Tools For The Man Prepared

A young modern gun enthusiast. Responsibly armed in an urban environment.

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I don’t hike, but I threw together a little day pack out of my molle hydration carrier (cheap condor, I believe) to hit the local trail today. Tossed my 1911 in a mag pouch low on the right side, slow but accessible. First open carry experience, no questions asked. @twobrotherstactical patch.

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Been carrying this setup appendix in a @trexarmskydex raptor. Very comfortable, even seated.

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The @trexarmskydex nomad holster in coyote brown, full sweat guard. Not pictured is the matching micro mag carrier. I always carry with 1 in the chamber (critical for single stack guns) and with that comes the necessity of a holster for protection of the trigger guard. This holster has been fantastic. I have been carrying a full sized 1911 under anything from a blazer, a tee shirt, to a slim fit button down. Adjustable retention on kydex is a necessary convenience, and the two screws pictured in the belt clip allow for fine tuned retention. The holster sits comfortably at my 3-4:00 position, I've tried appendix carry, and frankly the gun is a bit too long for constant carry in that position. I dress slim, and there is some discomfort when I go to sit down. That being said, if I'm going out somewhere that I know will keep me on my feet, I'll toss this holster in at appendix, no problem. These holsters are fast. You can get the gun out and back in extremely quickly. This is a major advantage over leather. Not worrying about releasing straps and buttons allows for a much faster draw, and the firm kydex retains its shape in your pants and allows for a one handed reholster. I used a leather desantis holster before this one, and always needed two hands to reholster. Trex arms ships two mounting options with the nomad. The other clip the holster comes with (which mounts in the horizontal holes at the top) positions the holster at a slight forward cant. This is an extremely fast and comfortable setup, but I noticed one issue. To mount the horizontal clip, screws need to be mounted on the inside lip of the holster. Over time, I noticed my draw stroke from the 4:00 position began to wear the gun against these screws due to the rotation of my wrist, marring the finish at the forward tips of my rails. I don't mind the beauty marks, but after switching to the setup pictured, I ended up liking the gun sitting deeper in my pants, and was easier to carry in the appendix position. There's not much else to say about this holster besides it is fast, secure, and extremely versatile. I will likely never need another inside the waistband holster for this gun. An interesting observation I made was that I didn't need to change my pants size to accommodate this holster. I wear a 33 32. They fit comfortably before, the gun hardly makes a difference. I would recommend for anyone who carries to be sure to research and purchase a solid, quality holster. Trex arms will be receiving my business again for sure. It makes all the difference in the comfort and confidence you have in carrying your weapon of choice, all day, every day. Feel free to drop any questions. If I missed anything important, I'll make an edit and add it in.

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I always carry a reload with my 1911, and usually with my M&P9. 8 rounds of 185 gr. hollow point in the gun, 8 rounds of 230 gr. ball reload. I’m aware of the shortcomings (depending on the desired use) of hollow point rounds, they fragment by design. Generally, if I know I’m going to be indoors most of the day, I carry hollow point in the gun. Simple preference, do whatever you want. But I am reassured that should I ever need to reload due to a malfunction, or slide lock (both general indications that shit is not going my way), I will have a full mag of ball ammo to get me out of whichever form of hell finds me. 

I came to the realization that when I worked in an office, if I ever had to take a shot, it would likely be down a long corridor, nearly unobstructed. The only barriers were the walls, windows, and cubicle spacers. My thought was that .45 ball would tear through a threat, rip out the opposite side, and continue down a path of destruction, likely penetrating a window and flying out into the unknown. Knowing this, I decided I needed to switch to hollow point rounds. The sooner the round would lose energy, the better, no matter what shot I would take. When a round hits the threat, I’d like it to stop. 

Keeping in mind Jeff Cooper’s crucial rule, “know your target, it’s foreground, and background,” the ideal self defense shot in an indoor environment would likely be through the pelvis of the threat, working upwards on the torso with follow up shots as the threat goes down (theoretically), sending over penetrated rounds into the floor. But I worked on the third floor, what are the ballistic effects a 230 gr. FMJ would have on the floor, or ceiling? And what if I can’t angle the shots well enough under stress, and have to send them paralleled to the floor in order to save my own life? 

Using a round that by design loses kinetic energy faster than a standard FMJ makes simple sense to me, and is something I would urge every ccw holder to consider. We are accountable for every shot we take. If anyone else has any experience outside of theoretical speculation, I’d like to hear it. 

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Lightweight, full size firepower. Conceals under a medium sized slim t shirt. A rigid gun belt is the secret to reduced printing in my experience, MGL Shooter’s belt has been serving me well over the last few months. The RC Vanguard has been a great minimalist setup, convenient for condition 1 storage as well (off body carry, drawer, etc). This EDC has worked for me in all kinds of weather environments and clothing options. I can’t stress the usefulness of a handheld light. Using it to navigate alleys at night is an effective deterrent to any assailant in waiting. Flashing 260 lumens unexpectedly to a thugs face can give you the precious few seconds to get out of a bad situation. 

Gotta love flying dog

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Old meets new Nomad holster from trexarmskydex came in. Review/personal applications soon to come

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Why

Before the training, gear, guns, knives, lights, and other equipment that come with self defense, it first must be understood why such tools are necessary, and what are the ends met by these means.

I am not a philosopher, nor am I a psychologist or sociologist. I only have my own experiences to expand upon, and my observations have lead me to several conclusions of the world and our place in it.

The first is that there we must survive. Survival will predicate the rest of this post, and this blog. It’s always a good time to reflect on what in your life is worth destroying that which threatens it. For some it is the love of a spouse, children, a family, friends who’s love overwhelmingly justifies a fight to survive. For others, it’s country, a community. In my early twenties, I will survive for what I can further contribute. I live to honor my parents and my friends. I’m sure these values will change slightly, but it’s different for everyone. I believe some live only for what they can take from others. Which leads me to my next point.

Evil exists. So often, specifically in my world of the fantasy of academia, there is a perfectly good reason or rationality for almost every terrible event that occurs. There is always an excuse; religious extremism, lone wolf terror, poverty, racism, etc. In the context of self preservation: none of that matters regardless of what you believe to be rational or not. I believe that no one does anything that they deem to be purely evil. There is always a “good” reason to commit an evil act, depending on a certain perspective. But when you are on the receiving end of that action, you must consider your life primarily and why you need to preserve it before you reconcile the motives of your aggressor. With that in mind, evil can take on many forms, and many threats. It is our obligation to overcome it regardless.

I’m not proclaiming this statement to be absolute, simply my thoughts. With that out of the way, we can get into some more of the fun stuff.

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I have been a firearm enthusiast ever since I was launching clays at the age of 7 for my father. I have since grown and matured my understanding of firearms, weapons, and defense.

I grew up suburban in a loving home and with an education that lead me into a reputable university. I have moved to a large city and along with that have already been engaged in threatening situations, and know close friends who have become victims of violent crime. This is simply the reality of the world we live in.

I have impulsively launched this blog to share my discoveries and experiences as a new concealed carry holder. I may adapt the content as I go. In my research I have found excellent and informative resources, but I have still done much experimentation of my own.

I hope this blog can inform and encourage like-minded individuals to pursue unconventional yet practical methods of personal protection. I plan on posting frequently, as much of my own content as I can, and I would greatly appreciate to hear feedback and alternate/opposing viewpoints to enrich my own understanding; knowledge is power. Stay safe.