Combat-Ready Mindset

The most fundamental difference between trained and untrained individuals in self-defense situations is the mindset. Trained people develop a combat-ready mindset through repeated drills and exercises that prepare them to respond effectively under stress. Training is designed to conditioned them to be calm and focused when danger arises. Through this form of inoculation the individual becomes somewhat desensitized allowing for an improved response. Untrained individuals, on the other hand, often experience heightened stress, fear, or panic, which can lead to poor decision-making. They are more likely to freeze, hesitate, or react impulsively without thinking through their actions. Take for instance an immediate action drill, commonly performed when a stoppage occurs. The trained individual will perform a conditioned response to remedy the issue in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible. The untrained individual will likely rely on luck to solve the problem. Which is better?

Situational Awareness

A major benefit of training is improved situational awareness. Trained individuals know to observe their surroundings, identify potential threats early, and assess exits or escape routes. This heightened awareness can help them avoid dangerous situations before they even begin. Untrained individuals are often unaware of what’s happening around them and may miss crucial warning signs, increasing the likelihood of being caught off guard. When a stoppage occurs with a firearm, there are two directions one could travel; diagnostic or non-diagnostic. The trained individual is more likely to go non-diagnostically relying on their training. An untrained individual more than likely will be diagnostic, not knowing what’s happening and requiring more information or by pass crucial information. In this case, the stoppage. What caused it? The trained individual is less concerned and will perform a series of actions designed to accommodate as many contingencies as possible to quickly return to the fight. An optimal response.

Controlled Response vs. Reactive Panic

Training is designed to instill control over emotions and actions. When faced with a threat, a trained person’s response is deliberate and measured. They’ve practiced scenarios where they have to decide whether to engage or disengage, how to act effectively, and to de-escalate if possible. What actions to perform and when. Conversely, untrained people often react based on instinct or fear, which can result in wild, ineffective responses. This reactive panic might cause them to miss opportunities to flee or defend themselves in a meaningful way. Video analysis is all the rage these days and before one goes too far down the rabbit hole ask yourself is the individual trained or untrained. I’ve observed enough videos of untrained or better, poorly trained individuals that during a deadly force encounter experience a stoppage. As they draw their handgun to deal with an immediate threat, they fire one shot and attempt to fire more when they realize the firearm is not firing. The cause, the magazine either fell from the gun during presentation or was not fully seated. This is not new, nor is it earth shattering news. It happens more often. During the conduct of thousands of hours of tactical training I’ve seen it plenty of times on the firing line. The immediate action is to tap the magazine, cycle the action and return to the fight. I’ve moved away from calling it “tap, rack, bang” but many know it as this.

Confidence and Posture

Training breeds confidence. A person who knows they have the skills and tools to defend themselves will carry themselves differently. Their posture, eye contact, and demeanor may deter potential violent criminal actors (VCA) from attacking them in the first place. Untrained individuals often exhibit nervousness, unsure body language, or timid behavior, which can make them more appealing to a VCA. The beauty of being non-diagnostic is I don’t need to know what caused the stoppage. Because I have the confidence to know my immediate action drill will solve the problem. I also don’t want to confuse untrained, luck or ignorance for a sound tactic to employ. Just because an untrained individual performed a series of actions with a favorable outcome doesn’t mean it erases thousands of trained favorable outcomes. It is also difficult to analyze all events that occurred without the benefit of video analysis. Just because they were not recorded or reviewed doesn’t mean they are any less valuable.

The gap between trained and untrained individuals in self-defense is stark. Training not only equips people with the physical skills to defend themselves but also instills the mental toughness and situational awareness needed to make quick, effective decisions under pressure. Should training techniques be updated and validated. Absolutely, but are we willing to allow an untrained individual dictate the outcome. Around the 1950’s CPR was codified to include rescue breathing to help provide oxygen to the lungs which is critical to the brain and other vital organs to keep them functioning. But, in 2008 rescue breathing was removed from the protocol. Not because it wasn’t effective, but for two reasons. To overcome concerns of mouth-to-mouth contact and to encourage more people to take action. Again, not because rescue breathing is not effective.

