"...the right of people to bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Review handgun laws (Texas) regularly.They do change (please check the above updates). They vary from State to State. When traveling, know which States have reciprocity, and how different the law is.  If you wish to stay informed, and support the gun owners' rights, consider becoming a member of National Rifle Association.

In Texas and most other States, failure to conceal a handgun by CHL holder is considered "criminal offense". There are many ways to conceal a handgun, which is a matter of personal preference. Plenty of options are available for various applications (pocket, shoulder, ankle, thigh, paddle, belt, shoulder or belt pouch, belly band, in waist, etc...).

OPEN CARRY IS NOW ALLOWED IN TEXAS, BUT HOW WOULD YOU EXERCISE THIS RIGHT?

Open carry may deter some criminal activity, but not every criminal will be scared of your gun. How would you know who you are up against? Criminals are able to read body language very well and would know who is prepared to use the gun and who isn't. Most had guns pointed at them their entire lives and many have already been shot multiple times. Those criminals won't be scared just because that gun on your hip. Instead, they may shoot you or kill you to get your gun before committing a crime. Some of them would see your gun as a challenge, but not a threat. It may boil down to whether you can draw your gun quicker. According to some sources, every year dozens of cops, even those who are trained well, have a backup and retention holsters, get their guns taken by criminals. Would they be able to take your gun out of your open carry holster? How would the element of attraction compare to the element of surprise? When you open-carry an "attraction" -- your handgun -- a criminal may catch you by surprise, but if your handgun is concealed, you have a better chance to catch that criminal by surprise.

What would a policeman think of you when he sees you openly carrying a handgun? How would the policeman react, especially in the dark? What if you make a wrong move and it is interpreted by the policeman as a threat? Imagine what would happen then!

Open-carry of a handgun will draw attention and can be viewed as a warning or threat to ordinary people, law enforcement and criminals alike. If you decide to open-carry your handgun, first think of the purpose, the objective and possible consequences. If your concealed weapon is good enough for the purpose of self-defence, why would you expose it?

If you don't carry a handgun and see someone with a handgun on his belt, how would you react? If you are carrying a concealed handgun, how would you react? If you are open-carrying a handgun, how would you react?

 

Firearm program for legal protection is available at www.TexasLawShield.com   Consider becoming a member of USCCA at www.USConcealedCarry.com	If you are in the greater Houston/Katy/Richmond area and bought a gun online or at an auction, or intend to buy one, consider using these FFL Transfer Agents:  Dynamic Munitions The Gungasm
QUALITY HOLSTERS MASTER COLLECTION	REASONABLY - PRICED QUALITY HOLSTERS
Wright Leather Works www.wrightleatherworks.com	The Safari Group (Canada) www.safariland.com

 


When you not at the shooting range, use your time wisely -- consider reading books that drive the imagination.

www.movies-on-paper.com

www.f-1firearms.com

Whose opinion would you follow? Is there anything wrong with the statements they made? Yes.

Guy 1 could have used a bad (cheap) ammunition. Guy 2 didn't mention which guns he carried.

So, there is no telling which opinion would be good to apply. It's good to have your own. You may wish to visit the web-sites of manufacturers to read more about the handgun you consider purchasing, then shop for it.

Once handgun is bought, keep its mechanism clean and oiled. Only use fine quality reliable ammunition and the chances of your handgun failing you in a critical situation would be reduced.

How would you go about selecting a handgun?

1. Identify its primary purpose -- Concealed carry -- Home defense -- Range Practice -- Competition -- Hunting
2. Decide on the size -- Full Size -- Compact -- Subcompact (*)
3. Decide on the type of gun -- Revolver (Hammer or hammerless) -- Striker-firing or Hammer-firing Pistol (with or without manual safety)
4. Decide on action -- Single Action -- Double Action (mind trigger pull force/weight, its travel to "wall" and audible reset)
5. (*) Decide on barrel length (longer barrels result in higher velocity)
6. Decide on magazine capacity (mind different State by State regulation!)
7. Decide on the caliber -- 9mm (most common) -- 380 ACP (most concealable, yet sufficient) -- 357 Magnum -- 38 Special -- .40 -- .45 -- other calibers
8. Choose a reputable brand (mind pricing)

