Home of
the National Tactical Invitational
To view us online, visit http://www.teddytactical.com/
Monthly
Lecture: 05-2005
PERSONAL
CONFRONTATIONS
WITH LONG GUNS
I.
Interpersonal Confrontations
With Long Guns
A.
Value of long guns in
confrontations.
1.
Intimidation factor reduces the
likelihood of blows being struck.
2.
In the event the confrontation
does come to blows:
a.
The exceptional power of the
center-fire rifle caliber and/or the shotgun cartridge will more readily end
the fight quickly.
b.
The long gun is much easier to
make hits with in dynamic events.
c.
(a. and b.) Apply at distances
from contact to the maximum effective range of the employed system.
d.
It is important to remember that
the increased power of the long gun requires strict adherence to Rule 4.
3.
While, for those who do not
operate with a sworn duty obligation, the likelihood a Practitioner will begin
a hostile confrontation with a long gun in hand is small, there are times when
they will be available.
a.
When the encounter begins at the
domicile of the Practitioner.
b.
When, during an encounter
initiated by a VCA, a long gun becomes available through happenstance or
abandonment by others on the scene.
c.
For this reason the Practitioner
must be familiar with the operation and manual of arms with a wide variety of
long guns.
B.
Primary Competency Skills
1.
The Gunsite 4 Rules must be
observed with long guns as well as with handguns.
2.
Because of the power of long
guns, Rule 4 must be given particular attention.
3.
With center-fire rifle
cartridges, the possibility of projectiles skipping off flat surfaces and
continuing to terminus is a particular consideration. This can happen after an intermediate target has been hit and the
projectile passes through.
4.
Practitioners must be able to
operate with deployed long guns in venues populated by innocents as well as
VCA. Therefore it is important to be
able to execute:
a.
Contact ready.
b.
Engage ready.
c.
360 ready.
C.
Hand skills
1.
The Practitioner must be able to
perform the various hand skills associated with any weapons system.
2.
Those skills include:
a.
Loading, unloading and chamber
checks.
1)
administrative
2)
critical event operations
a)
includes one handed operations
b.
Stoppage reductions
1)
critical event operations
including one handed operations
2)
Transition to alternate weapon
system.
c.
Carry methods
1)
Weapons absent a mil-spec, drop
proof safety must be carried with the chamber empty, hammer/striker at rest.
2)
The Practitioner must be able to
activate the firing system while performing a presentation.
3)
Low profile hand carry
a)
off-side, muzzle down
b)
hand wrapped around the trigger
guard on a weapon absent a detachable magazine or around the magazine well of a
weapon with a detachable magazine
c)
strong side bladed towards the
threat
d)
Presentation is stepping forward
with the off-side foot, coming to the firing position as the long gun is
brought forward, up and into the shoulder.
e)
Contact ready or engage ready is
assumed as the circumstances dictate.
4)
off-side strap carry
a)
strap over the off-side
shoulder, muzzle down
b)
strong side bladed towards the
threat
c)
off-side hand grasping the strap
at about belt level
d)
on the presentation the off-side
hand move to the forearm of the weapon and brings the weapon parallel to the
deck as the weapon is thrust forward and upward to the firing position on the
strong shoulder
e)
at the same time the off-side
foot moves forward to the firing position
f)
if the weapon is absent a drop
proof safety, the action is operated to make the weapon ready for firing
g)
Contact ready or engage ready is
assumed as the circumstances dictate.
5)
strong side strap carry
a)
weapon is slung by the strap
over the strong side shoulder
b)
muzzle up
c)
body is bladed toward the
threat, off side forward
d)
strong hand grasps the strap at
about the pectoral level
e)
presentation is made by
extending the strong side arm
f)
off side hand grasps the forearm
of the weapon and rotates it into a firing position against the strong side
shoulder
g)
weapons without drop proof safeties
are made ready by operating the action
h)
Contact ready or engage ready
are assumed as the circumstances dictate.
3.
Hand skill operations with
various weapons systems.
a.
Shotguns
1)
pumps
2)
semi-autos
b.
carbines, semi-auto
c.
loading, unloading and chamber
checks
1)
critical event
2)
one handed operation
a)
one handed operation involves
placing the but of the weapon to the strong side of the chest centerline and
brining the elbow of the arm that is used to fire the weapon tight against the
side of the body
b)
a chin weld is used for aiming
the weapon
c)
Acceptable accuracy can be
obtained to moderate distances.
4.
Retention
a.
Should a VCA get his hands on
the long gun carried by the Practitioner, there is a good likelihood the VCA
will be able to acquire the weapon.
b.
In multiple VCA incidents it is
likely one or more VCA will approach from the rear. If the long gun is slung on the shoulder at the time of a rear
approach it is probably best to abandon the struggle for the long gun and
deploy an alternate weapons system.
