Empty Pistols in Holsters!

13 May 08

Unleaded pistols in holsters:

Yesterday, in IN, I conducted a "Defensive Revolver Course." My students, proficient Operators, all united in agreeing that we need to be competent with all commonly-used handguns. So, we spent a day exclusively with revolvers, both as main-guns and as back-up guns.

Of course, we run hot ranges, and I reminded all students not to holster empty, nor even partially-loaded, revolvers. We want all revolvers topped-off prior to being holstered. But, one circumstance is an exception: When rapidly transitioning from main-gun to back-up, we must "do something" with the main-gun, as most of us want both hands available as we continue fighting with the back-up pistol.

During the transition, the now-empty (or otherwise non-functional) main-gun can be (1) jettisoned, (2) returned to the holster, or (3) retained in the strong-side hand (and perhaps even thence used as a club) as the back-up gun is simultaneously drawn via the support-side hand and subsequently put to use.

This latter option was employed with considerable success by several clever students, who showed us all that it is the fastest option of the three. However, it requires that the back-up pistol be readily accessible to the support-side hand and that it be fired one-handed.

The first option is fast too, but the main-gun ends up on the deck where it may, or may not, be subsequently recovered. Acceptable in most domestic confrontations, but not a good idea when employed in a disaster scenario, where we can't be quite so cavalier about "throwing away"critical (albeit currently unusable) equipment that can't be readily replaced.

The middle option is the slowest of the three, but the main-gun is preserved on the body of the Operator and can nearly always be subsequently recovered, reloaded, and returned to service. However, in the interim, the Operator has an empty pistol in his holster. Inauspicious, but unavoidable in this scenario.

More than one student who employed the middle option forgot all about the fact that, at the end of the drill, their holstered main-gun was empty, and, as they launched into the subsequent drill, unhappily discovered that they were starting the gunfight with an empty pistol! Happily, they only made that mistake once!

Main-guns can usually go rapidly from the holster, to action, and then back to the holster. Conversely, most back-up guns cannot be returned to their holsters quickly. Indeed, even autoloaders in slide-lock can still be reholstered rapidly. Thus, when transitioning from back-up pistol to second back-up pistol or to a blade, the (now-empty) first back-up pistol must be (1) jettisoned, or (2) returned to a pocket. Again, in a disaster scenario, taking the extra time to return the back-up to a pocket will surely be arguable.

/John