Dry Fire Safety

When it comes to dry fire, do not cut corners on safety. Most dry fire practice happens in homes or residences where a negligent discharge can prove disastrous, even fatal. It starts by identifying a safe practice area. The best is a room or area you can close off the outside world. In this area, there can be no live ammunition of any sort. If you only have one firearm to use, clear and safe outside the practice area. Then secure any ammunition before entering the practice area. Before dry fire begins, double check your firearm and any magazines. Don’t skip this step. The muzzle direction is equally important should you have a negligent discharge. External walls can be thicker and more robust, but they alone should not be considered a suitable bullet trap.

Focus on the Fundamentals

There is a lot as far as what to practice. If just starting off consider practicing aiming and trigger control. Learning how to properly see the sights is a skill easily practiced with dry fire. Trigger control is another great skill to practice. The one caution is practicing correctly. You can get really good at practicing the wrong thing so know the marksmanship fundamentals. I discourage any practice session longer than 15 minutes. Anything longer and the gains may be offset by the lack of focus or fatigue. When done with the session…stop. Avoid the temptation of “just one more” dry fire trigger squeeze. This is where accidents can easily occur. To properly secure the dry fire session put away all gear. If you need to make ready do so in a safe manner OUTSIDE the practice area. Lastly, acknowledge you are now holding a loaded weapon and act accordingly.

Learning How to Manipulate

You can also work gun manipulations such as clearing malfunctions and reloads. For the malfunctions there is not too much you need to do other than transition from the audible click to applying the immediate drill. You can add some additional benefit by preforming the immediate drill with your eyes closed, what we call “eyes off” drills. Practicing reload drills is a bit more complicated since it requires an object to be chambered to complete the drill. This is where inert or “dummy” rounds are great. It is a good idea to have a collection of dummy rounds and they are great for practicing reloads. You start with an empty magazine inserted and slide locked to the rear. Attempt to fire, then eject the empty magazine and reload with the magazine loaded with the inert rounds.

More Advanced Skills

When you learn the drawstroke you now have a ton of other options at your disposal. You can work the draw from open or concealed carry. The later is great for pressure testing new gear. You can also practice movement on contact or even moving to contact in dry fire mode. As long as you have space to safely move and not hurt yourself there are lot of great scenarios you can rehearse. I like working from positions other than standing such as seated or even supine. Seated is pretty self explanatory, but supine is a worse case scenario should you get knocked down. It is really hard to practice safely at a range or even if the range would allow you to practice these types of drills.

Secondary Loadout

You may discover dry fire becomes such an integral part of your training you have a secondary loadout dedicated to dry fire. This is not within reach of many, but some can benefit from having another loadout. With the exception of the firearm this loadout stays in the practice area. Reducing barriers to dry fire practice. Securely store any firearm to deny unauthorized access, but the holster, magazine pouch and spare magazines along with a belt can all be ready and waiting. The only other piece of gear might be a shot timer. If you haven’t invested in a shot timer, and dry fire is coming along well then it makes sense to consider purchasing. Many newer models can register your dry fire brining your practice to a whole new level.

Suggested Dry Fire Practice Plan

As far as practice sessions, here is a sample session I use from time to time. I perform low repetitions, but each repetition must be performed flawlessly or it doesn’t count. You may find it takes more repetitions to reach the prescribed amount.

• Aimed in on target, 10x repetitions slow fire (unless otherwise noted, all drills performed from approximately 5 yards.)
• Aimed in on target, 5x repetitions rapid fire (unless otherwise noted, all drills from this point are performed rapid fire.)
• From high ready, 5x repetitions
• From low ready, 5x head shots repetitions (unless otherwise noted, all drills are performed versus a torso/chest region.)
• From compressed ready at extended distance of approximately 10 yards, 5x repetitions slow fire
• From ready, 5x repetitions strong hand only
• From ready, 5x repetitions weak hand only
• From ready, 5 repetitions slow fire
• From ready, 5 repetitions rapid fire

If done without mistakes, this program gives you 50 dry fire repetitions. It may take more to reach those requirements. You can also break this workout down into thirds, or halves. The sky is the limit, get out there and explore the benefits of dry fire. Good luck.

