Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,935
@Onewildhoss - I fully agree with your sentiment about minimal expectations for training and training currency. While I would never support an infringement of the right to carry a firearm to defend yourself such as requiring a training course for concealed carry, but I do believe a responsibly minded person should hold themselves to a standard which requires regular, quality instruction as well as regular, quality practice.
I personally try to take at least one handgun and one carbine class every year (and in recent years, a long range rifle course). I’m an instructor myself, but still hold myself to that expectation. I believe firmly enough in the importance of training as a necessity that I usually offer a few free handgun basics courses each year if a group pulls together to fill it - just to be sure a price tag never stands between instruction and the folks wanting/needing it. I firmly believe, at the very least, a person carrying a defensive firearm should take a training course annually, a law refresher every other year, practice live fire at least quarterly, and dry fire biweekly. Better still would be training annually to biannually, live fire monthly, and dry fire weekly to multiple times per week.
A word of caution - I absolutely do not believe a person can be “self taught” in anything. “Teaching” is an act where someone who possesses knowledge passes said onto someone who does not. A person can try to learn on their own, but the most efficient learning is done when instructed by a qualified and skilled teacher. Trying to learn on your own is a nasty trap - a person might see some moderate success in a bad technique, not realizing it is bad, then foster that into their habit, because it seemed to work at their early stage. In later stages, that bad technique has now been engrained as a bad habit, limiting their ability to progress. Seek training from qualified and reputable instructors before you develop any bad habits - even if your well meaning dad, Uncle, husband, Pastor, neighbor, whoever offers to help. Unless they’re a qualified instructor or professional competitive coach, most likely they don’t possess the skills and ability to instruct others, and WILL pass on bad techniques which they don’t realize are bad themselves.
I personally try to take at least one handgun and one carbine class every year (and in recent years, a long range rifle course). I’m an instructor myself, but still hold myself to that expectation. I believe firmly enough in the importance of training as a necessity that I usually offer a few free handgun basics courses each year if a group pulls together to fill it - just to be sure a price tag never stands between instruction and the folks wanting/needing it. I firmly believe, at the very least, a person carrying a defensive firearm should take a training course annually, a law refresher every other year, practice live fire at least quarterly, and dry fire biweekly. Better still would be training annually to biannually, live fire monthly, and dry fire weekly to multiple times per week.
A word of caution - I absolutely do not believe a person can be “self taught” in anything. “Teaching” is an act where someone who possesses knowledge passes said onto someone who does not. A person can try to learn on their own, but the most efficient learning is done when instructed by a qualified and skilled teacher. Trying to learn on your own is a nasty trap - a person might see some moderate success in a bad technique, not realizing it is bad, then foster that into their habit, because it seemed to work at their early stage. In later stages, that bad technique has now been engrained as a bad habit, limiting their ability to progress. Seek training from qualified and reputable instructors before you develop any bad habits - even if your well meaning dad, Uncle, husband, Pastor, neighbor, whoever offers to help. Unless they’re a qualified instructor or professional competitive coach, most likely they don’t possess the skills and ability to instruct others, and WILL pass on bad techniques which they don’t realize are bad themselves.
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