Proficiency in one platform/gun vs having multiple options

[maximus08]

Any weapon in one's hands should obviously be very familiar. Perhaps the more familiar the better?

If I have both revolvers and semi-autos, especially in different calibers, I'd be splitting up my training time between any that would see even occasional use. Perhaps 50% more time could be spent training with one gun or one platform.

Wouldn't it make sense to become so accustomed to a particular gun or action (various revolvers vs various semi autos) instead of establishing different methods and learning curves with both?

Obviously both have their own differences in terms of power, capacity, conceal-ability, each tool is used for a certain circumstance, etc etc etc but there are options in both categories. A revolver guy could choose a full-size 6 round capacity as a preference as well as a snubbie for really warm weather , or a semi auto guy could have a full size duty gun and the obvious contrast would be a subcompact with slightly less capacity. These all could be in the same respective calibers or varying, obviously.

But is it better to believe in, practice with, and rely on one type opposed to both?

Further, is it perhaps better to stick with one caliber in 2+ guns as opposed to having a range of calibers?

The mentality and decisions would be based on the mindset of a practical shooter, not solely a collector/hobbyist.

 

[maximus08]

Obviously it IS possible for a high volume shooter who spends tons of time at the range to become a very good shooter with all sorts of weapons, but what about somebody who gets limited range time?

 

[Sam1911]

If your range time is really limited, then yes, for defensive handgunning purposes I'd say you should devote as much time as possible to learning one platform well. If you carry a primary and a secondary gun, then maybe split it up 80%/20% or some such.

If you can't get more than 100 rds. a month or whatever you consider to be "limited" then I wouldn't spread it a mile wide and an inch deep.

Same goes if you only get a few minutes a month to practice realistic shooting (use of holster, shooting on the move, multiple targets, multiple positions, reloading, malfunction drills, etc.). If you don't have time to really run your guns hard enough to learn their manipulation as second nature, then don't confuse the issue by bringing a different style gun out every range session.

 

[maximus08]

50-100 rds per week is what i consider limited (for me)

and definitely more than a few minutes per month to practice tactics

let's put it this way.. is it worth learning completely opposite platforms, and is there a risk of being less proficient than one could've otherwise been had one stuck to the same platform?

in terms of training and becoming very comfortable and accustomed, would it be more wise to carry a full size revolver and a snub as a backup OR alternate

OR full size carry pistol and a subcompact (again either as a BUG or alternate)..

opposed to a mismatch revolver/semi auto? maybe thats a perfect match for some ppl? i just wonder if it would be more difficult and would lead to less overall mastery in the end

i hope my question is more clear

 

[CZ223]

In answer to most of your questions, yes.

The more you train with a any gun/platform the more proficient you will become with it. Switching platforms can be tricky especially when there are safeties involved that operate differently from one platform to the next. At one point I was practicing with and shooting Cowboy action guns pretty much all the time. When I shot the pistols two handed I would use my offhand thumb to cock the hammer and pull the trigger with my strong hand. One day I decide to shoot my defensive handguns after a long hiatis. As soon as that gun came out of my holster and into shooting position I realized that I had just tried to cock my Glock with my offhand thumb. Fortunately for me I was smart enough to not pull the trigger. It would have resulted in a bad case of slide bite. The same happened when I tried to shoot my 870 fast. I realized that I was much more familiar with, and thus proficient with, my 97 shotgun. That is the reason that there is a loaded 97 and a bandolier in my closet.

I do believe however that as long as platforms are similar you should be good to go. At one point I would only keep a gun for defensive purposes if I could just point it and pull the trigger without worrying about safeties. Included in my battery were a S&W 686, an S&W 4516 and a couple Glocks. I kept the 4516 with the safety off so that it worked essentialy the same as a double action revolver for the first shot. Yes the grip angles were different but that was about it. They all worked essentially the same way at tleast until you used up the ammo that was in the gun. I never had any problem switching between the three. I now switch between Glock and 1911's but I practice a lot.

 

[shockwave]

is it worth learning completely opposite platforms

Sure it is. There might be some over-thinking going on here, in that time spent practicing with one firearm doesn't take anything away from your other skills - you're just adding to what you know. Depending on the situation, you might have to use somebody else's gun, so I don't seen much value in specializing.

 

[CZ223]

Thats a fair amount of practice

certainly much more than the average shooter. I can't go every week, especially in the winter, but I generally shoot a couple hundred rounds per session when I do. I currently carry a 1911 most of the time and an LCP as my backup. I don't see any problem with this even though the LCP is closer to the Glock that I sometimes carry, in function anyway. Keeping the guns in the same caliber is a good idea in theory but it is not generally practical. Some folks can coceal a G23 and a G27 and a couple mags that work in both guns but most can't.

