Military

Hey ladies, Dene Adams has a holster solution for you

SHOT Show 2019 has helped me find a holster solution for the ladies in my life, Dene Adams a company making holsters for the ladies. Men – show this article to your gal. With the right holster, maybe she’ll want to start carrying concealed after all.

Founded on a Legacy, Holsters Made for Women

Founded on the legacy of Anna’s grandfather, Dene Adams supplies creative solutions for concealed carry with women in mind (and now a new line for men.)

Anna Taylor of Dene Adams has a passion for what she does and it shows in her creativity and enthusiasm for her products. Anna calls her holster creations a “compression concealed carry holster for women.” Anna’s innovation and design efforts allow women to carry concealed comfortably without a change in wardrobe.

I teach a basic pistol course for civilians and a question that I am frequently asked is from the ladies. “What holster options do you have for us women? I don’t want to wear a belt, I want to keep my pretty outfits.”

I usually show the ladies in my class a collection of holsters that I have that work for me. Kydex, leather, and even some plastic that are mostly OWB hip carry and some IWB appendix carry. These holsters work for me but I’m a big fella at 6’6″. I always wear a belt and usually a loose shirt that easily conceals even a large frame pistol. My girth helps with the concealment.

My big fella holster solutions don’t always work for the ladies.

Solutions by Anna

Instead of listening to a big dumb guy tell you why these holsters work and make me awkwardly talk about things like “the ladies,” “boob sweat,” “smoothing the back fat,” and stuff like that; how about you listen to Anna tell you about it.

We all make our own sandwiches: A short story about life that got me through the Marine Corps

Two construction workers were hired for the same big job, and although they didn’t know each other, they soon started eating lunch together during their breaks. Each day, the two men would take a seat near their work, pop open the lunch boxes they brought from home, and exchange pleasant, if not superficial, conversation about their day as they ate and rested.

Each day, as both men opened their lunch boxes to survey what was inside, one would audibly sigh and exclaim, “God, I hate tuna fish.” He would then reluctantly pull the plastic wrapped sandwich out of the box, begrudgingly unwrap it, and unhappily chew away at the white bread, tuna, and mayonnaise combination, seemingly willing to weather yet another terrible meal in favor of staving off starvation. Finally, after a week of watching the same spectacle each day, the second construction worker interrupted the daily ceremony of tuna fish and misery:

“Hey man, if you hate tuna fish so much, why don’t you just ask your old lady to make something else?” He asked his lunchtime compatriot.

“Old lady? I’m not married?” The first man replied through a mouthful of his least favorite lunch.

“Then who keeps making you that?” The second man asked.

“Me.” Came the reply. “I make my own sandwiches.”

If I’m being honest, I’m not sure anymore where I first heard that story. It may have been in a book, or maybe it was conveyed to me by some older, wiser guy that spotted me wandering through life with a downtrodden look on my face… but wherever it came from, this short story about two construction workers eating lunch would go on to change the entire course of my life for the better.

At first glance, the story almost seems nonsensical: why would someone continue to make themselves the same lunch, day after day, despite hating it? What type of person would do such a thing? In terms of sandwiches, perhaps not many of us. In terms of life choices, however, I believe it’s something that we all do.

Your tuna fish sandwich may be continuing to work in a job that you hate, ignoring the bills stacking up in your mailbox, eating a third piece of cake despite knowing that you’re full. You may continue to entertain toxic relationships in your personal life, or you might be ignoring the positive efforts of your loved ones. We all do things that make our lives more difficult, and then defend those choices using words like comfort, easy, or worst of all, “deserve.”

“It’s just easier to keep this job than to start looking for another one.”

“I know he treats me badly, but I’m comfortable here and I don’t want to try dating again.”

“I had a hard day – I deserve another drink.”

Now, there’s nothing wrong with making hard choices and sticking with them, just like there’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with some cake, vodka, or both when you’ve had a long day or accomplished a goal. The problem arises when you make conscious decisions that will negatively affect your life, and then lament the repercussions as “bad luck” when it comes time to deal with them.

