The Farnam Method of Defensive Shotgun & Rifle Shooting, 2nd Edition

The Farnam Method of Defensive Shotgun and Rifle Shooting, 2nd Edition

by John S. Farnam

Sample Chapter

Chapter 25

Rifle Retention

As with shotguns, rifles are not particularly retainable. When someone makes a serious attempt to snatch your rifle from you, the best response is usually to draw your pistol and start shooting him immediately. A pistol should obviously be carried any time a person is armed with a rifle.

When your rifle is equipped with a bayonet, retaining control of the weapon becomes far more likely to succeed. The knife edge of the bayonet can be maneuvered to cut the attacker’s hands and arms. When his grip is thus weakened, his torso can then be impaled on the bayonet and his face struck with the weapon’s stock and subsequently smashed with the weapon’s butt. However, even without a bayonet, the rifle still makes a formidable spear, as mentioned in Chapter 23.

It is best to not have your rifle or shotgun permanently attached to you via a three-point sling system. When a large attacker grabs your rifle, he will be able to jerk you off your feet and shake you around like a rag doll! Under these circumstances, you will want the ability to come out of the sling, or otherwise detach yourself from the rifle quickly, so you may then draw your pistol and shoot him without delay.

In our Defensive Rifle and Shotgun Programs, I am emphasizing that students should keep the muzzle of their longarm angled downward, with the stock flattened on top of the shoulder as much of the time as possible. I also advise, as mentioned above, that the support hand be well forward on the forend, grasping it firmly, rather than merely resting the forend on an open hand. You are well advised to have plenty of strength on your weapon, particularly when a snatch attempt is likely.

Retention is the reason. When an attacker gets within arm’s reach of your rifle and gets under the barrel, pushing it up and toward your face, you will find subsequently getting the weapon pointed at him to be nearly impossible. You will probably have to default to your pistol, and fast! On the other hand, when an attacker can only grasp the barrel and forend from the top, you can simply fall backward, the effect of which will be to get the rifle pointed at him.

We must thus ask ourselves every time we train with rifles, when someone makes a serious attempt to disarm me right now, what would I do in response, and how successful will I likely be? Frail, impotent and weak stances and postures may work fine during competitions and parades, but remember, when participating in a quaint, collegial shooting contest, nobody will suddenly try to rip your weapon out of your hands and then try to shoot you with it. Next time you’re confronting dangerous suspects, someone just might!

Muzzle strike. Note retracted ready position in left picture.

A successful disarm. Pointing your muzzle up allows an attacker to gain control of your muzzle and overpower you using superior leverage.

An opponent grabs your muzzle to disarm you.

Quickly squat and roll backward to point your muzzle at your attacker, then fire your gun.