Point Shooting vs. Sighted Fire. I believe that we can’t get bogged into these arguments. For as much value as there is to be derived from certain IPSC- and IDPA-type drills, they can be problematic too. As much as we want to inspire our students at U.S. Firearms Training to do more, we have to realize that many people are never going to be interested enough to practice or train on their own. We also know that when it comes to physical fitness and personal pride, some people will never care as much about themselves as we would hope they would.
So, what would I recommend? Big Al Fugate and I used to talk about the possibly misplaced emphasis on marksmanship and technique. We would look at some of the “skills” that were being taught and we saw that they worked fine on the range and in qualifications, but such proficiencies often seemed to not be of help to the average user on the street. Steve Woods, in his typical direct fashion, used to tell me that he felt we were training figure skaters when we should have been developing hockey players. He was right.
My belief then (and now) when it comes to reality-based training is to look to the kind of training that has become so important and so successful in other areas of firearms instruction: real life, force-on-force, scenario-based, and reality-based training. We know it’s important to employ real people and real devices to simulate the real world. Why, then, are we so reluctant to make that the focus of our efforts in firearms training?
I would suggest something like this as the starting point. Try to balance the need for conventional “qualification” (something many of you will never be able to change due to board- or state-level requirements beyond your control) and the need to actually prepare your people to fight with the gun.
1) Teach the mechanical operation of the weapon
A. Loading, unloading, simple/unified stoppage drill(s)
B. Operation of safeties and de-cocking levers if applicable
2) If necessary, teach to the qualification course
3) If not required, then I would recommend something along the following lines:
3) If not required, then I would recommend something along the following lines:
A. Single shot drills on a single target to learn sighting basics and trigger control
i. Student is responsible for keeping the gun loaded and ready to employ
ii. Sometimes require a reload to make a point and/or gauge proficiency
B. Multiple shot drills (Not Just Double Taps) on a single target to advance the employment of basic techniques
C. Successful single target engagement drills (standing, turning, maybe moving, with and without the use of cover)
from three to perhaps 10 yards
D. Successful multiple target engagement drills (standing, turning, maybe moving, with and without the use of
cover) from three to perhaps 10 yards
E. Note that the drills in b., c., and d., (above) should be run both “from” and “from outside” of the holster