You’re overweight because of your eating and exercise habits. Your relationship is struggling because you need to either put more effort in or leave. Your job sucks because it isn’t right for you. You’re eating tuna fish because you made it. Life isn’t easy, and sometimes we’re stuck doing things that make us unhappy. There’s no getting around that – but often, we possess the power to remove negative influences in our lives, but we choose not to out of fear of change. You’ll keep plugging away at the same old 9-5 because you’re afraid to go looking elsewhere. You’ll keep eating that bag or doritos because the split second endorphin release you get with each bite is more valuable to you right now than how you’ll feel in the morning. You’ll stay with the wrong man or woman because, unhappy as you are, you’re too afraid of being alone.

In the Marines, I often felt as though I didn’t have any power over my own destiny. Where I went, what I did, and how I did it was all dictated by a chain of command and endless SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)… but it wasn’t until I started leading Marines that I truly started to recognize how much autonomy I had in the execution of my duties. Sure, I may have been stuck in the duty hut for 24 hours – but it was my decision to spend it miserable, rather than studying for my degree. When it came time to deploy, I didn’t choose our destination or timetable, but it was my choice to either pursue learning a new language and culture… or spend who knows how many more hours staring at the wall of my tent and wishing I was somewhere else.

Making emotional allowances doesn’t make you a bad person, or even a weak one – they make you human – but once you decide to stop permitting yourself the convenience of yet another miserable tuna fish sandwich lunch, you might be amazed to find that things really do get better. Hard days will still be there, but they get easier when you stop convincing yourself to do what’s wrong for you, and start putting that effort toward doing what’s right.

You might not have the option to leave that job you hate, but you can change how you approach it. You might not be ready to leave a household that makes you unhappy, but you can address your problems with your significant other. You’re still going to have make a sandwich in the morning if you want to eat something at lunch… but you can decide to make it something you’d want, instead of something you’ll tolerate.

In the Marine Corps and since, I’ve found myself in some pretty tough spots. I’ve been low, depressed, unhappy, and angry – but I resist the urge to blame my feelings on fate. I make my sandwiches, and sure, sometimes I don’t like them. I succeed or fail based on my own decisions, my own efforts, and when I’m met with setbacks, I do occasionally shake my fist at the sky in spite, but then I try to temper my existential woe with realistic objectivity. If I’m unhappy, what can I change? If I’m angry, what needs to be fixed? If I’m hurting, who can I talk to?

Just like that construction worker, we’re each faced with a decision every morning: are you going to make choices that lead to a better life… or will it be tuna fish again?

It’s up to you – because we all make our own sandwiches.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Former Delta Force operator: Why the 1911 is still my favorite sidearm

I’m a gunslinger by background, or at least I fancy myself the sort. I still wear my pistols low these days, just not quite as low as in the day. l live, nonetheless, today as I have always lived—by the sword. And you know what living by the sword means. That’s right, it means being unable to sleep at night because of the loud, late parties the sword is always throwing.

Why I like the 1911 for taking care of business

Now, in the day, we often jokingly referred to any 9mm pistol as a ‘sub-caliber device’, we pompous barbarians, the gunslingers of Delta Force. Our primary choice for a secondary (backup) firearm was the M-1911 .45 caliber blazer, legacy of the venerable John Moses Browning.

Never in modern history of U.S. ordnance have weapons remained in DOD arsenals for so many consecutive years without major modification or attempt to compromise the weapon’s intended ballistic capabilities as those introduced by John M. Browning.

I am put in mind of world-renowned small-arms expert Larry Allen Vickers of Vicker’s Tactical as he admonished a class he was giving on the operation and maintenance of the revered M2HB heavy machine gun:

Men, if John Moses Browning were to walk through this door right now…well, first of all we’d shit ourselves because Browning has been dead for over a hundred years…but then he’d say ‘do you men have and clue at all what you are doing?’”

There was no option to train with another caliber of pistol in the Delta training course for new operators; this was standard issue and would be mastered to successfully pass the five-month course. Mind you, the 1911s in the unit are not issued as they are unpacked from depot; they are meticulously modified by The Unit’s armorers to recognized match-grade standards:

Sights of choice, typically Low-Light BoMar or comparable class
Trigger pull eased to two pounds
Flared magazine well for faster magazine changes
Ambidextrous thumb safety, slide lock, mag release
Extended slide lock and mag release to aid in speed of reloads as felt through combat contact gloves
Aggressive checkering in key locations to enhance purchase
Pistol grips of choice to enhance purchase
Modified buffer
Modified feed ramp

Yes, the M-1911 is the pistol of choice in Delta, where there is never any guilt of pretense for its killing/stopping power. Yea though it be a beast to control, the pay-forward of the gat is rewarding.

