Concealed Carry And Drawing Your Gun In Time Of Need?

[PawDaddy]

Okay, I know that I have had alot of posts lately asking questions about this gun or that gun. So, you may be tired of seeing a post by me. It seems I change my mind as much as I change clothes.

But, after reading a post about how quickly a BG can cover distance between him and you it started me thinking. The writer stated that a BG could be on you before you could get your gun unholstered. Tests were done to prove this.

I usually carry my 3" Taurus 85 in an IWB holster under a Tshirt or other untucked shirt. If a bad situation comes about, I'm not sure that just having the gun on me is enough. I do think lots of times about such situations and what I would do, but if someone is set to do you harm, you will have very little time to react. I do not go to places where the risk is that high, but bad things happen in good places sometimes. I do not drink, do drugs, go to bars, stop at convenient stores late at night, and very rarely go into bad areas of town. (I do visit and assist church members, and some of them live in places that are not as safe as they should be.) With all the things that I do to avoid danger, sometimes it will come anyway.

I have a couple of Davis derringers and I know that they are not much gun, but I can have them in my hand inside my pocket at any time. So, I was thinking about a small .38 or .357 such as the Taurus CIA, S&W 442/642, or Charter 2000 enclosed hammer guns. With a small revolver such as this, one could use pocket carry and have the gun in their hand when the need be. The most at risk area that I can think of, for me, is coming out of Wal-Mart or the grocery store and into the parking lot. With one of the above mentioned revolvers, I could get it out quicker than any gun in a holster.

Does all of this make sense? Do any of you carry such a gun in a pocket for the same reasons?

[Billy Sparks]

I understand your concern but I think it might be a little over thought out. Are you going to keep you hand on the weapon in your pocket 100% of the time? I doubt it. It is much more about keeping your senses alert than anything else.

[PawDaddy]

Billy,

I agree about being alert, and one should be aware of his/her surroundings. But, at the same time, if you are in an area such as a parking lot and you see someone who looks suspicious, you can have your gun in hand while still concealed, just in case.

[Jayman]

Sounds like you are making suppositions. Test your claims. Unload your firearms and have a friend time your draws with each. Now you got a little pressure going, huh? Fumble a few times, scratch that carry mode... Nothing like empirical testing. I ditched two different holsters and carry methods before I got what I wanted, based on the above.

Now you figured out what you are fastest/most consistent with, PRACTICE that draw, HUNDREDS OF TIMES. If you only carry one way, and practice consistently, your draw stroke will happen very smoothly and quickly. I think one way well beats multiple ways mediocre.....

[sgt127]

The chances of a psycho just running straight at you and attacking you are reasonably small...I would hope anyway, not sure where you live...If you happen to live in Zimbabwe or Bahgdad...welll...

I feel that I can see a bad thing building and get the gun and my hand together before I'm stuck for time. If somebody has the "drop" on me, I can feign reaching for my wallet, back off, duck behind cover, shove, hit etc to buy time.

It also depends on what I'm doing, where I'm going. I live a bit out in the country, around town, where I live, I feel comfortable with a Ruger SP-101 in my waistband with an extra speedloader in my off side pocket. If however, the wife and I are going to Dallas or other major city on a Fri-Sat night, I carry a P-7 in a real holster and an extra mag in a mag carrier. That entails a real gunbelt and something to cover it with, but also allows a 1.3 sec. draw and shoot...I feel pretty confident that with a sidestep, draw and shoot, I can beat a drawn gun or knife. I agree with others, situational awareness and tactics are critical.

[sturmruger]

I have run over many different situations in my mind. I am sure that it could be said that I am "over analyzing", but I would much rather over think things then be completely surprised by a situation. I think Sgt127 is correct there are not too many situations I can think of where someone is going to just run up and clock me in the head. I think most situations will entail some moderate warning. I am usually very alert to my surroundings, so hopefully I will have some warning.

