The Replica Prop Forum

The Replica Prop Forum
Very cool site I am also a member of

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Institutional Inbreeding

Found through Book of Face, is an article on GunServant.com about all the "Tactikewl" training and trainERS, that I think you might want to read.  I'll post a brief excerpt and then send you over there for the rest.

"One phenomenon that raised its head in the firearms industry, is that everything has to be “Tactical” these days. If it’s not covered in FDE it cannot work. For the tactically challenged among us, FDE is a semi-dirty-diaper khaki colour abbreviated for Flat Dark Earth. Tactical Black is so last season anyway, and the tactical fashionistas are going Disruptive Grey this year. Every second guy is running around clad in 5.11, with a “Tactical Beard”, Casio G-Shock watch, 6 knives, 3 guns, 1 axe, 1 pink Steri Stumpie, a paracord bracelet, and his blood group tattooed behind his ear. All this while running to fetch the kids from school…if you ask why…you will get the 1000-yard stare and a free lecture on why he is a sheepdog protecting the sheep. Frequently this is coupled with dreadful firearms skills and tacticool moves that achieve nothing bar a questionable YouTube coolness factor. And don’t get me started on firearm safety, or rather lack thereof."

Seriously, click on that link above and go RTWT

Now, I've NEVER claimed to be a "Tactical" or "Hig-Speed-Low-Drag" instructor.  I'm not NRA Certified nor have I attended dozens of classes.

What I am is a guy who is Ex Law enforcement, Ex Military (U.S. Army Reserve - Medic), and I've been shooting firearms since I was 5 years old.  I have attended Exhibition shooting events and talked to several of the shooters exhibiting.  I've shot with members of several St. Louis Metro area S.W.A.T. Teams and they have taught me how to improve my own shooting.  I've read several reports and statistics on shootings from several publications and the FBI's own web page.

What I teach to people is #1, how to treat firearms as what they are.  DEADLY TOOLS if MISUSED.  #2, How to handle firearms safely.  Which actually IS different from #1 if you think about it.  #1 is about the proper mindset, #2 is about spatial awareness in relation to the muzzle of the firearm.  #3 how to properly hold a firearm and how to properly use the sights.  #4, Proper grip and trigger control (Which is where snap-caps are worth their weight in gold).  #5, choosing the proper firearm so they don't spend too much money on a pistol or rifle then can't afford ammo or range time to practice, which also won't be something so over powered or big that the recoil or weight doesn't scare them off.  #6, how to clean and maintain their firearm and about proper ammo selection.

Those are what "I" teach to new shooters.

The last "New" shooter I taught already had a G19, however because of ammo costs PLUS a flinch with jerking the trigger, didn't really enjoy shooting it.  Well, I had/have about 1K rounds of 9mm plus I have a 50 round mag FOR a 9mm Glock.  Well after they felt the difference with the extra weight of that loaded mag, no worry about burning off practice ammo, I was able to correct the shooters grip and get proper sight alignment explained, and their groups went from platter sized at 15 yards to plate sized at 15 yards.  And small plate sized at that.  Salad plate size, NOT dinner plate sized.

All it took was putting a little more weight in their hands to help sop up the recoil from a bad grip, then correcting the bad grip and explaining sight alignment and trigger control in a way they could understand.  To say they were very happy at the results is an understatement.  And all it really cost me was 90 minutes of my time and about 170 rounds of Tula 9mm.  And the Gun Brother and Sister Hood has a new confident and EXCITED shooter to add to the fold.

What I DON'T do is any CQB, Long Range drills etc ad nauseum.  I've never been trained in it, I doubt I EVER will have to do it, so if someone wants to learn that, I'd send them on to people who KNOW who the good trainers are.  I won't try to do it myself.  Now I do know how to do "Room/House" clearing.  I did that working in Law Enforcement.  However, I'm NOT in L.E. anymore, so there are probably dozens of new techniques and tools that I know NOTHING about.  The last time I had training of that type was 2002.  and it's what 2017 now?  That's what, 15 years?  Who wants to be taught information that's 15 years out of date?

So, if you are looking to get some instruction, check out your trainer's training and background.  Just because they've been in the military or law enforcement, DOESN'T mean they are any good or that the techniques they are going to TRY to teach you are any good either.

Look to see if they are NRA certified at the very least, unless they are someone like me just giving you "BASIC" firearms training.  If you want any BEYOND basic, if they don't have the NRA Certification or something comparable from an FBI recognized organization, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.

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