For most folks “concealment” means little more than a piece of clothing that blocks their concealed carry piece from view. The truth is it goes much deeper than that. By properly managing expectations you can learn to conceal your firearm better.
Varg Freeborn talks quite a bit about how criminals learn from an early age how to conceal tools, capabilities, and intent, both from authority figures and potential adversaries.
So, what does that mean for gun carriers?
There are various levels of concealment. Aside from just keeping tools out of sight, it would behoove us to understand how to make things look like something they’re not.
We can do this in a couple of different ways:
1) We can make ourselves look less like the stereotypical “gun carrier” caricature. That can be as simple as eschewing “tactical” brands, and as in-depth as intentionally dressing in a style that’s not typically associated with concealed carry (this is generally more refined attire like waistcoats and sports jackets)
2) We can disguise our gear and use misdirection to make people think that it’s something it isn’t. NOTE: I DO NOT advocate or condone the “oh, that’s just a [insert sensitive medical device here].” It’s a thoughtless, lazy excuse that’s rife with problems.
What I mean is using something like the Raven Pocket Shield to break out the outline of the gear carried in your pockets or using a vibrant key fob on your pocket knife or pepper spray instead of that 550-cord lanyard. That’s a lot easier to explain away.
The American Central Intelligence Agency isn’t an elite group of warriors or a bunch of American James Bonds running around. They are primarily analysts with a wide swath of specialties. These specialties include accounting, law, economics, and even meteorology. However, nestled within the CIA sits the Special Activities Center, which is responsible for covert and paramilitary operations. Alongside the SAC, we have the Global Response Staff, trained to protect analysts, case officers, and more.
Those men carry guns. With that in mind, what guns do they carry? What weapons have they historically carried? It’s not always easy to know. The CIA doesn’t have an equipment page on its public-facing website. I’ve pieced together a hodge-podge list of weapons that CIA gunslingers have historically carried throughout their operations. I had to use books, memories, and news reports to figure out the chosen weapons of the CIA.
The OSS and the Colt M1903/08
The CIA’s predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services, operated worldwide during World War II. OSS operatives varied widely, and the organization commonly worked with military forces. It was responsible for deploying Marines to Europe, establishing the Jedburghs, and gathering intelligence through every avenue possible.
(Rock Island Auction)
The OSS purchased 20,000 Colt 1903/08 pistols. The 03s were .32 ACP guns, and the 08s were .380s. These were slim, compact, and concealable pistols. These guns were called hammerless but featured an internal hammer. They were straight blowback-operated weapons and had fairly light recoil. They were simple guns but very reliable for the era. Unlike the M1911, they also chambered calibers that were common worldwide.
Korea and the Thompson and M1911
CIA Operations in Korea were a bit of a mess. The Intelligence apparatus wanted to recruit native Koreans as guerilla fighters and parachute them behind Chinese lines to create chaos. It wasn’t superbly successful, but the CIA’s lesser-known Raid forces were much more successful. The Journal of Army Special Operations History, Veritas Volume 9, No. 1 details these CIA-established Raid Forces.
These teams were combined Navy/Marine forces that were controlled by the CIA and conducted numerous special operations along the coast. One team led by LTJG George Atcheson was tasked with blowing up a railroad bridge in North Korea. He led a team of Thompson armed raiders while carrying an M1911 himself. They eliminated an enemy patrol, planted demolitions, destroyed the bridge, and even derailed and damaged a demolition train.
Vietnam and the Swedish K
In Vietnam, the CIA deployed its own trigger pullers to work with special operations forces throughout the military. This included SEALs, MACVSOG, and working with indigenous forces. One of the CIA’s weapons of choice during Vietnam was the Carl Gustav M/45 submachine gun. Its nickname, the Swedish K, came from the word kulsprutepistol, which was likely a mouthful for an American.
The Swedish K was an open-bolt, direct blowback-operated submachine gun that fired the 9mm cartridge. The weapon is straightforward but effective, reliable, and lightweight. Additionally, the gun’s 9mm cartridge made it easy to control, and it could be easily fitted with a suppressor when needed. There could be an argument of deniability since it was a Swedish gun in 9mm instead of an American weapon.
The AK
The AK series rifles are some of the most widespread weapons in the world. They commonly appear in places where American forces operate. It’s not a big surprise to see the CIA using the weapon. The use of the AK allows the operators to blend in, use weapons and ammo common in the area, and still have a reliable and rugged weapon.
It’s likely the CIA has been using AKs as long as Russia and China have been supplying them to foreign nations. In the book First In, CIA Paramilitary Officer Gary Schroen detailed that his seven-man CIA team carried sterilized AKMs in Afghanistan during the early days of the war.
The Browning Hi-Power
In Gary Schroen’s book First In, he details the sidearm of choice for his CIA team, the Browning Hi-Power. These were also sterilized, with serial numbers removed and markings scrubbed. The Hi-Power is another gun that’s spread so worldwide that it couldn’t be directly tied to the United States or even another allied force.
The Hi-Power still offered 13 rounds of 9mm in a double-stack magazine. While the gun did lag behind modern service handguns and lagged in 2001, it was still an effective weapon for combat use. It’s well-proven, reliable, accurate, and capable. The gun has been adopted and reproduced throughout Europe, Asia, and even the Middle East.
The AR Type Carbine
The modern CIA Paramilitary Officer and GRS forces most commonly use an AR-type rifle. I use AR-type so I don’t trigger the AR nerds. They use a wide swath of Stoner-designed guns. This could be the typical M4, but it might also be an Mk 18 or maybe some form of AR that our military has never used.
(Reddit)
They’ve been using these guns as long as the United States has. The CIA’s official Twitter account will locationally tweet photos of CIA operatives with their faces obscured but their weapons clearly visible. In Operation Jawbreaker, the CIA brought boxes of cash to Afghanland, and in a famed photo, a CIA operator carries an M4 with an M203, a Trijicon reflex sight, and a classic Surefire M500 light.
If you ever specifically go searching for CIA Paramilitary operatives or GRS staff, you’ll also see tons of AR-type rifles in every configuration imaginable.
The M249 SAW
In the same photo that details the operative with the M4 during Operation Jawbreaker, we see a second CIA operative armed with an M249 SAW. The M249 SAW is America’s favorite light machine gun and utilizes the 5.56 caliber cartridge. It’s belt-fed, open-bolt, air-cooled, and fairly lightweight.
