Skill Set: Working the Fundamentals

Skill Set: Working the Fundamentals

You attend training to learn defensive tactics and principles. Next comes practice, learning through repetition and acquiring the ability to apply these skills on demand and in defense of life. Going to the range to practice marksmanship is a worthy endeavor, but only one part of the “big” picture. You have to work on the fundamentals of the threat response: moving, communicating, using cover and shooting if necessary. During this practice you’re also developing the mental abilities to solve a defensive problem.
Moving is an immediate response to danger, whether you’re armed or not. (Remember that “unarmed” is a state of mind; there are always weapons available, even if that’s not the intended purpose of the item.) Moving gets you out of harm’s way. Escape or avoid the danger. You move to cover and the protection it offers. There are bystanders or family between you and the threat – moving creates a clear angle of attack. The threat is trying to hit/cut/shoot you. Moving makes it more difficult. Shooting while moving is definitely a skill that must be practiced.
You communicate with the threat. “Stop! Leave my house!” They may comply. Communication is required with family or friends. You tell them where to go or what to do. Communication connects you with an armed partner, coordinating tactics. Communicating under stress doesn’t come natural. Like any skill it requires practice.
There is very little “natural” about using cover. The first principle is to maintain distance between you and the object you’re using for protection. Distance prevents you from catching debris and fragmentation if bullets are hitting the hard surface you’re behind. Keeping some distance from cover lets you see more of the environment on the other side of cover, and puts more ground between you and the treat. You have to learn how to position your body to expose the least amount of your body necessary to locate, identify and if necessary engage the threat. It takes work to get this right.
Finally, we get to the “shooting.” Marksmanship is mandatory; shooting tight groups is good. But bulls-eye shooting is different from defensive marksmanship. You learn where to place your hits on the threat to stop them as efficiently as possible. Ultimately some form of reactive target must be used. Something that requires varying hits in different zones to get the “stop.” You work on close large targets, and smaller targets at longer distances. You learn what you can hit, and how fast or slow you have to fire to hit.
The only way to learn these skills – again: moving, communication, using cover and defensive shooting – is practice. These are not instinctual or natural. Instinct tells you to hug in tight and close to cover, which is not where you want to be. It’s natural to focus on the threat while shooting as opposed to the front sight. Instinct tells you to root to the ground when fighting; we want to be moving. The only way to learn the required skills is through practice. At the same time you’re overriding the instinctual part of the brain that’s screaming at you to do the wrong thing.
The best way to learn defensive skills, and to improve, is dry practice. With a dummy pistol you practice drawing, moving, communicating and using cover, working towards the thousands of repetitions required to learn and apply a complicated sequence of actions. For many, dry practice is the only way to develop these skills. A lot of “firing” ranges don’t allow you to draw from the holster, move, use cover or fire multiple shots quickly. With a dummy weapon you can safely practice at home, any time.
The next time you’re thinking about going to the range to burn some ammo consider staying home and working on your tactics for that time. Yes, shooting is good, but it’s nowhere near all you need to know. Put in some hard work, so when the time comes you’re assured of being ready.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

911

911....NEVER FORGIVE!/NEVER FORGET!

Skill Set: Handgun Use, Then and Now

Skill Set: Handgun Use, Then and Now

I have a large collection of books on the use of firearms. The other day I started counting, but stopped at 400 – not including books about psychology and such which are related to the use of firearms and teaching, but not specifically so. The oldest work I have is “The Pistol As A Weapon Of Defence In The House And On The Road,” published in 1875. The author is unknown, and I haven’t been able to find out any history on it; Jeff Cooper – who we all know – wrote the forward to the copy I have which was published in 2004 by Paladin Press.

This work was written when handguns were still evolving. Colt had just introduced their Single Action Army – the “Peacemaker” – and the Model 3 was Smith & Wesson’s latest offering. The double action revolver was still several years down the road. However, handguns were becoming extremely popular, yet the author reports that they were still seen as “… either a toy or as the weapon of the desperado.” This work attempts to correct that attitude and focuses on personal use of the pistol for self-defense. In the preface he quotes Henry Ward Beecher – a preacher, social reformer and popular speaker of the time: “No man is fit to keep house who is not fit to defend it.”

The writer begins the first chapter by explaining how “… the pistol is undoubtedly the best weapon ever invented…” for self-defense. Today, with the advances in design and the semi-auto pistol this is truer than ever. Yes, revolvers are great weapons, but only in the hands of experienced shooters. The semi auto is much easier to learn how to shoot accurately and to manipulate efficiently.

He also explains how nobody should carry a firearm unless “… he is perfectly assured of his power of self-control, and his ability to use the weapon without incurring the danger of injuring friends and innocent persons.” The same is true today. If you’re going to have a firearm for self-defense use – or any other application – you should attend training to learn how to use it safely and efficiently.

In other chapters the author discusses handgun selection, choice of ammunition, various carry methods and firearms safety. Although choices back then were limited the writer’s advice still applies for the handgun shopper of today. You have to consider all possibilities prior to choosing the weapon you need for defense of life. It’s interesting to note that even at that time the writer states, “… the muzzle shall never be pointed at any living thing whose life you do not intend to take.”

Pistols and related gear have changed a lot since 1875. Yet, this work on self-defense is still relevant. Over time the tools we use change, becoming more efficient. However, the thought process and tactics used for defending against a violent attacker are pretty much the same as they always have been. There are a lot of great works out there that may seem dated but still have application today. Turns out things haven’t changed that much.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Skill Set: Consistent and Efficient

Skill Set:  Consistent and Efficient

A few days ago I had a student return to Shootrite for additional handgun training. It had been a few years since he had been here, and in the meantime he had received training from a couple of other sources. “I need work on drawing and shooting,” he replied when asked what he wanted to concentrate on. We hit the range, and after watching his drawstroke it became clear we needed to focus on efficiency and consistency – which is almost always the case.

The first problem was with his stance. When drawing the pistol he had to muscle the sights on target, as opposed to his body being in a position that allowed the pistol naturally come up on target “naturally,” without having to use muscle tension to get the sight picture. The stance and body are the platform that actually aims the pistol; we use the sights to confirm we’re on the exact spot needed before pressing the trigger.
Your stance is the foundation for everything that occurs above the feet and legs. Ideally you want to establish a “natural point of aim.” This is a position that relies more on bone support as opposed to muscle tension. Obviously there is muscle tension involved, but just like with long guns the less “muscle” involved the more consistent your position will be. Consistency is the path to creating the same results, over and over again. You look at the exact place on the target you want the bullet to go and draw the pistol. With the proper stance – and of course arm position and grip – all that’s left to do is visually confirm the sight picture and press off the hit. Consistency produces the predictable results.
His draw or presentation also needed refining. It was effective, but not efficient. During training and practice he had ended up incorporated separate steps from different draw styles into one presentation. Each step of the draw – regardless of the technique used - is designed to flow from one step to another in a fluid action. It should flow from one step to the next. Mixing or blending steps together from one or more presentation techniques isn’t going to be efficient.
Effective produces the desired results, but maybe not in a timely fashion. Efficient – a well-organized sequence - is always effective, and accomplishes the task in the shortest amount of time possible without waste. In most confrontations time is precious. It’s in short supply, and there’s none to waste. Your goal is for every action to be efficient. This means using the proper technique every time – consistency – that completes the task without waste – efficiency.
Can you deviate from consistency? Yes. For example, you normally shoot using both hands. But in the event of an injury to one hand/arm or the other then you’ll need to deviate, using a different technique to achieve the same results. To do this efficiently you’ll need to practice the “modified” technique in advance. Remember, it’s difficult if not impossible to acquire new skills in the middle of the fight.
Consistency and efficiency apply to every aspect of defense. Examples of consistency are regularly carrying the same type weapon and positioning your gear in a uniform manner. You may have to experiment some to discover what “efficient” is, according to the equipment used and your anticipated application. Once you discover consistent and efficient, then it’s time to practice in order to improve. Study this well.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Skill Set: Art or Tool

Skill Set: Art or Tool

As a nation as lot of us have a strong attachment to our firearms.  They are mechanical marvels.  In the beginning firearms were produced one at a time; it took a talented craftsman to build a firearm.  Mass production of firearms started the industrial revolution.  Sam Colt - not Henry Ford – was the first to apply the principles of mass manufacturing to firearms. 

