Concealed Carry Holsters By ArmedCivilian556 (Contact On YouTube)

      When it comes to concealed carry holsters, your choice will be affected by variables such as; style, comfort, ease of use, and retention. It's a lot to consider when deciding what to purchase, and generally many of the holsters on the market today can be split into two categories.... tactical and practical. Tactical types are great in the way of retention ( usually consisting of one or more lock points to disengage to draw the weapon). But in all honesty, unless you plan on open carry or kicking down doors during a raid, I'd avoid the tactical type holsters. They are typically larger and offer nothing in the means of concealment. On the practical side, you may find one that is comfortable. It may look stylish. Maybe it fits your body correctly, resulting in reduced printing (visible object under clothing). Perhaps it holds the sidearm securely even under shock test without the use of any external or mechanical retention systems. To find one with all of these attributes can be next to impossible, unless you take it out of the packaging and try it. Keep in mind, employees and by-standards alike usually frown upon an individual waving around a sidearm, and trying on holsters like it's the Filene's Basement Running Of The Brides Sale. In reality, most holsters end up in a shoebox graveyard because they don't have all of the things you were looking for in a concealment holster... until now.

     I was first introduced to ArmedCivilian556 (AC), when browsing YouTube for videos regarding concealed carry holsters. After watching his videos showing his product line, I realized that his holsters (which he demonstrated and gave a detailed description) looked well made and practical. Could they be that good? I was skeptical. After a little research I decided to contact him by message through YouTube. My first impressions were great. He can make holsters for virtually any make and model, and I thought, "Here's a guy, your average guy, who has come up with a product that is well suited for it's purpose." We emailed back and forth for a while before I ended up with the CX2 and the Inside the Waist Band (IWB) holsters in desert digicam for the Glock 19.

     When I received them,the first thing I noticed was the shape they are designed in. They are contoured to fit the body. After trying them on and feeling how comfortable they were, I looked at the fit / finish and the practicality. These holsters are well made, with strong grommets and a durable kydex type material. The coloring in the desert digicam pattern is nice, resembling the desert Marine pattern (MARPAT). All of the edges are smooth, and are matched up exactly (no overlapping edges). Light in weight, both offer excellent concealability. The forward cant is a good angle, and is smooth on the draw and re-holster. While they may not have an active retention system, the natural forming in the holsters hold the sidearm secure (creating a passive retention system).... even through a shock test. The dimensions of the CX2 are about 6.25"L X 4.5"H. The IWB is about 6.25"L X 3.75" H. The IWB has an adjustable ride height (and cant if you stagger the clip positions). The IWB also came with a small hex wrench for adjustments. I recommend using blue thread locker to secure the screws after final fit and adjustment.

     Overall, these are the first holsters that I will be using on a regular basis. I'm 5' 8", and about 180 lbs. I'm not a big guy, and AC's holsters make the Glock 19 practically disappear!

     So, if you are looking for a reliable and easy to use holster for concealment; look no further. Check out ArmedCivilian556 on YouTube for his full product line, and see what he can do for you! AC really works hard at earning your business and keeping it, by providing great customer support and products that won't let you down. Hey, AC...... keep 'em comin'.

Thanks for reading,
-Rhody

The IWB Holster

          

The CX2 Holster

                                                                  AC's video showing the models:
                                                                          CX2, CX3, and CXS

SOG Auto Clip - An Inexpensive Quality Field Blade

     The SOG Auto Clip has a name that may be initially misunderstood. "Auto clip" does not refer to an automatic deployment, nor the clip point design. It actually refers to the pocket clip this knife is designed with. The clip has a pivot point, and is tensioned with a spring. This allows it to keep constant pressure on the material it is secured to, and won't loose its clamping force over time like conventional steel clips. Another unique feature in its design is the ambidextrous thumb studs for deploying the blade. They are adjustable along the spine of the blade, allowing the user to change the location. Two great features you won't normally find on an inexpensive knife.

     Looking over the Auto Clip, I noticed that fit and finish is above the standard you would usually find on a folding knife of a similar price. For starters, this 3.5" 420 stainless clip point style blade has a two directional satin finish. There is no play in the hilt, and the lock back design has tight tolerances. I've tried a shock test to cause the blade to jump out of the lock, but to no avail. If you develop some play at the pivot point, you can tighten it with an allen wrench. The basket weave grip on the handle is comfortable, and provides good traction. There are no "unfinished" edges or lines anywhere on the handle or the blade. The lanyard hole is a nice touch.

     So how does it stack up versus my expectations.... I was surprised at the quality for the price. Being 8.25" long and only weighing 3 ounces, the Auto Clip makes a great companion for any task. SOG's MSRP is $30.00, but you can expect to find it for $20.00 or less.