(CIA)
If you’re on a small team in Indian country, grenade launchers and light machine guns are the ticket. They allow for overwhelming firepower and are force multipliers in an ambush or firefight. A light machine gun is a must-have if you need to establish a fighting retreat. Unlike heavier guns, the SAW isn’t a crew-served gun and can be efficiently used by one operator.
The Secretive CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency isn’t open about its equipment choices, so we have to depend on first-hand accounts, the occasional photo, and historical records to establish some idea of the weapons the CIA used throughout its tenure in bad places with bad people. Hopefully, we’ve shown a little light on what’s historically a little-known subject.
Title photo: Jason Foley, owner and guide of Straight Flush Outfitters retrieving a downed crane. Continued from Chapter 1
Sandhill Cranes
The alarm clock blared—it was 3:45 AM, and its percussive annoyance announced the beginning of the morning of my first-ever hunt. I hadn’t slept much. Perhaps it was only four hours of sleep. And that sounded generous, so maybe less. Whatever amount of time I actually slept, it didn’t matter because I was easy to rise.
My sleep had been light enough that there wasn’t any slumber to dissuade me from awakening. In fairness, it’s hard to get enough sleep when friends you don’t see often come by the previous evening for a beer and a chat. It’s also hard to sleep when giddy with anticipation, having waited over 365 calendar days for that particular morning and all.
I even had my fancy Black Friday discounted Sitka pants and the rest of my outfit set aside and ready to wear, like a kid getting ready for their first day of school back in the day—after a real summer vacation that actually lasted the entire summer.
Time to Get Ready
The morning was still pitch black, and the air felt colder than the 25-degrees Fahrenheit the Jeep’s digital thermometer claimed. We waited for the rest of the group to congregate outside of a local gas station. In the meantime, breakfast was a single can of sugar-free Monster out of the gas station’s refrigerator.
Drinking the frigid can and its elixir outside of this gas station in the chilly early December Texas panhandle morning air felt like a juxtaposition. However, on an appointment like the one we had that morning with the Sandhill Cranes, this clear liquid was as important to success as the #2 12 gauge shells we brought.
Setting up decoys under the cover of darkness. The mound in the background is the blind itself and the distant town lights can be seen in the horizon.
The Set Up
We parked at the edge of a barren wheat field a few miles outside of town. It was time to get to work, setting up an entire flock of crane decoys under the cover of darkness. The rest of the men and I in the hunting party temporarily turned into a work party. Some are offloading crane decoys from a trailer, while myself and others are staking them into the uncanny red Texas dirt found in the panhandle region.
It takes a fair bit of work to prepare a hunting field with decoys, and this was a “sizeable” flock we set up, too. Once the birds were staked it was time for the blind, something I had never seen or sat in before in my life. These blinds are amalgamations of what look like corral fences linked together and covered with natural reeds and grasses thatched to the frames.
The reeds and grasses tower a few feet over the skeleton of the structure with the idea that a hunter sits on a low stool and leaps into action with a shotgun in hand when the birds fly overhead. The low stools inside the blind aren’t designed for comfort, but they sure beat the cold ground. Their seats are reminiscent of hard church pews.
A good hour and a half passes since setting up the hunting stage and the men start settling into the blind, passing along gear, shotguns, coffee mugs and energy drink cans to their respective owners.
The Long Wait
It’s about 6:45 am, with the hunting party patiently waiting for legal shooting hours…
It’s 6:55 am; getting close.
Our guide Jason, the owner of Straight Flush Outfitters, starts making bird calls and doing anything he can to get the flying flocks’ attention and to come within distance of our shotguns.
The seconds are slipping away, getting us closer to legal shooting hours. By this point, the morning sun is shining, and the darkness has receded over the horizon. And by now, everyone in the hunting party has uncased their shotguns and loaded them with shells, leaving them leaning against the frame of the blind and waiting.
I forgot to bring gloves and had also been outside in a very cold dawn field for nearly two hours setting up decoys and preparing. I can’t feel my hands, and I try my best to resuscitate them in my coat pockets. The guide, Jason, is our orchestra conductor and his crane calls are his wand. However, the members of the band are holding Berettas instead of violas. Our small Saturday morning concert is a 100% percussion instrument affair.
As the conductor, the idea was that if Jason managed to attract an overhead flock into the hunting zone, he’d say “Go,” and it would be time to leap out of the church-pew stool, shotgun in hand, to draw a bead on the first bird you see.
A flock of Sandhill Cranes flying in the blue sky above the blind.
It’s Go Time
That moment finally arrived.
Go!
Click.
In all of the excitement, I’d forgotten to take the Beretta’s safety off. I missed my chance. No one hits any birds anyway, and my temporary embarrassment dissipates. It’s time to sit down again and top off shotguns. Several minutes pass by until any action happens, and I’m sitting there just fidgeting with anticipation.
Shooting aerial targets with shotguns is one of the most pleasurable activities known to man, and it turns into a neurological feedback loop when it’s a bird whose meat is also delicious and desirable. In other words, it’s its own type of rush. A high. I didn’t know this until a few weeks later, when I was watching a hardcore waterfowl hunting video on a marsh in Louisiana, and something came over me.
Go!
Bang, Bang Ba-Bang, Bang, Bang. Hues of hulls, blue, green, red, and orange, begin littering the wheat field. One bird is down. One rather unlucky bird, in fact. This lone moronic crane managed to fly within 20 yards of our blind. I remember drawing a bead on it and calling my shot. So did the hunters to my left and my right. In fact, this specific crane had its own scientific name: Grus canadensis imprudens. It bought the farm almost immediately because at least six different shotgun blasts connected with it.
(Later that day, I remember helping to clean the breast of this same crane’s carcass and pluck its down feathers off. I knew it was the crane that got too close because its breast had a potpourri of pellets—think of a specific 1987 white Chevrolet Celebrity sedan involved in a certain high-profile bank robbery in southern California in the late 1990s.)
Uncooperative Weather
A few more flocks flew by, and a few more volleys were fired, but unfortunately, it was a slow morning. Though chilly, that Saturday was relatively warm, and when the temperature is cozy, the cranes stay in their roosts and aren’t as motivated to come feed from fields.
Texas weather, am I right?
