Fast Draw 101 - Tips for New Shooters

[@SunsetSam]

Thanks for it!

[@paulwitmer7138]

Talk to us about the importance of the holster And whether the holster should be attached to the belt or not.

[@fastdraw101]

That depends on the organization you're shooting with, but in general the holster boot is connected to the belt in some form for all organizations, either directly a part of the belt, or as a slip-on. The CFDA and other "Cowboy" organizations require the holster to be the slip-on variety. No buscaderos or rigs where the holster boot is directly connected to the belt with Chicago screws or other methods. The WFDA on the other hand does allow firmly connected holster boots, and the majority of rigs are this design. Either way works fine, and doesn't hamper the shooter in any way, so you'll see both designs in use at their contests.

[@christinascorsone7137]

I still like Bob Munden Style all the new Shooters today doing all the Matrix bending backwards and stuff I don't get that

[@fastdraw101]

What you're watching in most of the clips here is competitive shooting, and no top competitor is willing to give up a few thousandths or hundredths of a second to their opponent. Munden stopped competing in the 1970's, so I assume what you've seen of him was his TV or exhibition shooting. When I or any of these shooters are doing exhibition shooting we have different styles as well, so you have to keep that in mind. As an example, here's a picture of Munden back in his competition days bent back to get the shot off as fast as possible: fastdraw.org/graphics/munden.jpg

[@joracer1]

Mr Darby, when choosing a alias, can you use names from old westerns. example billy the kid, would a name like this that's not taken already, be a copyright infringement?

[@fastdraw101]

As long as the name isn't taken, and not similar to another registered name, it's fine. There are a number of shooters I've seen that used real old west characters as their alias.

[@fastdraw101]

By the way, I should have mentioned that the use of alias' in fast draw is really only for the CFDA, but if that's where you're going to shoot you can get a copy of the currently taken names at www.cowboyfastdraw.com/index.php/alias-list

[@gregl6759]

I go by Greg the gooch flinch shooter, so you can pick whatever that fits you the best if it's not taken.

[@thelonerider9693]

Question: (I apologize in advance if it sounds obvious, but) All those guys are shooting righty, can you shoot left handed?

[@fastdraw101]

Yes, you can shoot left. It may be a bit harder to find a used holster, but if you have a new one made you can get it left handed.

[@00shawn]

...

[@francisgarner1751]

Again no one talks about it but sammy DAVIS JR. was the best I've seen for real. Look it up.

[@fastdraw101]

Sammy Davis was very good, and I have videos of him performing. He would have done pretty well in competition, assuming he could hit the target (most of the video I have just show him firing a shot, but not hitting anything, so I can't confirm his accuracy). Among the Hollywood actors and stars he was probably one of the fastest, but we'll never really know how well he'd stack up against real competitors since it was only Glenn Ford and Clint Eastwood who ever entered real competition against the top guns (Vegas 1959), and they both were eliminated in the first round.

[@williamscott2461]

Don’t get me wrong here, but I grew up watching not only Bob Munden, but a couple of other shooters, but they don’t lay down in a recliner position to shoot? They stand upright? These guys and girls look like they are sitting in a chair? Why don’t you all make a new class of cowboy shooters, and call them the, “lazy boys”?

[@fastdraw101]

What you're watching in most of the clips here is competitive shooting, and no top competitor is willing to give up a few thousandths or hundredths of a second to their opponent. Munden stopped competing in the 1970's, so I assume what you've seen of him was his TV or exhibition shooting. When I or any of these shooters are doing exhibition shooting we have different styles as well, so you have to keep that in mind. As an example, here's a picture of Munden back in his competition days bent back to get the shot off as fast as possible: fastdraw.org/graphics/munden.jpg