I'm running courses for Illinois concealed carry. Our law requires 16 hours of training, of which 8 can be waived for certain certification (LEO, Military DD-214, NRA pistol classes, etc).
The first 8 hours I teach NRA Basic pistol, which gives everyone 8 hours of credit for IL concealed carry and also gives them a certificate that is accepted by some other states they may be interested in getting non-resident permits for (Florida being a common one).
The second 8 hours I'm required to teach 4 hours of law specific to IL concealed carry, FOID act, and lethal force, and 4 hours of practical handgun skills. Then we shoot the state qualifier on a B-27 target, 10 rounds each at 5/7/10 yards.
The second class gives me some latitude. As long as I cover the required points of law, and the required exercises, the instructor has full control over what "practical" drills they run, and what additional information they give on lethal force, etc.
It's very easy to read laws, and not understand their implications, or how they interact. So when I do the legal portion, and go though our exhaustive laws on concealed carry act, lethal force, and other statutes.. it's full of examples, stories, and scenarios. We cover the laws, then also move on to cover disparity of force, when force is allowed vs. lethal force, why Illinois is different than some other states on key points (the defense has the burden of proof on justified use of force; unlike some other states where the prosecution has the burden).
I show some videos of actual gunfights. The Arizona homeowner invasion one, where 4 bad guys try to raid a house and are sent running; that one is eye opening because less than 3 seconds pass from the time the first bad-guy exits the vehicle, until they are actively shooting at the homeowner in the garage. (This is to illustrate how quickly things can go bad).
The second video I show is interviews with Lance Thomas (jeweler that was in many gun fights). That story illustrates and expounds on many key points of instruction.
I also cover some of the fundamentals of carrying - holster selection, how to keep it concealed (bending, twisting), cartridge selection, ammunition selection, why you should test your defense ammo to make sure it works reliably in your gun; choosing a defensive firearm, advantages of revolvers vs. semiauto's (and vice versa), and so on.
I even lighten the mood with a quirp about "Please practice your toilet procedure at home with an unloaded, holstered gun, and be comfortable with this task, before venturing forth and finding yourself squatting down on a public toilet somewhere."
We're required to teach drawing a firearm from concealment, which I teach in the classroom as a 4 point exercise (as a group). I also teach that firing from points 2 and 3 are "retention positions". Once we get through drawing by count, I start mixing it up. Draw to the number and say BANG! Then call out 2, 3, or 4. Students draw to that position and say BANG. Then we go down the line where students get to call out 2, 3, or 4, and the class draws to that position.
The examples I provide during this exercise illustrate why shooting from point 2 is necessary when you are at, or very near contact distance. Point 3 (close 2 handed retention) is best if the bad guy is a step or three away; ground that can be covered very fast. And that point 4 can be used for point fire or aimed fire. This is easy to illustrate by bringing a student up, and showing at what distances a bad guy can grab your gun to contest control; or how fast they can cover the ground if they are rushing you with a lethal weapon (knife, etc).
These exercises are meant to teach students the basics of how to draw smoothly from concealment, why it is necessary to practice!!!, and how drawing a firearm properly is the most critical part of self-defense they can practice to improve their chances against a close-in attacker or charging attacker. Getting the gun in play before the bad guy can do damage to you, and KEEPING it away, are very important.
Once we hit the range, I do qualification shoots first to get them out of the way (and to gauge student skill level so I know who to watch closely), then I run some basic drills:
* Unaimed retention shooting from points 2 & 3 at appropriate distances.
* Mask off rear sights, practice point fire from position 3 to 4, progressively getting further away from targets from 3-10 yards.
(Both of these drills reinforce that for "combat accuracy", precise alignment of sights is not required, and your body will naturally point the gun where it needs to go.)
* Practice advancing forward while shooting from 15 to 3 yards.
* Practice withdrawing while shooting from 3 to 10-12 yards.
(I emphasize to students that if they suddenly find themselves in a gun fight, standing still is probably not a good idea; they should be moving for cover, moving for a better angle, etc. They may need to move before firing a shot to get friendlies out of the line of fire, etc).
Since it gets dark early, still, I also run a night fire / low light drill to give students a chance to experience muzzle flash. And, to demonstrate how some defensive ammunition has significantly reduced muzzle flash.
I emphasize that I can only teach students drills - I cannot endow skills on them. If they want to improve their skill, they must practice, practice, practice. Taking a training course doesn't instantly make you a better shooter. It just gives you a starting point and the toolset to go home and start making yourself a better shooter.
I can't cover every single point we go over in the entire 16 hour weekend, but these are some of the highlights. I can't possibly fit everything that people should know in to 8 or 16 hours, but I do my best to cover the most important aspects of self-defense with a firearm.
It's a very jam-packed, energetic class, that left me somewhat exhausted at the end, and the students smiling and happy.
Much of the finer points of the class, and much of the background information on strategies and tactics, was sourced from various threads over the years right here on THR ST&T and legal forums, as well as my own formal training and independent research.
I'm hoping that I can get students started off on the right foot, for carrying concealed firearms. Too often I see a certain nonchalance about it, where people get the bare minimum of training and then just venture forth. Not saying that isn't their right; but training and practice could make all of the difference in the outcome if you find yourself suddenly fighting for your life.
