MSNBC Carry Poll

Click here to vote on the MSNBC carry poll.

Do you think people should be able to carry guns in public?

Illinois Will Get Concealed Carry, but. . .

John R. Lott Blog - Illinois finally adopts concealed carry law: All states finally have a concealed handgun law on their books.

Illinois has been the only state that grants NO permits for concealed carry, not counting Washington D.C. as a state.   As I posted earlier, The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Illinois could not deny the Right To Bear, and had to come up with a permitting system.  The Illinois House passed a new concealed carry bill with an 89-28 vote.  The Senate passed it 45-12.  These margins are high enough to avoid a veto by governor pat quinn  That's the good news.

Bad news:

• The law will not allow concealed carry on mass transportation or in government buildings, schools, taverns*, stadiums, casinos^, rahm emanuel's house, or in parks.
• $150 fee for the permit.  That's a lot.
• 16 hours of training is required before issuance, the most of any state in the country. (Are shooting ranges still outlawed within chicago city limits?).
• The bill that passed does not include the requirement to abolish local gun ordinances, such as chicago's "assault weapon" ban that was written into earlier bills.
• Law enforcement can object to the issuance of a permit.  The applicant can appeal the objection to a seven-member panel of appropriate personnel (retired judges, FBI agents).

So if you live in chicago, where you are most likely to need a firearm to defend yourself, and take the bus or train to work or to visit friends, you're still prohibited most of the time.  Maybe time to get a bicycle?  If you are one of many on welfare, you probably can't afford the fee and training.  Still, I guess something is better than nothing, and the law will undo some of the ridiculous restrictions on transportation of firearms that currently exist, at least for those who can get their hands on a permit.

* - Businesses that serve alcohol, where less than half of the sales are food.

^ - There's casinos in Illinois?  Legal ones?

Pulpless.com GunClock

It's been too long since the last time that I plugged the GunClock.

Screenshot, not realtime

Let it be the ammunition in your arguments against the idiots.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Closes "Florida Loophole"

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kane (a democrat) has entered into a NEW reciprocity agreement with Florida, thus fulfilling her promise to "close the Florida loophole."  The new agreement specifically requires that requires the holder of a Pennsylvania or Florida permit also have a carry permit from their home state, in order for reciprocity to apply.

Although, by state law, the attorney general is not allowed to modify the terms of a reciprocity agreement, she essentially used a loophole to close a "loophole."

What this means:

• Those without a Pennsylvania carry permit have until June 8th, 2013 to apply for and receive a permit from their state of residence.  After that date, any FL non-resident permits will not be honored if the person that carries it does not have a permit to carry concealed from their state of residence.  
• Conversely Pennsylvania non-resident permits are no longer valid in FL, unless the permit holder also has a carry permit from his or her own home state. 
• If your state of residence will not issue you a carry permit (like New Jersey), they you are shit-outta-luck in Pennsylvania, at least with a Florida non-resident permit.  The June 8th provision only counts for PA residents.

Why does it even matter? - Although Pennsylvania is a "shall-issue" state, under Pennsylvania law, as a "city of the first class," Philadelphia is essentially allowed to be a "may issue" city, and can legally deny applications for carry permits.  The previous attorney general Tom Corbett (now governor) allowed Pennsylvania residents to carry concealed handguns in the state with a Florida non-resident permit, even if they could not get a PA carry permit.

Furthermore, Pennsylvania does not have reciprocity agreements with the bordering states of Ohio and Delaware.  Delaware does not issue non-resident permits at all, and Ohio will only issue you a permit if you have been an Ohio resident for more than 45 days (not necessarily the same thing).  Previously, the Florida non-resident permit was a one-shop-stop, but now you'll need at least two carry permits if you leave the state and go into Delaware or Ohio. Florida also has reciprocity agreements with 3 more states than Pennsylvania.

The reason for the change?  As far as I can tell, the only purpose is to harass law-abiding gun owners.

The United States is not so united when it comes to carrying, or even transporting a firearm.  What's legal on one side of a state border may be completely legal, while it may a felony on the other side of the border.

The new Pennsylvania - Florida carry permit reciprocity agreement.

Florida Reciprocity Modification Notice.

Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association - Forum thread: AG Kane closes "Florida Loophole."

Illinois Carry Ban Ruled Unconstitutional!

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Illinois can not constitutional prevent it's residents from BEARING arms.  Illinois and Washington D.C. are the only states that have absolutely refused to issue carry permits to residents outside the occupation of law enforcement.

Unfortunately, the court is giving the state 180 days to write less-restrictive laws regarding the carry of firearms, so there will be no (legal) concealed or open carry for at least another 6 months.

The Truth About Guns: BREAKING: U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Down IL Concealed Carry Ban

Now, I would like to see NJ, MD, CA, and Mass. be forced to actually issue permits, without requiring "good reason" for citizens in good standing to exercise their constitutional rights.  Still lots of work to do on Washington D.C. gun laws.

UPDATE, 6/1/13:  Illinois Will Get Concealed Carry, but. . . 

Crossbreed Holster Finally Broke

I'm kind of going all the way back to the beginning of the blog here.  My primary mode of carry is IWB with a Crossbreed Holsters Super-Tuck IWB holster.  I wrote the initial review in 2007.  Then later in the year, the first one I bought cracked, so I sent it in, and they made me a new one.  In 2009, I got tired of breaking the Crossbreed belt loops, so I made my own.  In 2010 the new Super-Tuck cracked, but I kept it, becuase the crack was only about an inch long.

Well, as I was just about to head off to work on Monday, I heard a crack, and discovered that the Kydex holster body had broken in two.

So now I've got a(nother) weekend project.  I formed a new holster body from thicker Kydex sheet.  I need to try to drill out the rivets, without making the holes in the leather any bigger.  The copper rivets and tool that I ordered should come in on Tuesday.  Hopefully then I will have the perfect concealment holster.

Crossbreed Super-Tuck IWB Part 1
Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 2
Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 3

Follow Up On Custom Pocket Holster

The pocket holster I made for my Kahr PM9 is holding up well. . . the pockets it goes into less so.  I had rounded off the corners, but I guess not enough.  After wearing holes in the pockets of some of my jeans, I decided that it was time to modify the holster.  So out came the Dremel and coarse file.

Online Poll: Concealed Carry

Here's an article called Time For Citizens To Arm Themselves, about Sheriff Chuck Wright of Spartanburg County S.C..  Part way through the article is a poll.

How do you feel about concealed weapons?

• I already carry one

• I am going to get a CWP

• I wouldn't carry a weapon

The good sheriff really isn't pulling any punches.  I guess he ended the "on record" interview with, "I think I better stop before I get sanctioned."

I wonder if he'd consider moving up to Delaware County, PA.  I'd probably vote for him.

Galco's KingTuk IWB Holster

There's one more holster-maker doing a variation on the Tucker Answer/Crossbreed Super-Tuck IWB holster type.  Galco calls their holster the KingTuk.  You can read more about the Galco KingTuk on the Galco website.

Direct Link to KingTuk holster page

The KingTuk is available for many popular handguns (Glock, 1911, Sig, XD, Kahr, S&W wheelies and M&P), and oddly Charter Arms and Taurus revolvers.

Personally, I'm using the Crossbreed Super-Tuck, however I'm on my 2nd one, and this one is cracked too.  If I were going to buy one today, I would order a Minotaur Spartan.  However, the Galco should be available to fondle, and possibly try out at gun shops and gun shows, whereas the Tucker, Crossbreed, and Minotaur holsters you'd most likely have to mail order.  There's definately something to be said for instant gratification, and getting to hold the product in your hands before you buy.

Making Kydex Holsters

This is my first posting to come out of a request.

This is a follow-up on the Custom Pocket Holster post.

I guess the first thing I should do is start with a disclaimer.  If you are going to be forming a holster around an actual firearm, check to make sure it's unloaded three times before you start doing anything.  Be really really sure it's unloaded, and periodically check to make sure it's still unloaded.  We don't want anyone getting shot by an allegedly unloaded pistol.

If you have a blue gun, or a red gun, a resin movie prop gun, or a metal stand-in of the type typically used for making holsters, obviously use that instead of a real firearm.  However, I expect that most who read this, are just normal shooters, who aren't going to go and spend $50 for a solid plastic gun to make one or two holsters.  In case I haven't made it perfectly clear yet, if you are going to be using a real firearm to form a holster around, make sure it's completely unloaded first.


