Colorado CCW Training Warning

[TheBelly]

I have to chime in on this:

the army requires annual re-certification on firearms proficiency. That goes for whatever your primary weapon might be, be it rifle/carbine or light machine gun. Same thing for those that are authorized a pistol. Most feel that that is not enough training/re-training. Dependent upon your job in the military, more range time is available. Think about a couple things, though, before that gets used as a model for others. The army is required to go places and possibly take lives in the course of doing their job. The army also accepts a training standard of 23 hits out of 40 possible (standard rifle qual). That minimum standard of accuracy can only be acceptable in war. There is a certain amount of collateral damage that is accepted as part of that job.

In the civilian world, the law WILL hold a shooter accountable for every round fired. And, if a citizen is put into the situation that needs deadly force as the only avenue, I hope that the person defending themself/family/friends/etc. has a firm grasp. I think too many folks are comfortable with adventure learning. Besides, if you're firing 40 rounds in your self defense shoot, you have bigger problems to worry about.

If we take the same concept and apply it differently: lots of cabs have a sign on th back that has the break down of cab costs vs. DUI costs. (Im not going to get into the 'they just want your business' bit). If that mind set is applied to other areas, like defensive shooting, then I think the level of firearms proficiency would rise to the level that would make someone comfortable enough that they could actually defend themself, should the need arise. The average citizen might be swayed into voluntarily getting a higher level of proficiency by understanding that their freedom can end with the barrel of that gun. The internal thought I'm getting at here is getting the resonsibly armed citizen to realize their own abilities (or lack of) and to have the internally motivated belief that "I do not have a good enough proficiency to hit what I'm aiming at". Some folks here have shot with me at the ipsc/uspsa shoots, and I generally only ask two questions: did I shoot what needed shooting, and did I hit any no-shoot targets? I get really bent out of shape when I fail either of those.

this is only meant to post my thoughts on the physical skill of shooting. It is not meant to tackle the topic of shoot/no-shoot. It is also not meant to tackle the topic of internal mindset a person needs to pull the trigger.