How Do You Train?

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Just a quick survey to get an idea of how we train and what kind of background and experience the majority of us use when referencing firearms.

Please check all the options that apply to you within the past six months.

[El Tejon]

BR, this a poll then??? :confused:

[Jeff White]

Shooting at moving targets while moving, haven't done that one in a long time...Time to get the charger I made from a lawnmower deck and a tactical ted out again.

I don't shoot formal competition anymore.

Jeff

[bradvanhorn]

Shooting at moving targets while moving, haven't done that one in a long time...
Yup, that's the only one I didn't check, 'cause I just don't ever seem to do it. I probably should though...

[Smoke]

ummm....all of the above....

I try to work in all elements you listed at some time or another.
Do some one session, others another. Everyone should.

Smoke

[Chris Rhines]

Most of them, although I would tend to draw a distinction between formal competition and formal training.

No formal training classes in the past six months, although I'm scheduled for one the week after next, and two more later this year.

I've practiced drawing to and shooting from retention, but haven't done any retention training with a partner - something I should do.

- Chris

[Preacherman]

Thanks to back surgery, none of the above... :fire:

However, most of them are part of my normal training routine, as is at least one formal course (high-level - think Thunder Ranch, LFI, etc.) each year. I'll be back into my routine as soon as my doctor gives me permission.

[pax]

All of the above, except transitioning to a second firearm. Since I don't carry a second firearm, I don't practice transitioning to one. I do, however, practice transitioning from bare hands to firearm.

pax

[P95Carry]

Most all - except (jealous of Pax here!) - low light stuff... and from auto concealment.

[rde]

I avoid the train. Seems they are de-railing on a regular basis. :)

[PaulBk]

All but moving targets, auto, and BUG. Low light/no light are my favorites.

Add contact distance practice to the next poll. That's another I can't do safely at any of the places I practice. Closest I can get is 3yds from target.

-PB

[Risasi]

All of the above, and then some.

[sm]

All -
Except last two.

I used to compete Formally in different shotgun disciplines, when younger rifle ones. I have participated in a non-formal way in 3 gun, IPSC, IDPA.

Admit I have never attended a known training facility.

I had mentors, we used Impromtu facilities, and based our training on various needs - that is what I do most often now. Not long ago used a farm structure about to be razed and used it for a shoothouse, and we even used live ammo later on to replicate low light situations. [ pax gets credit for reason that needed to be done]

Informal lessons sometimes leads to informal training - not long ago rigged a Tueller drill to be used with shotguns...make sure the rope is secure, and the tree limbs doen't break.

[Zach S]

Shooting at moving targets while stationary is a gray area for me I guess. I'll just tap the side of the hanger to get it swinging some. While it is moving, it doesnt move much. It used to bug the owner because he cant stand it when someone shoots the hanger, which results in swinging...

Shooting using one-hand (pistol) or weakside (longgun) is a gray area as well, I've fired pistols one-handed, and weakhanded, but haven't done so with a rifle. I'll do that today...

[Duke of Lawnchair]

In the past six months I have trained on the following (check all that apply):

Shooting at stationary targets while stationary
Shooting at stationary targets while moving
Presentation of firearm and first shot from concealment
Shooting using one-hand (pistol) or weakside (longgun)
Stoppage/Failure Drills
Reloading firearms under time pressure
Transitioning to a secondary firearm
Multiple shots per target on multiple targets for time

[YammyMonkey]

I actually don't do much stationary shooting with the handguns anymore unless it's with the .22. I figure (aka hope) I'm going to be moving so that's what I mostly practice. Rifle is pretty much 50/50 since it's much harder for me to move and shoot well with the AR. Don't have any moving targets so...

I try to do a few contact-distance drills every time I go out. One from straight ahead one from a left turn and one from a right turn with 2 targets various distances apart and sometimes I start in front of the right target, sometimes the left.

I made up some .45 duds for malfunction drills but they've been jamming up my gun to the point that I needed to smack the muzzle end of the slide against a table to free it up. :uhoh: Stopped using them, I figure if I manage the Tap, then rip skin off my hand with the Rack, I'll alter the procedure to Drop, Draw (knife), Scream (act really crazy), Stab (or slash). Unfortunately, I don't think the other guys at the range would appreciate me running down range with the CRKT knife in hand, Kimber in the dirt screaming like a banshee and stabbing the life out of the targets. :evil: I do still contend, however, that that would make one hell of an interesting IDPA stage. :evil:

All in all, it's really amazing how quickly you can adapt to new problems/situations when shooting if you just take it easy and give yourself a little time to learn.

