The Fastest Draw: In defense of having it in your hand.
Rebuttal to Issue 13: Draw Stroke: The ignored master skill.
By Randy Bartlett
In Snub Noir Issue 13, Michael makes a bold assertion to the effect: Starting a fight with a pistol in your hand is the sign of a bad guy. (We can discuss why a good guy might want to shoot first at another time.) His argument, rooted in a desire to separate lawful defensive behavior from criminal intent, raises an ethical point—but it misses a tactical one. Here’s the simple truth: the fastest draw is to not draw at all. The gun already in hand, concealed or indexed, and safely held can stop the fight before it starts.
A lawful concealed carrier or armed professional should not brandish or escalate. But neither should they handicap themselves with limitations. Defensive shootings, particularly those in close quarters, are often over in less time than it takes to finish a sentence. The old adage “action beats reaction” is still undefeated. That second or two you save by starting with gun in hand could be the difference between surviving the encounter or bleeding out behind a dumpster.
The Case for the Ready Grip
Drawing from concealment under stress is a complex neuromotor skill. Clothing, position, retention, distance, and startle response all introduce variables. Yet too many defensive shooters spend 100% reps drawing from a cold, arms-down stance as if they’ll be ambushed politely. They won’t.
That’s why at least 10% of your training reps should start from hand-on-gun positions:
– Seated in a vehicle, seatbelt on, hand on gun
– Walking in low light, aware, hand on gun under a jacket
– Late at night bump in the night, at home or on the street—gun in hand
These are not fantasy scenarios. They are reality for armed defenders. Practicing from these conditions builds muscle memory, confidence, and above all, realism.
Are You a Bad Guy?
Carrying with a ready grip is not criminal behavior. It’s a defensive posture.
There’s a world of difference between walking around with your gun out like a thug and simply having it out and concealed (Alongside your leg, in a towel (ahem), in a pocket) because you cut through an alley to save time. (Pro tip: Don’t use alleys.) That’s not aggression. That’s prudence.
Legal Considerations
Can you be arrested for “brandishing” if you present your weapon too early? Yes. That’s why it’s essential to understand the laws in your jurisdiction. But none of that precludes you from training with a ready grip. In fact, it’s a responsibility. Because when the fight starts with you holding that pistol for the very first time
, you’ll wish you’d done it a hundred times before.
Conclusion: Be Fast, Be First, Be Right
Mr. deBethencourt raises a valid point about perception—but perception doesn’t win fights. (Might prevent them. Another discussion.) Skill does. And skill starts with training under realistic conditions. So yes, practice your draw from concealment. But don’t ignore the fastest draw of all: The gun already in your hand, and you already a second ahead.
