As some of you may know, I tend very much towards the tactical side of the Everyday Carry (EDC) world. One of the reasons that I find EDC to be so fascinating is that there is a wide range of people. For example, the author of the excellent Everyday Commentary website finds that a Spyderco Tenacious, which I consider a mid-sized knife for EDC to be far to large for his uses. This is simply a difference of opinions. I like knives with blades over 3.75" and flashlights with a single-mode "forward clickly" switch. And there is that little part about packing a gun around. Others can't imagine themselves carrying a gun and prefer knives under 3 inches and twisty lights. Certainly an interesting world!
As a result of my ramble here, I am posting a poll on the sidebar asking about the purpose of the things you carry everyday!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Standardization: Cartridges
The gun world is constantly hearing the arguments for the latest and greatest handgun cartridge. Most people who fall in the "light and fast" category espouse the 9mm as their handgun catridge of choice and the .223 as the favored rifle round. Those who prefer the "big and heavy" theory place their bets on the .45 and .308 rounds. I will not bore my readers with the complex mathematical arguments about stopping power. 9mm handguns are easier to shoot and carry more rounds. .45's hit the target with more authority and have a better overall track record. These statements have echoed from gun books and internet boards for years. The same arguments can be applied to the .223 and .308 cartridges.
I am going to take a rather unusual stance on this topic, but it is one that I believe is grounded in solid logic. You should carry the most powerful round you can shoot well with. Now this doesn't mean that you should carry or trust your life to a .22 rimfire, simply because that is the round that you shoot best. For me, the acceptable level of markmanship is being able to get reliable hits on a man sized target at 25 yards for a handgun and 100 yards for an open-sighted rifle. I personally can achieve that handgun goal with a full-sized .45 ACP handgun. I know some people who must use a lighter-shooting 9mm to be able to hit that target. For me, therefore, it makes sense to carry a .45, while for others, a 9mm or even a .380 could be a better choice.
I am a somewhat small-boned person, so I cannot reliably make hits with the often heavy .308 rifles. On the other hand, I can perform quite satisfactorily with a light .223, such as the Bushmaster M4-C15. Choosing to carry a gun of a lower power than you have the ability to handle is a personal choice, one that I can respect. However, carrying a gun more powerful than you can handle is without excuse. I know one person, who carries a .357 Mag Smith and Wesson Scandium Airwieght J-frame, because it is the "smallest, most powerful handgun made". This person cannot hit a man sized target at the range of 10 feet with this gun more than 1 time in 5. On the other hand, I know one accomplished shooter who sometimes chooses to carry a Walther P22 rimfire handgun. I have personally witnessed him put all ten rounds from this pistol into a golf-ball sized area at 50 yards. That, I can respect.
Parting Thoughts: The caliber of the guns you fire should be determined by what you can shoot well. Do not fall into the trap of merely carrying a bigger gun because it is more powerful. Only hits count in hunting, target shooting, and especially in self-defense. A person who knows how to shoot thier .22 well will win the fight against a person packing a .50 Desert Eagle.
Keep Your Powder Dry!
I am going to take a rather unusual stance on this topic, but it is one that I believe is grounded in solid logic. You should carry the most powerful round you can shoot well with. Now this doesn't mean that you should carry or trust your life to a .22 rimfire, simply because that is the round that you shoot best. For me, the acceptable level of markmanship is being able to get reliable hits on a man sized target at 25 yards for a handgun and 100 yards for an open-sighted rifle. I personally can achieve that handgun goal with a full-sized .45 ACP handgun. I know some people who must use a lighter-shooting 9mm to be able to hit that target. For me, therefore, it makes sense to carry a .45, while for others, a 9mm or even a .380 could be a better choice.
I am a somewhat small-boned person, so I cannot reliably make hits with the often heavy .308 rifles. On the other hand, I can perform quite satisfactorily with a light .223, such as the Bushmaster M4-C15. Choosing to carry a gun of a lower power than you have the ability to handle is a personal choice, one that I can respect. However, carrying a gun more powerful than you can handle is without excuse. I know one person, who carries a .357 Mag Smith and Wesson Scandium Airwieght J-frame, because it is the "smallest, most powerful handgun made". This person cannot hit a man sized target at the range of 10 feet with this gun more than 1 time in 5. On the other hand, I know one accomplished shooter who sometimes chooses to carry a Walther P22 rimfire handgun. I have personally witnessed him put all ten rounds from this pistol into a golf-ball sized area at 50 yards. That, I can respect.
