Instincts & Judgment

AGCR · Apr 9, 2010

I just got back from dancing out at the Fez in downtown Portland and though I need to be up on my forklift in a couple hours, have somewhat of an observation.
I was standing in line at the bar, when a black hoodie abruptly came down over my head and I was yanked back about 3 feet. It turned out to be my friend Loren playing around, the dear girl, but it made me appreciate that my first impulse was not at all to go for the Springfield XD 9mm in my pocket. Other than being blindsided, I felt safe there and knew not to expect the worst even after being surprised in such a manner. I'm grateful to have selective instincts, though nearby might be another matter. A friend of mine was stabbed nearly to death in Paranoia Park around the corner from there a few years ago.
Similarly, last week Ty Marbut of the Reed Shooting Sports Kollectiv was telling me about a friend who walked into a mini mart late at night, saw someone about to seemingly execute the cashier, drew his pistol and had the trigger half pulled before seeing cameras filming an indie movie on the cheap.
Carrying definitely requires a combination of good judgment and sound instinct you can't buy.

Trlsmn · Apr 10, 2010

AGCR said:
I just got back from dancing out at the Fez in downtown Portland and though I need to be up on my forklift in a couple hours, have somewhat of an observation.
I was standing in line at the bar, when a black hoodie abruptly came down over my head and I was yanked back about 3 feet. It turned out to be my friend Loren playing around, the dear girl, but it made me appreciate that my first impulse was not at all to go for the Springfield XD 9mm in my pocket. Other than being blindsided, I felt safe there and knew not to expect the worst even after being surprised in such a manner. I'm grateful to have selective instincts, though nearby might be another matter. A friend of mine was stabbed nearly to death in Paranoia Park around the corner from there a few years ago.
Similarly, last week Ty Marbut of the Reed Shooting Sports Kollectiv was telling me about a friend who walked into a mini mart late at night, saw someone about to seemingly execute the cashier, drew his pistol and had the trigger half pulled before seeing cameras filming an indie movie on the cheap.
Carrying definitely requires a combination of good judgment and sound instinct you can't buy.

Why would you say that? Training can be bought! Good habits can be taught, this I know as I have two teenagers that I have trained and sent to training from the get go, you hand one of my boys a firearm that you just safety cleared and they will again safety check the firearm, that isn't born instinct that is training.

AGCR · Apr 10, 2010

True.
A better concluding phrase would have been: "doesn't come easily." or something to that effect.
Consider your kids well trained than. The safety checks is always something I hammer on with people I train as well.