You should not buy a gun online and victimize yourself by its advertized popularity or performance. First go to a gun store and check the gun you intend to buy. You should be able to answer these questions:
- Does it feel good holding it in your hand and aiming?
- Can you reach the trigger with your index finger and pull it comfortably (critical for double action firing)?
- How easy is it to pull the trigger whether its double action or single action? Measure trigger weight, if you can. It does vary from brand to brand and from gun to gun. Indeally, trigger pull should be ~3-5 lbs (single action) and ~10-12 lbs (double action).
- Can you easily manipulate the slide?
- Is it easy to manipulate the magazine release button and the slide release lever?
- Do you feel comfortable aiming with the use of factory installed gun sights?
- Is the rear sight adjustible for windage (!) and elevation? Proper windage tune-up is critical -- at 5 or 7 yards you may still hit the target, but may miss it completely at 10 - 15 yards. Whether your vision is near-sighted or long-sighted, the sights may still apear blurred. Astigmatism makes it even more challenging to properly aim at target. You should be prepared to adjust your gun sights to impove accuracy (suggested steps are down below in Aiming & Shooting section).
 

Some handguns come with Tritium night sights, and/or lasers, or designed to be equipped with them.
In addition, there are laser/flash light combos, and 140 - 220 lumen flash lights, some with strobe,
to blind/confuse the attacker, when acting in the dark.
 

Interesting concept of a "pocket shotgun" by Bond Arms Inc. Single action only firearm with 16 interchangeable barrels and 22 calibers combinations, including:   45 Colt/.410 Shot Shell (rifled), .357 Magnum /.38 Special, .357 MAX, .45 ACP,.45 Colt only, .45 Glock Auto, .44 Special, 44-40 Winchester, .40 S&W, 10 mm, 9 mm Luger, 32 H & R Mag, .22 Long Rifle

Texas Pride

Here is a 357 Magnum "Rhino" by Chiappa Firearms, Ltd., shown are 2" and 4" barrels

That one should take care of a rhino, or a hog, or a grizzly bear, anything with thick skin and a big mass.
Note, that cal. 357 Magnum load is what makes the difference. Rhino is just a different gun design...

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Another  "Pocket cal. 9 mm Pistol", short 3.2" barrel, with 7 round magazine by Ruger

LC9 and LC9s Light weight semi-auto, double action only, pistol featuring manual and magazine safety. Low recoil for quicker target recovery. Adjustable front and rear sights. The grip feels right, nice and slim with smooth edges. Ladies may like it a lot. Those who may think LC9 is too big for a pocket gun, have a look at Ruger LCP .380, also available with optional crimson laser. LC9s is equipped with additional trigger safety.

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Recent attractive 9 mm "pocket handguns" by Bobers Arms, Smith&Wesson, Sig Sauer

Bobers Arms XR9-S Interesting design where the round is pulled backwards before chambering.	Sig Sauer P938 Equinox Miniature classic 1911 pistol. Available in .380 ACP (P238) and 9mm (P938).
Smith & Wesson M&P Performance Also available: 40S&W and 45 calibers	Sig Sauer P365 Nitron Micro Compact Available in 9 mm
Glock "micro" (Made in the U.S.A.) Glock 42 (.380 ACP), 43, 43X (9mm), 48 (9mm, 43X with a longer barrel). Available in a variety of frame colors! Ladies may like the look and feel of G42! Shown: - Custom trigger (flat) - Custom front sight (fiber optic) - Magazine extension - Stainless steel recoil spring - 3.5 lb connector - Milled extended lock plate
Boyert Shooting Center at 7 yards (04/25/21)	Kimber Micro 9 ESV (Made in the U.S.A.) Caliber 9mm, similar to SIG SAUER P938 (a miniature 911). Most P938 holsters can be used for its concealed carry.   Specific for this particular model: - Stainless steel barrel with TiN coating - Ported slide - Tritium night sights - Aluminum frame - 6 or 7 rounds magazine capacity (Sig's P938 6-rd magazine is compatible, 7-rd is not but can be worked over to fit). You may consider replacing Kimber's mag release with P938 Gen 2 mag release; Aftermarket spring set is available HERE to reduce the trigger pull force(weight) from ~7 lbs to ~5 lbs

Fifty rounds at 7 yards (8" target): Boyert Shooting Center in Katy (July 2019)	ARCHON FIREARMS 9mm TYPE B   Concept - Russia; Engineering - Italy; Manufacturing - Germany/USA;
Boyert Shooting Center in Katy (Feb 2021) 8" target at 7 yards, two 10 rd magazines	Glock 43X with upgrades (SS Recoil Spring, Flat Trigger, Connector, Magazine Floor Plate)

To learn more about the above handguns, please visit the manufacturers' web-sites

"Guns don't kill people. People kill people." You heard that before, right?

