You don’t have to fire your pistol every time you draw it.  What if the bad guy suddenly gave up and thrust his hands high into the air and you, using your verbal skills to turn bystanders into witnesses, now have witnesses watching you shoot a man with his hands in the air? What if the bad guy turned tail and ran at the first sight of your gun?

In both situations, the imminent threat has disappeared and you no longer have the right to shoot. But in both situations the imminent threat could reappear very quickly, so you had better have your gun out and be ready.

The difference between brandishing and drawing your firearm in the face of the threat is your ability to articulate that threat you saw was real. If there was no threat and you pull your gun, well, that is brandishing. If there was a threat and you pulled your gun and the threat instantly disappeared, then you have no right to open fire. But you did have the right to pull your firearm.

This is another reason why you need to be the first person to dial 911 after you pull out your gun. If the bad guy runs around the corner and dials 911 and says, “Some guy just pulled a gun on me!” and gives your description, who do you think the police are going to be looking for? What attitude do you think the police will have when they find you?

On the other hand, what if you are the complaining witness and you tell police, “I was threatened by a man in a white shirt and blue jeans. He ran away when I drew my firearm.” That looks much better for you, doesn’t it?

When police get there, you had better be able to clearly tell them what prompted you to pull your gun. If you cannot, you may be cited for brandishing.

Remember please consult your attorney on your rights to carry a firearm, this article is for general information only and is not legal advice.            

How much do you train? Seriously. Think about your last trip to the range. Did you stand on the line and punch a few holes in a paper target, then call it good? You were shooting, not training. And unless you were really focused on things like grip, sight alignment, and trigger control—you were really just plinking.

Real training is an investment in money and time. Real training involves an instructor who creates a lesson plan or training sequence, watches your performance, and suggests corrective action. The instructor should challenge you to improve and provide instructional guidance when you fail to follow the plan.

Trigger Action, LLC offers the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course.  This course is at least 8-hours long and includes classroom and range time learning to shoot provided revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. Students learn NRA’s rules for safe gun handling; pistol parts and operation; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting from the bench rest position, and two handed standing positions; cleaning the pistol; and continued opportunities for skill development.

Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Pistol Shooting handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, take a Basics of Pistol Shooting Student Examination, and course completion certificate.   With an additional 4 hours of training you can qualify for the Ohio Conceal Carry.

So, I ask again.  How much do you train?

For more information on NRA-Basic Pistol Training with CCW go to www.ohiotriggeraction.com.

Proper maintenance is always important, but in a carry gun, it is absolutely vital. Predictably, failures to feed and other malfunctions often follow.
Some guns, seem to “like” to run “wetter” than others. But even modern, polymer frame need some lubrication. And any wheel-gun can benefit from a drop or two of good quality gun oil from time to time.

Serious “operators” who go in harm’s way agree that while many of the guns today can function in less-than-perfect conditions, none of them would ever carry a dirty gun on purpose. A defensive handgun should always be clean and properly lubricated.

So, what is “properly” lubricated? If you have just come back from a trip to the range, once you have unloaded your gun and done your basic cleaning, just a bit of lubrication on the key parts will likely be more than sufficient.

Starting with a revolver, the “key parts” will be the point at which the cylinder rotates around the ejector rod, the cylinder ratchet area, and the trigger group. In some guns, the ejector rod rotates along with the cylinder (Smiths), while in others the rod is stationary (Rugers). Point the gun up to let the oil penetrate. Then, point it down at about a 45 degree angle and spin the cylinder. It should spin freely for several seconds. If it stops after only a revolution or two, some additional cleaning and/or further investigation may be necessary.

The trigger group is best handled by turning the revolver upside down and placing a few drops of light oil on either side of the trigger where it meets the frame. Wait a minute or two to let it work its way into the mechanism, then turn it over and add a drop to the base of the hammer. Then, dry-fire the gun several times to be sure it works smoothly.

Semi-Auto's should have light oil sparingly applied to the trigger and firing mechanism (something like Rem-Oil spray is excellent). Then apply oil to the slide rails. A few drops at the back of the slide is usually sufficient, and on the frame where applicable.

The barrel should have a thin film of lubrication, including on the area of the barrel that locks into the slide. Since a carry gun stays close to the body (at least it should), it stays quite warm even in winter, so an alternative to oil is a quality grease (Rig +P). Unlike oil, it will not evaporate or run out. But apply ONLY to the barrel and slide rails.

Other options are Militec-1 and Frog Lube. These are “metal conditioners” which “bond” to metal under heat, and retain lubricity even when dry.

Remember to train regularly and clean your firearm.