Inforce WML-HSP Weapon Mounted Light

When I began looking for a weapon light for my recent and ongoing Ruger Mini-14 Tactical project, my first thought was to try a Streamlight TLR-1s since the gals and I have several of those mounted on our firearms. The Streamlight TLR-1s has a lot going for it, as I mentioned in my previous review, and it now comes with 300 lumens of lighting power standard, but... to have good momentary control... with the switch in a convenient location... you need to use a remote switch.

The Inforce WML-HSP Weapon Mounted Light was developed with specs provided by Travis Haley and Haley Strategic Partners. It is a momentary-on-only light system that is only on when you press the switch.  The most significant difference between this model and the other Inforce Weapon Mounted Lights is that instead of 125 lumens of light... this model cranks out 200 lumens.

The WML-HSP offers a claimed ninety minutes of run-time off a single 123A Lithium battery and while I have not timed ours, I would say that we had a good two hours of on and off light-on time while shooting one evening before needing to replace the battery. That is the sacrifice you will make for 200 lumens and one battery verses the 125 lumen model with a claimed run-time of two hours, or ten hours on low power.

We mounted our WML-HSP in the ten-eleven o'clock position on the Ruger Mini-14 Tactical rifle with an Amega Mounts rail and it seem to be in a very ergonomic and natural position. The switch is easily operated momentarily with your off-hand thumb while allowing you to maintain a solid, fairly forward off-hand grip on the rifle. The light appears to be well made from polymer in tactical black.  Mounted and removing the light is very easy with the grooved/knurled tightening screw that locks the mount in place on the rail. 

One nice feature is the flip-up switch guard that protects the light's switch from being accidentally pressed like when it is in a soft case. The switch is rubber and appears to be well sealed since this light is supposed to be waterproof to a depth of sixty-six feet. I didn't test this light underwater, but it has been mounted and on while shooting quite a bit in the rain this spring. It doesn't seem to notice the cold, rain, or recoil of 5.56 rounds.

The design of the WML-HSP allows for tight, compact, and trim low-profile mounting and at only three ounces with a battery, you'll hardly notice it is there.  At just over a c-note in cost on the street, you can pick one up relatively inexpensively. We've also tried the light on our Ruger SR-556c in the nine o'clock position and found it worked pretty well there too. We purchased ours from US Elite Gear a while back, our first purchase from this veteran-owned company, and we were very pleased with the pricing and quick shipping.

If you're looking for a top-quality, light-weight bad-guy-blinder... check out the Inforce WML-HSP Weapon Mounted Light.

Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle - Stainless Steel

Spending some time with a firearm before I pass judgement is important to me. Even more so, when I'm passing on my thoughts and opinions to others.  I have been shooting Ruger Mini-14s for almost thirty years now. My first Mini-14 was a "180" series noted by the three-digit prefix on the the serial numbers. It was a solid, reliably functioning semi-auto rifle with mediocre accuracy back in the day when the only ARs around were full-size M16-looking rifles which were long with triangular ray-gun furniture out front.

That first Mini-14 and I parted ways not long after we purchased our first "580" series rifle which was a significant improvement in accuracy and tolerances. I won't bore you with the long history of the Mini-14 as there are already great resources out there for you, such as this from the American Rifleman and of course the Wikipedia version too.

The gals and I now have several Mini-14s, all stainless steel, including several Ranch Rifles with synthetic stocks, a Mini-14 Target Rifle... yeah, but before you say that "target" paired up with "Mini-14" is an oxymoron... you should see how ours shoots, which is pretty darn good with 69 grain Sierra Match King BTHPs out to three-hundred yards... and finally, the Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle in stainless steel which I've now spent enough time and ammo with to share some thoughts about it here.

The blued version of the Mini-14 Tactical Rifle has been out for a while, but the good news is that the stainless version I purchased through Ruger's Law Enforcement side while back is now available with their regular offerings. This rifle is handy at just less than seven pounds in weight and less than thirty-seven inches in length, which includes the threaded flash suppressor on a sixteen-inch barrel. It is slightly lighter and more compact in overall profile, but relatively comparable to our Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport equipped with a Streamlight TLR-1s and an Aimpoint PRO... in terms of cost, size, and weight.

