How do you practice?

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

I hope you bought a 17" screen

I think its a 15.5" which seems fine. My wife agreed an extra inch or so wouldn't make much difference.

Now here's a sign of the times for all those who went through the cold war. I was in the computer shop and the salesman has an accent, he was from Russia and had been an army officer. It turns out he was a chemical and biological warfare specialist! Selling computers in the UK. We had a conversation about nerve gas! Go figure, its one mad, mad world.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

Like many of you I have visited ranges and seen guys blasting away emptying magazines and throwing bullets right left and centre. I know they are having fun, but cant help but think they have missed the point as well as the target.

The "spray and pray" method has never had much logical appeal to me either, Tranter. Some feel that the high capacity magazines of most 9mm pistols tend to encourage that excess. To some extent, and with some shooters, they may be right, but it need not be that way. I find having a 10-15 round magazine capacity is merely a comfort in the unlikely event one ends up in an extended firefight, not the next best thing to a full auto.

[TranterUK]

I have to say that being a little unconventional, when I first took my young son to fire handgun I let him 'just blast away' with a 9mm at a plain sheet of paper at around 10 yards. I wanted him to learn what the recoil and noise was like before he tried to tame it. Realising that with proper grip and stance there was nothing to be afraid of we could move on to the finer detail of sight picture and trigger control. He wont win any target shooting medals, but if he ever needs to pick up a handgun and use it, he will hit what he aims at.

It worked well except after letting him try several handguns his favourite was....the Glock! Ah well, we have to let them go their own way I guess.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

It worked well except after letting him try several handguns his favourite was....the Glock! Ah well, we have to let them go their own way I guess.

A young man of most discerning taste, Tranter. He should go far.

[delta13soultaker]

Tranter,yeah, 15.5" is still better than mine. Oh well, improvement point for the next one. Great story about the Soviet Chemo salesman...too cool. Remind me to tell you about salesman the last two times I was knife shopping, if you want to hear a grown man complain that is. Anyway tonight I'm happily an owner of a new Kershaw 1670blkst. See I had a little Gerber EZ-out, 3" with half serrated blade, so light ya couldn't even feel it, been in my pocket since back in 1997 and to 36 countries...you can imagine I got kinda comfortable with that little knife. Before '01 it even used to fly commercial in my pocket with me. The only knife I like nearly as much is a Gerber Combat Folder, but it's a big heavy hunk of metal and prints in a pocket. Well a week ago I was taking a nap somewhere I guess and my EZ-out fell out too easy. Being a Gerber fan I went looking for a new one, but I guess in the last decade some Gerbers are Made in China now. So kept looking and was about to look online. Then Shellie bought me that Kershaw, Made in USA...I'm now a reluctant Kershaw fan kinda...but really it's a sweet pocket folder. On topic........

Pistol, here is one reason hi-cap mags/weapons are a valid concept: Some bad guys don't stop with less than 6 hits, even with .45 ACP. Look over enough accounts of police shootings and you'll come across many such incidents. I'm not saying throw away your little Colt pocket pistol or anything, but just that there's nothing wrong with enough ammunition to send a car full of punks to the hospital basement.

Like most things in life, everything has an exception, even "spray 'n pray". Yeah usually it ain't good, even just totally a bad idea. But it is an effective way to suppress an enemy in order to maneuver against him or away from him. If the only cover you have is a flying lead wall...well it is cover. Fix him in place, then move while he is down. Not a technique applied often, but one to be open-minded about I say.

p.s. I say better the young Tranter fancy any good Glock than waste his money some day on a Kimber

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

p.s. I say better the young Tranter fancy any good Glock than waste his money some day on a Kimber

Delta, the young Tranter is 13, he has a long way to go and much to learn.

Knives can be interesting. Best folder I ever had was an original CQB7 made by Benchmade. They are made now by Emerson, the designer himself, but, at risk of making myself a target of assassins, not as well made.