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Taking Responsibility

The most important trait I see in a leader is an outward facing view, versus an inward. A selfless versus selfish. I struggled with this early in my military career for lots of reasons. I was fortunate to have great leaders show me the way. The easiest way to describe the journey was by taking responsibility. I know that sounds silly, but it is a powerful and simple step. By taking responsibility it forced me to be more assertive, focused and goal driven. I liked it and it worked well for me, but sometimes it is easy to return to old habits. To pass the buck, shuck responsibility or the worst…blame others.

Risk Avoidance

Recently I had a less than pleasant experience with a holster manufacture. I’m working on a project to outfit various compact pistols with weapon mounted lights. That’s a whole other story, but the project has identified a major failure point. There are not many holster manufactures producing quality gun/light combos. The problem with such poor options is mainly tied to risk mitigation. It takes time, talent and treasure to invest in a new product line and many manufactures will wait to see how the industry reacts to the new product. Will it do well, and be popular. Or, will it tank and be forgotten the next week. Even as an outsider, I can empathize. One reason this was such an interesting project. It reaffirmed the importance of agility, and future vision.

Being The Grey Man

The other problem is largely generated from my end. I tend to be low key and often purchase equipment through personal accounts with little to no connection to my business or reputation. Early in my career I got burnt and burnt bad so these days it is better to remain the grey man. What I like about being low key is I’m just another paying customer. A regular guy who expects nothing other than what I’m purchasing with my own funds. There are no expectation of freebies, discounts or quid pro quo. If I don’t like something I either toss it, or try to find it a new home. Very rarely will I work with the company to help improve their product. But on occasion I will share my observations. Of course, this insight comes from a “nobody” so can be perceived to be of little value by the vendor.

Troubleshooting a Problem

The ugly side to this methodology is when the situation turns sour. This is my fault because in this case the manufacture doesn’t know me. I always remind folks, you never know who you may be dealing with so treat them as if they know more than you. Until proven otherwise. It is a great philosophy! The holster was somehow defective or didn’t safely work. The problem was unique and in all my years the only time I’ve seen this occur. I couldn’t reinsert the pistol without removing the holster from my body. It was too risky to try and “shove” it into the holster when clearly there was something preventing the pistol from being properly and safely reinserted. Even when I removed it from my body there was still a sticking point. I initially reached out to request a refund and the manufacture wanted to troubleshoot. No problem, I provided some context along with a video showing the problem when attempting to re-holster. Their response was ultimately to blame me for the problem. Their reasoning was my belt was too tight or I needed to move the holster to a different position. Could this be possible, of course, was it probably, nope. In the end, I settled for a refund minus a restocking fee and that was the rub.

What Is The Lesson

My lesson seems so clear now. If I choose to provide feedback, I should have done it in a better way. Through a formal introduction. An offer to assist in the trouble shooting and solution with no strings attached. Maybe there isn’t a solution, maybe this was just a defective product or maybe this points to a broader production issue. Maybe the manufacture is not interested even after the formal introduction and that is fine as well. The bottom line is I should’ve taken ownership of the situation from the beginning in a better way. My intention was to help, to genuinely assist with this problem I believed was a one off issue.

Instead, I missed this opportunity. Mea culpa.

The post The Harsh Reality About Leadership appeared first on Trident Concepts.

