The Unknown, Unknowable Event

If you practice the art of gunfighting long enough you’ve heard arguments for and against speed a thousand times. The truth of the matter is they are both right and wrong. It’s more about context and the situation. Shooting fast has its place no doubt, but it is hard to quantify how fast is fast enough. The harsh reality is nobody knows. We are training for an unknown and unknowable event. Actually, that’s not entirely true. The only known will be the need to positively identify the target to ensure deadly force justification. Everything else is up in the air.

Fast is a By Product of the Situation

I’ve told the story several times about how I never had to worry about going “fast” when I was downrange. It was always a by product of the situation and good training. Things happen in real life quickly, thinking fast gives you an advantage. The best decisions were made when the operator was able to pick up on those cues well in advance, position themselves to be tactically advantageous then utilize the surgical violence to resolve our country’s problems. By that point speed was less of an issue at the micro level.

Being Purposeful

Granted, assaulting complex structures doesn’t apply too much to the armed citizen. Conducting too many runs to count a key take away was speed applied without conscious thought generally ended poorly. As the armed citizen another big difference is being reactionary as opposed to pro-actionary. We will be playing catch up most of the time. The ability to draw and deliver accurate and effective fire is the ever elusive goal. How many rounds will it take to stop the fight is the great unknown. How fast must you deliver the first shot is another great unknown. There is no known basis to support these uber fast draw times. The time it takes to recognize the stimulus to draw and fire is greater than the time it takes to draw and fire. There are a lot of variables in play that need to be considered.

Be Smooth

On top of that, we are going to be in a dynamic setting. Maybe the situation deescalate, accelerating decision making speed. Or maybe the situation was a surprise ambush with no warning. The latter is more common and about the only real justification for the super fast drawstroke. There was a complete unawareness of the looming threat. As a result there is an urgency to giddy-up. I find it far more valuable to have a smooth drawstroke that takes into consideration various scenarios. Such as drawing with the use of movement, from a seated or supine position, recovering to a kneeling position from our back and from behind cover. These to me represent a far more valuable perspective. Of course, I’d like each of these draw strokes to be fast, but precise or smooth is the key.

Critical Decision Making

As armed citizens we are responsible for the final resting place of every round we fire on top of deadly force justification. As we find ourselves in these different positions it strains our accuracy. Focusing our efforts in these conditions makes a lot more sense than any super fast drawstroke. The other consideration is the difference between a planned and unplanned event. When we conduct live fire training it is a planned event. Meaning, we are briefed at what distance under what conditions and the course of fire in advanced. This is a huge advantage. It literally removes the critical decision making from the equation. Critical decision making or thinking fast is one of the most overlooked skills in the gunfighting world. It is not something talked about because it is not sexy. The decision to go to guns versus to escape is a hard one for anyone to make, but if all we do is go to guns it makes it far more likely that will be the default setting. Completely removing the critical decision making and potentially putting ourselves in legal jeopardy. Also, if we are not trained to assess each round fired to determine if the attack stopped we again put ourselves in legal jeopardy. If the cue to stop firing completing a Bill drill or emptied the magazine it may be difficult to defend actions in court.

Draw to the Ready

Staying in control at all times is the ultimate goal. It starts by taking in as much available information to make good and timely decisions, what I reference as thinking fast. It’s great to have the super fast drawstroke with the lightening fast split times, but not at the sacrifice of thinking fast. We also see very little emphasis on drawing to a ready position. Granted many defensive gun uses are self explanatory as far as our response. But, what about a smooth draw to a ready position with voice commands. How often is the subject covered of quickly drawing to the ready and issuing commands. There is a tendency to override programming by always drawing and firing.

We are a byproduct of our training. We will never rise to the occasion, we will default to our level of training. Which is why it is so important to consider a more realistic approach towards training where critical decision making is the emphasis, followed by marksmanship and then speed. Discussing the various stimulus to deadly force threats on a more regular basis gives the end user not only the information, but it primes their radar. It puts them in the driver’s seat. Hitting what we are aiming out is the responsibility we bear when we exercise our constitutional rights. The consequences for missing could be property damage at best, personal injury or death at worst. Then moving with control to perform the above is what dictates the speed.

There’s more to gunfighting than shooting fast, thinking fast should be the priority.

