Draw Strings on jackets and firearms

[Don Gwinn]

Question: drawstrings are bad news, we all agree on that, yes? What's known about incidents where a piece of clothing itself causes an ND? I'm talking about something like what happened to me at an FOF class a couple of weeks ago, when I was wearing a soft fleece jacket. I'd already cut the drawstrings off it, but it wasn't my usual cover garment (I usually wear a blazer when I'm not wearing a coat, at least in these cold months) and it managed to work its way into the holster unnoticed. I holstered, not feeling any extra resistance, and I'm not sure looking more closely at the holster would have helped--I wear it at 3:00-3:30 partly so I can see the holster, and this was an OWB paddle, but the black shirt was between the black gun and the black holster in a dark room, and the gun was still very close to my body.
Anyway, I didn't feel resistance or see the shirt get caught, but I felt it tugging when I turned around, and without thinking that it could have been caught inside the holster, I just tugged it loose. When I felt the gun click into place in the holster, I realized what I'd just done. Freaked me out a little. Seems like there's nothing to be done about it except to clear the garment of the holster every time the gun goes back in . . . which I hadn't done.

Obviously, this is a thing to be avoided on principle, but is there actual evidence of ND's caused by similar incidents with the hem of the garment itself getting into the holster?

[breakingtime91]

That's why the gadget or a saftey is such a good idea, seeing as we're all capable of a lack of focus or judgement.

[TheTrevor]

I've got several where the only adjustment/exposed part is on the left side. Otherwise they get cut off.

Likewise.

[Savage Hands]

If we can ever get one. Can you imagine how many ND's it could prevent right now?

[pax]

Obviously, this is a thing to be avoided on principle, but is there actual evidence of ND's caused by similar incidents with the hem of the garment itself getting into the holster?

Have a friend who shot himself in just that way, several years before he ever took a class and learned not to be stupid around guns. Shirt got caught inside the holster. He felt that his shirt was caught, so he tugged on it to free it. Gun popped out of the holster & began to fall, and he grabbed for the falling gun with sadly predictable consequences.

pax

[LHS]

Question: drawstrings are bad news, we all agree on that, yes? What's known about incidents where a piece of clothing itself causes an ND? I'm talking about something like what happened to me at an FOF class a couple of weeks ago, when I was wearing a soft fleece jacket. I'd already cut the drawstrings off it, but it wasn't my usual cover garment (I usually wear a blazer when I'm not wearing a coat, at least in these cold months) and it managed to work its way into the holster unnoticed. I holstered, not feeling any extra resistance, and I'm not sure looking more closely at the holster would have helped--I wear it at 3:00-3:30 partly so I can see the holster, and this was an OWB paddle, but the black shirt was between the black gun and the black holster in a dark room, and the gun was still very close to my body.
Anyway, I didn't feel resistance or see the shirt get caught, but I felt it tugging when I turned around, and without thinking that it could have been caught inside the holster, I just tugged it loose. When I felt the gun click into place in the holster, I realized what I'd just done. Freaked me out a little. Seems like there's nothing to be done about it except to clear the garment of the holster every time the gun goes back in . . . which I hadn't done.

Obviously, this is a thing to be avoided on principle, but is there actual evidence of ND's caused by similar incidents with the hem of the garment itself getting into the holster?

I had it almost happen to me once. I'd been out shooting all day, and my tucked undershirt had come loose. I went to reholster, and as usual, kept my thumb on the back of the hammer. As the gun went into the holster, I felt that hammer start to come back. I immediately stopped and found the hem of my T-shirt had somehow gotten around the sweat guard of my IWB and into the trigger guard, where the trigger promptly caught it. That was when I resolved to never carry a gun without either a manual safety or exposed hammer.

[Joe Mamma]

The problem is real. See below:













Joe Mamma

[BJJ]

Recently, I have started to feel like every firearm should have a manual safety. I only own Glock pistols but I am starting to wish they had a manual safety. If you are worried leaving the safety on when you need to shoot, maybe you should practice more. No manual safety requires absolutely no screwups or lapses in attention.

[WBower]

This very thing was my justification for the thumb safety variant of the M&P as my daily CCW. Although lately I have been considering moving to a G26, so I've been following discussions like this with a keen interest.

Typically I conceal under a t-shirt or a polo shirt, sometimes a button-up. I wear a black or grey undershirt (tank top) between myself and the holster. I find it helps to keep my outer shirt, be it a t-shirt or polo, better in place and helps prevent ride-up. I have noticed though that while practicing the shirt can become "bunched up" after repeated draw strokes, or can get untucked. Obviously this presents a potential to foul the trigger in the holster and I have to make a conscious effort to "fix" my shirt after every 10 draw strokes. In training classes I forgo to undershirt as usually training tempo doesn't allow much time to fix it.

[Cookie Monster]

I just got the scissors out on everything after Joe Mamma's post. My wife was confused but she is used to it.

Cookie Monster