Let's re-phrase it by saying:
"Guns or people don't kill people -- bullets do!"



What to look for when selecting ammunition (any caliber)?
- Penetration (recommended 12-16 inches, mind bystanders due to overpenetration or ricochet)
It is a function of velocity and bullet type - FMJ vs. HP.
- Expansion (applied mostly to HP configurations, increases wound cavity causing terminal bleeding)
It is caliber-sensitive and subject to clogging by clothing. 
- Reliability (consistent performance)
It is important to avoid ammo that frequently fail to ignite (defective primer or low powder load)
-  Bullet weight retention (effects the outcome of penetration and/or expansion)
It is important to avoid ammunition when separation of jacket from the core occurs (both FMJ and JHP).

In addition to popular full metal jacket or hollow point bullets, some new designs are offered for some very specific applications, for example, self/home defense, hunting, or official duty-related use, not to mention various military applications. When choosing a caliber and comparing the ballistics of different ammunition and brands, a smart decision ought to be made whether the subject bullets correspond with the anticipated outcome of shooting in certain situations.  

Stopping power is always referred to when calibers are discussed. The perception is that the larger caliber has more stopping power. There is some truth to it, but...

There should be a measure, by which the Stopping Power is measured -- a certain number.

Would Energy be a better word to describe Stopping Power? When a projectile hits human body and stops there, then all energy is transferred. If a projectile passes through, the energy is transferred partially. Let's see...

E = (Q x V squared)/ 2G, where:

E is energy
Q represents the weight of projectile (Variable)
V is velocity (Variable)
G is gravity (Constant)

It is obvious that the higher the weight of projectile, or it's velocity, or both, the higher the energy. Shock/damage is one thing, but bleeding is known to be the cause of death. So, penetration through skin with further hollow point bullet expansion/fragmentation are the two most important components contributing to effective fire power applications.

Now, let's look at 2 scenarios. You are hunting, and would like to make sure you have a gun that would stop a bear, or a big wild hog. Ideally, you would be wanting to transfer ALL energy, rather than "pierce" the animal and only transfer a portion of the energy. If that's the case, would 357 Magnum load with a heavy projectile be a good solution? Yes. It is known to be a good solution - sufficient velocity along with heavier projectile, optimized for energy transfer. According to the information presented below, .45 Auto with 185 grain projectile would deliver 453 ft lbs energy at a 1050 fps velocity, similar to 357 Magnum ammunition designed for hunting. The ammunition, believed to be the most effective (damaging), i.e. 357 Sig, is rarely used/available and expensive, thus is left out of the discussion. By no means should .357 Sig be out-ruled though. Handguns with barrels designed for .40 S&W can be converted into 357 Sig by switching the barrel accordingly.

With the same caliber load, projectile with lower weight would travel at a higher velocity, and will have a higher piercing effect. Higher velocity would also mean a better penetration, but on a flip side - a higher chance of ricochet. Self-defense handgun ammunition is designed for an animal with thin skin and a tissue containing 80% of water, i.e. us, humans. It appears that hollow point projectile causes most shock/energy transfer, when it hits the target it's designed for. Otherwise, in cases of higher velocity loads, ricochet may present a serious problem.      

Using hollow point ammunitions that provides for about 350 - 500 ft lbs of energy at velocities of 1000 fps to 1200 fps, would probably be most appropriate for self-defense applications. Higher energy rounds might create a kick back (hardly managable recoil) making it harder to recover the target due to muzzle jump.

From the table below certain .38 Special, 9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 Auto would be sufficient, although using smaller, or less powerful ammunition, can be equally effective in certain situations. With 357 Magnum ammunition, that delivers higher velocities, the energy it creates is high, but so is the piercing effect, and it is hard to say how much of that energy is transferred to the target, and how much continues to push the projectile farther. With possible innocent by-standers in mind, would you load your revolver with 357 Magnum ammunition to be used within city limits? Probably not, as it would be beneficial to avoid collateral damage by all means.

One other important matter to mention is the length of the barrel. Longer barrels have better accuracy and deliver higher velocities. The ballistics presented below is measured for 4" barrel guns. In the concealed carry world, 2.5", if that, and 3.5" barrels are often used. So, expect the energy and velocity to be less than such in the table, if you use handguns with shorter than 4" barrels.
 

Bullet weight (Grain)

The ammunition manufacturers may discontinue certain items shown below and offer different new items, especially pertaining to the bullet designs and their intended applications. It is a very competitive and dynamic market to track.

