This was a great question.  It is an excellent issue to consider if you live in a multi-family dwelling or apartment complex.  The questioner was being a very responsible person to be making sure that they minimized the opportunity for ‘collateral damage’ should they have to use a handgun for personal defense at home.

Mag-Safe and other frangible rounds will essentially break up on contact with any hard surface.  The Mag-Safe rounds in particular have a pellet core in the 9mm configuration and will not penetrate sheet-rock.  Most other frangible rounds have an epoxy core and again will not penetrate any hard surface that you might fire at.

Glaser Safety Slugs are another variety of ammo that is designed to avoid over penetration.  Glaser uses a jacketed round that contains a tightly packed lead shot projectile.  Again, the issue here is that in many cases the projectile does not achieve enough penetration to do significant damage to your intended target.  Thus, the lack of stopping power tends to defeat the purpose of using a gun against your bad guy.

There are a couple of versions of Glaser rounds that supposedly have different penetration characteristics.  The ‘blue’ version is supposed to penetrate a soft target 5-7 inches where the ’silver’ version is supposedly good for between 8-10 inches of penetration.  These tests are done using ‘ballistic gelatin’.  Last time I checked, ballistic gelatin does not wear heavy clothing or hide behind walls, doors, furniture or other objects, so I would take these penetration numbers with a grain of salt.

There is a potential for reliability issues with this type of ammo when used in a semi-automatic pistol.  It is generally not a ‘feed’ issue but a ‘cycle’ issue.  Many of these rounds are not powerful enough to reliably cycle a semi-automatic pistol.   I have used frangible ammo extensively during training exercises in shoot houses and in my personal experience, this has been an issue for certain weapons and calibers.

I would suggest a couple of things right off the bat.  First, if you do use something like Mag-Safe or any other ‘frangible’ ammo, I’d strongly suggest that you do not use it for concealed carry when you are ‘out in the world’.

Using frangible or pre-fragmented ammo is great if you are concerned about penetration in your home, but lousy if you need to shoot through a hollow core door, heavy concealment, a car door or something else that your bad guy is hiding behind.

The Federal Air Marshals did some testing with frangible ammo a few years back.  It is instructive that they now all carry standard hollow point defensive ammo and do not carry frangible ammunition.

If you are really concerned about over-penetration at home, I’d probably suggest having two different magazines.  Load one with a frangible round and put that one in the gun when at home.  Load the other one with a high quality defensive round and use that one when ‘out in the world’.

One last thing to consider…if you are shooting a high quality defensive round and hit your intended target, you should not have to worry about over-penetration putting your neighbors at risk.  It is only an issue if you ‘miss’.  With good marksmanship and situational awareness, you may not really need the frangible ammo at all…

Question: I am wondering if I should use +P ammo in my Springfield XD 45.

Your Springfield can handle the +P ammo just fine. The question is whether to use it or not.

Essentially what +P ammo does is give your .45 caliber bullet a slightly higher velocity. Normal .45 ACP caliber velocities are around 850 feet per second with energy delivered being about 375 foot pounds.

The +P loads will go with a velocity of 950-975 feet per second with the energy delivered being more in the range of 450 foot pounds. Both of these are with the normal 230 grain bullet.

A +P load is a faster, more penetrating, more hard hitting round. It will generally do greater damage to any human target you shoot and get better penetration for wounding in the deep organs of the body.

This increased power comes with the trade off of increased recoil and higher cost for the ammo. Remember that you must be able to accurately deliver rounds on target for them to have any effect. If you can shoot the +P loads accurately, certainly you should feel free to use them for defensive ammo.

My H&K USP Compact .45, is always loaded with Hornady TAP, 230 gr. +P ammo. In my personal experience, it performs exceptionally.

Question:

Hi, I will be purchasing a shotgun soon for home defense and would like to ask a few questions as to what is best for me. I am female and am looking for a lightweight shotgun since having tried a Remington 870 in the range, I was tired after just a few rounds. I have come up with 3 models after some research:

Mossberg 505 Youth #57110 20ga. 4+1 capacity, 5 1/4 lbs.

Mossberg 500 Super Bantam #54210 20ga, 5+1 cap, 5 1/4 lbs.