Sandhill Crane breasts on the grill that afternoon.
It’s the middle of August, and every morning, I wake up and groan. It’s almost 90 degrees before the sun is fully up. Humidity is high, and by lunchtime, I’m losing buckets of sweat. I’ve downsized my concealed carry profile a bit to increase comfort. However, I didn’t want to decrease my ability to defend myself. With that in mind, I have a number of pocket pistols suited for this task, and I wanted to share my top five favorite summer carry guns.
The Top 5 Summer Carry Guns
Lots of these guns can be pocket-carried, but you’re not stuck with pocket-carry. Regardless of how you carry the smaller profile of these guns, they are easy to carry in lighter clothes and are easier to carry without breaking concealment. Smaller guns have smaller holsters, and smaller holsters enhance concealment and comfort in the summer heat. Let’s look at my five favorite summer carry guns without any more jawing.
Beretta 30X
The new Beretta 30X fixed almost every complaint I have with the original Tomcat. We get easy-to-see sights, a much-improved trigger, double the durability, and it even comes with two mags instead of one. The Beretta 30X might be a deep concealment gun, but you’ll want to show it off. It’s a sweet-looking pistol. We have the standard all-black, the two-tone, and a stainless model. Two of the guns have nice wood grips, and the other keeps it simple with black plastic.
The 30X fires the .32 ACP round and holds eight in the magazine, plus an additional round in the chamber. The gun’s tip-up barrel system makes it easy to load a round directly in the chamber. The sights make these guns easy to shoot accurately but be prepared for an odd POI/POA if you get the suppressor height sight model.
The downsides include the magazine being wider and longer than necessary, the fatwood grips not helping concealment, and the 8-round magazine extending past the pistol grip. This creates a bigger-than-necessary gun for summer carry.
Bodyguard 2.0
I hate pocket 380s, and I hated the original Bodyguard. I was shocked when I handled the new Bodyguard 2.0. S&W created a remarkable pocket .380 that doesn’t suck. They did this by making the gun slightly longer. This reduces recoil through the short recoil system, which decreases recoil. The slightly longer grip also improves control by a larger margin.
The magazine goes in the micro compact direction and gives us 10 or 12 rounds of .380 ACP. S&W ensured the weapon would remain remarkably small and thin but still pack a punch. It’s truly impressive that they could create something so perfectly pocket-sized that it holds ten rounds of ammo. The little things are done just right, with great sights, good ergonomics, and a fairly accurate pistol.
The biggest complaint I have is the pain the slide causes. I mean literal pain as it bites into my meaty mitts. Slide bite is a big issue, and after a few mags, I’m done shooting the Bodyguard 2.0. Still, for a defensive encounter, I don’t care about slide bite as much as I care about capacity, and for summer carry, you can’t get more rounds in your pocket than the Bodyguard 2.0.
S&W 432 UC
The S&W 432 UC is the first iron-sighted revolver I’ve ever felt confident about. Mostly because it actually has iron sights. It is not just a front sight and trench but a real dove-tailed rear sight to match the big XS front sight. This makes aiming and shooting a breeze. The gun’s trigger and excellent grips also play a huge role in allowing me to ring steel at 25 yards with ease.
The 432 chambers the much underrated .32 H&R Magnum. The .32 H&R Magnum hits hard and has great penetration and expansion with JHPs. The cartridge has very mild recoil, and the slightly smaller diameter allows you to carry one extra round in the cylinder. At 16 ounces, the gun doesn’t weigh you down, and it’s well-suited for pocket carry.
The downsides are twofold, and both are related to price and availability. These are Lipsey’s exclusives and cost about 750 dollars. They are tough to find and a little expensive, and so is the .32 H&R Magnum round.
LCP 2 (in 22LR)
The LCP 2 in .380 ACP is a recoil wreck to your hand. However, if you take that same platform and make it a direct blowback .22LR, it’s an impressive and capable gun. Capacity goes up to ten rounds, and the gun is super easy to shoot. Recoil? Yeah, there is hardly any. This is my wife’s favorite summer carry gun and one she can tote while wearing anything.
The .22LR round requires you to be ammo-picky, and you should pick a round like the Federal Punch or the CCI Velocitors. These heavy hitters will penetrate really well and get deep enough to matter. A set of proper sights across the top makes the gun easy to shoot, but I’d top them off with a little fingernail polish to brighten things up.
The LCP 2 is an affordable little gun, but for some reason, it actually costs more than the .380 version. Probably because the demand for the .22LR version is higher. The main downside is the rimfire caliber, which is not as reliable as centerfire ammo. If you carry this gun, test your carry ammo extensively.
KelTec P32
My pet P32 doesn’t get the love it deserves. It’s been in production since 1999 and might be the lightest, thinnest centerfire gun on the market. At 6.6 ounces, it can disappear on your person. It’s the lightest gun on this list by far. The little gun holds seven rounds of .32 ACP and uses a short recoil system.
This results in hardly any recoil. It’s a really pleasant shooting gun that’s also quite reliable. You’ll need to stick with FMJs, but if you do that, you’ll have a gun with capable penetration. The little P32 has a DAO trigger, but it’s surprisingly smooth, especially for a KelTec.
These can be tough to get, and the sights suck. It’s less like proper sights and more like the general suggestion of sights. The P32 can be a great carry gun, but be realistic with your accuracy and speed expectations.
Summer Carry Perfection
Summer sucks. Well, for me, it does. I despise the heat. Luckily, I can still pack some heat in my thinner, lighter clothes without resorting to the fanny pack. These guns allow me to leave armed and still be comfortable.
In my estimation, job loss is one of the most common personal crises one will likely face during their lifetime. The days of securing a job right out of school and staying there until retirement are long gone. Job loss differs from the other sorts of emergencies we typically prep for in that this doesn’t impact a neighborhood, town, or region. Its effects are felt just within the household, though it’s no less devastating to those involved. Make no mistake, when the family’s primary breadwinner ends up on the unemployment line, it can truly feel like the end of the world.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help mitigate this type of crisis.
Finances
For starters, do everything you can to stay on top of your finances. While it’s difficult in this day and age to avoid it entirely, work on reducing debt and strive to avoid accruing more of it. As best you can, build up a savings account for emergency use. Various and sundry experts recommend a minimum of three months’ worth of expenses, though more is better.