Today we live in the golden age of the firearm; the options for quality, reliable firearms are almost endless.  We like to show off our newest acquisitions.  But ultimately, the majority of firearms are tools, not works of art.  It’s important to remember that a firearm is a tool.  Tools are to be used - not pampered.
A big part of a “first” firearms class is learning how to manipulate the weapon.  This includes empty reloads.  The pistol or rifle runs empty.  Old mag out, new mag in and you chamber a fresh round.  The “old” magazine, which is empty, is dumped on the ground.  Unless you’re in the military, where you won’t be re-supplied with fresh mags, that empty magazine has no use.  Retaining an empty mag takes time; getting the weapon loaded is more important. 
A lot of students have never let their empty mag hit the ground.  “But won’t it get scratched?” they ask.  The thought of scratching or adding blemishes to their equipment never crossed their mind.  The same is true when we have them ground their weapons on the deck.  They gently set them down, face grimacing as the gravel makes contact with the weapon.
Taking care of your firearms is essential.  You take them apart for cleaning, inspecting the various parts for wear or breakage.  Lubrication ensures proper functioning, and prevents rust from developing.  But don’t be worried about what the outside look like.  In fact, if you actually use it, there’s going to be some cosmetic damage.  For example, just during barricade and cover training/practice you’re going to bang and nick up your weapon.  Like any well-used tool they are going to get some “character.”
Just carrying in a holster is going to wear the finish.  When you dry practice your draw, scan and holster – which I know everyone does faithfully – more wear.  One way to manipulate your weapon during injury drills is to use objects in the environment to cycle or rack the charging handle or slide.  This is definitely going to “leave a mark.” 
I teach a “Two-gun” class, where students work with two pistols.  When one runs empty they perform a “New York reload,” dropping the empty weapon on the ground while drawing a loaded pistol.  All of these skills have to be practiced, just like every other fighting technique.  As you learn how to use your firearm it’s going to get wear marks.
A work of art is something that is to be admired and cherished.  Art is beautiful, and stirs the emotions.  A tool is used to perform a task; you don’t set it on a shelf for all to gaze upon.  Like I tell everyone, “It ain’t gotta be pretty, it just has to work.”  Plus, even though your weapon may be worn, other shooters will admire it.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Skill Set: Moving

In most confrontations your response needs to include movement.  Lateral movement - a quick step left or right –– forces the threat to start reacting to you.  You move to the rear, to creating distance, or change directions to get to cover.  After the initial lateral movement you need to keep moving.  The key is quickly determining where to move next.  Movement is important, but moving without a clear idea of where to go, and why, is wasted time.

Moving in a ready position creates stability.  You can change directions as needed, and you're ready to engage a threat immediately.

A quick step to the side, lateral movement, forces the threat to react to you.  This movement resets the threat’s OODA Loop.  The threat is trying to hit, cut or shoot you – you’re moving off the “X.”  This movement buys you a little bit of time to determine what you need to do next and where you should be moving.
Your initial action – lateral movement - is immediately followed up by more action.  The goal is to keep forcing the threat to reset his Loop, never letting him get to the “Act” phase.  After the lateral step you’re moving to create distance; the more distance the less your chances of being hit, cut or shot.
If there are bystanders or family between you and the threat, you move to obtain a clear angle of fire, the ability to engage without risk of injuring others.  You move to escape; the goal in most defensive situations is to break contact as soon as possible.  You’re moving to cover and the protection it provides.  The decision on what direction to move must be made quickly.
Observing the people around you lets you spot a potential problem before it turns into trouble.  You see something you don’t like, and move to avoid and escape.  While watching people you’re also noting escape routes, areas you could easily defend and objects that provide protection – cover.  Should something happen your response time is quicker because you already have a good idea of where you need to go.

Once you determine where to go, try to decide what fighting position you'll need once you get there.

At the same time you’re determining what fighting position you may need for that location.  Whenever possible stay upright, remaining standing so you have mobility.  However, the cover may require a kneeling position.  You get lower to get behind the cover.  Knowing what position is needed before arriving at that location makes you more efficient, plus it’s one less thing you have to think about while moving.
You can move fast, in natural running mode.  Or, you move tactically.  Tactical movement is a slower shuffle type movement that maintains a fighting stance; everything from the hips and up is “ready.”  You’re moving in a low ready position.  The pistol is extended in front, muzzle down, indexed on the direction of movement or where you think the danger may come from.  With a long gun muzzle is down and the stock in the shoulder. Should a threat appear you’re ready to engage immediately, without delay, and this technique allow you to change directions as needed.
In a sudden, violent confrontation time is a precious commodity.  Decisions must be made immediately – remember, problem solving at high speed.  The more decisions you can make in advance - like what direction to move and which position you’ll need - the more efficient your response.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Mindset....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: A Confident Mindset

Your “mindset” determines how you perform under stress.  This is especially true of personal combat, an extremely dangerous situation.  The weapon won’t matter much. Yes, if you carry a weapon it’s necessary to learn how to use it safely and efficiently to defeat the threat.  But, ultimately victory relies on mindset.  Confidence, the foundation for victory, is created way before the fight starts.

Desire to become responsible drives you to training.  Training and research educate you as to the “how, when and why” of self-defense.  “Why” is most important.  Desire motivates you to practice.  Repetition – practice – is when the real learning occurs.
Through practice you improve, but also identify weaknesses.  Understanding what you can do is important; knowing what not to do is equally if not more important.  You discover the braced kneeling position isn’t stable for you.  Now you know not to use it, and what to use in its place.  Eventually you reach the point you can solve the problem efficiently using “your” skills, as opposed to mimicking someone else.  Confidence – a mental attribute – can only be obtained by understanding your limitations.
You attend Force-On-Force training, using “real” weapons against living, breathing and thinking threats.  This tests your skills.  You figure out what skills need additional practice.  FOF also acclimates you to the stress associated with fighting off an attacker.
Now you’re developing true confidence, which isn’t based on things going perfectly.  This is critical, because your self-image and performance are always equal. When doubt is present your performance suffers.  Sometimes people express uncertainty about their abilities because their performance is never “Perfect” – and yes that’s with a capital “P.”
You will never be Perfect – capital or small “P” - on the range nor in a fight.  In fact, the quest for “Perfect” destroys progress.  People get caught up in their mistakes, become frustrated and stop practicing.  They’ll keep training, attending classes because it’s fun, only lasts a few days and doesn’t require dedication.  But progress - which relies on practice - comes to a screeching halt.  Mentally you must be dedicated and disciplined, focused on progress instead of perfect.  Progress produces confidence.  Knowing you can effectively respond to an attack allows you to stop the threat.
Faith is another important component.  Having faith in your skills and abilities is important, but it’s nothing compared to the confidence created through a solid religious foundation.  I have faith that I will win.  I don’t have to fret over the outcome of the battle.  If it is my Lord’s will that I should personally be defeated then I am assured it’s still a victory - towards a greater glory.  I cannot lose.  Faith creates confidence.
I have all my students write this down: I will win the fight.  Then they sign and date it making it official.  The only acceptable outcome is victory.  No matter what happens – the unexpected occurs constantly in a fight – you must win.  Victory is only achieved by cultivating a confident, “winning” mindset.  This is done before danger arrives.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Skill Set: Performance – Three Elements....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: Performance – Three Elements

