Personal Critical Review of Firearms – The FN FNX Pistol

The FN FNX Pistol (and FNP-45)

When no other company would serve the needs of J. M. Browning Fabrique Nationale d’Herstal stepped up into position in 1897. The Browning FN relationship lasted until his death, when Dieudonné Saive took JMB’s position and finished many of his projects and added many of his own, including the first staggered extended capacity pistol magazine we all use in most full sized pistols to this day.

Many years ago my first introduction to an auto-loading pistol was the JM Browning 1911a1 pistol, later I would start to favor the Dieudonné Saive P35 – the Browning HiPower pistol. Not until this newest FN pistol, the subject of this article, have I come across a real replacement for the HiPower, something with the features that would satisfy my particular requirements.

I now think that FN has actually produced the best combination of the best features of the HiPower, the Walther P38, the modern polymer pistols, and dare I say it… the 1911 (insert the correct genuflection to JM Browning as needed). The FNX is truly the lighter, faster, tougher, grandson of the HiPower. The FNX was originally the .45 acp caliber evolution of the FNP pistol containing all of the new military demands including surviving the +P 25,000 round torture test. the FNX is the further expansion of this evolution into .40 and 9mm caliber versions.

The FNX has an external serrated burr eyelet ring hammer, is double action/single action, wears a positive safety, contains a blocked hammer drop, a “half cocked” notch, and a tactile loaded chamber indicator, all wrapped with a polymer exterior over it’s skeleton like internal replaceable frame.

I did a mountain of research before I purchased my M Series pistol, I did as much or more before I dropped the cash on this new FNX pistol. I have been searching for a replacement worthy of the HiPower and more suitable and desirable than a striker-fired pistol for daily open carry. I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say that this pistol is everything – and then some – that any 1911 or HiPower fan could ever ask for.

Note: the pictured Magazines are the new blackened stainless 17 round version, three come included with the pistol, I had a hard time finding the fourth, as supplies are low.

Personal – For my main open cary pistol I have a few simple demands:

1. Long service life against abuse
2. Staggered magazine of 10 or more rounds
3. Thicker grip for a larger hand
4. Simple operation and take-down
5. Manual Safety
6. Double Action/Single Action
7. External hammer
8. Reasonable trigger and reasonable accuracy
9. Capable of shooting hand-loaded ammunition and lead bullets

The FNX has all of the above and more.

The three dot sights have a lower cut-out and a larger front sight dot to make the three dots a similar size in use (distance/perspective).

Function – Using reloads, surplus, and white box, the FNX so far has had top-notch reliable function with not a single problem of any type in the short time and only 500 rounds I have sent out of the barrel. (ed. note this is now over 2000 rounds)

This pistol is in 9mm with a fully supported chamber that should prevent a glock style KB (kaboom, not all that common with 9mm to begin with) the pistol also has an integrated out of battery prevention feature. The trigger is a true DA/SA similar to a P38. All of the controls are similar to 1911, HiPower, and PPKS pistols but are better placed, larger and easy to manipulate, more comfortable, and completely ambidextrous. Take-down for cleaning is simple and fast with just a simple release lever.

The manual safety is larger and easier to use than even extended 1911 or HiPower options and in addition the gun can be loaded and unloaded and cocked while in the “safe” position and the magazine does not have to be inserted or removed to function or for take-down. The hammer drop feature (de-cocker) drops the hammer into it’s “half cock” position. When the manual safety is in position the trigger literally goes “dead” becoming just a moveable appendage with no connection to the sear disconnect.

Safety on – all functions continue to work even with the safety activated.

Fire

De-cocker/hammer-drop down, hammer down.

 

Because of the external hammer and the manual safety/de-cocker this pistol can be carried “cocked and locked”, half-cock safety down in a retention holster, or half-cock safety up according to the users desires.

Lock the slide to the rear.

Move the take-down lever to the lower position, release the slide.

FNX Pistol take-down for maintenance is quick and easy with just a few major parts groups.

