A Student’s Perspective: Sim City Part 2*
It has been about 6 months since I participated in a test run for the Shoot Logic Simmunitions class. After that write up, I have actually attended every single Simms class, but as a “roleplayer”, and not as a customer. In short, Paul Nocida, (another Shoot Logic regular) and I have been playing as burglars, innocent bystanders, hoboes, witnesses, cashiers, cops, lunatics, and the occasional regular Joe trying to sell some junk on Craig’s List. It has been enlightening, and as usual, I would hope to share what I’ve learned, and maybe entice a few people to sign up and shoot Paul as much as possible. My belief that the Simmunitions class is the best training tool I’ve ever seen in my time on the range has waned 0%. In fact, after watching about 30 people take this class, I am even more convinced in the usefulness of this class. Again, I’m not going to give away any details, as it is extremely important that students go through the class without any preconceived ideas about what is coming their way, but I will share the revelations that I’ve witnessed, and the overwhelming growth I’ve seen in the Simmunition Class. So, I’ve listed out just a few things that have stood out in the last 6 months, and I hope they will provide some food for though. The Sheepdogs – A large amount of the participants in the “1st Season” of the Simms class are from local Church Security teams. I personally think this is fantastic, because personal defense is challenging enough, so crowd security is an overwhelmingly complicated challenge. I have nothing but admiration for any of these volunteers who have gone out of their way to increase their abilities, be it firearm handling, communication, or general understanding of how difficult a task they have undertaken. I would also like to point out that Seacoast Church actually reimbursed their security team members, and the fact that the church stands behind their volunteers, and actively supports their team enhancing their options and skills is, for lack of better words, inspiring. In full disclosure, the head of Seacoast security is my father in law, but honestly, this isn’t me angling for a better Christmas gift, it’s an objective opinion. These “Sheepdogs” have had to learn some very hard lessons, not only facing what they have asked of themselves, but also of their friends and families. The flat out bravest thing I’ve seen this year was a gentleman considered resigning from his security team. After the class, it was clear to him that having a CWP did not bestow the proper skills to properly manage a potentially violent crisis. Perhaps he has done some reading, or worked on some of the skills he felt were lacking, or maybe, he is content sitting in the congregation, knowing that he won’t make things worse by adding an inexperienced gun to a volatile situation. Either way, the gun world can be macho, and Hollywood has filled most of our heads with a completely false idea what shootouts and violence looks like. To know ones limits, and admit you may not actually be James Bond takes more strength than spouting clichés about carrying a 45 because they don’t make a 46. Getting Murdered – Both Paul and I have been murdered. Simply put, in the reality based scenarios that the class presents, there have been a few times where I have been shot, and while the choice was almost understandable, it doesn’t change the fact that “in the real world”, the shooter might be facing charges, or at the very least, have some very trying self reflection. Honestly, I don’t like getting “manslaughtered”, murdered, or executed. It not only hurts my feelings, but as the saying goes “there go I but for the Grace of God”. I never met any jerks, bad guys, or villains in the class, but I did run into a few folks who in the heat of the moment, with the adrenaline and anxiety coursing through their system, opted to shoot when they probably shouldn’t have. I wish everyone could experience this, because even under the safe conditions of the Simmunitions Class, we still fall victim to our own human fallibilities. This class is a less than gentle reminder that stress changes everything. Your senses, your reaction time, and your judgement will all be strained under the pressure applied in this class. It is a great lesson to learn, and I don’t think you can truly understand the concept through written word or video, but only through experience. Heck, I’m talking about a safe class that only “simulates” defensive scenarios, not actual danger, but since Law Enforcement and Special Forces take Simms classes, I can only guess that it is the best option we have. The Pen is Mighter than the Sword – Turns out this is true. It has consistently amazed me how much trouble can be avoided with proper communication. I hate to use generalities, but when I say communication, I mean any way to convey information to another party. It can be your phone, wild yelling, direct pointed screaming, or even just asking the right