The effects of the .45 jacketed metal slug can be likened to one of two basic classes of explosives, that is a low explosive versus a high explosive (takes a deep breath as he attempts to explain it without losing his audience):

High explosives such as C4 ‘plastic explosive’ expand (explode) at a very high rate of 26,000 feet per second (FPS). It burns fast and hot and has tremendous cutting potential against metal and the like. I compare it to the M4 assault rifle’s cartridge that sails along at over 3,000 FPS. It is supersonic, tends to penetrate very easily, and when passing through the human body, renders a high-velocity rifle cartridge wound.

The much lower velocity .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) cartridge, at 825 FPS, is well under the realm of supersonic, doesn’t impart the same acute cutting properties, but delivers devastating knockdown power. This round can be compared to the low expanding velocity of dynamite, TNT, and ammonium nitrate. These create more of a pushing, fracturing force that is ideal for moving large volumes of earth—such as in mining operations.

How ‘slow’ does the ACP round travel? I can tell you that, in my experience, the round moves slow enough to see with the naked eye.

“Bull crap!” you bellow out at my reckless and ingenuous suggestion.

I stand before you today a man solemn and grim in my claims. You can, in fact, under many conditions, see the .45 ACP fly through the air from behind the gun. Even from a flanking observation point, you can glimpse the shiny copper jacket as it crosses a dark background. From behind the pistol, a well-seasoned shooter can actually see the bullet arc up slightly and slap the paper of the target downrange.

An even more seasoned shooter (I have never seen this) can detect tiny specks of brass where they explode out of the chamber when the weapon cycles its reload phase. I felt inadequate when my brother, Samuel Booth Foster, explained how he was aware of the ephemeral specks of brass. But that comes from a brother who could watch a spinning ceiling fan and fix his gaze on a single turning blade.

“Incredible that you can do that, Sam!”

“Weak genetics that you can’t do it, George.”

“I love you too, Sam.”

Over my years in Delta, I maintained a cartoon book, a book of quotable quotations, and a Delta sayings and ‘non-sayings’ book. The lattermost book was made up of two parts filled with things you never hear in Delta, and then things you only hear in Delta. Those include the following:

Things you only hear in Delta

“Hey, has anyone seen our machine gun lately?”

“Well, I don’t have my parachute altimeter…I guess that’s the same thing as having turned it in.”

“Ft. Bragg is getting an allocation of nine of the new Javelin anti-tank rockets. Our cut is…nine.”

“The post military police (MP) were bitching that we were using up way too much of Ft. Bragg’s allocation of .45 ACP. The MPs now carry Berettas.”

“We’re going to work through lunch and dinner so we can get off early tonight (and then never actually get off early or get lunch/dinner).”

Things you never hear in Delta

“We’re using blanks and practice grenades on the objective tonight.”

“I’m sorry, Sergeant. You can have either the mash potatoes or corn; you can’t have two starches.”

“Cease fire!”

“Clothing issue facility rejected my canteen cup again. Still dirty somehow…”

“Fall in!”

“You need to get that mop trimmed, stand a little closer to your razor, and get that lid in travel lock, Mister!”

“Get your hands out of your pockets!”

“In cadence, EXERCISE one-two-three ONE one-two-three TWO…”

“Hey, my pistol doesn’t work.”

That last one—“my pistol doesn’t work”—yeah…what actually does that mean anyway? OK, so I’m just going to be an elitist ass and say that my gat was where it was at. I had the same two 1911s for my entire 10 years in the unit. Students graduating to squadrons carried all of their weapons and kit from training branch to squadron—there was no ‘training only’ pool of anything there. Everything was live, full caliber, no nonsense, and ready to go to war.

Author with first Special Forces Group (Airborne) during range fire in AK, with his M-1911

Reliability: The only malfunctions I experienced with either of my pistols were intentionally induced for the sake of practice. Every time I pulled the trigger, it went BANG, and a hole nearly a half inch in diameter opened up somewhere bad.

Durability: I once had my pistol come out of its holster and fall five stories onto concrete. It did NOT discharge on collision, though there was a round chambered (of course). I fired it for a week after, then decided I should get a technical inspection (TI) of my pistols, as I had never had one done. I mean when do these gats ever wear out? The inspection revealed a hairline stress crack in the lower, not associated with the five-story fall, and a sloppy ejector (not extractor) that was associated with the fall. My lower was swapped out with a Caspian or Kimber lower, the ejector (not extractor) was re-seated, and I was out on Pat McNamara-style blaze ops the same day.

