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Driving with a Handgun: Best Practices

Annihilator

Annihilator

Emissary
Founding Member
Good article on driving with a handgun, some good information and tips, Sometimes it is difficult to carry when you are driving, but I think it really depends on where you have the gun and the size of the gun.

blog.cheaperthandirt.com

Driving with a Handgun: Best Practices - The Shooter's Log

While driving with a handgun, there are a number of important practices you should employ to remain safe, secure and well-armed.
blog.cheaperthandirt.com blog.cheaperthandirt.com
 
Shoulder or chest-type holsters for me.

elpasosaddlery_1942_tanker_photo-600x600.jpg
 
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Annihilator said:
Good article on driving with a handgun, some good information and tips, Sometimes it is difficult to carry when you are driving, but I think it really depends on where you have the gun and the size of the gun.

blog.cheaperthandirt.com

Driving with a Handgun: Best Practices - The Shooter's Log

While driving with a handgun, there are a number of important practices you should employ to remain safe, secure and well-armed.
blog.cheaperthandirt.com blog.cheaperthandirt.com
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Thanks for posting Anni,
Defensive driving's as important as carry methods. Have taken a few courses in. Wish more people would. Some terrible drivers out there now days. For what's worth, have won awards. Changes perspectives about driving, handling, evasive tactics, buffer spacing, parking, where vulnerable locations are. Used to love ice racing on lakes. Was a blast!
 
They left out the simplest solution. Lose the mid section, and you can draw seated, might have to lean forward a little.

Before I was married, I used to do track days and autoX at least once a month. I don't think those skills really translate to defensive driving when running for your life. Those skills are mostly based upon finding the best line beforehand, executing it, and refining it based on attempts.
 
I'm thinking that I should carry my gun in my lap, between my legs, in a pocket holster, while I drive. Then back in the pocket before I exit the vehicle. The only problem I can see with doing it this way is if I eat while driving - I don't want any food or drink to get on my gun.

The way I do it now - in the pocket at all times - makes it largely unavailable while I am driving.
 
I have the midsection pudge unfortunately. (Working on that btw)

I like to temporarily put my sidearm in the center console under my elbow when driving, then re-holster it before I leave the vehicle. Center console has a deep well to keep pistol in a manner that it is easy to grab. It also has the push button that pops it open quick. Set up happens to work for me.
 
I normally carry between the 3:00-4:00 position, right side, depending on whether OWB or IWB on any given day, and season. I also live in a really low-crime area. There's a velcro-backed Crossbreed holster in the center console that I usually use on out of town trips. Fortunately, that one holster will securely hold my M&P 9EZ, 380EZ, or the M&P 22C if need be. I'm quicker at getting the console lid open, than leaning fwd to retrieve the pistol from my waistband when strapped-in with a seatbelt.

(tried to post a pic, but that function seems to be in-op...again)
 
Must have missed the part about how far are you driving .Am I going across town or to the grocery store or like I have done more times than I can count OKC to Colorado Springs stopping for gas once .Or other equally long trips. when its a really long drive its a 92FS in a hard case under the floor mat behind the passenger seat. Hidden and very easily accessible. So not every way works in every situation. Practice and experience and situational awareness should rule the day.
 
bigx5murf said:
They left out the simplest solution. Lose the mid section, and you can draw seated, might have to lean forward a little.
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Losing those extra pounds would be good for just about everything (y) 😅 , but it's from from true that one has to have washboard abs in order to be able to sit in a vehicle and/or drive comfortably with a pistol -even a full-size one, even with a full-sized WML like the Surefire X300U, attached- holstered at the waist.

I know and have driven long-distances with plenty of bigger folks who tote a "Roland Special," IWB/AIWB. Similarly, I've seen more than a few who utilize such setups to excellent effect -not lagging behind their slimmer counterparts, at all- in vehicle-tactics classes.

Overall, those factors which affect "comfort" (which is itself a subjective assessment that is unique to that end-user and that end-user only) in any other aspect of concealed-carry will also apply to being behind the wheel or simply as a seated passenger: the specifics of the gear, gear setup, as well as support-gear/setup will interplay with "comfort" to drastically effect the outcome for any one unique person.

One item that I would like to stress, however, are some of the more pervasive misconceptions regarding the holster/seat-belt interaction, which I feel this video by PHLster address well:


bigx5murf said:
Before I was married, I used to do track days and autoX at least once a month. I don't think those skills really translate to defensive driving when running for your life. Those skills are mostly based upon finding the best line beforehand, executing it, and refining it based on attempts.
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I absolutely agree that the defensive-driving mindset and certain portions of the skillset do not overlap well with motorsport driving. However, basic vehicle-control skills learned from autocross and other motorsport driving definitely do translate to the pure-driving portion of the equation.


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KillerFord1977 said:
I like to temporarily put my sidearm in the center console under my elbow when driving, then re-holster it before I leave the vehicle.
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^ Emphasis added. (y)

I really want to highlight the extreme importance of what @KillerFord1977 wrote - that discipline of re-arming prior to exiting the vehicle, should one decide to disarm, for any reason, while inside the vehicle.

Shortly after I started on the path, there was a post on the Ohioans For Concealed Carry discussion Forums by member adf8585 which detailed his incident at a NE-Ohio gas-station -


Note that his quick trip into the convenience-store turned out to be a fight for his life. As he wrote in that thread, he was lucky to have been able to hold himself "in the car with [his] left hand as they were trying to pull [him] out of the car," while retrieving his weapon from the center console with his other hand, and shooting one of the assailants.
 
SoNic said:
That re-holstering can lead to accidents IMO. I remove the holster and the gun from belt.
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KillerFord1977 said:
Possibly. Everytbing is possible, but Law Enforcement doesnt remove their holster to replace their firearm.

i also dont remove my holster when drawing on a target and then reholstering the gun
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I've done both, and depending on the exact interplay of factors (gun/holster/belt/gear placement/pants/cover clothing/individual flexibility/etc.), either one or the other can be of higher risk.

This is one where I will definitely leave up to the unique end-user to explore, as so many factors can impact the ease/difficulty and safety with which the task is accomplished. It's definitely something for each user to work out, for themselves, well before they find that they need to do it with a live handgun.
 
KillerFord1977 said:
Law Enforcement doesnt remove their holster to replace their firearm.
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Sitting in a car/cruiser?
Because I cannot see myself getting out of the car with a pistol in hand and then holstering it. In Walmart parking lot.
When I attach the holster with the gun inside, I feel safer. I could do it in the car seat.

Although, now, with the new holster, I got in the habit of leaving it on the belt while driving. Canted enough to go past my hip. And yes the seatbelt is a bit over it... but if I leave my t-shirt tucked behind the grip, is still reachable.
 
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