Practice the most with the guns that you carry the most. Switching to a less familiar platform occassionaly will keep things interesting without confusing your brain too much.

 

[Sam1911]

50-100 rds per week is what i consider limited (for me)

Actually, I agree with CZ223. That's a pretty significant amount of shooting. I shoot somewhere between 1x-2x that quantity, myself and, while I don't consider myself a "master" of any weapons, it has allowed me to become and stay competitive with striker-fired guns, single-action autos, and D/A revolvers as well.

Having said that, I don't swap back and forth between platforms every week. I usually train with one gun for 4 months to a year at a time before switching to concentrate on something else. There is a familiarization period after each switch. It takes me a few weeks to really get a 1911 running intuitively after I've shot a 629 for a year.

I think proficiency with multiple platforms is a valuable asset (not only because you might have to use an unfamiliar gun, but) as we all like different guns for different purposes and just "moods." If your practice is GOOD practice, 400 rds. a month should afford you enough proficiency to diversify a bit.

IMHO.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I believe it is possible and worth learning multiple platforms.

Just like in the earlier days of semi auto acceptance I use a Hi Power with the J frame as BUG. Some times I only carry the J frame and sometimes only the Hi Power. I carry them in the same locations regardless though.

 

[jdh]

One should be proficient in one's chosen tool but have a working knowledge of a wide variety of types. The Best Defense TV show had a segment on this that reinforced my belief. What would you do it yours became unusable and you had to resort to a "battlefield pick up"?

 

[ArmedBear]

Cross-training is vital to success in any sport.

If you always shoot the same gun, you will begin to lose touch with what you're feeling in your hands. Often, switching up, with awareness, leads to much faster mastery. You will be more aware of the trigger, the gun's balance, the feel of the grips, the way the sights look, etc.

Hit a performance plateau with a 1911? Practice shooting DA with a revolver for a while, going for all-out accuracy. Your trigger control and grip awareness will improve, and it's almost guaranteed that your 1911 shooting will improve.

Why do you think baseball players warm up with weights on their bats? It "wakes up" their muscles and their mental awareness in ways that a plain bat doesn't.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Wouldn't it make sense to become so accustomed to a particular gun or action (various revolvers vs various semi autos) instead of establishing different methods and learning curves with both?

Yes. Have you ever heard of the saying, "Beware of the man who has only one gun because he probably knows how to use it"? It means he has developed intuitive proficiency with his gun and he can operate it efficiently, quickly and effectively. He has one skill set to exercise and maintain. His OODA Loop operates under "implicit guidance and control" (intuition and conditioned reflex). He doesn't have to think about what he's doing with his gun, he just operates it. When he's handling his gun his OODA Loop is short; he "observes" (senses) then immediately "acts". His experience allows him to short-circuit the other two parts of the OODA Loop - "orient" and "decide". This is where quickness comes from. He intuitively knows where all the controls are located and how much effort is needed to operate those controls. He can "drive" his gun as effortlessly, physically and mentally, as you drive your car.

If you shoot a variety of firearms you're less efficient and less quick because you have to Observe, Orient, Decide and Act. The feel of the triggers are different. The sights are different. The mass of the gun is different. The location, physical contours, and effort required to operate the controls are different.

Whereas if you shoot one type of gun only you don't have to contend with these differences. You just "Observe" and "Act."

 

[ArmedBear]

He can "drive" his gun as effortlessly, physically and mentally, as you drive your car.

Do you drive only one car?

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Do you drive only one car?

For all practical purposes, yes, the one car I commute to work in. I own three vehicles. When, on the rare occasion, I have to drive the other two cars, usually just to move them in the driveway, I'm not familiar with them at all. The other two cars are driven by my wife and daughter.

My wife's car has an automatic transmission. My commuter car has a manual transmission. There are times when I drive my wife's car that I automatically reach down to operate the stick instead of reaching behind the steering wheel to operate the shift lever. I have to stop and look for the parking brake pedal, the door handle, fumble around to adjust the seat, etc. I'm less efficient.

 

[ArmedBear]

I suppose if you have a difficult time adapting to things, it would be best to stick with one gun. It will handicap your shooting ability severely in the long term, as will only driving one car. One's senses become dulled. Again, see any successful sports training regimen.

Personally, I hop between a stick Jeep and an auto wagon, and I can drive both like I stole them if I want to, as different as they are. Have had a couple of sports cars; same thing. One must be aware of the differences in handling and performance envelopes. This improves one's skills, one's perceptions, and the sheer joy of driving.

Practicing a skill, really LEARNING that skill, and developing your awareness will trump simple habituation to a single tool, over time.

Sounds like you don't believe your own sig line.