In the event of job loss, these funds will help bridge the gap until a new paycheck arrives. One way to do this is to develop one or more side hustles. This will hopefully bring in a few extra bucks each month. Plus, if you end up unemployed for a bit, it can help keep you afloat.
Education
Never stop improving your skill sets. There is absolutely no downside to seeking more education, more training, and more certifications. Even if they aren’t all directly related to your current job, you never know what the future may hold. You just might find that your current employer is willing to promote you when they see what you have to offer.
There are many free online education resources, including Coursera and edX. More and more employers are seeing the value of these sorts of educational outlets.
Networking
For some, this comes easy, and for others, not so much. But it’s important to develop a network you can fall back on in the event of job loss. Stay in touch with former coworkers, at least the ones you’ve been on friendly terms with, when they move on to other employers. Reach out to them if needed to see about potential job openings.
Health
Stay on top of health issues while you have insurance to pay for it. This includes vision and dental. If your employment is terminated, you may be able to extend your insurance overage through COBRA, but doing so is very expensive. If you see the proverbial writing on the wall and suspect that you might find a pink slip in your locker soon, you might want to try stocking up on any prescription medications you take if your insurance plan allows.
Build Up the Pantry
It should come as no surprise that having a deep pantry is useful for more than just natural disasters and civil unrest. The less money you need to spend on food and other necessities when you don’t have a paycheck coming in, the better, right? That said, if you are facing job loss, don’t be afraid to visit food banks and similar resources in your area. They exist for just this situation. If it makes you feel better about it, make a point of donating to them when times are good in your life.
Steps to Take
If you do end up suffering a job loss, here are a few things you should do.
Apply for unemployment compensation if you’re eligible for it. While the checks are just a fraction of what you were making, it’s better than nothing and can at least help keep the lights on and gas in the car.
Cut out as many expenses as possible. Everyone in the family needs to tighten their belts. Avoid getting takeout and instead work through your pantry. Batch errands to save on gas. Suspend or outright cancel things like gym memberships. Stick to just the absolute necessities. There’s nothing wrong with a little splurge here and there to have some fun, but be sensible about it.
Breathe. It’s going to be okay. Job loss can be very demoralizing and a huge blow to the ego. The thing is that just about everyone goes through it, often multiple times over the course of a career. It’s okay to take a beat, sit back, and just breathe for a bit. But remember, this is precisely why we prep, so we can face challenges head-on and prevail.
Marketing in the gun world can be interesting. Some of it can be just normal. “Here is our gun and why it’s good.” Others can be cringy, and some can be crazy. CoughEAArevolverlegladycough. A lot of companies will invoke militaria names, especially if they are making retro-style firearms. For example, Inland Manufacturing makes something called the M1 Advisor. It’s an M1 carbine cut to pistol size without a stock.
It’s not the first M1 carbine pistol. Guns like the Enforcer were made in the 1970s. The M1 Advisor is an interesting name. Advisor to what? Or to whom? Why is it called that? Is there a history of Advisors carrying sawn-off M1 Carbines?
As the curious type, I had to figure that out for myself. I dived deep into the world of sawn-off M1. The Advisor phrasing and the idea of shorty M1 Carbines came out of the Vietnam War. Vietnam might have been the war where the M14 and M16 had a rough start, but WWII wasn’t that far away from Vietnam, and plenty of WWII-era weapons landed in Vietnam.
The Advisor Carbine In Vietnam
Before the United States fully dedicated itself to the Vietnam War, it sent Advisors to help train the South Vietnamese military forces. The South Vietnamese also received tons and tons of World War II surplus weapons. This included piles of M1 and M2 carbines. The M1 Carbine turned out to be perfectly suited for the Vietnamese troops.
US ARMY
Vietnamese soldiers tended to be smaller than Americans, and the short and light M1 Carbine fit them well. It’s also a shorter-than-average weapon for jungle warfare. By the time the war ended, the ARVN troops received a million and a half M1 Carbines. The first advisors detached from Vietnam in the era of the M14, but they tended to carry the M1 Carbine.
As advisors, they typically didn’t lead the charge but were in enough danger to warrant a weapon. The M1 Carbine and M2 Carbine were great for a multitude of reasons. For one, logistically, it made sense to carry the same weapon as your allies. Two, it likely helped team building to have an American carrying the same gun the ARVN carried.
US Army
There is evidence that some of these Advisors trimmed their guns down. Specifically, Leroy Thompson states in The M1 Carbine that some advisors did trim their barrels down to just in front of the handguard to make them more handy. This was more common with Americans attached to ARVN Ranger units. It didn’t seem to be standard practice, but it did occur.
The Other Sawn-Off M1 Carbines
The M14 and M16 ruled the Vietnam War as far as American rifles go, but plenty of American forces still carried the M1, M2, and even the M3 Carbine. The M3, in particular, was useful for its night vision optic and was employed in static defensive positions. Navy and Air Force personnel used the M2 and M1 Carbines during the war.
Both Navy and Air Force personnel are less likely to be involved in direct ground fighting, and getting new weapons, like the M16, in their hands can be difficult. (Even though the Air Force kicked off the M16 adoption.) The M1 Carbine bounced around a lot with rear echelon troops and with troops like pilots who fought but not on the ground.
These troops also carried the sawn-off Advisor-style M1 Carbines. The M1 Carbine book states that pilots carried M1 Carbines. They were typically issued handguns and wanted more firepower. These pilot-ready M1 and M2 Carbines were cut down to better fit in helicopters. I found photos of sailors on patrol boats, mostly M16s, but also packing an M1 Carbine cut down to pistol length.
(Centaurs in Vietnam)
On the opposite spectrum of rear echelon troops was MACV-SOG. MACV-SOG carried a wide variety of guns depending on what the mission required, and according to MACV-SOG member Frank Greco, they had at least one sawn-off M1 Carbine in their armory.
US Army
The Viet Cong and NVA were also fans of the M1 and M2 carbine rifles. They often trimmed them down to various sizes, including pistol-sized guns. These became popular insurgency weapons.
The Advisor M1 Carbine
Yes, it existed, but not just with advisors. The gun was popular for cutting down and must have been reliable. Reliable, but I doubt they recrowned the barrels, so accuracy was likely a mess. It’s certainly a fascinating modification to a weapon at its prime in a war it was never designed to fight.
