Sound Wisdom For Handgun Operators
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 12 months ago
American Rifleman quotes training material for 1911 operators from WWI.
Too much stress cannot be laid on the fact the pistol is an emergency weapon. The man who wants a stock on his pistol so that he can shoot it at a distance of several hundred yards has no understanding of the function of the arm. It is solely for the personal protection of the bearer when the enemy is within very short range and there is no possibility of accomplishing more with the other weapons with which the soldier may happen to be armed.
The member of an automatic rifle or machine gun squad who stops serving his rifle or machine gun to indulge in pistol practice at the enemy is wholly without a proper sense of his duty to his comrades. At the same time the stupid man who does not use his pistol when the enemy is on top of him and his gun is jammed or it is no longer possible to use it profitably, deserves no better fate than that which he will probably get, that is, immediate death.
When conditions are such that the opportunity for the proper use of the pistol in the near future appears probable, every man armed with the pistol should so place his weapon that it can be used in the minimum of time. What this position will be will depend on the circumstances. It may be on the parapet alongside the gunner, or on the flap of the carrier’s musette, or in the holster.
For the average man, 25 yards may be taken as the maximum range at which the pistol should be fired. To fire at longer ranges will usually result in no casualties for the enemy but only an empty pistol at the crucial moment. This does not apply to a very small percentage of expert shots, but a man should be quite sure that he can be classed as such before violating the general rule.”
Boy that sure is sage advice, and for all handgun operators, not just 1911s. Things haven’t changed much in those many years. I don’t mind being told that I’m not Jerry Miculek. Because I’m not.
On December 28, 2017 at 8:26 am, Pat Hines said:
I have maintained for years that a handgun is what you use to fight your way to your rifle.
I still read posts by men that go something like this, “I’m a pistol (or revolver) man, but am thinking I should acquire a rifle. Which one is best.”
That’s someone way behind the power curve.
On December 28, 2017 at 11:33 am, Archer said:
@Pat: That’s pretty much what I say, except for one small change.
“A handgun is what you use to fight your way to a rifle.”
If the world goes pear-shaped, I likely won’t be too picky about whose rifle it is, as long as it works.
On December 28, 2017 at 3:27 pm, H said:
I like the fight your way to your rifle concept, it may have been part of Mel Tappan’s analogy in Survival Guns that a handgun is like a first aid kit. They’re not what you’d choose if you know you’re getting into a firefight or serious medical emergency, but it’s something you can actually have with you when bigger guns or kits are not practical.
On December 28, 2017 at 4:56 pm, Pat Hines said:
There’s another old story, doesn’t matter if it’s true or not.
A sheriff was sitting down at a supper party and a woman of “high society” was bothered by the fact that he had his handgun on his person.
She asks, “Well sheriff, I see your gun, are you expecting trouble here?”
Sheriff says, “no ma’am, if I was expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle.”
On December 28, 2017 at 9:19 pm, Ned said:
OK, I see I’m gonna have to go here.
If you carry a pistol or revolver, and practice with it regularly, why haven’t you put up a B 57 size target at 100 yards and shot it? I could hit every shot slow fire from a 5″ 1911 at 100 yards with little practice. I suspect it may be even easier with a 9mm, but I carry a 45.
I used to shoot IHMSA, and have a lot of experience shooting small targets at big distance with a big revolver. But come on folks – of course you use your pistol to shoot your way to your rifle. Except when you can’t.
So take a B 57 size target – a box will do – and shoot at the thing. You may not hit it at first. But if you have your Glock 19, or your 1911 or better yet your 4″ 357, you can and will make those hits with some practice.
You need to know where to put your front sight at that distance. That takes little time. Then you will know.
If you have one gun, and someone over 25 yards kills you because you’ve never shot farther than that, you did it wrong.
For heaven’s sake – try it. It’s not that hard.
On December 28, 2017 at 11:18 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Ned,
That’s also sound wisdom sir.
On December 29, 2017 at 4:24 pm, scott s. said:
The EIC leg match is 10 shots slow fire @50 yds, and 10 shots each timed and rapid fire @25 yds so at least well-aimed fire (single handed) is possible at longer ranges. Checking CMP website, I see the best shooter for 2017 is SFC Henderson who shot a 100-6x slow fire en route to a 296-16x aggregate. At one time it was difficult to find anyone willing to give up the M1911 for the M9, but at some point the AMU required its shooters to use the actual service pistol issued to the troops, and that helped in developing accurate M9 and ammo.
On December 29, 2017 at 6:53 pm, Sgt.BAG said:
Never forget pistols are convenient put not particularly effective…..
On December 30, 2017 at 7:45 am, joe said:
someone needs to make a holster for a full auto mp5…