Remington 1100 20 gauge youth stock (Remington LT-20)

I was wondering if you’re familiar w/ these youth shotguns and if so, which one would you get? There also is a Mossberg shotgun weighing 6 1/2 lbs. I’ve heard that lighter ones have more recoil, is this true with shotguns? If so, should I go with the 6 1/2 lbs.? Again, I want a lightweight shotgun with light recoil, if such a thing exists. Thanks.

Answer:

Thanks for your question. In my experience in teaching shotgun classes, many women have trouble with the considerable recoil of a 12 gauge shotgun. Sounds like your experience was consistent with this. I routinely recommend a 20 gauge shotgun for women or young teens as the recoil is considerably less.

As far as the weight is concerned, I don’t think a little over a pound difference in weight is going to be a big deal one way or the other. Some may say differently, but in my experience there is not a major difference.

The big difference in the youth model vs. the standard Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge is going to be the length of the stock, the reach to the trigger and the reach to the pump action. The youth models are engineered with a shorter reach to accommodate smaller bodies with shorter arms and fingers. If you are a person with a small build, then that might be just the ticket for you. If you have a more normal build, with a height of 5′ 7″ or taller, you might want to go with the standard model.

Here’s what you can do to determine if it fits you or not. Place the butt of the stock firmly in your shoulder, with your shooting hand holding the gun around the pistol grip area of the stock. You should be able to reach the trigger comfortably without stretching. With your non-shooting hand on the fore-end pump, your elbow should be bent at about 90 degrees. Again, you should not feel like you are reaching or stretching to hold the fore-end.

If you are using it strictly for personal defense, a 20″ or 22″ in barrel is what you should look for. If you are going to use it for defense and sporting purposes (hunting or clay target shooting) you should go with a 24″ barrel.

As far as ammo is concerned, look for reduced recoil ammunition. It is available in most gun stores or sporting outlets that cater to hunters. It will reduce the amount of felt recoil considerably. You should look for .00 buckshot (double ought buckshot). Bear in mind that if you shoot that load inside your house, it will penetrate drywall and hollow core doors easily. It will not penetrate cinder block or brick.

As far as the brand of shotgun is concerned, either the Remington or Mossberg would be a good choice. They are both high quality firearms. My personal preference is for the Mossberg as I have owned one for years and have had zero problems with it. It is also very easy to find parts and accessories for the Mossberg.

Once you purchase your gun, you should take it out and test what the pattern of the shot looks like at several distances. I would recommend that you test it a 5 yds, 10 yds, and 20 yds. Use a fresh target or piece of cardboard each time. You will need a target or a piece of cardboard at least 24″ x 36′. The purpose of patterning your shotgun is to see how much the buckshot spreads out as the distance increases. This will make it more apparent to you how critical the aiming process needs to be with your particular gun. Each shotgun is different, so that is why I recommend that you do it for your particular gun.

Question: As a new CCW permit holder, and a woman of, shall we say, ample curves, I’m finding it difficult to manage concealed carry.  Arizona temperatures don’t lend themselves to covering garments, and my curves make IWB carry difficult and conspicuous (unless I opt for very baggy clothing, not appropriate in my professional and social circles).

While I recognize that some amount of wardrobe adjustment is necessary for concealed carry, I’m not willing to completely change my style in order to accommodate a firearm. What are some of the best options for concealed carry, when the wearer is neither straight up and down, nor super slim and wears “office casual” most of the time? Breasts and hips do get in the way sometimes. I’m afraid most of the options I’ve found thus far tend to ignore the feminine factor, making women look somewhat on the “butch” side. Not a look I aspire to. Help?

Answer: Concealed carry for women does tend to be quite a bit more complicated than it is for most men. This is due to several factors. 

Women’s fashions tend to be more ‘form fitting’ and in some cases garments are made of less ‘structured’ materials than men’s clothing.

They do not generally include a ‘platform’ to support the weight of a gun and holster (like a sturdy belt).  

Then there are the body shape issue that our questioner addresses.  This tends to cause traditional strong-side holsters to ride too high or stick out at angles that make concealment awkward.  

Let’s deal with each of these in turn.

Strong side carry is possible, but women need to find a holster built for their shape.  Blade-Tech, Kramer and Del Fatti make some good holsters designed specifically for women’s bodies.  Understand that this will require a sturdy belt, which will not always work with women’s fashions.

Strong-side inside the waistband holsters can work for some, but dues to the ‘form fitting’ issues, will probably not work for most.

In the absence of a belt, paddle holsters provide a reasonable alternative for strong side carry.  Small of the back carry may also be a possibility for some.  I know a female CCW instructor in the Yuma area who effectively conceals a full-sized 1911 using a “small of the back” holster.  She is 5 feet tall and weighs around 100 lbs.  Her usual attire is jeans and she generally wears a casual cover garment over a camisole top. 

In general women need to think ‘outside the box’ a bit.  One possibility is the choice to carry a smaller firearm.  During the summer months in Arizona, sometimes I will forego my usual USP Compact .40 S&W for a smaller more concealable pistol in the form of a Kel-Tec P-3AT.  This small pocket pistol weighs 11 ounces fully loaded and a capacity of 7 rounds.  It is small enough to put in a pocket, or with an optional clip, you can slip it into a waistband.  

It is so light that I have carried it inside the waistband of a pair of gym shorts with no issue.  While I would much rather have a .40 caliber handgun, .380 Auto is not bad under the circumstances.  

A pistol of this type would easily conceal in a variety of women’s fashions.  It is light enough and small enough to conceal virtually anywhere.  The street price for these guns is around $250, so the price is right as well.  

Other methods include ‘off body’ carry. This means that you will have your firearm in a purse, briefcase or ‘daytimer’ style carry device. Coronado Leathers and Galco make some very high quality, fashionable purses and totes designed for concealed carry by women.  Many are designed to look like much more expensive “Coach” style purses.

If you intend to carry off-body, there are some additional factors to consider.  First is the obvious issue of control.  You cannot leave your purse, backpack or day-timer lying around.  You must bear in mind that it can be a little suspicious if you are ‘attached’ to your carry platform constantly.  The draw from any of these methods of carry is slow and awkward at best.  In my classes I ask how many have forgotten and left a purse or day-timer or backpack somewhere.  The number that answer in the affirmative is ample reason to consider another course of action.

If you are going to carry in a purse, the handgun should be isolated in its own pocket or compartment to avoid getting anything stuck in the trigger guard. There are lots of things in a purse that could easily get stuck in a trigger guard (lipstick, mascara, keys, pens, etc.).  I am reminded of an occasion when a female acquaintance of mine discharged her pistol by pulling her car keys out of her purse.  Thinking they were ‘stuck’ she gave them a yank and was rewarded with a loud ‘BANG’.  Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Another thing to consider about concealed carry in a purse or backpack is that things like this tend to be the targets of a ‘grab and snatch’ by muggers and thieves.  You don’t want to reward their efforts with your firearm.

Many have also mentioned fanny packs as a possibility for women’s concealed carry, particularly when dressed in casual attire.  Simply understand that for many people, especially law enforcement, criminals and concealed weapons permit holders, “fanny pack=gun”.  

Another option is the Defender Gun Belt which is made of a sturdy elastic band that wraps around your waist and closes securely with discrete velcro tabs. The gun is held in place by a second section of elastic banding that is double stitched at all stress points, and there’s even space for a spare magazine.  

The Defender is worn inside the pants so that you don’t have to wear a jacket or a concealment shirt. Depending upon the shirt and slacks chosen, it will probably take a few seconds to get a gun out of the Defender.  Also, a person’s weight doesn’t seem to play as much of a role in the ability to wear the Defender.  The Defender comes in two sizes: Model 1 with a 3″ wide belt for small handguns such as the AMT Back-up (.380 and .45), Colt. 380 Government and Mustang, Para-Ordnance P-10, Taurus PT-22, PT-25, etc.; and Model 2 with a 4″ wide belt for medium to large guns such as the Para-Ordnance P-12 & 13, Taurus semi-auto PT-58, PT-908 and Taurus revolvers Model 65,66 and 85CH. 

A third concealment system to consider is the Conceal-It Secret Gunbelt, which is made of medical-grade elastic for durability and comfort and can be worn around the waist like Defender, or by adding on the included attachments, can be worn underneath a semi-loose shirt.  

