Hey folks, let's talk about the concealed draw from under a cover garment, and how you should execute it in a life saving scenario.

First off, my weapon of choice today is the new Colt defender. This one is in nine millimeter. Excellent little pistol. One of the advantages to it of course is that it is a very compact, very flat, package that makes it very easy to carry concealed. The high points of it, tritium front sight, large notch Novak rear, great fast sight picture, beaver tail, nice and comfortable, high cut under the trigger guard for a good solid grip.

The G10 grip panels, you’ll notice, are nice and thin. Magazine capacity in nine millimeter, which is the one I am using, is eight rounds, plus one in the chamber. You’ve got a nine shot, highly efficient, compact, easy to shoot pistol.

And one of the key points for a lot of people, the fact that your pistol has a manual safety is considered a strong point. Take the ladies who carry in their purse. For off body carry the manual safety is a real plus, so you’ve got a pistol that is extremely safe, very efficient, and easy to use.

I am going to detail you the proper draw technique from under a cover garment.

Remember one of the key things that people don’t get is, in order to make the draw I’ve got to get the garment away from the gun, so it doesn’t interfere with the draw. A lot of ways to do it, but the one that works every time, the firing hand comes up, grabs the lapel or the edge of the cover garment, flips it out of the way, hand goes to the gun, pistol comes out up and on target.

One of the key fundamentals that you need to work on is from concealment. Once you go from vision, decision, to action. In the action phase, present the weapon to the target, firing an effective shot, you need to be working right around the two second window. Ideally a little less but not too much over, I am going to show you the sequence, I will do it at three, five, and seven yards.

And my object is to fire an effective shot one right here in the sternum area, or at three yards, one right here in the circle.

Remember two seconds or less is my goal, maybe a hair over. Let's give it a try and see how it goes.

At three yards, I am going to use a startle response, where I come out using one hand. It is going to be a precise shot. I am going to make it into the head zone, very quick delivery, one hand only.

I step back to five yards. Now the system changes. Here I’ve got a little more distance, I am going for a sternum upper torso hit. I’ve got to do it quickly, and I’ve got to do it effectively, so take a little more time once again I’ve got to have perfect alignment, clean press.

Then I come back to seven yards. At seven yards I’ve really got to tighten up the shot. Again I’ve got to make sure there is no trigger jerk, no slap, straight press to the rear, and I am going to go to both hands so I get a much more uniform solid firing platform.

All right here we go, my three yard shot strong hand, my five yard shot and my seven yard shot, all good, all under two seconds, just a hair under. Just exactly what I want to be.

Listen up; if you happen to have a situation where your range does not allow you to practice drawing when you are on the line, then you are doing your dry fire at home. Make sure your weapon’s clear, put on your concealment garment and practice your draws at home.

That way when you go to the range you can either put it all together in a nice smooth presentation, or at least you’ll be ready to go when the time comes.