Again, thanks for the detailed reply. I’ll be looking into this more… challenge: am Canadian, so putting my hands on a handgun might not be worth the effort. The last handgun owner I knew gave up the sport many years ago… too dangerous. Not the weapons, mind you… he was too afraid of making a mistake when transporting from home to range and back.
My military service was 1981-1986, Canadian infantryman. Intimately familiar with FNC1, FNC2, and Sterling SMG; competent with 30-cal and 50-cal, and assorted grunt weapons (grenades, mortars, M-72 an 81mm anti-tank, etc). I understand the… fascination… of things that go boom. Shit’s fun, yo! More so when it’s on the governments dime!!
Never saw real action, but many live-fire exercises, range work, etc. So I’ve never been under a real threat, although live-fire stuff was scary-fun. Perhaps this lack of a true threat to my person diminishes my standing in a discussion about how carrying “cold” (no round up spout, “real” safety ON) doesn’t cause so much delay as to be life threatening. The common argument I hear: “I have to carry ‘hot’ so the bad guy doesn’t have a 1 second advantage over me”. I just have a hard time believing shit goes down that fast.
Scenario: riding in the back of an APC, weapon is “cold”. Even if you’re in the lead vehicle. Contact! As you exit the back door, cock the weapon, but still on safe. Run to your assigned position, hit the dirt, roll, sights up, safety off, aim & fire. Perhaps, if you’re taking direct fire, safety off and squeeze off a few rounds in the general direction of the bad guys. Supposedly, this is how I was to do it when the bullets were real.
'Course, that was 35 years ago, weapon has changed (M16 variant, I think…sniff, sniff… how could they replace the FNC1?). Doctrine might have changed too. I left the forces as a dope-smoking peace-loving hippy freak, so I’ve not kept up with the modern army. Not mad, just not my cup of tea.
Scenario: police officer walking the beat, weapon “cold” in holster. Bad guy does something worth drawing weapon; in one smooth motion, holster release, draw, cock, safety off. This motion should be practiced until second nature. I’d say if you can’t do that without delay, more training required.
Scenario: CCW dude walks into McDonalds, weapon is “cold” in out-of-sight holster. Shots fired! In a few well-practiced motions, holster release, draw, cock, safety off. These motions should be practiced until second nature. I’d say if you can’t do that without delay, more training required, or no CCW permit for you.
I see the timer on this thread is coming to a close… let me leave you with this: The featured video is ample proof that whatever “safety” this handgun had, it didn’t work. If it had a safety trigger that must be pulled just so, it failed. If it had a grip safety, it is poorly designed. He casually (incorrectly?) grabbed the gun and it fired.
Completely preventable by carrying cold. Which in this case, he should have been. He’s an idiot multiple times over and should be charged, fired, and never allowed to carry a weapon again. But I suspect the defense will be “He’s in the line of fire and must carry hot at all times, these sorts of things can happen when you have to be prepared to return fire at any time with no delay”. A trip to the range, demonstrate he actually does know how to handle his bang stick, and back to work, occifer.
I’m rambling. Done for now. Glad the injury wasn’t fatal. Off to see how bad Doug Ford plans to mess with my otherwise happy future.