 

[shockwave]

Practicing a skill, really LEARNING that skill, and developing your awareness will trump simple habituation to a single tool, over time.

Strong agreement here. An equally valid argument can be made that over-reliance on a single tool (handgun) will render one hamstrung in the event another weapon needs to be brought into play. There's certainly nothing wrong with having favorites, and in IPSC shooting I've only used one gun for competition. Still, I want to be competent with revolvers, autos, shotguns and rifles, and experienced with multiple calibers. "Beware the man with one gun" is an aphorism, and I'm more worried about the criminal or psycho I run into out there.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I'm quick, efficient and effective with what I shoot, regardless if I'm shooting competitively or defensively. That's all that matters to me.

Put another gun in my hand and I'll have no problem operating it, but I won't be as quick and efficient with it.

 

[thorazine]

Another vote for...

[X] Doesn't matter to me.

I find no difficulty transitioning between platforms.

It's done without any thought process what so ever.


Far easier than operating an automobile and I often switch from a manual transmission to automatic then to a two wheeler.

 

[GunnerShotz]

I think the concern of the OP is valid and the real (read short) answer is what it will always be: Practice Makes Perfect. That goes for anything ...... including any platform for any given application.

Muscle memory is neccessary for superior performance in any given physical activity. Ironically, our brains are designed for adaptation, so diversifying will also increase proficiency with every activity attempted. So the long answer is to strengthen the associative pathways in our brains by continuing to branch out into different activities (platforms).

Bottom line: Definitely explore, own, shoot different platforms ...... just practice the most with whatever gun you decide to use for whatever "practical shooting" you want to be best at ......... hunting, IDPA, trap-shooting, self-defense, etc.

 

[wlewisiii]

I believe in learning one thing well. Pick a firearm and learn it. Once you really really really really know that firearm, then you'll find you can pick up damn near any one of them and know it well quickly. Funny thing, practice is. I find this is especially true if the first firearm is a revolver as learning a DA revolver trigger will teach you much about every other firearm by showing off your bad habits ...

William

 

[bababooey32]

Again, see any successful sports training regimen.

Exactly. You don't see football players kicking a soccer ball at practice, or baseball players shooting hoops. They train through MASSIVE repetition of their skill so that it becomes second nature. You may notice that golfers have terrible batting swings and baseball players have terrible golf swings (generally)...There is enough similarity that one would think that the skills translate, but there is sufficient difference that mastering one has virtually no bearing on one's skill level with the other.

I suppose if you have a difficult time adapting to things, it would be best to stick with one gun.

That's a strawman argument. I might be very good at adapting to different platforms, but maybe I don't have sufficient time to practice multiple platforms, so I stick with one to ensure that, when it matters, I run that platform flawlessly.

The real question here is: How much practice time is necessary to become proficient in a particular platform AND how much time is necessary to become proficient at two platforms. BTW - "Mastering" two platforms on the range is great. But mastering two so that you can run them perfectly under stress is another ballgame...IMHO

 

[ForumSurfer]

I own several different platforms, and see no reason why anyone shouldn't.

But I only train with my 1911's because they work best for me.

I've recently bought a Glock and I'm adding that into my "serious" shooting practice.

Shooting is a passion for me. I do it when I can. I see no reason for me to limit my collection to one platform.

My rifle collection is just as diverse. Everything from the semi auto ar to a well used bolt action british enfield.

While becoming proficient in one platform at a time is an excellent suggestion, limiting your arsenal to one maker/platform just seems silly. I could understand if you own a gun strictly for personal defense, but myself and my family enjoy shooting. Given the fact that everyone has different sized hands and preferences, well that gives me an excuse to buy more firearms.

 

[OregonJohnny]

Also, don't underestimate the value of practicing at home. Once a gun is double and triple-checked to be unloaded, you can practice things like: different methods of carry, drawing from the holster, re-holstering, drawing while on the ground, your back, your stomach, trigger discipline, dry-firing, loading/unloading (with snap-caps, of course), quick disassembly/re-assembly, failure drills, maintaining sights on target while on the move, etc. These are all things that will make you more familiar with a particular gun, or all your guns, without having to go to the range.

While I may only get to the range once or twice a month, I can handle any guns I own anytime I want at home. There is no substitute for live-fire training, but "dry" training at home can help add familiarity in the meantime.

 

[ForumSurfer]

"dry" training at home can help add familiarity in the meantime

Couldn't agree more, Johnny.

The only way for me to adjust from years and years of 1911 use to the awkward (for me) Glock grip was to holster, draw to point of aim, holster, draw to point of aim, holster, draw to point of aim, repeat ad nauseum.

 

[EddieNFL]

Driving a car is a poor analogy. Very few drive a car to the limits of its performance capabilities.