Drawing to 'guard'

[SouthNarc]

Yea, I like a lot of Clints stuff, but that one had me twitchy as well. Its not how we teach that, and not how I got it from the LAPD crew either.

Well I want to make sure I'm reading it right. If he was trying to say "I can interupt the shooting cycle if something changes" then that's something I can certainly agree with and have done so myself more than I can remember.

But that's not how I read it.

[Rosco Benson]

Re: About 1:22.

Does Clint Smith actually say that being on target AND on trigger DOES NOT mean he's going to fire? The implication here is that finger on the trigger is less than committing to a shot. Unless I'm hearing it wrong...

Yes. That's about it. He is not going to shoot unless the threat does not comply. Compliance might be backing off, running away, dropping the big stick, or whatever. He has spotted the threat in orange (specific alert), decided a lethal confrontation is happening and move to red (one's fighting state), he is now watching for what Cooper called "the mental trigger" which will cause him to shoot. This is all pretty standard Cooper/Gunsite dogma (and I don't mean that in a negative way). Sights on the threat/finger on the trigger. He is ready to make the shot and only an immediate change on the threat's part to remove the need to shoot it will result in the shot not being fired.

Being "pointed in" with the finger still in register seems very common these days. I think this is due to pistols being pointed at lots of folks who really haven't done anything serious enough to warrant pointing a pistol at them. As a consequence of the bar being set pretty low for pointing in, it makes sense to take measures to lessen the chances of an unwarranted shot being fired by the pointer. Clint's standard for aiming a pistol at someone is quite a bit higher, I'd wager.

In addition to his military combat service, Clint was a cop in Indiana, so he has that perspective to draw from too.

[Rosco Benson]

That video is a decade old.

Sure is. That doesn't make it less valid. Would you rather have the President we had a decade ago or the current one?

[SouthNarc]

Sights on the threat/finger on the trigger. He is ready to make the shot and only an immediate change on the threat's part to remove the need to shoot it will result in the shot not being fired.

What I've bolded is where I was seeking clarification. Does what you've written mean that the finger is on the trigger and it's rearward pressure is paused while the muzzle is covering someone?

[Dropkick]

Good ol' trigger checking... what could go wrong?

[Rosco Benson]

What I've bolded is where I was seeking clarification. Does what you've written mean that the finger is on the trigger and it's rearward pressure is paused while the muzzle is covering someone?

It means the shot is going to be fired unless something immediately changes to preclude it. As you put it, "interrupting the shooting cycle". You expressed it more clearly than I could.

[KevinB]

I'm confused...

[SouthNarc]

It means the shot is going to be fired unless something immediately changes to preclude it. As you put it, "interrupting the shooting cycle". You expressed it more clearly than I could.

Ah gotcha'!

Thank you!

[Rosco Benson]

Here's an article that makes some good points as to why it is preferable to confront ambiguous threats from the guard position, rather than pointed in with the finger in register.

http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/D...20suspects.htm

Rosco

[Mr_White]

I am firm believer in two distinct types of draws:

1. Drawing to fire an accurate shot as soon as possible (decision to fire already made, draw to sights, or a compressed position appropriate to the distance, accurate shot is away at the earliest opportunity unless the firing process is interrupted due to a change in the situation)

2. Drawing to a ready position because the decision to actually fire has not yet been made, in which case the finger is in register the whole time and the ready position must allow unobstructed vision so a fast and accurate decision to shoot (or not shoot) can be made. I also consider this a fundamental skill and critical distinction that needs to be made and emphasized starting the day the drawstroke is first introduced.