WHO Drawing

[JHC]

A few of us on P-F are still trying to figure out a (relatively) graceful way of drawing WHO from appendix carry.

I carry close enough to 12:00 that I can contort my left wrist enough to grasp the grip, but I imagine that the further you move away from centerline, the harder this will be.

I can see it, but I can't describe it. 19th century cavalry draw are the words that come to mind.

[ToddG]

I'm not fond of any draw (or other technique) that has me handling the gun with less than a full grip on the gun allowing me to index my trigger finger positively for safety.

edited to add: This is precisely why I think trying to learn something like the WHO draw from a short video snippet is a very bad idea. I guarantee if you were in class with Dave, he wouldn't just show you and tell you to run with it. He'd explain how he does it, what safety considerations you need to be aware of, and then he'd watch you like a hawk to make sure you weren't doing something wrong.

If you've ever been to a class and had an instructor correct something and you thought, "hey, I didn't even realize I was doing that!" then you just proved that you can make mistakes without even knowing it. Making a mistake while a loaded gun is pointed at or near your body and you have something other than your normal secure grip is a recipe for bad times.

[John Ralston]

A few of us on P-F are still trying to figure out a (relatively) graceful way of drawing WHO from appendix carry.

I carry close enough to 12:00 that I can contort my left wrist enough to grasp the grip, but I imagine that the further you move away from centerline, the harder this will be.

My prefered method is to grasp the grip in any fashion I find comfortable (not a firing grip), draw, rotate the grip to the left and stuff it back in the holster (as best it will fit), get a firing grip, draw and present to target. You still need to be aware of finger placement, but you don't have a gun on your belly.

[MattInFla]

I occasionally practice accessing the gun WHO.

With a blue gun.

I see absolutely no reason to practice it with a live weapon, even unloaded.

[turbolag23]

A few of us on P-F are still trying to figure out a (relatively) graceful way of drawing WHO from appendix carry.

I carry close enough to 12:00 that I can contort my left wrist enough to grasp the grip, but I imagine that the further you move away from centerline, the harder this will be.

i was wondering about this from the DotW19 thread myself. in that thread todd mentioned he didnt draw WHO due to the risky acrobatics of the draw. like you, i carry aiwb at almost 12:00 as well and drawing WHO doesnt require much acrobatics opposed to carrying at 3:00 and reaching across your body and transitioning the gun between your knees.

what techniques seem to work best or maybe its easier to explain what techniques dont work?

[JodyH]

From AIWB I'm able to rotate my arm enough to get a decent grip on the gun.
Back of my weak hand against my stomach, three fingers around the grip, trigger finger isn't indexed but stays away from the bang switch.
When I draw I make it a point to consciously rotate/tilt the muzzle away from my body and towards the target.
I index my trigger finger then solidify my grip by bracing the back of the grip/rear sight/hammer on my stomach, then press out from there.

Do not let your finger (or anything else) get near the trigger.
Maintain control of your muzzle.
If you drop your gun, let it fall to the ground.

[BLACK]

Drawing with my "support" side and placing the pistol in-between my thighs to reset my grip and gain fire control has always kept things safe and maintains muzzle discipline... It definately does not shave any critical seconds off the whole process.
I am still shy of the appendix carry and I have found myself practicing with the 4-5 oclock carry the more I learn to shoot with my "support side". I can access the gun with full fire control with either hand safely and efficiently when the gun is between the 5-7 oclock range. It can be a bit bumbly but it is definately faster than dipping the pistol in between ones knee caps.

On a side note...prayers out to the family of the student who was killed . Sheer negligence like that should never go un-punished.

[TGS]

My prefered method is to grasp the grip in any fashion I find comfortable (not a firing grip), draw, rotate the grip to the left and stuff it back in the holster (as best it will fit), get a firing grip, draw and present to target. You still need to be aware of finger placement, but you don't have a gun on your belly.

This is also how I was taught (if you're unable to just twist your hand around and establish a grip).