New Article on Training Priorities

[Tom Givens]

https://americanhandgunner.com/are-y...sy-or-a-fight/

My latest article, in the current issue of American Handgunner magazine.

[Odin Bravo One]

Already all over my Facebook feed.....

[SeriousStudent]

As always, excellent points.

[blues]

Well done, Tom. Cuts right to the meat of it and discards the fat. (As usual.)

[Cypher]

I'm hearing this over and over again and I believe it. Concentrate on the basics. El Presidentes are fun but if I ever actually have to pull one off I'm pretty sure I'm going to be toast

[GJM]

Tom, as always, thanks for the effort you put into your various writings. I know that it takes a lot of time to put these together, and I read every word. I particularly like the way you relate your training ideas to the specifics of your student data base of shootings.

I have a question on long gun training. Are you opposed to:

1) long gun training generally

2) classes where accountants, doctors and lawyers jock up like the military operators they are not

3) or something else

I started my formal class training in the late 80's, and many of my most memorable classes were long gun -- like 270 at Gunsite, Urban Rifle with the carbine at TR, shotgun with Randy Cain/Bill Jeans/Louis Awerbuck. Starting with Jeff Cooper, it was drilled into us that handguns were to fight your way to your rifle, and skilled shooters ran handgun, rifle, carbine and shotgun with equal skill. I also realize my situation is a little different, as I spend a significant amount of time with a shotgun in my hands on a daily basis, with a likely threat that makes Brenneke slugs desirable.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Tom Givens]

"I have a question on long gun training. Are you opposed to:

1) long gun training generally

2) classes where accountants, doctors and lawyers jock up like the military operators they are not

3) or something else"

I don't actually object to any of these. I just find it humorous that so many non-mil, non-LE types put so much emphasis on carbine/chest rig classes when their carbine is in the gun safe at home 99.9% of the time.

"Fighting your way to your rifle" sounds great, but it's a punchline for most people in an urban environment. If you are at work, or at the mall, or a restaurant, just where is this rifle you plan to fight your way to?GJM, you have an almost unique environment, and a long gun at hand is both important, but actually something you can do. I spent day before yesterday walking all over the old quarter of St Augustine. My ready long gun was 160 miles away all day. Same applies to most people in a modern urban setting. The simple truth is that the concealed handgun(s) we have on us when the fight starts is ALL we will have to fight with.

[GJM]

Copy. That sounds awfully practical -- learn to use the tools that are relevant to your environment first.

[Trooper224]

So much truth in so few words.

[blues]

"Fighting your way to your rifle" sounds great, but it's a punchline for most people in an urban environment. If you are at work, or at the mall, or a restaurant, just where is this rifle you plan to fight your way to?GJM, you have an almost unique environment, and a long gun at hand is both important, but actually something you can do. I spent day before yesterday walking all over the old quarter of St Augustine. My ready long gun was 160 miles away all day. Same applies to most people in a modern urban setting. The simple truth is that the concealed handgun(s) we have on us when the fight starts is ALL we will have to fight with.

Even in one's bedroom, if the AR or shotgun isn't immediately at one's bedside, what are the chances that one will have the opportunity in the heat of the moment to run back to the walk-in closet and grab that long gun to bring to bear?

I suppose I could send the missus back to retrieve it but her job is to fall back to an agreed upon location where she is to call the local constabulary and sit on the floor with a .357 with which she is to defend herself if anyone attempts to intrude without first being identified as a friendly.

Short of putting my AR (or 870) alongside the bed every night, I'd probably have to deal with any immediate threat with my light bearing G17 and extra mags. And I'm pretty much fine with that.

I think the AR in the nearby closet and the ear muffs / eye pro on the nightstand are more talisman than practical solutions in the particular instance described.