Force on force training is remarkable in how quickly it shows ones weaknesses and strengths. It is the only way to even begin to grasp what really is happening when two or more start shooting at each other. It is also easy and convenient.

If one carries a sidearm for "personal protection" they should also have a high quality airsoft pistol that resembles their carry gun. This goes for the M4 as well.

Go into your backward with a friend also similarly armed, put on some goggles and start shooting at each other. Do it at night with a flashlight and see how it goes. The learning curve is not steep, it's vertical. You will get shot a lot in the beginning. Then slowing things will start to come together and you will begin to understand what is happening.

We do this regularly and see that 3 Gun and IPSC masters have utterly no chance against teenage boys who play airsoft in the backyard most weekends. NO CHANCE!

First and foremost. To "stand and deliver" will get you shot almost every time, regardless of whether you are fast enough on the first shot to hit your man. Once more, almost every single time you will be shot if you stand still and shoot back.

If one considers the best possible outcome in a gun fight is to not get shot, then a clear pattern of action becomes obvious very quickly. Move and move fast!

At the bell, jerk your sidearm and jump sideways as fast as possible while shooting at your man. In that almost all shootings take place within 10 feet this should be one handed point shooting. Continue moving quickly (quickly!) sideways while rapidly (rapidly!) shooting until you are out of ammunition or your man is done. More often than not you will not be shot doing this and probably will have got your guy.

You won.

Things become clear during these exercises. You focus on the gun and you will be shot in the hands a lot. Being hit right on the edge of the little finger nail with a airsoft pellet at conversational distance will really hurt. Train at night and you will find the a weapon mounted light is a bullet magnet that will get you shot. Hold the flash light way out to the side and way from your body. Never get behind the light and use it sparingly.

Read Col David Grossman's books, "On Combat" and "On Killing". They will open your eyes. It is hard for one untrained in "Force on Force" to really shoot another person. Don't fool yourself and think that "I've made up my mind that when the time comes". When the time comes, most just cannot pull the trigger on another person. Most are just not up to it unless they have trained past this human instinct. This is why "first person shooter games" are figure so highly in active shooter incidents. They condition one to be able to shoot another without hesitation.

The first time I went into a shoot house at night with a flashlight and loaded HiPower I knew the targets were steel and cardboard but when I saw them wearing clothes, I just couldn't shoot for a couple of seconds at first as I wrestled with the problem of shooting something that really looked like a person. With just a bit of training you get over this but at the beginning is a wild feeling that makes the hair stand up on your neck and your hands shake.

So then, get a high quality airsoft pistol and M4 and start shooting it out with a friend. You will look like you have the measles at the end of the day but will be miles ahead of EVERBODY else that shoots at targets until they are comfortable.

Read Grossmans books. They are eye openers.

Byron

Thinking several moves ahead.

..

You are either driving the contest or it is driving you.