How to Disarm a Gun From Behind
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Gun Defence·Jason Hanson
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Gun Defence
Family銃防御(Jū Bōgyo)
TraditionalTranslation: gun defence
Overview
The Gun Defence family covers defensive techniques against firearm threats, including disarms and redirections at close range. [1] Gun defence is the most extreme self-defence scenario and should only be attempted when escape is impossible and the threat of harm is imminent — compliance is generally the safest response when avoidance is not possible. [1],[2] Gun defence techniques focus on redirecting the muzzle away from the body, controlling the weapon hand, and executing a disarm before the attacker can fire or recover control. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Modern gun defence techniques were developed primarily through military and law enforcement training programmes, with Krav Maga's firearm defence curriculum being among the most widely taught civilian systems. [1] These techniques are regularly debated in the self-defence community due to the extreme risk involved, with most experts emphasising that gun defences should only be attempted as an absolute last resort. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Gun defences redirect the weapon away from the body and control the attacker's weapon hand. [1]
Lineage
Gun defence techniques are primarily associated with Krav Maga, developed by Imi Lichtenfeld for the Israeli Defence Forces. [1]
Competition Record
Gun defence is a self-defence discipline, not a competitive sport. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Preventing or reducing the effect of an incoming attack through physical interception, evasion, or structural positioning
Joints Involved — Varies by defence type — blocks use arms/shins, evasions use head/body movement, sprawls use hips
Force Vector — Opposing or tangential to the attack — either absorbing, redirecting, or evading the incoming force
Defensive Principle — Economy of motion — the best defence uses minimal movement to neutralise the maximum threat
Position & Entry
From fighting stance (under fire) — Bring both hands to the head, elbows tight, tuck the chin — absorb the flurry while protecting vital targets
As emergency defence — When overwhelmed by volume, shell up in the cover position until the opponent pauses
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
Weapon defence scenarios involve lethal threats; failure risk is catastrophic
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Expert
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal defensive action
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFWBC/Boxing — Legal {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
— WKF — Legal
WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF— WT — Legal
WT Competition Rules 2024PDFTraining Notes
✓Gun defence addresses firearm threats at contact distance — these techniques only apply when the gun is within arm's reach and compliance is not an option (Krav Maga Global, Firearms Defence, 2015)
✓The absolute first rule: if there is any distance between you and the gun, compliance is almost always safer than attempting a defence
✓Gun defence only works at contact distance — the gun must be within your arm's reach
✓The principle: redirect the muzzle off your body line, control the weapon and the weapon hand, counter-attack, and disarm
✓Speed and commitment are essential — gun defences must be executed with 100% explosive commitment; hesitation is fatal
✓The muzzle redirect must happen in the first fraction of a second — push the barrel offline (away from your body) before doing anything else
✓After redirecting, secure two-handed control of the gun hand and deliver immediate, aggressive counter-strikes
✓Gun defence is the highest-stakes self-defence scenario — train only with verified dummy weapons and strict safety protocols
✓Realistic gun defence training includes stress inoculation — simulated stress, darkness, confusion, and multiple scenarios
Common Mistakes
!Attempting gun defence at distance — at any distance beyond contact range, compliance or escape is safer than a disarm attempt
!Hesitating or telegraphing the defence — gun defence must be explosive and immediate; any pause is lethal
!Redirecting the muzzle toward bystanders — redirect away from yourself AND away from others
!Trying to grab the gun barrel from the front — redirect the slide/barrel from the side
!Not delivering immediate counter-attacks after the redirect — the redirect alone doesn't neutralize the threat
!Training gun defence with a casual attitude — gun defence training must maintain the gravity of the scenario
!Over-confidence in gun defence techniques — even trained military operators acknowledge that gun defences have low success rates in real scenarios
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Anticipate the Attack — read the opponent's intention through body cues
2Execute Defence — apply the specific defensive technique with proper timing
3Recover Stance — return to a balanced fighting position immediately
4Counter or Disengage — capitalize on the opening or create safe distance
Sources & References
Primary Source
Boxing (Edwin Haislet, 1940)
1BookBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)
Alias sources — [1] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault (Lichtenfeld & Yanilov, 2001)
Official karate technique names (和語/漢語)
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
5CitationBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)
Alias sources — [1] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault (Lichtenfeld & Yanilov, 2001)
Community
Athletics
Requires
reaction speed, structural body mechanics, defensive awareness
Favours
quick reflexes and conditioned defensive surfaces
Key muscles
varies — forearms (blocking), legs (movement), core (stability)
Sub-techniques
Notes
Gun defenses are taught in Krav Maga and military combatives — the fundamental principle is redirecting the muzzle line while simultaneously controlling the weapon hand. These techniques are extremely high-risk and practiced only in controlled training environments. (Krav Maga manuals; military combatives; Lichtenfeld system)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most critical thing to do first when someone has a gun to your back?
According to Jason Hanson, the most important step is to get out of the barrel of the gun immediately, because if the attacker pulls the trigger while you're in line with it, you will be shot.
Which direction should I spin if I'm unsure whether the attacker is right or left-handed?
Jason Hanson recommends always spinning to your right, since most people are right-handed and the odds will be in your favor when you spin that direction.
What happens if I spin the wrong way and the attacker is left-handed?
If you spin into the attacker's armed side, you will end up trapping the gun rather than creating distance, but you can then control their arm and immobilize their elbow.
How does the Gun Defence work?
The Gun Defence family covers defensive techniques against firearm threats, including disarms and redirections at close range. Gun defence is the most extreme self-defence scenario and should only be attempted when escape is impossible and the threat of harm is imminent — compliance is generally the safest response when avoidance is not possible.
Where does the Gun Defence come from?
Modern gun defence techniques were developed primarily through military and law enforcement training programmes, with Krav Maga's firearm defence curriculum being among the most widely taught civilian systems. These techniques are regularly debated in the self-defence community due to the extreme risk involved, with most experts emphasising that gun defences should only be attempted as an absolute last resort.
Is the Gun Defence legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal defensive action; WBC/Boxing: legal — Legal; WKF: legal — Legal; WT: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Gun Defence?
Danger rating 9/10. Extreme — weapon defence scenarios involve lethal threats; failure risk is catastrophic
How do I set up the Gun Defence?
The standard setup chain: Anticipate the Attack → Execute Defence → Recover Stance → Counter or Disengage.
How do I defend against the Gun Defence?
Standard counters include: Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements / Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure / Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover.
What are the variants of the Gun Defence?
Common variants: Standard defence (primary defensive technique from the most common position); Reactive defence (triggered by the opponent's attack, minimal movement for …); Proactive defence (anticipating the attack and positioning to neutralise it …); Counter defence (using the defensive movement to create an immediate count…).
How effective is the Gun Defence in competition?
Gun defence is a self-defence discipline, not a competitive sport.
What are common mistakes when doing the Gun Defence?
Top errors to watch for: Attempting gun defence at distance — at any distance beyond contact range, compliance or escape is safer than a disar… / Hesitating or telegraphing the defence — gun defence must be explosive and immediate; any pause is lethal / Redirecting the muzzle toward bystanders — redirect away from yourself AND away from others / Trying to grab the gun barrel from the front — redirect the slide/barrel from the side.
What are other names for the Gun Defence?
The Gun Defence is also known as Jū Bōgyo, Firearm Defence, Pistol Defence, Gun Disarm.