jlw
07-18-2013, 10:28 PM
Semi-Automatic Pistol 3
This week I attended the Semi-Automatic Pistol 3 course taught at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. This a 32-hour reactive shooting course based upon the Rogers Shooting School courses. The instructor that developed the course is a Rogers graduate, and coincidentally is retired from the training center, now works for a Sheriff’s Office, and was in the class as a student as was another Rogers graduate. Both said that this course and the Rogers course are very similar but that Rogers is faster.
Layout
I was not able to get picture or video of the range facility. POST rules are that tests cannot be recorded, and as I was a student in the class, recording how the system works would have been recording the test. The range is set up with four shooting booths. Arrayed in front of each booth are six targets. Targets 1, 2, 5, and 6 are steel silhouettes with pneumatic heads that can be raised and lowered. They are on hinges so that they fall over when hit. Target 1 is at seven yards and directly in front of the shooter. Target 2 is set up so that it can also simulate a hostage shot. It is to the right of target 1 and is about 10 yards from the shooter. Targets 4 and 5 are full silhouettes that lean out of either side of a wall. They are about 10 yards from the shooter and to the extreme left of the shooting lane. Target 5 is at 12 yards and to the left of target 1 but to the right of targets 4 and 5, and target 6 is at 15 yards on a line placing it between targets 1 and 5.
On any given course of fire, the heads would raise or the leaners would pop out from behind the wall. In most cases (every instance on the test), a head shot was required on those targets with the pneumatic head, and a head shot didn’t count unless the head fell over. There were some “failure drills” as well requiring shots to the body and the head. Frangible ammunition was used in the course.
Target Math
The target exposure times roughly breaks down as follows:
Shots from the holster had an exposure of 1.5 seconds.
Shots from low ready had an exposure of .5 seconds
Shots from the transition ready had an exposure of .75 seconds
Transitions and followup shots were .25 seconds each
Three levels of certificate were available: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. They had to be earned in that order. There were 78 freestyle (both hands) presentations, 12 support hand only presentations, and 10 strong hand only presentations in the test. Hitting 80% of the freestyle presentations earned a student a Basic Certification. Subsequently, 80% of those strong hand only earned an Intermediate, and 80% of those support hand only earned an Advanced. There were three runs on the test. As noted above, the certificates must be earned in order. If a student pulled off 80% of the support hand only shots but didn’t earn the Basic or Intermediate, the support hand only shots couldn’t be banked for a subsequent test; however, once a lower certificate was earned it counted towards remainder of the class.
Competition
The maximum students allowed in the class is 20 although we didn’t have that many. The class is divided into relays of four shooters each. On the first day, everyone shoots in alphabetical order. On the subsequent days, shooters are in the order in which they scored on the previous day. In other words, the top shooter on day one is first booth/first relay on day two; so, each shooter knows exactly where they stand.
Firearms
On the Friday preceding the class, I qualified with a Gen4 Glock 19 (G19/4) and a M&P45. Both pistols are equipped with Ameriglo “Hack” sights. The G19/4 was recently received prize pistol from a GSSF match. I use the M&P45 in IDPA CDP. I previously took this class in 2007 earning an Advanced certificate with a Gen3 Glock 19.
I decided to shoot this time with the G19/4 to get some trigger time with it. This would prove to not be the wisest of choices. On the aforementioned qualification runs, I shot two scores of 100 with the M&P45. With the 19/4, I had a few shots, including both head shots, just above the 10 point box (highest point value on qualification target). I believed this to be due to shooting error.
The Class
On the first day, we spent till lunch in the classroom taking care of the administrative matters as well as conducting a session on use of force law and another on reactive shooting. The rest of the day was spent shooting drills on the range. The morning session of day two was all range drills. The afternoon session of day two was our first run on the test. I achieved both the Basic and Intermediate on this attempt but missed the Advanced by one plate.
Day three’s morning was a series of strong hand only drills. The afternoon of day three was the second run on the test. I again failed to earn the Advanced. I noticed that on target 6 that I had to put the top of the front sight just above “chin level” on the head or I would shoot over the top of the head. It proved difficult to be that precise at 15 yards in less than .5 seconds with the support hand only.
Day four, which began with support hand only drills, rolled around, and I decided to switch to the M&P45. This worked out well as I achieved the Advanced certificate and got 95 out of 100 presentations. Two of those misses were the result of miscounting during an 18-presentation freestyle string and initiating a reload at the wrong point. One was a strong hand only shot on target 5, and the other two were support hand only shots.
Afterward
First, the weather in Georgia in July is hot an humid. When I took the class in 2007, it was held in September, and it wasn’t as grueling physically as this session. I also need to get the sights correctly regulated on the G19/4.
There were 13 students in the class to start. One was dismissed due to a safety violation. Four didn’t achieve a Basic certificate. The two Rogers graduates and I were the only shooters to achieve the Advanced certificate. I tied for top shooter on the first day. I was fourth on the second day, third on the third day, and I was either first or second on day four.