1)
Weapons with drop proof safeties
that are engaged or weapons lacking drop proof safeties that have not been made
ready will likely befuddle the VCA who acquires it in a struggle. In any event, the VCA will be slowed in
getting the weapon into firing ready, expanding the response time of the
Practitioner.
c.
Retracted retention position
1)
When operating in confined
venues where immediate danger distance contacts with VCA is anticipated it is
best to operate from a retracted or collapsed retention position.
2)
Position is assumed by strongly
blading the body, off side forward
3)
The butt of the weapon is
dropped below the arm pit.
4)
The firing hand, grasping the
weapon, is placed against the chest just below the pectoral.
5)
The other hand is wrapped around
the forward portion of the weapons forearm, palm on the side and thumb over top
of the barrel.
6)
The muzzle is depressed towards
the deck.
7)
Should a VCA get his hands on
the weapon it is possible to bring the weapon to bear by using the forward hand
as a pivot point as the firing hand arm pushes the rear of the weapon downward.
D.
Low light operations
1.
Traditional aiming with long
guns involves sighted fire using the sighting system and a cheek weld on the
stock.
2.
Iron sights are difficult to see
in reduced light, especially without the aid of Practitioner operated auxiliary
lights.
3.
Weapons mounted auxiliary light
systems encourage violation of Rule 2, absent constant practice of contact
ready, particularly in very dynamic, uncertain and confusing scenarios.
4.
Weapons mounted auxiliary lights
are less likely to be found on weapons that are derivative of opportunity
occurring during the process of a critical incident.
5.
In low light circumstances the
ability of the Practitioner to identify individuals, their intent and
capabilities is regularly measured in a few yards.
6.
The combination of these factors
suggests an alternate aiming system using a chin weld and the prolongation of
the weapon as the sight.
7.
The firing position is assumed
by squaring the body the threat.
8.
The butt of the weapon is mounted
high on the pectoral, offset from the body mid-line on the firing hand side of
the body.
9.
The chin is set squarely on top
of the stock.
10.
A target focus is acquired with
the forward portion of the barrel serving as the sight and operating in the
peripheral vision.
E.
Transitioning between weapons
systems.
1.
There are occasions when the
Practitioner must transition from the long gun to an alternate weapon system.
2.
Usually, transition is required
because the long gun is no longer operational and time does not permit
remediation of the problem.
3.
If the weapon is damaged beyond
anything but prolonged repair efforts by a competent gunsmith, it is probably
best to abandon it.
4.
If the weapon has experienced a
stoppage that can be remediated by a competent operator, it is best to avoid,
if possible, abandoning it.
5.
Just as Practitioners can make
use of weapons found in a critical incident venue, so too can VCA.
6.
Upon discovering the long gun is
no longer operational and the critical incident is still operational, the Practitioner
uses the off side hand to dismount the long gun from the shoulder and rolls the
weapon inward towards his body, clutching it firmly against the off side chest
wall.
7.
At the same time the
Practitioner uses the firing hand to execute a presentation of the alternate
weapon.
8.
The practitioner assumes the
form of ready position indicated by the operating circumstance.
II.
Summary
A.
Training with long guns.
1.
It is just as important to be
competent with long guns as it is with handguns.
2.
The same skill sets are involved.
3.
Practitioners operating with
long guns and confronted by VCA are most likely to find the engagement
distances approximately the same as similar incidents where handguns are
employed.
4.
While the need to engage VCA at
distances measured in the hundreds of yards is very unlikely in domestic
incidents, the Practitioner should still have the skills resident to execute
accurate shots at such ranges.
5.
With the exception of home
defense incidents, long guns employed by Practitioners who do not have a sworn duty
obligation, may well be opportunistically acquired during the course of a
critical incident. For that reason the
Practitioner must have sufficient knowledge of a variety of long gun operating
systems to permit exploitation of any system available through opportunity.
6.
Those with a sworn duty
obligation could find themselves in a critical incident where opportunity
presents a long gun. Sworn duty
obligation Practitioners should familiarize themselves with the several
operating systems of long guns.
7.
Just because critical incidents
with VCA are “come as you are parties” does not mean there will be no
opportunity to upgrade your attire.
ATSA STUDY GROUP DRILLS
By
Skip Gochenour
MR. CHIN
Pit 2
Props: (3) Hostile Tactical Teds, (2) Non-Hostile Tactical
Teds. Targets are placed in the shape
of crescent at ranges from 5yds to 10 yds. from the Practitioners
location. Targets in locations 1, 3 and
5 are hostiles. Targets 2 and 4 are
non-hostiles.
Purpose: To allow the practitioner to practice engagement
at handgun ranges with a long gun. To
allow the Practitioner to practice acquiring a chin weld and transitioning from
one engagement to another while observing the Gunsite 4 Rules.
