ROMPER
Amateur
AAR Victory First Training Classes
Des Moines, Iowa Polk County Sheriff’s Range
Fundamentals of Concealed Carry 16-17, May 2015
Fighting From Concealment 18-19, May 2015
Instructor – Matt Jacques of Victory First
Weather:
TX 1 sunny and clear 70’s
TX 2 sunny and clear 80’s
TX 3 overcast and sprinkles 60’s
TX 4 back and forth between sunny and overcast 60’s (for the most part)
For the sake of brevity I condensed both classes into one after action.
The Fundamentals class was populated with a good mix of people from different walks of life, 3 local LEOs, 1 fed LEO, 1 person from the shooting/sales industry, and 5 normal earth people who take training seriously…..to include one of my civilian students who took the leap into the deep end of the pool.
Day 1 of the fundamentals class Matt covers modes of carry, equipment selection as well as what has worked and what has not over his career as MIL/LEO/CIV as well as what is going on in new equipment that works and why it works. Like most of us who have been doing this for any length of time we all have a box of crap that when we purchased it thought it to be the latest and greatest until we put it on our belts and carried it for any length of time……in addition to things that we used all to well and continued to use it long after its practical service life had expired.
Matt brings up some great points on not getting to attached to gear, and how to figure out what is working for you and what is going into your future bag of holsters and gizmos that you no longer use.
Part of the reason I enjoy these types of classes is the shooting with new people, another part is seeing what works for others in gear, as well as watching not only what the instructor is putting out for information but HOW they put that information to the students.
After the safety brief and discussion we moved to the range. I used this class as an opportunity to try out several new things and it was an eye opener to say the least.
I normally carry and train with a Glock 35 equipped with a Surefire X300 Ultra light….and pretty much every class I have attended for the last 17 years has been run either out of a drop holster attached to a battle belt or that and plates (it is also what I have carried for a duty weapon for years). Running a class completely from concealment was a bit out of my wheelhouse. I ran day 1 with the RCS Eidolon holster, and shot a LAV model Glock 17 that I changed the sights out to AmeriGlo Pro Operators and changed the connector to a negative for a crisp 4.5 pound trigger pull.
Both the gun and the holster ran very well……I have to admit that I was adamantly anti AIWB carry because of an incident that happened in Iowa a few years back with someone shooting themselves upon re-holstering their weapon. Both the Eidolon holster and Matt teaching the proper techniques to do this eased my mind on the concept of AIWB carry. Matt goes into pretty specific detail on what to look out for like t-shirts bunching up and entering the holster that need to be watched out for as well as cover garments getting in the way and how to mitigate that.
Matt went on to make the comment that “Cover garments are a bitch”, and I think over the course of the 4 days (2 classes) that everyone on the line had a few wardrobe malfunctions…..luckily all ended well as everyone in attendance was pretty switched on and able to fix their issued.
Range time continued with dot drills and other drills Matt used to get students to focus on what I call the aim small miss small principal. A good progression of learning was going on as Matt would show a drill from up close and gradually move students back to between 7-10 yards, as they became comfortable with that he would induce stress of the range timer.
Another topic that I have not heard put this way was Matt’s 2/3rd and 1/3rd rule. Basically stating that pressing the trigger is NOT the time to try and catch up your speed, but rather the first 2/3rd of your movement from concealment then slowing down when at full presentation and forcing yourself to relax and press your shot as not to disturb the pistol and miss your shot being the last 1/3rd. It makes sense and I am going to be using this with my students as well.
Matt also worked through keeping your pistol up, as in reload when you need to as well as tactical loads.
I was also able to try out other methods of carry that I was not used to like the Vertex Commuter bag that I borrowed from Matt for the afternoon of day 2.
The bag is very well setup and yet again despite my prior belief that I was not a fan of off body carry this bag that was set up for this specific job does it very well. I am faster from either AIWB or strong side belt carry but as in specific situations I can see the need to have an option like this and will be ordering one soon.
