Practice is Crucial when Carrying a Firearm

[danblackstone]

Carrying a gun is an awesome responsibility but I believe you have a responsibility to carry your gun to protect yourself and your family. You also have a responsibility to be proficient with your gun. If the occasion ever arises that you need to protect yourself and/or your family all your fine motor skills will shut down. Your adrenaline will be pumping and your muscle memory will be the only thing working at that moment. If you haven’t developed those muscle memory skills you will be in trouble. It’s one thing to think ‘oh, I would just draw and shoot’ but if you haven’t practiced drawing it’s not that easy. Spend time at the range drawing from the holster you carry in, with different types of clothing. A jacket is a complication over just a shirt. What if the shirt is tucked in? These little things can make a big difference if you haven’t worked with them. The people that survive a gun fight are the ones that practice. You can practice at home, unloaded of course! But you can also enter competitions to put added stress on yourself. Go to your local range and shoot. At a minimum you should shoot two magazines a month but my recommendation is to shoot 50-100 rounds a month or more. Be prepared and don’t take your reactions for granted. Be smart, be safe.

Dan Blackstone
BlackstoneGunSafety.com

 

[LGH]

I agree practice is needed. But most believe that they do not need to practice. And you can not tell them otherwise.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I agree practice is needed. But most believe that they do not need to practice. And you can not tell them otherwise.

That is not the case at all. While there are some who do feel that way most do do not. The larger part feel there is a need to train they just do not feel spending hundreds of dollars to do it is for them. Most can not afford nor justify spending a large amount of money on training in this day and age. If you have the money to spend on classes at gunsight/frontsight etc.. then more power to you. But to say that most believe they don't need to train is not fair at all. Going to the range every weekend or every other is all that some can afford.

 

[LGH]

That is not the case at all. While there are some who do feel that way most do do not. The larger part feel there is a need to train they just do not feel spending hundreds of dollars to do it is for them. Most can not afford nor justify spending a large amount of money on training in this day and age. If you have the money to spend on classes at gunsight/frontsight etc.. then more power to you. But to say that most believe they don't need to train is not fair at all. Going to the range every weekend or every other is all that some can afford.

I am not talking about going to a training center. I am talking about range time, dry fire, or just caring for a persons firearms. Most strap on a gun and away they go. Not thought is place in to what if or how would I.

 

[Self Defense CWP]

...Your handgun should be another appendage...

I post some of these "unwritten laws" regarding carrying a handgun on my Facebook page for my students and just lookers weekly.
1. Take the time to either shoot or DRY fire your pistol at least weekly, if not daily.....and EITHER WAY, be SAFE..always pay attention the RULES of GUN Safety!!!
FIRST ALWAYS drop the magazine (or open the cylinder on a revolver) and check the CHAMBER and MAGAZINE WELL, or Cylinder and CHAMBER to ENSURE no ammunition (or...... children) are present..
2.and then...and ONLY then, practice removing it from your normal carry holster or purse, assume a good shooting posture, grip and sight alignment, then DRY FIRE. Check yourself out..make adjustments.
3.MOST IMPORTANTLY........after DRY FIRING and reloading your handgun....PLEASE REMEMBER it is READY for ACTION.......dry firing is OVER for today!!!!!!
BEFORE RELOADING (with one in the barrel)...your handgun for normal carry visually inspect for "dustbunnies", broken, loose or missing pieces and rust.
(a.) Treat all firearms as if they were LOADED!
(b.) Keep the muzzle pointed in a SAFE direction!
(c.) Keep your finger(BOOGER HOOK) OFF of the trigger(outside of the trigger guard) until the firearm is pointed at the target, and you have DECIDED to fire!
(d.) Know your target and what is BEYOND it!

 

[S&WM&P40]

I post some of these "unwritten laws" regarding carrying a handgun on my Facebook page for my students and just lookers weekly.
1. Take the time to either shoot or DRY fire your pistol at least weekly, if not daily.....and EITHER WAY, be SAFE..always pay attention the RULES of GUN Safety!!!
FIRST ALWAYS drop the magazine (or open the cylinder on a revolver) and check the CHAMBER and MAGAZINE WELL, or Cylinder and CHAMBER to ENSURE no ammunition (or...... children) are present..
2.and then...and ONLY then, practice removing it from your normal carry holster or purse, assume a good shooting posture, grip and sight alignment, then DRY FIRE. Check yourself out..make adjustments.
3.MOST IMPORTANTLY........after DRY FIRING and reloading your handgun....PLEASE REMEMBER it is READY for ACTION.......dry firing is OVER for today!!!!!!
BEFORE RELOADING (with one in the barrel)...your handgun for normal carry visually inspect for "dustbunnies", broken, loose or missing pieces and rust.
(a.) Treat all firearms as if they were LOADED!
(b.) Keep the muzzle pointed in a SAFE direction!
(c.) Keep your finger(BOOGER HOOK) OFF of the trigger(outside of the trigger guard) until the firearm is pointed at the target, and you have DECIDED to fire!
(d.) Know your target and what is BEYOND it!

I fail to see how all of the above is "unwritten"? It all goes back to the basics of being safe with a firearm. I do not dry fire my weapon with out a snap cap in the chamber. As for drawing from your holster of choice I again fail to see how that is unwritten it's all over the forums. Everything you have posted is the basics of safe firearm handling you hear it all the time at the range. Hell every so called firearm expert on the expert website (youtube) states all of the above at the start or the end of the video.

 

[Self Defense CWP]

S&W brief 101 on "unwritten laws"

In-part from West's Encyclopedia of American Law: Unwritten rules, principles, and norms that have the effect and force of law though they have not been formally enacted by the government.
Most laws in America are written. The U.S. Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are three examples of written laws that are frequently cited in federal court. Each state has a similar body of written laws. By contrast, unwritten law consists of those customs, traditions, practices, usages, and other maxims of human conduct that the government has recognized and enforced. As far as not dry firing your handgun without a "snap cap" would seem to be a personal preference. I believe you will find that most gun manufacturers would tell you that dry firing a handgun does not do damage to it, (as originally posted, this may be a myth today that has been handed down by our role models).
Lastly, I agree, like HERO'S in todays world....we have many "so-called" experts, with minimal actual "hands-on" experience.

 

[Shootinjh]

In-part from West's Encyclopedia of American Law: Unwritten rules, principles, and norms that have the effect and force of law though they have not been formally enacted by the government.
Most laws in America are written. The U.S. Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are three examples of written laws that are frequently cited in federal court. Each state has a similar body of written laws. By contrast, unwritten law consists of those customs, traditions, practices, usages, and other maxims of human conduct that the government has recognized and enforced. QUOTE]

Context, context! lol :no:

So, the government has recognized and enforced "... visually inspect for "dustbunnies"..." ?

Context! Different words have different meanings in different settings. (I am not speaking of a table setting)

I do agree that practice is important, but I think that is true of any skill. New idea? Nope.

 

[Self Defense CWP]

....Shootinjh

...I say again.........we have many "so-called" experts, with minimal actual "hands-on" experience.
Thanks for straightening me out!

 

[lukem]

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