New Roundup and Commentary from Defensive Pistol Craft

Late last week, Jon Low published an end-of-the-month roundup of articles on self-defense topics as well as his always useful commentary. Be sure to check it out. Some of the topics covered include: the best age to teach young'uns about firearms, trusting your gut and avoiding being surprised, dry fire practice and various drills, clearing malfunctions and handling squib loads, shooting stance and grip, and several articles describing and/or analyzing real world attacks and how they turned out, and a lot more.

    A couple of his comments:

    First, on training and confidence in techniques:

      If you haven't received expert training and practiced the technique, you won't have confidence in using the technique.  So, you're not going to try to do it.  

     If you've had expert training in the technique and practiced it (2000 repetitions), you're going to feel confident in your ability to use it in combat, under stress.  So, it becomes a viable option.  It's in your repertoire.  

     This is the difference between taking that left handed shot around the corner from a squatting position (to be able to shoot under the table), and not even consider trying it.  You saw the situation and recognized what needed to be done.  If you have the ability/confidence to solve the problem, you execute.  If not, you . . .  (Hey, fleeing is sometimes the smart thing to do.  It's always a judgment call.)

     Some instructors preach that you don't need a large repertoire.  They say you only need to master a few basic techniques.  I think that is the bigotry of low expectations.  (Hat tip to the second President Bush.)  In training, the student will rise to the level of expectations.  Or, fail.  Which is okay.  Failure is the path to the higher level.  John Farnam says so.  

     Self-defense is never what you practiced.  Because you don't dictate the engagement.  If you've been able to practice the scenario before execution, you're on offense.  Self-defense is always defense.  Which is much harder than offense.  

 And another, on the same general topic:

     When you practice at home or on the range, think everything through.

     When you go to competition or are in combat, don’t think.  Just attack the problem, because that is what will happen in combat.  In a high stress situation you won’t have time to think, you will revert to your training.  You will not panic.  You will execute as you have trained.  That’s why training is so important.  (Thanks to Mike Maples)  

     General Patton said that trained soldiers do not panic in combat; they behave as they were trained.

     Tom Givens says that panic is the result of not having a pre-programmed response to the situation that you automatically default to.  So, having pre-programmed responses prevents panic, because if you have practiced them, you will automatically execute them.

     A lot more there, so check the whole thing out. Also, I will note that Jon ordered a holster, magazine pouch, and gun belt through Craft Holsters which he likes. Links to these are in his post.