     Thanks for reading,

     - Rhody

 

Be Safe, Stay Safe On Your Next Hunt

     Season after season, we go out and enjoy the thrill of the hunt. The gentle breeze carrying the sweet scent of pine and the other crisp smells that bring you back to your first hunt. The gentle glow as the sun rises and sets. The memories of past successful hunts that you will always cherish with friends and family. The excitement of bagging your best personal record.

     You see and hear movement. Your focus becomes so concentrated that you cant feel the bugs biting. The pace of your breathing quickens, and you feel your heart pounding against your chest in excitement and anticipation. You've got this shot.... your accuracy is excellent, for you have been practicing your shots all off season..

      Using your preferred sighting system, you aim your weapon, and click off the safety. You see more movement in the thick brush that lies ahead of you. What is it? A doe? That 8 point buck you were hoping to get a shot at? Wait... is that... orange? "No, couldn't be. I just saw the rear legs of a deer", you say to your self. You slowly draw the trigger back as you take your shot..... you quickly release the trigger as you see a hunter emerge hauling his buck. You quickly engage the safety and open the action. You take a deep breath as you think how tragic this hunt could have turned out. 1/16 of an inch more on the trigger, and it would have been all over. The happy memories replaced with shame and guilt. The other hunter never to return to his family.

     Sometimes we can become complacent when it comes to hunter safety. However, we all must try to stay focused on keeping each other safe. Accidents happen, but are they preventable? I'm not writing this to persecute those who have been involved in hunting accidents. This is being written to remind us how important it is to hunt safe. This past fall season, we've had three hunting accidents in New England area that have made the news.

     -In Massachusetts, a hunter accidentally shot and wounded his neighbor, who was walking her dogs.

     -In Vermont, a hunter accidentally shot and killed his friend. He then turned his rifle on himself.

     -Here in Rhode Island, a hunter was accidentally shot and killed by another.

     My thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends of the victims, and the hunters who took the shots. These incidents should remind us all to look out for our and others' safety while we enjoy our hunts. Wear your orange. Keep your safeties on. Keep you weapon unloaded untill ready to fire. Identify your target and know what's beyond it. These are just some of the things to keep in mind the next time you go out, and that we should teach to future generations.
     Stay safe, thanks for reading,
     -Rhody

Henry Repeating Arms - Lever Action Octagon ( Frontier Model )

     The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, True Grit, and The Rifleman........ remember the feeling you had watching classic westerns as a kid? The thrill, excitement and adventure? You can feel it again and shoot all day without breaking the bank, with Henry's Frontier model H001T.

     The Frontier really captures the American spirit with fine craftsmanship and quality. It is 38.5" in length, with a weight of 6.25 pounds. Chambered in .22 caliber, it handles long rifle, long, and short cartridges interchangeably. The tubular magazine is loaded by sliding out the inner magazine tube (attractively made of brass), and dropping the cartridges in a shaped cutout. To close, simply push the inner magazine tube (spring is inside) back in and lock into place. Henry's slogan of "It's a rifle that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long", accurately describes the capacity of this rifle. It holds 16-long rifle, 17-long, and a whopping 21 rounds of short!

     This is a solidly built rifle, American made with American parts. The stock and fore end are beautifully crafted out of American walnut with a satin finish. The steel has a nice blued finish and the accurate 20" octagonal heavy barrel is stamped with brass colored letters listing the caliber on the right side, and 'Henry Repeating Arms' on the left. The muzzle is flat, smooth, and crowned. Marbles semi - buck horn sights come standard, and are fully adjustable for windage and elevation. The front site has a brass bead, and the rear sight plate features a white diamond, but can be reversed for a solid black plate. Both front and rear are set in a dovetail and easily adjusted with a brass punch.

     I've always believed that tight tolerances are a sign of a quality firearm, and the Frontier (or any Henry rifle in my opinion) is no exception. The cover comes with a 3/8" dovetail for optics, and fits tightly over the receiver and trigger group. Everything from the fit and finish of parts, to the cycling of the action is tight and smooth. The trigger is one of the best I've ever used, and while I haven't measured the break, it feels somewhere around 4-5 pounds. It breaks fast and clean with no creep. The safety for this rifle (besides the one between your ears), is operated by the hammer. To engage, start with the hammer fully lowered, draw it back about 1/4 of the way until you feel a click. This safely locks the trigger and keeps the hammer off the bolt group. Another way to engage (from the fully cocked position), is to guide the hammer down while quickly pulling and releasing the trigger... decocking the rifle. To disengage, cock the hammer all the way back, or cycle the action.

     How would I rate the Frontier over all? Excellent. As with all of Henry's rifles, the pride and craftsmanship shows in the quality. How much should you expect to pay this level of quality? Not as much as you would think. The MSRP is $425.00, with the actual cost being somewhere in the neighborhood of $360.00 and up depending where you are. Henry Repeating Arms make a variety of rimfire and centerfire rifles that are "Made in America, and priced right". If you decide to purchase one, you won't be disappointed.

     Thanks for reading,
     - Rhody