GUNS Magazine August 1962

BY USING WAX INSTEAD OF BALL AMMO. FAST
DRAW RETAINS ACCURACY FACTOR. ELIMINATES ACCIDENTS
OF FAST DRAW... By
GEORGE VIRGINES
WHETHER the supporters of the
older shooting sports like it or not,
and some quite outspokenly don't, Fast
Draw is very definitely here-and if one
can judge at all from its phenomenal
growth and from the number, size, and
magnificence of its "championship" tournaments,
it is here to stay.
And why not? Fast. Draw is a sport,
and as such it needs no justification. But
because it is criticized, let's justify it. That
can be done very simply, in just two
syllables: "It's fun!" What more does a
sport need?
Fast Draw got more than it's share of
adverse publicity sQme years ago because
a few people who knew nothing about it
attempted to practice it, without instruction,
with guns loaded with b'all ammo.
Just as would happen if untrained people
attempted fencing with naked blades and
no protection, there were accidents. Today,
responsible clubs all over the country
are teaching men, women, and children
to practice Fast Draw with ammunition
that won't hurt them - not, at least,
beyond skin burns to remind them of
the precautions their instructors have already
drilled into them-and the muchpublicized
bullet-in-the-Ieg trademark is
a thing of the past. It can't happen in
properly directed practice, certainly not
in competition-because there are no
bullets; only blanks, or wax that stings
but can't wound much beyond skin
blisters.
The only remaining criticism is, "It
isn't practical." It isn't meant to be practical!
The Fast Draw addict isn't practicing
to put notches on his gun; he's playing a
game; a game in which he will match his
speed of hand, his manual dexterity, his ,.;
skill, and his accuracy, against other
players-exactly as the golfer, the bowler,
the tennis player, the swimmer, matches
his or her skill against competitors, for
fun, medals, trophies, or simply for self
satisfaction. What's practical about golf,
Regular Draw: Hand is at least b inches from gun. Hand sweeps back,
thumb cocks trigger. Hand continues swing, draws and levels gun, but
trigger finger is not around trigger. Gun is level, now. pull trigger.
GUNS AUGUST 1962
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