From time to time, some less-than-optimal defensive practices become popular. It could be someone posts a new video on social media or a particular topic gets bandied around at the local gun store or shooting range. For whatever reason, it becomes popular without anyone having given it a lot of serious thought. Here are a few, in no particular order, that are really not good ideas.
I have a handgun for self-defense and will carry it whenever I think I need to. I have to admit, this one is my current favorite. The fact is, if you could accurately predict when and where you would need a defensive firearm, you could make an absolute fortune selling such knowledge to others. We carry our defensive handgun wherever it is legal to do so simply because we don’t know when we will need it. Even a casual study of current news shows that violent crime can occur at any hour of the day or night and in every possible location that one can imagine. We might be more alert for trouble in certain locations, at certain times, but we should be smart enough to realize that trouble could happen anywhere, at any time.
Since most citizen-involved shootings occur at close range, that is what I practice for. This is partially true, but it doesn’t go far enough to consider the big picture. The fact is, if you have my kind of luck, you will be the exception to the rule. Keep in mind the fight is going to be what it is and not some preconceived scenario.
Most of our practice can be at close range, working on a quick pistol presentation and a first-shot hit that will stop the fight. However, it is certainly a good idea to practice on targets at 25 yards and even 50 yards. As a young police officer, my department required us to qualify with our handguns on a course that ran from 7 yards out to 50, and it was some of the best training that I ever had.
There is a certain temptation to only practice at close range because the target often ends up with nice, tight groups that are impressive—although I’m not sure that anyone cares to admit this. It’s a case of false confidence, if you will. Real confidence comes from knowing that one can keep all of his or her shots in the vital zone even out to 50 yards. It is just a really good idea for the occasional range session to involve shooting at 25 yards and beyond.
I don’t carry a round in the chamber of my semi-automatic pistol. I think this originally came about due to the fact that some military units prohibit a loaded chamber. Some of it may also be the result of a video that showed some sort of European operator doing a quick and fancy presentation that involved his racking the slide of his pistol. What the military does or doesn’t do is beyond the scope of this study. We are concerned here with lawfully armed citizens and this is not a good idea for several reasons.
The first is that chambering a round during the pistol presentation takes time. And this is right in the middle of a situation in which time is critically important. Our society expects us to wait to respond with force until we identify force is about to be used against us. That means the crook is ahead of you from the beginning. It is certainly not the time to add another movement to our defensive response. In truth, we will be lucky if we have time to make the drawstroke, find the front sight or red dot and deliver a fight-stopping hit before we are injured or worse.
It also may be that certain armed citizens just don’t feel comfortable carrying with a chambered round—especially with a gun that doesn’t have any external safeties. This is where a professional training class will help immensely. Good training will help the armed citizen learn to handle his or her chosen defense gun safely and effectively.
It also may be that there are those who just have a phobia about carrying any kind of semi-auto pistol. Again, good training may help the individual overcome this. If not, then they might want to consider adopting a double-action revolver as their choice for personal defense. Many find revolvers easier to understand and operate, and they certainly make fine defensive tools.
Getting a foundation in personal defense from trained professionals makes far more sense than relying on unreliable sources. One can quickly learn what it takes to deliver good hits at various ranges. And one can also get a much better idea of which defensive handguns are best suited to their individual needs and preferences. Good training counters misconceptions of personal defense.
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