Recent events have forced me to change direction on my EDC

[Always Faithful Holsters]

My P365 X MACRO TACOPS. I really like carrying this pistol. 17 rounds +1 in a super slim package. Carrying extra mags is easy. Magwell came standard. Optics cut. I carry it when I need to have a bit more concealable pistol. It was cheaper than the standard Comped Macro and it came with 5 magazines total. Win/win

 

[Autonomous]

I can't think of a single encounter I've had with a (suspected) criminal that wasn't directly related to working as a Security Guard and I think that had a lot to do with the fact that most of the time they had me working in stupid places at stupid times and watching over stupid people.

Off topic.
You may have met my soon-to-be ex son-in-law at work in CS.
He told me, bragged actually, about a security company gig where he'd take the security company car off property to sneak up behind people parked and hit the flashing lights to scare them.
He couldn't understand why:
1) His senior co-worker wanted no part of it.
2) No LE agency would hire him.

 

[Smoke]

Off topic.
You may have met my soon-to-be ex son-in-law at work in CS.
He told me, bragged actually, about a security company gig where he'd take the security company car off property to sneak up behind people parked and hit the flashing lights to scare them.
He couldn't understand why:
1) His senior co-worker wanted no part of it.
2) No LE agency would hire him.

I quit Allied Universal and retired 4 years ago.

 

[Smoke]

My opinion hasn't changed since March.

I still feel most comfortable with 10 plus rounds. I still most often carry a Glock 19. I still think OC is a better deterrent than a gun. And I still think being off the street by 9PM will keep you safer than any gun.

What has changed is my circumstances. On July 14th we're moving to the Eastern edge of El Paso County and we won't be going West of Falcon unless we have no other option.

That's going to have a much greater impact on our safety than ANY gun I happen to be carrying.

 

[Autonomous]

I quit Allied Universal and retired 4 years ago.

He regaled me with this gem before then.

PS, congrats on retirement!.

 

[PittsburghJon67]

Man oh man some people blur the lines of what a EDC/CCW is actually for. In a way I dislike these kinds of threads because rarely is good information given and little common sense is shown. Before you worry about what newest and bestest high cap pistol you are going to carry worry more about your situational awareness. Pharmer is on the right track and a few others. If you are walking out to your car do you pay any attention to who is following you? If you leave a store or restaurant do you look in your rear view mirror to see if someone is tagging along with you? If you are sitting in an eating establishment do you sit so you can see the door? Do you know where the next best exit is for a quick escape? If on foot do you walk with a purpose or do you shuffle along like Joe Biden? Do you ever come to a stop when walking and quickly turn around to see who is behind you, or at least take a good look over your shoulder? When you return home do you stop for a second in your driveway and look at your house before pulling into your garage? Does your house look the same as when you left? If not are you going to enter your house or call the police for assistance?

When I was rookie cop my FTO had me immediately start playing the "what if" game and almost 50 years later I still play it. What if you pull into a gas station late at night and its supposed to be open, but you don't see a clerk? Do you wait until you see the clerk or just jump out of your car and start gassing it up? What if you come home after a night out with the wife and you find your garage door partially open and you know you didn't leave it that way? If you have a remote garage door opener do you wait to make sure the garage door closed all the way before you leave? When I take my garbage cans out at night and I go back in the garage, before I go in the house I close the garage door and watch it close to make sure no one sneaks in after me. Do you watch your immediate area around your home for strange parked cars? Sure it could be someone at a neighbors house, but there's no harm in being cautious. How about a strange car that passes your house several times? Is he looking for an address or casing for a burglary or worse? What if he is targeting your house? I even write down license plate numbers of cars and a quick description of them when I am coming and going from my house or snap a quick pic of the vehicle with my phone. When you are going to the range do you load your stuff up in your vehicle in plain view of everyone, or do you load up in the garage with the door closed? Out of sight, out of mind. I don't need to telegraph to everyone that I have firearms at my residence. If someone knocks on your door do you just blindly open the door up to them? Or do you check them out a bit before opening the door? Peep-holes are great for this as well as door bell cameras. Just don't blindly open your door to someone you don't know. Call me an extremist, but I always have a pistol close at hand even at home.

