how do you draw your pistol?

[e'ville]

I was recently critiqued on my draw. Now I have some questions.

When moving my hand from a high position to the grip, I come down firmly on the grip then pull the gun up. That works well for me. But how about if the hand is low. Do you raise it to the grip then push your hand down around the grip before pulling the gun out of the holster? Is there a good way to use a continuous upward motion so as to snatch the grip out of the holster without any downward motion or force? If possible this may be faster.

When drawing the gun, do you rotate it as fast as possible to point it down range while still near the hip, or do you rotate it later?

Just trying to focus on the fundamentals. Thanks.

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Mark
NRA member

 

[Gunfighter]

The holster is only a platform for which to pick your gun up. Any downward movement of the holster is waisted movement. Practice getting a good purchase on the grip and pointing the gun at the target as soon as you clear the hoslter. This into the speed rock position will put you in a good retention position and enable you to engage close threats.

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When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns.

 

[George Hill]

E'ville - this kinda depends on the situation... Type of Holster - is this IDPA or IPSC or Concealed...

Sounds like either way - Your Doing It Right.
What I mean is this... First thing you do is get a good solid grip and only then do you pull the gun clear of the leather.
At this point your gun is "skinned" and is still above your rig pointing down.
Now, there are 2 basic styles that go from here:
The Speed Rock - where you rotate the pistol to point down range while the nonfiring hand comes across your gut to meet the firing hand for support and then you push the gun out to your target.
The there is a Practical approach - You keep the pistol pointed down and bring the nonfiring hand down while you bring the pistol around to your front to secure it in a firm two handed grip - Then you bring the gun up to your sight plain.

(Okay - there is also the CHUCK TAYLOR move where you FIRST put your non firing hand out in front of you like your doing a handshake. Then you grab your gun and speedrock so your pointing your pistol either at the target or your other hand and you cant tell which. Then you bring the gun the nonfiring hand if you havn't blown it off.)

Depending on the tactical situation One method (accept the Taylor move) may have advantage over the other. If your toe to toe with an adversary - the Speed rock will set you up in a defensive stance nicely. You can gut shoot your villan and retain your weapon better. The practical method as I described is better when your in a more distant position from your adversary or on a Range. It allows you to keep full control of where that weapon is pointing at all times. That is important because you are fully responible for where all your bullets land. In a speed rock - your not aiming. Pointing in general isnt aiming - but if like I said, your toe to toe - then you have to do what you have to do to win the fight.

Also - one more detail. With the speed rock, while your drawing, take one step back - or slide your gun-side foot back increasing the distance from the target. While with the practical draw - take your Non-gun side foot and put it forward setting up that modified Weaver stance for better controled aimed shooting.

If your an Iso-Shooter in the Practical draw - you can slide that foot to the side a bit... but with the speed rock - you would still pull that gun-side foot back. Why?
Because your so close that you have a potential weapon retention situation and you want your stance to be as strong as possible, and keep that side away from the adversary.

This was all just off the cuff - I'ld need to go over my training materials for details.

 

[George Hill]

Anyone else see that Chuck Taylor Method I was talking about - it was printed up in several magazines...
I just got an email saying I was full of it.
Come - I need back up.