I augment my practical range training time with two other elements that are very important--reading and non-lethal force on force with airsoft. Many of us have carried long enough or been exposed to handguns for sufficient time to realize that the old establshed maxims are fading under the light of realistic scrutiny.

For example, how often will you engage an adversary at 25 yards with a handgun? You do it with targets, but what about real life carry situations? The stats show it’s almost never. What will the distance be in a fight? Probably circa six feet!

Can you get a good sight picture if Bubba is bearing down on you with a knife and he’s six feet away? You’ll be doing good to get your gun out and engage. Having an airsoft handgun that operates like the one I carry is an invaluable aid to my training. My partner and I dress like we carry, and mimic the things we do in real life (go to the ATM, get drinks at the back of the minit mart etc.) and then we attack each other. What do we learn? A lot. It affects how we train on the range too.

Gentleman, the pretty world of scored targets at fixed distances teaches a certain skill set but not the skill set you need to have if you are going to fight to defend yourself and your family with that handgun you carry. Think about it.