blackdragon1212
New Member
Most of us are aware of our responsibility when we decide to carry a firearm. That responsibility should push us to continue to become more proficient with our weapons of choice. However, sadly, it has lead me to have a great deal of concern, based on my observations as a Police Firearms Instructor and Civilian Concealed Carry Instructor.
In both cases the students are required to meet a state mandated minimun standard. This standard is not good enough in my opinion, and if you just accept it as your standard or measure you are asking for trouble.
In the real world, we have bad guys that are not depictions of black silhouette on white paper that face you armed with nothing more than scoring rings. They don’t give you all day to shoot them with a weapon already drawn, as you lean on the range table. They are evil people who have guns, sometimes two or more, knives, clubs, with buddies who have guns with no compunction about killing you, or your family for the change in your pocket.
This scum, usually has more experience with real world armed encounters than most police officers gain in twenty years, and practice more. They have a plan, and will work that plan, which means that you will, God forbid, be reacting to the actions they have begun. A bad situation to say the least, and a tie goes to the bad guy every time.
What is a person to do? Well you can get away from static practice, and make your practice more realistic. This should be done by seeking out qualified instruction, seek out force on force training at every opportunity. Spend more time with “Dry Fire”. Make sure that your dry fire practice includes weapons presentation, first without a covering, coat/shirt. This will develope the proper grip of your weapon so that it is seated in your hand correctly. This will not happen overnite, I teach and have taught Martial Arts for years. I have discovered that in order for a person to learn Kata, Poomsae, or a form it must be done thirty to forty times before the student can go through the movements without prompting. It takes a minimum of three hundred reps before it starts to become automatic. Thousands of times is better! Slow equals smoothness, which in time will equal speed.
Practice strong hand, and weak hand. You might lose the use of one, and you have to stay in the fight. Learn to load with you weak, and strong hand alone, like I said you might lose the ability to use your other hand. You can’t call time out!
Weapons malfunction drills are a must. They may be practiced with your dry fire, but should be done at time that can be dedicated specifically to them. Dry Fire drills should be done three to four times a week, and with no more than fifteen minutes per session. Malfunction drills should be done twice a week with ten to fifteen minute sessions. Using “Snap Caps” for dry fire, and using snap caps and live ammo at the range. Safety always, by removing all live ammo from the room in which you are doing dry fire. The idea is to not have the weapon go boom! Throw in some lateral, and diagonal movement with your practice and you will be a step ahead, and closer to where you want to be.
Then once you begin to get the hang of it, move to your concealment clothing, and do it the same way. Presentation with dry fire will save a lot of money on ammo, and might just save your life. From there you can move to your dryfire presentation from your parked vehicle. Don’t cheat either, fasten your seat belt and pretend that you are being “Car Jacked” from either side of the vehicle. If you are like me, you might decide to make another place to secure a second firearm, or two in your vehicle. You may decide that the place you are carrying your weapon on your person might need a slight adjustment.
Don’t overlook “AirSoft” weapons in the same configuration you carry. You can find fully functional, same weight or close, with a slide that works that will allow for the use of the same type of holster. You can then set up targets, or real people in scenarios that will let your get some realistic practice. This is the force on force work that I think is so important. If it had no application, police, and military wouldn’t use it. If you question the value of it, just ask the next time you see one of our fine men/women in uniform if it had value.
While pistol games, such as IPSC or IDPA, can be useful in providing confidence in your weapon they are not and should not be considered the “Holy Grail” in real world self-defense. The stations are often not realistic, and can lead to some bad habits. Like the improper use of cover and concealment. Realistic practice, on realistic targets. Get away from the bullseye targets as soon a possible. Remember you are shooting for combat accuracy, not bullseye accuracy. Center mass hits, and shoot until the threat is no longer there. Don’t get hung up on one shot strings, two shot strings, or three shot strings. It might take four, or more. Handguns are piss poor man stoppers regardless of size of the bullet, we need many hits to cause the blood loss to shut down the body. Head shots, when directed into the ocular-crainal cavity will close the show now, shots to other parts of the head have proven useless. Most people can’t get the job done under the stress of being attacked, and shot at.
Most commercial ranges won’t let you draw and shoot from your concealed holster, or shoot while moving. This is where seeking out good instruction can pay big dividends.
In short, man on man, using “Air Soft” , in special scenarios will give both confidence and give you the edge you will need to win the fight.
Don’t overlook your physical fitness, or defensive tactics course. If you want to become a total warrior you must be able to use your body, mind, as well as your firearm. These can make you faster of mind and body. This will also give you a body better able to survive the stress, and punishment of and encounter. Let us not forget, the firearm is the last resort. Lesser levels of defense should not be overlooked. These are just a few things my students and I do. There are more, but if you take my advice you will someone I would want at my side when it hits the fan.
Remember these, an action is always faster than a reaction. A person 21 feet away can cover that distance from a standing position in 2.5seconds, or less. If he has a knife, he can kill you before you get your weapon drawn if you don’t practice. Bad guys will have sized you up, and selected the time and place to take you. Don’t make yourself an easy target. Most importantly, an ounce of prevention, is worth a box of hollow points. A miss is always worst than a hit, and you will never be able to miss fast enough to catch up. Every bullet you shoot has a lawyer attached to it, be damned sure you will hit what you shoot at and practice to get it done. The battle avoided is better than the battle won or lost. Ego is no reason to kill or get killed, only the "All Mighty" can kill with words.
