Draw Technique

[DreQo]

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K, lets see if I can describe this correctly. For those of you that have practiced a fast draw, do you pause for the slightest moment at the holster, or do you essentially draw in one continuous motion?

I ask because I've noticed some VERY good shooters with lightening fast draws that have that pause in there. Their hands snap into position: strong hand gripping the firearm, weak hand at chest. Then after a very short pause, they snap into firing position.

So what do you guys do, and what is considered the "best" way to do it?

 

[Bikenut]

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DreQo wrote:

K, lets see if I can describe this correctly. For those of you that have practiced a fast draw, do you pause for the slightest moment at the holster, or do you essentially draw in one continuous motion?

I ask because I've noticed some VERY good shooters with lightening fast draws that have that pause in there. Their hands snap into position: strong hand gripping the firearm, weak hand at chest. Then after a very short pause, they snap into firing position.

So what do you guys do, and what is considered the "best" way to do it?

I personally have a brief "pause" as my brain receives tactile confirmation that my hand has the proper grip for the draw.

 

[skidmark]

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Is that "pause" you see merely the fingers closing around the stocks (grips to you plebians )?

I'd rather sit back and watch the debate between the 4-, 5- and 6-step draw proponents, and then see the winners take on the rock-back vs. pull up & push out contest winners.

As for what do I do? It depends on the circumstances. I train to get the gun out & on target as fast as will allow me to get the shot off very near where I want it to go. Sometimes I do that standing square to the target while waiting for a beep or buzz, and sometimes I do it while rolling under my vehicle or falling flat on my third point of contact on my bedroom floor.

stay safe.

skidmark

 

[cloudcroft]

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I don't have any "fast draw" as my gun isn't that easy to get to.

Situational awareness is my "buffer" to get to my gun.If that fails, I may be introuble.

Still, IMO, a gun ON me -- no matter how "slow" it is to get to -- beats getting to a gun NOT on me.

-- John D.

 

[TigBitties]

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...because when someone is at ten feet and closing with a knife, neuances ofdraw techniqueare of utmost importance. :quirky

 

[HankT]

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DreQo wrote:

K, lets see if I can describe this correctly. For those of you that have practiced a fast draw, do you pause for the slightest moment at the holster, or do you essentially draw in one continuous motion?

I ask because I've noticed some VERY good shooters with lightening fast draws that have that pause in there. Their hands snap into position: strong hand gripping the firearm, weak hand at chest. Then after a very short pause, they snap into firing position.

So what do you guys do, and what is considered the "best" way to do it?

I think the "lightning fast draw" for civilian self-defense is wayyyyyy overrated. It's kind of a simplistic conceptualization to think about being "lightning fast." I prefer to think about "lightning fast" awareness and analysis of the threat. I don't know of any empirical studies that say, for example, that shaving a couple of hundredths off your draw time will appreciably increase your chances of survival.

I'm sure there is variation in the speed of draw across persons. And that practice at drawing/technique can increase speed. But will it provide significant benefits?

And what about different modes of carry? I recall, DQ that you used to carry in tactical purse. Sometimes carry is required or desired in such a mode. Drawing from there can't be faster than from a good holster. Does carrying in a tactical purse put you in extreme danger because of slower draw time? I think not. Else, people such as yourselfwouldn't do it.




cloudcroft wrote:

I don't have any "fast draw" as my gun isn't that easy to get to.

Situational awareness is my "buffer" to get to my gun.If that fails, I may be introuble.

Still, IMO, a gun ON me -- no matter how "slow" it is to get to -- beats getting to a gun NOT on me.

Like CC, I'm usually in this mode.

And situational awareness is a MAJOR factor in SD. It will save your life.

I don't think of reacting to a general threat with a specific gun-related behavior. I think of how to avoid--escape from--confront the inescapablethreat. There are aLOT of potentially useful (and life-saving) options in that whole range of actions.