Kydex is a pretty forgiving material to work with.  If you make a mistake, you can heat it back up and reshape it.  One of the only ways you can really go wrong is to cut a piece too small, although you may be able to use that piece later for something else.  If you get too agressive with a heat gun you might manage to scorch or really melt the material.

Kydex is also a very inexpensive material.  At present, you can get a 12x24” sheet of black Kydex for about $15 shipped, which should be enough to make two dropped and offset race holsters for full-size pistols, possibly 3, 4, or maybe even more concealment holsters, depending on the design.

I bought my Kydex and Concealex from Knifekits.com.  They have expanded their line of sheath and holster supplies to include metal belt clips, snaps and setting tools, a wider selection of rivets and setting tools, leather material and supplies, new colors and camo pattern Kydex, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

.060” thick Kydex is easier to shape, but Kydex is pretty brittle, and all the holsters and belt loops I’ve ever had, made of .06” Kydex have broken or cracked.  The pocket holster for the Kahr is made of .09” thick sheet, and has been beaten pretty badly, but it's still intact.  I made belt loops for the SuperTuck from .09” sheet folded over, and they’ve been hanging in for a couple years now.  I don't have any experience with .08" Concealex or Kydex, or .125" Kydex.  The 1/8" Kydex might do the trick for belt loops, but wasn't available when I ordered material.

There are a few different ways to form Kydex.  I just use a heat gun to soften the sheet, and then I bend and form it as necessary.  You may have seen vacuum forming on Mythbusters, that works with Kydex too, but I haven't bothered with making a vacuum forming set-up myself.  I've heard of people using the oven, or a toaster oven to warm up the Kydex, and then they quickly try to form it before it cools down and sets.  I have not tried the oven method yet, but I can see how it might have some advantages.

If you use the heat gun or oven methods, you'll need some kind of "Kydex press."  You can order a nice, photo-friendly press from knifekits.com or elsewhere for about $85, but I made mine from some MDF I had left over from another project, and a couple layers of foam cut from a sleeping pad.

The top layer of foam is a little scorched, and the cut of the MDF isn't pretty, but it gets the job done.

You may have no choice but to hand-form sometimes.  The Kydex press doesn't really do curves, unless you make some kind of buck to insert into the press with the hot material.

You'll need something to use as a heat sheild to just work small areas of your holster.  I used a piece of aluminum flashing, but a scrap of plywood or something would work too.

I think I had cut the notch in the heat shield to rework the channel necessary for the slide lock lever.

I have used popsicle sticks taped to the pistol to form slots in the Kydex for the slide lock lever, and other controls.  If you don't have any handy, you can find them labeled as craft sticks at Michael's or maybe WalMart.  The wood slats, purchased from the hobby section of WalMart, I cut to make a stand-in belt to make belt loops.  It's not pictured here, because I threw it away, but I once use the handle of a plastic spoon at one point for forming Kydex.  Use your imagination.

Here is some hardware used to make the tension adjustment on the pocket holster for the Kahr.  On top is a tee-nut (may alse be called a t-nut).  On the bottom is a finish washer.  On the right is a rubber bushing, which goes between the layers of the holster.  On the left is a flathead Phillips 8-32 machine screw.

Except for the rubber bushing, this is the same type of hardware used to secure the belt loops to a Crossbreed SuperTuck holster.  Crossbreed seems to have used a rubber washer cut from rubber sheeting to use as a spacer between the leather backing, and the belt loop.

The finish washers I was able to find at Home Depot.  The tee-nuts and screws I ordered from MSC Direct, but they may be cheaper from McMaster Carr, although, if you need a heat gun, it's probably cheaper at MSC.  If you are buying a heat gun, try to get one with the attachments for focusing the flow of hot air.  It you can't get a heat gun with the attachments for a resonable price, you can get them from WalMart in the paint section for under $25 probably, or maybe from PepBoys.


More Holster-Making Links, in no particular order:
FreeIdaho - Scroll down the index on the left until you get to "Holster 1".
Engnath.com Sheath Page - It's about making knife and sword sheaths, but there's some useful information that can be applied to making holsters.
F1Design.us, Vacuum Forming an IWB Holster - Alternate method of making Kydex Holsters.

