People take concealed carry far too seriously....

[MMyers1970]

Now, before anyone freaks out, let me elaborate. I'm not saying that carrying a concealed handgun isn't a serious undertaking. It is. Someone carrying a concealed handgun has the ability to easily end another person's life, and should carry that responsibility with the utmost care and diligence. Keep it concealed. Don't look for trouble. Don't show it off to anyone. You know, common sense things.

No, what I mean is the creeping tacticoolness finding a home in the concealed carry world. I started carrying with a P226. Graduated to a S&W 3913, then a SIG P239, then a Kahr P9, and it's been Kahrs ever since.

My carry pistols all have lasers or night sights. My CW380 has a laser, my P9 has night sights and a laser, and my CM9 has a laser. I know there are laser naysayers, but I think they are misinformed about the purpose of the laser. A laser is an auxiliary sighting system. It's designed to augment point shooting. If I'm firing one handed from the hip, the laser marks my POA. It also increases the effective range of tiny handguns.

The average defensive gun use will be at relatively close distance, and might happen when you only have time to make a one handed shot. The laser helps that.

So what's with the trend of people putting RMRs and WMLs on their carry pistols? Not only does it make the pistol a lot harder to conceal, those additions are of questionable tactical value. A red dot optic will help you make fast shots if you can get the pistol to eye level with perfect form---but is useless in anything other than ideal situations. And the light is worse. Are you going to be clearing houses, like an OPERATOR, with your CCW pistol? Nope. If it's your nightstand pistol, the smart play is to gather loved ones in one room, lock the door, and call the police. It's not smart to be seeking out the bad guy---and it makes more sense to light the ROOM, not to highlight yourself.

I think the accessories industry is telling people they NEED to carry some Roland Special, but what they really need is a pistol they will carry everyday. Like a CM9. Laser is up to you.

MM

[berettabone]

I can't count how many times I have read about someone doing something to change/improve a firearm. I can't count how many times I have said what a waste of time, or, why the heck are they wasting their money. Some people just cannot leave well enough alone. They always have to be changing, adding, blinging, etc. There are certain changes I can agree with, if they help you out as far as the purpose of your particular firearm. For instance, my favorite carry firearm has night sights, which do help in dark circumstances, oversize magazine paddles for quicker mag changes, and a grip glove, which helps me with making the grip more comfortable, and a better fit to my hand. Other wise, none of my other firearms have been altered in any way besides a grip glove/Talon grips. I feel that most firearms are good, right out of the box. Putting those types of extras on their defensive firearms, well, they'll probably learn...……………………should have spent the money on practice ammo. I must admit, I have blinged out a firearm or 2 in the past, but they weren't my carry firearms.

[ltxi]

I don't do lasers. No quarrel with those who find them useful/do, but I feel no need. All, every one, of my carry arms are point shooters as/if necessary. Grips I will change and with 1911s I fit my preferred sights and controls. Other than that, I don't "decorate" my guns

[OldLincoln]

I've gone to big dots for quicker acquisition. Now I'.m ready for bigger dots and likely biggest dots before long.

[Rangers13]

I agree. All the bells and whistles aren’t need. As a retired Leo we worked on our shooting often and part of it was just getting out of your holster and shoot with your forearm on the top of the holster. It was incorporated into our qualifications. Now that I’m retired I qualify at my range and shoot there often to keep my mechanics up to par. If you go to the range you have to shoot at least 300 rounds to keep your technique up to par. I buy ammo in bulk online minimum 1000 rounds at a time.


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[yqtszhj]

I’m agree with the folks here. Keep it simple, I have come to like night sights, I shoot about 1000 rounds a month, and successful point shooting while moving at close range is a must. I do have a laser on 2 of my home defense pistols zeroed at 7 yards for precision shots if needed. That will either get me through or I never had a chance to begin with.

Too many additions are just marketing hype and I figure marksmanship is better than gadgets.

[MMyers1970]

I’m agree with the folks here. Keep it simple, I have come to like night sights, I shoot about 1000 rounds a month, and successful point shooting while moving at close range is a must. I do have a laser on 2 of my home defense pistols zeroed at 7 yards for precision shots if needed. That will either get me through or I never had a chance to begin with.

Too many additions are just marketing hype and I figure marksmanship is better than gadgets.

I guess it's the push for WMLs that really gets me. I can't think of a legit reason for a light on a concealed carry pistol. I can see a light being useful on a handgun carried by an entry team member, or even a street cop. That makes sense. It makes sense on an offensive weapon. But on a concealed handgun? WHY? It just makes your handgun bigger---even the Olight Mini is big. And, again, what are you going to do with it? Clear rooms?

