Category Archives: Off Duty

New Heckler & Koch P30SK Pistol

Heckler & Koch announced a SubKompact version of their popular P30 pistol at this week’s NRA Annual Meeting.  The new double-stack 9mm handgun is designated the P30SK.  SK, get it? P30SK has dimensions similar to a Glock 26/27.  The HK is 6.42 inches in length, 4.57 inches high, and 1.37 inches wide.  Bullets are launched from a 3.27 inch barrel.  Weight is tallied as 23.99 ounces. The SubKompact can have a DA/SA trigger or HK’s Law Enforcement Modification (LEM) DAO “light strike V1” trigger at a light 5.4 ounce pull.  The DA/SA is available with and without the ambidextrous safety/decocking levers.  Dual slide releases are worn by all versions.

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Latest Glock 43 Photographs

These are the official photos of the Glock 43.  There were some Photoshopped versions out there, but these are the legit ones.  Specifications are below.  The G43 is slightly larger than the G42, but it is still more easily concealed carry than a G26/27.  The MSRP for the Glock 43 will be $589.00 according to some online retailers.

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged | 2 Comments

Glock Teases New Release–Maybe a 9mm Single Stack?

Updated:  Someone apparently breached a nondisclosure agreement yesterday and confirmed the existence of the Glock 43.  Glock, in turn, gave the rest of the media a go-ahead to publish their “secret stories.”  Looks like we are getting the skinny 9 after all… Here we go again.  I received a media invite for a Glock event at the NRA 2015 Annual Meeting.  Glock promises exclusive “…Range Time with New Product…” among other perks at the April 20 event in Nashville.  The flyer for the soirée had the silhouette of what looks like a G42, but industry insiders accuse it of being the new Glock 43 single stack 9mm sub-sub-compact. As if … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | 6 Comments

Deputy Arrested for Sending Photos of the Dead

A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Thursday for sending his ex-girlfriend explicit photographs of two dead persons from crime scenes.  Austin Jeffrey Douglas violated Florida State Statute 406.136 (6a), which makes it a felony for the custodian of photographs, video, or audio recordings depicting the killing of a person to release them to anyone not authorized. Douglas told Internal Affairs detectives he sent the pictures of a gunshot suicide victim and photo of a dead man in a living room chair to his ex’s cell phone because he was having a “bad weekend.”  Investigators confirmed he had been at both scenes over the past weekend.  Austin was fired … Continue reading

Posted in Legal, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Elite Survival Systems New Pulse Backpack

Tony at Elite Survival Systems gave me a tour of their new Pulse 24 hour backpack.  It is filled with great features, as you can see.  I put it on and immediately tried to trade it for the one I brought to SHOT Show.  Well, no rules against trying. The vented back panel and aluminum stiffening spine seem to keep the Pulse off one’s lower and mid-back, the spots where a loaded pack traps heat.  I know this happens because when I took off the backpack I was wearing to put on the Pulse, I was sweating under the load.  The Pulse, conversely, felt airy.

Posted in Off Duty, SHOT Show, Tactical Bags | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Police Excitement Has Its Price

Yesterday, I had a nice young man over to the house to fix my range.  He has a start-up appliance business that he is working very hard to grow.  While he was installing some new potentiometers and circuit boards, we made casual conversation.  He knows what I do for a living and at one point he said, “Sometimes I wish I had done something exciting with my life–like you did.”  I wasn’t quite sure what to say. Jamie, as I’ll call him, is newly and happily married.  He has a baby girl at home.  For all his elbow grease, Jamie has finally purchased a commercial van with logos and a … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate

A few weeks ago, a colleague brought in a sample of the Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate.  A non-profit called the Police and Kids Foundation, Inc. is promoting the presale of these tags.  Their goal is to presell 1,000 of the tags in 24 months to qualify for production and distribution.  After about three months, the total thus far is about 290. From the Police and Kids Foundation website: “The Police and Kids Foundation, Inc is a non-profit 501( C) 3 charity that has been set up with two objectives in mind.  First are the immediate needs of a child that we determine is in need of … Continue reading

Posted in Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Ruger Adds 9mm to LCR Lineup

For you back-up revolver carriers, Sturm, Ruger & Company is introducing a 9mm version of their popular LCR platform.  If you like having a secondary firearm chambered in the same caliber as your on-duty pistol, then this one may be your ideal belly gun. The Ruger LCR has rightly gained a solid following based upon its light weight, smooth cammed trigger pull, and reliable functioning.  A 9mm round ups the foot pounds of energy delivered on target when compared to its .38 Special +P variation, though both still lag behind the .357 Magnum. Sharing the same 400 stainless steel monolithic frame of the .357 model, the 9mm LCR will come … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, Street | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Raven Concealment Systems ModuLoader

