I’ve never had to shoot anyone… And, I hope I’m never forced to. But, I have had
I’ve never had to shoot anyone…
And, I hope I’m never forced to.
But, I have had to draw my gun more than once.
I can tell you that it gets your heart thumping just a bit.
If it’s 3am and you hear glass breaking and you grab your gun…
It’s going to be a bit stressful when you see that intruder barreling up your stairs.
So, as your heart is jumping out of your chest, how do you make sure you still hit your threat?
Good ole’ preparation.
Here are 3 ways (and one bonus way) to train to be able to handle the stress.
First, use a shot timer when training. This is a super-simple way to force yourself to fire quickly.
When I’m at the range, I set the timer to 2 seconds and I have to draw from concealment and hit my threat in 2 seconds or less.
Of course, only hits matter. So, make sure you’re hitting the target. (I like to train this from 7 and 10 yards out.)
I also use the timer when doing dry fire practice.
Second, get involved in competitive shooting.
See if there are any competitive events in your area such as IDPA or USPSA.
When you’re shooting a stage and everyone is watching you, that certainly induces stress and ups your game.
Third, train with airsoft guns.
These are not the kids’ toys from back in the day.
Today’s airsoft guns are very realistic and they don’t feel good when you get shot.
It’s a great way to train for life-like scenarios and to see how you’re going to react.
And here’s a bonus way…
Exhaust your body.
Do a ton of push-ups or sit-ups or whatever, until you’re completely exhausted and then try to shoot.
You want to know you can still be accurate even though you can barely lift your hands above your head.
At the least, pick just one of these ways to train with your handgun.
Unless you’re a robot, you’re going to be stressed if the day comes when your front door is getting kicked in…
And, you want to know you can handle the stress and still get the job done of stopping the intruder from getting anywhere near your family.
Truth be told, this HERE is a great way to stop an intruder.
Enjoy your Saturday.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
Former CIA Officer
Editor, Spy & Survival Briefing
Editor, Black Bag Confidential