Firearm Defence – Why It Works, Why It Doesn’t, and Why We Still Train It at Voracious Karate

Let’s be clear right from the start: at Voracious Karate, we do not teach traditional gun disarms. You won’t find us teaching students to grab the firearm and rip it away like some action movie stunt. That kind of thinking is dangerous—and it can get you killed.

Instead, we teach something real. Something honest. Something designed for survival.

We train our students to explode off the fire line, control the attacker’s weapon-bearing limb, keep the muzzle pointed away from the body, and counter with brutal force. We don’t care about looking good—we care about giving you a fighting chance when everything’s on the line.

Why We Don’t “Disarm”

Because the idea of reaching out and just taking a gun away is fantasy. If the attacker pulls the trigger mid-disarm, you’re likely not walking away. That’s why our priority is not to grab the weapon itself—it’s to move, redirect, trap the arm, and attack violently.

We teach our students to keep that limb tight and close, locking it down while ensuring the barrel is never pointed at them—even during the chaos. Then we strike: elbows, knees, palm heels, headbutts, throat shots—whatever shuts the threat down quickly and decisively.

The weapon doesn’t matter as much as who controls it. And we aim to control the person holding it—fast and without hesitation.

Why Firearm Defence Can Work

It can work. There are real-world examples of people surviving armed encounters by moving fast, committing fully, and fighting like hell.

But let’s be honest: it works under specific conditions—close range, tight timing, and full commitment. If you hesitate or flinch, it's probably over. If you’re too far away to act, there’s nothing to do but comply or wait for an opportunity.

Still, if you are close and you have trained the movement? You’ve got a shot.

Why It Often Doesn’t Work

Because real life is messy. Most people freeze when they see a gun. They stall, overthink, or try to talk their way out—all while standing right in the fire line.

And even those who’ve trained might fail if they rely on perfect setups and rigid choreography. That’s why we drill chaos. We train explosively. We prepare for the worst-case, not the ideal case.

And Yes—There’s Always a Bit of Luck

Let’s not pretend otherwise: when it comes to firearms, there is always a bit of luck involved. You can do everything right and still not walk away. You can make a mistake and somehow survive. That’s the nature of deadly force—it’s unpredictable.

But here's the thing: training doesn’t remove luck—it stacks the odds in your favour. It means if that slim window opens, you know what to do. Your body will move. Your instincts will kick in. You won’t freeze. You’ll fight.

And sometimes, that might be enough.

So Why Train It At All?

Because doing nothing guarantees failure. Training—even in situations where success is low—gives you options. And in life-or-death moments, one good decision might be the difference between going home or not.

At Voracious Karate, we train defences from the front, side of the head, and back. We acknowledge the danger. We don’t sugar-coat the risk. But we also don’t accept helplessness. We prepare.

We move off the fire line, control the limb, keep the barrel off our body, and counter violently. We train until it’s automatic.

No disarms. No delusions. Just a cold, honest commitment to survival.

The Voracious Way

Control the limb. Keep the muzzle away. Attack with everything you’ve got. And above all—train, so that if luck gives you the smallest opening, you’ll be ready to take it.

Train to fight. Train to move. Train to survive.

– Sensei Liam Musiak