Nancy R. at Excels at Nothing calls it like it is.
I don’t have much confidence in my ability to draw quickly, but if I wait until I’m flawless, I’ll never have my gun with me.
I may still be practicing on how sights work, but if I wait until I can consistently drill two rounds through the same hole, I’ll never have my gun with me.
Go read the whole thing.
Welcome to the Year of the Dragon Lady.
UPDATE: Why do I find Nancy’s post outstanding and consider it a slap in the face to Tommy Tacticals? Because we are being flooded by “instructors” with no experience in Real Life trying to tell everybody that if they do not take their Super Duper Ninja Class (at the special rate of $80/hour, S&H not included) and follow their dictum to the last comma they will surely die. And sorry but that is a gigantic load of bullshit.
Yes, I understand that before you donned the 5.11 Tactical polo with the embroidered logo of your company, you served in (fill the blank) with the (fill the blank) or you were in the (fill the blank) Police Department for 15 scores and you were the (fill the blank) for their SWAT team. But I have bad news for you: that is not applicable to your regular John or Jane so you are failing on your duty to teach your pupils.
The good instructor will teach what the student needs. If he is a cell phone salesman and she is a nurse, don’t tell them they have to be “Samurai” or “Knights of the Round Table” they are Civilians, not Warriors. They are more likely to meet with Milty the MeathHead at bad breath distance than a platoon of Cuban Blue Berets at a hasty ambush.
And yes, more practice & training will be needed. But with an economy like the one we have right now, for some it might come to either beans or bullets, feed the family and pay the bills or use that money to take another 2-day class on proper vehicular counter ambush techniques that will come as handy as hairdressing for unicorns and trolls.
Great quote by her. I’m gonna frame it.
If you carry a gun, your neighbor thinks you’re a Tactical Tommy.
My neighbor works for SEIU. He probably already reported me to DHS.
I’m here in Nevada, were ALL Tactical Tommies!
I can agree with her point of view,,,,,as long as that outlook isn’t used as a form of rationalization to NOT train, NOT practice, and NOT accept the responsibility that goes along with “carrying”. Thousands get permits & gun and have no intention to take one step of effort to further their abilities. Being proficient with a handgun or any other defensive tool / skill does not necessarily make one a “Tactical Tommy”. Once a person makes a conscious decision to carry, nothing about that person should scream “gun”.
I am gonna have to admit my comment was a bit incomplete. Must do an update
Check the CSGV FB-Hexam is whining that we prosecute kiddie porn sent via internet but allow “undocumented” sales of firearms…
Really.
Dontcha mean “Tactical Tammy”!? You wouldn’t be SEXIST or sumthin??
I am sexist as hell. I just do not make the mistake of consider women the weakest sex.
re: The update.
Can you provide folks a list of these waste-of-money trainers so that they don’t waste their cash? Like you pointed out, many people have limited money to spend on firearms and firearms training, and that would be an invaluable service.
I am not being sarcastic here.
Let’s go simpler
Any school that targets training for civilians under the “Make you a warrior” or any such nonsense should be avoided like the plague unless you are into that kind of stuff and you are aware that it may come back to haunt you in court.
Very summarized: What the average Joe and Jane should be looking for is an instructor or school that teaches not only the mechanics of shooting but also the basic principles of a defensive lifestyle. Teach that most of the time, discretion is the better part of valor and that a well timed retreat might be more effective. Not only that you are capable to take that 25 yard headshot, but knowing if it is wise to take it. That there is no such things a “just a scratch” when we are talking about bullet wounds so the use of hardcover is a must or at least be moving really fast towards one. And if everything has failed and you cannot avoid it, be nasty, be fast & resolute to stop the attacker… and be ready for all the crap that comes afterward.
The last words uttered by the instructor in that class should be something in the vein of “I hope you realize how NOT ready are you, but at least you know. From now on, it is up to you to improve.”
Students who chose an instructor for “advanced” training (beyond the aquisition of the CCW permit) would be wise to check the credentials of that instructor. Documents that reflect where this advanced instructor received his or her formal training.
There are more than a few “advanced” instructors who received all their training from Combat Handguns magazine and a good imagination.
Not something I would pay hard earned dollars for.
And the syllabus which will also give you an idea what does the instructor know and if it is what you need at that particular time.
Also, check for videos of the class in Youtube. If it looks stupid or dangerous, it probably is.
“And the syllabus which will also give you an idea what does the instructor know and if it is what you need at that particular time.”
This. That gives a good outline of what the class time will be spent on, and if it’s worth your time and money and if the instructor has any idea what he’s talking about.
There’s also how much is on the legal situation in your state
When is the last time we’ve seen an armed civilian (non-LEO) fight back and lose? This isn’t to say that you don’t need training, but get the training you need first. And then go to Tactical Carbine Fantasy Camp.