Sad days at the range forces me to change EDC

[RMFnLA]

I can and have proved it many times to folks who said that was BS. You probably can too. Try it.

For a couple of years I shot at NWS Seal Beach, virtually every day. Just south of LA.

With the same accuracy as an auto loader?

Well, with that much practice you probably could.

I can shoot DA either fast or accurate, but I want both the auto loader is the way to go.

 

[AJ]

With the same accuracy as an auto loader?

Well, with that much practice you probably could.

I can shoot DA either fast or accurate, but I want both the auto loader is the way to go.

In answer to your question at one time I could. But now 35 or so years later probably not. However, it would be fun to try if our local range would let us. Their rule is "one round every three seconds" no mater auto or revolver.

I still shoot three days a week most weeks of the year. Will take three weeks off for vacation that my Wife says I must go on.

 

[Grimjaws]

So how to carry this

So I live in an anti gun state meaning concealment is paramount
I’ve been so used to pocket carrying a j frame for so long all other methods seem uncomfortable and not concealed.

The advantage of a j frame in the pocket is the shape is lumpy so doesn’t scream gun. I believe that no one gives my front pocket a second glance.

I tried the Shield in pocket carry but it just looks like a pistol. I have a bit of a spare tire so IWB or appendix carry is incredibly uncomfortable but right at my belt buckle seems to conceal the best. Plus if I add an optic it shouldn’t be that much a addition in terms of bulk

Belt carry dictates a large shirt or sweatshirt to cover it but it feels like the butt is printing

Now the quest for a form fitting holster

Although I did cheat today and pocket carried
my 442 as it just feels right and I had on shorts and a t shirt

Stupid eyesight ruined my favorite carry

 

[AJ]

So I live in an anti gun state meaning concealment is paramount
I’ve been so used to pocket carrying a j frame for so long all other methods seem uncomfortable and not concealed.

The advantage of a j frame in the pocket is the shape is lumpy so doesn’t scream gun. I believe that no one gives my front pocket a second glance.

I tried the Shield in pocket carry but it just looks like a pistol. I have a bit of a spare tire so IWB or appendix carry is incredibly uncomfortable but right at my belt buckle seems to conceal the best. Plus if I add an optic it shouldn’t be that much a addition in terms of bulk

Belt carry dictates a large shirt or sweatshirt to cover it but it feels like the butt is printing

Now the quest for a form fitting holster

Although I did cheat today and pocket carried
my 442 as it just feels right and I had on shorts and a t shirt

Stupid eyesight ruined my favorite carry

Whatever works for you is the best. Shorts and a t-shirt are the official uniform of the day in my area. I use a soft pocket holster to soften the shape of the J Frame that I carry. When I was on Active Duty and authorized to carry in my Uniform Of The Day it was and M1911A1. I carried it while in Utilities in a soft holster in the small of my back. Had to remove it when sitting in a car though.

 

[Ameshawki]

Owned a number of j frames over the years. I never seem to keep them. Even in my younger days they weren't very pleasant to shoot. Honestly I find the larger front sight on the early Charters much more to my liking.

My normal carry piece is a Shield with a Big Dot. If I carry a revolver its my SP101 with fiber optic front sight.

 

[AJ]

Try this w/your J Frame: Using a standard paper plate at three, five & seven yards empty your gun as fast as possible, combat reload and repeat. The goal is keep all rounds on the plate, tight groups are unimportant.

At one time in my younger days I wanted to hunt grizzly with a .44 Mag. I contacted a guide and he told me when I could hit a 9 inch paper plate at 100 yards for all six shots. So I practiced that and got to the point where I could do it each and every time. Was using a S&W Model 29-2 with a 4 inch barrel. Practice, practice and more practice...........Did I get my bear? No, life got in the way..........

 

[sotexas]

Been a revolver shooter for 35 years and my EDC is a 442 or 36 no dash if I’m feeling nostalgic. Went to the range and had my usual cheap paper plate targets at 7 and 10 yards and I was awful.

I’m normally able to group the j frames in a palm sized group at 7 yards and hand sized at 10 which isn’t too bad.

You would have thought I was using a shotgun based upon how all over the place I was. Even single action with the 36 was off.

Truth be told had a hard time seeing the front sights. They both have a dab of orange to help my older eyes.

So after several cylinders of 158 and 130 grain .38 I decided to try the M&P Shield 2.0 in 9mm. I’d only fired it a few times as I’m not a fan of semi autos but it was a good deal and I needed something the shoot my stash of 9mm.

