[Lakota]

Dear Mas:

It may be that no one understands better the importance of producing (drawing) a handgun more efficiently than you.

Considering the occasion for such necessity, in preparation for possible employment (in the gravest extreme), there are basically three methods of shoulder-holstered firearms: the horizontal, angular and vertical.

There is much, not infrequently contentious and heated pro and con arguments (on gun forums and elsewhere) for and against horizontal carry, orbiting the dilemma of (charteristically needed) expedient (horizontal) deployment of a generally faster production, often when seconds or fractions of seconds determine the sucessful or failed need to defend self or others: versus what is among the most fundamental requirements (not laws, banning or mandating); that, being the moral and pragmatic obligation to not ever point a firearm at any object and/or person you do not deliberately intend to destroy...

These two considerations present a dilemma that often (heatedly) emerges in gun forums on and off the net (the pro horizontal carry element - over-ruling the paramount factor of safety - suggesting or alleging that those who are opposed to it are 'gun grabbers' and 'anti-2nd Amendment advocaters).

Whereas, the horizontal CCW method requires physical contact with and handling of the weapon (inherently introducing the hazard of an AD) as does reholstering same, while at the same consideration, the weapon is constantly pointed at all and any persons behind the horizontally carried firearm (as compared with angular or vertical shoulder holster carry).

Reviewing these contentions, I have learned that the subjected gridlock includes the politics of holster manufacturers as well as the acknowledged and desirable swiftness of producing the shoulder holstered weapon.

Please provide your thoughts on this - acknowleged - difficult issue.

Best regards,
- Lakota

[Mas Ayoob]

The muzzle of every firearm in the world is oriented in some direction. Doesn't mean that it's "pointed" at anyone; to me, pointing a gun is a human action. However, we notice that from the museum to the military armory to the gun shop shelf, those who place the guns consciously or unconsciously try to array the firearms in such a way that most people won't find themselves looking down the muzzle.

Cognitively, we know the gun in the hip holster of the person on the second floor has its muzzle "pointed" toward someone below him on the first floor, but no one is looking down the barrel and therefore no one is alarmed. The gun visible in the horizontal holster in a detectives' squadroom or some military environments is seen only by those accustommed to seeing it, people who know they're safe from it. No problem.

Wearing the horizontal shoulder rig exposed in public, on the other hand, invites people to be scared that "the gun is pointed at them." Keeping the gun discreetly concealed seems to prevent such misunderstandings.

best,
Mas