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bentcursor wrote:

flintknapper wrote:IMO, something about the story "stinks".

If the holster keeps the gun vertical, then the draw will bring the gun across the arm and trying to point the gun at your chest will put an almost impossible strain on your wrist. If the gun is held horizontal, the natural draw will also draw the gun across the arm and away from the chest.

Yup!

KinnyLee wrote:

flintknapper wrote:
For pistols with a magazine disconnect, this ensures that it can not fire.

Magazine disconnect can failed. I've seen it failed.

Possible with all things mechanical. I suspect the vast majority of them work though. I won't own a self defense weapon with that feature simply because I want my weapon to go "bang" anytime I pull the trigger. I'm the safety.

Thanks for pointing that out, as you say...it CAN happen.

The reasoning remains sound, nonetheless.

rodnocker1 wrote:+1 KinnyLee.
Even with a shoulder holster, you would sweep your weak side shoulder and arm, but not your chest. Unless using your weak side hand, that is. I just tried this (without a holster or firearm) by just trying a weak side draw from where a shoulder rig (and also a cross draw waist holster) would be and that would definitely cause that to happen. My CHL Instructor said he practices weak side draws in case his strong side is ever incapacitated. Whether shoulder rig or waist, this appears to actually be a bad idea. The way the tendons in the weak hand are stretched to grasp the weapon and the sweep over your own body could actually cause you to shoot yourself and do as much or more damage than the Bad Guy would. Carrying strong side and reaching with the weak hand from behind, you could shoot yourself in the back. I'm going to have to rethink the Instructor's suggestion. Still a tragedy, no matter what.

All easily avoidable. Shoulder carry and crossdraw are generally so frowned upon that few instructors (and even fewer tactical schools) know how to get around it.

Weak hand draw from a shoulder holster: Reach in and grab butt of gun. Raise butt of gun 90 deg. off vertical (to your weak side). Imagine having the top of the slide touching your side. Draw weapon while pointing the muzzle to the ground. After the muzzle clears the front line of your hip, simply point to target while bringing it back into the vertical position. Blade body to target, cover vitals of chest region with strong side arm if possible, and you're good to go. Can be done very quickly, and you'll never come close to covering yourself.

Weak hand draw from cross draw on belt: Weak hand takes grip on weapon (back of hand will be against stomach/side). Proceed to draw straight up. As soon as you clear the holster by a safe margin, you can rotate the weapon. The secret, (common sense really).. is to keep the weapon vertical (muzzle down). If you can't turn your hand around backwards to access your weapon...then grab it in a "hammer grip" (thumb pointing towards butt of gun). Draw weapon, keep muzzle pointed down. When clear of the holster, roll weapon across side, chest or stomach into proper grip. Also, you can move it to a position (clinched between the knees with muzzle facing forward) and regain a proper grip, or even move it to the crook of the elbow on the strong side and re-grip.

Behind the back strong side carry/ weak hand draw: Easiest of all. Back of hand will be against your back. Draw pistol, leave back of hand against your back (weapon as vertical as possible) and trace your way back around the body (muzzle down) until you reach the mid-line of your weak side. Let your hand and arm assume a normal firing position as you present the weapon from this point on. Again, its only a matter of keeping the muzzle down and tracking your body line until clear.

Try it for yourself and see if there's any merit or usefulness in it. Don't let the "experts" tell you it can't be done. "Can't be done" won't get you back home when the stuff hits the fan. There's always a way.

Its much easier to demonstrate than it is to explain. If you have questions/objections please post them. We can all learn something.

John wrote:wow! sorry to hear that this happened. I can only imagine that it must have been a shoulder holster since he was shot in the chest when removing the gun from a holster. .

I've carried in a shoulder holster for quite a few years. Drawn from it literally thousands of times and NEVER pointed it at my chest. IMO, something about the story "stinks". We are not told if he had the holster on his body or not. Either way, he was negligent to handle the weapon in such a way that he "covered" himself. Its sad, to be sure.

At some point...it becomes necessary to unload a weapon. If this is done inside a building then make doubly certain you have a safe place you can point it.

For those with revolvers...its a little less nerve racking. Just keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger indexed...and swing open the cylinder.

Auto's are a little tougher. Except for some of the Beretta's that "tip" open, the rest of us will need to rack the slide. Before racking the slide, we need to have the magazine removed. Most pistols, in most holsters, will allow the magazine to be removed while still in the holster (same applies to loading). For pistols with a magazine disconnect, this ensures that it can not fire. For those without, it amounts to one less step that has to be performed with pistol "in hand".

How to best rack the slide and eject the round still in the chamber..will vary from one weapon to the next. Everyone should have a safe technique for every weapon they own. Anything less is negligent, and negligence kills! Simple.

I'm willing to bet this incident (not accident), was completely avoidable.

My prayers and condolences to the family.