By Patrick Buchanan
My, what a difference a summer can make, especially in 2020. I shared my initial foray into the world of firearms earlier. Later, I shared this reality check when I realized that although I could carry, at the time I didnβt really want to. Many of you were very helpful with great encouragement and some great tips that I put to good use.
Some of you questioned the location and ownership of my reproductive parts, which I found humorous and accepted good naturedly. Iβve learned the gun crowd is supportive to a point, but be we’re being fed so much BS these days that the tolerance level isnβt very high. After a tumultuous summer in this country, as a new gun owner, I’ve found that things have changed.
SIG versus GLOCK
The first change I made was to my firearms. Despite it being an amazing looking and performing firearm, I sold the SIG P320. I found it too large and heavy for concealed carry. At this time I needed two EDC guns and I accept that Iβll probably regret that sale later. I replaced it with a GLOCK 48. The GLOCK is thinner and lighter and, as a new gun owner, I thought I should at least broaden my horizons to other brands.
I keep the G48 and the SIG P365 bone stock, with good Kydex holsters. I can carry either one at any time and found that the 3:00 position works best for me.
I canβt say I have a preference for either. They both carry well and shoot well. I took the wife shooting and she found she liked the feel of the GLOCK better, but as I said, I donβt have a preference. Getting my other half involved helped mitigate any concerns she may have had about whether I will carry or not. I will, period.
Concealed Carry Clothing
As someone who lives in the south where heat is prevalent, I bemoaned the fact that I might have to add additional layers or even spend a few extra minutes thinking about what I was going to throw on every day. I liked the flexibility of being able to put on some shorts and a T-shirt and hop in the Jeep.
As it turns out, it wasnβt that big a deal, especially when every news feed seemed to mention another riot, another roadblock, another protest, and yet another attack against my rights. Many of you commented that once I got used to it, I’d feel naked without the firearm at your side. You were right.
Concealed Carry Every Day
You may recall one of my concerns was bumping into stores and businesses that didnβt allow a firearm. Two things solved that problem: COVID 19, and a great app someone mentioned called Texas3006. I basically didnβt go anywhere for two months except the grocery store and I knew the rules there.
This gave me an easy way to carry and build my confidence. The Texas3006 app shows me where the concealed carry laws (Texas 30.06) and open carry laws (Texas 30.07) apply. Not only can I be prepared, I can choose not to do business with folks that wish to infringe on my constitutional rights.
I now carry confidently wherever I go. I conceal carry easily, have some great guns, and hit the range for tune-ups and practice about every 3-4 weeks. By carrying every day, Iβm more aware of my surroundings and make a more conscious effort to stay yellow.
Ready for November
Itβs tough to say what will happen after this year’s election. Ammo is already scarce and expensive, but I have some. I have two excellent firearms that I maintain in good condition. Iβm not paranoid, but I understand things are changing.
If we go down, weβll go down protecting ourselves. At that point, my life matters, and that of my family. God help you if you try to take that away. I hope and pray our country doesnβt go the wrong way this November and we can all give 2020 the middle finger on December 31st together, as a nation.
I appreciate the great advice, encouragement, and humor offered in the comments of my previous posts. I hope my EDC journey helps at least one of the millions of new gun owners out there that will all be a part of what defines 2020.
“…Iβd feel naked without the firearm at your side.”
tummy sticks?
When he wrote that, one thing popped into my mind –
*Applause* π
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different holsters, Pat. A lot of us have a ‘holster drawer’ that seems to grow over time.
Comfort while carrying is important, and encourages us to carry as often as possible…
Had to chuckle at that one. A holster drawer? I’ve been a CCW holder since 1976. I have a holster foot locker and it’s full. Never got into Kydex, though. I’m thinking about it.
Don’t be afraid to try different carry modes and don’t be afraid to go back to the old tried and true.
Choice…it’s all about free choice…whether to buy a gun……whether to carry a gun….what others think is immaterial…it’s ok to ask for advice…not criticism….
I donβt go where I canβt legally carry. Itβs my choice, and right, and I exercise it.
I carry where I go regardless of the signs.
I understand that, Darkman, but I donβt want to slip up and give any of my business to those establishments which prohibit firearms. Itβs really not much of a problem here in Alabama but there are a βfewβ (very few) places that are not welcoming of the armed citizen. Please consider my choosing not to frequent their establishment my way of saying they can GF themselves.
I was talking more about places that aren’t commercial businesses. Around here those businesses selling products don’t have signs.