Design flaws – The double action trigger is long and requires some force similar to a P1 or P38 but the release at the end is crisp. I think that the single action trigger is more than a bit “mushy” there is a lot of slack to be taken up and the release, while crisp, has three distinct pressures and travel distances to break while not stiff or hard it requires a lot of finger travel. On an additional note I will be writing later about a carry holster for this pistol, currently there are only two manufactures making holsters for this pistol finding a fit seems almost impossible, I found a retaining positive-lock holster, but had to make some significant modifications to make it fit correctly. The original shiny magazines of stainless steel are now blackened to a strange midnight purple/black and now have a quick secure positive lock into the well – both are features that FN changed regarding customer requests. I have seen some complaints about the polymer safety/de-cocker but it seems that the polymer is actually hiding an imbedded stainless steel support.

Quality – Fabrique Nationale Herstal of Belgium (and now South Carolina) is an old established weapons maker that cut it’s teeth manufacturing products for Browning, has supplied militaries in both world wars (even under occupation), and is known for the most widespread military pistol in the world along with the “rifle of the west” the FNFAL. This pistol is an example of quality first world “state of the art” manufacturing.

Caliber/Ammunition – Available in 9×19, .40 S&W, and .45 acp (as the FNP-45) the glaring missing caliber is .357 Sig but because FN is positioning this gun for military contracts we may not ever see other offerings, all you big-bore shooters will love the .45 version. (Ed. note, several die-hard 1911 fans I know have now switched to the FNP45USG it is a true contender for the .45 lovers.)

Use – The FNX is a full size pistol it is large and subsequently heavy and bulky for concealed carry. I believe with some excessive effort it could work as a concealed pistol, but I would never recommend it for this use. Open-carry was my intended purpose for this gun, as a daily carry on a duty belt the weight and bulk is more than reasonable. The FNX unloaded is 21.5 oz, a relative lightweight for a full size pistol. The FNX and FNP-45 are positioned as the new military pistol, rumor is circulating that FNH is gearing up to enter possible contests to unseat the 92 as a standard issue pistol. (Ed. note this is now old news and while the military continues to love the mediocre we as civilians now have a few additional choices on the market.)

The polymer wrapping is actually not the “frame” as you can see here the skeleton frame inside of the polymer. Note: the cock, half-cock, and out-of-battery prevention lever.

Ergonomics – Ergonomic design is likely the most excellent for large hands like mine that I have ever tried in the 9mm caliber, only the FNP-45 is slightly better. The FNX has a set of four slide-in rear palm inserts with thick and thin profile and two textures. This handgun points naturally and is intended as combat-ready for quick target leveling and fulfilling military requirements.

Current production – Production of the FNX is centered at the FNH factory in South Carolina. The US factory produces all of the models from US made parts, current production is in full swing but because of the relative newness of the design used examples are not common. Accessories like holsters are few an far except the standard mount attachments that are universal.

Personal Critical Review of Firearms – The how an why of the series

This series of articles was originally posted online as a series of reviews and the occasional rant.

 

I don’t claim to be anything other than a well versed enthusiast, former manufacturer of ammunition, and firearm retail store owner. I keep a collection of various rifles and I rotate them in and out with new additions and thinning down with what meets my fancy at the moment.

I have started dispersing my personal collection to friends and family to encourage some gun ownership and also to follow the concept of one rifle per freedom-ista. One beauty of giving your guns to friends and family is that you can still shoot them from time to time!

I started collecting rifles and reloading at a very young age (reloading at 10, and buying my own rifles at 12, swaging at 15) I worked my entire freshmen year at high school to buy a new and complete reloading bench, presses, swaging dies and supplies.

In college I had gotten involved with the re-enactors as a hobby and spent lots of time with two friends who were class 3 dealers. On my 21 birthday I celebrated by filling out my forms for a Class 6 and FFL for myself (this habit can get bad BTW) I disposed of both the class 6 and FFL after marriage (and facing the fact that I could not make a decent profit in the business).

I don’t think I have ever fired a rifle I did not like learning about, but I have developed some personal dislikes and likes over the years for various reasons… There are no bad guns, only design limitations, quality, use, and dealing with the possible belligerent, annoying, and often ignorant, cult members-fans that faun over them.

To break this down logically I needed to come up with a list of categories to evaluate likes and dislikes, facts, reasons, and the needed content for a more full review.

Personal – what items are strictly personal, things like “my hands are too big”, “the design is uncomfortable to shoot”, “it looks funky”, “I hate limey guns (and limeys) and similar items of personal reaction.

Function – there are operational and or design features that lend an element of unreliability.

