Gun Digest Gun Digest Presents Concealed Carry 2017

As you would expect, our annual Concealed Carry special issue is jam-packed with information about the hardware associated with personal defense. After all, Gun Digest is all about the gear, all the time. However, just as important as selecting the right firearm, holster and cartridges, and then training as much as possible, is understanding how to handle events in the aftermath of using a weapon to defend yourself. With that in mind, we asked Dave Workman to write up an unbiased overview of the four major insurance programs specifically designed to assist you if you’re involved in an armed confrontation. In today’s society, declaring you have the right to defend yourself isn’t necessarily going to get you off the hook if some aspect of your actions is called into question. I encourage…

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CONCEALED CARRY CREDENTIALS? When it comes to concealed carry reciprocity between states — and trying to determine whether you can legally carry from one state to the next — it can quickly become a very muddled mess. Don’t believe that? Do some basic research on which states recognize and allow permits from other states, and you’ll likely become quite dizzy. Some states honor all concealed carry permits or licenses, including those with “constitutional carry” in which no permit or license is required for those legal to own firearms. Some states honor no permits but their own, with a few of those barely allowing the practice at all. Others recognize the permits of some states … but not all. And others still honor the permits of some states, but with certain…

Scientia potentia est. Knowledge is power. Perhaps one of the truest aphorisms ever written or spoken, it’s especially apt for personal defense. Straight Talk on Armed Defense offers a great deal of knowledge on self defense. Penned by 12 of the most respected armed defense experts, including Massad Ayoob, Craig “Southnarc” Douglas, Tom Givens and others, this book offers practical guidance on some of the most crucial self-defense and concealed carry topics. The book takes you through almost every facet of self defense. It explains the mentality needed to train and prepare for a defensive encounter, the conditions present during typical criminal assaults, and how to find relevant training (Editor’s Note: Read the story on page 46 of this issue to learn more about finding the appropriate concealed carry training). Straight Talk…

Evolution is inevitable, and the gun industry certainly doesn’t escape that reality … which is a huge advantage for the consumer looking to keep up with trends and maintain a defensive edge. During the past decade or so, we’ve seen this take shape in many ways, but one of the most notable has been the development of red-dot sight technology. This category has grown so much that sub-categories have formed, namely with “mini” or “micro” red-dots, often referred to as reflex sights. Red-dots have become smaller, lighter, more durable and more efficient. Battery life has also grown substantially. These sights have come a long way since the early days of bulky, short-lasting, tube-style optics, and thus they’ve become very desirable sighting options. This is clearly evident in their popularity on the AR…

The “Wiktionary” defines the term “belt and suspenders” as: “Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing. Example: He believes in a belt and suspenders, booking flights from two different airports on different airlines for important trips.” When ifirst saw the Springfield Armory XD-E at the NRA Show this year, my first thought was of Pa Kettle, in one of the old Ma and Pa Kettle movies, being asked why he wore a belt and suspenders. His response was, “A man can never be too careful.” It seems the evolution of firearms has grown faster than ever in the past few years. We now have more choices, in every description of guns, than icould ever have imagined just 20 or so years ago. This has been a wonderful thing,…

The XD-E can be carried in four different modes: 1. Israeli Carry: With the chamber empty. 2. Condition one: With the hammer cocked and safety locked. 3. Double action: With the hammer down and ready for a double-action pull and no additional action. 4. Double action, locked: With the hammer down and the manual safety activated. As an instructor who almost exclusively trains civilians, I would not advise carry in the first two choices. While Israeli carry can work for highly trained individuals, few civilians will put in the effort to acquire enough speed for option No. 1 to be viable. Even if they did, I see it as a bad idea. Option No. 2 simply isn’t safe enough for inexperienced shooters, especially in the practice of daily concealed carry. It’s too easy to accidently…