How Confident Are You With Your EDC?

[fastbolt]

For me, the confidence comes with having used - and trained regularly with - the same equipment for the last thirty years -- same handgun platforms, same brands/styles of holsters, always worn in the same position. While there may be occasions where I vary a bit (shoulder holster for long drives, IWB -- rarely anymore --for slightly improved concealment, smaller pistol, even a 1911 or a revolver) I keep a handgun in the same location, strong-side, 4 o'clock.
View attachment 1072199

Experiential knowledge that's based upon real world application can be a handy thing.

 

[fastbolt]

I appreciate the question raised by the OP.

I rely upon my years of familiarization, training and practice using the various handguns I own. During my years of serving as a LE firearms trainer I was expected (and held to) be at a higher standard of knowledge and proficiency than the average bear (line staff). My own expectations exceeded the 'minimum' threshold of being in that 'higher standard', though. I worked hard to earn that Master shooting medal back when we had such a program, and even when that medal program was discontinued I didn't see any reason to cut myself any slack.

Nowadays I work to keep the rust from accumulating any faster than it must ... according to the laws of nature and the normal aging process.

I've found that one of the problems with reaching a point where you're willing to cautiously acknowledge a degree of justified confidence in your skills, knowledge and ability, is that by the time you reach that point, you're becoming old. And then older.

 

[luzyfuerza]

These "Are You Confident In Your EDC" threads are great. For me, they are always a goad to get out to the range with my timer to PROVE whether I should be confident, or not. TODAY.

So, today, I decided to use the RangeMaster Drill of the Month for April, the 6/5/4 Drill (check it out here https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/april-rangemaster-newsletter.904267/ ) to see whether I was any good or just fooling myself. I knew that this would be a good test. I've never shot the 6/5/4 before. And opportunities to practice have been minimal for the last four weeks, so I knew I would be artic-frigid-cold on the first run or two.

Here are my results. Times listed are splits between shots. All of the misses were on the business card.

And what the targets looked like after the last four runs.

Tom Givens wrote that he ran this drill a few times, and that his best two clean runs were 3.81 and 3.83 seconds.

Greg Ellifritz recently tested himself with a modified 6/5/4 and posted his results here https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/modifying-the-rangemaster-6-5-4-drill.


Give it a try! Should you really be confident with YOUR EDC?

 

[jeepnik]

Training is good. Necessary even. But the best training in the world doesn’t always prepare you for reality.

now this isn’t meant to offend anyone. It’s just that until you have actual experience there’s no way to know how you will respond. And how you will deal with the after effects.

The phrase “Kill them all, let God sort them out” was a sort of mantra of my generation. But it was uttered mostly by kids who didn’t realize the life long effects of what we were doing and experiencing.

Even if you escape without a mark on you, you’ll still have to deal with the aftermath. For some it rolls off like water on a ducks back. For others the scars are deep and everlasting.

 

[plumberroy]

Okay first this is the one place my anxiety/ being wired all the time is a good thing. I don't miss much situational awareness is your first line of defense. I have 4 guns that I trust to carry all are Gen 4 Glocks. I can ring a 9 in. gong at 50 yards 3-4 out of the 7 rounds in my G42 I don't think I have ever stot against a timer but over the years we have played a lot of shooting games with friends many of the friends are law enforcement (some of our games I now think we're stupidly dangerous) I tend to be quicker than most . As far as pocket carry. I don't do it often but every pair of pants I have the left pocket (I'm a lefty) is flat bottom and shorten so my G42 in a pocket holster sets upright and just below the top edge of the pocket.
So...
1. Situational awareness
2. Reliable gear
3. Regular practice with gear
4. Modified clothing/ dress
5. Secondary gear
I am prepared as possible yet I realized we are not promised tomorrow

 

[The Night Rider]

Okay first this is the one place my anxiety/ being wired all the time is a good thing. I don't miss much situational awareness is your first line of defense. I have 4 guns that I trust to carry all are Gen 4 Glocks. I can ring a 9 in. gong at 50 yards 3-4 out of the 7 rounds in my G42 I don't think I have ever stot against a timer but over the years we have played a lot of shooting games with friends many of the friends are law enforcement (some of our games I now think we're stupidly dangerous) I tend to be quicker than most . As far as pocket carry. I don't do it often but every pair of pants I have the left pocket (I'm a lefty) is flat bottom and shorten so my G42 in a pocket holster sets upright and just below the top edge of the pocket.
So...
1. Situational awareness
2. Reliable gear
3. Regular practice with gear
4. Modified clothing/ dress
5. Secondary gear
I am prepared as possible yet I realized we are not promised tomorrow

To paraphrase John Wayne "There's no one up by that gong shooting back"

 

[stanley_white]

I am 100% confident with my brain to avoid and detect and my shoes to run away.

