Weapon Retention in a Combatives Scenario Using IDS Principles

When it comes to real-world self-defense, few things are more critical—and more dangerous—than a fight involving a firearm or other weapon. Whether you're a civilian concealed carrier, a home defender, or a professional in harm’s way, weapon retention can mean the difference between survival and tragedy.

At Sentinel Combatives, we train our students to not only defend against armed threats but also to retain control of their own weapon under stress. Our approach draws heavily from the principles of Integrative Defense Strategies (IDS), a forward-thinking system developed by Todd Fossey that blends firearms, combatives, and behavioral science into a cohesive, reality-based methodology.

In this week’s blog post, we break down what weapon retention looks like in a combatives scenario, how IDS principles enhance it, and why it’s essential for anyone carrying a weapon—professionally or personally.

What Is Weapon Retention?

Weapon retention refers to the set of skills, tactics, and principles used to maintain control of your weapon—especially during a physical altercation. This could mean:

• Preventing an attacker from grabbing your holstered or drawn firearm.
• Fighting for control during a close-quarters gun grab.
• Using strikes, positioning, and leverage to recover and retain your weapon.

Weapon retention is critical because:

• A weapon introduced into a fight is a weapon for both people unless controlled.
• Most violent encounters involving a gun happen at close range—within 3 feet.
• Retention skills protect not just you but also innocent bystanders.

 The IDS Approach to Weapon Retention

IDS (Integrative Defense Strategies) provides a holistic system that focuses on real-world pressure testing, behavioral response, and integrated solutions that combine combatives with firearms training. Here’s how it plays out in weapon retention scenarios:

 Fight First, Access Second

In an IDS-based retention mindset, you don’t rush to your weapon the moment danger appears. You must first create the conditions where accessing your firearm won’t get you killed.

IDS Principle:

“The weapon is not the solution—the weapon is part of the process.”

What This Looks Like:

• You’re grabbed or tackled. Rather than reaching immediately for your firearm (which could get it taken), you engage with elbows, knees, and close-quarters strikes to create space.
• Once the attacker is disrupted or disengaged, you draw and deploy your weapon if the situation justifies it.

 Control the Space, Control the Weapon

If an attacker is close enough to grab your firearm, it becomes a fight for control. IDS teaches positional dominance and control through:

• Framing: Using your forearms and structure to create barriers and control distance.
• Clinch Tactics: Dominating the inside space to prevent access to your weapon.
• Weapon-Side Awareness: Keeping your gun side away from the attacker whenever possible.

Key Tactics Include:

• Weapon-side hip rotation: Turning your holstered weapon away from the attacker.
• Two-on-one grip breaks: Using leverage to strip an attacker’s hands off your firearm.
• Retention draws: Drawing from a holster under pressure while maintaining positional control.

 Striking as Retention

Striking isn’t just about disabling an attacker—it’s a method of retention. In an IDS combatives scenario, striking and weapon retention are one and the same.

Striking tools for retention include:

• Headbutts
• Elbows
• Palm strikes
• Knees to the body or face
• Bite or eye gouge in extreme cases

These strikes are delivered at close range, often within clinch distance, and are designed to disrupt the attacker long enough to either draw your weapon or break their grip on it.

 Stress Testing Through Force-on-Force

A core tenet of IDS—and one we practice at Sentinel Combatives—is stress inoculation. You don’t really know if your retention skills work until they’re pressure tested.

How We Train It:

• Live resistance drills: Partner-based retention scenarios where one person tries to access the weapon and the other defends under full resistance.
• Dynamic environments: Fighting off walls, in confined spaces, in low light—realistic conditions where weapon retention becomes critical.
• Non-lethal force-on-force: Training with SIRT pistols or inert weapons allows for realistic draw, retention, and control drills without live-fire danger.

 Weapon Integration with Movement and Decision-Making

IDS emphasizes contextual decision-making. Just because you can access your weapon doesn’t mean you should—especially if you can escape or de-escalate.

In some situations:

• Movement is your best defense.
• Drawing a weapon too early can escalate the situation.
• Controlling the attacker and escaping may be the better tactical decision.

Weapon retention isn’t just about keeping the gun—it’s about knowing when to use it and having the skills to do so safely.

 Final Thoughts: Retention Is Survival

If you carry a firearm or plan to defend your home with one, you need to train for the fight before the draw. At Sentinel Combatives, we incorporate IDS principles to ensure our students:

• Understand the realities of close-quarters violence.
• Can fight for control and stay in the fight.
• Know when, why, and how to retain or access their weapon under stress.

Don’t just train to shoot—train to retain.

Want to learn how to fight, retain, and survive?
Join us at Sentinel Combatives for integrated training that combines Krav Maga, combatives, and real-world firearm retention using IDS methodology. Our next workshop on Close-Quarters Weapon Retention is coming soon—stay tuned!

Don’t Be a Gunfighter. Be a Fighter with a Gun!