Wisdom of Drawing Early?

[gvf]

When is the best time to draw your weapon if there's a choice (and there is no a question of it being "Brandishing" - this isn't a legal question, but practical)? A lot of time, it's a surprise attack and it's a last second draw, it has to be - but not always:
Example: in a store that is suddenly being robbed by an armed BG. You duck back in the aisle, not seen by him as he's focused on the cashier; say he most pass "your" aisle to exit and could easily spot you. Drawing with gun held down and finger in safe-position seems obvious at first glance. (Also best way to be ready also should a moment present itself to intervene and save life of cashier - who knows.)

But you also are now more ready to make a mistake: the guy - with his hand taking something out of pocket - runs towards exit but spots you. You raise your gun and fire. WRONG. It wasn't the BG spotting you and getting his weapon out again (you think he had put it in his pocket while leaving.) But it was the store manager trying to escape to call 911 on his cell (that was in his pocket). If the time had to be taken to draw your gun - that 2 or 3 seconds - this would have been clear to you. Too late now.

Or: BG flees putting gun in pocket, intention to escape after the robbery, not to kill. He spots you with a gun in your hand, whips his out again and fires all over the place; whether you hit him or not, result: 2 or 3 are shot, instead of none if you had the gun holstered and - with the extra few seconds to get it - would have seen he was already out the door and not fired at all.

So, is there a general answer to this question: when to draw - if there's a choice?

 

[Hostile Amish]

If you have a good retention or quick CCW holster then I think keeping holstered is a good option only if you have had practice drawing quickly.

 

[colorado_handgunner]

Refuse to Be a Victim

In you scenario, you have two options:
1. Don't draw your weapon and hope the perpetrator does not shoot you as he walks by to the exit
2. Draw your weapon and be prepared to defend your life and/or the life of others.

Option 1 leaves your life and the life of others solely at the mercy of the perpetrator .
Option 2 gives you the responsibility of protecting lives, taking that choice away from the perpetrator .

Remember, the threat of bodily harm should be construed under such circumstances as a threat of one's life. Such a threat should not be left to the whim of the perpetrator. If one is not prepared to defend oneself under such circumstances, then the firearm being carried is nothing more than a security blanket.

Also, the question of shooting the person reaching into the pocket is a 4 rules question, "Be sure of your target". If you cannot determine if that individual is the actual perpetrator, do not shoot. If you cannot see what they are reaching for (you know it is the perpetrator), wait for them to pull it out. If you have your gun ready, you would be able to fire long before they could pull the gun out of the pocket and fire, once you identified it as a gun.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

I would say draw and follow rule 4.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

"the guy - with his hand taking something out of pocket - runs towards exit but spots you. You raise your gun and fire. WRONG. It wasn't the BG spotting you and getting his weapon out again (you think he had put it in his pocket while leaving.) But it was the store manager trying to escape to call 911 on his cell (that was in his pocket). If the time had to be taken to draw your gun - that 2 or 3 seconds - this would have been clear to you. Too late now."

why would I shoot without confirmation of seeing a gun? I rather de by the hands of a BG than shoot him without being sure. My bullets do not fly carelessly. I am conscious of every trigger pull and that is the only way my guns go off.

 

[gvf]

From The OP

why would I shoot without confirmation of seeing a gun?

Don't misunderstand me. I know that would be a gave mistake. My point was that mistakes can happen under the stress of dire emergencies - and the time to draw might act as a fail-safe to stop the error before it was committed to.

On the other hand, I find "COLARADO" 's posting to be very good: since in my example, not only the CCW's life, but the life of everyone in that store has but one person besides the BG who can alter the course of the dire situation: the CCW, the CCW best be ready. It's him or no one but the BG.

Thanks

 

[Oyeboten]

Unless an Armed Robber shoots a clerk or someone else, or, I really believe he shall...I'd just let him be...and not worry about it.


Most Armed Robberies, no one is shot...


So anyway...far as the imagined scenario...I'd just stand there and look bored, or maybe, ask, "Would you hurry this up...I need to get a pack of Pall Malls..."

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Avoidiance, be good witness with memory on the bad guy and get away from the sitaution first. Be like church mouse and dont attract attention. And get that cell phone going. For mine, it only take one button or a specific word for 911 to go out of mine. That should be enough to get the party started.

If cornered, and in immediate (Right this second) danger of losing life or someone innocent's life draw. And take your time as fast as you can.

Who knows? Bad guy wimps and wussies out and flees without anything happening other than words. No one needed to draw. Maybe there are others in the store or property CCW'ing just like you. YOU dont want to be the one brandishing or THEY will fire on YOU too.

The rest of it is speculation. A crime scene is not kindergarden story book with rigid story. It has and will generate any number of mutant or varying situations from first contact.

Wasnt it Murphy who said no battle plan survives first contact?

 

[Oyeboten]

Dunno...but I think Mike Tyson once said "Everyone thinks they have a plan, untill they get punched in the mouth."


Probably, re-acting is another story than pro-acting...too.


A calm, dispassionate, even good-natured over-view of whatever situation one is countinancing...will likely prove more practical and of less potential regret or entanglement then and later...than emotion and re-acting can usually supply.


Who defines a situation for who? ( and how? )


Is ( always ) a fairly important question...