RUN THAT GUN
Running the gun is a method of self-defense that is rapidly taught, and results in a very quick and safe neutralization of threats. This is about confidence and results, that's it. This method is easy and often approached from a universal athletic stance. This technique of shooting is natural and instinctive. It starts from hands up, palms facing each other and elbows in. From there it is “toes, nose, and here it goes!" GET THE GUN IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES! This is about being confident, effective, prepared, swift, and ACCURATE!
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A natural sequence of reacting to an altercation is shock, disbelief, and then acceptance. The sooner you can reach acceptance the better chance you will have surviving the situation. Acceptance is when you embrace the reality of the situation as well as the call for immediate action. With the proper training and mindset you can readily switch from defensive to offensive modes with very little change in body motion and/or positioning. This is the mindset of "I'm not giving up, you are not doing this to me or my family".
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“TOES”: STANCE AND GRIP
Body positioning should be considered relative to the target. Where are your toes? Are you facing towards or away from the target? Don’t get too fancy with a stance that wastes time and uses mental energy. Point your toes in the direction of the target if you can. It is better if you can point every body part possible towards your target, but this is not a perfect world and you may be forced to adjust your body position(s). What if there are multiple bad guys? Staying in one place can get you killed. As long as you can point your thumbs and trigger finger directly at a target, the gun will consequently be pointing directly at the target. A slight re-positioning of shoulders and hips while gripping and drawing your weapon is a natural body movement. Practice drawing, gripping and pointing in one smooth motion to be more efficient and gain valuable seconds. Draw your gun, put it in front of your nose/eyes and engage the target quickly. This must be practiced dry fire and live fire. The first time you need to do something should not be the first time you do something and always maintain a firm grip on your weapon.
Single Handed Grip
Your thumb on your gun hand should be pointing directly at the target while engaged, with the thumb on rear frame. (SQUEEZE) thumb against gun frame.
If the gun is in your right hand point the gun with your right thumb at the target. If gun is in your left hand, point the gun with your left thumb at the target. You will most likely notice that doing this causes the gun to be naturally canted inward towards your nose rather than vertical. This canting is a very natural position when pointing a firearm. Your thumb runs the gun forward. Point it forward and keep it straight. Don’t fight it, it works, this natural position is your friend. The non-weapon hand should be placed arm/palm against your chest if it is not being used to help you in some way, such as opening door, defense, etc. With single handed grip, your other hand can be used defensively or offensively. The gun goes in the sweet spot, in front of your nose.
YOUR NOSE IS THE FRONT SIGHT GOD GAVE YOU, USE IT AND USE ALL THE EYES YOU HAVE!
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Two Handed Grip (Master Grip)
Your palms should face together pressing firmly into the grip and sandwiching the gun. The lead thumb and the rear thumb will be pointing directly at the target and squeezing against the frame of the gun. Make sure the meaty part of the palms touch, you should not see any of the grip between your hands. This adds stability and helps alleviate left, right, up, or down pull during multiple shot sequences. The thumb of your shooting hand should be on the rear of the grip. Run the thumb of your shooting hand into frame, and this thumb should also be pointing directly at the target, parallel to the front (support hand) thumb. Where the thumbs point, the gun points. Squeeze the like your ringing a towel out.
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This is a fighting position.
On Point Sights Training Methods
“NOSE”: SIGHT
Your Nose "The front sight that God gave you" He also gave us wonderful rear sights… the eyes. Raise the front sight / muzzle of weapon to nose level, looking through and/or over the top of the gun to the target, while keeping elbows in close to your body and in your workspace. Workspace is key. The sweet spot is the 1’ x 1’ area just in front of your nose. It’s where we naturally hold a firearm, hold your hands in a fighting or a defense position, or simply when pointing at an object to show its location to target. Try to avoid using a downward arc motion (fishing or casting motion) or upward moving arc motion (a bowling motion) to enter your sweet spot, IN FRONT OF YOUR NOSE. Again, you are running your Nose, Eyes, Hands And Gun forward to the target "sweet spot." Focus on running the weapon forward from your nose in a straight line to the target. With the new sight system (obnoxioussights.com)(gotimesights.com), this will become a more natural motion because the sights are on the front of the gun. You will notice how easily you will be able to see and follow them through the “punching out” of the gun. Canting your weapon inward naturally happens when at nose level. Rotate hands, elbows and shoulders if necessary to ensure your thumbs are pointed directly at the target. Forward pointing of the thumbs keeps the muzzle level. Your trigger finger, thumbs and muzzle are now parallel and pointing directly at the target. Try it. You might like it. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING BETTER USE IT.
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Keeping both eyes open, continue to maintain focus on the target. Your brain will choose which eye is dominant, if there is one. No need to calculate this yourself. The gun will follow your hand positioning and should always be kept at the height level of your nose and eyes. Your eyes will naturally look over the muzzle and through the front sight without having to think about your “aim”. When properly gripped and deployed, the front sights are designed to be in your sight-line and true. Your aim will become naturally dead on, every time with correct mechanics. You are running the weapon. You need to be able to shoot this gun, keep it in a pie plate, run that gun, run it fast, run it smooth, and run it like your life depends on it. This is combative shooting. If you can do this, winner winner, chicken dinner.
