Default.mp3
Established
I apologize ahead of time for any vagueness, omissions, or mistakes in the AAR, as my notes are a bit incomplete, due to the fast tempo of the class and the large amount of discussion that arouse organically.
This is my eleventh formal pistol-oriented course, including those that were more oriented toward low-light, vehicles, and combatives. I have also had some coursework in edged weapons, long gun, and medical. Almost all the courses I have attended have been taught by nationally reputable instructors. Like the last few classes I had taken, this was hosted by Matthew Shockey of Falcon Tactical http://www.falcontactical.net.
I used two different H&K P30LS with the Grayguns Reduced Reset Carry Perfection Package carried in condition 1, with X400 Ultra - Green lasers/lights mounted with the DG-11 and zeroed for 25 yards. Sights were Trijicon RMR RM06es mounted by L&M Precision, with Dawson Precision suppressor height front sights (the serrated sight for my old black one, the tritium sight for the new RAL8000 one) and Ameriglo suppressor height rear sight mounted behind the RMR. Lube was FIREClean, magazines were modified with Taylor Freelance Border Special +5 magazine extensions with the included Wolff springs (first generation baseplates loaded only up to +4 for the black, second generation baseplates for the RAL8000), carried using a Kytex Shooting Gear open top magazine carrier as my primary reload and an ITW FastMag Pistol as my secondary. Holster used was Safariland 6004-39512 modified to carry a P30LS with an RMR, with a single strap shroud on TD1, and an RCS Phantom using IWB soft loops was used on TD2. Round counts at the start of the class was at 15876 for the black P30LS, while it stood at 55 for the RAL8000.
Due to the excessive Texas heat, I did not attempt to run the course in my EDC set-up. Attire was Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants, Outdoor Research Ignitor SS for TD1, Velocity Systems Rubgy Shirt MC for TD2, Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2 GTX, and Arc'teryx H·150 Riggers Belt. PPE used were Oakley M-Frames 3.0, MSA Sordin Supreme Pro-X with gel earpads and OC Tactical headband; Arc'teryx Knee Caps were used for a short portion of the course where there was barricade work. A DARK Gen 3 IFAK was also carried on my belt.
Mike Pannone was the primary instructor. Class started at about 0905. Weather was very hot, reaching 97 °F, with minimal cloud cover and wind. There were 11 students in the class. Student firearms choices was my single H&K, a Beretta/Wilson 92G Brigadier Tactical, two M&Ps, and the rest Glocks, 19s, 17s, and a 34. Mike shot a CZ P-09 that had drop in CGW trigger parts. My H&K and a single Glock were red dot equipped, while mine was the only gun with a laser.
We started out signing waivers, and then moved straight out to the range. Mike stated that this class had been revamped relatively recently, and that the new curriculum would be a bit more structured than it was in the past. He explained that his coursework would be much more rooted in sports sciences and kinesiology than typical shooting classes; rather than teaching "advanced marksmanship", which Mike believe doesn't really exist, he would be trying to teach us and advanced understanding of the mechanics behind marksmanship.
We then quickly covered some basic safety issues. Mike noted that pistols were far more portable than long arms, so it is much easier to be less aware of what one is muzzling. He spoke quickly about the four safety rules, but stressed muzzle discipline as being king, and that we were to keep the muzzle in a safe direction, which he defined as being a direction where an AD or ND would obviously not cause any harm.
Returning back to the meat of the class subject, Mike said that shooting is just shooting, the difficulty laid in how one applies it. For him, his goal is to give us something to take home and practice, so that one week from the end of the glass, we'd be better than when we left the class. Mike also told us that we would be using NRA B-8 quite often, along with reduced-size steel targets. Mike noted that trying to hit a full-sized IPSC steel target at 70 yards isn't all that different from trying to hit a 3×5 index card at 7 yards, but because of the mental knowledge of the distance, along with possible mechanical accuracy issues with the handgun itself, the 70 yard shot is generally harder for most people than the 7 yard shot. Something any dedicated shooter should find out is the intrinsic mechanical accuracy of their gun.
Mike then went over the grip. One wants to be high up on the backstrap as possible, in order to minimize the distance the hand is from the bore, and thus maximizing mechanical leverage over the handgun. One thing that Mike does to help that is to establish the master grip with the little and ring finger so high up that the middle finger must be jammed in and slides the little and ring finger down. The support hand then simply fills in the space left on the gun, with the off-hand thumb parallel to the barrel. Ideally, one does not want to lock their elbows, as this makes the elbows point down at the ground, and thus makes a very poor recoil absorption platform, as it allows the handgun to use the elbows as a pivot point to recoil upwards.
Next was the issue of breathing. The most stable position one has is the three or four seconds after exhaling, during the natural respiratory pause. This allows for the most steady sight picture, but one must take care to not and try to keep from breathing, as this will cause issues as one runs out of oxygen, e.g., quivering develops, vision distorts, etc. A common issue is that people will start to run out of oxygen while refusing to breathe, and then start to rush themselves to make the shot, and ends up throwing the shot as they simply just crank the shot off.
In stance, simply square straight at the target; a slight bend in the knees is usually preferred, just enough so that the knees are over the toes. There is no need to over-exaggerate the posture, as this throws us into a position where we are not as familiar with keeping our balance.
2-day pistol is a fast paced course designed to give students not only the technical but the practical understanding of the effective employment of their pistol in an extremely short period of time.
