Max Michel and Triggertime TV talk about armed professionals getting out to the match

[theblackknight]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kazb...layer_embedded


Ego.

Leave it by that sign at Paul Howe's place.
(not me)

[glocktogo]

And yet I see it all the time. Start talking to officers and agents about coming out and the excuses start flying. Yet the types of shooting we do on the competition field far exceeds the training most agencies locally have for their officers. I try to tell people that competition shooting isn't tactical training, but it's incredible effective at reinforcing critical skillsets. That in turn will free your mind to focus on the tactical necessities in the real world, instead of consciously focusing on core competencies such as gun handling.

Another important aspect of competition is helping shooters understand what they can't do, as much as what they can do.

[Bluedreaux]

Last year our department started a competitive shooting team. Lots of guys showed up to try out and strutted around knowing they'd be at the top of the talent pool.

Then we went out and started competing against civilians and interest dropped dramatically. Nobody likes to lose, but cops seem to be the worst about refusing to try when there's a chance of losing.

[T2C]

The video hits on some really good points. There is no question ego plays a role for a lot of people who don't want to get beat by a top shelf competitor. When I started competing, I was the only LEO out of 83 competitors at my first IPSC match. I could not get anyone else from work to go to the match with me. Most of the guys I shot with thought it was great that a LEO came out to shoot with them. I was shooting an 8 shot pistol and was competing against people shooting pistols with optics and high capacity magazines, but I did not really care. I wanted to train with what I carried at work.

Competitive shooting gives you practice at sight alignment, trigger control and magazine exchanges, so why not take advantage of it. I shoot USPSA at some of the local clubs in my area with my duty pistol, duty rig and ammunition with the same power factor as my duty ammunition. I won't buy equipment or use tricks to shave time like the gamers do, because I would not want to develop habits that would get me hurt or killed at work. That being said, the basics are the same and competition allows you to practice the basics under artificial stress.

You can place well at a match using duty equipment and techniques you use at work if you work hard enough. Don't let your ego stop you from getting in some trigger time at what I consider a social event where you meet like minded people. If you leave your ego in the glovebox you can learn from the top shooters and meet some really nice people.

[Heavy Metal]

Tac loading in the middle of an El Prez boggles my mind.

[Matt O]

Tac loading in the middle of an El Prez boggles my mind.

Yeah, I'm struggling a bit trying to figure that one out. It kinda defeats part of the purpose of the drill...

[theblackknight]

But tactics!

[Gatekeeper]

I've been shooting USPSA for a few years now. It can be eye opening how good even an A or B class shooter is (let alone a GM)when you never have shot in a competition before. Have a few friends and seen a lot of newcomers that thought they were hot shit go out once and have never been back after getting "beat" by the average shooters or god forbid... a woman or kid. Instead of embracing the fact that there is room for improvement they feel like it's better to avoid it and go on thinking they are the best in their own little world.
With an open mind you can realize that you are really only competing against yourself. Every time out is a chance to learn something new.
You can also participate in the exercise any way you want. If you want to practice tactics by using cover, performing tactical reloads etc., by all means do it. Or you can embrace the game aspect and try to go as fast as you can while getting good hits. It's all up to you.
Either way, every match and every stage is a new problem solving exercise no matter how you choose to play the game.

[T2C]

Tac loading in the middle of an El Prez boggles my mind.

It's understandable. You train like you fight. A lot of people ask me why I wear a Level II duty holster and magazine pouches with snap down flaps, because it slows me down. I can't wear high speed gear at work and I don't mind taking the hit on time at a match.

[Bluedreaux]

I shoot a similar pistol in competition to what I carry on duty, but not a duty holster and mag pouches.

If everything in competition was training me for work, I'd only shoot brown people, and get fired when I shot white folks.