Unless you have your own range or the range you go to is very open to self-defense training, you may have a hard time doing realistic live-fire training.
@KevinM gives you workarounds for some of the biggest range no-no’s to improve your self-defense training on the range:
HA!!! The one thing @KevinM didn’t address was the fact that he is “Goofy Eyed” (left eye dominant and right handed). Please understand that I do not say that in a disparaging way (I am too) but I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and if your non pushing foot on your skateboard was in the front you were “Goofy Footed”. That said he demonstrates rather nicely the common technique for over coming it, turn your head.
As to range drills “that you can get away with” I have one I will do when tuning up my draw that is more than a little advanced. I will hold the pistol by the barrel in my left hand at “retention position” (roughly 6 - 10 inches in front of my abdomen. I will perform a slow smooth “pretend” draw from the hip and attain a grip in the pistol then transition my left hand to the proper grip.
Here is the advanced part, when my hands hit grip and start to push I fire and continue the straight flat and level push to full extension and fire again, before I hit full extension I close my eyes.
The purpose is not to build speed but to build muscle memory and proprioception (knowing where your body is). The result is two well placed shots that will occur instinctively during a high stress situation and will occur long before getting a sight picture. I highly recommend that you perform several dry fire segments prior to going live so that you have your feet in the correct position to orient yourself to the target. Of course you can also do it with your eyes open.
Cheers,
Craig6
One is new for me which I’m going to try - shoot from behind the cover.
One of the things we did in the low light class this week we did was using cover. Interesting thing when using a light vs. in daylight, is you need to hug your cover when using a light. When it is light out, you keep distance between yourself and the cover to make it easier to slice the pie. If you do that at night, you give away your position and you blind yourself with the light reflecting off your cover.
Also, drawing from the bench is a decent way of simulating drawing from a holster.
OUTSTANDING observation!!! Was that a taught point or did you observe it or both
Cheers,
Craig6
It was taught. I had done low light training before but it was never pointed out before, or I just forgot that it was. It was probably 10 years ago. The instructor, a Marine Infantryman was the instructor taught and demonstrated it. Of course it would depend on the cover but it is always safe to assume the worst.
Excellent! I would assume that he also mentioned staying 18 - 24 inches off the wall when moving. Back splash from illumination is a lesson learned in the latter stages of Iraq while doing a lot of indoor house cleaning. Best to light the room and have #2 & #3 clear and slice the pie.
Cheers,
Craig6
Enjoy your range time. Range is still closed nothing but dry fire for us
Only real change at my range was operating hours and cutting out the extra hours a member could come in.
My club has reopened the rifle, pistol, and archery ranges only. Every other firing point, members and their spouses/kids only.
Generally speaking, If only one or two other members that I know are there I can do the bob and weave, draw, slide, take a knee, reload, or whatever. If it’s busy or someone is obviously there with guests then its firearm on the table, I only load 3 to 6 rounds at a time, complete safe weapon when not in hand, etc, etc. But I still go for the bay that let’s me post two or three targets at different ranges.