Originally Posted by
Mike Pipes
HiTS Dallas Tx Oct 3/4 2015
Disclaimer...My first language is North Louisianian,My second is Southern so if I confuse you please forgive me.
Instructors were Daryl Bolke, Wayne Dobbs, Chuck Haggard and Claude Werner.
Weather was Texas perfect....low humidity,60-82 degrees and sunny.
My equipment.....S&W mdl 13,rd butt,3", bobbed hammer,trigger face polished by Clark Custom Guns but no action work done, carried in a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2 on a 20 yr old Sparks 1 1/2 belt. I positioned it AIWB at 1:30
With a split 6 speed loader holder at 1:00.
Bugs.......S&W 638 in my right front pocket in a kydex pocket holster by AHOLSTER.
S&W 642 on my left ankle in a Desantis Apache holster.
S&W 642 on my right ankle in a Desantis Apache holster.
Loaders.....HKS and speed strips affectionately called SLOW strips.
Day 1.......8am in the classroom-which is very nice- Wayne started the safety briefing(this ain't your everyday here are the 4 rules) this safety briefing is in depth and excellent! I have heard this brief 6 times and each time I hear it I get something fresh. This time it was....Have ONE way to handle the gun-THE SERIOUS WAY- not a gun show or shop way,or a show my friend way but always handle the weapon as if I was on the line under the watchful eye of these instructors ! The second fresh idea to me was Rule 1&4 are mindset and Rules 2&3 are operational.
Wayne and Daryl then went into what we would be doing on the range. Those 2 flow seamlessly almost finishing each others sentences.
We were on the range shooting about 10am. We started with there 1,2,3 drill from the low ready at 5 yards,that is 1 shot then back to low ready then 2 shots back to low ready then 2 shots above the thorax and 1 to the face. All body shots are on a B8 bullseye and all are expected to be in the black. They held us to those standards.
We then shot the LAPD D Platoon qual back to 25yds. All 4 instructors would critique and help solve problems. We shot variations of this the rest of the day then finished up with a moving box drill shooting a par or more in to the bullseye as Daryl called for a step left or right or back or forward. That required attention to sights,triggers and my foot work.
About 4:30 we broke for supper catered by Hard8 bar b que.......it was some fine!
Daryl had his collection of FIGHTING revolvers spread out on 4 tables complete with leather for our inspection and he gave a lecture on development of the guns and gear. It was good. I finally got to wear my gun to a Texacan Bar B Que!
Day 2..........8am Chuck Haggard lectured on the small frame revolver in the BUG role and ammo selection for same.
Chuck said Where we shot people is far far more important than what pistol caliber we use. He talked about tactics,the human anatomy in regards to bullet damage. The more he talked about ammo selection and ALL the variables the more it hit home to me about what he had said earlier,WHERE is more important that WHAT! About 10:30 we went to the range and Chuck shot a dozen self defense loads thru a double layer of denim into a gelatin block. I don't remember what all loads he used but some did what they were suppose to and others did not. The more he shot the more my mind went to WHERE is far far more important that WHAT! 30 caliber or larger is what we are talking about here. Chuck demoed ankle draw,pocket draw,AIWB draw from the ground with a little feller ( Caleb Causey) on top of him simulating a ground fight. We then shot some drills from concealment . Oh by the way I had changed my primary from the 13 to a S&W 340PD in the same AIWB position in a Desantis clip holster.
After lunch Claude Werner lectured on the small frame revolver as a primary.
Claude said Gun safety is to avoid NEGATIVE OUTCOME, carry an intermediate weapon like pepper spray or sapp,just let the gun go off.
We went to the range and Clude brought out 20 different kinds of targets,not really only 4 but it seemed like many more. One was simply white butcher paper with 3 6" circles drawn on it with a 2" colored circle inside the 6" one. The drill was 5 or 6 dry trigger strokes on the top circle then load and fire 1 shot on the 2" circle but for sure stay in the 6". Then open the cylinder and spin and close. Next shoot 2 shots then open,rotate cylinder,close. Next shoot 2. We got plenty of rolling the trigger practice. Claude then brought out no shoot targets, decision making colored targets.
Claude talked about and demoed loading techniques with slow strips and speedloaders,helping us get the gun close to our bellys for support while loading either way.
I' m sure I've not included a bunch. Great class,great instructors,great facility ! GOOD SHIT I WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR.......CYA RETRO