If and when SHTF, life as you know it is going to change drastically. When it comes to this situation, it is essential to learn prepping techniques and survival skills that can protect you from any threat. One way most preppers defend themselves is through the use of guns and firearms. But in most cases, handling a gun isn't as easy as pointing and shooting. The proper technique could go a long way in keeping you alive when SHTF. (H/t to DoomsdayMoose.com)
Ready, aim, fire
As a prepper, you probably have an ample supply of food in your house or bug-out location in case SHTF. It won't take long before some people notice how easy you have it and may want to take your supplies. In this situation, having a gun can make it easier for you to defend yourself and your home from a distance, long before anything becomes a threat. If not for self-defense, having a firearm will still be useful for things like hunting wild game, one of the easiest ways to get food when bugging out in the wilderness.
Improving your marksmanship skills could provide plenty of benefits in times of disaster and can help you stay alive. Here are four things you could gain from practicing your shooting skills before SHTF:
Decreased ammo consumption. When SHTF, it may become harder to get your hands on some good quality ammo, especially if you fail to stockpile some beforehand. Even if you do find some ammo, it can be quite expensive and can take up space you could have used to store other essential supplies. Practicing your shooting means you would be able to hit your target using the least number of bullets in the least amount of time. This saves you from consistently firing off multiple rounds to land one hit. (Related: Ammo stockpiling: Four more reasons buying ammo is one of the smartest things you'll ever do before SHTF.)
Increased accuracy. Keeping up with marksmanship in an indoor gun range can steadily improve your overall accuracy when using firearms. Whether its hunting or defending yourself, an adequately aimed shot can take down most opponents with one shot, which will prevent you from wasting precious ammunition.
Improved hunting rewards. By using fewer bullets to take down wild game, you can minimize the damage done on the meat and the skin. In many cases, the pelt of most hunted animals can't be salvaged due to being bullet-ridden. If you aim for the vital organs, you are less likely to damage the things that provide sustenance for you and your family. A clean head shot would be ideal in this situation.
Less tracking. Having poor aim when hunting could mean that an animal can get away from you even when hit by a bullet. Not only will the animal bleed out and die a slow death, but you also have to go through the tedious process of tracking it down in a densely forested area. Practicing marksmanship can prevent the animal from suffering needlessly and allow you to come back home to your family before it gets too dark to safely make it back.
Marksmanship can be a great addition to any prepper's skill set, given its multiple benefits that can help you survive in case SHTF. As a prepper, you should always seek to improve your survival skills. You never know when you'll need them.