Vetting some new techniques I learned

[Archimagirus]

Hey guys,

I recently moved from the good old land of entrapment to a new, larger metropolitan area. All most all of shooting and formal shooting instruction I have was done in New Mexico, which, if we are completely fair can be a little insular. Guys like Tom Jones, BOM, JodyH, and a few others here on the board were local to me when I lived there and I definitely could have benefitted from spending some range time with them, but never really felt comfortable reaching out. Very little of my time shooting has been spent shooting high speed or controlled pairs. Coming here to the forum though did help me start to push my boundaries and I think made me a better shooter. Coming to where I am now, also illustrated how onerous, but ultimately beneficial New Mexico's concealed carry licensure scheme is to shooters.

Since we moved to a larger metro, along with that came some new opportunities to take some shorter duration training classes. The location where I have taken this initial class also features a shooting simulator with compressed air Glock 17's. I would assume it is similar to the simulators that law enforcement have access to for much of their training in decision making and shoot\no shoot scenarios.

The first force on force demo I did, featured a robbery where the clerk is shot and the gunman and his partner turn on you. Something was revealed to me using their simulator. I was shooting it like I was playing Time Crisis or Call of Duty. I had never really practiced controlled pairs or anything like the F.A.S.T. test with live ammo. But in these simulations I was ripping off controlled pairs like it was Call of Duty, which by the way, generally requires at least two shots to but a bag guy down.

So it would seem, I have developed training scars from playing a stupid video game. And I think that is a problem.

When I went to my first class with this company last night, I went with some preconceived notions about what I would like to see in a trainer. The trainer violated most of those notions. I am a believer in the ALS or similar retention holster, this trainer was full of Serpa-derp. When the trainer showed us how he prefers to carry it was with a VersaCarry, with a XD. At that point I had to force myself to not immediately write off everything the trainer was saying.

Probably the biggest change I encountered was with the way this particular instruction taught the draw stroke. Rather that drawing, clearing the holster and presenting the gun on target, the instruction taught to draw, clear the holster and come up to what he called a high ready or SUL. I was familiar with the SUL, but I had never encountered an instructor advised drawing to SUL and starting to issue verbal commands. While I understand the technique and its value, it goes against everything else I have ever understood about carrying concealed. I understand that it is, in theory, a deescalation technique that informs your potential adversary that you are armed and will shoot them, but everything else I have ever been taught has been to not draw the weapon until you are ready to fire.

What do you guys think, is this a valuable technique for concealed carry or just a gimmick? I honestly haven't decide how or if I am going to incorporate this into my training or skill set.

[tremiles]

I guess my question as a civilian would be what can you do from high ready that you can't do from a sight picture?

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[Archimagirus]

I realized after the timer expired that I misspelled JodyH's member name. If a mod could change that for me I would greatly appreciate it. If not, he has my most sincere apology for the mistake on my part, that dyslexia is a motherkittener sometimes.

[Archimagirus]

The reasoning as it was presented is that you aren't actively aiming the pistol at the person, so it is safer in case of a negligent discharge, and there is less chance of it being interpretted as brandishing or menacing because the firearm is pointed at the ground. It would seem fairly straight forward to transition from that position to gaining a sight picture.

[jetfire]

I would say that anyone who carried an XD in a VersaCarry isn't someone you should listen to.

[LittleLebowski]

I would say that anyone who carried an XD in a VersaCarry isn't someone you should listen to.

Indeed.

[Mr_White]

I too am very turned off by the thought of a Versa-carry being recommended.

Drawing to a muzzle-averted, vision-unobstructed ready position can be a perfectly valid thing to do, just as it can be perfectly valid to draw and start firing accurately as soon as possible. Depends on the situation. There should also be some discussion as to when one is appropriate vs. the other. That's an under-discussed distinction IMHO.

[orionz06]

Gear selection matters, someone with a derpy set up is certainly inviting deeper analysis into what they're saying, though everything should be questioned anyway, no matter the source.

[Archimagirus]

I would say that anyone who carried an XD in a VersaCarry isn't someone you should listen to.

That was honestly kinda my knee jerk reaction too, but my wife accusses me of being a holster snob, so I wanted a second opinion.

[tremiles]

The reasoning as it was presented is that you aren't actively aiming the pistol at the person, so it is safer in case of a negligent discharge, and there is less chance of it being interpretted as brandishing or menacing because the firearm is pointed at the ground. It would seem fairly straight forward to transition from that position to gaining a sight picture.

Just my opinion again, but the pistol is out of the holster whether high ready or in a sight picture, it's both brandishing and menacing although justified if I'm in reasonable belief my life is in imminent danger.

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