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The Newest Era of Handguns

We really haven’t seen anything revolutionary in the last 20 years of handgun manufacturing. The new slim line gun offerings might be the closest. With the explosion of these micro-compact blasters over the last 5 years I’d say they are popular and we see them in many of our carry classes. In fact, I run a slim line for just about every handgun course we offer these days because of their capability and shootability. The last bit there is one a lot of people will voice concerns, how well they can shoot these smaller guns. They offer a few challenges regarding the available gripping surface and overall reduction in mass. You can overcome the gripping surface issue by adopting new grip techniques, but there’s not much you can do about the reduction in mass…until now.

Modern Use of Comps

Ports and compensators are not new. They’ve been around for decades, but mainly in the competitive arena. I loved my comped gun I ran back in the day. For serious duty guns you don’t see them for a couple of reasons, enlarged footprint and reliability. Most compensators were “add-on’s” that extended the overall length of the slide, thus making holster options limited. There were a few integrated into the slide, but they proved less effective. The real problem was many of these were screwed on or similar attachment concept requiring routine maintenance. The newer ported slide design is addressing both these issues and doing it well.

Ported Slides Design

A new design, such as what is seen on the Sig P365 xMacro Comp, combines the ported slide with a shortened barrel to create what is called an expansion chamber. Where the gas from the round is allowed to accumulate in the chamber before vented through two integrated ports in front of the sights. The beauty to this design is you get the best of both worlds. There is no additional length to the overall footprint and no add on’s or maintenance required. I’ve been running these ported slides on all my micro-compact pistols and the results speak for themselves. There really is no down side.

The Bad of Shooting Ported Slides

The two biggest concerns with ported slides are loss of muzzle velocity and close contact shots. I’ve found while there was a reduction in muzzle velocity it varied. At the high end I was getting 50fps difference to only about 15fps on the low end. That’s not the right question to be asking. The real question is what effect will this velocity loss have on terminal performance. While there is a corollary to lower terminal velocity and poor penetration and expansion, what is the threshold. As far as the danger for contact or near contact shots. It is possible while entangled with an opponent the ports could be facing you so the real question is how much injury could the gases produce and what would be the minimum safe distance from your eyes. Again, not sure on this one and probably not really worth the effort.

Ported Slide Benefits

Often overlooked are the real benefits. Ported slides allow a new shooter to immediately reap the benefits in their shooting technique. Some claims are as much as 30% reduction in perceived recoil. When I shoot strong hand only I can see a significant difference in how fast my sights return to the target. I find this point to be important, just because you have a ported slide doesn’t mean you have to shoot fast. It means your sights generally travel less and are quicker to pick up. Or, you have the ability to shooter faster. You still need to make good judgements even between shots being fired.

I’m a big fan of the ported slides for carry, there is little if any downside.

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Course Description:

In the Advanced Concealed Carry students will work from realistic defensive settings. Close range marksmanship will be the primary focus, with heavy emphasis on speed. Extended range marksmanship will be emphasized to display capability and opportunities. Main subjects covered include, combat marksmanship, shooting on the move, shooting from cover and shooting strong hand only. A terminal objective for the class is the rapid engagement of multiple rounds at close range versus multiple targets while on the move. Additional subjects where time permits include drawing from a seated position, reduced targets, hand transfers, shooting weak hand only, and shooting positions.

Gear List:

• Defensive pistol (9mm recommended)
• 3x pistol magazines minimum
• 500 rounds of training ammunition
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Sturdy belt
• On The Waistband (OWB) holster or In The Waistband (IWB) holster
• Single or double magazine pouch
• Ballistic wrap around eye protection
• Ear protection
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication (optional)
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Notebook w/pencil
• Open mind

Course Prerequisite:

The below drills are suggested as minimum skill requirements to meet the prerequisites for the Advanced Concealed Carry. All drills are shot using primary carry pistol from the holster (unless otherwise specified) in an open carry condition. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 target.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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Course Description:

In the Shooting Micro Pistols Fast & Accurate students learn how to shoot the Micros faster by improving recoil control through grip adaptations and modifications. Then shoot more accurately by understanding acceptable sight picture and fine trigger control. Close range drills are designed to test and expose weaknesses in the crush grip as well as emphasize rough trigger control and consistent follow through. Long range drills are designed to test and expose weaknesses in the aiming process as well as define fine trigger control. Subjects covered include combat marksmanship, sighting systems, crush grip and TDE theory. The course goal is to provide the shooter the experience on shooting fast when necessary, but metering speed when accuracy is the priority. Additional subjects where time permits includes reduced targets, shooting under high stress and shooter diagnostics.