There's a million things you can do to make yourself less vulnerable to opportunists and that's what most bad guys are. If four guys with hoods on are walking towards you on a city street jay-walk if you have to to the other side of the street, or go into an open business and let them pass. Discretion is the better part of valor. If something bad happens and the shooting starts don't worry about returning fire, get behind cover! Once you have cover then worry about getting your weapon out. If you have no cover, which is rare, go prone or kneel. Don't just stand there like a fence post exchanging lead with the bad guys. Facts are facts and most bad guys have no desire to be shot and once they see you are armed they will take off at a run. The biggest problem I see today is having higher capacity firearms means you have the ability to waste more ammunition. Point shooting is great if you are trained in it, but even if you are there is a time when you have to use your sights. Many still claim they don't like optics, but I love them. I have them on my EDC pistols and have qualified with them for three years now and I won't go back to irons. Once you get used to a red dot you will understand why I like them. Sure, sure they make the weapon a bit bigger, but so what? The positive benefits of a red dot far outweigh the negative aspects especially with aging eyes. Even though I have used a red dot for several years now I am still amazed at how well I shoot with them versus iron sights. I don't co-witness my optic sights either. Doing so clutters up my optic window so I avoid doing so. A little common sense, situational awareness and playing the "what if" game will go a long way to keeping you safe and sound. Some people could carry a belt-fed machine gun and it wouldn't make them any safer.

Rick H.

This is the voice of reason talking, folks, and "a word to the wise is sufficient", as an old teacher of mine used to say. Well said, sir.

 

[Smoke]

Night roamers are cowards, that is why they don't do their dirty deeds in daylight. Aerate the easiest target first and the rest will get the message that you ain't there to play.

I really hope you never find out how wrong this paragraph is

 

[Smoke]

He regaled me with this gem before then.

PS, congrats on retirement!.

I mean, if his senior officer was in the car with him and allowed the behavior it's not only the STB EX-son-in-law's fault.

I worked for HSS, G4S and Allied. All three of them had trackers in the vehicles. Allied had a dash cam in the vehicle. So whoever you're exxon-in-law was working for it wasn't Allied. Because he would have been fired the second or third time that happened.

 

[Autonomous]

Thanks for the insight. I do not know who he was working for.

FWIW I had a short gig with a small fly-by-night security company that worked sawmills in the PNW.
The guards were either retired LE that were bored and/or stretching their retirement, or young knuckleheads like me that only wanted beer and gas money.

 

[JohnMcA]

Can’t go wrong with the Sig P365. I’m sure others will be along to agree.

Love my P365 XL.

 

[Jäger1]

EDC is probably "situation dictates" for the majority of people. It is quite true that wherever you live and your daily travels have a lot to do with your situation.

Two books that were on the reading list when I did my criminology degree in the 1970's (naively thinking it would aid my LEO career) were "Crime As Work" and surprisingly to me at the time "Image Of The City". The first was a book based on the concept that most criminals see the crimes they commit as their occupation, much like we see the 40 hours or so we spend/spent each week going to our jobs. Like us, they want to make their daily bread as easily, most hassle free, and least risky as possible.

The criminologist who wrote that book interviewed thousands of incarcerated criminals in multiple prisons, ranging from fraud artists to safe crackers, to the gamut of violent offenders. Within that book are a lot of lessons to remind the reader that you can minimize looking like the next jobsite for criminals. It basically detailed what criminals found attractive in victim selection and what made a situation look risky, leading to that criminal continuing to search for a safer person/place to do their work.

The other book went about exploring how individuals see the city they live in, and the daily movement patterns we form over time as we go to work, go shopping, to our churches and sources of recreation, etc.

Regardless of where you live, you can do as much to enhance your safety by addressing factors like this as you can by whatever you choose as your EDC.

The earlier post pointing out that "crime is everywhere" is accurate. It always has been.

Then the deterrent of law enforcement was removed for a lot of criminals and their crime. Now crime is everywhere even more so, now that we've had twelve years of federal governments that invited as many as 20 million Illegal Aliens to come to this country during those presidencies. They're all criminals in many respects the moment they illegally cross the border, but within their population are many, many who make part or all of their living from violent crime.

And successful working criminals, relatively safe from the occupational hazard of incarceration, motivate other working criminals who may be well outside of their group and in other areas of the state or country.

Most people think of this part of Montana as being the proverbial "safe as in church". No inner cities, no street gangs, no crackheads and street zombies in sight. And yet, the DEA here in Montana have reported that gangs like MS13 have gotten their foot in the door here in Montana inside the reservations our Heritage Folks live at. Violent crime was always a thing on the Rez going back to the time of Y2K when we bought the house here, but back then it was the usual: Natives overwhelmingly victimize Natives, just as whites overwhelmingly victimize other whites.