Design flaws – features or construction can lead to parts breakage or unsafe/dangerous continued operation.

Quality – the majority of samples of the rifle are of poor quality and or construction.

Caliber/Ammunition – the choices of cartridges are limited to obsolete, unusual/hard to find, or poor performing/ineffective for use ammunition.

Use – the rifle is to specific for one use and does not have a wide enough venue of operation (like a collectable or high end hunting rifle, or heavy, shinny, not weather resistant and more).

Current production – While this would not negate a good rifle it could prove to make the rifle hard to repair or even obtain to begin with, availability IS an issue. No new production of units or repair parts could render a rifle useless, many excellent military rifles fit into this problematic category due to obsolescence.

Building a firearm collection for preparedness

I don’t think I need to convince many of you of the possible urgent need to build a firearms collection for preparedness, my view is that we are about to see something of a magnitude not seen in several possibly hundreds of generations.

This is not so much what exactly I think I would buy and stock-up on but rather some points on firearms and hopefully get some of you who do not have firearms to seriously start, start, as in last week.

With that in mind I wanted to express a few ideas, until originally posted, I have shared with others only in private.

What would I do now?

A good question, I would want to look at it several ways, I live in a western state that does not have the restrictions of other statist progressive bully-by-proxy busybody infested areas suffer from. Because I live in a firearm friendly state I may be free to gather some items not allowed in other states, countries and cities where you may be reading this…

I should start out by saying that I find rifles far more utilitarian than a pistol, but I would suggest a pistol you find comfortable. I do not think you have to have a .40 (something) plus handgun to be a man – in fact a pistol is a piss poor tool for fighting your way back to the rifle you stupidly left out of reach (my grandfather taught me that). I also recognize that a handgun is a great tool, convenient, easy to conceal (legally please) and of course you can simply use a web search to find hundreds of cases where simply showing a handgun was enough to have the typical predatory, cowardly criminal running away while soiling their pants.

Pistols first

I could list many reasons to have a pistol, and to even apply for your stolen freedoms with a “permit”, (begging for your rights) often just the extraction of your sidearm from its concealed holster will cause a “thug” to back down, but if ever thought I was threatened enough to think I needed to “pull” there would be no time to back down – or reason – because that time would have already passed.

I favor the .357 revolver, and contrary to internet commandos, it is a very effective cartridge. The study of police fatal shootings shows the .357 to be far more lethal than most of the other rounds combined. I would gather that if you think the .357 is not “powerful” then you simply need to shoot a .357 with a 158 gr. HP full power load to see for yourself. I have hunted with a .357 in the past and it is a very effective round for hunting even large game. The .357 is a very accurate round, if you put a scope on a .357 revolver NO ONE will laugh at you, contrary to the snickers you may get with a scope on an AK platform rifle – there is a reason for this… The .357 is also available in may rifle/carbine setups I have owned break-open and lever action rifles in .357 it is a reasonable “brush gun” for hunting and provides for the pistol/rifle sharing-of-ammo concept.

I am also a fan of the 7.62x25mm Tokarev a hot version of the 7.63x25mm Mauser, very hot and very accurate.

I like the 9x18mm Makarov, a small pistol that fires inexpensive ammunition, my wife favors her 9x18mm Makarov above all others.

I eventually standardized on the 9x19mm Parabellum in handguns for the simple reason that it is a standard all over the world, ammo is available and inexpensive. I did not choose 9mm because it is “better” but because good pistols in this cartridge are easy to find, and in the end, any pistol is better than nothing. Future supply and choices in handguns was the deciding factor.

Oh, and before you start busting my chops, I cut my teeth on .45 1911 pistols because that is what my dad loved, I gave up on the .45 the first time I shot my first .357 magnum and never seriously looked back, none of my .357 revolvers ever jammed on me – I could never say that about the 1911. We do have a 1911 pistol in the collection and even the new FNX/FNP .45.

Regardless of what you choose, pick one, practice, stock up on ammo – I keep 500 rounds of factory loaded ammo (or more) for each pistol and components for lots more “home rolled”.

You also want to add a .22 lr pistol – pick one and use it, cheep shooting, I suggest getting a revolver or auto loader to match your main pistol, they even make some conversion kits that are nice to have. A single action cowboy-western revolver with interchangeable cylinders are one of the greatest additions to a backpacking/hiking trip you can have.

