Interesting situation this evening

[dunndw]

I ran into an interesting situation on my way home from work. I was stopped at Southlake and Briley Parkway near Antioch when I noticed two hoodrats milling about in the median of Briley Parkway. I thought that was rather odd. I also thought it was odd they were wearing VERY heavy coats with the hoods up and a bit over their face. It was even odder that they were both wearing what appeared to be balaclavas hiding the lower part of their face. It was about 50 degrees…not like it was Tuesday. He also never removed his right hand from his jacket pocket…left hand was visible

I was stopped, stuck by the traffic I was trying to merge into as one of them jogged across the street towards me. This is when I decided to move my 1911 from my hip to my leg. Just in case things got even odder. This is when I found out that being left handed, carrying a full size 1911 and actually presenting the weapon in a timely fashion while belted in the drivers seat was a VERY difficult thing to do. I had actually practiced this a bit…but I was all kinds of tangled up. I ended up freeing the pistol right as the guy made it to the median on my drivers side. I ended up covertly covering him through my drivers side door. I figured a 230 grain JHP hitting him after going through my door would do some damage to the daddy parts it was pointed at…affording me enough time to acquire proper sight picture on his head…or his buddy who was still in the middle of Briley. I have NO idea what they were up to…but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

PRACTICE getting to your piece while seated…and belted in your car. My personal AAR was rather harsh. I went to all the trouble of getting to my 1911 on my hip, when in the briefcase right next to me, in easy EASY reach was my USP Tactical Compact…also in .45. I think unzipping the “secret†compartment and reaching in there would have been much faster but I think I actually forgot about it for a moment. Then there was the not unbuckling the seatbelt which would have made it a bit easier to maneuver in the seat.

I’ll be taking some time this weekend to do some more dryfire practice from the drivers seat.

(Now that I think about it...that is the EXACT same intersection I had some idiot chase me to many moons ago. He stopped when he saw a G30 in my hand)

[Pain103]

+1 on practicing on drawing your weapon while seated. If anybody pulls up to my car my gun is already out of the holster. Luckily I do it so much that I can get it from my duty holster while seated in the car with no problems. I also recommend practicing as if your in a restaurant we did that a few years back during inservice training and it was good stuff. I would say they were looking to rob somebody but luckily it wasn't you.

[Guest JeremyD901]

I usually keep my g26 in the seat next to me. I had a similar situation lastweek. It was 5:30 am and not in the best area of Memphis....wait is their a best area of Memphis???? Well anyways it was my truck and a car next to me at the light. When I noticed a man with all black and a hoodie run to this mans car, the man floored it and.ran the light so they Guy came towards my truck. Luckily I was ready gun out in my hand eyes on him. Unfortunately for him light turned green and I left him hanging.

[10-Ring]

Good job, sounds like for the most part you were adequately prepared. I too am concerned about reaching my carry gun from a driving position while buckled up, which I always am. Seems that the most comfortable and accessible ways for me to carry while standing up and on the move or even sitting down in a chair still make it very difficult to draw while buckled up. On longer trips I'll often place my carry gun or often an gun additional to what I'm wearing in an easy to reach place in the car. Sometimes I use the door pocket, sometimes I just wedge it between the drivers seat and the center console depending on what I'm driving. Yet I am still vulnerable day to day. Sometimes I keep one in the center console I've found that I can get to that rather quickly if needed. Just make sure you don't have a bunch of junk burrying it. I prefer to not use a holster in the console so if you do that be very careful about anything else you may put in there. Pens and the like are a huge nono.

[eastenn]

I just did this yesterday after seeing it over on xdtalk.com. It may be of use to others who carry the XD. Using the speed loader and holster that comes with the XD's, you just cut the speed loader almost in half and just leave the rail section and mount that in your vehicle. Then you can slide the XD holster in and out of that mount when you want to.

[gl19gobang]

That is very ergonomically correct, i like that.

I just did this yesterday after seeing it over on xdtalk.com. It may be of use to others who carry the XD. Using the speed loader and holster that comes with the XD's, you just cut the speed loader almost in half and just leave the rail section and mount that in your vehicle. Then you can slide the XD holster in and out of that mount when you want to.

[peejman]

I typically move the pistol from my hip or pocket to the center console (in a holster) or door pocket. I don't like sitting on the gun for any length of time. I like that XD idea above.

[JayC]

I have a spare handgun in my Go Bag, it sits in the passenger seat with the shoulder strap over the headrest. Inside the 'secret' compartment I keep a Glock 19, it's much easier to get to that firearm while seated, instead of the one on my hip or my BUG.

[leroy]

dunn:_____________

Check these guys out at Andrews Custom Leather (...link here: Andrews Custom Leather ...). Carjacker crossdraw.

leroy

[Steelharp]

I have a van. I have one of those plastic crap holders between the seats, and that's where mine is. When I'm at a light, or in a parking lot, it comes up to my lap, in hand. Had a really bad dream one night that made me start doing that...