Process: The Practitioner assumes a position 5 yds
from the closest target. His body is
bladed strong side forward. His long
gun carried in low profile on the off side.
On the signal “Threat” the Practitioner makes a presentation with the
long gun and comes to contact ready. On
the signal “gun” the Practitioner engages each of the hostiles, being careful
to employ the Gunsite 4 Rules during the engagement.
The
Practitioner repeats the exercise.
The
Practitioner then prepares for a third string by loading his long gun with 2
rounds of ammunition only. When the long
gun is depleted of ammunition he will transition to his handgun and finish the
engagement.
The
Practitioner will be responsible for following through with a 360 ready at the
end of each string of engagement.
Judge
will collect total time for each string.
Misses will add 5 seconds to each string for each miss. Each violation of the Gunsite 4 Rules will
add 5 seconds. Failure to get off the
line of force and failure to follow through with a 360 ready will add 5
seconds.
Judge
will record the shot to shot time interval for the transition from long gun to
handgun.
SHOOT-HOUSE EXERCISE
Pit: The “L” Range
Props: (5) hostile Tactical Teds, one of them a
drop out target. (1) Family member
non-hostile. Drop out target is set up
in the rear bedroom with a hostile and the family member.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice
negotiating an enclosed venue with a long gun and observing the Gunsite 4
Rules. To practice transition from a
long gun to a handgun.
Process: The Practitioner presents his long gun to
the Judge who loads the weapon with (4) rounds of ammunition without the
knowledge of the Practitioner. The
Practitioner hears the calls of a family member and gunshots. The Practitioner must accept the long gun as
it is presented and go to the assistance of the family member. Should the long gun develop a stoppage, the
Practitioner must transition to a handgun.
HOW FAR WILL THIS GO?
Pit: Rifle Range
Props: (4) IDPA targets, one each at 10 yds, 25
yds, 50 yds and 100 yds. One steel gong
at 150 yds.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to explore the
limits of the shotgun with rifled slugs.
Process: The Practitioner begins with an empty
shotgun, slung on his shoulder. On the
signal “Threat” he unslings the weapon and loads it with (5) rds of rifled
slugs. On the signal “Gun” he engages
each of the (4) IDPA targets with at least on round. The 10 yd target must be a head shot.
The
Judge records the total time from the signal threat to the end of the target
engagement. He records the time from
the start signal to the first shot and the interval between each shot until the
end of the engagement.
With
the exception of the required head shot, any full diameter hit on the remaining
three targets is sufficient. In the event
of a tie for time between two or more Practitioner, each Practitioner with the
same time will be ranked by the number of “A” hits he achieves.
(5)
Seconds will be added to the time of each Practitioner for each missed
shot. (15) Seconds will be added for
each clean target. An acceptable hit on
the 10 yd target is any hit of half diameter or more within the confines of the
head, with the exception of any full diameter hit on the target which also cuts
the line between the head and torso, which will be accepted as a head shot.
All
shooting on this portion of the exercise will be from off hand.
STRING
2. The Practitioner will load his
shotgun with (5) rds of rifled slugs.
He will engage the 150 yd steel gong.
The Judge will record the number of hits and the time required to make
the shots. In the event two or more
Practitioners have the same number of hits, they will be ranked by time.
Practitioners
may fire this exercise from rest.
RIFLE TEST
Pit:
The Rifle Range
Props: (4) IDPA targets, one each at 10yds 25 yds,
50 yds and 100 yds. One steel “LaRue”
gong at 230 yds.
Purpose:
To test the Practitioners rifle skills.
Process: The Practitioner loads his rifle with 10
rds. He assumes an engage ready
position. The start signal will be an
audible buzzer. There will be two
starts on each target. The Practitioner
may fire as many shots ah he wishes to make the prescribed hit. The Judge will record the time required for
each start to the last shot fired by the Practitioner for each specific start
regardless of the number of shots fired.
All shots will be fired from off-hand.
10
yds, head shots. Two starts.
25
yds, head shots. Two starts.
50
yds, body shots. Two starts.
100yds,
body shots. Two starts.
The
Judge will add 5 seconds to the time of each start for every miss. The Judge will add 15 seconds for each clean
target at the end of the exercise.
Exercise
2. The Practitioner will fire 10 shots
at the “LaRue” steel gong at 230 yds.
All shots will be from off-hand.
The Judge will record the total time and the total hits. If two or more Practitioners make the same
number of hits they will be ranked by time.
Force On Force Exercise
Pit: Indoor Range
Props: One long gun and various AirSoft guns.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice
transition from long gun to handgun.
Process: The Practitioner must go to the aid of a
family member who is being held and assaulted by VCA. He is armed with a long gun and a handgun. The long gun fails during the event.
The
Practitioner must keep the long gun on his person during the entire event.