–– DDOONN’’TT BBEE AA VVIICCTTIIMM A R BBEE AA SSUURRVVIIVVOORR!! M EEvveerr ffeeeell tthhrreeaatteenneedd iinn yyoouurr hhoommee?? E D IInn yyoouurr ccaarr?? OOnn tthhee ssttrreeeett?? V F iolent criminals are everywhere IT’S ALL HERE! O – and that’s why you need Armed • The best self defense calibers for Personal Defense by Jerry Ahern. R • Revolvers vs. semi-auto pistols In Armed for Personal Defense, you’ll • Holsters: what type is best for you? learn the basics of concealed carry, from • Improvised weapons P what kind of gun to choose to what kind • And much more! E of holster. In addition, you’ll learn about knives, clubs and improvised weapons Self defense is YOUR responsibility! R that can save your life when a gun isn’t So start arming yourself today – with S available. Armed for Personal Defense! O N A L D E F E N ABOUT THE AUTHOR S Jerry Ahern is a professional writer specializing in fi rearms-related and science fi ction literature. He has served as president of a major fi rearms company and designed and manufactured a E popular line of concealed-carry holsters. In addition, Ahern is well-known to fi rearms enthusiasts for his book CCW: Carrying Concealed Weapons and the countless articles he has published in the fi rearms press. He and his wife and partner Sharon live in Georgia. A US $19.99 H Z9404 (CAN $22.99) E ISBN-13: 978-1-44021-408-0 ISBN-10: 1-44021-408-5 R 51999 N Gun Digest® Books UPC An iwmwpwr.ignutn odifg Fe+stWsto Mree.cdoima, Inc. AN E 0 FnL1 04 0120 01 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo 02 SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL 03 cnVlZ2VyAEuojHkEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ 04 Qy1BDDA3NDk2MjAxMjU3OQA= 74962 01257 9 9 FnL1 04 0124 01 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo 02 SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL 03 cnVlZ2VyAEuo5LEEMTAuNAI4MAExBkVB 04 Ti0xMw05NzgxNDQwMjE0MDgwAA== 781440 214080 ZZ99440044--FFuullllCCvvrr..iinndddd 11 88//99//1100 1122::2244::0033 PPMM AArrmmeedd FFoorr PPeerrssoonnaall DDeeffeennssee Jerry Ahern ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 11 88//1100//1100 55::0044::1144 PPMM Copyright ©2010 Jerry Ahern All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet. Published by Gun Digest® Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc. Krause Publications • 700 East State Street • Iola, WI 54990-0001 715-445-2214 • 888-457-2873 www.krausebooks.com To order books or other products call toll-free 1-800-258-0929 or visit us online at www.krausebooks.com, www.gundigeststore.com or www.Shop.Collect.com Library of Congress Control Number: 2010925141 ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1408-0 ISBN-10: 1-4402-1408-5 Cover Design by Tom Nelsen Designed by Paul Birling Edited by Dan Shideler Photos by Sharon Ahern unless otherwise noted Printed in United States of America ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 22 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2255 PPMM Dedica tion T his book is dedicated to all the good, honest, decent people who carry concealed weapons to protect themselves, their loved ones and other innocents from predators who would prey on the weak and defenseless. The right to be armed is not granted by any government or any person. It is a natural right to be cherished and never surrendered. ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 33 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2255 PPMM Acknowledgments O f course, there would never be an Ahern book of any sort without the most wonderful girl in the world helping to make it happen. Sharon’s the best. I’d also like to thank the manufacturers and others in the industry who assisted by loaning product samples and providing some additional photographs. Thanks as well to Bradley Fielding for assisting us with this project. A special thanks to our son-in-law, Danny Akers, who tirelessly aided us in the completion of this work. Thanks to the always great looking Tracy for being extremely patient with our photographic demands. ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 44 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2255 PPMM Contents AArrmmeedd FFoorr PPeerrssoonnaall DDeeffeennssee Introduction ..................................................................................................................6 Chapter One: Weapons Selection ..............................................................................8 Chapter Two: Anything Can Be A Weapon ...........................................................34 Chapter Three: Snub–Nosed Revolvers ..................................................................44 Chapter Four: Revolver and Autoloader Differences ..........................................56 Chapter Five: Other Than a Handgun ....................................................................75 Chapter Six: Body Language ..................................................................................100 Chapter Seven: Shoulder Holsters ........................................................................112 Chapter Eight: Waist Level Positions ...................................................................132 Chapter Nine: Inside Waistband Carry ................................................................152 Chapter Ten: Ankle and Leg Carry ........................................................................160 Chapter Eleven: Clothing and Carrying ...............................................................172 Chapter Twelve: Pocket Carry ...............................................................................179 Chapter Thirteen: Women and Concealment ....................................................185 Chapter Fourteen: Off-Body and Open Carry....................................................198 Chapter Fifteen: Close Concealment ...................................................................206 Chapter Sixteen: Concealed Storage of Weapons .............................................214 Chapter Seventeen: Concealed Carry Essentials ...............................................219 Appendix: Handguns for Personal Defense .......................................................227 ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 55 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2255 PPMM ARMED FOR PERSONAL DEFENSE Introduction F or many of us, being armed in preparation for the possibility of de- fending oneself, the family, or an innocent stranger, has always been a part of being a free human being. In the world of today – as this is written it is the waning years of the fi rst decade of the 21st century – the need to be armed at all times when it is possible is greater than ever before. One of our dearest and oldest friends, an intelligent and gentle soul, as fi ne a