Real Analysis of Close-Quarters Gunfighting: 3 Tips To Stay Alive In A Criminal Ambush! - Warrior Life | Urban Survival | Close Quarters Combat | Tactical Firearms Training | Live Life Like A Warrior

Real Analysis of Close-Quarters Gunfighting: 3 Tips To Stay Alive In A Criminal Ambush!

Jeff Anderson
Jeff Anderson, Editor

It’s a harsh but very real fact of actual gunfights:

If you stand still while someone is shooting at you, you will get killed.

Some instructors call it “getting off the X.”

It is the practice of getting out of the way so you don’t get run over.

Are you actually training to hit somebody while on the move?

I talked to expert CQC instructor Chris Fry about this issue, and here is a summary of what he told me.

Close-Quarters Gunfighting: 3 Tips To Stay Alive In A Criminal Ambush!

Chris Fry

When they picture real-life gunfights, a lot of shooters think they are going to be able to move as fast as they’re humanly capable of moving…

…and shoot accurately at a moving, hostile target the same time.

Everybody in the movies always hits what they shoot at, right?

Wrong.

In a real gunfight, the skills you learned shooting at static paper targets will NOT be enough.

So why is there so much of that type of shooting training out there?

It’s because we put too much stock in immediate feedback in the United States.

We like the idea that we can shoot at a paper target and see a bullet hole appear.

But that’s not realistic training for accurate shooting under threat!

Here are some things to consider:

1. The Drawstroke Is Critical

You probably think of actually shooting when you think about shooting in close quarters gun battles.

Would it surprise you to learn that just pulling your gun out of its holster is just as important as shooting it?

Getting your gun out of a concealed holster and into action is a critical skill.

You’ve got to be able to do it consistently…

…and you’ve got to train to do that while you’re in motion.

If you don’t, you’ll fumble the gun.

You’ll fail to get a good grip on it, fouling your shots, or you won’t able to acquire your sights, causing your return fire to go wide.

If you can’t draw, then shoot, and move while you’re doing these things, you will not survive a CQC gunfight.

Remember: Movement is survivability.

2. Lateral Movement Is Critical

You can’t afford to fight on railroad tracks, dumbly moving forward or back.

You’ve got to be able to move off the attacking line.

This means you’ve got to move laterally, or side to side.

It has been shown repeatedly that offset or lateral movement, just a little bit to the left or to the right while drawing, can cause an adversary to pause while trying to track you.

If you just back up, from his perspective, you’re still right where you were — just a little farther away.

If you move to the side, though, he’s got to reacquire you.

That split-second in which they try to relocate you buys you just enough time to clear your cover garment and get your own gun on target.

That fraction of a second could save your life.

3. Aimed Fire Or Point Shooting Depends On The Scenario

It takes time to use the sights and deliver aimed fire.

If you don’t have that time, you’ll have to point shoot.

Can you point shoot when it matters?

Can you also aim and fire at great distance to hit a target accurately… such as the face of a man holding a gun to your child’s head?

If you’re three feet from your target, do you really need to aim with your sights?

Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t; it depends on how much time you have to react.

If you’re fifty feet away and trying to pick out a target among non-combatants, however, that’s a DIFFERENT story.

It all depends on distance and just what the adversary is doing.

Take all these factors into consideration… and train accordingly.

If you can’t both point-shoot and take accurate aimed shots, your training is very much lacking.

Do You Train To Point Shoot, To Fire With The Sights, Or Both?

Please Share Your Training Tips Now…

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