A Good Enough Shot?

[Snakebite]

(Realizing the day in which we live and the need for self defense I share these thoughts.)

Have you ever seriously considered how good of shot you must be if required to defend yourself with a handgun? It

[Bearman202]

One of the reasons I got a pistol with a fairly high capacity magazine is so I can throw some lead "down range" while I'm scrambling to get behind something. Part of the logic is that if I can get them to put their heads down, I can get myself into a position that I can take a more aimed shot. I'm not delusional enough to believe that I can whip it out and put 13 in the ten ring while trying to run around that big load in my pants. I remember something to the effect that the average cop couldn't hit the red side of a barn while running or having just run twenty yards. Plus, the only really concealed carry option I could find that was reasonably comfortable puts my weapon about five or six seconds away from out and banging. It's not the best, and I try to stay 'situationally aware' enough that I wouldn't need those seconds, but you never know. If it came between diving behind something and standing there trying to bring the weapon into play, the weapon is gonna wait. Not the best option, but the one I seem to be stuck with for now.

[1Admin]

I'm still a firm believer that a person should learn accuracy based "stand and deliver" shooting techniques first. However after a decent level of proficiency is gained in that regard, work should progress to shooting on the move and instinctive "point" shooting type techniques.

[rice paddy daddy]

I'm still a firm believer that a person should learn accuracy based "stand and deliver" shooting techniques first. However after a decent level of proficiency is gained in that regard, work should progress to shooting on the move and instinctive "point" shooting type techniques.

This is exactly how the Army did it in 1968. In the first week of the 8 week BCIT (basic combat infantry training) you were issued an M14 rifle. First you learned all the parts of your rifle and how to clean it. Then you learned the various shooting positions - standing, kneeling, sitting and prone. Next you actually learned to fire it, starting with setting zero. More firing, more manual of arms, bayonet training, more firing, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. This, of course, happened along with ALL the other skills a common soldier must master.
Then, once you had become one with your rifle, was the Combat Assault Course which taught the key elements of fire and movement. First with blanks, and then with live ammo.
Finally, Record Fire. I scored Expert with the M14. A year and a half later, after a two week crash POR course (Prior to Overseas Replacement) I scored Sharpshooter with an un-zeroed M16.
Today, 43 years later, the second love of my life (wife comes first) is a 1994 Springfield Armory Standard Model M1A, built with USGI parts, an exact replica (minus fire control switch) of the M14's I was issued so long ago.
No, I can no longer move as well as an 18 year old, and my eyes are getting dim, but my heart is still stout. If you're my friend, you can count on me; if you're my foe, you better be darn good to win.