With a tagline of “Survival is a Mom’s Job!”, I should have known I would enjoy The Survival Mom weblog, but I did not stumble upon it for her useful family-related survival tips, nor her particularly quirky sense of humor. Rather, this post, logically enough, caught my eye:
I fired a gun for the first time in my life in October, 2008. I remember it clearly because the Paranoid Dad and I had a child-free day and were cruising around looking for trouble something to do. I said, “Why don’t we go to a shooting range?” Yes, those words actually came out of my mouth. Before I knew it, I was holding a .22 pistol in my shaking hands, facing a paper target, closing my eyes, and pulling the trigger.
It wasn’t so bad.
I had fun.
A few months later, I qualified for a Concealed Carry permit and four days ago, for the first time ever, I carried a loaded firearm on my person. Before I go into excruciating detail about my First Day, let me explain why I decided to get a CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) permit in the first place.
Suffice to say, you should read the whole thing – her reasons for carrying a firearm in her daily life are exactly what I would assume a mother’s reasons to be.
There are a few interesting points from the post, though… First, her entire family has jumped into the shooting sports arena, with her children practicing with .22 rifles, and her and her husband blazing away with .357 revolvers and .40 Sigs. In short, perforating paper has not only become a recreational past-time for her and her family, but also a way for them all to bond, and spend time with one another – and here I thought guns were only for killing people?
Second, she identifies, admits, and understands that carrying a firearm is a significant responsibility, and not one to be taken lightly. This is absolutely true, and not every person should carry a firearm, for just this reason – it should be a personal choice, taken after some sincere and deep introspective thought, and as uninfluenced as possible by what other people think you should do. I certainly encourage all law-abiding citizens to think about carrying a firearm, but if they do not want to, I certainly will not force them to (unlike anti-rights folks, I tend not to force anyone to do anything).
Third, even though she is carrying a firearm, she retains both her physical comfort as well as her personal style. Firearms do not have to be encumberances, they do not have to be in the way all the time, and they do not have to make you reshape your life around them. Choose your handgun and holsters carefully (or keep choosing until you find a combination you like), and the rest will work out fine.
Fourth and finally (you knew this was coming), I do have some qualms about her choice of sidearm. It is most certainly her choice, and I definitely agree that a .22 she will carry is better than a .45 left at home because it was just too cumbersome, but there are other options available as well. Survivalmom mentions that the size of the firearm is important to her – the Walther P22 measures in at 6.3 x 4.5 x 1.1 inches (length x width x height), assuming the non-target variant. Without even leaving the Walther product line (’cause I am all impartial and stuff), we have the brand-spanking-new PK380 that measures at 6.5 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches, throws out .380 bullets, and shares nearly the exact same trigger/safety/hammer/etc. set-up as the P22 (Walther designed it that way intentionally, I understand). Moving on up a little, we have the PPS, measuring at 6.3 x 4.4 x 1.04 inches (actually smaller than the P22 in two dimensions), and chucking out 9mm or .40 caliber rounds. And if you have a flair for old-skool style, the beautiful PPK measures 6.1 x 3.8 x 0.98 inches, launching .380 bullets (the PPK/S adds half an inch in height and an extra round to the magazine). Sadly, though, the PPK can only be carried when wearing a tuxedo. I swear. They make you sign a form when you buy the gun. (*uncrosses fingers*)
The P22 wins the magazine war (with 10+1 rounds), but the new PK380 manages to pack in 8+1 rounds of .380 ammunition, the 9mm PPS can hold 6-, 7-, or 8-round magazines with one in the chamber, the .40 PPS drops those magazine capacities by 1, the PPK/S has 7+1 .380 rounds, and the PPK has 6+1 .380 rounds.
