New Defensive Pistol Craft Post...

... for July 16, 2020. Topics and commentary covered include why holing up and waiting for the police after a break-in or attempted break-in may not be realistic and/or may be futile; advantages to the modified Weaver stance for the defensive shooter; a critique of the laser sight on handguns; several articles and comments regarding the topic of how to reduce error; a brief explanation on why the revolver is inappropriate for self-defense; what to say (or not say) to the police after a lethal force shooting; and a lot more.

     An excerpt from a discussion on the topic of drawing, presenting and firing a gun:

    Tom Givens says you need to be able to do 4 things: 

1.  Get the pistol out of the concealed holster and on target.
2.  Get good hits at 7 yards. 
3.  Reload if necessary.  (A low probability event in civilian self-defense.) 
4.  Clear malfunctions if necessary.  (A low probability event, if you have kept your pistol clean, are using factory new ammunition that you have practiced with to know that it feeds and chambers reliably, and don't cause a malfunction. You won't cause a malfunction if you have had competent training and have recently practiced what you were taught.) 

     The 4 things are listed in chronological order.  You have to practice presentation from the concealed holster to the target a lot in order to make it reliable.  Otherwise, your presentation will get fouled under stress. ...

     Only when you have gotten your pistol on target do you have the option of shooting.  Yes, that's the way you should think about it.  Presenting to the target does not mean you will shoot.  Shooting is not part of the presentation.  So, shooting should not be practiced as part of the presentation. Shooting should always be a separate intellectual decision. Trust me, you don't want to engrain the habit of shooting every time you present to the target.  Because if you do, you might not be able to override that habit in combat.  ("I didn't mean to shot him.  It was an accident." will get you charged with negligent homicide.  Remember, self-defense shootings are intentional, not accidental.)