Control Your Muzzle

G

Gabe Suarez

New member
"Don't Let the Muzzle Cover Anything You Are Not Willing To Destroy".

Let's keep an open mind boys and girls. Is this a ALWAYS viable tactical safety principle? Now before you raise your voices and fists and get the heretic-burning-kit open, hear me out.

First of all, I am not in the business of teaching lowest common denominator shooters, police academy conscripts, or low dedication folks. I have nothing against training them and think they should be taught sound basics. But I also believe that limiting high end shooters to white-belt techniques because that is all a particular trainer has the knowledge to teach is not only a disservice to everyone, but holds the art back in the dark ages.

Thus the focus of Suarez International courses is to teach everyone to their level. Advanced shooters (such as those who attend our Close Range Gunfighting and Interactive Gunfight Tactics) need more than what the grandma with the S&W Ladysmith gets.

Now about the muzzle. Do innocent people get covered with gun muzzles in gunfights? Certainly they do. Its a fact of life and those who say "no" haven't been in too many gunfights. Gunfights are not safe clinical events like we see in a classic shooting class "shoot house" drill. Rather, they are loud, dangerous, confused affairs where you may not be able to tell good guy from bad guy.

Who is the most important player in the gunfight? If you answered anything but "ME"!! , you need to revisit the mind set lecture. Unless there are rules of engagement that mitigate pointing in with the muzzle (in which case - adapt, overcome, and do what you must) point at the perceived source of the threat, not at the floor. Yes Virginia, its OK to point your gun at a man who is threatening you.

If a man has caused you enough stress that you grabbed your gun to begin with, you are probably justified in shooting him. If you are not justified in shooting, leave the gun in the holster. But if you do go to guns, make sure you are sending the right message. Point in!!

Now there are other situations relating to muzzles. Specifically covering yourself with the muzzle. Good Heavens Batman!

Certainly to be avoided, but let's not go to extremes. I'll bet most of us cover ourselves with our muzzles every single time we draw! Right now. Stand up with your holstered pistol, take your special approved stance and draw. Notice how your muzzle covers part of your leg on an angle as you exit the holster??

Now go sit in your car and pretend an adversary was coming to kill you and you had to do a surprise "stress draw" right toward him. How would you do it??? You would draw right to the threat as is human nature to do. Do you think you would do some roundabout draw "over-the-steering-wheel" draw? Be honest, you'd "skin that smokewagon" and point right in, giving no thought to the fact you just swept your legs on the way out. Again, covering yourself with the muzzle.

Look, the bottom line is that I'm not trying to sink anyone's boat. However, reality is reality and we must take it into consideration when we train. Its probably going to happen so instead of getting "goosy" about muzzles, educate your trigger finger to rest on the Index Point until you make a conscious decission to shoot.

So -

Control Your Muzzle And Do Not Allow It To Cover Anything or Anyone..... Unintentionally.


Cheers,


Gabe Suarez
Suarez International USA
http://www.suarezinternational.com
 
No matter what forum I'm on, when I see a Gabe Suarez post, I know it's going to be well-considered and completely lacking in BS. Some, like this one, require real huevos to post. I really enjoy your info, Gabe, both online and in your books. Thanks!
 
Quote...
"Now go sit in your car and pretend an adversary was coming to kill you and you had to do a surprise "stress draw" right toward him. How would you do it??? You would draw right to the threat as is human nature to do. Do you think you would do some roundabout draw "over-the-steering-wheel" draw? Be honest, you'd "skin that smokewagon" and point right in, giving no thought to the fact you just swept your legs on the way out. Again, covering yourself with the muzzle."

Ever notice when they teach the over-the-steering wheel draw how they NEVER let anyone be in front of the car?

Of course numero uno is important, but muzzle control is muzzle control and of you don't intend on letting your muzzle cover anything you aren't willing to destroy, then the roundabout draw over-the-steering wheel may mean you cover a lot of people you didn't give any thought to either as the gun is waved around inside the car, trying to go over the steering wheel and sweeping the across 90 degrees of territory from somewhere around directly ahead to out the side window.
 
Yep, Gabe Suarez is one of the few people who can make a long post worth reading.

Sometimes I've found a conflict with the ideal versus reality. for example:

Whenever I toted a handgun in the military I found the only carry location that allowed me to draw strong or weak hand from any position: standing, sitting, driving a vehicle or being a passenger was cross draw (cross chest) which is frowned upon in competition.

Although a gun is always loaded, I always check it before leaving home.

So I strive for the ideal while living with the real.

Good point Gabe,
Larry
 
Good points - can't find anything I disagree with. If ya' "keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target" Rule #2 can indeed be, well, not bent, but prehaps flexed a little bit.
 
If one is truely an expert as Gabe suggests, I'd agree, but apparently some are less expert than they think - there was the widely circulated tale recently of the DEA instructor shooting himself in the leg while doing a safety demo for schoolkids. When I took my pistol course, the instructor (who also trains LEOs) told of (also recent) a local officer shooting his partner in the leg by keeping his finger on the trigger as they exited the vehicle and the gun snagged on something - oops! :rolleyes: I honestly don't mean to disparage anyone, but the instructor's statement was that most people's confidence exceeds their ability, which somehow, I don't find hard to believe.
 
There is a world of difference between accepting the fact that it might happen in the chaos of an armed confrontation and accepting it outright.

Who is the most important player in the gunfight? If you answered anything but "ME"!! , you need to revisit the mind set lecture.
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I reject this notion out of hand. If I'm alone this is certainly true, but if I'm operating as a member of a team then that attitude is not acceptable. A better example might be, "ME AND MINE." No offense Gabe, but I wouldn't want anyone on my team that does not consider my survival just as important as his own. Maybe you should consider a slight modification of the lecture you mention.

Certainly to be avoided, but let's not go to extremes. I'll bet most of us cover ourselves with our muzzles every single time we draw! Right now. Stand up with your holstered pistol, take your special approved stance and draw. Notice how your muzzle covers part of your leg on an angle as you exit the holster??
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Actually, no.

Now go sit in your car and pretend an adversary was coming to kill you and you had to do a surprise "stress draw" right toward him. How would you do it??? You would draw right to the threat as is human nature to do. Do you think you would do some roundabout draw "over-the-steering-wheel" draw? Be honest, you'd "skin that smokewagon" and point right in, giving no thought to the fact you just swept your legs on the way out. Again, covering yourself with the muzzle.
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Agree totally with this.


I agree with the overall concept that proper muzzle control, while pretty high on the priority list, is not something that can always be adhered to in every situation. Muzzle awareness however, should not be negotiable. Semantics maybe, but there's no reason not to be careful when discussing these issues publicly, lest someone interpret things the wrong way.
 
fix,

No offense taken. My only objectives are to develop the art and to teach reality-based stuff.

1) ME AND MINE?
Sure I'll buy that.

2). Regarding the issue of covering yourself with gun muzzle on draw and holstering. You say no. Hmm. Let's see. If you wear a pistol in a strong side holster, and are standing in a fighting stance, when you draw, you will sweep your leg. Unless the holster is so far from the body that it does not, or you are standing with your feet together, or some other thing. If we have invented some other way of getting a pistol from holster to target in a direct line, I'd like to learn it.

Thanks,



Gabe Suarez
Suarez International USA
http://www.suarezinternational.com
 
Unless the holster is so far from the body that it does not, or you are standing with your feet together, or some other thing.
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Ahh, now I see what you're getting at. I just tried it with a gun that wears a set of lasergrips, and it does light up the outside of my calf for a split second.
 
Gabe -

Perhaps his idea of a firing stance is different from yours and most of the rest of the world. When I think of a fighting stance my legs are just a bit farther apart than shoulder width with the weak side slightly forward. When I visualize this I see that I would sweep my strong side calf slightly when clearing the leather. I really don't pay this much mind as a) I have to get the gun out RIGHT NOW and b) when I draw my finger is not on the trigger, thus no reasonable liklihood of touching off a round. I found your original post to be quite cogent and articulate, just like your books. I also expected a loud cry to erupt from hither and yon from from the nay-sayers.

Big boy rules ladies and gentlemen. Your only true safety is the one between your ears.
 
Gabe - don't get too serious about this "teaching" gig

What you say makes too much sense to be digested by the general shooting public (he he).

Now if we could just get everybody to quit beating the over-penetration dead horse I would be happy.
 
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