When it comes to available rounds for a self-defense firearm, I firmly believe “more is better”, but one also has to look into the relative effectiveness of the rounds in question. An example high-velocity .22 hollow-point bullet typically weighs in at 32 grains, and flies at 1,640 ft/s, generating an at-muzzle energy yield of somewhere around 191 ft-lbf – more than enough to be lethal, if it hits in the right spot. Moving up, an example .380 ACP bullet typically masses at 90 grains, reaches speeds of around 980 ft/s, and generates 203 ft-lbf of force (remember, the equation for kinetic energy is 0.5*(mass)*(velocity)^2, so tripling the mass of the round is offset by decreasing its velocity by over 1/3). Finally, the 9mm bullets I carry weigh 115 grains, travel at 1225 ft/s, and yield 383 ft-lbf of force at the muzzle. As you can see, as you move up the caliber steps, the end energy yield of the bullet also logically increases, likewise also increasing its potential effectiveness. (.22 and .380 numbers were pulled from Wikipedia, to whom I do not link, and the 9mm numbers came from Winchester (those are not the exact rounds I carry, but close enough).)
However, along with force, shot-placement is also important when it comes to stopping someone from hurting you or your family. A well-aimed .22 will always trump a poorly-shot .45, but if Survivalmom is comfortable with .357 revolvers, I think it is safe to assume she could handle a 9mm.
So what does force + shot placement equal? Immediate (or as immediate as you can) central nervous system interruption – stopping an aggressor from continuing to be a threat. In that respect, though, a larger bullet has an inherent advantage over a smaller – a well-built .45 hollowpoint can sometimes expand to an inch in diameter during impact (giving you a larger wound channel and a higher probability of hitting something important), while a .22 hollowpoint will be lucky if it will expand to be the same size as an unfired .45.
Ok, so we went a little into the weeds, we got a little technical and a little squicky, and I probably missed a few key points (if anyone sees any, please let me know). The take-away from all of this? In the same size package as a P22, there are quite a few other models of firearms that shoot more-powerful rounds, potentially increasing your effectiveness at defending yourself (assuming your accuracy with a .380/9mm/.40 is equivalent to your accuracy with a .22). Am I saying that Survivalmom should go out and buy one of these other platforms just on my recommendation alone? Of course not – she should use what she is comfortable with, and if she decides, after the appropriate amount of research and “trying on”, that something else works for her, more power to her.
In the end, as I said before, a .22 on your belt is better than a .45 on your dresser, and I would rather see an American citizen exercising their rights than taking my advice.
Also, all of my above comments only addressed hardware, which, in reality, is the smallest element in a self-defense-by-firearm situation. The more significant, and by far the more important, element is the wetware – the squishy stuff between your ears. If someone is serious about carrying a firearm and protecting themselves and their family, they literally cannot train or pratice enough. I strongly recommend spending as much quality time at a range as you can, but also finding a good school that teaches reality-based self-defense techniques, and taking as many classes as you can afford. A firearm is simply a tool that makes up for shortcomings in our pathetically weak bodies… our weapons, as humans, are our brains, and just as we spend time on our hardware, so should we spend time on our software. (Again, this is not to say that Survivalmom is doing it wrong, or is not already doing what I recommend, just providing my 1.5 cents.)
So, all of my rambling dispensed and all of my unasked-for advice disposed of, why do you not poke your head into Survivalmom’s weblog and welcome her to the “I am responsible for my own self-defense” cadre? If nothing else, she appears to have good recipies for solar ovens…
related posts:
quantity matters | brick through a plate glass window | do the math already |
The other issue with carrying a .22 is the chance or misfires with rimfire ammo. That said, I’ve never had a misfire with CCI Minimags. .22 pistols also tend to be finicky & picky with ammo.
Even something in .32ACP would be preferable to .22
Still, I’m glad she carries.
My ears have been burning, so I had to drop by to see what you had to say about me! I completely agree with you that a .22 is not the ideal firearm for concealed carry. You probably remember what it was like when you first began carrying a sidearm, and my goal right now is to become comfortable with the fit AND the reality of carrying a lethal weapon. I have even been carrying around the house just to get used to it.
I might try carrying our Glock 19, but I’m a little hesitant because it doesn’t have the P22’s safety feature. Since I’m still inexperienced, I feel like I need that little added bit of security. The first time I went to the bathroom while carrying — the P22 fell out of the holster, down my pant leg and landed on my foot. Thank God no one else was in the public restroom at the time because they would have heard me laughing hysterically! LOL
BTW, I love, love, love the way the Sig feels in my hands. It’s such a solid gun. I told my husband it was my new boyfriend. LOL
Thanks, again, for visiting my blog.
