Differences between Competitive shooting and Combat shooting...

[JTH]

Yesterday, a Mr. Windham posted an article about the differences between competition shooting and combat shooting on policeone.com

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/training/articles/8553605-5-reasons-competitive-shooting-falls-short-of-real-world-training

It took him all of two sentences to say "get them killed on the street."

It went downhill from there.

It was interesting to read, in a train-wreck sort of way, due to his obviously complete ignorance about what competition shooting is actually like.  This wasn't like when sjwsti and I argue about competition shooting--when he and I argue (and he's wrong! ) he has actually shot competitions, and makes the cogent comment that practicing solely with an Open gun for USPSA competition will make your self-defense shooting skills with your carry gun erode.  I agree with that---I just disagree with him about whether or not that means that competition shooting in general is bad.

In Mr. Windham's case, though---his arguments are either based on statements that are factually wrong, or irrelevant.  It is one of the worst collections of fallacious strawman arguments I've seen in awhile, and he can't even keep his own opinions straight.  (For example, at the start he says that competition shooters are amazingly fast and accurate, but then later says the way they shoot makes them less accurate.)

Here's Mr. Windham's bio, by the way:
http://laymenstactical.com/meet-the-instructors/

I couldn't stand it, so I wrote a response.  It's long.  (Of course.  SO MUCH to respond to...)

https://precisionresponse.wordpress.com/2015/05/23/ignorance-and-the-internet/

[PC13]

In a brief discussion with Larry Houck at last year's pandemic shoot, we discussed this topic.  Being of a law enforcement background, another shooter presented this question to him and his response was that anything which makes you fast and accurate has zero disadvantages, so long as you train/practice in both disciplines and treat them as separate, yet complimentary.  I couldn't agree more.   I struggle to understand how this is such a contested topic?  Things encountered in competition like fast target identification/acquisition, transitions, strong hand/weak hand, barriers, etc. are all skills that are beneficial if you're getting shot at or not.   Not to mention the addition of a degree of stress.