Watch out! Behind you! Put some distance on that zombie! Take him out! These are phrases said on the popular TV series taped here in Atlanta, “Walking Dead”.
Zombies!? Why am I writing about zombies on a firearms instruction blog? Living here in Atlanta I want to be prepared so the research I’ve done on zombies and how to kill them has shown me there are three ways of doing that.
- Destroy their bodies.
- Separate their heads from their bodies.
- Destroy their brains.
Within the three ways of killing a zombie, you can use a club, knife/sword, or a firearm. I posit that the best and safest way is using a firearm. This is because you probably won’t be close enough to them for them to infect you, one or two well-placed shots to the head will get the job done, and depending on the firearm used, you can pretty much destroy their bodies.
So what does this entire zombie scenario have in common with firearms instruction? Being far enough away to remain safe and hitting your target are paramount to firearms instruction. In addition, all the ways to kill a zombie with a firearm use the basics of shooting to get the job done.
What are the basics of shooting and how would I use them to kill zombies? I’m glad you asked. Here they are.
Aiming – you must be accurate with the alignment of your sights. Equal light, equal height will assure that you have done what is necessary to aim your firearm and place hits on attacking zombies.
Breath control – you must control your breathing, especially under stressful conditions, to keep your sights on target. Take a deep breath, exhale, inhale again and let it out slowly, stopping when your lungs are partially empty. It’s at that time, the quiet time, where your body will be steady and you can release your shot. With zombies coming at you from all sides, this is very important if you want to kill them.
Hold control – the ability to minimize your movement, both in your entire body and especially in your arms, keeps your firearm on target. The more you practice this, the better you’ll become at minimizing firearm movement when getting ready to shoot. Especially in the tense environment of zombie hunting.
Trigger control – steadily put pressure straight back on the trigger when you are at that quite time, and your firearm will send a round downrange. At first, you’ll probably be startled because the gun will go off. This means you’ve done it right. Perfect for bagging as many zombies as possible.
Follow through – continuing to keep grip pressure, not releasing the trigger until you are ready, continuing to steady your breathing, and bringing the guns sights back to bear on your target is follow through. Just as with a golf swing, if you stop it at the ball, it won’t go anywhere. If you follow through on your swing and finish high with your body toward the green, you’ll get a good golf shot. By following through with your firearm shot, not only will you have a better chance of hitting your target, you‘ll be ready with a second shot if needed. You know, for the other zombies coming at you.
Using the dry fire technique, constant practice of the basics of shooting will ensure that the next time your Spidey senses are tingling and you notice one or more people coming at with that certain limp, with arms out, and growling at you. You’ll be able to dispatch them directly. Moreover, you’ll do that using the basics of firearms without a second thought, saving yourself and those around you from a terrible fate.