How To Practice Drawing & Re-Holstering Your EDC

Achieving The Proper Draw Stroke With Your Concealed Carry Firearm

Defensive handgun fundamentals remain more or less the same regardless of where or how you choose to carry. For instance, the steps for drawing from a shoulder holster are nearly identical to those for drawing from an AIWB rig, despite the different applications for each carry system.

Classic Summary

A smooth, consistent draw is absolutely essential for self defenders because it allows them to get their gun out and into the fight as quickly as possible.

• Reviewing defensive handgun drawing and re-holstering fundamentals
• Unconventional EDC presentation drills to keep you on your toes
• Additional training tips to make you an all-around better shooter

1. Defeat Your Cover Garment - Sweep your shirt tail or jacket away in one fluid motion (with your non-dominant hand, if possible) to expose the butt of your pistol.

2. Obtain A Positive Master Grip - Index the holstered firearm so that your wrist is parallel to the bore axis and the backstrap is centered in the webbing between your thumb and index finger.

Your index finger should remain straight along the dust cover (outside of the trigger guard) until your draw stroke is complete and you're ready to fire.

3. Unholster The Firearm - Deactivate any active retention mechanisms and remove the pistol from its holster, taking care to ensure the muzzle is pointed down and away from your body.

4. Begin Presentation - Without breaking your master grip, elevate the firearm to chest level while simultaneously bringing your support hand up to rest in front of your offhand pectoral muscle. Use your thumb as a reference.

5. Complete Presentation - Add your support hand and push out with both arms, leaving a slight bend in your elbows. Square your feet, hips, and shoulders while obtaining a clear sight picture.

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Re-Holstering

To increase speed, practice each step individually before combining all of the above for a smooth draw stroke. Only replace your firearm in the holster once you are sure all threats have been stopped and you are no longer in imminent danger.

Repeat the above steps in reverse order to re-holster your pistol, while observing your surroundings and looking the gun into the holster whenever is is safe to do so. This helps mitigate risk of flagging yourself or others while attempting to insert the muzzle into the mouth of your holster.

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Practical EDC Presentation Drills

After you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals, you can stress test your skills by mixing additional elements into your practice sessions. Adding time constraints, drawing from a seated or kneeling position, and aiming around cover can help you prepare for real-world defensive shooting scenarios.

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A savvy criminal assailant may choose unconventional avenues of approach or may wait to initiate their attack until you are in a vulnerable position that gives them the advantage. Parking your car, carrying groceries, checking your phone, stopping to tie your shoe - these are all opportunities to strike while your attention is divided between your surroundings and the task at hand.

Consequently, learning to anticipate and train for such occasions is a critical part of effective firearms training for concealed carry practitioners. Here are a few drills your can use to ensure your skillset is adaptable to any situation you might encounter.

• The Double Latte - Begin with an identical lightweight item in each hand at waist height, then drop both and begin your draw. Add movement while carrying your "lattes" to enhance difficulty.
• The Extra-Leaded Latte - Same as the Double Latte, replacing the "lattes" with one heavy item carried with both hands.
• Late Night Run - While seated, extend your arms to the left as if you're using an ATM or collecting your order through the window at an all-night drive through. Retract your arms in a quick, fluid motion and adjust your hips / shoulders while initiating a seated draw stroke.
• Low Cover, No Cover - Start the drill from behind a waist-high obstacle and draw while kneeling, then stand to exit cover / fire at your target.
• The Collateral - Lying flat on your back with knees bent, practice drawing and aiming at a target that is in front of you while transitioning to kneeling, then standing. Watch Tom Cruise's performance during the nightclub shootout in Collateral for reference.
• Barber's Chair Showdown - Begin seated with your back to the target. When the drill begins, stand and draw before turning 180 degrees to engage the threat.
• Ten & Two - Similar to the Late Night Run, except you start with both hands at the ten and two position as if you were driving a car. Add a lap belt (or if unavailable, an additional cover layer) to simulate the added challenge of accessing your firearm while seated in a vehicle.
• The Elevator Trick - Start the drill with your back to your target at a distance of three to five feet. Practice drawing surreptitiously with minimal telegraphing, then turn to engage the threat.

Each of these drills can be incorporated with your regular dry fire or live fire training on the range. Just remember, the objective is to achieve a smooth and consistent draw even if you are starting from an unusual or unintuitive position so that during a defensive encounter, you can fall back on your training.

More Tips For Training With Your EDC Pistol

Want to learn how to become more effective with your pistol? Be sure to watch our video training with the team at Battleline Tactical, owned and operated by legendary Army Ranger Kris "Tanto" Paronto.

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