Confidence in your shooting ability

[C4IGrant]

I recently helped AI a Home Defense class and came across something I hadn't witnessed before and thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

We had setup a room with a 2D target and a manikin in front of it as a no shoot. The threat was approximately 8yds away from where the shooter would engage. Because of the position of the manikin, the shooter had a partial shoulder and the head. Both target areas were around 4-5 inches.

This particular student approached the doorway and saw the threat. He turned to us and advised that he could NOT make the shot without hitting the friendly. Now while this student was no Master class shooter, he was far above the average CCW holder.

I sometimes wonder if people don’t ruin themselves by shooting at and or accepting group sizes that barely fit inside the -1 or -2 zone of an IPDA target (AKA B & C zones on IPSC targets).

When a threat gives you a small piece of them to shoot at, you have to have the confidence to make that shot. This means practicing with smaller targets (6" and below) and being able to keep rounds inside of 6 inches on demand, COLD!




C4

[Pork Chop]

Confidence comes from repetition. Your phrase "the average ccw holder" matters because the average ccw holder (that I know) shoots very little. I personally know all 20 people in the ccw class I took 3 years ago and I know for a fact that at least 15 of them haven't shot since. Not once.

Sad part is, they seem to have more "confidence" than the ones who shoot weekly or more.

[C4IGrant]

Confidence comes from repetition. Your phrase "the average ccw holder" matters because the average ccw holder (that I know) shoots very little. I personally know all 20 people in the ccw class I took 3 years ago and I know for a fact that at least 15 of them haven't shot since. Not once.

Sad part is, they seem to have more "confidence" than the ones who shoot weekly or more.

Learning how to shoot (from a trainer) and then practicing what you learned (repetition) creates confidence and ability.

Practicing your bad habits does you no good.

You are correct that most CCW holders do not practice.


C4

[markm]

Well... home defense?...

So I'll have my SBR. Yeah.. I'm a confident on that target at that range.

[jmnielsen]

I only know a few CCW holders personally, but the few I do know don't practice very often- maybe once every month or two. The majority of them don't actually carry on a regular basis anyhow. What I have noticed at my local indoor range, though, is that a lot of people are satisfied with being able to get all of their 15 round mag inside an FBI "Q" target from 10 yards or less. I almost never see anyone move their target out to 20-25yds unless they are shooting a rifle.

[C4IGrant]

Well... home defense?...

So I'll have my SBR. Yeah.. I'm a confident on that target at that range.

Sorry, you have a pistol (no AR). Can you still make that shot? On command? Cold?


C4

[C4IGrant]

I only know a few CCW holders personally, but the few I do know don't practice very often- maybe once every month or two. The majority of them don't actually carry on a regular basis anyhow. What I have noticed at my local indoor range, though, is that a lot of people are satisfied with being able to get all of their 15 round mag inside an FBI "Q" target from 10 yards or less. I almost never see anyone move their target out to 20-25yds unless they are shooting a rifle.

Ya, I see the same things. When students ask me what they should do to prepare for a VSM class, I always tell them to shoot the NRA B8 target at 25yds.

Shooting up close (as defined at 10yds and in) masks your problems (as you can get away with a lot more). Shooting at 25yds, shows you your problems (so that you can better address them).


C4

[markm]

Sorry, you have a pistol (no AR). Can you still make that shot? On command? Cold?

I can if I slow down. I really don't practice my pistol nearly enough. I try to hold my personal standard to a head shot at 10 yards. But I still end up favoring the right side of the head because I glock my trigger and hit slightly left.

I think a time element would really make or brake the deal... and really add pressure. 3 seconds to break the shot for example.

[Pork Chop]

A 5" cold shot at 8 yards with handgun I'm confident I could make. Move that out to 20 or even 15 yards and I would hesitate. Am I out of the norm on that? Where would you personally draw the line?

[C4IGrant]

A 5" cold shot at 8 yards with handgun I'm confident I could make. Move that out to 20 or even 15 yards and I would hesitate. Am I out of the norm on that? Where would you personally draw the line?

For me, I want to be able to make head shots on an IPDA target at 25yds on command, cold. I also want to be able to do it with any pistol (Glock, 1911, SIG, M&P, etc).

Where you need to be is based on your own situation and I cannot say what that is.



C4