Every so often I root around in my gun room and discover stuff that I should have paid more attention to, but for some reason or the other I got derailed. Last year I was going to shoot the Single Stacks — paid my money and everything — but a filming date came up that couldn't be rescheduled so I had to take a pass. Bill Wilson had sent me one of his Rapid Response holsters, a beautiful sharkskin version, to use in the match, so I just set it aside. I wanted to film some more stuff on the Para Retro-GI Bill Laughridge at C&S built for me (which we did today), so I carried a couple of holsters — the super Cedar Ridge dropped-offset GUNSITE holster originally designed by Gordon Davis back in the Dawn of Time to use on the range and, on a whim, the Wilson holster for carry while I was in Arizona.
Man, what a GREAT holster! I didn't even notice the 5-inch 1911 was on my hip. It carried the Para in the perfect position — not too high ride, a common problem, perfect for an easy grip and an excellent presentation. The thumb safety guard makes the holster super comfortable. Bill says this holster isn't quite as concealable as his Lo-Profile or Covert Carry, but I had no trouble concealing this holster under a light jacket...and did I mention it was fast? Nice trick in a concealed carry holster. I can't speak highly enough of the Wilson Combat Rapid Response! I'm gonna get one of these for my Para Carry 9!
On the every important subject of safety, this from Tam at View From the Porch:
...a lot of folks described Todd Jarrett's gun-handling as borderline OCD, with his chamber checks every time he juiced up the gun, and they said it as though it was a bad thing.
When I juice up the gun administratively, I check the chamber. When I pick up a pistol that has been out of my control or observation, such as when I get dressed in the morning, I check the chamber. Now, does that mean that I think that gremlins have sneaked in and unloaded my heater overnight? No it means I check because I always check; this is the purpose behind things like safety checklists for everything from pistols to Piper Cubs to pebble-bed nuclear reactors, you are removing the question of "Do I or don't I?" from the loop. You do. Period.I thought this was interesting because we filed a safety segment with Ed Head at GUNSITE today on this very subject. RULE 1: All guns are always loaded! It touches my hand, it gets checked. Why? Because that is what one does if one has the brains of a hamster...I have seen lots of "unloaded" guns go bang. Well said, Tam.
Seems reasonable to check the firearm! I hate press checks though. Because with my hands (joints pain). I use the whole hand on the back of the slide to move it and take a peek at the chamber.
ReplyDeleteI like to keep my hand away from the muzzle and ejection port of my semiautomatic pistol. (smile)
Anytime you pick up a gun or take control of a gun you check the chamber, even if that means you are checking the chamber on a gun that you just watched your gun instructor check the chamber on 2 seconds prior.
ReplyDeleteThe only exception I make is that I don't check the chambers on loaded guns that I have just staged on the firing line to be used.
I'm slow enough at cowboy action shooting without checking the chamber on my guns when I pick them up to shoot them under the clock!
I'm lucky enough to work out of a basement home office, and keep a few firearms around for dry-fire practice throughout the day. There's no ammunition around, and yet EVERY time I pick one up, I check it. No one around except for the cats, but I still always check. What's the cost in time vs. a rather catastrophic potential ?
ReplyDeleteRegarding Bill Wilson's gun leather: I have a Covert Carry for a Commander-length 1911 and it's my favorite holster for my favorite carry gun. The '11 has an "Officer's"-length alloy grip and between the holster and the gun, the combination makes up my favorite carry rig. The Covert Carry holster places the gun a little higher on the belt line and the gun seems to just fit into a natural place on my frame. The rig balances well and I never get that unsecure feeling that you get when your rig moves around, because this one doesn't. Since it's an IWB, it even works great in hot summer use under light clothing.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the "All guns are always loaded" saying, I don't know who thought up that awkward wording, but I don't like it. I think that the old "Treat all guns as if they are loaded." is a better axiom. The former leaves too much to interpretation and misunderstanding. I heard a guy ask: "Does that mean that we keep them loaded all the time?" I know that I'm nit-picking again, but precision is in order here. 'just saying.
Life Member
Checking a firearm every time you pick it up is never a bad thing...and never a bad habit to pick up...
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