Rifles

First on the list get a .22 lr rifle in bolt or auto-loader, and continue to shoot it until you get past 2000 rounds before you even think about putting it to the side, take one every time you visit the range.

How would I do it?

I don’t like the .223 and certainly don’t like the AR platform, but I do (now) have two .223 chambered rifles that survived the recent sell off and replacement, this pair of this model rifle belongs to one of the children and my wife. The two rifles are the SU16CA from Kel-tec. What should be embarrassing for Rugar is that Kel-tec can make a better rifle for less money and it uses standard magazines, is more reliable than the jammin’ jenny, and more accurate than any POS mini-14 junker.

I did chose to make .308 my standard rifle caliber, but if I were to do this from scratch now I would choose the 7.62x54r…

Why? budget and effectiveness.

I would get an auto-loading mag fed rifle and several turn bolt Mosin Nagant 91/30, 91/59 or M44 rifles (and they are drying up in supply).

For the autoloader I would most likely get the Romanian PSL (AK platform) rifle with a  little 2 or 4 power fixed scope. In fact talking about this issue with a compatriot I seriously considered selling off my .308 rifle for the cash and getting an Romanian PSL and a SVT40 with a hand full of Mosin Nagant 91/30 rifles for throw-downs, the idea was fleeting.

If the Yugoslavian M76 in 8mm Mauser was less expensive the same thing could be done with 8mm and some M24/47 Yugoslavian Mauser turn bolts, but the autoloader and the ammo is a bit high in price.

Regardless, keep at least 1000 rounds for each rifle of factory loaded ammo, keep the factory ammunition for when the need arises. reloads you have made for that rifle are just a viable if you are careful and meticulous with your reloading, don’t bother to make junker ammo, premium bullets are inexpensive enough to make hunting capable cartridges for junk ammo prices.

The turn bolts in the mix exist for several reasons, one is for reloading, if in the worst case you had to shoot black powder and lead bullets you can load black powder, lead bullets (even paper patched/paper jacketed) and even press out primers knock out the firing pin dent and fill them with two or three toy cap gun caps and have a turn bolt rifle that functions. I hope it never gets down to black powder!

Shotguns

Shotguns – I had forgotten to list them,  you need one. I don’t have one for myself but, my wife has an 870 riot gun for home protection (yes it is hers, she made me buy one for her) and my oldest son has an 870 pump fitted with a slug barrel that has interchangeable choke tubes, both are 12 ga. and are in almost unused condition, simply because we don’t use them.

The Air Rifle

The high power pellet rifle – I was never a good shot on the wing with a shotgun, but if it lights and I have a post and notch on it, it’s in the bag. I note the preponderance of pidgins in our area and in a pinch you would have a hard time telling the meat from a dove. The huge selection of air rifles including large caliber pre-charged pneumatic rifles are possibly more logical than even black power rifles – air is free.

Additional items

Just some random thoughts about the current situation, trying to look at this without a sense of panic but rather logic. I am afraid that this will be the last reasonable and possible chance before the hammer falls, in just a few weeks we may see another panic buying spree, this is about the fifth panic in my adult years and they all suck and take years to square-up. I write this knowing I have what I think I need, but I would have liked to keep my habit of trying out new rifles…

1. Caliber compatibility – the more weapons that share ammunition the easier it is to store and keep a handle on.

2. How is the caliber ranked for range and power? (suitability for large US game for hunting)

3. Is it suitable for reloading? (hand-loading used brass)

4. Is it readially available? (both weapons and ammunition)

5. What is the cost vs. value?

6. Are there auto-loading rifles and or magazines available in this caliber? (ten rounds and up)

7. Will there be sources of ammunition later and if not is this a concern?

8. Are reliable weapons with spare parts available (for spare/repair parts stocking)

9. Are they reasonably accurate? – 20 rounds 10 inches at 100 yards in less than two min. (That will kick out a bunch of rifles).

We are not talking about delusions of the mall ninjas – I for one will be bugging in place if the need arises. We want to think about how many uses this can be matched to and if they fit the needs of your area.

I hand-load/reload so even current availability issues are almost always limited to concerns pertaining to the availability of components rather than new or surplus ammunition.

