Every time a shooter fires or handles a weapon, they are training. Whether the training is beneficial or detrimental depends on the mindset and discipline of the individual. Weapons should be manipulated consistently, all of the time. This constant, consistent repetition will lead to the ability to properly run the gun under times of extreme stress, the kind of stress that might be encountered in, say, a gunfight. Remember that, in a critical incident, a person will not rise to the occasion but rather will default to their level of training. By striving to always shoot and manipulate the gun in the same way, shooters will develop "unconscious competence" or the ability to perform necessary actions under dynamic stress without conscious thought. It must be noted, however, that one action which must always be conscious is the pulling of the trigger. In the past, certain manipulations have ended with a trigger press which has resulted in unintended shots being fired. These manipulations have evolved, due to lessons learned in the real world, and now end with an assessment, however brief, to ensure that the threat still needs to be shot.
