D9Firearms

Authors Glock shown above with Glock Tac Lite, Sand Paper grips, Tactical Slide Release, Tactical Carrier Release, Trijicon Nite Sights, and Ontario Knife.

Glock:

Our favorite double action (DA) pistol here at D9 is the Glock. We’ve written about it before and since we’ve sold a couple in the last few weeks it’s worth discussing some of the highlights and why our clients are choosing Glock over other double action pistols.

Glock’s are not necessarily the lowest price handgun but seem to fall about in the middle of similar styles and at the lower end of your more premium handguns such as the HK or Sig, which are SA/DA types. For instance, Taurus makes some very reliable and quality semi-auto pistols and is priced in the $300 - $500 range. Springfield Armory XDs run in the $400 - $550 range. The Glocks run in the $450 - $570 range. All of the manufactures also offer extra standard features like night sights, adjustable sights, or tac lights to entice the shooter into purchasing their firearm, which is what competition is all about.

We’ve had experience with all three of these handguns and are not disparaging the Taurus or the XDs. However, if it comes down to a client of ours trying to make a decision or asking for guidance, and not having a specific brand loyalty, we would recommend a Glock especially for the DA only type pistol. (We have some other favorites in SA/DA.) (Of course, I know some very adamant XD owners who wouldn’t own a Glock.)

Our experience with a Glock started with a personal purchase of the 23 which is a 40SW compact about four years ago. One of the first things we did was drop in a 3.5lb disconnector, which reduced the trigger pull from about 5.5lb to 3.5lb. The pistol makes a very good conceal carry and range gun with the 4″ barrel. With it being double DA only, it was very easy to pick up and maintain a reasonable group, since the trigger pull is identical from the first to the last shot and it didn’t take as much practice to adjust like with a SA/DA type of pistol.

Since then we have done multiple upgrades on our Glock as well as others, which is another reason we like Glock. The amount of after market products for Glock is unlimited. Again, being the fact you can get into a base model, that is a performer, and later on compliment it with a variety of options to enhance shooting enjoyment and accuracy.

Author’s Glock 23 shown above completely stripped.

We are currently upgrading a Glock for a new client/friend and after showing him our Glock, he decided to go with a couple of the same options. The first being the tactical slide release, which is slightly larger then the standard release, and has a more ergonomic feel to it. The bolt release is definitely a low cost option ($20) and if you plan on shooting several clips in one setting, you will not have that raw feeling from releasing the slide.

Shown above is a close up of the tactical bolt release. Notice that it extends slightly further then the original and has more rounded features. Additionally it does not extend out where it would catch on your holster or clothing. Very nice comfort feature.

The next was the Lone Wolf trigger assembly. This required us to remove the entire trigger assembly and replace it with the new one. This assembly has an adjustable set screw that allows you to adjust the over travel to allow for a quicker reset and is combined with a 3.5lb disconnector. Additionally the hammer spring is also replaced. This offers the shooter a reduced trigger pull and quicker reset on the trigger for faster follow up shooting. (We went back and re-adjusted ours after setting this one. I have been very pleased with this option by Lone Wolf.) (The cost is $40 installed.)

Trigger housings and disconnector. Lone wolf trigger housing shown on left and 3.5lb disconnector shown on top. Other two are original Glock.

Observe the left trigger housing. In the very top left corner is the overtravel adjustment setscrew.

Originally when were purchase ours it only had the standard sights on it. We recently purchased the tools to install new sights on our Glock and went with the Trijicon nite sites.

The Trijicon nite sights run about $100 depending on the type and we charge $15 for installation.)

If you are interested in a Glock and would like us to customize it for you please contact us here at D9Firearms.

We just received a new HK USP LEM Compact 40SW and decided with the break in the cold weather it was time for a little range activity. Needless to say you can never just bring one so I loaded up another recent purchase the FNH – 9, HK USP Tactical, and my stalwart Glock 23 which has been completely overhauled with upgrades.

The HK USP LEM Compact 40SW is a double action only pistol with a 3.58” barrel, 12 round capacity, fixed 3 dot sights, bobbed hammer and no de-cocking lever. The pistol was originally designed for airline pilots to carry while on duty. The unique operation of the pistol centers on the trigger operation which is similar to a two stage on your AR or to the Para Ordnance LDA (Light Double Action).

HK USP LEM Compact 40SW ($700)

When charging the pistol, the hammer will return to a first stage set position, which is slightly past the slide. When engaging the trigger, the hammer will travel simultaneously, and requires about 1 - 2lbs of trigger pull. At about 3/8” pull the tension on the trigger stiffens but still engages the hammer. At the end of travel the trigger breaks at 7 – 8lb. If the shooter decides not to fire the hammer travels back to the set position simultaneous with the trigger release. Additionally the trigger reset is about 1/8” forward which is very nice. The pistol seems well suited for conceal carry for multiple reasons. It is very safe to carry loaded, the final 8lb pull, it’s compact, and it’s an ultra reliable hand gun.

