Hollywood versus Reality: Running with a handgun?

[Kraven251]

To preface the question, I have done movement drills with rifles, but have not done much beyond engage and holster, move drills with pistols.

I watched a variety of Hollywood fluff and always noticed folks running with pistols drawn. Does anyone really do that?

It was my thought process of muzzle control, trigger discipline, overall control of the firearm goes to crap when you take off running down a street with a handgun...

Just my thoughts, but for those of you with more experience is this a training scenario that happens?

[SuperiorDG]

Your thread reminds of this.

[Irving]

I've run at matches before, but not for a city block or anything.

[ray1970]

I run with handguns all the time. And scissors too.

Seriously, finger off the trigger and it shouldn't be a problem. I bet officers all across the country chase bad guys with their pistols drawn and in hand.

[Sawin]

Sul position... Portuguese for "south".

[275RLTW]

Depends on the distance to be covered, any obstacles in the way, and whether or not you think about it at the time.

[boomerhc9]

In the matches I shoot, it seems to me like the relative difficulty of the shot that I need to make after running determines if the pistol stays up higher, or if I'm swinging the off hand.

say I have an easy close target aray at 10 yards, a 30 foot path to the next shooting position, with another aray of targets at 10 yards. I'm going to do an easy exit, take my finger off the trigger, and run like hell to about 10 feet before the next shooting position. I'll slow my speed as I bring the gun to eye level, and do an easy entry to shoot at the next aray.

If it's aray 1 finishing on a challenging shot, followed by a sprint, and another hard shot, I'll do a hard exit, sprint, but usualy keep the pistol up higher the whole time (both hands), then a hard entry, witch lets me spend more time aiming while settling in the new spot.

I saw a good demo video of this by the army marksmanship unit just yesterday. I'll post it when I find it.

[boomerhc9]

To preface the question, I have done movement drills with rifles, but have not done much beyond engage and holster, move drills with pistols.

I watched a variety of Hollywood fluff and always noticed folks running with pistols drawn. Does anyone really do that?
Just my thoughts, but for those of you with more experience is this a training scenario that happens?

just re read that. it's more than just the norm in uspsa. In production division for example, you are limited to 10 rounds per mag. If you're mooving, you better be doing a reload. nothing more wastefull time wise than a flat footed reload.

and as such, you kind of need the pistol out of the holster.

[Kraven251]

I guess I am more referencing the people that you see hauling ass with their pistols drawn. I am all about the uspca style of moving with a purpose with a weapon drawn, but just always wondered about the folks you see sprinting etc.

[boomerhc9]

In competition anyway, shooting by itself, is only a small percentage of the actual stage. add to it enough targets to require a reload, different shooting positions, and obstacles, and you will see movement is the biggest chunk of time in a match.


here is a cool split screen video I just found, which demonstrates this perfectly. one note however, is I think these guys are shooting limited, or open. also they are a master class shooter and an a class shooter. if you threw a c class shooter in the comparison, he'd be finising the second shooting position while the master would be pretty much done.