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Stability and Position

The first principle of rifle marksmanship is establishing a stable shooting position. I sometimes reference a “shooting platform” going all the way back to my Navy days. The position must provide a stable foundation to manage the rifle’s recoil and maintain sight alignment. Stability comes from using bone support as oppossed to muscles, which tire quickly and introduce inconsistencies. Learn to use the natural point of aim at all times in all the positions. The three primary shooting positions to master are:

• Prone: The most stable, as the body is closest to the ground.
• Kneeling: Offers some stability with quick mobility.
• Standing: Least stable but essential for moving targets or tactical situations.

The goal for each position is to comfortably stabilize the rifle while absorbing recoil. The purpose behind each position is irrelevant, mastering the positions and letting the situation dictate is the objective.

Grip and Control

A proper grip on the rifle is necessary for control, making good hits on target. With a rifle there are a total of four points of contact; the weak hand, strong hand, shoulder pocket and cheek weld. The weak hand stabilizes the rifle’s weight by gripping the fore-end firmly and pulling into the shoulder pocket for a solid connection. The strong hand grips the rifle with equal tension to avoid imbalances with access to all appropriate controls.  Too much pressure or uneven gripping can pull shots off target. The shoulder pocket positions the buttstock of the rifle high and slightly inboard of the shoulder joint. The more connection with the buttstock, the better the recoil control. The cheek weld is the connection with the top surface of the buttstock. The cheekbone will literally rest on top the buttstock. When gripping the rifle, remember:

• Use the weak hand to stabilize the rifle, controlling it firmly.
• Maintain a relaxed but controlled grip with the strong hand.
• Place the buttstock in the shoulder pocket low and slightly inboard.
• Rest the cheek bone on the buttstock in the same position.

Consistent and equal grip pressure along with more connection will help stabilize the rifle and manage recoil. The more connected to the rifle, the more opportunity for consistency. The better the connection, the more stable the rifle.

Sight Alignment and Sight Picture

The use of red dot sights (RDS) and low powered variable optics (LPVO) has revolutionized the rifle shooting world. For RDS ensure both eyes are open, focused on the target. Use enough intensity so the dot is crisp, not fuzzy on the edges. For LPVO’s that can be run like an RDS apply the same technique. When magnification is utilized, use the dominant eye only and focus on the proper reference in the reticle. LPVO’s with tactical reticles pose an additional challenge of ensuring the correct reference, whether the crosshairs or stadia lines to hit targets at various distances. The default setting for LPVO’s should be the lowest magnification, cranking up when necessary. This provides the user RDS capability for immediate threats. When aiming following these guidelines:

• For RDS, keep both eyes open, focused on the target
• Use the lowest magnification to maintain the widest field of view
• For back up sights or LPVO with magniciation, focus on the front sight post or reticle.
• Keep the rear sight or scope slightly blurred.
• Ensure the front sight or crosshair is centered on the target.

Ensure the optic is properly installed and use the best zero optimized for the mission. Then be familiar with how to exploit tactical reticles.

Trigger Control

Trigger control is often where shots are made or missed. Squeezing the trigger too quickly or with excessive force can throw off the shot. The goal is to apply steady pressure until the shot breaks, almost as a surprise. This ensures the rifle stays steady with minimal disruption to the aiming process. Key tips include:

• Place enough of the index finger on the trigger to apply power, not force.
• Ensure the tip of the index finger is at 90° to the face of the trigger.
• Apply smooth, even pressure past the shot breaking.
• Avoid jerking or slapping the trigger.

Follow-Through

Once the shot is fired, follow-through is crucial and often forgotten. Keeping the rifle steady and maintaining the sight picture ensures you’re not inadvertently moving the rifle after the shot, which can affect accuracy. Follow-through allows the observation of the shot’s impact when using RDS or LPVO’s. When necessary it allows for immediate aiming adjustments for subsequent shots. Being target focus and observing the shot’s impact becomes a huge tactical advantage.

The five rifle marksmanship principles require discipline and practice. Mastering the principles of position, grip, aiming, trigger control, and follow-through not only improves accuracy but builds confidence. These fundamentals lay the groundwork for consistently hitting the target, no matter the situation.