Most situations that I can think of involve getting mugged, or a store that I am in getting robbed. Also I see carjackings as something to be concerned about. I have developed plans for all such situations because these are scenarios I would expect more then a crazed man just coming up to me and attacking me.

Many people think that the most important thing is having your hardware ready for potential situations. I am most concerned about how I will react mentally. I prepare for the mental game by doing mind drills and also training for my response at the range.

[Jayman]

Understand that criminals do not attack you when they are weak and you are strong. If you see them, they'll most likely not chance it. If they manage to catch you unawares, that is when they want to come at you.

It is very easy to say "I'll see them coming!" But is it always adviseable to prepare for the best case scenario or the worst?

[PawDaddy]

I do think that it is very unlikely that someone will just come charging after you, but in any situation where the possibility of a confrontation is there, wouldn't it be good to have your gun in hand?

Having the gun in a pocket is the only way I know of being able to have it in your hand while still concealed. Are there other ways?

[usnavymasterchief]

PAWDADDY, in addition to my several other firearms, I have a Taurus Model 651 Protector in .357Magnum. It is basically a CIA, same size & etc, except it has a shrouded hammer which has the advantage of being snag free and can be used either S/A or D/A. Contrary to popular belief the CIA and the Protector are not small guns and are relatively heavy. IMHO too heavy and large for front pocket carry. And they only pack 5 rounds.

[Jayman]

If you are carrying IWB and you're starting to worry, just put your hand on your piece under your shirt. If you do it gently and don't act like you are five kinds of freaking, nobody will ever notice. When you do this, it is a good idea to make sure your shirt is still over your hand, of course. Then if there is no threat, you just act like you were adjusting your belt or something. Unless someone is scrutinizing you all to pieces, nobody will notice.

If someone is about to attack you and they see you reach under your shirt, realize that you've become VERY armed, they may very well back down and go about their merry way.

I have done this twice that I know of, and both times it was a false alarm. I carry just behind my hip, so it was more like I was just "reachin' for a scratch" or something like that. Nobody looked at me twice.

The bottom line is that yes, in a time of need, in hand beats all other places a gun could be. But since it is generally frowned upon to go around with a pistol in your hand, one must make compromises.

[yy]

good posts, all.

I'm an engineer so I like to work statistics to get more efficiency. How about this?

Perhaps some wise person on THR can point to the appropriate stats. But I put to you that we can gain efficiency by training for the top ranking most-likely-to-happen scenarios. Rather than spending a lot of resources and time on the incredibly rare events.

So for self-defence and assuming alert-state-of-mind, what are the top ranking scenarios? Jump-out-of-the-shadow mugging? Predator-on-my-trail attack? Witnessing a mugging in progress?

I can see how fast and smooth drawing helps most of the time. I just dont see how useful is the surprise-attack assumption. This kind of assumption combines closed-quarters and surprise and suggests hand to hand response before we can draw.

But for the deterrant effect, I totally see the effectiveness of putting our hand on weapon, short of drawing.

[garrettwc]

The 21 second rule... the Tueller drill.... I've seen this by several different names. It is an accurate description of the amount of time it takes an attacker to charge you. However, the numbers rely on the fact that you are caught flat footed and stand there while the attacker mows you down.

Don't just stand there MOVE!

Get off his line of attack and force him to react to you. An instructor I train with about once a month always incorporates these moving and shooting drills into our training. His purpose is to teach us to overcome the natural human instinct to stand still and upright while manipulating an object. In this case a firearm.

I don't think anyone can possibly be prepared for everything. Mr. Murphy (of Murphy's Law fame) has too many years more training than any of us. What we can do is become proficient at a few basic skills that we can adapt to various situations.

[Jayman]

I saw some firearms instructors messing with this, the catch being, of course, that the guy knew it was coming, just not exactly when. Gun guy drew and got two shots before knife guy got to him.

So what does this mean? If you spot someone 21 feet away, and know he's going to charge you with a knife, before he charges you with the knife, you can probably shoot him a couple of times if your draw is GOOD.