Custom Pocket Holster

I had been carrying my Kahr PM9 in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster with an old Blue Cross card epoxied on at the bottom to give it some ridgity.  Well the card broke into several pieces and the holster returned to a floppy, and now very ugly mess.  So I made my own Kydex pocket holster from Kydex.  Here it is:

I made it so that the Kydex covers the mag release, sights, and, of course, the trigger.  The muzzle end is folded over, to try to protect the pistol from pocket lint as much as possible.

I sized it specifically to fit Wrangler jeans pockets, but it seems to fit in most anything else.  Some pocket holsters are made too small, and the pistol ends up sideways, or eventually upside down.  I didn't leave it any room to rotate.

I've been using this holster for a few months and it's working out well.  It took a few tries to get it just right, but the Kydex can be reshaped without any negative effects, and it wasn't that hard.  All in, with the heat gun, materials, foam and MDF to make the Kydex press, I still have less money in the holster than what it would have cost me to have someone else make it.

Shooting/RKBA Shows on Spike Next Saturday

I was checking out what's on next week, and I happened to notice some new shows on the Spike network next week.

Sat, July 17th, 10 a.m. EST
Practical Tactical

Sat, July 17th, 10 a.m. EST
Conceal + Carry = Survive

Before those is Because Lives Depend On It, at 9:30 a.m., but the name of the show and the description given by the Comcast Cable DVR is vague, and I'm not really sure what it's about.  I can't find anything about these shows on the Spike network Website.

UPDATE, 7/18/2010: Conceal + Carry = Survive now called Concealed & Carry School.  Because Lives Depend On It is a self-defense show, and, so far, is the only one to feature a significant amount of shooting.  Although the shows are pretty short, I like the content so far.  I think they are showing shooters, and those concerned with self-defense in a positive way.

UPDATE, 8/1/2010: Found the website.  http://www.dontbeavictimtv.com/

Because Lives Depend On It is a tactics show.  This weekend they had Larry Vickers on to show how to work with a pistol and weapon-mounted or hand-held flashlight.  Last week they did drills with 9mm, .45ACP, and .40S&W pistols, and discussed the pros and cons of these calibers for defense.  This show seems to have the most shooting.

Practical Tactical seems to revolve mostly around home defense.  Last weekend they focused on a hi-tech home with a lot of panic room features.  This week they brought in K-9 professionals to talk about the use of a dog for home defense.

Concealed & Carry School is about what it sounds like.  Mostly it is interviews with people that are going to the school.  Why they went, how they felt about it, what they are getting out of it.

UPDATE, 8/21/2010:  Another show added last week, I think.  It's called What If.  Last week it covered the shooting at the Holocost Museum in Washington, D.C..  This week it was a shooting at a restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown.  The show suggests things you might do if you mind yourself in these kinds of situations.

Concealed Carry Poll - Connecticut Courant

Link to Connecticut Courant poll on concealed carry.

Should Connecticut Allow Open Carrying Of Guns?
Should Connecticut continue to allow people to carry permitted handguns openly?

• Yes. We allow people to own guns after going through a screening process, so why not let them have their holstered guns in plain sight?

• No. When a private citizen walks into a public place with a handgun visible for all to see, it can create a sense of fear or intimidation -- or something worse.

• Not sure

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-poll-open-carry-handguns-0417,0,5186935,post.poll

MSNBC Concealed Weapons Poll

Link to MSNBC Newsvine Poll

How safe do you feel knowing there are people around legally carrying concealed guns?

• Very safe: If a crime is committed or a threat of violence made, they’ve got the means to respond.
• In danger: These people could be trigger-happy yahoos or stumblebums whose weapon might go off by accident.
• Not sure: How would we know? Wouldn’t it depend on the state laws involved and circumstances?

Thanks to John R. Lott, one the best gun control researchers, for posting the link.

John Farnham on "Convenient Fantasy"

You're probably not as safe as you think you are.

I've been reading through John Farnham's Quips from the Defense Training website.  The following is from his quip entitled, "Convenient Fantasy."

