To my friends I must come off as a snob. I think about this when my they ask me to go “shooting.” I always decline and my reasons might sound arrogant to them. You see, I train with firearms for one purpose. I train to survive a gun fight. Like a wrestler, I treat every round of ammunition like a rep. Every trigger squeeze like a take down. Every draw from my holster like a sprawl. Bad habits die hard. I train like I would fight. Bad guys don’t stand 25 yards away and let you draw down, take aim and squeeze off rounds until you’re empty. They move, and they shoot back!

Seek out training environments where you need to move. Where you fire from cover. Where you shoot from your left and your right equally. Where the stress of losing is real. Obsess about realistic training. Train like you would fight!!

I recently read a best selling book from a famous author, doctor, veteran and expert in the field of combat physiology. In On Combat, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman writes, “Amateurs worry themselves with hardware (gear, guns, kit, toys) and professionals obsess about software (tactics, data, training, briefings, etc).” I spend many hours training, teaching and studying firearm and hand to hand tactics and I am in no way a “gear guy.” Does this make me a professional?

With respect to Lt. Col. Grossman, I would like to add a caveat to his statement. The professional can obsess about the software when they own top-of-the-line hardware. If your hardware is faulty (sized wrong, inefficient, bulky, cumbersome, cheap, hot), you will not be able to effectively execute your tactics (software). Your computer will crash and you will blue screen.

Off-the-shelf gear is made to fail. Only customized gear will fit and work properly (a lot like football pads). If your gear is squared away, you can focus on the mission. If your gear fails in a fight, so will your tactics. Square away your gear. Quality gear, that is custom-made to your size and needs, is a must. It’s non-negotiable. www.Graysuntactical.com. Check them out.

With GSTI backing up my hardware, I can focus on software.

Frank Grun

USAF Retired

AFSOC IDMT, CSAR SMA, EMT-P

Private Security Manager

Frank Grun is a regular contributor to the GSTI blog and an instructor of defensive tactics and in-home security. He currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with his family.