Pistol shown charged.  Notice the bobbed hammer sets back about 1/8″

Pistol shown charged.  Hammer is set at 1st stage.

Pistol shown not charged and the trigger has been pulled.  Notice the hammer is completely reset in the frame.  Also notice no de-cocker or safety.

There is a reason no targets are shown with this review because the author would prefer not to embarrass himself. Although, a bad guy would not have survived an encounter but it would not have been the traditional 1 shot 1 kill. My opinion is that this gun will take some practice to master trigger action, but probably no more so than a single/double action. Currently we are offering this pistol for $700 while supply last and is only available in the 40SW for this price.

If you’re interested in a HK USP LEM 40SW please contact us here at D9Firearms. Thanks.

Since working on our Christmas cleaning gift pack I had taken a little time Thanksgiving Day afternoon (of course when the in-laws were over) to get caught up on some gun cleaning myself. I had been out a couple of times in the last few weeks and needed to get a couple of rifles and pistols cleaned up. I personally have one of the Super Deluxe rod and brush cleaning set just because of the variety of guns I use and I clean most of my guns on my work bench so it’s easy to leave everything setup there.

As I was cleaning, I thought this would be an excellent topic for another article because it is a very important aspect of responsible gun ownership. This being because having a dirty or fouled gun can lead to jamming, misfiring, or worse injury as you’re trying to clear loaded jammed firearm because it’s dirtier than a crack whore. Additionally, by keeping your gun clean it prevents surface rust and corrosion from ammunition. It also provides you an understanding how some of the mechanisms work together from your safety, trigger, and loading.

We’ve also had s people whom have recently purchased DPMS rifles from us and have never owned one and have asked about cleaning and maintenance. So I decided to give a quick run down on a couple of different guns. We are also preparing a post for proper break in procedures of a new firearm and hope to have it in the next week.

Safety Tips:

• Verify the Gun is unloaded (do this repeatedly using physical and visual means).
• Perform the cleaning in a ventilated area (Do this away from the wife and most of you know why, and for those of you who don’t, just don’t do it.)
• Keep live ammo and loaded magazines out of the area.
• Use surgical gloves to help keep the solvent off of your hands. (See the second bullet item above)
• DO NOT USE ANY OF YOUR WIFES GOOD TOWELS, TOOTHBRUSH, BEDSHEETS, SHIRTS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT BELONGS TO HER FOR CLEANING OR WASHING UP AFTERWARDS. (THIS COULD RESULT IN A FATAL GUN ACCIDENT – MEANING YOU MAY NOT FIND THE PIECES BACK OR IF IT’S ASSEMBLED SEE THE THIRD BULLET ITEM ABOVE.)

1911:

The first gun is a Wilson Combat Classic 1911. This is like most standard 1911’s, with the exception of the hand fitted craftsmanship of this gun, wow. It’s impressive. I struggled with coming to grips of purchasing a $2000 Wilson Combat 1911, but it’s one of those things that once you put it in your hand you know it’s a piece of art. Regardless, it breaks down like all 1911’s.

First, I setup my cleaning area with some old t-shirts or towels, breakout my super deluxe rod set and cleaners. Next, I do is verify the gun is unloaded by operating the slide 2 or 3 times and also visually verifying it’s unloaded. Then I break down the pistol into the main pieces, spring and guide rod, barrel, slide, and frame. Sometimes I will also remove the grips as I did for this operation, but it’s not necessary. Depending on how many times I’ve been out with it I will also strip down the firing pin and extractor.

Once I have the pistol broken down into the main components I start by injecting a shot of bore foam cleaner in the breach until it comes out the bore and let it set while I clean the rest of the gun (usually 5 minutes is long enough). This allows the cleaner to break down the build up and do the work for you. When I clean the barrel, I choose a brass bore brush and run it through a couple of times forward and reverse. I will also use a brass toothbrush or standard brush along with some solvent or gun scrubber and clean the feed ramp and chamber area. After I’ve done that, I change over the cleaning tip and run several dry patches through it until it’s clean.

The frame is usually difficult to tell if you’ve gotten all the carbon out of the trigger mechanism. Here I usually use, a aerosol spray solvent, some bore patches, toothbrush, and Q-tips to clean out the magazine area, trigger and hammer mechanism, and guide rod.

During this cleaning, I disassembled the extractor and firing pin. This is done by using a punch and small flat blade screwdriver. First, press the firing pin in with a punch or screwdriver until it is depressed below the slide plate that holds it in place. The slide plate can be slid out with the fingers or using a small flat screwdriver. Be careful when doing this so the firing pin doesn’t go flying. Once you have these items out, use some spray gun scrub and some Q-tips to clean out both chambers. Put it back together the same way it came apart. Then brush down the inside of the slide with solvent and a toothbrush and use my towel to finish wiping it down.

