Running and gunning/Shooting on the move - Why not?

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shaofutzer

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OK - so I imagine I'm going to catch some flack for this one, but I'm a relatively new user, so if it leads to a ban, I can always come back. :D

So a coupla days ago, my brother and I are shooting his Gold Cup in the woods. There's an old rusty pipe buried in the ground about 50 feet away from us. He takes an aimed shot at the pipe and misses completely. Poking fun at him, I ask for the .45 and proceed to take the same shot - while walking sideways at a brisk pace. I nailed it. Hmmm... that was easier than I thought - must have been a fluke. So I tried again. Again - I pegged it.
My brother, always one to push me to my limits, comes up with the idea of setting up a small course with various cans and plastic bottles as targets. He marks off a starting and finishing line along with 3 targets and tells me to go as fast and accurately as I can. To make a long story short, by the end of the day, I was able to run any course he threw at me (no muscle memory here) with various targets at different engagement points at various distances - at nearly full steam. I was nailing everything we put out there and it was all zen - pure point shooting - I didn't have TIME to aim. I was consistently averaging almost 2 bullseyes a second running at full speed - and I was consistent! We were both blown away at what I was doing, but even moreso when I looked on the internet to find video of others doing it and couldn't find any!
I've been shooting for about 25 years now and I've always been led to believe
that shooting while running was a fool's errand, and that it's ALWAYS better to stop and take the time to aim for an accurate shot. But after that day I'm not so sure anymore. If I could take out 3 bad guys with 6 on target shots while hauling ass across rough terrain in under 4 seconds - then why is that a bad thing? Why is running and gunning so looked down upon? Is it because some people just don't have the ability to do it so they claim that it's dangerous, irresponsible, and ineffective? ...and please, before bashing me - if you have video of anyone else doing such things, please send me a link because I've been looking. I've seen people kinda scootin' along and shooting, but no one at a full running pace...
 
I saw that once, in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
No, wait, it was Bugs who was running, and Elmer was shooting, but he was standing still.
Never mind.

Ok, the reason it's not done much is that most folks run a risk of muzzle sweeping their own body parts when running fast.
Lot of swinging arms and legs.
Plus tripping, falling and running into things.
But if you do some more searching on youtube and myoutdoorstv, there's probably some examples of some very fast scooting and walking while shooting.
And a lot of ground can be covered quickly this way, plenty fast enough to get a bead on and engage multiple targets that are spread out.
Bullets go faster than people can run.
That's my take on it, anyhow.
 
I do a lot of competition shooting that either allows or requires shooting while moving. It's generally considered a skill that requires a lot of practice. It's a valuable skill to develop, but it's not a universal technique. A lot of "top shooters", even though they're skilled at shooting while moving, will instead move as close as they can to a target so that it can be engaged statically; moving then shooting providing better results than doing both at the same time. I have never witnessed anyone running and shooting.
 
Have you tried jumping off a platform while shooting? I saw it in a movie so I tried it. It was as if I couldn't miss. I think the weightlessness of free fall improves the aim.

Seriously, as GWhilikers mentioned, people running while looking at other things (targets) sometimes fall down. People who fall down often try to break the fall with their hands. And people who use hands with guns in them to break their fall tend to shoot in directions they hadn't planned. Please be careful.
 
Find yourself a perfectly safe venue, not the woods with some metal pipe sticking out of the ground, get some witnesses, and make a video record of full tilt running over broken terrain, while scoring double tap bullseyes, using point shooting as you state (no sights), with no misses at a variety of distances, and post it. Keeping in mind safety first please. I think you stated 2 bullseyes per second. I am always looking to learn something new so I look forward to this video any time now.
 
"I imagine I'm going to catch some flack for this one, but I'm a relatively new user, so if it leads to a ban, I can always come back."

No, you can't. So do your best to keep from getting banned, because we're very good at ferreting out recidivists.

We tend to shoot them on the move, as it were... :)


That said, this is really a tactics and training sort of scenario, so I'm going to move it there and hope that Charlie and Pax don't mind.
 
I like the mantra we do one thing well, two things OK and three things poorly. If you have your finger on the trigger, do you want to be running OK or poorly?

Shooting and moving is very real and very important, but running with your finger on the trigger is a bit like running with scissors - lots of kids do it without dying, but there's a reason we tell them not to.
 
I would always disengage my trigger finger until I'm was on target just for that reason. I was thinking of blacking out a room, setting up pads, mattresses and things to trip on and practicing running around in the dark with my finger off and on an airsoft pistol so that I can get real tripping/trigger control experience. I figure it would condition me in case of a real life trip with a live firearm.
I may set up metal targets and use a blowback CO2 pellet pistol or something since getting to the woods is something I can't do very often. Then when I get a chance, I'll video tape the real thing.
Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement. I really want to look into getting into competition shooting. I think my #1 problem would be my near inability to travel to out of state competitions. Unless I got sponsored or something. :D
Anyway, cheesy airsoft/CO2 videos to come until I can afford more ammo and can make the trip out to the old hunting lease.
 
@Mike - I was only joshin anyway. :D Wouldn't want to lose my account. This is probably one of the only firearm forums where people have anything relevant to say these days.
 
shaofutzer said:
...I really want to look into getting into competition shooting. I think my #1 problem would be my near inability to travel to out of state competitions...
Click to expand...
Ah, come on! I'd be very much surprised if there weren't some clubs holding regular competitions near you. I shot matches several times a month for years without ever leaving the State.
 
shaofutzer said:
I know, but I have big ambitions now and I'm sure that I'll have to travel out of state eventually.
Click to expand...
So worry about that when/if the time comes. Or are you just using it as an excuse to avoid competing locally?
 
Awesome story. I'll wait for the video.

If you are as amazing as you say, travel won't be a problem, I'm sure you'll be able to impress some reps from Springfield or Para and it'll all be sponsored.
 
There are several instructors that teach dynamic moving while shooting (as opposed to the step or two right/left).

Seek these out for training.
 
shaofutzer,

Shooting on the move was a topic that was considered Taboo for many years; however, it has slowly gained momentum as acceptance has begun to grow within the training community. About eight years ago we begen to explore the possibilities of shooting while moving and spent a couple of years exploring and developing what we consider a well structured course. We have now effecively taught shooting on the move for six years or so, including a basic introduction to shooting on the move at the Polite Society Tactical Conference, both in Memphis and in Tulsa.

What I am going to tell you is that I agree with smince... find the instructors that teach it for your training. I appreciate your eagerness to learn something challenging and new, but be mindful of loosing the practical application of the tool as well as reinforcing poorly acquired technique with repetition.

If you want the training, you are going to eventually have to travel.
 
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