Of all the firearms at our disposal, handguns tend to be the most difficult to master. They are relatively small, have a short sight radius, and many triggers are heavier than the gun itself. To many, a handgun still feels a bit foreign, even after countless range sessions. This can be problematic if you are considering carrying a handgun for personal defense. The situations where a handgun comes out in this realm are far from a range setting. The answer is to get to know your handgun. The best way to do that is to practice handling it off the range.
Know Your Handgun – Take Time To Handle Your Gun
Complete familiarity with your handgun goes beyond just knowing its function and operation. It must be comfortable in your hands and feel natural. The best way to do that is simply to handle it as much as possible. For this, I encourage you daily to take part in a daily ritual composed of a few different components.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
First is dry practice. For this, you will clear your weapon, store any ammo in a separate room, and find a safe place to practice. In these exercises, you will practice a few specific things. First is your draw and presentation. Speed is not our initial goal here; rather, consistency. You want to develop a smooth and consistent draw from the position you carry. An expansion of this is to draw from non-standing positions as well. We must be able to get our gun into the fight, no matter where we are positioned.
Manipulations
Next, we want to practice our manipulations. This ranges from loading the gun (with an empty magazine or using a dummy round) to malfunction clearances and reloads. As with the draw, it is important to practice from non-standard positions. Do it from a kneeling position as well as sitting or lying down.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Beyond these drills, I will also say that it is important to simply handle your handgun. Take the time to clear it out and simply feel it in your hands. Practice moving it from one hand to the other, carry it by your side, and strive to make it part of you. Many new gun owners carry an unholstered handgun like a snake in their hand. They hold it stiffly and awkwardly away from their body. Ultimately, we want to maintain relaxed control of our handgun regardless of its position.
Home Carry
Lastly, I suggest that you carry your handgun holstered in the house daily. For new shooters, this can be uncomfortable. A lack of familiarity and nervousness can cause anxiety. A suggestion here is to simply unload the gun and carry it empty. This is a safe and easy way to help you get comfortable with having a gun on you. Once it becomes more comfortable, you can move to inserting a mag, but leaving the chamber empty. From there, you move to the final step of completely loading the gun.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Know Your Handgun
There is no rule that says you need to be completely comfortable carrying or handling a handgun right out of the gate. To truly master a handgun, you must be completely familiar with it and feel it naturally in your hands. If you are new to handguns, I encourage you to take the time to try these exercises. Ultimately, they will not only make you more comfortable but also make you a better shooter.
WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS
Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