(Authors hands shown above with power from latex gloves. Plans with the loving wife mandated I had clean hands.)

Also shown above is the first step in removing the firing pin and extractor.

Notice the carbon build up on the extractor shown above.

Wherever you see some fouling or carbon build up take a brass toothbrush or standard toothbrush and hit it some gun scrub and brush off. Prior to reassembling, I use some gun oil on the moving parts, on the slide rails of the frame and slide, on the trigger link, and on the hammer mechanism. I don’t use very much and wipe the excess off. Then I reassemble the gun and operate the slide, trigger, and hammer a few times to make sure it’s operating properly. I finish it off by wiping down the exterior metal parts with some gun preservative and dry cloth.

Glock:

Next, I took down the Glock, I just like these guns. I like to upgrade them and cleaning them is very quick and easy. So following the same safety procedure of verifying the gun is clear I proceed to disassemble the Glock.

On my Glock, I’ve installed the extended slide release so it’s easier to remove the slide. Again, I set all the parts out on a towel once I have it broken down and inject some bore cleaner and allow it to work while I clean the rest of the gun. Once I get back to the barrel, I use the proper bore brush several times forward and reverse, brush out the chamber, and use a toothbrush and solvent to clean the feed ramp and surrounding area. I then run multiple patches through until the bore is clean and finish by wiping down the exterior and feed ramp area.

Using the extended slide release is a nice feature but not imperative to overall operation.

Next, I broke down the slide by removing the firing pin and extractor pin mechanism. When removing the extractor and firing pin you need a small flat blade screwdriver to insert between the end cap and slide, which is located at the rear of the slide. The end cap it’s fitted in tight, but slides out towards the bottom of the slide when pressure is applied between it and the top of the slide.

Be careful once again that the firing pin doesn’t go flying out. Additionally the loaded gun indicator, part of the extractor, and the safety lock pin, seen on the bottom side of the slide will also fall out once the firing pin and extractor pins are removed. All of these parts go back together in only one way so you will know as you are reassembling it if it’s not correct. Since there are a few more parts in the firing and extractor mechanism, lay each piece out in a systematic order to assist in the re-assembly. After the slide is disassembled I use solvent and Q-tips to clean out the firing pin and extractor areas. Then I use a toothbrush and solvent to clean out the slide area. I then re-assemble the firing pin and extractor. (This may take a little longer on your first attempt, but by the second time, it’s very easy. Once again, this little exercise helps you understand how the parts work together which I find very fascinating. I could not design this but I understand how it works and I’m just impressed with the simplicity and ingenuity of it.)

Shown above is the firing pin and extractor chambers.

Shown above the is the extractor and extractor pin/spring.

On the frame, I use a toothbrush and solvent to clean out the magazine, trigger and inside of the frame. I then wipe it down with a towel. I then clean out the guide rod and spring with a little solvent and brush.

Prior to re-assembly, I use a little oil to lubricate the moving parts and the slide rails and wipe down the excess. I reassemble the gun and operate the slide and trigger a few times to make sure it all went back together. (However, at this point you would know if it did or didn’t). I then take some gun preservative and wipe down all metal parts.

DPMS:

I finally worked my way through a couple of other guns until I got to my Prairie Dog – Semi Automatic Sniper System (PD-SASS) DPMS rifle. A lot of people who have purchased a DPMS from us, are first time black gun or AR gun owners and usually have lots of questions on the operation, maintenance, and cleaning of the rifle.

Following safety procedures, the first thing I do is separate the lower and the upper receiver by removing both lower/upper receiver pins. Do not remove simultaneously. I usually remove the rear first and holding the barrel to prevent it from flipping downward. Next, I remove the forward receiver pin and take separate the lower from the upper.

Next, I remove the carrier release and bolt and inject the bore foam and let it sit. When I clean the bore, I usually start with the chamber brush which has two different sizes of brushes on the same brush. The first stage of the brush is for the chamber and second is for the bolt chamber. You can install this on the rod and scrub out the chamber and bolt area. I then change brushes and use the bore brush several times, forward and reverse, to scrub the bore and then run patches through it until it is clean. On the inside of the upper receiver behind the gas tube I usually spray some gun scrubber and use a Q-tip to clean around that area and finish by wiping the inside out with a towel.