The Conceal-It holds semi-automatic firearms up to a 9 mm Glock 19 and most revolvers. It’s easier to access a firearm when the Conceal-It is used as an around the waist concealment system, but in those cases where it’s worn under a shirt the seconds it takes to reach underneath it are more than made up for by the fact that you have a gun with you at all. 

The Confidant is ideal for women who live in warm climates or who are required to wear dresses in the workplace. A slightly loose style of clothing completely conceals the gun without requiring a jacket. This system could even be worn with elastic shorts and a loose T-shirt.

The Confidant is sized extra small through extra large, and makes a very small package that won’t take up a lot of room on your shelves. When selling the Confidant, advise your customers that a tighter fit is preferable to a loose one. If the Confidant is too loose, the butt of the gun tends to flop around. Of course, this can always be remedied by adding darts.

Kramer Handgun Leather also offers a holster designed for women called the Women’s Belt Scabbard. Addressing the complaint that regular holsters ride too high and place the butt of the gun in a woman’s armpit, the Women’s Belt Scabbard drops the gun slightly, placing it in a lower, more accessible position for women.

The belt slot is lined with molded plastic formed at an angle that tilts the gun butt out slightly, preventing the gun from hitting a woman’s rib cage. The gun is carried strong side in the “FBI tilt.” Kramer claims that the holster was designed exclusively for women, so much so that it does not conceal properly when worn by a man.

The Women’s Belt Scabbard comes in a variety of attractive leathers and must be worn with a stiff belt that can support the weight of a gun. There is no retention strap on this holster, as it is molded to fit a specific gun model.

Mitch Rosen of Mitch Rosen Gunleather, in Dunbarton, N.H., also offers a holster specially designed for women called the Nancy Special. Rosen’s holster was designed for his wife, Nancy, and works on the theory that a woman’s hips push the muzzle away from the body. To solve this problem, the Nancy Special rides slightly higher than regular holsters and has a slight muzzle-forward rake. This prevents the muzzle from being pushed out and helps keep the butt of the gun away from the rib cage.

This is not an exhaustive list, but should give women a few ideas to work with.  The key is to think creatively, but also stay focused on safe concealed carry.

I recently received a CCW license but am struggling to find a convenient carry method. I seldom wear a jacket and am not thrilled with an ankle holster. What option do you recommend for year-round (especially summer) carry? So far I’ve found a ‘belly band’ most comfortable. I am carrying a Kahr PM 9, if that matters. Thanks for any insight.

Erik 

Answer:

Hi Erik,

You are discovering the difficulty that comes with making every day carry of a firearm part of your routine.  You are correct, it is quite difficult to find a way of concealing a firearm without a cover garment.  

As far as suggestions go, the belly band is not a bad idea, but it is very difficult to get to quickly.  Personally, I use an inside the waistband holster with an untucked shirt.  It is consistent with the current ’style’ for men and does a nice job of concealing a small semi-auto.  

There is another device that might work well for your Kahr.  It is a rubber sleeve that has a metal clip attached that can be worn inside your waistband.  The draw is accomplished by pulling out the waistband slightly with the off-hand.  The gun rides fairly deep.  Check out www.covertcarrier.com

I’m not sure if Kahr makes a pocket clip, but that might be an alternative as well.

I’m not a fan of off-body carry (briefcase, day timer) or fanny-packs, since they scream ‘gun’.

Take a look at a good IWB holster and some minor wardrobe modifications, it might be the best compromise of speed and availability…

I am looking into getting my Concealed Carry Permit and after looking at a few guns and was wondering if you could give me your opinion on the quality and reliabilty of these guns.  I live in New Orleans and there are plenty of ranges here so the gun would be for enjoyment as well as protection. The Guns are Walther PPK Sig-Sauer P232 Baikal IJ 70 (the one I looked at was chambered with 9×18).  Thank you for taking the time to look at this.

Thanks,

Casey

Answer:

Casey,

Thanks for your question.  If you are looking for my opinion of the best overall choice of the three you mentioned, I’d go for the SIG P232.

Here is my reasoning.  In my own experience, the SIG P232 functions flawlessly, is easy to conceal, has easily available ammo and accessories and is manufactured by a well known, broadly supported manufacturer.  This means that if your gun ever needs work, you’ll have no problem finding a gunsmith that can work on it or finding parts for it.  I know at least 2 other owners of the P232 and they absolutely love their guns.  The fact that they are extremely reliable is a very important factor for concealed carry.  You want your gun to work every time.

