Why all the craziness regarding crossdraw

[1sailor]

I've been carrying a J frame crossdraw for a few years now. It is extremely comfortable even while driving, easily concealed, easy to draw and reholster, and allows me full movement without exposing my pistol. Lately I've seen some threads with members inquiring about crossdraw and some of the replies I see make absolutely no sense to me. Or maybe it just wasn't explained clearly enough. It has been stated that it's a poor practice for some of the following reasons. Someone can sneek up behind you and pin your arms at your side, someone can walk up to you face to face and suddenly reach into your jacket or shirt and grab it, the wind will blow your jacket open and someone could see your pistol, and the pistol will be pointing in all kinds of unintended directions rendering it unsafe. These are just a few that I remember. Most of the reasons I've heard just make no sense at all to me. Am I the only one here who is missing the point? Please look at the pic below and then explain some of these reasons to me because I'm just not seeing it.

 

[Rustyt1953]

The list of "what if's" on any carry mode would fill this page.

your method is a sound one.

Carry on.

 

[Ziggy2525]

I've been carrying a J frame crossdraw for a few years now. It is extremely comfortable even while driving, easily concealed, easy to draw and reholster, and allows me full movement without exposing my pistol. Lately I've seen some threads with members inquiring about crossdraw and some of the replies I see make absolutely no sense to me. Or maybe it just wasn't explained clearly enough. It has been stated that it's a poor practice for some of the following reasons. Someone can sneek up behind you and pin your arms at your side, someone can walk up to you face to face and suddenly reach into your jacket or shirt and grab it, the wind will blow your jacket open and someone could see your pistol, and the pistol will be pointing in all kinds of unintended directions rendering it unsafe. These are just a few that I remember. Most of the reasons I've heard just make no sense at all to me. Am I the only one here who is missing the point? Please look at the pic below and then explain some of these reasons to me because I'm just not seeing it.

Not been in any gun fights, so I ain't no xpert, but I'm with you. You carry cross draw a little farther left than I do, when I carry cross draw. Normally I carry my semi-auto at 3 o'clock strong side, but I like cross draw at 11 o'clock when I carry a J-Frame.

I see people say we're supposed to be super efficient if we carry AIWB at 1 o'clock, but somehow cross draw, for me at 11 o'clock and for you at 9 o'clock, gets us "kiltz on the streetz." A belt buckle width between 11 and 1 makes the difference between life and death. Doesn't make sense.

I've seen two arguments against cross draw. 1) It's slower and less efficient to access your firearm across your body. and 2) It's easier to stuff your draw.

What I found out trying different carry positions out with airsoft guns is ...

1) If you're in a quick draw contest, you're going to get shot. Doesn't matter if you carry at 9, 11, 1, 2, 3 o'clock.

And

2) It's not any easier to stuff a draw at 11 than 1. You do get some advantage preventing a stuff if you carry at 3 o'clock, but I don't see a big difference between 11 and 1.

But I ain't no xpert. That's just my 2 cents.

 

[Rpg]

The greatest concern about cross draw is you sweep the muzzle across the person standing to your side at the range.

Very few public ranges will allow live fire from the holster at all: those few that do usually prohibit cross draw.

 

[1sailor]

It's not necessary to sweep the muzzle across the person next to you unless your intention is to draw your pistol with as much flourish as possible. Until it is being raised toward your target the muzzle should always be pointed down. However if the range you practice at will not allow it then it's a good reason for not wearing it at the range.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Virtually no typical, commercial range will allow shooters to draw from holsters, not cross draw, strong side, whatever. The safety risks and liability that accompanies those risks are far and above THE major consideration for disallowing cross draw or any draw practice. So you have to do it at home with unloaded guns.

Without getting into why I stopped doing it as a cowboy action shooter I also will not do it for concealed carry EXCEPT when driving. It's outstanding in a car. Admittedly, I actually don't do it because I won't be in the car long enough as a rule and I can't comfortably reach across unless I wear the gun pretty far forward where I don't want it to be. I hide and access belt guns way easier on my strong side.

But if it works for you then it works for you. Especially with snub nosed revolvers I can see how it would work when worn as shown in the OP's picture.

 

[1sailor]

Understandably crossdraw wouldn't work for everyone. I am 5'10" and weigh 170 to 175. For me reaching across is no big deal. I imagine that if I was a bigger guy it wouldn't be so easy. I can also see how with a long barreled revolver or a full sized pistol (1911, Beretta, etc) it might not be ideal. I am sure there are other sensible reasons against it but, the plethora of strange answers against it really got me wondering what some people think when they hear "crossdraw".

 

[Buick]

I like crossdraw and typically carry on my property or on the river canoeing in that fashion. However, it does enable an adversary within arms reach to get to your weapon before you do. It is "fool's carry".

 

[MSgt G]

Carry however YOU feel comfortable. The mains things are to: 1 - Carry and 2 - Support others right to carry as THEY feel comfortable.

 

[Warren Sear]

... However, it does enable an adversary within arms reach to get to your weapon before you do. It is "fool's carry".

That's a triple palmer.

 

[Buick]

No less of an authority than Bill Jordan, a veteran of many gunfights, advised against crossdraw for that very reason.

 

[1sailor]

I can see that maybe with open carry but, how in the heck would an assailant even know you were carrying a concealed weapon. I just can't picture somebody walking up and trying to stick their hand in my shirt or jacket just to see.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I REALLY like the Bianchi Cyclone cross draw holsters. They work and they are comfortable. Other opinions don't matter.

 

[bulletslap]

The advantages to me are easier to access while seated in a vehicle or other similar seated positions. I have from time to timed moved a paddle holstered snub from right hand carry to cross draw before entering a vehicle. I am not 100% comfortable with doing so, as under stress I might default to the normal strong side draw.

 

[growr]

OP......do whatever suits you! You are the one using it, not any one else on the forum....

Randy

 

[sigp220.45]

No less of an authority than Bill Jordan, a veteran of many gunfights, advised against crossdraw for that very reason.

I'm not so sure of that. Charles Askins loved to call Jordan a guy who wrote a book about gunfighting without ever being in a gunfight. Jordan did kill his supervisor John Rector showing off his quick draw in the Border Patrol office.

But it wasn't crossdraw, at least.

It was a different time. Now he'd be fired for sure and possibly charged with Involuntary Manslaughter.

John A. Rector | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

I don't think the arguments against crossdraw are valid. I usually carry at about 1 o'clock, but 11 o'clock works fine.

 

[Rastoff]

I have no problem with cross draw as long as you understand and practice for the limitations. Same can be said for any method of carry.

Even so, am I the only one who sees an issue with this picture?

 

[Ziggy2525]

I have no problem with cross draw as long as you understand and practice for the limitations. Same can be said for any method of carry.

Even so, am I the only one who sees an issue with this picture?

Maybe that he's using a strong side holster with a forward cant, so the cant is the wrong direction for cross draw? If that's what your looking at, is that a big deal if it works for him?

 

[1sailor]

The reverse cant tucks the grip in close where a forward cant will cause it to stick out more. As far as the way I've looped the belt, it works perfectly that way. I have no issues drawing or re-holstering. This actually worked a lot better than routing the belt the way it was intended. With a nice stiff pistol belt you don't even need to draw the belt up very tight.

 

[sigp220.45]

I have no problem with cross draw as long as you understand and practice for the limitations. Same can be said for any method of carry.

Even so, am I the only one who sees an issue with this picture?

Do you mean the belt going across the outside of the holster rather than behind it? It works either way.