I also ran my other new Glock on day 2 of the Fundamentals class, I recently picked up a 34 and have it set up exactly the same way as my 35, AmeriGlo sights and a negative connector. This is my first generation 4 Glock, and I prefer the generation 3, the 4 is workable. I switched back to my normal strong side hip carry in a Raven holster for pistol and light as I attach a weapon mounted light to every firearm I personally own. I still am more comfortable with my 35s but the 34 is a nice option and pleasant to shoot.
After doing fast drills from concealment fairly close to the target Matt moved us back to 25 yards to show us the difference between the 2/3rd and 1/3rd for distance, forcing us to use some discipline on our basic fundamentals. I enjoy these types of drills and use them with my people as well.
Matt had the class do this on a steel Tac Strike reduced size plate moving back to the 50 and 75 yard line to show the class point of aim as well as enforcing the shooter discipline of trigger pull and slowing down.
Joe Neuroth at the 25 yard line
Me shooting from the 65 yard line
Fighting from concealment class started out with the same range safety brief, as well as where everything on the range was located and safety protocols in the case of a training emergency.
Class started off with some review from the fundamentals class with was good as getting repetitions in are always good.
The pace for the fighting class is a bit faster than the fundamentals class, and worked in using cover and Matt threw in a shooting in/around/through vehicles block which was excellent. It has been some time since I had done this type of thing and Matt covered it in more detail than I had previously seen as to what vehicle glass and metal will do to rounds fired both from the inside out and outside in….as well as what parts of the vehicle with need to be thought about when shooting into/through them.
Different “social ammo” was tested to see what it would do, with both rifles and pistols were used, pistol calibers from 9mm, .40 cal, and 45 acp. Rifle rounds used were all either .223 or 5.56. Note the Hornaday star middle of picture.
Showing windshield deflection on cardboard target.
Shooting drills from the inside of the vehicle (in this day and age of ambushes on LEO in their cars this was VERY practical.
Drills working with a partner fighting out of the vehicle.
Class photo with shot up cars.
This was a great couple of classes and Matt is a class act that we will be bringing back to the Polk County Sheriff’s Range next year.
I would like to thank all the attendees and Matt for making the trip to Des Moines, we were pleased to be able to host open classes for LEO/MIL/and responsible civilian gun owners who are serious about training.
Des Moines, Iowa Polk County Sheriff’s Range
Fundamentals of Concealed Carry 16-17, May 2015
Fighting From Concealment 18-19, May 2015
Instructor – Matt Jacques of Victory First
Weather:
TX 1 sunny and clear 70’s
TX 2 sunny and clear 80’s
TX 3 overcast and sprinkles 60’s
TX 4 back and forth between sunny and overcast 60’s (for the most part)
For the sake of brevity I condensed both classes into one after action.
The Fundamentals class was populated with a good mix of people from different walks of life, 3 local LEOs, 1 fed LEO, 1 person from the shooting/sales industry, and 5 normal earth people who take training seriously…..to include one of my civilian students who took the leap into the deep end of the pool.
Day 1 of the fundamentals class Matt covers modes of carry, equipment selection as well as what has worked and what has not over his career as MIL/LEO/CIV as well as what is going on in new equipment that works and why it works. Like most of us who have been doing this for any length of time we all have a box of crap that when we purchased it thought it to be the latest and greatest until we put it on our belts and carried it for any length of time……in addition to things that we used all to well and continued to use it long after its practical service life had expired.
Matt brings up some great points on not getting to attached to gear, and how to figure out what is working for you and what is going into your future bag of holsters and gizmos that you no longer use.
Part of the reason I enjoy these types of classes is the shooting with new people, another part is seeing what works for others in gear, as well as watching not only what the instructor is putting out for information but HOW they put that information to the students.
After the safety brief and discussion we moved to the range. I used this class as an opportunity to try out several new things and it was an eye opener to say the least.
I normally carry and train with a Glock 35 equipped with a Surefire X300 Ultra light….and pretty much every class I have attended for the last 17 years has been run either out of a drop holster attached to a battle belt or that and plates (it is also what I have carried for a duty weapon for years). Running a class completely from concealment was a bit out of my wheelhouse. I ran day 1 with the RCS Eidolon holster, and shot a LAV model Glock 17 that I changed the sights out to AmeriGlo Pro Operators and changed the connector to a negative for a crisp 4.5 pound trigger pull.
