bad guy.
17. "Watch their hands.Hands kill. In god we trust. Everyone else keep your hands where I can see em."
18. "The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you'll get." Just cause you're shootin' doesn't mean you won't get shot.
19. Your number one priority should be to be the one at home watching the news about the gunfight you were in.
20. Don't forget to duck.
21. When the shootin' stops look around. Wolves run in packs.
22. Look up, look em in the eye. Your attackers eyes won't be on the ground nor should yours be.If you look like a victim you will be a victim. If I look like a victim it's an ambush.
23. "Stay alert! Stay alive! it's as simple as that."
24. "Be ready to shoot rather than waiting to be shot."If you are looking into the belly of the beast....SHOOT HIM AGAIN.
25. "Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six."
26. He who hesitates........ LOSES. Hit first, hit hardest, hit decisively but ....above all ......HIT!
You must be mentally prepared all the time when you have the mindset and equipment for defending yourself. This doesn't mean to go around teeth clenched, white knuckle paranoid. Trust me you don't have to look for trouble it'll find ya.
When I went through my first phase of law enforcement training, I saw a behavioral study tape made in the penitentiary. In the video (scuze me) they interviewed a rapist/robber/multiple murderer awaiting execution. The agent asked him this question, "When do you normally look for your victims? His answer sent a chill up my spine..."Man, I'm always lookin' for victims." His last murder victims were slaughtered when he was walkin' home and he spotted an open garage door. Are y'all payin attention? As I recall he got some food and about thirty three dollars.
Remember this. Are the inmates the ones running the asylum? Ever watch the T.V. shows about maximum security prisons? Who's keepin' those people in the asylum and apart from us? A man or woman with......a gun.
Make it simple and repeat it to yourself often. "STAY ALERT! STAY ALIVE! It's as simple as that.
Your Instructor... Eddie
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tips for Gun Owners
Tip 1: If you are storing quantities of ammunition make sure you turn the boxes over every so often to keep the powder charges from compressing.
Make sure you check every round of ammo in a new box before you load it.
Look at it!!!!! No primers, wrong caliber stamps, no or loose projectile, all are common. CHECK EVERY ROUND!
Tip 2: Check your weapon for "push off" Gun pointed in a safe direction AT THE RANGE!!!
Procedure:
Magazine out, chamber/cylinder empty.
Cock the hammer and push the hammer hard.
If the hammer falls, that is "push off". DO NOT USE THIS WEAPON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES if the hammer falls. Send the weapon back to the manufacturer if it's new or take it to a gunsmith. This is not something you can fix by yourself unless you are an armorer or gunsmith. WHEN YOU PERFORM THIS CHECK DO IT WITH YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER AND OUT OF THE TRIGGER GUARD. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!!!
If you have a striker fired weapon (Glock, Sringfield XD, S&W M & P, Kahr etc.) you are SOL. I suppose you could tap an exposed striker with a brass mallet, but I certainly do not recommed that at all.
Tip 3: If you are using an ankle rig for carry you better practice drawing it.
If you are carrying in your boot you better practice drawing from the boot.
If you are carry ing in a purse you better practice drawing from it.
Regardless of method of carry practice drawing from it cause if you get in a situation where you have to use your weapon; chances are you won't be standing at low ready facing your attacker.
If you have a compact semi auto or small revolver you need to practice more than others because these are experts guns. Just cause you can put it in your pocket or purse doesn't mean you know how to use it or hit with it in a hurry while you're scared.
Tip 4: Don't ever buy or choose your weapon because of the " cool factor". There is nothing cool about having to use a firearm in self defense.
Tip 5: Don't ever carry reloads in your weapon for your personal defense.
Tip 6: Know the difference between "cover" and "concealment" in a fight.
Tip 7: Know and practice how to clear a jam or malfunction.
Tip 8: Magazines and flashlights. Know how to use them. If you mount a weapons light; DO NOT use it to search with if it is mounted on your weapon. EVER!
KNOW THIS.... There are no magic bullets and knockdown power is a myth use the most powerful ammunition you can consistently hit with.
Practice with both eyes open, at distances from contact to seven yards.
Practice with your weak hand.
Practice with one hand (weak & stron sides).
