My old friend John Bianchi, the master holster-maker, propounded what he called “Bianchi’s Law” for carrying handguns. It was “same gun, same holster, all the time.” (That could be read as same type of gun, same type of holster, in the same place.) It was to make sure that if you reflexively needed to draw and fire, all the habits for doing so would be hard-wired in.
Bianchi’s Law makes a helluva lot of sense. Unfortunately, I occasionally have need to break it. A lot of the sidearms I test for gun magazines are carry pieces, and part of the test is actually carrying them. I want to see if there are sharp edges that will discomfort the wearer or tear up clothing, or angles that will cause undue, unwanted bulge – “printing,” as we call it in the business.
Moreover, my primary job is teaching firearms and deadly force. The instructor who uses only one pistol is poorly suited to teaching a class of many students carrying many different pistols and revolvers. I used to change gun types every training tour. I’ve grown lazy with that in recent years, and now the changes are less frequent…almost seasonal.
Seasonal, and selfish. I like to carry what I’m going to be competing with. It “builds the repetitions” and sharpens familiarity. The way my wife’s schedule and mine coincides with the matches we most like to shoot together (www.gssfonline.com), the first quarter of the year is Glock season for us. The Glock matches don’t involve running, and between her bad knee and my bad back, shooting athletics are kind of off the table for us for now. I’ll be competing in the Polite Society match that is part of the Rangemaster Tactical Conference, where I’ll be teaching (and learning) later this month, so the pistol I’m carrying at the moment is what I’m most recently familiarized with. It’s a stock Glock 19 Gen5 9mm. It won High Lawman for me at Tac-Con in 2018, and I’ll probably use it there again this year.
June will be our next major shooting event, The Pin Shoot (www.pinshoot.com). As the name implies, you have to blast heavy bowling pins three feet back off a table. For that I like .45s, and there’s no .45 I shoot better than my old favorite 1911, so I have a feeling the second quarter of 2022 will see me carrying one of those old classics.
Bianchi’s Law is solid and logical. If I’m breaking it, I’ll try for a Doctrine of Competing Harms and Needs defense.
I have, over decades, discovered that there’s a corollary to Bianchi’s Law. Once you’ve settled on “the” gun/holster combination, buy spares.
I’ve found that holsters can, for various reasons, become unusable short term (wet), in which case it’s nice to have a spare to rotate into use. Eventually, they’ll wear out, at which time you discover that the maker has discontinued them.
Like all mechanical devices, firearms can break and require professional care. Or, your trusty companion may be sitting in an evidence locker awaiting resolution of it’s use to save your hide.
I have to admit that I’m a bit lacking in that of late. I didn’t realize that the maker was going to eliminate a holster that’d been a catalog item for decades until too late. And for several decades I’ve made sure I had a personally owned clone/very close relative (same general design, different caliber) of my issue side arm, but no spare. Need to work on that.
This is true, as the old saying goes…
“Two is one and one is none.”
Glocks are good for using different calibers on the same platform frame size.
I agree. I carried a 1911 for for 19 years and had no spare. When a firearms instructor allows me to try his Glock 17, I liked the lighter weight and higher ammo capacity. It seemed a little large for concealed carry and I couldn’t get over the axiom, “Never get in a gunfight with a caliber that doesn’t start with a 4.” I settled on a .40 caliber Glock 23. Once I got proficient with it, which did take some practice, I bought a backup gun, another Glock 23. I use a very simple kydex IWB holster and I have two of those also.
Years ago, friends of mine were the victims of an armed home invasion. One of them was shot and wounded and the other was injured also. They both shot their assailant and he died. They said the police were polite, professional, and sympathetic but they did have to take their firearms which the prosecutor’s office held for over 2 years before reaching their final decision that this was a self defense shooting and returning their firearms.
This made me even more worried about spares and I have a few other firearms in reserve now, in addition my 1911, which I no longer carry but had refurbished by a professional gunsmith. I do still shoot it and it can be recalled from the reserves at a moment’s notice.
The right holster is far more important than the right gun.
“Holster time” runs into years. “Gun time” is only minutes or hours.
It occurred to me that should I ever be a winner in a self-defense gunfight, it’d be likely that my EDC would wind up in a police evidence locker at best.
Could I switch to another EDC?
Sure, but I already had “almost duplicates” in 1911, but only one was stainless for humid southern wearing.
Duplicate holsters already.