That paradigm is disappearing in and around the Rez, and now it is spreading off the Rez. Property crime has dramatically increased in our general area around Kalispell/Whitefish, violent crime is starting to do the same.

This is due to various reasons which I would claim and defend as being due to the increase in numbers of Illegal Aliens now in the area, and Kalispell city council deciding to provide a welcoming and supporting environment to what were called "vagrants" back in my LEO days. Then they cosplay as being shocked that people with no means of legitimate support with many being druggies, commit crimes in order to fund their food, their fun, and their drugs.

So yes, whatever you saw as good enough years ago may not seem as good now. The inverted triangle referred to as 'The Dark Figure Of Crime' still exists, but your environment and your pattern of daily life may be changing dramatically.

For me, my EDC is still the FN High Power I purchased in the early 70's when we were authorized to purchase a pistol rather than our service revolvers for the times when we were working plain clothes instead of uniform. Been carrying it unmodified (other than adding adjustable sights when I started competing in IPSC) since then; change out the springs each year, for me still good to go. No idea of high many tens of thousands of rounds I have fired through that pistol over the years.

I have well over a dozen well used handguns, most of them S&W revolvers purchased during the time I was addicted to PPC competition. The various short barreled ones would qualify for EDC, but I personally don't believe in a "carry rotation". I choose what I think is the best tool for that job and I stick with it, using the same holster and method of carry every single day.

I certainly don't and never have advocated that a service pistol is best EDC for anyone. What works for one doesn't work for all.

For me it's good: the weight on my belt since retirement is now lighter than it was during all my years of carrying a gun/guns at work. This is Montana, and anybody can be pretty casual about how they conceal, or not conceal at all. I've yet to receive a look or a comment in 20+ years of living here, carrying in a high ride holster with an untucked shirt or jacket over. The open carriers here pretty much also go unnoticed, other than by the occasional tourist who briefly stops looking at their cellphone or in the shop windows.

But eventually, with age having successfully caught up with me and the environment in this area of Montana possibly getting worse, I may find myself re-thinking my EDC. Whatever I choose at that point will probably be very similar to what I'm accustomed to after 50 years: some variant of a single action pistol, perhaps whatever at that time looks like the S&W CSX.

What I'm used to has worked so far; I may decide to replace what I use as the tool for that, but I'm not going to make wholesale changes at this stage of my life. It would take major changes in my surrounding living environment and circumstances to cause me to make major changes.

Perhaps that is what the OP sees, leading to the changes he spoke about making.

 

[Krogen]

Excellent post, Jäger1. Thanks for the book references. I'll be reading them soon, provided I can located them. Interesting that criminals see their activities as a job. It's jarring to think of some crook possibly sitting in front of daytime TV and contemplating the next heist. Absolutely foreign to me, but a way of life for them. Good food for thought. It's wise to know thine enemy.

 

[Casper59]

M2CW, something that fits your hand, that you practice with frequently, and has good capacity based on your location, and a good backup. I personally use the Sig P320-M18, with the S&W Shield Plus as backup.

 

[Tony Tiger]

This past weekend saw some close friends and some of my favorite locales become the target of some gang activity.
In talking with several law enforcement officers at a security review for our campus they have seen a dramatic rise in carjackings, vehicle theft and even two abductions at places that never make the news when it comes to crime reports. Several neighborhoods including one that consistently ranked year after year as one of the nations safest places are no longer safe havens.

The two abductions were separate incidents both being woman shopping in a relatively safe (until now) area and both ended up being found miles away sadly murdered. Multiple assailants are suspected based upon initial evidence.
One at a shopping plaza and another at a mall.

My coworker had his Nissan Pathfinder stolen out of his elderly mother’s driveway in one of those nationally ranked safe neighborhoods. Several friends have had their vehicles broken into as well as the catalytic converter being stolen. It’s to the point law enforcement is recommending not to shop alone when visiting high traffic retail areas. Something about easy access to highways makes it more attractive to the criminal element.

For the past 30+ years I carried a revolver mostly j frames. I’m a decent shot with them and can always hit a paper plate at 10 yards. Depending on ammo or my ability that day I can shoot a palm sized grouping and sometimes have 3 or so rounds touching.

