In a self-defense scenario you probably are not going to start out with weapon in hand, with a confirmed round in the chamber, safety off, standing in your favorite shooting stance. You can improve the chances of that with good situational awareness. But sometimes you just start in a bad situation. On the asphalt of the grocery store, after just been struck in the back of the head head. At knifepoint. Surrounded. When under stress, our minds operate at a diminished capacity. It’s easy to come up with a plan for these situations at home. Not so easy in the moment, unsure if you were attacked or if you were hit by accident, unsure if the law allows you to shoot or not, knowing you are facing jail if you guess wrong. Under stress we revert to our training, and only through training can we perform well in a self-defense situation.
Kyle Rittenhouse: A Case Study in Preparedness and Training
A great example of the importance of training is how well Kyle Rittenhouse performed during the Kenosha shootings. Kyle Rittenhouse, thanks to situational awareness, was able to initially run from a mob of rioters, some of whom were shooting at him. While running, one of the rioters caught up with Kyle and grabbed the barrel of Kyle’s rifle. Despite not having full control of his weapon, Rittenhouse was able to turn off his safety, maintain control of his weapon, aim, and fire a shot to the chest, killing his assailant. Kyle continued to attempt to retreat but tripped while doing so. After tripping another rioter struck Kyle in the head with a skateboard. Despite the injury, Kyle was able to shoot the neutralize the second threat. Moments later, a third rioter caught up with Kyle and pointed a handgun at him. Kyle’s gun jammed when he attempted to fire. Despite being under attack, Kyle still had the training and presence of mind of mind to clear his rifle jam using the forward assist. Kyle was then able to neutralize the third attacker and exit the threat situation. Kyle’s actions were ultimately found to be justified, even under moment-by-moment nationwide scrutiny and a politically biased prosecution. Had Kyle missed a shot, or taken any other action than he those did, he’d be dead or in jail right now.
The Risks of Inadequate Training: A Personal Story
A no-so heroic example is how my wife, who never trains, asked me to unlock her pistol so she could carry it at night last week. Within 5 seconds of me handing it to her, she flagged me with the barrel. While I don’t normally store guns without a round in the chamber, I do in her case. She tried to brush it off like no big deal, but I made it clear this was unacceptable. It’s even a crime in some circumstances. I took the firearm back from her, locked it back up, and told her she couldn’t touch it again until she goes to the range with me and passes a safety course to my satisfaction. She hasn’t taken me up on that offer since then, and I’m fine with that. If someone attacks me at home, I’d rather she not have a gun at all than be shot in the back by her, or have my attacker get control of her gun.
The Role of Dry Fire in Improving Shooting Skills
Even the world’s top shooters practice at home. It’s called dry fire and it’s a daily routine for them. Sometimes for hours. This is just practical. Every real round is a fraction of a dollar out of your bank account. Plus, I doubt it’s healthy to breathe that much gunpowder and lead anyway. Using dry fire, you can practice stances, draw, aim, trigger squeeze, and most other things in an identical way to being at the indoor range. You only miss out on recoil management and even then there are some solutions to that.
Despite knowing the benefits, in my opinion dry firing is kind of boring. I don’t like the lack of feedback, such as not knowing my shot times which I would otherwise get with a shot timer. It’s also unrealistic to always shoot stationary targets, who stands still in a gun fight? As both a game programmer and a shooter, it’s why I created Interactive Gun Range. It’s a fun way to get in your daily dry fire, record your progress over time, and save money.
