My close friend and shooting partner SLG made a very interesting discovery a few months back. A shooter’s skill seems to be in inverse proportion to the number of guns that he brings to the range. Guys who show up with one pistol week after week become good shooters, while guys who show up with a suitcase full of guns never seem to get beyond the “blasting for the sake of blasting” stage of development.
We’ll call this the SIMP principle, for SLG’s Inverse Multi-gun Paradox.
If you’ve spent more money on guns this year than ammo, you’re probably a SIMP. If your idea of effective training is to shoot a box of ammo through each of the six pistols you brought to the range, you’re a SIMP.
There is nothing wrong with being a SIMP. SIMPs enjoying shooting lots of different guns, enjoy owning lots of different guns, and enjoy showing other people how many guns they own. If that’s you, it’s ok. But this site isn’t dedicated to SIMPs. It’s dedicated to people who want to become better shooters.
So here’s a challenge. For the next 500 rounds or the next month (whichever takes longer), choose just one pistol and shoot it exclusively. It can be a Glock, a Model 10 revolver, your favorite custom 1911, a Ruger MkIII. Anything. It doesn’t matter which gun you choose. But dedicate all of your practice to that one gun. Spend your time learning to find, align, and track the sights. Get attuned to the trigger, its travel, break, and reset. Dry fire at least three times a week. Mastering this one pistol is your only goal.
If you’re used to shooting lots of different guns every time you go to the range, give this a try and then let us know whether you notice improvement in your shooting skill. Not only am I confident you’ll be a better shooter with that particular gun, but you’ll be a better shooter in general.
The dictionary defines dilettante as “an amateur, a dabbler.” Don’t be a dilettante shooter. Don’t be a SIMP.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
Photo courtesy of sailman @ mp-pistol.com
Another commentary that makes complete sense.
I have owned countless guns over the past 40+ years, but until I decided to concentrate on just a limited few (all of the same type), I wasn’t achieving anything close to my potential as a shooter. And what’s more, it was only then that I really started enjoying myself.
Does this apply within a platform or only across different platforms. In other words shooting a Sig, a 1911 and a Glock is not great. But would you also say shooting a Glock 19 and 17, while better than mixing with another platform, is still sub optimum?
It’s not ideal but it’s not that big a deal if you use different size guns that have similar recoil characteristics, grips, angles, trigger pulls, etc. The question I’d ask is, what can you do with your G17 that you can’t do with your G19 for a month?
The answer to your question is nothing. In fact I had gone exclusively to the G 19 for quite sometime and my shooting has improved dramatically. So much so that I have been selling off guns and consolidating to a single platform. Lately, however, my wrists have been hurting, especially after an 800 rd 3 day handgun class. A friend suggested I try a G 17 as he thought the recoil impulse would be easier. I pulled out the 17 and it seems to be easier on my wrists. So I will switch over for classes and range time, but I was going to stay with the 19 for carry. So the real question is what can I do with my 19 that I can’t do with the 17…. and the answer is nothing as the 17 is just as easy for me to carry as the 19. So its over to a 17 exclusively, and hope that eases the pressure on the wrists. Thanks for helping…. your “It’s not ideal” clenched it!
For what it’s worth, if you find the G19 easier to conceal, I don’t think training with the G17 sometimes will be a hindrance to your training. As you’ve already learned on your own, the real focus is finding a platform that works for you and investing time & money in training rather than tons of guns. You might also consider seeing an orthopedic doctor about your wrists, or at the very least have an experienced, knowledgeable shooter check out your grip to make sure you’re not doing something that could cause you injury.
Although I need variety in shooting to keep my ADHD under control, I tend to dry-fire my two carry guns frequently at home, but shoot only one in a range session. I get the variety I need by using different drills on this sight.
I don’t know if I’m a SIMP, but I’m certainly a HAC. ( middle name Allen 🙂 )