SAC Tactical Two Day Essential Handgun Skills Course, 8+9-August-2020, Hamilton MT
I conducted through my company, SAC Tactical, a two day (16 hour) Essential Handgun Skills Course on 8+9-August-2020 at the Whittecar Rifle and Pistol Range in Hamilton Montana. This is a public range located in the Bitterroot Valley about an hour south of Missoula Montana. Thanks to Whittecar Range for allowing me to teach a class at this facility (Link: https://www.whittecarrange.com/).
STUDENTS: The class consisted of eleven students. There was a retired law enforcement officer and the remaining were civilians (“Non-sworn” folks). I generally limit enrollment in my classes to ten students.
WEATHER: The weather was sunny and clear with temperatures in the mid-80s. The humidity was very low. Students maintained an adequate level of hydration. Training during periods of high heat/humidity rapidly depletes a person’s hydration level, so paying attention to hydration needs is important.
RANGE: The were no issues related to using the Whittecar Range. Thanks to the Whittecar Range staff who facilitated this class.
WEAPONS: As to hardware, nine shooters ran Glocks with seven shooting Glocks in 9X19mm caliber and two shooting 45 ACP caliber guns. One shooter ran a new Springfield Hellcat, another shooter ran a S&W M&P 2.0 in 9X19mm, and another shooter ran a single stack 1911 in 9mm. The only malfunctions that were observed appeared to be shooter induced. This class took place during a period of severe ammunition shortages due to the rioting in major cities and the effects of the Corona Virus/Covid 19 pandemic. Surprisingly, there were no ammunition related failures. One student mentioned that in acquiring ammunition for this class, he found the price difference between 9mm full metal jacket rounds and 45 ACP full metal jacket rounds to be two cents. I never thought I would see the day when 45 ball is essentially the same price as 9mm ball.
LUBICATION: Several weapons were observed with inadequate lubrication. Periodic reapplication of lubricants during classes/shooting events insures reliably functioning weapons. Reliably functioning weapons allow shooters to concentrate on learning necessary skills rather than dealing with guns that are not working correctly. I suggest each shooter carry a small bottle of quality lubricant (My favorite is Slip 2000 Enhanced Weapons Lube) in their range bag.
ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT ISSUES: This class was geared towards newer but somewhat experienced shooters. Some folks struggled with new gear. Ensuring that holsters and magazine pouches fit on your pistol belt is important. Likewise, unless you are familiar with inside the waistband holsters, you are probably better off with an outside the waistband strong side holster until you gain necessary experience.
ZEROED WEAPONS: I have made this observation before, but it is well worth repeating: I conduct a precision shooting exercise(s) during my classes. The ability to place precise shots is a necessity when applying deadly force After this particular exercise, I asked if the shooters had zeroed their weapons. About 50 percent had previously verified their weapon’s zero and the other 50 percent had not. Folks running guns who have known, verified zeros were observed to perform better on precision drills.
SIGHTS: Several shooters ran Glock 19s in 9mm. Several Glock 19s had the usual “slot filler” plastic sights. Upgrading your pistol’s sights to something more durable will pay off in the long run.
HOLSTERS: Everyone but two shooters ran kydex or plastic holsters of some sort. I ran a Milt Sparks Summer Special for my S&W M&P 9 full size. One of the advantages of leather holsters is that you can draw your weapon from them silently. Silent draws are nearly impossible for kydex rigs. I did use a new style clip on magazine pouch made by Slate Creek Tactical (“ https://sctactical.com/product/flexi...zine-carrier/”) It retains the magazine very well. As a bonus, this carrier can be configured for different manufacturers magazines (Glock, M&P etc.). Kydex has come a long way and there were no retention failures with the holsters’ students used.
EXPECTATIONS: This class was populated with newer shooters. Most realized that shooting a handgun well takes significant effort and sustained practice. Television/movies/the internet are typically not good sources of instruction. That said, improvement was demonstrated by the attendees at different rates. Individual progression is something new shooters need to understand. We all progress at different rates and that is acceptable. For new shooters, having realistic expectations helps rather than hinders their ability to improve. Several folks came to the realization that shooting a handgun is not as easy as the entertainment media depict it. I have studied traditional Japanese martial arts for a number of years. As you progress through the ranks, it takes longer and longer to achieve greater rank. I was told that I would need to train for a solid year, at a minimum, before I was ready to test for my Shodan degree (first degree black belt in my chosen art). I understood that time on the mats is required to gain necessary experience. Unfortunately, some folks believe that attending a two-day firearms school is all they need. The reality is that shooting is a perishable skill and folks need a certain amount of ongoing practice. If you are in a position to assist newer shooters, helping them find realistic expectations will keep these folks from becoming frustrated.
COMPETITION Issues: One of the skills I teach involves having shooters engage a series of targets that represent various threats. Intermixed among these “threat targets” are targets that do not represent threats. Further, shooters were instructed to not allow the muzzle of their weapon to cover any of the non-threat targets. This is something sorely lacking in competitive disciplines. In the competition world shooters routinely cover non-threat targets without penalty. Competition can be great fun (I have shot competitively for years), but the techniques used to win a competition do not translate to the justifiable use of force in real world encounters. In the real world, covering someone with the muzzle of your weapon can lead to criminal charges. The students in this class did well on this particular drill. What I observed was that the moment there is a penalty for shooting non-threat targets, shooters tend to slow down. Fights in the real world are problem solving exercises. One of the goals of a real-life fight is to avoid getting charged criminally for pointing a weapon at someone who is not a threat. Drills like this are not very “cool” or “fun” but they have significant value for folks who actually carry guns every day.
CONCLUSION: Many thanks to my students and my host range. I have been asked to return to the Hamilton area next year. I am looking forward to next year’s class and I am working on scheduling dates at present. Thanks to the folks at Milt Sparks Holsters and Slate Creek Tactical for making great holsters and magazine pouches.
Bruce
