Ohioans For Concealed Carry Discussion Forums

...let it drop. I got a good reminder of that this morning, during some draw/dryfire practice at home, with my thrice checked UNLOADED carry handgun. Decided to do a little avoidance sidestep during the draw a few times. Long story short on the third run, my Glock bumped into the arm of a chair, making me lose my grip. I was doing this at pretty much full speed, so the gun came out of my hand, bounced across the top of the chair back for a second or so, then hit the floor. At no time did I move so as to catch it, although some part of my brain wanted me to.

Glad my floors are carpeted, no harm done. Anyway, this told me that my years of practice have ingrained at least one good habit I wasn't even aware of.

I don't start topics here every day, but maybe this one was so boring that nobody felt like replying?

Just a few weeks ago, a champion level IPSC shooter in Washington state lost his life from a negligent discharge after he tried to re-grab his own fumbled gun. That tells me the possibility exists for all of us that handle firearms.

How does one train himself NOT to grab something he dropped?

Just let it go, Jav!

Check your handguns design features, most modern handguns are designed to be 'drop safe', i.e., requires a trigger pull to fire. That mindset should serve to inhibit a "catch-it" reaction.

curmudgeon3 wrote:Check your handguns design features, most modern handguns are designed to be 'drop safe', i.e., requires a trigger pull to fire. That mindset should serve to inhibit a "catch-it" reaction.

On a conscious level, sure. A dropped item is often an instinctive subconscious reaction to grab so it's not so simple as that. You'd have to practice it (blue gun would be perfect for this) but you'd know it was coming in an exercise.

Blue gun is good for that, yes. Lots and lots of practice in general, especially with UNLOADED gun around the house. I've practiced this stuff in motel rooms when time allowed.

Couldn't tell you when NOT trying to re-grab the gun became my default mode; I'm not so klutzy that fumbles happen often. Maybe some of you will never have it happen.

pk47 wrote:

curmudgeon3 wrote:Check your handguns design features, most modern handguns are designed to be 'drop safe', i.e., requires a trigger pull to fire. That mindset should serve to inhibit a "catch-it" reaction.

On a conscious level, sure. A dropped item is often an instinctive subconscious reaction to grab so it's not so simple as that. You'd have to practice it (blue gun would be perfect for this) but you'd know it was coming in an exercise.

Maybe include in the practice a kick in the ankle to help remind the subconscious of the consequences of grabbing the trigger?

Javelin Man wrote:How does one train himself NOT to grab something he dropped?

When was the last time you tried to grab a dropped knife?

Javelin Man wrote:How does one train himself NOT to grab something he dropped?

Drop a hot soldering pencil a few times off your workbench on a rolling ship at sea and you learn reasonably quickly.

AlanM wrote:

Javelin Man wrote:How does one train himself NOT to grab something he dropped?

Drop a hot soldering pencil a few times off your workbench on a rolling ship at sea and you learn reasonably quickly.

Or knives...

^ Exactly - to both of the two above.

Just as we learn to try to catch certain falling objects, we can also train ourselves to not catch certain other falling objects.

Whether it's a handgun, a knife, a soldering iron, a syringe...it really doesn't matter, we simply have to train our mind to re-orient, when we are engaged in those tasks.

This is something that needs to be taught as a part of firearms safety. Similarly, I believe that everyone stepping foot onto a shooting range with a gun in their hand needs to be reminded of the fact that they could get a hot piece of brass down their shirt (or otherwise on their person) or even receive a piece of spall that deflected at just the right angle off the target or backstop, and that even though their first instinct may be to address the wound, they absolutely must be cognizant of the fact that they still have a firearm in their hands, and that their normal reactions may lead to tragedy:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/04/us/florid ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We know from driving every day that despite our best intentions, our hands follow where we look. Living in Ohio where snow and ice on the roadway is a possibility for nearly half the year, we understand - even though we may not have trained for - loss of traction under such conditions. We've all been taught to "look where we want the car to go, not where the car is headed." How many of us have avoided a crash because we remembered this, even though we may never have received formal skidpad or kick-plate training?

It's about being mindful of whatever your task is at the moment.

Having seen the dance done by a "well endowed" lady shooter with an open blouse when a piece of hot brass flies awry, I suspect that there is a opportunity for sales of a range accessory.



Maybe not knit, and possibly with a velcro closure in back much like a babies bib. Possibly with a pocket to catch the errant brass.

AlanM wrote:Having seen the dance done by a "well endowed" lady shooter with an open blouse when a piece of hot brass flies awry, I suspect that there is a opportunity for sales of a range accessory.



Maybe not knit, and possibly with a velcro closure in back much like a babies bib. Possibly with a pocket to catch the errant brass.

Safety reasons aside, I would not encourage concealing anything of the like....

Brian D makes a great point...train / carry long enough, you'll drop a gun at some point.

One big reason why old- Colt SSA style Single Action wheelguns are Carry 5 with an empty chamber under the hammer.