For my smaller EDC, I went on Gunbroker and picked up a duplicate Sig 938 SAS with stainless slide, black anodized frame and rosewood grips.
Again duplicate holsters already, since I bought black, then decided I wanted mahogany.
But now, SWMBO is discussing how it’s a waste to leave that “pretty” Sig in the safe, why doesn’t she switch to it!!
Mas, you are responsible for me becoming a complete Berettaholic, thanks to some of your books. I have collected a few more common carry guns for use in teaching NRA Basic Pistol, where I specialize in older less-athletic folks like myself who haven’t bought a gun yet. I try to present them with a good selection, since the feel of a handgun is so important to the new shooter (and to me…I have to talk myself into shooting some of them, but others I fondle just for the pleasure of it). But I think it’s important that folks who are just becoming shooters get a first gun that they genuinely like. If they don’t look forward to playing with it, they’ll stop practicing and talk themselves out of carrying it. My current pocket pistol is the Beretta Pico, and I am thoroughly delighted with everything about it except for the somewhat snappy recoil; there just isn’t enough mass to soak up the pushback. Newton always wins. I carry it in a front pants pocket with a Sticky holster. I wish I could find a holster similar to the old Guru model I had for my Beretta Tomcat, that had a leather flap to print like a wallet. Slipping your hand past that flap positioned it perfectly to draw the gun.
Doctrine of Competing Harms – hilarious!
Totally agree with the spare idea. Once I found the ‘right’ handgun I did purchase an identical spare – and holster – for the same reasons. It also gives me the ability to test minor modifications such as sights, grips, etc. on a side-by-side basis.
Sadly, the quality of most good leather holsters has been replaced with plastic/resin or cordura products. They may not mold or mildew, but I miss the options and brands that used to be available. With summer rolling around the concealment of a coat or jacket is gone and I’m afraid that my desire to carry the 1911 will be challenged with the sharp edges and printing that you spoke of. I like a paddle holster (OWB) but there’s no way to conceal without and good shirt hanging over it.
I still use a Milt Sparks Executive Companion with a Colt Combat Commander 45. I hate plastic guns.
Mas,
I used to switch guns every year but have gone to the 4” N Frame in a shoulder holster in the colder months and a J Frame with Clip Grip in the summer.
In the winter I’ll put a J Frame in the coat pocket. I’ve taken to carrying a 5.11 Sling Bag to hold my medical stuff, getting older sucks but it beats the alternative, with a K Frame secreted away.
For an Instructor I see the reasoning behind switching platforms. For myself, at this stage of my life, I don’t switch platforms. My resolvers, pun intended, serve my needs well and outnumber my bottom feeders at a 5::1 ratio.
Stay safe and good luck to you and the Evil Princess as you tour, teach, and compete.
Vince
>gone to the 4” N Frame in a shoulder holster in the colder months and a J Frame with Clip Grip in the summer.
—
Another shoulder holster/revolver nutjob? Really?
I’m carrying a J-frame in a shoulder holster all year, mostly because the Discretionary Spending Fairy hasn’t allowed for an N-frame yet.
A 3″ .44 with a bird-head grip is pretty much my ideal. One of the scandium frame Smiths, perhaps. I’m not recoil-sensitive. For my body shape and hot weather, a revolver conceals better than an autoloader… and I have two autos I bought just for carry, only to go back to the convenience of the revolver.
I probably out to sell the autos and buy an N-frame. Hmmm…
I’ll second WR Moore’s post. “One is none, two is one.”
I sort of fell into that ‘law” by the effect of being too poor to have a big cache of such things. Years ago I was rummaging through the ‘used bin” of holsters at a gun shop, looking for something more comfortable than the cheap plastic thingie I’d been using for too long. I had my carry gun along with, as usual. I happened across a fairy new looking Bianchi leather clip-on holster, asked the counterman if I could try my own gun in it. He said sure.. after safing and clearing it I fitted it (a Belgian made BHP) to the Bianchi holster… it semed as if Mr. Bianchi had used MY gun for the mould to make THAT holster. Twenty five bucks and twelve years later they are still my trusty companions everywhere I go. I’ve looked to try and find a backup/second for the holster, but so far have not. I should just shut up, take a deep gulp, and spring for a new one. As to backups on the gun itself, having fund my first one and come to know it better, I began to seek out other “stablemates” and sorta got hooked on those old things. It almsot seems as if John Moses had taken MY hand and MY shooting stance and built that model for me. No, my head’s not swelled up at all at all, no its not….. Tey FIT, point naturally, carry well, are VERY reliable and far more capable in accuracy than I ever will be.