Gear List:

• Micro Compact pistol (9mm recommended)
• 3x pistol magazines minimum
• 500 rounds of ammunition
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Sturdy belt
• On The Waistband (OWB) holster or In The Waistband (IWB) holster
• Single or double magazine pouch
• Ballistic wrap around eye protection
• Ear protection
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication (optional)
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Notebook w/pencil
• Open mind

Course Prerequisite:

The below drills are suggested as minimum skill requirements to meet the prerequisites for this Shooting Micro Pistols. All drills are shot using primary carry pistol from the holster (unless otherwise specified) in an open carry condition. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 target.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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Course Description:

The Advanced Pistol 3 (301) is a 2-day advanced pistol course designed to test modern gunfighter’s skill level. In this advanced pistol course, students are tested on both speed and accuracy from 0 to 50 yards (where available). The curriculum is largely made up of graded drills both with prescribed group standards and self-paced standards. Subjects covered included sight tracking, shot calling, self-evaluation and baselines. A major course objective is recognizing the individual elements or micro tasks that make up an activity and focus on perfecting them through concentrated effort. Additional subjects include shooter diagnostics, performance dissection, soft vs. hard focus and drill design for improved performance.

Advance Pistol Gear:

• Defensive pistol (9mm recommended)
• 1,000 rounds of factory ammunition (500 rounds minimum)
• 5 x pistol magazines (8 magazines for single stacks)
• 5 x inert training rounds
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch (optional)
• Handheld flashlight
• Multi-tool device
• Wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Open mind

Pistol Course Prerequisite:

Combative Pistol 2 or similar. Students should be able to score an 80% or better on the following drills

• TRICON 455 Test; from the holster, 5 rounds at 5 yards in 5 seconds for 5 repetitions vs. B8 repair center. 250 points possible, must score 200 points or higher and be below par for each repetition.
• TRICON Test; from the holster, 10 rounds (9 reload 1) at 10 yards in 12 seconds vs. B8 repair center. 100 points possible, must score 80 or higher and be below par
• TRICON Bullseye Qual.; from the holster, 5 rounds at 25 yards in 10 seconds for 2 repetitions vs. B8 Repair center. 100 points possible, must score 80 or higher and be below par for each repetition.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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Course Description:

The Tactical Pistol 2 (201) is a 2-day intermediate pistol course designed to equip the modern gunfighter with shooting skills necessary for close range defensive settings. In this intermediate pistol course, students learn the essential pistol skills from 0 to 25 yards. Close range shooting will focus on speed, while shooting at distance will focus on accuracy. Students are constantly exposed to challenging drills designed to shoot under pressure to evaluate knowledge and application. Subjects covered include combat marksmanship, holster drawstroke, gun handling and multiple threats. A major class objective is a rapid drawstroke to deliver accurate fire at close ranges, measured against time and accuracy standards. Additional subjects include shooter diagnostics, movement, strong hand only and ammunition management.

Gear & Equipment:

• Duty pistol, 9mm (red dot sight optional*)
• 1,000 rounds of training ammunition (500 rounds minimum)
• 5 x pistol magazines (8 magazines for single stacks)
• 5 x inert training rounds
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch (optional)
• Handheld flashlight
• Multi-tool device
• Wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Open mind

*Students are welcome to use RDS equipped pistols, but must ensure they are properly zeroed. Recommended zero distance is 25 yards for optimal performance, but regardless students must know their impacts at ranges from 0-25 yards. 

Course Prerequisite:

Basic Pistol 1 or similar. The below drills are suggested as minimum skill requirements to meet the prerequisites. All drills are shot drawing from the holster. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 target.

• Pistol Standard, Golf; at the 5 yard line, draw and fire 5 rounds in 5 seconds for 5 repetitions. Must be below par for each repetition and score 175/250 or higher.
• Pistol Standard, Bravo; at the 10 yard line, draw and fire 10 rounds (9 reload 1) in 15 seconds. Must be below par and score 70/100 or higher.
• Pistol Standard, India; at the 25 yard line draw and fire 5 rounds in 10 seconds for 2 repetitions. Must be below par for each repetition and score 70/100 points or higher combined.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

Want to see other classes coming up this year? Check out the Class Schedule.

