Great article and great movie with lessons learned we can all utilize expanded upon here by Scott from Spartan Cops.

Fred

by Scott on September 1, 2009

I recently watched Unforgiven by Clint Eastwood.

The movie was great. Officers will be impressed with the story and themes of justice, camaraderie, and vengeance that are present throughout the film.

But many movies have those elements. What makes this one unique is Eastwood’s effort to educate the audience on the realities of gunfighting. Usually Hollywood films promote unrealistic scenarios and results that defy physics and the normal dynamics of gunfights. This one breaks that mold.

As I watched the movie, I wrote down lessons that every officer could learn from it and how they realistically apply to us.

Gunfighting Lessons

Marksmanship and speed are not as important as keeping your head

Movie: There is a great scene where Gene Hackman’s character, the Sheriff, is explaining to a biographer that the biographer’s belief about what makes a great gunfighter is wrong.

Hackman as Sheriff: Look son, being a good shot and quick with a pistol don’t do no harm but it don’t mean much next to being cool headed. A man who will keep his head, not get rattled under fire, like as not will kill you.

Biographer: But if the other person is quicker and fires first…

Hackman: Then, he’ll be hurrying and he will miss.

(Hackman draws his pistol not extremely fast but smoothly.) That’s as fast as I can draw and aim and hit anything more than 10 feet away, other than a barn door.

Officer Reality: Firearms training at the range generally focuses on basic skills and drills that emphasize speed out the holster and accurate first shots. If that training is not followed up with realistic scenario training that incorporates shooting within the dynamics of a call, then most officers will not perform in reality like they did on the range. There are many videos of officers on actual shootings that miss multiple shots at close distances even though they are masters of speed and marksmanship at the range.

Bottom Line: If you don’t practice shooting under the stress of realistic scenarios, your marksmanship will desert you. Continue reading