Gotcha, DM. Stay safe, stay healthy.
which is sound advice…unless there are criminal penalties, they’re just signs… that are best ignored…
I’m an EDC guy in anti-gun MA since 1976. I carry everywhere and all the time. I’m sure just about every place of business here (except a gun shop), would be horrified to think anyone in their store was armed. The good thing is that, because the whole state is anti-gun rights, no one even thinks “gun”. So as long as you’re good at concealment, you can go anywhere with impunity. There are no signs. No one thinks anyone except a police officer has a gun, so what do I need a sign for. I can’t shun places that hate my gun, because that’s all of them. I’d never be able to shop for anything except guns and ammo.
When I’m open carrying on my own property (which is allowed), visitors always ask me if I’m retired LEO. “Nope. Just an armed citizen.” I usually just get a funny look with raised eyebrows because they don’t know what to say.
There can be advantages to carrying in Liberal Land.
Just a question & a suggestion.
Q: Have you gotten any training in close quarters combat shooting? Shooting from retention, intuitive accuracy, etc.
Sugg: Since the pistols you mention are small carry guns, the sights on them are not ideal for quick target acquisition inside 10yds or so. I’d recommend outfitting them with XS Big Dot sights. I have them on my P365 and they make a world of difference once you get accustomed to them – which doesn’t take very long.
https://www.xssights.com/
GunnyGene,
The virtually exclusive intent/role of micro, sub-compact, and even compact pistols is self-defense from opportunistic thugs at ranges of 10 feet or less. While someone could certainly deploy such pistols against determined attackers at farther ranges — after all any firearm is better than no firearm — very few people will accomplish much if anything beyond suppression fire.
With the above facts in mind, I will argue that installing extra large/visible sights on micro, sub-compact, and even compact pistols isn’t worth the time/cost. If you want a reasonable likelihood of being able to stop determined attackers well beyond 10 feet, then carry a full-size handgun instead of a micro or sub-compact handgun with extra large/visible sights.
Second the XS sights. Dot the i, love them. I have them on my G19 EDC.
My eyes suck and they are older which sucks too.
I want any edge I can get.
Most stock sights on any size firearm seem to be just fine, when shooting between 22.5 ft (7.5 yds) and 15 ft (5 yds); which is where most of my practice takes place with a handgun. I do better with some of my compact and smaller handguns, than I do with full size firearms; with regard to accuracy.
why even bother with sights inside of 10 yards
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
I do a lot of point and shoot practice. A man sized target inside 7 yards is an easy center of mass hit. Outside of 7 yards, or up against smaller targets, I need my sights. This is after LOTS of practice.
Point shooting is often frowned upon these days, but there is a place for it.
For self defense practice, I get cheap paper plates, and practice hitting them quickly from 3 yards all the way out to 25 with my carry gun. (Not the full size pistol that always gets left at home or in the car.) Hitting a paper plate at 25 yards with a Taurus TCP is no easy task for me, but at 15-20 yards, I can hit an 8β plate nine out of ten tries. At 25 yards, itβs more like three out of ten. So in a scenario where I might need to shoot, I know I can confidently take the shot if itβs 20 yards or less. And I probably donβt need to shoot at all if Iβm outside of 25 Yards unless there is a very unusual circumstance. (Active shooter with no one else nearby for example.)
I’ve a 9mm and .380 compact small gun and both are bad breath distance guns. If you have to take aim it’s too far. Especially the .380 which is only effective under 7 yards (at best)
30.06 uggg one of the reasons I haven’t moved to Texas. Georgia makes it a simple trespass if you are asked to leave and refuse, otherwise stickers on windows and doors mean nothing other than you shouldn’t give someone your business.
NC is the same way. I’ll never understand why everybody thinks TX is some bastion for firearms ownership, they put up with some bizarre nonsense from their state legislature…
Even in NY, refusal to leave would merely be trespassing. And no one here posts signs, because no one believes guns and CCW are actually a real thing.
Not that Iβm suggesting you should move from Texas to NY. You shouldnβt do that.
Donβt do that.
People retain those notions from having grown up watching old westerns on T.V. When reality dispels the myth that Texans can buy bazookas out of vending machines, it leads to the counter myth that Texas is a draconian, anti-gun, police state where gun rights go to die. Both wild extremes are wildly inaccurate.