In this episode I spoke with Jeff Gonzales, the best dressed former Navy SEAL I know and Founder & CEO of @tridentconcepts, Author of @concealedcarrymanual Host of @bulletproofworkshop A big thank you to Dr Mike Simpson, former Green Beret who introduced us, and in the show we mention mutual friends, Clint Emerson, Dr Kirk Parsley, Basic Dude Stuff guy- Pat McNamara. Jeff shares his personal experiences and insights from his military career, why he became a SEAL, and highlighting the significance of character, teamwork, and continuous learning. Drawing from his own journey, Jeff emphasizes the importance of building a strong team, stating that success is achieved through collaboration and trust. Additionally, he discusses the role of leadership in both military and civilian settings, stressing the need for effective communication and decision-making. After leaving the military, Jeff founded his own training company, Trident Concepts, where he continues to impart his knowledge and expertise to individuals seeking personal and professional development. We also touched on thought-provoking topics such as gun control, the Second Amendment, the influence of media, and the preservation of free speech. You can find Jeff on Insta at   / jl_gonzales   And his website on link tree at https://linktr.ee/jl_gonzales I am Damian Porter , Former NZ Special Forces Operator, Subject Matter Expert from www.hownottodieguy.com And you are listening to my STRAIGHT TALK MIND AND MUSCLE PODCAST sponsored by www.mystait.com – the ultimate daily formula for optimum hormone health, stress management, energy and performance.  100% natural and clinically proven ingredients, it provides everything you need to raise your game, in a convenient gut-friendly capsule. Links for my former shows are here-WATCH on YouTube-    • Straight Talk- Mind and Muscle Podcast   LISTEN on: spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rlAGRX… Itunes – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast… Google – https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0… Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5bc… Subscribe for more amazing tips, interviews and wisdom from phenomenal guests ——- And get your ** FREE ** copy of my 5 day Meal Plan and Exercise eBook here: https://realketonesaustralia.com/ Here are the mentions with timestamps arranged by topics: Topic: TV Show Yellowstone: 00:00:02 Topic: Websites Pet Mac: 00:03:08 Training Concepts: 01:23:10 Topic: Books Basic Dude Stuff: 00:03:08 “Concealed Carry Manual”: 01:52:37 Topic: Videos Jay’s video on crush grip: 01:26:11 Topic: US Navy US Navy recruiting office: 00:19:48 Fort Sam Houston: 00:20:38 Navy boot camp: 00:23:15 Trident: 00:24:39 Jump school: 00:25:07 PST (Physical Screening Test): 00:26:09 SCTE (Seal Combat Training Evaluation): 00:26:09 Topic: Firearms and Media Gun crime narrative: 01:26:20 Topic: Journalism and Freedom of Speech Twitter: 01:46:31 First Amendment: 01:46:31 Second Amendment: 01:46:31 Social media: 01:47:39

The post Jeff Gonzales “”From SEAL Teams to Trident Concepts”: Jeff Gonzales’s Transition and Success appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Know The Basics

The first detail has to do with understanding the principles of marksmanship. No matter what, they do not change. What changes is the precision with which each of the principles is applied. In this case, the level of precision is high; which means I need to have a fine application of trigger control versus a rough application for close range shots. This flexing is something all shooters must develop and the earlier you learn this flexing, the better your performance. It is great to practice drills that stress the metering of this trigger control. Where on the one hand, you need rough trigger control then immediately slip into fine trigger control.

How Fast Is Too Fast

With a thorough understanding of the principles of marksmanship you can move at various speeds. We break things down into three speeds, full, half & slow speed. It is at slow speed learning takes place. If you want to be super accurate you need to start at slow speed. This allows you to tighten up your movement precision. The flexing mentioned earlier is only achievable when you can recognize the need. Within the slow speed you have the opportunity to improve the necessary movements to achieve the level of accuracy performance you want. This is not to say all movement is at slow speed, you learn where you can go fast, but more importantly where you need to go slow.

Scale For Better Learning

Starting close and working out to extended ranges is the next key detail. Jumping right to the 25 yard line or beyond is like putting too much weight on the barbell and hoping for a good outcome. It is more luck than skill. Starting at closer ranges helps to build confidence. You also get to appreciate the importance of the details and see how they are negatively impacted when you cannot stay focused. When you are able to achieve a minimum score of say 80% then increasing the distance makes sense. You keep reaching further and further by building a solid foundation. It is not a bad idea to periodically push out to further distances, just don’t start there.

