TRAINING...2014 Season starting out with a BANG!

My plan for this coming year is to get back to doing a lot of firearms training and doing a lot of training classes.  Based on the last two months this appears to be looking like a pretty solid plan.  Just wrapped up the third Safety & Basic Skills Class.  Extremely good attendance for all the classes.  I have two private Intermediate Skill Classes scheduled in the next two weeks and it looks like we will be doing our first Pa Act 235 Re-certification  class on March 12,2014.  I am planning on attending the 3 day IALEFI Instructor Development Class which is coming up the last week in April.  It is being host by my former agency and will be held at there training center in Jackson, NJ. It will be great to be back training on that range.  Looking forward to the rest of the year.  


TRAIN HARD! / FIGHT EASY!

      

GOOD ADVICE

STAY IN YOUR LANE

BY HILTON YAM   |   POSTED ON 02/17/2014 BY HILTON YAM   |   IN 

§  TRAINING

The firearms training industry is absolutely brimming with personalities of all types, and as a student it can be very difficult to filter through the noise and find quality instruction and guidance which pertains to one’s specific needs.

So many people in the industry seem desperate to spread themselves into areas where they have no business venturing.  The flip side to that is that we have plenty of folks in the industry with great resumes in their respective lanes, and if you seek what they have to offer, then absolutely go to them.  

In my travels, I find that there are a few cookie cutter formats of folks who are getting way out of their lanes, and consumers should be wary of these personalities.  Here are a few which seem to be quite prolific:

The “Bro, my ops were so black…” Ninja Guy:  Part of smart shopping is the instructor vetting process.  I would offer that instructors are vague about their operational backgrounds for several reasons: 1) still active duty and limited on disclosure or 2) there is nothing relevant to disclose so subterfuge rules the day. It can be hard to discern between the two….so buyers need to dig around a bit.  Why is the background so important?  If your SWAT team is looking for some specialized tactical instruction, you may want your instructor to have done what you do, so that you are getting relevant information from someone with experience.  If your team gets involved in a shooting, the ensuing court case(s) will surely dig up this instructor’s background, so it may be best to get any uncomfortable discoveries out of the way before hiring that person.

The “Wow look the interwebz lets me have fans who care what I have to say even though they wouldn’t if they saw me shoot in person” pundit: Anyone with internet access now has (theoretically) equal footing with industry professionals who have been at this for years.  There are a plethora of personalities who spread their gospel, yet have nothing truly of value to offer, yet either through the miracle of glossy Youtube videos, tight shirts and a nice smile (applies to either gender), they gather a legion of fans.  Just because someone has those amusing videos or a lot of followers, don’t let that be the end of your vetting process.  If the individual truly has something of value to offer, it will be evident beyond their promotional materials.  If you want sound advice, go to an experienced shooter/instructor, not someone who throws themselves out for attention and free wares.

“I took a few classes, so I am now as ninja as the dudes teaching that class!” I encourage everyone to get out and take as much training as they can afford, it grows the industry and it is a good thing to do as responsible firearms owners.  However, just because you have had a few classes, do not mistake what you have learned about as having done the same.

“Wow I am an A class shooter and I took a tactical class, why do all these tactical guys suck?!” This could be a whole other series, but suffice to say that while the average cop would not do very well at an IDPA or USPSA match, the necessary skill sets to succeed in each discipline diverge after you leave the firing line.  Know the difference as both a student and as an instructor, but don’t let one side sell you the line that the other side is of no value.  There are plenty of tactical instructors who are high level technical shooters, if you want a one stop shop.

“I watched all the episodes of Miami Vice and sent away for a badge, let me teach your team how to do cop stuff!”  If you are representing yourself has having LE creds, please have real LE creds and experience.  If I told you I had trained Gracie Juijitsu for only 2 yrs part time, you would not hire me to train you to fight in the UFC.  Enough said.

I could go on, but you get the idea.  Here are some thoughts for shopping for industry professionals, and also serves for a bit of introspection for budding industry personalities.