The intent of this rifle is for self-defense, home security, and an occasional varmint, be they four-legged or two-legged. We wanted the best, but affordable, components with excellent reliability matching the Mini-14's reputation for reliability while keeping the slick, lean, and light-weight nature of the Mini-14's size and profile. With that in mind, I've added the Ruger-branded Mini-14 Scope Mount III rail made by Amega Mounts, an Aimpoint Micro H1 red dot optic, an Inforce WML HSP weapon light with 200 lumens to light the night, and finally a simple, quick adjust web sling until I decide which way to go for a better sling arrangement.

The entire weapons system we've created in this slick little package weighs in at 7.2 pounds without a magazine and just a pound more, at 8.2 pounds, with a loaded twenty-round magazine. It's just a bit lighter than our AR-15s, but I'm not here to argue the whole Mini-14 verses AR-15 thing here.

The rifles does feel a little front-heavy, but that is due to the sturdy and light synthetic stock... and maybe that helps because with a solid mount and a forward off-hand grip... the muzzle seems to stay right on target without noticeably climbing, even under rapid fire. The slanted press-to-turn-on power button is positioned just right for me with the forward mounted Inforce WML HSP weapon light.

When it comes to aiming, Ruger offers several options including the rock-solid, built-like-a-tank fixed front blade and adjustable rear peep-sight. I find the peep-sight aperture... er, hole... to be just right for quick acquisition of targets and threats, but it might be a bit large for precision shooting at longer distances.

Ruger also includes their proprietary scope ring mounting system and a set of Ruger stainless steel scope rings which they will exchange for other sizes and heights. One new feature many folks will like is that Ruger has pre-drilled and tapped the receiver to attach the INCLUDED picatinny rail over the action for those who prefer a more industry-standard optic mount.

So if Ruger included a picatinny rail, why did I add the forward rail in place of the upper hand-guard? First, I wanted more of a smaller caliber scout rifle configuration, similar to that propagated by the late Col. Jeff Cooper, and second, the Amega Mount rail also offers the perfect ten to eleven o'clock mounting position using the side mounted rail for the Inforce WML HSP weapon light.

The included flash suppressor seems to do a decent job when shooting in low-light or after dark, but I've seen some flash suppressors do a better job. Fortunately, the threaded barrel will allow you to swap out the factory flash suppressor for dozens of other options including a "can" to cut the noise down. Some folks might be tempted to add a muzzle-break, but I don't think the Mini-14 really needs it.

The synthetic stock is sturdy, light and has soft-rubber butt pad with rounded edges that provides a terrific shoulder mount for the shooter whether you're using a traditional rifle stance or a more straight-on tactical hold for the rifle.  Ruger includes one-inch stainless sling mounts which most folks seem to either love or hate.  I'm still evaluating various sling options and configurations, so for now I've just added a quick-adjust, nylon-web sling... the Super Sling, by The Outdoor Connection.

As for putting holes in things down range, this Mini-14 is not a precision benchrest or prairie dog rifle. It is a good rifle with good precision.  With the one-in-nine twist, the barrel can produce consistent accuracy and groups of under two-inches at a hundred yards with a wide-range of ammunition from 55 grains to 62 grains.  I've even managed several three-quarter-inch groups shooting Federal Gold Medal rounds with the 69 grain Sierra MatchKing bullets.

The stock trigger is typical for the Ruger Mini-14... a pretty stiff pull, but a crisp break.  I'm not interested in a one-pound, precision trigger in a self-defense rifle, but a smoother three to four-pound trigger pull would be better and so I'll have a trigger job on done on this rifle.  Even with the stiffer trigger pull, if you're looking for a good self-defense or handy hunting rifle, the stock trigger will still let the Mini-14 Tactical take care of hitting the center of mass quickly, even when acquiring multiple targets.

Look for some reviews of the Aimpoint and the Inforce add-ons coming in the near future...  But for now, if you're looking for a reliable, rock-steady rifle that will last just short of forever... you might consider the... Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle - Stainless Steel

Don't get caught with your pants down... Restroom Basics for Concealed Carry.