For the rest of us, however... ;)

It is good advice that if caught flat footed you should be prepared to manuver OR draw and fire, OR manuver AND draw AND fire. Probably should train for all of those eventualities, too. :)

[Zundfolge]

Having been robbed at gunpoint, I can tell you that in my instance, had I been armed he could have easily died before he could harm me.

He just walked up to my friend and I and casualy drew his pistol from the 7 o' clock position (he was a lefty) ... he racked the slide on the POS .25 he used (in somewhat flamboyant gangsta style :rolleyes: ) then pointed the gun at us ... sort of sideways, sort of way up in the air pointing down.

Had I been armed the way I tend to be now, I'd have enough time to draw and unload half the magazine into his chest by the time he had his weapon charged and in place (although I would probably just point it at him and yell for him to drop his weapon and get on the ground, to which he would probably just run away).


but thats just one of a million possibilities

[E357]

PawDaddy, you've got the right idea. But, you need to carry those guns in the front pocket of a jacket of some sort. In your pants pocket (unless your waring very baggy pants) you can't point them. When I lived up north I carried this way all the time. Down in So. Florida its too hot for jackets. When I hear a funny noise outside my house - I put the revolver in an old sock and just walk outside with my hand on the "sock-gun".

About three years ago I confronted a man and boy with a ladder climbing up to second story of my condo (at night) - I had the "sock-gun" causually pointed at them the whole time. It turns out they moved in that day, while I was at work and they were having lock/key trouble. They never knew I had a gun pointing at them.

Elliot

[Keith]

This is a very, very interesting thread! It opens up a can of worms that is very familiar to me

If you'll indulge me for a moment... Some of you have followed the various bear and big cat attack threads on the forum. My own interest originates in the fact that I was mauled a few years ago. When it happened, I thought I was fully prepared for bears because I THOUGHT I knew how bear attacks developed. But, I didn't have a clue and got mauled because of what I THOUGHT I knew.
After the event, I began to research the subject (I'm writing a book) and learned that what happened to me was (more or less) a typical bear attack. I had been "prepared" for an entirely different scenario that rarely happens. Lesson learned - don't draw conclusions from anecdotal information!

Now, I'm reading this and getting that same uneasy feeling. I suspect that I don't really know how the typical violent confrontation with a stranger begins... And, like with bears, I suspect that nobody out there has ever tried to quantify how these scenario's develop. And, like with the bears, I may be "prepared" for an incident that rarely occurs and unrepared for the typical scenario.

It would very interesting to see a breakdown of how these incidents develop and play out. Do they most commonly begin with a gun at your head or is there a "feeling out" period - "Hey you, gimme a smoke!"... Where do most muggings occur - in the street, in the parking lot, in your car?

Think about it... if (in your locale) carjackings are more common than street muggings, you'd better not be sitting on your gun in an IWB holster when it goes down. If the typical attack begins when somebody physically grabs you from behind, then you might not want to carry in a shoulder holster that is instantly detected by feel.

I'm not aware of any study that lays things out in an objective fashion. This would be valuable information.

Keith

[Jayman]

Keith: I too would be interested in a study. I have heard MANY anecdotal tales though.

Most guys that I've spoken to have been robbed by someone simply displaying a firearm. Not pointing it, nothing, just lifting back a jacket, showing the butt of the gun. These were fairly classic "give me your money" deals.

I don't know about the outright assaults. What I don't know could fill volumes.

[Keith]

Yeah, I suspect I don't know jack, either!

And I suspect none of the self-defense trainers base their tactics on how it really goes down, either.

I would bet that the common scenario is different for women vs men (they are likely looking for more than money from women), and different in bad neighborhoods vs tourist areas, parking lots vs street corners, etc.

Such a study would "make" a researcher, but I'm unaware of anyone who has ever looked into it.

Keith

[DontShootMe]

I'm with the MOVE first, then draw your weapon concept.