Avoiding has most of my conscious thoughts. Then, I think a lot about fleeing a threat, if at all possible. ThenI think about a gun. And drawing. Drawing is pretty minor to me, given that I can get it done.

Another thing I think a lot about is going through the options really really fast. If avoidance fails, and fleeing fails, then I want to select the gun option ASAP in enough time to save my life or the lives of my loved ones.

If I'm carrying a gun, my twin priorities are:

1. Save myself from extreme physical injury or death.

2. Responsibly and utterly correctly deploy my weapon.


Having a "lightning fast" draw has only a teeny, tiny, or evennegligibleimpact on those priorities, in my estimation...

That's for me. Other opinions are there too.

 

[DreQo]

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Wow you guys sure love to make a mountain out of a mole hill lol. I asked because I participate in competitive shooting on a semi-regular basis. I got a new holster recently, so I started the process of learning the draw. While doing it in "slow motion", I noticed that I had to apply pressure towards my body to get a clean draw every time. This is the first holster I've had that requires that.

Anyway, I found that as I sped up, I would have to pause at the grip to get a consistent draw. If I tried to go through in one motion, I'd get hung up 50% of the time.

I then noticed that other people's draws had that pause in it as well. I had assumed it was for the sake of deactivating retention devices, but then I wondered if it was also a pause to get the right grip and draw angle.

 

[ODA 226]

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In Special Forces we have a saying, "SMOOTH IS FAST". If you try for a quick draw,a large percentage ofpeople will hickup at the moment of truth and get their weapon hung up on a piece of clothing, fail to release their weapon from a security holster, if they carry one, or will miss getting a proper grip on the weapon. FAST DRAW IS A RECEIPE FOR DISASTER.

Practice a DELIBERATE DRAW ensuring that:

1. Any clothing covering the weapon, if CC, is cleared from the weapon.

2. Establish a proper strong hand grip on the weapon.

3. Unlock your retention device.

4. Draw your weapon until it clears your holster completely, then immediately index the weapon toward your front and horizontal to your hip.

5.As you present the weapon forward, establish a proper two-hand grip and bring the weapon sight to your eyes.

6. Manipulate the trigger and follow through. Prepare for more shots is needed.

7. Scan the area for additional threats. (All Around...Up and Down...)

 

[DreQo]

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Cool! Except I already knew that, and it didn't answer the original question.

 

[SlackwareRobert]

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Plus those cut down holsters that enable those blinding fast draws
aren't worth a sh*t for retention when walking down the street.
I only got to see one shooter, and there was no pause that I could see,
timer goes off, hole in the target. Maybe time warp could spot one though.

It's the old adage when you and a friend are being chased by a bear,
you only need to run faster than him. In the case of the man I watched
I might get my hand to twitch while his 3rd round goes through me.

I would guess I pause by definition, when I sense danger my hand goes
to the grip, but I don't draw till the danger manifests itself.
You can always shoot through the purse, no need to pull it out. It can get
expensive practicing for that, and ruin your good purses, but.....

 

[cloudcroft]

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You mean a "man purse?"

-- John D.

 

[fully_armed_biker]

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DreQo wrote:

Cool! Except I already knew that, and it didn't answer the original question.

The problem is your question is ambiguous. Like a golf swing, there is no "one correct" or "one best" way to draw your weapon. Using the golf analogy, whatever method is going to get the clubhead on the ball at a decent speed, with theclub face square to the ball, moving along an intended plane, is best...that method may be different for you than it is for me.

 

[ODA 226]

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DreQo wrote:

Cool! Except I already knew that, and it didn't answer the original question.

It answered the original question. Post some pics of what you're describing. I've never seen anyone fire two-handed from the punch draw that you describe. A punch draw is a one-handed shooting technique.

 

[david.ross]

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ODA,

Another method which firearms courses teach is shooting from the hip. As in drawing out of the holster, rotate gun forward while pressing on your hip/side firmly with the handle area, then firing.