Ka-clickity..click.click..click...click...click....click.....click.......click. That was the sound as a shiny Smith & Wesson Model 60 slid across the tile floor in front of my feet from the stall next to me in the courthouse restroom one morning many years ago when I worked in law enforcement. I was taking a moment of relief in the first restroom stall as a detective prepared to do his testimony in the stall next to me. His open-top, inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster let loose of his snubby as he dropped his pants.

Next was a short chorus of four-letter adjectives as he grabbed his pants and shuffled out, doing his best soft-shoe routine, to find his wayward revolver. While I literally laughed out loud, I am also reminded by the memory of my own restroom mishap.

I had gone into the restroom at the local Big Boy restaurant while on duty. Taking my duty belt off, I hung it on the coat hook on the back of the stall door. Unfortunately, the weight of my boat-anchor... er... Smith & Wesson 4516 .45ACP semi-auto along with extra magazines, handcuffs, a PR-24, a portable police radio, a folding knife, and several other items that would have made Batman's utility belt jealous... was just to much for the poor stall door. The top hinge of the door let loose and the door and my duty-belt, along with my S&W 4516 and friends came crashing down. When I put on a show, I bring down the house... literally.

Aside from the normal typical safety and security concerns with public, and even private, restrooms... the regularity of "gun found in restroom" stories that seem to be in the news is quite concerning. It seems that all kinds of folks forget to check their firearms after they zip up. Federal agents, police captains, secret service agents, deputy fire chiefs, armed school security guards, and even regular concealed carry folks seem to inadvertently leave their guns behind in restrooms.

If you wear a gun for your job or as a citizen exercising your God-given rights protected from the government by the Second Amendment... KNOW WHERE YOUR GUN IS AT ALL TIMES! Seems simple, but it only takes one quick lapse.

Now when using a restroom, whether public or private, you need to consider both practical and tactical aspects so you don't get caught with your pants down. When entering a restroom, choose the best restroom you can.  Can you wait until you get back home or until you reach the hotel room? Can you avoid a crowded restroom and find one in a better location that is less crowded? Is it a multi-person restroom or a one-at-a-time restroom.

Gals often have additional considerations as they typically have purses, sometimes packages, and often kids with them. Yeah, I know guys do too, but more often than not, I see the gals with the munchkins. If you are with your family or friends, all of you don't need to use the restrooms at the same time, but take turns so someone can maintain a watchful eye and also manage the kids, packages, and other concerns outside the restroom.

Pay attention to who enters the restroom before you and who is hanging out in the general area of the restroom. There are criminals waiting for victims. Can you leave extra belongings or your jacket and other items with somebody you trust? Notice who enters after you. Do you really want to use the urinal with your back to a potential attacker?

Personally, if I'm carrying... I always use a stall. Can the gun remain holstered on your belt? Can the gun be set somewhere safely where it won't slide or be accessible to someone else? Check the stall out, is there some place to set your firearm while you're taking care of business? Why set your firearm somewhere? ...because for many folks, it's hard to get the pants down and back up while working their belt with a loaded gun in an IWB holster with and extra magazine on the weak side.

Kathy Jackson recommends you leave the gun holstered, but I know that creates a juggling act for some folks... so do what you have to.  You might even want to do some "dry-fire" practice (pun intended) with a chair at home just to get used to getting your pants down and up again with your holstered gun and spare magazine.

I prefer the gun to remain holstered and if I remove it... I'll remove it in the holster if I need to.  Also, I've personally talked with two people over the years who have sent their guns (and a third who sent his iPhone) in for a swim trying to pull their pants up while holding the belt, the pants, the holster and other items all at the same time... so be careful.

Why not just leave it holstered on your belt and lower it to the floor and your ankles with your pants and belt... well because most restroom stalls have a foot of visible space at the bottom where someone outside might see your gun... which can result in the "man in the restroom has a gun" report to the manager, security, or police. Whatever you do, CHECK your gun BEFORE YOU LEAVE to make sure it leaves with you and not later on with someone else.