-Stan

 

[Kleanbore]

I am 100% confident with my brain to avoid and detect and my shoes to run away.

-Stan

I think it likely that your confidence is very badly misplaced.

 

[stanley_white]

I think it likely that your confidence is very badly misplaced.

Your thoughts about likelihood are noted.

-Stan

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

As an update personally, I shot my carry pistol this past weekend for the first time since July '21, the last match I shot.

Granted, I practice dry firing weekly but ammo costing what it does I've all but stopped shooting live fire.

I surprised even myself running Bill's and Mozambique's. Started out at around 2.5sec on Bill's and got down to below 2 seconds. Started at 4.5 seconds on the Mozambique and ended up at right at 3 seconds.

This was all done at 15yds, where I normally practice.

Yeah no one was shooting back, and I didn't do any movement drills THIS time, but I try to get those in when I can. As for someone shooting back, none of us will know what thats like save for those unfortunate to have already lived it.

All we can do is train for it. Anything beyond that is nonsensical to discuss.

 

[Kleanbore]

I can ring a 9 in. gong at 50 yards 3-4 out of the 7 rounds in my G42 I don't think I have ever stot against a timer

Fifty yards is well beyond likely SD range, and rapidity of fire is extremely important.

See Luzyfuerza's Post #78 for good drill. Timed fire at five yards.

 

[.38 Special]

Not very.

Under ideal conditions my draw time to hit from concealment is about two seconds. That's an eternity considering the potential suddenness of an attack. And I don't figure ideal conditions will exist during that attack. It's pretty unlikely I'll be able to get a gun out at the beginning of whatever the encounter ends up being.

I've also fumbled - and seen fumbled, by very competent men - training guns over and over and over, under the stress of the most realistic training possible. Whether during a hurried draw or rolling around on the ground, it's easy to lose control.

And it appears to me that one of the more common reactions to being shot with a handgun round during a violent encounter is...not much.

Real fights are a mess, and random chance plays a huge role no matter how well trained the combatants may be. The more I train, the less I want to get into a fight.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

Not very.

Under ideal conditions my draw time to hit from concealment is about two seconds. That's an eternity considering the potential suddenness of an attack. And I don't figure ideal conditions will exist during that attack. It's pretty unlikely I'll be able to get a gun out at the beginning of whatever the encounter ends up being.

I've also fumbled - and seen fumbled, by very competent men - training guns over and over and over, under the stress of the most realistic training possible. Whether during a hurried draw or rolling around on the ground, it's easy to lose control.

And it appears to me that one of the more common reactions to being shot with a handgun round during a violent encounter is...not much.

Real fights are a mess, and random chance plays a huge role no matter how well trained the combatants may be. The more I train, the less I want to get into a fight.

Thats certainly a valid response.

No lawful person is going looking for a fight, but we train for it in hopes that we can defend ourselves in such an event.

Beyond that there's the self-awareness AND courage it takes to actually implement the training that you've hopefully been practicing.

In my mind thats more important than all the tactical crap that gets promoted.

 

[plumberroy]

Fifty yards is well beyond likely SD range, and rapidity of fire is extremely important.

See Luzyfuerza's Post #78 for good drill. Timed fire at five yards.

The point is I can hit beyond what most people consider usable range with a 380. We used to do side by side draw from holster and shoot Mozambique drills many times with local law enforcement only person that ever beat me was a Navy seal . That being said I am 60 years old now and now as quick as I use to be . End of the day situational awareness is more important than speed most of the time. I have never had to defend myself against humans. I have had to defend myself against feral animals one dog one steer . Had I not been alert I would have been hurt . The dog was in the air and 3 foot from the muzzle . The steer I took one step to put the gun to his head and put another slug in his head. I am also a realist we are not promised tomorrow, if I can occupy the bad guy long enough for my loved ones to get to safety I am successful wether I survive or not

 

[Autodidactic]

Or, you can carry the Shield in your MMA shorts.

www.smartcarry.com

Nah, lots of gym shorts simply don’t work well with any kind of subcompact or larger.

 

[Kleanbore]

Let's stay on topic, folks.

 

[luzyfuerza]

You want your skill level to be at the point where you dont have to think about deploying and/or shooting the gun. That should just happen when your brain calls for it. Your focus should be on the threat.

I agree with everything in this quote.


The question is, how quickly do things happen for you when you don't have to think about it?

