CCW Habits: Good, Bad, & Ugly.

[Frisco]

No...I am just a busted up retired cop with a pair of bad legs and enough time on my hands to figure some stuff out.  I just thank God I lived long enough to pull my head out of my butt and learn from the mistakes I, and others made.  I have tried to learn all I could from the common sense of others like, Mas Ayoob, Clint Smith, Rob P, Mike J, and of course...Colonel Cooper.

I never blindly follow the tacitool thing of the day, or EVERYTHING any instructor teaches.  Isoscoles, Weaver, Modified Weaver, on and on and on.  I find those things that work for me, and practice the hell out of them until I have it wired into my melon.  I have been lucky enough to take some fine classes..LFI 1 & 2, and I have been to Gunsite twice, and am planning a third visit.  I was lucky enough to have Colonel Cooper himself deliver the classroom parts of the training, and some fine instructors on the range.  In a year or so, I plan to go to Thunder Ranch. 

I have also taken classes where I feel I was robbed of my class tuition because the "instructors" spent more time doing the "SEE WHAT I CAN DO", and "I AM SUCH A BAD OPERATOR I CAN THUS AND SO..." routine, and berating students who might have been new to this kind of lifestyle.  They looked good in their 5:11 britches and their tacticool black t-shirts, but they wouldn't survive a chicken fight in the real world, let alone a true deadly force encounter.  What was worse, they would get students killed or sent to prison if they did what they were taught in this "class". 

I also spend a lot of time pulling the handle on my Dillon, and casting bullets so I can afford to shoot enough to remain proficient...and just because I love to shoot.  I shoot my carry gun, and a revolver to stay proficient with both launch platforms.  I also shoot a BUNCH of .22lr because it is pure marksmanship I am going for there.  Just keep practicing the fundamentals.

I am nowhere near a badass.  I don't want to be a badass.  I am just a husband and father, and trying to be the best at that I can be, and being able to protect my family is a responsibility I take very seriously.  I have the luxury of time to read, research, shoot, and plan.

I enjoy teaching though, and sometimes I substitute teach at our local high school, so if I start to "teach" or "preach"....know that I come by it honestly, and kick my soapbox out from under me.

[ericire12]

Ok, but you are definitely one of the best new recruits we have gotten on this here forum recently.... we sure are glad to have ya.

[Frisco]

Ok, but you are definitely one of the best new recruits we have gotten on this here forum recently.... we sure are glad to have ya.

I appreciate that, and glad to know you.  Handshakes and beer!  (But only one beer...beer decided I didn't like it anymore)   

[Timothy]

Tacticool...I like that!  I'll have to borrow it if you don't mind!

A wealth of information and experience is always welcome Frisco, thanks!

[PegLeg45]

No...I am just a busted up retired cop with a pair of bad legs and enough time on my hands to figure some stuff out.  I just thank God I lived long enough to pull my head out of my butt and learn from the mistakes I, and others made.  I have tried to learn all I could from the common sense of others like, Mas Ayoob, Clint Smith, Rob P, Mike J, and of course...Colonel Cooper.

I never blindly follow the tacitool thing of the day, or EVERYTHING any instructor teaches.  Isoscoles, Weaver, Modified Weaver, on and on and on.  I find those things that work for me, and practice the hell out of them until I have it wired into my melon.  I have been lucky enough to take some fine classes..LFI 1 & 2, and I have been to Gunsite twice, and am planning a third visit.  I was lucky enough to have Colonel Cooper himself deliver the classroom parts of the training, and some fine instructors on the range.  In a year or so, I plan to go to Thunder Ranch. 

I have also taken classes where I feel I was robbed of my class tuition because the "instructors" spent more time doing the "SEE WHAT I CAN DO", and "I AM SUCH A BAD OPERATOR I CAN THUS AND SO..." routine, and berating students who might have been new to this kind of lifestyle.  They looked good in their 5:11 britches and their tacticool black t-shirts, but they wouldn't survive a chicken fight in the real world, let alone a true deadly force encounter.  What was worse, they would get students killed or sent to prison if they did what they were taught in this "class". 

I also spend a lot of time pulling the handle on my Dillon, and casting bullets so I can afford to shoot enough to remain proficient...and just because I love to shoot.  I shoot my carry gun, and a revolver to stay proficient with both launch platforms.  I also shoot a BUNCH of .22lr because it is pure marksmanship I am going for there.  Just keep practicing the fundamentals.

