Pollock
Newbie
After Action Review – Defoor Proformance Shooting 2 Day Carbine Course
For years, I wanted to attend a civilian run “shooting school.” The desire started when as a young
Marine I heard the elder shooters in schools I worked for discuss places like Mid-South, Rogers and H&K
and names like Barnhart, Leatham and Shaw. Years of research on the internet through forums, videos
and social media led me to the conclusion that Kyle Defoor’s company Defoor Proformance was the
direction I wanted to go.
Kyle Defoor, owner of Defoor Proformance Shooting (DPS), had an extensive military career in the Navy
and was an integral part of building the training offered by Blackwater during the mid to late 2000’s. He
has been running DPS for approximately six years. Kyle has offered up details on his background, client
base and “Tribe” on the DPS website, social media and through Trigger Time TV videos on YouTube. I
encourage anyone looking at improving their marksmanship and weapons handling to check these
sources.
Class Details:
The class I chose was a 2 day carbine course with 14 shooters and 1 instructor. The class was made up
of all men with varied backgrounds and experience. Military members, retirees, law enforcement at the
local and federal level were represented, but we also had IT managers and contractors (not the
shooters, the propeller head type).
The range in this instance had a 200 and 100 yard line and a small bay for close in work. Round count
was advertised at 800, but I came away shooting approximately 600. Everyone in the class fired an AR
platform in 5.56mm with all the major manufacturers represented. Optics included four variable power
scopes; two of which were the US Optics 1x4 that Defoor designed for the company. The majority ran
Red Dot Sights from Aimpoint and Eo-Tech. No major issues with the weapons or ammunition up and
down the line. I did walk away with a healthy mistrust of the Troy back up irons I borrowed from a
friend (adjusting the front sight post did not cause a change in the strike of the round). DPS only
prescribes to three targets on the range – SR42 w/ 12inch black, B8 with a 6 inch black and IDPA
(encouraged to shoot in the high part of the A zone to simulate the thoracic cavity). Steel used
consisted of B/C steel and a swinger.
Gear I Used:
My personal gear included a 16 Inch BCM upper/Smith and Wesson lower with VTAC handguard and a
Surefire Scout light. Sights were the aforementioned Troy BUIS and the Aimpoint M68. The rifle has a
BCM comp and a Geiselle trigger. I used a VTAC sling and a HSGI Tacos on an Advanced Warfare
Solutions (AWS) duty belt. Magazines were USGI and MagPul with XM193 5.56 bought in bulk at
WalMart. My “backup” carbine was a Colt with the Aimpoint T1 with a 2 minute of angle dot and
Surefire G2 and VTAC sling. Luckily, I didn’t need to use the back up.
Training Day One:
Safety Brief and Rifle Set Up:
The day started promptly at 8am with roll call and went right into the safety brief. The weapons
handling safety rules and emergency medical issue management were discussed. All present
understood the plan if such an emergency occurred from communication, evac plan, hospital location
and location of trauma kits. Kyle also added his introduction into the initial brief as well.
Rifle set up was the next subject. Kyle was using a BCM 300 Blackout with a 9 inch barrel, KMR rail and
T1 Red Dot. BCM Back Up Irons, a Vikings Tactics sling hooked to the castle nut and lower end of the rail
(more on that) and a Streamlight with Arisaka mount. He used this same rifle to later shoot an eight
inch group at 200 yards.
He talked through having the basics on a modern carbine – sling, light, optic, back up irons. He did share
that he prefers a stock trigger and ran one on the Blackout. He discussed the virtue of sling position for
securing the weapon to one’s body for climbing, going hands on or fighting. I will be following this
advice for my sling set up (mirroring his) going forward. He also talked to magazines and tape switches
(he prefers buttons). Position of lights, irons, lasers, etc. should be dictated after you determine how
you place your hand on the rail to fire in standing and prone. Once you determine your grip, you place
your accessories to accommodate your grip.