I carry AIWB, and I can easily draw from seated, and with very little if any telegraphing. Its quick and easy. Next to that, drawing from my Smart Carry is just a tad slower, but definitely a lot quicker than from a pocket. It doesn't look like Im reaching for a "weapon" either.

I've never carried AWIB, let alone tried to draw from AWIB while seated. I've got to say, having never tried it, that seated AWIB does not LOOK "quick and easy" to me. Nor have I ever used a Smart Carry.

Can you give me some of your times for beep-to-first-accurate-shot using AWIB standing and AWIB seated? At the range, shooting live ammo? The same for draws from your Smart Carry? I'm interested, also, in your tips to make these draws "fast and easy".

If there's enough of a time difference vs strong-side OWB, maybe I'll invest in the holsters and try these two methods out for myself!

 

[trackskippy]

I dont have a time from seated AIWB, but I cant see that its going to be that much different. In the past, standing and moving, I was usually right around 1.5 to 2.0 seconds or so, depending on the time of year, and what Im wearing. Its a tad slower in the winter with an anorak and fleece. Its still a lot easier/quicker than trying to draw from 4:00 or so, where I used to carry.

Seated, the draw is really no different than standing. With your hands in your lap, your gun hand is right at the gun, and the other hand clears your shirt, or whatever at the same time your hand is on the gun. The gun sits vertically, and quickly comes straight up out of the holster, with very little telegraphing or reaching and trying to clear what you're wearing.

I normally practice presentations every night after dinner using people on the TV as my target. I have used a timer here too, but not normally anymore. I used to set the cycle to beep at 1.5 seconds and usually have the gun on target and "fired" at, or just before the beep. I think trying to hit the person that pops up on TV and is often there and quickly gone, is a harder goal.


I haven't timed the Smart Carry draws. Since the covid thing, and retiring in the meantime, the need for me using one has been less and less as I normally used it at work. I do still practice with one once or twice a week in dryfire to stay fresh with it. Ill have to look for my timer and see what it actually is.

In the past, I also used to draw and shoot from it in practice a couple of times a month when I shot my 26. There is a bit of a downside to them when reholstering, and with live ammo, I normally open my pants and carefully reholster, which tends to be a bit of a pain having to do it each time you draw. But, doing so is a lot easier and I think safer, as you can see what you're doing. The maker says its easily done without going through all that, and yea, it sorta is, but I dont find it to be that intuitive to do, and is a bit fiddly, and you really cant see what you're doing.

Carry wise, the Smart Carry is a lot like AIWB, but just a little deeper. One advantage is, you dont have a cover garment to clear, your shirt is tucked in behind it, and when standing, you just slip your hand behind your pants at the belt buckle, and the gun is right there below the beltline. Unless you have a "Dunlop" there's nothing in the way.

The gun also sits vertically when sitting and isnt pinched past the bend of your legs like gun carried in a pocket usually is.

Hooking your off thumb and pulling the front of your pant forward slightly, and leaning back slightly does make it a tad quicker and easier, but you can still easily do it serendipitously.


As far as strong side hip carry (or anything else for that matter) vs AIWB, I think you're going to find youre wishing you switched a long time ago, once you try it out. Concealment is so much easier/better and with easier/quicker access, and you can protect the gun much easier.

The Smart Carry is more of a specialty holster, but one holster I will never be without now that Ive used one. It will let you easily carry in clothes you normally wouldn't even consider, and with a gun most will say no way, and its comfortable and easily accessed.

I just got an email from them and they are having a sale on everything for Memorial Day. 20% off no code necessary.

https://smartcarry.com/

 

[aaaaa]

I’m fairly confident. I carry a Blackhawk in 44 special currently. I’ve been shooting Ruger new model single actions for twenty years and they are as natural to me as breathing. I shoot both my 44 and my single six 22 often, more than any other guns. And I have shot Ruger new models more than anything else in my 20 years.

I’m not confident I could fend off multiple determined attackers using any handgun. I’m of the camp that thinks a bad guy will most likely desist if presented with deadly force. So I might as well carry what I’m most comfortable using.

Good point. I am in your camp. Don't want to fend off a gang. At least if we can get a psychological stop, either with our without firing a shot, that covers a lot of situations. So in general, even if we carried a 32 we are better off than carrying nothing--for the most part. But if we are on the church security team, then we would be wise to carry a larger caliber with a high capacity and a backup gun.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

I'm more confident in my carry guns than I am of myself. A maintained mechanical device should perform as designed. The human factor is the big unknown. I pray I never have to test that.