Defensive shotgun training--Is it really necessary?

**625** · February 14th, 2013, 11:34 AM

I completely understand why expert-led training is necessary for long-range rifle shooting and carbine shooting, but is it really necessary to spend hard-earned $ on shotgun training? I'm asking this with the understanding that I have access to places on private property where I can set up my own training courses in order to practice with others as a team, shooting from concealed positions, shooting from different heights (prone, kneeling, etc.), shooting while moving, shooting moving targets, etc.. I'm really wondering if someone that has a good spot to practice, and a couple friends to practice with, what would be the point for spending $ on a course?

**Svickstc** · February 14th, 2013, 11:51 AM

if you have the room and facility to practice and train...maybe watching a video or two on the issue and then taking that and putting it to use on your training facility would be fine for defensive shotgun training

**Hawk** · February 14th, 2013, 11:57 AM

To learn things you didn't know?

For example:
1. Learning two or three different methods of tactical reloads.
2. When to use 00 and when to use slugs.
3. How to clear a house with a shotgun.
4. How to shoot from under a car.

I could go on and on.

Do you really want to learn things like this from the Internet?

It really depends on what you're goal's are. Many people attend training as a hobby, regardless if they think they will ever put the training to use in real life. Others take training to become just a little faster and a little more accurate.

**Svickstc** · February 14th, 2013, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Hawk

To learn things you didn't know?

For example:
1. Learning two or three different methods of tactical reloads.
2. When to use 00 and when to use slugs.
3. How to clear a house with a shotgun.
4. How to shoot from under a car.

I could go on and on.

Do you really want to learn things like this from the Internet?

It really depends on what you're goal's are. Many people attend training as a hobby, regardless if they think they will ever put the training to use in real life. Others take training to become just a little faster and a little more accurate.

haha good point but Magpul has a shotgun video that would be a good start

**PaTom** · February 14th, 2013, 12:12 PM

It sounds like you have facilities where you can practice. Practice is not training.

The goal of training is to learn new skills or to enhance the skills you already have, ideally with someone to point out your mistakes and successes so you can correct the mistakes and practice your successes.

As others have said, you can learn new skills from videos and compare them to videos of your own practice.

Practice makes those skills into things you can do by habit so you can free up your mind for more important matters. In a self-defense situation, your ability to manipulate your firearm (including failure reactions) needs to be reflex so that you can focus on watching the bad guy's actions so you can respond.

**G23neverjams** · February 14th, 2013, 12:23 PM

If you practice for the next year, but have one or two bad habits, it will take many years to un-learn the bad.

Training courses give you all the good, then let you practice the good. Do that and practice it to turn it into muscle memory and when the SHTF you will see why.

Far more than one time I have had to pull my weapon and besides being scared shitless afterwards the first time, I have come to see that training and the commitment to muscle memory is the only way to win under extreme fear or adrenalyn or confusion ect...

**silkworm** · February 14th, 2013, 12:25 PM

After watching a short 3 min clip of Jerry Miculek running a course I realized I wasn't nearly as good with a shotgun as I thought! So yeah, I could see a demand for shotgun training.
With the current climate of shells being one of the few types of ammo available it's still cheap to shoot. And I've found many firearms newbies are much more open to buying a shotgun over a pistol, many think they're safer to have in the home

(probably after our esteemed VP's statements

), and it can be more fulfilling in that almost anybody can at least graze a target when using #8 shot out of an open or improved choke.

**Orive 8** · February 14th, 2013, 12:56 PM

Defensive shotgun training--Is it really necessary?

Yes

**shrewd** · February 14th, 2013, 02:33 PM

absolutely.

and in today's climate where a course worth of ammo in 5.56 is almost a thousand dollars, its affordable too!

i've been looking all over for a shotgun course within driving distance but all i can find is Tactical Response way down in TN