You have purchased your gun and you have obtained your conceal carry permit. You visit the range on a weekly basis shooting in static positions and at static targets. You feel like you are doing exactly what needs to be done as a responsible firearm owner, but you don’t know the rules and laws of using deadly force for self defense. Possessing and carrying a firearm for self defense has enormous responsibility. One decision can change your life forever. You may ask yourself, how can you get the knowledge and training needed to help you to make a good decision if you are ever in a life threatening situation that may require a firearm?
It’s not as simple as taking an online course of reading material or watching youtube videos that show gun fights. Although these things can add to your knowledge toolbox, your experience must be comprehensive and with real time feedback.
As much as possible, students should be put in scenarios to assess their decision making skills surrounding the use of deadly force. Scenarios and in-person training for use of force enhances a student’s decision making experience and allows for them to use visualization of potentially dangerous situations. Don’t ever underestimate the value of scenario training.
Here are 3 simple tips to help you build skills to help enhance your decision making for using deadly force with a firearm.
1. STUDY YOUR LOCAL LAWS: It is ultimately your responsibility to know what they say and how to apply them. If you are ever on trial for a self-defense shooting the law of self defense in your state will be on full display and it would be a good idea to get very acquainted with them.
2. DO CRISIS REHEARSALS: The best way to do this is to play the “what if” game. Start with your home and run scenarios that could possibly happen surrounding your home defense and what your response would be. Also think about the places you frequent like grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants etc and do rehearsals of possible situations. You should even go as far as reflecting and creating the character of the perpetrators as well. Manuevor in your mind from one threat to two and then three or more. The truth is that your body will never go where your mind has never been.
3. PRACTICE DRY FIRE DRILLS: When it comes to dry fire it is important to know that it goes beyond getting a great stance, aiming the gun and pressing the trigger with the sights on the target. My dry fire for the past couple of years barely consists of pressing the trigger. I do prep my trigger. However, I spend a lot of my time drawing my firearm from different positions, moving, presenting my gun to different targets, using communication words with a threat, shadow boxing and retention principles. I believe that if you have a good plan to dry fire you can make your practice for real life situations much more realistic in nature. The range is a great place to be, but most public ranges only allow you to stand in one place and shoot at a static target. Of course that can be beneficial, but everything that you could learn and practice about using your gun in a self defense situation can happen in a classroom or your home. If you don’t believe me, take one of my private lessons and I will coach you on how to do that.
For more information and training on this topic, go to my website at www.jonesfirearmscoaching.com and go to group classes to check for my next self defense law class or book a private lesson today.
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