Weak hand or off-side weapon

[BenC]

I see lots of people carry assuming that their strong hand, or both hands will be free and available if they are attacked. I am not sure this is a truly realistic view.

Any good recommendations for a weak side carry knife or other close contact tool, and training/instruction to go with same?

How about a less lethal tool, like OC? Deploying that with my weak hand will still allow my strong hand to be ready on my pistol if things go from bad to worse; it won't do much for grappling defense though.

[Jay Cunningham]

I see lots of people carry assuming that their strong hand, or both hands will be free and available if they are attacked. I am not sure this is a truly realistic view.

Can you be more specific?

[ToddG]

1. I carry my pistol in a location that allows it to be accessed with either right or left hand.
2. When I carry a BUG, it goes in my weak side front pocket specifically because I figure if I'm relying on my BUG, it might be because my right hand has been injured.

[JSGlock34]

Todd - not to derail this thread (much) but that's the first time I've heard you talk about a BUG. What kind of firearm to do you use for pocket carry?

[BenC]

Can you be more specific?

Do you have any tools, tips or tricks for keeping your firearm accessible to both hands, or getting the hand that can reach the gun free if it becomes entangled or obstructed.

This is not something I or the people I know have given much thought.

[Jay Cunningham]

Do you have any tools, tips or tricks for keeping your firearm accessible to both hands, or getting the hand that can reach the gun free if it becomes entangled or obstructed.

This is not something I or the people I know have given much thought.

Yeah I might have a few, but I was interested in some of the specifics of what you were referring to. I don't disagree with you at all.

[Rverdi]

Ben,
I've always been a little leery of placing a lot of emphasis on weak side weapons because, frankly, most of us suck weak handed. Try putting your favorite folder in your weak side pocket and deploy it. Same goes for spraying oc, any type of impact weapon, etc.
If I was going to recommend anything, it would be a small fixed blade just forward of your mag pouch, you're much more likely to reliably deploy a fixed blade under stress.
Honestly, folders are difficult enough under perfect circumstances I don't carry one at all in uniform anymore, because it became fairly obvious that if things are bad enough that I need an edged weapon to defend myself, I'm unlikely to get it out, open and in the fight. I carry a fixed blade, weak side, under my mag pouches.

[ToddG]

Todd - not to derail this thread (much) but that's the first time I've heard you talk about a BUG. What kind of firearm to do you use for pocket carry?

When I carry a BUG, which I don't do as often as I should, it's either a S&W 442 or more likely my Ruger LCP.

[YVK]

Ben,
I've always been a little leery of placing a lot of emphasis on weak side weapons because, frankly, most of us suck weak handed. Try putting your favorite folder in your weak side pocket and deploy it. Same goes for spraying oc, any type of impact weapon, etc.
If I was going to recommend anything, it would be a small fixed blade just forward of your mag pouch, you're much more likely to reliably deploy a fixed blade under stress.
Honestly, folders are difficult enough under perfect circumstances I don't carry one at all in uniform anymore, because it became fairly obvious that if things are bad enough that I need an edged weapon to defend myself, I'm unlikely to get it out, open and in the fight. I carry a fixed blade, weak side, under my mag pouches.

I think this is awesome advice, and I have some experience corroborating this. Few years ago I bought an M-waved Emerson knife and spent a good deal of time practicing deployment out of pocket. I thought I became good, until I was asked to transition to it during one of classes. It didn't go well...
I carry a Shivworks Clinch Pick accessible to draw by both hands, advantage given to weak one.

[derekb]

Ben,
I've always been a little leery of placing a lot of emphasis on weak side weapons because, frankly, most of us suck weak handed.

The weak hand can be trained, though. I play the guitar, and for most guitar players, the weak hand is doing significantly more intricate work than the strong hand most of the time.