Legally carrying a firearm without taking regular training can be a recipe for disaster. When you have a lethal tool in your hands, you have the ability to change lives — including your own — with the squeeze of a trigger. While a firearm can be an effective tool for defending yourself, it's imperative that you know the correct way to do so. Firearm training will teach you not only the correct way to carry and shoot your weapon, but will also explain when you should use your firearm and when you should not. Here are some defensive tips that you can learn in your firearm training.
Aim For Center Mass
If you're in a position where you need to use your firearm to defend yourself, you may be reluctant to use deadly force. Instead, you may think that subduing an attacker or a home invader by shooting him or her in the leg — just as you've likely seen done in the movies — is an effective strategy. Your instructor will teach you that this is a poor idea. Not only is the leg a small target that can be difficult to hit, but it doesn't necessarily stop an attacker from engaging you. You're better to always aim for the target's center mass, as this is the best way to end the threat.
Shoot Until You're Safe
When police officers occasionally make headlines for shooting incidents in which they fired a significant number of shots, there is often a public uproar about what some people perceive as too much force. What these individuals don't realize is that it's necessary to continue engaging an attacker until you are safe. Someone can shoot at you, stab you, or otherwise harm you even with several bullets in his or her body. If you've made the critical decision that you need to use force to stop an attacker, your training will teach you the importance of shooting until the threat is down.
Practice Safe Gun Handling
Another thing that your defensive firearm training will teach you is the importance of keeping your gun safe once you draw it. Extending your arm to the shooting position, which you may do at a gun range, is a bad idea if you're engaging someone at a short distance. He or she could easily disarm you and use your own weapon to shoot you. Keeping the gun held in both hands and positioned close to your torso, as well as taking a step away from the target in some situations, are the best ways to maintain control of the firearm.
Seek out pistol training classes like Midland Firearms Training - Concealed Carry CCW Classes to learn more.