You don’t have to wear a suit, or even a shirt with a collar in order to dress intentionally.
All it requires is a little thought and care. First and foremost, it’s making sure your clothing fits right. After that, it’s understanding what message your clothing is communicating to the world.
Being “put together” suggests a level of credibility and self-confidence that can be beneficial in daily life. It can also portray a level of control and authority that may help deselect you from criminal targeting, and if not, it can help ensure that you’re perceived as the “good guy” by bystanders.
Nobody’s saying you have to live your life in a necktie, or even that you have to spend hours a week planning your outfits. But once you have an understanding of your own personal style, you can curate your wardrobe so that your clothing reflects who you are, regardless if you’re in jeans or a full suit.
Prior to the 1950s, grenade launchers, as we know them now, weren’t really a thing. The military used rifle grenades, which were quite large and powerful. They also had mortars, which acted as indirect-fire weapons. Rifle grenades and mortars were both cumbersome, and the US Army sought to find a weapon that was more portable and offered more range. This led to the invention of the 40x46mm grenade and the T148 Grenade Launcher.
The same program and idea eventually led to the M-79 and the varied experimental under-barrel grenade launchers that eventually became the M203. We don’t hear a whole lot about the T148. Interestingly enough, the T148 predates the M-79, although the M-79 is a much simpler weapon. Using a somewhat strange configuration, the T148 offered troops a repeating 40mm grenade launcher.
The T148 used a harmonica gun configuration. Harmonica guns were early attempts at creating a percussion cap repeating weapon well before the revolver. They feature a slide with chambers bored into it. The slide moves right to left or left to right, depending on the gun, and as it slides, the varied chambers align with the bore for firing purposes. The T148 used a harmonic-style clip that held three rounds and fed from left to right.
History of the T148
This allowed the gunner to fire three rounds in a semi-auto fashion. As you’d imagine, being able to crank off three 40mm grenades rapidly in a fight could be a precious tool. LtCol Roy Rayle designed the Weapon and also helped develop the M14 and M60 machine guns. He joined Springfield Armory in 1953 and developed the T148 per a request by the US Army Fort Benning’s infantry board.
By 1958, they had a pilot lot of T148 grenade launchers, which were officially the T148E1 series. They featured 12-inch barrels, leaf sights, a grip safety, and a wood stock. The launcher weighed 8.41 pounds fully loaded and was 29.5 inches long. The weapon had an effective range of 400 meters and a minimum range of 50 meters to both arm and for safety’s sake.
It wasn’t unwieldy in terms of length and weight, but at a glance, the three-round clip hanging off the side looked destined to grab onto everything an infantryman would run into.
The weapon was tested and while it showed promise, the Army did find it to be somewhat bulky and unwieldy. Left-handed soldiers would most certainly be at a disadvantage. They continued development to create a T148E2 with small improvements. However, in 1959, the T148 program was effectively canceled.
The T148 Rides Again
Sure, the program was canceled, but Vietnam kicked off as the Cold War heated up. Asymmetric jungle warfare caused military forces to be creative and experiment with several weapon programs. When you look at some of the experimental weapons fielded, it looks like they were throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. According to most sources, about 300 T148s were produced between the E1 and E2 series.
While the program was canceled, the military did send some T148 grenade launchers to Vietnam. It’s important to differentiate between the Colt XM148 under-barrel grenade launcher and the T148. Why the two share a number is beyond me.
In Vietnam the T148 got its trial by fire. It was found to be awkward and fragile, as well as clumsy. The three-round clip design was great for the first three rounds, but it was awkward to reload. The soldier would have to manually eject the spent casings by depressing an extractor release. So, loading the gun was quite slow.
From a practical perspective, the M79 offered the same rate of fire when more than three rounds were fired. The M79 was lighter, easier to produce, less clumsy, and more reliable in the dense jungle.
The End Of Idea
The T148E1 and E2 were canceled twice, and after testing in Vietnam, the project was truly over. Four of the remaining T-148s reside in museums. The idea of a repeating grenade launcher didn’t die, and weapons like the China Lake were also tested. Even in the modern era, the repeating grenade launcher isn’t a favored weapon. Single shots still rule the roost outside of heavy machine guns. The T148 was one of many attempts for a concept that just doesn’t work well.
Benchmade just announced a new fixed-blade knife, the Dacian. It’s made from premium materials and designed for everyday carry. It’s built as an option for folks who prefer a fixed blade to a folder for their EDC kit.
The Benchmade Dacian
The Benchmade Dacian has a three-and-a-half-inch blade of CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel. It features a high grind and a spearpoint profile. The overall length is just over seven and a half inches. The Dacian comes with either Blue Denim or Canvas Micarta grip scales. The Blue Denim version has a satin-finish blade, while the canvas micarta handled version has a Blue Titanium finish.
The Dacian comes with a molded sheath with a high-retention clip. It’s set up for tip-down carry. It can be pocket-carried, clipped to the waistband of your pants, or attached to a pack strap.
The Benchmade Dacian is made in the USA and carries Benchmade’s lifetime warranty. MSRP is $300 for the Blue Denim model, and $320 for the Canvas Micarta version.
I’m not rich enough to impulse purchase guns in most situations. Sometimes, I see a deal I can’t pass up. Recently, I attended an auction/estate sale. Estate sales are often a great way to find guns, accessories, and ammo. Amid the auctions most guns went for a decent deal, but not decent enough for me to squeeze the trigger, pun intended. Then, the GZ-MAB came up for auction and received not a single bid.
I’m famously unathletic and was picked last for lots of teams, and 7th-grade Dodgeball still haunts me. With a heart full of empathy, I bid on the GZ-MAB. It went once, twice, and was mine for a mere 90 dollars. Empathy is one thing, but the gun also had some alternative appeal to me.
First, it was a .32 ACP, and I’ve made the .32 ACP a plank in my personality. (Speaking of Caleb, please convince Taurus to import the 57SC.) Second, it’s made in Spain, and I’ve recently become a fan of Spanish-produced pistols. Finally, it was 90 bucks. Hell, that’s what it costs to take my wife out to dinner in 2024.
