The difference between winning and losing a firefight may be a matter of fractions of a second. Performing the basics very well can be the difference. You don't need to be fancy, you just need to perform the skills required faster than the other guy.
I hear so many people brag about their skills at the range but they aren't practicing real life scenarios. Jared Reston, founder of Reston Group Critical Solutions says if you're going to the range, "Go with a plan that is structured and quantifiable". Follow Reston Group on Facebook for tips and shooting range training plans.
5 Key Skills For Winning A Firefight
1 - Deploy From Concealment
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| Deploying from concealment |
- Identify the threat
- Clear away concealment garment(s)
- Draw your firearm (while not shooing yourself in the groin or leg or some other body part you wish to keep intact)
- Keep your eyes on the target
2 - Grip Firmly
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| 7 yard multi-target drills |
- With your shooting hand grip firmly but gentle enough that your trigger finger moves freely.
- Use your support hand to balance out your grip.
- Don't leave space between your hands on be back of the pistol grip. The firearm will try to fill that empty space.
- Thumbs together and pointed forward.
3 - Extend Your Arms
I
have a tendency to keep my elbow slightly bent but extending your arms
greatly helps with recoil management, keeping you in control of the firearm,
not the other way around. Don't lock your elbows out but the insides of
your elbows should be facing each other.
 |
| Fully extended firing position |
4 - Prep The Trigger
 |
| Ready for drills to begin |
5 - Find Your Sight Picture
What
you should see the instant your firearm goes bang, that is your "sight
picture". Finding your sight picture requires practice, practice, and
more practice.
Once
you have drawn and have your firearm just below eye level with a solid
grip, as you extend your arms you should be finding your target and
aligning your sights. As you confidently place your target's center mass
behind your front sight pull the trigger.
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| Jared Demonstrating Finding A Sight Picture |
There are many more techniques to practice. Ultimately shooting is a fleeting skill. If you don't practice you can't expect to be effective when the time comes.
Bonus Takeaway - For A Really Bad Day
6 - Reloading
If
you carry a concealed weapon and encounter a situation that requires
you to deploy it's a bad day by any standard. But if you have to drop
your mag and reload it qualifies as a REALLY BAD DAY!
Do
you carry additional magazines? Most non-law enforcement carriers
don't. But even if you do it won't do you any good if you can't reload
with speed and under pressure. Again it's important to be able to do multiple things at once.
 |
| Reload drills |
- Drop your empty mag
- Retrieve your reload mag
- Insert your reload mag
- Unlock the slide
- Prep the trigger
- Find your sight picture
- Bang!
Don't waste time fidgeting with your empty mag. Firmly press the mag release inward (rotate the pistol if necessary to get a better position), and keep the pistol vertical allowing gravity to pull the mag down.
Finding your concealed reload mag with one hand can be difficult, so practice. Turning your shooting hand palm up to see where you are placing the reload mag is important. Look where you are putting it! You can't afford to miss and lose time. Push it in and if the slide doesn't release automatically press the slide release or pull the slide back quick and firm.
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| Michael talking me through proper reloading technique |
- David West
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