Retention and Back-up Guns

Regardless of why you carry a weapon retention techniques are a mandatory skill. Most confrontations occur at close range, putting your weapon within proximity of the threat. It’s important for anyone who carries, especially law enforcement officers who carry openly, to insure your weapon doesn’t end up in the hands of the bad guy. Having a backup weapon is another good idea.

The unexpected constantly occurs in fights, and carrying a spare weapon is cheap insurance. A recent confrontation with one of my guys is a perfect example of these two aspects, and contains several important lessons. (Since legal matters on this case are still in process I can’t supply all details.)

Like a lot of confrontations G.G. (Good Guy) ends up fighting on the ground with B.G. (Bad Guy) – same last name, no relation. While applying a chokehold, which is slow to take effect, G.G. feels movement at his holster. He immediately goes into retention mode, preventing B. from getting the pistol out of the holster. As soon as possible G. gets to his feet, creates distance, and draws his pistol. The problem is that B. has applied so much pressure to the pistol that the front of the slide has twisted off the frame’s front slide rails. G’s pistol is out of commission.

An empty pistol is easily reloaded. Malfunctions can be cleared. A jam at the range probably means tools and time to correct. A breakage, in this case during a fight, is serious. Your pistol ain’t shooting. For fighting, facing a sudden unexpected and violent confrontation, backup weapons are essential kit.

G. didn’t have a backup firearm, but I bet you won’t catch him without one again. In this case everything ended up good. It could have easily gone the other way; the same is true for all of us. Regardless of who you are and what you do, preparing for real world confrontations takes a lot of thought, educating yourself and learning from others, and time, practicing the multitude of skills you may need.

Although G.’s holster doesn’t have any retention device it is a good holster. There are a few cracks in the kydex at the top of it, but it didn’t fly apart at the seams, even from the amount of torque applied to the weapon’s grip. On the range almost any holster will do. In real life you need gear that will hold up to real world use.

Determining what backup weapon to carry will take research; there are always compromises. Work on it until you have the weapon that fits your need and application. As with all aspects of combat once you figure out what weapon you need then practice until accessing it becomes second nature. Keep in mind that depending on the situation the backup weapon may become your primary. Practice for all possibilities.

“Like a lot of us,” G. told me, “I’d become complacent.”

This is a danger we all face. Dedicate time to learn and practice. Don’t neglect dry practice. Tomorrow could be the one. Prepare now.

Self Image

Lanny Bassham, Olympic shooter and author, discusses the roles of the conscious and subconscious mind in his book “With Winning In Mind.” According to Bassham in addition to the conscious and subconscious mind the other factor we need to consider, and one most people don’t think about, is the “Self Image.” In order for us to perform at our best the conscious and subconscious parts of the mind must work and be in balance with the self-image. In other words, to perform properly we must have confidence in our skills.

In classes we always discuss the conscious and subconscious mental aspects of fighting, and the importance of both. The subconscious mind can process an enormous amount of info, and if we’ve practiced an action enough to have actually learned it the majority of tasks performed can be executed at a subconscious level.

Performing at a subconscious level permits the conscious mind, which can only think about one thing at a time, to focus on the problem at hand, making decisions on what is necessary to solve the trouble.

During a recent class I discussed the aspects of self-image during a talk about the mental aspects of fighting. The next week, Paul, one of the students, told me that the self-image part of the equation was one of the most important things he got out of the class. We were working the moving target with bystanders and the drill required a surgical shot to stop the threat. “I knew I could make that shot when the threat was right behind the bystander,” he explained. This is what I re-learned: your self-image and performance are always equal.

When you know through practice that you can perform an action properly, whether it’s marksmanship, weapon manipulations, or using cover, it creates confidence. “If faced with this type situation,” you say to yourself, “I have the skills needed.” This is not a question, but a statement of fact. When you think you’re not up to the task your performance will suffer. Have faith in the fact that you will do well and you will, at least to the best of your abilities considering training and practice.

The self-image applies to our tactical preparations as well as our everyday life, which if you think about it should be one in the same. At the start of the day I tell myself this may be the day I’m forced to fight, and if so I’m ready. Mentally prepping yourself at the start of your day puts you ahead of the game if a fight does develop, and reinforces your self-image, strengthening your confidence

At same time don’t overestimate your skills. Remember we’re not in a movie; this is the real world where we are limited by the laws of physics and our physical abilities. Having confidence is a lot different from a superman type ego.

