Here is my take on this - what I consider to be - very important subject.
Often times - we in America do a form of 'firearm worship'.
We spend alot of time thinking about a firearm purchase.
We read up on it.
We ask questions of those that we feel 'know more' that we do.
We budget for the purchase.
We buy magazines for it.
We buy ammo for it.
We dry fire practice with it.
We live fire practice with it.
We daydream about it.
It becomes the symbol of what we feel we are.
We get into discussions/arguments with others about why ours is 'more reliable' or 'more accurate' or 'more user friendly' or 'kicks less' or 'kicks more' or 'can carry more ammo' or 'don't need to carry as much ammo' or 'shoots farther' or is 'more destructive up close' or 'penetrates cover better' or is 'safer indoors' or 'cheaper magazines' or 'newer design' or 'older proven design' or 'such and such uses this' or 'so and so uses that' blah blah blah. It goes on and on. We view our 'pet' firearm as the 'ultimate weapon' for our purposes. The thing that will save the day - should that day ever come. The instrument that will allow one to control one's destiny.
We couldn't be more wrong. It is a tool - nothing more - nothing less. A tool - just like a hammer or a screwdriver. How many of us daydream about changing the course of human events with a 'Phillips head' screwdriver?
A firearm is a tool. Its primary purpose is to launch small projectiles. If properly set up - it will launch them in the direction the sights/scope is pointed.
Here is a scenario that will aptly describe the condition of when one is not the weapon - versus when one is the weapon.
Lets look at an extremely close quarters lethal force confrontation. We will pit one man against another. We will focus most of attention on "our" guy - whom we will name "Bob". Bob is armed with a ______ (choose whatever you want) long-gun and a __________ (again, the choice is yours) sidearm in a ____________ (holster of your choice). Because of environmental limitations (debris in the hallway) and because of fatigue Bob doesn't to take the corner 'long' but rather is up against the corner while negotiating the corner. As he is turning the corner he is met face to face with an adversary. Neither one has to raise his long gun much to get a shot off - and they both pull the trigger at about the same instant. However, BOTH long guns go "CLICK" instead of bang.
Bob has a "OH CRAP" moment. It interferes with his OODA loop. He his momentarily stuck in the "Observation" stage as he realizes his PRIMARY WEAPON has just gone 'down'. He does go to "Orientation" though - and then his mind clicks with a Decision - "just drop the primary weapon and go for the secondary weapon in the drop holster on the thigh - just as we did in training thousands of times. Just drop the primary weapon and get that secondary weapon in hand NOW!" Bob springs into action and starts to perform the drill. While is Bob performing this action - his adversary............
The above scenario is how Bob reacted because in his mind - he is not the weapon - but rather the instrument in his hand is the weapon. Because of this - when his rifle went 'down' - Bob felt "weapon-less" - almost "unarmed".
What saved Bob from a total "white out" (remember the color code) was he remembered his sidearm. What would Bob have done if his sidearm had been damaged unknowingly and would not work - provided he was able to bring it to bear in time?? Who knows.
Now lets look at "Bob the Weapon". Same fatigued Bob, same hallway, same adversary, same long arm, same side-arm. The ONLY difference in this scenario is that Bob is the "weapon". So...as Bob is turning the corner he is met face to face with an adversary. Neither one has to raise his long gun much to get a shot off - and they both pull the trigger at about the same instant. However, BOTH long guns go "CLICK" instead of bang. Bob recognizes that his long arm didn't fire. He doesn't even contemplate why - or why not. He is focused on the eliminating the threat. Bob simply parries the adversaries long arm aside with a 'swat/push' from the left hand/arm. He continues to drive forward and thrusts the barrel/muzzle of his rifle into the threat's throat/sternum/face. He continues with this driving force knocking the adversary down off his feet. Bob delivers blow after blow from his rifle into the upper body/neck/head area of the threat until the threat is sufficiently stunned giving Bob enough time to pull out his handgun and either issue a command or to administer "eternal fight stopping blows".
You see, since Bob knew he was the weapon - he didn't have to worry about whether the long arm in his hand 'worked' or not. He had a TOOL in his hand. In an INSTANT that tool just transformed from a projectile launching platform to an impact device.
Granted - in the second scenario - since Bob was the weapon - there are other ways he could have 'worked the problem' - but NONE of them would have involved dropping the primary and going for the secondary - as the time/distance to the adversary was too short/close for that. Bob just uses the tool in his hands - as he recognizes they are just TOOLS - not 'weapons'. He didn't feel 'weapon-less' or almost 'un-armed' - as it is IMPOSSIBLE for Bob to feel this way. He knows that his hands, arms, elbows, knees, head, etc. are tools that are ALWAYS at his disposal - and he can and will use these to get other tools - that allow him to fight at greater distance when the situation permits.
BECOME THE WEAPON
cheers
tire iron
