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Monthly
Lecture: 05-2006
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 but
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 but 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.
Transition 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.
HANDGUN V. CARBINE
PROFILE REDUCTION
Pit: Rifle Range
Props: (6) IDPA Targets and electronic timer
Purpose: To study the effect of “reducing profile” as
a time interval enhancement when responding to a threat of a rifle against a
handgun.
Process: Three banks of two IDPA targets are placed
at each of three respective distances from the line of fire. The distances to the targets are 25, 50 and
75 yards. At each distance, one target
will be reduced in available impact zone to shoulders and head, the other
target will present a full profile.
Two practitioners will assume
the firing line. One will be armed with
a handgun. The other will be armed with
a slung carbine. On the electronic,
audible start signal, each practitioner will deploy his assigned weapons system
and fire on his assigned target. The
carbine armed practitioner will fire on the reduced target; the handgun armed
target will fire on the full profile target.
Time and hits will be recorded for each practitioner.
The two practitioners’ will
switch weapons systems and repeat the exercise.
HANDGUN V. CARBINE
MOVEMENT
Pit: 2
Props: (8) IDPA targets and electronic timer, green and blue paint.
Purpose: To study the effect of “stepping off the
line of force” as a time interval enhancement when responding to a threat of a
rifle against a handgun.
Process: Two banks of (4) IDPA targets are placed at
respective distances of 25 and 40 yards.
In each bank the targets are arranged with three of the targets one
“step” apart and the 4th target is two “steps” to the side of the
nearest of the three targets. In the
set of three targets, the center target is plain in color, of the two targets
on either side of the center target of the three, one target is painted green,
the other is painted blue.
Two practitioners assume the
firing line. One is armed with a
holstered handgun; the other is armed with a slung carbine. On the audible signal from the electronic
timer, the handgun armed practitioner deploys his weapon and places multiple
hits on the (4th) target.
The carbine armed practitioner deploys his carbine and brings it to bear
on the center target of the three. When
the RO sees the carbine armed practitioner has oriented on the center target,
he calls out the color of the target to either target to the side of the center
target. The carbine armed practitioner
re-orients on the target identified and fires one shot on that target. Time and hits are recorded for each run.
TRANSITION TIME INTERVAL
Pit: 3
Props: (3) IDPA targets, electronic timer.
Purpose: To study the time interval involved in
transitioning from a disabled carbine to a handgun.
Process: Three IDPA targets are placed randomly at a
distance of about 25 yards from the firing line.
The practitioner is armed with a
carbine and a handgun. The carbine is
loaded with one round which is chambered.
The carbine is deployed and at contact ready. On the audible start signal the practitioner engages one of the
IDPA targets with the carbine. Upon the
failure to fire a second round, the practitioner transitions to his handgun and
engages each of the other two targets with multiple rounds.
Time and hits are recoded.
The practitioner repeats the
drill three times.
HOUSE EXERCISE
Pit: L range
Props: Several IDPA target with threat identifiers and non-threat
identifiers.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice using
a carbine in a dynamic exercise involving close ranges and portals.
Process: Targets with threat level identifiers are
placed at various locations throughout the shoot house that will create
opportunities for the practitioner to practice engagement with a carbine in
confined areas.
Force on Force
Pit: Indoor range
Props: Simulated weapons and ammo.
Protective equipment.
Purpose: To use a dynamic exercise with role players
to allow the practitioner to identify the presence of hostiles with various
weapons, including a long gun. The
practitioner will use such techniques as he finds useful to solve the problem.