Muscle memory and repetitive actions.

[Taurus111]

I carry a SA XD40 on duty in a Safariland SLS holster. When I am just at the range, I carry in a cheap Don Hume open top of some kind. During fast presentation drills, I find myself trying to find the little lever hook to open the hood so I can draw.
Likewise, when I am in the Safariland, I put my hand down to draw the weapon, in the "watch your target, getting ready to go to cond. red mode", and like magic the hood is down. I don't remember how it got down, I just know it goes there. And when the gun goes back in, the hood "magically" goes back up. Muscle memory is not just a fad. It is the truth.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[TN_Mike]

It is a widely held belief that using the same gun in the same holster on a regular or permanent basis helps with muscle memory, that the action of drawing and operating the handgun becomes virtually automatic.

I agree, but I am also of the opinion that it pays to be able to carry a variety of weapons in different holsters as there are circumstances that can dictate the need to being adaptive.

• Your primary weapon might be too large for your cover clothing on any particular day.
• Your primary weapon might be in for repair.
• Your holster choice might be compromised due to clothing or conditions.

I carry a variety of guns in different holsters, I also alternate between a few different folding knives that don't all open the same way.

I don't feel that I suffer from lag or hesitation.
I dry fire - I practice my draw - I make every effort to be fully cognizant of the weapon I am with, the idiosyncrasies of it and how best it handles.

Anyone else a multi-carry weapon person?
How do you feel about it?

I agree with you Pete. I carry either the G23, the Sig P239 or the Taurus PT-111 (although the PT-111 is not really in the rotation too much anymore) and on occasions a revolver....so I carry several different guns. I find that I am equally comfortable with them all and have no problem switching back and forth.

[Alien Nation]

I have carried over thirty differant handguns and over 20 differant holsters. I trained heavily with each one. I have no problem switching back and forth. Even through intense timed shooting drills I've not had a problem.

[OPFOR]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but IMO square range drills are no substitute for real experience here. No matter what artificial stress you put on yourself, at the end of the day you know that a drill is coming up, and as part of that drill you will be drawing and firing - so you are prepared to do just that. You have consciously thought about your weapon and your rig immediately before the drill began, so you are 1 million steps ahead of where you will be when a real situation develops immediately and without warning right in front of you.

You can train all you want with your dozen different operating systems/carrying configurations...when the action explodes in front of your face, you will default to one option. I hope, for your sake, that it is the right one.

[Alien Nation]

You may very well be right. I generally(99.9% of the time) carry my XD .45 in an IWB at the 3:30-4:00 position. I guess I should also have said that I've always carried on my right hip. I'm down to owning one handgun these day's. I trained the way I did before because I needed to be familiar with handguns from all over the world at the time. Situations and cercumstances had a way of changing.