More “Service Pistol” Ramblings…
And just what, after all, is a service pistol? The name implies that it should serve some function, and logic tells us that it should protect the wearer assuming he is competent in its use.
Usually when we think of such an implement, the typical sidearm you might see hanging off a soldier or policeman comes to mind. We think of a gun that works reliably, hits with sufficient force to resolve personal difficulties, and possesses adequate accuracy to accomplish the task at fifty long paces. Or at least we used to. For the past 15 years, I have noticed a trend by a certain gunwriter to keep expanding the definition of “service pistol accuracy.” I was a little worried when he started postulating that sixteen minutes of angle was acceptable; and now recently it has grown to eighteen. This translates to four and one-half inches at twenty-five yards.
I have either owned or been issued a passel of different duty guns over the past 30 years and any of them would shoot better than that, at twice the distance. I would have fixed or gotten rid of any of them that wouldn’t keep five shots in three inches at twenty-five yards. Now I know that ‘statistics’ say that the average lethal force encounter occurs at at dart-throwing ranges- but what about the “un-average” ones? I can think of few things less pleasant than having to shoot at someone who was in the process of trying to kill me, and having no idea of whether or not I was hitting them, while I was waiting for my fire to take effect. Nonsense like this is why you see 10-30 shots fired in police shootings. The proliferation of events like this should also be telling us something else- we need to return to basics. Folks who carry sidearms in harm’s way, should be trained to use those sidearms with precision.
Such training is now the exception rather than the rule. The vast majority of police firearms training which I have attended, involved shooting Very Large Humanoid Targets at 40 feet or less. I have seen a lot of “spray and pray” at these events- and unfortunately in the street, too. If you are a soldier or policeman who is issued a pistol, you will probably have to train yourself in precision shooting at distance. You can always practice the fast/close drills, once you master precision shooting. There is a tremendous satisfaction to be had from hanging a B-27 target at fifty yards, and knowing that you have the capability of placing every round through the middle of it.
Fortunately, most of us will never need to protect ourselves against anything or anybody, so we’d like for our everyday sidearm to offer some recreational value as well. The “icing on the cake” is that most of them are capable of decent accuracy, are just flat fun to shoot.
So take that handgun to the woods or the range a little more often, and become genuinely proficient with it. It’ll be a lot more comforting friend in troubled times, once you do.
See you next week.
And just what, after all, is a service pistol? The name implies that it should serve some function, and logic tells us that it should protect the wearer assuming he is competent in its use.
Usually when we think of such an implement, the typical sidearm you might see hanging off a soldier or policeman comes to mind. We think of a gun that works reliably, hits with sufficient force to resolve personal difficulties, and possesses adequate accuracy to accomplish the task at fifty long paces. Or at least we used to. For the past 15 years, I have noticed a trend by a certain gunwriter to keep expanding the definition of “service pistol accuracy.” I was a little worried when he started postulating that sixteen minutes of angle was acceptable; and now recently it has grown to eighteen. This translates to four and one-half inches at twenty-five yards.
I have either owned or been issued a passel of different duty guns over the past 30 years and any of them would shoot better than that, at twice the distance. I would have fixed or gotten rid of any of them that wouldn’t keep five shots in three inches at twenty-five yards. Now I know that ‘statistics’ say that the average lethal force encounter occurs at at dart-throwing ranges- but what about the “un-average” ones? I can think of few things less pleasant than having to shoot at someone who was in the process of trying to kill me, and having no idea of whether or not I was hitting them, while I was waiting for my fire to take effect. Nonsense like this is why you see 10-30 shots fired in police shootings. The proliferation of events like this should also be telling us something else- we need to return to basics. Folks who carry sidearms in harm’s way, should be trained to use those sidearms with precision.
Such training is now the exception rather than the rule. The vast majority of police firearms training which I have attended, involved shooting Very Large Humanoid Targets at 40 feet or less. I have seen a lot of “spray and pray” at these events- and unfortunately in the street, too. If you are a soldier or policeman who is issued a pistol, you will probably have to train yourself in precision shooting at distance. You can always practice the fast/close drills, once you master precision shooting. There is a tremendous satisfaction to be had from hanging a B-27 target at fifty yards, and knowing that you have the capability of placing every round through the middle of it.
