SIMS is absolutely essential and best for shoot/no shoot scenarios. To get "shot" while taking shots teaches you to stay in the fight and ignore the rounds hitting you. Granted, not real, but you learn to stay in the fight. It's priceless.Not new to shooting, soon to be new to carrying concealed more in MD. I would be interested in immersive training scenarios of shoot-no-shoot, situational awareness, and confrontation situations different scenarios that might come up. I have seen one range offer a class called "concealed carry live" which it claims will put students in stress full situations that one could encounter while carrying concealed, using laser training guns they are immersive situations. After the simulation is completed, you can learn from mistakes and possibly learn how you would react in higher-stress situations. When looking at their class calendar, they don't list any dates for that training, so I am not sure how often that class is actually offered.
I am not looking for 360 simulator training, I want real interactions and, heck, even simmunition to help understand that even if you do stop the threat, you might have taken fire as well. It's one thing to get hit with a laser, but I think it would sink in and make you learn from your mistakes by taking a simmunition round. That way you think more about the situations that may arise and if you draw your firearm.
The thing with SIMS, is that it's expensive and you really need a huge warehouse venue where you can change walls/rooms, etc... for different scenarios.
Answer your first sentence, we just had sort of just that a couple weeks ago. It was a mish mash of holster carry options, use of force, awareness. Just a potpourri of everyone basically leading the whole day. I thought it was a great time.
I'd like to do it again for those who couldn't make it last time.