Red dots seem like excellent range toys, but I don't see the utility on a carry pistol. Good sights, a laser if you want it as a backup, and practice, practice, practice.

[JohnR]

If you can ccw a full size gun, an RMR won’t make it un-carryable. They’re getting very small. Thing is, every one I’ve seen has an on-switch. No one can possibly switch it on when drawing for self defense. RMRs are for range use and competition.

As for lasers, they’re basically invisible outside in normal daylight, so keep that in mind...

I use a laser distance measuring tool in my work. It is capable of measuring about 200’, but unless it’s heavy overcast or night I can’t see the dot well at all outdoors.

[BirdsThaWord]

I say to each his own. Since the beginning of hot rodding there have always been the types that will question or down why in the world somone couldn’t just leave their car well enough alone, as the factory engineers must know best. With me at least, it’s always been a bit of both, upgrading for performance (as how the gun/car performs accordingly when I use it) or for looks (the way I want my posession that I paid for to look when I take it out). If someone questions what I do with my stuff that I paid for, I tell them that I will keep their thoughts/concerns/complaints in mind if they ever offer to buy me a car/gun.
I get it, that a lot of “upgrades” may not actually be best suited for the particular individual given the particular situation or particular useage at a given time (range/carry/defense/etc.), but I don’t think that their stuff or those particulars involve me or should involve my opinion. My range guns get fiber optic sights. Many don’t like fo sights. For me, at the range, with my range only guns, they work best for sight aquisition. But thats just me and my stuff.
Enough of my opinion! : )

[Bawanna]

Many depts around here are acquiring RMR's for their officers, especially those with tired eyes that have trouble with quals.
We have one so far for a detective. Its on all the time, no switch and supposedly last for a very long time.
It's a definite learning curve to use them and be able to acquire the dot quickly. Holding the one we have I always find it to come up high and have to tip the nose down.
I'm really not into them myself yet. They claim there will be a day when everyone will have them on duty guns. Maybe there will be a day when deaf derelicts in wheelchairs can be cops?

[JohnR]

Sue under the ADA, they have to accomodate your “differences.”

[BirdsThaWord]

Many depts around here are acquiring RMR's for their officers, especially those with tired eyes that have trouble with quals.
We have one so far for a detective. Its on all the time, no switch and supposedly last for a very long time.
It's a definite learning curve to use them and be able to acquire the dot quickly. Holding the one we have I always find it to come up high and have to tip the nose down.
I'm really not into them myself yet. They claim there will be a day when everyone will have them on duty guns. Maybe there will be a day when deaf derelicts in wheelchairs can be cops?

Interesting! I have yet to try one on a handgun, but had one on an AR once. Thought it was nifty. I heard once (maybe on this site), that in a defense situation, if you explain in court that you were able to take the time to align your poa with your sights that you may be in trouble as the threat was not eminent enough to represent a true threat (you had the time to evade). I would like to try one on a pistol though!

Btw, a lot of your posts make me laugh. You may have missed your calling!

[Ed M]

Having recently put an RMR style sight on my Ruger MK IV, I have to agree with the Colonel.

By the time I actually acquire the dot and put it on target, I'd be in trouble - and as da Bird points out, in more ways than one.

For the guns I CCW the most, I prefer a sight like this:

https://lakelinellc.com/shop/truglo-...-new-dovetail/

Of course, night sights are strictly optional, but for me, I'm becoming less and less inclined to head in that direction.

The training I get has lead me to concentrate on point shooting, and mainly just concentrating on the front sight. Kahr stock sights work dandy for this, IMO.

The longer I own and practice with my Kahrs, the more I realize just how well they are designed for self defense applications.

Yeah, my MK9 is all gussied up, but the rest of my Kahrs really are pretty much stock, other than sights and grips (usually Talons). God forbid, if you do have to use your CCW in a self defense situation, it's probably gonna be confiscated, and you may not get it back for a long time - if ever. Having a stock CCW makes it easier to replace quickly with an identical piece.

[JohnR]

Colonel, do they confiscate guns from lawful self-defense shootings in your department?

[340pd]

Every one of my snubbies and that of my daughters Mod. 60 Pro Series have Crimspn Trace lasergrips in one configuration or another. Point and shoot guns yes but over the last seven years I have seen people shoot with and without lasers. I can guarantee you at 30' the groups with a laser are one fourth the size of those shooting using the gutter sights found on most snubbies plus I am a strong believer that a red or green dot on the chest of an aggressor just may prevent one from actually pulling the trigger.
Some day we can discuss the other five strong reasons to have a laser on your short barreled carry gun.
Remember, they do have an "off switch" for ones main range training.
My 2¢