Lisa
SurvivalMom,
I can understand about the safety features being important when you first start carrying.
I’m at that point myself. I carry a Taurus Millenium Pro because it has an external safety.
I can understand also about learning how to go about daily life carrying a firearm. It requires adjustments.
I carried around the house for months before I carried it in public.
These will never pass completely, but they will lessen.
Nor one is questioning any of that….just the effectiveness of the .22 round.
I also enjoyed reading your blog and when I get off my duff will add you to my blog roll. Your blog begins a great perspective out. Thanks for sharing online with us.
Survival Mom is to be commended for trying, for learning. A .22 is better than nothing but it’s not going to stop a whole lot.
Get comfortable and work your way up the ammo chain. My personal carry is no less than .40 but I usually carry .45 if I’m in the city.
Thanks for the link to a great blog!
Brigid at Home on the Range.
SurvivalMom, Another way to think about it is “How comfortable are you with a .357 Revolver?”
I find a strange disconnect that somebody will have no issues with a revolver that has no external safeties at all, just an exposed hammer, and a DA trigger.
Suddenly toss in a Glock that fuctions nearly the same way once loaded it’s a big difference.
Of course you should carry what you are most comfortable with (I go on and on about redundant safeties….and then I go strap on a 1911 with an entirely unnecessary grip safety when I go out the door!) But I’d hate to see somebody limit their options just because the industry likes to pitch that somehow a DAO Semi-Auto needs a safety catch of some sort, meanwhile nobody is strapping thumb safeties onto DAO revolvers.
Mike W.: Forgot about feeding and firing problems with .22s… It is definitely true that different firearms tend to prefer different flavors of .22, even so far as different firearms of the same make and model preferring different ammunition. To be sure, different ammo can perform better or worse in centerfire handguns, but short of feeding and cycling problems in semi-automatic platforms, they do not suffer from the same oddities as rimfire.
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TheSurvivalMom/Lisa: I guess I should apologize for being a little long-winded… When I get going, my brain keeps finding new and different things to talk about, and it can be kind of difficult to pull the plug. Sorry about that.
Also, please do not take anything I said as a form of “Ur doin’ it wrong!“… I only meant to offer what little insight and advice I have, for what little it may be worth. In all reality, as Mike W. said, I am quite happy you are exercising your rights as a free, law-abiding American citizen, regardless of the specific hardware you choose to employ.
Indeed I do remember the first time I started carrying a firearm… In fact, it was just a little over a year ago. Just like you, I wore it around the house a lot before ever going out, just like you, I was concerned about how it would feel and carry, and just like you, I had to come to terms with the fact that I might be forced to defend myself with it. None of those thought processes should be rushed, and carrying a firearm is not something you should do until you are completely comfortable with it.
In the same vein, even though I have been carrying concealed for over a year now almost any time I leave the house, I am considering carrying openly in the future, and even though I have procured the holster to do so, I have not actually gone out with it yet. Instead, I have been carrying it around the house, just like with the previous one, to see how it works with my body. We are not going to be effective with hardware we are not comfortable with, and the hardware in question should conform to us, not the other way around.
Regarding safeties, most/all modern firearms without manual switch-type safeties still have built-in systems. For example, I carry a PPS, which lacks a positive, manual safety switch. However, it has the Glock-ish trigger safety, as well as an internal striker safety. The former basically means that unless my finger is fully depressing the entire trigger, the gun is not going to go off – believe me, I have tried (out of curiosity, and only after clearing the firearm). The latter basically means that there is a mechanical block keeping the firing pin from striking the bullet’s primer until the trigger has been pulled back – in short, the gun will not go off if it is dropped. All the Glocks I am aware of all have the same features, and Springfield Armory’s XD line even goes so far as to add a 1911-like grip-safety to that list as well.