Well that white dot front sight was easy to see and I did pretty good. I kept all shots on the plates and started out low left. Remembered some advice from a law enforcement range officer I met a few months ago who was nice enough to give the old man some pointers. The groups tightened up nicely.

So sad to say with my eyesight being what it is I’m gonna retire the j frames and carry my Shield more.

Thinking it was a fluke I went back a few days later and same results.

I’ll still bring the snubs to the range but man that was a confidence killer for sure and a nice surprise for how I did with the Shield even though I prefer revolvers

Luckily my k frame 18 and 19-3 4” duo did great even ringing the gong at 50 yards on the nearby combat range. I grew up shooting a 4” k frame so that is like an old friend and I know it will do it’s part if I do mine. Plus the red ramp white outline on the 19-3 is easy to see.

Sucks getting old.

Hmmm, maybe a snub k frame is something to hunt for? But it has to have adjustable sights.

Congrats to you for recognizing and correcting a critical issue. Old eyes suck and I have Macular in my left. All pistols now have Tru Glo TFO bright green sights that are great. Unbelievably bright in both day and night lighting. The Shield won't let you down

 

[BE Mike]

At those close distances ( 7 and 10 yards) you should be able to get decent groups by point shooting instead of looking at your sights. I found that good aftermarket grips help, too.

 

[AJ]

At those close distances ( 7 and 10 yards) you should be able to get decent groups by point shooting instead of looking at your sights. I found that good aftermarket grips help, too.

This use to be called "Instinct Point". Not sure what it is called now.

 

[yeti]

Having the privilege to be an older shooter sometimes requires change. Adjust to current conditions and adapt.
How will you know if you are still effective unless you practice? Good job at figuring out a better way.

I'm fully on the RDO bandwagon now, but there are other things that may require adaptation as well.

 

[Grimjaws]

Range day

Heading to the range this afternoon with my 442 wearing the bigger Pachmayr and my Shield 2.0 9mm.

Same paper plate targets 7 and 10 yards

Going to try some point or instinctive shooting with the j and Shield

Will also try using the sights especially with the larger j grips to see if that makes a difference

Found a local smith who will mill the slide for an optic so may try that next once I can scrape up the funds

I’ll post results later

 

[BE Mike]

Heading to the range this afternoon with my 442 wearing the bigger Pachmayr and my Shield 2.0 9mm.

Same paper plate targets 7 and 10 yards

Going to try some point or instinctive shooting with the j and Shield

Will also try using the sights especially with the larger j grips to see if that makes a difference

Found a local smith who will mill the slide for an optic so may try that next once I can scrape up the funds

I’ll post results later

As someone, like you, who cut their teeth on iron sights, you might find it very challenging to adjust to red dot sights. The tube ones, i.e. UltraDot are great for oldsters to use for match shooting, but I found the little RMR sights harder to get into action as quickly as iron sights. Tube sights give the eye a lot of cues to get the dot in the picture. The RMR sights not so much. The RMR sights are much easier to shoot accurately at distance for old eyes, just not as quick for getting the gun into action from the holster. It can be done, but it takes working a LOT with the same gun/ RMR setup to be able to draw and have that dot where you want it time after time.

 

[Grimjaws]

Optics in my future

So tried again. First target posted below at 7 yards.
5 shot string at 5 to 6 o’clock including one in the blue tape was my 442.

8 shots in the upper and left side were from the Shield.

Okay not too bad but not great.

After that pure awful on the other 4 plates
All over the place and no consistency
I’ve noticed with the striker fired I hit low left but there was no pattern. A few times I was able to shrink the pattern but I need more practice and those sights were hard to see at dusk.

I tried point or instinctive and that was worse
I think they all went low but not sure
I just know nothing hit white plates and it felt weird

Longer range
10 yards and steel plates it went downhill fast

I can reuse the paper plates on the 10 yard target for dinner!
They had a few outer ridge hits but nothing

Steel tree at 7 to 10 yards one hit with 8 shots out of the shield
None with the snub

Tried a silhouette at 30 yards and one shot out of 8 with the shield
none with the snub

Going out of town but when I get back will sell off some of the collection and use the funds for a Glock 43X MOS or Shield Plus and a green optic

I tried one down in Raleigh - 19 Glock MOS - with my son and it was dead on. I can see the green dots easier versus red.
I’ve been thinking about it for awhile but this cements it.

Next range visit bringing my 4” 19-3 to build up some confidence as right now I don’t have confidence in my carry guns.
I’m sure up close and personal it could do the job but across living room distance I’m struggling.

