If playing gun games is your bag, go for it. Have a great time. Just don’t lie to yourself that you are engaging in some type of tactical or martial training activity. Be honest and admit that games are not reality.
As I have been training humans for over thirty years now, I can tell you that when the harsh reality of a lethal force encounter hits you in the face someday, you will default to whatever you have mastered. If you have mastered leaning over the top of your cover and exposing yourself to stabilize your gun, that is what you will do during the adrenaline fueled encounter.
Another tactical absolute that I was taught decades ago was this, if the fight begins and you are not behind cover your feet should be moving. Standing still, without cover, is a great way to get shot in a gunfight. Remember, you LOSE all ties.
Have you seen people playing “practical” or “tactical” games where they are restricted to standing inside of a “box”? The timer goes off and they stand flatfooted, no cover, engaging multiple human-sized silhouette targets. “So what?” you say. “Who cares, they are playing a game.” Yes, indeed it is a game. there is nothing tactical or practical about it. Don’t lie to yourself and say that there is.
— Paul Markel in Competition Kills: Are We Fooling Ourselves with Tactical Games?
“Another tactical absolute that I was taught decades ago was this, if the fight begins and you are not behind cover your feet should be moving. Standing still, without cover, is a great way to get shot in a gunfight. Remember, you LOSE all ties.”
Yep, that’s how I was taught by the retired Navy seal that gave such training for free. Yep, and I actually had a chance to use it too.
Based upon my own experiences in actual use, I fully agree with this guy.
I have literally hundreds of hrs of certificated training by professional instructors. The “move to cover” mindset was drilled into all actions right from Day 1 of the first beginner level course, all the way to Combat Master level. Always be moving, always be protecting yourself.
So is competing in IDPA weekly, shooting 1000 rounds a month putting me at a disadvantage against the loser killers we are seeing commit these active shoots? I seriously don’t see many JSOC types doing these shootings. We are not stupid about combat versus games, but drawing under 1.2 sec, shooting fast and accurate and reloading fast under some pressure is advantageous in many situations. IDPA moves, pies rooms and uses cover in most stages.. it’s Not COMBAT!! I understand your point, but I believe I am definitely at an advantage over most who don’t do well run IDPA. Additionally, a 3 day tactical course will be forgotten in a week. It’s a perishable skill. You know that.. There’s a reason CAG and DevGru do countless hours in shoot houses, it becomes routine.
Great answer. Logical and well-reasoned. I agree with you. We know that IDPA and other competitions are not gunfights. We never thought they were. I’m not sure why some tactical trainers feel the need to talk down to shooters about competition shooting, as if we don’t know the difference.
Can anyone document a gunfight where someone died because they were a competition shooter? No? I can document some winners. Jim Cirillo and Bill Allard of the NYPD Stakeout Squad killed more felons than smallpox. Both Allard and Cirillo credited competition shooting for saving their lives in multiple gunfights.
I wonder what we should make of that?