Raven Concealment Systems has come out with a product that made me think, “Duh!”  Raven’s ModuLoader Pocket Shield is perfect for the discreet carry of knives and other like equipment.  There are times that I would prefer to hide my blade, especially when in dress or business casual clothes.  A metal knife clip dragging on the pocket edge of an expensive pair of slacks will not do. I ordered a Pocket Shield primarily for knife carry.  It arrived packaged with a nifty Raven sticker, a short length of small nylon cord, and six Chicago screws for affixing accessories.  I ordered a gray Pocket Shield instead of black, well, just because … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Detectives, Firearms, Flashlights, Knives, Off Duty | 2 Comments

Smith & Bradley Sans-13 Watch Review

The Sans-13 from Smith & Bradley Watches is intended for law enforcement and tactical military personnel.  Jerommie Smith and Ryan Bradley are the Sidney, Illinois founders of the brand.  As their first watch, the Sans-13 was designed with input from those who would be the end users–cops and soldiers.  Jerommie is a Police K9 Handler and Ryan is an attorney.  I met them both earlier this year at SHOT Show and I can vouch for their genuine passion about timepieces. Shortly after SHOT, I bought a Sans-13 from their website.  Since then, I have worn this watch from the drudgery of desk work to search warrant services to dicey homicide … Continue reading

Posted in Misc., Off Duty, SHOT Show, SWAT | Tagged | Leave a comment

Vacationing Cop Wears Mil-Spec Monkey Hoodie

Mil-Spec Monkey posted my photograph on his Facebook page wearing one of his MSM Hoodies.  Thanks, Monkey!  My wife shot this pic while we were hiking in northern California two weeks ago.  We were on a coastal trail and I had just spotted a gray whale.  Cameras up! Satellite imagery will show that the hoodie’s sleeves bear a Mil-Spec Monkey logo patch and ThinBlueFlorida patch (made by…the Monkey).  My faithful Tactical Tailor Urban Operator Backpack (misnamed for this outing) carries the photo gear, water, snacks, and first aid (including tourniquet and QuikClot combat gauze). What looks like a wallet in the right front jeans pocket is my Smith & Wesson … Continue reading

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New Diamondback Firearms DB FS Nine Pistol

Back at the 2012 SHOT Show, I got to interview Diamondback Firearms founder and CEO Brad Thomas.  I had been examining a prototype for the DB RTS tactical shotgun (that was eventually displaced in their line-up by the DB15 AR-15-style rifle).  During our conversation, Mr. Thomas told me about their plans to develop a full-sized pistol.  We are finally getting a look at it. The new DB pistol is a striker-fired 15+1 handgun chambered in 9mm.  In dimensions, it is roughly equivalent to a Glock 17 pistol.  DB FS Nine’s take down levers and its trigger safety are visually similar to the Austrian maker’s gun.  From Diamondback’s website: “This new … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged | 3 Comments

New Smith & Wesson Performance Center 686 Revolver

While I am on revolver kick, Smith & Wesson is releasing a brand new Performance Center version of their Model 686 Distinguished Combat Magnum.  This 7 shot L-Frame model will have a 2.5″ barrel, bead blasted finish, unfluted cylinder, and custom wood grips.  There is a red ramp front and adjustable rear sight. Other features to the PC 686 are a chrome teardrop-shaped hammer spur, chrome trigger with stop, precision crowned barrel, and a cylinder cut for moon clips.  S&W’s Performance Center has tuned the action. Aaron and I shot this gun at Media Day.  The trigger in double action was silky smooth.  In single action, the hammer dropped with … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

New ERGO Delta Grips for S&W J-Frame Revolvers

Overheard at the Show from some GunPressMediaInternetCommandos:  “You gotta check out the new ERGO Delta Grips for the J-Frame.  They are ultra-high-speed-tactical and probably will show up on immediate-action SpecOps outside of CONUS!”  Maybe the word “Delta” fooled them.  Maybe I exaggerate.  Sigh, I checked the map and wandered down to ERGO’s booth in one of the rabbit warren ballrooms off the SHOT Show main hall. I have an affinity for my .38 Special revolvers and in the environment of .327 SmallBlock chambered AR-15’s and the latest in super Cryptoflage-patterned BDU’s, I could have used a bit of Old School Firearm-ery at that moment.  The new Delta Grip by ERGO … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show | Tagged , | 1 Comment

New Remington R51 Pistol

Remington Arms Company is introducing the new R51, a modern interpretation of the the Remington Model 51 “pocket pistol” from the turn of the century.  The R51 is intended to be a 9mm Parabellum concealed carry pistol with a single-stacked magazine and 7+1 round capacity.  Its futuristic looking exterior disguises 100-year-old technology—in a good way. The original pistol was designed in 1917 by John Pedersen and incorporated his locking breech block and hesitation-locked action.  Yeah, I’m not sure exactly how those work, either.  But they do provide a low bore axis for the R51’s fixed barrel.  Remington goes on to say the Pedersen action absorbs some of the kick as … Continue reading

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments