Heres a little test. There has been a lot of discussion on another thread about the 21 ft rule.
This exercise was shown to me by my instructor some 10 years ago.
You need a friend to help out, any physical condition, just your average Joe/Jane.
Now, find somewhere where you have some room. Standing back to back with your friend. Have his/her right heel, touching your left heel and have them place their right hand on your left shoulder. You are standing relaxed, hands at you side.
Now, before you start, clear you weapon and holster. When they are ready, have them run as fast as possible away from you. (try to have them do this without giggling like a little girl, it's very distracting ) Now the second you feel their hand leave your should, you draw and fire (empty gun of cause). You can even draw and fire 'cowboy' style, i.e. close retention. As soon as your partner hears the snap, stop, and I do mean stop (I'll come back to this in a second). Now measure from your back heel to your partner's back heel. What is that distance?
If it's 21 ft or greater, you've just been cut multiple times, possible before you've had a chance to draw.
Now repeat the above exercise, but this time from low ready, two hand hold. Raise the gun to eye level (to simulate aimed fire) the instant you feel their hand leave your shoulder, and double tap, now, what's the results? I bet you'd be surprised.
The reason I have them stop 'dead in their tracks' is to illustrate best case scenario. In real life bullets, no matter the caliber, will stop someone dead in their tracks. In all likely hood their kinetic energy will carry them forward another 6-12 ft before they realize they've been shot. This is still enough to cut you badly.
This exercise was shown to me by my instructor some 10 years ago.
You need a friend to help out, any physical condition, just your average Joe/Jane.
Now, find somewhere where you have some room. Standing back to back with your friend. Have his/her right heel, touching your left heel and have them place their right hand on your left shoulder. You are standing relaxed, hands at you side.
Now, before you start, clear you weapon and holster. When they are ready, have them run as fast as possible away from you. (try to have them do this without giggling like a little girl, it's very distracting ) Now the second you feel their hand leave your should, you draw and fire (empty gun of cause). You can even draw and fire 'cowboy' style, i.e. close retention. As soon as your partner hears the snap, stop, and I do mean stop (I'll come back to this in a second). Now measure from your back heel to your partner's back heel. What is that distance?
If it's 21 ft or greater, you've just been cut multiple times, possible before you've had a chance to draw.
Now repeat the above exercise, but this time from low ready, two hand hold. Raise the gun to eye level (to simulate aimed fire) the instant you feel their hand leave your shoulder, and double tap, now, what's the results? I bet you'd be surprised.
The reason I have them stop 'dead in their tracks' is to illustrate best case scenario. In real life bullets, no matter the caliber, will stop someone dead in their tracks. In all likely hood their kinetic energy will carry them forward another 6-12 ft before they realize they've been shot. This is still enough to cut you badly.