This apparently raised the ire of a few gun writers, one of whom noted that he thought this issue had been put to rest years ago and that of course there was enough time to access the sights if there was enough time to draw and present the pistol to full extension. But the writer missed the point. It wasn't that the interviewed officers didn't actually have enough time to access the sights. They did have the time, but in their minds they were convinced they did not--despite long, documented histories of being successfully trained to use the sights on the target range.

Just as the argument for gun-mounted lights goes, using a one-hand grip frees the non-firing hand for such chores as opening doors and moving aside obstacles such as drapery or vegetation.

What the detractors missed was the difference between training for the range and training for the real world. For in the real world, we operate in what Prussian military philosopher Carl von Clausewitz described as the "element of danger." And in this element of danger, the vast majority of human beings facing an armed and dangerous opponent at close quarters will be naturally and forcefully compelled to stare at that threatening human being during those few fleeting and terrifying moments. More than 13,000 years of evolution--during which human beings often squared off against one another with sharp, pointy sticks--pretty much ensures it.

We will also tend to crouch, and if we have something small and dangerous in our hand--whether a sharp, pointy stick or a handgun loaded with sharp, pointy bullets--we will more than likely stare open-eyed at that threat while we try to drive our weapon straight toward and into him, usually with one hand.

Instinct aside, common sense dictates that we must be extremely comfortable, competent and confident in our ability to control a pistol and fire accurately while employing a one-hand hold because when operating in the real world we usually need our other hand to do something else. Holding flashlights comes immediately to mind, as do other activities not commonly performed on the range but required while moving through tactical environments. Some of these activities include opening doors; moving and holding vegetation, draperies or other such impediments aside; and defending yourself from close-quarter physical attack while maneuvering with a pistol in your hand.

The review of numerous videos capturing police-involved shootings also indicates that, in the vast majority of cases, officers confronted with a surprise, close-quarters spontaneous attack do not leap into a classic Weaver-like, bladed-away stance and present the weapon using a two-hand hold. Instead, they spring into a low crouch, body squared toward the adversary, while extending and firing the weapon with one hand.

So while I do teach (and recommend) a two-hand hold and the use of the sights to allow greater stability of, and accuracy with, the pistol when time, distance, cover, situation and/or environment allow, I steadfastly believe the primary training focus must be on the development of one-handed point-shooting skills because that's what people will most likely need while actually engaging a threat at close range.