Performance in the “tactical” arena is based on three elements – hardware, physical ability and the mental aspects.  You need the right gear.  Having a certain amount of physical stamina is important.  Of the three elements the mental part is the most important.  The right mental approach ensures you’ll have the hardware and physical covered.  Mental repetition is necessary to learn the skills necessary, and developing the proper mindset prepares you for the fight.
Hardware is gear, all of it.  You must have a reliable weapon that fits your body size and the intended application.  For example a long barrel, heavy .44 magnum revolver is not for concealed carry.  After choosing a weapon you collect the gear you need.  Everything – belt, holster, magazines and pouches, flashlight, ammunition or anything else – is just as important as your choice of weapon.  Consider your options well.  Some holsters work great for carrying the pistol.  But, they may not have the shape and strength necessary to use for hooking the rear sight of the semi-auto on in order to cycle the slide during injury drills.  Choose your gear wisely, then test and evaluate to ensure it does everything you need.
That said, don’t get too caught up in the “hardware” game.  A lot of shooters are constantly trading, buying or swapping weapons while what they already have does the job well.  It’s hard to learn how to shoot accurately and manipulate the weapon properly when bouncing between a single action with a thumb safety, a double/single action with a decocker and then a striker-fired weapon without either.  Get something good, reliable that fits your hands and learn how to operate it really well.
The physical part gives people trouble.  This is about much more than just going to the range and firing off a few rounds at a target.  You’ll need to be physically able to put in time for training and practice.  If you’re not in decent shape it’s going to be difficult to participate in these actions, especially tactics like moving, using cover and shooting.  Moving with stability, especially over long distances, requires muscle control – it’s physically demanding.  Using cover requires body strength – you may need to get into and out of a kneeling position or lean out from behind cover to engage the threat, exposing the least amount of your body necessary.  The better shape you’re in physically the less the stress of being in a life-threatening situation is going to affect you.  The physical also affects the mental; the more tense the body gets the more stressed the mind becomes, which in turn makes you tense up more physically.  It’s a big circular thing going on.  Make sure you’re physically up to the task, plus this is just a good “healthy” choice.
The mental part is the most critical, and heavily influences the hardware and physical components.  As mentioned, having the right mindset keeps you on track with hardware.  The right frame of mind motivates you to exercise, creating a healthy and strong body.  To learn the skills needed to respond to danger you’ll need the right mental approach.   Ultimately, responding to danger is problem solving, usually at high speed.  You’re mind has to be “right” in order to do this.  So, stay tuned, next week we’ll explore the mental side of preparing and responding.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

MEMORIAL DAY

LET US NOT FORGET THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED AND THOSE THAT ARE NOW SERVING!  PLEASE SAY A PRAYER.  WE OWE THEM FOR ALL THAT WE HAVE!

Skill Set: Violence

Tiger ,hits the nail on head with this one! 

Skill Set: Violence

Violence is a universal language.  It’s the one form of communication everyone understands.  Regardless of the language, culture, society, time or place, everyone comprehends violence.   In order to stop aggression you must be fluent in violence.

Some people  - using the term “people” loosely – have no qualms about hurting others.  Dave Grossman calls them “wolves.”  They prey on others with an enormous appetite.  “Sheep dogs” protect the sheep, those who are incapable or unwilling of defending themselves against the wolf.  “Incapable” are the young, elderly and such.  Some are simply “unwilling,” because under the right conditions everyone is capable of doing harm to others.  The capacity to do violence lives in each of us.
Violence is in our DNA.  In the Middle Ages it’s said about twelve percent of all deaths were violent, man against man.  Today the average hovers at around two percent.  All animals will kill, but man is one of the few creatures who kill their own kind with regularity.
“Sheep” don’t like “sheepdogs.”  Most people think it’s because the dog tells the sheep what to do.  The real reason is that dogs are wolves, or at least 99.9 percent or so wolf.  The sheep dog can and will get violent.  But this aggression is kept in check except when necessary and only in defense of others.  And that is the key, knowing when it is appropriate to use aggressive force.
Violence is only justified in defense of self and others.  This requires one to study the morals and ethics of when and why force is acceptable.  Force may only be used when there are no other options.  It is for protection.  Like it or not these same morals and ethics extend to the threat.  You do everything possible to avoid having to use force against someone.  You go beyond polite, steering clear of even the possibility of becoming involved in a situation where you might be required to use violence.  But, when the time comes and they won’t listen to reason – “Leave my house now! – or block you from avoiding or escaping, they will understand force.  Stop them before they hurt you. 

 While we all have violence in us, being willing to confront an attacker may not be enough.  You’ll need tools and skills.  The best tools are firearms.  The firearm allows smaller, weaker people to defeat those who are physically “bigger” and doesn’t require years of study to become proficient.  To use them safely and efficiently you will need training, an education in their use.  Then, like every other martial art, practice is necessary to maintain and improve your skills.
The only reason it’s called “defensive handgun” is because you didn’t start the fight.  But when the time comes you’ll have to become violent, and aggressive in its application.  Stopping a violent attack requires a higher level of violence.  Two objects with equal power create a stalemate.  Make sure that when the time comes you are capable, willing and ready to judiciously apply violence.  Life is valuable, and every measure, including violence – the one language everyone understands - should be used to protect it.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy,

Skill Set: Do It Right....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: Do It Right

With firearms there is a proper technique for everything you need to do.  You “do it right” every time.  This ensures safety – always our number one concern – and efficiency, which is mandatory for self-defense.
The attention you give when handling firearms must be constant.  It takes a fraction of a second for a mistake to occur.  Mistakes with firearms are embarrassing at best, but often tragic.  The devil is in the details, and how you do anything is critical for several reasons.
Safety is mandatory when handling firearms.  Always using the proper techniques reduces the chances of you making a mistake.  It starts when you pick up the firearm.  Acquire the proper grip on the pistol, as opposed to picking it up just any ol’ way like it’s a book.  The finger is off the trigger and clear of the trigger guard.  The only time your finger is on the trigger is when the sights are on target.  At all times you’re thinking about what is a safe direction to point the muzzle, and keeping it indexed.  You check to confirm it’s empty and clear; you use the right technique.
You do it right every time because each time is a training repetition.  We learn through repetition.  Any time you handle a firearm it’s a learning opportunity.  The brain does not have a filter to funnel or separate out the “bad” repetitions.  Your goal is to make every one a “good” one.  If you get bored with the process, or haphazard in how you perform – even with the small tasks – you become unsafe, and you’re learning the wrong way to do it.  You shouldn’t have to think to determine which is the proper technique.  It becomes a religion – with a little “r.”
Consistency in your techniques is mandatory to ensure you’ll do it right when lives depend on your performance.  Using firearms is a serious matter, and should be approached accordingly.  For example, this thought should be in your mind every time you press the trigger:  “Lives depend on this shot.”  Remember, for our application firearms are weapons.  This principle applies to anything you do with a firearm.
You must also approach any and every task with a happy heart.  “I’m glad I get to shoot another group,” you think.  As opposed to, “Oh man, the instructor is making us shoot again.”  Anything you approach with dread will not be done right.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re cleaning your weapon – a task I’m not fond of – or dealing with a threat.  Attitude is everything.
As for the big picture, it’s all the same.  It takes discipline and focus to do things right; being human we tend to take the easy route, which normally isn’t the best one.  As Martin Luther King, Jr. said:  “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.  He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”  Regardless of the task you must be focused, disciplined and take joy in doing it right.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Skill Set: Shooting Tempo....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: Shooting Tempo

When you press the trigger it should be with predictable results - the bullet goes where you need it to, or at least extremely close.  The speed you shoot at is dictated by the accuracy needed.  With close, large targets you can fire rapidly.  As the distance increases, and/or the size of the target decreases you’ll need to slow down to get the desired accuracy.