I have posted before, pistols just don’t hold the same interest for me as rifles, I have them, I think they are necessary, but I don’t put much stock in them past that possible “oh, crap” situation – like an attempted car-jacking or similar problem, and as I said it would be a last resort only if the fear of harm is imminent and then “no sword is sheathed without drawing blood” concept applies – the proper tool at the proper time, only when needed. I do and am an open carry advocate.

I also was looking over the load books to confirm and here is the general run down I found (changes from book to book, but they generally follow this trend).

7.62x54R Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type 150 gr
Velocity 3,000 ft/s
Energy 2,905 ft·lbf

The 7.92x57mm IS (8mm Mauser) Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type (.323 inch) 181 gr
Velocity 2,700 ft/s
Energy 2,902 ft·lbf

30-06 Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type 150 gr
Velocity 2,900 ft/s
Energy 2,820 ft·lbf

30-06 Ballistic performance (M2 ball cartridge)
Bullet weight/type 152 gr
Velocity 2,740 ft/s
Energy 2,650 ft·lbf

7.62×51 (.308) Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type146.6 gr
Velocity 2,756 ft/s
Energy 2,472 ft·lbf

Note this information is for “time era” factory or surplus loadings, modern loads designed for modern powders in new manufacture bolt action rifles can “UP” the power of the 30-06 but this would be damaging or dangerous in the M1, M1917, or 03A3.

The two highest are 7.62x54R and 7.92×57 then 30-06 and then 7.62×51 – if you look at commercial .308 rather than 7.62×51 then you find that it comes within and in some cases surpass 30-06. (again this could be problematic or dangerous for weaker actions such as the M1a or older rifles like the Spanish 7.62×51 conversion Mausers)

The common thought out there is that 30-06 is the most potent, but the numbers prove that the Russian round is the hottest. Also contrary to popular misinformation .308 commercial rounds have a higher pressure and loading parameters than the NATO rounds and so would chart higher.

Using the basic thoughts and my already chosen calibers I was thinking about  a .308 bolt action rifle from Savage, the Mark II FVT Savage .22 target rifle and even the .300 AAC BlackOut on the SU16 CA rifle.

Personal critical perspective, The Kel-Tec PF-9 subcompact 9mm pistol

Personal critical perspective, The Kel-Tec PF-9 subcompact 9mm pistol.

Our additions to the collection, a pair of consecutively numbered Kel-tec PF9 pistols.

The Kel-Tec PF-9

Kel-Tec CNC Industries, an interesting little power-house of a manufacturer, the third largest handgun producer in the U.S. George Kellgren as Chief Engineer will likely continue to make a huge impact in the firearms industry for many more years.

This example of a subcompact pistol, taking the features and design work from the P-3AT and his earlier P11, is outselling the competition by a large margin.

Personal – This is a small lightweight cary pistol that has many points that make it well suited for concealed carry.

Small and thin

Can fit in a pocket

Quick reliable operation

Simple take-down

Double Action

Reasonable trigger and reasonable accuracy

Capable of shooting hand-loaded ammunition

The PF9 fits this list well and I was shocked at how accurate this little pip-squeak actually is on the range.

I do not “enjoy” shooting this pistol, more on this as I progress, I don’t have to love this pistol its reason for existing in the collection has nothing to do with recreation or even open carry, but a down and dirty backup or concealed carry.

Function – Using reloads, white box, bulk Remington and federal and my premium ammunition all worked with excellent results and without incident. I found a distressing problem with feeding with lead bullets as they would simply not function reliably, ever, this is not a huge loss because the pistol will not be used all that often and saving money on ammunition is not the priority.

The PF9 is a miniature 9mm with a high-power inspired tilting lock barrel that keeps the size very very small for a full powered handgun round.

I guess you could call the pistol ambidextrous but there are just not any features to speak of, at least not many that need any ambidextrous access for the use this pistol will fill.

The magazine release could be an issue, as it is with any small pistol there is simply just not much room and the magazine release button is at thumb level. Thinking clearly about the issue this pistol is just not designed nor would it be used for fast magazine changes – it is a “holy shit” self defense handgun for concealment – a concealed option with a full-power punch.

Take-down for cleaning is simple but not as fast as you would get with a more feature packed full-sized pistol. There is an unusual pull-pin that requires the rim of a case or a thin pry tool to remove the subsequent take-down is simple.

