Review of Extreme Close Quarters Shooting Video

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Matthew Temkin

Matthew Temkin

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I recently watched this new DVD by Rob Pincus and was greatly impressed buy the quality and contents.
Since so many gun fights/encounters occur 0-5 feet this is a very important topic that a vast number of shooting schools quite frankly just gloss over--or totally ignore.
Rob does a good job of explaining the subject and I liked that in his version of retention shooting he rotates the pistol nearly 90 degrees so as to have the magazine base push into the upper ribcage.
This is the way it is done by the NYPD, Ohio Peace Officers Academy, the Swedish Police and a few agencies teach it.
Without going into a great debate on this, I find it safer and more accurate than how others are doing it.
Just IMHO, BTW.
I also like that Mr. Pincus incorporates unarmed combat along with the pistol, something that is vital in this type of situation.
I like Rob's approach to H2H, since it is simple and direct and is very close to what I was taught by many grizzled military and police veterans.
The only thing that I cannot agree with is Rob's advice never strike with the muzzle since I believe there is a time and a place--as well as a way--to do so.
Then again, just a minor disagreement on a theme, as opposed to the concept of the video.
All in all a very good production by a very skilled/articulate instructor.
 
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Rob does a good job of explaining the subject and I liked that in his version of retention shooting he rotates the pistol nearly 90 degrees so as to have the magazine base push into the upper ribcage.
This is the way it is done by the NYPD, Ohio Peace Officers Academy, the Swedish Police and a few agencies teach it.
Without going into a great debate on this, I find it safer and more accurate than how others are doing it.
Click to expand...

FWIW, Greg Sullivan showed the same positioning when I took his Handgun User Level 1 class in '06.
 
Rob seems to know his stuff, and I expect this DVD to be worth my time when I get around to it.
 
Basic martial arts positioning can also be married to pistol use to help you prepare yourself for how to react if a bad guy gets up close and personal.

The simplest method is the block and blast: Block the bad guy with the forearm of your off arm while rotating the torso and pulling the gun back. The gun is now thoroughly outside his reach, and you have a perfect shot on his torso.

At this point he's basically screwed. You've stopped him at a standoff distance and are going to blow him away. Note that if you ever have to do this, you MUST fire because you've only got a few seconds before he can either respond with a knife or find a way around your advantageous position. Once the bad guy has violated that personal safety distance, his life is forfeit. There is no other option.

You should also practice aiming and firing from odd angles and non-optimal shooting stances.
 
At this point he's basically screwed. You've stopped him at a standoff distance and are going to blow him away.
Click to expand...
...not really. A handgun is a mediocre weapon at contact range. That is because unless a round hits the CNS (brain or spine), it isn't going to stop them for 7 seconds up to minutes. Even a heart shot gives them 7-30s of conscious voluntary control. Plenty of time for them to stab and/or beat you to death.

The fight isn't over just because you made your pistol go BANG! a couple times and hit them. It is a fight until their body no longer functions and they are no longer a threat.

Retention shooting is a good default to go to when you intended to shoot them at greater range (what firearms are best for) and things go wrong and distance collapses (they charge, whatever). Be prepared to shoot, strike, and generally fight by any means until they are down and injured too much to continue.
 
Great additional info, strambo... those concepts are a big part of our ECQT courses. The DVDs are always going to be a somewhat more generic version of the in person training, but at less than 5% of the cost they are still a great option.

***

Thanks for the Review, Matt!
 
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