The Right Stuff

Today I wanted to take some time to talk about the importance of choosing quality tools and gear when it comes to everything 2A. The industry is flooded with options and they all claim to be the best in their own specific category. But the truth is, “the best” is what’s best “FOR YOU”. Why are there so many different gun options? Just in the 9MM category alone there are hundreds of options. If you filtered that down to just Glock as the only manufacturer there are still a large number of options to choose from. So what is “the best” is truly up to your own personal preferences and needs. So how do you make sure you have something of good quality or how do you know if its right for you? Well, first if you have someone in your local community that has gear to try, just ask them to try it out. Like test driving a car, this is a great way to ensure that you know what you DO or DON’T like about what your testing out. If you don’t know someone personally, go to any local gun store/gun range and see if they have what your considering. When I went shooting the 2nd time with my friend (before I built my Polymer 80) I paid a rental fee to check out various guns the range had as pre-owned options. I shot for 2 hours and must have tested out 7 different pistols, getting familiar with the different types of 9mm pistols and the pros and cons to each one. So testing it out with a minimal investment (rental) is a great first route. The next route is looking at the companies that sell what you’re looking for and connecting with them about return policies and if they offer any satisfaction trial period should what you order not work out for you. The 2A community is full of small businesses that are all looking to be successful in their specific field and rely on customer feedback to improve their sales and also improve their quality of goods and services they offer. This feedback is a critical point in the success or failure of a small business. A great way to find these companies is to venture out to a Gun Show. A few times a year my local area will host a large Gun Show where businesses small and large come together in a conference center to promote and sell the goods and services they offer. This is how I met Zaffiri Precision and ended up buying some of their slide parts for my Polymer 80 build. Ok, we have talked about testing it out locally, connecting at gun shows with local small businesses; so what about expanding outside of your local community? This is where social media is king. When trying to find out if something suits your needs or is of quality, social media posts and feedback is an amazing avenue. I rely highly on various people on social media who I reference for reliable information (aka influencers) and reach out to them on what they use and why they chose that. But once I find out the company that I’m interested in, that’s when the connection occurs. I will contact them directly in every manner be it email, direct message and phone call. I believe an honest conversation about what your trying to accomplish will lead to an honest response with a grace period to return anything if you’re not happy. I have tried out 6 different holsters for my everyday conceal carry and for each holster that didn’t suit me, I was able to return back to the seller with no issue. Once I followed some reputable shooters in the community is when I found Tier1 Concealed and decided to use their holsters. Interesting enough, once I mentioned my interest in Tier1 Concealed to my best friend (Deeezgains), I found out he was using their holsters and I wasn’t aware of it. Once I mentioned my interested he offered to let me test his out. So I had someone close by with something I was really interested in, which ended up being the right choice. Through these various methods of honest conversations, research and testing I have found a lot of great companies in the industry that just want to deliver quality service and goods to their customers. I firmly believe, once you find something you like, you stick with it consistently. Consistency is a major factor in your success, especially in the 2A community. That is why I am constantly investing my money into parts and services from the folks at Brownells, Tier1Concealed, Tradecraft Armament, RangerProofSwag, Overwatch Precision and Gammunition Training. Always keep your eyes and mind open to new options and do comparison shopping with what you know you like. You never know what make come in the future and how your needs will evolve over time. Stay safe, be humble and lead with your heart.