If you are in need of relevant training for LE applications, look for someone with a true depth of experience in your field.  For LE, everything you do could eventually become a matter of court record, so be smart and train with instructors who are experienced with policy constraints and use of force as applicable.  That instructor who was only in for 1-2 years in a small PD may lack the depth to really understand all the issues at hand if you are bringing them in to teach arrest tactics.  This does not mean you have to only train with LE or former LE, but be prepared to reframe your new learning into the context of your employment.

If you are a CCW or home defense minded shooter, consider that getting kitted up with a plate carrier, chest rig, and battle belt might not apply so well to your applications.  If you want to go to adventure camp, then enjoy.  But don’t let someone sell you a bill of goods that won’t be relevant if you are seeking specific defensive skills.

If you want technical skills, find someone with excellent technical skills who is able to pass them on to shooters of all skill levels.  Anyone who tells you that you don’t need technical skills because you are being “tactical” and “skills” will get you killed…..is telling you to shop elsewhere because they have no technical skills to teach you.  If you do not see your instructor shoot one round during the class, begin to question what you are being taught.

I will offer an important caveat to all of this.  As industry professionals, we all need to start somewhere.  If you are becoming an instructor, internet personality, blogger, etc., be up front with who you are and what you have to offer.  Are you an avid competition shooter?  Then teach competition classes or offer skills classes commensurate with your experience level.  Are you a hobby shooter who has a great passion for the industry and want to share it?  Then embrace that, be that, and people will respect your honesty.  You don’t have to be a ninja or world champion, and you will go farther in the industry being yourself.

As a consumer, recognize who has what to offer, and go to the correct people for it.  Know exactly what you are looking to receive, and be a smart shopper.  If you were offended by this article, then perhaps you need to do some introspection.

PRACTICE

I was going to post an article today that had to do with PRACTICE/TRAINING.  Thanks to an article that I found on F B posted by Dave Spaulding, and written by Paul R. Howe I just had to copy and paste this outstanding information.  I have always found it not only stupid but also crazy to waste time doing anything that someone with both integrity and experience has already done.  Dave Spauling and Paul R. Howe are two of the most experienced operators/trainers in the world.  I hope you enjoy!   



TRAINING FOR THE REAL FIGHT 

OR 

AVOIDING FANTASY GUNFIGHT TRAINING 


Realistic training for a future gunfight is critical for a successful outcome. My 
combat experiences have taught me to reevaluate my training system, work ethic 
and how to channelize my training regime into a more streamlined and effective 
package. It also confirmed some lessons while voiding others. Proven combat 
techniques may not be flashy and may require a bit more physical effort on the part 
of the shooter. Further, they may not win competition matches, but they will help 
ensure your survival in a shooting or gunfight on the street. 

First, I learned through experience that I would rather be in a “Shooting” than a 
“Gunfight.” The difference is simple. A shooting is one-way event, all the shooting 
is done by me. The gunfight is where your opponent has the opportunity to fight 
back. I prefer the shooting to the gun fight as getting shot at leads to getting shot 
and this hurts. 

How do you make shootings happen? Simply by seeing faster and anticipating the 
fight. It begins by setting yourself up in a tactically superior position before the 
fight happens. Further, equipment, physical conditions and mindset play critical 
roles in your success. 


VISION AND SCANNING 

One problem I generally see in LE training is that more emphasis is put on flat 
range fire rather than learning to see and discriminate faster, which are equally as 
important. I ask individuals if they see first or shoot first in a tactical situation? 
The answer is simple, you must see first before you can shoot. Seeing and 
processing the information faster than your opponent is the key to whether you are 
in a shooting or in a gunfight. 

Scanning and discrimination drills should compliment your live fire training. I 
always suggest you look at the “Whole Person” and then hands in a tactical 
encounter to help prevent fratricide. This is especially true for active shooter 
response scenarios and multi-breach point operations. 