To create confidence takes training and practice, working to improve your skills and recognize your personal limits. Then, when the time comes, there are no questions.

Firearms – An Internal Martial Art

“The opponent’s reaction to an offensive, or defensive, move cannot be taken for granted. His reaction must be recognized, evaluated, and appropriately dealt with – all within a split second.”

The quote above applies perfectly to fighting with firearms, but is actually from Herman Kauz’s “Tai Chi Handbook.” Tai Chi Chuan, loosely translated as “grand ultimate boxing,” is a soft martial art as opposed to hard/external arts such as Karate, which has violent punches, blocks and kicks. Fighting with firearms is an internal martial art; with firearms balance, sensitivity, stability, and awareness are critical to defeating your threat(s).

The origin of Tai Chi Chuan is debatable. In one version a man watches a snake avoid the strikes from an attacking crane by moving its body and remaining flexible. Others believe it was a modification of a boxing style. Regardless of the origin the key to Tai Chi Chuan is to sense the direction of the threat’s attack, present them with a difficult target, and at the same time strike to throw them off balance. It’s not about power or force.

The same is true of fighting with firearms. The advantage of firearms is that when faced with a threat we can move, create distance and use cover while at the same time shooting if necessary. With firearms we can strike or hit the treat without having to be within arms reach.

To shoot accurately we must use the sights, to the degree needed, and smoothly press the trigger, then reset the trigger in preparation of firing again. When the weapon is empty we reload, but it won’t work well if you try to force or jam the magazine in the weapon.

We smoothly index the mag with the magwell using feeling, our tactile sense, and then seat it with force. Moving and shooting requires stepping with the feet and legs while the upper body maintains stability, especially with rifles. None of these skills have anything to do with brute force or strength.

This isn’t to say you don’t need to learn how to give a good punch, kick, or work an arm bar. The fight may start out as a physical altercation. But as soon as possible we should go to guns, create distance, use cover if it’s available, and shoot if necessary.

In combat, like all things in life, we must achieve a balance between the hard and soft, fast and slow, force and flexibility. This is true of the body, and even more so of the mind. A mind with anxiety, fear, or isn’t flexible won’t serve us well in a fight.

In Tai Chi Tuan the movements are practiced slow and smooth, using the least amount of force, which conserves energy for both mind and body. With firearms it’s the same.

Practice should be performed smoothly, concentrating on executing your skills properly, not fast. Fast leads to mistakes. Proper technique wins fights.

Skill Set Variations

Accuracy is defined by the shot you are attempting to make. Firing from two yards away at the chest of a target can be done quickly, with a flash sight picture and prompt trigger press.

As the distance increases or the size of the target decreases a more precise sight alignment is required, and you must press the trigger smoother to insure you don’t disrupt the sight picture. Accuracy dictates the speed you can shoot and still place the rounds where they need to hit. If I can’t predict a hit then I don’t press the trigger.

There are several drills will help you discover and improve your abilities. I need to know what I’m capable of to know what I can and can’t do in an actual confrontation. I also need to know what my limits are so I don’t attempt something beyond my skill level. We are responsible for each shot we fire; overstepping the line with firearms can lead to bad consequences.

This first drill shows the effects of distance. Set up a target a couple of yards away. Target two is about six to eight yards away. Work various combinations on the targets, starting with body shots to the closest target then slowing down to hit the back target. (Shots should be within a four to six inch group regardless of distance.) Then you can start with the longest shots first, speeding up when you transition to the close target.

Work some headshots into the drills to really develop a feel for what an acceptable sight picture and trigger press is for surgical shots. Drills with three targets, all varying in size and distance are even better. Just be sure to focus on hits, not speed. Only accuracy counts, and the speed will develop as a result of applying proper technique.

If it’s not possible for you to set up targets at various distances then you can use large and small targets on one backer. For example a six-inch circle works well, and then below that have six small two-inch circles in two columns or rows. Work various combinations, engaging the larger target as quickly as possible and getting black, and then slowing down for the small targets.

When working these type drills always vary distances, size and shape of your targets. Short load your magazines so you have to reload at unexpected times. Dummy ammo will create malfunctions at various points. Basically mix it up so you don’t ingrain any dangerous “range” habits. The key is to develop your skills, not learn how to fire one drill really fast, which is more like a trick than a skill and may not have application when it comes to actually fighting.

