Movement & Moving

There are legitimate complaints about static range training that leaves both shooters and targets planted in a specific spot. Especially since that rarely mimics street encounters – unless one or both parties have already sought cover.

Moving targets can be purchased. Or you can create them. I have them made with skateboards or kids’ wagons, along with pulleys and ropes. Just a bit of creativity.

Multiple targets, like a plate rack or a series of similar-sized and height steel plates, can accomplish the same thing. I am very happy with plate racks for this role. While a purpose-built rack is the best option, MGM’s plate rack in a can is very viable – especially if you do not own the range.

Move then Shoot

If you envision an event that involves moving to create distance or getting to cover sooner, train to begin that movement before initiating your draw. How? Force the shooter to take multiple steps before they clear their cover garment or contact their pistol.

Shoot then Move

If you are facing the opposite problem – a dire need to get hits immediately – then draw and engage first. We usually do ok with those two skills. If you are trying to get your shooters moving to cover, can you just discuss it? Or do you need to make cover available for them to move towards? Provide cover on the range and see if they’ll move to it – after it’s been discussed. If they aren’t seeking it, revisit the subject in discussion and encourage (or outright direct) them to use it.

 

Range Design & Safety?

Two issues continue to plague us when trying to teach this: range design constraints and artificial safety concerns.

If you are limited on range space, especially side-to-side, while being maxed out on shooters, the ability to add realistic movement is diminished. That has led “us” to teaching movement as a single or maybe double step – hoping it would simulate/stimulate greater movement. Unfortunately, just one step became all too common. And I was guilty of that in an old job.

In addition to the standing four safety rules, every range and competition has “rules.” While I have no issue with limitations in a stage layout, some of those ideas have adversely affected our training. Safe shooters will produce a safe range; however, a safe range may not produce safe shooters for our operational environments.

Consider up-range movement – or moving away from the threat. Will you run in a more natural way without muzzling those ahead of you? Or will you turn into the gun and run with the strong arm across our chest, the pistol pointed over our weak shoulder? What about turning away from the pistol and dragging it?

 

This doesn’t mean completely discarding the safety rules. You are still using mechanical safeties and keeping your finger up on the frame, rather than just off the trigger, right?

If there are no ways around those limitations, find a way to work on the skills with blue guns or Non-Lethal Training Ammunition pistols. Or even a finger gun in a park,  parking lot, or your yard.

 

Do those things before springing Pat McNamara’s Grid of Fire on the unsuspecting.

9 in 9

Most of us have a handful of drills that we like. For me, those are low round counts coupled with multiple skills. One is Spaulding’s 9-in-9. Two firing points, five yards apart side to side, that are 5 yards up range from the target. Start at one of those points. On the start signal, draw and shoot a 3”x5” card three times. With your trigger finger up on the frame, more to the other point, fire three more times there before returning to the first and firing a final three hits. Ideally, it’s done clean in under 12 seconds. In a recent class, my demo run was 8.78. Getting your sights into the eye-target line repeatedly, accurate shooting, and dynamic movement with a single-digit round count.

I have been experimenting with variations on the star drill in my classes. Since my practical application classes include both strong- and weak-hand-only work, I am using a modification that addresses these issues.

This is shot on a B-8 Bull’s Eye with an emphasis on accuracy. While the center start point is still a cone – the four outer points are now vertical barricades. The shooter moves through the drill in their chosen direction; however, the process remains consistent. They start from the center point and fire two shots freestyle. Then they move to one of the four corners and fire two additional shots one-handed. On the right side of the barricades, they are shooting right handed. And left hand only around the left side barricades. In between each of the corners, they return to the center cone and fire two more rounds free style (two-handed). The final two shots are fired from there as well, for a total of eighteen rounds.

For now:

Unless you are already behind cover, very few people (or critters) close to gunfire stay still. Our training needs to reflect that and prepare us for it. A little creativity here will go a long way.

Soon, I’ll introduce you to the Dynamic Marksmanship Assessment program and drills. All movement, all the time, and publicized by some West Coast cops.