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Reply: About Self Defense Podcast
I'll be doing another podcast soon, probably tomorrrow, so leave comments here if you want certian topic discussed or questions answered.
Short version for those that dont want to listen to the podcast:
Don Williams said...Thanks for the info, Ferfal.
I have a few questions, if you have the time:
a) You mention Glocks and Browning HiPower for handguns. Do you think SigArms (9mm, 357 Sig,45 ACP), Beretta 92s and 1911s (38 Super, 45 ACP) are less desirable? Why?
Note: I'm not pushing for a gun flamewar --just your personal opinion. And with the proviso that you shouldn't have to mount an impregnable legal defense of that opinion against every gun nut on the Internet.
Thanks Don, I've owned and shot most of the more popular handguns. Hands down the Glock is by far the best for most people. There's nothing worng with the Sig, the 226 was issued to the Navy SEALS and is an excellent firearm, yet both I and lots of other people who I highly respect go for the Glock none the less. I'd say that 80% of the serious self defense instructors here preffer the Glock, I know that the top 5 certainly do and I understnad why they like it so much. When you look at its accuracy, ergonomics, weight, reliability, easy of maitenance, ammo capacity and tolerance to abuse no other gun comes close when you combine all of those factors. Yet some like Berettas, Sigs, and H&K, its ok.
b) You didn't mention body armor in your broadcast although you have urged it's use here on the blog. Is body armor something that one generally wears only for dangerous situations (because it is hot and uncomfortable, esp in summer) or it it something someone should wear most of the time?
(It seems that here in the USA, police on patrol are wearing it more and more although I get the impression that there was resistance when it was first introduced.)
For the average Joe, not all the time but yes when moving large amounts of cash, going to dangerous parts of town. Also for keeping next to the bed along with your gun and flashlight. If you have a couple extra seconds, the BA provides a huge advantage and multiplies your chances of surviving a gunfight considerably. So not always, but still important to have near by and wear when you know you're taking an extra risk.I much preffer inside the weistband holsters, either Bladetec or Milt Sparks. Galco has good ones too.
Don Williams said...PS Any thoughts on selection of holsters? Inside waistband vice oustside,etc.
Remember to combine that with a good gunbelt, I like the Instructors gunblet. Careful though, it does scream "gun" to anyone that notices it, but you cna conceal it easily under an untucked t shirt or polo shirt.
FerFAL
14 comments:
Comp-Tac "Minotaur" is an excellent IWB carry. It is perfect for a Glock 32 with a Crimson Trace added. The "Minotaur" is available for many different types of handgun. There is a great model for a 1911 .45ACP ieth a 4" barrel.
ok. This link to the podcast worked perfectly this time. Thanks.
I got a "Smart Carry" holster, for my XDM 3.8.
Once u get used to the idea it is good. Others absolutely can't tell you are armed. Don't need a gun belt, or a belt at all.
1) Thanks for the answers.
Your recommendations are very helpful -- a person can go through a lot of money trying out and discarding all the various equipment options.
2) Plus there is pressure to compromise and adopt less effective/more error-prone tactics as an adjustment for a poor equipment choice. Not good
for a high stress situation.
3) For example, I thought your recommendation several months ago to go with Class II armor was good.
Class IIIA provides more protection but mostly against exotic, unlikely amno.
It is far more bulky which means an enemy knows you are wearing it and knows to immediately go for a head shot.
And since ClassIIIA is far more bulky it can interfere with a fast draw from an inside the waistband
holster.
None of which is obvious until you dump $1000 or so on the credit card, try the stuff on at home and go "Oh, Crap!" heh heh
Sig makes fine guns however they are expensive. So their ratio of quality to cost isn't so good. Kinda the same thing as HK as well as some high end 1911's.
The pistols are much more expensive as are their magazines, spare parts, etc. For the price of a new Sig you could get a new Glock, a good holster, a few mags and some ammo.
If you have time for more questions (and please give priority to others.)
1) Have you or your friends/trainers had experience of having to act under strong stress? I've seen reports that you lose a lot of hand control in that situation.
I ask because I've wondered if one of the advantages of a Glock over a 1911 is that you may fumble/fail to release the 1911 safety if you have to quick draw under stress.
I.e, that the simpler the better.
Because things that may be easy to do at the range may be hard/cause bad mistakes if you are fighting for real.
2) If you have to use a flashlight with a pistol, do you have a favorite technique? A US police trainer (Massad Ayoob)suggested outstretched arms with flashlight and gun side by side but the Harris technique of bending the left arm (holding the flashlight) and placing gun hand on top of left forearm/wrist seems ok as well.
I for one thought that was a good podcast, very clear and easy to follow. Perhaps the guy was a podcast connoisseur but I can say that it was quite good. Straight to the point very convincing. Much like your writing. No reading off checklists, or giving us weird strange reasons. Everything is very no nonsense and easy to understand. At least I thought so.
Also I don't think you should pussyfoot around what gun you think is the best. The Glock is the U.S standard pistol, and as such the gun that all other guns should be compared to. Anyone who say's otherwise is living in some alternate dimension. Even the black ops special forces are carrying Glocks now.
Anon said at 3:58Am: "The Glock is the U.S standard pistol, and as such the gun that all other guns should be compared to. Anyone who say's otherwise is living in some alternate dimension. Even the black ops special forces are carrying Glocks now."
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1) Actually, the SIG 226 is more like the US Standard -- US Army M11, Navy Seals 226 , Secret Service and Federal Air Marshal's 229, and the Dept of Homeland Security ordered a lot of them a year or so back.
2) That doesn't mean they are better than the Glock --lots of police use the Glock. It may just
be because SIG went through the US Army's exhaustive competition (along with Beretta 92) to replace the 1911 Colt 45. Glock did not enter the competition.
The Government likes to buy a pistol and use it for several decades for budget reasons.
Clarification: Glock did not enter the US Army competition (to replace the 1911 45) because the US Dept of Defense wanted him to give up production rights --see
http://www.remtek.com/arms/glock/model/9/17/index.htm
Glock evidently did pass a 10,000 round endurance test done by the Austrian Army.
What I meant was that there are far far more Glocks being used than any other pistol design. And that goes higher with the Glocklike designs like the XD and M&P9. 2.5 million according to Glocks wiki. You can bet the majority are residing in the U.S.
Actually the Glock wiki reads "Glock commanding 65% of the market share of handguns for United States law enforcement agencies[2]"
I'd be surprised if the Sigs had 20%.
Also your local law enforcement will be using their pistols in combat far far more often than the Army, Navy Seals, Homeland Security, Air Marshals, Secret Service etcetera. Practicing at the range is one thing, using it in combat is another. The Army and Navy Seals always use heavier weapons, while the rest hardly ever pull out their handguns much less use them.
You mentioned Glocks being the preferred handgun among instructors. I am the Director of Fitness for Suarez International and I'm also trained by them as a Combat Pistol Instructor. The vasy majority of S.I. instructors carry Glocks.
Fitpro, my instrctor J. B. knows Gabriel and is his instructor here when Suarez comes to Argentina.
Guys, you can own any handgun you want, but when all things considered it will come in second place to the Glock. You have more accruate guns, guns with nicer triggers, more comfortable to your hand (doubt you'll find one more reliable) but when you combine all of them (reliability, simplicity, ruggedness, accuracy, weight, capacity, availability o parts/mags etc) the Glock wins.
FerFAL
Have you tried other polymer pistols such as the Springfield XD or XDM?
I absolutely fell in love with my friend's Springfield XDM and it seems to be every bit durable/reliable as a glock without that goofy grip that everybody seems to hate and adjust their shooting style to account for.
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