This week I attended the Semi-Automatic Pistol 3 course taught at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. This a 32-hour reactive shooting course based upon the Rogers Shooting School courses. The instructor that developed the course is a Rogers graduate, and coincidentally is retired from the training center, now works for a Sheriff’s Office, and was in the class as a student as was another Rogers graduate. Both said that this course and the Rogers course are very similar but that Rogers is faster.
Layout
I was not able to get picture or video of the range facility. POST rules are that tests cannot be recorded, and as I was a student in the class, recording how the system works would have been recording the test. The range is set up with four shooting booths. Arrayed in front of each booth are six targets. Targets 1, 2, 5, and 6 are steel silhouettes with pneumatic heads that can be raised and lowered. They are on hinges so that they fall over when hit. Target 1 is at seven yards and directly in front of the shooter. Target 2 is set up so that it can also simulate a hostage shot. It is to the right of target 1 and is about 10 yards from the shooter. Targets 4 and 5 are full silhouettes that lean out of either side of a wall. They are about 10 yards from the shooter and to the extreme left of the shooting lane. Target 5 is at 12 yards and to the left of target 1 but to the right of targets 4 and 5, and target 6 is at 15 yards on a line placing it between targets 1 and 5.
On any given course of fire, the heads would raise or the leaners would pop out from behind the wall. In most cases (every instance on the test), a head shot was required on those targets with the pneumatic head, and a head shot didn’t count unless the head fell over. There were some “failure drills” as well requiring shots to the body and the head. Frangible ammunition was used in the course.
Target Math
The target exposure times roughly breaks down as follows:
Shots from the holster had an exposure of 1.5 seconds.
Shots from low ready had an exposure of .5 seconds
Shots from the transition ready had an exposure of .75 seconds
Transitions and followup shots were .25 seconds each
Three levels of certificate were available: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. They had to be earned in that order. There were 78 freestyle (both hands) presentations, 12 support hand only presentations, and 10 strong hand only presentations in the test. Hitting 80% of the freestyle presentations earned a student a Basic Certification. Subsequently, 80% of those strong hand only earned an Intermediate, and 80% of those support hand only earned an Advanced. There were three runs on the test. As noted above, the certificates must be earned in order. If a student pulled off 80% of the support hand only shots but didn’t earn the Basic or Intermediate, the support hand only shots couldn’t be banked for a subsequent test; however, once a lower certificate was earned it counted towards remainder of the class.
Competition
The maximum students allowed in the class is 20 although we didn’t have that many. The class is divided into relays of four shooters each. On the first day, everyone shoots in alphabetical order. On the subsequent days, shooters are in the order in which they scored on the previous day. In other words, the top shooter on day one is first booth/first relay on day two; so, each shooter knows exactly where they stand.
Firearms
On the Friday preceding the class, I qualified with a Gen4 Glock 19 (G19/4) and a M&P45. Both pistols are equipped with Ameriglo “Hack” sights. The G19/4 was recently received prize pistol from a GSSF match. I use the M&P45 in IDPA CDP. I previously took this class in 2007 earning an Advanced certificate with a Gen3 Glock 19.
I decided to shoot this time with the G19/4 to get some trigger time with it. This would prove to not be the wisest of choices. On the aforementioned qualification runs, I shot two scores of 100 with the M&P45. With the 19/4, I had a few shots, including both head shots, just above the 10 point box (highest point value on qualification target). I believed this to be due to shooting error.
The Class
On the first day, we spent till lunch in the classroom taking care of the administrative matters as well as conducting a session on use of force law and another on reactive shooting. The rest of the day was spent shooting drills on the range. The morning session of day two was all range drills. The afternoon session of day two was our first run on the test. I achieved both the Basic and Intermediate on this attempt but missed the Advanced by one plate.
Day three’s morning was a series of strong hand only drills. The afternoon of day three was the second run on the test. I again failed to earn the Advanced. I noticed that on target 6 that I had to put the top of the front sight just above “chin level” on the head or I would shoot over the top of the head. It proved difficult to be that precise at 15 yards in less than .5 seconds with the support hand only.
Day four, which began with support hand only drills, rolled around, and I decided to switch to the M&P45. This worked out well as I achieved the Advanced certificate and got 95 out of 100 presentations. Two of those misses were the result of miscounting during an 18-presentation freestyle string and initiating a reload at the wrong point. One was a strong hand only shot on target 5, and the other two were support hand only shots.
Afterward
First, the weather in Georgia in July is hot an humid. When I took the class in 2007, it was held in September, and it wasn’t as grueling physically as this session. I also need to get the sights correctly regulated on the G19/4.
There were 13 students in the class to start. One was dismissed due to a safety violation. Four didn’t achieve a Basic certificate. The two Rogers graduates and I were the only shooters to achieve the Advanced certificate. I tied for top shooter on the first day. I was fourth on the second day, third on the third day, and I was either first or second on day four.