Be Accountable

Having observable and measurable standards is the next key detail. You need to start keeping score if you haven’t done so up to this point. It is great to pick a simple drill, make one up or research the numerous drills online. Work this drill over time to see if you are making improvements. When you see your score repeatable then you know learning is taking place. It keeps you honest and holds you accountable. Without standards, you are spinning your wheels. There are so many ways to score, but the most common is based around a point system along with a par time. In the beginning I suggest skipping the timed components. Focus on improving your score, then add par times.

Find a Rival to Help Grow

The last key detail is to work with partner or friend. Bring someone along to help you or for you to help. There is so much good that happens when we put in the work on our own, but there is an equal amount of positive growth that occurs when you work with others. If you cannot find someone who can go with you physically to the range, consider working virtually. With today’s technology there is no reason you cannot up the game by doing it all via a video conferencing/calls. Even if you cannot do a virtual range session together, comparing notes on a regular basis and sharing progress or problems is still a great approach.

Following this tips will do wonders for your level of precision. We will work on sharing some of our sessions online to help build a framework for others to follow.

The post The Art of Being Precise appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Aim For Being Multifaceted

Those of us born into the blade, know training never ends. You are never “good enough”, you only reach new plateaus. You strive to improve the smallest facet of the overall skill set. I often comment about the importance of being well-rounded. No one and I mean no one can say definitely what type of trouble will befall you. All they can do is give you their best guess. Remember that, burn that into your training psyche. I’m not saying to disregard their opinions. I’m saying step back and assess. Through this lens we should see an unknowable, unknown event. That is the basis for any good training methodology. The goal is to be multifaceted, with a diverse set of experiences and abilities.

Setting Good Goals

The quest for being multifaceted starts with self assessment. Know thyself, strengths and weaknesses. The common mistake is to work on strengths only, forgoing improving weaknesses. The first goal of the new year is to identify and improve areas of weakness. Goal setting is not hard, but it is often done poorly or flat out incorrectly. Once the area of improvement is identified, assign a time period for completion. This first step is commonly omitted or poorly completed. Whatever the time period, it will be inaccurate. By that, I mean too short. Anything of value is measurable, so to is the goal. Establish an observable and repeatable standard to identify progress and or completion. The last step is identifying any obstacles that would interfere with goal completion. These are also often overlooked or ignored. One other suggestion is to reassess. Whatever the time period, establish a halfway point to review the progress. It may be necessary to adjust or adapt your goal. Armed with the recent experience adjustments to the time period and standards become more accurate.

Check The Ego at the Door

Getting outside the comfort zone is another worthy goal. Doing something new or different helps create better neural engagement and elasticity. Shooting courses are great examples. Taking courses from reputable instructors is a sound tactic. Those worth their salt will challenge personal growth and self discovery. No matter the subject, if there is no growth or discovery it is more likely ego driven as opposed to goal driven. If the goal is personal growth it will involve some failures and disappointments. Without failure, growth is stunted. Push outside the established comfort zones. Learn to fail quickly and fail often. Use the experience to grow. I’m no different than anyone, I don’t like to fail…at anything. I also know myself, if I’m not pushing or reaching for the next level I will become complacent. True growth happens at the outer limits of current abilities. Plus, it is fun.

Be A Good Rival

I’m a big fan of having a support group or training partners. The better my training partners, the better my performance. If you cannot find someone local, consider coordinating virtual training sessions with friends or family members across the globe. With today’s technology, there is no excuse. Find a good training partner who will push you. By the same token, be a good training partners to those below you. We all started as beginners, think back to the early stages of your training. Remember the frustration, anxiety and fear we all had. Use the experiences to help others. Share the hard earned knowledge, consider it a right of passage. Mentoring is a great way to see new self-improvement.

I love this time of year and the future opportunities. I know I will miss the mark on some of my goals, but I miss all the shots I don’t take.

The post Creating Far Reaching Goals and Strategies appeared first on Trident Concepts.

