Getting hits at close range in a battle with a felon is the single most likely gun fighting skill you will be called upon to execute. For those of us that have experienced such a battle, it is unforgettable. The action has been called the Tyranny of the Moment.

Your thought processes are controlled by gut wrenching fear. Having observed innumerable varieties of human evil, I am aware of the endless possibility of attack. Training gives us preparation and practice keeps us sharp. You will default to this training; you will not rise to the occasion.

When an assailant roughly the size of a tree bears down on you with weapon in hand, you may regret a lack of tactical repertoire. Mindset is important in both training and practice. I am not willing to allow a felon to usurp the prerogative of God and take my life.

Training and preparation are important, but the question of why we train must be answered before we fire the first shot on the range. Facing a serial killer afflicted with acute mental decomposition can lead to an autopsy report that is not to your liking—it may have your initials on it. That is motivation enough for most of us.

When facing an attacker who suffers from mild to moderate atrophy of the cerebellum as a result of drug use, your actions had best be smooth, deliberate, and immediate as a counter to violence. Almost all personal defense situations take place inside of 21 feet. First, understand the phases of the attack.

Remember: Every confrontation does not result in an engagement—the fight you avoid is the best one. Just the same we should be prepared and confident.

The attacker may be a predator. He has planned his actions and attacks accordingly. He may have been stalking the victim. He may choose to attack with stealth, and the attack will be more difficult to defend against.

The second type of attacker is known as the effective. He picks the victim on impulse or as a result of an opportunity. While he may have planned a burglary, he will rape if the opportunity is presented. He will murder to escape. His attack is often more wild and savage. The attack will come quickly. Realization you are under attack may come with the attack, or you may realize you are going to be attacked just before it comes, reversing one and two in my flexible table.

You may see only a movement in the shoulder, hand, or a blur of motion. You may not see the attack. Or you may see someone firing into a crowd—it may not be a personal attack. Either way you cannot let shock deter your response.

The presentation of the handgun from leather or concealment is triggered by the attack. The presentation must be smooth, positive, and lead to the firing stance and target acquisition. When confronted with a threat at close range, you must be able to quickly get past and around interference from clothing, and complete the draw.

Next is target acquisition. You cannot shove the gun in the direction of the threat and get a hit. The sights are aligned and on the target beginning at 5 yards. Inside of 3 yards, if the sights are not used, the handgun is superimposed over the target. At intimate range you may be shoving the pistol in the attacker’s body, but you’ll know where the bullet is going.

At short range the handgun is aimed but the aiming sequence may not be traditional. As an example, if the threat is stabbing at you with a knife, and you have the non dominant arm up to counter, the handgun will be fired from the retention position. Skill is needed to avoid firing and striking your own body.

The handgun and firing hand are locked solidly into a retention position close against the body. The slide must clear the body as it fires, the firing grip must be solid, and the firearm must be aligned with the target. This is accomplished by keeping the slide aligned with the assailant’s body. At intimate/contact range this works.

Meat and Paper

Hitting the target at close range requires practice in the appropriate skills. For close range work, the best system I have found is meat and paper. I do not teach instinctive shooting or point shooting—except in the sense that we aim at very close range with a body index. For example, pointing the gun into a subject’s abdomen at contact range. At 3 to 12 feet, meat and paper works. The handgun is the meat and the paper is the threat.

The slide is superimposed over the threat’s body. The flats of the slide must not be visible. The top of the slide should not be visible. The handgun’s slide is surrounded by the paper of the target. This is aiming. (Do not aim for an area, but rather aim for a specific point on the target—area aiming produces misses.)

The slide is centered with plenty of paper on each side, and I repeat this because this is an important point. The upper slide or slabs on the side should not be visible when the pistol is properly aligned. Once you have practiced this technique, and understand the principles, meat and paper works well.

In practice, I fire from the retention position at intimate range and meat and paper at slightly longer range—a few feet.

Applegate Drill

The handgun is drawn as the eyes focus on the threat and identify the target. A flash sight picture is taken as the front sight of the handgun breaks the plane between the eyes and the target. The pistol is fired, and you have a hit. This drill is fast and offers good hit potential if the shooter has practiced. This drill was usually executed with one hand, but I have found that adding the support hand doesn’t limit speed and offers excellent speed for those that practice. Keep an open mind; try the Applegate a few times to see if it works for you.

For a variety of reasons, including poor light, the sights may not always visible. At close range, the front sight may be lifted to become silhouetted against the target. More precision is used in firing than in the meat and paper drill. The bullet will strike high because the sight is elevated. At about 10 to 12 feet, aim for the belt buckle and the bullets will strike the mid section with the front sight elevated. This is a fast, but accurate, technique. Practice with the personal handgun will determine the longest range at which this technique is viable.

Have you tried the Meat and Paper or Applegate Technique? What drills do you regularly practice? Share your answers in the comment section.

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