Parting Thoughts: The caliber of the guns you fire should be determined by what you can shoot well. Do not fall into the trap of merely carrying a bigger gun because it is more powerful. Only hits count in hunting, target shooting, and especially in self-defense. A person who knows how to shoot thier .22 well will win the fight against a person packing a .50 Desert Eagle.
Keep Your Powder Dry!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
News Flash: Spyderco Endura
Sorry about the delay in posting, I was taken with an unenviably nasty cold over the past weeks. However, on the bright side, I recently recieved a Spyderco Endura 4 for my birthday. I have not had it long enought to post a review, but from my limited experiance I think it will replace my Griptilian as my everyday primary knife. It is not only larger, but thiner and lighter, with a shaving sharp edge on it. However, I think I will still use the Griptilian as a going into town knife, due to its stronger lock and superior blade style for fighting.
Keep your powder dry!
Keep your powder dry!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Standardization
I know many people who own many guns. The greatest characteristic that links them all is the fact that very few of them ever own two guns that are the same. They simply had to buy the latest and greatest handgun, meaning they might have a commemorative Colt 1911, a .45 XD-M, a FN-FiveSeven, a .40 SIG, and a 9mm Kahr. NONE of these guns take the same magazines, most use different ammunition, and all of them work differently. While no doubt this arsenal would be a blast to shoot at the range, it has several disadvantages. Standardization should be the primary goal of building up a collection of guns. There are innumerable arguments for and against various calibers and actions.
My advice would be to find the style of gun that is most comfortable for you and then stick with it. One should ideally base your arsenal around a full sized gun such as the Glock or 1911. Full sized pistols are far easier to shoot, are more reliable, and if/when a major collapse occurs, you won't be worrying about concealment. If you wish, you can then buy the "mini" versions of your full sized pistol, like the baby Glocks or the little 3" 1911s. Assuming you based your handguns on the 9mm Glock, you would be able to use the full-size Glock 17 as a home-defense/apocalypse gun, and carry a Glock 26 on a daily basis. They both take the same magazines and ammo, and use the same parts.
This same idea applies to long guns. Owning an M1 Garand, a Bushmaster M4C15, and a H&K 91 is not a good idea. Although each of these guns is an excellent gun that would serve its purpose well, the wide variety makes it difficult to stock ammo and magazines. I have often heard the excuse that it is best to have a wide range, as it will make obtaining ammo and parts post-collapse easier. I have acctually heard this used to justify the buying of a .50AE Desert Eagle! "You never know if you might find some ammo for it!" This veiw assumes that there will be means of obtaining/finding ammunition or parts post-TEOTWAWKI. I believe that it is better not to count on that, but to rather stock up on the ammo and parts for your guns now, so you KNOW that you will have what you need to keep them running.
Keep your powder dry!
My advice would be to find the style of gun that is most comfortable for you and then stick with it. One should ideally base your arsenal around a full sized gun such as the Glock or 1911. Full sized pistols are far easier to shoot, are more reliable, and if/when a major collapse occurs, you won't be worrying about concealment. If you wish, you can then buy the "mini" versions of your full sized pistol, like the baby Glocks or the little 3" 1911s. Assuming you based your handguns on the 9mm Glock, you would be able to use the full-size Glock 17 as a home-defense/apocalypse gun, and carry a Glock 26 on a daily basis. They both take the same magazines and ammo, and use the same parts.
This same idea applies to long guns. Owning an M1 Garand, a Bushmaster M4C15, and a H&K 91 is not a good idea. Although each of these guns is an excellent gun that would serve its purpose well, the wide variety makes it difficult to stock ammo and magazines. I have often heard the excuse that it is best to have a wide range, as it will make obtaining ammo and parts post-collapse easier. I have acctually heard this used to justify the buying of a .50AE Desert Eagle! "You never know if you might find some ammo for it!" This veiw assumes that there will be means of obtaining/finding ammunition or parts post-TEOTWAWKI. I believe that it is better not to count on that, but to rather stock up on the ammo and parts for your guns now, so you KNOW that you will have what you need to keep them running.
