The "Ready Gun" Position.

[Adam Helmer]

HuntinDoc,

You make very good points. When I began my LEO career in 1970, there was never any mention of having the finger off the trigger whenever the handgun was out of the holster. We did drill the "ready gun" position of having the gun out in front and pointed down 45 degrees so our vision was not obscured by the gun and our trigger fingers were always inside the trigger guard. I just wondered when the "finger off the trigger" scenario began and why.

Most of my fellow agents had experience with the M1 Garand and M14 and the trigger finger inside the trigger guard was mandatory to release the safety in gravest extreme. It naturally carried over to revolvers and the Glocks and we never had an accidental discharge. Up until I retired in 1996, our Federal agency never had an instruction for "finger along the frame above the trigger" when our guns were drawn.

I would like to know the reason for the finger out of the trigger guard scenario. I wonder if it was from the same source at higher headquarters who sent us a "Bulletin" for us to "Keep the safety catch engaged on our M10 Smiths until it was time to fire." Apparently the author of the "Bulletin" was not familiar with the DA revolver. I think it is better to be ready to fire and watch the muzzle in gravest exteme.

Adam