My buddy showed me his Ring Camera footage and there were 4 maybe 5 who approached his Nissan. Hard to tell as the vehicle was slightly obscured by the porch railings but you could make out several hooded figures Suddenly a 5 shot snub does not seem to be enough.

I had a Shield 1.0 at one point many many years ago and couldn’t hit the side of the barn if I was standing inside the barn! I am now looking at a 365 or CC9 or Hellcat. At my age I may also look into an optic but not sure. The newest crop of mini 9mms have double stack magazines and larger grips some with inserts that can help with me handling and controlling them. Some friends are gonna let me shoot a few to see what I like. I may look on the used
market for some older DAO semi autos since that should approximate a revolver trigger that I am accustomed to.

Scary times we live in and after the ah ha moment this morning hearing the latest news that snub just doesn’t enough now.

Sobering to say the least.

I would be interested in your location as where I live is also touted as safe place. That being said I have two LEOs live across the street and there is usually one if not two police vehicles in their driveway. They also have high dollar POVs out too. They just had driveway widened to three car so if one gets called out they dont have to play shuffle the cars. I guess I should talk with him to see if there is unreported crime in area although NextDoor app is usually fraught with "I heard/saw something"
As far as EDC I have slacked a bit and carry a NAA revolver in pocket otherwise it would backup a Ruger LCR 38. I live in St Peters MO so we have the Mall close to hwy and plenty of plaza units to be aware of. Local mall is closing down store by store and may be a target for sone unsavory characters as has less traffic and less public activity for bad deeds to take place. Makes ones little gray cells perk up as to watch your six. Keep your powder dry!

 

[Jäger1]

Excellent post, Jäger1. Thanks for the book references. I'll be reading them soon, provided I can located them. Interesting that criminals see their activities as a job. It's jarring to think of some crook possibly sitting in front of daytime TV and contemplating the next heist.

Crime As Work mentions what many LEOs, criminologists, correctional officers, etc have also pointed out: prison is essentially trade school for criminals.

Learning how to better break in without alerting the neighbors, how minimize the chances of being caught while check kiting, safest places for a fast in and out armed robbery, the importance of ensuring there is more than one exit from the location you intend to commit the crime, double loaded corridors are better for B&Es rather than complexes where entry to the units is open to public view, etc.

They're there because the failed at something, got caught, and were actually successfully prosecuted. The learn from the others there why they too failed - and of all the crimes they successfully committed, didn't get detected or caught, and why they got it right committing those crimes.

Another criminologist wrote another book on our reading list during my criminology degree: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

The book was more intended for use by urban planners, reflecting on the abysmal failures and crime rates in "the projects" that were supposedly urban renewal in the 60's and 70's. The intent of the book and CPTED that it created was to hopefully have urban developers not repeat the same mistakes. In creating the environmental urban planning concept of CPTED, the author also created the idea of individuals having "defensible space".

In reading that book or following up on those concepts with web searches, you can survey your home and your immediate surrounding neighborhood to see potential vulnerabilities that can quite possibly be easily addressed to eliminate them or at least minimize them.

It's just an extension of the idea that the best gunfight to be in is the one that never happened; the best crime to be in is the one you weren't involved in because career criminals gave your home, you, your business a pass because they concluded there was safer people or places somewhere else to target for their crimes.

Criminals DON'T begin their days work wanting to have an encounter with either police or people that could present a risk.

 

[Cracker224]

I personally will NOT do business with Sig.. Look at the listed models below
S&W Shield Plus 10 to 13 rounds
S&W 380 2.0 (be an excellent choice) 12 rounds.
Glock 43X or 48
Canik mete MC9LS or Prime (excellent, underated handguns)
S&W Equalizer

 

[ISCS Yoda]

For the record, it is not that difficult to be AWARE. Looking around while walking, trying to get the best table at a restaurant to see everything, watching who enters the door, knowing the exits, looking for cars following you, locking doors, setting alarms, these are all easy things to accomplish. It doesn't matter where you live or what gun you're carrying.

And, there is a benefit that generally you do not hear about - if you LOOK LIKE YOU ARE AWARE, any perps and goblins around will notice that.

Gasoline at night? How about modern gas stations that stay open for pumping gas but there's nobody else around, the office is closed, etc. You have two choices. First, don't go there. Second, start the pump, walk behind your vehicle, look around, move to the other side, look again, etc. Oh, and there is no law against having your hand on your EDC while you do this. Jus' sayin' - being aware is NOT difficult and you become less of a target and more of someone to avoid.........