TRAINING: 

Into today’s tactical community, several training vehicles for combat exist. They 
take the form of the LE academy, in service training and real world encounters. Other avenues that can be used are the IPDA and IPSC competitions and training. 
Even Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) attempts to replicate a historical version of 
personal combat. 

Beyond shooting, physical fitness is also critical to mission success. The better shape 
you are in, the less likely you are to get hurt and if you do get hurt, you will heal 
faster. I watch too many individuals today who rely on there weapon to solve all the 
problems. The problem is that you have to move that weapon to a solid shooting 
position not once, but multiple times during an engagement. This requires strength, 
stamina and endurance. Many folks do not have the physical conditioning to get to 
or stay in the fight. 


COMPETITION VS. REALITY 

Let’s face it, competition is fun and if applied correctly, can help you in your 
marksmanship, weapon handling skills and confidence. With these attributes, also 
comes bad habits of moving too fast for the tactical situation. 

Who dictates the speed of the fight? The bad guy and how fast he falls, does. It 
might be a fast or slow process (the bad guy dying), but one should get in the habit 
of solving one problem at a time before moving to multiple threats. You can shoot 
two rounds on paper or ping a piece of steel and move to the next target, but in 
reality, two rounds or the sound of steel being struck may not solve your problem. 

I remember servicing a bad guy one night at about 7 yards with night optics. I was 
trained to do double-taps throughout my military career. I punched him twice with 
two 5.56 rounds and stopped for a split second in my mind and on the trigger, 
looking for a response from the bad guy. The problem was that he was still standing 
with an AK-47. I hit him with two more rounds before he began to fall the ground. 
To my amazement, he stood back up before collapsing a second time. 

Lessons learned, shoot until they go down. Not one, not two, or three. I now teach a 
four in the chest, one in the head failure drill with the rifle. Why four? It may take 
the human body that long to react to the amount of trauma you are inducing (5.56). 
At the time of this incident, we were using military green tip ammo and the energy 
transfer was minimal. Realizing we had a stopping power problem, we developed a 
drill that would work on any determined individual and made it part of our training 
package. 

As a final point, I would be cautious on using competition shooters to drive the 
equipment and training in a department. While generally faster shooters, I have 
watched them err on the side of equipment that was great for competition, but took 
away from simplicity and the common goal. I remember arguing in 1993 for a more 
effective round for our primary weapon (rifle) as the 5.56 Green Tip was not doing 
well. Others soldiers I worked with, competed in weekend matches, were more interested in “square” triggers on the .45 for a uniform pull instead of the stopping 
power of their main battle rifle. We are still fighting rifle caliber problems today 
and sadly enough, service personnel have lost their lives because of it. 

EQUIPMENT 

As an assaulter, my body weight was around 230 pounds, but when tactically loaded 
with weapon, vest and helmet, it was closer to 310. This was simple assault gear and 
not a rucksack. 

Fast moving raids require you to move efficiently and swiftly in, around or over 
obstacles with all your equipment. I have witnessed individuals packing their vest 
with excess ammunition or equipment that was a mental comfort item and not 
mission essential. This caused them problems in movement and fatigue. 

Physically, you need to be able to move through an obstacle course with all your 
equipment to ensure that you can fight with your “combat weight.” Also, you 
quickly find what stays on and what falls off. Make changes as necessary. If 
strength and endurance is an issue, get in shape. Hit the pavement, get in a gym or 
better yet, do both. If when looking in a mirror, you see yourself wearing 
overlapping gun belts, do something about it. 

As for combat loads, look at how much ammo and how many weapons you are 
carrying. I have watched folks carry 12-20 magazines on their body and in my 
opinion, it is too much. You cannot effectively maneuver with that weight nor 
sustain any aggressive operation tempo for any length of time. Generally 4-5 
magazines in an LE environment is more than adequate for any situation. 

