Randall,Rolex,Hi-Power

[Willie Boy]

In my current environment, I favor smaller, more concealable items. I favor the single action .45 auto over a double-action pistol. I have a Star PD which I like for its copmpactness and light weight. I also favor full sized, forged frame 1911's from Colt, Springfield Armory, or Kimber where weight is not a concern.

The Casio G-Shock is an adequate time-piece in that it is rugged, non-reflective and light weight.

For a blade, I require it be cheap, sharp and tough. For deep concealment, I like the Wicked Woo. For inside the waistband carry, an Al Polkowski Bodyguard, Polecat or simlilar size blade. Where cocealment is not a concern, a Ka-bar is tough to beat.

 

[Ken Cox]

Sometimes I wonder if we choose these tools as totems, for identity and confidence, more than we do for utility.
You know, if you pull the trigger of a handgun and a bullet comes out the barrel in the correct direction, how much more do you need?
And yet, some of us, myself included, have spent silly amounts of money in order to have a special handgun that does little more, if anything, than a plain vanilla handgun.
The same goes for watches and knives.
It seems strange now, but as a young Marine I looked upon other Marines who had the "right" knife and the "right" watch as Super Marines.

------------------
Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11

 

Well said Ken

 

[Brian E]

1) Randall #1
2)Omega Professional Speedmaster
3)H&K .45 USP

 

[Dirk]

Outlaw_Dogboy if you are still reading this topic, my buddy just returned from the mission he was on. He is headed right back out.

He told me that on his next mission, he will be issued a Baretta 92. No personal weapons permitted. He was told this is a trend that will continue. No explanation as to why. He said his unit was not happy, they are pushing to get SIG's if they have to carry 9mm and not .45's

It would appear you were correct.

------------------
Paranoia is only smart thinking
when everyone is out to get you.

 

[sharpsteel]

I thought it was a Loveless, a Rolex and a stainless S&W.........ohhhh well.

 

[chrisJohn]

Working as an analyst in SWA for awhile...

Seiko 200M 21 jewel automatic divers

Microtech DA SOCOM

SIG 228, the contract compact 9x19, had to beg for it though.. Everyone else had loose Berreta 92 POSs.

Now back in the civillian world...

Same Seiko 200M 21 Jewel auto divers

RJ Martin Kozuka

Kimber Lighweight compact with Federal Hydrashocks

------------------
"Women bring life into the world
and much death, for they sway the
destinies of men." -Anneas

 

[scorpio]

Ken,
you are right,wel put, but having a gun you trust and like and feel good with it is a feeling that is beyond pure logic,it is like a well worn sport shoes you feel most comfotable than any other shoe or like your old blue jeas that you will keep werring
untill it falls apart.i own many guns and always tried to replace my old high-power but somehow always returned to carry it.
scorpio.

 

[Steve Campbell]

[a feeling beyond pure logic...]

Well said, scorpio. I agree 100%. I have come to feel that way about my Glock 19. I did a tour in Nam and Korea and have been a cop for 21 years, so I have carried guns for real for quite some time. There is a symbiosis there that just cannot be described adequately with words.

Having been weaned on Hi-Powers and 1911s, I never did feel totally comfortable with the revolvers I had to carry for so long. When my agency finally came into the 20th century and allowed us semi-autos, I was ecstatic. I was a die-hard SIG guy for a while, then met Glocks through a convoluted set of cicumstances, and it has been a love affair ever since. Single-action pistols have never been an authorized option for us; but now that I fully understand and appreciate the utter simplicity of the Glock mechanism, it is the one I want to carry into battle.

They just recently purchased Glock 35 .40 S&W Practical/Tactical pistols for us on the SWAT unit; the line troops get their choice of a P220 or P228, with the option to carry a personally-owned Glock. We finally got a colonel who understands that equipment is just as much a part of morale as pay and benefits. Happy day...

Steve

 

[Ken Cox]

Scorpio and Steve, we agree on something here, and I can't quite put it into words.
Logos=Words
It defies logic because it has something to do with body wisdom, hand feel and....
It won't come into focus.
But you understood the totem thing.
I have a short sword at the heat-treater's now.
In addition to its weapon nature, it has a symbolism to it that goes beyond its actual use and function, and changes me.
As men, our tools, weapons, clothes, have special meaning to us which we may not understand rationally, and which few, if any female type human beings understand, but which we truly feel without feeling.
Ooooh, how mystical!
We can try to rationalize it, but it won't stand the test of logic.
A Rolex does not stand the test of logic when compared to a G-Shock.
I would still rather have a Rolex.
And I would rather have a 1911 than the Glock which Steve prefers, regardless of all the very good arguments to the superiority of the Glock.
It doesn't have anything to do with logic, and it has everything to do with something very personal, and maybe even primitive and not completely understandable by us modern, walk-on-back-legs type critters.
Still, I enjoy trying to talk about it.

------------------
Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11

 

[Costas]

!!!!!! Thanks Ken for pointing out something important, but difficult to realize.


I really think that it works both ways sometime:

a) I WANT a very good tool because I think that it will help me accomplish the task in a better way, but...

b) ...knowing that I have a very good tool, I (subconsciously) push myself to perform better.

It's difficult to realize in the first place, usually you have to think back to recognize such an occurence afterwards.

 

[johno]

On having the right toys in order to be a 'Super' Marine ..... as others have mentioned the right toys initially are impressive but real quick one figures out that it's not the toys that make the man. We had a SSgt that not only was into body building and could do one arm chins, he was also some degree black belt in some sort of karate, someone who helped the MPs defuse situations on weekends for fun. But he would still have had a hard time with some of the big Samoans in the unit :^) We had a radio operator who could fairly consistently shoot perfect scores on the rifle range with issue M16s, machine gunners who could make your life miserable out to 1000 yards, and TOW gunners who could centerpunch 1 meter square targets at 2000 yards. Recon was stationed in our battalion and they liked playing with different toys more than most, but it also didn't seem to matter what you gave them as they could do the job with the tools at hand. There were a lot of people, especially among the NCOs that no one would want to mess with as they could make your life short or miserable, again using whatever tools were available.

An advantage to using issue or close to issue weapons was that the readily available ammo usually functioned reliably, something that couldn't be said about a lot of personal semi-autos.

 

[NamViet Vo]

My father during the Vietnam War carried a Rolex Presidential, a Colt Detective Special, and an Army issued Camilus multitool. My current load are Glock 17, Mission MPK, and Seiko Kinetic Titanium. My wife carries Glock 19, Mission MPT, and Seiko Lady Kinetic Titanium.

 

[Rusty]

I guess I'm not all that into symbols. I love my high power. I've a couple nice folders, and I've owned a few nice watches.

Having said that, in my suitcase when I hit the road there's a S&W M&P model 58 .41 mag with 4" bbl and fixed sights, as KISS as I can get, having grown up on da revolvers. The knife is an HI Khukuri ( 15" to 18" ) due to ergonomics. Stuff for use when half awake.The watch is a plain field quartz Wenger with black face, military time, and great big white numerals.

And just for the hell of it, a 4" bbl 950 Berretta 25 auto and a big SogWinder II in my shaving kit.

 

[Ken Cox]

Rusty, please pardon the personal observation but I consider the S&W M&P model 58 .41 mag with 4" bbl a very esoteric choice.
I don't know if one could properly call one rare, but I have never seen one.
You got my attention.
Do you have a good story about how you came to choose it or acquire it?

------------------
Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11