Dry Firing and Visualization

My barber sent me the link to this article: "Zen and the Art of Hitting Stuff" by Bruce Gray.

Without any concession to Eastern philosophy or mystical practices, I have to say that I believe the author has combined two powerful approaches to handgun training. First of all, I have discussed dry firing as of great importance in training. Adding visualization to this method will, I believe increase its effectiveness by an order of magnitude.

I have addressed mental imaging or visualization in self defense training previously (for example, see here and here). Here's how Bruce Gray describes the use of visualization in dry-fire training:

Unload your gun, and check it three more times. Good! You’ll do the rest with eyes closed.
You note that you can easily drop the hammer without disturbing a dime when dry firing, but not when you know a bullet is present. I think you need to develop an unshakable faith in that skill, and an equally hard faith in the belief that if you focus on and align the sights and press through as you practice, you absolutely will hit the target.

You also need to have equal faith in your ability to call each shot, and know where it went based on what the sights were doing as they lifted off the target during recoil.

Visualize a sight picture on your chosen target in your mind while simultaneously pressing through on the trigger. Feel the trigger, how it might creep and wiggle under finger pressure. Try to get as close to dropping the hammer as you can, and hold it as you watch those imagined sights. You should ignore the target if your mind wants to stick one down there for you to look at instead.

Watch the sights in your mind’s eye and you’ll see them dip, jerk and do all sorts of things. Feel the recoil and blink, perhaps. That’s great! Let your visualized shooting session seem as real as possible without too much conscious direction. Just allow yourself to come back to the sights, focus on the front blade, align them and press.

Be focused on the process of operating the trigger, and learn to press through without tension, convulsive grasping of the hand, jerking or other funny stuff in response to the appearance of aligned sights in your mind. It’s a thing, a device, a machine you own and control. It doesn’t control you.

Do this for two weeks, each night for at least ten or 15 minutes, or until you can’t maintain good form and sight visualizations without your mind wandering too much, and stop when you can’t feel exactly what the trigger’s doing as it releases the hammer. It’s fine to alternate visualization drills with a sighted “shots” against the wall, but the bulk of your dry firing practice should be associated and reinforced with guided imagery.

I strongly suggest you click on the link to read how to transition these skills from dry fire to actual shooting at the range.

From the Barber's Chair: Dry Fire Fun

I think I have previously told you that my barber is the only person I know who a) suffered a finger sprain from over training at dry firing, and b) considered it a prime opportunity to practice weak-hand dry firing.

If he sends me anything on the topic of dry firing, I figure it's worthwhile. He sent me the link to this video, and let me tell you it's worthwhile.

From the Barber's Chair: Aglockalypse?

My barber sent me the link to an article about the fact that Glock seems about to take over as the U.S. armed forces handgun of choice. I have to publish it, not only because it heralds some historic changes, but also because any author who uses a word like Aglockalypse deserves a hearing.

Breaking: Rangers Go Glock, Is the US Army Soon to Follow? 1911s Not Longer Pistol of Choice for SF

I'm not in a position to either laud or criticize this particular movement in history. Like a lot of old curmudgeons, I don't often get carried along with the times. If you favor the latest in krunchentickers, I know you will do well, but I still like Perry Como, Patti Page, old movies and old friends.

I also still like my 1911 and I'll stand behind it . . . especially in a day of trouble.

Is the 1911 Still Relevant?

Intuitively, I have embraced the ergonomic fit of the 1911 in my hand. To me, it points naturally and accurately. It pleased me to see the design advantages of the trigger and safety mechanisms explained in the video below.

In addition to point shooting, I have begun to practice focusing on the front sight. The slide trigger mechanism makes a surprising difference in negating extraneous movement.

One more thing: for a large handgun, the 1911 has a really slim profile. I wear it virtually undetectable in a Crossbreed IWB holster.

Handgun: Focus on Front Sight

My barber sent me the link to this video a couple of weeks ago. It's about tightening up your handgun shooting groups by focusing on the front sight.

When I visited PA a couple of years ago, my barber and I went to the range, and I performed terribly with my aimed shooting. Then, I reverted to point shooting, which I practice by dry firing and with my airsoft.

I produced a respectable group, center mass. My barber commented, "Stick with what you know." Good advice, but if I need to make a shot more than 7 or 8 yards away, using the sights would be advisable.

That's why I was so glad that he sent me this video:

My Barber Asked My Opinion

Whoa! My barber, whom I consider THE firearms guru. sent out an email to me and his circle of "gun people" asking our opinion on the FBI's proposed move from .40 cal to 9mm handguns.

Now, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of larger calibers, the .45 ACP in particular. However, I'm also an advocate of utilizing the handgun with which you can put the most shots on target. A .380 that puts all its rounds in the kill zone will serve you better than a .454 Casull that won't let you hit the broad side of a 40' storage container.

