Armory Sponsor
Posted: 3/20/2009 9:52:37 PM EDT
|
Other than taking a course, what can you do to practice self defense and home defense style shotgunning?
The inlaws shoot some clays every now and then, but while fun, doesn't build my confidence. The public range that I go to is mainly empty on weekday afternoons. It has permanent benches and upright posts. I was thinking about using cardboard boxes about 18"x24" at different ranges. I could then fire from "concealment" using the uprights and benches. Maybe getting someone to time me with reloading..... |
|
Believe it or not, accuracy training is not the most important part of home defense training. As you noted, shooting clays and such sports means that most people can shoot their shotgun fairly accurately, if they try.
The thing most people need to practice is "manipulation", or loading and working the shotgun. This is what most people need to practice. Practice shooting and reloading from cover, when moving, and under pressure. Load from the side saddle or carrier, as in a real fight, you will fight with what is in and on the gun. For some general hints on training, see here: Fighting With a Shotgun Good luck to you. 
|
|
Some IDPA groups do shotgun sidestages.
One I shot some years back (when I still had shotguns) was quite worth it. One replicated (from the IDPA stage moving through hallways, exiting a bank being robbed) working through a house with some hallways and rooms built onto the stage. Another was external, moving and shooting over/around and through cover (some windows and a tunnel). While not necessarily always the most realistic, keeping a five shot 12ga running required some tactical loading and transitions to pistol when you get a click instead of a bang, and moving/clearing areas with the gun was good practice for most. |
|
Thanks for the advice. Manipulation is kind of what got me thinking about practice in the first place. As I have the shotgun now in the closet in bedroom, I will have to load and rack to get it going. Stress will obviously slow me down.
The dummy rounds, Azoom rounds, whatever are a good idea. I made some for my various rifles to check functioning, but didn't think about them for handling practice (while the wife is gone). Thanks for the link, too, Painless. |
|
Quoted:
Painless, "What if you don't have a handgun? Answer: Then you had better be quick with fixing that shotgun." LOL, pretty good one there. The reloading section really caught my eye. Thanks again. I wish I had a handgun it's difficult for me to get one since I' am not 21 yet. I can't buy one from a dealer, but I can get one from any non dealer legally. When I was in high school I got alot of practice shooting handguns, I can use them better than shotguns or rifles. |
|
I am awful with handguns in general. I made the decision a month ago to practice, practice, practice. I fired hundreds of rounds through my 308 rifles and then just lost interest. And it is too expensive, even reloading.
After watching my uncle who is in cowboy action shooting.....I decided that I needed to be more responsible and get some range time with the pistol. I can't operate the HiPower as fast as he can work a Ruger Super Blackhawk. Granted he is firing light loads, but it is still a 44 mag revolver. Point is that I need to practice. Sitting on this ammo isn't productive, just frugal. |
|
Quoted:
I am awful with handguns in general. I made the decision a month ago to practice, practice, practice. I fired hundreds of rounds through my 308 rifles and then just lost interest. And it is too expensive, even reloading. After watching my uncle who is in cowboy action shooting.....I decided that I needed to be more responsible and get some range time with the pistol. I can't operate the HiPower as fast as he can work a Ruger Super Blackhawk. Granted he is firing light loads, but it is still a 44 mag revolver. Point is that I need to practice. Sitting on this ammo isn't productive, just frugal. I prefer semi-auto handguns compared to revolvers even though I like the reliability of revolvers. I'm sticking to rifles and shotguns at the moment and mostly shotguns just because shotshells are so cheap compared to rifle ammo. Although now I' am reloading it still can be expensive and time consuming, I can usually get about 175 rounds of .308 out of a pound of powder at 41.5gr each. |
|
Quoted:
The thing most people need to practice is "manipulation", or loading and working the shotgun. This is what most people need to practice. +1 http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=9&f=11&t=225937 |
Armory Sponsor