French Lessons: How to Pick Up a Dropped Gun
Last updated: May 25, 2026 · Originally published: April 25, 2022
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The truth is that you don’t have to be French for your firearm to free-fall. Case in point? Rob Pincus, founder of the Personal Defense Network and expert firearm safety and tactical instructor, encourages his students to drop their handguns if they get a piece of hot brass down their shirts or behind their eye pro. Of course, what goes down must come up (unless, of course, you are French, it is World War II and the Panzers are rolling in). Thing is, some people react to that falling–or fallen–handgun as if it were their cellphone.
It’s important to train yourself to not attempt to catch the gun mid-air, and to not disconnect any of the gun’s mechanical drop safeties. It’s also important to pick it up in such a way as to stay combat-ready without putting yourself or others on the firing line in danger. In this video from PDN, you’ll learn that safely retrieving your gun is not as simple as grabbing that doughnut off the kitchen floor before the five-second rule kicks in! Click on the image above to watch this great free video from the Personal Defense Network. You’ll notice there are tons of other premium videos, all of which you can access with a Gold membership to PDN here.
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