How do you train with a gun? There is more than 1 correct answer.
Just like when training with any Martial Art, you go easy sometimes to "get the movement down". Then when you and your partner get in the rhythm, you pick it up some. Maybe you get to 50 % and pop each other a little. Cool! Of course, you could go for the max and sport fight. Maybe ring your opponent's bell on the way to winning.
Gun training has it phases also. Training at the range: nice and easy, breathe out, squeeze slooowly- BANG. OK, that's fun. But is it practical? Yes- to a point. It is important to be able to accurately shoot. So now you're in class. If it's MA or LEO, you're doing scenario drills with a big, hard, heavy chunk of plastic called a "training gun". Are you sure it's not an impact weapon? Could you knock someone out with it? Could you break your buddies finger when you strip it from his hand? What would happen if you hit him with it? If you've done this before, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. The training becomes a JOKE because you are using a damned useless training tool and between "making sure your finger is out of the trigger guard", and "don't scrape the gun across your opponent", and"wear gloves to avoid cuts", and "don't hit with the gun", your training session becomes a slow speed dance that has NO similarity to a real fight with someone holding a GUN! Your slow speed "careful" training is going to get you KILLED! You are practicing at the wrong speed and intensity so your timing and response characteristics will be WRONG. There are no 2nd chances with an attacker with a gun. Think about it for a minute.
Every time I trained hand to hand with a training gun, I walked away thinking "there has got to be a better way". So just like everything else we develop, we started at ground zero and designed a training gun the way it should be no matter what. We wanted a gun that 1) would not break your finger, 2) had a stiff barrel structure for strips, 3) is made from a semi-soft material so you can have impact, 4) has smooth front and rear sights and no protruding levers, 5) has the correct overall shape, 6) and is clearly identifiable as a training gun whether in or out of a holster.
And we did it! The TAK Impactor Training Gun has all the features required for a safer and more realistic training session.