A Dangerous Gambit

Contact shots are based around the fact the violent criminal actor’s hands are not doing anything or they are not aware of your intentions. If the VCA’s hands are not occupied with a task and they are aware of the gun in close proximity you can bet there will be a lot of effort directed towards controlling the gun. At this point, the viability of contact shots is low, opening up near contact shots. There are many viable means to controlling and if possible disarming an opponent armed with a gun. It is a dangerous gambit, but at this point danger is a foregone conclusion. But, what does it really look like. In a word, chaos.

Disrupting the Muzzle’s Alignment

The first step is in realizing the majority of violent encounters don’t go as planned. In a typical grappling encounter, the same side hands/arms are engaged with their opponent’s. This means my hand(s) is trying to control my opponents hand(s) on the same side as I face them. If one of the hands of either party is holding a weapon, the tendency is to go “two on one”. Recognizing the danger presented with the weapon leads to both hands attempting to grab or control the weapon or the opponent’s one hand holding the weapon. Remember, these altercations are happening at very close range. The likelihood of achieving a normal 2-handed range stance is low. Putting aside strength, gender and leverage, two hands are generally stronger than one. The risk of losing control of the weapon and being disarmed is very high, even if there is no trained disarm skill. The real advantage is not in the disarm, the real advantage comes in the form of disrupting the muzzle’s alignment.

Kinesthetic Muzzle Awareness

With two hands on the gun it is easier to move the muzzle away from the body, or pin the muzzle and move the body away. Either case ends the same, the body being out of the path of the bullet. That is great if you were the subject of an armed robbery, but what if the bad guy is able to get their hands on your gun. It seems unlikely they will drop their weapon to go 2on1, but even one hand is enough to disrupt muzzle alignment. The key is understanding when the muzzle is on and off target from a kinesthetic point of view. If it is on target, there is the viability of delivering at a minimum a single near contact shot.

Just Tango On

How does one develop the kinesthetic muzzle awareness when entangled with an opponent. It starts by acknowledging how dangerous this would be in real life. Then, just doing it. There are a couple of tenets to remember. What are they controlling; the gun or your body, ie. hand or wrist. The closer to the end of the lever, in this case the gun, the more control or force the opponent can exert. You need to regain some of that force by brining it back to as close to your centerline as possible. Realize your wrist and shoulder joints have a tremendous amount of articulation available. They can rotate in combination to create some very favorable angles. The next tenet is rotate inwards. Rotating outwards not only moves the muzzle off target, it makes it much harder to come back and easier to disarm. The last tenet is to change levels. In this case, you will have to move the body since the hand is somewhat isolated. Move the body to move the muzzle. A little goes a long way.

Get Behind the Gun

Obviously, this is a super complicated and dangerous concept. It however is more common than you might think. Gun grabs and gun takeaways are something to be aware of if for no other reason than to avoid making mistakes that lead to disarms. Far be it from me to tell someone not to do something to save their own lives. This might be your last best option in a defensive gun use. When you are danger close, it might be all you have once the gun is drawn. Think about the muzzle’s direction, is it on or off target. If off target, how do you get it back. Where is the control, gun or hand. Try to get it back to the centerline by moving it inwards. Change levels and use your whole body, not just your hand/arm to get behind the gun.

Is this an over simplification, perhaps. But, I will tell you these are principles. And like any principle, they are the foundation.

The post Contact Shots & Near Contact Shots appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Dive into the depths of the rigorous world of a Navy SEAL with retired Navy Seal, Jeff Gonzales. A unique episode, as Jeff isn’t just a SEAL; he’s been my personal firearms instructor. We embark on a detailed journey discussing his evolution in the SEALs, the making of a BUDS instructor, his raw perspective on school shootings, and the delicate balance between open vs concealed carry.

We touch on topics that resonate, stimulate thought, and sometimes stir controversy. The clock wasn’t on our side, and there’s more to explore. So, stay tuned for another episode with Jeff, but for now, delve deep into this riveting conversation with a genuine, certified bad-ass.