Texas is much better than the average state, but arguably still second tier among the best states, in gun rights. Much of that is just on paper, by the way, with minimal practical impact. For example, for years the knock against Texas was that we didn’t have open carry. Well, now we do, and life hasn’t changed one bit. Now people can argue about lacking constitutional carry, I guess. *Yawn*
As for 30.06 signs, that’s overstated. They’re very uncommon. Where you are most likely to see them are places of business not open to or not generally visited by the public; such as industrial facilities or corporate offices. Among public places, you’re most likely to encounter them at places where firearms are already banned by statute and the signs serve more as reminders than as initial forbidding authority.
In other public places, that’s usually private property. Let the owner ban guns if he or she wants. Most who do, though, simply out up the silly ghost busters gun sign (not the force-of-law 30.06 sign) to placate the antis and to be ignored by the carriers.
What has to happen in Texas is,
A. you have to carry a firearm into a business that has a sign, then
B. they have to discover you have a firearm, then
C. they have to ask you to leave, then
D. you have to refuse, then
E. They have to call the police, who then
F. have to ask you to leave, then
G. You have to refuse again, then
H. you get a ticket.
To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never made it to step B. much less step C. I prefer to avoid those who don’t support personal protection, but it doesn’t always work that way.
i also agree they have a right to do as they please on their property. And if i was asked to leave i would certainly comply, but it’s been such a non-issue, i rarely think about it anymore. Maybe if i open carried my experience would be different….
This post is of high quality. Ohio resident here. I’ve only been carrying for 6 years but I too have never made it to step B. Conceal your firearm properly and go about your business care free.
This post is rubbish and a good example of why one should never accept legal advice from random, self-appointed, uncredentialed Internet sources.
Jonathan youβre not my friend anymore. π
You do make a good point. My post is rubbish as legal advise. No one should ever use anything I say on an internet sight in a court of law……
The truth is, if you refuse to comply with a police officer in my town, you will be arrested. Theyβll figure the charges out later. So my modified order of events now reads
βH. you get arrested. And a ticket for carrying in a prohibited location.β
When we were down last Christmas I did not see any 30.06 signs. I saw a lot of 30.07 signs which prohibit open carry. I know from previous experience that hospitals, funeral homes, and national cemeteries have 30.06 signs. And I know from previous experience that if you don’t get caught the law will not be applied.
30.06 is not that big a deal. And other than bars and health care facilities, few post a 30.06 sign. And Texas and Missouri are the only states that have one VERY IMPORTANT LAW. The law allows the use of deadly force to protect property. So rioters and looters are in short supply down here.
Well that won’t work in Maryland. The current gov. (RINO) didn’t lift a finger to help after courting 2A advocates on his first go around. Metaphorically he did lift a finger in our face after the election.
Hogan is no fan of the 2A,,, but rest assured that the MGA and AG Brian Frosh in particular will always insure that Maryland remains a 2A wasteland and May-Issue State for the foreseeable future. Even the Supreme Court worked against us by denying the hearing of Malpasso v. Pallozzi (carry case).
“…and AG Brian Frosh in particular will always insure that Maryland remains a 2A wasteland and May-Issue State for the foreseeable future.”
That’s why it is critically important to understand the ‘legal lay of the land’ in where you will be carrying…
Hogan may not be a champion of gun rights but the legislature in MD makes any attempt to change the status quo a non starter. If anything it would of been worse without him. Not much consolation but you’ve got 4 counties full of democrats who control the state.
Hi, Welcome to our gun world. As an GI & mod1911 Pistolsmith I applaud you for standing up for the 2nd. As for your choice of weapons…whatever you want & will carry all the time. But more study is in order I would think. I’m old school & like a thumb or hammer drop safety on my auto pieces. Please do not be swayed by safeties just get in the way. Just marketing BS. Best safety is you for sure. But a mechanical safety has saved many ND. Take care. Skip 1911, Sparks NV
P365 can be retrofitted with a manual safety. 3 parts and about 15 minutes work if you buy a notched grip module with the safety rather than cutting it yourself. The FCU is designed for the retrofit.
In Illinois, disregarding a “No Guns” sign is a Class B Misdemeanor for a Concealed Carry Licensee. Worst case, it’s a small fine with no loss of license on a first offense. That’s if a) You are less than diligent in your concealment, b) they go to the trouble of calling the cops and c) the cops go to the trouble of issuing a citation.
So… concealed means concealed, except for federal property (such as the Post Office) where it’s a felony.
I don’t even think it is a felony in a Federal building. I use to work in a Federal building and read the sign at the time (several years ago). As I recall, it was punishable by a fine of $10,000 and up to a year of incarceration.
I still wouldn’t do it and don’t recommend it. (And I might be wrong)
Yes, but being convicted of any crime punishable by a year in jail is a disqualifier. Even if you plead it down to a fine and some community service. If a year in jail is a possible sentence for the crime, bye bye gun rights.
