The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Top 3 holster-draw precautions!

rauke · April 24, 2009, 12:37 PM

Now that a newbie has asked me to teach him how to draw from a holster, I am reviewing and diarizing the best advice for doing a safe, quick draw.

If I recall correctly, 80% of all handgun mishaps occur when drawing from concealment, so undertaking to teach this procedure is no trifling matter.

Basically I’ve boiled what I know down to three caveats:

1) Make a conscious effort to keep your trigger finger out of the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire. This will keep you from shooting yourself in the foot, or in the leg, during the draw stroke.

2) If you are shooting two-handed, wait until your support hand is positioned correctly before allowing your trigger finger to enter the trigger guard. This will prevent you from blowing any fingers off your support hand.

When firing one-handed (especially from the hip) be conscious of where your other hand is. If your other hand has a tendency to wander, hold a bag in the unused support hand to weigh it down, or use it to hug a package to your chest to keep that hand from going anywhere dangerous.

3) If the gun slips from your grip at any point during the draw stroke, let it fall to the ground! Grabbing a falling weapon is one of the surest ways of precipitating an accidental discharge. You have no way of knowing where the gun’s muzzle will be pointing, or where your fingers will go, in the time that it takes you to grab it.

If you’re lucky, the gun will be pointed in a safe direction and none of your fingers will contact the trigger. If you’re unlucky, the gun will have spun 180 degrees in mid-air and your grab will put a finger (usually the thumb) on the trigger, shooting you through the head or torso (and possibly also injuring the person standing behind you---who would likely be me, the instructor). So don't even think of trying it!

Those of us who know how to do it, take the act of drawing a gun from a holster for granted. New shooters who have to learn the drill, are well advised to do a lot of unloaded, dry practice before attempting to fire their first shots on the range.

Did I miss any thing?

April 24, 2009, 12:37 PM	#1
rauke Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Australasia Posts: 200	Top 3 holster-draw precautions! Now that a newbie has asked me to teach him how to draw from a holster, I am reviewing and diarizing the best advice for doing a safe, quick draw. If I recall correctly, 80% of all handgun mishaps occur when drawing from concealment, so undertaking to teach this procedure is no trifling matter. Basically I’ve boiled what I know down to three caveats: 1) Make a conscious effort to keep your trigger finger out of the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire. This will keep you from shooting yourself in the foot, or in the leg, during the draw stroke. 2) If you are shooting two-handed, wait until your support hand is positioned correctly before allowing your trigger finger to enter the trigger guard. This will prevent you from blowing any fingers off your support hand. When firing one-handed (especially from the hip) be conscious of where your other hand is. If your other hand has a tendency to wander, hold a bag in the unused support hand to weigh it down, or use it to hug a package to your chest to keep that hand from going anywhere dangerous. 3) If the gun slips from your grip at any point during the draw stroke, let it fall to the ground! Grabbing a falling weapon is one of the surest ways of precipitating an accidental discharge. You have no way of knowing where the gun’s muzzle will be pointing, or where your fingers will go, in the time that it takes you to grab it. If you’re lucky, the gun will be pointed in a safe direction and none of your fingers will contact the trigger. If you’re unlucky, the gun will have spun 180 degrees in mid-air and your grab will put a finger (usually the thumb) on the trigger, shooting you through the head or torso (and possibly also injuring the person standing behind you---who would likely be me, the instructor). So don't even think of trying it! Those of us who know how to do it, take the act of drawing a gun from a holster for granted. New shooters who have to learn the drill, are well advised to do a lot of unloaded, dry practice before attempting to fire their first shots on the range. Did I miss any thing?