Master Gunfight Survival with Army Vet’s Training Tips

Every rifle gunfight begins in the same way: a shooter lifts the gun from a ready position, aims, deactivates the safety, and fires the first shot. While this may seem elementary to seasoned shooters, Bob Keller, owner of Gamut Resolutions and a U.S. Army Special Operations veteran, insists that this basic ready-up drill is the bedrock of all other training.

“The boring stuff is critical,” Keller asserts. “Ready-up is a 100-percent guarantee in every fight. Everything else is a maybe.”

Keller’s words carry weight. With over two decades in special operations, he has been involved in more than 1,000 real-world direct-action hits and over 400 engagements. Today, he uses this experience to train American citizens on how to survive real gunfights through his company, Gamut Resolutions.

Keller emphasizes the importance of accuracy over speed in the ready-up drill. The goal time is not slow, however: 0.5 seconds to hit a 3-inch circle at 10 yards. He also reminds trainees that the drill doesn’t end when the shot breaks; always be prepared to shoot again and avoid reactivating the safety too soon. If the gun goes empty, the reflex should be to reload immediately and get back on target.

Keller’s experience also provides insight into the reality of reloads in gunfights.

“I’ve gone to bolt lock one time in combat. I only remember two other dudes I saw do it in a fight,” he shares. As such, he advises trainees to treat emergency reloads as malfunctions and to perform a combat reload whenever possible.

In his training, Keller also emphasizes the importance of shooting from the support side, a skill essential for working around cover. He encourages trainees to practice this until they are confident in their ability to use it when their life depends on it.

Keller doesn’t spend time teaching prone or kneeling techniques, arguing that they are rarely useful in real-life scenarios. Instead, he advocates for standing and moving while returning fire, which provides a clear view of targets and allows for mobility.

The second day of training begins with a skill assessment with pistols at 25 yards. Keller explains that there’s no warmup before a gunfight, so there’s no warmup in his training either.

“There is no multi-step draw process in a gunfight. It’s one smooth motion,” Keller instructs. The training also includes immediate action drills, reloads, and shooting one-handed from either side, a challenging but necessary skill due to the high likelihood of sustaining an injury in a gunfight.

The training culminates with carbine-to-pistol transitions. Keller advises against switching to a pistol unless absolutely necessary, recommending an immediate action tap-rack to clear a malfunction first.

The Gamut Resolutions pistol and carbine class is demanding, but it serves as a stark reminder that surviving a real gunfight requires a high level of practice and proficiency.

Keller’s final advice is clear: “You must know you’re the most badass motherf*cker out there.”

Keller offers classes throughout the United States and has created The Gamut Challenge, a two-day event consisting of 16 different shooting scenarios plus over 20 miles of running or rucking. For more information, visit gamutresolutions.com.

Our Thoughts

Bob Keller’s assertion that the basics are the bedrock of all training cannot be overstated. The ready-up drill, as mundane as it may seem, is indeed a constant in every gunfight scenario. It’s a stark reminder that in survival, the fundamentals are paramount.

Keller’s emphasis on accuracy over speed in the ready-up drill is a valuable lesson. It’s not about being the fastest, but the most accurate. The stress on being prepared to shoot again and avoid premature safety reactivation also speaks volumes about the realities of gunfights.

The insight Keller provides on reloads is invaluable. His advice to treat emergency reloads as malfunctions and to perform a combat reload whenever possible is practical and grounded in real-world experience.

His emphasis on shooting from the support side and standing and moving while returning fire is a crucial lesson. These skills lend to the unpredictability and dynamism of real-life scenarios.

Keller’s no-warmup approach to training is a stark reminder that real-life encounters offer no such luxury. His one smooth motion philosophy underscores the need for fluidity and effortless transitions in potentially life-threatening situations.

The rigorous training offered by Gamut Resolutions is a testament to the level of proficiency required to survive a real gunfight. Keller’s final advice encapsulates the mindset needed for survival: confidence in one’s abilities and an unwavering belief in oneself.