this is a good topic because the only thing worse than not having a gun when that time comes, is not knowing how to use it.
Mr. 16 ga. if possible it sounds like you need to join a new shooting club. i have given up on places that watch you like a hawk, i had a guy at a club once tell me that there were holes in the backstop 2 x 4's that werent there before i shot and he wanted to know if i felt like paying for new ones. i told him to go piss in the wind. no way my .22 mag made the holes he referred to.
any how i wouldnt even trust my life to a gun that hasnt seen at minimum 2,3,400 rounds (btw the new glock is 700 rounds without a problem
but that is another story. but for instance, kel tec recommends at least 200 rounds threw those pocket pistols they sell because they expect malfunctions in that period, most kahr discussion boards i read say at least 500 before the gun is "broke in"
i say you should definetely draw from the holster, because i told a guy who thought he was hot stuff to try it once and it took him 3 attempts to break his thumbreak on his holster when trying to do it fast. imagine that in a bad situation! my main thing with this method of practice, and you dont need to do it all the time, but at some point in your practice imagine that the black sillouette target is a snarling bad guy coming fast to do you harm, you dont have all day to draw, breath and take aim. keep that in mind just sometimes when shooting your hand gun.
kt