The method is for CQC where one can not efficiently create a stable/draw platform.

 

[ODA 226]

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insane.kangaroo wrote:

ODA,

Another method which firearms courses teach is shooting from the hip. As in drawing out of the holster, rotate gun forward while pressing on your hip/side firmly with the handle area, then firing.

The method is for CQC where one can not efficiently create a stable/draw platform.

That is exactly what I was describing as an integral part of any draw:

4. Draw your weapon until it clears your holster completely, then immediately index the weapon toward your front and horizontal to your hip.

It is used to immediately be able to shoot if the BG attempts to close distance with you or in order to get a shot off if suprised while drawing.

 

[david.ross]

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Ah, right. The only modification after 4 would be in the position though, would be to press firmly against yourself to stabilize the firearm since there may be many firing sequences. The version I learned was to place my weak hand around my chest area as to not be in a situation where the muzzle may cover my firearm.

What would be helpful is if there were proper videos for people to see. By proper I mean videos not made by maroons on Expert Village. If you ever watched their videos, you'd chuckle.

My instructor was going to create videos for the courses yet never made his way around to create them.

 

[HankT]

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insane.kangaroo wrote:

Another method ...is shooting from the hip...

A method quite popular around here... :lol:



But on the subject of a fast draw, the key, as we all really know, as it is with allhuman processesis.....



practice.....practice....practice.....

Fast-Draw Robot, 1960
Robot equipped with fast-draw invention shoots it out with live gunner. It's always easy to question the wisdom of giving a robot a gun, but also making him quick on the draw is just irresponsible

 

[david.ross]

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The photo depicted is not what I mean Hank. I'll take a couple of photos some time and explain. To best describe, the firearm is touching your waist.

 

[ODA 226]

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insane.kangaroo wrote:

Ah, right. The only modification after 4 would be in the position though, would be to press firmly against yourself to stabilize the firearm since there may be many firing sequences. The version I learned was to place my weak hand around my chest area as to not be in a situation where the muzzle may cover my firearm.

What would be helpful is if there were proper videos for people to see. By proper I mean videos not made by maroons on Expert Village. If you ever watched their videos, you'd chuckle.

My instructor was going to create videos for the courses yet never made his way around to create them.

Both of you guys are talking about a ONE hand shooting technique. I am speaking of a TWO hand shooting technique. The punch-draw that both of you are refering to involves bringing the weak-hand fist to the chest and firing the weapon ONE handed.

 

[rebel-patriot]

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DreQo wrote:

K, lets see if I can describe this correctly. For those of you that have practiced a fast draw, do you pause for the slightest moment at the holster, or do you essentially draw in one continuous motion?

I ask because I've noticed some VERY good shooters with lightening fast draws that have that pause in there. Their hands snap into position: strong hand gripping the firearm, weak hand at chest. Then after a very short pause, they snap into firing position.

So what do you guys do, and what is considered the "best" way to do it?

Ok you asked for it so here it is. My father never practised with firearms other than on the farm. My brothers were the first to take me hunting. I was the first in my family to begin really seriously practising with handguns.

A dear friend of mine's father was a WWII veteran. He was one of a few people I have known in my life to have served in all four brances of the service. Anyway.. when I was younger this friends father went shooting with me a few times. And over the course of those few times embedded in me the following...

He saw me drawing and using the weaver stance. Now this was the accepted stance of the day and all that. Well he leaned back in his country I got to tell you something stance and told me basically not to listen to all that BS. When your life depends on you clearing that holster, you grab it firmly and draw. Once clear of the holster, you aim the weapon from your hip and get at least 3 round off by the time you bring it to eye level and get your second hand on that weapon.

Even if you dont hit the target you are sending them scurring for cover.

Beleive it or not, this has actually worked for me in several real life situations. I follow his adivce religiously. In practise as well as in real life scenarios.

It worked for him, and it works for me. That is all I can tell you.

Guld Coast Gunman