When a criminal attack is put upon you, it’s always best if you can multiply your chances for survival. You want to be able to use every legal advantage against your attacker. In short, you should do your best to make it the worst day that crook ever had. Here are some ideas for doubling down on the bad guy.
Once you have learned to shoot–marksmanship and gun handling–you need to learn to fight. Shooting and fighting are not exactly the same thing. For instance, you might be really good at hitting a target but have never been taught the proper use of cover and movement. The same goes for the benefit of a fast, smooth pistol presentation and the flash sight picture. These are just a few of the fighting skills that go beyond basic marksmanship. Once you have gotten a handle on the basics, it’s a real good idea to find a school that teaches gunfighting, taught by people who have actually done it. Gunsite Academy is one such place, but there are several good schools out there.
Another thing that multiplies your chances for survival is to get your hands on a long gun. This is especially true if the long gun is one that you have been trained on. Our chances of getting quick, fight-stopping hits go way up when we are using a shotgun or carbine. The introduction of a long gun into the bad situation may cause it to end without a shot being fired–sort of a variation on the mine-is-bigger-than-yours theme.
Survival chances are also increased when we are joined by a partner–wife, best friend, business partner–who is also trained in defensive shooting. Of course, this means that the two of you have actually trained and practiced together and taken the time to develop defensive plans. One can create a distraction while the other tends to business, or one can hold the crook’s attention while the other flanks and takes care of business. The possibilities are endless, and the success rate goes way up.
Finally, you multiply your survival chances by continually working to improve your awareness skills. If you look out the window and see the crooks bailing out of their car, you are way ahead of the game, because you have time to put a plan into action. This is way more advantageous than to look up and find two crooks standing right in front of you with guns pointed your way.
These skills and many others are what can make you a survivor. Knowing how to hit a target with your gun is nice, but knowing how to be a successful fighter is much nicer. It’s all about continuing the education that we all need.
