Just a few notes from my recent private training at Front Sight last weekend, February 18th and 19th. I had hoped to DG and then aggressively plunge into my first foray in the tactical arena, but due to my feeling a bit under the weather, plus the actual weather (SoakCal was a lot more under it), I skipped the skills test and soaked in what I could of tactical handgun concepts. (New meaning to the phrase dry practice: in an attempt to stay out of the rain, we practiced most of these concepts dry under shelter, at least the first day.) Here goes:
- “SUL” position
- butterfly hands together, muzzle down between feet, thumbs touching (aha: Front Sight’s teaching of thumbs high begins to make sense), support hand knuckles should align with slide as muzzle points downward
- Tactical Reload from Sul
- perform on knee to keep muzzle pointed down
- only use new (simple) method for tac reload
- can also be performed high near waist but must reverse weapon to keep pointed straight down
- One-handed shooting
- more movement, malfunctions more likely
- use if injured or carrying someone
- very important to kep support hand in and fist clenched
- Weapon transfer: slap, wrap & slide
- Brace-supported kneeling (25 yards)
- (i did better standing at 25 yards)
- Prone w/stacked hands (50 yards)
- can modulate height with support hand
- pulling my left foot up worked better than right foot-made it easier to get head down low enough to achieve sight picture
- Close Contact Emergency Response
- close quarters (eg, ATM)
- does not work well with external clothing
- weapon retention an issue: lock in rib cage
- thumb safety off (1911’s) at Count 3
- distance is not an option before firing
- must fire controlled pair from Count 3
- finger straight, full step back to ready
- quick check while stepping back (real-life: many steps to cover)
- after-action drills at safe distance
- Palm Strike Step Back
- Palm distracts
- full step back as palm strikes
- support hand flips back to Count 1
- Response to Support Side
- Step, Pivot, Present
- no further than Count 1 until Pivot complete
- Response to Firing Side
- step a little further and slight cross
- Response to Rear
- huge cross step
- always to support side
- One-handed malfunction clearance
- remember support hand position
- Type I Failure to Fire
- Tap on knee
- use ejection port to rack on holster, other friction
- can also use sights if not plastic
- 1911’s: watch for safety engaging accidentally
- Type II Failure to Eject same except look/move
- Type III Failure to Extract
- CHECK: trap gun between knees
- LOCK: thumb presses up slide lock lever while using holster to rack ejection port
- STRIP: hold mag release down while banging forearm against knee
- RACKS: 3 good racks using holster against ejection port
- THEN holster gun backwards
- INSERT: insert good mag (reverse direction) then SNAP in place
- possibly TAP on knee if time
- RACK: using holster against ejection port
- decide whether to fire
- Emergency Reload
- get mag out
- holster backward
- release slide
- Shooting while moving
- Forward: heel to toe
- Backward: toe to heel
- Right handed shooters:
- right is forward
- left is backward
- both arms bent like in traditional weaver
Consider practicing these techniques at our free dry practice clinics, offered weekly.