I’ve pocket carried because it is easy. Having a bit of a spare tire around the waste makes IWB carry uncomfortable but I don’t see a pocket carry alternative to the j frame or shield that would do better.

I need to adjust for my eyesight.

Being a revolver fan I may try my sons 66-1 snub as it has the red ramp front sight which works great for me. The white outline red ramp on my 19-3 are easier to see versus the fixed sight guns. Of course these are full size so will still need to work on how to carry them.

Got home and called my son. We talked about maybe trying the 36 single action or the Cobra single action but I’m not sure it will change anything since it’s the sights and not trigger work.

It’s time to embrace optics. And it gives me an excuse to lose some weight to slim down the waistline for IWB

Thanks for all the feedback and reading my shooting stories.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

A few years ago I swapped out the black front sight for a red hi-viz on my Model of 1988 625. I use it often in zsa 2gun and ipsc matches and was having to hunt for the front sight. Hi-viz is the way to go. Haven’t had to do that with my 1911 or cas revolvers but they are stainless and nickel. Btw I’m 72.

 

[sigp220.45]

It took me a few range trips to get used to the red dot. I felt like I was chasing the dot around. Then I realized all I had to do was line up the irons like I’ve done a gazillion times and the red dot was right there on top of the front sight. Now I don’t think about it - I just poke that Austrian wonder out and the dot is waiting for me.

 

[BE Mike]

Point shooting is not something one can do well after one range session and needs to be done with the same gun because of the angle of the grip, etc. It takes practice. When you say that you were getting misses "low left" what makes you think it had nothing to do with trigger control or lack thereof? Green dot RMR's for pistols are somewhat rare, but yes, the green is easier, especially for us oldsters, to see. Poor trigger control is responsible for more poor shots than anything else. Good luck!

 

[max503]

The deeper I get into geezerhood, the more careful I try to be with my body.
I've been a DA revolver shooter all my life. Lately, after a long DA shooting session with a J frame, I can feel a "sensation" in my trigger finger. Not a pain or anything, but I don't want to push it.
Anyway, this issue has got me relying more and more on a Glock 380.
It's just more comfortable for me to shoot. It's more gentle on the hand.

 

[Grimjaws]

Clarification

I know breathing, trigger control, posture, sight picture, etc all contribute to successful shooting. My hurdles right now is
- hard to see sights on j frames
- not being a frequent user of semi autos especially striker fired ones and adjusting to a three dot system

With practice and some instruction from local sources who are better than me with a semi I can get back to a skill level I deem acceptable

Or look into a j frame with different sights as was suggested in an earlier post

And I noticed you can buy an optics ready shield slide and investigate that.

The fun is in the hunt for a solution.

 

[RMFnLA]

So I live in an anti gun state meaning concealment is paramount
I’ve been so used to pocket carrying a j frame for so long all other methods seem uncomfortable and not concealed.

The advantage of a j frame in the pocket is the shape is lumpy so doesn’t scream gun. I believe that no one gives my front pocket a second glance.

I tried the Shield in pocket carry but it just looks like a pistol. I have a bit of a spare tire so IWB or appendix carry is incredibly uncomfortable but right at my belt buckle seems to conceal the best. Plus if I add an optic it shouldn’t be that much a addition in terms of bulk

Belt carry dictates a large shirt or sweatshirt to cover it but it feels like the butt is printing

Now the quest for a form fitting holster

Although I did cheat today and pocket carried
my 442 as it just feels right and I had on shorts and a t shirt

Stupid eyesight ruined my favorite carry

Yeah, I’m in CA where even accidentally “flashing” can get one’s CCW revoked.

I’m lucky to have a body type that is conducive to 3:00 IWB; my Shield disappears even under a t-shirt.

 

[kbm6893]

30 years ago I shot better with a semi auto and 30 years later I’m still better with a semi auto. But I’m not terrible with a J frame, and at the ranges I would use one for (15 yards max), I put them all in a dinner plate sized grouping on the torso. Good enough. I can shoot through a pocket with my 640 if I need to (I used to carry one in my off hand pocket of my duty jacket when I walked a beat), I can jam it into a person and rip all 5 shots, I don’t worry about limp wristing it, and no worry about bullet setback.

I do carry a Shield Plus, but the 640 is still easier to conceal. And the thought of hanging lights, lasers, or red dots on that Shield is unthinkable to me. Carry guns gotta be small and light. Adding all that stuff is not for me.