However, all that said and aside, the real safety is between your ears. For any mid-grade-and-above quality firearm of recent manufacture (and assuming it is not a single-action revolver or something), dropping it will not set it off. Mishandling it (as long as your finger does not go in the trigger guard) will not set it off. In reality, very few things will set it off, short of someone pulling the trigger. And that is your prime safety – never pulling the trigger until you want the gun to fire.
Believe me, though, I understand where you are coming from – I have a military training background (complete with the craptacular Beretta M9s and their manual safeties), and the first handgun I purchased had a manual safety. However, once I got comfortable with the idea of my brain being my main safety, I decided the manual switch was no longer really required, and now I simply ensure my finger never goes on the trigger until I want to fire. But, regardless of all this, use whatever is comfortable to you – if you want the switch, keep the switch. I would just recommend practicing with it, and ensuring that it is muscle-memory for you to disengage the switch right after you draw.
Speaking of drawing, might I ask what holster you are using? In all honesty, if a firearm can free itself from the holster just due to gravity, you should probably look into a different solution.
There is nothing wrong with Sigs, whatsoever… I believe Mike W. swears by them, as do lots of militaries, police forces, and security teams. Good guns, decent prices, and they are pretty nearly indestructible. Kind of affordable H&Ks
And there I went being all long-winded again… Hope I did not bore you. Again, please do not read anything I write as me telling you that you should do it this way, and if you are not, you are doing it WRONG!11!!111!. Do what works, for you, and the rest of us may mumble and grumble, but the fact is that “what works” is pretty much the only constant in the firearm community. I do hope you look into a larger-caliber handgun in the future, and I also hope you practice well with your .22 if you decide to keep it, but, regardless, I am still happy that you are carrying, and I congratulate you for making that significant step. You should be proud, and not worry about us arguing about the technical details until you are ready… just wait until you stumble across a “9mm vs. .45″ debate.
Bob S.: Thanks for reminding me to get off my own duff and do the same…
Brigid: No worries! Her blog is actually quite the treasure-trove of family-oriented, low-impact survival methodologies, which definitely work for me (not that I am lazy or anything… of course not…). And I certainly agree – the first step is sometimes the most difficult, and if a .22 is an acceptable beginning firearm, then it is an acceptable beginning firearm. Far better that than to be handed a .578WTF and swear off shooting forever.
Weer’d: You bring up a good point – while the internal parts and mechanicals are vastly different, to the end user, Glocks and double-action-only revolvers work in much the same way. That said, the revolver’s trigger-pull is probably twice that of the Glock, so that functions as kind of a “safety” in and of itself, but not a positive-switch one. Just more material to think about.
Linoge: I haven’t taken any of these comments or your post on my blog as criticism. On the contrary, I love talking about guns and getting others’ opinions. The holster I’m using is a clip on that fits inside the waistband. It does not have any type of strap that goes across the grip. It’s just there. I like it because it’s very non-bulky.
In fact, I’m not crazy about the P22. For some reason, I’m not as accurate with it as I am with the .357. I need to get some more coaching from one of the instructors at our shooting range. I may start carrying the Glock 19 instead.
Good to hear I have not managed to offend somewhere
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As for the holster, inside-the-waistband is a good way to go, however, what material is it made of? Nylon holsters have a nasty habit of doing exactly what you described unless they are designed specifically for the firearm you are carrying, or have special liners, or have the strap you mentioned. Actually, any holster that is not specifically designed for the firearm in question might be suspected of doing such things. They might be a little expensive, but I thoroughly recommend custom-made leather holsters, like from HBE Leatherworks or Little Bear Holsters, though COTS solutions work quite well for some people too (again, if they are made for your gun, and not just any gun of that size).
As for the P22… well, even match-grade .22 ammunition is not known for being head-of-a-pin accurate out of non-target-grade pistol-length barrel. Apart from that, though, the cause could be anything, but practice (especially guided practice) will definitely help most non-equipment problems.
And I do not think anyone will tell you that you are going wrong with a Glock 19, though bear in mind the size difference might throw you to begin with
backpacks to go
I know we mentioned her before at this weblog, but Survival Mom is having a give-away over at her weblog, and while I certainly do not want to detrimentally affect my own partciular chances of winning, it is probably also…