Posted on 09/12/2014 12:09:36 PM PDT by RC one
Assailants rarely stand still and announce themselves as a “threat.” In the September issue of Townhall Magazine, where this article originally appeared, BearingArms.com's Bob Owens asks if your firearms training is realistic.
I’ve been to a number of different self-defense courses in the past 20 years, almost all of them focused on drawing and shooting at a stationary paper target at a known distance on a static firing line after the lead instructor has shouted “threat!”
I’m now supremely confident that if I am ever attacked by a stationary paper target, I will survive.
Unfortunately, criminals rarely shout “threat!” as they attack, they don’t conveniently stand stock-still, and they’re incredibly uncooperative with their would-be victims. The sad fact of the matter is that even most “advanced” self-defense classes offered by reputable organizations and shooting schools only prepare us to deal with caricatures of threats, and generally in manners that won’t succeed in a real conflict.
For example, you might be told that once you are given the fire command, you are to fire two shots into the center of target “A” and then run to cover, perform a reload while hiding behind cover, and then engage with target “B” as you emerge from cover on the opposite side. You knew what to expect the entire time, because the scenario was explained completely beforehand.
An advanced class might feature a more complex drill involving reactive targets (targets that move after being struck just once, or after a prescribed number of times) and “no shoot” non-threatening targets representing normal people going about their daily lives. Instead of engaging a specific number of targets in a specific order with a specific number of shots, the shooter is going to have to read the situation at each point of the process and think their way through the scenario as they encounter possible threats.
Such a class introduces complexity and is more realistic but the course of fire, once set, is set. The reactive target can’t decide to become a non-threat, and the “no shoot” can’t drop a bouquet of flowers as it draws a knife and charges you, and you are generally not allowed the best defensive option, which is creating space between the assailant and yourself, running if you can.
To get the semblance of a real threat, humans need to attack other humans.
It is because of this need for more realistic force-on-force training that the U.S. military introduced the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System in 1980, and later added man-marker rounds that allowed servicemen to use their real weapons with conversion kits that would only fire paintball-like or wax-based marker rounds.
In more recent years, many companies have added force-on-force training courses for civilians that use commercial, off-the-shelf airsoft firearms that mimic the action of modern firearms, but which fire lightweight 6-millimeter plastic BBs at a reduced velocity.
I was recently able to witness force-on-force training using realistic airsoft pistols. Trace Armory Group incorporated force-on-force scenario training in their NRA defensive pistol class. After a morning of shooting real handguns at paper targets, students were directed to the Camp Butner MOUT (Military Operations on Urban Terrain) range for role-playing exercises that happened in, around, and among the range’s buildings. The defending student was armed with an airsoft pistol in an inside-the-waistband holster, and would be expected to “act appropriately” to the appearance of an unexpected person or persons.
In some scenarios the opposing role-player was nothing more than a curious person engaging the defender in conversation. In others, they were intent on an all-out attack with a handgun, knife, or blunt object. In other scenarios, the assailant was informed to react to the defender, and only to attack if the defender gave them an opportunity, letting the opposing player get close enough to use a knife or bat.
While not perfectly mimicking real life, the course quickly informed every student that shooting at paper targets from a static position is poor preparation for a real life defensive scenario.
In the 70-plus scenarios I saw acted out, the defender had the opportunity to establish a classic two-handed firing grip just once; the rest of the engagement was typically one-handed hip shooting or point shooting with only the rare use of sights.
In many scenarios, the defender was using their support side hand to ward off attacks that often didn’t develop until opposing players were an arm’s length away. Static, stay-in-your-lane shooting might make liability insurance for shooting ranges more affordable, but is it preparing you to deal with real life threats the way that force-on-force training might? •
My training is comparable to an infantry battle drill, the idea being, when the SHTF, you aren't going to be able to think. You will be able to react however and your reaction will be whatever you have trained yourself to do.
If you trained yourself to stand in a perfect isosceles stance while holding your weapon in a perfect two handed weaver grip or whatever while delivering slow well aimed shots to a bullseye, you will probably end up hurt or worse. Or maybe you'll get lucky.
The problem is most ranges don’t even allow drawing from a holster, let alone realistic training.
Given the above, 99 times out of 100 all you have to do is produce a firearm and the bad guy leaves.
You don't have to be a special operator to successfully defend yourself with a firearm.
For the most likely scenario (home invasion), my lady has been instructed to empty the magazine (17 9mm) in their general direction.
Of course she’s shot at the range, and knows how to sight a “threat”.
But my assumption is that any average home invader is going to start running by at least shot #3, and (if not dead yet) keep running when shot #17 rings out.
Just sayin’.
If it’s me, I’ll be a little more judicious in ammo usage, making sure I’m on a useful target. I’ve practiced rolling on the ground, and can hit paper while in a complete log-roll upside down while on the move. I think I’ll be okay.
Absolutely agree. Even at my private club they've banned paper targets with human silhouettes or a picture of a bad guy. They say area home owners were afraid that the militia were training there.
M4L
Is Your Is my firearms Training Realistic? YES!
The one time I needed my weapon, I didn’t even have to pull it. I just put my hand on it in its holster and readied myself to draw it and the threats recognized the move and opted to leave us alone. I saw what I took to be the leader who, after sizing me up, looked over at the guy standing by my wife and he shook his head no and they walked away. They had a lookout posted in the street too. three of them and me with a little old 5 shot j frame. Real glad I didn’t have to pull it. 5 rounds isn’t enough.
I’m fortunate that I can get away with shooting in my back yard so I can be a little bit realistic. Typical pistol ranges are kind of a waste of time IMO.
Bad guys are, first and foremost, cowards. That’s why they operate in packs. And they are only interested in defenseless victims.
care to elaborate? I understand if you want to keep your gunfu secrets....secrets.
exactly.
the only thing that comes close is a practical shooting class/exercise/course.
Yep. that was basically what it was, a pack of wolves sniffing around for fear and weakness and retreating when they didn’t smell any. If all else fails, appear strong when you are weak.
put one up of oscar the grouch.
who’d believe the militia were training off that one?
There's an easier solution, of course. We just make it illegal for anyone to commit a robbery without shouting "Threat!" and standing still. Dunno why nobody thought of that.
> The problem is most ranges don’t even allow drawing from a holster, let alone realistic training.
I can see the problem with a handgun.
I used to prepare for hunting season with a pellet gun in my basement. I had a cardboard box filled with newspapers and rags. The box was suspended from the ceiling by a single long cord that allowed the box the swing and rotate. A second string went from the bottom corner of the box across the basement to where I was shooting from. I would jerk the string and then give myself one second to bring the gun up, draw a bead on the target and get off a round. When I started each hunting season, I had very few meaningful hits, but after a couple of weeks, it was almost always a bullseye. Anyone can do this; it’s just practice and reflexes.
“Bad guys are, first and foremost, cowards. That’s why they operate in packs. And they are only interested in defenseless victims.”
Exactly. And they will rarely step over their bleeding and screaming buddy to get to you.
But don't be fooled. They're all games.
How do we know this?
They all have a rulebook.
I always think back to the samurai when I contemplate how best to defend oneself with a pistol. Their ideal was to draw their sword as fast as possible and cut the threat down in a matter of seconds, basically in the same motion of the sword draw. They avoided actually crossing blades. With that in mind, I don’t get down on the ground anymore. I train for speed and fluidity with a minimum of required thinking.
i think for existence as an org that has live fire exercises, rules on the course are required.
it’s as close to real life as you can get. i know some people who’ve gone through the courses and they’ve found it useful. obviously not perfect, but more dimensions than static paper target.
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