The GZ-MAB – From France to Spain
MAB stands for Manufacture d’armes de Bayonne and is a French firm. As mentioned, my GZ-MAB is a Spanish-produced pistol. MAB produced the Model G and GZ until 1962. They licensed the designs to Echave y Arizmendi, which is located in Eibar, Spain. Because Europe is tiny, Bayonne is only about 90 minutes from Bayonne. Echave y Arizmendi became Echasa, which is stamped on my gun.
According to Ed Buffaloe of the Unblinking Eye, the French guns are considered the better guns. I certainly couldn’t tell you if that’s true or not. The GZ-MAB in my hands feels solid and looks decent. The finish appears to be weak, especially on the slide. The GZ-MAB series was never super popular and seemed to be pretty uncommon, dare I say rare. It’s one of those rare guns that is also not highly desirable.
It’s clear the GZ-MAB was produced in the wake of the popularity of the PP and PPK. The PPK, in particular, is an inspiration. Nothing about the PPK was revolutionary, but a combination of desirable features allowed it to stand out.
The GZ-MAB is a blowback-operated design with a fixed barrel that doubles as the recoil guide rod. The hammer-fired gun has a single action-only design rather than a PPK-style DA/SA gun. The GZ-MAB holds seven rounds of .32 ACP, has simple fixed sights, and a manual safety, but the slide doesn’t lock open when the last round is fired. The safety is on the frame and sits right above the magazine release.
To The Range
If you have to shoot a small, lightweight blowback-operated pistol, then I’d stick with .32 ACP. It has much less recoil than .380 ACP and more reliability than .22LR. It’s the perfect small pistol caliber. The GZ-MAB handles quite well and has very little recoil.
The little .32 ACP pistol has hardly any recoil. It’s very pleasant to shoot and easy to shoot rapidly. Your hand isn’t going to get tenderized by the GZ-MAB.
An intelligent design of the grip gives you a beavertail that stops hammer and slide bite. The little beavertail puts plenty of room between the web of your hand and the slide. Little guns, especially of this era, are well known for their slide bite when you use a high grip on the gun.
The Sights and Accuracy
The sights across the top are certainly sights. They are super small, and it’s no wonder why people used to say, “You won’t see your sights in a gunfight!” You can barely see them on a square range. If you take your time, you can align the small front sight with the small rear sight and make it work.
The trigger has a bit of takeup and a bit of a spongy feel to it. When you press the trigger, you feel almost a completely separate stage of the trigger. Once you’re past the stage, it moves into the wall, which breaks and fires. The trigger isn’t bad, but it is not great. The GZ-MAB shoots straight enough for a small gun.
I can hit a gong at 15 and even 20 yards. Beyond that, it is capable of hitting full-sized IPSC targets, but you won’t be throwing .32 into the A Zone. The sights make it tough to shoot quickly, and accuracy falls apart outside of seven yards when I push the pedal.
The Spaniard
If it was 1962 and I needed a deep concealment pistol, I could see myself armed with a GZ-MAB. It’s small enough to easily conceal and has hardly any recoil. It’s robust and well-made. The sights sucked, but most sights sucked in that era. The little gun is fun to shoot, and when they come up for sale, they seem to be cheap. If you want a cheap, fun little gun, grab a GZ-MAB.
Despite all of our best efforts and precautions, we might one day be faced with a situation we can’t handle on our own. In cases like that, we turn to the professionals. Here are some things you can do to help them help you.
Be Clear and Concise
When calling for help, such as via 911, try not to ramble or go off on tangents. Be clear about what is happening and why you need assistance. This will likely be an emotionally charged situation and you might not be thinking entirely clearly, but do the best you can.
“My name is Joe Smith. I’m calling from 123 Main. I think my dad is having a heart attack, and we need help.”
The emergency operator is going to have questions, so stay on the line and answer them to the best of your ability. Getting angry or frustrated with them is only going to delay things. If you or someone else is trained in first aid, render help as best you can until the professionals arrive on site.
If it is an active shooter type of situation and you are armed, when you call 911 be very clear about who you are, where you are, and what you are wearing. When officers arrive on scene, it is not a good idea to run toward them with a weapon in view. Instead, stay put and let them come to you, following to the letter any instructions you’re given.
Help them help you by giving them the information they need clearly and concisely.
Address Signage
I spent about 15 years working as a private detective. During my career, I served about 10,000 papers, such as subpoenas and court summonses. Much of my day was spent driving around looking for addresses. I tell you that to tell you this. There are a whole lot of people who are going to be in serious trouble if they need help from the rescue squad or fire department. In far too many cases, the house address just isn’t easy to see. Out in rural areas, it might be missing completely.
Drive by your home some night and take an objective look from the perspective of someone searching for your address. How easy are you to find in an emergency? Remember, GPS is not infallible. Most areas have ordinances on the books that dictate where and how house numbers are to be displayed. Following those rules is a good start.
Signs near the end of the driveway are easiest to spot. Mailboxes can get damaged over time from snowplows. Stickers can fall off or fade. Numbers on the house itself can be difficult to see at night. Fancy calligraphy style numbers are the worst and are of no help.
If possible, it helps to station someone outside to flag down the first responders. This can be especially important if the responders need to be guided to the backyard or some other location. In a high-stress situation, it often works best to appoint specific people to perform specific tasks. Instead of just yelling for someone to run outside to watch for the ambulance, point to someone and say their name. “Mike, go out to the driveway and flag them down when they get here!”
Help them help you by making it easy to find your home in an emergency.
More is More
The more you can do to get first responders on site quickly and well-informed, the faster they’ll be able to render aid. Doing so will hopefully go a long way toward making your worst day at least a little easier to handle.
Suppressors have been used in war since the punitive expedition against Pancho Villa. They’ve slowly grown from specialty tools to general-issue items. During Vietnam, the need for suppressors exploded. The military was more than willing to experiment with suppressors and odd platforms in the quest for a quiet killer. This includes a rather interesting carbine created by Sionics. The Sionics Silent Carbine was one of the more interesting weapons used during the Vietnam War.
The War in Vietnam saw the United States enter into a quagmire of insurgency warfare. This asymmetric warfare created interesting challenges for the modern Army. Special Operations and snipers became very effective, and they were armed with suppressed weapons. There was a theme of trying to make weapons quieter and quieter. The Sionics Silent Carbine was the product of the make it quieter attitude.
