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As we go through our daily lives we frequently have things in our hands. Coming out of a store you may have grocery bags. Leaving work, those that can carry at work, you may have a briefcase or tool box or a gym bag. How many do these things without even thinking that the hand you using may be you gun hand.

As I was leaving the grocery store tonight I realized that there were bags in both hands. Sure, I could and would throw down what is being carried to get to my gun. Groceries and briefcases are one thing, but what about you kid? Anyone that has or has had kids know that you spend a lot of time carrying them before that can walk on thier own, and even after they can doesn't mean that they will. I for one will frequently switch the sides that I'm carrying the baby because carrying that 12+lbs bundle of joy in one arm gets tiring. Men don't have the built in baby shelves (read hips) that Momma does. What if you would have to draw you gun? You can't throw your kid down like you would a sack of food. How would you handle this situation?

What are your thoughts on this situation?

Do you ever stop and think about what's in your hands and what you'd do if you had to draw?

Sorry for the rambling of this post, my brain is tired.

I have thought of what is in hand. I fill left hand first & if needed I carry in both. Things can be dropped as you said.
I have also thought of the babies as you said. My babies have babies that are too big to carry. Youngest grandone is 8. There is no GOOD ANSWER to getting caught w/ the babies. Answer is awareness & dont get into it.
If you do, I think start reaching, talking Im gettin my bilfold, here's my money, put the kid down for his protection. He will be way below gun level. Then decide do I want to comply & hope he does not shoot anyway or fight now. No good answer. Every situation will be different.

Odd you should bring this up. I have got into the habbit to use my left hand for all carying. This has made my left arm stronger than my right. Now I have the shakes at the range with my right arm.

So, its to the gym. (needed to anyways)

Just some input. Be sure you dont let your main arm goto waste.

I carry in my purse and I have two kids that a school age but I try not to carry things out of store with both hands. I think about stuff like that all the time.

Still learning.

Like that I need to start answering my door with my gun in hand and out of sight so that I have it with me in case I ever need it.

I have habitually carried things in my left hand and left my right hand empty, since long before I started carrying a pistol.

This became part of my "way of doing things" since my college ROTC days, reinforced by 3-1/2 years of active duty. The Army Officer's Guide even lays out the tradition of not carrying anything in your right hand, to be able to render or return salutes.

I have always carried change and keys in separate pockets: change and a pen knife in my left pocket, keys in the right. Of late I've taken to keeping my cell phone and keys in my left pocket, too: I'm probably going to need at least one of those things quickly if my right hand is full of gun.

Kevin

Greetings--

I consciously try to always carry things in my left hand-- groceries, books, mail ect. I worked on getting this to be a habit since I began carrying. I keep my cell, keys and occasionally a spare mag on my left side. I try to carry my billfold on my left side as well, depending on what pants I am wearing. I figure that if the need ever arises (heaven forbid !), I can distract someone by pulling it out with my left hand while drawing on the right.

When we're walking somewhere (parking lot, store, around the neighborhood), she'll switch sides to walk on my left side, leaving my right side/hand free. When we go to a restaurant, she'll be sure to sit so that I am facing the door whenever possible.

Its all about awareness eh ?

Dh doesn't carry, but I do. (We're weird.)
I now sit where I can observe what's going on. I want to know ahead of time if someone is up to something.
I often carry in both hands, but the left hand is filled first.
I also like to run errands with a backpack purse. This keeps both hands free while shopping and taking care of any need, and keeps my hand free incase my gun is needed.

Piney wrote:I try to carry my billfold on my left side as well, depending on what pants I am wearing. I figure that if the need ever arises (heaven forbid !), I can distract someone by pulling it out with my left hand while drawing on the right.

I take a different approach: unlike most righthanders, I keep my wallet in my right pocket. I've always done this, just because it seems more natural, despite the fact that pants makers put a button on the left pocket, not right.

Now that I carry, I figure that if I should be caught off-guard by a mugger, I will offer the left hand as a distraction, while reaching for my "wallet" with my right hand.

Except --oh my, what's this?-- my right hand will encounter something else just before reaching my wallet. Instead of 5-10-20s, an armed mugger is likely to receive 185-185-185.

Kevin

The solution to the problem of what hand to carry your stuff with is to do what I do. - - - Carry a balanced load. - - - Two guns! - - - One on each side!

dws1117 wrote: Do you ever stop and think about what's in your hands and what you'd do if you had to draw?

always. if i can help it, i never have anything in my right hand. when i go to restaurants, i do my best to sit with my gun side against the wall, and where i can see the door and watch the characters coming in. my head is on a swivel. i'm always watching what's going on around me. at stop lights, i check out who's next to me. my car doors are always locked.

it's usually good to have something in your off-hand at all times, whether it be keys, a pen, whatever. if you throw something at someone's face, instinctively they will raise their hands to block it. my wallet is in my pocket just behind my gun. should someone ask for it, i'll throw it in their face, and shoot them when they're distracted. try it sometime. get someone to throw an object (that's unknown to you) at your face, and see if you don't block it.

on patrol, a ticket book serves this purpose well. you shouldn't drop it, you should throw it at your target. then you can come in .5 seconds behind it and clobber them to the ground.

well I am left handed but shoot right so its simple for me I carry with my left and still have my right hand to defend myself with.


300shooter

I also try to load the left hand and leave the right open. My 2 1/2 year old is too big to carry most times but he walks and holds my hand. I keep him on my left in most all situations also. Wife stays on my left when possible and tries to give me a view of the door when out to eat. I am getting more aware every day. It is more than a habit, it is a lifestyle. Would that make it an "alternative" lifestyle?

TxFire wrote:It is more than a habit, it is a lifestyle. Would that make it an "alternative" lifestyle?

Protecting wife & child make it a positive family value lifestyle.