Let’s do the math on this one. If you critically hit a bad guy with one out of three 
rounds you fire, that is 10 people per magazine (30 rounder). Carry five magazines 
and we are looking at 50 people you have critically injured. Multiply that times five 
officers on a tactical team and you have 250 folks you have neutralized. I think you 
get my point. If the situation becomes so critical that you need more ammo, you will 
have plenty of dead and wounded on your side who will not need theirs. If it makes 
you feel better, keep a few extra magazines in the trunk of your car. 


MINDSET 

My firearm training began with a revolver and limited rounds. I knew that I only 
had six and that I had to make each one count. I developed a mindset of dedicated 
accuracy, even though I might be a bit slower than the shooter on my right or left. 
Additionally, my first formal training was with the FBI course of fire out to 50 
yards. This developed a sense of confidence that you could make a hit at further 
distances, if you did your part. 
 This mindset continued into my special operations career. Generally we were 
fighting a “G” who wore pajamas, carried an AK-47 and two magazines. They were 
on their own turf, acclimated and could run circles around you if you came to the 
fight too heavy. I would rather carry 7-8 magazines and be able to move and out 
maneuver the “G,” than to be slow and sluggish and let them get into a better 
tactical position before I did. Also, if I shot my ammo wastefully getting there, no 
“ammo fairy” was going to bring you more one the shooting starts. So, I learned to 
be efficient with what I had. 


THE FIGHT AND SETTING UP YOUR OPPONENTS 

I push the use of cover to all my students. Brick walls and dirt stop bullets better 
than your Kevlar or “Chicken Plate.” Many of the competitions that I have viewed 
or participated in have the shooter exposed to multiple targets during the course of 
fire. This is okay for the game, but if you overexpose yourself to multiple 
opponents, they can all shoot at you, where you can effectively focus on only one 
individual at a time. You loose. 

Learn to engage/expose yourself to one threat at a time. Further, maximize the use 
of cover and minimize your exposure. Make the bad guy give you a full body shot to 
engage while you only give him your right eye and weapon. In short, make yourself 
a hard target. Most of the friendly casualties I observed were shot when they failed 
to use cover, or stopped in the open and not moving. This is also how I engaged most 
of the enemy that I know I got solid hits on. They were stopped in the open. I also 
had the chance to engage movers from a stationary position and within 100 yards, 
generally require a center hold for a solid hit. 

Reference shooting on the move. It is a skill that all shooters aspire to learn and 
spend a great deal of time and effort trying to master. I have never had to use it in 
combat. When moving at a careful hurry, I stopped planted and made my shots. 
When the bullets were flying, I was sprinting from cover to cover, moving too fast to 
shoot. I did not find an in between. If I slowed down enough to make a solid hit 
when under fire, I was an easy target, so I elected not to. 

As for shooting and closing on a target, it only makes the bad guys accuracy better 
and walking into a muzzle may help you to test your new vest sooner than you 
wanted to. Diagonal movement works, but again if you have to slow down too 
much, you are an easy target, and are generally in the open. Speed can act as your 
security in this case to get you to a point of cover. 


KEY POINTS: 

• Seek out instructors from both the speed shooting world and those who have 
been to combat. Select tactics, techniques and equipment that work for both, but lean heavily on the proven combat techniques. It may not be flashy, but it 
works. 
• Always put in discrimination drills into your training. 
• Train as you fight and with the same gear. During a shooting session with the 
team in all the tactical gear and ammo, take them on a short jog, O course or 
buddy carry and see how much gear they loose or if they can handle their own 
“combat weight.” 
• Solve one tactical problem at a time and then move to the next one, don’t over 
expose yourself or sell the use of cover short. 

Realistic tactical training may not feel rewarding at first. There are no prizes or 
medals to be had. The reward is being able to solve a deadly social problem quickly 
and efficiently in your community. The other reward is being able to go home at the 
end of the day and give the wife and kids another hug. 


BIO: 

Paul R. Howe is a 20 year veteran and former Special Operations soldier and instructor. 
Paul currently owns Combat Shooting and Tactics (CSAT) where he consults with, trains 
and evaluates law enforcement and government agencies in technical and tactical 
techniques throughout the special operations spectrum. See 
www.combatshootingandtactics.com for details. 