ABOVE ALL...DO THESE THINGS SAFELY AND.......PRACTICE
Your Instructor, Eddie... OUT!
Make sure you check every round of ammo in a new box before you load it.
Look at it!!!!! No primers, wrong caliber stamps, no or loose projectile, all are common. CHECK EVERY ROUND!
Tip 2: Check your weapon for "push off" Gun pointed in a safe direction AT THE RANGE!!!
Procedure:
Magazine out, chamber/cylinder empty.
Cock the hammer and push the hammer hard.
If the hammer falls, that is "push off". DO NOT USE THIS WEAPON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES if the hammer falls. Send the weapon back to the manufacturer if it's new or take it to a gunsmith. This is not something you can fix by yourself unless you are an armorer or gunsmith. WHEN YOU PERFORM THIS CHECK DO IT WITH YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER AND OUT OF THE TRIGGER GUARD. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!!!
If you have a striker fired weapon (Glock, Sringfield XD, S&W M & P, Kahr etc.) you are SOL. I suppose you could tap an exposed striker with a brass mallet, but I certainly do not recommed that at all.
Tip 3: If you are using an ankle rig for carry you better practice drawing it.
If you are carrying in your boot you better practice drawing from the boot.
If you are carry ing in a purse you better practice drawing from it.
Regardless of method of carry practice drawing from it cause if you get in a situation where you have to use your weapon; chances are you won't be standing at low ready facing your attacker.
If you have a compact semi auto or small revolver you need to practice more than others because these are experts guns. Just cause you can put it in your pocket or purse doesn't mean you know how to use it or hit with it in a hurry while you're scared.
Tip 4: Don't ever buy or choose your weapon because of the " cool factor". There is nothing cool about having to use a firearm in self defense.
Tip 5: Don't ever carry reloads in your weapon for your personal defense.
Tip 6: Know the difference between "cover" and "concealment" in a fight.
Tip 7: Know and practice how to clear a jam or malfunction.
Tip 8: Magazines and flashlights. Know how to use them. If you mount a weapons light; DO NOT use it to search with if it is mounted on your weapon. EVER!
KNOW THIS.... There are no magic bullets and knockdown power is a myth use the most powerful ammunition you can consistently hit with.
Practice with both eyes open, at distances from contact to seven yards.
Practice with your weak hand.
Practice with one hand (weak & stron sides).
ABOVE ALL...DO THESE THINGS SAFELY AND.......PRACTICE
Your Instructor, Eddie... OUT!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
O.K. From The Instructor... Answers to Questions
Got a few very good questions about the tips I sent out and a couple of ther points I did not think of so here goes.
First off. I have been instructing firearms usage since the 1970's and I still don't know everything there is to know about the subject but what I do know I willingly impart to my trainees as what I consider part of teaching a life saving skill.
To the trainees who asked about "push off" just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. My recent recertification at DPS in Austin started at the range and as we were at the first stage of revolver qualification at the 3yd. line a female instructor two positions to my right had her Smith & Wesson Model 686 (six shot, .357 magnum revolver) checked by the Trooper assigned to function check her weapon. The Trooper picked it up checked for unloaded condition, closed the cylinder cocked the hammer and pushed on the hammer with the fleshy part of his hand and to the amazement of those who have never seen it before.....The hammer fell forward to her astonishment.
Now she is an instructor mind you. "PUSH OFF"
It's her responsibility to know handgun function at the very least.
PUSH OFF and how to check for it AGAIN FINGER OFF TRIGGER
I have seen push off on handguns and rifles most notably those with purposely lightened trigger pulls.
A trainee asked me about the practice habits with (specifically) ankle rigs. I have been at two ranges, one a local PD range where a shooter with one, kinda accidental like, shot the ground while trying to deploy his hammerless revolver, and a officer who told me "I don't practice with it cause it's just for my back up piece." Well when he tried to draw it in a hurry he gouged his calf to the point of drawing blood and then dropped the weapon on the concrete. Get it?
Another trainee asked why you need a license to carry if you just have the weapon in your car "and that's legal because of traveling." Wrong DUMAS. Ask any officer how he feels about that and get back to me.