In a fight your accuracy will be dictated by distance and size of the target. Your job is to learn what is necessary to insure that when the trigger is pressed the bullet goes where you need it. To perform at the level required practice is mandatory.

AR Bolt Release

The AR type rifle is equipped with a bolt release, which releases the bolt whenever it’s locked to the rear, hence its name. There are times when we use the charging handle – loading the rifle when the bolt is in battery and clearing malfunctions – but anytime the bolt is locked to the rear – reloading the rifle – we press the bolt release, not cycle the charging handle. Working the bolt release is ergonomic, efficient, and the way the weapon is designed to operate.

A right-handed shooter reloads the rifle by using the support hand to insert and seat the magazine – I tug to insure it’s seated – and then slides the cupped fingers up the magazine and mag-well which positions the thumb in just the right place to press the bolt release. The left-handed shooter seats the mag with the right hand, and uses their trigger finger to release the bolt. The AR is designed to be ergonomic, so hitting the bolt release is much quicker than cycling the charging handle.

This technique is also efficient. You can maintain your cheekweld on the rifle while keeping the muzzle on the threat, ready for follow-up shots if necessary. To cycle the bolt you have to lift your head up off the stock, and normally at the same time the muzzle drops off target. Any extra motion, like cycling the handle, lifting your head, large slapping motions with your hand to hit the release, which under stress usually takes shooters 2-3 slaps, or dropping the weapon’s muzzle off target means you’re wasting time. When reloading an empty weapon time is crucial, and efficiency is key.

The more you work the charging handle the more chance there is of you creating a problem. For example people will ride the handle forward with their hand, which slows the bolt assembly down enough that it doesn’t strip a round off the mag or chamber it correctly. This is especially true with a fully loaded magazine because it takes a lot of force to strip those first few rounds out of the mag.

Shooters will short stroke the handle, creating a stoppage, such as not ejecting a round or empty case. When it’s necessary I can work the charging handle, but anytime the bolt is locked to the rear pressing the release is our best option and course of action

Use the bolt release. That’s the way the AR rifle is designed to operate and it’s ergonomic, which translates into efficient and quick. Practice all manipulations; learn when to use the bolt release or why you cycle the charging handle. Then, when you need these skills you’re able to apply them properly and without conscious thought. This may seem like a small matter to some, but in a fight often times the little things can lead to ugly stuff. Train and practice accordingly, so you’ll fight properly.

Skill Set: Reitz Book

I finally have had time to start reading “The Art of Modern Gunfighting, The Pistol: Volume 1,” by Scott Reitz, and although I’m not finished with it, I going ahead and labeling it as “good stuff,” which means this book is a must have for your personal library.

Reitz is a thirty-year veteran of LAPD, ten of those as SWAT and instructor, and fifteen as the head instructor for the Metro Division. Currently he and his wife Brett run ITTS, which provides outstanding instruction in the art of gunfighting.

The modern technique of the pistol was compiled and introduced to the world by Jeff Cooper. “The Modern Technique Of The Pistol,” written by Gregory Boyce Morrison, with Cooper acting as editorial adviser, provided us with a concise textbook type guide to Cooper’s teachings. Scott and Brett’s book reminds me of Morrison’s work, but with the added insights Scott has gathered during his years on the job, plus additional research on literally hundreds of other shootings. “This book is the product of a lifelong journey that has taken me into many dark places,” Scott states in his introduction. “I have come away from these experiences with profound lessons learned,” he adds, a statement that truly reflects the contents of this work.

Section I of the book tells a little about the fights Reitz was personally involved in on duty. (In volume two of this work he promises to get into more detail about his experiences with LAPD, and having heard a few of these stories from Scott I can tell you now it too will be well worth reading.) Next are sections on various aspects of fights, the use of deadly force, and firearms safety.

Sections V-VII detail the basics of marksmanship, manipulations and the combative mindset. The content is straightforward, easy to understand, and illustrated with plenty of photos, and this material is valuable for beginners as well as experts. One of the best parts of the book for me so far – remember I haven’t finished it yet – is the “Preliminary Notes on Shot Follow-Through.” This critical aspect of fighting is explained in detail here better than anything else I’ve read on the subject, and not just follow through on the aspects of shooting but in relationship to your response to the threat as well.

Keep in mind that fighting is a mental process; you have to be thinking at all times. Your fighting skills include the physical aspects of combat, which requires plenty of practice, but we also need to train the mind to perform under stress. Reading is a great way to gather the insights of instructors that you can’t train with.