Some skills can be executed at the same speed regardless of conditions.  I draw the pistol at the same speed no matter target size or distance to the target.  The speed of the draw is one that accomplishes the task efficiently, without mistakes.  Shooting tempo varies according to conditions.
Your shooting speed is just like driving.  Speed varies according to road conditions.  A normal speed on good, dry and straight blacktop might be too fast for a wet, curvy road.  Your rate of fire is also dictated by conditions.
One of the biggest problems we see on the range are shooters trying to fire at the same speed regardless of distance and size of the target.  They fire rapidly on close, large targets.  Then attempt to shoot at the same speed for a small target that’s farther away – and miss.  After missing they’ll fire again, but at the same speed or even faster in an attempt to catch up.  The entire time they’re scoring miss after miss.
When you do miss it’s because you fired too fast.  Usually this occurs because the trigger press was too fast, more of a slap or jerk.  On close/large target you can get away with a questionable trigger press.  At longer distance – or again smaller targets – the trigger press must be smooth.  It should result in a “surprise break;” when the shot does fire it sort of catches you off guard.
A miss could also result from focusing on the target instead of the front sight.  This occurs a lot at longer distances.  The focus bounces between target and front sight.  This shifting focus also occurs when engaging a moving target – the eye is attracted to the movement.  Concentrating on the front sight allows you to hold the sights steady.  Focus on the front sight before, during and after the shot.
Regulating or controlling speed is mandatory when firing on targets at varying distances and differing sizes.  This can be difficult because mentally and physically we get caught up in trying to do everything at the same speed.  Again, think about the “road conditions.”
The purpose of shooting is to hit.  Through practice you determine your shooting speed.  How fast can you shoot at close range and still get the desired accuracy?  At longer distances, or smaller targets, how slow will you need to fire to ensure hits?  Whatever speed you can hit at the range is the speed you use to engage the threat – regardless of the danger.  You cannot let the risk factor control the pace of your shooting.
Discovering your shooting speed is essential to getting hits when pressing the trigger.  Every press must result in an accurate shot.  In “real life” lives depend on your accuracy.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy,

Time....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: Time

Time is a precious commodity. There are never enough hours in the day to accomplish everything necessary.  I usually start out the day behind, and then struggle to just keep up.  In a violent confrontation, time is always a deciding factor.  You’re presented a dangerous problem.  Normally you have a very short amount of time to respond to the threat.
Use the time you have wisely.  In a confrontation you have to make every second count.  Chances are the fight is only going to last a few seconds.  The threat is going to be danger close, probably closer than ten feet.  You’re going to have to make a decision – right now - on what to do.  This buys you time to figure out what to do after that.
You’ll likely have about one second to make a decision.  Being human we tend to want details.  But, there isn’t enough time to figure out all the particulars of what’s going on.  By the time you gather all the information required to know exactly what’s going on it’s too late.  The fight is over.  You lost.
Or, you do something to buy yourself time.  One good way to create time is to force the threat to react to you.  Initially you are likely reacting to the threat.  They started the fight.  Moving, taking a lateral step to the left or right, forces the threat to respond to you.  Pushing the threat into making a response buys you time.  How much time?  It may be a half a second, or a couple of seconds.
Distance and time are very closely related.  Normally the more distance between you and the threat the more time you have.  When the threat is three feet away there’s very little time, and a restricted list of possible options.  Backing up, creating distance provides you a little bit more time, and possibly a few more alternatives in the response list.  Moving – in this case backing up – creates time.
The more distance the better.  You see someone fifty feet away look at you, turn and begin approaching.  “Stop,” you command, “Don’t come any closer!”  If they obey that’s great.  If not, they ignore the commands and continue; you’ve got plenty of distance – and time – to determine what to do next.
Moving buys you time and distance.  It also greatly reduces the chances of you being injured.  When you’re moving it’s more difficult for the threat to hit, cut or shoot you.
While time is critical, you can’t feel rushed.  If you let circumstance dictate how fast you perform you’ll end up going too fast, which only leads to making mistakes.  A mistake may provide the threat a window of opportunity to take control of the fight.  You’ll make enough mistakes without creating more by going too fast.  And there’s certainly not enough time for you to think about any mistakes you might make.  When a mistake does occur you’ll need to fix it, correcting or compensating as necessary and continuing the fight.
Time is always in short supply.  Don’t waste it, and whenever possible work to create more time.  This allows you to make more assessments and decisions on what your next actions should be.  You act again, continuing to put pressure on your opponent.  You want to “suck” all his time away, never giving him an opportunity to catch up.  This continues until you’ve won.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

2x2x2 Drill

Back again with another good (On Demand) pistol drill.  This drill is the creation of Dave Spaulding (Handgun Combatives).  The drill is designed to be shot cold bore, no warm up or practice.  It is a drill that is designed to test your ability to present a gun from a holster and get two accurate hits on a small target from 20 feet.  The target represents the size of the Aorta area of the human body.

Ok, so here is the drill, 2 shots placed within the area of a 3" x 5" rectangular box (index card), in 2 seconds or less, from 20 feet. Anything on any line is considered a good hit.  Try it out!

I'll take that.  Not too bad for an old guy!