The Glock 42, 380 ACP

For those of you folks that are big 380 ACP  (AUTOMATIC COLT PISTOL) fans, there is now, what I believe to be one of the finest pistols available in that category for the US Market.  Glock always had a 380 ACP, the model 28, which is the same size as the Glock 26. Because of some BATF regulation, it could only be sold to L.E. Agencies and in European,and South American  countries.  I was finally able to get my hands on one this past Saturday during a training class that I had.  That pistol being, the Glock model 42.  Glock can now make the claim that they truly have a baby Glock.  

The purpose of this post is not to either promote or negate the effectiveness of the 380 cartridge, but to just highlight what I believe to be a very good addition to the Glock line of combat pistols.  I am not and have never been a strong proponent of this cartridge, but in all fairness, I have to say that there has been a major advantage on the effectiveness of the 380 ACP due to the improvement of the defensive ammunition that has recently been developed and is now available. 

FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!
 We all know or should know and understand that it is the placement of your hits on your adversary that is the most crucial element of making that threat that is about to do you extreme bodily harm change his mind about doing that!  This is the reason most trainers presently emphasis that you need to place as many hits within the critical 8" circle which is high center on the chest area,  from the bottom of the nipples to the lower portion of the throat.  It is imperative that you practice so that you can own that target area at room size distances.  Think about where you live and the average size of the rooms in your home.  Now, it should be understood, but I will emphasis it just to make sure that everyone reading this understands that you can only SHOOT to stop that person's actions.  Once his actions stop, so does YOUR USE of DEADLY FORCE!  Placing hits in that 8" zone is the largest most effective area of the body to cause maximum damage in order to terminate a deadly threat.  I mentioned above that I am not a big proponent of the 380 ACP  and that is because of the fact that there are a lot of great quality 9mm's out there that are just slightly a little larger in size.  So, let's look at the facts.  The 380 is basically a cut down version of the 9mm.  Being that it is a 9mm short, it stands to reason that it is not as powerful a cartridge as the 9mm is.  My feeling is that based on only that slight different in size I would much rather have a more powerful vehicle in order to terminate the threat in the quickest manner possible without expending a lot of ammo.  Like the 380 ammunition, the 9mm ammunition that is out there today is leaps and bounds far superior to what out there say 10 years ago.

Now, let's look at the opposite side of the coin.  I am a pretty good, experienced shooter and do not have a problem with recoil management with any of the major pistol calibers.  I favor the 9mm because I can shoot it extremely well and that in most cases, I can get a couple of extra rounds in the smaller size pistols.  The 9mm as well as most of the larger caliber pistols, i.e., the 40 cal. do tend to give some to most shooters a problem.  If you can't own that 8" target area with the any of the major calibers, then, the 380 ACP is a very good alternative.  Remember, ONLY GOOD HITS COUNT!       

 Without elaborating any further in regards to shooting in a self defense situation, let's move forward to what this post is really about.

In order to be able to hit an area of 8 inches under extreme stress, and that's what you will be under, you will have to be extremely skillful.  To get to that point, you are going to have to practice.  That means developing those two fundamentals, Flash Sight Picture and Trigger Control.   Getting in a sufficient amount of live fire and supplementary dry fire practice means that you are going to need a solid weapon system that will hold up to the task.   This is the purpose of this post.  I have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience with the Glock weapon system.  This new model, the Glock 42, appears to have all the inherent great qualities of the Glock line of pistols.  It goes without saying that you get what you pay for.  With the Glock weapon system you get one of the finest small arms weapon system available for a very reasonable price.  These pistols will generally last most shooters a life time.  I believe that the model 42 will stand up to the task.

REMEMBER, TRAIN HARD!/FIGHT EASY!     


    


  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LACKS ON POSTING.  I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BUSY GETTING READY FOR THE UP COMING TRAINING SEASON.