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The Unknown, Unknowable Event

If you practice the art of gunfighting long enough you’ve heard arguments for and against speed a thousand times. The truth of the matter is they are both right and wrong. It’s more about context and the situation. Shooting fast has its place no doubt, but it is hard to quantify how fast is fast enough. The harsh reality is nobody knows. We are training for an unknown and unknowable event. Actually, that’s not entirely true. The only known will be the need to positively identify the target to ensure deadly force justification. Everything else is up in the air.

Fast is a By Product of the Situation

I’ve told the story several times about how I never had to worry about going “fast” when I was downrange. It was always a by product of the situation and good training. Things happen in real life quickly, thinking fast gives you an advantage. The best decisions were made when the operator was able to pick up on those cues well in advance, position themselves to be tactically advantageous then utilize the surgical violence to resolve our country’s problems. By that point speed was less of an issue at the micro level.

Being Purposeful

Granted, assaulting complex structures doesn’t apply too much to the armed citizen. Conducting too many runs to count a key take away was speed applied without conscious thought generally ended poorly. As the armed citizen another big difference is being reactionary as opposed to pro-actionary. We will be playing catch up most of the time. The ability to draw and deliver accurate and effective fire is the ever elusive goal. How many rounds will it take to stop the fight is the great unknown. How fast must you deliver the first shot is another great unknown. There is no known basis to support these uber fast draw times. The time it takes to recognize the stimulus to draw and fire is greater than the time it takes to draw and fire. There are a lot of variables in play that need to be considered.

Be Smooth

On top of that, we are going to be in a dynamic setting. Maybe the situation deescalate, accelerating decision making speed. Or maybe the situation was a surprise ambush with no warning. The latter is more common and about the only real justification for the super fast drawstroke. There was a complete unawareness of the looming threat. As a result there is an urgency to giddy-up. I find it far more valuable to have a smooth drawstroke that takes into consideration various scenarios. Such as drawing with the use of movement, from a seated or supine position, recovering to a kneeling position from our back and from behind cover. These to me represent a far more valuable perspective. Of course, I’d like each of these draw strokes to be fast, but precise or smooth is the key.

Critical Decision Making

As armed citizens we are responsible for the final resting place of every round we fire on top of deadly force justification. As we find ourselves in these different positions it strains our accuracy. Focusing our efforts in these conditions makes a lot more sense than any super fast drawstroke. The other consideration is the difference between a planned and unplanned event. When we conduct live fire training it is a planned event. Meaning, we are briefed at what distance under what conditions and the course of fire in advanced. This is a huge advantage. It literally removes the critical decision making from the equation. Critical decision making or thinking fast is one of the most overlooked skills in the gunfighting world. It is not something talked about because it is not sexy. The decision to go to guns versus to escape is a hard one for anyone to make, but if all we do is go to guns it makes it far more likely that will be the default setting. Completely removing the critical decision making and potentially putting ourselves in legal jeopardy. Also, if we are not trained to assess each round fired to determine if the attack stopped we again put ourselves in legal jeopardy. If the cue to stop firing completing a Bill drill or emptied the magazine it may be difficult to defend actions in court.

Draw to the Ready

Staying in control at all times is the ultimate goal. It starts by taking in as much available information to make good and timely decisions, what I reference as thinking fast. It’s great to have the super fast drawstroke with the lightening fast split times, but not at the sacrifice of thinking fast. We also see very little emphasis on drawing to a ready position. Granted many defensive gun uses are self explanatory as far as our response. But, what about a smooth draw to a ready position with voice commands. How often is the subject covered of quickly drawing to the ready and issuing commands. There is a tendency to override programming by always drawing and firing.

We are a byproduct of our training. We will never rise to the occasion, we will default to our level of training. Which is why it is so important to consider a more realistic approach towards training where critical decision making is the emphasis, followed by marksmanship and then speed. Discussing the various stimulus to deadly force threats on a more regular basis gives the end user not only the information, but it primes their radar. It puts them in the driver’s seat. Hitting what we are aiming out is the responsibility we bear when we exercise our constitutional rights. The consequences for missing could be property damage at best, personal injury or death at worst. Then moving with control to perform the above is what dictates the speed.

There’s more to gunfighting than shooting fast, thinking fast should be the priority.