Run like hell, dip, dodge, create space, create uncertainty, cackle like a witch if you think it will throw them off.

Then present your weapon and be ready.

This isnt the movies, there are no RULES except protecting yourself from serious bodily harm and/or death.

[Keith]

My plan has always been to dive to the ground and begin rolling and spraying lead from a pistol in each hand, Mel Gibson style. And then when I've killed them, jump up and say something witty to any pretty girls who are standing near by.
But that would just be silly if it was raining and I got all muddy, or if it happened in one of those parking lots full of sharp gravel, or... if there was a pile of dog poo that I hadn't noticed!

Keith

[Serpico]

"The 21 second rule... the Tueller drill.... I've seen this by several different names. It is an accurate description of the amount of time it takes an attacker to charge you. However, the numbers rely on the fact that you are caught flat footed and stand there while the attacker mows you down."

he must be pretty far or awfully fat to take 21 seconds to charge you.....;)
I think you mean the 21 foot rule where someone could be on you before you get off a shot...

[PawDaddy]

After going back and reading my original post and all the replies, it seems that lots of folks have in there minds how something would play out. And that may be totally reverse or foreign to what might really happen in a confrontation.

We can familiarize ourselves with our guns, carry modes, drawing procedures, etc. But when it comes down to being attacked, fortunately most of us will never have any experience at it.

My son is about to go off to college and even though he is 20 and a pretty big guy, I worry about him. I have told him some things that I hope will help him to be safe:

Always have plenty of gas in his vehicle.

Have everything that you need in your dorm room so that you will not have to go out at night.

If you do have to go out, do not go out alone if at all possible.

Never pick up a hitch-hiker. If someone looks like they need help, call the police on cell phone.

Keep doors locked in vehicle.

If someone bumps your vehicle at a stop sign or red light, drive to a well lit populated place before getting out of vehicle.

Avoid bad parts of town. Even if you have to go out of your way.

There are many other things that I will tell him and reinforce these things so that he will make good decisions and stay safe.

I think that using your head and staying alert is as much a part of self-defence as having a gun. I think that the gun should be that last resort, but have it within easy access in case it comes down to that.

My son will be 21 in March. I hope that things go well for him between now and then. I also know that having a gun will not guarantee your safety, but I will feel better knowing that he will be armed when he is away from home. I also know that most schools don't allow guns on campus and that is something we will have to deal with. I know a few guys that have been students there that carry and hunt. I don't know where they store their guns, but we will find all of this out.

[Mannlicher]

I am sure I am not the only one that feels that situational awarness at all times, will keep you safe from most 'sneak attacks'. Practice with your carry gun, and wear decent leather that will allow access. 'Dress for success', not necessarily for comfort.

[Majic]

Most attackers are not total idiots. The attack is a planned ambush. The attack would most likely come from behind or from your blindside. Unfortunately most people realistically train for a TV senario (frontal attack). The attacker who comes at you from behind and slightly to the side has negated your draw and presentation. Put yourself in the attackers position and try to visual what you can do. Remember he has his weapon ready and you are already trying to play catchup.

[Ky Larry]

Trust your instincts. If a situation doesn't feel right, run like Hell. If you can't clear the area, pull your weapon and be prepared to use it.

[Blackhawk]

Right on, Majic!

Keeping your head on a "swivel neck" will probably do more to keep you from becoming a casual target than anything else. Be aware of everybody within attacking range by constantly sweeping the area with your eyes.

Pickpockets use the cover of other people to get close to you, and maintaining vigilance while in crowds is the toughest, but an armed attack is more unlikely in crowds.

If your posture and attitude is one of vigilance and confident competence, you'll probably never have the opportunity to use your CCW.... :D

[gbelleh]

I like the idea of cackling like a witch. I've always thought acting like a jackass might be a good way to distract someone long enough to get your gun out...then again, it might just make them shoot you! :eek:

What about pointing over the BG's shoulder saying "What the hell is THAT?" When he looks away, draw your guns! I bet that one works better in the movies...

