Bam Bam Holsters: May 2016

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International Defensive Pistol Association is an Action pistol Sport devised around the conceal carry life style. I always say it is just running around shooting cardboard as fast as you possibly can, and that it is extremely addictive.

One clarification I heard was as follows......"there are two groups of people that shoot IDPA. There are those that shoot it competitively, and there are those that shoot it in order to stay in touch with the gun". Just a little elaboration, it is a competition. A scored event based on your speed and accuracy. The sport is made to be competitive in nature, and when one improves, it is very obvious since it is a scored event and you can evaluate yourself against yourself an others to gauge your progress. As a person that carries concealed on a regular basis I think it would be great to shoot just a match or two a year just to see where your abilities are at.

At the average match, you will be shootings life size silhouettes from cover, on the move, seated, while retreating, while advancing, strong hand only, weak hand only, up close and personal, and out to 35 yards. Granted all of these don't happen at every match, yet all of them are good experience for the conceal carrier. While it is a competitive sport, you only compete against people in your own class, and can learn from those that are the better shooters.

You might ask yourself, "can I shoot IDPA"? Anyone can, as long as they can safely handle a fire arm under a Range Officers supervision. You need a conceal carry handgun, holster, mag carrier and 3 mags, and usually 150 bullets and a cover garment. The only other necessity is a "can do attitude". Anyone can.

FRESH OFF THE BENCH

Snake inlay on a 1911 pancake

Snake inlay on a railed 1911 pancake

Branded Avenger for a Glock 17

Gun Belt

Sig 229 and "insy" and an "outsy" Avenger and a Wingman

sig 938 omni

"rough out" holsters and mag for two 1911

bubba j for a 1911

Boot Holster for a little revolver

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Bam Bam's musing on he age old question, "what size gun should I carry?". There are all kind of answers, but there is no one answer that will serve everyone's needs.

When I first started shooting hand guns, I went into a gun store and asked to see a 1911 handgun. Quicker than snot, he pulled one out of the small of his back, cleared it and put it on the counter. I don't remember what the next one was that I asked to see, but he pulled it from his hip, cleared it and placed it on the counter. I said, "how many guns do you carry?" his answer, "three".

I suppose there is a fine line of how comfortable the gun is and how comforting the gun is. The single stack is always more comfortable because of its thickness, but the double stack is more comforting because of its mag capacity. I do carry both and without a doubt, the most comfortable is the single stack. Its thin profile is simply less cumbersome inside the waistband. I carry a 5 inch double stack as well. It is like a brick by comparison, but 19 rounds is comforting.

To every person it is different. What they carry, where they carry, and how they carry. I used to think that the size of the person was relative to how one carried but I have seen heavy people carry in positions that you would think only a "beanpole" person could carry and vice versa.

It seems to me that the "threat level" might have influence as well. What I carry on my day job (residential window cleaner running around million dollar homes) is not the same as when I go to the movies. Last time I went to the movie, I had both guns described above, since it is statistically the highest potential "threat level" that I will encounter. The other one is church, sad but true in today's world.

The old statement is true, " a 22 in your pocket is better than a 45 in your nightstand". If one only has a "big" gun, the probability of them "leaving it at the house" and taking it off the minute they walk in the door is pretty good after a while. I find the merit of a comfortable guns value in the likelihood that you will keep it on your person.

Naturally, what ever you do carry, need and "insy" and an "outsy" that is an inside the waist band that conceals well, and an outside the waist band for the occasions when it will work better. Of course, and ankle holster or shoulder holster as well..........just sayin.