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How To Best Ensure Behavioral Change

The purpose behind training is behavioral change that leads to goal or performance standard achievement. I choose to define shooting archetypes as a pattern of behavior that guides or motivates a student. It is possible to have more than one archetype, but there usually will be a dominant one and others that can be subordinate. These warlike personality traits can help explain or define the student’s motivation, fears and goals. By themselves they are not bad, they are only bad if they prevent continued growth or goal attainment. Which is why I enjoy observing students while they are learning. I’m trying to better understand them, what makes them tick so I can get the very best out of them.

The Role of Time & Focus

I’ve also seen students change over the years. One of my greatest achievements is seeing returning students. I enjoy watching them grow as a shooter. I may see a student start out in one category, but as they develop they morph or flat out change into another. I’ve also seen an almost bi-polar condition where two archetypes are competing for dominance. The experience we undergo will help shape these archetypes. For instance, if your first exposure was more “Marksmen” related, you will typically have that as a dominant force. There is nothing to say these are permanent, in fact I feel they are more a state of flux. I can recall participating in different events when my focus might have drawn out more of a certain archetype. Different from my dominant role.

So here are the five shooting archetypes along with some details to help describe them better.

The Speedster

Usually a new student will start out as a speedster where they measure their performance by how fast they complete the task. The task may not meet the standard, but achievement is based on the time it takes and not the outcome.

Desire: To shoot as fast as possible
Goal: Achieve an arbitrary time standard that has limited application
Motto: Go fast or go home

The Marksman

Usually the student who takes their time learning and wants every shot to be a perfect shot. They often are flustered when forced to rush or perform their task quickly.

Desire: To hit the X-ring no matter the cost
Goal: Shoot the tightest groups at the furthest distances
Motto: Accuracy if final

The Metro

Usually the student who is interested in looking good at all costs. They want to have all the cool gear and toys first, then learn how to use them second.

Desire: To look like they know what they are doing
Goal: Be the first with the newest piece of gear
Motto: Everyone wants to be a gangster until

The Commando

Usually the student who is only interested in the outcome and doesn’t care so much about the tools. It is all about the mission and winning no matter the cost.

Desire: To meet the standard while using the least amount of effort
Goal: Mastery of everything so as not to be the weak link
Motto: Fuck it, we’ll do it live

The Gunfighter

Usually the student who is accurate and fast but competes for tactical realism, even when there is none to be had. They are burdened with statistics and knowledge in an effort to control an uncontrollable event.

Desire: To be tactically sound at everything
Goal: Act in the most statistically advantageous manner
Motto: This is the way

I love teaching and I love learning about how to reach students better. We talk about how important it is to know the different adult learning styles, but have we thought about the archetypes as well? Everyone processes and learns new information in different ways. There is no way to get around hard work or effort, you have to put in the time. Being somewhat more aware of these shooting archetypes might help reach a student who is struggling or provide a pathway towards improvement. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.

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Minimum Level of Accuracy

If you shoot long enough at some point the subject of “minute of angle” comes up. If you don’t have a good feeling about MOA then do yourself a favor and watch the video in the attached link. MOA is an angular unit of measure. In its simplest form it is expressed as 1MOA equals 1 inch at 100 yards. So, 4 inches would be 4MOA. That is the minimum level of accuracy necessary to correctly and accurately zero any optics or sights for rifles. Now, this can get really complicated really fast when you consider all the variables. But let’s zoom in and focus on pistols with red dot sights. Why is 4 inches important for zeroing.

It’s All About Repeat Performance

As we see more and more shooters exploring red dot sights eventually they will have to install and zero them. We can talk about installing another time, right now we are going to focus on the finer details of zeroing. I wrote a pretty lengthly blog on the subject already, check it out to get caught up; Zeroing a Pistol Mounted Optic. One part I didn’t cover in too much depth was the reason we use 4 inches. It boils down to repeatability. To properly zero a red dot sight the group size must be precise. Firing a 4 inch group from a supported position will give you the ideal shot group to make corrections. The corrections made are based on the group’s location relevant to the point of aim.

Proper Procedures for Best Results

The general zeroing procedure is to take the center of the shot group and measure to the center of the point of aim. Then calculate the adjustments necessary to move the point of impact to the desired point of aim. Fire another group of 4 inches or better to confirm the adjustment. Repeat this process until satisfied with the zero. Using a 4 inch group increases the chances the shot group will be over the desired point of aim. The smaller the group size the greater the zero’s precision. With larger groups there is a chance the actual center of the shot group is not the true point of aim. The resulting bad shots are shooting errors and they are harder to distinguish since the group size is so large.

