Pistol Punch

I copied and pasted the description from another source.

John Skillen

Re: Pistol punch Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:57 am
Hi Ric sorry for the late reply! The pistol punch (named for its action the same as drawing a pistol from your hip). It is very fast, direct and simple in its application during training. It is of course more difficult to apply if you lack the desire to protect yourself pre-emptively. If you do then this is a powerful punch aimed at the point and under the Jaw. You will achieve a serious KO. You can use the punch as a quick hit before you restrain or before you wrap up or lock up, if thats what you trying to achieve in your job prison, police, security. Of course only as a last resort or a very serious kick off where serious personel defence is required.
For slightly built women or men it is a great first strike.

There are secrets to its power and application! bounce Cool

When using this punch in a real defence situation it can be utilised at very close range. I will have a chat with you about it next time we meet.
I have used many times and it is a clinicle strike( gets the job done) and is hard to detect on CCTV!.

I use a variety of strikes and yes this is one of my preferred punches just one mind you.
see you soon Ric
John[/i]

From what I can gather the punch is thrown from waist or pocket hight and (assuming a right hand punch),with the palm facing to your left, same as drawing a pistol and connecting with the two big knuckles under the chin as opposed to the traditional boxing uppercut where the palm faces you.
I have practised this and like it....a lot!! Haven't used it for real though and wondered if anyone here had "Road Tested" it and if so what were the results.

Thanks in advance PJ

This technique is awesome and achieves knock out every time it connects if thrown correctly.An awesome first strike to add to your arsenal if it is mastered. Believe me I have seen it work in action many times.

Thanks for the reply.
From what I have managed to find out about it this punch is really good because it comes up underneath the other guys eyeline and also from close in making it very unexpected and hard to defend against which is my kind of punch.
I've been practicing it a lot and I really like it as I'm from a boxing background and find also I can get a lot of hip into it. Kind of a cross between a double hip and golf swing,(am I on the right track ?)

I'm only guessing that maybe you are John Skillen's brother. From what I've read about him he has had a truly enormous amount of fights. If so, when you said you've seen it work in action many times.....yes I believe you
Once again, thanks for the reply

I am his brother and have seen him have many altercations where he has been forced to defend himself or others...John is very modest about the amount of fights his has had as he doesn't see it as a thing to be proud of but rather something for himself and others to learn from he only ever did what he felt he had to do at the time. He also had a fierce reputation, people would say and still do that he is a lovely and fair man but, and its a big but you should take note of, DONT EVER CROSS HIM. John has never put a number on the amount of fights he has had but I can say without doubt that his experience is worldly and vast. Something you can read about from next week. www.extrachillisauce.com
I would also recommend you email John or ask him anything you want to know regarding the pistol Punch direct as John is a very approachable and generous man that will always make time for you. I would also personally guarantee that if Your punching power doesn't improve in one private lesson with John I'll give you your money back.

Nice post Peter and for what it's worth

I'll second that totally.

John is a great guy - very humble, quiet and polite - what affords him this un-assuming attitude is his massive wealth of knowledge and experience.

I for one cannot wait to read his new book - a long long time overdue in my opinion

Thanks for the link Peter, I'll get it out on my next newsletter and will sort it out as Product of the month on the forum v-soon ;-)

Check this out... http://pegasuspublishers.com/product_info.php?products_id=635&osCsid=282abbffe9c9bf10c04f575cf0a0d4c7

Thanks for the reply Peter.
Although I've never met him from what I've read of your brother John he is a very very experienced street guy and humble as well.

The main thing I wanted to know was how effective the pistol punch was and you've given it a glowing recommendation which I thank you for and 100% believe, as you've no doubt seen it performed for real many times.


Funnily enough I've found that in my experiences a lot of the guys who are really good for real also are gentlemen as they've nothing to prove. Mostly it's the wannabes who are trying to prove themselves to their peers who cause the most trouble.

I would love to train with John but unfortunately distance and circumstances won't permit. Thanks for the generous money back guarantee and I'm sure I wouldn't be hitting you up for a refund

Was wondering if anyone else had used or seen the pistol punch used "Live" The thread on the chinjab actually got me thinking about this so I thought I'd start a new one.

Once again Peter thanks for the reply

Just checked out the link, thanks for that. It's definitely on my Christmas list

The pistol punch is not something I've used live - always tended to favour more of a traditional boxers style punch, albeit with a modified hand/fist position and orientation

However, feeling the power that can be generated from the likes of Peter Consterdine and Iain Abernethy, and knowing what levels of power I have had to use in the past to knock people out/over, I have no doubt whatsoever of it's potency and efectiveness

Obviously, there is nothing like doing it for real yourself to have definitive proof that it's a good technique, but to do that for everything would mean you're going to go out and have an awful lot of fights. - not my recommendation

So - sorry - can't comment from personal real life experience on this one but I can vouch for the power of this technique when done correctly and make my own assumptions on how useful it will be.

I've also mostly used traditional boxing punches as my bread and butter stuff when the need arose.
Fom my understanding the K.O.is caused by the quick rotation of the skull which in turn shakes the brain. Seeing as the skull is mounted on the neck and the chin is a convenient "handle" with which to shake it I think that, technically at least a shot under the chin, causing the head to snap backwards on its spring, ie the neck should be enough to get a k.o.
Of course that's all theory and as you say the only way to find out is to get into a scrap and test it out. Not something I intend to do.
It sounds as though it's already been used to great effect by John Skillen so that's good enough for me.
After putting in a lot of practice on this punch I can see it would be a great sneaky, undetectable preempt and from very short range too.

Once again thanks for the replies guys

I have used this punch from a slight off side position of the opponent on more that one occasion to the underside middle of the chin with the fist in the vertical position using the big knuckle and believe me its potent! Keep practicing it PJ it will be effective if you ever if you need it.

Thanks, I intend to keep practicing it. It seems to come very naturally and feels comfortable to me.

Good also to see that you have had good results for real with it too.

Cheers