Keep your powder dry!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Thoughts on Home Defense
One of the primary purposes of gun ownership is the ability to defend one's home from intruders. Much has been written on this subject, and I am hardly qualified to speak as if I am on par with Massad Ayoob or Col. Cooper, but I do have some opinions on this subject. I view the revolver as the ideal home defense weapon. While an autoloader has significant tactical advantages, it requires training to be able to use it effectively. While the dedicated gun owner may be well served by a "night gun", say a XD-M with a light mount, there is no telling who will use the average home defense gun. It might be the skilled shooter in the family, or the hesitant housewife. As such the advantage of the revolver is that it is very simple to use: you aim it and pull the trigger. Period.
Another belief I have about home defense is that the long gun has little to no place in it (I am talking about defending against intruders in the home, not a zombie apocalypse). While the benefits of a shotgun are often pointed out, i.e. increased power, this can be a disadvantage. First off, the long gun is difficult to maneuver in tight areas, making room clearing a difficult proposition. This is the opinion of respected tactical writer Gabe Suarez, who stated in his excellent book (I might do a review sometime) The Tactical Advantage that he prefers the handgun for indoor work because of its mobility.
Secondly, while a well made hollowpoint handgun bullet will not exit body of a felon with much power, a twelve guage buckshot load will go through many walls. Even if you hit the intruder, it is a shotgun, meaning that pellets will likely also miss the intruder. Some use birdshot for this reason, seeking to not penetrate walls, but it has not been a proven man-stopper. A rifle will be even worse, as it will very likely exit the target with lethal force. Even worse is the idea that using a shotgun is easy because you don't have to aim (come on people!). While I respect the idea of the increased power and hit potential of a shotgun, I do not see many places where it would be superior to a user-friendly handgun.
Another belief I have about home defense is that the long gun has little to no place in it (I am talking about defending against intruders in the home, not a zombie apocalypse). While the benefits of a shotgun are often pointed out, i.e. increased power, this can be a disadvantage. First off, the long gun is difficult to maneuver in tight areas, making room clearing a difficult proposition. This is the opinion of respected tactical writer Gabe Suarez, who stated in his excellent book (I might do a review sometime) The Tactical Advantage that he prefers the handgun for indoor work because of its mobility.
Secondly, while a well made hollowpoint handgun bullet will not exit body of a felon with much power, a twelve guage buckshot load will go through many walls. Even if you hit the intruder, it is a shotgun, meaning that pellets will likely also miss the intruder. Some use birdshot for this reason, seeking to not penetrate walls, but it has not been a proven man-stopper. A rifle will be even worse, as it will very likely exit the target with lethal force. Even worse is the idea that using a shotgun is easy because you don't have to aim (come on people!). While I respect the idea of the increased power and hit potential of a shotgun, I do not see many places where it would be superior to a user-friendly handgun.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Everyday Carry
Everyday carry (EDC) refers to the things which you carry with you on an everyday basis. For me this means a couple different knives, a pen, my wallet, and a magnesium flint block. The idea behind this concept is to carry things with you so that you will always be prepared for circumstances that might arise in your life. Look in your pockets and on your keychain right now. What tools, weapons, lights, and widgets do you have to make it through your day? It is truely fascinating seeing what others carry. I would recommend this site, Everyday-carry.com. The editor over there does not personally use EDC for self-defense purposes, but is very open-minded to those who do. This is an increasing rare attitude, as most non-armed people today are either horrified or scared at the mere thought of a civilian carrying a gun on a daily basis. It is a fun exercise to put some thought behind what you carry on your person everyday, and see what situations you could survive using that gear.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Benchmade Griptilian
I think that a knife is one of the most essential elements to any wardrobe. Personally, I would no more forget to put on pants in the morning than forget to put a knife in my pocket. While fixed-blades certainly are far more durable and easy to use, they are often bulky and awkward to carry. As such, most of us will rarely carry anything more than a folding knife. A knife that is to be carried everyday must fulfill some basic requirements. First, it must be comfortable to carry, it must be sharp, and it must comfortable and safe to use. For me, this means that it must have a strong lock and a sturdy pocket clip.
The Benchmade Griptilian meets many of these requirements. My model is the tanto version, or 553, while the drop point one is called the 551. The tanto Griptilian has a blade length of 3.45”, which is just about right to be useful for most everyday tasks, yet long enough to be utilized for self-defense if the case should require it. The blade is made of 145CM, which is one of my favorite steels for its amazing edge-holding ability, yet it is still a very corrosion-resistant steel. In every case I have seen, 145CM trumps AUS8, the most popular knife-making steel today.
