For those of you considering taking a class with Larry Vickers in the future, heads up. LAV announced over the weekend that he will no longer allow appendix carry holsters in his classes.
Image via Facebook
I’m sure some of you will think this is a great decision and others will not – whatever side of the fence you land on, I think we can all agree that in Larry’s classes, Larry makes the rules. You can read more here on the Vickers Tactical website.
This should start some conversations.
Hopefully it can be a civil one this time around…seems like the topic of appendix carry brings out the crazy in some people.
Appendix carry is fine. But I only holster the (loaded) gun it when it’s off-body.
If you can’t holster a gun w/o shooting yourself, you need top go back to NRA Basic. It should NOT reflect on the trainer!
Agree, Burnd, but let some hapless halfwit blow his nuts off holstering his Glock, and he or his ambulance-chaser will sue the instructor for permitting a “dangerous practice.” Whether or not the instructor prevails, it will cost him tens of thousands in legal fees.
You are correct, unfortunately that is not how your business insurance company and their lawyers will see it!
Standby for butthurt people who will somehow equate this to LAV being anti-gun because they don’t understand insurance, business practice, or legal litigations.
I am ok with it, his class his rules
As an instructor one of the scariest things you can imagine actually happening on your range is someone shooting themselves. This is the same reason a bunch of instructors (including me) don’t allow Serpa holsters in our classes. We want everyone to be safe and have a good time. Someone getting shot screws up the day for everyone.
I just want to know what instructors had this happen so I can talk to them
Personally.
I disagree with Vickers banning the appendix carry in his classes. Appendix is the easiest, fastest and most normal way to draw. However, Vickers is not the only trainer in town. One is free to go elsewhere.
As a fellow instructor(albeit at a much smaller level), I totally understand where he’s coming from. In a class where anyone can join, you end up getting people at all different skill levels and safety mindsets. And while I personally appendix carry, my entry level pistol classes require strong side OWB holsters for the same exact reason as LAV says. As a stranger, you have no idea of knowing what skill level or what kind of safety practices students have until they’ve actually been through the class. Worse yet, you and a small handful of assistants are in charge of making sure 20+ of these unknown students are safe. Better to err on the side of caution for safety, liability, etc.