Isn’t it interesting that practically every law passed now is “punishable by a year in jail”
Yep. You got it! That is why I won’t take a chance carrying in those locations.
Gun owners obey the law and get screwed repeatedly.
Gays and pot heads repeatedly broke the law and get their way.
Eff the post office and their signs. Until we all start ignoring them crap like this will remain.
The text on the 4473, as found on the interweb, says more than a year, not up to a year. Subtle distinction, but it looks that way to me. I am not a lawyer and I did not even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night; therefore, this is not legal advice. But, I can read.
things have tightened up considerably in federal buildings….including SS offices…getting caught in a post office could cause you some grief…bur nobody is looking that closely…even when we were sent to guard a PO…[by GSA]…we were told to leave our guns behind…few did,..we just showed-up with an empty holster…and the gun secreted somewhere else on our person…out of sight out of mind…it was a crappy detail anyway, often having to deal with obstinate homeless people who liked to hang out there….
DHS is in charge of protection for federal buildings these days…and they are considerably more hard-ass than the old FPS guys used to be….
….your ID will be checked at the door, and you better have an acceptable one…..then comes the metal detector and X-ray…or at least a hand wand…don’t push your luck….
Mr Buchanan,
Glad to hear that things are going well with your handguns.
Now go add a long gun to the collection and you will be reasonably well armed.
Frankly you should add at least two long guns.
1. Defensive (AR15/AK type or pump shotgun).
2. Fun plinker 10/22 or Marlin 60
I agree with Art. Although I would make my fun plinking .22 a Henry lever action!
Pistol caliber carbines bridge the gap between serious battle rifle and plinker. So for a first long gun, they make a great option. They still have a place in a larger collection as well.
Joel,
I have to agree with you. I own a Henry .22 lever gun in addition to the autoloading 22s. I also own a PCC in addition to the AR/AK and pump shotgun. They are all great. The PCC could cover both the defensive (sub 100 yards) and fun plinker long gun roles as well as maintain ammo compatibility with the pistols.
.22 pistols are dirt cheap these days…especially the classic single-action cowboy variety…often retailing for well under $150…cheap practice gun that could still provide protection in a pinch…
First, I’m in Illinois but, it gets hot almost everywhere in the U.S. I’ve been carrying a gun a little bigger than yours for years in shorts and a t-shirt. I’m kinda skinny so, it tucks in the spot where a beer belly is supposed to be. Nobody has ever “made” me. The exposed pins, slide rails and even the slide show a bit of rust from the sweat. At LEAST once a month I run a paper towel moistened with CLP through the barrel (a long skinny screwdriver will work fine), run a dry patch (another chunk of PT) through, wipe down the slide rails with oil, run a small piece of PT down the slide grooves and wipe everything down. Your slide, barrel, holster will accumulate enough lint that they all need a little regular attention. My other guns are not exactly “safe queens” but, I carry a G2C… a little rust doesn’t bother me. Don’t wait for a range trip to clean the “carry crap” off of it! It needs to work when it needs to work.
Second, I don’t go places that don’t allow guns. The sign carries the “weight of law” in Illinois. The gun signs indicate the attitude of the owners and, frequently the patrons. In my neighborhood, the Whole Foods parking lot is a good place to get run down by a rich, liberal housewife in her Bentley.
Welcome to the world of infringement – Having the right attitude and taking responsibility with a firearm has made me very situationally aware. Best advice I have received: 1.) Take conceal carry training classes. 2.) Support NRA or other gun rights organizations. 3.) Understanding where and when you should draw a gun is the most important lesson to learn. Ask yourself the following question, “is it worth the risk of being prosecuted if I pull my gun here.”
GW:
How about: “Am I going to get maimed or killed, if I don’t pull a gun?”
One thing Iβm curious about. Do you find that your gun points differently when you shoot the Glock vs the Sig? Cause I carry a p320sc and when I plink with my Taurus TX22 (the grip angle is slightly less vertical, though not close to a Glock angle) and switch back to my sig it takes time to re-point. Thatβs why all my defense pistols have the same grip angle (2 p320s and a diamondback db9).
I feel naked, ,,watch, hat, belt ,holster,gunm,wait no wonder my pocket knife is missing, oh geez I forgot to put pants on
Possums gotz pantz? Shudder.
They have pockets, marsupials you know π
What would a possum carry in his pocket? Shudder.
Baby possums???
Lots of good and bad advice here, so let me add my good and bad advice.
