Col Charles Askins, who was in more than a couple of gunfights, said he felt far more pressure shooting the National Pistol Championships than any gunfight he was in. Practice is always good, no matter what the discipline. It also breeds confidence. Accuracy, coupled with speed from constant repetition, along with the confidence that you'll win is always a good thing.
Bob
Performing under pressure, shooting fast and accurately, and the larger volume of practice to be good at that are things where gun games are helpful. But there are plenty of things where gun games have nothing to do with fighting, and can build bad habits. Most of that is necessary for safety in events with a large number of shooters, no argument there, but the fact remains those rules go out the window in a fight. One example is moving while shooting, vs gun games rules of shooting from stationary positions or inside a box. The gear is another one - competitive competition gear rarely has much in common with carry guns/gear.
My original comment about gun games was not that there is nothing useful to learn (I know I got a lot better at shooting when I started competing and shooting more), but that the guys who think they've learned all they need to know from gun games are missing a lot. They guys commenting that they just ignore the penalties and shoot the stages to build skill with their carry gun have the right idea, IMO, as long as the awareness remains that shooting skill is only one part of the right skillsets and mindset for carrying and being prepared for a fight.
