Going along with this, drawing and firing into an already-drawn gun is a final act of desperation, done when you absolutely know you're going to be shot right then. And the aforementioned quick-draw results are still applicable.

Why, then, do we continue such practice, attempting to shave tenths of a second off our draw time? The simplistic answer is because we can, and we can see improvements--and, besides, it's fun.

Sure, there are instances where a fast draw has either stopped the fight without any shots being fired or the quick-draw artist shot first and the opponent stopped his activity simply due to having been shot--not because his "circuitry" had been interrupted.

I've made such a draw probably fewer than six times in my entire career as a lawman and never as a legally armed, non-sworn citizen. However, smoothly producing my handgun has been a fight-stopper countless times. This smoothness, coupled with the lack of posturing before drawing my gun, has been a life saver--both mine and theirs.

Recently, during a defensive tactics seminar I was conducting, one of the participants commented on my draw. He said I drew the gun and shot with the same motion and effort as I might use in handing a newspaper to someone. Well, he nailed it. I explained that what I want to achieve with this draw is not having the threat realize I have drawn a gun until either I fire it or he's looking down its muzzle.

The questioner then pointed out that in a recently held IDPA skills improvement class, Scott Warren, an FBI firearms instructor and national IDPA champion, taught the students to assume and use a very aggressive shooting stance. I explained that both Scott and I are correct; one is for winning a game and the other is for survival. What I suggest doing involves more than the most efficient means of delivering multiple rounds on target in the shortest amount of time. What I suggest is what to do when other options are not workable.

Telegraphing intent by the slightest body movement is something of which both sport and street fighters are well aware. Both read their opponent's pre-attack signals. What I suggest is minimizing if not eliminating these signals when possible and use body movements to misdirect or divert the threat's attention like a magician does.

Assuming a gunfighter stance simply puts the threat on guard; the more relaxed stance tells him nothing. While the aggressive shooting stance may well be quicker, I like "handing newspapers."

One truism remains for both, however: Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Or, as this relates to those of us who now have many years to our name: Old age and treachery beat youth and speed every time.