Lightbulb moment

[mopar92]

So today I finally got the blessing to buy my nephews some cap guns. Of course they want to do the Wild West thing and duel. So we set em up, made em walk 10 paces, draw and shoot. Older nephew, tossed the snubby in his waistband, younger one threw it in his pocket. Older one had a smooth draw and the younger one got the hammer snagged on the inside of his shorts. Then they faced me, I carried appendix and moved at 10 the older one fired 4 shots where he thought I was and lost badly. Younger one saw this and moved to cover (a tree) to engage me, that was a draw
Set em loose on each other again and both moved to cover drawing on the move. Youngest nephew won by laying down and getting off two rounds before his brother could find him.

Was fun watching their lightbulbs go off and learning organically from the situation and adapting to the situation as it developed.

Lessons learned and reinforced.
Make sure your gun and carry method work for you.
Move before you draw, most of us don't have carte blanche for SD and need to wait for a fhreat to present itself before defending ourselves. If they're already a threar you're playing catch up already, give them a moving target to hit.
Make yourself a smaller or nonexistent target, use cover if possible, concealment if theres nothing better. Don't be an easy target.
If using cover and concealment try to vary the angles and locations you pop up from. Whack a Mole is no fun with bullets.

Funniest part of this, after our final run through, my one year old nephew grabbed one of the spare cap guns we had, walked behind a tree and then said boom when everything was said and done. Funny as anything, but a lesson to always check for more bad guys.

 

[Gaspasser19]

So, you're saying firearms training is child's play?

 

[mopar92]

So, you're saying firearms training is child's play?

The biggest thing I would take away from this post is firearms and self defense training don't always necessitate a gun and bullets, and train your kids when they want to learn.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Kids are MUCH smarter and more creative than we give them credit for being...

 

[dist1646]

According to a recent program on AHC, Wyatt Earp is the only one who escaped the gunfight at the O.K. Corral unharmed, he is also the only one who did not move. The stories conclusion was that movement drew attention and bullets.
Interesting that experience you had was different. Personally, I think taking cover is always a good idea when possible. I doubt that Earp had that option!

 

[1time]

According to a recent program on AHC, Wyatt Earp is the only one who escaped the gunfight at the O.K. Corral unharmed, he is also the only one who did not move. The stories conclusion was that movement drew attention and bullets.

Interesting that experience you had was different. Personally, I think taking cover is always a good idea when possible. I doubt that Earp had that option!

The way black powder fills an area I'd bet that no one could see Earp in the middle of the cloud. Not great cover but great concealment.

 

[Blaster229]

You can draw as you are moving. You don't have to move before you draw.

 

[mopar92]

You can draw as you are moving. You don't have to move before you draw.

I never said they where diametric opposites but perhaps a better term would be move before beginning the drawstroke.

 

[Blaster229]

I never said they where diametric opposites but perhaps a better term would be move before beginning the drawstroke.

But not both at the same time. Ok.

PROXIMITY is key. 0- maybe 10 yards-ish, you best get a little quick step and shoot the threat as fast as you can. There is no dancing left and right trying to outrun someone shooting at you. This is a good distance where you have a decent chance of landing a fatal shot to stop this nonsense.

You get farther than that, then the margin of error for the shooter to try and land a shot on you is greater, so likely missing you. Also, you are making it a harder shot for you too.
If you aren't CREATING distance away from the shooter, means you are still in the fight. How far laterally are you going to try to outrun his bullets if you have no cover?

Here's the thing, a person cannot outrun a shooting danger like this if they are too close. There is a point in our mindset where we have to accept we are in a fight and have to actually FIGHT.

If you are not armed, and are not in grappling distance, then move, dance and scoot like your life depends on it, because it does.

Two kids playing with cap guns like this is and one surviving is one thing, but get a trained adult against a kid in these "force on force" scenarios, and the training will most likely win every time.

 

[mopar92]

I said move before beginning the drawstroke. I never said move, find a restaurant, order a sammich and coffee, read the newspaper, use the restroom and pay your tab before beginning the drawstroke

 

[mopar92]

And in a SD situation we're trying to avoid an, at most, .50 inch projectile, we're not dodging bullets we're just trying to get the most important squishy bits out of its path. The emphasis is on movement first as I would bet $300 that you cannot draw faster than I or anyone else can press a trigger, 2 or 3 steps is all we're worried about as the average hoomin can move the average torso 18" in 2 or 3 steps.

 

[Blaster229]

I said move before beginning the drawstroke. I never said move, find a restaurant, order a sammich and coffee, read the newspaper, use the restroom and pay your tab before beginning the drawstroke

And I am saying move, stop and shoot. Not dance like 2 children do.

 

[namrelio]

 

[ST19AG_WGreymon]

Use airsoft guns next time.

 

[Blaster229]

And in a SD situation we're trying to avoid an, at most, .50 inch projectile, we're not dodging bullets we're just trying to get the most important squishy bits out of its path. The emphasis is on movement first as I would bet $300 that you cannot draw faster than I or anyone else can press a trigger, 2 or 3 steps is all we're worried about as the average hoomin can move the average torso 18" in 2 or 3 steps.

Your insight is so insightful.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Your insight is so insightful.

I usually find the pissing contests in which you enter yourself to be entertaining. If we should ever meet in person, your first drink is on me.

 

[Blaster229]

I usually find the pissing contests in which you enter yourself to be entertaining. If we should ever meet in person, your first drink is on me.

Then if I buy you one back, did you even buy me one?