Safe2Fire Training and Reviews

Ruger LCR .357

2010-12-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

The LCR .38 Special has been one of my favorite carry revolvers as of late. The only issue I had was that the Crimson Trace grips which I preferred to utilize had significantly more "bite" than the Hogue factory stocks. This gun was a perfect weight for carry, but just a little too light for me to shoot with this grip/gun combo.

Earlier this year, Ruger announced that they would be producing a .357 Magnum version of the LCR, but instead of using aluminum to shroud the barrel and compose the upper frame, they would use high strength steel. Would this added weight solve my dilemma? I just had to find out.

I finally got my hands on one in November and have been shooting and carrying it for a couple of weeks. Obviously there was a few more ounces of weight, but not so much that it created a burden during extended carry. The factory Hogues were also improved with a scalloped hardened plastic area just behind the cylinder to allow for the use of speed loaders. The rear of the barrel shroud, just in front of the cylinder, is now angled in an apparent effort to redirect the blast from the cylinder gap. The cylinder itself is beefed up a bit to handle the magnum cartridges, but other than these small changes, its very similar to the original LCR.

As I mentioned earlier, my goal was to utilize Crimson Trace grips on my carry gun. Fortunately, the ones that came with my .38 switched out easily with the .357 (the the new Hogues fit the .38 flawlessly). A quick trip to the range allowed me to adjust the laser to point-of-impact.

So far, I have shot around 300 rounds of various types of ammo, including Winchester PDX1, Corbon DPX, Federal Hydroshocks, and Winchester FMJ's. No malfunctions occurred, primer hits were solid and centered, and accuracy was more than acceptable. Yes, these were all .38 Special rounds, and yes, I will eventually test it with .357, but for now, this is an ideal .38 with upgrade capability.

The opening and closing of the cylinder was a little stiff, but improved as the gun broke in. I did find one minor annoyance -- the roll pin holding the front sight was protruding a few millimeters and created a sharp edge on an otherwise snag-free revolver. A tap with a punch remedied this in short order.

Overall, this has the makings of a great carry gun, laser grips and all. The price is much better than the Scandium .357 Smiths and the recoil is definitely more reasonable. I'm looking forward to sharing more about this gun in the near future.

Move over LCP - The Diamondback 380 has arrived!

2010-02-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could take the best features of a Glock and squeeze them into a 380 ACP pistol the size of a Ruger LCP or KelTec P3AT? Well, wonder no longer! Diamondback Firearms has done this and more with the DB380.

Somehow, most of the gun rags missed this little miracle of engineering. In fact, I didn't even notice it amongst the other pocket pistols at RDS - South Texas Tactical, in McAllen, Texas. It was only after I was about to leave the store that Luis, the owner, pulled me aside and asked me if I had seen his newest 380. There in front of me was what looked to be a shrunken homage to a Glock. I had never heard of this manufacturer before, so I did a quick check online to see what they were all about. It looks like this is their first foray into the gun business, but I think they got it right their first go-round.

When I first handled the gun, I was impressed with the fit and finish -- no rough edges, no obvious machine marks. The slide has fore and aft cocking serrations and even a drift-adjustable rear sight (note: these sights are actually usable!). Diamondback didn't miss any details and even have their logo etched on the steel magazine. This gun is really more classy than my other polymer wunder-guns. What really intrigued me though was the familiar glockish take-down. There are no pins to remove or lose with this pistol when you field stripping this gun.

Yes, I did end up buying the pistol (you can't have too many pocket guns!) and I took it to the Hole in the Wall range in McAllen for a quick function and accuracy test. Being that 380 is less than abundant, and priced more than double or triple of 9mm, I only shot a box of ammo in my first session. Even with a brand-new gun, there were no malfunctions and the accuracy was impressive. At 21 feet I was able to put 3 shot groups into the paper at under 1 inch with boring cosistency using Hornady Critical Defense rounds. It also functioned well with a mag full of S&B FMJ rounds. I never had this kind of success with an out-of-the-box LCP.

Overall, I like this pistol. Because it oozes Glock-ish reliability and functionality, it may cause a Sig owner to cringe. It may not be for everyone, but I have a feeling that this will be my new carry companion in the coming months.

I plan to put more rounds through this pistol in the coming weeks. I will also take it to the outdoor range to see what it can do at 25 yards once the rain clears out to see if the accuracy holds up. Be sure to check back for updates. You can read more about this gun at http://www.diamondbackfirearms.com/.

Carry and Range time with the LCR

2009-10-11T08:13:00.001-07:00

Well, it has taken me long enough to get back to discussing range time and carry of the Ruger LCR. Fortunately, my day job has been keeping me quite busy, in spite of the slow economy.