Food for Thought....Tiger Mckee

Skill Set: Prepare

Another active killer has attacked a school.  The uneducated public is calling for more control over firearms.  We know that’s not going to do any good, yet most of us sit quietly, never pushing or demanding for solutions that will work.  The best way to ensure safety is to prepare for violence.
It’s sad that money is protected well, much better than our children – our greatest asset.  Nobody would think of having thousands of dollars stacked up without a facility to protect it and armed guards ready to stop someone from taking it.  Yet we willingly send children off to school where there is no legitimate plan to protect them from a violent killer.  Gretchen and I don’t have kids, but if we had school-aged children I guarantee you we would be demanding school authorities provide adequate security.
What does “security” look like?  It doesn’t take much imagination to come up with a plan.  First off, limit access to school grounds.  The best way to defeat an attacker is to never allow them opportunity.  Nobody gets in without being admitted.
Students must be educated on what to do if an attack occurs.  I asked several teachers and school staff about how they prepare kids for an attack.  The responses were varied, but all of them were unacceptable.  Evil is out there, and it’s irresponsible not to teach our children how to address it.
Next, there should be armed, trained adults on campus who are ready and willing to defend students.  Firearms are the best tools we have to stop an armed and violent attack.  They are easy to use and extremely effective.  And, in the trained person’s hands, they are safe.  As always, training is the key.  The skills necessary to use a firearm safely and efficiently are not that difficult to learn and maintain.  That’s what makes firearms so great; you don’t have to be big or strong to use them.  Being equipped to defeat an attacker is not difficult.  There is no reason not to be ready.
The willingness to confront violence is of the utmost importance.  Given a choice, none of us would willingly go forward and confront violence.  Moving towards a violent conflict isn’t easy.  But, having an emotional attachment makes a difficult decision much easier.  Someone with a personal attachment to the possible victims is going to the danger, regardless of the odds they face.  Campus staff, parents and members of the community who are connected at the hearts to students must be ready to defend their wards.  Being responsible means taking measures to avoid danger.  If necessary – when these steps fail - it demands standing face to face with evil, addressing it with enough violence to stop it.
There is no reason we can’t protect those we are responsible for.  If you’re an adult, and choose not to defend yourself, that’s your choice.  Not safeguarding our children is disgraceful.  It’s time we demand that schools take the necessary steps to protect students.  As George Herbert said, “One sword keeps another in the sheath.”  A secure environment isn’t an easy target.  But, when these measures are unsuccessful we must be poised and ready to shut evil down with aggressive, controlled violence.  Or, we can all sit around, be punished for the sins of others and watch the same thing happen again.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy

Hi folks, have some extra time so I just wanted to share a shooting drill with you.  The drill is called the 5x5x5 drill or the Larry Vicker's 1/2 test.  What it is, is a drill that is designed to test your skill level with your EDC gun.  It is a balance between speed and accuracy.  We all know or should know that fast misses don't count and only good solid hits will neutralize a threat. These hits have to be placed within a reasonable short period of time.  The fact is that the person who hits that high upper chest area first is generally the person that prevails in a life threatening encounter.  These are not my stats, but what has found to be true.  So without any further A-Do here is the drill.  This drill is fired from the holster at 5 yards, 5 shots and has to be done in 5 seconds or less, no misses.  Target is the 5 1/2" NRA  Bullseye target.  This drill can generally be done at most ranges that allow experienced trained shooters the benefit of being able to practice a necessary skill, presentation from a holster.  This drill should be shot cold with no warm-ups.  

 I carry a Glock 19 which I believe to be one of the finest midsize combat handguns ever made.  I shot this drill using 115 gr. hand loads that are loaded to factory specs.  Here are my results;

I'll take that.  Not bad for an old fart!

A little advice is to make sure that you are carrying a gun and a caliber that you can handle.  I often see too many people carrying firearms chambered in a caliber that they cannot not control the recoil.  The 40 cal. is just one example.

Till next time, TRAIN HARD, FIGHT EASY!

Good read from , The Wire

Single Officer Response in Active Shooter Events

 

Our guest author back when he wrote this piece in 2008

---

Editor’s Note: As The Tactical Wire approaches our 10th Anniversary of service, we look back in light of recent revelations regarding the Parkland Fla. School shooting. Our own Chuck Haggard was one of the first of our guest commentators when he penned this for our July 3, 2008 edition. We reprint it here for your thought and discussion.

A recent article by law enforcement trainer Ron Borsch sent out via the Force Science Research Center's e-newsletter has generated a great deal of controversy among law enforcement officers and trainers. In the newsletter Borsch advocates a single officer response to active-shooter incidents as being appropriate. Although many trainers feel that a single officer response to an active-shooter incident is never appropriate due to officer safety considerations, I have to strongly disagree.

To help readers evaluate my opinion I should give a bit of my back-ground; I am a police officer with 21 years of service, who has served over 18 years on a busy tactical team, as well as being a firearms and defensive tactics instructor. I'm affiliated with two different training organizations which provide law enforcement use of force and tactical training (including active-shooter response instructor training) to a national and international audience. More importantly, I have responded to active-shooter situations on two occasions in my career; on one of those occasions I was forced by circumstance to go after the shooter by myself.

We as law enforcement officers need to have a clear idea of what the hierarchy of safety needs really is. Officer safety is NOT our first concern, if it were we would either hide out at the police station all day or, better yet, just stay home and not go to work. Police work is not about risk avoidance, it is about risk mitigation while also doing the job we have sworn to do. The hierarchy of needs is, and has always been, that the people we protect come first. We place ourselves in the line of fire to protect the citizens we serve, thus the victims of any crime and the bystanders on scene are the first and second priority of any police response. The safety of the officer is almost always the third place consideration.

With that philosophy in mind, I am a strong advocate for the single officer response as being a valid tactical response in some active-shooter situations. The history of modern active-shooters in the U.S. shows us that the shooter(s) will be killed by the responders, will give up, or will kill themselves when the first hint of tactical pressure is placed upon them. Although not all "shooter" incidents have worked out this way, the vast majority have fallen into one of the three typical end results.

Since response to an active-shooter incident is a race, a race between the responder(s) stopping the shooter and the shooter racking up a greater and greater body count, I strongly advocate that officers should move to contact as quickly as possible, and by themselves if need be, to expedite stopping the shooter from killing more victims.

Is this always a good idea? A resounding "No" would be the answer. In the tactical world there is no tactic that is always appropriate, but few tactics have the word "never" attached to them.

The history of active-shooter incidents is filled with successful examples of single officer (either off-duty or on) or citizen response to a shooter, I will list just a few off the top of my head;

Mall shooting in Kansas City Mo.
Church shooting in Colorado Springs
Trolley Square Mall shooting in Salt Lake City
School shooting at high school in Pearl Miss.
Santee California High School shooting
Fairchild Air Force Base shooting
El Cajon California high school shooting
Dimebag Darrell concert shooting, Columbus Ohio
Topeka KS domestic violence shooter incident

In each of the noted cases, either the shooter was captured or gunned down by the first responding officer or citizen, or the first responder placed enough tactical pressure on the shooter to both stop the killing and allow other officers to finish the job.

Although I have no firsthand experience, I can only imagine that gunning down numerous unarmed people to exact revenge for some perceived slight, and thus fulfilling one's personal revenge fantasy, is a very exciting event. Exciting events tend to bring with them the same baggage to the shooter that officers and armed citizens have to deal with.

Everyone who carries a gun for duty or protection should be aware of the physical and mental aspects of responding to critical incidents. It should suffice to say that such aspects of the human condition as fight or flight response, adrenalin stress, tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, etc. should be well known to any serious student of preparation for combat or self defense.

This knowledge and training can be a very solid advantage to the first responder who is going after an active-shooter as the shooter will very likely not be educated and trained to deal with these aspects of armed conflict. In my opinion, the shooter will very likely never see the first responder coming.

In one of the two active shooter incidents in my town during my career I was part of a very large response to a shooter who had invaded the Federal Building. He was both an active-shooter and an active-bomber as he had built numerous impact detonated pipe bombs.

In this incident the shooter eventually fired from an upper story window at responding officers, then killed himself with a head shot after setting one of the bombs on his body to explode. Note; shooter yet again kills himself as soon as his plan falls apart due to tactical pressure placed on him my first responders.

In my own single officer response, the incident played out as follows:

I was assigned to uniform patrol and was serving as an FTO. I was riding with a rookie partner who had been with me only a few days. My partner had been an EMT and worked for the local ambulance service before being hired by my department. We received a dispatch call reference a domestic incident where the estranged ex was trying to kick in the front door to the residence. The female half had moved in with her parents to get away from the male half. We were about four blocks away when this call came out.

