THE SAGUARO GUNNER

The online journal of Arizona Weaponcraft Solutions.

A division of Johnnie L. Mock PSP Security Consultants LLC 500 N. Estrella Pkwy, Suite B2-267 Goodyear Arizona E-Mail: awsl@mindspring.com Web: www.azwcsl.com

Issue 1, Vol. 3 Jan-Mar 2012 Welcome to our first 2012 issue of the Saguaro Gunner. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. We eagerly solicit comments from our readers so if you have a comment or request, please shoot us an e-mail. Regards, Johnnie L. Mock Senior Instructor Arizona Weaponcraft Solutions

In This Issue
1. Why CCW? 2. Our Upcoming Class Schedule 3. Firearms Review: Polish P-35 Radom in 9mm. 4. Book Review: Cartridges of the World, 12th Edition 5. Shooting Fundamentals: Shooting in the Dark 6. Parting Shot: Justification for the Use of Deadly Force

Why CCW?
With Constitutional Carry on the books, why would any Arizona resident choose to pay the money to take a Concealed Carry class? After all, you can now carry concealed without one right? And besides, you can get the card from some instructors for just a couple hours of training and filling out the forms and being finger printed. (I have actually seen one instructor advertising a 1 hour CCW class on the internet). Or if you have taken any number of firearms training classes or have military discharge papers that will get you one. So whats the point? The advantages of just having the card are obvious to anyone who looks into it. No instant check when purchasing a firearm, ability to carry in establishments that serve alcohol, ability to carry in national Parks, ability to carry in over 30 other states that recognize that Arizona card, ect. But how about personal liability? Personal responsibility? How many people who get their CCW because they took an NRA Hunter Safety course understand what constitutes Legal Justification for the use of deadly force? How many people who carry concealed under Constitutional Carry know that if they get pulled over in a school zone and are armed without a CCW that they are in violation of Federal law? (And yes, Mr. Police man/woman will ask you if you are armed). How many people who get the one or two hour CCW quickie really understand what Defensive Display means and when an improper use of it can get you charged with endangerment? Or worse. See my point? I am going to continue to offer the traditional 8 hour CCW class that is mostly legal issues. At the same time I am going to develop new classes that will allow me to teach students more basic marksmanship as well as the fundamental and important legal information they need to honestly apply for an Arizona CCW permit instead of fishing it out of a Cracker Jacks box. Arizona Weaponcraft Solutions will not compromise. Before I sign my name to a piece of paper that allows someone to get an Arizona CCW permit and be able to carry in over half the United States, they are going to go through a relevant training program. I may not sell a lot of CCW classes, but I wont be selling my personal integrity either.

Our Upcoming Class Schedule

Intro to Kalashnikov (AK) Series Rifles
May 5, 2012/$75.00
The AK is an exceptional choice for a civilian defensive rifle. If you own or are considering buying one, this class will get you started with the basics

Intro to Defensive Shotgun

Oct. 13, 2012/$75.00
The combat shotgun is one of the most misunderstood defensive weapons on the market. This class dispels the myth of the alley sweeper and shows you how to use this weapon for the application it was designed for: saving your life. (Only for pump or automatic shotguns)

Arizona Concealed Carry (CCW)

April 14, June 23, Nov 10, 2012/$75.00
This is the traditional 8 hour class that used to be mandated by the state. It is primarily a legal class in regards to the use of deadly force, but has a marksmanship review as well as mental conditioning components.

(NEW!) Ladies

Only CCW Class

Mar. 24, 2012/$75.00

This is the State of Arizona Concealed Weapons Permit class which will be limited to female students only. Many women are reluctant to take a firearms class with men, so here is your opportunity to get this permit and the vital legal training necessary in an environment free of male Mucho Macho. I have had extensive experience training female shooters while on the Army Pistol Team and I know you will enjoy this class.

We are developing more classes. Check our website frequently!

Firearms Review: Polish P-35 Radom in 9mm

At the end of the First World War (1918) the map of Europe changed and many new nations emerged. Poland was reestablished as an independent nation. They had an experienced army, but a hodge podge of assorted military weapons from Germany, Russia, and Austria. Establishing a national arms industry was a priority. The P-35 Radom was originally designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiski in 1930 at the Fabryka Broni (Weapon Factory) ucznik Arms Factory in Radom and was adopted in 1935 as the standard handgun of the Polish Army. Considered by many to be one of the finest handguns ever produced, it is highly prized among collectors of firearms.

