We’ve all seen those old movies where the good guy with the gun swaggers around town, his hand never more than a hair’s breadth away from that sandalwood grip.
Then, as the music swell, he drags iron and the lead starts flying. It’s not that he’s a better shot than the others… it’s that he was faster, and speed was what mattered when it came time for the showdown.
That’s a romantic image, and while responsible gun owners try not to act like that, there is a single grain of truth in the tales of these old-fashioned gunslingers; when it comes time to actually pull your gun, speed is one of your most important considerations.
If you want to be sure you can get your gun into your hand when you need it, follow these simple tips.
Tip #1: Choose The Right Weapon
The choice of which gun to carry for self-defense is not an easy one to make. Do you want something with a lot of stopping power?
Do you want something small and concealable? Do you want a weapon with a lot of ammunition, or do you believe that if you need more than six shots that you’re in a situation you couldn’t have solved with your gun in the first place?
Another consideration you have to keep in mind is how difficult your gun is to draw. Because while you might like the Dirty Harry look, and that long-barreled revolver always hits what you aim at, ask yourself how long it takes to get it into your hand.
Weapons with longer barrels, which are heavier, or bulkier, are going to take longer to draw than something short and sweet.
Remember, most of us don’t need to put a round through an engine block, or hit someone a block away. What you do need, though, is to make sure your weapon is in your hand when you need it.
Don’t be afraid to carry something smaller for everyday protection. Speed is what counts, here. For beginner shooters, I suggest a Glock 19 or Sig Sauer P226, both of which carry comfortably and are small enough to draw quickly.
Tip #2: Pick The Right Holster
The kind of holster you’re using is going to be one of the biggest considerations for how fast you can draw your weapon.
For example, if you have a holster in a pancake holster in the small of your back, or in a shoulder holster, those are more difficult locations to reach quickly or naturally. An ankle holster is another fantastic holster opton when it comes to reaching your weapon quickly, or easily.
These are, however, places where it’s easier to conceal your weapon. On the other hand a holster worn on the hip, or the thigh, is perfectly situated for a drop-and-draw with your shooting hand.
Location is only part of the equation, though.
Does your holster have a retaining strap that needs to be snapped off before you can draw your weapon? Is it a retention holster that’s meant to hold your weapon in so it can’t be stolen, or dropped during a chase?
An open-topped holster with no retaining measures is the easiest and fastest to draw from, but it might not always be the most practical.
Before choosing your holster, ask if you have concerns other than speed. Even if you do, though, make sure you can still get your gun out of the holster when you want it.
Tip #3: Practice Makes Permanent
We all know that the most often we go to the range, and the more rounds we shoot, the better our aim gets. That’s because practice matters.
However, in addition to sharpening your skills, practice also trains reaction into your muscles. Muscle memory allows you to do something without thinking about it.
It’s why you sometimes take a wrong turn down a road you used to live on, and it’s the reason why experienced gun owners can draw and fire a weapon with accuracy, but without hesitation.
Don’t skimp on your time at the range, but make sure you’re also putting in some time every day to get used to wearing and drawing your weapon. Practice in front of a mirror, or with a target. Make sure your weapon is unloaded, and dry-fire it until you can get it out quickly, and without a snag.
You’re going to look silly, and ungainly, for a while. That’s okay. You’re learning, and if you ever want to master a skill, you need to go through that awkward phase at the beginning where you feel clumsy. Skill will come, with time and dedication.
Tip #4: Go To An Expert
One of the best ways to increase your draw speed, and your skill level in general, is to go to an expert.
Not just a regular old state-mandated shooting safety class, but to courses taught by men and women who’ve been in the field, and who know what works, and what doesn’t work.
Having a coach, someone who can look at what you’re doing and correct everything from your posture to your tension, is helpful.
But having a coach with experience who can drive home why you need to change how you’re standing, the placement of your hand, or the angle at which you draw from is a powerful asset.
Even if they only work with you for a few weeks, the lessons you learn can last a lifetime.
Tip #5: Practice The Tueller Drill
This one requires one of those blue dummy guns, because you’re doing it with a partner. Have someone stand roughly seven yards away from you, and then shout “go”.
When they shout go, they’re going to rush you. Your goal is to draw your dummy gum, bring it to bear, and “shoot” your partner before they can touch you.
You can run this drill in a variety of ways. Maybe you set it up so you’re doing an activity, and your partner yells “go” randomly so you can get a genuine reaction time while you’re watching TV, or reading a book.
Maybe you do it in a dimly-lit room, or while you’re outside on a tree path. There are all kinds of ways to make this drill work, but the core is your reaction time, and how fast you really are when it matters the most.
Closing thoughts
Practice makes perfect. Put this tips to work in your own life, and before you know it, you’ll be quick from the hip — ready to defend yourself in any situation.
