Close encounters of the BG kind

[phinsfan]

Mas,

After attending two different pistol training events, with different instructors, I am left wondering whose advice is best. When dealing with an attack within 5m, one instructor advised to draw the pistol and have it as high and tight on the pectoral muscle as possible, thereby limiting the chance of a takeaway (elbow pulled back tight). The left arm in this scenario would be blocking the incoming strike, while the right fires from that position in the draw stroke. I found this useful and intuitive. Yet, the second instructor concluded that the best course of action when a BG is in this close (by way of surprise, etc.) is to not draw your firearm, but rather use empty-hand self-defense techniques. He surmised that drawing in this manner will facilitate a takeaway. Additionally, he suggested to shoot from the hip a la cowboy style if I did draw.

This seems to be an important thing to have figured out and practiced before an event takes place. What do you recommend?

Thanks for the knowledge, as always.

[Mas Ayoob]

I hate to sound like a politician, but..."I basically agree with both positions."

Within arm's length, I would concur with the second instructor and go for a disarm, IF the defender is square on with the attacker or on the attacker's gun-hand side. You can stall his draw in half a second or so with practice and proper technique, which is close to twice as fast as most of us can draw and shoot from concealment. The stalled draw flows nicely into a disarm, IF you know what you're doing and have developed skill at it.

However, if the bad guy's torso is between the good guy and the bad guy's gun hand, or if he's simply out of reach, likelihood of successful hand to hand drops enough to warrant moving off line and going for your own gun instead.

Lots of subtleties, dependent on relative positioning of attacker and defender. You were wise to learn two different approaches. The day will come when one or the other will be the best choice, and none of us knows which it will be until it happens.

Stay safe,
Mas