Ready ... Before
“Ready” means poised, prepared. In this case, ready to fire if necessary. Until you decide it’s time to engage the threat, the basic safety rules are still in effect. Obviously, you’re treating the weapon like it’s loaded; it better be. The muzzle isn’t covering or sweeping anything you haven’t decided to shoot — including the possible threat. The sights are off target, so the trigger finger is off the trigger, and clear of the trigger guard. Having a finger on the trigger too early won’t make you any quicker when it’s time to fire a shot on target, and it does make you unsafe, increasing the probability of negligent discharges. Rule 4, making sure to identify the threat and you have a clear angle of fire or background to stop any errant rounds is always in effect. This is where “low-ready” comes into play.
Your arms are extended, with both hands maintaining a proper firing grip. The angle you hold the arms, hands and weapon depends on what you need to see. If you’re worried about what might come around the corner at the end of the hall, your pistol is held low enough so the bottom apex of the corner is visible above your weapon. With a ready position that’s too high — a common tendency under stress — your arms, hands and weapon will block you from seeing a possible threat as they come around the corner. It also increases the chance of shooting the wrong person.
When facing a potential threat and it’s not time to shoot, your arms, hands and weapon are held low enough you can see the person’s feet above the gun. A look through the sights reveals you’re aiming at the ground about two feet or so in front of their feet. This ensures you’re not muzzling or covering the possible threat. You probably should also be issuing verbal commands to the threat — they may comply. If not, you’re ready to acquire a sight picture on the threat and prep the trigger to fire with a minimal amount of movement. A ready position that’s too low requires extra time to come up on target. A ready position that’s too high is unsafe and visually blocks you from seeing what you need to see.
Besides being safe, low-ready allows you to see all of the threat. Obviously, you’re watching the hands to determine if they’re armed, and if so with what type weapon. It’s also important to watch their feet. “Why,” you ask, “do I need to watch their feet?” The feet are actually the most expressive part of the body. A person’s feet will tell you what they’re thinking, often before they’re even consciously aware of their thoughts. People reposition the feet when anxious, preparing to run or prior to an attack. Don’t pay any attention to their face — bad guys learn to mask their facial expressions at an early age. Ignore what their cake-hole is saying.