[BB93YJ]

Don't look like food. Predators want an easy meal.

[Sunray]

I'd suggest you go get some training and quit worrying about it until you do. Other than the ccw course.
"...Most attackers are not total idiots..." Yeah, they are. Otherwise they go get jobs and wouldn't be criminals.

[Majic]

"...Most attackers are not total idiots..."

If they were then there would never be any dead victims!!!!

[Sunray]

I'd suggest you go get some training and quit worrying about it until you do. Other than the ccw course.
"...Most attackers are not total idiots..." Yeah, they are. Otherwise they go get jobs and wouldn't be criminals.

[another okie]

I use two carry guns, a Taurus 85 in a Kramer pocket holster, and a Glock 26 in a Sidearmor IWB. The Taurus is very fast if you have your hand on it, but you can put your hand on the concealing garment if you're carrying IWB in a position to sweep it back and be pretty fast, too. For example, if you are wearing an unbuttoned, untucked shirt, you can put your hand up the front of it with your thumb hooking the front of the shirt. Now you're ready, but you don't look threatening. If you're wearing an untucked buttoned shirt you can put your thumb down below the hem of the shirt and hook the hem so you can lift quickly.

The difference between pocket and IWB is small. Practice with what you use is more important than over analyzing which is better.

[happyguy]

You are going to die. Get used to it. Just make sure you take the SOB with you so he can't hurt anyone else.

Regards,
Happyguy:D

[Baba Louie]

Yeah PawDaddy, a gun in the hand beats one in the holster every time, almost, if you have the need for lethal force against lethal force.

It doesn't always start out that way tho' I gather (Hey man, you gotta match?), so stay in condition yellow when out on the streets or parking lots or when at other church members places of residence. Keep one hand empty and ready at least, stop and scan, smile at everyone and have a plan to defend yourself and loved ones.

Noting distance of all who approach you and eyeball their look and intent.

Watch their hands and eyes. Avoid groups of ner-do-wells and eeeevil-doers.

I'm not so sure about carrying a loaded sock in public tho'...:D it could work for ya, others swear by it I gather. (Honest to God Officer, I didn't know the sock was loaded!)

Check your six now and then and enjoy life. No need to be too paranoid... You already follow the Boy Scout motto of "Being Prepared".

Your sig line says it all really. I like it.

Adios

[jercamp45]

Well, we have all pondered this one well!
Awareness is key! Predators like sheep not wolves! I work in Vegas on the north end of crack alley and have to face down some interesting characters weekly, if not daily. If they are know you are ready for them, they normally won't bother. This is not a 100 percent rule(nothing is!), for there are those that DO NOT CARE if they die or go back to jail!(They are scary!), and the crazies that are completely unpredicatable!!
A gun in the hand is better! I spent a few years in a large NE city, and had a trench coat with through pockets. Was my hand in my pocket or on the butt of a Chief's Special? The same gun works pretty nice in a pocket holster too(soon to be upgraded to Kahr PM9)...I carry it in my left front pocket, as a back up to my 1911(of one size or another) in the IWB on my left hip! On duty the 1911 is visible, the .38 is not! It is comforting to have the 'Jay'in the pocket of a robe about the house as well!
Your intuition/gut feeling is vital too! That 'feeling' kept me outta alotta caca over the years. Better to avoid conflict, or negate it than have to deal with the legal aftermath later.
People can move fast, when properly motivated! Anyone with anything that looks like a weapon gets the most detailed scrutiny. Anyone that 'feels' like a danger to me or anyone else, gets my attention. Go wide around corners, keep you back to the wall, 'check six' often and do not forget the high ground!!
Be observant, be prepared!
DVC,
jercamp45

[Island Beretta]

Pawdaddy, excellent topic!!