As we pulled up, dispatch advised that they had shots fired on 911. As I bailed out of the car I saw the female half's mother running down the front porch steps. She was holding the right side of her neck with her hands and blood was squirting out from between her fingers. As she ran towards me she was yelling "He's killing the babies, he's killing the babies!"

Any officer placed in this situation has no choice; you have to go, you have to go with the gear you are carrying on your person, and you have to go right now.

As I ran for the front door of the house I yelled at my rookie to render aid as I knew she would bleed out in minutes if not seconds. I knew he could handle the medical issue. I bolted up the steps, pistol in hand, moving as fast as I thought I could engage.

At that time I had been a SWAT team member for several years. I was carrying a brand new high capacity "wonder 9" with another smaller version as a back-up gun, as well as wearing my vest. I shot a lot of IPSC matches and I practiced quite a bit on the side. With my SWAT team experience and firearms skills I hoped for a best case scenario; to catch up to the shooter quickly and gun him down before he saw me coming.

I figured in the worst case I was picking a 50/50 gunfight, an event for which I was hoping to be better prepared and equipped than he was.

As I crossed the porch I could see the shooter through the front door, I went "guns up" on him as I moved forward. He saw me at the same time and ducked to my left, the door frame blocking my view of him. He saw me so quickly as he had been scanning, I believe for the female's sister who had gone into a closet and was hiding. I pushed hard and fast, "pieing" the door as I went, hoping to get a slice of the shooter and to open fire as soon as I had a piece of him available to shoot. I did not need to as the shooter fired a shot into his own head.

The female half and her father were dead, they had suffered head shots. Mom survived as the shooter had pulled the attempted head shot on her and my partner was able to control the bleeding. The female's little sister and the two babies were unharmed.

I have absolutely no doubt at all that if I had not pressured the shooter when I did that he would have killed the babies and the little sister, then finished off mom, before killing himself.

In my case I would have loved to have had a patrol rifle with me, but this was well before patrol rifles were cool, well before Columbine was part of our vocabulary. Even then, if the rifle had not been immediately available to me from a rack in the car it would have been left behind, I did not have time to dig a carbine out of a bag in my patrol car trunk.

We are all colored by our education, training and life experiences. Mine tells me that sometimes a first responder has to act alone to save lives, that there is no time to wait for help, and that this is the only tactical and morally correct thing to do.

I have seen reference to the Beslan incident as an example of how a single officer response is a bad idea. Well, I'm here to tell you that SEALTeam 6 would have been in trouble at Beslan. Even in this extreme example, a single responder quickly laying down fire on the bad guys before then can get their target victims and scene secure would serve to put a monkey wrench in their plan.

In less extreme examples, I have read concern that officer could be ambushed by the shooter. I have two problems with that train of thought; 1. It's never happened (although I know that doesn't mean it could someday) 2. Lying in wait for first responders is NOT active shooting.

If the first responder has no idea where the shooter is and will have to search to find them then a single officer response would not be appropriate. However I strongly feel that if a single officer can see the shooter, or can hear the shots close by, that they should immediately move to contact and engage the shooter. This has been successfully accomplished too many times for anyone to say that it is not a valid tactic.

Chuck Haggard has been a full time law enforcement officer for around three decades, and served his previous department as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor since the late 1980s.  Chuck also served as member of that agency’s tactical team for 17 years.  Chuck is an instructor-trainer for the National Law Enforcement Training Center and an active IDPA and USPSA competitor. After retiring from full time law enforcement, Chuck took on public safety duties at an airport and started his own training company, Agile Training and Consulting.

The Delta Force - "Land Of Wolves" (2018 ᴴᴰ)

Firearm Safety! Get it Right!....Tiger McKee

Skill Set: Get It Right

A mistake with firearms is embarrassing at best, but often times tragic.  As owner of a firearm it’s your responsibility to ensure every action you perform is done safely.  Safety is the result of always using proper technique and when a problem is discovered, correcting it immediately.
In the beginning, when these actions may be new, you should think about how to do something before ever starting.  Go over in your mind what you need to do, visualizing yourself performing the necessary actions.  Before touching the weapon decide where is a safe direction in which to keep the muzzle directed.
“If I did have a negligent discharge what will stop or trap the bullet,” you ask, preventing it from causing any injury.  Look around, taking note where other people are so you don’t muzzle them.  Most rounds will easily punch through interior walls, so this includes people that might be in the same structure as you but not in the same room.  Once you’ve decided what you need to do and calculated how to perform those actions, visualizing them, then you act.
While working with the firearm don’t get into a hurry or be distracted.  Fast will get you into trouble with the opposite gender, motorcycles and guns.  Going slow decreases the chances you’ll make a mistake.  Avoid letting your mind become involved in anything else.  When that firearm is in hand, your sole purpose in life is safety.  If there is something else that needs to be done, secure the weapon first.
When you do make a mistake, stop and make a correction.  Not correcting a mistake immediately increases the chances you’ll do it again.  We tend to get locked into behavior patterns.  It becomes “O.K,” and eventually forms a habit.  You cannot afford bad habits with firearms.  Applying an immediate correction – to yourself or someone else – disrupts the action, both physically and mentally.
When I make a mistake not only is it corrected immediately, but I’ll also perform the corrected action several times – right then and there.  Otherwise it gets planted into my miniature brain as a right or acceptable action.  Don’t let a wrong thought or action go uncorrected, and the best time to correct it is right then and there.
Finally, every time there are firearms present – whether it’s you or someone else handling them – stay serious.  This is not the time to be joking around.  You make sure everyone maintains the proper attitude.  If there is a problem you can’t correct, you should leave, moving to a safe area.  Firearms are lethal weapons, and must be treated accordingly.
The ability to handle a firearm properly is a skill.  It’s developed over time, always using correct techniques, which ensures safety.  Get instruction in how to operate your firearm safely.  Always stay focused, never allowing yourself to become distracted.  Watch yourself, and keep an eye on others. When a mistake is identified correct the problem immediately.  And when you get it right, always congratulate yourself, creating confidence and a positive self-image.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, 

Concealed Carry

Concealed Carry: Appendix Inside the Waist Band, Trigger Control and Situational Awareness

February 17, 2018 by Robert Johnson 0 Comments

Appendix Inside the Waist Band (AIWB) Carry has become more and more popular as internet personalities use and promote it. The ability to carry concealed is at an all time high, for us good guys, at least. Bad Guys have been doing this forever, and they usually carry stolen guns, which is likely one reason among many that they’re called Bad Guys. Anyway, a lot of good people are actually carrying, and that’s a good thing.

To be cliche, life is short, and we should embrace every day as favorably as we can, and pursue what we enjoy. However, there are days when perhaps, through some twisted, masochistic trait of my own generation, I force myself to watch the trials of the elite out there in Internet Land. Typically, it’s some tool bag with a clever screen name, whining about some microscopic thing that invites his fellow cretins of a similar stripe (also with clever screen names).

My job, at its base level, is to train people to overcome dilemmas when firearms usage is unavoidable, and all avenues exhausted. The pivotal time is at hand, and we must stop the miscreant(s) from harming ourselves, others, and/or the public at large.

Of course, since everyone is not inculcated in a constant bath of high stress, this is when the brain tends to “go Caveman’, and we’re reduced to very base behavior sets. Thus, watching/listening to these people could be considered homework, of a sort. So far, I’ve placated myself into this belief.

