When someone is holding a gun to you, you have two options:
Take Action or Do not Act
There is a phrase said repeatedly, that your actions are faster than your reactions. By practicing the gun defense techniques below, you will find this to be true. If you are in the “correct” situation where you need to act in order to disarm someone holding a gun to you, your action will be quicker than his reaction.
Golden Rule: Do not act if you do not absolutely need to
When there is a gun involved, nothing is certain. Regardless of your training, speed, or ability, acting to disarm your opponent is very risky.
What this means is, only move to disarm your opponent if you have to. If he has a gun to your head and his breathing is steady, and the gun is not quivering. Then you should be very worried that you may not make it out alive…
Step One: Get the Gun as close to you as possible
Experienced officers and military personnel know that when you are holding a gun to a person, to be a few yards away from your target. If the bad man lunges for the gun, this will leave enough time to act.
Since distance is deadly, you need the gunman as close to you as possible.
Step Two: Use a Slight Distraction
If you are being robbed, there is a good chance the gunman will want your phone and wallet. When grabbing for your wallet, make sure you tell the gunman what you are doing in a slow and calm manner. Do not give the gunman any indicator or reason to pull the trigger. You are simply reaching for your wallet and very carefully, you will hand it to him.
Act a little scared, put your wallet in your hand and hold it out to him. As he reaches for it, let it drop to the ground.
This is your time to act…
Step Three: Step Out of the Way
This slight distraction will give you an advantage. When you act remember one thing, the gun only shoots in one direction. Meaning, the bullet will only go straight.
Get out of the way and step close. In one quick motion, move to your right (or left) and towards the gunman.
(Imagine if you were standing on the tip of a triangle. Quickly move to one of the top other tips of the triangle).
Step Four: Grab the gun
At this point, the gunman is off guard as you move; grab the gun’s barrel by wrapping your hand around it. Be sure not to leave your thumb in the line of fire. (For those of you who have seen the movie: “Me, Myself, and Irene”, you will know this can turn out very bad).
Step Five: Attack the gunman and pull the gun free
Most people holding a gun will have one major weakness, they will think of the gun as their only weapon. They will forget their hands, elbows, knees, and feet are weapons as well.
Give the gunman a low kick to the knee. As you pull the gun free, send an elbow blasting to his nose.
Step Six: Gain control of the gun and step back
Gain control of the gun and move away from the attacker a few yards. Do not make the same mistake of getting in close as the attacker did. Point the gun at the attacker’s feet and tell him to get down in a loud voice.
(You point at his feet so as not to accidentally shoot him)
If the attacker jumps for you and the gun, you will need to act in your own self-defense.
Before you even begin to think you can use this in real life, you need to practice it so it becomes natural.
When I was learning this technique, I would practice with a loaded Airsoft pistol. Tell your friend to pull the trigger when he sees you move. With practice, you will find that you are out of the line of the bullet by acting first. Actions are faster than reactions!