Practicing Your Draw: Why It’s Important
Concealed carry permit holders are not always what you might call “gun people”. Many times there are reasons for concealed carry other than expressing their Second Amendment right. Reasons might range from a single mother wanting to protect herself and child to living in an area where the crime rate is higher.
Being brought up around guns definitely gives you a much different view and knowledge bank to reference. Typically, the people who are familiar with guns get their familiarity from hunting from an early age. Another possibility is they grew up in a more rural area and could shoot anytime they’d like. Familiarity and practice with guns is where comfort and accuracy enters the scene.
The group of people who are new to concealed carry for personal safety, or guns in general, will need more time to get acquainted to their new weapon. The feel of the gun in their hand. The weight of the gun in their pistol holster. The amount of pressure it takes to pull the trigger and the recoil as the bullet exits the barrel. All of these take time at the range to get acquainted with. There’s no way around it.
Beginners to concealed carry will usually practice to increase accuracy toward the target. However, many will skip the part where the weapon is drawn from the holster. Drawing the weapon is a pretty important part of the process. Here is a list of reasons you should practice drawing your concealed carry weapon.
Different Types of Clothing will Change Your Draw
The proper clothing for concealed carry can make a substantial difference in how you draw your concealed carry gun. Wearing a jacket means you will need to sweep the jacket away as well as your shirt to access your gun. The colder months might also mean you’re wearing gloves. Thick gloves might not let your finger fit into the trigger guard to pull the trigger.
The warmer months mean less clothing and potentially a different smaller caliber gun and different holster and/or carry position. Practice with different outfits from all seasons and occasions.
Your Position Will Change Your Draw
How will you draw your weapon from an IWB holster if you are in your car or at home in a seated position on your couch?
What if you are laying in your bed or relaxing on the couch and need to access your weapon from a drawer next to you. Accessing your weapon from a safe or removing the gun lock are all real possibilities and should be practiced.
The practice you put in now getting comfortable with different situations will keep you more calm if a situation occurs and you need to protect yourself.
You’ll Instinctively Put Your Finger on the Trigger
Drawing your weapon with your finger on the trigger is a really unsafe habit. The odds are very good in the heat of the stressful moment, you will shoot something other than the threat to your life. Youtube is full of people who shoot themselves in the leg or pull the trigger when they are not intending to.
Having dummy training rounds in your gun will let you draw, point, aim, pull the trigger and re-holster your weapon. Practicing with dummy rounds will help you reduce the likelihood of any possible accidents.
Drawing Speed Matters
The very small amount of time you have to sweep away any clothing, unholster your gun, aim and fire leaves no room for error. Practicing the speed of your draw can save your life. Trying different carrying positions for both comfort and ability to draw faster helps.
The 4 O’Clock carry position (behind your right hip) is a common position to holster a weapon but not always fast to draw from. You might prefer a 3 O’Clock carry position instead. Practice from the carry position you’re most comfortable with.
Reloading Might be Needed
Unless you are in some sort of shooting competition, you might not practice ejecting an empty magazine, drawing a spare magazine and reloading and chambering a round. While it’s unlikely you will get in a gunfight with someone, some weapons only hold a few rounds. Those of you carrying an extra magazine in your mag carrier, practicing the process of ejecting, accessing your magazine and reloading would be a good addition to your training.
Now that you have an idea of why you should practice your draw, do you have any tips or drills to help practice? Let us know in the comments below.