Since my state allowed its residents to carry concealed, I’ve had my permit. It’s utterly amazing how many people are at loggerheads about just HOW to carry, WHAT to carry, and so on. I have to be adult enough to recognize that not everyone carries a pistol as part of their daily routine, and then, with bated breath, wade into the nonsense.

One of the carry modes taking up a lot of space is the AIWB. If you don’t know- AIWB is an acronym for Appendix, Inside the Waist Band. Doesn’t that sound tacticool? Anyway, the dilemma of a LOT of these people is about potentially shooting ones self in the Femoral Artery, which turns into a soliloquy to rival Hamlet. They go back and forth, talking themselves into, and out of, this mode of carry. Usually, along the way, the second dilemma rears its ugly head, and that is, to carry chamber hot, or not? Following are one guys observations about things like these. This should be fun.

Let’s start with facts. Each of us is shaped differently, by degrees. Women are shaped differently than men.Each of us will have ideas that others won’t like. The trouble starts when people get a little, shall we say, AGGRESSIVE, about why their way is best, and then make a self inflicted video of themselves perhaps being rather silly about a debate they started themselves.

To carry inside the waistband is a life changing decision- let’s face it. All of your clothing has to be increased in size to accommodate a pistol hiding in the pants…somewhere. Common motions like rapidly squatting, bending, etc. can be challenged by the introduction of this foreign object we’ve decided to tuck into our dungarees.

AIWB people, at least out there in Internet Land, seem fixated on using full size duty pistols, and a few of these pistols are also sporting lights. As a holster maker, I’ve done a few of these, and cringe each time I do.

Let’s realize that not everyone is svelte enough to put a 2 pound gun into our Levi’s- it’s a question of Tactical Girth. I’ve tried it several times, and don’t like it. I prefer Strong Side Hip Carry, just like I carry my duty pistol- economy of motion. To be caught flat footed rooting deeply/semi-controllably with both hands in my pants,trying to access a firearm while keeping a dirtbag from ventilating me seems rather silly at least, and fatal, at most.

Also, look at the majority of these people going on, pouring their hearts out to Internet Land, and you’ll see that by and large, they are of a type. They’re typically blessed with good genetics, a lot of them appear to be physically fit, and it makes me wonder if they had enough attention as children in their formative years. The good news is, thanks to everyone having a palm sized computer now, they can extol the virtues of themselves whenever they want to.

These people need to understand that the clock is ticking for all of us, and that with life comes changes. After the age of 40, the old body just starts to degrade, and trying to keep things going smoothly takes a lot more work. Perhaps the AIWB mode won’t be so groovy then, who knows? If you’re over 40, and still rocking the AIWB carry, hats off to you. If you get the chance, check out the old Western photos of how people concealed revolvers back in the day.

I’ve written like 3 articles for this forum now, so I’m a  Bona Fide pro. This is a silly presumption, is it not? However, just as easily, I could get on my phone and do all sorts of matriculation to post video in Internet Land saying I was indeed a pro of … whatever. In my spastic way, I’m striving for analogy of what chafes my cheeks about this whole AIWB “issue”, whether real or imagined. A lot of these Logo Lovers are toting Glocks when they decry the turbulence that is their life, and their maudlin indecision to make decisions. This greatly offends me, and here are some reasons why.

These guys treat Glocks like the Hot Psycho Girlfriend- that means- hey, this gun is The Stuff, but I’m not sure where I want to hide it, and how I want to feed it- chamber hot, or not? Alas, poor Hamlet! I DO NOT get paid by Glock, I’ve just used and maintained a few hundred of them for the better part of a quarter century.

One of our poor Hamlets was explaining to the world how he had reverted from carrying a striker fired pistol (i.e. Glock), and went back to a Double Action/Single Action trigger set up, as if anyone cared. He was carrying both pistol types AIWB, and had great concern for his Femorals, and the possibility that he could take his family bloodline out of the picture if he got Froggy  Finger on the Bang Switch.

This may be a time for a teaching point, if you don’t know what a DA/SA trigger arrangement is. The idea in a nutshell is that the chamber has a round in it, and things are going wrong. You get the Roscoe out of your pants (in this particular carry choice) and come to bear on the target that has the ability to end your life, or someone elses.

That first trigger press will break the shot at say, 12 pounds. Provided you have presence of mind to ride trigger reset (a skill that takes practice, but is very doable) your follow up shots will break at say 8 pounds. Basically, the first shot takes more poundage, follow up shots, less poundage. Is everyone clear, now? Good.

The DA/SA set up has been around for decades, and you typically find it in service pistols of the military/police flavors. I can say to you that I had this arrangement for a few years in the form of the HK USP 40 caliber arrangement. I could make it work, quite effectively. I can also say to you that for the average person off the street, it’s a flaming nightmare from a teaching /learning perspective -and this is only one guys perspective.

Here is why,whether you want to admit this or not, this type of trigger set up allows you to believe (at some level) that you can have the finger on the trigger, pressing out slack, and if you don’t have to fire, you could save yourself from firing , due to heavy poundage, and, perhaps you target saw the error of his ways, and dropped his gun.This is a foolhardy thought process, at its core. I’ll also step out onto a thin, trembling limb and say this, have you ever noticed the amounts paid in lawsuits versus the dollar amounts spent on training?

Now, let’s introduce the second portion of the nightmare- we know that the brain “goes Caveman” when things start to unravel. We drop into Isosceles- not Frickin Weaver, for Petes sakes, we have blood flooding to our core, yada yada yada. If you feel that the physiological aspects of high stress are worthy of further exploration, leave editorial comments, and we could delve deeper into that. Let’s carry on with nightmare , part Deux, shall we?

Admit to yourself this fact- from a uniformed carry capacity, you don’t exactly over train (typically), and if you carry as a private person….you probably don’t train, either. Not when there are A.D.D. inducing things to do, like watching (insert sport of choice here), spending thousands of dollars on a hobby like golf (nonsense), or thousands more outwitting a crafty creature…like a fish.Or, maybe you’re too busy self-decrying your plethora of problems with your phone, and sharing it with the world out there in Internet Land.

So, you have your DA/SA trigger arrangement, you got the gist of it however long ago, and managed to shoot a qualifying score of whatever dubious demand, and you’ve now convinced yourself that you are the Pistolero of the Tri County Area. Since you’ve got that rocking 6 pack o abs,(carefully concealed by just a light coat of Tactical Girth) you’ve also got the latest/greatest kydex holsterthat is capable of making you 50% better just by sticking it in your pants.

You killed the absolute HELL out of a paper target at 15 feet two years ago (granted, it was paper, and it couldn’t move, because it was stapled down real good). You hit that 3×2 foot piece of paper nearly every time- now granted, the sights are a little bit off, because nearly all of your shots went low left (you’re an awesome Righty, after all), and you’ve got that kick ass DA/SA trigger set up that the (Insert police department/military unit here) uses, and it’s All Good.Besides, we had to get home early that day, because watching cars go around in the same circle, really fast, is utterly rapture-inducing.

If it were possible for both of my triggeer fingers to develop nausea from pecking out this type of hogwash, both would be vomiting, but this is how a LOT of people equate their abilities-part time average shooter (at best) with an over abundance of self inflected Bad Assery.Dangerous.

Back to Hamlet. He’d had a DA/SA trigger- most likely from a former profession. He got on the CCW/Poly pistol bandwagon, and rode it all the way to town. At some point, the festering thoughts of Femoral piercing, and junk shooting started to foment rebellion in his mind, and he said to himself “Self, we should go BACK to that other kind of trigger, you know, that one that absolutely prevents me hurting my little self, while releasing the hounds on these Bad Guys I’m fantasizing of. Both he and Himself were content with that, and he felt that through his epiphany, it should be shared with all who chose to read his tale of convoluted logic.

