Defensive shooting practice is a whole new world.

[Old School]

I attended a CCW self defence class this week. It was a real eye opener. Unlike most classes around here, this instructor compiled an extensive live shooting portion of the class. He started out easy with slow fire target at 10 feet and quickly ramped into multiple assailant rapid fire shooting.

I have been an active shooter off and on for my whole life and was easily the most experienced person in my class. As you may have expected, during the slow fire initial portion of the test, I easily cut a single 1" hole out of the center of my target. Most of the other class members commented on how well I shot. However, once the serious action started, I found myself just as challenged as my less experienced classmates.

We had: single silhouette target double taps at 10', rapid fire, double silhouette double taps, triple sihouette double taps and combinations of moving target double silhouette double taps and rapid fire.

There were alot of challenges for me. Including: combat stance, grip modifications, weight distribution, foot placement, pointing without using sights, using both eyes and more. The whole day was very exciting and enjoyable but it sure did tear my confidence down a bit. I had to come to terms with the thought that defensive/combat shooting was a whole new ballgame for me.

Obviously, once I realized that I had so many things to improve on, I wanted to practice these techniques. Unfortunately, no place around here allows this type of shooting at their ranges. So now, I have to figure out how to practice. All that aside, it was a lot of fun and has opened up a whole new way to enjoy this great sport.

 

[1911 guy]

Continuing education.

Take more classes. One a year is doable for most people. More than that and you start racking up some serious hotel and tuition fees. Not the same CCW class, but a real shooting school that teaches defensive handgun. Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, etc. I've been to others, but they are the recocnizeable names to convey the idea. If you look around, there's probably a reputable school within a days drive of you.

 

[Dave Williams]

List your general location and I'm sure some members will give you more nearby training locations.

Dave Williams

 

[Old School]

I am in the Tampa Bay area.

 

[Dave Williams]

Well that was easy:

http://cumberlandtactics.com/

Dave Williams

 

[possum]

congrats, and you should be proud that is a step that all gun owners should take, but hardly no one does. i love training courses. i have went from wanting more gun money to wanting money to attend training courses. i will never be happy with my skill set and i am gonna continue to go to courses and improve as much as humanly possible.

check out www.tacticalresponse.com
or check out the disscusion forums on www.getoffthex.com
they do travel.

 

[Rob Pincus]

Well Done, Old School.

Accepting that you've got things to work on is one of the hardest things for most shooters.

I am working on a book project right now that includes short essays offering advice on training from some of the best known guys in the industry and one of the recurring themes is the need to identify and train in the areas that you are weakest.


As for practicing in your area, I'm sure you can turn up some good ranges in your area that are open to realistic training. Worst case scenario, try attending a local IDPA match and see if any of the guys are involved in informal training groups. Ranges that allow IDPA should also be open to realistic training sessions.


-RJP

 

[Old School]

Thanx for the link Dave.

 

[Bix]

Thanx for the link Dave.

I did a class (CQT) with Randy a couple months ago. He is an excellent teacher .

Rob, does that project happen to be the one that Farnam recently quipped about? It sounds like a very unique offering, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Congratulations on breaking the ice, and on recognizing what you learned. Training with a good instructor is beneficial in more ways than I can begin to list- sounds as if you found several of those ways.

There's a difference in 'shooting' and fighting with a gun. Practicing shooting is not necessarily the same thing as learning how to fight with a gun. Anyone who carries a concealed weapon for self defense needs to learn that difference, and being in the hands of a good instructor is the fastest and safest way to do that I know of.

Now then, Old School, if you feel ready, it's time to start looking for a class which included force on force training...

lpl

 

[Old School]

Lee, I really don't have any frame of reference in this new world. Feel free to suggest any resources I can read about.

 

[VegasOPM]

Now that you have broken the ice, get ye to the nearest IDPA or USPSA match and test yourself against others AND the clock. It is hard to learn to balance speed and accuracy- but two solid hits in under 2 seconds will go a lot further to stop an attack than a perfect hit in 10 seconds.

Competition will go a long way in showing how well that you do under stress. While it isn't quite the same as a real gunfight (or so I've heard), hearing that start buzzer go off dumps a fair amount of adrenaline into your system.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with vegas. IDPA or IPSC/USPSA may not be gunfighting training but you WILL learn to SHOOT THE GUN under conditions you cannot replicate at a rent-a-lane-by-the-hour range and at a price you can afford on a weekly basis. Take your annual gunfighting refresher for the "tactics" but get in a club where you can SHOOT THE GUN, and frequently. Nobody will care if your school tactics interfere with you getting the best score, as long as you don't to a 360 to scan the area for threats or something else that violates competition safety requirements.

Check out
http://www.fwcdpc.com
and the links to other ranges in the Tampa area with both versions of what we called Combat Shooting in a less P.C. era.
I have shot at Lakeland and Ruskin, also Orlando, while visiting friends in the area, and if I can schedule it, will be at the Florida State IDPA Championship at the Wyoming Antelope Club in St Pete.

 

[Old School]

When is that event at the Antilope club Jim?

 

[Rob Pincus]

Bix, it is..... I don't want to hijack the thread here... PM me for more details. The book will be out this fall.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Try http://www.policeone.com/writers/columnists/POSA/articles/127288 for an intro to FoF and the reasons why it's being used more and more. As I said, when you feel ready to deal with it, it's worth considering in your training program.

Good luck and Stay Safe,

lpl

 

[Old Guy]

Ruskin IDPA

Having shot in the past at the club in Ruskin IDPA matches, I have to say you will have fun, plus nice people.

IDPA is not gunfighting, no other program is either. But you get to test your accuracy and gun handling under stress, good for you, and good for your carry gun and holster (if done realistically from a stand point of CCW) one of the first big shocks if you shoot a double action first round pistol... those first rounds are accuracy challenged.

Unless a training course is from concealed all the time, each round fired not from a covered pistol and holster, is training you for range practice.

 

[Old School]

Try http://www.policeone.com/writers/col...rticles/127288 for an intro to FoF and the reasons why it's being used more and more. As I said, when you feel ready to deal with it, it's worth considering in your training program.

Good luck and Stay Safe,

lpl
____

Thanks for that link Lee. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do.