The FINISHED GUNFIGHTER

Can you run the hell out of a gun but barely pass the PT test? Do you have a 500lbs dead lift but don’t know how to clearly communicate a medical emergency? Are you a CCW ninja but struggle with applying a TQ? Are you a bad-assed trained killer but falter when you need to politely interact with someone? Are you a One Man National Asset but your wife and kids don’t remember what you look like?...

Some years ago I was exposed to the concept of the “Finished Gunfighter” during a conversation with Darryl Bolke (an avid gunfighter historian if ever there was one). The premise is that, at a certain point, you’ve achieved a high enough level of skill in your marksmanship and gun handling that you can, and should, switch to maintenance training. Rather than chasing that next tier of performance you should shift your focus to another topic.

For me, and I’m sure most of you, this was a hard concept to wrap my head around initially. How can someone who takes carrying a gun seriously ever stop trying to get better? I had to stew on it for quite a while before coming to grips with the realities it reflects;

-Time is a non-renewable resource. We only have so much of it to allocate.

-Shooting is a fundamental, but let’s be honest, rarely called upon, skill for the vast majority of the population.

-When we do need to shoot, we need to be able to perform at a high level and with “unconscious competence”.

-Communication, problem solving and movement probably need be where our conscious thoughts are focused.

-The name of the game is shoot, move and communicate. Two out of three won’t cut it.

-We all have lives to live.

With these being understood. How much time should I dedicate to cutting my split times from .2 to .15? Moving from a 1.5 sec draw to a 1.25? Or a 1sec flat? What am I sacrificing to get there? With all training, there is a point of diminishing returns somewhere. A place where the major gains stop and everything becomes incremental. Working on what you’re good at, not what you need, is an easy trap to fall into.

I’m a big fan of the “80% rule” I’ve also heard this described as the “Coyote mindset” or the “expert generalist” concept. (more on that in another post)

As humans, we need to strive to be well-rounded. For better or worse, no one is going to tell you how to get there. If you are lucky, you have a peer group that will keep you honest if you start to slip, but ultimately it’s on you. If you know you’re lacking in an area, fix it. If you don’t know how, find someone that will get you spun up. That’s what you need in the event things get exciting.