“Buy more guns and learn how to use them.”

[Varmint]

If you are serious, this is a very interesting comment.

Feeling less confident (if it's an accurate assessment of your skills) could be a good thing. Over-confidence could get you killed, but on the other hand is Ken Hackathorn’s Law:
...which could also get you killed!

Would you elaborate on how/why your training has left you feeling less confident (if you know)? I'm wondering if it's a deficiency in the instruction you've gotten, and as a trainer for over 20 years, I'd like to know what's going on here.

Half serious. I'm more capable after 3 classes, but you realize there's so much you didn't think of when you just went to the range and popped off 50 rounds with no training!

 

[kingfisher]

Half serious. I'm more capable after 3 classes, but you realize there's so much you didn't think of when you just went to the range and popped off 50 rounds with no training!

Exactly! Then I think you would agree, that's progress, and your training was valuable. You're more capable even if you feel "less confident."

Now, hopefully, when you go to the range you practice what you learned, so you retain and improve those abilities, and you're doing more than just making noise. (When I say "you," I don't mean you specifically, Varmint. It's just that from what I've observed only a small percentage of gun owners go to the range to actually measure and increase their proficiency.)

Sometimes just having a gun at hand is all it takes for self-defense. A robber looking for a weak victim of opportunity may run away when confronted with a gun, and many people have been able to defend themselves successfully without ever firing a shot; however, if you're attacked by someone who is more determined—especially someone with a personal grudge, a hardened criminal, or a terrorist who plans to die in the encounter anyway after killing as many people as possible—it's much better to have practiced skills that you can execute quickly and without warm-up "on demand" because a person like that needs to be physically incapacitated (you can't count on a psychological stop even if you successfully shoot them several times).

 

[kingfisher]

One of the best TRAINING values anywhere...

Since we've been talking about training, I want to make sure you guys know about this.

Living in the north-east, we're lucky to have one of the best firearms / self-defense training options available right in our back yard. It's 3 full days of training for only $350 (with the GOAL / GO-NH discount).

These instructors are scheduled:

William Aprill - Mindset Lecture
Scott Germain - Rifle Class 2
Mike Seeklander - Pistol Class 2
Lisa Steele - Firearms Law
John Hearne - FBI Miami Learnings
Jake and Crystal Pelletier - Pistol Class 1
Jackson McWade - Tactical Medical Lecture + Practical Application
Dave Harrington - Dry Fire Practice
Craig Douglas - Knife Skills
Chuck Haggard - O.C./Pepper Spray
Cecil Burch - Clinch
Alex Hartmann - Rifle Class 1

More info here: NES SUMMIT April 29-30 and May 1, 2016

I hope to see you there!