The Basics

[timcar86]

I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Chris Cerino for dinner a few nights ago and we, of course, discussed firearms and training. He was expressing that a lot of people that called his school were asking for advanced training. He claimed that there is no advanced training, just advanced applications of the basics. Once I thought about that, it made a lot of sense. Whether you agree with him or not, what would you consider "The Basics" of gun fighting?

[peejman]

Situational awareness, threat assessment, decision making, presentation, trigger control, all while under stress. 

The Olympics is a good example of advanced applications of the basics 

[A.J. Holst]

Pests eat fast?

[Cruel Hand Luke]

Thanks for the plug GTG. 

As to the "basics" of hard skills (as opposed to soft skills like paying attention to what is happening around you, quick decision making, verbal engagement/disengagement, positioning, etc)  once the fight has commenced is....

To quickly access your gun without getting killed or crippled in the process 

Hit what you are aiming at 

Be able to clear malfunctions if they occur

Be able to reload the weapon as necessary.

 

I think everyone can agree that being able to quickly access your weapon is important. And we can all agree that doing it while not getting shot stabbed or bludgeoned to death makes sense. We all agree that being able to clear a malfunction is good to be able to do and we all agree that being able to keep the gun fed if it runs out of ammo is a good thing. Where things get cloudy is on the "hit what you aim at". There are different thoughts, theories, methodologies on what is the best way to do this. Also the "don't get hit" could include shooting while moving or moving to cover first. Unfortunately there are no bumper sticker sized answers that cover all contingencies.

 

But I agree....the advanced stuff is just applying those basics under more chaotic , and complex situations. 

[chances R]

Presentation, trigger finger discipline (off trigger until on target, trigger prep, trigger press,), sight alignment, focus on the front sight, follow-through........and doing it all PDQ at a speed that insures hits.  Most everything else added tries to mess all of that up.