I’ve be fortunate enough to have trained with Scott several times, and it’s always a rewarding experience. Whether you’ve trained with Reitz or not this book should be required reading for anyone interested in the art of fighting with firearms.

Making Choices

Training, the introduction of new techniques, and practice, learning through repetition, equips us to respond to a threat effectively. If we haven’t learned all the tactics and techniques needed to respond to a threat we can’t assemble an effective response, choosing the skills required according to the particulars of your situation.

The key is that I can always choose not to do something, but trying to remember to perform an action I haven’t regularly practiced is extremely difficult.

The fundamentals of combat are moving, communicating, using cover, shooting as required, and thinking. I move to create distance, obtain a clear angle of fire, to get to cover or present the threat with a moving opponent as opposed to a stationary one. I communicate with partners, armed and unarmed, that may be with me. I communicate with threat(s), issuing verbal commands; they may comply which puts me in a much better place.

I use the protection of cover provides, or maybe concealment. If the situation requires I shoot to stop the threat(s). Thinking, assessing and making decisions that lead to these actions, at a conscious and subconscious level, is absolutely necessary.

If your regular practice doesn’t include all these actions then it’s difficult to put together the proper response. Take communication as an example. Communication requires a lot of brain space; I’m not sure what the technical term is. It’s especially difficult to communicate with others when under the stress of a violent confrontation. In practice you have to communicate, to a variety of people, so you can communicate when it’s important.

You can always choose not to communicate. The fight may go a lot better if you don’t issue verbal commands. There is no such thing as a fair fight, use everything to your advantage, especially surprise. The key here is that you could issue commands, it’s part of your normal response, but you choose not to. You’re able to make choices because you have options. You may choose not to do something, but trying to remember to perform a task that’s not part of your practice is difficult.

Fighting is problem solving under stress within short amounts of time. You have to size up the situation, make decisions, and then act. In order to assess and make productive decisions we have choices. At the same time you don’t need twenty ways of skinnin’ cats, you just need a few really good ones, then you choose the best one for the occasion.

The best way to learn our skills is with dry practice. Under stress you’ll shoot, the thing is to shoot accurately not fast. So the shooting part of it’s pretty easy. It’s all the other skills we need to really practice until they become second nature. This allows us to choose the best combination of actions to solve our problem efficiently.

Gear Selection

Selecting the gear you use should involve a lot of thought, research, and testing. Each piece of gear you choose is part of the chain; the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When it comes to picking your kit, nothing is considered “small.” In a fight, every piece of gear is critical.

Also keep in mind as you train/practice your views on equipment will change. There will probably be a box of gear left over once you have arrived at the spot where your gear will do everything you need. The more you learn the more you’ll realize how your gear must function.

For example when you attend your first class on firearms, using holster “A.” This holster works fine in the beginning, during the initial stages of training and practice. After learning how to properly draw the pistol and working from concealment you discover that holster “A” doesn’t function as well as you thought it might, and so it’s time for holster “B.”

As you learn through training and practice your thoughts on gear will evolve as well. Eventually you start working on single hand manipulations. The holster now serves as an edge to hook the sights of your pistol on to cycle the slide, and you determine that holster “B” doesn’t work very well. Holster “B” isn’t stiff enough to hold up against the force necessary to cycle the slide, and it has a lot of curved edges without a flat spot to properly hook the sight on.

After more research you purchase holster “C.” About now you’re getting close to what will actually work for you, although it may be necessary to work with three or four other holsters similar to “C” to find the one best suited for you.

Another important factor is simplicity. There is enough to think in a fight without adding complicated equipment to the list. Take flashlights for an example. I need a simple flashlight with a button you push for momentary light, and a way to turn it on for constant illumination.

Lights requiring a complicated series of pushes in the proper sequence to select what type light is activated or switches of some sort to regulate the light – low level momentary light, a bright constant output, a strobe effect, … – are too complicated for me. In theory these options may be a good idea.

Reality is that these lights are too complicated for people to operate during low-light drills on the range, much less when someone is trying to put the hurt on you. You’re working the light while moving, using cover, shooting and manipulating your weapon as necessary. Trust me, simple is good.

Discover what works for you. Your gear must function under all type conditions, not just a sunny day at the range. It has to work every time, without a lot of thought. When you discover inadequacy, correct it, regardless of cost. The alternative is much more expensive.

