Submitted for your perusal and edification, E-mail Blog report received from:
The Tactical Wire sponsored by Bushmaster
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
Skill Set: And Another Thing About Dry Practice
by Tiger McKee
With this year quickly coming to an end I'm thinking about my training for this year. Unfortunately for me this is this first year that I have not attended any formal training. Normally I'll attend at least eighty hours of training, under another instructor, to tune up and polish my skills. Even though I haven't gotten in any training hours, I've done plenty of practice, and the majority of that has been done dry. I've said it before, I'm talking about it now, and I'll say it again, "dry practice is the very best way to learn the skills needed to fight with a firearm."
To get results from practice you need to focus on the skills you need, under conditions that are similar to the environment you'll be fighting in. You need to be able to manipulate your weapon at a subconscious level. This requires thousands of repetitions, and the only real way to get this much practice, unless you live on the range and have an unlimited ammunition budget is through dry practice.
The same is true of moving and using cover. You can this at home, and you don't even have to use a weapon. Pretend you've got a weapon in your hands, move tactically down the hallway to the couch, which is your cover. Pick out an aiming point, put your hands up, use a thumb for your front sight, and move while keeping a sight picture on target. These repetitions are important for becoming familiar with the skills, both mentally and physically.
If you work at a desk all day, then every time you get up, physically, or if necessary mentally so you don't attract the attention of co-workers, practice how you would draw while working up to your feet and getting cover or making your way to the exit. When you're imagining this, try to instill as much realism as possible. The same applies to vehicles. You want to know how to fight inside your auto, working on things like clearing the seatbelt and drawing without covering yourself or passengers with the muzzle.
On the range we normally work from a standing position, but we know most fights go to the ground. So this is how you practice, but you can't do it at the club range so you have to work on it at home. Eventually your wife and kids will get used to you flopping around on the carpet. When working on this type stuff I would recommend doing it with your pretend pistol, or with a dummy gun. I highly recommend actually dry practicing with a live weapon, because there is always the chance of making a mistake, which with firearms is extremely dangerous.
So after thinking about what I haven't done, I believe I'll focus on what I can do. I need to get more practice with the AR, which I've been neglecting lately. Tomorrow I think I'll practice empty reloads. What are you going to work on to prepare yourself for a fight? Remember, you can never be too prepared, and every day presents opportunities to practice.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama, author of The Book of Two Guns, a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, and an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. (256) 582-4777 www.shootrite.org