Another trainee asked me about lights and lasers. OK, simply; a laser is not a sight. It is an aid to your sights. A reference point if you will and is no substitute for sight acquisition. As a matter of experience I have found that those who use lasers to aim are terrible marksmen, and are completely distracted from the threat while staring at the bouncing red dot. What do you think the bad guy's doing while you think how cool the laser looks. If you watch the dot you can't watch the threat. It is an aid.
I use my personal light/laser combo (Streamlight) on my duty weapons with the laser set about two inches right of my point of aim with my sights to AID me and it took PRACTICE.
Another trainee asked me why I joke about using a handgun to fight my way to a rifle? It's not a joke. If I know I 'm gonna be in a fight and I have my druthers, I'll have a rifle.
I love the questions because on this subject there is no such thing as a stupid question. So please keep asking. Oh BTW, the lady instructor and her revolver were removed from the line and she had to re-qualify with a borrowed revolver and failed her qualification. At least it wasn't pointed at someone when it had PUSH OFF.
STAY SAFE AND PRACTICE Your friend and Instructor Eddie
First off. I have been instructing firearms usage since the 1970's and I still don't know everything there is to know about the subject but what I do know I willingly impart to my trainees as what I consider part of teaching a life saving skill.
To the trainees who asked about "push off" just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. My recent recertification at DPS in Austin started at the range and as we were at the first stage of revolver qualification at the 3yd. line a female instructor two positions to my right had her Smith & Wesson Model 686 (six shot, .357 magnum revolver) checked by the Trooper assigned to function check her weapon. The Trooper picked it up checked for unloaded condition, closed the cylinder cocked the hammer and pushed on the hammer with the fleshy part of his hand and to the amazement of those who have never seen it before.....The hammer fell forward to her astonishment.
Now she is an instructor mind you. "PUSH OFF"
It's her responsibility to know handgun function at the very least.
PUSH OFF and how to check for it AGAIN FINGER OFF TRIGGER
- AT THE RANGE muzzle pointed in a safe direction (downrange) empty your weapon and double check it for unloaded condition. (revolver-cylinder open check all chambers, semi auto- magazine out, slide locked back check chamber and mag well)
- Revolvers- close empty cylinder and cock the hammer. With finger out of the trigger guard, take the fleshy part of your palm and push hard on the hammer. Do it again. Do it again. If the hammer falls forward or moves perceptibly guess what? PUSH OFF.
- Semi autos- with magazine out, drop the slide and do the same thing to the hammer on your semi auto. If it falls or moves guess what? PUSH OFF.
I have seen push off on handguns and rifles most notably those with purposely lightened trigger pulls.
A trainee asked me about the practice habits with (specifically) ankle rigs. I have been at two ranges, one a local PD range where a shooter with one, kinda accidental like, shot the ground while trying to deploy his hammerless revolver, and a officer who told me "I don't practice with it cause it's just for my back up piece." Well when he tried to draw it in a hurry he gouged his calf to the point of drawing blood and then dropped the weapon on the concrete. Get it?
Another trainee asked why you need a license to carry if you just have the weapon in your car "and that's legal because of traveling." Wrong DUMAS. Ask any officer how he feels about that and get back to me.
Another trainee asked me about lights and lasers. OK, simply; a laser is not a sight. It is an aid to your sights. A reference point if you will and is no substitute for sight acquisition. As a matter of experience I have found that those who use lasers to aim are terrible marksmen, and are completely distracted from the threat while staring at the bouncing red dot. What do you think the bad guy's doing while you think how cool the laser looks. If you watch the dot you can't watch the threat. It is an aid.
I use my personal light/laser combo (Streamlight) on my duty weapons with the laser set about two inches right of my point of aim with my sights to AID me and it took PRACTICE.
Another trainee asked me why I joke about using a handgun to fight my way to a rifle? It's not a joke. If I know I 'm gonna be in a fight and I have my druthers, I'll have a rifle.
I love the questions because on this subject there is no such thing as a stupid question. So please keep asking. Oh BTW, the lady instructor and her revolver were removed from the line and she had to re-qualify with a borrowed revolver and failed her qualification. At least it wasn't pointed at someone when it had PUSH OFF.
STAY SAFE AND PRACTICE Your friend and Instructor Eddie
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