Chris: Why is what TG said hogwash? I’ve done firearm instruction in both the military and civilian life and it’s commonsensical: The more rounds you put through a weapon, the more proficient with it you’ll become.

Obviously, access to a live fire MOUT (military operations urban terrain) facility would be ideal in teaching someone how to use a weapon, but we know its also unrealistic.

For nearly everyone involved in a shooting, the noise and recoil can be overwhelming. For that reason, always try to shoot the type of round you’ll be using in an actual situation. Meaning, if you own a .357 Mag and plan on shooting magnum ammo, don’t exclusively use .38 Special when you target shoot. Instead become familiar with .357 ammo on the range. If you have the chance, go to an unsupervised outdoor shooting area and fire the weapon without hearing and eye protection to simulate the actual conditions of a shootout.

For anyone that’s actually been in a firefight, the noise is unbelievable, and all of your actions are driven by muscle memory. The How and Why of training thus becomes of primary importance.