One can always make his/her own list of favorite rounds based on their availability.

"Critical Defense" bullets are said to have been designed to expand quickly upon entering a human body, thus transferring most of its energy, and least likely to ricochet or have an excessive "piercing" effect that might cause collateral damage. The key word is "defense".

Contrary to that concept, "Critical Duty" bullets - "high-antimony lead" barrier ammunition - are designed to penetrate through heavy clothing, sheet metal, glass, wallboard, plywood, etc., and continue on its pass to hit a human target. The key word is "duty".

More information about the Hornady's bullet concepts could be found on the company web-site.

EPR = Enhanced Penetration Round. EXTREME SHOCK rounds are designed to transfer 100% of their energy to the target through controlled fragmentation, which causes massive shock trauma, instantly shutting down the Central Nervous System. Its frangible and reduced ricochet properties provide for a greater level of safety in urban and home defense applications. Some tests show that due to fragmentation, only a small portion of the bullet reaches the desired depth. So, claims about effective penetration may be over exaggerated due to dissipation of the energy resulted from fragmentation, whether pellets or metal powder is jacketed in the bullets.

Relatively new trend in ammunition

There are a few reasons for the recent ammunition developments. One reason is that the environmentalists insist on prohibition of lead core bullets and are succeeding in various States. Another reason is to reduce the weight of the ammunition used by the military and for concealed carry. Frangible bullets and copper-polymer type ammunition is now being offered too. More and more manufacturers are moving towards the lead-free ammunition. So, the ammunition with bullets made of solid copper is seen in retail stores more often.

Obviously, the copper bullets are lighter than the lead ones and travel at higher velocities compared to the lead bullets. To compensate for the loss of bone crushing energy due to the loss of weight, higher velocities are necessary. For example, higher pressures (+P) are used in 9 mm and .45 Auto ammunition. The .40 S&W caliber appears to produce sufficient pressure.

The velocities of 2000 fps and the energy of about 500 ft lbs have been achieved according to public information with 50-60 grain all solid copper bullets. The question remains as to how the piercing effect can be reduced and most energy transferred with certain calculated penetration, i.e. 12" - 16" in standard gel test with 4 layers of denim in front.

It all narrows down to the bullet design. Most solid copper bullets either fragment and under-penetrate upon entry causing severe shock and residual bleeding or flower-bloom to avoid over-penetration in excess of 16".  In real life the outcome depends on the angle of entry, distance to the target, length of the gun barrel and other factors.

Evidently, bullets that are designed to penetrate thicker animal skin and then expand would be very different.
 

Liberty Ammunition has come with USM4 rounds in 9 mm +P (50 grain) and .40 S&W (60 grain) with the velocities of 2000 fps and the energies of 444 ft lbs and 532 ft lbs respectively. The bullet design is lead-free hollow point and supposed to fragment on entry and transfer most of the energy to a human body, causing an immediate and extreme shock. Appropriate for use by law enforcement and in self-defense situations.

According to Liberty Ammunition, more calibers for pistols and center-fire rifles will be made available to gun enthusiasts and hunters.

Barnes, known as a quality bullets manufacturer, is now coming up with their own line of ammunition with impressive ballistics.

 

	SIG SAUER's recent addition to the ammunition market is an impressive Elite Performance Ammunition -- 9mm Luger V-Crown JHP and 357 Magnum. Made in the U.S.A. Unfortunately, some earlier batches of 9 mm rounds may fail to feed in micro (subcompact) carry guns, including SIG P938 and Kimber Micro 9 (Miniature 1911 pistols).
	This design is intended to shred intermediate barriers, like clothing, before preventing clogging and allowing for desired expansion of the projectile in a target. The 9mm X-Point JHP projectile weighs 147 grains which is rather heavy for the caliber, but provides optimal penetration and threat-dropping cavitation as well as a smooth recoil impulse. Brass casings are black-nickel plated not only for corrosion resistance, smooth feeding, and reliable ejection, but also for quick identification as defense rounds. Made in the U.S.A.
Devastating effect! Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOT1udPJjAw	Find description here: https://www.norma-ammunition.com/us/Our-Products/Our-Brands/Norma-MHP/ Field test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFZlLK_k0g

NEW AMMO/BULLET DESIGNS - 2021

NEW BURGLAR/LOOTER SHOOTER NEW

NEW HOME DEFENSE SYSTEM NEW

What shall we expect from Kalashnikov in 2021?

