NvrGiveUp you are completely willing to give advice based on your view of how a self defense encounter will go while advising everyone else not to try to visualize one, and you reject the notion of reading everyone else's responses to this thread. My conclusion is you aren't really interested in an intelligent discussion of different points of view, but simply want to tell us how smart you are.
I don't disagree with a lot of your points, but training starts with site picture and trigger control. The ability to put multiple rounds quickly on multiple targets is the next step, followed by a long list of other combat tactics, some of which you mentioned. I certainly agree that one must be versatile, but dismissing site picture or optics made for self defense pistols as having no value is as silly as it is wrong.
Mr. K_Mac, I apologize if I sounded like a know-it-all, because that is most definitely not the case. One thing I will say is that I didn't mean that folks should not visualize a lethal encounter. I merely meant to avoid limiting that visualization by focusing on those allowing for perfect use of the sights on a weapon. I still stand behind what I said about the overwhelming majority of defensive gun battles being done at close range and the fact that they are completely reactive in nature. What's more, although those involved see time seemingly slow down as tunnel vision takes over, CCW-type encounters are over VERY quickly. A study done with 101 law enforcement officers gave us some good info to base our training and visualization upon. Try this on for size, sir....
It takes an average of 1.19 seconds to draw from a holstered position for someone WHO TRAINS.
It takes .59 seconds to raise and fire a weapon, so now we are at 1.78 seconds
If someone is running toward you, it takes them an average of 1.28 seconds to cover 15 feet.
I keep seeing reports that the average civilian defensive shooting is well within the 15' mark and the number of rounds fired is averaged at 3 from the good guy. Length of time from 1st to last shot? A whopping 4 seconds, on average. I am of the opinion that ON AVERAGE, folks don't have the liberty of lining up the sights as though they are shooting at coke cans on a hillside. They will revert to their training and the mental preparation in response to an attack.
Everyone is certainly free to train however the choose. What's most important is that everyone trains. Sure, go to the range and see how many rounds you can put in the vitals while slow firing and perfectly aligning your sights. That helps develop many skills. It does not, however, prepare you for a self-defense encounter where you are fighting for your life. These are only my opinions that are based on my own observations and statistical analyses I have read and seen and been trained on. I'm certainly no expert on the subject.
Stay safe, y'all.