Author left and Senior Engineer Sergeant Dave Royer on range fire with M-1911 in AK.

Accuracy: Don’t get me started. What can I really say, right? I mean a match-grade gat, match ammo…how many excuses are left for not hitting your target? Yes, typically we did our combat pistol training at 25 meters. But on occasion, such as when world champions Jerry Barnhart and Rob Leatham came to train us, they would have us move back to 50 meters and try some outside-the-box drills. We would eventually move back to 100 meters or more, watching the shiny bullet arc up slightly, then rudely spank the steel target plate.

It’s amazing how far away the ACP can still be accurate, how high above the head of the target you have to hold off, and how long the slow-moving ACP takes to get to its target. Just when you think you have missed, CLANG!

Satisfaction: Immeasurable. There is a peace of mind unmatched knowing that you have one of the most powerful handguns in the world for the last 100 years holstered at your side. One that you know can come out very fast, is sure to send rounds down range every time, and has unprecedented knockdown power.

I’m a gunslinging man, yes I am. I wear my pistols low these days, just not as low as in the day. That’s how I fancy myself.

Lest I die in jest, I remain,
Geo sends

(This piece is dedicated to Mr. Rob Garrett)

Klik Belts: Don’t just get a belt, get a belt you can keep for life

When it comes to duty belts, concealed carry belts, or gun belts in general, there are a number of manufacturers out there with products I can recommend whole-heartedly. I mean, let’s be honest, the things that make for a good quality pistol belt aren’t elusive: the material of the belt needs to be stiff enough to support the weight of your gear without bowing outward, the buckle needs to be strong enough to support the weight of what you’re carrying, and hopefully you can get both of those things in one decent looking package. So, if you’re looking for a good choice in belts (whether you’re a recreational shooter or a cop that relies on your belt every day), you certainly have some options. But if you’re looking for the best choice, it helps to consider some other things, like customer service.

Klik Belts’ line of products certainly meet and exceed the baseline criteria required of a good quality belt. Their two-ply tactical belt offers very little give without becoming a nuisance and is just as at home as an EDC belt run through your belt loops as it is strapped over your hips as a quick release gun belt. And much to my surprise, even their single-ply belts (which Klik Belt don’t recommend for use with a holster) has served me extremely well with the Bravo Concealment IWB holster I’ve been wearing to review for the past month or so. It’s easy to see why: not only are Klik Belts made right here in America (Austin, Texas, to be exact) using the best materials they could get their hands on, but they also come equipped with Cobra Belt Buckles. These buckles are incredibly strong… how strong? One held up to 5 1/2 tons of pressure before letting go in one test… so yours ought to do fine even chalk full of gear and fighting back your gut after Taco Tuesday.

Klik Belts may make their belts on site, but they sourced these buckles from Austria for a reason. Here’s what they have to say about the Cobra Buckle:

Patented AustriAlpin COBRA® quick releases are, without equal, the safest, most finely crafted, and strongest load bearing buckles available anywhere. They are also the only stab-lock style fastener in the safety products market that will not open while under load. That makes them the best choice (we believe, the only choice) for ensuring the highest degree of safety for yourself or your customer. COBRA® quick releases are CNC machined, assembled, inspected, and packed (re: from alpha to omega) in our ISO quality assurance acredited facility. All COBRA® products are tested and certified by highly respected independent /3rd party test houses and exceed Mil Spec guidelines for dust / sand / salt water as well as all applicable CE, EN, CSA, ANSI, and NFPA standards for fall-protection and personal safety.

The belts and buckles are just as high quality as they’re touted, but what really sets these belts apart from other good quality belts is their lifetime warranty and the level of customer service you get when you order one. I spoke to Dona at Klik Belts who immediately set about making my new belts to order based on my (decidedly embarrassing) measurements. Even made to order, the belts arrived in no time and I immediately set about trying to ruin them so poor Donna would have to hunker back down at her sewing machine and send me some new ones. She was so nice when we spoke, I really didn’t think she’d mind… but after weeks of punishment, the best I could do was leave a bit of white gunk on the nylon portion of the belt (maybe a mix of bug spray and sunscreen). Beyond that, I just couldn’t manage to break, fray, or otherwise mess up these belts.