Over on Glocktalk we have a thread going on a member who was killed because he walked into a robbery, taken completely by surprise. He was armed, I think a G21, but he never got a chance to retaliate although we heard he put up a helluva fight, may he R.I.P!! Here in our country an off-duty policeman was recently killed in a similar situation but is story is different- he picked up on the robbery but it appears as if he was not able to remove his pistol from concealment in time. He MOVED as some of you say we should but guess what, the robbers MOVED ALSO..they eventually flanked the policeman and shot him to death..may he R.I.P. Here the policemen carry SA BHP which requires some degree of manipulation, but that is a different thread..

Anyway, the point is that one of the posters on Glocktalk made a powerful statement. He said that in our minds we always have the drop on the bad guys, the bad guys are going to be slower, less accurate, less aware, less intelligent, less mobile, less of everything needed to win in a fight.. guess what guys- that is rarely ever so..

Highly trained SWAT operatives have gone up against teenage gunmen (with none of the training the SWAT has) and been killed, not once, not twice..

We are at a DISADVANTAGE ALWAYS AGAINST CRIMINALS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE REACTIVE AND VERY FEW OF US HAS THE REAL-LIFE EXPOSURE THAT THEY HAVE.. we try to minimise this by continuous practice in gunfighting/fighting. This affection I see with some for a CCW gun shooting sub-2 inch groups at 25 yds. is all good and well and it has it uses in terms of knowing how your gun fires and your ability to maintain sight picture and alignment and trigger control but this is basic and there is way more East to go. Unfortunately some of us become stuck here and never move to the next level..

Answer this, from the Tueller drill experiment, would you pull your gun and fire at a perp 15 feet away and closing or would you try to evade or use your foot to deliver a kick, pull your knife, or a combination of these.. what would you do?? and how quickly?? what if you fail (yes, you can fail)?? Plan B or beg for mercy?? Supposing whilst delivering a kick you fired the weapon also, would you shoot your foot?? Guys lets be realistic, we see women take a 15-minute self-defence class and that will protect them from a rapist? We carry a .45 caliber pistol and suddenly we are invincible? We are blackbelts in kendo, judo, tai chi and suddenly we can punch out everybody?

It doesn't work like that.. I leave you all with a statement seen at a local gun club (not verbatim) 'Remember to practice always, because the other man is always practicing and when you both meet you'll know the difference.'

[22luvr]

I've always pocket-carried simply because I can have my hand on my gun as often as I want without arousing suspicion.

I carry a Smith 340SC Scandium .357 mag. This gives me a good power-to-weight-to size ratio. I also chose the enclosed hammer model so I can shoot from the pocket, if some perp gets the jump on me. (anyone ever try to shoot from the pocket wearing an old pair of pants?)

I'm also a naturally wary individual, suspicious by nature, and I've gone out the side door, when younger, to avoid an escalating violent situation more than once.

I'm not confrontational but at age 57, I'm 5'-10" and 205 lbs, very husky and solid from years of aircraft loading. Perps aren't generally going to pick on someone like me but go for someone smaller or perhaps a female.

I hope I never have to draw my gun to protect me or my family but if I do, I like the historical stopping power of the .357 mag to stop hostilities quickly.

I'd also like to take up IDPA so I can practice shooting from different positions (flat on my back, God forbid) off-handed and on the move.
It looks like an invaluable skill to learn and fun to boot.

[Loaded]

I don't "live to carry." I "carry to live." Before I was able to leagally carry concealed, I told myself (after having gotten shot in the leg by a robber) that I would never again be a victim or a statistic as long as I live. So now, I will go down in a blaze of glory rather than running away, ????ting my pants, freezing, or throwing a wad of stapled $20's on the ground hoping the punk will be happy and leave. Nope, I'm taking the SOB out of the equation.

Think about this. Most losers who choose to rob people don't spend hours at the range, practicing their draw, or reading up on the latest and greatest techniques. They sit around getting stoned half the time and the other half usually is spent with other losers talking trash. I like to think I am much more intelligent and in better shape than they are and being so, I am not going to cowtow to their silly demands that I give them my hard earned money and be thankful that they didn't "hurt" me. Screw that! He's going to be dead and I'm going to give a written and oral report to the police once I have my lawyer present while doing so.

