The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - cross-draw carry

MLeake · July 30, 2012, 01:43 PM

Others have made most of these points, but I'll borrow, add, and summarize a bit.

Crossdraw for cavalry made good sense because one's balance and center of gravity are disrupted less in a cross-draw motion than they are in a reach down to the strong side belt or thigh motion. This matters if the horse is moving at any sort of pace. This REALLY matters if the horse has been trained to respond to leg and body-shift commands.

Crossdraw for non-cavalrymen has some other advantages. As others have noted:

1) It's often easier to draw when seated (such as in a car or at a desk).
2) It avoids one's rifle butt from banging into the weapon, if hunting with rifle and handgun.
3) With long barreled hunting revolvers, it's easier to sit down on a log, stump, etc without jamming the holster into the log or the butt into your ribs.
4) (Back to the cavalry advantage) the drawing motion is potentially less obvious, as the arm doesn't have to move quite so radically as it typically does for a strong-side draw.
4a) My dad brought this to my attention - he has some shoulder joint issues and can't draw from an FBI canted IWB. He can draw just fine from a crossdraw rig.

Disadvantages (and possible fixes):
1) Can be harder to conceal larger guns. (I can't keep a 1911 or similar butt from printing under normal shirts, crossdraw, so I don't normally carry that way.)
2) Can pose a challenge for drawing at the range, without pointing the muzzle where you don't want it to point. (Fix: as others noted, foot and body positioning. Step back into Weaver or Chapman while drawing, and the muzzle gets shifted toward downrange.)
3) Can offer an assailant a grab opportunity. (Fix: Similar to range issue - step back into Weaver, Chapman, or retention, and grip no longer faces assailant.)
4) Easier to muzzle self while drawing. (Fix: practice with snap caps or a blue gun, and train to not muzzle self.)

July 30, 2012, 01:43 PM	#15
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Others have made most of these points, but I'll borrow, add, and summarize a bit. Crossdraw for cavalry made good sense because one's balance and center of gravity are disrupted less in a cross-draw motion than they are in a reach down to the strong side belt or thigh motion. This matters if the horse is moving at any sort of pace. This REALLY matters if the horse has been trained to respond to leg and body-shift commands. Crossdraw for non-cavalrymen has some other advantages. As others have noted: 1) It's often easier to draw when seated (such as in a car or at a desk). 2) It avoids one's rifle butt from banging into the weapon, if hunting with rifle and handgun. 3) With long barreled hunting revolvers, it's easier to sit down on a log, stump, etc without jamming the holster into the log or the butt into your ribs. 4) (Back to the cavalry advantage) the drawing motion is potentially less obvious, as the arm doesn't have to move quite so radically as it typically does for a strong-side draw. 4a) My dad brought this to my attention - he has some shoulder joint issues and can't draw from an FBI canted IWB. He can draw just fine from a crossdraw rig. Disadvantages (and possible fixes): 1) Can be harder to conceal larger guns. (I can't keep a 1911 or similar butt from printing under normal shirts, crossdraw, so I don't normally carry that way.) 2) Can pose a challenge for drawing at the range, without pointing the muzzle where you don't want it to point. (Fix: as others noted, foot and body positioning. Step back into Weaver or Chapman while drawing, and the muzzle gets shifted toward downrange.) 3) Can offer an assailant a grab opportunity. (Fix: Similar to range issue - step back into Weaver, Chapman, or retention, and grip no longer faces assailant.) 4) Easier to muzzle self while drawing. (Fix: practice with snap caps or a blue gun, and train to not muzzle self.)