How subjective and convenient for the cop. The officer in this case actively created the “threatening” situation as a pretext to disarm a citizen.
What is a more of a threat in apperance.
A man with a pistol in his holster or a man with a pistol in his hand.
A man with a rifle on his shoulder or a man with his rifle slung in the low ready in front of him.
While he may have posed no threat a rifle in the low ready could be contrued as one giving the officer the right to disarm.