When you are not continually equipped and prepared for an instant, precise, and lethal counterattack, any "safety" you're imagining is a convenient fantasy. Like cheap insurance, it all works just fine- until you have a claim! Enjoy it while you can.

I suggest that you read the quip.  It will only take you 40 seconds or so.



Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Taurus TCP - Another Micro .380ACP

I think I sorta remember reading about a Tarus pocket gun in magazine a few months ago. I don't think there were any specifications or pictures of it though.

It is a polymer framed pistol, with the weight listed as 10.2 ounces.

Prices listed on the Tarus TCP Website are $247.21 for blued steel, $277.99 for Stainless Steel, and $366.99 for one with a Titanium slide. It looks like they are available through the web site, but I haven't seen one in any shop yet.

EDIT, 12/11/09: GunBlast has a review of the Taurus TCP .380 pocket pistol. I kind of forgot about that pistol. I still don't think I've ever seen one in person. Unlike some other similar pistols, the Taurus locks open after the last round, and the pistol reviewed had a trigger pull that measured around 4 pounds (compared to the usual trigger pull of around 8 pounds). This one might be interesting.

Murder Free Month in Miami, FL

Remember how the media cried that the streets would run red with blood when Florida passed the nation’s first “Castle Doctrine” law? Maybe you’ve been around long enough to remember when they said the same when Florida started to allow concealed carry.

In October, 2008, there was a period of 35 days in Miami with zero murders. Something that hasn’t happened in 40 years.

To contrast that, in the messiah obama’s old stomping grounds, the city of Chicago, there were 134 murders during the period of January through April 2008. The number of American troops killed during the same period, in the whole country of Iraq, numbered 160. On one Chicago Friday night in 2008 there were 19 separate shootings. July 2008, there were 62 murders in Chi-town.

John Connor writes, "Hey, maybe an enlightened new administration can make Miami -- and perhaps the entire United States? -- as "safe" as Chicago."

Source: John Connor, “Odd Angry Shot: The Glue Ain't All That's Crazy.” Guns Magazine, March 2009.

2007 FBI Crime Report

This may be old news to some of you; the report came out in September.

The report shows:

• The national violent crime rate was very close to hitting a 30-year low.
• The national murder rate was very near a 40-year low.
• The number of privately owned firearms is higher than it has ever been, and the number increases by about 4.5 million a year.
• The three major U.S. Cities with the highest murder rates were Detroit, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.. Handgun purchasers in Michigan must first obtain a permit, and all handguns are registered. Maryland’s guns laws are plentiful, including bans on person-to-person handgun sales, an "Assault Weapon" and "high-capacity" magazine ban, a seven day waiting period on handgun sales, and a virtual ban on concealed carry. In 2007, D.C. was still denying all requests for private handgun purchases, and required that all firearms be stored disassembled and locked up.
• Right-to-carry states had lower crime rates than the rest of the country.
• For 2007, 32 percent of murders didn’t involve firearms. Rifles and shotguns (all included) were used in six percent of murders, with a pretty even split. Firearms reported as “assault weapons” were reported in one percent of murders.

Ruger LCP Safety Recall

Link to recall information on Ruger Web Site

Once again, a new Ruger pistol being recalled for not being [totally] drop safe.

"Ruger has recently received a small number of reports from the field indicating that LCP pistols can discharge when dropped onto a hard surface with a round in the chamber. We are firmly committed to safety and would like to retrofit all older LCP Pistols.

"All LCP pistols bearing prefix “370” (that is, serial number 370-xxxxx) may be affected.

"We will install the new hammer mechanism, plus some other functional upgrades that we added since the LCP’s introduction, and return your LCP to you, all FREE of charge. When we do, we also will send you a FREE magazine with the new finger grip extension as a “thank you” for your patience and cooperation. We will make every effort to return your pistol within one week of receipt."

Heinie Sights for New Kahrs Coming!

What's New at Heinie

It's down at the bottom of the page. Currently, you can get sights for Kahrs from Heinie, but only the 1st gen pistols. My PM9 currently only has the factory metal sights with two dots painted on. I'll probably pick some of the Straight Eight night sights sometime in the future.

Listed price is $110.83, which is reasonable considering the machining put into the sights, and the Trijicon Tritium inserts.