There are several parts to the bolt and carrier, so when you dissemble it, lay it out in a systematic order to make it easier when reassembling it. First, take out the cotter key or pin that holds the firing pin in and let the firing pin fall out the back. Next, push the bolt in so that the cam pin is finger accessible and pull it out, then pull it out. The bolt can now be removed by pulling it out the front of the carrier assembly. Next, take a small punch and push the roll pin out of the bolt which holds the extractor and spring in place. (DO NOT USE THE FIRING PIN FOR A PUNCH. THIS IS BAD AND IS COMMENSURATE WITH USING YOUR WIFES CLOTHING ARTICLES AS A CLEANING RAG. SEE BULLET ITEMS 2 AND 3 UNDER SAFETY TIPS.)

Removing the firing pin and holding pin.

Removing the cam pin.

Once the bolt is disassembled, I use a toothbrush and some gun scrub to clean the bolt removing any carbon and build up. On the inside of the bolt carrier where the bolt is seated I use scrubber and Q-tips to clean it out and will spray gun scrub in the gas port. I do the same thing to the firing pin chamber and the entire bolt carrier.

After cleaning the bolt and carrier, I re-assemble the bolt. Prior to installing the bolt back into the carrier, I verify the three gas rings are not lined up and are spaced an equidistant apart or close to. I then place a couple of drops of oil on the narrow raised portion of the bolt and re-insert it into the carrier. I then place a little oil on the cam pin and inset it into the carrier and bolt. (The bolt is milled such that the cam pin can only go in one way so that the extractor is to the left hand side of the carrier when looking at it from the front.) I then insert the firing pin and firing pin key. I then place oil in several locations of the bolt. On the bottom, I place oil in the groves and on the top there are some flat spots near the top of near the gas port and cam pin that I oil. I then place a little oil on the carrier handle on the top and sides. I then replace bolt carrier assembly.

On the lower receiver there is very little to clean. I will take some gun scrubber and spray the trigger mechanism out and wipe it out with Q-tips. Then I place a little oil on the hammer and trigger pins.

Lower receiver shown with JP trigger & speed hammer.

I then reassemble the rifle and wipe the exterior down with preservative. I then operate the bolt a few times to verify everything.

If you have a favorite weapon that is unique in it’s cleaning requirements or have comments to how we clean out firearms that would assist others we would be glad to post your comments. We hope this information helps and if you have any questions or would like a packaged cleaning kit please contact us here at D9Firearms.

Thanks and great shooting.

This year Mrs. D9Firearms, our vice president and special projects manager, developed a special Christmas Gift Pack. The gift pack is a perfect Christmas present that every gun enthusiast needs to clean and preserve their firearms. We are offering two Christmas Gift packs this year to meet the needs of every gun owner. The Deluxe and Super Deluxe gift packs offer you a complete gun cleaning and preservation kit without having to guess or suffer asking a big outdoors store attendant who doesn’t even own a firearm, what items to get. Mrs. D9Firearms is also providing gift-wrapping so you not only have a range ready kit but a Christmas ready package and one very pleased gun enthusiast.

The Deluxe Christmas gift pack is designed for range cleaning, taking on hunting trips, or to combine with set used at home, and is perfect for breaking in a new firearm from D9Firearms. The deluxe rod set is a compact version, stored in a aluminum case with positions for each peice that fits nicely in the carry container (double latch with carry handle), along with cleaning patches, gun cleaners, and lubricants. We provided a bag of patches for each caliber range and can be replaced in bulk. The cleaners, lubricants, and preservatives are excellent for removing built up carbon, brass, and lead deposits in the gun and bore, and the Rem oil along with the preservative will help protect your gun from surface rust between shootings and can also be replaced in larger sizes. The 20 and 30-caliber brass muzzle guide helps protect the crown from being accidentally nicked when cleaning the bore. The container has additional space so that you can also carry extra items such as note pads, staple gun, or other shooting items.

Patches, bore guides, cleaning cloth and lubricants shown above are standard for both gift packs.

35 Piece Rod & Brush Set.

Deluxe Christmas Gift Pack:

35 piece brass rod, brush, and fittings in a aluminum case

3oz. Breakfree bore cleaner

4oz. Breakfree gun cleaner

4oz Breakfree gun preservative

1oz Remington gun oil

Individual bags of cotton cleaning patches: (17-22cal, 243, 270-35cal, 38-45cal, shotgun)

Gun Cloth and terry cloth towel

20cal and 30cal brass muzzle guard

Plastic container for storage and range use

Price: $80

(USPS 3 day shipping for out of state or KS sales tax for our local customers is included. Add $7.50 for gift-wrapping.)

Deluxe pack - easy to carry, transport, and store.

The Super Deluxe Christmas gift pack is designed for the shooter who needs a rod, brush, and fitting for every imaginable firearm made. It has additional brass rods, brushes, and fittings to cover black powder rifles as well. The Super Deluxe comes with all the same cleaners and patches as the Deluxe along with the oversized container to store everything in.