Always keep both eyes open. You don’t box with one eye closed. You don’t kick with one eye closed. You don’t drive your car with one eye closed (you are not winking at them), in a gun fight you will use both of your eyes. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A 360 THREAT SCAN. When you close one eye, you lose 50% of your vision and your depth perception. In a combative situation, you will use both eyes. You will not close an eye. Eye dominance is not a factor because instincts have taken over. You have found the Sweet Spot. More importantly, peripheral vision is maintained by utilizing this method. The person who is going to hurt or help you might be the one you don't see with one eye closed.
When on the move while engaged, keep your shoulders and traps up, your body will drop (squat slightly), bend your knees and GO!! Go quickly, decisively, and dynamically. (Perfect intention is more important than perfect technique.) Keep the gun as close to you as possible by tucking in your elbows. This will allow for added stability when moving, charging, clearing, running or taking cover. By keeping the weapon closer to the body, you have more control over the firearm and greater target acquisition.
Remember, grip and deploy, where your eyes, nose, and thumbs go the gun goes. Think of yourself as a gun turret (tank turret). The eyes, nose, thumbs, shoulders and elbows all move together. Your body and the gun should move and act as one. You are the gun and the gun is you. You are a single entity. Eyes will go to the threat first with the gun following slightly afterwards.
“TOES”: STANCE AND GRIP
Body positioning should be considered relative to the target. Where are your toes? Are you facing towards or away from the target? Don’t get too fancy with a stance that wastes time and uses mental energy. Point your toes in the direction of the target if you can. It is better if you can point every body part possible towards your target, but this is not a perfect world and you may be forced to adjust your body position(s). What if there are multiple bad guys? Staying in one place can get you killed. As long as you can point your thumbs and trigger finger directly at a target, the gun will consequently be pointing directly at the target. A slight re-positioning of shoulders and hips while gripping and drawing your weapon is a natural body movement. Practice drawing, gripping and pointing in one smooth motion to be more efficient and gain valuable seconds. Draw your gun, put it in front of your nose/eyes and engage the target quickly. This must be practiced dry fire and live fire "The first time you do something should not be the first time you do something" and always maintain a firm grip on your weapon.
Single Handed Grip
Your thumb on your gun hand should be pointing directly at the target while engaged, with the thumb on rear frame. (SQUEEZE) thumb against gun frame.
If the gun is in your right hand point the gun with your right thumb at the target. If gun is in your left hand, point the gun with your left thumb at the target. You will most likely notice that doing this causes the gun to be naturally canted inward towards your nose rather than vertical. This canting is a very natural position when pointing a firearm. Your thumb runs the gun forward. Point it forward and keep it straight. Don’t fight it, it works, this natural position is your friend. The non-weapon hand should be placed arm/palm against your chest if it is not being used to help you in some way, such as opening door, defense, etc. With single handed grip, your other hand can be used defensively or offensively. The gun goes in the sweet spot, in front of your nose.
YOUR NOSE IS THE FRONT SIGHT GOD GAVE YOU, USE IT AND USE ALL THE EYES YOU HAVE!
“HERE IT GOES!”: FIRE
We shoot like we fight. Combine your body positioning, grip, deployment and stance. It is, after all, a gun “fight”. Treat it as such. There may be a fight before the gun.
Recall your last time at the range, especially when multiple shots were fired rapidly in succession. Why do we pull low left or low right? It is far more common than we like to admit, but it happens. There is a reason for this. It is the thumb of the support hand, you must pinch (squeeze) the gun and run the muzzle forward to keep the gun from popping up. Proper grip, deployment and trusting your instincts are key. However, how you fire the gun is of equally great importance, especially at increased distances and speeds where millimeters can become inches over the span of just 5 or 6 feet. Use the pad of your fingertip when pressing the trigger. When pressing the trigger, pull it straight back. Do not curl the trigger. Slapping, twitching, jerking, rolling over too far or wrapping too deeply all contribute to inaccuracy while shooting. Make believe you are pulling the trigger towards the right if you are right handed and left if you are left handed. This will counteract the muzzle’s tendency to move as the trigger is pressed.
Remember, whether in a long gun stance (carbine), canted, sideways, vertical, upside down, etc., they all work when your thumbs are parallel and pointed at the target. The round goes where your thumbs go. Grip, deploy, and fire. TOES, NOSE, HERE IT GOES. At least get your nose to the target, I bet your eyes go there.
“TOES, NOSE, HERE IT GOES!!!”
Fear creates hesitation. Hesitation causes your greatest fears to come true.
Use your instincts.
This is a perishable skill set and much harder than you think to become swift and accurate. If you don’t practice it, combatively you will lose it. Keep it in the pie plate.
DON'T GET LUCKY. GET GOOD.
