How do you practice with your concealed carry gun?

[Paul Sumner]

Any time spent shooting your concealed carry gun is probably a plus.  Too often, though, I see shooters, practicing for concealed carry, making poor use (in my opinion) of their valuable shooting time by shooting too far and too slowly.  Bullseye shooting improves contemplative shooting marksmanship, which is a fine goal, but I submit that it does not build the muscle and reflex memory that is important for self protection.  Ideally, for concealed carry, I want to shoot controlled but quickly at defensive distances which I feel are from 3 to 30 feet with the most practice needed in the shorter side of this range.  At short distances, I hold my handgun close to my body and point shoot.  When range conditions and safety permit, I move back and to the side while shooting.   As I retreat from the target, I bring the gun into either a Weaver or isosceles stance.  If you are new to this, and want to try these drills, I suggest that you start with an unloaded gun.

[coyote 2]

Paul - you have some pretty good ideas. I think the main issue in a shooting is to get distance between you and the other shooter - look for COVER - not concealment - the difference is something between you and the other shooter that will "stop" a bullet - a bush is concealment not cover.
This is the way I practice (and my department) and it is also Idaho State police standard for Off duty and secondary weapon. There is a time limit on the last two stages. 15 seconds. The other stages are shot as fast and safely as can be done. Mini seconds count so much - in a shooting. Reaction of yourself is the key. Also one thing you may want to try - is when reloading - always drop to one knee - gives less of a target to the bad guy....

Distance for stage one - 3 yards
2 rounds center mass - draw and fire - draw and fire two rounds
 center mass and take one step back - fire one round to head
Distance for stage two - 5 yards
same as stage one
Distance for stage three - 7 yards
Face right - turn - fire two rounds center mass
Face left - turn - fire two round center mass
Distance for stage four - 10 yards
draw and fire 5 rounds center mass
Distance for stage five - 15 yards
same as stage four
There is no reason to be firing a off duty or concealed weapon at any further distance. A concealed weapon is for personal protection - not for long distance shooting. Most shootings take place within 7 yards. This is nation wide....
If the target is past 25 yards - give me my AR or Mini 14. Pretty hard to miss with those.   :wink:

[DzrtRat]

I have a set of Crimson Trace lazergrips on my S&W airweight.  They're hard to miss with, ya know it?

They don't work too well in really bright sunny areas, but they're great at night, in dim areas, or on cloudy days.

I practice using the regular sights mostly, but I also practice using the lazer sight, by shooting at random targets placed at different locations and different distances.  One shot per target/per loading, and I oft-times vary which sight I use from shot to shot.

Doing this once a week is fun and keeps me confident that I can hit what I shoot at.

~Rat

[DEPUTY]

not bad but the trouble with kneeling to reload is it also makes you and easier target to hit being non mobile, i have taught my dept to shoot move and reload on the move to cover!  and as well to get low once behind cover to reload, but it also gives the bad guy  a chance to move and  for you to lose sight of them while your head is down reloading, keep the gun up and indexed toward target and load it! so you have a visual  of the bg, and the mag wel at the same time makes it easy under stress!

[xnmr53]

DzrtRat,
 
If your eyes are like mine, you don't need the laser sights on bright sunny days, just when the light is dim enough that you can't focus on the front sight.
 
Like you, I spend virtually all my time working without the laser, using it just enough to make sure that it's zeroed in. My laser practice is generally dry fire only.

[lilabner]

As a "civilian", I find this discussion topic very interesting. I've always assumed that 1. It isn't a good idea to attempt to pull a CW when someone has the drop on you, and 2. Don't carry or draw a CW unless you are resolved to use it to protect your life because the CW is a liability, not an asset unless you are mentally prepared, and 3 -  if it ever becomes necessary to use the CW, you must have sufficient practice with the weapon to shoot quickly and accurately at short range and 4 - if the weapon is not well concealed you are in jeopardy because taking you out will be Job 1 for an armed bad guy.
My experience with self protection is very limited. I once lived in a big apartment building in Denver which had been hit by a series of burglaries. One night, retiring late, I heard someone in the hallway outside my apartment door attempting to pick the lock. I picked up an old '03 Springfield that was in the closet, poked in a couple of rounds and cycled the bold with a loud KLICK KLACK. There were immediately sounds of someone in the hallway beating a hasty retreat.
I've always figured that either a DA revolver or DAO auto would be the best CW choices. Please correct me if any of these ideas are off base. Thanks.
And finally, I firmly believe that the more decent people there are out there packing, the more civilized human behavior will be!

[coyote 2]

the bad guy a chance to move and for you to lose sight of them while your head is down reloading

Guess my thoughts on kneeling is the fact of a back up with you. Another officer - we yell reloading - kneel - then when reloading is done - yell - standing - so the other officer (s) know your coming up.

As far as "head down when reloading" - that is a NO NO. You never take your eyes off the bad guy...... We teach to reload - with never looking at the weapon or the magazine..... Very bad idea - looking at weapon to reload..   :eek:

[DzrtRat]

xnmr53,

You're esactly right.  The sights on my Smith really blend together in dim light, and the short barrel gets hard to shoot accurately unless you can see the sights well.  I don't have much trouble on my other handguns, but since I carry the Smith most of the time, I figured I owed it to myself and others to be able to hit exactly what I shoot at in any lighting condition.

The lazergrips did that for me.

 :wink:

~Rat

[DEPUTY]

COYOTE2. My training as an officer and the many classes i have had at gunsite and several other large schools over the years have taught us many things that do and do not work, while indexing the gun up and out front of you while mainting the firing grip and a visual of the area in front of you under great stress it is much easier to get a mag in the gun and watch what is happening all at the same time! i dont always condon it  but it works well and is proven tactic  i was taught during an anit terror class by some of the most elite  people in the world. i keep my training so up to date it is unreal including being adjuct instructor at many depts, just try it before you slam it! me i have done reloads till my hands bleed and like many can do it in the dark upside down if i had too! , and a lot of time we dont have backup or a cover officer! we are on are own

[papajohn428]

I think for most CCW holders the number one thing to practice is the draw from concealment.  Anyone can quickly index and fire, starting from low ready, but getting the bullet launcher out, and quickly, seems to be the hardest thing to master for newbies.  I don't often carry concealed anymore, and the mind may remember the steps, but the hands have forgotten much of it.  Most of my pistol practice lately had been focussed on faster reloads, but if you lose the gunfight in the first few shots, what's the point?   :oops:   I practice moving while firing, sometimes forward, sometimes laterally, but if you can keep from getting flatfooted while shooting, you're a lot harder to hit!  And unless you're trying to shoot multiple attackers, cover and concealment are less important than making the first shot count.  If you drop Mr. Bad Guy with your first few shots, you don't have to seek cover, although you should be watching for accomplices.  Never assume there's only one Bad Guy!   :shock:
Sorry for rambling, I go thru my mental checklist every time I go on duty, and hope I never have to use any of my training!
PJ

[44 Man]

Join an IDPA club in your area.  It isn't perfect, I don't agree with some of their tactical procudures, but they have to be concerned with safety with a large group of shooters.  Most stages are from concealment, use your carry rig.  A lot of people get a special holster and gun so they can be more competitive, but use what you carry, the way you carry it and you will get some good practice under a little competition pressure.  It will also show up any problems with your carry set up so you can correct them.  AND....it's a lot of fun!  44 Man