What are you training for?

[Sry0fcr]

Just to begin this is directed at the "normal" non-mil/leo people.

Reading around Mercop's sight the other day and I re-read his article Are You Training for Self Defense or to be a Bodyguard? which got me to thinking (and I know I've had this thought before) about the training courses a lot of you guys seem to take based on the AAR's posted and upcoming courses posted. Assuming that you're not doing this for fun but for the protection of yourself and your family CONUS does your training, the skills/tactics you learn, the gear you use and the weapon systems that you train with reflect this? Are you the only "sheepdog" in the house? Are the other members of your family prepared to deter, detect, avoid & deal with threats? As a regular guy, I realize that I need to do a better job of preparing for more likely scenarios in both training and equipment. 2011 is here I think it's time for us to re-evaluate things things a bit and put plans in place so that we're all better prepared for the coming year.

[JeepDriver]

Personlly, it's to be able to protect my family. It's just my wife and our infant son. If there were to be some sort of situtation that required the use of a firearm, I want to know how to employ my gun.

I would prefer a training class that focused on that type of shooting, currently all the classes I've seen and been to they are more focused on 2+ man team tactics.

[C4IGrant]

Personlly, it's to be able to protect my family. It's just my wife and our infant son. If there were to be some sort of situtation that required the use of a firearm, I want to know how to employ my gun.

I would prefer a training class that focused on that type of shooting, currently all the classes I've seen and been to they are more focused on 2+ man team tactics.

The Vickers HD classes teach single man, defensive clearing. It is also good to learn two man clearing so that you can teach your spouse (or someone else).

IMHO, there two types of classes. Ones geared towards mastering the fundamentals (accuracy, etc) and tactics (vehicle ops, room clearing, CCW,etc).

It is generally very hard to focus on learning tactics when you cannot do the fundamentals well.

I do believe there needs to be a balance though.

C4

[mick610]

Consider who you have for assistance, anyone? Or is it just you?
Why train for team tactics if it's just you?
When the SHTF, who can you trust and where will you be?
Train as if you are alone to defend and can postition the others safely away from the fight. Train to take the fight away from your valuables as animals do to draw the preditors away from their young and count on no one unless you know they have something
to offer as an assist. I live alone so my defense is based on my skill and knowledge of the area but my son also works for the local Sheriff and I have invested time and energy in his skills too because TWO GUNS ARE BETTER THAN ONE, especially in the hands of TWO people! That only works if he's around but others I hang with usually have some training as we all come from the same profession (30 years of LE).
BUT always consider it is best to avoid a fight if you can and sometimes it is better NOT to fight if you can leave the area and fight on your terms some other time.
Master your skills so you can concentrate on tactics INSTEAD of the basics needed to fight...

History has shown that flanking manuevers usually work well!!!!

[iCarbine]

I'm the only gun, so to speak, in our house of four. Should we experience a home invasion, I will lead my wife to collect our young daughters and then corral them to our safe room and then engage any threat(s) that attempt to gain access.

On the street, it will be pretty much the same thing: my wife will corral the children away from the threat will I cut off access.

Until I can convince my wife to learn to handle guns, I would have to use a very high degree of aggression and violence, likely sacrificing myself in the process, if the threat decided to close in, being that I will be the only shooter.

The top tier training I think will be invaluable as far as skill development, not to mention fun as hell. That being said, it would be nice to see more classes geared to the man or woman protecting their family single-handedly, rather than the security professional engaged in the line of duty.

[Sry0fcr]

It is generally very hard to focus on learning tactics when you cannot do the fundamentals well.

I do believe there needs to be a balance though.

C4

Agreed, there's plenty of fundamentals classes and lots of tactics but limited courses for tactics that are applicable to the civilian. I know that you're doing your part to help fill that void and I applaud that but most trainers are geared specifically towards mil/leo shooters and I think us civi's gravitate towards that because we figure if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me without thinking that their mission is significantly different from ours.

[QuietShootr]

Just to begin this is directed at the "normal" non-mil/leo people.

Reading around Mercop's sight the other day and I re-read his article Are You Training for Self Defense or to be a Bodyguard? which got me to thinking (and I know I've had this thought before) about the training courses a lot of you guys seem to take based on the AAR's posted and upcoming courses posted. Assuming that you're not doing this for fun but for the protection of yourself and your family CONUS does your training, the skills/tactics you learn, the gear you use and the weapon systems that you train with reflect this? Are you the only "sheepdog" in the house? Are the other members of your family prepared to deter, detect, avoid & deal with threats? As a regular guy, I realize that I need to do a better job of preparing for more likely scenarios in both training and equipment. 2011 is here I think it's time for us to re-evaluate things things a bit and put plans in place so that we're all better prepared for the coming year.

Because it pisses all the right people off.

[red_star_republic]

Recognize your weaknesses and improve on them.
You've already admitted that your "normal" and I think that's a good thing. You're not one of those guys that well " . . . a pussy can become a tough guy, if he's got a gun in his hand." Be careful of the because there is a lot of bunk training out there based on "years of experience." Not every guy out there is going to be a gun-slinger and that's just a fact. I watch these Best Defense, SWAT Magazine, and other shows and well I'm not impressed. Davidson's Gallery of Guns show makes me laugh though.

I wouldn't worry about "gear" to much unless you're going to invest in a plate carrier and then kit it out. I think that's a little overkill for a suburban warrior. If you can't do it with 15 rounds from a Glock 22 or 8 shots of 9 pellet 00 buck (or rifled slugs) it's a real SHTF situation . Remember to call the Police/Sheriffs first! That is something you can talk to your wife about if you're going to be the one working the gun. Or like someone else mentioned get her trained up on how to operate a firearm in case you go down because two guns are better than one. Do what you got to do to protect your family and if the day comes where someone breaks into your home or wishes to do you harm TCB.

Now I might get some heat for this but here it goes. For most "normal" guys I would not suggest a AR15 type rifle for home defense. There it is I said it and I'm not sorry. Reason being is that I think that a pistol or pump-action shotgun is better suited for this particular situation of a home invasion (especially at night when you're half asleep). Both a shotgun and pistol in my opinion are a "defensive" firearm to the core. I'll say for the sake of argument that a AR15 is an "offensive" firearm due to magazine capacity, can engage targets at a greater range, etc. That being said I do like having a rifle when assaulting a residence with a barricaded subject inside or when a more precise shot(s) is needed.

Happy New Year

Don't be a Barbermonger

[Sry0fcr]

Because it pisses all the right people off.

I'm not sure I'm tracking you?

[pilotguyo540]

Not to get too sidetracked, but what the hell is a barbermonger? sarcastic:

I agree with calling the cops. I would rather have an AR for HD myself and will respectfully disagree with your reasoning on almost every level. I am a self admitted regular guy, so take my opinion for what its worth (not a whole lot)

I think after you master the fundamentals of weapon manipulation and move on to tactics, it would be wise to learn all that you can. The more you learn, the more tools you have. The most important things I think are situational awareness, and thinking on your toes.

My personal goal is to get 2 or 3 classes in this year. Carbine and pistol manipulation then a tactics course, preferably building clearing. I would be the sole gunner protecting my 3 girls if I were ever to really need to use my firearms for defense.

I would like to see more classes geared toward my scenario, but I don't think it I will freeze like a deer in the headlights without it. I would also like to see more carbine classes posted in the training section. I am looking at june for a carbine 1 I think. I will have to be patient and cater my training to what is available, and what I can afford, and what I have time for. I will then have to adapt what I have learned to my own scenario/life.

Jm2cw