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Here’s some ‘food for thought’:
1. The best fight is one you’re not in. (JustinJ’s comments are right on the money!) Or as an Aikido sensei said “You cannot lose a fight you’re not in. But, if you cannot avoid the fight, then end it quickly.”
2. Related to #1: Best way to avoid a fight: be somewhere else (meaning either don’t go to dangerous places and/or shift your defensive position right before someone attacks you).
3. Related to #2: Don’t do stupid things with stupid people in stupid places.
4. In a street fight there are no rules, BUT there are consequences. (Think past the incident to the possible outcomes. Have a knowledgeable attorney on speed dial.)
5. Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away! (Yep, you’re probably going to have to think your way out of most situations!)
6. A gun is like a parachute. If you need it and don’t have it, you’ll probably never need it again. (But, you’re the one that has to figure out when and if to use it.)
7. You can’t shoot everyone. The key is ‘Proportionate Response’: You punch me, I punch you. But, not you punch me, I shoot you. (This is where the ‘Force Continuum’ comes in … you should have a series of options, sort of like a menu of increasingly violent skills/choices: if situational awareness and avoidance will do the job, then great! If not, what are your choices between a hard look and shooting someone?)
Just some thoughts culled from years of fights and decades in the military and law enforcement.
Cobra 6 Actual said: ↑
Here’s some ‘food for thought’:1. The best fight is one you’re not in. (JustinJ’s comments are right on the money!) or as an Aikido sensei said “You cannot lose a fight you’re not in. But, if you cannot avoid the fight, then end it quickly.”
2. Related to #1: Best way to avoid a fight: be somewhere else (meaning either don’t go to dangerous places and/or shift your defensive position).
3. Related to #2: Don’t do stupid things with stupid people in stupid places.
4. In a street fight there are no rules, BUT there are consequences. (Think past the incident to the possible outcomes.)
5. Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away! (Yep, you’re probably going to have to think your way out of most situations!)
6. A gun is like a parachute. If you need it and don’t have it, you’ll probably never need it again. (But, your the one that has to figure out when and if to use it.)
7. You can’t shoot everyone. The key is ‘Proportionate Response’: You punch me, I punch you. But, not you punch me, I shoot you. (This is where the ‘Force Continuum’ comes in … you should have a series of options, sort of like a menu of increasingly violent choices: if situational awareness and avoidance will do the job, then great! If not, what are your choices between a hard look and shooting someone?)
Just some thoughrs culled from years of fights and decades in the military and law enforcement.
Click to expand…
This. Yes.The only thing I’d add are your 2 best weapons are your brain to think your way out of a situation, and your feet, to walk or run away
Cheeser said: ↑
This. Yes.The only thing I’d add are your 2 best weapons are your brain to think your way out of a situation, and your feet, to walk or run away
Hey, you were too quick, Cheeser … I added a few things! And, yes, you’re right: the thinking man that knows when and how to fight usually won’t have to do either.Cobra 6 Actual said: ↑
Hey, you were too quick, Cheeser … I added a few things! And, yes, you’re right: the thinking man that knows when and how to fight usually won’t have to do either.
20 years in the job and I’ve drawn my gun 3 times and never fired. And been injured only twice requiring medical attention. Don’t let your ego write checks your skills can’t cashCheeser said: ↑
20 years in the job and I’ve drawn my gun 3 times and never fired. And been injured only twice requiring medical attention. Don’t let your ego write checks your skills can’t cash
I know what you mean, sir: +50 years experience (although in my youth I was a rifleman in Vietnam, so I did have to ‘light up’ some North Vietnamese troops that were intent on having me loaded in a body bag … not something I boast about, just fact: there ARE times when you do have to empty your magazine and toss a few grenades … and call in an air strike.).I’m going to echo the training sentiment. The more you practice and the more training you invest in, the more confident you’re going to feel about those scenarios you mentioned.
I know I personally feel more capable having had formal, tactical handgun training, but I also know that I need to learn more, practice more and just be better/more prepared in general.
But that’s the appeal too.
danielholden said: ↑
Hmm lol.
That’s a GREAT start; laughing out loud. Good way to be particularly after your first post.:)A. If you’re hot headed, carrying a firearm probably isn’t too smart. You should learn to control your temper before you try to control a situation with a firearm.
B. You’re right, there IS always someone faster and/or stronger. However, thugs tend to pick weak-looking targets. Don’t look weak. (A lot could be said on this topic.)
C. If you aren’t prepared for hand-to-hand combat, you’ll probably lose your gun in a fight.
D. If you don’t know how to utilize a firearm in close quarters, you’ll probably lose your gun in a close quarters fight.
E. If you don’t know how you’ll react to being hit, punched or kicked … find out. Take a defensive class where they “activate” your instinctive defense mechanisms.Carrying a firearm is like driving a car; you have to know how.
Some people should not have a drivers liscense.
Some people should not have guns.
An unskilled driver can do horrendous damage.
A gun in the hands of an unskilled person can do the same.
Gun control is hitting the target.
If you can’t hit the target while acquiring an instant sight picture, don’t carry a gun.If someone thinks you have a gun they are less likely to assult you; that is of course, unless they are insane.
Insane people can rarely be reasoned with. If at all.
Hitler was insane.On the training aspect, keep in mind there are two types of training you should look for.
One type of training is skill oriented. You need to be able to hit what you need to hit when you need to hit it. You may be caught off guard. The bad guy may be right on top of you (grab the slide and force it forward with your off hand as you ram the gun into the bad guy if necessary, you’ll have to manually rack the slide afterwards but will force the gun to be in battery and go bang instead of what was described earlier), etc. There’s lots of skills out there grip, “stance”, movement, etc. all of these are important. Force on force would fit in here as well.
The other type is a little more specialized in the sense that you want to also take instruction/training from someone locally. Self defense laws can be very different. Most people can not find the best skill instructors locally, I know I can’t. But going and doing a national instructor leaves a gap in the legal knowledge. The skills are universally applicable but the threshold to use the skills, what you need to know afterwards, etc. is not as widely applicable.
This might be worth your time…
Also I’ve noticed (moreso in recent years) that the mantra on the forums is “training, training, training”. For all others, it’s simply hopeless, doomsday scenario, so throw your tool (gun) away before you hurt yourself with it. Now, that’s fine in the sense that, if you can train, great, do it. In the meantime, if there are factors in your life that keep you from this “formal” training (that I believe often leads to a lot of big egos, and forum bragging rights as much as anything else), I say keep every tool that you own, handy, and do the best you can with what you’ve got, if things ever take a turn for the worse. And then there are those who have been re-educated to believe that your basic human right of self-preservation should be limited to carrying a short stick, no more than 12in x 1in diameter, softwood only, and that you should make sure you attacker has a stick equal in size to yours (maybe even a little bigger) to be fair, and don’t forget to give him the first swing…and they can’t fathom why another person might not be willing to roll over and letting the bear eat you. Well, they’re not even worth responding to in my not so humble opinion.
One more thing, on a more personal level before I end this rant. I’ve also learned through the years, that the less others know about your tools/training, etc., the better. I respect the quiet type. Someone who flies under other peoples radar. Their actions speak louder than their words.
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