Drawing From Concealment Part III: The Extend

In the previous weeks, we have learned about the essential steps of clearing your clothing and getting a good firing grip on your holstered gun. It’s time now to learn how to extend your firearm forward safely, while also getting a solid two-handed firing grip, aligning your sights with the target, and preparing your trigger finger for action.
 

Safety First

During the extension of your firearm, there are multiple crucial aspects to consider. Therefore, let’s start with a reminder that safety is an absolute requirement whenever you practice with your handgun. Dry-fire practice involves practicing with your unloaded gun.
It is vital that you never become complacent during your dry-fire practice. Although it may sound repetitive, I will continuously emphasize the importance of safety, as your well-being and that of your household members are of utmost concern.

 

Technique For The Extend

Please read this fully first, safe practice tips are provided below

After rotating your muzzle downrange, the next step is to extend your firearm forward. As your gun passes in front of your lower chest or stomach, bring your support hand towards the firearm and establish a solid two-handed firing grip.
 
It is essential to emphasize that the grip you establish from the holster and with your support hand is the grip that you will use to defend your life. Thus, it must be firm and secure, and practice is necessary to achieve it. At this point, your gun should be directly in front of your upper body, and your arms should not yet be extended.

 

Extending To Full Extension

After acquiring a solid two-handed grip, the next step is to extend your arms fully forward. During this motion, you need to accomplish two things:
 

1. Align your sights on the target and focus on your front sight. The goal is to acquire a clear sight picture before reaching full extension. You can achieve this by bringing the gun up to eye level as you extend it forward. Aligning the gun at eye level as quickly as possible will give you time to obtain a clear sight picture of your target before reaching full extension. Although it may sound challenging to do all of this in fractions of a second, with practice and training, it will become one seamless motion.

 

2. As you reach full extension, your trigger finger should be placed on the trigger. You will be ready to fire as soon as your sight picture becomes clear. For advanced shooters, once your finger is on the trigger, start taking up the slack. This means that you depress the trigger to the point just before it “breaks” and the gun fires.

Some important things to note

– Your trigger finger should only be on the trigger when you are ready to shoot. Our training is focused on drawing your gun from concealment because you are in a situation where you must protect your life. The assumption is that your life is at risk and you need to draw and fire your gun to defend yourself. This is a life or death situation, and you are in a fight to survive.

– Achieving accuracy in shooting immediately after extending the firearm requires a developed skill that requires a lot of dedication and practice to master.

My Experience

I recall my experience in a Beretta defensive shooting course with two exceptional instructors, Pat Rogers and Ernest Langdon. It was the first time I had my finger on the trigger while completing my extension, and I felt the weight of my responsibility to maintain control over my trigger finger. I couldn’t allow myself to press the trigger until I was absolutely certain of my target.
 
Initially, I wanted to wait until after my extension was complete before acquiring my sight picture and placing my finger on the trigger. I viewed these actions as three separate steps that needed to be completed in order. However, I quickly learned that there is no time to complete each step individually when my life is on the line. I also had to develop the discipline and control necessary to place my finger on the trigger while still in motion.
 
Pat and Ernest emphasized that in order to survive a fight, we must have everything under control before completing our extension. This skill takes time and practice to master, but it is critical in a self-defense situation.

 

Practice Tips – The Extension

Safety Check

With UNLOADED HOLSTERED GUN: “Prior to any practice, it is crucial to thoroughly check your gun, including inspecting the chamber through the top of the slide and ensuring that there is no ammunition in the barrel, magazine, or surrounding area. It is recommended to double-check these safety measures to prevent any accidents or mishaps during your practice.”

Arrange your mobile phone or video camera or ask someone to record you from the side, standing on your dominant side (right side for right-handed individuals), at a distance of approximately 5 feet.

Record yourself performing each of the tips below and review the footage.

Tip 1 – Attaining a good two-handed grip

Start by executing all the steps we have covered so far, such as clearing your clothing, pulling the gun from the holster, and rotating the muzzle towards the target.
 
Now, move your dominant hand slowly and consciously towards your upper centerline, which should be in front of your lower chest or upper stomach, whichever feels more natural to you.
 
At the same time, move your non-dominant hand from its safe location, preferably in close proximity to the centerline, towards the grip of the gun, where your dominant hand is. Make sure to minimize extra movements as much as possible while keeping your muzzle pointed downrange.
 
Repeat this motion 10-20 times a day.
 
Each time, ensure that you have a solid two-handed firing grip at the centerline and that you can acquire your grip and extend forward simultaneously. Begin slowly and focus on this step before moving on to the next ones.

 

Tip 2 – Aligning your sights

Choose a specific point on the wall or any suitable object to use as your aiming point for practicing a precise sight picture.

Eye Level

As you extend your arms forward with a two-handed grip, quickly bring your gun to eye level. Make sure to attain your two-handed grip at the centerline and push your arms forward and slightly upward. If your hands are not in the centerline area due to the location of your holster, raise your arms and gun to align them with your eyes, while being mindful of where your muzzle is pointed. The goal is to bring the gun up to your eye level instead of moving your head downward to find the sights.
 
As you move your body into a slightly forward-leaning defensive shooting stance, your arms and eyes will naturally align. Choose a spot on the wall and work on aligning your sights on the target WHILE YOU ARE EXTENDING. The objective is to have your front sight squarely on the target BEFORE you reach full extension. The earlier you get your sights aligned with your eyes, the faster you will acquire a proper sight picture and be prepared to shoot.
 

Note

An attacker can strike unexpectedly and quickly. It’s impossible to predict what the attacker will do, and you may need to shoot before you reach full extension, such as if the attacker lunges at you.
 
In some cases, you may not have time to extend or may face a high risk of your gun being taken away if you do. These situations call for shooting at close quarters without using your sights. To learn more about techniques for close-quarter defense situations, consider taking a quality defensive shooting course.
 
Practice this drill daily, repeating it at least 10-20 times each session. Make sure you’re able to achieve a solid sight picture before you’re fully extended. It takes a lot of practice to train your eyes and body to do this effectively.
 

Tip 3 – Placing your finger on the trigger

Key Word – PLACE

After becoming skilled at sighting while extending at eye level, start “placing” your finger on the trigger once you are more than halfway extended. Do not put your finger on the trigger during the draw, pull, rotate, or while acquiring your two-handed grip. You should only do this once you are well on your way to a full extension.
 
It is important not to press the trigger prematurely. Your goal is to be as ready as possible in the shortest amount of time, so aim for “efficiency of motion.” Keep in mind that this requires great control and discipline. During an attack, adrenaline can rush through your body, and your muscles may tense up. Training yourself to “place” your finger on the trigger and not press it until you are ready is essential.
 

Note

Using a laser trainer, like SIRT or Laser Ammo, can be highly beneficial for this practice. With a laser trainer, you can observe precisely when you have squeezed the trigger and evaluate the precision of your aiming. The ability to review this on video can be incredibly valuable.

Conclusion

Wow, that was a lot of information to absorb. Don’t let it intimidate you. This is all about learning and repetition. You don’t need to be perfect right away, that comes with practice.
 
Continue to put in the effort and remember that each step is a building block toward the larger goal. We are breaking down the process and practicing each step, so that eventually they will all flow together seamlessly, resulting in a smooth, precise, and consistent motion.