Except for shooting a .22 rifle as a member of my high school shooting club, virtually all my formal firearms training has been from Law Enforcement instructors.
For example, a few years ago, a LEO firearms instructor had us do this exercise:
He told us to fire our semi-auto handguns AS FAST AS WE CAN PULL THE TRIGGER and empty the mag at a target 7 yards away.
Those of us who had a randomly spaced hit pattern in the center of the target got an "ataboy" from the instructior.
Those who had a "perfect" target (i.e. almost all the hits in the exact same area) got a "no good."
Why?
He explained to us the difference between being a COMBAT SHOOTER and a TARGET SHOOTER -- he wanted us NOT to shoot "perfect" targets, but to rather shoot a random "center target" area pattern that would likely incapacitate a threat.
This is, of course, just one example that he gave us in reference to the difference of being a Combat Shooter vs. a Target Shooter.
What type of firearms training do you prefer -- combat shooting or target shooting?
Do you think you can "mix and match" difference styles of shooting, or should you train in only one method (i.e. for "muscle memory" purposes, etc.)?
For example, a few years ago, a LEO firearms instructor had us do this exercise:
He told us to fire our semi-auto handguns AS FAST AS WE CAN PULL THE TRIGGER and empty the mag at a target 7 yards away.
Those of us who had a randomly spaced hit pattern in the center of the target got an "ataboy" from the instructior.
Those who had a "perfect" target (i.e. almost all the hits in the exact same area) got a "no good."
Why?
He explained to us the difference between being a COMBAT SHOOTER and a TARGET SHOOTER -- he wanted us NOT to shoot "perfect" targets, but to rather shoot a random "center target" area pattern that would likely incapacitate a threat.
This is, of course, just one example that he gave us in reference to the difference of being a Combat Shooter vs. a Target Shooter.
What type of firearms training do you prefer -- combat shooting or target shooting?
Do you think you can "mix and match" difference styles of shooting, or should you train in only one method (i.e. for "muscle memory" purposes, etc.)?