Some other considerations... I've seen folks toss their coat over the top of the stall door so someone on the other side could grab it and run... all why their pants are down around their ankles. Gals, I hear from some of you that purses are often set close to the edge of the stall on the floor where someone outside the stall could easily grab it and make a run for it.

I prefer on-body carry for gals - which I recommend as an instructor, and if you can find a stall with a solid wall on one side... preferably your gun side, it's a good idea for both guys and gals. Is there a diaper-changing station that you could use as a temporary shelf to set your gun and belongings on? And if you use that coat hook on the back of the door, check it first for sturdiness... or you might bring down hook or even the whole door if you're not careful.

Before you get ready to leave the stall, check your gun, holster, and other items to make sure you have everything... especially the gun.  If you're carrying concealed... make sure you get the concept of concealed before you step out to wash your hands.  Personally, I like to stand where I can wash my hands and have a clear view of the restroom... whether it be directly or with the mirror on the wall.  I also like to stand with my gun-side away from others that are in close proximity to me.

You have to maintain your situational awareness at all times before, during, and after using a restroom as there is often only one way in and out and very limited room maneuver or to put distance between yourself and potential threat. Remember, most restrooms have no window, no security cameras, and are often down a hallway or out of the way by design... which gives both folks and criminals the privacy they seek to do their dirty business.

Those are just a few thoughts to consider so... you... Don't get caught with your pants down... Restroom Basics for Concealed Carry.

Looking for a few good instructors...

I'm a GREAT instructor! (tongue firmly planted in cheek)... I am now in my third decade of teaching and training folks and kids with firearms... pistols, rifles, shotguns. I'm highly recommended by former students, my post-course evaluations are always excellent, women in particular find my instruction on-target for them and regularly recommend me, I have books full of certifications from the NRA, 4H Shooting Sports, firearm training entities, and from my days in law enforcement... I'm even an NRA appointed Training Counselor who can train other instructors. So I wouldn't recommend me...

See, with all that being said, ya'll should know that you should never, ever take a firearms course from me... if it focuses on door-kickin' ninja tactics, thousand-yard long-range shooting, or even Filipino knife-fighting techniques. They're just not my areas of expertise and my knowledge, qualifications, and experience are limited in those fields of firearm discipline.

There are a lot of folks who ask me about my courses and classes, or want recommendations for good firearms and tactics instruction. Kathy Jackson, over at The Cornered Cat, has a number of posts about what makes for good training and good instructors. I've also read other posts on this topic and with that I'd like to share my thoughts in case you're thinking about finding a good instructor... which also should be related directly to instructors who want to be good. So here goes some of my thoughts, though not in any particular order:

Good firearm instructors are good students, life-long learning students. As an instructor, I'm continually learning.  I seek out and attend training on a fairly regular basis, I read constantly, watch videos, constantly try out new techniques and products.  I'm proud of my NRA and other certifications, but truthfully... those are evidence of basic competencies as an instructor, but not necessarily proficiency or mastery.  Good instructors will learn more than just the minimum.  For example, some men might not admit it, but I even own a Gun Tote'n Mamas leather purse and a FlashBang holster among the piles and boxes of training aids and materials I continually acquire for my students to better learn in my courses.

Good firearm instructors are proficient and effective with their tools of the trade. Yeah, I understand the ol' coach doesn't have to be able to kick a forty-yard field goal or pass sixty-yards on the run to be a good coach, but when it comes to firearms... a good instructor is more than just competent, they are proficient.  Can I out-shoot Todd Greene on the FAST test or Rob Leatham on steel... nope. Can I shoot pretty darn well with what would be considered above average in the firearms community... meaning proficiently and effective... yes.

Good firearm instructors know their limitations. "Dirty" Harry Callahan famously said, "A good man always knows his limitations." While firearm instructors have to take the first step into teaching and training various things, they shouldn't do so without being well practiced and prepared. After extensive planning and preparation, I often have couple of direct and honest friends do a complete, live, run-through of any course, tactic, firearm, or technique with me before I even consider trying instructing it for the first time in a regular class. Please realize though, every instructor has to begin somewhere, so as long as they are beginning in an area that is appropriate for their skills and abilities... that's ok. I highly recommend to new instructors, and follow the advice myself, to work with observe, and collaborate with other, more experienced firearm instructors when they can to learn and get constructive feedback.

