Thread: Combat Shooting Basics

You are the first one to acknowledge that wise old piece of advice, nicely done.

Probably because it is 'old' like me.

I never fail to hit the zero ring... assuming I'm on the paper.

I wish the club I am a member of allowed for this type of training... the 1 round per second rule makes double taps a little harder.

Double taps are going by the way side, since the way of thinking the last few years is to shoot them to the ground.

Looking more toward 3-4 rounds per target to actually cause enough shock to the system to stop the threat...especially with pistol bullets.

Double taps work good for gaming and movies, but in real life unless the shot(s) go in the snot locker, people can live 1-2 minutes...and that's a lot of time for the perp to cause havoc on you.

Clubs need to get off the old way of thinking and start, and move into real life. But then, they tend to cater to the lowest denominator for safety purposes.

Originally Posted by wichaka

Clubs need to get off the old way of thinking and start, and move into real life. But then, they tend to cater to the lowest denominator for safety purposes.

I'm not slamming clubs or competitions with my observations here...some are much better than others. I attended my first club and competition in 1973 and have watching them change over the years and not all the changes are for the better.

Competitions and clubs have been moving more and more toward drawing a crowd, getting more people involved, and creating a "what's cool" rather than "what's effective" mindset. As wichaka stated...since many of the competitors have various gun handling skills they have reduce the venue down to the most unskilled and untrained competitor. But on the other hand they want to "sexy" it up so they can keep up the interest and entertainment value. .

Now, there is nuth'n wrong with getting people involved and drawing a crowd but real self defense tactics and training is boring because one must continually drill the fundamentals over and over and over again. And people get bored with that and want the "high speed-low drag" stuff - hence clubs and competitions.

It is the fundamentals that win ball games and it is the fundamentals that win fights - fundamentals such as the legal, judgement, marksmanship, manipulations, and tactics.

See it too many times...too much emphasis on PACT timers (never seen a timer used in a fight) rather than mastering the techniques and using effective tactics....too little or no emphasis on judgement, avoidance, disengagement, and alternative choices. Too much emphasis on poor useage of cover, closing the distance on threats, and potential threats, and standing out "full value stupid" in the wide open. Competitions are such "hurry up, let's go to the next stage, that people no longer use after action tactics...and they typically run cold ranges yet most of us carry hot 24/7.

There are certainly some great attributes and qualities of competitions...I still go when I can - but I'm much chooser about where I go and who I go with.

Well, I've probably upset some folks so it is time for me to relegate back into my hole and mind my own business

I think competitions have their place. They will will help with fluid motion gun handling skills, positional shooting, and let you know real quick if your equipment is up to the task or not.

But the rest, well lets just say the P in IPSC & USPA doesn't stand for 'Practical' anymore. Even some of the IDPA stuff is off base for practical street use.

I have competed in all 3, but I use my street gear in all 3, and run them tactically, not with my tail on fire. I'm sure if there was lead coming back at the competitors, you'd see a whole new way of doing things there.

Remember incoming has the right of way.

Have been thru many training classes by some of the patriarchs in the biz, and have found one thing to be true. There is one secret to combat shooting basics....notice I said basics...it's the title of this thread.

The secret?? It's what Dan said above...'Fundamentals' never get away from them, never quit practicing them.

It's what will make or break a gunfight in the end. How you will respond, what will happen to you in the aftermath.

If you happen to be in a gunfight, people won't remember the gear you used, the caliber of your gun etc., they will remember who won, and want to know what you did to win.

I love this place. It is growing my intensity greatly. My shooting partner and I were at the quarry with light blue steel drum, dark blue steel drum, and cardboard center of mass off over there at about 21 ft. We were hanging out talking, picking up brass and one would say... "light blue" putting the other on the spot to respond to the attacker (the light blue barrel) and reholster. then it was his turn to make the call at random. It was fun and helpfull.

What does the group think about becoming a moving target when being attacked? Like when the bad guy says stick em up the good guy draws, fires, while running off at an angle while providing his own cover fire and or defensive fire. Thanks.

I think we should try to get as many of us together as we can, and some of the "WISE ONES" teach us grasshoppers to snatch pebbles.

A NWFA basic combat pistol class in the works...stay tuned!

Originally Posted by wichaka

Speed and accuracy work together, which is to get hit(s) as soon as possible.
Pressing the trigger at the speed needed to control the sights to hit your target is what it's all about.

If the threat is in anyway difficult to hit, you will need to slow down on the trigger and focus more on sight alignment.
If the threat is close and easy to hit, then….....this is no time for a bullseye type group, in fact, you need to be pounding shots into the threat as fast as possible and stop the threat NOW!
Most of the time you will be somewhere between the two above examples.

My rule of thumb for combat shooting;
If your threat is larger than your front sight, better get ta shootin'
If your threat is the same or smaller than your front sight, better get on them sights and fast.

Practice this process slow at first..........remember, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Speed will come with practice.

Your decision on how fast vs. how slow to press the trigger, how much front sight vs. combat look through and/or body index is based on two things, your perception of the threat situation AND your perception of your skill with your equipment.

If you practice only one trigger press and sight alignment you are a target shooter and not preparing yourself properly for the street, and doing yourself an injustice.
Recognize the need for different levels of trigger press and sight alignment, practice at those levels and in between. In the fight have the ability to adapt to the situation smoothly not to survive, but to decisively win!

I greatly agree with you in all aspects here. I do have to add though, that if you have all of the fundementals down pat, that ads confidence and will make evrything you are saying here easier. In a combat sit, where there is excitement and adreneline going, it is so different. Simunitions is so good for combat sits because you can really shoot and be shot at.

Originally Posted by wichaka

A NWFA basic combat pistol class in the works...stay tuned!

With baited breath