Skill Set: Seeing
When manipulating your firearm it's a good idea to be able to perform these actions without having or needing to see the firearm. This is especially true for defensive or combative purposes.
The ability to manipulate your weapon without seeing it is a critical skill for self-defense, patrol or combative applications. In a fight you need to keep eyes on target. Things will be fluid and dynamic. The threat(s) will be moving. Having to look at your weapon to reload it or clear a malfunction takes your eyes off target. This creates an opportunity they can exploit, moving to give them an advantage. Keeping eyes on target allows you to constantly monitor, assess and make decisions, moving as necessary.
Often, when shooters have to look at the weapon it requires them to move the firearm, lowering it down or twisting it around. This action immediately tells the threat your weapon is out of the fight. Looking at your firearm reinforces this. Keeping eyes and muzzle on target doesn't clue them in. Once the weapon is running again, if it's necessary you're still on target, ready to apply more hits without wasted time.
Chances are the confrontation will occur in a low-light environment. It's going to be dark. Maybe it's too dark to see your weapon. When a stoppage occurs you'll need to get the weapon running again without being able to see what the problem is. Is your weapon empty, requiring a reload, or do you have a malfunction that must be cleared? The ability to manipulate your firearm in the dark will save you valuable time.
Looking at the firearm takes your eyes off the threat. It may be too dark to see the firearm. So how do you develop the ability to operate the weapon without having or needing to see it? Proper practice, and plenty of it.
Obviously, you must first cultivate the necessary skills, starting with the basics. Dry practice with dummy rounds is best. (Very few people I know have the time and ammo to get the necessary practice live-fire on the range.) Once you've learned how to manipulate the firearm properly start performing the same actions with your eyes closed.
Consistency is the key, performing the same actions over and over. These repetitions also improve your overall skill. With each proper rep you become more efficient. Eventually you get to the point where you can perform all manipulations just as quickly without looking at your weapon.
Consistency is also important to developing good habits. Working the weapon without looking at it must become routine. Keep your eyes up when performing administrative actions – loading or unloading – and functional manipulations – reloading and clearing malfunctions.
The only time you should look at your firearm is to visually check the chamber, confirming it's unloaded. You may go through the actions to unload the firearm, but a problem such as a broken extractor could have left a round in the chamber. When unloading always visually check the chamber. Physically checking the chamber is a good plan as well, feeling for a cartridge left in the chamber.
Knowing how to manipulate your firearms without looking at them makes you more efficient. These skills prepare you for personal combat. It also creates confidence in your skills, which is mandatory. It may take a while to develop this ability, but it will serve you well.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, l
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Often, when shooters have to look at the weapon it requires them to move the firearm, lowering it down or twisting it around. This action immediately tells the threat your weapon is out of the fight. Looking at your firearm reinforces this. Keeping eyes and muzzle on target doesn't clue them in. Once the weapon is running again, if it's necessary you're still on target, ready to apply more hits without wasted time.
Chances are the confrontation will occur in a low-light environment. It's going to be dark. Maybe it's too dark to see your weapon. When a stoppage occurs you'll need to get the weapon running again without being able to see what the problem is. Is your weapon empty, requiring a reload, or do you have a malfunction that must be cleared? The ability to manipulate your firearm in the dark will save you valuable time.
Looking at the firearm takes your eyes off the threat. It may be too dark to see the firearm. So how do you develop the ability to operate the weapon without having or needing to see it? Proper practice, and plenty of it.
Obviously, you must first cultivate the necessary skills, starting with the basics. Dry practice with dummy rounds is best. (Very few people I know have the time and ammo to get the necessary practice live-fire on the range.) Once you've learned how to manipulate the firearm properly start performing the same actions with your eyes closed.
Consistency is the key, performing the same actions over and over. These repetitions also improve your overall skill. With each proper rep you become more efficient. Eventually you get to the point where you can perform all manipulations just as quickly without looking at your weapon.
Consistency is also important to developing good habits. Working the weapon without looking at it must become routine. Keep your eyes up when performing administrative actions – loading or unloading – and functional manipulations – reloading and clearing malfunctions.
The only time you should look at your firearm is to visually check the chamber, confirming it's unloaded. You may go through the actions to unload the firearm, but a problem such as a broken extractor could have left a round in the chamber. When unloading always visually check the chamber. Physically checking the chamber is a good plan as well, feeling for a cartridge left in the chamber.
Knowing how to manipulate your firearms without looking at them makes you more efficient. These skills prepare you for personal combat. It also creates confidence in your skills, which is mandatory. It may take a while to develop this ability, but it will serve you well.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, l
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