For the times I have to “dress up” I use a different carry rig, but the same old BHP rides in that one, and I do have a backup for that. Early issues with floppy belts got cured a while back when I stepped up and dropped coin for a Crossbreed gun belt. Belt issue solved. Backup in hand now.
In the years I’ve been doing what Mr. Bianchi suggests in response to my own poverty, I have come to find that it is SUCH good advice that even if I could go spend whatever I wanted to I’d simply go out and find dupicates of what I already have been using for a long time. The fewere “variables” in the equation, the more likley the same end sum will be had.
good luck with duplicating an older holster.
I’ve a Safariland leather sheath, lined, with a strap that I bought back in the 80’s for my first BHP (also Belgian).
I’ve looked and looked and looked, to no avail for a duplicate.
I do not like plastic, guns of holsters.
Right now I’m waiting for a builder to make up a leather paddle rig for a Beretta 92A1. Had no idea it’d be so hard to find a holster that wasn’t Kydex.
Sage advice as always, Mas. Thank you.
A great read and true life story that really illustrates the need to follow this advice is “The Gun That Wasn’t There” by retired Texas police chief Russell S. Smith. The story involves Terrell County West Texas Sheriff Bill Cooksey and the manhunt for a Mexican burglar that terrorized homes and businesses in the small rural community during the mid-60’s. The Cliff’s notes version is at http://www.thegunmag.com/gun-wasnt/ but I should probably post a spoiler alert in regards to reading that version. The full book is available on Amazon in print and also as a free Kindle Unlimited download. I hope those that haven’t read it yet will enjoy the read. I couldn’t put it down.
I knew Bill Cooksey. Heard that story from his own lips. Sage advice from a wise man. I think of him often.
This is why, when purchasing a second gun I chose a CZ SP-01 to compliment my CZ P-01. Same manual of arms just different grip and barrel lengths.
However, neither is sufficient when backpacking in the local mountains where I carry a Redhawk. 325 grn cast over H110 is more likely to give me a sporting chance with some of the larger residents.
“Bianchi’s Law” probably represents an ideal. A person who doesn’t practice a lot better follow it. On the other hand, Sun Tzu or some famous warrior taught that warriors should not have favorite weapons. The idea being you may have to pick up and use whatever you can on the battlefield. Weapons can break and get lost.
Every rule has exceptions. I remember reading a commentor on this blog who always practiced letting the magazines fall to the ground during magazine changes. He went through Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans 2005). He had to do some shooting standing in that filthy water. Because of his training, and not wanting to get his hands in that dirty water, he lost the magazines he dropped.
@ Roger Willco – “…Sun Tzu or some famous warrior taught that warriors should not have favorite weapons.”
This seems to be the advice of Miyamoto Musashi rather than Sun Tzu. I have read Sun Tzu and he seems to be mainly focused on overall strategy and tactics rather than specific weapons training. See this link:
https://defense-training.com/favorite-weapons/
It is a valid counterpoint to “Bianchi’s Law”. Because I own and shoot a wide variety of firearms, I think that I could pick up and use just about any small arm generally sold on the American Market to civilians. The crew-served military weapon systems would be strange to me but any sort of small arm that one would likely find as a “Battlefield Pickup”, I believe I could grab and run effectively.
Excellent advice from Roger and TN_MAN. I have many handguns including some I don’t particularly care for such as a Beretta 92F, S&W model 10, and P-38, but I shoot them well as many of these were made and it’s a good possibility I may have to use one in the future. In rifles, I have several AR-15s and semi-auto AK-47s, plus a couple of M1A models, and have owned a couple of H&K 91s and FN FAL types which I have practiced extensively with. These are the most commonly encountered small arms whether we fight a foreign or domestic enemy in the future. If I lived in a bad neighborhood, I may even obtain a Hi Point pistol as those are popular with the gangs.
I even have a Webley MK VI revolver in very good condition and a small supply of ammo, in case the British may come across the pond to cause trouble for us rebellious colonists.
TN_MAN,
Thanks for correcting me on that again. We had this same conversation months or maybe even a few years ago. Thing is, it’s easier for me to remember the name “Sun Tzu” than to remember “Miyamoto Musashi.” Maybe a Google quote search would have led me to that name. Sounds Japanese.
