Ever noticed that all of the gun fights you see on the news often taken place within proximity of fifteen feet due to the circumstances that they take place in. All of the police footage and dash camera videos are plastered over the internet and they all have one thing in common, that most shootings take place within ten to fifteen feet.

Close Quarter Gun Fighting Is Crucial

This is exactly why it is imperative that everyone out their trains in the art of close quarter gun fighting as there is a very high chance that they find themselves in that situation. We are not here to scare you; we are here to help you prepare for the unforeseen. Preparing for such situations is an art and it will require impeccable attention to detail. Furthermore, please do not make the common mistake of believing that you can prepare yourself simply by occasionally training in close quarters gun fighting.

If you truly want to master this art, you will have to give your training your undivided attention. It might appear to be easy but trust us, close quarter gun fighting is a skill set that takes years of hard work and dedication to master. Think of it this way, when you have the luxury of distance, you can easily find the time to take out your weapon and find cover. You can use this cover to your advantage while you patiently wait for the perfect shot that eliminates your target. However when it comes to close quarter combat the only thing you have in your advantage is your training and your instincts.

In long distance situations the best practice is to calm your nerves, find cover and line up your sight. Once you have lined up your sight appropriately and then stabilize your shooting posture and gently but firmly pull the trigger. This is the key to long distance combat, but in close quarters your will need a different approach in order to protect yourself and rage hell. Some of the tips you should incorporate in your close quarter gun fighting training are mentioned below,

• Practice point shooting at the targets center mass
• Practice how you take your gun out of the holster
• Practice how to kill the safety switch if it is on
• Practice how to deal with the recoil (the degree of recoil depends on your firearm)
• Practice quick or rapid fire at short distances
• If you own a glock or a bust accommodating fire arm, this would be more suitable for close combat

You should also take into account the amount of space you will have in close combat situations. If you manage to draw your weapon in time, your automatic response is to raise the gun to your chest level. Although this is ideal for long distance combat, it can prove to be fatal in close combat. If you raise your weapon till your chest when your attacker is right in front of you, they can disarm the weapon from for hands! This is exactly why you should practice shooting with your elbows tucked in as this is the perfect stance for close combat. Also incorporate weight shifting in your training regime as this will help you deflect any advances the attacker makes to disarm your weapon.

Why Gun Retention Is Crucial

Furthermore if you are one of those gun fanatics who have watched thousands of the YouTube clips, you should have noticed that none of them mention gun retention. Gun retention is basically a security measure to help you retain your weapon if someone tries to steal it from your holster. What you have to realize is that every criminal out there does not just get out of bed and try to steal, they practice and plan. Most criminals are highly trained in disarming people even before they draw out their weapon and this is certainly can prove to be fatal. This is exactly why gun retention is so important as it will be your last line of defense if an attacker tries to disarm your weapon.

However most people claim that retention will increase the time frame in which they draw their weapons, this is true to a certain degree but through careful training you can actually draw faster. Simply use thumb retention and constantly practice your draw by including a thumb flip into your regime. The more you practice, the better your chances in close combat.