Complex mental manipulations

[CB3]

Txinvestigator suggested in another thread that for many, keeping similarly operated handguns for self defense may be wise. There was a heated discussion.

I add the complexities of changing the positioning of your gun--where you carry--either concealed or not, and your spare ammo. And your other force options--knife, pepper spray, or anything else. And no one mentioned different jam clearance techniques.

I know most of us have experimented with different holsters/methods of carry and guns. Often we suggest that different clothes require different guns and/or carry methods and positions. Changing the carry method affects where spare ammo is carried and how. Different guns also require different loading and jam clearance techniques.

I suggest it makes sense to have the fewest different weapons possible, the fewest different carry methods possible, and the fewest different carry positions possible. I believe this because keeping it simple has a greater liklelihood of success in a true life and death, adrenaline dump situation.

There are many tales of those who through muscle memory fail to do what they need to do with a gun in a crisis, including some well trained individuals. This does not mean everyone will react this way, but until you have actually been in the death defying situation, how do you know?

I had a neighbor who is a cop on our local force. As a two-year rookie he was clearing a building that had a reported break-in at night. He got to the last hiding place available, a bathroom. He had his gun and light in each hand, crossed in the Harries carry he had been trained on. As he swung open the door he turned on his light and blew up the toilet. Whooops . . . wrong activator switch. Three day suspension for improperly discharging his weapon.

I have not been in such a situation, but if I get in one I do not want that to be the time to find out that I cannot find my gun, its safety, my reload, or deal with a myriad of other self-imposed complexities that might suddenly overwhelm me. It only takes one mistake, it takes only one two-second mental/physical delay, to become the loser in a deadly encounter.

What if I am waking up and still have some cobwebs in my head? What if my senses are dulled by pain--having just been hit in the head? What if I have been shot and hit--say twice--and am seriously wounded but still in the fight? What if I am having to use only my weak hand? In other words, what if my mind is not working normally, but instead is incredibly focused on survival and not able to process multiple inputs to make varying decisions on where guns are or how to operate different safeties, and what reloading or jam clearance technique to choose from, and where my spare ammo is? What single technique/option is my stressed brain going to choose for me by default? Will it be the correct one?

With all the varieties of guns and carry methods available, if one has a goal of keeping it simple and carrying a single handgun with a single manual of arms, in only one position, for all situations, what would be the disadvantage?

My solution? As a civilain with a carry permit I tote a Kahr P40 in Thunderwear, with a spare hi-cap mag in the left pouch. No safety, one reliable gun, one trigger action, one carry method, same place, all the time. Pull, point, shoot. This gives me confidence in its simplicity.

Of course, there are trade-offs and sacrifices each of us makes when reaching the decision on how best to carry what. I am not suggesting that everyone do what I do, only that some who are searching for a simpler solution might consider a method that works for me.

Fire away. CB3

 

[Dwight55]

CB3, . . . you make a valid point: we may not always do under stress, that which we do in hope, in thought, in practice.

There are only two cures for that action: your suggestion of 1 gun, 1 carry means, 1 location, etc. is of course one cure. Your point is extremely valid for the "seldom" or "occasional" CCW person or for the person who is not well versed in firearms, . . . yet.

The other cure is really elementary: practice, practice, practice. Yes, your LEO friend had an AD and surely he had practiced using his tools, . . . but, . . . I would suggest that if he had more tactical training and less chowderhead paperwork to do, . . . it may have been a different ending.

All of the services' elite forces, the LEO elite squads, BATF, etc. have their guys on constant train/practice/train/practice routines just to hone those muscle memory skills, drills, and to perfect their teamwork.

Anyone who carries more than one weapon, using multiple holsters, etc. needs to put themselves on the same type regimen.

It is just like typing, . . . your fingers know where to go & what to do, . . . and the more you use them, . . . the faster and more accurate you become.

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[esldude]

Some coaches and martial arts instructors agree, that it takes around 300 reps to say you have learned a given physical action. And somewhere around 1500 to say you have mastered it. Meaning it becomes near instinctive action requiring no thought or conscious attention.

It is also true, under stress, you will revert to training or habits. And it will be the strongest, most repeated actions you likely will revert to doing. Keeping it simple with one manual of arms and having no conflicting tendencies has got to be optimum. True you can train for many other weapons. And become proficient at them all. But it takes lots of time. And even then, which have you used the most, that is the one you will tend to revert to trying to use? Knowing several, one will be more familiar than others and when the chips are down you are more likely to revert to that one. Possibly even if holding a different weapon in your hand.

If a police officer or military person you may be required to learn more than one. As a civilian you are not. I agree one weapons platform is the optimum thing to do. That one weapon won't be optimum for every conceivable situation. But if it fits the most likely and you use well it may be optimum for you.

That is why a few years ago, I sold every handgun I have except for Glocks. Some I thought were in many ways better than Glocks, but Glocks were simple, reliable, affordable and offered the same ergonomics in several calibers. I even got a .22 LR conversion so I can practice using thousands of rounds through my chosen pistol affordably. As a civilian I don't see any downside to that. Other than I must admit it was fun to have and 'play' with all the different handguns. I did eventually get one additional target pistol for fun in 22LR. All my pistols are Glocks otherwise.

The only other way I see this going is if a person has lots of very 'realistic' training in many scenarios. To the point they don't feel stressed due to the familiarity. Even then if that person were wounded or injured or dazed, they to will revert to the most repeated most faimiliar action most of the time.

 

[Jungle Work]

When I was the Chief of a Department, I let my officers carry what they were confortable with, ie Pistols. As long as it was a well made pistol and they could qulify with it, el no problemo. Some carried Glocks, Some Sigs, Some H&Ks and others. I had a couple that still wanted to carry their revolvers. No Problem, just got to do the "tricks" in quals on the range with them.

What you do in training, you will do when the poop hits the ventilation system.
Believe it, that's the way it is. When your mind goes into overdrive you will revert to the way you have done it before. The old saying about training hard and bleeding less under stress is very true.

Jungle Work
BTW-I carry different pistols and rifles that have different On/Off switches, but I've been shooting them since the mid 1950s and that's a little different than those who started shooting two weeks or two years ago. Different stokes for different folks.