Oh well. Repetition reinforces learning.
@ Roger Willco – Well, I don’t go around with the name “Miyamoto Musashi” at the tip of my tongue either! 🙂
However, after a lifetime of using a computer to manipulate and manage data, I have become fairly skilled at the use of a computer to look up facts. So, when I read your comment, I used DuckDuckGo (never use Google – they track you without mercy!) to research the background pertaining to your comment. In fairly short order, my research pointed me toward Miyamoto Musashi as the source.
You are correct in your comment about his name “sounding Japanese”. He was a famous Japanese Warrior who was also an artist, scholar and author. He is known for being the author of “The Book of Five Rings”. Here is a link to his Wikipedia Biography:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi
As I noted in my previous comment, I have read Sun Tzu. I have not (yet) read “The Book of Five Rings”. It does sound interesting and a search of Amazon shows that it is still in print. (You know a book is worthwhile if it is still in-print after almost four centuries!) Therefore, I downloaded the Kindle version and plan to read it when I have a chance.
TN_MAN,
I’ll have to try Duck Duck Go. It’s too bad Big Tech, George Soros, and Vladimir Putin have as much power as they do. Big Tech can cancel people, because they are not the government. If I am not mistaken, George Soros does all his evil but manages to stay within the bounds of the letter of the law. Putin is the only one who wants this war, but he gets to have it, and is not yet suffering for it, because he is so powerful.
Our side lost a rigged election, can’t seem to help some imprisoned Patriots who got overly rambunctious on January 6th, 2021, can’t do anything about our open southern border, can’t stop bums from living in tents on our cities’ sidewalks, and can’t stop crime in our cities. We are weak. If the enemy tried to take our guns away, then we could be strong, but they are too crafty to try that. We are slowly losing our money. We, the middle class, are dying the death of a thousand cuts.
TN_MAN:
From your description of Miyamoto Musashi, it’s possible that the twin of the WW II era Japanese super battleship Yamato was named for him.
@ Tom606 – This does not seem to be the case. According to Wikipedia, this battleship was named after a Province in Japan rather than the historical warrior with the same name. See this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Musashi
The Province dates back to (at least) the Year 504. See this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musashi_Province
Which predates the career of the famous warrior by more than a thousand years. Possibly, both the man and the battleship took their names from the Province but that is just speculation on my part.
> battleship
Yes.
Miyamoto Musashi was a samurai in the 1600s; he was a swordsman, duellist, and later a calligrapher, artist, and philosopher; author of several works including “The Book of Five Rings”, which was popular with the leadership-studies crowd in the 1980s.
Musashi fought a number of duels against swordsman using only a billy club or a wooden practice sword. The duels were sometimes to the death. Musashi lived to die of old age. His life is fairly well documented.
Musashi became the archetype of the samurai; there’s nothing quite like him in the West.
TN_MAN:
Thanks for the information on Musashi and the links. If the Japanese battleship was named for Mr. Musashi, he won’t be too happy as it was sunk along with the Yamato and Shinano, the largest aircraft carrier of WW II built on the hull of the cancelled third Yamato class battleship.
I still remember an article you published about thirty years ago (I think in _American Handgunner_) in which you tried to come up with justifications for the popularity of “compact” double-stack pistol for concealed carry. I think the best argument was, “If you don’t have time to put on a spare magazine, at least this way you’ll still have decent capacity.” Oh, also, lower per-round gun weight.
The article also mentioned a meeting between “professionals” you joined in — and it turned out everyone was carrying something like the S&W 3913 (single-stack alloy frame 9mm).
For the past 40 years, I’ll been packing a 1911 pistol in .45 ACP in a IWB holster. I made up three Springfield Armory mil-spec models with Hoag grip safeties and rear sights, checkered the front straps 30 lpi, and did all the other custom stuff, but the most important was to make these pistols absolutely reliable with any ammo put in them. All three are treated with Walter Birdsong’s Black-T finish and carried in two Milt Sparks Summer Special holsters. A few years ago, I switched to a Blade Tech IWB version of the Milt Sparks as it’s unaffected by moisture which is a major shortcoming of leather as it clings tightly to the pistol when damp in the warmer months. I also replaced my two Milt Sparks double magazine holders with three Blackhawk polymer single mag carriers which grips the magazines more securely.