Sionics and Mitch WerBell
Mitch WerBell III might be one of the most controversial and interesting men to have ever lived. He was an OSS man, an Army Captain, a soldier of fortune, a potential CIA spy, and a weapons developer. The son of a Tasarist calvary man who had some serious hate for communists. He owned a company called Sionics, which produced suppressors for a wide variety of weapons.
(Thomas Collection)
He was also one of the forces behind Gordon Ingram’s MAC-10 and built the MAC’s famed suppressor. During the Vietnam War, he saw an opportunity to sell his cans and weapon systems. In fact, he said something along the lines of “If the military buys a suppressor, I want it to be a Sionics suppressor.”
As President of a 75-man company, he went to Vietnam to show off his wares. I doubt we’d ever see the President of Raytheon go to Iraq to sell wares. He developed suppressors for the M16, the M14, and various other weapons. He also developed silenced weapon systems. One that gained a small order was the Silent Sniper Carbine.
The First Silent Sniper Carbine
When he initially went to Vietnam to sell his Silent Sniper Carbine, he brought modified Spanish-produced ‘Destroyer’ Carbines. The Spanish Destroyer carbines were bolt-action 9mm Largo rifles. They were made for police use and were pretty neat all around. Mitch WerBell and Sionics modified the design to be nearly unrecognizable.
They cut off the wood stock and converted it to a wire stock design with a pistol grip. Sionics chopped the long barrel off the gun and attached a Sionics 9mm suppressor. They mounted a Mossberg-fixed four-power scope to the gun, which had to be side-mounted to work correctly. There were no iron sights.
Thomas Collection
The idea behind the concept seems quite solid. A bolt-action rifle doesn’t have the clack of a semi-auto firearm, and 9mm can be made subsonic quite easily. The Destroyer Carbine already existed and was a 9mm weapon. All you needed to do was convert the weapon to 9mm Parabellum.
The use of a wire stock made it easy to pack up and carry. No soldier in Vietnam wants their primary weapon to be a bolt action pistol caliber carbine. The Sionics Silent Sniper Carbine would be a specialty weapon carried alongside an M16 or similar long arm.
He showed it off to some important higher-ups. Lt. General William Peers, the Commanding officer of I Field Force, tested the weapon alongside Mitch WerBell. According to the Long Range Ware by Peter Senich, he was so impressed that he ordered 10 Silent Sniper Carbines.
Thomas Collection
There was a problem: Mitch couldn’t provide 10. In fact, he seemingly couldn’t provide any. He attempted to withdraw from the contract, but the Army didn’t have it. They wanted their Silent Sniper Carbines.
The New Silent Sniper Carbine
What happened? Well, the imports and availability of Destroyer Carbines dried up. He couldn’t get his hands on the carbines to convert to Silent Sniper Carbines. Personally, I think Mitch might have been more of a soldier than a businessman at times. A smart businessman would have purchased a quantity, even just a small quantity, of Destroyer Carbines before seeking contracts.
Thomas Collection
Regardless, Mitch and Sionics had to come up with something. What they came up with was rather ingenious. They turned to Plainfield Machine Company, a company known for M1 Carbines. They special ordered ten 9mm barreled actions. From there, they designed the second generation of Silent Sniper Carbine.
This was no standard M1 carbine. It wasn’t a semi-auto design. To keep the clack down, it was a manual-activated, straight-pull bolt action design. I can’t find any hard specifications, but the barrel is short and has an integrally suppressed design. The weapon uses a wood chassis and a collapsing wire stock.
Thomas Collection
The wood chassis part had two pistol grips, one up front and one standard rear grip. I’m curious if the front grip was due to heat, but not entirely sure. The gun used modified Hi-Power magazines to give the shooter 13 rounds of ammo. The guns had four power TASCO scopes to top it off. Ten guns were shipped to South Vietnam for the initial contract, but four additional Silent Sniper Carbines were sent to the 9th Infantry Division.
How Did They Work?
Sadly, that’s where the story ends. At least as far as I can tell. I’m not sure how often they were used, how long they were used, how effective they were, etc. It’s certainly a fascinating carbine idea, and these oddball, limited-production guns always tickle me. I’ll keep searching, and if I find anything, stay tuned for the sequel.
Montana Knife Company is quickly becoming one of the premier knife companies in the United States. They make top-quality knives and are led by one of the youngest master bladesmiths in the world. They’ve designed knives and hatchets designed for tackling the great outdoors. MKC designs knives for outdoorsmen, hunters, and the like. This year, they’ve decided to get into the tactical world, and the first knife in their tactical lineup is the WarGoat.
The WarGoat is an expansion of the Goat series of knives. The Goat series seems to be MKC’s flagship lineup. They are fixed-blade, moderately sized blades made for general outdoor use. The blade design would be at home skinning game, cleaning fish, or constructing a shelter. It’s a versatile blade design.
The WarGoat variant is a little less versatile and has a very clear intent with its design.
It’s made to stab people.
The WarGoat Features and Specifications
The Wargoat is seven ⅞ inches long with a 3.5-inch blade and weighs a mere 2.23 ounces. The blade is made from Magncut stainless steel, and the finish is cerakote. As you’d expect, it’s a full-tang knife with G-10 grip scales added. The scales are rough-textured for a sure and easy grip.
The blade uses a drop point design that offers a distinctive tip and a nice long belly for deep slashes and cuts. The Goat had to go on a diet to form the WarGoat. It’s handle is quite thin and small. It’s designed to be an inline dagger design that’s lightweight and easy to carry on tactical gear. The normal Goat has a handle designed for working purposes. The WarGoat’s handle is scrawny comparatively.
A fairly large ring, designed for your index finger, sits at the end of the handle. It allows for a very steady reverse-hand grip for a quick and easy draw in a dynamic situation. The ring adds a different retention level to the knife and helps guide the hand to a perfect grip for defensive use.
If you flip the grip and use a more traditional grip, the knife has a choil that gives great edge control. It’s designed for self-defense, but it can do standard knife things in a pinch. Your MRE will be shaking in fear as the WarGoat dissects it to access those sweet Skittles.
Magnacut and Cerakote
Magnacut is a premium knife steel designed to be a knife steel. It’s one of the rare options that wasn’t adapted from something else. It was designed by knife nerd and metallurgist Larrin Thomas. He designed a bit of a do it all knife steel. It’s not only tough as hell, and features excellent edge retention, but it’s also corrosion-resistant and not that hard to sharpen.