Good firearm instructors don't need to have law enforcement or military experience. Don't get me wrong, there are many good folks who have served our country and citizens -and- who have acquired terrific experience and training that helps them greatly as instructors. There are others who have not kept up on their skills and knowledge, or spent their time driving a truck or calculating logistics (admirable and appreciated, but not really related to being a firearm instructor), or have to run through qualifications three times to keep their gun on their hip while on duty. There are also a lot of good folks out there who have no law enforcement or military experience who have developed excellent teaching skills and abilities while acquiring outstanding, real-world skills without driving a cruiser on patrol or engaging the enemy on foreign soil.

Good firearm instructors can readily recognize and assess the abilities and limits of their students. I've been to some more advanced classes over the years where there were some students who were completely beyond either their abilities or limits. This can at a minimum slow the class down, taking away from students who are at the requisite level and at most it can create unsafe and even deadly situations. That doesn't mean a student shouldn't take a class to push themselves and provide a challenge, but a good instructor sometimes needs to tell that student who obviously is in a course or learning situation they are in no way ready or qualified to attempt or continue that it's time to call it a day... and a good firearms instructor will recommend, adjust, or provide appropriate levels of training or recommendations for the student.

Good firearm instructors are professional. They act and treat folks with respect. They don't berate or embarrass students. A professional firearm instructor should avoid language and actions that are prejudicial or biased regarding race, gender, ethnicity, etc. If an instructor is disorganized, looks like a slob that slept in their fatigues for the last three days with enough food stains they could boil their camo down for a pot luck soup... it probably indicates a lot about their training. That doesn't mean you might not get dirty during instruction, but a professional should act and look like a professional.

Good firearm instructors ALWAYS maintain a safe learning environment. While I'm not perfect either, you shouldn't be muzzling your students even if your finger is off the trigger. I don't know who these other six guys I just met ten minutes ago in class are, so I don't want to walk out on the range to hear the instructor say, "We're operating by 'big boy' rules today." A good instructor teaches safety and maintains safety expectations at all times. I've actually seen an instructor get down range from his students to take photographs of the firing line... yeah, I know, Darwinism at it's best.

So if you're wanting good firearm instruction, do your homework... check reviews... speak to other students... be honest about your own abilities and limitations... and be prepared to properly compensate for your instruction. Good firearm instruction may not be cheap and good firearm instructors have invested a lot of time and money into their training, materials, preparations, and hardware... and remember... good firearm training is not an expense, but an investment. This May I'm teaching firearm classes on my own and I'm also taking firearm classes down at TDI... to practice what I preach.  TDi, between the ammo and the instruction, isn't cheap, but it IS a good investment for me.

So if you own a firearm, you should be seeking out opportunities to regularly learn and train... which means you should be... Looking for a few good instructors...

I know there are other firearm instructors out there, so whether you're a student or an instructor... feel free to "fire back" in the comments...

To the weaker sex: accept it, plan accordingly!

My daughter is now seventeen, getting ready to graduate from high school next month... and much to her dismay, she seems to be stuck at an altitude of five-foot, six-inches.  She's still Daddy's little girl, but as I've said before, "We're raisin' a Christian daughter to want a man in her life, but never need a man in her life." With that in mind, she has been taught to know, determine, and maximize her abilities, her knowledge, her resources, and also recognize and admit her limitations.

"To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater powers of endurance, has she not greater courage? Without her, man could not be. If nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with woman. Who can make a more effective appeal to the heart than woman?" ~Mahatma Gandhi

Unfortunately for Gandhi and the rest of us, nonviolence is not the law of our being and a woman needs to equal the brute of a man when necessary.  I've met so many gals in my NRA and Ohio CCW courses over the years that never seemed to realize that or were just in denial of how unprepared they were to deal with a violent encounter, or even just a physically stronger man, until they had a life-changing experience smack them in the face... or worse.

