#concealed carry weapons

[concealedcarrylicense-blog]

Concealed Carry is a Lifestyle, Not a Hobby

There are many competitive sports that involve shooting some type of firearm, ranging from Mounted Cowboy Action Shooting to the Olympic Biathlon. As exciting as these events are to participate in or watch, none of them require carrying a concealed weapon or defensive action training. That’s because they’re all considered hobbies.

When many people finally decide to purchase their first firearm, they go about it in much the same way they might pursue a new hobby. They often end up with a beautiful weapon that’s designed to work well in limited scenarios only.

For instance, a .22 pistol may be light and easily carried, but it isn’t going to do much damage to anything other than backyard varmints. On the other hand, purchasing a hand cannon is going to be difficult to train with, unwieldy to carry, and unmanageable to shoot in a high-stress firefight, thus defeating the purpose of owning a concealed weapon.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are competitive shooters who feel their sporting weapons are a good choice for concealed carry as well and vary their gun of choice on a regular basis, often several times a week. Author Oleg Volk explains why this isn’t a good idea in his article “Carrying a Gun is Not a Hobby” at USConcealedCarry.com:

“A user habituated to using a Glock would find a Sig decocker lever where the slide stop was expected. In general, it is best to use different versions of the same line of handguns, such as compact, medium, and large frame double action revolvers.” (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)

Unlike a hobby which is meant to be an enjoyable leisure activity, obtaining a concealed carry permit should be a commitment to train and practice as much as possible. The goal is to increase the odds of surviving a violent attack, not to relax and tune out.

Competitive shooting activities do offer some benefits that can transfer to the real world.  They are useful for discovering weaknesses in technique and form before you’re exposed in a real attack. It won’t take long to figure out that your gun cannot be drawn from under a full-length coat or that parts of gloves can wedge tight between a trigger and trigger guard.

If you like to try different or exotic types of ammo, do it at the range. Carrying the latest miracle bullet without having tested it is a recipe for disaster. The same holds true for your carry weapon. Sporting guns should not be part of your personal defense plan. Choose the most powerful gun that you can handle effectively, shoot accurately, and conceal completely.

[concealedcarrytips]

North American Arms Guardian .32 NAA: Big Player in Mini Market

North American Arms, which originated in 1972 as Rocky Mountain Arms, made its reputation based on mini-revolvers with classic designs and stainless steel finishes.  It only stands to reason that their small-scale engineering finesse could transfer into the popular compact semi-auto market. In 1997, North American Arms introduced the Guardian line; semiautomatic pistols designed to compete with Seecamp handguns.

The most recent addition to the line is the Guardian .32 NAA. This weapon is designed for concealability, fitting easily into a pocket holster and can be kept out of the way on any person.  

The specs on the .32 NAA confirm its status as a powerful, but light concealed carry piece with an overall length is 4.5 inches; 2.49 inches of which being the actual barrel.

The width is a scant .94 inches and the weight unloaded is 18.72 ounces while the loaded weight comes in about 20.49 ounces with its 6+1round magazine.  

North American Arms developed the .32 NAA caliber in an effort to augment the stopping power/penetration of the standard .32 caliber round to that of a .380 ACP cartridge.

Compacting that much firepower into a palm-sized gun does not come without a price. As author Marty Hayes describes in his article “A Pocket Full of Power — The North American Arms .32 NAA Guardian” at USConcealedCarry.com, the recoil on the .32 NAA can be a bit snappy -- literally:

“The gun isn’t for little old ladies with tender hands. It is a serious piece of self-defense equipment for serious people who don’t mind a little discomfort in exchange for concealability and reliability. It is a close-up, personal defense gun, and the user needs to understand its limitations.” (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)

For its size, the .32 NAA proved to be accurate enough for just about any self-defense scenario. At 10 foot rapid fire, groupings were about two inches. Backing it off to 10 yards, groups fanned out to six inches.  

The trigger pull on this gun is very heavy at 15 pounds.  While this may seem cumbersome, the heavy pull helps act as a safety measure against accidental discharge while carrying in deep concealment.

One of the more interesting features of the North American Arms .32 NAA and a bonus for concealed carry are the Gutter Snipe sights.  The Gutter Snipe sights are essentially a square trench used to roughly frame the target.

On the .32 NAA, there is a tritium dot at one end, combining the quick reference of the Gutter Snipe with the more accurate tritium sighting.  This combination makes the .32 NAA an extremely effective low-light self-defense weapon.

The .32 NAA is available with several options, such as designer grips, Novak sights, or Crimson Trace Laser Grips.  It retails for about $450.

[concealed-carry-glocks]

North American Arms .22LR Mini Big Seller for Concealed Carry

Although Utah was once part of America’s frontier and considered part of the Wild West, today it’s mostly known for its magnificent national parks, great skiing, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  However, not all of Utah has been tamed.

Nestled on an inlet next to Provo Bay is the North American Arms gun factory, a niche manufacturer that’s carving out a nice share of the concealed carry market.

North American Arms sells revolvers that shoot all manner of .22 caliber cartridges, from the .22 short to the .22 Magnum.  

While .22 pistols have a reputation of being chintzy, that isn’t the case with the .22LR.

As author and trainer George Hill points out in his article “North American Arms .22LR Mini Revolver” at USConcealedCarry.com, the .22LR manufacturing process can compare to that of any heavy duty firearm on the market:

“They are milled out of solid billets of heat-treated stainless, using some of the latest computer-controlled mills out there. The parts are hand-fitted and polished by guys who know guns.  And after they are finished, they are given to a guy who inspects each one by hand and fires them.” (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)

The North American Arms .22LR is also a breeze to operate, although the reloading sequence isn’t going to break any speed records. After pulling out the cylinder pin and removing the cylinder, you use the pin to push out the empty shells. Then you reverse the process, finishing by reinserting the pin. It’s child's play, but tedious -- one of the reasons the .22LR should only be considered a backup weapon.

The wood grips that come with the gun seem rather small, but North American Arms offers other grip options that are easier on the hands and better suited for concealed carry use.

As far as using the .22LR in the field goes, it performs about as well as you would expect for a .22 caliber gun.  In other words, it can be very effective at very short range.  Accuracy decreases rapidly when moving more than just a few yards from the target and stopping force is not something you can depend on with a five shot .22 caliber revolver.  At close range, the .22LR does give deep penetration and five shots at point-blank range will probably save your life.

Overall, the North American Arms .22LR Mini Revolver is an excellent backup or retreat cover weapon. It definitely isn’t an everyday carry piece and should not be considered a last stand gun, but it’s primarily designed to give you a little more time to seek assistance or get away.

[angelvashir]

Concealed Carry Holsters & Outfits for Women (by faliaphotography)