WEAPON RETENTION

My favorite anti-gunner myth is that if you have a gun, the bad guy will just take it from you and use it against you. My usual response is to say, “Okay, let’s pretend you are the bad guy. I’ll point this, say squirt gun filled with red dye, at you. Let’s see if you can take it from me before I paint you.” So far I’ve had no takers willing to get wet or red; and with good reason. Their experience comes from watching TV or their own vivid imaginations. Mine comes from training, practice and deployment.


There is some truth, however, to their concern. In fact, every year there are cops throughout the nation who have their duty weapons taken from them. Many of these incidents end tragically. Typically in these types of confrontations, the bad guy (BG for short) has his/her mind made up that for whatever reason they are going to resist and resist violently. It is the officer who is surprised. This is the exact opposite of a trained citizen carrying concealed and using his/her firearm defensively to protect themselves and/or their loved ones. Carrying concealed means the bad guys will not know until you draw that you even have a gun. SURPRISE!


Several years ago, FBI profilers conducted interviews of violent offenders who were serving long sentences in prison. One of the surprising findings was that a huge percentage of violent confrontations with the police results from offenders knowing they are wanted for something and they are going to resist. This was so even though in the days before computers in police cruisers, the BG’s believed the officer who was pulling them over for a traffic stop, had recognized them and if they didn’t resist, back to the pokey they would go. While the threat of more prison time did not deter violence, it was the spark that ignited their resistance.


The answer to both of these situations, the cop effecting a stop or arrest and the civilian defending herself is the same: a combination of training, technique and tool choice as well as proper mindset.


Proper Mindset
I have touched on this in prior posts and will continue to write about this, but it is worth repeating over and over: When confronted by evil, you must respond quickly, decisively and aggressively. YOU MUST NEVER GIVE UP!


Training
Weapons retention training is best practiced with a partner. Practicing with your reverse twin in the mirror combined with “what if” scenarios is better than nothing, but like sex, it’s more fun to share the experience.


Obviously you must use an inert weapon, preferably a “blue gun” specifically made for this type of training. I will not use a real firearm for this type of training unless the firing pin has been removed, the barrel welded up or some similar modification.


Technique
Someone trained in disarming techniques will close the gap with the person holding the gun, then turn the gun inward (towards the inside of the gunman’s hand), away from themselves and back around towards the gunman. If it’s a revolver, the hand on the gun will try to grab the cylinder and freeze it to prevent a discharge; if a pistol, he will try to push the slide back to put the gun of battery, at the same time. A gun held by one hand and extended out from the gunman’s body is an open invitation to having it stripped and used against him.


Taking this apart, step by step, we can see that how you hold the gun and where it is are important.


Going to another FBI statistic, most shootings occur at approximately 7 feet or less; close up and very personal. At this distance, it’s draw and shoot. This is called point shooting and is a handy thing to know. After pulling your gun, it should be held close to your body, on your strong side (dominant side: the usual place for a holster not in the cross-draw position), your off hand (non gun hand) should be out of the way of the muzzle, but in position to parry a counter move or push the BG away. A variation is to hold the gun low, in front of you, with a two-handed grip. I have been trained and practice both, but prefer the two-handed grip as I am able to push the gun forward, if necessary, in order to acquire a flash sight picture if time permits or even a more accurate full target-style sight picture.


Retention Tools
Here I am referring to holster choice and a knife or compliance tool to help you maintain or regain control of your firearm.


For the last six months or so I have been using a Blackhawk Serpa Retention holster for open carry or concealed beneath something bulky. It has a positive and yet easy to release lever, perfectly positioned so that only you can withdraw your gun. In the past I have used holsters with straps, kydex holsters where the gun had to be pulled straight upward in order to get it out and old fashioned cavalry flap holsters. I really like the Serpa system and will stick with it until I find something I like better.


For more discreet concealed carry, I use an inside the waist band leather holster. Although I have had inside the waist band holsters with straps, those are for carrying single action pistols, cocked and locked, such as 1911’s or revolvers with exposed hammers. With striker fired pistols I prefer to let the concealment simply hide the gun until such time as I choose to expose it.


A knife or compliance tool, such as a flashlight or kubaton (a short rod used to put pressure at a nerve center in order to gain compliance), can be used to help regain control of a weapon if a struggle ensues. These require training and practice to be employed effectively.


Each of the above deserves its own detailed post. I will elaborate on these in future posts. For now it is important to recognize that any self-defense training must include learning how to retain your weapon in the event the bad guy(s) tries to take it from you.