Shooting from the Hip

Blogs and forums are buzzing about the redesigned fourth-generation Glock, set for release in 2010.

Richard over at Gun Holsters and Gear says the new Glock, or the “Next Generation of Perfection,” is rumored to have an adjustable grip for hands of all shapes and sizes as well as a textured finish.

AccurateShooter.com mentions that grip on Glock handguns has been a point of contention for some time. Glocks have been manufactured by Glock GmbH in Austria since 1963. The company’s is known for its strike-fired polymer-framed pistols.

“Glock has been losing market share as police departments nationwide have traded in their Glocks in favor of the more ergonomic Smith M&Ps,” said the editor at AccurateShooter.

When the fourth-gen G22 RTF2 Glock was first released this year, Steve at The Firearms Blog wrote: “I think 3rd gen glocks will be considered the ‘classic’ and having an older one will be ‘cool.’”

Will the newly redesigned Glock make it into the ‘cool’ category?

To some, a holster constructed with injection-molded carbon fiber is as close to toting your pistol in Prada as you’re gonna get.

When comparing injection molding to other methods, the main difference is that it forms one continuous piece. This makes it extremely sturdy because it’s not two pieces molded together. Rather the carbon fiber is injected into a mold in order to make a solid, resilient holster.

So, how does injection molding work?

Whatever your material might be, it is placed into a heated barrel of an injection molding machine, or injection press. From there, it is blended together and pushed into a mold cavity where it cools. At that point, it hardens and takes the permanent shape of the mold. Click here to view an interactive graphic that takes you through each step.

Molds are typically designed by a moldmaker or toolmaker out of metal and can be created to form almost anything—even entire body panels on cars.

This video shows an injection molding machine in all of its three modes: manual, semi-automatic and automatic.

Safariland Holster

It’s something we unfortunately see all too often: A police officer just doing his job, protecting the community, and a criminal goes after his weapon, attempting to disarm him.

That was the case most recently in Ontario, Canada. An emotionally disturbed man went after an officer’s holster, and actually managed to tear it away from him, The Hamilton Spectator reported last week.

Fortunately the gun was locked safely inside a holster. The man was unable release it from the holster because of three safety clips, therefore not allowing him to shoot anyone.

According to the paper, the officers were equipped with Level Three Safariland holsters and have been for nearly two decades. However, it was the first time these holsters were put to a real-world test.

Read the full story here, and watch a review of the Safariland ALS holster below.

If you’re a gun owner and haven’t received an e-mail forward warning of the horrors of SB-2099, an alleged U.S. Senate bill that would enforce a federal tax on firearms, then you are one of the few.

This mythical bill, which has been dispelled since 2000, claims that:

• Senate Bill SB-2099 will require gun owners to put on the 2009 1040 federal tax form all guns that you have or own.
• It will require fingerprints and a $50 tax per gun.
• The bill will become public knowledge 30 days after it becomes a law.

All of the above is completely and utterly false (well, according to Snopes). But why would this rumor resurface after being disproved nearly a decade ago? According to About.com’s Urban Legends, the 2008 election was the catalyst.

The latest e-mail about the SB-2099 “bill,” is a combination of the 2000 forward and another e-mail about the Blair Holt bill, which is true. The amalgamation of both bills, however, proves false.

The recent forward resurgence caused the NRA to release a statement in August that said the e-mail ruckus had caused them to receive “hundreds of e-mails warning us about SB-2099”

“Like many rumors, there’s just a grain of truth to this one,” the statement said. “Someone’s recycling an old alert, which wasn’t even very accurate when it was new.”

The video opinion commentary below discusses SB-2099, saying that the whole thing is a hoax, and points to potentially more pressing matters for those who own firearms.

This oldie-but-goody video of a DEA agent shooting himself in the foot while lecturing about gun safety is a painful reminder of the importance of a good, secure gun holster.

In the video, you will see that he accidentally pulls the trigger while trying to put his gun back in its holster. From the video: “I’m the only one in the room professional enough that I know of to carry this Glock .40. I’m the only … (shoots himself and pauses) … Is everybody all right?”

Although we’re constantly amazed by his ability to not freak out after being shot, we’re equally amazed by his utter stupidity. Granted accidents do happen, things like this probably shouldn’t in a classroom filled with students learning about gun safety.

In 2006, two years after that nearly fatal mistake, the injured agent in the video, Lee Paige, became internationally infamous and filed a suit against the government over his humiliation. According to The Smoking Gun, Mr. Paige claimed that the DEA was responsible for the video’s distribution that was widely circulated online and on TV, which ultimately led to public shame and kept him from taking part in future undercover operations and motivational lectures.

“And I actually had an accident where I almost hit my femoral artery, and I could have died,” Mr. Paige said in a 2006 CNN interview. “The physician indicated I would have died in 22 seconds had that happened. So, and also, my — my safety and my ability to do my job is compromised.”

Below is an excerpt of Mr. Paige discussing the incident on ABC.

Authorities in the Australian state of Victoria are investigating defective gun holsters, which are still being used by area police.

According the The Age, an officer was shot dead after a routine traffic stop by his own firearm in 2005. The commanding officer allegedly knew the holsters to be defective and potentially fatal. While some say officers were not warned of the danger, one officer told the paper that the security clip on his holster often opened without him noticing, happening “more times than I can think.”

If any good could come out of this story, it would be underlining the importance of a quality gun holster that would never impede police officers’ ability to defend themselves and others. Whether your holster is made out of leather, kydex or any other material, always double check that it’s working properly before using it on the job.

Kydex Gun Holster

Kydex, a durable leather-alternative, has quickly become a favorite holster material for gun enthusiasts alike. Although it’s not as sturdy as its injection-molded carbon fiber counterparts (like the Blackhawk Serpa Holster line), Kydex’s popularity has steadily increased during the last decade because of its sturdiness and its scratch and water resistance.

When it was first manufactured 44 years ago, Kydex was intended for aircraft interiors (think: tray tables, air ducts, armrests). Now the line of plastic can be found in almost everything—from medical equipment to exhibition displays.

With a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale, the material can be purchased in most gun holster styles from brands like Blade Tech or Uncle Mike’s. The holsters typically start at about $25, which can be a little more expensive than nylon or synthetic ones.

The informational video below walks you through the decision-making process that goes into buying a Kydex gun holster.

Barack Obama—who most recently shocked everyone (even himself) with a Nobel Peace Prize win—is making some gun owners in Washington a little nervous.

Why? According to The Forest Grove News-Times, sales of firearms have spiked in the area because they are simply unsure on how the administration will handle gun control. The paper says that the Tri-County Gun Club has seen a surge of 70 new members per month through most of 2009.

“People are doing two things: One, they’re personally stockpiling. The other is, a little hoarding – thinking they can make a buck,” the club owner told the newspaper.

And this isn’t something unique to the Northwest. Reports of the new president’s influence on firearm purchases began to surface at the start of the new year. One outdoor news service even went as far as declaring Obama the “Gun Salesman of the Year”.