Recently I bought a Kimber 1911 with an aluminum frame and it was all tricked out with custom features. I replaced the long guide rod with standard 1911 pieces, the plastic trigger with an old Videki model, and substituted an arched metal mainspring housing for the flat one. I also replaced the factory supplied sights with a set of Tru Glo Tritium models. I didn’t want to mess up the nice gray Kim Pro finish by checkering the frame, so used put durable, rough textured tape on the front strap and saved myself a couple hours of hard work with a checkering file. Now I have a lightweight 1911 carry pistol. I don’t plan on getting another as they are very expensive, $729 + tax at Academy Sports, but will go back to one of my heavier Springfield Armory 1911 pistols in case anything happens to the Kimber.
Maybe it is just me but I have not found a “perfect” carry firearm and/or carry method. I just cannot commit to a monogamist relationship. It has not been for lack of trying.
I have tried Derringers (backup only), semi-automatics and revolvers.
I have tried a broad range of calibers including (by my count):
.22 Magnum (as a back-up gun only)
.32 Long
.32 H&R Magnum
.380 ACP (both as primary or as back-up)
.38 Special
9mm Luger
.40 S&W
.44 Special
.44 Magnum
.45 Colt
I have tried a variety of carry methods including:
Pocket Carry
OWB Holster Carry
Jacket with built-in Carry Pocket (Winter use only)
Fanny pack carry
Ankle Holster Carry
I cannot say that any single firearm or carry method ever seemed “perfect” to me although some combinations are better than others. If someone put a loaded shotgun to my head and made me select one single firearm and one single carry method as my one and only standard, then I would probably select my S&W 642, in .38 Special, with a DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster, as the best for general concealed carry year-round.
However, as a “Gun Guy” who loves a wide variety of weapons, I resist locking into a single carry method or a single firearm. As far as “Bianchi’s Law” is concerned, I will always be an outlaw! 🙂
Esteemed TN_MAN, your confession on the S&W 642 speaks volumes for “handy, concealable, and reliable.” ” Likely you also remember that you can usually conveniently carry more than one 642. Two or more sets of five shots in a shoot without reloading are INFINITELY preferable to one set. Pure survival sometimes.
In contrast to Dr. Watson’s classic “comforting feel of a heavy revolver” while scouting on a dangerous moor is the unforgettable recommendation that the African big game expert John Taylor made for each hunter to carry a light, compact .38 loaded with full metal jacket for braining an African Lion if the big cat gets Nimrod down by the legs.
@ Strategic Steve – Yes, it is hard to beat a revolver for reliability. While I have (on very rare occasions) had a revolver give me trouble, it is nothing compared to the many malfunctions, failures to feed, stovepipes and failures to eject that I have had from semi-automatics over the years. This, naturally, shapes one’s thinking.
I remember taking a pistol class in which I was the only revolver shooter. Every other student was packing a semi-automatic. I was shooting a 4 in. S&W Model 19 .357 magnum revolver with speedloaders for reloading. (For this training class, I was shooting .38 Special 130 gr. FMJ ammo instead of the full-power magnum stuff.)
A time came where the instructor wanted to do malfunction drills. He set up malfunctions in all of the semi-auto’s so that the students could practice the “Tap, Rack, Ready” drill. He took one look at my S&W Combat Magnum and said “You just stand off to the side and watch. This does not apply to you.” I was struck by the significance of his statement! 🙂
While I don’t have another identical S&W 642 to carry, I do have other stubnose revolvers made by Taurus and Charter Arms. So, I could carry one of them, as backup, to have the option of a “New York Reload”.
The late great Jim Cirillo did some of his best work with S&W .38 revolvers while on NYPD Stakeout Squad in the 1960’s and 1970’s. After getting out of law enforcement, Jim’s favorite caliber was the .41 Magnum and he made up some pretty exotic loads for it. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Cirillo at a pistol competition hosted at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center) in Glynco, Georgia in May or June 1982. He was an instructor at the facility and shot a H&K P7 at the match which called the “Squeeze Box”. Jim and many of his NYPD friends were proponents of the “New York Reload” although his Stakeout Squad partner Bill Allard carried a 1911 pistol. R.I.P. Jim.
