Your local hang out was robbed last weekend and the local news is showing more stories on crime.
You’ve thought about owning a gun for a long time, you grew up with guns; but after getting married and having kids, you decided you’d wait.
You waited long enough; and last month you bought your first pistol and signed up for the next class to get your License to Carry. Now you’re thinking; ‘OK, thug, I’m ready for you’.
But are you really?
In 2010, ABC News conducted an experiment with guns in public and the use of said gun as a defense against an armed attacker. The context of the story was that it doesn’t work. However, and this is important, they selected people for the study that were not trained in the use of a defensive hand gun.
Buying a gun and getting your concealed carry license does not prepare you to respond to an active threat. (And reaching level four in the latest video combat game doesn’t count either.) Most law enforcement agencies do not prepare the street officer to aggressively respond to an active threat. They don’t have the financial resources; so they fund a special team to address active threats – SWAT!
We have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Standing in a lane, stationary and shooting at a paper target that is not shooting back is not preparing you to respond to an active shooting threat. With that said, if you have a gun, don’t stop practicing; but do add a training module to your practice. Take a formal tactical pistol, firearm defense or armed self-defense class. Just do your homework and find a class that will challenge you to prepare for a situation for which you hope you’ll never be involved.
Find a class or instructor (and both are available at Saddle River Range) that will offer training appropriate to your current level of ability with an outline of how to get you to a desired level of ability. Whether you are starting from never having shot a pistol before or have had military or law enforcement experience, there are classes and instructors that can help. However, if you want to be prepared to the level of the Secret Service; expect to do a LOT of course work and practice, practice, and more PRACTICE!
What’s important is that you get instruction, you learn, your practice and you hope you never have to use this skill; but will be thankful you have the skill if ever called upon to protect yourself, your family or friends and co-workers.
Think you’re ready? You will be. Take that step to improve your skills.
Stay Aware, Stay Safe,
