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Category Archives: Concealed Carry
T.U.C.Rig — Tactical Under Carry for Equipment
A West Central Florida police officer/SWAT member has come up with a simple carry method for ancillary equipment with external clips or sheaths. She calls it the T.U.C.Rig for Tactical Under Carry Rig. Consisting of a nylon strap, single buckle, and hook and loop closure, it can secure items that have clips, such as knives and flashlights. It can also be threaded through pouches with belt loops or MOLLE attachments. The T.U.C.Rig mounts on the ankle, arm, or even on body armor vest straps. For the last two months, I have been using the T.U.C.Rig to tote my C.A.T. Tourniquet while on shift. I attach the hook and loop of … Continue reading
RDR Holsters Micro Carry Review
RDR (Rounds Down Range) Holsters is a Hollywood, FL company making Kydex™ holsters and accessory carriers for most major brands of concealed carry handguns. One of our longtime readers here at ThinBlueFlorida, M@ (Matt–get it?), met me at SHOT Show out on the main floor. Funny, we both traveled all the way from Florida just to meet in Nevada. M@, who works for RDR, brought me a RDR Micro Carry holster for my Kahr PM9. Founded by two brothers, RDR is visibly represented by owner Jeff Wilber. Mr. Wilber is very active in the firearms industry. In January 2013, it was announced that Mr. Wilber would be the new Sales … Continue reading
What You Don’t Know…
The weather was beautiful, so my wife and I took a walk to get out of the house. Along the journey, we headed down the sidewalk near a set of waterfront condos. There was a sheriff’s office cruiser parked parallel to our path. As we went by the driver’s side of the patrol car, my wife and I waved to the deputy sheriff. She was young and appeared to be talking on her cell phone–no problem there, she was stationary. That would pass muster under our General Orders. She smiled and nodded back to us–good public relations for Starman. I could not help but feel uneasy as I was strolling … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Officer Safety, Street
Tagged concealed carry gun, off-duty gun, Officer Safety, Police Ambush
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New Springfield Armory XD-S 9 Pistol
At last year’s SHOT Show, USPSA and IPSC championship shooter Rob Leatham showed me Springfield Armory’s new XD-S, a sub-compact single stack .45 ACP pistol. I shot one and I was impressed with it. For 2013, Mr. Leatham was running around at his normally frenetic pace giving media members a look and trigger time with SA’s new XD-S 9. Mr. Leatham told me the new 9mm semi-auto has the same basic dimensions as the .45 XD-S, except for cartridge capacity, which increases to 7+1 in 9mm. Springfield Armory’s XD and XD-M series have been very popular. The XD-S single stack guns, at only 0.9” in slide width, are just that … Continue reading
N8² Tactical’s Professional Series Holsters
N8² Tactical makes holsters in North Carolina. At SHOT Show 2013, I asked Nate Beard about their name. Nate Beard and Nate Johnson formed the company. “Nate Squared,” get it? I asked Mr. Beard what was new and he showed me their improved Professional IWB concealed carry holster. From the N8² Tactical website: The Nate Squared Tactical Professional holster is the ultimate IWB (inside-the-waistband) holster. It has all the comfort of our Original design, but comes with the following additional features: ADJUSTABLE CANT TUCKABLE EXCELLENT POSITIVE RETENTION The holster is made of polycarbonate, which is an extremely durable thermoplastic. Common uses range from cd’s & dvd’s to bullet resistant glass. We … Continue reading
New Crimson Trace Products for 2013
One of the first booths we hit at SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range was Crimson Trace Corporation. CTC’s Media Relations Manager Iain Harrison showed us a few of their new-for-2013 products. It was so cold, my pen did not write, but the lasers fired up just fine. Green laser! There I said it. Crimson Trace, ironically, is now in the green laser business. Several models are now available, with more variation in the manufacturing pipeline. CTC’s green lasers will come in trigger guard, rail-mounted, backstrap-mounted, and grip replacement systems. Mr. Harrison showed us a currently available CMR-203, which fits pistols wearing M1913/Picatinny or Weaver rails. Ours was … Continue reading
New Ruger LC380 Review
Sturm, Ruger & Co. trucked out their new LC380 to SHOT Show Media Day. Since Ruger’s designated patch of real estate was at the very north end of the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club, we did not get to them until late in the afternoon. Some vendors were already packing up, what with the still chill temperatures and lashing wind. Aaron and I were hanging tough. When we stepped up to the table of guns, I bluntly asked the Ruger rep what they were thinking by making the LC380. I had an answer in mind, but I wanted to see what he would articulate. He told us that their thought … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
Tagged .380 ACP, .380 Handgun, Concealed Carry, concealed carry gun, Ruger LC380, SHOT Show, SHOT Show 2013, Sturm Ruger
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New Kahr CW380 Review
At SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range, I was able to shoot five small handguns that are new to the market for 2013. My first was the latest “budget” offering from Kahr Arms, the CW380, designated the CW3833. I may have said “budget,” but the Kahr CW380 still has all the important functional features that have made their pistols popular with shooters and ’carryers. The 10.2 ounce micro-sized CW380 has a polymer frame with 4140 steel inserts, matte finished 416R stainless slide with bar-dot sights, “Safe Cam” DAO firing system, and quality fit and finish. The C-series of Kahr handguns finds its lower price point by using conventional … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show
Tagged CW380 Review, Kahr Arms, Kahr CW380, off-duty gun, Police Back-Up Gun
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SHOT Show 2013 Small Gun Round-Up
At the SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range, I was able to shoot a number of new small handguns meant for concealed carry self defense. The latest offerings from Kahr, Sig Sauer, Springfield Armory, and Ruger were loaded, locked, and let loose. In the photos, you will notice the dusty guns. It was very windy and fine sand mixed with the usual post-firing gunk. As I have said before, these guns are shot by literally hundreds of media members during this single day of firearms torture. All the guns I used functioned perfectly as designed.
Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement Kodra Sidekick Ankle Holster Review
I’ll get this out right up front: I am not a big fan of the ankle holster for handgun carry. Okay, moving on. I have been asked about a good choice in ankle holsters for on duty wear. I favor the Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement Kodra Sidekick Ankle Holster for a durable and inexpensive way to leg-mount your firearm. Kodra is a ballistic nylon material, akin to Cordura (a brand name), that has good abrasion resistance and a softer texture than other standard nylon materials. Uncle Mike’s uses this to construct a wearer-friendly holster at a low price point. The Uncle Mike’s Sidekick ankle holster has a strap that loops … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms
Tagged Concealed Carry, concealed carry holster, Police Back-Up Gun
4 Comments
New ArmaLaser TR1 Touch-Reflex Laser Sight Review
Gainesville, FL-based ArmaLaser, Inc., is best known for their Small Block laser sighting system which features a “touch activated” switching system. If you have not seen the video where they drop their gun-mounted laser 100 times from 10 feet onto concrete, I have included it below. Yeah, the laser still worked. A couple of months ago, I saw a gun magazine ad for a new ArmaLaser product in the works for the Kel-Tec P3AT/P32 series: the TR1 Touch-Reflex Laser. I liked its sleek look. Although the Small Block has its own touch activated switch and rugged construction, I can’t seem to get past its chunky profile. I’m shallow. ArmaLaser’s new … Continue reading
Testing National Police Ammunition’s Simulated Duty Round
National Police Ammunition is an ATF licensed South Florida manufacturer of law enforcement ammunition. NPA specializes in lead-free, frangible ammo and has developed the SDR, or Simulated Duty Round, for police applications. The SDR is designed to mimic the performance of police duty rounds and be an accurate, reliable, and cost effective alternative. NPA lists some of the following advantages: • Proprietary loading techniques prevents projectiles breaking when chambered which is common with frangible ammunition • Power factor equivalency “Felt” recoil • Line of Sight = Point of Impact • Fully Frangible non jacketed projectile • Reduced ricochet • Available with lead-free, heavy metal free primers (standard primers also available) … Continue reading
S.L. Variant Revolver Speedloader
The Longwitz S.L. Variant Speedloader, which is available from Bobby Mac’s Holsters in the U.S. or Sportshooter.de, is an excellent product for reloading the revolver. They have a positive hold on the bullets and will not release in a pocket or pouch. At $30.00 a piece, they are a little pricey, but, hey, how many do you really need? Available for .38/.357 cal. revolvers with 5, 6, and 7 (no, not eight) round cylinders, the S.L. Variant is my speedloader of choice. Though I like the HKS ones and Safariland Comp
Brous Blades Silent Soldier Neck Knife Review
Jason Brous is a custom knifemaker whose work is the melding of his experience in CNC machining and his love of Biomechanical art. Biomechanical art is a synthesis of machine and organic forms. It was popularized by the renderings of artist H.R. Geiger, whose eerie designs are seen in the Alien series of movies (think of the curvy exoskeleton of the Alien). Brous Blades have their own synthesis of curves and lines that make them visually attractive and strong. I saw one of Brous’ knives on a co-worker’s desk and I think I asked to examine it after I already had the knife in my hands. The Brous Blades Silent … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Knives
Tagged Brous Blades, Brous Silent Soldier, neck knife, police neck knife
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AG’s Office Issues Brief on Concealed Firearms Carry
Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed an amicus brief with the Florida Supreme Court in the case of Anthony Mackey v. State of Florida. The Supreme Court will consider the direct conflict between Mackey v. State (Fl 3rd DCA 2012) and Regalado v. State (Fl 4th DCA 2010), which relates to concealed firearms carry. The AG asks the Supreme Court to uphold the decision by the Third District Court of Appeal of Florida in this matter. The AG brief addresses the authority of a police officer to conduct an investigation of a person carrying a concealed firearm. In short, on March 6, 2010, Miami Police Officer Alexander May observed … Continue reading