As far as the other two you mention, the Walther PPK is a decent gun with an enduring design.  The design is fundamentally unchanged since the 1930s.  Here is my issue with the Walther PPK.  First, there are reliability issues with many Walthers.  I had a student in a recent class who experienced jam after jam.  He finally switched to a different gun to complete the course.  There are also some issues getting parts for older style Walther pistols.  It is a gun that is more popular with collectors due to its history and the association with the old ‘James Bond’ character.

The Baikal is essentially a Russian made knock off of the Walther.  Some often refer to this gun generically as a Makarov.  They are very similar pistols in many ways.  There are some differences in operational design, like the fixed barrel on the Baikal.  While I have not personally shot this gun, from the research I did it seems to have reasonable levels of reliability, at least after running a few hundred rounds through them.  It is not unusual for some guns to require a ‘break in’ of a couple of hundred rounds before they loosen up enough to be reliable.  I would suggest that any type of accessory or parts will be pretty hard to come by.  Also, the 9×18 ammo is non-standard.  I would stick with either .380 acp or 9×19.  Non-standard ammo is expensive and hard to find in some places.  That fact alone would eliminate the Baikal for me.

If you are open to looking at some  more modern designs, the Glock 19 and Springfield XD 4″ barrel in 9mm are tough to beat in terms of price, reliability and ease of operation.

I am looking for a good gun and concealment method to carry.  I currently have a Glock 22, but I think it is a bit too wide to carry comfortably (from what I hear).  I would like a Glock 26, but it is the same width of my Glock 22. Do you have any experience with a Glock 26 or similar gun, or any suggestions for a semi-auto that is comfortable to carry preferably IWB?  I need to go shoot some, but I am not sure where to start.

Thanks,

Justin 

Answer:

Justin,

Thanks for your question.  Your Glock 22 is a nice pistol.  The issue with concealed carry for a Glock 22 is the physical size of the gun, not so much the width.  Depending on your physical size, concealing a full sized Glock on your person could be difficult.

Regarding the Glock 26 for concealed carry, unless you specifically want a 9mm, I’d suggest you look at the Glock 27.  It is the same caliber as your G22, the magazines from the 22 will also work in the 27 (nice for practice), and in my opinion, you  get a little more stopping power in a .40 cal that in a 9mm.

I personally have a Glock 26 that I bought as a backup gun early on.  If I had it to do over again, I’d buy a Glock 27 instead.  Now the 26 is in my rental inventory.

To talk a little about concealed carry, I would investigate ‘inside the waistband’ carry of a 26 or 27.  You can get some nice inside the waistband holsters from either Blade Tech, Sidearmor or Galco.  The Blade Tech and Sidearmor holsters are kydex.  The one from Galco are leather.  Bear in mind that you will need to allow an additional 1.5 inches or so in your pants size.  I normally wear a size 36 waist, but for IWB carry, I wear a size 38.

If you aren’t prepared to revamp your wardrobe, you can also get outside the waistband holsters from the same manufacturers.  By the way, for civilian concealed carry, I would probably avoid any ‘retention straps’ or the like.  You just won’t need them.

Personally, I carry at the 4:30 position on my body (think of your belly button as being at the 12:00 position).  My G26 will nestle right into my back hip on the right side and with a loose shirt or t-shirt, the firearm will not be visible.  Similarly, you can wear a sweatshirt or jacket as a cover garment.

As far as the width issue that you mentioned, I personally don’t see it as an issue.  The width of the Glock is not significantly more than most other pistols in the same caliber.

If you want something that is VERY concealable, you might check out the Keltec P-3AT.  It is a 380 auto, very light weight and very tiny.  It is strictly a backup or deep concealment gun though.  If you want a real combat firearm, stick with your Glock.

Just a final comment about concealed carry, you mentioned wanting something to carry “comfortably”.  Unfortunately, concealed carry of a firearm is seldom comfortable.  I am reminded of what an instructor told me very early in my shooting career…”Concealed carry is not comfortable, but it is comforting…”

Something to think about…