You've thought about this a lot Michelle....I can tell. Sober reflection and decision making. Kudos.

Great points you made.

***Too bad you weren't at the 'Fast Wok' last night with your Peacemaker......or at 'The Flying Biscuit'......

Shaping up to be a banner year for murders in Charlotte so far this year......

 

Thanks for the Kudos, Steve, and I wish I could have been able to go to 'Fast Wok' and 'Flying Biscuit' events with my Peacemaker. I'll tell ya though, it did take me a little while to get used to exposing it. At first I thought I had B. O. or something when everyone was making a B line around me, until I realized what was really going on. Then I started enjoying seeing the difference from a rude to a more respectful public. I have mentioned this to others in my area in hopes that they will wear their weapon in the open as well, but I could imagine that a lot of people find it easier to hide it than to expose it.

I absolutely love my weapon. Living alone, surrounded by cartels and gang members ... well, before I got my weapon I had to use a lot of mental power thinking that I could take care of myself if anything thing happened. After I got it, I still have to be on my toes, but it sure does make me feel a lot safer.

 

Hey Michelle, I didn't really mean that specifically at you. It was more meant as a general thought for anyone considering carrying a friearm for protection. I have made my personal decision, and know well where I stand, that is just the general advise I give to anyone who asks me about carrying. Nothing personal meant at all, I'm all for responsible, informed citizens carrying a firearm.

 

As far as the 'armed society is a polite society' is exactly what I was getting at. I heard that there was/is a town somewhere in the county that everyone carrys a gun in the open and there is very little, if any, crime. Makes sense to me, although, I could understand leaving your weapon at the door of bars since booze makes people do stupid things at times.

I don't like the concealed permit stuff because of the word 'permit'. We are permitted to death these days ... with some having to be paid for yearly. Why should I have to pay every year for something that is mine? This includes my car and even my dogs. Paying for being taught how to use a weapon correctly is another thing. Teachers have a right to get paid for their services.

I have a Glock 23, 40 cal. that holds 13 if one is in the chamber, which a Deputy insisted that I do ... so I do. I use hollow points unless I'm practicing. I have a Blackhawk Sepra holster. The only thing that I don't like about it so far is that it seems to be scrapping the black color off my weapon because the hold is so tight. I also have another holster that I wear strapped on my thigh on super cold winter days when I wear a longer coat.

There are a lot of things I don't like about New Mexico, with all that is carrying over here from Juarez Mexico, but I do like the fact that I can open carry. I'm sorry you can't, but hopefully some day you will be able to.

 

Your general thought was a good one ... I was just showing the other side.

 

I'm very familiar with the G23!!! (Got one!)
I've also got it's 'cousin' the G19. (Same physical size, in 9mm.)
I've got the G27 (.40 S&W) and the G26 (9mm).
They all compliment my G30SF (.45 acp) and G21 (also in .45 acp.)

I also have the Blackhawk Serpa. It works well with all of 'em except the .45 acp pistols.

The one thing that 'bothered me' about the issues with the Serpa is, I don't plan on rolling around on the ground and getting sticks and dirt behind the release button!!

As for ammo. . . . I've gotten to really like the Federal HST in 9mm, .40 S&W and in .45 acp.
The Speer Gold Dot ammo is 'basically' the same. (Both owned by ATK.)

For .40 S&W, I prefer the 165 grain to the 180 grain projectiles.


I'll stop "floppin' my chops".

 

So out of curiosity, how many other open carry's do you run across in a typical day or week?

We don't have open carry here. I do spot a few concealed carry types every so often, but most people are clueless that others around them may be armed.

Have you started stereotyping people yet based on their reactions to your weapon? I imagine some look and are respectful while others look and are horrified.

 

My problem is that I DO roll around on the ground playing with dogs, tripping over the tiniest obstacles, rummaging through illegal dump sites for address to nab the culprits and messin with my horse. One of the Deputies used to clean my weapon for me and when the command changed and he was sent to another place a little time lapsed and it got a bit dusty after taking a walk on a windy desert dusty day. When the Deputy I mentioned earlier was checking it out he told me it needed to be cleaned. That embarrassed the hell outta me. It felt like he told me I had bad breath or needed to wash my clothes or something. I just hope I don't get sticks and dirt behind the release button with my activities!! I'll keep my eye out for it.

And WOW Keith, I'm jealous. I sure wish I had all of your weapons.