Shooting Skill Dictates Zero Distance

It is precision that matters when zeroing. Without a high degree of precision, the accuracy may or may not be on target. Shooting repeatable groups is how to achieve the best zero. It is one thing wanting to zero at a specific distance, it’s another thing having the skill to zero at said distance. I believe to truly take advantage of the RDS you want to zero at the furthest distance in common use and that would be the 25 yard line. However, if you can’t repeatedly produce 4 inch groups from the 25 yard line then it is not a “good” zero distance. You could improve your marksmanship skills to tighten your shot group, but that will take work. So, what do you do in the meantime while improving your marksmanship skills? Move the target closer.

Close the Distance

Move the target to a distance where repeatable 4 inch groups are possible. That might be the 20 yard line, or maybe the 10 yard line. If 4 inches or better repeatable groups are not possible at the 10 yard line, the better choice is to invest in marksmanship training. Before investing in a red dot sight build the marksmanship skills up through formalize training. Working with a firearms coach or attending a weekend training course are great ways to develop marksmanship skills. Returning to the red dot sight with good marksmanship skills will ensure the most precise zero possible.

It’s all about knowing yourself and then exploiting your gear to your advantage. Use 4 inches as your guide to choosing your zero distance, then work to improve your marksmanship skills.

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The Newest Era of Handguns

We really haven’t seen anything revolutionary in the last 20 years of handgun manufacturing. The new slim line gun offerings might be the closest. With the explosion of these micro-compact blasters over the last 5 years I’d say they are popular and we see them in many of our carry classes. In fact, I run a slim line for just about every handgun course we offer these days because of their capability and shootability. The last bit there is one a lot of people will voice concerns, how well they can shoot these smaller guns. They offer a few challenges regarding the available gripping surface and overall reduction in mass. You can overcome the gripping surface issue by adopting new grip techniques, but there’s not much you can do about the reduction in mass…until now.

Modern Use of Comps

Ports and compensators are not new. They’ve been around for decades, but mainly in the competitive arena. I loved my comped gun I ran back in the day. For serious duty guns you don’t see them for a couple of reasons, enlarged footprint and reliability. Most compensators were “add-on’s” that extended the overall length of the slide, thus making holster options limited. There were a few integrated into the slide, but they proved less effective. The real problem was many of these were screwed on or similar attachment concept requiring routine maintenance. The newer ported slide design is addressing both these issues and doing it well.

Ported Slides Design

A new design, such as what is seen on the Sig P365 xMacro Comp, combines the ported slide with a shortened barrel to create what is called an expansion chamber. Where the gas from the round is allowed to accumulate in the chamber before vented through two integrated ports in front of the sights. The beauty to this design is you get the best of both worlds. There is no additional length to the overall footprint and no add on’s or maintenance required. I’ve been running these ported slides on all my micro-compact pistols and the results speak for themselves. There really is no down side.

The Bad of Shooting Ported Slides

The two biggest concerns with ported slides are loss of muzzle velocity and close contact shots. I’ve found while there was a reduction in muzzle velocity it varied. At the high end I was getting 50fps difference to only about 15fps on the low end. That’s not the right question to be asking. The real question is what effect will this velocity loss have on terminal performance. While there is a corollary to lower terminal velocity and poor penetration and expansion, what is the threshold. As far as the danger for contact or near contact shots. It is possible while entangled with an opponent the ports could be facing you so the real question is how much injury could the gases produce and what would be the minimum safe distance from your eyes. Again, not sure on this one and probably not really worth the effort.

Ported Slide Benefits

Often overlooked are the real benefits. Ported slides allow a new shooter to immediately reap the benefits in their shooting technique. Some claims are as much as 30% reduction in perceived recoil. When I shoot strong hand only I can see a significant difference in how fast my sights return to the target. I find this point to be important, just because you have a ported slide doesn’t mean you have to shoot fast. It means your sights generally travel less and are quicker to pick up. Or, you have the ability to shooter faster. You still need to make good judgements even between shots being fired.

I’m a big fan of the ported slides for carry, there is little if any downside.