When I last posted about my experience with LCR's, I actually owned two of these wonderful pocket pistols. Since then, I sold one of them through my local gun store, and am now down to one revolver. It wasn't because I didn't like it. It all boiled down to a matter of practicality -- I tend to carry my 380 pocket pistols (because of their flat profile) much more than I do a revolver. If you have ever tried carrying a revolver in the pocket of a pair of dress slacks, you will quickly realize that the width of the cylinder will draw way too much attention. The Mika holster seems to do a better job of reducing the outline, but it will never match the concealability of a Kel-Tec P3AT wrapped in Galco horsehide.

In a recent outing to the Hole in the Wall Range in McAllen with a couple of my former CHL students, I presented them the chance to shoot the LCR and give me their own impressions. The first shooter emptied 5 rounds high and to the left of a B-27 target at 21 feet. The grouping was good, but since he couldn't see the rear sight notch effectively, he was placing the blade of the front sight way too high.

The second shooter was able to utilize the sights more effectively, but ran into a couple of different issues. The trigger was heavier than his 9mm semi-auto, so some of the shots from the revolver wandered outside the 8-ring at 7 yards due to trigger control. Another issue that I wasn't expecting was his "staging" of the trigger. He had a tendency to press the trigger partially, then return it forward, and pressing it again while aquiring a sight picture. The result was that the cylinder advanced with each partial press, causing him to skip over live rounds.

Both of these sets of issues were resolved with a little more practice, but it helped me realize that revolvers may (contrary to my former guru instructors) not be the best "beginner" handguns.

Did they like the LCR? Absolutely! They both admitted that the little "cabron" kicked more that their 9mm semi-autos, but liked the light weight of the polymer and alloy revolver. Would I recommend it to new shooters? Yes, but with the express condition that they practice with it A LOT.

Just for fun, I emptied 5 rounds into the head of a B-27 at about 10 yards just to show that it could be done. OK, maybe I did that to puff my own ego, but the LCR can be fun to shoot!

P.S. If anyone from Ruger reads this post, can you put a 44 SPL "plastic" revolver on the wish list for 2010.

Keep it Concealed!

2009-09-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

As much time, money and effort is required to obtain a CHL or CCW permit, it's not surprising that the new recipient is overly enthusiastic about their accomplishment. This is completely normal.

Where I have deep concern is that some permit holders can't stop talking about the fact that they are carrying concealed --- even to strangers they meet at the local sporting goods stores. Yes, I know that the local gun counter is typically where you will encounter guys and gals that are carry-friendly. But the point of concealed carry is to keep it CONCEALED. This means visually, physically and even verbally. No one except you and God Almighty needs to know that you are "packing heat".

Talk about shooting. Talk about guns. Talk about the 2nd Amendment. But never reveal the "where" and "what" of your carry options. And never, never, never draw or expose your handgun to show off your pride and joy. Beyond the foolish aspect, this action can also get you arrested.

Consider that the stranger you initiate a conversation with could easily be:

A news reporter trying to make a story against gun ownership. Don't give them the fodder that they need for their undercover story about over-zealous pistol-packing-patrons!

Your local street-thug casing the store for a burglary. If they learn that you have guns, they may pay a visit to your house instead.

A law enforcement officer. Imagine the sinking feeling you get when you realize you have just talked up your vast end-of-times guns and ammo stash to an ATF agent. And don't be surprised if this results in a personal visit if you live in the border states.

A new gun owner. Set the proper example for these guys. The bad practices they learn from you may be repeated when they get their own permit to carry.

Beyond the worst case scenarios, always keep in mind that people like to talk. If you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on....it doesn't take long for the whole town to know that you carry a gun. In the current political situation, it will only take a few well publicized bad examples for the gun-grabbers to demand stricter gun laws.

Keep it safe and keep it concealed!

The "Great Ammo Shortage of 2009" may be over soon

2009-07-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, it seemed that manufacturers could hardly keep up with consumer demand for loaded ammunition and components. Some of my favorite web sites such as Ammoman.com and NatchesSS.com (Natchez Shooters Supplies) were virtual ghost towns when it came to finding common calibers such as 45ACP, 9mm, 380ACP, and 40S&W. A short time later, even the lesser demand calibers such as 10mm and 45GAP became tough to find.

This week, I saw a glimmer of hope -- Walmart now has boxes of ammo on the shelf at most locations. In at least 3 different stores I was able to pick up a box of Remington UMC 45ACP, several boxes of Winchester USA 9mm, and some "value packs" of Winchester 38 Special. If you have a 40S&W, you are really in luck as there are literally cases of ammo available at many locations.

A few regular visitors to the Austin-area gun shows told me that several dealers have plenty of ammo to sell (for the right price). Cabelas in Buda, TX is starting to get their inventory back to normal as well, which is good news for both retail and mail order customers.

There are a few ways to look at this: either the manufacturers have boosted their manufacturing to keep pace with demand (plausible), consumers have slowed down their insatiable need for lead (likely), or the economy is putting such a pinch on discretionary income that people just can't afford to buy any more cartridges (scary).

