A View From Behind the Line; How Golf Made Me a Better Firearms Instructor

By Dan Zimmerman

One of the biggest problems I have as a firearms instructor is figuring out why people can’t grasp the basics of a safe grip. We just did a classroom portion on proper grip, we practiced indoors over and over, and I explained and showed pictures of what happens when you cross thumbs on an automatic. This isn’t front sight focus issue, a flinching issue, or some minor finger grip squeezing issue. This is something designed to keep you safe and is so basic and easy, why don’t they get it? They’re out there crossing thumbs, I correct them and they do it again two shots later. Holy Hell . . .

Well that’s the attitude I used to have. To be fair I never verbalized this to students, I just corrected them over and over. Internally I was having a melt down, but I learned a thing or two about bearing during my time in the military. This wasn’t the only thing that drove me internally crazy, of course. Getting flagged and various other unsafe handling is an issue would do it, but students usually learned that fast. Those damned cross thumbs, though. Anyway I mentioned that was my old attitude. …read more

Source:: Truth About Guns