The Dot Torture targets are a pretty good skill test for those that want to see where they stand. The target will guide you through the basics such as drawing, reloading, transitioning targets, and shooting one-handed. That is all good, but if you get a bundle of 100 of these babies, you might like to hear that there are things you can use it for things other than just what is printed or suggested on the target. Creativity is key to a fun and challenging time at the range.

How many times have you been told to "FOCUS ON THE FRONT SIGHT"? I can tell you that this has rang against my ear drum for years, since I was in boot camp and on the range. Jeff Cooper even said "Blessed are those who, in the face of death, think only about the front sight." This is a bit radical and unreasonable in my mind. It is like saying you are perfect if you have zero fear in combat and you are completely cold and indifferent to killing or being killed. Instead I think a better and wiser quote would be " Blessed are those who can account for their sights, even in the face of death." This term is more rational in my mind.

Physical conditioning for combat is not something I would take lightly. I know plenty of people who think they will simply rise to the occasion when it comes time to fight for their life. However, the first time they have to hump gear or do any real work, the excuses flow about why they can't keep up. All these movies showing people shooting and moving at a sprint pace is not something these individuals just picked up and started doing with ease. Even when they are in the middle of sprinting in their gear and manipulating their weapons, they are pretty well fatigued and fighting to maintain awareness and concentration on the fight. This requires lots of physical training, repetition, and coordination. If you want to be conditioned to fight, there are a few things you will need to keep in mind.

The center axis relock is a style of shooting that has been around for a good long while, but has become more noticed as of late, thanks to the John Wick series of movies. I do not think that it is a bad thing to have this semi-mysterious and showy style presented on film. However, I think that people might be interested to learn a little bit about the style and how it was intended to be used. In addition, I would like to cover my own observations about the John Wick style of using this style for offensive close quarters engagements.

When it comes to making a selection for what kind of target you are going to use, there are alot of questions you need to ask yourself. What am I using the target for? Am I using it for diagnosing a weak fundamental? Am I just taking my family out plinking? am I testing my abilities? The purpose of your range time should be considered in order to decide what target is right for that day at the range.

Despite the mindsets of certain people out there, defending yourself in low light is not as simple as having a light. There are some challenges you have to get used to and practice to overcome. Having a light on your person means very little, just like having a gun makes you just as capable of defending yourself as owning pots and pans makes you a world class gourmet chef.

Shooting is one of the hardest skills to pick up and perfect due to the physical, mechanical, and technological variables. Your fitness, your mental state, your firearm(barrel length and construction), and your ammunition will all have an effect on your performance. Not to mention that the climate and environment will all play a role as well. There are alot of things that go into shooting, but the hardest thing for people to get right is being able to exercise great discipline and learn to control their mind and body in order to shoot consistently well. For almost all shooters, this is a lifelong struggle no matter how much better they get. A good shooter always strives to be better than they were yesterday rather than just trying to be better than the person next to them.

Fighting in a low light setting is one of the most demanding things you can do, let alone with a firearm. It requires alot of things to be done right and for you to be very proficient. This means that you must practice and constantly challenge yourself. If there is anything I have learned in my time of fighting in low light and training in low light, it is that there is no one thing that is universally applicable. Darkness will complicate everything and adding in having to use and be mindful of other gear, in addition to your gun, adds to the complexity. There are a few basic things that are necessary and vital to effectively fighting at night, and I want to go over them briefly.

When it comes to learning the fundamentals of marksmanship, follow through is the one that will prevent your skill development if you follow it to the letter as it is taught today. 

What is the importance of accuracy? Well, it depends on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to qualify on a paper target, being able to hit inside a certain area will be good enough. If it is in competition, as long as you skim through and get your hit, it is all good. In combat, connecting with the torso is the name of the game. All of these scenarios could benefit from more precision of course, but perhaps there is a problem with people understanding when they are being accurate and when they are being precise.