The Stalemate - Gunman's Perspective - Gabe Suarez

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THE STALEMATE - GUNMAN'S PERSPECTIVE
In our force on force work we often see an event take place in knife versus gun exercises where, as things have closed, the knifeman is able to grab the gunman's wrist, or gun, and subsequently the gunman has grabbed the knifeman's wrist. There is usually a tense shuffling of feet as they work for position, and then we see whoever is able to exploit the situation first is often the winner of the encounter.

So in this article we will look at the stalemate situation and how to prevail in it. First thing is that we do not see stalemate situations in fights where one fighter is right handed and the other fighter is left handed. I will not say it cannot happen, but that the dynamics of such a pairing do not lend themselves to the development of a stalemate. The next point is that we will look at this from the side of the gunman. There are things that can be done to take advantage of this situation from each perspective.


First is the recognition of the event. As soon as you find yourself grabbing his weapon wrist, you place yourself in position for him to do likewise to you so be aware of this. Grabbing his wrist may be the only thing keeping his knife from enetering your guts so do not discount the option of doing so. Moreover, understand that the reality of movement and chaos will preclude you keeping your gun in the popular #2 or retention position. I am not here to argue that point. I will invite you to try the drills we do and then it will become obvious as to what is possible on the shooting range and what is possible in a dynamic fight.

I will offer a layered approach to this as well. This means that anyone layer can solve the issue, but if one does not solve it, we have additional layers as backup.

Upon recognizing the adversary's grab, pull your hand back and up, like a karate man chambering a punch. It is important to get your slide over the man's wrist so it does not impede the coming shots. While doing this of course, you grab tighter on his knife wrist and keep that away from you as you begin pulling the trigger as fast as you can and sending hate right up his arm into his face.

If that doesn't work, it will probably be as a result of an excessively strong adversary that prevented your pistol and wrist from chambering back. No matter, as you feel his pressure holding your wrist down, simply go with it and drop your weight down in a dynamic manner. Again, harder to write about than to show you. This will often free the gun hand. The best option now is to spring upward into the adversary, with a Rugby style head butt and a mulititude of shots as you drive him back.

The third layer is more complicated but has been done many times in free FOF exercises. If you are solidly held from bringing the gunhand up or down, simply move the body around the gunhand. Move the body away from the gunhand laterally. This will create a gap that you can move quickly under. Now simply push up with the body and down with your gunhand and you will be free. Once free, get the gun in place and work that trigger 'til your finger cramps. Remember, in all of these you are holding the adversary's knife hand well away from you.



Stalemates, just like ground fights, and other things happen. We may not like them, but only a fool ignores them. These and other topics are discused and drilled in our Zero To Five Feet course.
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Gabe Suarez

One Source Tactical
Suarez International USA
Christian Warrior Ministries