Tacticool Ninja

[MIO]

http://bearingarms.com/worlds-worst-firearms-instructor-stripped-credentials/
Always be careful of instructors who claim extraordinary skills, or say thing like "this is the only right way", "I'm the only one....." or look TVish in their movements.  They should have a resume and skill but within reason. Also don't take military training from a cop or cop training from the military or do a full blown survivalist course if all you need is basic handgun. Training from shooting sport competitors can lead to bad tactical habits because everything is based on a clock and not using cover. Make sure you are getting professional training and do your research beforehand and based on your needs.
Being an instructor and safety officer and just teaching folks not to point guns at people or things they don't need to shoot, keeping fingers off triggers, loading in a safe manner, clearing jams without breaking the 180, engaging targets without lazing others and so forth is absolutely exhausting but also very rewarding because at the end of the day everyone was safe and went home the same physically but with more skills.

[EdO]

Whole heartedly agree.  We are in this for self defense, not clearing rooms, or advancing on the bad guys.  Our objective is getting out of Dodge in one piece.  Avoid the shoot out if at all possible.  If it isn't possible, then shoot, but make it count.  Don't panic.  Take your time.  Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  If you've handled your fire arm enough you instinctively know how it feels in your hand.  Some just feel right and others never do.  If yours is one of the latter,  you need another one.  Semi-Auto's just don't fit my hand, so I forego the extra rounds.  I'm not going to need more than 6 rounds anyway.  Statistics say 1 to 3 is enough.   If the Semi-Auto's fit your hand, that's what you need.  Just make sure you make the right choice because when the doo doo hits the fan every micro-second counts.
In passing ... leave the FMJ's at the range.  You're going to be dealing with soft targets.  Take a hint from the Border Patrol back when they were carrying .357's.  They knew soft targets was what they would encounter.  What did they choose?   It for sure wasn't three layers of denim and fourteen inches of penetration like the FBI.  It was  Win 110 Grn HP's.   Lousy penetration, but dumped a lot of energy real fast.  Perfect for their use and pretty much perfect for self defense.