Confidence with a firearm. Do you have it?

[Tom Servo]

An excellent post. Thing is, classroom instruction only counts for so much. You won't truly know how you'll react until it happens. In my case, the first time I had to fight for my life (it wasn't a field of honor, but a parking garage), I found that I've got a cold, vicious side I never suspected. I also found that adrenaline can really mask pain. Did training help? Heck yeah; the guy had planned to bash my brains out with a pole, and I was still standing (though a bit unsteady) when the police arrived. I was pretty rational and in-control until the adrenals stopped dumping, and then I was a quivering mess.

I've trained with a firearm to the point that I can draw and fire pretty much instinctively, but it's the lessons I learned in dojos (and from that experience) that'll give me the mindset in which to use the gun.

 

[stevelyn]

U.S. SFC_RET,

I find your post worthy of printing and placing in my instructors manual for future use. If you don't mind of course. I couldn't agree with you more on training=confidence.
One thing though, confidence in one's abilities to use the weapon as a result of training is more valueable than confidence in the weapon. Although one should have confidence in the RELIABILITY of one's chosen weapon to function properly when called upon.
Everyday before I go on duty, I do a few full-speed practice draws and presentations, scans and reholstering. If I screw one up in any way, I stop and start over again ensuring all steps are done properly and smoothly. On my last draw before reholstering I do a tactical reload.
The reason for this is to maintain proficiency in retrieving a mag, exchanging it with the one in the gun, indexing the full mag to the front slot without looking and maintaining visual contact with my target.
I also encourage (harp on) my guys to do the same.
I have found that the training and practice drills definitely helps when put under the stress of the timer.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

I think that a more reasonable statement would be that the more you train and familiarize yourself with your weapon, the better able you will be to defend yourself. I think the starting post way over stated his position. There have been countless numbers of grandmas with an old .22 or .38, that they haven't shot in 30 years, defending themselves effectively. Naturally, they'd be better able to do so if they practiced, and were more thoroughly familiar with their weapon, as with anything else.

I encourage familiarity with one's weapon. I will not, however, make the blanket statement that unless you are as familiar with your weapon as the original poster is with his, you might as well throw your guns away. Just having a gun, and understanding its basic function, brings you from a preparedness score of about 2% up to about a score of 20%. That's a big improvement. Add training, and it goes up from there. The original poster might score a 65%, vs granny who scores a 20%, but they are both far above the civilian who depends on a frying pan as his home defense weapon, never having even trained with the frying pan as a weapon.

 

[entropy]

Well put, US SFC. If there is a flaw in your thinking, it is training with only one or a very limited number of weapons. Yes, I can fire, clear stoppages, and even repair an M16/4 in my sleep (former 76Y Armorer with a 45B SMOS), but can you clear malfunctions on an Ithaca M37? A Madsen 50? an RPK? A Remington 7400? Load and fire a Krag-Jorgensen M1894? An M1891 Carcano?
A while back, I found this Oleg poster here, and I believe it supports what I am trying to say here;




You never know what will be at hand when the need arises; Yours might be rendered useless by a round hitting it, run out of ammo, etc. The post about thinking like a criminal and what they would use as an improvised weapon is food for thought also.

Gunny Hartman in FMJ said, "Your rifle is a tool; It is a hard heart that kills." I take this to mean that to me the only difference between killing a deer and (and I'm sure some will take this wrong) justifiably killing a man, woman or child, is that I don't have to tag and gut the human. And, yes, I still get 'buck fever'. Learning to control it is essential to repeated sucess in hunting, as in combat.

Mindset + training= better chances of surviving a potentially lethal situation, whether it be military combat or 3am in a dark parking lot. There are no guarantees. Still, it behooves one to train both physically and mentally as often as possible, and incorporating the ability to use as many tools as possible when needed is one way of hedging your bets. I liked Real Hawkeyes post, and the percentage analogy. Take that 65%, add the ability load and fire your best friends deer rifle when he (and you visiting him) is suddenly the intended victim of a home invasion, and it jacks the % up that much more. (assuming you weren't carrying already. Not everybody does [or can ] all the time.) (Mindset comes in in this example when you edged over by the closet you know your buddy keeps the rifle and a loaded mag or box of shells in when the hackles on you neck rose as he answered the door. Something told you the guys at the door weren't asking directions, even if that was their ruse.... )

 

[Typhoon]

If it comes down to it (and I hope it never does) I will have Uncle Scotty Reitz in my head.

FRONT!! SIGHT!! ANDREA!!!

FRONT SIGHT! TRIGGER PRESS! FOLLOW THROUGH!

And the only time he actually yelled at me personally…

Trigger control – Gently…Gently…I SAID GENTLY!!!

I listened.

Training is critical. Get it the best way that you can.

I sincerely hope I never have to take my instruction into practice…

 

[Nando Aqui]

Excellent post - and it reminds me of that great saying:

"To own a gun and think that you are armed is like owning a piano and think that you are a musician."

 

[JMusic]

Amen Preacherman, Amen.
Jim

 

[1 old 0311]

I spent 69-70 in Vietnam as a Marine Grunt. 8-10 firefights does not make you confident. Range time does. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

kEVIN

 

[Pierre]

Nothing takes the place of WAR to drill this into a person.

In the absence of WAR, there is IDPA, USPSA, and other disaplines that will get your reactions to the "Uh-HuH" stage... Like when you know it's time to hit the brakes... you don't think about it, you simply hit the brakes to slow or stop your vehicle.

Then, once you work past the "mechanics" you need to get the MORAL situation squared away. CCW permit holders that have not reconciled the reason they carry should NOT leave the house "packing" (IMHO)...

Get the mechanics, cause the MORAL issue of taking a life MAY be decided for you... but packing a pistol AND the proficiency you have a stronger chance at survival!

Course, there is the chance that you will be packing your favorite Gun Sight inspected throughbred WHEN THE BUS HITS YOU...

Life, it's a risk... Deal with it...

All - IMHO...

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Carrying a firearm without the training and practice sets the stage for false confidence. Consistantly training with that weapon provides confidence. The next question that I may ask and the CAVEAT THERIN is can there be negative ramifications for Overtraining, Bad training, the lack of the right training? Just what is the right balance of training do you really need?
1. Shooting proficiency of course
2. Carrying, Types of sidearms and holsters
3. Particular reasons for the Carry
4. Rules of engagement. Yes do you have your ROE? you could get into a world of trouble in your state, county or Province.
5. Responsibilities as a civic member to the Public. Some States expect that you protect it's Citizens and it's your honor to do so.
6. What kind of target do you provide as yourself to the BG

Just some thoughts