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Thread: Training priorities for new shooter.

  1. #11
    Three other items to consider:
    1) You’ve got a GLOCK, so hardware seems fine. Sounds trite, but read the manual.
    2) Decide on how to secure it when it’s not in your immediate control, and
    3) Consider applying for a carry permit now. If you do decide to carry, that’s out of the way...

  2. #12
    Great thread! Subscribed.

  3. #13
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Quote Originally Posted by RJ View Post

    As far as using your Glock at the range, absent specific instruction, an initial metric I would suggest for a first time shooter would be to consistently hit inside an 8" circle at 7 yards.
    Rich
    On reflection of what I've learned over my training classes, one key point is that only hits matter. So I'm going to tweak my response slightly on target accuracy standard for a first time shooter as follows:

    At the end of this session, with minimal supervision, you will be able to:
    1. Safely handle, unload, and load a modern striker fired semi-automatic pistol, and
    2. Achieve all rounds within a fist-sized (approx 6”) circle at 7 yards with no time constraints under ideal conditions.


    The target I use for this is attached.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #14
    Site Supporter
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    Jun 2020
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    Missouri
    Oh, boy, a lot of movement on a newbie's thread, it's honestly heartwarming.

    A lot of stuff to respond to from a lot of people (in no particular order).

    1.) I'm in the greater St. Louis, MO area.
    2.) I have read the manual!
    3.) I've got a biometric safe bolted to the floor right now, and out of obvious sight to curious kiddos. The new purchase resides in there.
    4.) Looks like I've got a lot of reading to do. Which is good. I'm good at reading.

  5. #15
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Aug 2013
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    PacNW
    @Bio,

    First off, welcome to P-F. This is what I would call a mature internet forum; many members have gone through exactly the process that you are starting, in years past. What this means is that there is a lot of off-topic conversation among friends to wade through, but rest assured that if you have a question, individuals with *considerable* expertise will eventually come along to answer it. You’ve come across a great resource.

    Secondly, your initial post shows remarkably clear thinking. I’m not all that worried about your eventual level of expertise, as you are asking the right questions.

    Thirdly, you are in the state that gave us the Chapman Academy at the dawn of modern practical shooting, and is hosting the ILEETA conference (LE training convention) this summer. We can probably find you some quality training well within a day’s drive, wherever you are, should you wish to study under vetted instruction.

  6. #16
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
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    Wichita
    Be honest with yourself, most people aren't. Can you take a life? That's the first question to ask yourself. If the answer is less than an emphatic "yes", forget it. Many people can't and that's not a bad thing. But, if the answer is no, the last thing you need to turn yourself into is an armed liability.

    You have a gun, so you've overcome hurdle number one. You don't have to spend a lot of time with load selection. DocGKR's list of acceptable loads is available here and elsewhere. Look it up, pick one and that's that. Don't concern yourself with movement drills and the like right now. Start with the basics. When those can be accomplished at a subconscious level, move onto the more complex issues.

    We don't all have to be tier one operators to defend ourselves. It may seem like that if you spend enough time around here, but you honestly don't. Examine how much time you have in your day, what your other responsibilities are and how much time you can feasibly devote to training. Start with the basics of handling your firearm, develop a reasonable level of accuracy, then move on from there. You're a scientist so this last point is key. I don't mean this as an offense, but people like you tend to fall victim to analysis paralysis. You don't have to have everything laid out on a spread sheet or a formula to be ready, sometimes you just have to start and learn as you go.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

  7. #17
    Modding this sack of shit BehindBlueI's's Avatar
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    Mar 2015
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    Midwest
    If you like reading assignments, check out this series at the Lucky Gunner lounge:

    https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/s...ll-gun-fights/

    From what I've seen investigating a metric butt ton of robberies and fights with deadly weapons is that people who lose usually lose due to poor decision making. A solid base of fundamentals and understanding of tactics can help with that, but so many people forget the fighting part of fighting with a gun and either don't train at all or get caught up in incremental improvements to easily measured skills because it's more fun and looks sexier. You can't post your situational awareness scores on Instagram, after all.

    Safe handling is first and foremost, including administrative handling and under stress handling. More people shoot themselves or somebody else accidentally then shoot a bad guy. I've kept the stats in my own county as both came through my old office. Not counting suicides, not counting questionable stories, etc. I could confirm 80-100 unintended discharges leading to injury or death per year. In one county. A big one, population wise, but still. Pulling the trigger of a pistol after dropping the magazine but not clearing the chamber was a leading cause. Holstering with an obstruction, often the shooter's own finger, was a smaller but still significant group.

    Once you know how not to shoot, then learn to shoot.

    Decision making under stress, managing unknown contacts, legal and psychological repercussions (which is important to know before hand and to help with decision making), they all are things that "shooter only" often ignore in their training journeys. That more holistic approach to fighting with a gun as opposed to just shooting can pay big dividends.
    Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.

  8. #18
    Student
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Arizona
    Here is a list that I occasionally refer to.

    https://www.growingupguns.com/2017/0...al-protection/

    There was another list of critical skills that address concerns not addressed in the majority of training by Ralph Mroz on his blog 'The Street Standards', but it has been compiled into book format earlier this year.

  9. #19
    First, welcome, and it is great that you seem to take this seriously and have started off on a good track so far.


    For self defense ammo, I would stick to one of the recommended loads from DocGKR's list here. TLDR for handgun ammo you want something that expands reliably and has adequate penetration, and his list is the best bet for you to get that in whatever loading you get. However, shot placement is key so marksmanship will be important. If you want to read more about the why behind the recommendations, the ammo subforum has a lot of good info.

    I believe most people here recommend running a few mags through your pistol with whatever ammo & mags you plan to use to ensure there are no issues. Generally people also will have training mags vs carry mags separated due to wear and tear. Finally, do not repeatedly chamber the same round if you're cycling out carry vs training ammo due to ammo setback & concerns of knocking the primer loose.



    With regards to Andrew Branca's book, he may still also have podcasts available for free that go over the main concepts in his books, which may be a good supplement to listen to if you're into podcasts.

    Finally, I believe Claude Warner has some useful info on his blog which cover negative outcomes. Gives you scenarios to think about to hopefully avoid negative outcomes if you're planning to use the firearm for home defense. This ties into the safety focus that you listed and goes beyond the 4 rules we all learn when we start shooting.

  10. #20
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Aug 2013
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    PacNW
    @Bio, while we are at it—and since BBI brought it up—here are some videos on the basics, by a member here:


    https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/c.../shooting-101/

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