[dasmi]

Looks like well all need some firearm retention training. I don't think about it much, but I should.

[SapperLeader]

I have done all at some point or another, but the last six months have been more work and school than training :p . I can check off half the list, but havent done much in the way of moving drills, low light shooting, or any competitions. Now that summer is here I hope to change that.

[Arc-Lite]

Living on a ranch, you do most of this list daily...and all of the list, except the formal options, weekly....its good to have something different for the week ends....then it's usually 1000yd match.

[pangris]

You caught me in a bad six months. USPSA has been my only real activity lately. Went to Thunder Ranch last May, going to Shootrite this August and November...

Must go to Thunder Ranch - Oregon next year.

Paul

[8830]

I did most of that just today at the range. I don't shoot at competitions or take formal training classes. I like to do a lot of moving and firing.

[Paul Gomez]

Training...who needs to train? Just buy another gun. :neener:

[stevelyn]

All of them except for formal competition.
Well, the shooting from vehicle wasn't exactly "training" in a strict sense of the word. :evil:

[Bartholomew Roberts]

A quick bump to see if we can get a few more participants.

[DR]

It's interesting that the two lowest ranked options (moving targets while moving and retention) are the two most likely to be useful in a defensive situation. Good poll!

[possenti]

Time to get the charger I made from a lawnmower deck and a tactical ted out again.

Sounds interesting. Details, please.

[Ian]

I've done almost all of them, but not any practicew with moving targets. Anyone have a good way to make a decent moving target setup that doesn't require a second person to operate?

[Zak Smith]

How about shooting clay birds or other flying targets with a rifle or subgun?

Firing on a vehicle with a belt-fed until it stops?

Shooting your carry pistol to 300 yards?

Shooting your rifle to 1 mile?



That aside, most IPSC matches provide moving targets which you can engage while moving.

-z

[pax]

Zak ~

Which of the items on the poll did you think were silly?

pax

[Arc-Lite]

Ian....for your moving target question...I use a tire, and roll it down a grade...or balloons..or a milk jug and rope, tired to a tree...and let it swing.

[Zak Smith]

pax,

You misunderstand. Those are some additional exercises I've done in the last 6 months, besides the ones listed.

[pax]

Zak ~

Ahh, gotcha. Forgive my obtuseness!

pax

[sm]

Time to get the charger I made from a lawnmower deck and a tactical ted out again.

I'm not Jeff :)

Not sure what Jeff has set up and I to await his details.

What I have done is to find a Self Propelled mower, attach a teddy to the modifed handle and use this as a Tueller drill / charging target/ moving target.

Tip: "hit the deck" is not advisable :p

I have also used discarded kids Jeeps and Cars, like an old Barbie Car. With a Safe backstop of course and "downhill" if you will, attach a rope to the "car" , and wrap around a pole set back on the hill. Let go, have the Tueller/ Charging target/ moving target present itself. Since the rope is still attached, just pull back up ( reset) and use again. Easy to do , and the "puller" is in a safe spot.

Get two of these going, at same time or delay - works with any platform - handgun, rifle or shotgun.

Not long ago, and on a whim used plywood strung b/t two trees. Added bricks to allow the bottom to "stay straight" and add momentum...trying to get it to Tueller in less than 2 sec...

The bricks coming undone adds a bit of "scooting and shooting" not planned on. :D

Yes you can still hit a Tueller while doing the "step and fetch" method of footwork. :D

My original purpose of using self propelled mowers stems from Brister's moving target work on pattering shotguns. I still have no idea how Brister talked his wife into driving the family station wagon and pulling targets for him at 40mph. :eek:

I got the riding lawnmower up to about 30 mph, my patterning worked fine...until the day the mower "jumped the track" and went down an embankment...rut roh.

Oh...converting to bicycle tires gives more speed, just make sure they are not too tall to get hit ....don't ask me how I know this....

[Jeff White]

I was looking for a way to spice up range training at work a few years back and got the idea of building a charging target. I immediately went out to the garage and started digging around for materials. I had an old lawnmower deck that one of my son's had scavanged the engine from to use in some project or other (you all know how boys are ;)). I thought that it might be a good base upon which to build a charging target. Attached a simple bracket to hold a tactical ted and an eyebolt for the pull rope. Went through the box of discarded clothes that were destined for the Salvation Army that my wife was getting ready to load into her car for the trip to town and recovered some old pants and a shirt.

Stuffed the pants with rags and stapled them to the bottom of "Ted". Put the ????r on Ted. Hooked up a pull rope to the mower deck and tested it. Worked great, the tactical ted and shirt and pants were light enough not to tip the mower deck over.