Super Deluxe Christmas Gift Pack:

61 piece brass rod, brush, and fittings in an aluminum case

3oz. Breakfree bore cleaner

4oz. Breakfree gun cleaner

4oz Breakfree gun preservative

1oz Remington gun oil

Individual bags of cotton cleaning patches: (17-22cal, 243, 270-35cal, 38-45cal, shotgun)

Gun Cloth and terry cloth towel

20cal and 30cal brass muzzle guard

Plastic container for cleaner storage (Case will be wrapped separately)

Price: $110

(USPS 3 day shipping included or KS sales tax for our local customers. . Add $10.00 for gift-wrapping for 2 packages.)

We would like to thank all of you who have contacted us and used our services this year and wish you all a wonderful and Merry Christmas.

Mr. & Mrs. D9Firearms.

Recently our only international client purchased an Ontario RAT-3 hunting knife through us here at D9firearms. Never having spent more than $10 or $15 on a knife I was interested in seeing what you get for $90. I was very impressed with the knife, of course for that money I hope I would. It came with a serrated, zinc phosphate coated blade that had a spined notched thumb groove in the top and was shrouded with a fiberglass handle that was torx screwed together. It also came with a heavy duty sheath with belt/waist band clip.

We really liked the knife a lot and decided to contact Ontario Knife about carrying their knives since it fits well with what we do here at D9Firearms. They sent me out a catalog of all knifes they carry and they have been providing high quality knives for our military and the civilian market for 80 years. Since it was my first order I had to make a minimum purchase and decided on selecting a couple of different knives. I ended up going with the XM folder pocket knives. I thought I liked the RAT-3 knife but these are premium pocket knives.

Knife shown above is the XM-1S Folder. This knife has slightly larger handles making it more suitable for field work.

Since I work in a shirt & tie office environment and am not allowed to carry at work, (you know how some of those pointy headed engineers can be, you just never know when their pencil lead may snap and of course we advertise on the front door with a non-state sanctioned sign that we are a peace loving people and prohibit anyone from carrying in our building). Typically when I get to the office I empty my pockets into my desk drawer because I don’t like keys, phone, wallet, etc in the pockets of my dress pants. However, I decided to keep the XM clipped in the base of my pants pocket so it fell perpendicular to my leg and have been walking around with it. It doesn’t have a bulky or heavy feel and barely notice it is there.

Knife shown above is XM-1S. With the slimmer profile this knife is very well suited for dress or casual pocket ware.

I have been carrying it now just about everywhere and the things I particularly like are the slender, concealable, light weight feel of it. When you flip it open using the blade posts or the slotted portion of the blade there are spines on the thumb position of the grip, on the top of the blade, and on the lower grooved index finger location of the handle. The spines are all embedded in the handle or blade and don’t catch, snag, or have an abrasive feel. They definitely enhance the grip on the knife.

The basic specs on the knife are:

• Serrated or straight blades
• N690Co Cobalt enhanced stainless steel
• Crycoquenched
• Dual titanium liner locks
• Machined aircraft aluminum handles
• Ergonomic spined thumb ramp

With carry limitations these knives offer an excellent backup, plus make a great tool for every day use. If you’re interested in a high quality XM Folder pocket knife contact us here at D9Firearms and add it to the purchase of your next firearm.

Last week I was finally able to get my KS CCW training class in. I did some research and spoke with some of our clients who had taken the class to find a good instructor who had a good command of firearms and in-depth knowledge of the law. Our research took us to Sean M. of Sureshots, who is a former Seal Team member and is currently studying at a prominent university in Lawrence, Kansas to transition from enlisted to officer. (Hopefully no anti-gun, kook lib professors from there are reading this page otherwise he probably won’t be entering the officer corps, but then why would they be on such a manly site as this in the first place.)

Regardless, Sean is a good guy and we wish him well and appreciate his service to our country. Being a Team Member I figured here is a guy that knows how to shoot, when to shoot, and a whole host of other defensive shooting tactics. That day it was only myself and a good friend of ours Dave, who is also a long time shooting enthusiast.

Sean kicked us off with a little intro about himself, his skills, and what a Sailor/Seal is doing in Kansas. After the introductions we got down to going over the basics of cleaning, storage, proper firearm handling and the likes. Although it’s something we know and exercise a refresher doesn’t hurt, but you know how class room training can be. Fortunately it was only the three of us and we were able to move through this part of the training with little trouble.

Throughout the course Sean would jump up and give us a couple of tactical moves and go back to the material. One of my main concerns was covering the legal issues, which he did a very thorough job of covering. He stressed don’t shoot if you don’t have to, nobody wants to end up in a law suit with some limp wrested, American Commie Lawsuit Union lawyer (a little D9 lingo). Although there is some grey area, most of us are guided by a higher moral authority and we know when our life or someone else’s life is threatened by some scum bag, and dispatching that sub-human is solidly justified. And if we didn’t care we wouldn’t be taking this class in the first place.

