Leave guns to the professionals - Letter in local paper

[MisterHappy]

If he has an LTC, he should take his own advice and give it up. Leave firearms to professionals. What a twat.

Good point - if he's retired, then he's not a "pro" any more. Touche.

 

[Spanz]

Notice that the author is a retired BPD Sergeant.

well what would you expect him to say. It is a union job, and you simply do not have the SENIORITY to defend yourself with a firearm, and if you asked a bystander for help, he would have to grieve you....

 

[dcmdon]

This is where training kicks in.
Developing instincts that go counter to the natural reaction most humans have to a situation.
Routine, muscle memory, ect.
I remember a young LEO I ran into a while back that I asked about what his dept. had for trunk monkeys these days.
He said they had ARs now.
What manufacture? Don't know.
How are you with it? Ok I guess, just shot it one time last year.
You got one of your own you shoot? No.

Think about it, if this kid's ( A kid to me anyway) life ever depended on using that thing, he's done.
His wife is going to be a widow and his kids fatherless because he most likely won't even remember where the safety is. Never mind under duress.

A good number of the folks on this board shoot at least weekly.
How much range time and training did the good Sargent get in?
I bet not a tenth of that.

Its interesting how the RIGHT training makes a difference.

I learned more about running an AR and built up more muscle memory with respect to manipulating the weapon in a 2 day carbine class at Academi than I did in 5 years of shooting high power. Its obvious, but interesting.

I have little to know muscle memory or instinctive proficiency with a revolver. At least with respect to dealing with problems. I can shoot it ok, I can reload it ok, but if there is a problem, I'm screwed.

A couple of years ago Mass Rifle had a snub gun match. We all came out with our J frames and LCRs and little speedloaders with pancake holsters. The crew was the usual people, mostly experienced shooters who do pretty well with 1911s and Glocks.

Our experience that night was astounding. I'd say 50% of the people screwed up to such a degree that they would be dead in the real world. None of us had ever shot our snubbies under even the moderate stress of competition. For me, it was the fact that my new Crimson Trace lasergrips didn't clear my speedloaders. So I would be dead after the first five rounds.

Don

 

[MachineHead]

Professionals, right.

"This is a Glock 40" [lol]

 

[oldguy68]

Thank god this guy is done protecting us!LOL

 

[In God We Trust]

Any time some crusty old vet starts spouting off about how someone wouldn't last five seconds in a gunfight, the reason is always because of inexperience.

Excuse me, Mr. Crusty old vet, you were in your first gunfight once upon a time right? Somehow you survived despite having zero real world experience.

As long as you know how to safely operate your firearm, your chances are 100 times better by being armed.

The more training you have, the better off you are, but not much training is really required to engage a target inside your home or at self defense distance outside.

Finally, it's foolish to assume that everyone is going to freeze up or get such an adrenaline dump that they can't fight effectively. There are many people out there that are naturally cool as ice under pressure. I've seen a guy get stabbed, beat the crap out of his attacker and then calmly inspect the wound. Some people just don't blink when faced with danger.

I have also seen veteran cops freeze up in the face of danger. You can't assume that because a guy is or isn't a cop that he is going to charge in and save the day.