I haven’t given up yet though, and eventually, I’m sure I’ll manage to do some kind of damage that leaves my belts un-serviceable, and when I do, I won’t have to buy a new one. I can just send the buckle back in to Klik Belts with a crisp $20 bill and they’ll send it back to me good as new. They’ll even adjust the size if I’ve gotten fatter (or hopefully, thinner) by then.

I won’t pretend that there are no other good quality belt options on the market, but with prices starting under $65 for a double-ply tactical belt you can wear for the rest of your life, I honestly couldn’t recommend any option that isn’t from Klik Belt. You can get them in a variety of colors and despite the utility allotted by the Cobra Buckles, these belts look just as appropriate in a pair of khakis as they do on your jeans or hiking pants.

When you order a belt from Klik Belts, you’re not just getting a belt — you’re getting a lifetime commitment from the company itself. It’s tough to beat that.

SWAT Officer reviews the ASP XT DF Flashlight

ASP has been stepping up their game to compete in the first responder flashlight world, and I must admit I’m not disappointed with some of their new products. The XT DT being one of them.

The XT DF is a primary duty flashlight with a max output of 600 lumens and the ability to be programmed by the user at 15, 60, or 150 Lumens. This light also offers a strobe effect which can be useful in the appropriate scenario. In keeping with the ASP model of simplicity in their law enforcement tools, activation is via a single pressure switch on the tail cap. A 3-position twist selector on the tail cap allows choice of intermittent, constant-on or locked.

Dual Fuel technology means you’ll never be without a power source―it runs with either a rechargeable 18650 battery (included) or 2 CR123A primary (single use) cells, sold separately. The 18650 battery charges inside the flashlight, using the supplied cord and adapters, or any micro USB phone/electronics charging cord―no separate battery charger needed.

XT DF is machined from 6061 T6 aerospace aluminum, type III hardcoat anodized in a proprietary matte black finish. The barrel is wrapped in an all-weather foamed vinyl grip.

Overall I like this light. It functions well for its intended audience and packs a solid lumen output for a lightweight and easy to carry model. The programmable feature is a plus and it is so user friendly even a firefighter could use it.

Oakley SI Gascans — Thin Blue Line Edition

When it comes to sunglasses and eye protection, there are a lot of brands to choose from. Few, however, have a history of use in the law enforcement community quite like Oakley. That’s what Oakley’s Standard Issue division is all about: making the best shades on the market for government, military, and law enforcement use — and their new Thin Blue Line Edition Gascans are absolutely no exception.

These special edition Gascans have the same great lines that have been standard for the model since 2005, which means all the extensive design work that went into maintaining the right alignment of lens to eye is still there, along with their efforts to eliminate the common pressure points that can leave parts of your face and ears sore after a long day’s wear. The frames are also made out of Oakley’s O-Matter material, which is what they call the miracle plastic that manages to be both light and strong enough to withstand use as a police officer’s sunglasses of choice for long days on the street.

Put simply, these special edition shades are every bit as functional as we’ve come to expect from Oakley SI, while also offering a pretty damn unique and good looking aesthetic, complete with blue line accents on the Oakley logos.

This blending of form and function even carries over into the lenses, which don’t only offer UV protection and meet the high mass and velocity impact requirements for duty use, they’re also cut from the curve of a single lens shield. That means the two lenses in your pair of Gascans are literally made for each other, offering a continuous and smooth appearance no matter how close you’re looking at these things.

In my opinion, one of the best things about Oakley SI holds true for these Thin Blue Line Edition Gascans: you already know what you’re in for when you order a pair. These sunglasses are light, strong, functional, and most importantly, comfortable — and because Oakley’s have been around for a while, chances are good that you already know which styles compliment your particular head shape.

These Gascans, for instance, are good for medium to large heads — I’ve got a pretty big dome, which means sunglasses often squeeze my face a bit more than I’d like. These sunglasses fit me well, but might fit someone with a more conventional sized skull better. If you’re a big-headed lug like me, Oakley SI’s Fuel Cells are another great option.

Whether you’re a cop or someone who wants to show their support for the law enforcement in your community, you can’t go wrong with a pair of Thin Blue Line Edition Gascans from Oakley SI.

It’s one thing to look good, it’s entirely another to look good eight hours into a twelve hour shift. That’s what Oakley SI is all about. You can order yours here.