pfgrone wrote:Given the increasing cost of driving two towns away to get to a range, the increasing cost of range time and ammo for my wife and I, we have to cut back significantly on practice time at the range. We used to go about three times a month and are both good shots already. We both carry concealed and need to maintain some level of profiency.
Your opinions?
1) What would you consider minimum practice time on a range to maintain profiency?
2) Could one of those airsoft handguns and targets set up in my garage be a reasonable substitute for some of the range time? (Don't know anything about airsoft guns.)
Depends on too many things to give a simple answer. How proficient you already are for one. How you practice when you do practice for another. Ultimately the only answer will be: Do you manage to avoid all incidents where you might have needed the gun (one of the best tests but it takes decades
) and if you have to use it will you do some safely, in a timely AND legal manner, and will you win.
Remember, that pure "range shooting" may not be the best practice for self-defense anyway -- if you are already competent with basic shooting. Do you practice defending yourself and your spouse, with your spouse?
You need some practical training, or IDPA competition to get out of the "shooting in the lane" mode of most ranges. Take some training. Try to find some "partner" training where you will get to work together, but take SOME training no matter what. Then you will know more about what to practice and know better HOW to practice.
Other (cheaper) methods include reduced caliber (or more common, cheaper rounds), e.g, .22, but also Airsoft, dryfire, and laser practice. Reduced caliber won't help you much if the issue is reaching the range for live fire. Airsoft might work. Dryfire and laser (dryfire) work for everyone. Personally I do a lot of dry fire with a laser, and a lot of scenario practice.
Just drawing from cover is something most people don't practice -- many ranges won't let you draw anyway. People go to the range and practice holding the gun at low ready, or even on target. Some practice shooting quickly, but few practice fully and completely from cover unless they are IDPA/USPSA/practical competitors. (Practical competitions aren't combat but they are about as close as we can get most of the time -- that and Force on Force classes.)
But remember, your ultimately healthy survival will likely depend as much or more on you AVOIDING the threat, PERCEIVING the threat in time to react, and REACTING to the threat before you become unable to do so.
Most defensive encounters are going to be at very close ranges -- 7 yards is usually suggestion, but the overwhelming majority of shots fired by you will probably be at under 7'.
Just ask yourself, when would I be shooting THAT far? Or that far? Pick different distances and think what the scenario would be for you to shoot at each rangers.
If you have taken any defensive training (or maybe just the CHL class if you had a good instructor) then know about the Tueller Drill which establishes that a knife wielder can close from 7 yards (21') before most people can draw and fire. But this is different if the gun is in your hand.
Would a knife attacker be standing at 7 yards just asking you to throw over your wallet? How about a criminal with a gun?
In most real world defenses, stance and shooting position is going to be pretty arbitrary because you are going to be MOVING to get out of the way of either the knife or gun attack. Expect to be moving sideways (you do train to move, right?) and expect to need to fire one handed, maybe while not being ABLE to aim.
Note, this is not an argument FOR unaimed fire, but rather an acknowledgement of the fact that most real world fights happen this way.
How about sleight of hand and deceptive draw strokes? The fast draw is a skill to have, but if you are facing a criminal with a gun (or maybe knife) already deployed, can you "outdraw him"? Of course not. Are you going to go along on a kidnapping? How about being raped? How will you get your gun into play? Deceptions, pattern and sleight of hand skills, MIGHT be part of the answer.
The most likely place to have a long range encounter where you will actually shoot is at home, down a long hallway etc. Measure it off, work out a system for those place what will be successful. Maybe a shotgun is called for.
Practice SOMETHING every day. Even if it is only "looking for the threat" everywhere you go. (Do this anywhere.)
Try this at Wal-Mart or the grocery store: Spot the CHL holders.
That simply. It will likely cause you to find the bad guys too.
How many people with a CHL ever spot the OTHER CHL holders?
You know they are out there. Where are they?
The criminals are too....so where are they?
Ultimately you practice as much as you must or as much as you can. Will it be enough do you think?