Often overlooked tips for defense

I have been thinking a lot about my defensive strategy lately and have come up with a few tips could greatly help in a defensive situation.


Practice off hand shooting, sure you're going to be more reliable with two hands on the gun but it's not a perfect world you may have to use your off hand to call for help/back up or wield a backup weapon (knife) if you feel you are being out maneuvered). The more proficient and accurate you get off hand the more chance you have of making it out alive.

Always keep your cellphone/radio, tac light and knife on your off hand side for easy access while having your strong hand in use with your weapon (it is not easy to get anything out of your right pocket with your weapon drawn and switching hands is not always possible) remember to call for help even if you feel you have the situation under control, things can deteriorate very quickly. I also always keep my spare magazine on my left side to assist in quick tactical reloads.

Practice shooting with your off hand and from many shooting positions, especially disadvantageous positions, the more you train for any situation the more chance you will have. I even practice shooting out of either side of my vehicle and from both the driver and passenger seats.

Practice drawing your weapon in a quick and smooth fashion and try to perfect trying not to show that you are going for a weapon. Practice tactical reloads and clearing jams, personally prefer the Tap, Rack, Roll (Tap the bottom of the magazine to ensure that it is properly seated. Rack the slide while simultaneously rolling the gun so that the ejection port is towards the round. This lets gravity help clear the ejection port.).

Practice with friends shooting at the same time and other distractions to help keep your focus. It also helpful to get your heart rate up before shooting to get accustomed to shooting under stress. I also train in the winter with shorts and a T-shirt to add the stress of being cold and the added difficulty of shivering.

ALWAYS have your weapon, even if it's just a .380 in your back pocket, that nice .45 does you no good in your night stand.

Practice as often as possible. Don't always practice with FMJs or other cheap range ammo you need to practice with your self defense loads as well to insure they function flawlessly in your weapon.

Never draw your concealed weapon unless you feel you will actually need to use it, you do not want to show your cards prematurely and if you draw for no reason you might run into legal repercussions (not to mention it is just bad form to just brandish a weapon to try to intimidate or "show off"). If you do shoot someone in self defense shoot to kill, DO NOT just wing them as they could still shoot back.

Be mentally prepared for a firefight and the possible repercussions.

I can't think of all of them right now but I feel this is a good start and at least covers the basics and good fundamentals I will update the thread when I think of more. Please feel free to add your tips, I am very open to new ideas.

Lots of good tips, especially for rookie shooters like myself.

Also, did anyone else get some epic Deja Vu while reading that, like around halfway down?

All this assumes no injury.

Practice loading and unloading your weapon with one hand.

Can you charge that auto with one hand? Can you reload that wheelgun with one hand quickly and efficiently?

You can?

Now practice with the other hand until it's a smooth, efficient process.

Got that?

Now one-handed, practice clearing stovepipes (if you have an automatic.)

And by the way, use practice rounds that have no powder and no hot primer.

Any reloader can help you with that.

Originally posted by FarArcher
All this assumes no injury.

Although I neglected to state in my original post the reason for me suggesting plenty of practice with your off hand is in case of injury. Good points none the less. I personally thing that one handed cycling and stovepipe clearing is a low priority and that most other skills should be mastered before moving on to this. If you train too broadly with too little focus on the basics in can effect you adversely IMO.

reply to post by BigDave-AR


Never forget the most important weapon in your arsenal lies between your ears.

Learn how to disarm someone with a knife. Learn how to take a hit via a blunt object and have the impact roll of you in such a way that you can recover and retaliate.

Learn how to fall in such a way that you don't injure yourself and can get up for a counter attack.

Learn the pressure points that make a grown man cry just by applying a bit of pressure to them...

Just a few thoughts I would add.

I had to force myself to learn how to shoot weak handed since I can't shoot with my throttle hand. The other things were learned over a period of years in martial arts training.

reply to post by bozzchem

bozzchem, I can appreciate all the hours and hard work you've put into your art, but I much prefer to just shoot the SOB with the knife.

I found myself at a great disadvantage one night in pitch black because SOMEONE fell asleep on guard, and I awakened with one of my enemies tripping on my feet and falling right on top of me.

He had the advantage of being awake, and losing his AK, grabbed his bayonet. Fortunately, my hand found my knife.

I never, ever, EVER want to do that again. The farther away I can take out my foe, the better. At first light, I looked like I was the one who got slaughtered, and I only had a small slice/nick.

That up close crap can get you hurt real bad, and most folks will not spend the time and effort required to be able to do those things you can.

Anyone who's used an automatic has had a stovepipe. No reason why one can't learn how to use either hand for shooting, either hand for reloading, and either hand for clearing their weapon.

It's all the same thing: weapon usage.

i like this thred i litery only held and shot a rifle a young age then never again live i n the stict gun law state of MA

i keep a kuba-ton on muh key chain very effectiv little wepon that does not appere threatning. i know how to use a jo, large staf bo sigh's and knives
im also big fan off deffend fortes or ground set trap to protect a property for instanse best defense is knowlege of your sel effects suroundings and atacker
-jplayguitar