Sunday Thought

Sitting here, winding the day down after a good, home-cooked meal, thinking as I listen to some music.  I'm thinking a regular Sunday Thoughts might be a good addition to the blog.  We'll see it how it goes.

I've been benched with some injuries preventing me from getting out and shooting some videos, photos, and reviews or training ideas.

So, a thought crosses my mind as I'm reading on the internet (generally a bad idea as the current modern culture seems to have elevated the amateur to the rank of expert with nothing more than a YouTube account, but that's for another day).

Maybe we get too hung up the latest buzz word, dynamic, critical incident, disruptive, tactical or what have you.  While these are all good descriptors, does it matter?

When the metal meets the meat are you dynamic?  Do you find yourself in a critical incident evolving in a disruptive tactical environment?  Does the thought even cross your mind?  Or, do you do as your body tells you and either fight or run?

I'm a big, perhaps the biggest, unknown proponent of training.  I think anyone who carries a gun should train, should get training, and continue to train.  There's no excuse. (This is not a rights discussion.  It's a right, that's a given.  I'm talking about something else here).

But, as I look around and take training, get trained, watch training, read training what I'm finding is a mass opaque lens clouding the vision of many.

Maybe I'm not clear with this.  It is just mostly, rambling thoughts on a Sunday evening.  Here's what I'm getting at:

A gun is a gun.  A bullet is a bullet.  When it breaks flesh it doesn't matter what you call it.  Bullets obey the laws of physics.  A gun can't do anything the laws of nature don't allow.  Cool names are a cold comfort six feet under the earth.  My trigger finger mechanically pulls a trigger causing the gun to mechanical in a variety of ways to strike a primer igniting the gun powder sending a ball of metal towards the target.

You've heard it said: the only things that matter are trigger control and sight alignment.  Two mechanics that are 100% mental when the stress is on.  When the wheels fly off during a stressful situation it's because the driver lost his mind.

Mindset matters perhaps above all else.  Yes, you have to know your gun and how to shoot it, but that is all useless when the metal meets the meat.

I agree there are better ways to do things, this isn't a tactics discussion.  But, if you obtain the superior tactical position, yet freak out and dump rounds no where near the bad guy, while he just stands there calm as a breeze and smokes you, what good did it do?

We, those who live by the gun, need to be physically fit, we need training and to rehearse the training often. But, we cannot neglect the mind.  How do we do this?

I don't know, I'm not a psychologist.  But, I think we do it by training under stress as a start.  Even perhaps as equally important is talking with and hanging out with other warriors who carry the same traits as we do.  Group discussion, group debrief, group hanging out.

Like our ancestors before, gathering around the fire at night and sharing war stories.  Talking shit to each other.  Listening to those who have experience.  Learning from each others mistakes.

We each have to win our own battles and stand on our own when our mettle is tested, but we shouldn't exist outside the culture of warriors.

So, I guess my thoughts are rambling, but that's ok.  One of the perks of this being my blog.  Seek out good training, but don't get caught up on buzzwords.  Buzzwords don't put bullets on target. Focus does.  Discipline does.  Hard work does.  The latest brand touted by X, Y, or Z won't make you the next Elvis of gunfighting.

Gear supports need, but never dictates it.  I don't become a better shooter by shortcut.

Owning a gun does not make you a gunfighter, any more than owning a guitar makes you a rockstar.

Train hard. Train often.