Scott “Blackdragon” Williams
In both cases the students are required to meet a state mandated minimun standard. This standard is not good enough in my opinion, and if you just accept it as your standard or measure you are asking for trouble.
In the real world, we have bad guys that are not depictions of black silhouette on white paper that face you armed with nothing more than scoring rings. They don’t give you all day to shoot them with a weapon already drawn, as you lean on the range table. They are evil people who have guns, sometimes two or more, knives, clubs, with buddies who have guns with no compunction about killing you, or your family for the change in your pocket.
This scum, usually has more experience with real world armed encounters than most police officers gain in twenty years, and practice more. They have a plan, and will work that plan, which means that you will, God forbid, be reacting to the actions they have begun. A bad situation to say the least, and a tie goes to the bad guy every time.
What is a person to do? Well you can get away from static practice, and make your practice more realistic. This should be done by seeking out qualified instruction, seek out force on force training at every opportunity. Spend more time with “Dry Fire”. Make sure that your dry fire practice includes weapons presentation, first without a covering, coat/shirt. This will develope the proper grip of your weapon so that it is seated in your hand correctly. This will not happen overnite, I teach and have taught Martial Arts for years. I have discovered that in order for a person to learn Kata, Poomsae, or a form it must be done thirty to forty times before the student can go through the movements without prompting. It takes a minimum of three hundred reps before it starts to become automatic. Thousands of times is better! Slow equals smoothness, which in time will equal speed.
Practice strong hand, and weak hand. You might lose the use of one, and you have to stay in the fight. Learn to load with you weak, and strong hand alone, like I said you might lose the ability to use your other hand. You can’t call time out!
Weapons malfunction drills are a must. They may be practiced with your dry fire, but should be done at time that can be dedicated specifically to them. Dry Fire drills should be done three to four times a week, and with no more than fifteen minutes per session. Malfunction drills should be done twice a week with ten to fifteen minute sessions. Using “Snap Caps” for dry fire, and using snap caps and live ammo at the range. Safety always, by removing all live ammo from the room in which you are doing dry fire. The idea is to not have the weapon go boom! Throw in some lateral, and diagonal movement with your practice and you will be a step ahead, and closer to where you want to be.
Then once you begin to get the hang of it, move to your concealment clothing, and do it the same way. Presentation with dry fire will save a lot of money on ammo, and might just save your life. From there you can move to your dryfire presentation from your parked vehicle. Don’t cheat either, fasten your seat belt and pretend that you are being “Car Jacked” from either side of the vehicle. If you are like me, you might decide to make another place to secure a second firearm, or two in your vehicle. You may decide that the place you are carrying your weapon on your person might need a slight adjustment.
Don’t overlook “AirSoft” weapons in the same configuration you carry. You can find fully functional, same weight or close, with a slide that works that will allow for the use of the same type of holster. You can then set up targets, or real people in scenarios that will let your get some realistic practice. This is the force on force work that I think is so important. If it had no application, police, and military wouldn’t use it. If you question the value of it, just ask the next time you see one of our fine men/women in uniform if it had value.
While pistol games, such as IPSC or IDPA, can be useful in providing confidence in your weapon they are not and should not be considered the “Holy Grail” in real world self-defense. The stations are often not realistic, and can lead to some bad habits. Like the improper use of cover and concealment. Realistic practice, on realistic targets. Get away from the bullseye targets as soon a possible. Remember you are shooting for combat accuracy, not bullseye accuracy. Center mass hits, and shoot until the threat is no longer there. Don’t get hung up on one shot strings, two shot strings, or three shot strings. It might take four, or more. Handguns are piss poor man stoppers regardless of size of the bullet, we need many hits to cause the blood loss to shut down the body. Head shots, when directed into the ocular-crainal cavity will close the show now, shots to other parts of the head have proven useless. Most people can’t get the job done under the stress of being attacked, and shot at.
Most commercial ranges won’t let you draw and shoot from your concealed holster, or shoot while moving. This is where seeking out good instruction can pay big dividends.
In short, man on man, using “Air Soft” , in special scenarios will give both confidence and give you the edge you will need to win the fight.
Don’t overlook your physical fitness, or defensive tactics course. If you want to become a total warrior you must be able to use your body, mind, as well as your firearm. These can make you faster of mind and body. This will also give you a body better able to survive the stress, and punishment of and encounter. Let us not forget, the firearm is the last resort. Lesser levels of defense should not be overlooked. These are just a few things my students and I do. There are more, but if you take my advice you will someone I would want at my side when it hits the fan.
Remember these, an action is always faster than a reaction. A person 21 feet away can cover that distance from a standing position in 2.5seconds, or less. If he has a knife, he can kill you before you get your weapon drawn if you don’t practice. Bad guys will have sized you up, and selected the time and place to take you. Don’t make yourself an easy target. Most importantly, an ounce of prevention, is worth a box of hollow points. A miss is always worst than a hit, and you will never be able to miss fast enough to catch up. Every bullet you shoot has a lawyer attached to it, be damned sure you will hit what you shoot at and practice to get it done. The battle avoided is better than the battle won or lost. Ego is no reason to kill or get killed, only the "All Mighty" can kill with words.
Scott “Blackdragon” Williams
