I was reading this thread, about how to ensure that your weapon is adequately concealed. As a Brit, this obviously isn’t something I’m used to considering, and am interested.
The point is made in the thread that you need easy access to the weapon in times of trouble. I’m interested how many times you’ve been in a situation where you’ve actually drawn the weapon? Is it a common occurence, or are you carrying ‘just in case’?
I have felt threatened enough on a couple occasions to pull the pistol and hold it alongside my leg. The sight of the gun discomfitted the threatening person enough to allow me to unass the area with no shots fired.
Hmmm … quick search …
Ah! “Carrying concealed weapon” or “concealed carry weapon”.
Never heard or seen the expression before.
Now I know.
Twice - once in my car and once on my property, neither places require a CCW to carry (in Colorado) but without a permit I would have been much less likely to have one handy.
For informational purposes - the first time the guys in the other car (drunk joyriders who smashed into me several times and ran me off the road) had no idea I was armed. I never felt personally threatened, they did several thousand dollars worth of damage to my car, but I have insurance for that. The reason I had the gun out and ready was in case they took their little game any farther. But they were just drunks playing with a stolen car, and never slowed down once I stopped.
The second was even less interesting - being followed by a bunch of rowdy teens in a car (I may have honked at them or something, minor traffic thing anyway). I pulled into the driveway like normal and stepped out with my gun in hand. I don’t point unless I’m ready to shoot, so I at no time threatened nor endangered them. They left immediately and I went inside.
There has never been a situation as yet where I have had to pull out my weapon. I hope there never is.
I’ve considered getting a CCW permit. Haven’t quite finished thinking it through, but I imagine my personal policy would be never, ever to show it unless I intend to pull the trigger. Wouldn’t want to escalate things unnecessarily - I’d rather take my chances in a fistfight than a gunfight anyway.
Yeah. I hope my two examples don’t give anyone the wrong idea. If I’m in public I’m not drawing except under immediate and evident threat.
It’s difficult to draw from the hip in a car with your seatbelt on, which is the only reason I pulled it out of the holster the first time. The second time… well, my neighbors are used to me carrying armload’s of guns from my car to the house, so it wasn’t really all that unusual.
Honestly, answering the spirit of the OP, “never”. I’ve moved it from the holster to a more convenient location. If I truly draw, in the way I think the OP is talking about, it’s going to be pointed at someone, I’m going to be talking very loud, and using small words.