Are you prepared and how do you get there?
Preparation is just not something we focus on much anymore. Most people in America now live paycheck to paycheck and have increasing amounts of debt. Don’t worry this article isn’t a lecture on finances, just an example of how when times are good we can get a little complacent.
In this article we are going to talk about how to be prepared in the firearms and shooting world. We will break it down between equipment and ammo availability, training, legal protections, and what it means to really prepare yourself for when you have to use your gun.
What should I be prepared for?
The definition of being prepared (according to Merriam-Webster: America’s Most Trusted Dictionary) refers to the act of making something ready beforehand for a specific purpose or event. It involves being organized and ready to with situations that may arise, such as unexpected changes. Think of it as the ability to adapt to an unexpected change in the current situation and successfully overcome the challenges that come with it. That unexpected change in the current situation could be anything from a train blocking your way to work or a complete and total societal collapse.
Man, that’s some heavy philosophy type stuff there huh? You could prepare yourself for a possible train slow down by leaving a little earlier than required or maybe find an alternate route that avoids that crossing. I’m not even going to attempt to head down that societal collapse rabbit hole here. The point is being “prepared” means getting ready for something that might happen and having the ability to deal with it.
Ability
Ability to deal with it is the key part of being prepared. Now ability is a very broad topic. In the firearms world it all boils down to – do you have the ability to put rounds on target when you need to? However, there is a lot that goes into being able to do that.
Do you have the proper equipment?
Can you hit what you’re aiming at?
Ammo Prepared
Do you keep extra ammunition? You should. Now I am not saying you personally should have a stockpile of ammo (everyone has a different idea of what “stockpile” means), but you should have more than just what is in the gun. How much you need or want depends on you! Questions to consider are How often do you shoot? How much do you shoot? How reliable is the ammo you have? Is it target ammo or carry ammo?
Answer those questions and get the right amount of prepared for you. As an instructor I shoot a lot. As an enthusiast I shoot even more. The reason I say keep the right amount for you is because there was a time not too long ago when not only could I not buy it, I couldn’t even find it!
The COVID 19 debacle opened a lot of people’s eyes. Standing in lines before stores opened to see they only got 4 boxes of your caliber in the shipment and the first guy in line grabbed them all. OUCH! How am I going to use my gun if I can’t find ammo for it?
My situation is a bit different than most because my business depends on my ability to have ammunition. I also look at ammunition as an investment because it rarely goes down in price and if it does it isn’t for long. Since I always will need it and I have the ability to store it, whenever I see a good deal on it, I buy a little more than I use.
Reloading your own and having components to do so is also a good mitigator. There are places right here in the good ole USA that are introducing legislature to make it more difficult to buy ammo and taxing it like crazy. Having a couple extra boxes laying around could mean the difference in being able to go shoot with your buddy when he invites you out to his ranch or just watching. It could also mean having the ability train and be physically prepared for when you need to defend yourself.
Equipment Prepared
Having the right equipment for the job is pretty important. Do you have the right equipment for your situation? Make sure you are buying equipment that is right for YOU and that the ammo is available. Being prepared means having the ability. If you are buying firearms that aren’t good for you and your ability, then you aren’t on the right path for preparation. They might be really cool, they might be an incredible conversation piece, or an awesome investment, but that isn’t preparing you. Not being able to get ammo for it makes it useless in that sense as well.
Equipment is a rare real-world example of where diversity is an actual strength. Having options is a key point of preparation. Make sure the options are really options. Finding some obscure caliber or cartridge can really be difficult. I recommend more common rounds for preparation. NATO rounds like 5.56 or 9mmx19 are better for being prepared than a 224 Valkyrie or a 41 Express.
Training prepared
If I have said it once I have said it a hundred times. Shooting skills are a perishable skill. If you do not train you will not retain. Milliseconds can mean all the difference in a gun fight. Do everything you can to give yourself more time. Do that by training and muscle memory. Training preparation doesn’t mean just going to the range and blowing $100 in ammo. Pulling the trigger is just the end of the entire process.
******SAFETY NOTICE****** When practicing anywhere besides a safe range ensure you completely unload your firearm!!!
Practice Drawing – Draw standing, draw sitting, draw in your vehicle, draw with your other hand, draw with gloves, draw with a jacket on. See my point? It isn’t always going to be in a nice clean environment when you need to draw.
Practice Aiming – Aim at different colored items to see how visible your sights are. All black sights in a low light situation with a dark target can be difficult to see. Knowing your Natural Point of Aim and being able to duplicate it is the best way to be prepared.
Practice Firing – Again, this doesn’t mean you have to go to a range. You can unload and dryfire in the comfort of your own home for FREE. When I was in the US Marines we spent days at a time just “snapping in” where we would sit, stand, kneel, lay prone for hours slowly pulling that trigger to the rear without ever firing a shot. There are incredible tools out there not like the Mantis X that are designed to help you get better. I did a video on it https://youtu.be/cTVHHqFVogs
Practice at a Range – Make time to go to a proper range and feel the recoil from time to time. I know this isn’t always an option but put all of the other practice together in a realistic environment. Go take a course in an area where you think you might be deficient. There are likely several options in your local area that will help you. If you are near the College Station area in Texas contact us here at https://12thgun.com/contact/ to schedule a private lesson. We cater specifically to new shooters who are ready to take that next step.
Legally Prepared
Get yourself prepped legally. KNOW THE LAW! Ignorance of the law is no excuse when you break it. If you have intentions to get your Texas License to Carry enroll in our online class.
It is by far the easiest way to get it. Maybe you already have your LTC and just haven’t kept up with the legal changes since you took the class. We have a Refresher Course that is online and can keep you up to date on the ever-changing laws in Texas. Each Congressional Session there are updates and changes to current law. It won’t hurt to be current on knowledge and could keep you out of legal trouble.
Perhaps you have no intentions of becoming a Texas License to Carry holder but still want to exercise your rights to carry. We have an online class for that as well that you can enroll at HERE
Other legal considerations to help get you prepared are Joining the NRA and buying some sort of Legal protection policy.
At the end of the day, we should all be prepared at some level. Your level could be much different than your friends. We each have different needs, different risks we are willing to assume, and different likely situations we could find ourselves in. Make the time to not just think about all the things you need to be able to overcome that change in situation. Take action on it after by ensuring you have the proper equipment, with the ability to get ammo for it and use it. That is true preparation.
