2023 2A New Year’s Resolutions
2023 2A New Year’s Resolutions – Happy 2023, and I hope that you and yours had a good holiday season despite the polar weather, delayed flights, and knowing that we are never more than one piece of legislation away from losing our 2nd Amendment rights. This is the time of resolutions, new beginnings, and fresh starts. While I think that those who are now buying a yearlong gym membership, have started a crash diet, or something along those lines will struggle, here are some ideas that you can look at incorporating for you this year.
Training:
I know, I know…. not sexy or a cool new gun and something that I harp on constantly but to me this is education. Most folks out there have never had formal training of any kind in firearms, first aid, or anything else that is fundamental to this field of study. That’s right, firearms are an area that requires constant learning, growing, and evolving to make sure that you maintain your current skills or learn new ones. One of the hardest things I have had to teach is breaking bad shooting habits because Joe Bob’s grandpappy shot this way and by-golly he was an expert. Believe it or not, people with 0 firearms experience are easier to train than those who have been shooting since “they were knee-high to a grasshopper”. I am looking to take additional training this year, focusing on first aid, and long-range shooting because I have identified those as gaps in my knowledge base. For some of you, it might be pistol training with a laser trainer at your house getting that draw from your Original Holster down pat, and that perfect trigger pull. If you aren’t training, you aren’t gaining, and like what you tell your significant other if you don’t use it you will lose it.
Yup, I just bashed those new gym warriors and here I am saying you need to get fit, what a hypocrite right? There are three really good reasons for me to mention this as it pertains to shooting, concealed carry, and the firearms domain. First, you never know when a fight will happen, and you may need to run to create distance to draw your firearm or run to someone’s aid. Do you ever try to hold your rifle unsupported for a long time? It’s heavy, so working out will help with that. Second, is that if you are hit (when trading leads it is a possibility) being fit has a direct correlation with surviving the incident, and it increases the chances that you will heal better. This also plays into discipline in recovery, because if you are determined enough to get in shape, you will be determined enough to recover. Finally, shooting static is only good at the shooting range, or while hunting from a blind. In a real fight, you are moving, crouching, and hiding behind cover…..if not you become a target. Think about a shooting range silhouette…it is a hell of a lot easier to hit because it’s stationary.
Skills:
I would encourage you to learn a new skill related to the firearms field. This is similar to training, but it’s brand new to you. For example, how many of you have ever put in a trigger in an AR or your carry gun? What about changing out your sights on that Glock to something a bit higher visibility for low light? How about reloading? Whatever it is that you decide on there are TONS of resources out there for you to do it. I built a buddy’s AR off of YouTube videos and learned how to polish a trigger from there too. Instead of settling for what you have, make those changes. You may fail, but you will also potentially make something better, which means you will be happier to train with it, and therefore get better.
None of the “new year, new me” crap, that stuff won’t happen, any more than people will get fit at Planet Fitness by going on their Pizza Days (yes that was a thing I saw in the past). Make this the year that you increase your knowledge, you never know when you might have to depend on it.
Author: Ian Bolser