“Trueing” your rifle:
A big part of why I selected DPS is Defoor’s focus on marksmanship and fundamentals. No contorting
your body in absurd shooting positions and spewing a high round count from 7 yards. No “vehicle CQB”
that is all the rage right now. We made sure our rifles were “trued.” He stressed that a properly zeroed
rifle will be time well spent to not only hit what you are aiming at on demand, but understand what
happens when your dot is brighter than normal, what your holds are at 50 yards on a 100 yard zero, etc.
Kyle admitted that he is “big on data,” so we shoot and we score on the B8, adjust as needed and
repeat.
He spoke of the virtue of the 100 Yard Zero and the reality of the weapons used (ARs), the deviation
from that zero at different distances and his experience in combat. All make for a substantive argument
to swear by that zero. For our final “truing” test, Kyle put us on the clock for 30 seconds at 100 yards for
10 rounds. Standard is 90 or above. In the diverse mix of shooters, he had 12 of 14 hit 90 or above. The
average students takes about 8 seconds just to get into position for that first shot so one can appreciate
the speed with which they engaged the 6 inch bull of a B8. I happily scored a 95 on that process.
We also fired irons at 50 yards and “rep’ed” tac reloads throughout this process and through the
remainder of the training. Kyle took the afternoon on TD 1 to address malfunctions regarding double
feed and tap/rack/bang. He advocated tap and tug on magazines and walked the class through a few
variations on press checks. The bolt override malfunctions he demo’ed then the class drilled is efficient
and easy to conquer without the tools some tend to prescribe to in that situation.
Incorporated throughout Kyle’s training he explains the “why” for drills, actions, gear, zero, etc. You
don’t get that feeling that institutional inertia has built this curriculum. Its not only a living process that
is built upon, but there is thought behind each action and no time wasted on flashy or stylish tactical
minutia. Kyle’s targeting discussion is one of those examples. This discussion, along with his Mindset
brief (mentioned later), are teaching points best covered in class by him and his team.
“What’s in your med kit?”:
TD1 ended with a med brief. Seeing a gap in the training industry, DPS has a block of instruction on
emergency medical treatment leveraging stop gap measures, improvised tools and the supplies standard
to a military style Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK). Tourniquet employment being the biggest focus, KD
walked the class through occlusive dressing, hemostatic agent usage and touched on scene
management with triage and stop gap measures leveraging bystanders.
Training Day Two:
Mindset:
In all of Kyle’s classes, he takes the time to talk to Mindset. His brief was generated from a consortium
of people he refers to as his “Tribe” and has been built upon over the last ten years. An abbreviated
version of the Mindset brief is available on YouTube from Trigger Time TV (link:
) . Highly recommended viewing to get the general
points of the brief. Like his Targeting discussion, the Mindset brief is nothing I would try and tackle in an
AAR. It requires you be in the class and have the ability to hear examples, questions and comments
from other students and direct interaction with Kyle.
Near and Far:
After the Mindset brief, the class broke into a round robin (due to range set up) to engage the 200 yard
line with a 100 yard zero and to work through some close quarters style engagements.
The 200 yard shooting drove home his teaching points about the virtue of the 100 yard zero and
understanding your holds. My target was initially in the shade and I engaged the target (back of the B8
makes a good 200 yard target – 11 or so inches) with five rounds. With the “trued” rifle at 100 using a
red dot, I kept three in the 10 ring (I could see the black when pasting my target) and two in the 8 ring at
11 o’clock. Well within an acceptable group for the rifle/distance to target. The second string shifted
four inches low. Great learning point for me because in the time it took to walk down, paste and score
and return to my rifle the target was under full sun. This group was well within standard, just a point of
impact shift.
Three lanes were set up to run the close in shooting portion. Kyle demo’ed the efficiency of movement
in sweeping off safe and engaging with the first step in a room. Students could regularly perform this
after a few reps. He also “slaughtered a sacred cow” by demonstrating a virtue to walking backward at
some angles from the target to run the gun effectively (no butt stock rollover or other technique). As
someone who has been the #3 man into rooms, I appreciated what he was addressing and clearly
proving correct. Kyle discussed creating a “standard” like his carbine tests for this type of shooting, but
did not go into too much detail. I attempted the standard he described with a fellow classmate, an FBI
agent, and it is demanding, but achievable if you follow his instruction.