FOUND THIS ARTICLE ON FACEBOOK, POSTED BY DAVE SPAULDING.  HOPE YOU FIND IT INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE.  

From THE TACTICAL WIRE...a good piece from Tiger McKee talking about action/reaction in conflict. The Boy Scouts have it right...BE PREPARED!

Skill Set: Action Beats Reaction? 

by Tiger McKee



The general rule is that "action beats reaction." And this is true, to a certain extent. A simple example: two people have to snap their fingers. Participant "B" can't react until he sees/hears "A" snap his fingers. In this example "A" always wins. Action beats reaction. But fighting is more complicated than this. It is possible for the threat to act, initiating an attack, and your reaction win the confrontation.

This occurs frequently in military actions. A patrol is ambushed. Their reaction defeats the threat. The same is true for individual or personal confrontations. When attacked your reaction must be immediate, efficient and effective.

There are always exceptions, but generally speaking your reaction to an attack should be immediate. It's dark and you're walking through the parking lot to the car. (Since it's dark you already have a flashlight in hand. Remember, a big part of being able to react immediately is about being prepared.) A man charges you. You shine the bright light in his eyes, cut it off and move laterally. He can't see where you are. The threat acted first. Your immediate reaction disrupted his action, providing you time to do whatever else is necessary to stop the attack efficiently.

When faced with serious bodily harm/death the solution to your problem is to stop the threat as quickly as possible, efficiently ending the confrontation, and not get injured in the process. Continuing with example above: you've disoriented the threat, moved, and bought some time. During the time required for the threat to recover - now he's in the reactive mode - you draw your pistol and issue verbal commands. "Stop! Leave me alone!" The attacker recovers some vision, notices you're in an aggressive stance with a weapon, and runs. The time from when he attacked to you winning was only a few seconds. Your efficient response, a reaction, defeated the threat's intended action.

The response to a threat must be effective, stopping the attack. In fighting the term "effective," what it will take to win, is very subjective. Winning could require anything from moving and communicating to being forced to engage the threat(s) with accurate fire. An effective response will "normally" include moving, communicating, using cover - if it's available, and it usually is - maybe shooting, and most definitely thinking. The thinking part or your reaction is mandatory to formulate an effective response. Your initial reaction may be preprogrammed, like moving, but then you have to think about the best, most effective way to solve the problem. You must stop the attack in the shortest amount of time possible. Participating in an extended confrontation is normally not a good idea.

There are two ways to stop an attack. You force the threat(s) to change their mind; you're not an easy victim and the risk vs. reward isn't great enough. Or, you inflict the damage necessary that physically the threat(s) can't continue the fight. Regardless of what's required, your response to violence should be immediate, efficient and effective. Reaction can beat action.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of "The Book of Two Guns," writes for several firearms/tactical publications, and is featured on GunTalk's DVD, "Fighting With The 1911 - http://shootrite.org/dvd/dvd.html Website:www.shootrite.org

FOOD FOR THOUGHT....

Food for Thought

By Junius P. Long

If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without 
a license, but not for being in the country illegally ...
you might live in a country run by idiots.

If you have to get your parents’ permission to go on 
a field trip or take an aspirin in school, but not to get 
an abortion ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If you have to show identification to board an airplane, 
cash a check, buy liquor or check out a library book, 
but not to vote for who runs the government ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If the government wants to ban stable, law-abiding 
citizens from owning gun magazines with more than 
ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to the crazy 
new leaders in Egypt ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If, in the largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, 
but not a 24-ounce soda because 24-ounces of a 
sugary drink might make you fat ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If an 80-year-old woman can be stripped searched 
by the TSA but a woman in a hijab is only subject to 
having her neck and head searched ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If your government believes that the best way to 
eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions 
more ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If a seven year old boy can be thrown out of school 
for saying his teacher’s "cute," but hosting a sexual 
exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If hard work and success are met with higher taxes 
and more government intrusion, while not working 
is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid, 
subsidized housing and free cell phones ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots.

