How To Best Ensure Behavioral Change

The purpose behind training is behavioral change that leads to goal or performance standard achievement. I choose to define shooting archetypes as a pattern of behavior that guides or motivates a student. It is possible to have more than one archetype, but there usually will be a dominant one and others that can be subordinate. These warlike personality traits can help explain or define the student’s motivation, fears and goals. By themselves they are not bad, they are only bad if they prevent continued growth or goal attainment. Which is why I enjoy observing students while they are learning. I’m trying to better understand them, what makes them tick so I can get the very best out of them.

The Role of Time & Focus

I’ve also seen students change over the years. One of my greatest achievements is seeing returning students. I enjoy watching them grow as a shooter. I may see a student start out in one category, but as they develop they morph or flat out change into another. I’ve also seen an almost bi-polar condition where two archetypes are competing for dominance. The experience we undergo will help shape these archetypes. For instance, if your first exposure was more “Marksmen” related, you will typically have that as a dominant force. There is nothing to say these are permanent, in fact I feel they are more a state of flux. I can recall participating in different events when my focus might have drawn out more of a certain archetype. Different from my dominant role.

So here are the five shooting archetypes along with some details to help describe them better.

The Speedster

Usually a new student will start out as a speedster where they measure their performance by how fast they complete the task. The task may not meet the standard, but achievement is based on the time it takes and not the outcome.

Desire: To shoot as fast as possible
Goal: Achieve an arbitrary time standard that has limited application
Motto: Go fast or go home

The Marksman

Usually the student who takes their time learning and wants every shot to be a perfect shot. They often are flustered when forced to rush or perform their task quickly.

Desire: To hit the X-ring no matter the cost
Goal: Shoot the tightest groups at the furthest distances
Motto: Accuracy if final

The Metro

Usually the student who is interested in looking good at all costs. They want to have all the cool gear and toys first, then learn how to use them second.

Desire: To look like they know what they are doing
Goal: Be the first with the newest piece of gear
Motto: Everyone wants to be a gangster until

The Commando

Usually the student who is only interested in the outcome and doesn’t care so much about the tools. It is all about the mission and winning no matter the cost.

Desire: To meet the standard while using the least amount of effort
Goal: Mastery of everything so as not to be the weak link
Motto: Fuck it, we’ll do it live

The Gunfighter

Usually the student who is accurate and fast but competes for tactical realism, even when there is none to be had. They are burdened with statistics and knowledge in an effort to control an uncontrollable event.

Desire: To be tactically sound at everything
Goal: Act in the most statistically advantageous manner
Motto: This is the way

I love teaching and I love learning about how to reach students better. We talk about how important it is to know the different adult learning styles, but have we thought about the archetypes as well? Everyone processes and learns new information in different ways. There is no way to get around hard work or effort, you have to put in the time. Being somewhat more aware of these shooting archetypes might help reach a student who is struggling or provide a pathway towards improvement. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.

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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 Professional Development (099) or ProDev is a semi-private day long seminar. Participants will get first hand knowledge on the methodology Jeff uses to train; which includes essential skills identification, minimum performance standards, degree of difficulty and degree of atrophy. It starts by laying out the practice plan, goals and drills to be used. The session centers around his monthly live fire training so each seminar is unique and will be different. Each of the drills are briefed, demonstrated and shot individually for score. The standards are further defined for the various skill levels and how to properly document performance to evaluate progress. Due to time constraints and safety, all drills are shot from open carry strong side. The ProDev Seminar is ideal for shooters with an intermediate skill level and a desire to know how to build their own training program based off proven results.

Skills Test:

Participants must be able to meet a minimum standard on the Entry Level Skills Test. Failure to do so could result in dismissal from the seminar for safety and time considerations. The test is shot cold with no warm up for best results. You will need the following: defensive pistol, holster, 10 rounds of ammunition, timer and NRA B8 or similar target. The test is performed twice. Each test has a maximum of 50 points possible. Individual scores are totaled for final score.

• Task: On the signal, draw and fire five (5) rounds, perform twice.
• Condition: From the 15 yard line versus a bullseye target within a 10 second par time
• Standards: 80% or higher combined score.

Gear List:

• Defensive pistol (9mm recommended)
• 500 rounds of factory ammunition
• 3x pistol magazines minimum
• Range appropriate clothing
• Rigid belt, quality holster and magazine pouches
• Wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication (optional)
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Notebook and pencil
• Smartphone
• Open mind

Course Prerequisite:

Tactical Pistol 2 or similar, see entry level skill test for admission.

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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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. 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 accurate and 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 being accurate and 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.

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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.

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