This post is kinda out of the blue but I was at a local fun store where a guy was looking over a weapon and didnt seem very comfortable. Which reminded me what I would always tell my ex-gf. Accuracy is only a small part of the game when it comes to weapons. You need to get comfortable with the action, safety, sights, etc. You can do all this at home with no ammo. Just work the action, dry fire, disassemble, reassemble, clean, modify, etc. That way, if you do get a malfunction you have an idea on where to look. Or if you have sweat or blood in your eyes you can use your energy to focus on the threat and not the reloading process.
Watch a zombie movie and blast some zeds.
Sorry if this comes of as TAP-esque but I figure this might make some guys feel better about not getting to the range as much as they would like.
TAP-esque, Hah! Well maybe it does sound TAP-esque but it makes a good point. One certainly doesn't need to be tentative with his weapon handling yet we see lots of folks who are at the shops and the ranges. I'm not going to be out in a foxhole at my age but if I was I would want a buddy who knew his stuff in there with me. It wouldn't be encouraging at all to see him dithering with his firearms.
Growing up, Daddy wasn't around to 'learn' me any gun-lore and I was too 'distracted' in my youth to do anything serious or worthwhile such as serving my country, so the shooting sports (and a sense of civic duty/contribution) came into my life later.
One has to start somewhere, so have some patience with (us) noob's. Dry fire practice is essential no matter what skill level has been acheived, no?
We dry fired all the time at Army basic to learn trigger control. You put a dime on the end of the rifle and practice pulling the trigger without making the dime fall off.
When I decide on a new weapon to buy, my handling of it at the shop is pretty minimal. I am concerned with fit and potential fit issues...can i fix them? How are the irons? I realize my battery of arms with the new one will be embarrassing at best, so a simple check of the chamber is pretty much it and make sure it's on safe. A cursory slow function check to make sure it works is about it. Stock okay? If it's a new gun does it look new? Quick look down the barrel on bolt actions...easy enough to do.
I learn the rest at home. If I have a question, I ask it and expect an answer that will get me to the next step in the above checks. Generally, I will already be mildly familiar with how it functions, but specifics come later with practice and training for me. I won't ever impress anybody at a gun shop and am okay with that.
I fondle my weapons all the time. Drives my wife nuts!
Oh well, sometimes a guy must make a choice!
In all seriousness, without intending to, I've become familiar enough with all my guns to disassemble and reassemble them in the dark. I can find, load, and engage without allowing any intruder enough light to avoid the coffee table, much less take a shot at me. I do recognize that casual comfort can set up a safety error, but intimate knowledge is required to foster good habits while on auto pilot. It's a balancing act.
I always do a ton of research before I buy a gun, reading reviews, learning how it works, and watching videos of how to assemble and disassemble for cleaning and maintenance. But as much time I put into learning about the gun before hand, I find it takes at least a couple days of safely handling and drilling with a gun to start feeling comfortable with it.
I fondle my weapon all the time. Drives my wife nuts!
Oh well, sometimes a guy must make a choice!
In all seriousness, without intending to, I've become familiar enough with all my guns to disassemble and reassemble them in the dark. I can find, load, and engage without allowing any intruder enough light to avoid the coffee table, much less take a shot at me. I do recognize that casual comfort can set up a safety error, but intimate knowledge is required to foster good habits while on auto pilot. It's a balancing act.
you know - every time you "take matters into your own hands" god kills a kitten... that's what has your wife all bent outa shape...
This post is kinda out of the blue but I was at a local fun store where a guy was looking over a weapon and didnt seem very comfortable. Which reminded me what I would always tell my ex-gf. Accuracy is only a small part of the game when it comes to weapons. You need to get comfortable with the action, safety, sights, etc. You can do all this at home with no ammo. Just work the action, dry fire, disassemble, reassemble, clean, modify, etc. That way, if you do get a malfunction you have an idea on where to look. Or if you have sweat or blood in your eyes you can use your energy to focus on the threat and not the reloading process.
Watch a zombie movie and blast some zeds.
Sorry if this comes of as TAP-esque but I figure this might make some guys feel better about not getting to the range as much as they would like.
That sounds like a good idea. Its always better to get some experience than no experience and if there is something you can be doing even if you dont have the time to go to the range then making yourself more comfortable and knowledgeable with your guns is a good substitute for sure.
It is so unlikely that the rifle will ever be needed, not even a 1 in 10 odds thing, as compared to the pistol being needed. So, until your up close, really swift pistol stuff is top notch, the rifle should wait, especially the centerfire rifle. I can see working with a .22 rifle a bit, as you build handgun skill, cause the handgun stuff can take many months to build up to a decent level of ability.
Location: little hut in the woods, Blue River Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by Donnel
It is so unlikely that the rifle will ever be needed, not even a 1 in 10 odds thing, as compared to the pistol being needed. So, until your up close, really swift pistol stuff is top notch, the rifle should wait, especially the centerfire rifle. I can see working with a .22 rifle a bit, as you build handgun skill, cause the handgun stuff can take many months to build up to a decent level of ability.
Some of us are pretty good with handguns but choose a long gun when the flag goes up because of the inherent accuracy. We don't play averages, we live in the real world where almost anything can happen at any time to anybody anyplace. Out and about hand gun is more practical for convenience sake but at home your choice is only limited by your collection and ability to use it.
"The handgun is what you use to fight your way back to the shotgun or rifle you shouldn't have left behind in the first place." --Clint Smith Firearms
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