[MphsTiger1981]

Good for you, O/P. Glad things worked out okay.

Clint Smith likes to say in a case like that to use the long stick on the right side of the floorboard to your advantage.

[Guest vthokies03]

Thats why I like keeping my P3AT in appendix carry. It would be harder to get the larger gun off my hip, but the keltec is easy to grab sitting. I also like to hang my keys off my front belt loop right under the keltec. If someone wanted the keys for my truck, i would have a reason to put my hand on my gun.

[mcurrier]

This is when I found out that being left handed, carrying a full size 1911 and actually presenting the weapon in a timely fashion while belted in the drivers seat was a VERY difficult thing to do. I had actually practiced this a bit…but I was all kinds of tangled up.

Time to become right-handed. Or get a right-hand drive vehicle.

Seriously though, perhaps consider a cross-draw holster or shoulder holster for vehicle use, then swap back to hip holster / IWB when out of vehicle.

[gunrunner32]

I will have to agree with mcurrier on the crossdraw. I've utilized one when in other countries that I carried in. As a driver it's easy and quick to "acquire" your target through the door in an OS moment. The seatbelt never really got in the way or binded up the firearm. I had the Bianchi Paddlelok for vehicle use and a Bianchi Carrylok for daily use. It concealed pretty well but this was a few years ago and I wasn't too familiar with much other than competitive/tactical holsters. The nice thing about the Paddlelok was I could take it off when not in the vehicle and put the pistol back in my belt holster.

[AMSting]

dunn...

Did you have your pistol in your left hand and pointed at the door? I'm left handed too, but practice a lot with my right just for this kind of situation. I can't get my left hand turned to point at someone if they were standing right next to my door, and not at all if they were behind me. If I did fire, I think I would break my wrist.

I have thought about this a lot because I do a lot of driving. About the best thing I have come up with is to carry a second gun for the console/ door pocket/ seat side. But that leaves one in the vehicle when I get to my destination, or I have to carry two. So, I don't have a real good solution to vehicle carry. Maybe that XD mount would work....

[Guest 270win]

I put my gun in the passenger seat or in the coke holder in between the seats when I drive in bad areas of memphis. Or I may have it in my jacket pocket that I can get to with my seat belt on. There is a lot of what you saw on Briley Pkwy that goes on in a good bit of memphis.

[Guest TresOsos]

You were way ahead of the game than most people because you were paying attention and were aware of what was going on.

I bet most of the people at that intersection had their heads cocked and locked up you know where.

[BigDaddyx4]

I appreciate this thread for the fact that it's made me think more and consider more things while in a vehicle. I've tried a few different things in the past but I really need to train more and become more consistent.

[jtmaze]

That is very ergonomically correct, i like that.

I this setup is going in both the cars I drive most tomorrow.

JTM🔫

Sent from my iPhone

[TNMP40]

dunn:_____________

Check these guys out at Andrews Custom Leather (...link here: Andrews Custom Leather ...). Carjacker crossdraw.

leroy

Very nice but pretty pricy.

[TNMP40]

At the gun show last week I picked up some small but strong magnets mounted on a strip of wood with shrink wrap holding it all together. Easy to make and you can find how to on youtube but at the price of 3 for $25 I just bought them. I will mount one in the car and the others at home.

[dunndw]

Yes I had the gun in my left hand, pointed about mid-thigh (on me) through the bottom part of the door. I was kind of gansta ghetto sideways pointing it. I never was really freaked out about it, just hacked off at myself. I picked up a specific briefcase setup EXACTLY for this situation and when I thought it was time...I spaced on it and went to the hip. Tonight I specifically made myself orient the briefcase properly, and verified the HK was in the proper position, and was easily assessable. Hopefully the lesson sticks and doesn’t fade away with time.

I’m definitely going to practice the hip draw belted in/seated as well…just in case muscle memory takes over once again.

[Guest klwehunt]

I carry all the time but also i keep a Glock in the consoles of both of the vehicles i drive.Never can have to many if needed.Its better to have them than just them sittihg in the gun safe.

[Trekbike]

Don't forget the option of having a BUG, such as a snub, on your ankle. Sometimes your BUG needs to become the primary draw depending on the situation. The ankle carry position actually becomes an advantage while driving.

This way you're keeping your primary piece in it's normal position and with your BUG on your ankle there is no moving or readjusting of your weapons when getting in and out of the car. There maybe times that you have to jump out unexpectedly and this way your weapons are along for the ride with no additional effort.

[tnhawk]

You were way ahead of the game than most people because you were paying attention and were aware of what was going on.

I bet most of the people at that intersection had their heads cocked and locked up you know where.

Most of the drivers I see in Memphis are on the cell phone completely unaware of their surroundings.