Website: https://www.rsnake.com Facebook:   / thersnakeshow   Twitter:   / thersnakeshow   Instagram:   / thersnakeshow   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4wHHBk8… Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast… YouTube:    / @ucfde4vxmxu0eqy8hm5hxn9q  

The post S06E09 – Navy SEAL Training, Concealed vs. Open Carry, & School Sh***ings with Jeff Gonzales appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Close Call

Why the big change? Because, only a few days earlier my son and I sat in that very same movie theater. After enough accurate information was released I put myself back in those seats to brainstorm how I would’ve handled a similar situation. I’ve had many conversations about my thoughts with close friends. The big take aways were; low light, moderate distance and high percentage shots. I try not to let a single event reset my own system, but I’m all for allowing it to influence my thought process and in this case my loadout. It just so happened around that time, I had finished a 6-month experiment working to solve a problem for my old community. This problem centered around low light and running with pistols. In the end, mini-red dot sights or MRDS were the clear winner. I hadn’t put much thought into them for everyday carry scenario. This problem was very unique. Flash forward to the theater shooting and all of a sudden I’m interested.

Technology & Equipment

Low light is always challenging. You come to depend on technology and equipment. The use of night sights have been around for decades, but they somehow were not enough to solve my teammate’s problem, hence my involvement. Using a MRDS gave them anytime view ability, especially under night vision. In a darkened theater the MRDS would be hugely valuable, but under low light conditions it only tells me where I’m aiming. Sure, I could take aim at the muzzle flashes, but positive target identification is paramount. I’ve long opposed the necessity for weapon mounted lights for everyday carry. The added weight and size are barriers to entry for many. Over a decade and weapon mounted lights have come a long way as far as size and output. Now, I can have a smaller, more powerful light better suited for concealed carry. The problem wasn’t necessarily the WML, the problem was finding a good holster, comfortable for all day, every day type wear. Even today, there are very few. Of those around, even fewer that do a good job.

Surgical Style Shooting

Depending on where you sit in a movie theater you could have a close shot, or an extended shot under low light conditions. I have long commented the greatest MRDS advantage is accuracy at distance. Distances in movie theaters can vary, but a 10, 20 or 30 yards plus impossible shots becomes possible. High percentage shots were similar to a hostage type shot. Where there was minimum target availability along with maximum risk. With people running through a smoke filled theater it would be chaotic to say the least. Should you have a clear shot, you still have to be aware of your backstop and surroundings. While not technically a hostage the field of fire would more than likely be small if not tiny. The level of precision again is something a MRDS does exceptionally well. But, when you merry up the use of a powerful white light and target focus, it makes for an impressive package. Those that work in low light enough know the narrowing of your perceivable field of view. In this case, narrowing on the target and still being able to aim precisely are a winning combination.

The Tradeoffs Are Big

Up until the beginning of the pandemic I carried a compact as my daily carry pistol. At the time, it was not equipped with a MRDS or a WML. The primary reason was simple, many of my government clients were running iron sights on their duty pistols so it didn’t make sense for me. I would add the WML during training and remove it for concealment work after hours. Flash forward and currently the proliferation of MRDS at the government level is quickly growing. A client’s new program had me revisiting the subject, but in reverse. Now, I don’t want to be the only one without a MRDS. Due to the nature of the program it also required a WML. I was back to solving the problem of size and weight. As I mentioned so many advancements have made this easier today. Even so, there is still a massive difference in size and weight that cannot be ignored. The tradeoff is the very small percentage of scenarios where this combination would dominate versus the most likely scenario where they probably wouldn’t make a large enough difference.

Forward Thinking

With hostilities increasing on the home front I thought about this mass shooting and our new program. I don’t feel “under-gunned” running my micros, but I’m limited with WML’s and available holsters that accommodate both. This problem was the reason I revisit my compact pistols. I’m still carrying the micros, that’s not changing, but I had to be honest about my movie theater debrief. Was I ready for another similar type of event? Don’t mistake my commentary for only being able to solve this type of scenario with technology. It will always be the indian and not the arrow. But, it did spark my loadout reevaluation. My loadout also depends on the perceived threat. For instances, during the pandemic we saw some crazy behavior. Did it make sense to go with a heavier loadout, absolutely. Does it make sense to default to this condition, absolutely not.

