Knowing My Limits

Grant Cunningham has [s]ome thoughts regarding 'force on force' training that are worth reading.  He makes some good points but I do not agree that FoF is useful only for first shot accountability.


FoF exercises can also be useful, I think, in teaching limitations. I often carry a snubnose revolver despite the common wisdom that 17+1 and four spare magazines is the minimum necessary to check the mail.  This preference can be directly traced back to a FoF exercise about ten or fifteen years ago.  In one of the exercises I was "surprised" by an attacker who then tried to get a chokehold on me from behind.  In the second run I was trying to get the fake gun twisted around so I could get off a shot when, out of frustration, I just pointed it over my right shoulder upside down and pulled the "trigger". Afterwards, the instructor complimented me on my creativity but pointed out that my shoulder would have blocked the slide and jammed the gun after the first shot.

I tried the same trick with live ammo -- without an partner -- next time I was at a private range. As expected, the Glock 17 jammed and bruised my shoulder even through the padding I was wearing. The 442 fired all five times. I eventually sold the Glock for other reasons but I still have and, when I deem it prudent and possible, carry the 442.

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