Now this is not to say that there are not weaker men out there, but on average... most men have a significant physical strength advantage over most women.  With that in mind, a gal needs to educate herself, train, plan, adapt, and adopt force multipliers and tools... such as a mindset, defensive training, knife and firearm usage, and other tactics that can help them be prepared to defend themselves and/or their family.

My daughter heads off to college next fall being denied the legal ability to defend herself with the one tool that Sam Colt created to make men equal.  She'll have to use what she has available to her since the university even limits students to knives with blades less than three-inches in length.  The blades on the knives they eat lunch with are longer than that!  While we're taking her to the Tactical Defense Institute's Defensive Pistol Levels I, II, and III in this spring, I'm still hopin' to get her to Greg Ellifritz's defensive knife course in the near future.

So where am I headin' with this whole diatribe... well I'm tired of gals who tell me they'd do anything to protect they're kids when they don't have a plan, training, or tools for that night when some scumbag kicks in their door during a home-invasion. You don't need a "rape whistle" or to fire off a double-barrel shotgun into the air. You need sound advice and the determination to take care of yourself and survive no matter what you encounter.

It's not paranoia, just reality and the world we live in... so... To the weaker sex... accept it and plan accordingly!

Go ahead gals... fire back... and feel free to share how you're preparing too!

Random thoughts from the gun room...

Life has sure been overly busy the last few weeks and I think that two weeks between blog posts is the longest I've ever let lapse.  I love the blog and do it primarily for some regular rest and relaxation, but I must admit that in the grand scheme of things... it's not in the top ten... my God and my gals on the other hand... are.  Each of us has to have priorities and we need to also make sure that we take care of ourselves too, including time to ourselves, like in the Man Cave.

Man Cave's are somewhat of a necessity for a most men, but even gals have their own caves... and some caves my wife and I share.  I think most of us need a place to call our own and get away to.  I'm blessed with several places like that, including the barn, the gun room, the deer stand/tree house, the shootin' range, and even the field out behind the house and barn.  We keep things in our caves that we like... memories, tools, projects, music, and other items that allow us to be productive and remind us of who we are and where we've been.

We usually keep stocked-up on most things 'round here as part of our prepping lifestyle.  I was working on an inventory of the ammo we have on-hand, at least that which is still readily available above ground.  The ammo shortage concerns us, but we're not panicked like most.  There's more ammo on-hand here than most small to medium police departments have laying around.  My one area of real concern is primers.  I enjoy reloading and it saves money, but I'm down to 2,000 small pistol primers for reloading 9mm and that is concerning if this shortage doesn't subside in the next few months.  

The gals and I are taking a three-day pistol course down at the Tactical Defense Institute in May and that will likely use up about 4,000 to 6,000 rounds of 9mm for the three of us which will put a bit of a dent in our stores.  We're still practicing regularly, but I must admit I'm consciously using less rounds and incorporating more dry-fire training and practice. Don't underestimate the use of dry-fire training and practice, but also don't let it completely substitute for live-ammunition training.  

My friend Matt over at Jerking the Trigger stopped by with his .22 conversion on his Glock and I have to admit, it works really well... but .22LR ammo is even tough to come by these days.  I still have an old, unopened box of Winchester Wildcats with a Kmart proice sticker of $0.49 on it.  There's even a box of twenty American Eagle .223 Remington 55gr. FMJ's with an old $1.99 price tag on them from a local gun shop.

I still keep up on reading, both on the internet and books.  There must be over two-hundred books in the gun room now.  I'll be posting a review of Preppers Home Defense: Security Strategies to Protect Your Family by Any Means Necessary in the near future.  I'm a continuous  life-long learner and I think everyone should be actively learning on a regular basis, both formally and informally.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." ~Romans 12:2

Some of the bloggers out there I really enjoy are those that clearly demonstrate a passion for that continual life-long learning because it show me they haven't become stuck ina rut in their thinking, practices or tactics.  While there are many good bloggers out there of similar mindsets, I enjoy stopping by Greg Ellifritz's Active Response Training, Brigid's Home on the Range, James' Survivalblog, Shelby's A Girl and Her Gun, Matt's Jerking the Trigger, and many others on regular basis.  You've got to surround yourself with good info, good advisors, and good learning resources to keep moving forward in life.