Fortunately, most of us will never need to protect ourselves against anything or anybody, so we’d like for our everyday sidearm to offer some recreational value as well. The “icing on the cake” is that most of them are capable of decent accuracy, are just flat fun to shoot.
So take that handgun to the woods or the range a little more often, and become genuinely proficient with it. It’ll be a lot more comforting friend in troubled times, once you do.
See you next week.
posted by Sarge | 11:35 PM
3 Comments:
Sounds like you're pretty much an expert! You sure do inform us pretty well on it, which teaches us that are not that familiar with it.
Have you ever tho't that you are CONTROLLED by something, that makes you SAY, FEEL, and ACT the way you do?
You have DNA and RNA CODES in you, plus other CODES that switch things ON and OFF in your body, ALL to CONTROL you!
WHO PUT THE CODES INTO YOU?
Likewise, YOU CAN READ CODES RIGHT OUT OF YOUR OWN BIBLE, that CONTROL your Destiny!
See the "Chosen"Code and "Color" Code; VISIT: http://quadcode.blogspot.com ! Save or Print it to study!
Dear Rudy-
I have a Bible, and thnk you for reminding me that I need to read it.
On "Color Codes" however, I will defer to Col. Cooper himself-
"The Color Code refers not to a condition of peril, but rather to a condition of readiness to take life. Fortunately most people are very reluctant to take lethal action against another human being. Most people are reluctant to shoot for blood on a harmless game animal, until they become used to it. To press the trigger on a human adversary calls for a wrenching effort of will which is always difficult to achieve and sometimes apparently impossible. Thus we live our days in Condition White, which may or may not have anything to do with our danger, since quite frequently we are in deadly danger and do not realize it. Any time you cross directions out on a two-lane highway you are at the mercy of that character coming towards you in the opposite direction. Usually he is okay, but when he is under some sort of chemical influence, or is psychologically upset, he may only twitch his wheel to produce a multiple fatal accident. Most of us would prefer to live in Condition White permanently, and many do, but those who are more aware of the nature of things are often in Yellow, which is a condition in which we are aware that the world is full of hazards which are human, and some of which may be obviated by our own defensive action. When one is in Condition Yellow he is aware that today may be the day. He is not in a combat mood, nor is he aware of any specific situation which may call for action on his part. There is a vital difference between White and Yellow, and it has to do not with any specific enemy or a set of circumstances, but rather with your awareness that you individually may have to take decisive action on this very day. If you are attacked in Condition White, you will probably die, or at least need a stretcher. If you are attacked in Condition Yellow, you will probably win, assuming that you are armed, awake and aware. The difference does not lie in the deadliness of the hazard facing you, but rather in your willingness to take a very unusual action."
Not much I can add to that...
Ecxept Chapter Two...
"If in the course of events you become aware of the possible existence in your presence of a lethal adversary, you switch from Yellow to Orange. The difference lies in the specific nature of your presumed antagonist, not in his evident competence or attitude. In Yellow you say to yourself, "I may have to shoot today." I may actually have to press my trigger on a human adversary, but I don't know who or where.
When you detect the presence of a target who may be the one you will have to engage, you shift from Yellow to Orange. In Yellow your mind-set is "I may have to shoot today." In Orange it is "I may have to shoot him today." At this point your normal reluctance becomes easier to overcome. Legal and moral aspects of the conflict are lowered and have been dismissed from your mind. Your attitude is dictated by the presence of that enemy standing there. You may have to shoot him, now, today. What is needed is a trigger. The trigger is the act establishing that the situation is indeed a matter of lethal conflict. This is Condition Red, and in Red you have solved the psychological problem and have no further concerns beyond the technical. In Red you are go, and your mind is concerned only with front-sight and surprise.
Moving from the various Conditions into each other is easy to accomplish once it is understood. If you are attacked in White you will lose the fight. In Yellow you will have the advantage of initiative response over your antagonist. In Orange you are pretty safe, provided you are armed, alert and aware. In Red you win. Simple, isn't it?
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