TN_MAN, I am reminded of the late Col. David Hackworth, who often carried some version of a .38 revolver, sometimes a very compact one, in combat in South Vietnam, as a companion to a M-79 grenade launcher. Hack talked about using the revolver reflexively on a close snake, and not missing. And in “Bravo Two Zero” by “Andy McNab,” a compact .38 would have been indispensable to have within a crowded car to use on an enemy border guard at a crossing, when only long and clumsy SLR rifles were at hand.
Guns are mechanical devices, and any mechanical device can break. Murphy’s Law suggests that it will break at the worst possible time. Rather than owning a “spare” gun, it makes a lot of sense to own two identical guns, one of which is your carry gun, and one of which is your “range” gun – used for practice/training/competition. Shot frequently, it accumulates the wear and tear. Your carry gun is shot sparingly, maybe twice a year, just to verify it’s functioning.
I seem to recall that back when IHMSA was a thing, which put HEAVY wear on the guns, competitors owned THREE identical guns – one for practice, one for matches, and the third was off in a shop, having worn out internal parts replaced. When repaired, it became the new match gun, the old math gun would be the new practice gun, and the old practice gun would go into the shop.
John, the late Col. Jeff Cooper used to recommend the exact same thing, though he was talking about his favorite .45 autos.
You are unfortunately correct stating all mechanical devices can break. My main carry piece, one of three identical Springfield Armory 1911 pistols in .45 ACP suffered a cracked barrel which rendered the gun inoperative. This happened after I had the pistol 20 years and put thousands of rounds through it without any problems. Fortunately this happened at the range during a practice session and I had my backup piece, a Kahr P45 modified to take a 5 round magazine, on me. I carried the P45 because it uses the same magazine as the 1911. The factory stainless steel barrel was cracked from an inch back of the muzzle all the way to the chamber. After getting back home I dug out a Bar Sto barrel from my parts box and installed it, then got one of my other two Springfield Armory 1911s to carry until I could get out to the range to test out my repaired primary pistol before carrying it. I was lucky this happened at the range and not during a gunfight. This incident definitely re-enforced the need to carry a backup, and in my case a secondary backup gun.
One way or another I have known a lot of cops.
My oldest cop friend 30 years in uniform once told me:
“a decent, even indifferently maintained, weapon has a service life of over a century which makes it sort of hard to sell new ones unless real efforts are made.”
Mass swaps his for a living and purposes, fine with me but my old OLD pieces throw heavy enough rocks to dissuade contact and like 80% of the unprocessed, unmarketed population are plenty for this lifetime. That presents sales difficulties to the MFG’s.
Oh I love seeing the new stuff and find it interesting and sometimes funny but to actually go buy new weapons? Probably not. Raised with guns as TOOLS I never “bought” into the 100FPS increase being important. In fact I have gotten hate over the years for putting on my judge voice and asking “if he was 40 yards away why were you shooting at him!?!” Sure there ARE times you act in defense of others but…
This is part of what the even fairly rational anti-gun folks cringe about, the ongoing FOMO activation in a country already awash in weapons… often from people who laugh about women buying shoes.
so… just keep consuming… and getting SOLD.
Lou,
It’s a beautiful thing that we in this country have the luxury of buying new weapons. In a poor, authoritarian country, the leader could dictate that one type of handgun, one type of rifle, and one type of shotgun would be produced. This would greatly simplify the manufacturing process, spare parts, learning curve and choice of ammo to produce. Of course, most authoritarians would only allow their loyal followers to have guns. Many people in the world would love to own just one gun. So, we are spoiled, and it is beautiful.
Of course, you are correct. Guns last a long time. I’ll never forget watching a TV show, and the host showed us a musket built in the 1600s. I would not fire such a relic, even if it was safe. But, he fired that gun!!! I’m sure it was a low powder load, but I was very impressed.
You are frugal, but you still have to buy ammo. An archer could point out that arrows are reusable, as long as you don’t lose or break them. ?
Roger:
I rely mainly on firearms for defense, but do have a fair collection of knives, swords, axes, spears, batons, staffs, and bows which I occasionally practice with, just in case. In bows, I have a crossbow, a compound model, a recurve, and a longbow. The nice thing about these primitive weapons is that I can practice with them in my backyard as they are quiet and with the blades and impact types is good exercise too. A large foam archery target stored in my shed is safe to use as I have a 6′ high wood fence around my yard which would atop any arrow or bolt with a field point tip. Besides arrows, the only thing needed for a recurve bow or longbow are strings.
