And I'll add in my $0.02: carrying in Condition 3 is a horrendous idea. Most encounters in which a concealed firearm might need to be employed happen at close distance ("bad breath" distance), and the odds of you being able to draw your pistol from concealment, chamber a round, and bring the gun to bear on your assailant are very slim. It's an unnecessary step that's completely unneeded with modern semi-automatic firearms - it's a holdover from the days where carrying in Condition 2 could result in a discharge if the gun were dropped. If you are uncomfortable with carrying a 1911-style handgun in Condition 1, then carry a different handgun.
Carrying in "Condition 3" is a VERY GOOD idea for ANY pistol. And I will explain why.
If you are in a situation where drawing your firearm is justified, having to rack the slide will SLOW YOU DOWN. Slowing you down will allow your reflex action to catch up to the OODA loop and put your brain back into the decision making loop.
Why? Because 21 feet is "halitosis" range, and the average concealed carrier cannot draw and fire their pistol faster than an attacker can close the distance. It is because of the reduced distance that many "gun people" even "firearm instructors" advocate carrying with a round in the pipe and no safety on. So if you can't respond in time, why carry as if you can?
I'm not saying that you should never carry a round in the pipe, if you are going undercover into a dangerous situation it would make sense. However if you are carrying in your normal daily life, you are unlikely to encounter a "prison yard rush" from inside 21 feet. Unless you are being targeted for assassination by the Yakuza. But if you aren't being targeted by organized crime, you probably don't need to be ready to respond to a prison yard rush.
It sounds counter intuitive to slow down, but going for your gun should never be your first response. If you do have to defend your life, or the life of someone else, a gun is simply a tool that provides a specific set of options. Using your brain first is better than using a gun first.
To sum up, if you are carrying with a round in the pipe it does you no good inside of 21 feet. Even if it did do you good inside 21 feet you have to have the OODA loop to match. If you have such good Situational Awareness that you can detect threats at the 21 foot threshold you have enough time to carry in "Condition 3". And if you don't have the SA to detect threats at 21 feet, it doesn't matter what "Condition" you carry your firearm in.
Work on your brain first, upgrade your awareness, keep your brain in the loop. The extra half second it takes to rack the slide isn't a game changer.
3 comments:
The single biggest problem with (and argument against) Condition 3 carry is that it turns your handgun into a handSgun.
Also, while my situational awareness is okay, it is not perfect. If I see the danger ahead of time, I will most likely not need to unholster the gun at all, because I will be leaving, not shooting.
I agree, but with a few caveats.
If you have a hand "detained" by an aggressor, drawing your firearm with your other hand is probably not going to be the first response your body tries.
Your body will try first to jerk your arm away to "make space". It's a natural reaction.
Cops get shot with their own guns because when someone grabs their gun, their natural reaction is to try to push/pull that hand grabbing at their firearm away from their body. This only helps the aggressor to draw the firearm from the holster.
Officer Morales came up with a simple retention technique, train people to "trap the hand" that is grabbing for the gun. Use the bodies natural "jerk away" response against them. By trapping the aggressors hand between your hand pressing down onto the pistol it causes the bad guy to jerk his hand away.
So if you are in a situation where you end up "one handed" because a bad guy penetrated your awareness bubble, your first response shouldn't be to attempt to draw your pistol, your first response should be as much physical violence as you can muster.
Keys, fingernails, fists, knees, elbows, feet, kicks, punches, bite, scratch, claw. Anything to give you the time, and space, to gain control of the encounter.
Will it ALWAYS work? No. There is no ninja technique that will always work, but there are ways of maximizing your options.
Damnitall, now I need to turn this into a real blog post...
I used to keep my bedside gun (a 1911) in condition 3. It was easier to unload it in the morning and stow it away. Then came the night I awoke to find an intruder standing at the foot of my bed (yes, I should have had a dog or an alarm, but I didn't then). Fortunately I was able to grab the gun, rack the slide, and scare him off. Now that gun is cocked and locked all the time. Taking the safety off has become instinctual after years of practice. My carry gun is likewise C&L all the time.
However, 21 feet is still too close. I was lucky that one time. I now do my best to practice situational awareness when I'm outside the house. I don't think taking the safety off adds significantly to my reaction time. Recognizing the problem and deciding to draw are the big time lags.
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