Anyway, my barber referenced an article on the LoadOut Room site by Mark Miller. The following quote from the article distills the FBI's rationale into a few salient points:

· Handgun stopping power is simply a myth

· The single most important factor in effectively wounding a human target is to have penetration to a scientifically valid depth (FBI uses 12” – 18”)

· LEOs miss between 70 – 80 percent of the shots fired during a shooting incident

· Contemporary projectiles (since 2007) have dramatically increased the terminal effectiveness of many premium line law enforcement projectiles (emphasis on the 9mm Luger offerings)

· 9mm Luger now offers select projectiles which are, under identical testing conditions, I outperforming most of the premium line .40 S&W and .45 Auto projectiles tested by the FBI

· 9mm Luger offers higher magazine capacities, less recoil, lower cost (both in ammunition and wear on the weapons) and higher functional reliability rates (in FBI weapons)

· The majority of FBI shooters are both FASTER in shot strings fired and more ACCURATE with shooting a 9mm Luger vs shooting a .40 S&W (similar sized weapons)

· There is little to no noticeable difference in the wound tracks between premium line law Auto enforcement projectiles from 9mm Luger through the .45 Auto

· Given contemporary bullet construction, LEO’s can field (with proper bullet selection) 9mm Lugers with all of the terminal performance potential of any other law enforcement pistol caliber with none of the disadvantages present with the “larger” calibers.

Notice the crucial point here. In an armed confrontation, the bureau has statistically established that law enforcement officers miss from 70 to 80 percent of their shots. This statistic has remained consistent over the years.

In 2007 I posted an article that cites an FBI five-year study which reports that while 70% of offenders in a shootout put at least some shots on target, only 40% of LEOs could hit their adversaries. Should we blame the caliber of  their weapons or their training?

I would consider myself remiss if I did not point out that the FBI switched from the 10mm to the .40S&W in 1997 for precisely the same reasons that they say they will now switch to the 9mm. Their agents did better at the range with the lighter load of the .40 cal. (see here)

Evidently, the bureau sees the poor performance of LEOs in actual gunfights on too much bang or too big gun. Hence the search for a magic bullet.

To be continued.

My Concealed Carry Holster

For concealed carry, I use an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster. It's made by Crossbreed, and I'm very much satisfied with it.

The one pictured above is identical to mine in design. The weapon and holster slide inside the pants, while the clips remain outside, affixed to the belt. This arrangement allows the weapon to hug the body, while the leather back keeps the hammer and sight from digging into flesh. I find mine extremely comfortable.

The pictured holster differs from mine only in its black color. I ordered mine in natural horsehide. (Horsehide does not absorb sweat and body odors as readily as cowhide.)

Mark Craighead designed the holster. Although he has since died, he leaves behind a legacy of faith and customer service that looks a lot like the Biblical concept of servanthood.

1. Mark was often asked about the origin of the name CrossBreed® Holsters.  He was never ashamed to answer that, although there is some reference to the hybrid nature of his designs, the larger meaning behind his company’s name references the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice upon the cross which was made for all mankind. 
2. CrossBreed® Holsters raised the standard for customer service in the holster industry by offering a two week try-it-free guarantee and a lifetime warranty.  This service continues today with each and every holster that goes out the door. CrossBreed® Holsters’ customers are customers for life. (link)

I have no financial stake in Crossbreed holsters. I'm just a satisfied customer.

Concealed Carry in Georgia

When it comes to concealed carry, Georgia does not have reciprocity with South Carolina, so the last time I was in PA, I obtained a non-resident permit. I used it for the first time yesterday, when my daughter and I spent the day helping my dad move into his new apartment.

The hot day made the move rather tiring, but the concealed carry aspect proved completely uneventful. I don't believe anyone even noticed the full sized 1911 under my pullover shirt. Part of the credit goes to an effective and comfortable concealment holster, and the rest to the fact that I have become so accustomed to going armed that it feels totally natural.

P.S. We got the furniture and boxes of belongings into Dad's apartment, and made it safely back to South Carolina. 

P.P.S. In another post, I plan to talk about my CC holster.

Weapon Check, 2

I'm happy to say that I'm not the only one who believes in keeping a weapon at hand (See Weapon Check). I met the author of the following and her husband at a theological conference earlier this year.

A man comes the porch and knocks on my door. I can see him through the window. And through the door which I keep closed--I inform him---due to the threat of home invasions, he asks if we have kids. He's selling educational info. I tell him no, and then he starts asking if this neighbor and that neighbor has children. He would like to save time by skipping houses. I share that I'm uncomfortable answering those questions, and nor do I feel my neighbors would appreciate my telling a stranger where their children live.