 

[VincentW]

This past weekend saw some close friends and some of my favorite locales become the target of some gang activity.
In talking with several law enforcement officers at a security review for our campus they have seen a dramatic rise in carjackings, vehicle theft and even two abductions at places that never make the news when it comes to crime reports. Several neighborhoods including one that consistently ranked year after year as one of the nations safest places are no longer safe havens.

The two abductions were separate incidents both being woman shopping in a relatively safe (until now) area and both ended up being found miles away sadly murdered. Multiple assailants are suspected based upon initial evidence.
One at a shopping plaza and another at a mall.

My coworker had his Nissan Pathfinder stolen out of his elderly mother’s driveway in one of those nationally ranked safe neighborhoods. Several friends have had their vehicles broken into as well as the catalytic converter being stolen. It’s to the point law enforcement is recommending not to shop alone when visiting high traffic retail areas. Something about easy access to highways makes it more attractive to the criminal element.

For the past 30+ years I carried a revolver mostly j frames. I’m a decent shot with them and can always hit a paper plate at 10 yards. Depending on ammo or my ability that day I can shoot a palm sized grouping and sometimes have 3 or so rounds touching.

My buddy showed me his Ring Camera footage and there were 4 maybe 5 who approached his Nissan. Hard to tell as the vehicle was slightly obscured by the porch railings but you could make out several hooded figures Suddenly a 5 shot snub does not seem to be enough.

I had a Shield 1.0 at one point many many years ago and couldn’t hit the side of the barn if I was standing inside the barn! I am now looking at a 365 or CC9 or Hellcat. At my age I may also look into an optic but not sure. The newest crop of mini 9mms have double stack magazines and larger grips some with inserts that can help with me handling and controlling them. Some friends are gonna let me shoot a few to see what I like. I may look on the used
market for some older DAO semi autos since that should approximate a revolver trigger that I am accustomed to.

Scary times we live in and after the ah ha moment this morning hearing the latest news that snub just doesn’t enough now.

Sobering to say the least.

I understand that this is an older post, but the topic remains highly relevant today, especially in large US cities, with an increase in reports of car jackings. If I were to encounter such a situation, I would hope my first instinct is to call 911 immediately. While on the line with emergency services, I would hope that I was able to assess my surroundings and consider my options. If it's safe to do so, I might attempt to back out of the situation. If I felt threatened and escape is not possible, I would drive at full speed toward the side of the vehicle with the least number of assailants, prioritizing my safety and the safety of my passengers.

There are several resources and specialists that offer training and videos on how to evade dangerous situations like car jackings. Here are a few notable options:

USCCA Academy: The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) offers a comprehensive video series that covers various self-defense scenarios, including car jackings. Their training includes situational awareness, legal insights, and practical drills. You can create a free account to access valuable lessons tailored for both new and experienced gun owners.

FreeState Gun Range: They provide a specific course focused on carjacking survival. This course emphasizes situational awareness and avoidance strategies, along with hands-on demonstrations using a real vehicle. It's a three-hour course that covers the mindset of carjackers and practical responses to such threats.

Tactical Response: This organization offers various self-defense training courses, including those focused on vehicle defense and evasion tactics. They often have videos and resources available for those unable to attend in-person training.

YouTube Channels: Many self-defense experts and instructors share free content on platforms like YouTube. Channels dedicated to self-defense tactics often include videos on how to handle carjackings and other dangerous situations. Look for channels that focus on situational awareness and practical self-defense techniques.

Local Self-Defense Schools: Many martial arts and self-defense schools offer classes specifically designed to teach individuals how to respond to car jackings and similar threats. These classes often include both physical techniques and mental strategies for evasion.

When exploring these options, consider your learning preferences—whether you prefer in-person training, online videos, or a combination of both. Always ensure that the instructors are qualified and have a good reputation in the self-defense community.

In terms of personal protection, I recommend considering alternatives like a pepper ball gun. This option can be effective in disorienting and temporarily blinding potential attackers, giving you a chance to escape. The pepper ball gun operates similarly to a semi-automatic firearm, making it user-friendly in high-stress situations. You won't hesitate to fire a Byrna pepper gun. It is the best non-fatal solution.

 

[RevV67]

Lots of wisdom on this thread. Thanks!

 

[VincentW]