Finally we got through the classroom training and got down to the meat and potatoes of why we were there, some defensive shooting. Sean told us to come prepared with 200 rounds of ammo and he had a roll of belligerent paper targets. Sean started by giving us some shooting techniques he wanted us to practice. The first was two to center mass and one to the small gray mass.  This technique is called the Mozambique (A little Seal lingo). I started out with a Kahr Micro 9mm, which is unbelievably accurate for its size. Dave was using a Glock 23 40SW, which I had loaned him for the day. (He’s a big Beretta 92 guy, so using a Glock at first took some getting used to, but he warmed up nicely and is now considering one.)

Shown above left to right - HK USP Expert 45ACP & Kahrr Micro 9mm

Shown above left to right; Glock 23 40SW and Kahr Micro 9mm

We went several rounds of practicing stance, raise, fire, lower. He had us do a few variations in the shooting patterns and speeds. I had also brought my HK Expert 45ACP just to get a little practice in for some home defense shooting. Dave and I kept pounding away at would be paper rapist, murderers, gang-bangers, psycho meth heads, terrorist paper targets. Of course this is all well and good, but one aspect that is always missing is the adrenaline of really having to confront an armed thug. As Sean said, practice, practice, and practice.

We continued on with some more techniques for shooting and drawing a holster. He also covered a couple of different types of holsters along with some of the draw backs and benefits of each. The holster selection is definitely a critical factor and there is no hard fast rules.  However there are several considerations in deciding the what and how to carry.  A couple of factors to consider are; holster, type of firearm, clothing, and comfort. I would consider the type of firearm the first priority. In the right hands a .22LR is just as deadly as a 45ACP.  Select a firearm that fits you, your body, and your skill level. Another important factor about the firearm choice is quality. Most importantly if you’re carrying your carrying for a reason buy quality and reliability, you don’t insure your car for $200 why do it with your life. Enough said.

Once you’ve chosen your firearm, train with it, know it, get comfortable handling it loaded, (BE SAFE WHEN PRACTICING, ALWAYS PRACTICE IN A SAFE AREA, PLEASE CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON HANDLING OR USING A FIREARM AND REFER TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, WHEN IT DOUBT DON’T DO IT, IF YOU HAVE TO ASK IT’S PROBABLY NOT ACCEPTABLE. TO MUCH SAID. (commie lawyer disclaimer)). The next factor is a holster. Consider how long you’re going to be wearing it and wear is the most comfortable to wear it. Of course depending on the gun is also going to help determine the type of holster. Sean had recommend Blackhawk products for quality, practicality, and overall use. You also need to practice with wearing and drawing from it.

And in all this he covered clothing, which comes back to what firearm are you carrying and in what holster, and how will it help or hurt you in concealing your lethality. The wrong clothing will show everything and not allow you to conceal. If the clothing your wearing is to baggy where you can entangle yourself or pistol. Once again practice on sweeping your clothing away and getting your firearm out safely and on target.  Depending on your situation you may need more than one type of holster and more than one carry pistol. I’ve heard the saying always be afraid of the guy with only one gun because he knows how to use it. But in todays activities you just can’t always walk around with a 1911 or Colt 45 strapped to your leg. Of course there would be a lot less crime but we know how the do gooders are.

As I said this was the meat and potatoes of the class and Sean went on to do our final shooting qualifications and we will be submitting our paper work to the powers that be.

If you would like more information on the Kansas Carry Conceal please contact Sean at:

http://www.sureshotsds.com/

If you would like more information on becoming self insured please contact us here at D9Firearms.

Thanks

One thing I can say about our clients and friends here at D9 they find some very intriguing items and the AR-15 Pistol by GSE is no exception. Our very good friend Tom came to us asking if we had any experience with the AR-15 pistols. Our initial impression was what the hell would you use that for? That was our 1^st mistake; all guns are useful even if we don’t immediately see their usefulness. Of course these pistols have been around for a while but I looked at them from an accuracy standpoint and thought could you even hit anything with it. From that aspect I would have considered a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR). But since an SBR is a National Firearms Act (NFA) gun and requires a FFL dealer with a Special Occupational Tax (SOT) Stamp, $200, mug shots, prints, and a signature from your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer (Nanny/CLEO) to say that he approves.

I decided to call these guys and talk to them about it. Naturally everyone is going to hype their product but I found these guys to be very matter of fact in their responses and description about the pistol. They indicated they could reliably shoot a 10” target at 200 yards. I passed on the information to Tom and he pondered it for a while and finally decided to go with it. After about 6 weeks worth of waiting, (this seems to be industry wide), the pistol arrived. Naturally I was just as excited to see it and check it out. It came in a tactical nylon carry case with room for spare mags and other necessary items. I drilled down into the case and took out a piece of hardware that would leave any drive by, gang banging, car jacking, thug uncontrollably relieving themselves on the spot as they’re staring down the wrong end of a pocket full of rehabilitation.

