Just because you carry a gun it doesn't mean you're safe. Unfortunately, most civilians have not had the training, or dedicated themselves to the practice required to ensure they can effectively use their trusty firearm in a real life situation. If you do opt to carry a gun for your own protection, there may come a time when you actually need to use it, and today our team of experts from APE Survival cover the most important aspects to ensure you're able to use your firearm effectively.
Diffuse the situation
‘There is no second-place winner in a gunfight,’ according to author, lawman and United States Marine Bill Jordan, and your primary objective should always be to diffuse the situation before a single weapon is fired. The best asset you can bring when you're facing a shooter is to keep a calm and level head, and to get yourself out of the area as quickly as possible. Retreating is perfectly fine, just remember to never take your eyes off your attacker or turn your back on them.
Staying aware of your surrounds
‘They came out of nowhere,’ is a phrase you'll hear many victims reciting as they recount the shock at coming face to face with a gunman. Ultimately though, this is just an excuse for their lack of situational awareness, as they did not pick up on any of the danger clues around because they were too busy on their phone, and the attacker used this distraction to make their move. Whenever you are out in public, keep your head up and your eyes scanning, taking note of the people around you and what they are doing. If anything looks suspicious, take steps to avoid the problem entirely.
Be prepared to use deadly force
Carrying a gun is immaterial if you're not able to take the shot when it really counts, so take the time beforehand to ensure you've adequately prepared yourself. Are you physically, emotionally and mentally prepared to fire your weapon into another human being? You never know who you may need to use your weapon against, and while shooting another person is an extreme response, if your life is at risk even just a few seconds of hesitation can make all the difference. What steps are you willing to take to survive the attack?
Get adequate training
Knowing how your gun works, and building the necessary skills to use it in a high stress situation requires practice, so ensure you spend not only time on the range, but with instructors who can guide you through the appropriate responses to a range of difference scenarios. Knowing how to effectively fight back may be the difference between life and death, so focus your practice on:
Accuracy. Being able to confidently hit the target you are aiming at in a gunfight is the most important skill. History has shown that the person who gets the first solid hit on their opponent is the one who usually wins, so learn how to accurately fire your weapon, using your fingers to control the gun while you keep your eyes on the target.
Grip. To ensure the gun is not taken from you and you remain accurate with every shot, work on developing a firm grip to remain in control of your firearm.
how much to buy a domain name . Different instructors vary in their opinion of what a 'firm grip' constitutes, but with practice you will discover what works for you.
Draw. You need to be able to quickly draw your firearm from its holster, taking it from this secure position and ready to fire within 2 seconds. Practice your draw from a variety of different positions, until you have the motion down to a single, continuous move.
Reloading. Being able to effectively reload your weapon (and clear a malfunction) by feel is very important. In most gunfights the entire ordeal is over in seconds, but if it's not you want to ensure you're ready to keep firing back, without taking your eyes off your opponent.
Don't stop moving
Movement is the key to staying alive. Staying in one place is a sure-fire way to get shot, so build this into your training so you're just as comfortable shooting while on the move, as you are standing still. As you're performing these movements, your ultimate aim needs to be to get yourself protected behind cover (a solid mass that will stop a bullet), to strengthen your position and enable you to fight back.
Eliminate the threat
In a survival scenario you may be required to keep fighting until the threat no longer exists. If this is the case, do not stop shooting until you're sure the threat is no more. In daily life, you will need to be very careful here, as once your attacker has been rendered defenseless, if you continue to shoot them you are no longer acting in self defense and will quickly find yourself in a host of legal trouble. The right course of action for you to take here is hard to determine, as in many cases it will depend on the specifics of the attack to determine what was a justifiable amount of force to be used. Talking about killing another person is not a happy topic, but when the SHTF the reality is that you may need to take steps to ensure the safety and well-being of your own family. Learning how to effectively make it through a gun fight is part of this, and while we do not condone the taking of a life, only you can really judge what is required when you're staring down the barrel of an attackers gun that has been leveled to your face. What would you do?