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Dry Fire Safety

When it comes to dry fire, do not cut corners on safety. Most dry fire practice happens in homes or residences where a negligent discharge can prove disastrous, even fatal. It starts by identifying a safe practice area. The best is a room or area you can close off the outside world. In this area, there can be no live ammunition of any sort. If you only have one firearm to use, clear and safe outside the practice area. Then secure any ammunition before entering the practice area. Before dry fire begins, double check your firearm and any magazines. Don’t skip this step. The muzzle direction is equally important should you have a negligent discharge. External walls can be thicker and more robust, but they alone should not be considered a suitable bullet trap.

Focus on the Fundamentals

There is a lot as far as what to practice. If just starting off consider practicing aiming and trigger control. Learning how to properly see the sights is a skill easily practiced with dry fire. Trigger control is another great skill to practice. The one caution is practicing correctly. You can get really good at practicing the wrong thing so know the marksmanship fundamentals. I discourage any practice session longer than 15 minutes. Anything longer and the gains may be offset by the lack of focus or fatigue. When done with the session…stop. Avoid the temptation of “just one more” dry fire trigger squeeze. This is where accidents can easily occur. To properly secure the dry fire session put away all gear. If you need to make ready do so in a safe manner OUTSIDE the practice area. Lastly, acknowledge you are now holding a loaded weapon and act accordingly.

Learning How to Manipulate

You can also work gun manipulations such as clearing malfunctions and reloads. For the malfunctions there is not too much you need to do other than transition from the audible click to applying the immediate drill. You can add some additional benefit by preforming the immediate drill with your eyes closed, what we call “eyes off” drills. Practicing reload drills is a bit more complicated since it requires an object to be chambered to complete the drill. This is where inert or “dummy” rounds are great. It is a good idea to have a collection of dummy rounds and they are great for practicing reloads. You start with an empty magazine inserted and slide locked to the rear. Attempt to fire, then eject the empty magazine and reload with the magazine loaded with the inert rounds.

More Advanced Skills

When you learn the drawstroke you now have a ton of other options at your disposal. You can work the draw from open or concealed carry. The later is great for pressure testing new gear. You can also practice movement on contact or even moving to contact in dry fire mode. As long as you have space to safely move and not hurt yourself there are lot of great scenarios you can rehearse. I like working from positions other than standing such as seated or even supine. Seated is pretty self explanatory, but supine is a worse case scenario should you get knocked down. It is really hard to practice safely at a range or even if the range would allow you to practice these types of drills.

Secondary Loadout

You may discover dry fire becomes such an integral part of your training you have a secondary loadout dedicated to dry fire. This is not within reach of many, but some can benefit from having another loadout. With the exception of the firearm this loadout stays in the practice area. Reducing barriers to dry fire practice. Securely store any firearm to deny unauthorized access, but the holster, magazine pouch and spare magazines along with a belt can all be ready and waiting. The only other piece of gear might be a shot timer. If you haven’t invested in a shot timer, and dry fire is coming along well then it makes sense to consider purchasing. Many newer models can register your dry fire brining your practice to a whole new level.

Suggested Dry Fire Practice Plan

As far as practice sessions, here is a sample session I use from time to time. I perform low repetitions, but each repetition must be performed flawlessly or it doesn’t count. You may find it takes more repetitions to reach the prescribed amount.

• Aimed in on target, 10x repetitions slow fire (unless otherwise noted, all drills performed from approximately 5 yards.)
• Aimed in on target, 5x repetitions rapid fire (unless otherwise noted, all drills from this point are performed rapid fire.)
• From high ready, 5x repetitions
• From low ready, 5x head shots repetitions (unless otherwise noted, all drills are performed versus a torso/chest region.)
• From compressed ready at extended distance of approximately 10 yards, 5x repetitions slow fire
• From ready, 5x repetitions strong hand only
• From ready, 5x repetitions weak hand only
• From ready, 5 repetitions slow fire
• From ready, 5 repetitions rapid fire

If done without mistakes, this program gives you 50 dry fire repetitions. It may take more to reach those requirements. You can also break this workout down into thirds, or halves. The sky is the limit, get out there and explore the benefits of dry fire. Good luck.

