Why Is It...............

[omcforever]

That you hear people say all the time" this is my carry/concealed gun, I carry it everywhere, never had an issue with it, and I have put 100-200 rounds down the tube." Duh!!!!!!! Too many people get a CCP/buy a carry gun/shoot 50 rounds and qualify/then maybe over a year or two, shoot a few at the range at a jug or paper target and then depend on it and the lack of training to save his/her life. I shoot mine every chance I get/I practice mis-fires-jams-stovepipes and shooting under stress at all yardages/shooting with your non-firing arm/firing from sitting down and in a car, at least twice a month.all you need each time is 50 rounds. Training goes a very long way.....Not saying I have heard it here but when I talk to people around here(Home area) and at work, that is pretty much what is said most of the time....Buy it/Shoot it a few times/Get CCP/Stick it in the holster and forget about it until it is needed.....*****(just me thinking out loud)*****     I think personally, there are some people walking around with a CCP that are more dangerous to themselves and others than the bad guys are,,,,,,,,,,,,

[amdak]

Yep i have herd people say the same thing.i have also see people get guns to keep at home or whatever that they have not even shot.i shoot as much as i can.

[gwhilikerz]

I try to shoot a box of ammo a month from my revolver. I concentrate on smooth draw, accurate shot placement, and shooting left handed. I don't necessarily agree with all the experts who claim you need to go to a "professional" to learn properly. I think a lot of what you are taught can form a habit that could get you killed. Each situation is different. If you can get your weapon out and hit the attacker you have a chance of walking away. 

[highwayman]

for now i have my girl friend just shooting paper but everytime we go to the range i add something new. today it was what i call panic drill. i have the target at 25 yards and start it coming right her. shot 5 time then reload and 5 more. lots of fun with that. next time it's going to be draw, fire once, then re holster, then draw........ then snap caps come into play

[Empty Quiver]

If you are not a shooter and do not enjoy shooting 200 rds is a lot. For most folks the gun is too expensive to start with and ammo is even worse. Then you have to pay someone to allow you to shoot, you are among folks who are largly happy to be there and feel ridiculious among that crowd.

Any one who watches TV knows that a gun is insanely dangerous, and when in the hands of a righteous person it is a death ray. If you eat your Wheaties, stay in well lit areas, and drive on new Michelins you have nothing to worry about. It's those few people who forget the Tom Tom at home that need to worry, and for them there is a gun unloaded, cased and locked in the trunk, under the first aid kit.

I have pretty well described my wife a few years ago. It has taken a lot of what if questions as well as paying attention to the news to bring her into a situational awareness mindset. She shoots pretty well now, doesn't handle a gun like a dead rat, and is able to field strip and clear it if jammed... slowly. She'll even carry with a round chambered finally realizing that it takes her forever to do that and no goodniks are in a hurry about the time you start loading a pistol.

What I'm getting at is that Rome was not built in a day. Brother you have to testify and the people will come around. Pick out one of these folks and make them your mission, invite them along for some fun shooting and introduce the skills they need for self defence. Best thing I ever did was get the wife to shoot the .22 for most of a range session.

[Dand]

Good points all. I WAS shooting 2-4 times/ month for a while but I wasn't really challenging myself or learning new skills. These days its been months between any shooting what with the weather and other commitments I have.  But I don't carry much either in our very small town. Took the gun along today when I made a firewood haul - in case I saw something to eat or with fur. It takes a real commitment to train and get good and to carry. I wouldn't totally discount taking lessons from a pro. My friend did several sessions with the local police force and learned a lot. Mindset was one aspect. Learning how fast a bad guy can mess you up just throwing something was another thing. With UNLOADED guns the trainees were approached by the trainer who carried a roll of paper towel. The trainer acted threatening and the trainees were supposed to draw, challenge the threat then fire if the encounter escalated (paper towel roll thrown at trainee) I might have the order of actions wrong too. It was amazing how fast it could all happen and how often the trainees weren't able to draw, challenge then fire before being hit by the towel roll. The point was NOT to encourage officers to draw and shoot but to know how fast things can go south. And I think to learn to act under pressure. I don't recall what else they covered - I just heard it from my friend second hand - possibly keeping eyes on the threat and surroundings. For those of us uninclined to really train ourselves, some good training sessions may be a good thing.