The point is we all need to periodically review our loadout and preparation. Have you put critical thinking into these topics and if so what has changed as a result.

The post 10+ Year Review Of a Mass Shooting appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Jeff Gonzales is a former Navy Seal and nationally recognized weapons and tactics instructor. He’s the president of @tridentconcepts and the current host of the BulletProof Workshop podcast.

Jeff’s background comes from Naval Special Warfare as a respected operator and instructor. He pioneered new advances in weapons and tactic instruction. His understanding of adult learning, detailed curriculum development and rigorous adherence to performance standards continue to set him apart.

In recent years, Jeff has been recognized as a subject matter expert on concealed carry. He is the author of the Concealed Carry Manual and is invited to speak all over the nation about weapons, concealed carry and self defense.

More about Trident Concepts:

www.tridentconcepts.com

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The post Hard Truths & Life Lessons from Former Navy Seal Jeff Gonzales, Trident Concepts | Defenders LIVE appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Point Blank Range

The big question is what distance will you zero? There are a lot of factors to consider on this topic. Similar to the maximum point blank range for the rifle I want to know the maximum vertical spread without any shooter applied adjustments. In other words, if I were to make no adjustments or holds at what distance will the trajectory deliver the round out of the target zone. For the rifle, we use an 8 inch target zone, but for the pistol I want a 4 inch target zone and here’s why. The target zone size for our headshots is 4 inches and if I make no adjustments with certain zeros at certain distances I will miss. The magic number is 2 inches, I have 2 inches of vertical spread to play with when it comes to choosing a zero distance. If the point of aim remains constant, that means 2 inches high and 2 inches low for the point of impact. When the trajectory of a certain zero exceeds the point blank range within 0-25 yards it is inferior to those that do not. The most popular zeroes are 25 and 10 yards, with 15 yards gaining in popularity. The shift in point of impact at 5 yards and closer with these zeros is negligible with the main issue being the actual height of the optic. It is when we push out to further we can see issues.

Know Thyself

Next is how good of a shot are you when it comes to shooting your pistol. If you cannot shoot a tight group at your desired zero distance it doesn’t matter how good the zero distance is according to the internet. Which is why I will sometimes suggest the 10 yard zero, most shooters can repeatedly deliver 2″ groups at the 10 yard line. Thus allowing us to more quickly get to the meat of the curriculum. If the shooter can repeatedly deliver 4″ groups at the 25 yard line then I recommend they exploit as much of the red dot’s capability as possible. Regardless of which zero you choose, you must shoot at all ranges to see the difference in POA/POI. Typically, when I finish my zeroing procedures I will shoot 3 rounds at 20, 15, 10, and 5 yards to see the maximum vertical spread. If I have time, I will do the same at 35 and 50 yards.

Duty or Training Ammunition

Once you’ve settled on a zero distance, the next step is to actually zero the optic to the pistol. It is a good idea to bring the optic’s owner manual as a reference, along with any optic specific tools to the range. Ensure the optic is properly mounted and tightened to manufacture specifications. After you complete your zeroing process confirm the optic is still secure and apply witness marks to the mounting screws. Ideally, you will want to zero with the defensive or duty ammunition you will carry. My average zeroing session will require 20-25 rounds or 6-8 volleys to complete the process. It may seem like a waste, but I find it better to zero with my defensive ammunition then perform a range familiarization with my training ammunition. Typically, defensive ammunition is heavier, hotter and more precise. As a result, it will shoot to a different point of impact than the lighter and slower training ammunition. If we are trying to be as detailed as possible, this matters. Should you use a supported position to help eliminate shooter error? It depends. If you can get into a comfortable position while maintaining the straightest line of sight through the optic to the target then yes. If no, freestyle will have to work. If I don’t get the same head position when supported I see the dot differently and that can mess with my zeroing. And speaking of seeing the dot, make sure you are focused on the target. To help stay target focused lower the dot’s intensity when zeroing or rezeroing. Remember to return to your preferred intensity when finished and engage any button lockout features.