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Taking Responsibility

The most important trait I see in a leader is an outward facing view, versus an inward. A selfless versus selfish. I struggled with this early in my military career for lots of reasons. I was fortunate to have great leaders show me the way. The easiest way to describe the journey was by taking responsibility. I know that sounds silly, but it is a powerful and simple step. By taking responsibility it forced me to be more assertive, focused and goal driven. I liked it and it worked well for me, but sometimes it is easy to return to old habits. To pass the buck, shuck responsibility or the worst…blame others.

Risk Avoidance

Recently I had a less than pleasant experience with a holster manufacture. I’m working on a project to outfit various compact pistols with weapon mounted lights. That’s a whole other story, but the project has identified a major failure point. There are not many holster manufactures producing quality gun/light combos. The problem with such poor options is mainly tied to risk mitigation. It takes time, talent and treasure to invest in a new product line and many manufactures will wait to see how the industry reacts to the new product. Will it do well, and be popular. Or, will it tank and be forgotten the next week. Even as an outsider, I can empathize. One reason this was such an interesting project. It reaffirmed the importance of agility, and future vision.

Being The Grey Man

The other problem is largely generated from my end. I tend to be low key and often purchase equipment through personal accounts with little to no connection to my business or reputation. Early in my career I got burnt and burnt bad so these days it is better to remain the grey man. What I like about being low key is I’m just another paying customer. A regular guy who expects nothing other than what I’m purchasing with my own funds. There are no expectation of freebies, discounts or quid pro quo. If I don’t like something I either toss it, or try to find it a new home. Very rarely will I work with the company to help improve their product. But on occasion I will share my observations. Of course, this insight comes from a “nobody” so can be perceived to be of little value by the vendor.

Troubleshooting a Problem

The ugly side to this methodology is when the situation turns sour. This is my fault because in this case the manufacture doesn’t know me. I always remind folks, you never know who you may be dealing with so treat them as if they know more than you. Until proven otherwise. It is a great philosophy! The holster was somehow defective or didn’t safely work. The problem was unique and in all my years the only time I’ve seen this occur. I couldn’t reinsert the pistol without removing the holster from my body. It was too risky to try and “shove” it into the holster when clearly there was something preventing the pistol from being properly and safely reinserted. Even when I removed it from my body there was still a sticking point. I initially reached out to request a refund and the manufacture wanted to troubleshoot. No problem, I provided some context along with a video showing the problem when attempting to re-holster. Their response was ultimately to blame me for the problem. Their reasoning was my belt was too tight or I needed to move the holster to a different position. Could this be possible, of course, was it probably, nope. In the end, I settled for a refund minus a restocking fee and that was the rub.

What Is The Lesson

My lesson seems so clear now. If I choose to provide feedback, I should have done it in a better way. Through a formal introduction. An offer to assist in the trouble shooting and solution with no strings attached. Maybe there isn’t a solution, maybe this was just a defective product or maybe this points to a broader production issue. Maybe the manufacture is not interested even after the formal introduction and that is fine as well. The bottom line is I should’ve taken ownership of the situation from the beginning in a better way. My intention was to help, to genuinely assist with this problem I believed was a one off issue.

Instead, I missed this opportunity. Mea culpa.

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Know The Basics

The first detail has to do with understanding the principles of marksmanship. No matter what, they do not change. What changes is the precision with which each of the principles is applied. In this case, the level of precision is high; which means I need to have a fine application of trigger control versus a rough application for close range shots. This flexing is something all shooters must develop. The earlier you learn this flexing, the better your performance. It is great to practice drills that stress the metering of this trigger control. Where on the one hand, you need rough trigger control then immediately slip into fine trigger control.

How Fast Is Too Fast

With a thorough understanding of the principles of marksmanship you can move at various speeds. We break things down into three speeds, full, half & slow speed. It is at slow speed learning takes place. If you want to be super accurate you need to start at slow speed. This allows you to tighten up your movement precision. The flexing mentioned earlier is only achievable when you can recognize the need. Within the slow speed you have the opportunity to improve the necessary movements to achieve the level of accuracy performance you want. This is not to say all movement is at slow speed, you learn where you can go fast, but more importantly where you need to go slow.