Fixed blade? I once bought a SoG Seal Pup and it just goes on and on. Solid as a rock.

[delta13soultaker]

Benchmad, Emerson, and Strider I say are hard acts to follow. I know several guys that carry a CQB for a work knife, which says a lot. I've been happy with Gerber, having lost count of how many Gerber tools and knives, Leatherman too, I've been given by places I've worked. Most I gave away to young Soldiers who I noticed without a knife. Used to be, if a guy was working on our vehicles didn't have a multitool, I gave him mine because I've had so many always on hand and those boys really needed them more. I know the limitations/strengths of Gerber blades and for my purposes they were always enough, and had a feel good to my hand. If they are all made in China now though, I'll keep using the ones I have, but will not replace with the same.

I just saw a while ago a SEAL-pup in AAFES clothing sales for $50. Not bad. SOG makes sturdy knives for a reasonable price. There's just no room for one next to my old KaBAR, which I've had since I was 18 when I couldn't afford an SOG or Randall. The faded black leather looks out of place with all the nylon around it these days. Right next to the SOG knives are new updated Kydex handle, D2 steel, nylon sheath KaBAR's. But my old 1095 carbon blade has opened a million meals, cut a million feet of cord, chopped saplings for sector stakes, opened boxes and crates, and once drank a hot cup of strong man's blood. Maybe I'll get a new KaBAR in my next life, or can hopefully afford a Randall at 18 yrs old.

On the practice topic, I assume most self-defense minded people do this thing too; I once in a while draw my folder for practice. Try it in a seated position, in the car etc. I've always firgured you're more likely to need your knife to get out of trouble than your sidearm. (Cut your/someone's seatbelt, shatter a passenger window, etc)

Tip for practice: Drawing a blade for a self-defense situation, develope the habit of protecting your head with weak-hand; tuck the chin while placing the weak-hand/forearm above and in front of the head, while keeping eyes on the threat and drawing the blade. It does no good to get the blade ready if you're knocked out or choked out first. Almost everyone I've seen practicing a draw (blade or gun) while under attack puts that weak-hand way to low...you must defend the head. One way to instill the lesson is practice presentation while a mate strikes you with a foam stick. Protect your head.

About folders: With stabbing you should be taught to extract the blade from the enemy's/threat's body as fast as possible, for several reasons. One, when stabbing an enemy you can anticipate he will move in a drastic way, but not how much of what. Retention of the weapon hinges on you getting the blade out of him before he breaks your grip, as until the blade is out his grip is better than yours! All that twist pullout crap is asking to lose your weapon. Two, the wound can't bleed fast enough with your blade plugging it. Three, even more true of any folding knife due to lack of a tang, the longer the blade is in the enemy body the more likely it will break off in him. A folder is weakest in the middle.

[TranterUK]

Delta. You clearly have had advanced training in the use of a knife for defence. I would caution those without such knowledge to avoid this if at all possible. Without proper training they may just give their opponent the weapon they need.

As I am sure you will agree just sticking a knife in is not nearly enough. I know people who took stab wounds and didn't even know about it until they saw blood, they thought they had been punched. There are both defensive and offensive things to know. I say best avoided if possible.

[delta13soultaker]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

I know people who took stab wounds and didn't even know about it until they saw blood, they thought they had been punched. There are both defensive and offensive things to know. I say best avoided if possible.

Sounds like they got hit by "stab 'n paray" Most people stab too early, rush to failure...takes 3 times the work for the same goal. About wounds, they are funny...my mate took pieces of a grenade in the hind end (purple heart, 3rd award) and thought his Camelback had busted when his pants felt wet. He was okay though. The doc took him behind a corner and they started wrapping his butt, but in the dark he was using his free hand to pull the guaze through his legs and the doc was snipping with scissors and cut the tip of my mate's finger off...seeing his finger pouring blood made him woozy...frag in the a$$ no problem; but a cut finger sent his knees wobbling.