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Course Description:

The Advanced Pistol 3 (301) is a 2-day advanced pistol course designed to test modern gunfighter’s skill level. In this advanced pistol course, students are tested on both speed and accuracy from 0 to 50 yards (where available). The curriculum is largely made up of graded drills both with prescribed group standards and self-paced standards. Subjects covered included sight tracking, shot calling, self-evaluation and baselines. A major course objective is recognizing the individual elements or micro tasks that make up an activity and focus on perfecting them through concentrated effort. Additional subjects include shooter diagnostics, performance dissection, soft vs. hard focus and drill design for improved performance.

Advance Pistol Gear:

• Defensive pistol (9mm recommended)
• 1,000 rounds of factory ammunition (500 rounds minimum)
• 5 x pistol magazines (8 magazines for single stacks)
• 5 x inert training rounds
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch (optional)
• Handheld flashlight
• Multi-tool device
• Wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Open mind

Pistol Course Prerequisite:

Combative Pistol 2 or similar. Students should be able to score an 80% or better on the following drills

• TRICON 455 Test; from the holster, 5 rounds at 5 yards in 5 seconds for 5 repetitions vs. B8 repair center. 250 points possible, must score 200 points or higher and be below par for each repetition.
• TRICON Test; from the holster, 10 rounds (9 reload 1) at 10 yards in 12 seconds vs. B8 repair center. 100 points possible, must score 80 or higher and be below par
• TRICON Bullseye Qual.; from the holster, 5 rounds at 25 yards in 10 seconds for 2 repetitions vs. B8 Repair center. 100 points possible, must score 80 or higher and be below par for each repetition.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

The post Advanced Pistol 3 appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Course Description:

The Tactical Rifle 2 (203) is a 2-day intermediate rifle course designed to equip the modern rifleman with shooting skills necessary for close range urban defensive settings. In this intermediate rifle course, students learn essential rifle skills & standards from 5 to 50 yards. Close range shooting will focus on speed, while mid-range shooting will focus on accuracy. Students will constantly be exposed to challenging drills designed to shoot under pressure. Subjects covered include: proper zeroing procedures, shooting positions, gun handling and combat marksmanship. A major objective for the Tactical Rifle 2 is the ability to mount the rifle quickly to deliver effective fire at urban distances measured against time and accuracy standards. Additional subjects include shooter diagnostics, surgical shots, movement, use of cover and ammunition management.

Gear List:

• AR15/M4 rifle/carbine
• Adjustable rifle sling
• Red dot sight or low powered variable optic
• Defensive pistol
• 1,000 rounds of factory rifle ammunition (500 rounds minimum)
• 50 rounds of factory pistol ammunition
• 5 x rifle magazines minimum
• 5 x inert/dummy rifle training rounds
• 2 x pistol magazines
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Elbow/knee pads or shooting pad (optional)
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch
• Chest rig capable of holding 4 rifle magazines
• Handheld flashlight
• Multi-tool
• Clear/tinted wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Open mind

Course Prerequisites:

Basic Rifle 1 or similar. The below drills are suggested as minimum skill requirements to meet the prerequisites. All drills are shot starting from the low ready position of at least 45 degrees downward. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 printable target.

• Rifle Standards, Alpha: at the 25 yard line, fire 10 rounds (9 reload 1) in 15 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 points or higher.
• Rifle Standards, Hotel: at the 25 yard line, fire 4 rounds standing to the body, then drop to kneeling and fire 2 rounds to the head in 10 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 or higher.
• Rifle Standards, Juliet: at the 50 yard line, fire 10 rounds from any position in 60 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 or higher.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

The post Tactical Rifle 2 appeared first on Trident Concepts.

Course Description:

The Tactical Rifle 2 (203) is a 2-day intermediate rifle course designed to equip the modern rifleman with shooting skills necessary for close range urban defensive settings. In this intermediate rifle course, students learn essential rifle skills & standards from 5 to 50 yards. Close range shooting will focus on speed, while mid-range shooting will focus on accuracy. Students will constantly be exposed to challenging drills designed to shoot under pressure. Subjects covered include: proper zeroing procedures, shooting positions, gun handling and combat marksmanship. A major objective is the ability to mount the rifle quickly to deliver effective fire at urban distances measured against time and accuracy standards. Additional subjects include shooter diagnostics, surgical shots, movement, use of cover and ammunition management.