First I would suggest sticking to 2 of the same gun for carry purposes or same brand. Like all Glock or all SIG. Example I was an all Glock guy for 20 years then switched to M&P after the 2.0 and Gen 5 came out. I did keep one sentimental G17 but I basically do not shoot it anymore, the rest I sold. Controls and grip angles are different. Different enough that I shot low for the first two months of owning M&P’s because the Glock grip angle (every so slightly down) was burned into my nature. I finally figured it out and going back and forth I could see it. Learning the controls like second nature can save your life some day. I have friends that have all kinds of guns and I watch at the range look at the gun for one reason or another because they have so many different types. I know the M&P like the back of my hand. I know exactly how it feels loaded, unloaded, locked back, where the slide stop is in relation to my grip I use, mag release etc…etc…etc.
If your buying these pistols for CCW self defense then the size you have is perfect. Do not feel under-guned because you do not have a full size pistol. Seriously a civilian is never going to get away with a shooting outside of 10-15 yards max 20 in a large house. You need repeatable center mass shots at those ranges, and its easy to do with the choices you have made.
Honestly the stock sights on both of your choices is just fine. If you do not like the polymer sights on the Glock, buy the steel versions for $20 a set right from Glock’s website. They are simple to install. Night sights are so, so over rated. A bright light, hand held or mounted makes all night sights, blacked out sights anyhow.
Do not buy a PCC, they are a total waste of money IMHO. If you are going to buy a rifle buy at least an AR15 or AK. Rifles that push past 2000FPS are going to produce hydrostatic shock, and that will be the difference to any perp that gets hit with a Rifle round vs a Pistol round.
Train and train some more. Dry fire a ton when ammo is expensive and hard to find. There are some great electronic setups to help you with dry firing.
I straight up sold my m2.0 because I hated the grip angle. Loved it at first but it just never felt right. Still own Glocks but my SIG is my daily and I thoroughly enjoy it, much more than my full size Glock 22 even. And I love that G22. The p320 was my first rmr though, and now I want one on everything. Watch some “Sage Dynamics” on his training with RMR’s. He also has a video of shooting FBI qual with no sights, and he is damn good. I tried it and I can’t brag, but it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with point of aim. Probably the best actually.
I have been carrying my 48 a lot this summer of the Covid.
I really like it. Slim and a full grip.
I did just buy a Gen 5 26 as a possible replacement for my 43. It also has a short grip but totes 10 in the mag and is a little wider and easier to grip.
As before, I suggest you get a 22 for fun and practice. Sounds like a Glock 44 might work for you. They are still reasonable and in stock in a lot of places.
Stay safe and carry on.
Somewhat surprised, but starting to really like my G44. Matches my G19 in size, but without the recoil. I shot both of them yesterday, alternating magazines. The G19, despite being fairly new, has dropped into last place with my Glocks. Much prefer shooting my G17, and even 10 mm G20.
In any case, the G44 is fun to shoot. Because it shoots .22, you can shoot it all day, and not regret it in the pocketbook, or the wrists. The cost and availability of ammunition is important right now. The days are gone, at least for awhile, of buying a box of 1,000 rounds of 9 mm for a good price, working through it over a couple months and repeating. Now the ammunition is expensive, and, for me, sparse. I never had to really worry about when the next box was coming from. Now I do. Except for .22 LR so far, which still seems to be available in bulk, at good prices.
My biggest complaint about the G44 are their cheesy magazines. I have gotten spoiled with a 9 mm double stack mag loader that takes an entire row (5 or 10) from a box, and loads them into a magazine all at once. That lets me load an entire box of 50 into 5 magazines, in just a couple of minutes. With the .22 G44, you have to squeeze the external buttons on the outside on the follower and push down with the one hand as you slip the rounds in, one by one. Maybe all .22 LR magazines are similar. Itβs a pain. But otherwise I really do recommend the gun (despite the horrid Glock sights).
My goodness, that rifle doesnβt look rugged enough for a combat weapon. Poor USMC Snipers, a three man sniper team, shooter, spotter, and duct taperβ¦.πππ.ππππππ9.πππ
sold a p320 because it was too large to conceal and heavy? rookie.
Make it your bedside and grab a smaller gat, but one does not simply just sell a p320.
Look, truth is, if I can conceal a double stack compact like a p230 rxp xcompact, then anyone can. Clothing and position of carry are all that matters.
p230… lol yea…
just get what you feel you need…and fits your budget…anything is better than nothing…adding a short-barreled shotgun for home defense is a good idea if you can find one cheap enough….
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