Interesting article on firearm instruction in the police academy

[Jim Watson]

Our Academy classes have firearms and DT alternate every other day throughout the Academy.

That goes back to Col Charles Askins, NRA pistol champ. He said he shot every other day to stay sharp without getting tired or dull.

[HCM]

That goes back to Col Charles Askins, NRA pistol champ. He said he shot every other day to stay sharp without getting tired or dull.

Recency and frequency as a factors in building or retaining skill goes back a lot further than Charles Askins.

He also drank hard liquor before he shot to steady his hand…..

[Jim Watson]

I am sure it did, but I didn't have any older reference material.

It may have been him, one bullseye shooter tested liquor and tranquilizers on several people.
He said a shot of whiskey or a Miltown would improve one's slow fire score but he then could not keep up on timed and rapid fire. (NRA rapid fire, 5 shots strong hand only, 10 seconds, 25 yards.)

[John Hearne]

He also drank hard liquor before he shot to steady his hand…..

IIRC, a lot of folks had a shot of liquor before shooting. Even called it a "group tightener."

[john c]

They called them "wet shooters." The old Gil Hebard catalogs of bullseye shooting gear had a special pouch you could attach to the outside of your gun box to hold a flask. This was in the '50s and '60s.

There's some research into the meditative brain state that high level shooters achieve, often called flow, that is a reduction is brain stimulation. Alcohol, in moderation, quiets the "monkey chatter" in our brains interrupt flow. I don't recommend it, but it's an interesting sidebar of shooting history.

[HCM]

IIRC, a lot of folks had a shot of liquor before shooting. Even called it a "group tightener."

They called them "wet shooters." The old Gil Hebard catalogs of bullseye shooting gear had a special pouch you could attach to the outside of your gun box to hold a flask. This was in the '50s and '60s.

There's some research into the meditative brain state that high level shooters achieve, often called flow, that is a reduction is brain stimulation. Alcohol, in moderation, quiets the "monkey chatter" in our brains interrupt flow. I don't recommend it, but it's an interesting sidebar of shooting history.

It proved a slippery slope for Askins and less to his resignation from the Border Patrol.

[john c]

It proved a slippery slope for Askins and less to his resignation from the Border Patrol.

I don't doubt that at all, but I found it interesting that he went on to have a pretty good career in the Army.

[41magfan]

I'd venture to guess that the overwhelming majority of LE agencies conduct their training (both Academy & In-Service) using the "block and silo" model which seldom produces competency, regardless of the subject matter. But, they do it because it's EASY & CHEAP - not because it works. A flawed process will almost always produce a flawed result, but the powers that be don't want to confront that reality.

Along those lines, the number of topic areas for my state's basic LE certification training just keeps expanding and the old saying; "a mile wide and an inch deep" always come to mind. I suspect this is the norm nationwide. When you couple a mediocre curriculum with a mediocre delivery system and then pair it with mediocre standard for the Instructors/Trainers that teach it, you can see why mediocre performance in the real world is the predictable result.

Training anyone to do anything to an objective level of competence is usually tedious and expensive, which is why the status quo in LE training will never change on a wholesale basis, IMO.

[KeeFus]

IIRC, a lot of folks had a shot of liquor before shooting. Even called it a "group tightener."

I seent it with mine own eyes!

Several years ago prior to me becoming a firearms instructor we were at in-service (4-hour classroom block then qualify). A former detective that had retired and was now reserve was in attendance …

I noticed he was very shaky and as the day went on he got worse. When we broke for lunch he went his own way. When he came back he was rock steady. I assume he went home and took a few shots of whatever he drank the night before.

He is still alive today but no longer wears a badge. In his day he was a major case guy and worked some shitty cases, including the murder of a LEO. I assume all that built up over time and caused his problem(s).

[DDTSGM]

It proved a slippery slope for Askins and less to his resignation from the Border Patrol.

I don't doubt that at all, but I found it interesting that he went on to have a pretty good career in the Army.

I wish you guys hadn't piqued my curiosity.

I knew Elmer Keith was an unethical (IMO) hunter, became a not fan of his after reading Hell, I Was There. So, after researching a bit about Askins, it turns out he was what I would describe as a soulless sociopath.

Regardless of what anybody says, I'm not digging in any deeper to the lives of Skeeter Skelton and Bill Jordan - No Second Place Winner was an eye-opener, but I don't think he was nuts.

Next thing you know someone will disclose the Patrck McManus and Bill Cosby used to go to roofie parties together.