I do this all the while wondering if he realizes the black thing I'm flipping in one hand is the holster for the 9mm my husband insists I keep near me while he's gone, which I'm holding in the other. It would explain why he leaned back during the entire conversation. Perhaps now he'll think twice about approaching homeowners and asking residents about neighborhood kids

After I asked her if I could use her story on this blog, she consented and added,

 . . . we finally purchased firearms after hearing far too many stories about home invasions, including home invasions where men knocked on the door and then burst inside when the door was answered. My husband found a pistol I felt comfortable with and made sure I had the proper training, including monthly time on the range. We live in the country and have a constant stream of strangers knocking on our door. Only twice did I feel the need pull it out, but I felt far safer having it in my hand.

The lesson here is that when you and the perpetrator are at your front door, the firearm in your bedroom closet will do you no good.

Weapon Check

Remember this old public service announcement? "It's eleven o'clock; do you know where your child is?" I might ask another relevant question: "If someone broke into your house right now, how close are you to your weapon?"

Over a week ago, I was trimming some branches from a tree that blew over in a storm. Unbeknownst to me, my wife decided to snap a couple of pictures of me on the ladder. 

That's my Ruger SR 1911 in the holster on my left hip. 

(I know the arguments against cross-draw, but the holster ended up there because of comfort and ease of carry. I do not use this holster or position when I'm carrying concealed.)

My point? If you own a handgun, you have no excuse not to be armed in your own home. 

You became a Christian Martialist to defend those whom you care about. This means not only vigilance, but also preparedness, 24/7. 

In case you're thinking of bringing up the shower as an exception (WARNING. ONE USE OF THE "H" WORD):

Shooting with Just One Hand

There is a time and place for using both hands to aim and fire your handgun. There's also a time and place for shooting with just one hand.

I have found that women, especially mothers grasp this concept more readily than many men. All I have to say is, "Suppose you're holding a baby . . . . "

Right away, mom gets it. She would never drop the child in order to assume an isosceles or weaver stance. She just won't, and she knows it.

Since you may, someday, have to shoot one-handed, when selecting a handgun, you'll want to consider how well it will lend itself to single handed use.

Here's an article that may help:

The Importance of Shooting One-Handed

Point Shooting Demo

My barber sent me the following link to a video demonstration of point shooting. Incredible!

If they considered the handgun a musical instrument, this guy would be appearing in Carnegie Hall.

http://www.sabretactical.com/Jeff_Video/jeff_video.html

Model 1911: Inner Workings

My barber sent me the following link:

STI International

Once you're there, you can select which parts of the weapon you want to view as it goes through a firing cycle. As my  barber said, "Hypnotic . . ."

In the Barber's Chair: The Model 1911

I have decided to inaugurate an occasional series of posts featuring the wit, wisdom and advice of my barber. I'm calling the series, "In the Barber's Chair."

My barber posted the following on a gun forum in response to the question, "Why do people like the 1911?"

The one uncle sugar issued me got me out of a couple tough scrapes. The one I bought when I got out kept me warm on a lot of cold,dark nights while on uniform patrol. Now that I'm a barber,we spend time together as old,trusted firends. Like me,it's not new,pretty,or cool. Like me,it is old,heavy,has lots of wear marks,and is rock-solid dependable,and most young people don't understand either one of us!

Point Shooting, WWII Style

I have the video below on VHS, but have never been able to find it online -- until now. Thanks to my barber for sending me the link.

The point shooting method taught comes essentially from the Fairbairn method as found in Shooting to Live.

Dust Bunnies in My Model 1911?

For many years, I have field stripped my Government Model 1911 in order to clean and lubricate it. On my last visit to my barber, he showed me how to remover the firing pin and extractor for a more thorough cleaning of the slide.

The following youtube video takes it all to the next level: complete disassembly. Before you start taking your favorite handgun apart (and if the gov't model isn't your favorite, then shame), here are a couple of considerations.

1. Watch the whole video series through at least once, to be sure you want to do this and to make sure you follow the steps properly when you start disassembly;
2. If you've never cleaned your weapon at this level, don't be surprised at the crud you encounter (would you believe I found dust bunnies around the mainspring?)

A Little Mental Training Exercise

My barber sent me the link to the video below along with the question, "What do you see wrong in this video??"

I submit it to you for your observation and comment.



Of course, it's easy to be an armchair critic, so I ask you to be charitable in whatever criticisms you make.

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"Point Shooting IS Combat Shooting"

The link points to an article by Bradley Steiner: "Point Shooting IS Combat Shooting"

As my veteran readers know, I am a big advocate of point shooting, and this article is a frank and forthright statement of why point shooting is the ONLY combat handgun option.