Now Out: Paul Markel’s ‘How to Shoot Better than a Navy SEAL’

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How to Shoot Better Than a Navy SEAL

The latest book to be published by prolific author and friend of TTAG Paul Markel is How to Shoot Better than a Navy SEAL. As Markel writes in his introduction . . .

I began my official journey toward handgun mastery at the tender age of 19. Note I said that ‘I bagan my journey’, my journey is not yet complete. As we like to say, ‘you are a beginner once, a student for life’ at least that is how you should look at it. 

During the last four decades, I have run into far too many folks who believed that because they earned a piece of paper that said “Instructor” that they were finished being students and now they could move on to telling other people what to do. Nothing could be farther from the truth. …

Far too many people who inhabit the gun community either beleive that ownership of the object somehow translates to skill or that they can take the local “concealed carry permit” class and now they are good. Your first class is the beginning, not the end of training. 

Markel’s new book is now available at Amazon and other retailers. Here’s his press release . . .

Student of the Gun University is pleased to announce the release of “How to Shooter Better than a Navy Seal” a book by Paul G. Markel, now available as an Amazon paperback and as a Kindle version. 

Mr. Markel taps his three plus decades of teaching Small Arms & Tactics as well as his training and experience to offer a thoughtful and in depth discussion regarding what it takes to  master the use of a  handgun. This is a must read book for anyone with a desire to be better than average. If taken to heart, the words in this guide will put you on the path to mastery.  

29 COMMENTS

  1. An interesting title.
    However, if I am in a position where I have to shoot better than a Navy SEAL . . . Houston, we have a problem.
    Otherwise, I agree with the idea of being a student for life. Reading the wind, knowing when to take the shot and when to hold, constantly learning.
    Dont wait for windless days to practice. Shoot on those days when not only when it is windy but the wind is changing directions.

  2. The only person you have to shoot better than is yourself compared to the last time at the range. Or, if you’re unlucky, an adversary.

    • I would like to attend some .22LR competitions, NRA High Power Rifle or even PRS, I have to do on line honor system competitions, which in the end of the day is competing against myself to be honest.
      The late, great COL Cooper said, “If you can get closer, get closer.” the Marine Corps taught me to be a better shot than the other guy and distance is your friend.

  3. At 80 and with 10% vision in one eye, I would be happy to shoot as good as a Navy Seal!
    I’m not greedy as good as is ok with me.

  4. ” began my official journey toward handgun mastery at the tender age of 19. Note I said that ‘I bagan my journey’, my journey is not yet complete. As we like to say, ‘you are a beginner once, a student for life’ at least that is how you should look at it. ”

    That is much the same message as one gets from ‘Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance’. Or, from ‘Proficient Motorcycling’ and ‘Mastering the Ride’.

    The guy who thinks he has nothing more to learn about bikes, is the next statistic.

    • Been hit by cars 4 times. Not at fault. Did 100′ on my back thanks to a pool of oil in the center of an intersection. Missed a 6′ wide overnight sinkhole by 3″ at 45 mph. Another time DOT moved the road. At 3 AM, foggy and cold, I went where it used to be. Took 3 hours to get out of the ditch. 2 hours later, still zero traffic. Ever try to start a big 2-stroke with broken extremities?

      I have nothing more to learn about bikes. I know EVERYTHING I need to know.

      • Trying to hit a turtle dove with your foot stuck between the handle bars is a bad idea.
        Gawking at the bikini clad ladies in a convertible may wind you up in the ditch
        A garbage bag is not very good rain gear
        I’m learning.

      • “Been hit by cars 4 times.”

        Only once myself, and I have zero interest in doing it 3 more times…

        • Minor bruises here, miraculously…

          Left footpeg fell off of an ancient beater one morning, kept riding with the foot up on the primary case, saved my foot when the VW smacked me. And so on…

          Bikes these days make me want to cry. Holy crap they are amazing.

      • It’s all about the ricochet.
        No actually what I meant was you can be taught, become proficient, but there is always more tricks to learn.
        Also just because you could run the table back in 98 doesn’t mean you can do it now without continuing to practice.

  5. A book with a title claiming tier 1 operators will never shoot as good as you if you buy the book and do as instructed.

    I pass.

  6. I can’t take tips when the grammar and spelling involved are this bad. Doesn’t inspire confidence. I just can’t do it.

  7. I received my training from a retired Navy seal. He owns and runs the range I used, offers classes for free to those that ask and if he can get a class of at least four people minimum together. He offers everything from basics to more advanced tactical-orientated, along with first-aid and legalities hes got that training too. Shortest classes are the basics and conceal carry, these are two 6 hour days – the longest is six days rain-shine-hot-cold-day-night, gotta take time off from work to do it, 6 hour days average – lots and lots of practice in the classes. You bring your own guns, ammo, gear, meals, drinks, snacks. Gear is that approved for the class, almost 75% of the holsters people buy are not approved but he tells you want you need and points out several different sources for a proper holster for the class – mall ninja or tacti-cool need not apply. Approved pistols for the classes are Glock or Sig 9mm or .40 cal with factory stock standard triggers, sub-compact not allowed, no lights except in the advanced courses, night sights are ok. Approved rifles for the class are AR platform, 5.56 or 7.62, must use standard milspec trigger – no scopes or LPVO but red dots ok but must have iron sights too at full co-witness. The classes are usually at least 20 people average, sometimes maybe two or three classes running at a time at various stages. He’s got two currently serving Navy seals, one of them his son, that work with him at times when they are in town, and some more currently serving special operator types from the local base, and some retired law enforcement and a couple of doctors and paramedics and a couple of lawyers – all devoting time to teach. The instructors say it, you do it – it is not a ‘discussion’ – you got questions then ask, you need help then ask, you don’t listen you leave, you fail the small incremental tests along the way through the class’s you leave. A lot of people go back for the classes for refresher purposes, I’ll be doing this again early next year. He’s got five ‘principals’ he uses for the classes and they are among the very first things started with on the first day of class, they are jokingly called the ‘screw rules’:

    1. You screw up in class, you’re out of the class.
    2. You screw up in engaging the enemy, your dead.
    3. You screw up in defending others, they’re dead.
    4. You screw up, its your fault.
    5. Don’t screw up.

        • yeah, you can get the same basic thing overall from Tactical Hyve. There are some differences, for example, at Tactical Hyve they break tactical subjects down into two day courses where the place I got mine from has all that stuff included and some more in a six day course and Tactical Hyve has a 1-day force-on-force home defense class and the place I got my training from does it in a two day class with each class six hours.

    • Any instructor that limits pistols to two manufacturers and two calibers is either delusional, pretentious, or incapable. But hey, it’s his private business. Not one I’d attend.

      • Oh the horror! That years of experience and expertise and qualification would be provided for free to train people and in exchange they standardize and all they ask is that standard common firearms Glock and Sig and common ammo 9mm and .40 be used to learn the taught skills that are transferable to any other pistol firearm and ammo they might want to EDC for which the practice with is up to the individual. The horror they don’t cater to every ammo and gun type in the world! How dare they offend the delicate gun/ammo nature of those not wanting the free courses… oh the humanity, the horror!

        😂

        If they don’t have a Glock or Sig for the courses, there is a list of people they can borrow from and I’ve loaned many.

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  9. Eh Shooting at targets that don’t shoot back Don’t work very well, when your have to actually fight for your life.

  10. Most Navy Seals I’ve met shoot a pistol at an “A” rank classification.

    What’s this guy’s USPSA Classification?

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