If the government's plan for getting people back to 
work is to incentivize NOT working with 99 weeks 
of unemployment checks and no requirement to 
prove they applied but can’t find work ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots. 

If being stripped of the ability to defend yourself 
makes you more "safe" according to the government ... 
You might live in a country run by idiots. 

If you are offended by this article, I'll bet you voted 
for the idiots Who are running, and ruining our 
great country

Good Information from Mike Seeklander

I AGREE, AND THIS IS INFORMATION THAT I HAVE BEEN SHARING WITH MY STUDENTS FOR YEARS.  MY PREFERENCE IS A GLOCK 9MM IN THE GEN 3 OR ANY OF THE EARLY GEN MODELS.

Using The R.E.A.P. Test To Pick A Good Carry Gun

Take from Your Defensive Handgun Training Program (book)-

Key Considerations in Selecting a Firearm – When selecting a gun for defensive purposes, I use what I call the R.E.A.P. test.  This acronym stands for: reliability, ergonomics, accuracy and power.  For me, reliability is number one, because in a gunfight, as well as my secondary use for most of my guns (competitions), reliability is very, very important.  One other note before I break down R.E.A.P. into more details, I STRONGLY recommend picking one model of handgun that will meet all of your priorities and needs, and spend your time and money (for ammunition) on that one gun.  If you are a very experienced shooter, then you can make the decision to switch back and forth between different guns, but the new shooter should stick to one thing.  This will allow you to focus on developing fundamental skills to an advanced level rather than chasing equipment and the newest gun or gimmick.  Remember the saying: “beware of the man with only one gun, for he probably knows how to shoot it.” Here is what you need to look at when selecting a firearm for combative purposes, listed in order of priority:

§  Reliability.  The number one thing a firearm must do is work.  Nothing else matters if you have a malfunction during a fight.  Most good production guns should be very reliable out of the box, and with a good gunsmith custom guns should work every time.  If they don’t work, get rid of them.  You will want to pay

Some very reliable M&P’s

particular attention to the ammunition you use, and the magazines you use to feed that ammunition into the gun, because the large majority of malfunctions are indeed caused by faulty ammunition or magazines, NOT the gun.  If you know without a doubt that the magazines and ammunition are good, and the gun fails, then it is time to do some trading.  Actually, if the gun is a carry gun, do someone a favor and get the gun fixed if possible before trading it, or at least let them know what they are getting so they don’t stake their life on the gun.  How reliable should a gun be?  An example would be my current teaching guns the M&P 9, 9C, and the XDM 3.8.  These guns are the ones I have used to teach almost every defensive/tactical class I have done over the last 4 years, as well as countless hours of training.  The full sized gun finally failed to eject (this may have been an ammunition issue) after 15,000 + rounds and fours years of hard training with very minimal cleaning (I did lubricate it…but did not clean it on purpose).  My carry gun, the M&P 9C gets cleaned because it is a carry gun, and with more than 7,000 rounds, has yet to fail.  That is my idea of reliability.  If you can’t go through numerous training sessions without a malfunction, then your gun is NOT reliable.

§  Ergonomics.  The second thing I look for in a firearm is its physical design and ability to be shot well.  Generally a gun with a low bore to axis ratio will recover better during recoil because this low axis causes the recoil to travel straight back and through the arm, rather than up.  The recoil has to go somewhere, and a well-

A 1911, an example of a gun with great ergonomics.

