Range Exercises

Range Exercises

Clearance Demonstration:

  • Gun Technique
    • High Compressed Ready
      • Why this technique?
      • Best retention
      • Best at keeping gun in the fight
    • Muzzle down 45 degrees
    • Safety on
  • Flashlight Technique
    • Wheeler cross over to brace strong hand – or
    • Held away from body in case it is targeted
  • Doorways – Open
    • Back against far wall if constricted passage, otherwise 6-8 feet away
    • Return second hand to the weapon
    • “Cut the pie” – move around different angles to see as much of the room as possible
  • Doorways – Closed
    • Using weak hand, turn knob or latch and push the door away while stepping back
    • Return second hand to the weapon
    • Cut the pie
    • If the door opens toward you, open the door while standing outside the door frame so the door cannot be pushed against you, knocking you down. Step back two or three steps as you pull door open with weak hand. (Fling the door open.)
  • After Visual Clearance
    • Enter the room slowly, look for hiding places and shielded areas
    • Clear by cutting the pie rather than approaching hiding places
    • Clear 180 behind you every few seconds, particularly in doorways

Firing from Cover:

  • Do not crowd cover
    • Ricochets
    • Access from other side
  • Minimize exposure
    • One handed fire
    • Weak handed fire
    • Supported strong hand fire
    • Supported weak hand fire
    • Be aware of legs and body
    • Gun, hands, and eyeballs are optimum

First Drill – Combat Accuracy Shooting

Training Objectives:

  • Teach our muscle memory
  • See where we need to improve our accuracy/speed

Principles:

  • There is a direct tradeoff between speed and accuracy
  • Accuracy is the most important quality, misses do not stop the threat, waste time, and endanger bystanders
  • If you are hitting too good, speed up

Scenario:

  • In public, cannot afford to miss
  • Backdrop not secure

Definition of Combat Accuracy:

  • “A” zone on IPSC target
  • Hand span dispersion of hits in center mass

The Drill:

  • Draw
  • Two shots to the center of mass
  • One shot to the ocular cavity
  • Retract to high compressed ready
  • Clear area
  • Re-holster

In Detail:

  • Start from the flinch position, hands up, lowered center of gravity
  • Clear your concealment garment, preferably with the weak hand
  • Pull weapon from the holster, trigger finger extended, while support hand goes to the chest
  • Rotate the weapon and rotate to bring the muzzle to bear
  • Bring hands together at the compressed ready in front of chest, finger is clear of trigger
  • Press arms forward, safety comes off
  • Gain the sight picture
  • Press the trigger
  • Continue to fire until threat is defeated (for this drill, three shots)
  • Retract to the high compressed ready, safety on
  • Clear both sides visually
  • Re-holster

Second Drill – Moving off Ground Zero

Training Objectives:

  • Move under threat to spoil the shot, cause the threat to rethink or be distracted
  • Learn to shoot while moving (either direction)

Principles:

  • You buy some time by moving to draw your weapon

Scenario:

  • Do or Die if facing a threat

Definition of Success:

  • Move out of your shadow
  • Maintain Combat Accuracy

The Drill:

  • Move rapidly
  • Draw weapon
  • Shoot to stop threat (Two to center of mass, one to ocular cavity
  • Clear
  • Re-holster

In Detail:

  • Start from the flinch position
  • On the “up” signal move at least two steps in the designated direction
  • Simultaneously draw the weapon as we did in Drill One
  • On completion, retract to high compressed ready, safety on
  • Clear the area
  • Re-holster

Third Drill – Figure Eight – Multiple Targets:

Training Objectives:

  • Learn to recognize and respond to the appropriate target in a crowded environment
  • Learn to present the weapon at all angles

Principles:

  • The target is not always obvious and is not always where you would like

Scenario:

  • A specific threat comes to your attention in a public or crowded area

Definition of Success:

  • Find the proper target
  • Rapidly present your weapon and get combat accurate hits

The Drill:

  • Walk around obstacles in a figure eight pattern
  • When target number is called out, draw your weapon and shoot

In Detail:

  • Walk around obstacles in a figure eight pattern, the sharp turns are away from the audience
  • Range officer or partner will call a number
  • You must identify the proper target
  • You must present the weapon
  • You must get combat accurate hits, two to the center of mass, one to the ocular cavity
  • Once the threat is eliminated, clear the area.
  • Re-holster the weapon and resume the figure eight