Cross Draw vs. Strong Side carry ?

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NotSoFast

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I'm torn between strong side carry and cross draw for a Ruger SP101. The cross draw seems to be more natural to me but I know that a strong side draw would likely be much faster.

What have your experiences been and what do you see as the pros and cons of each? Do you think one is more concealable than the other?

Chuck
 
I've used both. I prefer strong side @ 5 o'clock except when driving. Then I prefer crossdraw or shoulder rig. Remember if you are if FTF scuffle with a bad guy, crossdraw carry could be to his advantage to disarm you.
 
"If I'm carrying a firearm, I'm not grappling with ANYBODY.
Not part of my "job description."

The police get to grapple. "
W.E.G.



Remember, crap (edited --<Sam>) happens!:what:
 
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Somewhat situation dependent. When standing and walking, strong side is obviously faster. When sitting or especially driving, strong side traps the gun between your body, the seat back and the seat belt. A crossdraw carry is more accessible to either hand. By using a "twist" draw you can still access the handgun from crossdraw with your non-dominant hand. I've never found one single position or carry to be totally accessible at all times or under all circumstances. Decide which situations you're most likely to face, and don't be afraid to get as many holsters as you need to cover said situations.
 
cross draw

I'm a big fan of cross-draw. Finding a cross draw-holster for my DAO SP101 has been a challenge. I ordered one from D.B Bullard...eight weeks turn around time. I'm now into week 6.5. :banghead:
 
I prefer cross-draw when driving, for previously stated reasons; but when at the range or in other situations, the cross-draw will sweep too many non-combatants.
 
I like 3:15-4:00 strongside for everything except when seating or clothing arrangements just will not allow it.
 
I tend to agree with you although it seems most don't. I like it because it seems easier to draw from in most cases. Sweeping back with my left hand and drawing with my right just works better for me.

Plus I would think if someone was looking they would be more likely to miss it because they would tend to look on the right side.
 
You are fortunate to be able to wear and practice with a holster at your range. Ours is bench only, no holsters and keep the shots to no more than one per second.
 
With the holster in the crossdraw position, you can use a twist-draw aka 'Cavalry Draw'. In the movie 3-10 to Yuma, Thell Reed uses a twist draw. Here's what it looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PAjRrtoLaE

You can do this with either strong or weak hand. This can be a very dangerous draw to you depending on your gun. I would NOTdo this with a 'cocked and locked' 1911, a Glock or any semi-auto with a light first trigger. But, back in the days of the ol west, with SA Colts, this was a very common and very fast draw.
 
To be honest he did it "wrong" when he drew with his right hand he swept himself and everything in an arc in front of him! the "proper" Cavalry Draw using his right hand would've been..
1. pull up just enough to clear the holster
2.Rotate wrist around till your grip is correct as you bring your arm up and out at the same time.
This keeps you from point ing the barrel of your gun at yourself whlie drawing it.
 
I wear my pistol crossdraw, both for comfort and accessibility reasons. A handle-forward position is much more comfortable to sit with regardless of the type of seat you are in. It also allows one to carry a larger handgun than you could otherwise carry and conceal comfortably (I frequently conceal a full-size Makarov this way). It also allows me to access the gun with either hand, with equal speed. This is valuable to me because I am ambidextrous with handguns. Carrying it as I do, it doesn't matter what I do, how I sit, or what I wear; the firearm will remain concealable, completely comfortable, and accessible.
 
One of each. No, not kidding. OK, most folks are not going to carry two guns. I routinely toted two SP101 snubbies for several years, and part of that time used a superb Haugen crossdraw for one of them.

Some folks are built so that crossdraw works very well. Some folks' lifestyles are well-suited to crossdraw. Either way, training makes it better. Instructors teaching mass quantities of students tend to not like crossdraw, for practical safety reasons. This does NOT mean that crossdraw is dangerous, but that one instructor cannot guide multiple students at the same moment in time.
 
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To be honest he did it "wrong" when he drew with his right hand he swept himself and everything in an arc in front of him! the "proper" Cavalry Draw using his right hand would've been..
1. pull up just enough to clear the holster
2.Rotate wrist around till your grip is correct as you bring your arm up and out at the same time.
This keeps you from point ing the barrel of your gun at yourself whlie drawing it.
Click to expand...

I'd sure like to see a video of you doing this maneuver. Seems incredibly slow to do it the way you describe. The way it was done in Yuma is exactly the way I've heard old timers describe the draw. One of the reasons for doing the draw as in the video is that the body helps to position the hand properly on the butt of the gun. You pull up, twist the wrist which straightens out the arm and pull the elbow in tight to the body.
 
this is a SASS event which has saftey in mind, I have seen the draw done a lot faster and smoother but you will get the idea from the video near the end. point is he did not point the gun at himself because as he drew the weapon he did not pronate the wrist, with practice or less anxious to avoid a DQ he will get smoother and faster.
The Thell Reed clip from 3:10 to Yuma the Ben Foster character turned his wrist so the barrel was pointed at his torso at one very short time (this is the turuning in motion that should be avoided )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa7eLp-zsO8
 
Thanks, Degunner. I've never seen it done that way before. He has his hip twisted towards the front and the gun stays upside down until past his body. That sure isn't like any of the descriptions I've ever read or heard, but I guess it's a safe way to do a Cavalry draw.
 
I used crossdraw frequently in the past. These days, I'd just use it for driving.
 
If you practice you can get quite good, If I had to guess the guy might be new since all his gear was pretty new looking.
SASS shooting aside you never to point a loaded weapon at someone ( especialy your weapon at yourself, I mean what are you trying to do)
The draw you see in 3:10 to Yuma is Natural but not safe.
Once I learned the proper cav. draw I was mortified by my draw from my shoulder holster for ccw! sweeping in two planes OMG! I freaked myself out!
While looking for the video I read several descriptions of the draw and Wikipedia had a good description along with several other sites. With the popularity of cowboy action shooting sports people are relearning things that most of the shooting commumity forgot or takes for granted that was once common knowledge.
 
Choose both. I carry CD, SS, SOB, shoulder, and in the boot. I choose CD and SOB more often than SS. I conceal a CD better and it is by and far the most accessible option for most attire, sitting standing or driving. SOB is easy to conceal also.
most of the time the event or attire will dictate which i choose
my holster also allows me to quickly change from CD, SOB, and SS if i need to, and i will do that on occasion, start the day off with one carry and switch to another.
 
What about appendix carry?

I say go with strongside. A cross draw can be tied up too easily in my opinion, and what about retention shooting?

There is also more movement/distance involved to get to the gun, and then getting the gun to target than with a strongside set up, and more movement/distance equals more time spent on presentation of the firearm and less time spent pulling the trigger.
 
Consider the advantages and disadvantages:

Crossdraw

Advantages:

Easier to draw from a sitting position.

Disadvantages:

Easier for your opponent to block in close-in encournters.

Requires a heavier cover garment.

Blocks certain defensive actions -- such as punch-and-draw.

Strong Side

Advantages

Suited for a wider range of body positions.

Better retention.

Facilitates punch-and-draw and similar manuevers.

More easily concealable under a light garment.

Disadvantages

More difficult to draw from a seated position -- especially when belted into a car seat.
 
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