I am nowhere near a badass.  I don't want to be a badass.  I am just a husband and father, and trying to be the best at that I can be, and being able to protect my family is a responsibility I take very seriously.  I have the luxury of time to read, research, shoot, and plan.

I enjoy teaching though, and sometimes I substitute teach at our local high school, so if I start to "teach" or "preach"....know that I come by it honestly, and kick my soapbox out from under me.

Frisco, you said a whole lot of truth in a short amount of space and you pretty much summed up my own particular perspective. Get as much learning and training as you can and then use good thought-out common sense to sort out the fluff and find what is right and what works best for you. I respect what the competent instructors have to offer and am always willing to listen and learn from them all, but basically when the crap flies into the oscillating fan, it is you alone in the spotlight.

It would be nice to have Pincus and Janich on my six, but I couldn't afford to feed them.   

Like you said, I don't want to be a badass either....but I want to be as prepared as I can to handle the goblins if they come a calling.

[Sponsor]

[THE CORONER]

i'm gonna throw the groceries at my attacker, and then go directly to gun.  lol!  just kiddin

[Rob Pincus]

I have also taken classes where I feel I was robbed of my class tuition because the "instructors" spent more time doing the "SEE WHAT I CAN DO", and "I AM SUCH A BAD OPERATOR I CAN THUS AND SO..." routine, and berating students who might have been new to this kind of lifestyle.  They looked good in their 5:11 britches and their tacticool black t-shirts

Good stuff, Frisco.

This is one of the reasons that there is not a shooting test to become certified as a Combat Focus Shooting Instructor. Written test of knowledge and performance teaching tests only..... it isn't about what the instructor can do with a gun, it is about what the student can do!  It amazes me how many "successful" instructors really, really don't get that. I encourage students to ask an instructor how important they think there own personal skill is to their ability to teach others and how much demo'ing they will do before signing up for a class.

Typically, a student in a 2 day CFS will fire between 1250 and 1500 rnds and see their instructor fire less than 10. Two or Three when explaining slide lock reload procedures and 4 when explaining the Shooting in Motion Drill.... and some instructors don't even do those live. Most of us don't wear guns while we teach.

As for the cane, I have traveled quite a bit with a Cane Master fighting cane. I used to teach a cane defense seminar relatively often at the Resort that was associated with Valhalla for frequent travelers interested in a self defense tool that you can take anywhere...

-RJP

[Frisco]

Watching SHOOTING GALLERY took me to THE BEST DEFENSE, which got me to this forum.  When I saw the segments you and Mike J do on the shows, my "That Makes Sense" detector went off.  I like the way you demonstrate, then explain, then show how it is done through drill and dramatization.  I really like your style, and like I said...it plain makes sense to me, and that is the yardstick by which I measure anything.

The defensive tactics training I received when I went through the academy a hundred years ago focused on 25 yard bullseye qualification with a Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38Special, and striking techniques with a PR24 baton.  A six-cell MagLite was considered hi tech, and we had an officer who knew "some judo and some karate" as our defensive tactics instructor.

The world sure has changed, and there is a lot of good training out there.  I had to go out and find the good training I have received on my own, and add to that some experience, and street savvy.  What I do know, is that I can spot a snake oil salesman a mile away now, and you and Mike J sure don't fit that descrition at all.

I appreciate what you do and the way you do it, and if you do any training here in AZ, I will be there for sure.

[diverge]

Anything I can do to change this habit consistently? In essence, change a habit?

I wonder if in the  store you are in condition white. When you get into the parking lot then you go into condition yellow.

A nice link:
http://www.teddytactical.com/SharpenBladeArticle/4_States%20of%20Awareness.htm

[Ping]

My wife questioned me the other day as to why I always carry our baby girl in my left hand and I explained to her that I always keep my strong hand free. I was taught to do this as a Security Policeman in the Air Force and continues with me over 20 years later. She completely understood after I explained it to her. Now I am trying to get adjusted to carrying my knife in my left pocket as Michael Janich suggested.
I had given up carrying a gun for over 10 years. Last year, after a series of robberies and a homocide close to home and the declining economy I decided that it would be in my wife and mine's best interest to get our CCW. I have her watch TBD and she really takes in the info. We do not have to take classes for our CCW here in Indiana. Just pay the money, fill out the paperwork, get fingerprinted, Indiana State Police Background Check and wait 6 weeks for it to come in the mail. My wife and I have discussed taking a class at Gunsite or similar place so she could get more experience. Till then, she learns from me and watching The Best Defense.