The Radom is a standard Browning design that operates similar to the Browning High Power in that there is no link under the barrel to unlock it from the slide in recoil, but instead cams the barrels down off of the slide stop. This single action pistol has an innovative hammer drop safety that was state of the art for its day. When the spring loaded safety lever is depressed, it drops the hammer onto a block between it and the firing pin, and then returns to the upper position. The hammer then is resting on a solid block, and must be manually cocked to enable firing. The ring style hammer was selected to allow Polish cavalrymen to simply cock the pistol one handed by pushing it against their thigh or saddle. With practice, it can also be thumb cocked. The Radom also has a grip safety like the 1911 .45 which prevented it from firing if dropped, and a lanyard ring for a lanyard for the cavalry. Early Radoms had a disassembly latch on the frame below the safety which, when pushed up and locked in its recess in the slide, allowed the slide stop to be easily pushed through the frame to dissemble the pistol. This feature was eliminated in later versions. The caliber is 9mm Parabelem, and the single stack magazine holds 8 rounds. After the German occupation in 1939, the German Army pressed all captured Radoms into German service and continued to manufacture the pistol during the war making some modifications in the process. Most war time Radoms lack the take down lever, and the very last ones had grips made from wood from orange crates. German made Radoms will have a German WaffenAmt (proof house) marking, such as the one pictured with the German eagle and the number 77 under it. Towards the end of the war, many Radoms were assembled from parts at the Steyr factory in Austria. Radoms were a favorite pistol of the German Police and Luftwaffe and large numbers were issued to Fallschirmjaeger (Paratroopers) The Radom is a well balanced and accurate pistol. The one pictured is out of my own collection. It is a late war model with matching numbers and excellent finish which was assembled at the Steyr factory in Austria probably late 1944-early 45. It is also a very accurate pistol that I enjoy shooting. After WW2, the Poles stopped making them, and went to the Russian TT-30 Tokarev pistol for political reasons. These pistols are highly collectable and becoming rather expensive. Original magazines are hard to come by, but aftermarket mags have been made. The Radom is truly a classic.

Book Review: Cartridges of the World, 12th Edition Frank C. Barnes ISBN-10:0-89689-936-5 Gun Digest Books

I often find that many of my students, even those with firearms experience, understand the functioning of their firearm, but really lack knowledge of ammunition and how it works, or even basic ammunition terminology. If you only own one book about ammunition, this one should be it. This volume covers the history of just about every metallic cartridge ever made, with dimensions, loads, ballistics and comparative drawings. There is even a limited amount of reloading info on each cartridge. Plus many chapters that simply explain ammunition subjects in general. This outstanding reference is available for Gun Digest Books at: www.gundigestbooks.com It is well worth the price.

Shooting Fundamentals: Shooting in the Dark

Many folks who are serious about self defense with a firearm, either at home or in public will spend a considerable amount of their income purchasing a firearm, taking training, and then practice diligently on the range. In daylight. This does little to prepare you for the tremendous number of violent assaults that occur in darkness either in or outside the home. Anyone who has ever fired a handgun in an enclosed dark room can verify that three things happen immediately: 1. You are now effectively blinded. 2. You are now effectively deaf. 3. You have just given your position away to someone who means you harm (assuming your shot didnt stop him, or there are multiple assailants.) So lets define the basic problem you are facing when engaging a hostile in darkness or seriously diminished light. It basically boils down to identifying and locating your adversary without giving your position away. This requires light. In the proper application (unless you have the money to buy military grade night vision devices=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$). If you have a newer semi-automatic pistol, there is a good chance that it came equipped with attachment grooves at the front of the frame which will allow you to attach a tactical light such as the one shown below.

There are many makes and models of these on the market. You want one that will allow you to turn on continuous light, and quick on-off, or a strobe which will blind and confuse your attacker. These have many advantages such as a quick on-off with the normal light or strobe. They easily attach or come off of your handgun to allow versatility. On when in the night stand, off when carrying in public. If your particular handgun is not equipped with the grooves for attaching one of these, then you need to be able to use a regular flash light such as the Mag Light shown. The longer 5 cell + Mag Lights make a pretty good club in their own right. Many people prefer a smaller flashlight in order to be able to manipulate it while holding the handgun.

Although outside the scope of this article, there are many techniques for using a light in combination with a hand gun in low level light situations, and it is important that you learn which one works best for you and then practice it until it is second nature. I am hoping to be able to put a low light level defensive pistol class together for evening training this summer, so check our website frequently.

Parting Shot: Justification for the Use of Deadly Force

Since changes in the Arizona Concealed Weapons permit law have relieved DPS of any responsibility for monitoring training content of CCW classes, they have taken the excellent text Justification for the Use of Deadly Force down from their website. Although the information for the process of getting a CCW has changed, the rest of this manual is an invaluable tool to the Arizona gun owner, and was the manual for the old state approved CCW class. Written by a Phoenix attorney, the legal information it has is directed specifically at the gun owner. I have uploaded a copy to my website at www.azwcsl.com and you can download it in pdf. format from there. It is accessed from the drop down menu to the left on our home page and is the last link on the bottom of the menu. Since this document is no longer updated by DPS, you need to keep track of legislative changes from 2010 on. Stay safe and shoot straight Johnnie L. Mock Senior Instructor Arizona Weaponcraft Solutions
Disclaimer: Neither the author, nor the author's organization, accepts any responsibility for injuries or damages resulting from the information in this document. Some actions or items of equipment described may be illegal in certain localities or states, and as such, they are not supported by the author or his organization. The reader should understand that training with firearms is potentially dangerous if done improperly and that he or she alone is responsible for his or her actions.