There is still one area of opportunity that may take a few more months to overcome. The 380ACP cartridge is still VERY hard to find in almost every location. I don't think anyone expected the Ruger LCP or similar pocket pistols to be so popular in 2008, so the demand is still high for this caliber.

Back on the subject of Walmart, I would much rather buy guns and ammo from a local dealer than from a big box chain store. But you have to admit, during these shortages Walmart never tried to put the screws to the consumer by price gouging. I can still by a box of Blazer Brass FMJ 9mm for $8.97, the same price I paid at the end of 2008. There are still signs posted that limit purchases to six items per customer, but this doesn't prevent you from making multiple trips.

Note: Guys, if you want to score some brownie points with the wife, just tell her that you want to go with her on her next outing to Walmart. She'll be impressed, and your ammo bunker will be overflowing with "precious metals". Good luck on your shopping!

Carry Recommedations for the Ruger LCR

2009-06-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

After spending the necessary time at the range to ensure function, reliability and accuracy of my LCR, I began my quest to find a suitable carry holster. June has been rather harsh in Texas as the heat has been regularly surpassing 100 degrees each afternoon. This is not a nod to Al Gore's "Global Warming" -- it's hot EVERY summer down here in the Rio Grande Valley!

I dug through my holster box and came up with 2 j-frame pocket holsters to try. The Mika pocket holster was my first selection (http://www.frontiernet.net/~akim/pocket.htm) since it didn't have model-specific mouldings. These are beautifully simple holsters, and the creator, Robert Mika, offers the best customer support that I've ever experienced. The LCR slipped into the holster comfortably and the draw from the pocket was smooth. My only problem with the LCR and any of the pocket holsters is that the soft rubber grips tend to grab the the lining of my pockets. With a pair of loose fitting shorts, the Mika pocket holster works great for all-day carry. There was no "printing" to indicate that I was carrying a revolver in my front pocket, but it did look like a rather fat wallet. Not sure that I want to give the bad-guys this impression either!

My second selection was the Galco horsehide pocket holder. Although moulded to fit the S&W j-frames, it took to the LCR quite well. I tried my best to carry with this holster for a full day, but I was quickly reminded why I gave it up with my S&W 642 -- horsehide is as noisy as a squeaky door hinge. Before I get a bunch of emails regarding horsehide break-in, please note that I tried silicone spray, baby powder, and just about every other home remedy to fix these squeaks. I have other horeshide holsters that don't make this much noise, but it appears that the leather flaps that extend to the fore and aft on this particular model create way too much movement when I walk or sit down.

Knowing that pocket carry isn't always the most practical, I picked up a Galco Stow-and-Go inside the waistband holster from Dury's (yep, another stop in San Antonio on my way to DFW last week). While not form-fitted like the Summer Comfort, Royal Guard, or Ultimate Deep Cover holsters, this is about the only off-the-shelf option available right now for the LCR (and it's relatively cheap). I fully expect that the holster selection will improve proportionally to the number of LCR sales in months to come. This holster has an embedded metal band around the opening of the holster that allows for a very smooth draw and will even allow the revolver to be re-holstered with one hand. My only concern is that the Stow-and-Go may be a little too smooth and that retention could be weaker than a custom fit design. Continued carry will bear witness to its function.

I'm starting to get quite fond of my LCR. More reviews to come.

The Ruger LCR - out-of-the-box impressions

2009-06-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

While driving through San Antonio a few weeks back, I decided to take a wild chance and see if any local dealers had the new Ruger LCR in stock. My first call was to Dury's just off of I-37 and much to my surprise, they had just put one on the shelf. Five minutes later (yes, I drove the speed limit!) I was picking it up.

Side Note: Dury's is now using the electronic 4473 forms, and it takes a little longer to fill out the paperwork if you haven't done it before. The ultimate benefit is the reduction in paperwork errors.

Since I needed to be in DFW later that day, I didn't get a chance to run out to the range, but I did grab some "snap caps" from Cabelas in Buda, Texas, so I could do some dry firing in my spare time. Are these really necessary items? Maybe not, but I didn't want to put any undue wear on the firing pin with my copious practice.

My initial impressions were:

It reminds me a LOT of my S&W 642, but it is noticeably lighter
The trigger pull was better than most out-of-the box j-frames or SP-101's that I've handled, but not as smooth as reported by several gun writers in the popular mags.
The enlarged trigger guard kept it from fitting in my j-frame OWB holsters, but it did fit nicely in my Mika pocket holsters, particularly the one with the rounded bottom. The rubberized stocks do tend to create some drag while drawing from a pocket, so you will really need to dry run your carry options before making it your primary carry choice.
The LCR is a really cool looking pistol and fits the hand quite nicely. Being that this is a virtually corrosion-resistant revolver, I can see a definite advantage for those (like myself) that work or play in high-humid environments.

In future postings I will discuss the range time as well as concealed carry in the extreme South Texas heat. Please drop me a line if you would like for me to cover a specific topic on the LCR.