How do you practice?

[jg rider]

I'm wondering how others practice self defense shooting.
Here's one of a few article that decided how we train

http://www.brassfetcher.com/PDF%20Files/Bertolli%20gunshot%20thread.pdf

As a past IPSC competitor, the wife and I did lots of practice on flat IPSC targets: El Presidente, Mozembique, Bill Drills etc. All shots were always aimed at the center of the targets no matter what angle they were shot from.

As we got older and smarter we changed our tactics. First, we believe the ideal shot placement is in the thorax area, triangle from base of the throat down to the nipples.
For C.O.M hits we practice speed shooting at 6" steel plates from 10 yds away. I compete in steel plate matches so this our normal practice sessions.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Spikes/Deck-1.jpg

For the defensive part I take an IPSC target, bend it almost half round and staple it to two 1"x2" uprights. If I really want to get creative I'll take another flat target, draw a wide stripe down the center to represent the spinal column and staple that to the back side of the uprights. The object is to shoot from different angles at the 3D body, toward the spinal column.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/magbaseplates004.jpg

To add some fun to the mix the wife stands about arms length away from the target, with a holstered or fanny packed gun.


http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/JosK9Holster5-1.jpg


http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/WifesFannyPack.jpg

At the beep she pretends that the target advances on her, she does a palm strike to the face or gouges at the eyes of the target, yells "LET ME GO" or whatever and starts backing away while drawing and firing multiple shots while moving. She doesn't know if she's to go staight back, to the left or to the right until after the beep when I yell to her what to do.

She also practices as if she's grabbed, by doing a face strike, protecting her head as she draws and hip or point shoots.

Did I mention that I don't need to practice. :rolleyes:

This is her coach

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Spikes/deer003.jpg

[OldLincoln]

The deer is thanking you for the tasty desert!!

>>To add some fun to the mix the wife stands about arms length away from the target, with a holstered or fanny packed gun.<<

My first thought is OMG that's crazy having your wife stand that close while you are shooting! Then my brain fired a neuron and I understood that she also shoots. Although that would be some real hostage practice.

I practice at an indoor range at 5,7,12 yards doing defense drills. I practice as if I had an instructor taking each shot seriously. I don't care about tight groups as long as they are torso hits. I agree with the thorax but added groin after reading how the affordable body armor typically stops about the belly button. There's lots of bone and arteries to take them down. Theory is they will be weaving the head and shoulders but the groin doesn't weave that much.

[jg rider]

The deer is thanking you for the tasty desert!!

I practice at an indoor range at 5,7,12 yards doing defense drills. I practice as if I had an instructor taking each shot seriously. I don't care about tight groups as long as they are torso hits. I agree with the thorax but added groin after reading how the affordable body armor typically stops about the belly button. There's lots of bone and arteries to take them down. Theory is they will be weaving the head and shoulders but the groin doesn't weave that much.

When I took that deer picture he was actually eating the plant. We can't have a garden because of them, but that's ok. They're nice to look at in the morning when we go out on the deck with our coffee, and they're bedded down on the lawn.

As far as groin shots, I'll have to give that some thought

[AIRret]

Thanks for sharing that information.
I LOVE the way you made a 3D target. This is something my husband will have to do when we go to him families hunting camp.

[muggsy]

At the indoor range we're limited to slow fire and I shoot from 7 yards. On the outdoor range anything goes and usually does. I practice drawing and firing from 10 and 21 feet point shooting. Occasionally I'll do some aimed fire from 25 and 50 feet. Targets are generally paper plates. I do a little plinking with my .22s at varied targets just for the pure pleasure of it. I shoot in bowling pin matches with my 1911 when the mood strikes me.

[jg rider]

Thanks for sharing that information.
I LOVE the way you made a 3D target. This is something my husband will have to do when we go to him families hunting camp.

Don't get discouraged at first. This isn't like walking and chewing gum

[OldLincoln]

Muggsy, my indoor range also limits to slow fire. Mine are only double/triple taps and not fast like empty the mag quick. The back wall behind the shooters is all glass and they have watched my drills a bit and give me a fair amount of latitude. They can easily see I need the practice. :)

[voodoo54]

I practice at 5, 10, 25 yds shooting at torso targets. At the 5 and 10 yd targets I mainly focus on stress shooting. At the 25 yd I take a little bit more time to shoot. Not concerned about shot placement as long as it hits the torso. Somtimes I'll drop and take a knee, but mostly standing. At knob creek gun range you can't get too fancy with self defense tactics. In my opinion this is the best "basic" self defense training if you don't have freedom to do what you want.