Moving Target Fundamentals

Shootrite recently replaced our moving target system, a rope operated time consuming difficult contraption I welded together, with one of Northern Lights’ remote control armor plated four-wheel drive fast moving target.

So we’ve been using the mover in more classes, which is good for students since it mimics the reality of facing an erratic moving target. The target is moving; hits are more difficult. The shooter must adjust their point of aim as the three-dimensional target changes angles.

You have to move to create distance, get to cover, and then keep that cover between you and the threat. And you might have to reload your weapon, because you never know how many shots it will take to stop the threat.

The most important point the moving target makes is how truly important the fundamentals are. To hit a moving target you have to apply the fundamentals of accuracy. This means using the sights, to the degree necessary, and getting a smooth press of the trigger without any anticipating of the recoil. To become a proficient shot means you can hit a moving target while moving. When you’re moving and engaging a moving target the fundamentals of marksmanship become even more important.

Needless to say the ability to move smoothly is essential. To make accurate hits while moving the upper body must be stabilized. This is accomplished through proper footwork, with the legs acting as shock absorbers for the rest of the body.

Movement is a fundamental technique, and must be practiced constantly. The good thing about it is that you can practice movement dry, without even using a weapon, although I do highly recommend the use of blue non-firing model guns.

To maintain the protection cover can provide you must move as well, constantly reacting to the threat, or even better moving and forcing them into a reactive mode. The ability to flow smoothly from one direction to another is important. You’re moving in response to the threat when it suddenly changes directions, putting you into the defensive mode, forcing you to change directions. This must be done efficiently and without delay.

The moving target really points out how well you manipulate your weapon. Some people run efficient reloads on the range, until the threat begins charging them. Then the external circumstances begin dictating the speed of their actions instead of them performing the reload at a speed they can do it properly.

Or when they run empty they stop moving because they cannot move and reload at the same time. You need to be able to reload your weapon and clear malfunctions without having to think about the actual actions necessary.

Fighting is about applying fundamental skills, usually several at the same time, in the proper sequence. To do this effectively takes repetition, and plenty of it. As my mentor Clint Smith says, “Fundamentals win fights.” I think this is one thing we need to focus on as a tactical community, both as instructors and students.

Dry Practice

The skills needed to fight effectively with firearms are not that complicated, but applying them certainly isn’t easy, especially under the stress that occurs while someone is actually trying to put the hurt to you. Practice, repetition of the same skill over and over, is necessary to learn to apply these techniques at a subconscious level.

This is necessary so that you can reload or clear malfunctions without having to consciously think about them. This frees up your conscious mind to think about solving your problem. Many aspects needed to fight with firearms go against your natural instincts.

For example we need to focus on the front sight, to the degree necessary to make the hit, instead of looking at the threat, which is what we naturally want to do. Repetition is required to rewire this response. And the skills you need are perishable. If you don’t practice them you won’t perform effectively under stress.

While most people think of shooting when they think practice, the absolute best way to practice the multitude of fighting skills is with dry practice. To manipulate your weapon at the subconscious level requires thousands of repetitions. Unless you live on the range and have an unlimited supply of ammunition the only way to get this much practice is through dry practice with dummy ammo. Brownells, www.brownells.com sells packs of plastic dummy ammo. Buy it and use it.

Moving and using cover can be done at home without even using a weapon. If you work at a desk all day every time you get up practice how you would draw while working up to your feet and getting cover or making your way to the exit.

If you work around other people this may be more of a mental exercise so you don’t attract attention, but mental repetitions are very important as well. The same thing applies to vehicles. As I exit my truck I’m undoing and clearning the seatbelt, getting the door open, and pretending to draw my weapon, performing the same actions I would if having to fight my way out of the vehicle.

At the club or public range it’s difficult to practice ground fighting with your weapon. Once you’ve been instructed on the proper techniques these are skills you can practice at home, using your pretend pistol or a dummy/blue gun. Using my dummy weapons I practice engaging moving targets – my threats are the squirrels in the yard that are constantly trying to surround me. At night I use my light to defend against the hoards of mad rabbits attempting to sneak inside the “wire.”

It’s documented that bad guys practice, often more than the good guys. And there’s no doubt they get more on the job training then we do. Don’t let the fact that you can’t make it to the range deter you from practicing. Every day has opportunities to practice. Make practice part of your life and your life becomes practice. Then when the time comes you’re prepared to defeat your threats.