The Martialist: A Publication of PhilElmore.com

Lenny
Magill is, from what I can tell, an incredibly prolific firearms
enthusiast. His Concealed
Carry video is foundation material for anyone who regularly carries
a licensed firearm. I’ve no doubt that Lenny does, or that he owns a
small (or perhaps very large) private collection of pistols. I gleaned
that much just in watching Lenny speak on the topic of handguns. I also found
the video informative (if basic) and enjoyable.

Production values are very slick. Lenny does a lot of
video work, and it shows. Sound quality and picture are both great,
though some of the video could stand to be brighter and the outside scenes
have some background noise.
There are a lot of special effects and plenty of “public domain”
music, both of which are a little overdone, but I can forgive this given the
professional quality of the production overall.

The tape also includes some “model flash,” a catch-all term
for whenever pretty people are used gratuitously to spice up a video.
Concealed Carry also features a large, overweight man performing some of
the carry techniques, which is a welcome addition. Given the percentage
of the “gun culture” comprised of overweight men, it’s good to have an element
of pragmatic realism in the presentation.

Lenny himself is very comfortable on camera, which is a
pleasure to see. He has the sort of delivery I associate with the hosts
of TNN’s American Shooter or
Trucks
— a rich “radio voice,” a polished tone, and a very commercially
accessible cadence. You could easily insert commercials into this video
and have a prepackaged television spot.

The instructional material begins with ten rules of firearms
safety as described by Magill:

Keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on
target.
Keep your gun unloaded until you’re ready to shoot.
Be sure your gun is in good working condition.
Know how to safely operate your gun.
Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
Know your target AND what’s beyond.
Always wear ear and eye protection.
Never use alcohol or drugs before or during shooting.
Store guns and ammunition so they are not accessible to
unauthorized persons.

“Always do your part to keep our shooting sports safe,”
Magill encourages the viewer.. He appears on camera wearing a suit
jacket to demonstrate different concealment positions for firearms, eventually
revealing 11 handguns on his person or in accompanying accessories like a
briefcase). He’s also got a handgun mounted underneath a nearby table.
He promises to show the viewer over 40 different ways to carry and conceal a
handgun, which the viewer is supposed to glean over the course of watching the
video.

Lenny discusses aspects of safety specific to concealment
and carry holsters before going on to discuss selecting guns and ammunition.
He mentions choosing a firearm and caliber to suit your body style and carry
mode, including your lifestyle and clothing. Numerous firearms are
introduced, displayed with graphic statistics and voiceovers as if we’re
watching some sort of Home Shopping Channel devoted to firearms. Magill
continues by making a distinction between self-defense ammo (generally
hollow-point) and target ammunition, though he does concede that all
ammunition is deadly.

The four principles of drawing a firearm, as Magill sees
them, are as follows:

Clear the clothing.
Move the hand toward the gun.
Acquire a good grip.
Point the gun at the target.

After you’ve practiced your draw, Lenny explains, you can
start practicing self-defense shooting. Outside on a range with
cardboard targets (there is quite a lot of wind noise), Lenny describes the
shooting drills he prefers. He discusses the fact that while two-handed
shooting is preferable, a one-hand stance presents less of a target to an
opposing shooter. He demonstrates a position in which he extends his
pistol while standing sideways, his off hand sort of “chambered” against his
chest. “Shooting in a self-defense mode is not target practice,” he
comments. “In a sense, this is survival shooting.”

Lenny also discusses the issue of grip. He actually
advocates a very aggressive grip to control the handgun. “Handshakes”
are fine for targets, he says, but for combat shooting you’ll want a much
tighter grasp. He demonstrates drawing and firing at seven feet from his
targets, telling viewers to work for technique rather than speed.
Thrust the gun downrange after you clear your holster, he exhorts.
“The gun’s not going anywhere except where I point it,” he says. “I’m
going to dominate this gun. Dominate where the round is going to
go.”

Magill also discourages shooters from developing habitual
shooting postures. He demonstrates various draws before admitting that
his favorite form of carry is IWB (appendix position). Clad in a sweatshirt over
his handgun, he demonstrates clearing and shooting in this attire.

In the next segment, using a Beretta .22 Jetfire, Lenny
shows that a “pocket pistol” can indeed be fired accurately, contrary to
popular belief. He also challenges the myth that small people cannot
fire large firearms. His petite wife Tammy fires a full-sized pistol to
demonstrate the benefits of aggressive handling and proper shooting
fundamentals.

Speaking at length about methods of concealment, Lenny
demonstrates and describes the use of the following:

Belt slide holsters
Small-of-back holsters
IWB holsters
Paddle and clip holsters
Shoulder holsters
Pocket holsters
Wallet holsters
Ankle holsters
Belly band holsters
The “Answer” holster from Safariland, which uses an
unusual under-clothing mounting system
Fanny packs
Specialty holsters (such as pager-paddles)
Hip/clip grips
Books with cutout cavities
Briefcases
Hide-A-Gun mounting systems
Purses and planners

If you’re a shooter who’s been working with firearms for any
length of time, nothing here will be earth-shattering but the tape would
make a great introduction for beginners trying to learn about the options
available to them for concealed carry. Perhaps because laws vary, Lenny
doesn’t spend a lot of time on legalities — though any discussion of firearms
should contain at least the caveat that they can be heavily restricted
depending on where (and who) you are.

In the next segment, Lenny does away with his holsters
entirely, showing how to carry a pistol with your body, in a rolled up
magazine, in your waistband, or even strapped to your forearm with rubber
bands. He demonstrates shooting through a jacket pocket, among other
things.

Capping the tape with a little shooting philosophy, Magill
explains the “Three As” Avoidance, Awareness, and Attention, as he describes
them. The best way to win a gun fight is to avoid being in one.
One does this by being aware, and one remains aware by paying attention.

Don’t think you can end a fight before it begins by
presenting the gun, Lenny cautions. Brandishing a firearm is
escalation. You should only present your weapon if you are in
life-threatening danger.

“Your best bet,” he says in conclusion, “is to walk
away.”

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