designed gun will recoil considerably less.  The slide lock lever, magazine release, and other manipulation devices should be located in easy to reach and operate spots.  If you purchase any high quality production firearm made by a reputable company, these items won’t be a problem.  Ambidextrous operating devices are preferred, and at a minimum the safety, if the gun has one, should be located and operable on both sides of the gun.  If you have a choice, you should select a single action type (or similar such as the triggers you will find on Glocks XDM’s, and S&W M&P’s) trigger design for the first and following shots, as double action triggers just require more work when trying to hit a small target fast on that first shot.  Please don’t take this as a knock on any gun type out there, but the simple truth is that a double action type trigger is significantly harder to manage on in situations where you have a high accuracy requirement.  While this may be less likely in a defensive situation, having a trigger that is easier to manage could be a big key if you are shooting around family members or friends that you do not want to hit.  Another feature you will find on most modern production guns these days is adjustable or interchangeable grip panels that allow you to modify (very quickly) the guns grip size to fit your hand.  I would strongly recommend a gun that offers this feature.   Lastly, the single best test of ergonomics is to shoot the gun and try to manipulate it while shooting.  You will find noticeable differences in different designs and the gun you can run well is probably the gun you should consider carrying.   Don’t carry a gun you can’t operate well!

§  Accuracy.  Accuracy is third on my list because while it is important, it is not the most important factor since

Group at 15 yards, the shot to the right was a called flier.

most handgun fights will occur at very close ranges.  I do prefer a very accurate gun if I can get the first two requirements (reliability and ergonomics) met as well as accuracy.  I am pretty particular about having a carry gun that will shoot as good or better than I am able to shoot it, and with some of the high quality production guns on the market today this is something that is possible to find (one of my current carry guns, a S&W M&P C, shoots as well as I do).  Production carry guns should be capable of shooting a group of four to six inches at 25 yards at a minimum, and if they can’t, I suggest you research aftermarket barrels to try to increase accuracy.

§  Power.  While I am not inclined to get into a stopping power discussion you might see on a .45 versus .40 forum string because it is such a hotly debated subject, I will say that stopping power is something that should be considered.  Select a caliber that offers the most stopping power and compromise of controllability you can find.  We would all carry .50 caliber handguns if we were able, but there is always a compromise between recoil and the size of the gun versus stopping power.  Guns with bigger more powerful bullets (ammunition) are often bigger guns and are harder to carry and conceal.  They also recoil more, which isn’t a bad thing if you have the ability to control that recoil.  In terms of stopping power, the human body requires a certain amount of penetration (10-12 inches) for a bullet to affect damage to vital organs via a crushing mechanism and “stop” the threat.  In addition, a bullet that is built to cause the most damage and largest temporary and permanent (the most important) wound channel is likely to be more effective than one that does less damage.  For me, this is a 9mm or larger, with a good bullet design.  If you are interested in researching this topic as well as finding out how your current carry round (or the one you are thinking about carrying) performs, I strongly recommend you visit and read some of Dr. Gary Roberts material, one such forum currently being M4carbine.net.  Dr. Roberts is in my opinion one of the best sources for data in relation to ammunition performance that there is.  His material is easy to find, and even easier to understand and apply.   Do the research and pick the best caliber you can, so you can spend your time training for better shot placement at faster speeds while others argue about stopping power.

In addition to these four performance related factors, I would also try to select a firearm that meets some (or all) of these secondary considerations:

§  High Capacity.  The more bullets I can carry in the gun, the less I have to reload it.  I have no interest in having to reload during a fight, as doing so costs time that might allow my enemy to overcome me.  The downside to a higher capacity gun is that they are usually thicker and harder to conceal, especially in an IWB holster (inside the waist band).

§  Lightweight.  Heavy guns are harder to carry.  I carry a small lightweight Smith and Wesson M&P C most of the time, and in some cases switch to a full size gun.  When doing so I immediately notice the additional discomfort of having that extra weight pulling on my belt.   Try to find a gun that is comfortable enough that you will be okay carrying it all the time.

§  Stock Ready.   This means that I recommend you select a gun that is ready to carry right out of the box.  The most likely replacement from the factory should probably be sights.  High quality manufacturers offer “stock ready” guns right out of the box.  There are some things to consider when “setting” up your gun though, and some aftermarket changes are a good thing.  Others are probably not recommended.  The following section will provide that information…..(more can be found in Your Defensive Handgun Training Program)

Until Then – Train Hard

Mike S.