fellow as one could hope to meet, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, made the decision to stop carrying the pocket knife he had carried all his life. He reasoned that the knife might inadvertently set off a magnetometer and draw security personnel away from a real threat. He’s a brave and good man, one of the best. Most persons reading this book, however, likely thought just the opposite following that deadly series of events. Of course, no one wants to divert security personnel from a bad guy who is up to no good. Similarly, though, most readers here would be less concerned with that unlikely event and more worried about responding to an attack. After the attack on America by radical Islamic fundamentalist killers, most of us have – and, I think, rightly so – perceived the need to arm up rather than down, to be better equipped on a daily basis than before that awful morning. Assuming that it is legal for you to do so, man or woman, it is silly to venture forth these days without at least one handgun, one reliable knife and a reliable cellular telephone. For the handgun, there should be readily available reloads. The knife should be sharp and your cellular phone’s battery well-charged. If one is properly armed and properly schooled in the use of arms, one has the ability to dispense death. It is incumbent upon the rational person to accept this awesome responsibility with the gravest seriousness. Those who view this power otherwise are sociopaths or sadists, like the murderous sav- ages responsible for September 11, 2001. We all cheer when, in the movies, the good guy or guys (or girls) arrive in the nick of time and prevent gruesome slaughter through the skillful use of weapons against persons who see no in- trinsic value in human life. Sadly, we may need to go to the movies to see the good guys win, but we can just check out the day’s news to be informed of the latest atrocities committed by the bad guys. 6 ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 66 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2266 PPMM INTRODUCTION In modern society, many people fear weapons and view those who use weapons as suspect, and they blame the weapons themselves when evil per- sons use them in evil ways. In America, alone among the major industrial- ized nations, men and women of all races, ethnic backgrounds and religious creeds still have the freedom to be armed – as this is written. In the last few months of 2008, with the serious likelihood of fi rearms-unfriendly politicians taking over Washington, sales of ammunition and arms soared, this trend continuing and intensifying in 2009 in light of the reality of election results. In the aftermath of the November 2008 election, fi rearms and particularly ammunition were found in short supply, when found at all. Oddly, some might think, the most diffi cult to fi nd cartridge became .380 ACP, a cartridge associated with fi rearms kept for concealed carry or home/business defense. The majority of the fi fty states allow concealed carry. Individuals are armed, as they should be. To be armed for one’s own protection and the safeguarding of others, how- ever, one must carry’s one’s weapons concealed in one manner or another. Indeed, intrinsic to the issuance of concealed carry permits in most or all jurisdictions is that weapons must be kept concealed and never brandished unless they must be brought into play. Sloppy concealed carry leads to diffi - culties for the man or woman carrying the concealed weapon or weapons and consternation and possible panic for the habitually weaponless. For most or all persons reading this book, it is incomprehensible that any rational person would intentionally render himself or herself defenseless. Be- yond that, though, many of these same “irrational” people wish to see every- one weaponless, as if this is some great good. In order to derail such persons – and, out of common courtesy to these persons – concealed weapons must be concealed. How to carry concealed weapons is one thing, but detecting that others are armed is a skill from which even the most weapons-abhorrent person can benefi t. Because of the unabated risk of terrorist attack, the potential for distraught individuals to fl ip out and opt for suicide by cop, and myriad oth- er situations in which the thoroughly evil or the thoroughly crazy crave the commission of murder, every teacher, every high school or college student, every shopper who frequents a mall, every person who uses any sort of public transportation, needs to learn as much as possible about spotting concealed weapons. Read this book and learn. 7 ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 77 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2266 PPMM ARMED FOR PERSONAL DEFENSE otohP kcotS 8 ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 88 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2266 PPMM CHAPTER 1 • WEAPONS SELECTION WEAPONS SELECTION Chapter One F or many persons, the only gun worth carrying is a full-size 1911 and they wouldn’t go out into the world without one. Others swear by North American Arms mini-revolvers as all the protection they need when going about their daily errands. In years gone by, the snubby .38 revolver was the most common concealed carry weapon for those who were professionally armed. Before the advent of fi rearms of convenient size and reliability, daggers were hidden in one’s clothes. Walther PP series pistols in .22 LR and Beretta 70S pistols in the same caliber were, at one time, the weapons carried under the outer garments of Israeli ex- ecutive protection agents and undercover aircraft security. Whether from Beretta or Browning or Raven Arms, .25 automatics used to be and likely still are among the most commonly carried personal defense or backup handguns. There is nothing wrong with any of these choices – even daggers. Depend- ing on circumstances, however, some of these choices may be more “right” than others. The important thing is to be armed, when and where legally pos- sible. The requirements imposed by the need to conceal a weapon rather than wear it openly are considerable. If it were legal to do so, rather than dropping a small caliber pistol in your pocket when you ran out to the store late at night or took the dog for a walk, many of us would just as soon buckle on a full-size handgun or snatch up a lightweight, high capacity carbine and sling it on in a patrolling carry. Most areas, however, frown on openly displaying weapons on one’s person. Obviously, an assault rifl e – even the civilian legal, semi-auto kind – is a better defensive choice than any handgun. Yet rifl es get set down and are not always on one’s person. A handgun can always be worn, when legal to do so. 9 ZZ99440044ppgg000011--224400..iinndddd 99 88//1100//1100 1122::0033::2299 PPMM