Windage First

Regardless of the zero distance I start with a spotter group at the 5 yard line. I know at the 5 yard line my impacts should be about 1.5 inches low for a 25 yard zero. If this is the first time mounting and zeroing said optic it can save you a lot of heartache and ammunition. You can use other methods such as a laser boresight, but I can’t get them to work in my micro compact pistols so I stick to this procedure for all my pistols. What I’m really looking for is windage. I want my windage to be dialed in super tight. I find when I start at the 5 yard line, any windage adjustments I have to make at the 25 yard line are minor. A quick note on groups, how many rounds should you fire? Again that depends on you and your accuracy capacity. If you are consistent, then 3 rounds is good. If you are still working on your consistency then 5 rounds gives you more of a buffer should you have some flyers. Now, here is where I make an argument for which zero distance is “better”. The corrective value of the optic. If I’m using an optic with a corrective value of 1MOA at 100 yards then at 25 yards, one click will adjust the impact ¼ inch. I can be very precise and quick. Same optic with a 10 yard zero will have a 1/10 corrective value. I don’t see the same level of precision with this distance for some reason. With other zeros there is a bit of a guessing game. Sometimes, you get to a point where it is good enough because the corrective value doesn’t cleanly fit.

The Devil Is In The Details

Once I get to the zero distance, the real work begins. Review the 5 Marksmanship Fundamental Principles and be as consistent as possible. Consistency is the key, the more consistent you are the more accuracy you can achieve. Here is one advantage for the 15 yard zero in my opinion. It is just far enough I can see the first and second groups before I have to go down range to tape. It can expedite the process, especially in large groups such as a class. Even then, I still prefer the 25 yard line. My process is pretty simple, I shoot and call as many shots as possible. Calling your shots is super important since it allows you to manage any flyers. If I call a shot and know one went high or wide, when I observe the target I’m looking for an impact in that general location. Then observe and measure the results. I measure from the center of the group and write down the distance to center. I suggest working with elevations first, windage should be close. I also suggest making corrections for only one direction at a time. I know this can be time consuming, but if we are dealing with major corrections, something larger than the point blank range it is a good idea to get one done at a time. Once I write down the distance in inches, I then convert to the number of clicks needed to adjust the point of impact. Again, this is where the 25 yard zero with a 1MOA optic really shines. Double check your work, then tape the target. Before you input the corrections, make sure you know the correct turret and direction for the desired input. This is why it is nice to write the corrections down, you don’t have to remember them. Plus, if you notice a massive shift in the wrong direction you can refer to your notes and help diagnose what happened. Perform the desired number of volleys until you are satisfied with the results.

Basic Maintenance

I like to confirm my zero about 2 or 3 times a year or if I change anything. If I replace the battery and have to remove the housing, then definitely. As far as how often to replace the battery. Read the owners manual regarding low battery alerts. I routinely replace the batteries in my primary carry and home defense pistols once a year. All other optics when necessary. If I have to use different type of defensive ammunition for whatever reason I re-zero or confirm the shift in POI. If you live in an area with extreme weather shifts you might want to rezero as the seasons change. I clean my optic’s window at least once a month, sometimes more depending on what’s happening. You would be amazed how much dirt, dust and other debris can build up on your lens. If it is an open optic it is a good idea to blow any loose debris out of the housing. The last thing I do is check the witness marks on the mounting screws. If I notice a shift of any amount I stop what I’m doing. Retighten the mounting screws to factory settings. Then at my first opportunity reconfirm the zero or if necessary rezero.

Zeroing is cathartic to me, I enjoy the process no matter the platform. It allows me to be very detailed oriented and while some may question the need, that alone is a major difference.

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