The Obsolete Low Ready

[Gabe Suarez]

The more I teach and train, the less I use Low Ready. In fact, in the CRG courses, I mention it, but we spend no time on it. It was the “state of the art” at one time, but in our opinion, it has been surpassed in utility by more task-specific ready positions. It is a trademark of the Modern Technique trainers, but interestingly, neither Gunsite nor any other Modern technique school invented it. I have a 1942 copy of All-In-Fighting and in the section on using the Enfield in close combat, the Low Ready is discussed.

As better solutions, we have various readies that are either an out growth of the directional draw stroke, or involve positioning the gun as needed based on task examination. A Ready Position can be defined as this: Any time the gun is in your hand it is Ready. This is in contradiction to being unready - ie. still in holster.

There are Contact Readies intended to prepare you for shooting immediately as well as for intimidating a potential shootee into disengaging or surrendering. The myth that you can't see the adversary when you are pointed in is just that...a myth.

There are also Covert Readies used when you suspect upcoming trouble, but not sure enough to draw to a Contact Ready. Covert Readies follow well after a surreptitious draw. Think of sitting in a restaurant (in a Third World country for example) when three profile-guys walk in and begin positioning themselves. It appears that there will be trouble, but you do not want to start it. If you draw 'hard to the guard" as they teach in some schools, you will precipitate trouble. Going to Covert Ready makes you more, well...Ready. Yet if trouble does not come, you can easily holster with no one being the wiser.

Finally, there are Movement Readies that serve to get from Point A to Point B with gun in hand while being muzzle careful. These are not designed to contact anyone as the muzzle is averted. This is where SUL and 1/2 SUL come in. If we needed to find a home for Low Ready (for tradition's sake) this is where it would be. Yet SUL and 1/2 SUL do everything Low Ready does, and better. And regardless of weapon systems!

1). Low Ready gives the adversary time to act or react. Not something I care to give him.

2). If you are threatened with death or injury you are justified in pointing in. If they do anything other than leave you alone or comply, you will have a choice to make. Its a hard choice. No free lunch outside the shoot house.

3). Gun out, muzzle pointed at the deck will be and HAS been seen as a mark of hesitation by bad guys. Weakness is what it is and no technique will make up for it. All I can say is that if you carry, you better have made up your mind about killing.

You are either justified in drawing the gun or not. If you are justified in drawing, you are justified in pointing. Moreover, the bad guy will get a message of reluctance to shoot when he sees you in Low Ready, whereas he will get a message of eagerness to shoot when he sees you in Contact (pointed in) Ready.

I am all for keeping it simple...but not too simple. We need a variety of Ready To Shoot, and Ready In Movement Positions to be sure. But with our new developments, Low Ready does nothing well enough to warrant keeping it. I vote it into the Tactical Museum.

[Jack Rumbaugh]

Originally Posted by Gabe Suarez

I vote it into the Tactical Museum.

Is it next to the shoot two and then assess exhibit?

Well said, as usual!

Jack

[mk86fcc]

Sorry - but "SUL"? Might even be something I already do, just not familiar with the acronym...

[Dan-O]

Also,could someone please explain "Half Sul" and give a better decription of Sul as applied to long guns.
Thanks in Advace!

[TravisABQ]

SUL meaning pointing south ie. straight down.
so you can turn 360, and scan for more targets without actually covering noncombatants with your muzzle.


not clear on 1/2 SUL though

--Travis--

[Dan-O]

Originally Posted by TravisABQ

SUL meaning pointing south ie. straight down.
so you can turn 360, and scan for more targets without actually covering noncombatants with your muzzle.

--Travis--

Does this mean "Half Sul is "Half of straight Down" or an aproximate 45 degree angle?

[Gabe Suarez]

SUL - Developed by Max Joseph and Alan Brosnan while training third world Spec-ops teams. Allows stacking w/o covering.

For us lowly civilians, SUL allows 360 degree movement and low profile movement ready options. Dinosaurs hate it, but we know what eventually happened to them.

[Gabe Suarez]

Half SUL is a new thing I've been working with. I'm never too old (or arrogant) to learn. Our own Southnarc gave many of us a look at something we always knew was there but didn't develop. He did develop it.

His #2 position - Pivot point between vertical lift of the pistol and horizontal extension to target. This Position can be pivoted back down muzzle down according to SN, and after trying it, I like it.

Think of a SUL with the gun brought accross the body back to the side. Think also of a Close Contact Position with the muzzle down.

In the picture my support hand is not involved, but in a CQB situation it can be placed in any manner of defensive positions.

[TravisABQ]

Hmm that's interesting....

I'm trying to understand the rationale for it.

Support hand otherwise occupied?

Tight crowd conditions?

Anticipation of shooting enemy at 2 ft distance?
(again tight crowd?)

Lower profile than having weapon directly in front?


--Travis--

[Gabe Suarez]

Support hand otherwise occupied?
Hitting, deflecting, moving, blocking..etc., etc.,

Tight crowd conditions?
0-6 feet with a badguy close in. Typical urban attack environments

Anticipation of shooting enemy at 2 ft distance?
More likely than unlikely in urban areas

Lower profile than having weapon directly in front?
Gun held close is not as readily seen as stuck out there in front of God and everyone. Specially so in Low Light. Call it Civilian CCW Gunfight Tactics. Friendly fire by well-meaning but ill-trained good guys is a reality to consider.