Once you pick it up and grab a hold of the heavy duty aluminum quad rail and pistol grip and hold this little rehabilitator you know you have a piece of hardware. The pistol is built on the AR-15 lower receiver, has a 6.5” barrel with a flash hider, free float quad rail hand guards, and a 4” recoil tube. The pistol has an overall length of 19” and weighs about 5lbs. Naturally the first thing I wanted to do was add a Hogue grip and JP Adjustable trigger. The pistol is very surprising once you get it out of the bag it does have a very menacing look to it and wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end. But even mechanically it seems very solid and well built. We’ll wait and see on how it shoots and we’ll let you know.

If you are interested in one of these give us a call here at D9 or call GSE directly, they are some good guys.

I have recently started shooting H&K’s, which are manufactured in Germany, by a socialized, peace loving, and tolerant peoples. (Have you ever thought why peoples like this manufacture guns, they can’t own them?) However, I’m glad they do, because like Para Ordnance from our Canadian friends, I know these guys aren’t limp wristed, big girl’s blouse wearing, uber liberal, feminists either.

I recently picked up a two different USP’s, the USP Compact in 40SW and the Expert in 45ACP. I have written about the Compact and am still in the process of developing my Compact skill set and the verdict is still out on the pistol. The Expert is immediately and obviously a step up and has the distinct German industrial feel and look. (The Compact is also robust but not to the extent of the Expert.)

The HK Expert is a full size pistol and has a 5.25” barrel with a gasketed “O” ring. It has a double stack 12 round magazine and a chambered round indicator. The indicator is barely perceptible and primarily on detectable by the shooter. It has a fully adjustable and marked rear sight with a solid black front sight. The pistol can be fired in SA and DA and has a ambidextrous safety and de-cocker. It comes in a tactical carry case for extra mags, cleaning kit, and for you lucky peoples, a silencer for those times when “silence is golden”.

I was able to take it out for quick test when I was back home in rural Missouri last weekend. Since I was on limited time and had limited ammo, which is typically not the case, I was able to immediately set up on the 50yd line. My goal was just to fire a few clips to see how it handles as well as “they” say. I had access to several clay pigeons lying around and tossed a few on the burm.

My first impression after loading 12 rounds of 45ACP and slamming the clip in this testosterone supplement was the balance and overall weight, especially compared to a standard full size 1911. It is exceptionally well balanced. The next sensation was releasing the slide with solid forward motion of a 230grn 45ACP round impregnating the chamber of the 5.25” barrel. Impressive.

My first shot was in the SA mode. I lined up on one of the clay pigeons and prepared for the recoil. As the first round flew as was immediately lined up for the next shot not realizing until I was half way through the clip that the recoil was more on line with that of a 9mm. Secondly, was the accuracy, which was hard to gage at 50yd, but not unnoticeable as dirt and mud was flying all around the pigeon. It was firing all well within the parameter of the target not one way or another, which was me combined with the distance.

I loaded up another clip and proceeded with my second round and within about 3 shots dispatched a potentially threatening clay pigeon lying on the ground. (They become dangerous if the person throwing doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing, fortunately this wasn’t the case today.)

Another aspect of this little test was the gun was taken straight out of the case to the range. Each round was cleanly and robustly impregnated and ejected. I loaded another clip and tried the DA mode out. Once again, this takes a little practice to master, but even in DA the full trigger pull is very manageable and controllable prior to going SA.

Overall I was impressed and was a noticeably different shooter and not just from an accuracy standpoint, but in overall robustness, recoil control, and just the overall feel of handgun befitting of the KSK (Die Kommando Spezialkrafte), our Special Forces, and anyone who demands performance.

Currently HK has drastically reduced the importation of these pistols, and will become a rare commodity in the next year. I believe they will still be available on an extremely limited basis and of course at a higher market price. If you’re looking for an industrial grade pistol or for an investment which will allow you to shoot it and sell it down the line for a decent return or break even at minimum this seems like the pistol to do it with.

We still have access to these on a limited basis. I have seen prices start to increase and most of the vendors we use are no longer stocking them. If you’re interested in an H&K Expert in 45ACP we can deliver or if you’re interested in another HK model we can provide that as well.

Thanks and look forward to hearing from you

When opportunity presents itself we take it here at D9.  I had to travel to Texas to work over the weekend and when in Texas a carry gun.  For that matter carry gun when ever you can, you never know when you may need it.  I was also able to meet up with old collage friend of mine to indulge in a few of our favorite pastimes which are of course shooting and enjoying some cool, frosty, refreshing adult beverages to wash down the lead and cordite taste in our mouths after blasting several hundred rounds. (I can only think of one thing better.) And since we both were free from domestic duties, me more so them him, it was the perfect opportunity to retest the HK USP Compact.

