Training With A Winter Coat

[Sailor]

Did about 2.5 hours of training last night in the rain.

Based on that, I want to remind everyone everyone to practice drawing your CCW weapon with your winter coats on. Also practice drawing while seated in your car and belted.

It sucks but is doable. Make sure you have down before you need it.

 

[colt45er]

why would I practice while belted....I thought you were supposed to practice how you would normally be....in my case unbelted...

Wait NM I am an Insurance Agent...Always wear a seat belt!

 

[IUGradStudent]

Good call, Sailor! Sucks to draw while belted. In warmer weather I always make sure I can, in colder weather I usually don't think about it -- course I don't carry in the car as much in winter since I'm usually either on campus or at home.

why would I practice while belted....I thought you were supposed to practice how you would normally be....in my case unbelted...

Wait NM I am an Insurance Agent...Always wear a seat belt!

ROFL!

 

[colt45er]

course I don't carry in the car as much in winter since I'm usually either on campus or at home.

Course I dont carry most of the week because my work handbook says I cant...

 

[Scutter01]

Good opportunity to install a car holster. If you have a cheap belt holster (like the one included with Springfield XDs for example) or a paddle holster, it's easy to modify it slightly and screw it into an easily-accessible place in your vehicle. Of course, you won't want to store it there, but you can put there while you're driving. Beats drawing while belted and wearing a coat.

 

[colt45er]

A lot of times if I am going to be driving a lot, I take my J frame S&W and stick in in a cheap uncle mikes pocket holster and wedge it between the seat and shifter. When I get out, it goes in the pocket, even with the .45 IWB

 

[JetGirl]

Based on that, I want to remind everyone everyone to practice drawing your CCW weapon with your winter coats on.

Gloves. Just sayin'.

 

[Scutter01]

Gloves. Just sayin'.

Feh! Try it with mittens!

 

[ATM]

Gloves. Just sayin'.

Good time for those classic "hobo gloves" with the fingers chopped off.

No... not the Michael Jackson kind

Good advice on practice for inclement weather and when bundled up

 

[Disposable Heart]

+1 on the gloves. It is a part of my new practice regimne is to use the same gloves I would wear in the most inclimate of weather. Given the recent practices, I will have cold hands for a long time this season!!

 

[obijohn]

just wanted to point out that the Defensive Pistol 102(c) that ACT is offering the 06DEC08 is designed to address just these issues. Not so much in the car, but once dismounted.

scutter's suggestion is a good one. i use a similar setup in my truck year round.

 

[dclaarjr]

In Ohio we are required to have the gun holstered on our person, or in a closed glove box or console. What I do a lot of the time is use an ankle holster when driving and I strap it on over my pants leg.

 

[Tinman]

A couple things come to mind on this one, keep in mind the “wedge the gun somewhere” method doesn’t work. I believe it was the Miami FBI shootout where one of the agents took his sidearm out of the holster and wedged it under his leg. When the shooting started, because of the aggressive driving they had all been doing in the last moments prior to the shootout, the gun was nowhere to be found. I know more than one person who had a "car holster" only to find it and the gun on the floor in plain view when not expected.

I like the idea of the ankle holster over the pant leg thing better. Ankle holsters do work very well from a seated position, but that’s about the only place they work well.

The adage of train like you’ll fight comes to mind when these subjects come up. so many people don’t like to train with all the stuff on, and figure they will rise to the occasion when it counts, wrong answer. I see more issues with people trying to run with gloves on than the coat. I have found in my own training that when I have 2 different types of cover garments (i.e. a closed front sweatshirt under an open front coat) that often causes issues slowing me down. Of late, I have decided to default to the lift and draw all the time in this scenario, it more closely resembles my summer t-shirt draw anyway. This is one of those times a second gun in a coat pocket could be a real lifesaver.

One last thing, don’t forget to account for different weather conditions. In the rain, the coat, gloves, gun, and you will be wet and slippery, it makes a difference. Take a cooler to the range, stuff those hands in some ice for a few minutes, the see how well they manipulate that trigger, or work that thumb snap, it’s kind of an interesting drill to watch.

Just my thoughts for ya,

Tinman….

 

[Steve MI]

Tin the gun became lost due to Ramming. but you are correct. one of my Favorite ways of winter carry is bug gun in a holster that has been sewn into the pockets of my winter coats. a 5 shot in my strong or support side pocket rules.