 

I have a feeling you are going to try and make a point with this, but that's ok. I have only seen one person carrying one and he may have been a law officer, or he may have been the one that an employee from Auto Zone told me would come in their store wearing one. It's not easy open carrying, At first all different kinds of thoughts went through my mind as to what people thought of it, and me, but once I got used to it I no longer give a dip what they think about it. Sometimes I do admit getting a bit of a kick when someone starts to be rude and as soon as they see it they suddenly change their attitude and become all sweet and wonderful.

Stereotyping? Not really, There is an array of different reactions, and they each have a right to feel the way they want to. But it seems that the more they see me, the more it is excepted and hopefully, eventually, it will become the norm and those wearing concealed will open carry too. I hate not knowing, for the reasons already discussed.

Oh yeah, and, I never bring my weapon to anyone's attention except when I'm walking alone way out in the desert and someone comes down the road I will turn a little so they can see it, only so they will leave me alone. And when people want to talk about it, and want me to show it to them, I will talk but I will not take it out for them to see it ... except when I'm at the Sheriff's office and a Deputy is cleaning it, or they want to see it for some reason. It is not a toy, or to brag about or play with. This is when accidents can happen.

 

My ONLY concern is the serpa.. it has never failed me on my sig, but I have read of others and the release being loaded up, as well as a couple of the paddles breaking off..Good on you for the retention holster.

Good Luck..

 

To bad you were not closer, I would hand one to you and let you play with it before you bought it.

Down side to this pistol.. EXTREAMLY long trigger, and EXTREAMLY long reset of the trigger. IF you are a big guy, your trigger may not reset because your finger will hit the trigger guard before the trigger resets (I dont have this problem)

The sights SUCK.. Using the sites at 12 feet, I was 6" to the right of the bullseye. With out the sights and rapid fire, everyting was center mass, with a nice grouping.

Just my .02, if you use this as a carry, I suggest ball rounds, hollow points (all that I can find out about) seem to load up real quick and start to loose energy before hitting the body. They also apparently deflect easliy off bone. The whole reason that I have found for a hollow point is the expand on the temporay caviaty. Per most of the readings, this isnt as important as I once thought.

Would I suggest this as a Carry, yes. A gun in your pockett is better then a gun left at home anytime . But I now lean more towards my LCR .357 when I dont have my .45

 

I have fired the Ruger. I will get one with the factory lazer site. Its not a perfect gun but its reliability is well known. I may still get a small 9mm for me & a 380 for my wife. I like the Karr 9mm. I shoot the Karr well & it fits my hand. I carry a 5 shot S&W 38 revolver when I can get the wife to part with it. Its a good pocket gun. Any small gun will have a few drawbacks but having it when its needed will make the difference. Plus Ruger is donating $1 to the NRA-ILA fund for every handgun they sell this year.

 

i open carry or conceal almost everywhere i go to protect my family in a unfortunate event. here in Alaska we are still free.

 

I hope i didnt come off negative on that. I love firing that thing.. I just didnt want you to have any suprises.

My one friend had bought one, sold it with in an hour of going to the range with it. I on the other hand, think its a pretty cool little pistol. But I dont wish any of my friends to walk in to one with out knowing what ever it is I can share about it.

 

Michelle,

It wasn't my intent to scare you or to cause concern, about the Serpa.
If you keep the holster clean, you should be fine.

For me, the Serpa is a good holster, but, for concealment, it's not so good. (Too 'bulky' for my tastes.)

The Don Hume JIT Slide is very lightweight and holds the weapon securely (really tight!), and with a T-shirt or a "Camp Shirt" my G26 or G27 disappear.

As for slide wear (holster wear), I've realized that every pistol that I have carried, has developed SOME holster wear.
On the Glock, it really is a non-issue, since the slide has that 'tennifer' coating under the black finish.
Besides, Glock(s) aren't intended to be 'purty', they're working guns.

Cleaning a Glock pistol is really easy, if you don't have anyone available to do it for you.
Even after a long range session, these pistols can be cleaned in 5 minutes!! (And be as clean as the day they left the factory!!)
I know of one police officer, that unloads his Glock, locks the slide open, and runs his pistol through a cycle in the dishwasher (on the top rack)!!!!!
(I SWEAR this is the truth!!!!)
I also know one officer that has NEVER cleaned his (personal) G19. He's never had a malfunction, either!

As for being jealous of my firearms. . . please don't be. There's nothing to be jealous of!
My Glocks have all been acquired with really good discounts through GSSF (Glock Sport Shooting Foundation) or really good discounts because I'm a Certified Glock Armorer.
(LEOs get better discounts.)