Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- AIWB (Appendix, Inside the Waistband) Carry:
A current, widely-circulated video purports to display a surveillance-camera scenario depicting a man who holsters a pistol (reported to be a G43) in an AIWB holster (reported to be manufactured by G-Code). Seconds later, the man bends-over in order to pick something up from the floor. When he does, the pistol discharges with his hands nowhere near it.
He is reported to have been struck in the groin as a result.
Unfortunately, important details are missing (as they usually are with this kind of “evidence”):
(1) We don’t get to know whom these people are, nor where, nor when, this UD is supposed to have happened.
(2) We don’t even get to know if this video is “real,” or staged.
(3) Assuming the event is real, we don’t know if the pistol, nor the holster, in question are stock, or had been “modified.”
(4) We also don’t get to know if foreign objects (shirt-tails, lanyards) were present in the holster, or inside the pistol’s trigger-guard.
So, it is difficult for me to specifically comment on this “event,” except for the following general advice on AIWB holsters:
The single most dangerous thing any of us do with pistols, by far, is placing them into holsters!
“Holstering” is the one place where the vast majority of UDs happen! Most don’t involve personal injury and thus are never reflected on any statistic.
I’ve been asked to consult on any number of these UD (unintentional discharges) cases. Sometimes, I have no explanation! The other 99% of the time, the gun-handler had his finger on the trigger, but of course, has since developed amnesia.
(1) “Appendix carry” is preferred currently, particularly among women, so much so that its decline in popularity is unlikely any time soon! We Instructors have to confront, and deal with it. We provide our students with reasonable, sound (but never perfect) advice.
(2) Any hammer-fired pistol that is carried concealed (any style) should not have a spur on the hammer. Hammer-spurs on such pistols need the attention of a grinding-wheel.
(3) Any who carry AIWB (or AOWB for that matter) need to be particularly careful when holstering, insuring the muzzle-path is clear of body parts in the process. Shirt-tails, pull-lanyards (particularly with toggles), and anything else that can fit inside the trigger-guard need to be carefully noted and eliminated when possible.
(4) Who carry appendix-style (AIWB or AOWB) should not holster a pistol while they are in a sitting position.
(5) A persuasive argument can be made for grip-safeties and manual-safeties, when pistols are carried appendix-style.
(6) False “solutions,” like carrying with an empty chamber, or not carrying at all, manufacture more problems than they solve.
I don’t think it is possible to handle deadly weapons “safely.” I think we can handle them carefully.
Still, no “guarantees” attach!
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
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So if you can’t verify anything about this ND why even spread the potential fake news?
Rule #2: Never point a gun at your balls.
I would have been whipping my pants down to see the damage and trying to stop bleeding.
Then again, I don’t carry appendix. 3-4 o’clock, the most I’ll lose is a bit of butt cheek.
I carry a g43 a lot. I place it in the holster, then stick it in my pants. Safer.
The 2nd Law:
Never Point The Gun At Something You Are Not Prepared To Destroy
Remembering the first rule, The Gun Is ALWAYS Loaded, you should never point it toward anything that you are not prepared to destroy.
Maybe pointing a pistol at your junk is natures way cleaning the gene pool…just sayin’
Real or not, I think after 62 years I can continue non-appendix carry for the rest of my life. YMMV.
I don’t think it was fake.
1. The woman was working on something else in the back counter with the gloves on. She wasn’t “ready with gloves” because of the accidental shooting.
2. The older man was dialing on his phone, likely to call EMT.
3. The older man, the woman, and the dog all jump at precisely the same time; when the gun went off.
Muzzle Flesh
Unless the chamber is empty, if re – holstering requires me to point the muzzle at flesh, my thumb will be on the “Polish Calvary” style hammer of a “Slickslide” DAO (ie: Beretta: 92/96 D, PX4K; H&K: LEM; SIG: DAK, P2022d, P250, etc.).
Muzzle Flesh
Unless the chamber is empty, if re – holstering requires me to point the muzzle at flesh, my thumb will be on the “Polish Calvary” style hammer of a “Slickslide” DAO (ie: Beretta: 92/96 D, PX4K; HK: LEM; SIG: DAK, P2022, P250, etc.).
How a Glock works. Sorry guys. No way a Glock just goes off without your booger hooks on the trigger. Maybe with modified internals but not a stock Glock.
Maybe the video was a reenactment of what actually happened. A few days ago an FBI agent that was dancing did a flip and his Glock came loose and fell to the floor and discharged. I think one person was hit in the leg. I have never tried doing a flip while carrying, maybe I won’t.