[Byron Quick]

I collected money and repossesed possessions from deadbeats for 15 years. In areas of Augusta that the police patrol in pairs. Sunset Homes, Telfair Manor, Gilbert Manor... Muggers don't like folk who are aware of their surroundings. Condition yellow? I lived on the edge of condition red.

There are plenty of people out there who will backshoot you or ambush you. There's damn few who'll try you when they know you're armed and ready. Due to my job, it was unavoidable that people knew I was carrying money. I let people know then that I was armed and fully intended to use it if necessary. I was in the middle of a riot that started at a local business. I was the only person of my ethnicity who was not assaulted. My vehicle was the only vehicle not damaged.

I had a guy walk up to me one night on the sidewalk and ask,"What would you do if someone tried to rob you?"

"Try to blow their head clean off of their shoulders,"I replied as I drew my FN HP. He mumbled that he was just joking and scurried away. Joking, my eye, he was on the lead in to rob me then. I was supposed to start quaking in fear.

I've beaten a real "Tueller drill" that started with no warning from a distance of four feet. I moved off the line of attack by stepping backward to my right at a forty-five degree angle.(Granted it was a BIG step) while preparing to draw. My assailant realized three things: 1)I wasn't where he was attacking. 2)He couldn't reach me from where he was and would have to turn and step again to do so, and 3) I appeared to be drawing a gun. He dropped his sledge hammer handle and talked very reasonably from that point on. We agreed that I would, in fact, repossess my merchandise.

Seeing as how I've been in the situation for real from a distance of four feet and facing an assailant who had a weapon with a reach of three feet and successfully manuevered, avoided the attack, and was in position to continue my draw and fire before he could turn and continue his attack...I don't really pay much attention to the Tueller drill. I don't know what folks are doing during the Tueller drill as I've only read about them. But the results that people relate do not square with my experience with an actual attack delivered with absolutely no warning during a conversation that amicable to the point of the attack.

That said, I avoid bad areas as much as possible. I found another line of work at the end of 1990.

If you maintain awareness and watch your six, you'll have time to draw and fire. Look into the store before you enter. If you can't see into the store...start patronizing a different store where you can. About the worst situation you can get into is walking into an ongoing robbery where the bad guys already have guns out. So don't do it.

I've wound up on the ground with a concussion three times. Twice I was in a fight and didn't watch behind. The third time I was doing something stupid and didn't watch behind me. (Don't do stupid stuff...look behind you if you do.)

If you can draw smoothly from your holster, maintain awareness of your surroundings, and avoid trouble areas you shouldn't get into a position where you have to worry.

[Texas Bob]

Try idpa concealling in your favorite manner. No, the national will not saction pocket ccw, but at the local club level RO's are more attentive to local concerns, provided they believe you are safety conscious. I've seen several people over the years modify their dress after a little competition and having to draw from concealment. Other people have validated how they are concealling and able to draw and fire under timed competition. :)

[Blueduck]

Think about this. Most losers who choose to rob people don't spend hours at the range, practicing their draw, or reading up on the latest and greatest techniques. They sit around getting stoned half the time and the other half usually is spent with other losers talking trash.

Agreed, many are like that, but I would never feel overconfident about it.

Many low lifes have also spent extended periods incarcerated. Spending 16 hours a day 7 days a week on three year strech doing nothing but working out, and exchanging fighting, disarming and various ambush strategies with other inmates can make for a very dangerous foe. Kinda makes a week with Jeff Cooper and an occasional weekend trip to the range pale in comparison...

[Island Beretta]

Ever hear some at the movies?..they can identify every gun and state its capabilities and limitations. They also shout instructions to the 'movie' bad guys on correcting or doing tactical maneuvers!!:uhoh:

You dare not say 'Shhh' :eek: