Processing the Concealed Carry Draw

Republished from The Outdoor Wire.

It's been a great week. You finished up a big project at work, and decide to stop at your favorite market to pick up some steaks for an evening celebration. The market is in a questionable part of town, but you've been coming here for years. It's twilight, the streetlights are just coming on, and the temperature is perfect. This is one of those evenings when all is right with the world. You exit the market, carrying the plastic bags. Halfway to the car you see three men moving towards you. Their intent is so obvious it's like something out of a bad "B" movie. These guys are predators. You've been selected as prey, "Serengeti" style. Their approach quickens, and the one on the left steps forward, throwing an aggressive punch meant to knock you out till next week. You duck your head. It's a glancing blow, skimming off the back of your head, but you stumble and drop the bags. Everything's happening close and fast. You see the flash of a knife. You rush to draw your pistol. But, you're off balance – mentally and physically. Nothing is happening like it should. You're fumbling, making mistakes. Your brain is screaming "Hurry!" Things are not going well. It's strange, you feel jarring impacts from the strikes and kicks, but they don't hurt. The last thing you remember is a steak squishing out its paper wrapping as it's stepped on.

Everything is the same. You've got some great steaks for grilling. Walking to the car you notice three men watching. "They were eyeballing me when I went inside," you remember. They glance around, move in your direction, picking up their pace the closer they get. Their intentions are clear. "Stop! Don't come any closer," you yell and start backing away. Magically, without thought, the pistol appears in your hands. They see your handgun. The "leader" puts his hands out at his sides, palms outward, and warily begins backing away. The others follow suit, then all turn, tuck their heads down and break off in different directions, melting into the darkness. You inhale deeply and start looking around. Other people in the parking lot are doing their best to ignore everything. As your knees begin to shake a little one thought comes to mind: "Thank God I was ready."

Compare these two scenarios: A situation that leads to certain injury - possibly worse -or a great night, grilling and sharing your story with friends. I think we all agree the second one is best. Now, it's time to start considering and learning the skills required to carry concealed, and if necessary respond to an immediate, sudden and violent attack.

For anyone carrying a pistol the ability to draw or present the handgun safely and efficiently is mandatory. Morrison, in "The Modern Technique Of The Pistol" - edited by Jeff Cooper – states that a "swift, sure presentation of the sidearm can be critical to the successful outcome of a pistolfight." While there are numerous ways to carry a pistol, and to draw or present it, plus when it comes to fighting there are always exceptions, the key to success is starting with good equipment, one "good" technique for drawing the pistol, and then a lot of practice. Once you have a solid grasp on the fundamentals, it's time to experiment with variations, such as alternative carry techniques, drawing using only one hand and arm, from unusual positions like on the ground, and under all type conditions, especially in the dark.

For carrying your pistol a good holster is mandatory. Initially it's best to start with something simple, such as an outside-the-waistband holster that rides tight to the body and holds the pistol securely. After attending training and then practice you'll have a better idea of what type holster will work best for you as an individual. A properly designed holster for concealed carry should hold the pistol securely without any retention straps, snaps, or buttons to press. Along with the holster get a good belt. The best holster in the world won't work well if it's strapped on with a thin, flimsy one-inch dress belt.

Today, more than ever, there are a variety of holster options. Leather, synthetic - usually kydex - or a combination of the two, such as those made by Crossbreed Holsters. There are inside-the-waistband holsters, which fit underneath your pants, outside the waistband – a traditional style holster - pocket holsters, ankle holsters and a host of others. Some holsters look like something else, such as a pouch for a large smart phone. It may take some experimenting, but eventually you'll find what works well for you. You may discover that a couple of different holsters are necessary to cover the various ways you carry.

When it comes to carrying you either dress to conceal the way you carry, or carry so you can conceal according to the way you dress. So, you may have to alter the way you dress to conceal the pistol you want to carry, or you have to compromise and carry a different, smaller pistol to fit the occasion.

If you carry concealed all your training and practice should be done from concealment. There are a lot of ways to draw the weapon from concealment, but again keeping it simple, especially in the beginning, is best. The technique I teach at Shootrite is a variation of the same technique used for open carry.

After getting the basics down it's time to start learning how to safely and efficiently draw from a variety of different positions, such as from sitting or after being knocked to the ground.

On Step-One you're looking to clear your garments and obtain a proper grip on the pistol. Both hands and arms move at once. The primary hand, your gun hand, grabs your garment down low and behind the pistol's grip. The support hand grabs the garment in front of the holster. After getting the garments in hand, both arms pull straight up, ensuring the clothing completely clears the holster and pistol. The hands should end up about chest high. Then the support hand pulls the clothing to the center of the body, holding them tight against the body and the primary hand acquires a firing grip on the weapon. At the same time your body is in or establishing an aggressive fighting stance. The same technique works whether you're wearing an open front garment, such as a sports coat, a closed front garment, or both.

On Step-Two the pistol is drawn into a retention firing position. The pistol comes straight up and out of the holster and you drop the elbow and straighten the wrist so the pistol is level, pointing at the target. This position, with the support hand still tight against the chest holding the garments, allows you to obtain combat effective hits when the threat is too close to extend your arms out into a normal firing position. Bring the pistol chest high so it's chest high, give-or-take, on the threat in front of you, muzzle pointing towards the threat.

With slight modifications these same actions work from behind the steering wheel of your vehicle, flat on your back in a parking lot, while moving or dropping behind cover. Attention to detail is essential for our primary concerns, safety and efficiency. The second half of the draw-stroke, steps Three and Four, extend the weapon out, either into a low-ready position or on target ready to fire.

Step-Three - the primary hand slides the pistol to the center of the body. The support hand drops the garments and a two-handed grip is established.

On Step-Four you extend the arms out into either a low-ready position, muzzle depressed, or straight on target to fire. The low-ready is used for administrative purposes such as loading, unloading or checking to confirm the status of your. In a confrontation low-ready is used in anticipation of having to fire in the very near future. You're assessing the situation to determine if or when you need to fire, but you're not pointing the pistol at anyone yet.

The other option for Step-Four is punching the pistol straight out onto target, extending out from the center of the body so the pistol's sights intersect your line of vision. Your objective is to get quick accurate hits on target, and this sequence is much more efficient than bringing the sights up, then dropping the head and eyes down to find the sights and attempting to get all that into alignment with the target.

After you've done some basic work -- with blue gun off the range and your carry pistol on the range -- throw on a cover garment and try the draw and re-holster, first dry with blue gun and then on the range.

You've done what needs to be accomplished, but before even thinking about holstering make sure it's safe to do so. Scan and assess for additional threats, your partners, family or friends, cover, better cover or an exit. It also never hurts to check your pistol, ensuring it's still loaded and ready.

Holstering begins by clearing your cover garments. Keep the pistol extended out in front of you, bring the support hand back and down as far as possible and pull your garments up and to the center of the body. This action, again with the pistol extended out in front of you, ensures you don't sweep or cover your support hand/arm with the pistol's muzzle. Bring the pistol back into the retention position – the same as Step-Two of the draw - then hold and scan again. After deciding it's safe you rotate the muzzle down to locate the holster and gently slip it in.

There's rarely a reason to holster quickly, and it fact a fast, forceful holstering can be dangerous. Part of your garment gets caught between the pistol and holster. The plastic adjusters on the elastic bands at the bottom hem of a lot of coats are notorious for this. By holstering smoothly you can feel the obstruction, bring the pistol back out, and then clear everything out of the way. Holstering smoothly also makes it easier to reverse directions, both physically and mentally, if you need to get the pistol back into action.

Once the pistol is holstered maintain your firing grip, keep the support hand in the center of the body holding the garments clear and scan again. Mentally, and physically, you stay plugged in until you're positive the confrontation is over.

After enough practice start adding movement along with your draw. You move to create distance, get to cover, obtain a clear angle of attack on the threat. Movement is also the best way to put the threat into a reactive mode, forcing them to assess and make decisions.

Remember to practice communicating. You communicate with the threat, telling them what to do. Keep in mind you're issuing commands, not starting a conversation. I like to start with "Stop!" and then get more specific, adding something such as "leave my house," or "don't come any closer." You can always choose not to issue verbal commands, but if you don't practice it's difficult to remember to communicate under stress. You'll also need to communicate with partners, friends, family and bystanders, and law enforcement when they arrive.

The best way to learn these skills is dry practice. "Blue" or dummy plastic replicas of your type pistol are the safest way to practice without having to be on the range. Don't worry about fast. Concentrate on clean, efficient movements. In "Shooting From Within," Plaxco states that "Moving less means you move faster." With repetition eventually your speed will start to increase.

Start with the basics, step by step, with safety always being your primary concern. Once you get the basics down you can start adding in blocks and strikes prior to drawing, firing from retention position and working from various positions such as sitting or from the ground. Just keep in mind Charlie Beckwith's advice - "You can't be unconventional until you're conventional first."

Trouble can occur any day. Since fighting is a mental process, problem solving at high speed, it's best to begin preparing at the start of the day. "Today," you say, "may be the day I have to fight." That way, if something does happen, you're mentally ahead of the process. Before I leave the house I practice drawing my pistol several times, clearing my garments and taking a couple of steps just like I would do if faced with a threat. As I step out the door of the house I start scanning, getting that habit going from the beginning. At the same time I'm thinking, "When it happens I am ready, and I will win." Start your day off the right way, and things seem to always go well.

Reality tells us that when it's time to "fill your hand" a safe draw in a timely fashion under less than ideal conditions is called for. All your training and practice should be performed using the gear you normally carry. Train, study and practice so when the time comes you'll be ready.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of "The Book of Two Guns," a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. and designer of the Shootrite Katana. (256) 582-4777 www.shootrite.org