Both the gun and the holster ran very well……I have to admit that I was adamantly anti AIWB carry because of an incident that happened in Iowa a few years back with someone shooting themselves upon re-holstering their weapon. Both the Eidolon holster and Matt teaching the proper techniques to do this eased my mind on the concept of AIWB carry. Matt goes into pretty specific detail on what to look out for like t-shirts bunching up and entering the holster that need to be watched out for as well as cover garments getting in the way and how to mitigate that.
Matt went on to make the comment that “Cover garments are a bitch”, and I think over the course of the 4 days (2 classes) that everyone on the line had a few wardrobe malfunctions…..luckily all ended well as everyone in attendance was pretty switched on and able to fix their issued.
Range time continued with dot drills and other drills Matt used to get students to focus on what I call the aim small miss small principal. A good progression of learning was going on as Matt would show a drill from up close and gradually move students back to between 7-10 yards, as they became comfortable with that he would induce stress of the range timer.
Another topic that I have not heard put this way was Matt’s 2/3rd and 1/3rd rule. Basically stating that pressing the trigger is NOT the time to try and catch up your speed, but rather the first 2/3rd of your movement from concealment then slowing down when at full presentation and forcing yourself to relax and press your shot as not to disturb the pistol and miss your shot being the last 1/3rd. It makes sense and I am going to be using this with my students as well.
Matt also worked through keeping your pistol up, as in reload when you need to as well as tactical loads.
I was also able to try out other methods of carry that I was not used to like the Vertex Commuter bag that I borrowed from Matt for the afternoon of day 2.
The bag is very well setup and yet again despite my prior belief that I was not a fan of off body carry this bag that was set up for this specific job does it very well. I am faster from either AIWB or strong side belt carry but as in specific situations I can see the need to have an option like this and will be ordering one soon.
I also ran my other new Glock on day 2 of the Fundamentals class, I recently picked up a 34 and have it set up exactly the same way as my 35, AmeriGlo sights and a negative connector. This is my first generation 4 Glock, and I prefer the generation 3, the 4 is workable. I switched back to my normal strong side hip carry in a Raven holster for pistol and light as I attach a weapon mounted light to every firearm I personally own. I still am more comfortable with my 35s but the 34 is a nice option and pleasant to shoot.
After doing fast drills from concealment fairly close to the target Matt moved us back to 25 yards to show us the difference between the 2/3rd and 1/3rd for distance, forcing us to use some discipline on our basic fundamentals. I enjoy these types of drills and use them with my people as well.
Matt had the class do this on a steel Tac Strike reduced size plate moving back to the 50 and 75 yard line to show the class point of aim as well as enforcing the shooter discipline of trigger pull and slowing down.
Joe Neuroth at the 25 yard line
Me shooting from the 65 yard line
Fighting from concealment class started out with the same range safety brief, as well as where everything on the range was located and safety protocols in the case of a training emergency.
Class started off with some review from the fundamentals class with was good as getting repetitions in are always good.
The pace for the fighting class is a bit faster than the fundamentals class, and worked in using cover and Matt threw in a shooting in/around/through vehicles block which was excellent. It has been some time since I had done this type of thing and Matt covered it in more detail than I had previously seen as to what vehicle glass and metal will do to rounds fired both from the inside out and outside in….as well as what parts of the vehicle with need to be thought about when shooting into/through them.
Different “social ammo” was tested to see what it would do, with both rifles and pistols were used, pistol calibers from 9mm, .40 cal, and 45 acp. Rifle rounds used were all either .223 or 5.56. Note the Hornaday star middle of picture.
Showing windshield deflection on cardboard target.
Shooting drills from the inside of the vehicle (in this day and age of ambushes on LEO in their cars this was VERY practical.
Drills working with a partner fighting out of the vehicle.
Class photo with shot up cars.
This was a great couple of classes and Matt is a class act that we will be bringing back to the Polk County Sheriff’s Range next year.
I would like to thank all the attendees and Matt for making the trip to Des Moines, we were pleased to be able to host open classes for LEO/MIL/and responsible civilian gun owners who are serious about training.