Back to reality, and Glocks. They have changed the game. If you choose to deny that, fine. I’m a trained, certified Armorer for Glocks, and feel it prudent to share a few truths.Striker fired pistols now appear in many formats by various makers, and what they do, and how they make their bits/pieces work is stunning, I’m sure, but I’m sticking to Glock, because that’s who certifies me. I’ve been an Armorer for other platforms of pistols as well, but, that’s not germane right now.We’re going to show you something through a display that you will perform.

Step 1- take your Glock, and empty it. Visually, verbally,physically verify the damned thing is empty. We need to be absolutely certain the firearm is EMPTY. If you screw this up, someone could die. Things get no simpler than that-no margin for error here.Even better yet- divest yourself of all external factors that might distract you from what is about to happen. That means get rid of the damned phone (no one wants to see you pursing your lips as you gush on about whatever you ate- no one cares. By the way, those photos are not SELFIES- they are LONELIES. If you are so out of touch that you have to take pictures of yourself, or food, reconsider carrying a firearm, at all.

Step 2- We have an empty Glock. Now, really look at the trigger- and note there’s a “tab” in the center. Do NOT touch the tab, and charge the slide- that means , pull the slide to the rear, as if you were chambering a round, which you do not have, because you have no bullets or magazines at all. We are in Learning Mode. We have an empty, charged pistol at this point, and we’ve noticed there’s a “tab” inside the trigger shell. This is our Trigger Safety. While still not touching the Trigger Safety, put both trigger fingers on either side of the Trigger Safety, and pull to the rear as hard as you can. Pull that damn thing back until you feel light headed, and the pistol is shaking in your palsied hands, and what happens?

NOTHING! this is Exhibit A- if you don’t put your booger hook on the Bang Switch until you’re ready to engage, the gun CANNOT fire. Simple. Now, if you get Froggy Fingered (a.k.a. stupid) and initiate the firing sequence, well, the 3 safeties of the Glock will work as designed, and the round will detonate. The gun is an inanimate object, and to function, it needs a stimulus.

You are exactly that- your finger is the  stimulus. If the target is “your junk” when you suffer from mental flatulence, well, hopefully you can diall 911 as you leak out. By the way, you’ve got about 120 seconds. Maybe the Bad Guy won’t rob you as you fade out. (You probably don’t carry a tourniquet, anyway- that pocket is for carrying your phone, after all.) Ergo, it is logical to NOT put the finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. Maybe someone should make that a rule, or something, and put it out there to the shooting community at large, to get everyone into the proper frame of mind…

Glocks are DAO- the BATF says so. DAO means Double Action Only, and they come from the factory with 5.5 pound triggers. This is good enough, leave it alone. Perhaps you have some other flavor of striker fired pistol, like a Springfield XD-these are considered SAO-or, Single Action Only. It’s really fun to listen to “experts” pontificate about how the XD trigger is “smoother than Glock”.

Well, since it’s a SAO, and a Glock is DAO, it damn well ought to have a smoother trigger. Geez…If you want to see if the same exercise works with your XD,try it. The caveat remains the same, make sure the gun is unloaded, chamber empty,no magazines in the area, and Rock On, Willie.

Back to our Hamlet- ah, the lamentation. I wonder if Hamlet knew any of this, or if he just drank the kool-aid from wherever he’d first came across the DA/SA flavored pistol. His “logic” was first, carry the DA/SA (likely because it was mandated), switch to poly striker (was this a band in the 80’s? Poly Striker? I might have seen them in concert) and somewhere along the line, he had his Epiphany (which he shared, remember?) and went back to DA/SA to preserve “his junk”.

Arguably, he now is carrying a more complicated pistol, and he has to remember that reset thingy to get a lighter series of follow up shots(under excruciating stress). Isn’t it great to live in America, where you can own multiple pistols, and you can fumble around and buy pretty much any trigger set up your little misinformed heart desires? Isn’t this a polite way of saying “do what you want”?

No aggression here, just thought invoking statements designed to spur you into making educated decisions, rather than the rants of a guy who perhaps is missing some pretty pivotal points.But hey, he’s skinny enough to carry his gun AIWB, so that’s awesome, just ask him-never mind, he’ll TELL you.

If you go into concealed carry, you owe it to everyone (those around you too, not just yourself) to explore the various facets of each carry type. This can get expensive, or, you can borrow stuff from peers to try in the name of science. Make your own decisions, and don’t drink the kool-aid of the person you may be borrowing gear from. They may have valuable insights, but, you are the alleged adult who has opted into this very serious endeavor, that carries enormous gravity.Each carry mode has virtues, as well as pitfalls.

Regardless of which mode you choose- there is one constant that you cannot purchase- Situational Awareness.I can say to you that I’ve carried a sidearm to protect myself and others for nearly 3 decades, and a lot of these “experts” who work themselves into a lather with their “tutorials” on the You Tube would definitely have my antennae up, if we occupied  the same space and time. I’m a passionate guy, and I get the concept, but some of these people carry on vociferously, and their eyes are open a little too wide. Some of you understand what that means.

Has Situational Awareness ever really changed? Granted, the tools we use in tandem with it have indeed changed. Holsters only came in leather, once upon a time. Then, nylon was going to save the world. Some embrace change, while others claw against it. Kydex has revolutionized things, and yet there are those who resist it. Are they wrong? I can encourage you to have Awareness, but can I truly teach it? I can have you tell yourself to “watch for things”, but the damned phone will trump my words, nearly every time.

The sad truth is that the phone has become the bubble of the Grass Eater. The analogy of Sheep, Wolves, and Sheep Dogs is at an all time high, and the frickin Sheep Dogs are getting obsessed with the phones, as well. If you’re really invested in the kydex wave, get yourself a holster for your phone, and keep it there.

The flock truly needs you, as now they tend to pay their bills with the phone, and their whole little life is sunk into that collection of parts as they go about their “day” , rapt and absorbed. Who knows, maybe they’re watching a video put out by a misinformed “expert” on how to carry the pistol they’re paying no attention to.

So, what did we learn?

Lots of people are legally carrying today

Lots of these people may not have Situational Awareness

You cannot purchase Situational Awareness (even on your phone, and there’s no app for it)

Everyone is unique, and carry options vary

Tactical Girth, physical size, body shape, age, and potential physical infirmities will dictate what works for you

Your carry mode means Absolute Squat if you do not practice the necessary manipulations dry at home, and hot on a range

If you find yourself in a true gunfight, don’t over analyze shooting your Femorals, or “junk”, (if toting AIWB style)- that’s where training comes into play. If you DO over analyze, it’s okay, because maybe the Bad Guy will shoot either of those areas for you

Being passionate about a topic is fine- with proper knowledge of the topic. Attempted Coercion through hostility is NOT passion

Lots of people carry striker fired pistols, and all stripes of trigger set ups in between

If you don’t press the trigger, the gun won’t go “BANG”

Bonus Item, Number 11- Was Poly Striker really a band? Are you sure?

Featured image courtesy of NightHawk Custom

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Johnson Robert has nearly 3 decades of service in the private security sector and firearms training. His depth experience with firearms includes work as an instructor, armorer, and hobbyist. An avid fan of bending kydex, and building performance firearms, he has a heavy leaning toward the designs of Stoner and Glock.