On range day, I got a roll of craft paper and taped clean paper under Ted's shirt before each run so that we had an idea of each shooters accuaracy.

I started Ted 21 feet from the shooter on a part of the range where it was safe to shoot 180 degrees. Shooter practiced moving offline and back and engaging the target. First run was dry fire from the holster. Second run was live fire, third run had the shooter carrying the usual things they normally put in the squad car, i.e. laptop case (boy the chief cringed) AR15, briefcase...basically it was to simulate an attack in the parking lot at the beginning or end of the shift. The next two runs were fired with the AR15 from American carry and African carry positions.

Ted was usually past the place the shooter started from before he was engaged. The three dimensional target was educational in that it pointed out how the vital zone changed with the aspect of the target.

You need to work on shooting while moving dry fire and live fire on stationary targets before you're ready to try this.

Jeff

[The Rabbi]

Firing on a vehicle with a belt-fed until it stops?
Shooting your carry pistol to 300 yards?

Shooting your rifle to 1 mile?

I practice these every week because, you never know..... :rolleyes:

[Zak Smith]

Most people underestimate the distance to which a handgun can be used.
They'd also be surprised how hard it is to disable a vehicle.
As for flying targets... think vampire bat attack.

[sm]

<scratches chin - grinning>

Jeff,

One has to wonder just how much the Chief would have cringed to see a Pink Barbie Jeep with Tactical "Barbie" coming at one on his laptops?

Hey - we have female criminals...they run over folks....It does ( did for me at first) kinda hits you when you think about shooting a female attacker.

[NMshooter]

I like to shoot a few rounds at the 200 yard targets with a handgun.

It is possible to hit a 12" x 12" steel plate at that distance with a suprising variety of handguns.

I also enjoy shooting rifles at targets as far as 800 yards, though I tend to miss more than I hit at those distances.

Shooting under poor conditions can be a real eye opener too, wind drift in high winds is measured in yards at long range...

[The Rabbi]

Most people underestimate the distance to which a handgun can be used.hey'd also be surprised how hard it is to disable a vehicle.

It's not a question of "can" it's a question of why. Now if someone wants to go out and shoot his .45 to 100 yards or more, more power to him. I'd be the last person to say its worthless. But it is only good, imo, for kicks and giggles. I dont know of any situation that called for handgun shots out beyond 50 yards. Ditto with the car.

As for flying targets... think vampire bat attack.

But I didnt think Hornady was making 230gr FSJ's (thats "full-silver jacket") bullets.

[AZTOY]

I was in the field last week and we did convoy training with miles gear. So i got to do a lot of train on the list and i did it in the mud!!! :banghead:


I also got got a hummer stuck and had to be pull got by a bulldozer. :uhoh: :evil:

[Texian Pistolero]

I mainly just spend an hour a day looking in the mirror doing my Travis Bickle,

"Are you talking to me? Are you talking to ME??" dialogues.

[GRB]

You had some good training choices in the survey; here are some others you may want to consider that should be practiced often:

Use of cover versus concealment

Moving to cover or, moving from cover to cover as necessary

Man down shooting (various positions)

One handed reloading

One handed malfunction drills

Shooting from various positions such as man down, prone, kneeling, sitting

Weapons take away drills (you disarm a bad guy)

Push off drills

Vertical tracking upon drawing from strong side hip holster.

Transition from long arm to handgun or reverse (whoops I guess that sort of was covered by transition to secondary firearm)

The types of movement reference moving while shooting: forward toward target, laterally across targets (both l to r and r to l), diagonal movement (forward and reverse), retreat.

One choice had me somewhat confused though. What exactly do you mean by "presentation" of firearm? I am usually trained to draw and fire not to draw and present unless it is for a weapons inspection. Presenting basically means you are offering the firearm to someone, not a good thing to do in a combat situation - this would or could totally screw up any plans of retention.Presentation of firearm and first shot from concealmentSorry, not being a wise guy, I just really don't get exactly what you are asking by this one. Did you mean drawing (?presenting?) and firing from behind cover or concealment or, do you mean the weapon is drawn then fired from a concealed position such as under your jacket – sort of a surprise factor?

All the best,
Glenn B

[lbmii]

I do falling plates at 7 yards. I alternate between my Glock 35, Glock 27, 2inch 357 Mag, 380 Kel Tec, and my Mossberg 590 shotgun.

My newest thing is to place a snapcap dummy round in the middle of the magazine. This really helps in determining flinch and pull. It also helps give practice in clearing misfires. I highly recommend that you all try this.

Texian Pistolero, the reference to Travis Bickle was great. I thought I was the only one that did that.