The 553’s blade is wicked sharp, while still being quite thick for durability. This is one of my favorite features of the tanto blade design, that it has a thick, sturdy blade, but still retains a needle sharp point. The Griptilian’s blade is VERY sharp, and the serrations which run half-way up the blade are of the ideal dimensions for cutting fibrous material like rope. Mine is no longer shaving sharp, as I have now used it for several years, but I am certain that with little effort I could return it to the state that I bought it in. The blade is opened with dual thumb-studs, which are well sized to not interfere with the carry of the knife, but large enough to be easily used to snap the blade open.
The Griptilian uses Benchmade’s proprietary AXIS lock, which I believe is far stronger than a traditional liner lock, and allows the blade to be closed with either hand. The handle is made of plastic and fills my hand almost perfectly. This makes for a rather wide cross-section, making the Griptilian difficult to carry in tight areas, like the waistband (or at least my waistband). True to its name, the Griptilian’s scales (handle pieces, to the uninitiated) have a diamond pattern in them and also posses strategically placed ridges on the front and back to give the fingers purchase. The clip, which carries the knife in the tip-up position, is strong and does not interfere with the hand when using the knife. There is also a provision to change the clip to the other side of the handle, making this a truly ambidextrous knife, with the ability to open, close, and carry the knife with either hand.
The Griptilian has long been one of my favorite do-it-all knives, which can handle chores on the farm or protect against thugs equally well. There are many variations of it available, from the plain drop-point non-serrated 551 at $105 to the black-coated, serrated tanto 553, priced at $120. Although some may find these prices a little steep, one must pay for quality, and that is exactly what you will get with this knife. Besides, they can usually be found for at least $10-20 less than the list price at a sporting-goods store, especially during sales. I picked up mine for $75 at a store that was closing. I would give this knife a 9 out of 10 score for everyday carry. Its thickness is the only thing keeping this knife from a perfect score.
The Benchmade Griptilian meets many of these requirements. My model is the tanto version, or 553, while the drop point one is called the 551. The tanto Griptilian has a blade length of 3.45”, which is just about right to be useful for most everyday tasks, yet long enough to be utilized for self-defense if the case should require it. The blade is made of 145CM, which is one of my favorite steels for its amazing edge-holding ability, yet it is still a very corrosion-resistant steel. In every case I have seen, 145CM trumps AUS8, the most popular knife-making steel today.
The 553’s blade is wicked sharp, while still being quite thick for durability. This is one of my favorite features of the tanto blade design, that it has a thick, sturdy blade, but still retains a needle sharp point. The Griptilian’s blade is VERY sharp, and the serrations which run half-way up the blade are of the ideal dimensions for cutting fibrous material like rope. Mine is no longer shaving sharp, as I have now used it for several years, but I am certain that with little effort I could return it to the state that I bought it in. The blade is opened with dual thumb-studs, which are well sized to not interfere with the carry of the knife, but large enough to be easily used to snap the blade open.
The Griptilian uses Benchmade’s proprietary AXIS lock, which I believe is far stronger than a traditional liner lock, and allows the blade to be closed with either hand. The handle is made of plastic and fills my hand almost perfectly. This makes for a rather wide cross-section, making the Griptilian difficult to carry in tight areas, like the waistband (or at least my waistband). True to its name, the Griptilian’s scales (handle pieces, to the uninitiated) have a diamond pattern in them and also posses strategically placed ridges on the front and back to give the fingers purchase. The clip, which carries the knife in the tip-up position, is strong and does not interfere with the hand when using the knife. There is also a provision to change the clip to the other side of the handle, making this a truly ambidextrous knife, with the ability to open, close, and carry the knife with either hand.
The Griptilian has long been one of my favorite do-it-all knives, which can handle chores on the farm or protect against thugs equally well. There are many variations of it available, from the plain drop-point non-serrated 551 at $105 to the black-coated, serrated tanto 553, priced at $120. Although some may find these prices a little steep, one must pay for quality, and that is exactly what you will get with this knife. Besides, they can usually be found for at least $10-20 less than the list price at a sporting-goods store, especially during sales. I picked up mine for $75 at a store that was closing. I would give this knife a 9 out of 10 score for everyday carry. Its thickness is the only thing keeping this knife from a perfect score.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)