Gun Digest's Defensive Handgun Training Principles Collection eShort by David Fessenden

Author:David Fessenden [Cunningham, Grant]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4402-3432-3
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2012-07-17T21:00:00+00:00

Developing a proper Combat Mindset is an essential part of defensive guncraft.

The Combat Mindset

Jeff Cooper said, “Mindset is everything, a willingness to take the step.” What Cooper is referring to here by use of the word “step” is the gun owner’s decision and willingness to use lethal force in the defense of his life. This is why I place Combat Mindset at the top of my priorities list.

At Front Sight Institute, with all our students we stressed the concept of Combat Mindset for the entire length of our handgun courses. In fact, it is the central theme of all firearms courses there. We stress it just as vigorously at my school as well. Every book worth its weight in paper and every firearms instructor I have ever spoken with all state that Combat Mindset is the engine that drives proper firearms training. This book concerns itself only with self-defense with the handgun, but the concept will apply to all weapons systems and their courses of instruction.

Aside from its overall effect that makes you want to win and succeed, Combat Mindset allows you to stay focused on your tasks and, if necessary, over-achieve. It lets you get the most out of every moment of your training and stay sharp. If you are working on your trigger control, for example, it allows you to think only about what you are doing at that precise moment in time and stay focused on each and every movement of the drill. Nothing else can disrupt your thought processes and get you off focus. However, if something is able to shake your concentration and you speed up your trigger press and drop a shot, you will instantly realize what has happened to cause your shot to fall out of the group. Simply take a deep breath, refocus on your trigger and trigger finger position and let the Combat Mindset kick back in before you commence your training drill. In our not-so-perfect world, you realize this will happen now and again. You shake it off and get back in the fight with the aid of your newly acquired Combat Mindset.

Cooper said that there is a direct link between Combat Mindset and marksmanship. I submit that this linkage can be traced to every segment of defensive guncraft. In the category of gun handling skills, it can produce the desire to dry-practice for hours at a time and, most importantly, the passion to push yourself to the next level of proficiency with your weapon. It is what pushes a student to invest the time and money to acquire the highest ranking he can achieve with his or her weapon of choice, that of Combat Master. It takes months and months of dry practice, live fire, and then passing a grueling and arduous range test to acquire this most prestigious of rankings.

Jeff Cooper further added, “Obviously, if you are a good shot your self-confidence takes care of itself. You don’t have to worry about it.” He also said, “Far more important than brilliant pistol craft is attitude.

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