This pistol actually has a small mini-hammer in a protected rear slop that is double action only and non-recprocating – that is, it will not reset until the firearm is operated or the slide is actuated again.

Design flaws – The double action trigger on this pistol is smooth enough but is long as would be expected but exists inside a small trigger guard and is “pinch-prone” for larger fingers. The trigger has an exaggerated forward and lower angle with a relatively thin and pointed end. In examining the trigger it looks very similar to the profile of the trigger from the Russian Makarov pistol, but for whatever reason, unlike the Mak this tends to catch the trigger finger inside of the trigger guard and of course leaves little room in the guard for large fingers.

The non-recprocating hammer in double action is simply annoying – if it has to be double action with no single action feature at least make it capable of snapping twice if needed on a primer that is not cooperating as needed.

Small and lightweight, great for carry, painful and at best excessively “snappy” with this full sized round.

Magazine release at thumb-level can be a problem for some, in this case I would think that a rear frame mounted bottom of the magazine release would actually make changing the magazines quicker, a release similar to the Makarov pistol.

While not exactly a design flaw the heavy part of the pistol, the slide, is of course on top, the lightweight handle is very lightweight so the force of the 9mm is increased in its leverage making the pistol have a very unpleasant hard “snap” when firing, I found that after as little as 50 rounds I want to put it back in the box and go to another handgun, for most normal people that would be about a magazine of rounds down range.

Quality – Quality, safe-to-use “state of the art” manufacturing but the fit and finish tends to be, well, kel-tec ish, functional but not all that finished rough and ugly would be descriptive.

Caliber / Ammunition – 9×19 in a subcompact – damn thats both useful and painful. The PF-9 will accept +P ammunition with the recommendation of using it only “from time to time” +P – double damn!

Ergonomics – Ergonomic design to this pistol would be like talking about ergonomics for a smart-phone, it is just not the primary aim. This handgun’s design revolves around the ability to be small and lightweight in that it is tops in the market.

Current production – Production of the PF9 is priority out of the factory in Cocoa, Florida, while you cannot get some of the more interesting firearms due to backlogs this pistol seems to never have much of a lag in availability. The US factory produces a wide range of colors and finishes including camouflage base colors like dark brown, tan, gray, olive green, navy, and of course black with slides of colors, hard chrome plated and blued.

Nice little plastic boxes come with the pistols as a retail package.

Anti-gun statists and the gun owners that aid them

“The whole CC (concealed carry) vs. OC (open carry) debate was started by legitimate training companies to drive up sales, nothing more. Every advocate of CC versus OC is a training company, or a supporter of such companies.” – AZ boots n saddles

I have to agree, our friend AZ may have a point, a point followed by something possibly darker and harder to nail down – the unconscious acceptance of government authority over a right that has become regulated.

Would there be any arguments in the gun community if concealed carry did not involve begging our oppressive government for approval to do something guaranteed by our constitution? How many recognize that our personal arms are the only personal property specifically protected by the Constitution and the anti-Federalist Bill of Rights?

Emotional and irrational statements, statistically untenable propositions, derogatory attacks and decent into juvenile verbiage – the signs of the typical statist anti-gunner, yes but sadly it has become the standard signs of the new anti-OC/only CC is viable proponents, a bunch similar to the haughty hunting-only elitists like the disgraced (black rifle hoplophobe) Zumbo.

Here is a typical anti-gun person confronted with the facts disbelief  and cognitive dissonance when their irrational fanciful FAITH is shattered with EVIDENCE.

 “Carrying a gun is very dangerous. No doubt this data will be corrected soon to show that there have been dozens (or hundreds) of deaths due to road rage, arguments over parking spaces, lover’s quarrels and the like. And likely thousands of deaths due to negligent discharges. The manslaughter cases for the NDs are probably still working their way through the courts, along with the murder cases. There’s no way almost 403,000 people with concealed carry licenses could only produce one murder and no manslaughters. That would mean everything I’ve been taught about the extreme dangers of concealed carry is wrong. And that’s just … unpossible(sic).”

No, mr. cognitive-dissonance-educationally-indoctrinated-statist it is a FACT as uncomfortable as you may think it is – it IS a fact.