Scale For Better Learning

Starting close and working out to extended ranges is the next key detail. Jumping right to the 25 yard line or beyond is like putting too much weight on the barbell and hoping for a good outcome. It is more luck than skill. Starting at closer ranges helps to build confidence. You also get to appreciate the importance of the details and see how they are negatively impacted when you cannot stay focused. When you are accurate and able to achieve a minimum score of say 80% then increasing the distance makes sense. You keep reaching further and further by building a solid foundation. It is not a bad idea to periodically push out to further distances, just don’t start there.

Be Accountable

Having observable and measurable standards is the next key detail. You need to start keeping score if you haven’t done so up to this point. It is great to pick a simple drill, make one up or research the numerous drills online. Work this drill over time to see if you are making improvements. When you see your score repeatable then you know learning is taking place. It keeps you honest and holds you accountable. Without standards, you are spinning your wheels. There are so many ways to score, but the most common is based around a point system along with a par time. In the beginning I suggest skipping the timed components. Focus on being accurate and improving your score, then add par times.

Find a Rival to Help Grow

The last key detail is to work with partner or friend. Bring someone along to help you or for you to help. There is so much good that happens when we put in the work on our own, but there is an equal amount of positive growth that occurs when you work with others. If you cannot find someone who can go with you physically to the range, consider working virtually. With today’s technology there is no reason you cannot up the game by doing it all via a video conferencing/calls. Even if you cannot do a virtual range session together, comparing notes on a regular basis and sharing progress or problems is still a great approach.

Following this tips will do wonders for your level of precision. We will work on sharing some of our sessions online to help build a framework for others to follow.

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Aim For Being Multifaceted

Those of us born into the blade, know training never ends. You are never “good enough”, you only reach new plateaus. You strive to improve the smallest facet of the overall skill set. I often comment about the importance of being well-rounded. No one and I mean no one can say definitely what type of trouble will befall you. All they can do is give you their best guess. Remember that, burn that into your training psyche. I’m not saying to disregard their opinions. I’m saying step back and assess. Through this lens we should see an unknowable, unknown event. That is the basis for any good training methodology. The goal is to be multifaceted, with a diverse set of experiences and abilities.

Setting Good Goals

The quest for being multifaceted starts with self assessment. Know thyself, strengths and weaknesses. The common mistake is to work on strengths only, forgoing improving weaknesses. The first goal of the new year is to identify and improve areas of weakness. Goal setting is not hard, but it is often done poorly or flat out incorrectly. Once the area of improvement is identified, assign a time period for completion. This first step is commonly omitted or poorly completed. Whatever the time period, it will be inaccurate. By that, I mean too short. Anything of value is measurable, so to is the goal. Establish an observable and repeatable standard to identify progress and or completion. The last step is identifying any obstacles that would interfere with goal completion. These are also often overlooked or ignored. One other suggestion is to reassess. Whatever the time period, establish a halfway point to review the progress. It may be necessary to adjust or adapt your goal. Armed with the recent experience adjustments to the time period and standards become more accurate.

Check The Ego at the Door

Getting outside the comfort zone is another worthy goal. Doing something new or different helps create better neural engagement and elasticity. Shooting courses are great examples. Taking courses from reputable instructors is a sound tactic. Those worth their salt will challenge personal growth and self discovery. No matter the subject, if there is no growth or discovery it is more likely ego driven as opposed to goal driven. If the goal is personal growth it will involve some failures and disappointments. Without failure, growth is stunted. Push outside the established comfort zones. Learn to fail quickly and fail often. Use the experience to grow. I’m no different than anyone, I don’t like to fail…at anything. I also know myself, if I’m not pushing or reaching for the next level I will become complacent. True growth happens at the outer limits of current abilities. Plus, it is fun.

Be A Good Rival

I’m a big fan of having a support group or training partners. The better my training partners, the better my performance. If you cannot find someone local, consider coordinating virtual training sessions with friends or family members across the globe. With today’s technology, there is no excuse. Find a good training partner who will push you. By the same token, be a good training partners to those below you. We all started as beginners, think back to the early stages of your training. Remember the frustration, anxiety and fear we all had. Use the experiences to help others. Share the hard earned knowledge, consider it a right of passage. Mentoring is a great way to see new self-improvement.

I love this time of year and the future opportunities. I know I will miss the mark on some of my goals, but I miss all the shots I don’t take.

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