CCW: How Quick is Your Draw?

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I come from the old IPSC days. It was all about a fast clean draw and getting that front sight between your eye and the target. Consistently.

I carry only DA autos or revolvers off duty. And, I carry appendix. (I can’t carry a cocked pistol pointed at my femoral artery. That’s on me, just won’t do it no matter how safe others feel it it)

And, I practice. One hand, both hands even left hand. Drawing the gun out upside down and pulling the trigger with my pinkie.

Often with a sidestep to the left or right. Moving. Be able to get to that gun whenever I need to from any position. In the car. Sitting at a table.

I’m quite situationally aware. If i feel there’s a threat, my hand is under my shirt and on the gun, totally concealed.

You may never need to make a quick draw, but you are remiss if your toolbox doesn’t have that skill in it.

Standing in the “I give up” position knowing you have a gun and not being confident you can draw and engage will likely get you killed. Possibly with your own gun.
 
I'm only a couple months into serious competitive shooting but I do dry fire and holster drills 2-3 times a week with at least one day of live fire with draw drills at the house. I compete in 5 matches a month.

The dry practice is essential.

I dont have a legit timer yet but with what I've been using I do around the following...

Dry from the holster no concealment one shot on target, around 1 second.

Dry from the holster with concealment one shot on target, around 1.5 seconds.

Live fire with the same drills adds about a half second to both.


I suspect I'll get better with time and I'd really like to get a proper timer to see what I'm actually doing.
 
I make it a rule to draw from concealment at least every other day at a reduced IPSC target since about 15 years. It has helped me to build up speed and gives me confidence. Something that I noticed is that I cannot draw a gun with a short grip very fast and confidently from my IWB appendix carry holster.

good_practice.jpg
 
I carried a 4 inch S&W Model 686 or Model 65 in a thumbbreak cruiser holster on a duty belt for years. My officers carried Glock 22s in Safariland Model 6360 ALS®/SLS Mid-Ride, Level III Retention™ Duty Holsters. Some of them could match my qualification scores on occasion, but none of them beat me. Plain clothes or off duty, I carried revolvers in OWB holsters under Hawaiian shirts, untucked button-up shirts, vests, or sport coats. My speeds were very close to duty holster times. Now that I'm retired, I carry OWB just like plain clothes or off duty, however, my situation has changed. My responsibility is now primarily the defense of my own life, family members' lives, friends' lives, and only then the lives of others. That said, I can still draw from concealment pretty quickly, probably from practicing it for the last 24 years.
 
How much does gun and holster being quicker affect my decision on which gun to carry? Some.

Holster type and location (Vedder light tuck, IWB at 2 o'clock) was finally settled as the "right" compromise between concealment, comfort and access in pretty much all situations (I used to drive a lot, so reaching it seated was important).

At this location, a full size 5" barrel does draw slower, by around .2 seconds average, when compared to a 4.25 or 4" barrel (I don't prefer to much shorter for shootability reasons). So is it slower? Yes. By enough to matter? Who knows.

So it is a small factor, but my preference for a 4" barrel is also influenced by balance, shorter sight radius (for my eyes picking the front sight out better) and the fact that my preferred carry style nets a bulge by my front pocket/hip with long barrels that annoys me.

So, is speed of draw a factor for me? Yes, one of many.
 
I primarily pocket carry, and I primarily carry a Kahr PM45, so loose pants with big pockets are the norm. That said I have a few pair of blue jeans, as opposed to carpenter Carhartt’s or such. When I wear those blue jeans the LCP takes the place of the 45 solely because the draw would be so slow.
 
Here's a wrinkle for you. A few years ago I went through a defensive pistol class. During one exercise the instructor had us put our hands up in a "surrender" position, roughly shoulder height, palms out, facing the target. He gave the draw and fire command and timed us. Then he had us turn around 180 degrees facing away from the target, otherwise same position and gave the draw, and fire command which required us to rotate 180 degrees before firing. Every single student in our class was faster from the back-to-the-target stance. He claims to have conducted this drill numerous times with the same results. Can anyone explain that one?
 
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Let me get this out of the way: I'm not asking anyone to time their draw from concealment.

But I'm curious as to whether draw speed has anything to do with what gun you conceal carry, and how you carry it.

I was doing a little quick draw hip shooting this weekend, both with and without a cover garment. The gun was a 4.2" GP100, in an OWB holster strong side hip. Pretty quick without the cover garment (though I won't be winning any competitions any time soon). But with a cover garment (unbuttoned shirt) it is notably slower and a far call from the smoothness of drawing sans cover garment. I still wouldn't say as slow as some other methods though.

How much does speed of access play a part in your conceal carry decisions?


I’ll answer the original question.... I have ruled out several guns based on speed of access. Not measured with a timer, but by simple anecdotal snags of the hammer. I love the model 36, but that hammer gets caught on shirts....so it’s the 642 if wanting to carry a snubby. I won’t carry a CZ 75b with a spur hammer, but my PCR clears just fine. That’s really my only criteria.

As for the other three pages of comment.... my range doesn’t allow draw from holster and I don’t have access to acreage to play. I’m sure I’m at a disadvantage.
 
Empty gun, at home.

Like Jelly Bryce.
Dry fire at home, or wherever, is just as important as live fire, and really should be part of your regulal practice.

Im lucky enough to belong to a range where we can draw from our holsters in practice, but I still practice doing the same at home in dry fire on pretty much a daily basis.
 
I broke out the pro-timer this week. It has been a while since I practiced from concealment. The gun was my S&W shield 9, in my raven concealment holster, covered by a dicky's work shirt. Best time from buzzer to presentation and 2 rounds on 8" plate at 10 yards was 1.82. Most drills were right at 2.0, worst 2.2-something. In comparison, with the Glock 17 in open carry from my G-code, best time was 1.48.
 
You guys or gals bring a smile to a old mans face. I carry a P938 OWB strong side. You don’t need a watch to measure my “fast draw”. A calendar would work just fine.
 
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