I may contact Rambo and ask him for a few of those explosive arrow tips which appears to be made from the protective plastic covers for the old Satellite Broadheads which came 3 to box. I won’t let the BATFE know about them.
@ Roger Willco – ” In a poor, authoritarian country, the leader could dictate that one type of handgun, one type of rifle, and one type of shotgun would be produced.”
This is very true. A prime example of this is India. In India, one must get a license from the Government before owning a firearm. Getting the license, itself, is an expensive and slow process that is bound up in paperwork and red tape.
Once one does obtain a license, one must buy from Government-controlled factories. The same factories that produce weapons for the Government also have a monopoly on new firearms for the civilian market. This means that (A) prices are very high, (B) quality may be low due to lack of competition and (C) selection is very limited.
In India, civilians are not allowed military caliber handguns. So, no 9mm’s. They are limited, in handguns, to these calibers:
.32 S&W Long (Top break revolvers similar to the old Webley)
.32 ACP (semi-auto pistol similar to early FN pocket models)
.22 LR
In rifles, they are limited to bolt-action models in these calibers:
.22 LR
.315 (SMLE style rifle in, basically, the old 8X50R Austrian Mannlicher caliber)
.30-06 (in a basic push-feed bolt design)
In shotguns, it is mostly 12 gauge only in single, double-barrel and over-under designs. However, I gather that there is one pump-action available.
You can see India’s British history in these weapons. Especially in the Webley-style revolvers, double barrelled shotguns and Enfield-style bolt-action rifles.
All these firearms are priced high. A basic Webley-style top-break revolver would cost as much as a top-shelf S&W revolver would go for here. Given the pay scales in India, this makes firearms very scarce and expensive indeed. I guess that the poor in India must rely on knives and clubs for self-defense since firearms are out-of-the-reach except for the most affluent.
Here is a link to a web site that shows the typical types of firearms, and ammo, available in India.
http://adityagunhouse.com/index.html
It is educational to browse this web site and look at the models of revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns that are available to civilians in India.
People here in America don’t appreciate our great blessings as represented by our 2nd Amendment and our free market in firearms.
Just another point about the cost of firearms in India. Let’s do the math (as an engineer, I do love math! 🙂 )
A basic handgun available to civilians, in India, is the IOF .32 Mark III Revolver. This is a basic Webley-style top break revolver chambered in the .32 S&W Long caliber. It has a six (6) shot cylinder and three (3) inch (76 mm) long barrel. This is what is available as far as a “defensive” handgun is concerned in India.
From sources on the internet, it seems that the out-the-door price (including all purchase fees but not counting the cost of getting the license to own it) is about 84,082 Rupees (roughly $1,105 US dollars at the current exchange rates.
Also according to sources on the internet, the median family income in India (2021 figures) is about 389,000 Rupees per year (about $5116 US dollars).
Now, in the US, one can buy a high qualify S&W revolver for about the same price. See this link:
https://www.guns.com/firearms/handguns/revolver/smith-&-wesson-686-plus-revolver-7-rounds-new?p=455553
For our money, we get a Performance Center tuned .357 Magnum revolver with adjustable sights, seven (7) shot cylinder and five (5) inch barrel. The listed price is $1,065.99. With shipping and transfer fee, let’s estimate the out-the-door price at about $1,150.
Now, again according to US Government sources on the internet, the median family income in the US, in 2021, was $79,900.
Therefore, for a typical family in India to purchase a .32 caliber defensive revolver, they would need to spend (84,082 / 389,000) X 100 = 21.6% of their annual family income. Basically 2.6 months worth of their family income.
The same figures for an American family are nowhere near as bleak. The Performance Center 686 would be ($1,150 / $79,900) X 100 = 1.44 % of their annual family income. Basically just over 5 days of working wages.
Plus, the American family gets a top shelf, powerful .357 Magnum revolver with plenty of bells and whistles. The poor family in India has to settle for a pretty basic .32 caliber revolver shooting lead round nose ammo.
So, like I said, we Americans don’t really appreciate how good we have it here in the USA. Of course, the Gun Grabbers would LOVE to bring us Americans down to the level of the family in India. They are working night and day to force us to achieve “equality” with the Indians!
