There are a sizeable number of people trying to make a living conducting firearms training these days. Some focus on competition, but far more emphasize the defensive or combative aspects of handgun use. While I have conducted more than a few such classes, I consider myself more of a serious student of the topic. I have searched for and faced more than a few armed men (and women) during my three decades in law enforcement, but in no way do I think that I have all of the answers on how to prepare and train for armed combat. One thing that I do know for sure is that there are a number of folks out there who are teaching techniques that make the process more difficult than it needs to be. The fact is, we know what is needed to prepare for such situations, and God knows that there are only so many ways to shoot a gun. The problem is that these proven methods don't sell tickets to an "advanced" firearms training course.

I don't spend much time surfing the Internet chat rooms, but recently I was looking in on Evan Marshal's website and chat room (www.stoppingpower.net) when I came across an interesting conversation on what was really needed to prepare for a gunfight. Much of the conversation centered on mindset, and justifiably so, but one post really caught my attention and made a great deal of sense.

The post said, "There is no such thing as an advanced gunfight…just gunfights in which the fundamentals were performed really well."

I wish I would have been the one to say this, as never have truer words been spoken. There is no way to prepare for every potential gunfight situation, as the variables are just too great. What needs to be done is to practice those things that are likely to happen based on past situations.

For example, we know that fights involving handguns occur at relatively close distances, are over in just a few seconds and involve multiple subjects who are moving. Thus, practicing to draw from the holster while moving laterally and engaging multiple targets at varied distances makes a great deal of sense. It also makes sense to practice this as fast as possible, but only as fast as you can deliver solid hits.

The increased emphasis on force-on-force training is another thing that makes a great deal of sense, but not at the expense of the fundamentals of shooting. Knowing how to think fast and sort out what is unfolding in front of you is a necessary skill, and Airsoft or Simunitions training does this like nothing else. The ability to recreate actual shooting incidents or create situations that are possible, based on where you work or live, trains the mind for conflict.

The brain is an interesting organ in that it really does not know the difference between a real confrontation and one that is simulated, so it can learn how to respond from the event regardless of whether it is real. However, please remember that all training, including force-on-force, is artificial in that no expectation of injury or death accompanies the exercise. This being the case, it is wise to never stop emphasizing the fundamentals of shooting and how to "run your gun," as this knowledge will never let you down in a clutch.