The steel has gained lots of steam recently, and it seems like a great way to break into the tactical knife world for MKC. The WarGoat also features a cerakote finish. According to MKC cerakote was used to protect the blade, reduce reflections, and because it’s tough enough.
The combination of cerakote and Magnacut delivers an awesome combination to a premium-grade knife.
The WarGoat In the Hand
The WarGoat’s grip is thin and comfortable in either a forward or reverse grip. It’s clearly made for a reverse grip. I imagine the thin handle would wear on you if you tried to do more traditional knife things with the WarGoat. The WarGoat’s blade comes ultra sharp and so satisfying to cut with.
You can chew through Amazon boxes at the M240’s cyclic rate. The WarGoat’s Magnacut steel delivers a very nice blade. The handle’s shape is surprisingly comfortable for how thin it is. The grip panels are a nice touch that allows for a nice firm grip even when you aren’t using the ring.
Fighting Knife
The WarGoat falls into that same realm of knife as the Benchmade SOCP. It’s a fixed-blade minimalist knife that seems to be realistically designed for the modern ‘knife’ fight. It’s not a great big blade that Rambo would carry. The Wargoat is small, lightweight, and easily attaches to a belt, pack, or plate carrier.
It’s a last-ditch tool to defend oneself against a physical attack. For a cop or soldier, it mounts to your gear and gives a literal edge when things get hands-on and your gun is inaccessible. Let’s say some dude at a checkpoint rushes you, and you’re fighting to retain your gun. You pull the WarGoat out and start stabbing at any fleshy part you can reach.
The WarGoat allows you to create distance and change minds, which allows you to get to your gun and use it as necessary. In practice, the thin nature of the WarGoat’s handle means you don’t have to sheath it to grab your gun. Sure, it’s not the best grip, but it’s still small enough to allow you to use your gun with the knife still in a reverse grip.
If the fight stays physical, the ring will lock the knife into your hand. It’s a realistic fighting knife that delivers a method of creating distance and changing someone’s mind when they climb on top of you.
Stubborn as A Goat
The WarGoat delivers a compact, lightweight, and very well made fighting knife. The WarGoat is a simple tool that’s perfect for a gear belt or plate carrier. It carries on the well proven Goat lineup, just in a new and fairly exciting format for a company known for knives for hunting, fishing, and field work.
Shivworks ECQC is a pivotal class for a lot of people, and I’m no exception. Among the changes that the course brought about for me was the realization that pepper spray is a very useful component of my EDC.
During the Managing Unknown Contacts portion of the class, the role-player I was working with was doing a very good job of getting in my head, keeping me talking, and being able to encroach.
I very quickly realized that “Man, I wish I had something a little more compelling to get this guy to f*ck off if he won’t just take ‘no’ for an answer!”
As I delved into the topic, I realized there were a bunch of benefits to carrying pepper spray.
Not only can OC go places were guns can’t/shouldn’t, but there are a lot more situations we’re likely to find ourselves in where a degree of force is justifiable, but the threshold for deadly force has not yet been met.
Social media gives me ideas for articles all the time. I don’t go looking, but rather, I get to see things that people are doing that aren’t always advisable. A recent thread on a shotgun group brought up the subject of red dots, and I saw several shotguns wearing full-sized red dots. I don’t want to be a jerk, but a big, full-sized red dot on a shotgun is a silly idea. When I say full-sized red dots, I mean anything larger than an Aimpoint T-2.
Today, we will discuss why you shouldn’t use a great big, full-sized red dot on a shotgun.
What’s the Problem With Full-Sized Red Dots On Shotguns
There isn’t just one problem with full-sized red dots on shotguns. There are three problems that are almost entirely exclusive to shotguns. With that in mind, this article is about standard shotguns. If you have an AR-type shotgun, a bullpup monstrosity, or something just odd, these might not be your problems. If you’re using a Mossberg 500, a Beretta 1301, or something like that, strap in and pay attention.
Port Loads Get Limited
A big red dot gets in your way when it comes to emergency port reloads. A port reload is what happens when everything has gone to hell, and you’ve emptied your shotgun but need to fire another round. With this reload, the ejection port is opened, and the user is shoving an emergency round into the gun.
The shooter closes the action and can now fire the round. Port loads can be done one of two ways: over the top or under the receiver. With pump guns, I go under the gun because it’s more natural to find the pump and get the gun running.
I go over the top with a semi-auto because it’s naturally faster from a side saddle for me. Environmental factors can force you to use one method over another.
When you go over the top, a full-sized red dot gets in the way. It’s just a big block in your way, making it difficult to get the round in the chamber and get the gun firing. You can always go under the gun unless the environment doesn’t allow you to do so.
Your Head Sits High On The Gun
Standard shotguns have standard stocks, and they don’t use an inline stock system like an AR. This means when you use a full-sized red dot with a shotgun, your cheek leaves the stock, and your head floats a bit above the shotgun’s stock.
This causes us to have two problems at once. First, you can’t get a good cheek weld on the gun. If you can’t get a good cheek weld, you can’t get a quick and consistent sight picture. Since shotguns dominate close-quarter’s use, you want as much speed as possible.
The second problem comes down to recoil and pain. If your head is floating and your cheek weld is a chin weld, the gun will start to beat you up. You want your head low and against the stock, not floating and getting a slight jab with every trigger pull.
Height Over Bore And Shotguns
Let’s remember that shotguns really dominate that zero to twenty-five-yard range. That’s extreme close quarters, and at close quarters, you want your shots to hit where you’re aiming. If you use a full-sized red dot that sits a bit high on your gun, you’re going to run into height over bore issues.
This is a real pain with modern loads like Federal FliteControl, which hit more like a slug at close ranges. We want the rounds to hit exactly where we are aiming with shotguns. Trying to come up with a hold for a shotgun just seems silly.
What’s The Best Size For a Shotgun Red Dot?
I stick to pistol-sized red dots. The largest I’d use is an Aimpoint T-2/H-2 in a low, shotgun-specific mount. I find pistol-sized dots to be perfect, and with the right mount you can still co-witness with your iron sights. Short, small, and sitting low is best for a shotgun sight. If you can, avoid full-sized red dots on shotguns. With the gauge renaissance, many optics and mounts are well suited for the modern shotgun.