TN_MAN:
India had strict gun control since the 1800’s. Back then, the British even outlawed rifles in .45 caliber so insurgent natives couldn’t use their bullets to load ammunition for stolen .577/.450 Martini Henry rifles which were then the standard battle rifles of the British Empire. This is the main reason why British gunmakers in London created calibers like the .470 Nitro Express, .465 NE, .475 NE, .476 NE, and similar sized cartridges for hunting in India. These replaced the .450 NE and others of that caliber which were perfectly adequate for taking any game animal in that country.
@ Tom606 – Yes, it is an old story. The insanity of the gun control mindset. The British have been infected with it for quite a long time!
As you noted, back in the 19th Century, the British became concerned that rebels and outlaws were using stolen or captured .577/.450 Martini Henry rifles against them in India and in the Sudan. So, what was the “gun control” solution? Why, to ban the importation and use of .45 caliber rifles by sportsmen and British civilians!
Doesn’t this sound familiar? Trying to disarm criminals by first disarming the honest citizen?
So, what was the result? The British gun-makers still wanted sell rifles and sportsmen still wanted to hunt. So, the gun-makers invented a bunch of new calibers that perform exactly like the older .450 NE. They just varied the caliber by a little bit so that they could claim, legally, that it is not the banned .450 caliber.
This is not the only case of British gun control stupidity. Pretty soon, the rebels were using stolen SMLE rifles in the .303 British caliber too. So, what did these “Mensa Candidates” do? The fools also moved to ban the .303 in selected areas (not Empire wide, thank goodness!).
So, the British gun-makers also needed a replacement for the .303. You see, they had been making good money selling sporting versions of the .303 SMLE. Instead of inventing a bunch of brand new cartridges (like they did to replace the .450 NE), they looked around for an existing cartridge that they could use. They soon figured out that, because of similar design and dimensions, the 8X50R Austrian Mannlicher military caliber could be easily adapted for sporting versions of the SMLE.
They discarded the metric name and called it the .315 caliber. Then, they started offering sporting rifles in either .303 (non-ban areas) or .315 (banned areas) for about the same price. British ammo makers also started loading the .315 cartridge.
Which is why the old 8X50R cartridge is still being used in India today. It is about the only country in the World where you can still buy new SMLE style rifles chambered for this old (1888) military cartridge.
All thanks to this example of gun control legislation stupidity and the history that it wrought!
Usually I pack in two locations… Appendix or behind the hip. Appendix for summer, behind the hip in winter. Glock 43 or Sig 365 for summer, Glock 29sf for winter. All of them work the same.
Now when hiking… S&W 624 4 inch .44 Special.. but then I just love that gun and I grew up with Colt “O” and S&W “K” so I am real familiar with them. Usually on the strong side hip.
Yes I have 1911s, S&W DA/SA, SIG DA/SA, and a few other shooters but ‘plastic’ guns for most of my packing.
Hmm. I wear guns like girls wear accessories. It’s what I feel like wearing on that specific day. Same as what I compete with, whatever I “feel” like shooting for that specific match. That said, ALL are hammer fired and all have an ambi-thumb safety.
And to you Mas, we discussed the S&W Ez Sheild in 9mm, and you didn’t have much faith in it at the time (Springfield VA MAG20 class). Well, I bought one and classified in Expert with it in IDPA on it’s maiden voyage match last Summer. It is not striker fired as it has an internal hammer equipped with the grip safety and ambi-thumb safety. Trigger comes in at 4.5# factory and has a reset of a little greater than 3/16ths of an inch. I look at it as a mini 1911 with a polymer frame and carries 8+1.
Contrary to popular rumors, it is a great gun on days I don’t feel like switching out. Have fun this Summer and good luck at the pin shoot.
Glad it’s working for you.
My EDC is a Smith and Wesson 686+ in a Desantis thumbreak for the last few years and I’ll occasionally switch to a Ruger GP100, if I want to rotate pistols. I also carry two Don Hume speedloader pouch’s with everything filled with Remington 125gr SJHP 357mag. I’ve also started carrying a Smith and Wesson 642 in a Desantis old school ankle rig or in a sof-tuck for church duty that’s loaded with Buffalo Bore 150gr Wadcutters and I’ll usually keep a speedloader and/or speed strip in my pocket. If I’m traveling to Hug-A-Thug Houston I’ll switch things up and carry a Sig Sauer P229 in a Desantis thumb break with either one or two spare mags in a very old Jay-Pee double mag pouch with everything loaded with Underwood 125gr Gold Dots. These are the handguns I’m very comfortable with and practice with monthly.
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