AKV-521

NEW HUNT HOGS WITH CONFIDENCE NEW

PSAK-47 GF3 Caliber: 7.62 x 39 (Monarch FMJ, 123 gr.) Distance to 8" Target: 25 yards Method of shooting: Semi-automatic Aiming: Factory sights (no optics) Capacity: 30-rd magazine (all used)

 

Currently, there is a big variety of handgun sight designs, other than classic or fixed. Knowing exactly how to aim your handgun is a must, not to mention the gun's ergonomics that feels good in your hand with a convenient trigger reach distance.

Knowing how accurate your handgun, and your shooting, is a plus. So, you may wish to target practice at different distances, say, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 yards, and work on improvement of your target acquisition, accuracy and develop so much needed "muscle memory". You may consider below distances when making a defensive (justified)  decision in case of imminent threat to your own life. The time for making such decision is limited by a few seconds!
- at 25 yards, it is hard to make a clear judgement about potential threat;
- at 20 yards, it is time to become aware of a potential threat (situational awareness);
- at 15 yards, response is necessary to increase chances of survival to ~70%;
- at 10 yards, changes of survival drop to <50%;
- at 5 yards, too late to respond with slim chance to survive;

Based on the above assumption, "critical" distance to make yourself proficient (accurate) at shooting your firearm in self-defense would be no less than 15 yards. If you do well at 15 yards, you would do great at 10 & 5 yards for sure!

In-bore laser sightings could be used for precise zeroing in various gun sights (factory, red dot, etc.) for certain select distances. Corellation of aiming would be necessary for distances other than those used to zero-in your gun/rifle. It may be tricky depending on the quality of the laser. Expensive bore lasers are said to be more reliable. Unlike the laser beam, bullet trajectories are affected by gravity (subject to bullet's weight, type and velocity), not to mention exposure to strong winds. For rather long distances, sighting your rifle using in-bore laser would probably be counter-productive.
 

Depending on handgun design, red or green laser could be installed to help improve "point and shoot" aiming experience for shorter distances. Most recently red dot sights are "pushed" on gun owners, forcing gun manufacturers to redesign slides for mounting them. Nevertheless, practicing without using any type of aiming aid might be very beneficial to shooters. There are pros and cons of using lasers or red dots for aiming. If zeroed in for certain distance from target, correllation may be necessary to align "point of impact" with "point of aim". This is not an easy task and practicing at various distances should help nail it down.

Aiming your pistol with a laser or red dot reveals your body pulse - the dot "jumps" arround the target and bullets will follow such pattern. In my opinion, using "point and shoot" technique with well-alighned sights is more practical to achieve better accuracy.

How would you adjust the sights (windage) for improved individual's accuracy?

1. Shoot 7-10 rounds at 7 yards.
- If grouping is to the left, push front sight to the left or rear sight to the right.
- If grouping is to the right, push front sight to the right or rear sight to the left.
2. Shoot 7-10 rounds at 10 yards.
3. Make final adjustment, if necessary.

To avoid damaging gun finish, consider using professional sight pusher or take the gun to a gunsmith.

Do you really want to install a flashlight on your home defense weapon?    

One should try to avoid revealing his/her whereabouts in the dark when using lasers and/or high intensity tactical flashlights. Blinding of intruder may work or may not -- it depends. Learning and practicing to surprise intruders with those extra tools might not be a bad idea. The application would be different from a S.W.A.T. team assault mission, say, the opposite of it. So, discussing the specific tactics of a defense mission with your gun instructor would be advisable.
 
 

	Series 60 Pro Smith & Wesson Revolver 357 Magnum (3" barrel) @ Indoor Range (Boyert, Katy, TX 77450)  Distance to 8" target: 10 yards Ammo: .38 Special FMJ/115 gr, box of 50 Shooting methods: Single and double action Sights: Factory original
Sig Sauer P320 X-Carry - 9 mm (3.9" barrel) with Wilson Combat Grip Module	THE FIRST THREE SHOTS @ 10 yards Indoor Range (Boyert, Katy, TX 77450)

	Sig Sauer P938 - 9 mm (3" barrel) @ Indoor Range (Boyert, Katy, TX 77450): Distance to 8" target: 15 yards Ammo: 9 mm FMJ/115 gr. (PMC Bronze ) Shooting method: Single action Sights: Factory original No aiming aid
	Sig Sauer P226 Legion - 9 mm (4.4" barrel) @ Indoor Range (Boyert, Katy, TX 77450): Distance to target: 10 yards Ammo: 9 mm FMJ/115 gr. (Magtech) Shooting method: Single action Sights: Factory original No aiming aid

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