questions. As Tim Elmer points out, when you pull your gun, you have pulled a hammer out of your toolbox. Since you’ve chosen the hammer, now you treat every issue like it’s a nail. Essentially, there is a time you may need to pull a gun out, but once you do, you have almost destroyed other safer and more peaceful options. We are accustomed to the idea of a gun school teaching the mastery of firearms, but it is sadly rare to see one teaching when you shouldn’t reach for a weapon. This is critical, but often overlooked information, and I’m personally glad to be a part of it. Gunslinging – Look, you aren’t good enough to guarantee a win. Don’t feel bad, neither am I. The fact is, if I were to run into an armed enemy in a dark alley, I might be able to out draw him. I might get more shots on him in 3 seconds. I might have centered upper torso hits in a nice 3-inch group. This, of course, assumes EVERYTHING goes right, and I don’t hesitate out of fear and shock, and I don’t make a critical error when presenting and discharging the gun. It also assumes I’m in some sort of face-to-face showdown, and after a few Simms classes, I quickly see how unlikely that is. In spite of all of that, the bad guy might simply point and shoot as fast as possible, and I catch a life changing (or ending) bullet. That’s it. In truth, during the last 6 months I’ve seen the students struggle with drawing their guns, miss at point blank range, and become totally flabbergasted if the gun “malfunctions” (which includes leaving safeties on, running out of ammo, faulty reloads, etc). To be clear, Shoot Logic’s Progressive pistol class covers these topics, and is a great class for learning proper shooting and firearm manipulations. The Simmunition class is not there to teach these elements, but to utilize these abilities in a context outside of the traditional firing range. If you question your gun handling skills, look into the Progressive class. The Law – Are you a lawyer? Can you recite SC gun law with authority? Are you 100% sure? Interestingly enough, I was surprised at the amount of CWP holders who get quite foggy on the legal details of self-defense. I would just point out I’ve met a few folks, who carry in the name of protecting themselves, their family, and their friends who aren’t clear about what is actually allowed. If you carry a gun, and have made the self-determination that you will take a life if you have to, then maybe you should brush up on what will get you arrested. I promise, you don’t want to start internally debating the legalities of drawing a gun on a seemingly shady character when you think things are about to get unpredictable. Know what you are doing, or don’t do it. ‘Nuff said. Forget Hollywood – I know that no one takes Hollywood seriously, but we have all absorbed more bad info than realized. We are so used to the hero turning a corner, spotting a guard, and dropping him with two clean hits, and then the bad guy drops dead, turned off like a light switch. We’ve grown accustomed to Cop#1, searching the house while Cop#2 goes around back to make sure the villain doesn’t escape. In fact, think about this while watching any action based TV. Ever notice that when the bad guy, whose had a great fight with the hero, pulls a knife, he might get the ceremonial light swipe across the Hero’s shirt before getting knocked out, like the knife made him less dangerous somehow? Everyone who has been through the Simms Class can tell you how utterly nonsensical and absurd all of that is, in a vastly more detailed and comprehensive way. I’m just a guy in an office. I’ve lead a pretty charmed life, so I can’t talk to stress inoculation or what real combat is like, but I can tell you this, under stress, I’ve seen more Hollywood style gun handling techniques come out than I thought possible. Hell, I caught myself cocking a revolver once, something I NEVER do, and I shoot revolvers regularly. A little stress, a little fear of being hit, and all of a sudden, I’m making mistakes that I can’t even fathom. I’m glad for these errors, because I sure do learn a lot from them. Well, I could prattle on, but I just wanted to share a little of what I’ve seen in the last 6 months. I love the Simms class, and we all have a great deal of fun, but it can be tough at times. This class will, without a doubt, turn some ideas you’ve always had on their head. It will purge most of the Hollywood fantasy out of your brain. It will force you to let go of your ego. It will make you realize that maybe you haven’t practiced as often as you should. It will make you look at your mortality. It will make you realize that bravery takes different shapes. And finally, when the day is done, and you are counting welts and bruises, it will make you grateful. |
Mike HoganMike Hogan is a forever student of shooting and is an avid shooter and collector. A self avowed mall-ninja...he does that to hide the fact that he can write. Archives
June 2017
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