The class quickly transitioned into movement with a weapon. As with all activities, Kyle demonstrated
different approaches, shared his thoughts on each and provided feedback. With the movement drills,
we statred “dry” then loaded up and shot a modified version of one of his rifle tests. Kneeling body
shots in the high A zone from 100 yards proved difficult for many; with one in the D zone on my string.
We concluded the training with a class on “working” cover on walls, shooting from “roof tops” and
around corners of buildings. Having over fifteen years in the military as an infantryman and cop, I have
seen many examples of how to accomplish this. DPS’s approach to shooting from cover, like most
everything I found in this class, went to the next level and put real thought into the “how” and “why.”
Engaging steel at fifty yards, I used his approach to great effect.
Conclusion:
Both days I left class mentally spent. Kyle is engaging, funny and extremely knowledgeable about the
subject matter at hand. With a small class size and his abilities as a teacher, you walk away amazed at
the amount of learning covered per day. I happily learned of some personal training opportunities that I
can address on my own such as the collection of “micro dope,” using more finger on the trigger for more
consistency and speed and revisit shooting positions like kneeling in my regular range sessions. I also
came away with some gear issues and considerations to enhance performance and reliability of my
carbine.
In addition to the more technical pieces of the training, I came away with a lot to think about on
Mindset following Kyle’s “brief.” Preparing oneself for eventualities is something that costs little time
and effort and appears to pay in dividends if the “event” chooses you. I took a good deal of time to
reflect on what was said during the class by both Kyle and the other students and applied my own
experiences in combat and carrying a gun for a living (albeit part time) to this framework during that
reflection. I think this one hour “brief” alone is worth the price of the course.
I strongly recommend anyone seriously interested in improving their marksmanship and understanding
on how to fight with a rifle use their training dollars on a Defoor Proformance class. You will walk away
humbled with a good deal of homework, but refreshed that you learned from the best in the industry.
For years, I wanted to attend a civilian run “shooting school.” The desire started when as a young
Marine I heard the elder shooters in schools I worked for discuss places like Mid-South, Rogers and H&K
and names like Barnhart, Leatham and Shaw. Years of research on the internet through forums, videos
and social media led me to the conclusion that Kyle Defoor’s company Defoor Proformance was the
direction I wanted to go.
Kyle Defoor, owner of Defoor Proformance Shooting (DPS), had an extensive military career in the Navy
and was an integral part of building the training offered by Blackwater during the mid to late 2000’s. He
has been running DPS for approximately six years. Kyle has offered up details on his background, client
base and “Tribe” on the DPS website, social media and through Trigger Time TV videos on YouTube. I
encourage anyone looking at improving their marksmanship and weapons handling to check these
sources.
Class Details:
The class I chose was a 2 day carbine course with 14 shooters and 1 instructor. The class was made up
of all men with varied backgrounds and experience. Military members, retirees, law enforcement at the
local and federal level were represented, but we also had IT managers and contractors (not the
shooters, the propeller head type).
The range in this instance had a 200 and 100 yard line and a small bay for close in work. Round count
was advertised at 800, but I came away shooting approximately 600. Everyone in the class fired an AR
platform in 5.56mm with all the major manufacturers represented. Optics included four variable power
scopes; two of which were the US Optics 1x4 that Defoor designed for the company. The majority ran
Red Dot Sights from Aimpoint and Eo-Tech. No major issues with the weapons or ammunition up and
down the line. I did walk away with a healthy mistrust of the Troy back up irons I borrowed from a
friend (adjusting the front sight post did not cause a change in the strike of the round). DPS only
prescribes to three targets on the range – SR42 w/ 12inch black, B8 with a 6 inch black and IDPA
(encouraged to shoot in the high part of the A zone to simulate the thoracic cavity). Steel used
consisted of B/C steel and a swinger.