Some schools of thought says stabbing is a bad idea, nearly anything in the clothes may stop a stab, and slashing techniques are the only effective use of an edged weapon. Some say slashing is not effective enough, and leaves you open to getting struck down, but chopping a heavy knife is the way. Others say achieve a body clinch and stab for vital organs. Each side has very valid arguements. I believe the truth lives towards the middle.

I agree about avoiding some things. Only a crazy fool, no matter how skilled, attempts too fight blade to blade if a choice is there. See, the other guy gets 50% suffrage about electing your fate! And true, the thing that makes a man with a knife so easy to disarm is most don't realize how easy a knife can be taken or turned. Legions of young men think turning their blade backwards with it running along their forearm is good for slashing and harder to snatch, but in fact such a grasp makes any strike fall into the perfect position for a foe to check and rotate the blade back into the owner. Your most common and best trained skilled knifemen are prison yard educated...that's exactly why you bring a gun to a knife fight too.

But a blade never runs out of ammo or gets bad powder, and if a pocket pistol is more likely to always be on your person than a little folder is even that much more likely to always be with you. It's better than using your teeth, so I reckon some working bladecraft is good for any CCW citizen.

And your hands...they're always within reach Sun Zu said, "A man who learns to fight without his sword is never without it."

On shooting practice tips, the hardest bad habit to break for doing very close shooting is the urge to put the handgun out too far. Practice presenting the weapon in a draw that brings the handgun right up under the nose; eyes over the slide. Practice this and shooting one handed/two handed with the strong side elbow tight to the body, feet apart in a boxer stance, slight crouch...to absorb hits and stay up in the fight. With practicing presentation it's about economy of motion, getting the proper grip and sight picture with no wasted time.

[pricedo]

I try to make my CCW practise sessions as close to reality as possible.

When some perp is rushing you with a knife or a clubbing weapon you're not normally going to waste time taking your jacket off.

In most CCW situations you'll have a sweater, jacket or coat on & might be facing several potential assailants armed in one way or the other.

All the potential screw ups that could cost you your life in a real scenario come to light during real life, full dress practise sessions (ie. revolver handgrip or hammer catching on clothing, holster gun release problems) & allow you to remedy them when your life is not actually depending on a flawless & fast weapon presentation.

I practise wearing each & every outer garment that I normally wear when I'm in the community so any unforseen problems come to light & can be remedied in advance.

It is no time to be fumbling with a "hung up" handgun when your life (&/or your families) is on the line.

CCW Permits: UT, PA, NH, ME
Life Member: NRA, GOA

[45nut]

delta13soultaker

Will you be my Daddy.... or at least write a book?

Your posts are very informative without being preachy. I would think you would be a good teacher. I wish you well in the new year and may God keep you out of harm's way.

[poser_pilot]

Originally Posted by 45nut

delta13soultaker

Will you be my Daddy.... or at least write a book?

Your posts are very informative without being preachy. I would think you would be a good teacher. I wish you well in the new year and may God keep you out of harm's way.

+1. Although from your tone and some of your posts, I would be much surprised if you have not been an instructor in some school or other, as I get the feeling that you are likely a senior NCO, though there is the chance that you could be a very wise officer.

[delta13soultaker]

Thanks yall. Best wishes back at ya this new year, 45. Have been instructor, drill sergeant, and always a student, enroute now to another instructor job, this time to train the trainers somewhere warm. Senior NCO. Hoping to wear that retiree hat some day before I get too slow.

[45nut]

Are you coming to Texas?

[redhart]

I shoot IPSC competition, as well as praticing draw and fire at 7 and 10 yds. on single and multiple targets.Bullseye once a month at 20 yds.

[delta13soultaker]

Nah, 45 but I used to live there man.

[WDB]

The poll should have had a mixed vote as I expect many like me practice all of the above.