If you just want to sit through the bare minimum, get your certification, and go home, my class is not for you.
The first 8 hours I teach NRA Basic pistol, which gives everyone 8 hours of credit for IL concealed carry and also gives them a certificate that is accepted by some other states they may be interested in getting non-resident permits for (Florida being a common one).
The second 8 hours I'm required to teach 4 hours of law specific to IL concealed carry, FOID act, and lethal force, and 4 hours of practical handgun skills. Then we shoot the state qualifier on a B-27 target, 10 rounds each at 5/7/10 yards.
The second class gives me some latitude. As long as I cover the required points of law, and the required exercises, the instructor has full control over what "practical" drills they run, and what additional information they give on lethal force, etc.
It's very easy to read laws, and not understand their implications, or how they interact. So when I do the legal portion, and go though our exhaustive laws on concealed carry act, lethal force, and other statutes.. it's full of examples, stories, and scenarios. We cover the laws, then also move on to cover disparity of force, when force is allowed vs. lethal force, why Illinois is different than some other states on key points (the defense has the burden of proof on justified use of force; unlike some other states where the prosecution has the burden).
I show some videos of actual gunfights. The Arizona homeowner invasion one, where 4 bad guys try to raid a house and are sent running; that one is eye opening because less than 3 seconds pass from the time the first bad-guy exits the vehicle, until they are actively shooting at the homeowner in the garage. (This is to illustrate how quickly things can go bad).
The second video I show is interviews with Lance Thomas (jeweler that was in many gun fights). That story illustrates and expounds on many key points of instruction.
I also cover some of the fundamentals of carrying - holster selection, how to keep it concealed (bending, twisting), cartridge selection, ammunition selection, why you should test your defense ammo to make sure it works reliably in your gun; choosing a defensive firearm, advantages of revolvers vs. semiauto's (and vice versa), and so on.
I even lighten the mood with a quirp about "Please practice your toilet procedure at home with an unloaded, holstered gun, and be comfortable with this task, before venturing forth and finding yourself squatting down on a public toilet somewhere."
We're required to teach drawing a firearm from concealment, which I teach in the classroom as a 4 point exercise (as a group). I also teach that firing from points 2 and 3 are "retention positions". Once we get through drawing by count, I start mixing it up. Draw to the number and say BANG! Then call out 2, 3, or 4. Students draw to that position and say BANG. Then we go down the line where students get to call out 2, 3, or 4, and the class draws to that position.
The examples I provide during this exercise illustrate why shooting from point 2 is necessary when you are at, or very near contact distance. Point 3 (close 2 handed retention) is best if the bad guy is a step or three away; ground that can be covered very fast. And that point 4 can be used for point fire or aimed fire. This is easy to illustrate by bringing a student up, and showing at what distances a bad guy can grab your gun to contest control; or how fast they can cover the ground if they are rushing you with a lethal weapon (knife, etc).
These exercises are meant to teach students the basics of how to draw smoothly from concealment, why it is necessary to practice!!!, and how drawing a firearm properly is the most critical part of self-defense they can practice to improve their chances against a close-in attacker or charging attacker. Getting the gun in play before the bad guy can do damage to you, and KEEPING it away, are very important.
Once we hit the range, I do qualification shoots first to get them out of the way (and to gauge student skill level so I know who to watch closely), then I run some basic drills:
* Unaimed retention shooting from points 2 & 3 at appropriate distances.
* Mask off rear sights, practice point fire from position 3 to 4, progressively getting further away from targets from 3-10 yards.
(Both of these drills reinforce that for "combat accuracy", precise alignment of sights is not required, and your body will naturally point the gun where it needs to go.)
* Practice advancing forward while shooting from 15 to 3 yards.
* Practice withdrawing while shooting from 3 to 10-12 yards.
(I emphasize to students that if they suddenly find themselves in a gun fight, standing still is probably not a good idea; they should be moving for cover, moving for a better angle, etc. They may need to move before firing a shot to get friendlies out of the line of fire, etc).
Since it gets dark early, still, I also run a night fire / low light drill to give students a chance to experience muzzle flash. And, to demonstrate how some defensive ammunition has significantly reduced muzzle flash.
I emphasize that I can only teach students drills - I cannot endow skills on them. If they want to improve their skill, they must practice, practice, practice. Taking a training course doesn't instantly make you a better shooter. It just gives you a starting point and the toolset to go home and start making yourself a better shooter.
I can't cover every single point we go over in the entire 16 hour weekend, but these are some of the highlights. I can't possibly fit everything that people should know in to 8 or 16 hours, but I do my best to cover the most important aspects of self-defense with a firearm.
It's a very jam-packed, energetic class, that left me somewhat exhausted at the end, and the students smiling and happy.
Much of the finer points of the class, and much of the background information on strategies and tactics, was sourced from various threads over the years right here on THR ST&T and legal forums, as well as my own formal training and independent research.
I'm hoping that I can get students started off on the right foot, for carrying concealed firearms. Too often I see a certain nonchalance about it, where people get the bare minimum of training and then just venture forth. Not saying that isn't their right; but training and practice could make all of the difference in the outcome if you find yourself suddenly fighting for your life.
If you just want to sit through the bare minimum, get your certification, and go home, my class is not for you.
