To Infinity, and Beyond!

Some recent … let’s call them discussions over on my Facebook page have once again reminded me that some people don’t understand what training issue really means. All too often it is used as a catch-all to blame anything and everything on the shooter.

• Had an accident with a gun with a two ounce trigger pull? Training issue.
• Can’t shoot a Bill Drill in under two seconds? Training issue.
• Can’t shoot a clean sub-5s FAST on demand? Training issue.
• Can’t shoot a perfect 2700 at a bullseye match? Training issue.
• Took a P7M8 apart and can’t get it back together while blindfolded? Training issue.
• Can’t win the (insert name of sport here) World Championship? Training issue.
• Haven’t had every safety rule & issue in the world beat into your skull so hard you’ll never have even the slightest chance of ever making any mistake whatsoever? Training issue.

The problem with calling these all training issues is that, newsflash, not everyone has access to infinite amounts of time, money, and training. Mortals need to balance their resources. That’s true for individuals, police departments, the U.S. military, and every other entity that deals with shooting.

So yeah. It’s a training issue. Every bloody thing is a training issue. But by using that phrase, shooters get to turn their noses up at people who make mistakes they think they’ll never make themselves, or can’t do what (they claim) they can do.

Everyone would benefit from more training. Most people cannot just snap their fingers and make the necessary resources appear out of thin air. Cops cannot make their academies spend a week’s worth of extra time and money on additional firearms training. And so forth…

So the next time someone says “it’s a training issue,” just mentally delete the word training from the sentence and nod politely. “Hey, your imperfection is due to issues!” No duh.

Train issues & stay safe! ToddG