The above was in response to:

“In 2009 there were 402,914 people in Texas who had Concealed Handgun Licenses. During that same year there was exactly ONE CHL holder convicted of murder, ZERO Capital Murder, ZERO Manslaughter. On that one conviction, we don’t even know if the CHL was relevant. He/she may have done murder by knife for all we know. There were 577 convictions for these crimes of citizens who did not have CHLs. Out of the 402K people who had CHLs it is reasonable to assume that there were cases in which the CHL holder used their gun in self-defense, even if no shots were fired.”

Texas state statistics may be viewed here

How about more facts: Buckeye Firearms Association

Myth 3: Concealed carry will result in increases in gun related deaths, accidents, road rage and crime in general. Letting (simple, untrained and unwashed) civilians (dirty rednecks) carry concealed will result in gun fights in the streets and the “wild west” in our neighborhoods.
Fact 3: Exactly the opposite happens. Fact 3a: As of 2002 RTC states had 24% lower total violent crime, 22% lower murder, 37% lower robbery, and 20% lower aggravated assault when compared with non-RTC states (FBI crime statistics). “Concerns that permit holders would lose their tempers in traffic accidents have been unfounded. Worries about risks to police officers have also proved unfounded…
National surveys of police show they support concealed handgun laws by a 3-1 margin… There is also not a single academic study that claims RTC laws have increased state crime rates. The debate among academics has been over how large the benefits have been” (“Should Michigan keep new concealed weapon law? Don’t believe gun foe scare tactics,” Detroit News, 1/14/01).

Concealed carry statistics

 99.9% of self-defense firearms uses do not result in fatal shootings of criminals, an important factor ignored in certain “studies” that are used to claim that guns are more often misused than used for self-protection. Of incarcerated felons surveyed by the Department of Justice, 34% have been driven away, wounded, or captured by armed citizens; 40% have decided against committing crimes for fear their would-be victims were armed.

Then we deal with what you typically see from the gun-ignorant feminized statists in “journalism”

“…people shooting other people for small-time offenses, like stealing the hub caps off cars.”

No factual statistics, no evidence, this statement is of course completely wrong!

“…people hitting bystanders while firing at criminals.”

Wrong again.

“…people shooting at criminals then being shot by police who mistake them for criminals during gunfights.”

Wrong again.

“…people simply blowing their top and waving around handguns to express their anger.”

Wrong again.

“The list of things that can and will go wrong is far longer and more likely than the effective use of a handgun.”

Statistical evidence has proven this not just wrong but completely opposed to the statement.

That’s because 98 percent of these gun enthusiasts won’t have a clue.

Nice little condescending derogatory non-fact pulled from some hack’s nether parts. Not only do I have a clue, but all of the range users I meet are all far more competent and practiced than any police officer I have ever known.

They will have no idea of the laws surrounding self-protection and deadly force.

I have yet to meet a shooter that is not so well versed in the laws that police typically ignorant of (and that should be their job). How many of you are aware that many police departments have a policy of not hiring people with IQs that are “too high”?

They will receive no formal training either in using their weapon or when to use it. They will not regularly practice with that weapon to make sure they can actually hit what they are pointing at. And they most likely won’t know how to maintain that weapon or take the time to do so.

Didn’t we go over this stupid pathetic myth before?

Oh yea… here. (So mr. Journalist hack – please go intercourse yourself with a computer mouse)

“In short, they will have the same fire power as police officers, but without any of the training, preparation and practice to handle an actual deadly force event”

He is right on one point, most shooters I know could actually outfit several police with better firearms, equipment. Counter to what our lickspittle “journalist”so offensively has written most shooters could teach them more about the law, shooting, and politeness.

So again we see such a mass of ignorance that I would cry if I actually cared about the typically leftist statist college-puke man-vagina. (link to the above stupidity)

In conclusion, please if you are a gun owner and an advocate of gun rights understand that CC or OC both prevent crime, stop thinking that somehow the propaganda by advertisers, NRA RHINO whores, instructors who make a living helping you beg for your rights and the anti-gun statists who love to see us trash each other – remember.

Gentlemen we must all hang together or we shall surely all hang (by the neck) separately – Benjamin Franklin

Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide?

 “Our conclusion from the available data is that suicide, murder and violent crime rates are determined by basic social, economic and/or cultural factors with the availability of any particular one of the world’s myriad deadly instrument being irrelevant.”