As you can imagine, the video of the instructor shooting at the ground near the student has been making the rounds among the Gun Community. In one of the discussions I saw in Social Media, somebody pointed out that possibly the very fucked up intention of the instructor was to “immunize” the student from the shock of a firearm, not his, was being discharged nearby. Basically to inject adrenaline to the exercise in order to develop a sort of immunity when shit really happens.

This I understand. And the way he went about it is still 1,000% wrong, dangerous and the instructor should be asked to move to Great Britain.

Do you want to simulate stress? Do you want to simulate stress while going pew-pew? Join an Action Shooting Club. Go shoot IDPA or USPSA or Cowboy or whatever other sport has a bunch of people shooting on the move on the same morning or afternoon. You will be sick and immunized of hearing shots go off over and over.

“But Miguel, that is not enough! I mean the guy was shooting right there! That is some serious stress!” Well, guess what, if you really want to feel the shock of the shot up close and personal, become a Range Officer or Safety Officer for the above-mentioned sports.

That would be the guy holding the little blue box called Shot Timer.  You are supposed to be at arm’s length of the shooter at all times to avoid a mishap with the firearm. Now, both individuals in the photo are experienced shooters but you know what it is stressful? Having a totally new shooter participating in his/her first shoot-and-move Course of Fire. That will shoot plenty of epinephrine in your bloodstream.

And goes without saying (Lord knows I have expressed in this blog many times before) that regular participation in Action Shooting Sports is a great way to practice your gun handling skills and marksmanship on the move and under simulated stress.

So, to other instructors out there who want to be “edgy” and “Oh-So-Tactical” to be different from others: Don’t be. Keep your students safe at all times, be innovative but not dangerous and stupid. Firearms training has inherent risks and it has been the strict adherence to safety practices what has kept the accidents to a statistically insignificant number.

It is not “IDPA will get you killed on the streets” but that shit you are “teaching” will get one of your students killed in your range.

Heed the warning.