The CTT-Solutions pistol program of instruction is designed to give shooter specific answers based on operational experience of multiple vetted military/ LE sources, testing and historical data. All techniques taught are highly efficient and effective in the use of a pistol for combative engagements as opposed to sport shooting. The course requires the extensive use of steel targetry to accomplish rapid gains in skills with instant feedback as well as approximately 1000 rounds of ammunition per officer. The high round count and the use of steel give the shooter time and apparatus to refine his/her shooting technique based on the principles taught.
This is my eleventh formal pistol-oriented course, including those that were more oriented toward low-light, vehicles, and combatives. I have also had some coursework in edged weapons, long gun, and medical. Almost all the courses I have attended have been taught by nationally reputable instructors. Like the last few classes I had taken, this was hosted by Matthew Shockey of Falcon Tactical http://www.falcontactical.net.
I used two different H&K P30LS with the Grayguns Reduced Reset Carry Perfection Package carried in condition 1, with X400 Ultra - Green lasers/lights mounted with the DG-11 and zeroed for 25 yards. Sights were Trijicon RMR RM06es mounted by L&M Precision, with Dawson Precision suppressor height front sights (the serrated sight for my old black one, the tritium sight for the new RAL8000 one) and Ameriglo suppressor height rear sight mounted behind the RMR. Lube was FIREClean, magazines were modified with Taylor Freelance Border Special +5 magazine extensions with the included Wolff springs (first generation baseplates loaded only up to +4 for the black, second generation baseplates for the RAL8000), carried using a Kytex Shooting Gear open top magazine carrier as my primary reload and an ITW FastMag Pistol as my secondary. Holster used was Safariland 6004-39512 modified to carry a P30LS with an RMR, with a single strap shroud on TD1, and an RCS Phantom using IWB soft loops was used on TD2. Round counts at the start of the class was at 15876 for the black P30LS, while it stood at 55 for the RAL8000.
Due to the excessive Texas heat, I did not attempt to run the course in my EDC set-up. Attire was Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants, Outdoor Research Ignitor SS for TD1, Velocity Systems Rubgy Shirt MC for TD2, Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2 GTX, and Arc'teryx H·150 Riggers Belt. PPE used were Oakley M-Frames 3.0, MSA Sordin Supreme Pro-X with gel earpads and OC Tactical headband; Arc'teryx Knee Caps were used for a short portion of the course where there was barricade work. A DARK Gen 3 IFAK was also carried on my belt.
Mike Pannone was the primary instructor. Class started at about 0905. Weather was very hot, reaching 97 °F, with minimal cloud cover and wind. There were 11 students in the class. Student firearms choices was my single H&K, a Beretta/Wilson 92G Brigadier Tactical, two M&Ps, and the rest Glocks, 19s, 17s, and a 34. Mike shot a CZ P-09 that had drop in CGW trigger parts. My H&K and a single Glock were red dot equipped, while mine was the only gun with a laser.
We started out signing waivers, and then moved straight out to the range. Mike stated that this class had been revamped relatively recently, and that the new curriculum would be a bit more structured than it was in the past. He explained that his coursework would be much more rooted in sports sciences and kinesiology than typical shooting classes; rather than teaching "advanced marksmanship", which Mike believe doesn't really exist, he would be trying to teach us and advanced understanding of the mechanics behind marksmanship.
We then quickly covered some basic safety issues. Mike noted that pistols were far more portable than long arms, so it is much easier to be less aware of what one is muzzling. He spoke quickly about the four safety rules, but stressed muzzle discipline as being king, and that we were to keep the muzzle in a safe direction, which he defined as being a direction where an AD or ND would obviously not cause any harm.
Returning back to the meat of the class subject, Mike said that shooting is just shooting, the difficulty laid in how one applies it. For him, his goal is to give us something to take home and practice, so that one week from the end of the glass, we'd be better than when we left the class. Mike also told us that we would be using NRA B-8 quite often, along with reduced-size steel targets. Mike noted that trying to hit a full-sized IPSC steel target at 70 yards isn't all that different from trying to hit a 3×5 index card at 7 yards, but because of the mental knowledge of the distance, along with possible mechanical accuracy issues with the handgun itself, the 70 yard shot is generally harder for most people than the 7 yard shot. Something any dedicated shooter should find out is the intrinsic mechanical accuracy of their gun.
Mike then went over the grip. One wants to be high up on the backstrap as possible, in order to minimize the distance the hand is from the bore, and thus maximizing mechanical leverage over the handgun. One thing that Mike does to help that is to establish the master grip with the little and ring finger so high up that the middle finger must be jammed in and slides the little and ring finger down. The support hand then simply fills in the space left on the gun, with the off-hand thumb parallel to the barrel. Ideally, one does not want to lock their elbows, as this makes the elbows point down at the ground, and thus makes a very poor recoil absorption platform, as it allows the handgun to use the elbows as a pivot point to recoil upwards.
Next was the issue of breathing. The most stable position one has is the three or four seconds after exhaling, during the natural respiratory pause. This allows for the most steady sight picture, but one must take care to not and try to keep from breathing, as this will cause issues as one runs out of oxygen, e.g., quivering develops, vision distorts, etc. A common issue is that people will start to run out of oxygen while refusing to breathe, and then start to rush themselves to make the shot, and ends up throwing the shot as they simply just crank the shot off.
In stance, simply square straight at the target; a slight bend in the knees is usually preferred, just enough so that the knees are over the toes. There is no need to over-exaggerate the posture, as this throws us into a position where we are not as familiar with keeping our balance.