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." ~Proverbs 27:17

I've been on this sun-circling-rock enough years now that I kind of chuckle when what went around comes 'round again.  All the fuss about appendix carry lately is one of those things that amuses me.  While my typical and preferred style of everyday carry is either IWB or OWB on my strong-side hip in the three to four o'clock area, I've been carrying appendix style in the one to two o'clock position on and off for years.  I use a good Bianchi or Galco IWB holster that clips over the belt and covers the trigger.  It's a great way to carry when traveling seated in a car as the center console and seatbelt can interfere with drawing when you gun is on your hip.  

I haven't managed to shoot myself in twenty-five-plus years or so now of occasional appendix carry, but I do practice, I keep my finger off the trigger until I'm pressing out, and I look when I re-holster.  If I'm using a leather "flop-flat" holster like the Bianchi Model 6D, I usually remove the holster from my waistband, re-holster the gun, then place the holstered gun and holster together back in the waistband.  To each his own, but it works for me and our Ruger LCR when I carry it that way.

We picked up a kitchen drawer organizer for the workbench drawer in the gun room.  It seemed like we were spending a lot of time looking for things, and it helps keep things organized.  I love those plastic gun-cleaning dental picks to get in the cracks and crevices of various firearms and their actions.  

Speaking of firearms, we're working our way through the gun collection again. We do this every year as I try to make sure that every gun we own is fired, cleaned, checked over, and is still maintaining zero at least annually... even that little single-shot Marlin youth rifle my daughter started out using years ago.  By the way, those three Ruger 10/22 Take-down rifles of ours are amazing at maintaining zero after multiple take-downs and re-assemblies.

Another thought for those of you with aging eyes like mine are the newer safety glasses that have reading lenses built-in.  I'm passing that mid-life age where I either need some cheater glasses due to myopia for small items I'm working on or I need longer arms.  3M has some nice Safety Readers for both range work and gun-bench work.  I've also found that the Black and Decker Lithium-Ion Smart Drive has been a great addition to the gun bench.  I even use it with the hex drive on a Lee Case Cutter and Lock Stud for quick trimming of re-sized cases.

A final thought as I sit here in the gun room is that you're either with us or you're against us.  The "us" I'm talking about are those of us that believe in the freedoms our founding fathers intended to protect through the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  We are in a day and age where more than half of this country receives compensation in some form from the government.  The government will not always be there or be there in a timely manner. I believe that many of those folks are the same ones that will give up long-term freedom for temporarily security.  Someday when it all hist the fan, the only one that will take care of you and your family or friends it YOU.  

Make sure you've done all you can to protect your God-given freedoms, before it's too late.  Lacking healthcare insurance is nothing when someday you may find yourself lacking the basic essentials necessary to sustain life.    Those are just some... random thoughts from the gun room...

Five Bucks: Nite Ize CamJam Cord Tightener

Some folks love gadgets, but I have two criteria for gadgets... they have to be reliable and they need to be practical.  The gals and I have found a lot of reliable and practical gadgets over the years for our camping, motorcycling, prepping, shooting, and other activities made by Nite Ize.

A while back, I ran across a new product from Nite Ize called the CamJam Cord Tightener at the local Tractor Supply Company store.  This handy little gadget works quicker and easier than several other Nite Ize products and small carbiner products I've tried.  It doesn't involve any knot tying which is great in cold weather when you have gloves on or your fingers are too cold to feel anything, much less loosen and tie a good slip knot or square knot.

I used a couple of these to secure our deer blind to some stakes and small trees this winter and they held up well out in the weather for over over a month.  They work with everything from paracord to light rope.  They're not rated for any kind of weight-bearing use by tactical ninjas, but they are quick to adjust, tighten, and release with your flies, tarps, tents, and other tie-down needs.  They would make a great addition to any gear bag, BOB, or GHB.  If you pick up a couple these CamJams... you'll find endless uses for them.

Go ahead and try it... and if you don't like it, you're out... like... five-bucks.