Gear I Used:
My personal gear included a 16 Inch BCM upper/Smith and Wesson lower with VTAC handguard and a
Surefire Scout light. Sights were the aforementioned Troy BUIS and the Aimpoint M68. The rifle has a
BCM comp and a Geiselle trigger. I used a VTAC sling and a HSGI Tacos on an Advanced Warfare
Solutions (AWS) duty belt. Magazines were USGI and MagPul with XM193 5.56 bought in bulk at
WalMart. My “backup” carbine was a Colt with the Aimpoint T1 with a 2 minute of angle dot and
Surefire G2 and VTAC sling. Luckily, I didn’t need to use the back up.
Training Day One:
Safety Brief and Rifle Set Up:
The day started promptly at 8am with roll call and went right into the safety brief. The weapons
handling safety rules and emergency medical issue management were discussed. All present
understood the plan if such an emergency occurred from communication, evac plan, hospital location
and location of trauma kits. Kyle also added his introduction into the initial brief as well.
Rifle set up was the next subject. Kyle was using a BCM 300 Blackout with a 9 inch barrel, KMR rail and
T1 Red Dot. BCM Back Up Irons, a Vikings Tactics sling hooked to the castle nut and lower end of the rail
(more on that) and a Streamlight with Arisaka mount. He used this same rifle to later shoot an eight
inch group at 200 yards.
He talked through having the basics on a modern carbine – sling, light, optic, back up irons. He did share
that he prefers a stock trigger and ran one on the Blackout. He discussed the virtue of sling position for
securing the weapon to one’s body for climbing, going hands on or fighting. I will be following this
advice for my sling set up (mirroring his) going forward. He also talked to magazines and tape switches
(he prefers buttons). Position of lights, irons, lasers, etc. should be dictated after you determine how
you place your hand on the rail to fire in standing and prone. Once you determine your grip, you place
your accessories to accommodate your grip.
“Trueing” your rifle:
A big part of why I selected DPS is Defoor’s focus on marksmanship and fundamentals. No contorting
your body in absurd shooting positions and spewing a high round count from 7 yards. No “vehicle CQB”
that is all the rage right now. We made sure our rifles were “trued.” He stressed that a properly zeroed
rifle will be time well spent to not only hit what you are aiming at on demand, but understand what
happens when your dot is brighter than normal, what your holds are at 50 yards on a 100 yard zero, etc.
Kyle admitted that he is “big on data,” so we shoot and we score on the B8, adjust as needed and
repeat.
He spoke of the virtue of the 100 Yard Zero and the reality of the weapons used (ARs), the deviation
from that zero at different distances and his experience in combat. All make for a substantive argument
to swear by that zero. For our final “truing” test, Kyle put us on the clock for 30 seconds at 100 yards for
10 rounds. Standard is 90 or above. In the diverse mix of shooters, he had 12 of 14 hit 90 or above. The
average students takes about 8 seconds just to get into position for that first shot so one can appreciate
the speed with which they engaged the 6 inch bull of a B8. I happily scored a 95 on that process.
We also fired irons at 50 yards and “rep’ed” tac reloads throughout this process and through the
remainder of the training. Kyle took the afternoon on TD 1 to address malfunctions regarding double
feed and tap/rack/bang. He advocated tap and tug on magazines and walked the class through a few
variations on press checks. The bolt override malfunctions he demo’ed then the class drilled is efficient
and easy to conquer without the tools some tend to prescribe to in that situation.
Incorporated throughout Kyle’s training he explains the “why” for drills, actions, gear, zero, etc. You
don’t get that feeling that institutional inertia has built this curriculum. Its not only a living process that
is built upon, but there is thought behind each action and no time wasted on flashy or stylish tactical
minutia. Kyle’s targeting discussion is one of those examples. This discussion, along with his Mindset
brief (mentioned later), are teaching points best covered in class by him and his team.
