Faster--Pistol or Rifle?

The Lucky Gunner looks at the speed difference between drawing a pistol and shooting versus unslinging a rifle (in an African carry), shouldering, and firing. He writes:

... Randy’s preferred method is African carry. That’s where the rifle is slung over the back of the support side shoulder with the muzzle pointed down. From here, the rifle can be shouldered in one fluid motion with surprising speed. 

... He asked me to step up to roughly the 10 yard line line along with another student who had a holstered handgun. At the fire command, we were both to attempt a single headshot at our respective targets — me presenting my rifle from African carry and the other student drawing his 1911 from a belt holster. 

When the command was given, I brought the rifle up as quickly as I could and nailed the center of the target’s headbox. I heard the pistol go off a split second before my rifle, but he had rushed his shot and missed the target completely. 

According to Randy, the rifle wins about 90% of the time he does this demonstration in a class. He intentionally picked me for the drill in order to show just how easy it is to get a shot off from African carry, even for someone with next to zero experience. The student with the 1911 has been shooting handguns for years and has thousands of draw repetitions under his belt. To the contrary, prior to this drill, I had practiced shouldering a rifle from African carry a sum total of ten times.

The Lucky Gunner performed his own test (in a video at the link) and the results were very close.

The one thing I would note (and perhaps it is just an issue of practice), but I find that the Africa carry works much better with a traditionally stocked rifle or shotgun over one with a pistol grip and/or long box magazine because the pistol grip or magazine can easily catch on your clothing--especially if it is baggy and loose, such as a wind-breaker. It also works best with the traditional sling attachments (bottom of the stock) than on the sides.