Drawing & holstering your gun.
Drawing & holstering your gun.
When I was learning to handle a pistol fast draw was winding down in popularity.
I know of several older guys that had shot themselves in the foot, knee, calf, butt, and the worst place imaginable, while either conducting fast draw or in the worst case; attempting to rapidly tuck a .22 Auto into his front waistband with his finger on the trigger…NOT GOOD.
The one upside of all this carnage was that it really helped my generation of aspiring pistoleros to focus on muzzle control, trigger control and the proper way to handle & holster a sidearm. It also taught us that a good holster was a good idea, for a number of reasons. I still get queasy at the thought of a gun shoved into the front of the waistband.
One friend carried a Colt Woodsman tucked under his belt, with the barrel in his front pocket. He was careful to never carry a round in the chamber. One day while hunting rabbits, he rolled a bunny with a running head shot. In the excitement of the moment he placed the gun on safe and placed the gun under his belt into his pocket.
As we wear running home, the safety worked off, and the trigger was actuated. I heard the muffled pop. Elliott turned around, and asked me why I had fired my gun. I saw the small wisp of smoke coming out of the .22 caliber hole in his front pocket. Elliott saw my gaze and looked down with dread.
He slowly un buckled his jeans and examined the extent of the damage. We were both relieved to see that he had only a small red mark on his leg. No wound, no blood, no permanent damage. He was lucky!
He came by our place the next day to show off his brand new basket weaved Buckheimer holster.
I carefully read & re-read everything I can by Skeeter Skelton, Bill Jordon, Elmer Keith and Charles Askins.
Bill Jordon, fastest of them all, taught us that smoothness of the draw was paramount.
Continued practice in front of a full length mirror with empty guns led to a smooth, fast draw. This practice 35 years ago has done me well. I am not the fasted draw, this never was my goal, but I can smoothly and quickly draw and fire my pistol.
I position my holster on my right side, behind my hip. In a tight, circular, continuous movement grasp the grip frame and pull, as soon as the muzzle clears leather, shove the muzzle forward towards the target. As the muzzle is being raised the right finger is inserted into the trigger guard the trigger pull is started at this point, left hand grasps right. As the front sight comes into view and crosses the spot I am aiming for the trigger is press is completed. Repeat as needed.
Holstering: keep your left hand clear of the muzzle, without pointing the muzzle at your body, shove the gun into the holster. With most pancake holsters a slight twist of the wrist may help to open the body of the holster.
Insure that all toggles, buttons, and/or loose clothing is not tucked inside the trigger guard. This can cause the trigger to get pressed when the gun is holstered.
I have removed the toggles on my coats and jackets for this reason.
You can control the hammer by placing your thumb on top of it during the holstering process.
Drawing from concealment; slide your gun hand thumb up the inseam of your jeans all the way above your belt to clear your shirt or vest out of the way while you draw.
Another method when wearing an unbuttoned garment is the sweep your finger tips back from your belt buckle to the holstered gun. With a vest or coat I like to place a speed loader, quick strip or flashlight in that side pocket to lend some weight to the pocket. This helps keep the jacket over the holstered gun and provides some hang time as I swing it out of the way. (Another Bill Jordon trick) There is the two handed lift and rip technique used when wearing heavy coats or multiple layers. Reach across with the left hand lift the coat, draw with the right hand.
Winters in
Other tips keep the bottom button of the covering shirt or coat unbuttoned. Looks a little sloppy but makes for a quicker presentation of the gun.
A one size larger shirt will allow even a slightly built person to properly conceal full size firearms. I have seen 5’10” 150 pound guys carry 4” N frames & full size 1911s concealed this way.
If you wear a wimpy belt expect a droopy holster. Get a good belt!
Raking the thumb up under the covering garment
The draw has begun: finger is out of the trigger guard until the muzzle is clear of your body.
holstering the gun: don’t cross your body with the muzzle/. Don’t “dig” open the holster with the muzzle
Control the hammer and/or slide with your thumb.
Keep the trigger finger clear of the trigger guard as you holster the gun.