“What’s in your med kit?”:
TD1 ended with a med brief. Seeing a gap in the training industry, DPS has a block of instruction on
emergency medical treatment leveraging stop gap measures, improvised tools and the supplies standard
to a military style Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK). Tourniquet employment being the biggest focus, KD
walked the class through occlusive dressing, hemostatic agent usage and touched on scene
management with triage and stop gap measures leveraging bystanders.
Training Day Two:
Mindset:
In all of Kyle’s classes, he takes the time to talk to Mindset. His brief was generated from a consortium
of people he refers to as his “Tribe” and has been built upon over the last ten years. An abbreviated
version of the Mindset brief is available on YouTube from Trigger Time TV (link:
points of the brief. Like his Targeting discussion, the Mindset brief is nothing I would try and tackle in an
AAR. It requires you be in the class and have the ability to hear examples, questions and comments
from other students and direct interaction with Kyle.
Near and Far:
After the Mindset brief, the class broke into a round robin (due to range set up) to engage the 200 yard
line with a 100 yard zero and to work through some close quarters style engagements.
The 200 yard shooting drove home his teaching points about the virtue of the 100 yard zero and
understanding your holds. My target was initially in the shade and I engaged the target (back of the B8
makes a good 200 yard target – 11 or so inches) with five rounds. With the “trued” rifle at 100 using a
red dot, I kept three in the 10 ring (I could see the black when pasting my target) and two in the 8 ring at
11 o’clock. Well within an acceptable group for the rifle/distance to target. The second string shifted
four inches low. Great learning point for me because in the time it took to walk down, paste and score
and return to my rifle the target was under full sun. This group was well within standard, just a point of
impact shift.
Three lanes were set up to run the close in shooting portion. Kyle demo’ed the efficiency of movement
in sweeping off safe and engaging with the first step in a room. Students could regularly perform this
after a few reps. He also “slaughtered a sacred cow” by demonstrating a virtue to walking backward at
some angles from the target to run the gun effectively (no butt stock rollover or other technique). As
someone who has been the #3 man into rooms, I appreciated what he was addressing and clearly
proving correct. Kyle discussed creating a “standard” like his carbine tests for this type of shooting, but
did not go into too much detail. I attempted the standard he described with a fellow classmate, an FBI
agent, and it is demanding, but achievable if you follow his instruction.
The class quickly transitioned into movement with a weapon. As with all activities, Kyle demonstrated
different approaches, shared his thoughts on each and provided feedback. With the movement drills,
we statred “dry” then loaded up and shot a modified version of one of his rifle tests. Kneeling body
shots in the high A zone from 100 yards proved difficult for many; with one in the D zone on my string.
We concluded the training with a class on “working” cover on walls, shooting from “roof tops” and
around corners of buildings. Having over fifteen years in the military as an infantryman and cop, I have
seen many examples of how to accomplish this. DPS’s approach to shooting from cover, like most
everything I found in this class, went to the next level and put real thought into the “how” and “why.”
Engaging steel at fifty yards, I used his approach to great effect.
Conclusion:
Both days I left class mentally spent. Kyle is engaging, funny and extremely knowledgeable about the
subject matter at hand. With a small class size and his abilities as a teacher, you walk away amazed at
the amount of learning covered per day. I happily learned of some personal training opportunities that I
can address on my own such as the collection of “micro dope,” using more finger on the trigger for more
consistency and speed and revisit shooting positions like kneeling in my regular range sessions. I also
came away with some gear issues and considerations to enhance performance and reliability of my
carbine.
In addition to the more technical pieces of the training, I came away with a lot to think about on
Mindset following Kyle’s “brief.” Preparing oneself for eventualities is something that costs little time
and effort and appears to pay in dividends if the “event” chooses you. I took a good deal of time to
reflect on what was said during the class by both Kyle and the other students and applied my own
experiences in combat and carrying a gun for a living (albeit part time) to this framework during that
reflection. I think this one hour “brief” alone is worth the price of the course.
I strongly recommend anyone seriously interested in improving their marksmanship and understanding
on how to fight with a rifle use their training dollars on a Defoor Proformance class. You will walk away
humbled with a good deal of homework, but refreshed that you learned from the best in the industry.