Gear List:

• AR15/M4 rifle/carbine
• Adjustable rifle sling
• Red dot sight or low powered variable optic
• Defensive pistol
• 1,000 rounds of factory rifle ammunition (500 rounds minimum)
• 50 rounds of factory pistol ammunition
• 5 x rifle magazines minimum
• 5 x inert/dummy rifle training rounds
• 2 x pistol magazines
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Elbow/knee pads or shooting pad (optional)
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch
• Chest rig capable of holding 4 rifle magazines
• Handheld flashlight
• Multi-tool
• Clear/tinted wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• Open mind

Course Prerequisites:

Basic Rifle 1 or similar. The below drills are suggested as minimum skill requirements to meet the prerequisites. All drills are shot starting from the low ready position of at least 45 degrees downward. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 printable target.

• TRICON Rifle Test (Alpha): at the 25 yard line, fire 10 rounds (9 reload 1) in 15 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 points or higher.
• TRICON Rifle Bill Drill (Hotel): at the 25 yard line, fire 4 rounds standing to the body, then drop to kneeling and fire 2 rounds to the head in 10 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 or higher.
• TRICON Rifle Slow Fire Test (Juliet): at the 50 yard line, fire 10 rounds from any position in 60 seconds or less. Must be below par and score 70/100 or higher.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

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An Origin Story

Maybe not the exact same effect, but most would be really surprised to learn how effective this method is when done correctly. Where did the sling tension method or sling method as I was taught come from in the first place. Those of us who cut our teeth on assaults with a sub-machine gun at some point had to learn this method to work with gas masks or chem/bio suits. Believe me it was not as sexy as it sounds, but it was a mission requirement we had to perfect. The best way to explain how it works is when the sling is properly positioned, adjusted and the platform is setup correctly you push against the sling to create tension or a simulated stock. This tension helps stabilize the firearm.

Learning About Slings

Let’s talk about properly positioning the sling. You can run a two point or one point sling configuration. I tend prefer the two point, but both work well. If you run a sling that can transition between the two its the best of both worlds. I used the Blue Force Gear 221 sling; which gives me this option to much success. In class, I would transition from running a two point, to a one point simply by moving the QD swivel. To further explain a properly positioned sling we talk about the mounting location. If you run a one point, you can either attach it to the inboard or the outboard side. Some AR Pistol configurations have an end plate with a QD attachment that further simplifies your setup. However, if you are running the folding or collapsible type braces this is not an option.

The Secret

Making sure the sling is properly adjusted is the secret. You want there to be just enough tension. You are looking for almost full extension, about 80-90% full extension to be exact. This will allow you to apply force into the sling. It is this force that helps stabilize and reduce recoil while shooting. This works best with pistol caliber AR pistols, but I’ve had much success with rifle calibers. In classes I’ve run the Sig Rattler chambered in 300 Blackout and love the versatility of this little blaster. To make this method work even better, use the inside of your sling to create an improvised cheek weld. This creates a semi-third point of contact. The bad news is it can reduce your options when you try to achieve a shoulder mount. There were plenty of times I would run and gun with the sling tension method, but slow down for a long shot or a high percentage shot using the stock. So for me, I would run with my stock extended. If you get the sling just right for sling tension, it might mean the setup or position of the sling can interfere or get in the way of obtaining a good and reliable shoulder mount.

A Little Preparation

There is not a lot you have to do to your firearm platform. Meaning, if you running a folding brace, it is ideal to keep the brace folded so it is not in your way. The extended brace can sometimes get in the way of seeing your sights quickly. Modern red dot sights have somewhat negated this issue, but still something to consider. Running with no brace makes it pretty clean and easier to run the sling tension method in my opinion.  Something else to consider is depending on the barrel length a concern might be your weak hand position. Hand stops that prevent your hand from moving too far forward will keep your hand away from the hot gases near the muzzle. It also allows you to place a little bit more forward isometric tension into the sling.

How Does It Perform

When you have everything setup for optimal performance using this method you will find speed and accuracy to be pretty impressive. If you have to make a snap shot inside 15 yards it is wicked fast. Back in the day it was all iron sights, but using a red dot sight gives you the ability to step back with more accuracy.  Stepping back to 25, 35 and 50 yards produces more than acceptable accuracy. You are not going to be shooting a sub-MOA group, but you can easily shoot an 8 inch group at 50 yards; which is 4MOA and plenty accurate for most defensive gun uses.

The bottom line is all is not lost if you cannot use the brace. Experiment with this sling tension method and you will find it very capable.

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