MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, we are seeing increasing threats throughout the world. Many of these threats are now being seen in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our workplaces. Even our homes are not safe. What will you do when those threats confront you? Are you trained to respond in such a way to best protect yourself and your loved ones?
Imagine that you are headed out for a day on the shooting range. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the range is flat. You have range officers making sure people follow the rules, you have as much time as you need to fire your shot, and nobody is shooting back at you.
Now imagine the following scenario:
It is 1 o’clock in the morning and you just got out of a late movie. As you walk to your car it is cold, rainy, and dark. Someone approaches you in the parking lot with a knife and you now have to use your firearm. Think about all that is involved! You have to pull your firearm from cover, while deciding to employ deadly force, while your adrenaline is pumping, while someone is advancing on you, while you are in between two parked cars, while your hands are wet and cold, and you have to fire multiple shots quickly and accurately without hitting innocent bystanders. What if the assailant doesn’t stop? What if your gun malfunctions? What if you need to reload or you see a second assailant?
See the difference in the two scenarios? Most gun owners have practiced the first scenario. Very few have practiced the second.
Many people assume that they will be able to protect themselves and their loved ones because they are familiar with guns and have been shooting their whole life. But a shooting in real life is not the same as how one has practiced at a range, on someone’s land, or while hunting.
Some realities of a shooting to consider:
- The majority of shootings happen in or around a home. How much training do you have in home defense and room clearing?
- 75% of all shootings happen within three yards or less. How much training do you have in weapons retention and close-quarters combat?
- 80-90% of shootings happen at dusk or at night. How much training do you have in shooting at night?
- Almost all handgun engagements require multiple shots. How often have you fired multiple shots quickly and accurately?
- Law Enforcement officers miss almost 80% of their shots under pressure. How much training do you have in shooting under stress?
- Bullets often pass through their targets. Do you know how to “get offline” so your shots don’t hit a family member or innocent bystander?
With all this in mind, we encourage you to get as much training as you can. Maybe this means taking a shooting course. Maybe it means paying a shooting instructor for some hourly lessons. Maybe it means using a firearms simulator.
Whatever you decide we encourage you to receive the training necessary to best equip yourself to use your weapon. Practice is great! It reinforces known skills. But training is better because it imparts a new skill and allows you to get more out of your practice time.