So I met up with my friend Jerry down at Red’s in Austin, Texas to punish some would be paper terrorist.  Seeing if my shooting with a new pistol was true to form I started out with the HK USP 40SW.  Overall the gun is a very robust piece of German engineering and what you would expect from Hans.  It also has a good feel when handling and shooting it.  It’s not a single stack so it does have a wider body on it.  The trigger pull is what you would expect from a law enforcement/military duty style gun.  It pulls around 5lbs on DA, and maybe a 1lb or 2 on SA.  So it’s that first shot on DA that you need to acclimate yourself to.

I warmed up a little (actually that’s an excuse for not drilling them like I wanted to) at 5 yards not holding much of any pattern.  I proceeded on with a few couple more 10 shot rounds and started to pull them in.  The pistol was shooting low and left and so it’s little bothersome and then to overcome the desire to try and compensate just to put in the bulls and loosing focus of what my goal was, grouping, grouping, grouping.

I put the gun down and shot a couple with my Glock 23.  Not to deviate but it is hard to beat for the money and ease of use.  I also just picked up a Glock 19 for my wife to start her on, so we’ll see.  (That will be a topic for another day and I’m actually looking forward to it.)  However, back to the HK USP 40SW, I picked it back up and shot about 5 more 10 round clips (it holds 12, but I just go with 10 for testing purposes). By the last round I was definitely pulling my groups in.  I was probably at a solid 3” at 5 yards.  It’s still not where I want it to be but more of that is due to me I suspect then the gun.  But I am staying with the pattern of taking about 3 or 4 times out with about 50 rounds each time to settle in.  I suspect next time I will be able to report more on the accuracy and then add a little more substance about the pistol as well.

I also just recently picked up a couple of other HK’s in the FS and Expert both in 45ACP.  So I definitely like the HK, but you do pay a premium for it.  My next test will be with the USP 40 and the Expert 45 and I suspect I’ll have some more improvements to talk about.

So if you are looking for a new HK, have some questions on pistol shooting, or happen to be in Overland Park and would like to see or test one of these out give us call.  Thanks for your interest.

We have spoken about the Para products before but this one is worth re-visiting.  I was able to break free of some domestic duties the other day to test out a new handgun I purchased from our Euro friends, the HK USP Compact in a .40SW which also included bringing the Para LTC.  One thing I have learned is always go to the range with a couple of guns and this was no exception.  When testing a new pistol for the first time I never have high expectations since it usually takes me two or three times out to get acclimated.  So I will have a better report on the HK in a couple of weeks.

However, I brought the Para LTC .45 with me since it is quickly becoming a favorite shooter of mine.  I picked this one up on a wholesaler’s weekly special and ended up buying a couple of them.  The Para I have is in the commander style which has a 4” barrel, a single action, a 7 round single stack with the 1911 style grip and thumb safeties.

As I commented in an earlier review, I was surprised to find it was manufactured by our socialist, peace loving, gun-control, Canadian friends.  Well I’m positive none of these nit-wits work at Para-Ordnance since this is a precision manufactured firearm designed for performance.  And you know this the instant you slide the action back, squeeze the trigger and feeling the recoil as the casing is ejected out and you’re lining up your follow up shot, of course only to realize you won’t need it.  These guys make a solid pistol.  (My apologies to all gun loving, anti-socialist, peace through strength, and engineering Canadian friends.  And thanks for electing a new Prime Minister its refreshing to hear a positive person.)

Well after warming up with der HK, I went for the Para and set the target at 5yds out and just proceeded to punch all the red out of the bull’s eye.  I mean just point and shoot and what ever you’re aiming at, no questions asked, it is on the mark.  This gun is the kind you like to shoot because it seems effortless to put it on the mark and it can make any shooter look good.  Even with the recoil of the .45, recovery time to place your sights back on the target is as manageable as a 9mm or .40SW, just a little more punch.  I also wheeled the target out to the 15yd line and was holding in 8 ring and better.  Again I was surprised by the first shot just high of the bulls.  Another important fact is I haven’t shot pistols and this one in particular since early November, and I can pick this one up and just proceed on punching the lights out of anything.

My previous comments also included not using this particular gun for a carry conceal or for a beginner shooter and I still feel that away.  I think it is an excellent range gun or home defense gun, but without the extra capacity combined with the single action I personally wouldn’t use it for CCW.  However, I am researching Para’s products for a larger frame with double stack .45 and plan to report with the same results.

If you are interested in purchasing a Para-Ordnance please contact us here at D9 we will be glad to assist you.