From dumbshits who claim to be certified firearms instructors pointing guns at each other so they can pose in some idiotic viral videos, to the idiocy I see when browsing gun blogs from so-called experts in the field, there is a rash of stupidity and bad firearms advice as far as the eye can see.
Over the last couple of years we have seen record gun sales in this country; and while I generally think more people owning guns is a good thing, without the proper training, a new gun owner is setting themselves up for disaster. Unfortunately, as I said in the opening of the article, there is a slew of bad — no scratch that — just plain ass stupid information out there!
If you’re a new gun owner, here is where things get a little tricky. I think everyone that is starting out needs to take a firearms safety course. But, finding the right instructor isn’t always that easy. There are thousands upon thousands of so-called firearms instructors out there, and a good chunk of them are instructors in name only.
Self-Defense training is something I wrote about extensively in my book, The Ultimate Situational Survival Guide, because when it comes to any type of defensive training you need to do your homework and you need to use a little bit of common sense when selecting a good teacher.
First, I want to give a hat tip to Bob Owens over at Bearing Arms. I started writing this article a week ago after I saw the video below, but I added a little more to it after reading Bob’s article on the same subject this morning. He’s got a lot of great advice in the article and is one of the good guys when it comes to firearms, so please take a look at that article and his website – you can never have too much good information when you’re just starting out!
What to watch out for when looking for a Firearms Instructor
Avoid these kinds of people at all cost!
So this video was the original basis for the article. I talked about it on a couple of forums when it came out, and I took some flak from some so-called gun experts who claimed that I was being overly critical because the people in this video are all “certified firearms experts” and the video was shot in a “controlled environment.” Bullshit; if you see people violating the very basics of firearm safety rules, they are not experts, they are just dangerous.
The video highlights some of the idiocy that is out there. Here you have a group of so-called firearms experts pointing guns at each other, some with their fingers on the trigger, simply to make an idiotic viral video. Sadly, these people have over a million followers on their Facebook page and are pushing the lie that this is a safe way to handle a firearm. IT’S NOT!
Certification doesn’t mean a whole lot!
Generally, I think the NRA does a lot of good; but when guys like Lucian Black from Voda Consulting can become NRA certified instructors, it definitely gives you a reason to look beyond someone’s so-called certifications.
This dangerous jackass was teaching as a “certified NRA instructor,” and had North Carolina Concealed Carry Instructor credentials by the NC Department of Justice. After his methods were exposed by sites like Bearing Arms, the NRA and the NC Department of Justice stripped his credentials.
Don’t let someone’s credentials fool you. Make sure you ask questions, look at online reviews, ask people who have taken the class about their experience, and trust your gut!
Going Beyond the Basics Should include all aspects of Defense!
One thing that irritates the hell out of me is people who think owning a gun equals self-defense. Yes, guns can even the playing field, but there is no substitute for real-world, self-defense training.
Once you have learned the ins and outs of firearms safety, and have racked up some range time, I suggest finding a qualified instructor that can go beyond the basics and teach things like stress response training and hand-to-hand combat.
There is a good reason why law enforcement officers and members of the military train in hand-to-hand combat; they know from experience that their firearms are only part of the equation when confronted with a close quarters attack. In fact, I want you to check out this video from the early 80’s of Martial Arts Instructor Dan Inosanto training with law enforcement officers.
After watching this video, I hope you take the time to really consider your overall level of preparedness when it comes to confronting an attacker. If you’ve taken the time to arm yourself, but failed to train for real world attacks, you’re doing yourself and your loved ones a huge disservice.
Some Things to Remember and some Tips to Get you Started.
When it comes to handling a firearm, there are some basic rules that should always be followed. If these rules aren’t pounded into your head by your instructor, find another instructor!
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN UNLOADED GUN: Drill that saying into your head, because it’s probably the most important safety advice that you’ll ever receive. Every firearm you touch should always be considered a loaded weapon!
Always point the Muzzle in a safe direction: If people followed this one rule, virtually all firearm accidents would be eliminated. Remember, your firearms should never be pointed at anything you don’t intend on shooting.
Never Rely on your Guns Safety: While your safety should always be on when you’re not shooting, it should never be counted on to prevent the gun from firing. A safety is a mechanical device that can and will fail.
Keep your finger off the Trigger: If you’re not in the process of firing your gun, at no time should your finger ever be inside the trigger guard. The internet is loaded with pictures of morons posing with their finger on the trigger; this practice is not only stupid, but it’s also likely to get someone killed.
Internet Resources:
First, there is no substitute for actual range time and training with a qualified instructor. While watching training videos can be a good supplemental teaching tool, it is no substitute for hands-on instruction from a competent firearms instructor.
That being said, I am a big fan of Greg Kinman (Hickok45) on YouTube. He puts out some great videos on firearms and firearm safety, and I love how much he overemphasizes the rules and acts them out in his videos. For me, this is what a good instructor should do, drill the basics into your head!
Here is one of his videos to get you started:
I like the video of the knife wielding attacker against the man with a gun. This is instructive in two ways. It shows how easily someone with a gun can be killed by an attacker wielding a knife.
A strong person could also attack a weaker person even without a knife, before the gun is fired.
Also, this video shows that it would be possible for someone who is fit, to use physical force against a potential perceived threat by a criminal or psycho with a gun, if you are very fast and well trained, with or without a knife.
Ideally, have a knife, or two, a gun, or two, and be trained like Bruce Lee. ahhhyaaak!!!!!
Bruce lee was a paragon of his time, and learned from a paragon of a time before, as he was a pupil of Ip Man, ( there is a real life ip man BTW)
the real trick is situational awareness, this brings up your level on mental preparedness and has you in the right mindset from the get go.
you don’t NEED to be trained in HtH by someone, you do need to know basics of HtH combat, and sensitive spots, these fights are to live and survive, not win because of an ego. so there is no fair play, there is only taking out your agressor by any means necessary.
I just joined OGS and thus far, a great read and solid comments. I plan on being a regular here( if I don’t get chased off), as I have been living off-grid for the past 4 years in NV. I am a life long “tactical” trainer and given my age,I can finally say that. I am a passionate firearms instructor. I have always carried the mantra that continued training, good, real training will keep your situational awareness high and so too your expertise. Great comment “moman” and OGS!