AAR: Magpul Pistol II / Shotgun
Intro:
Got there on time and took care of some admin stuff. Helped set up target stands. Chris and Steve showed up soon after. Assembled all the shooters together and informed us what was going to be happening in the next 3 days This was not a pistol fundamentals class. Shooters were asked to introduce themselves and describe what they wanted to get out of this training. Mine was to improve my grip and trigger control. 25 shooters in the class and 21 were LEO’s. I was one of 4 civilians at the class
EQUIPMENT:
I was running my Glock 17L with a G17 incase the long slide broke . 12 standard mags, but you can get away with 6 mags easy. Winchester Ranger 124 gr. ammo CR Speed belt. BladeTech holster and 2 Fobus double mag holders. Same set up I use for USPSA pistol matches. Cargo pants, short sleeve T-shirt. Knee pads. Sun screen, water, Gatorade, sandwich for lunch and snacks.
On the line
Day 1: warm
3 yards center mass 3 rounds, all low left. I’m thinking to myself, this is why I’m here, to get my crap together. Steve was on the issue pretty fast. Adjusted my grip. Slapped off 2 more rounds. Same thing low left. Now Steve is behind me, his finger on the trigger me aiming. take up pre-travel press the trigger. Bang point of aim = point of impact. The way it should be every time. From that moment on, my pistol shooting improved.
Shooting distances were from 3 feet to 40 yards. Standing, kneeling, prone, urban-prone, both left and right side. All drills ramped up fast, as far as speed was concerned; again this was NOT a pistol fundamentals class. When they called “HE’S GOT A GUN!!” you moved as fast as you could. You drop to prone as fast as you can. You get your shot’s off and scan for other targets. Tac- reloads as needed. If you didn’t, you would hear about it. They push you to the failing point, and then build you back up. I personally respond well to this type of training. 600 rounds down range on day one.
Moving!
Day 2: warmer
Day 2, shooting on the move. Moving left to right, right to left, forward, back. All the while engaging multiple targets. Tac reload, scan for other targets. Cover your buddy while they reload. Situational awareness is stressed. Keeping your head up and on a swivel, compressed ready. Many things to keep in mind.
Lets get the heart pump’n
60 yards, run as fast as you can to the line, draw, 4 shots, get your hits. Turn up range, everyone ready? Run 25 yards, turn to face down range, drop to prone, and get your hits.
Drawing with weak hand only was a great drill. That I’m sure most shooters do not practice. Draw pistol, place it between your knees, re-grip pistol, fire 2 rounds. Also the chest roll technique. Draw with weak hand , bringing it up and against your chest, muzzle pointed down and away. Rolling your hand in such a way that you get a good high grip on the pistol and get 2 good hits. These drills where performed multiple times facing down range, left, right and up range. Last drill of the day was fun for me. A type of run and gun. 1 shooter at a time, draw 2 hits per target. Run to the next set of targets with pistol out and in your work space engage those and so on. After running that drill twice. I thought, “SHIT” I should have shot each target array in a different position. Next time.
Shotgun
Day 3: Hot
Equipment.
Mossberg 500 8 shot /GRS, KA1212 brake. Hogue 12” LOP stock.
Tac-Star 4 round Velcro sidesaddle, OSOE 12ga Micro Rig with H-Harness and Hydro Carrier. CCW 4 round shell caddy
Ammo:
Winchester Ranger, Low Recoil 00 Buck & Slugs. Rio birdshot
Went out to 50 yards or so to zero for slugs. 3 rounds in prone. Check the targets. Make a rear sight adjustment. Fired 3 more rounds. Most everyone was gtg by that time. Various drills. Standing to kneeling and standing again. All the time keeping the shotgun topped off. Moving forward and back engaging multiple targets, again, managing your ammo. The OSOE Micro Rig I was running carries 24 rounds. I had a 6 round Velcro backed card that I used for slugs when the 4 round sidesaddle ran empty. Plenty of organized reloading practice in these drills without having to go to a dump type bag to get loose rounds.
Costa and Fisher discussed cruise ready and cruise safe. We then got into some slug Tac Reload drills. Being a left handed long gun shooter and using the Mossberg 500. I found this drill very simple to perform. Also, with the weapon being in cruiser ready or cruiser safe, it’s the same drill, no extra steps. I was getting the first slug down range time after time. Note to self, bring both gloves next time. Rolling thunder drills were fun. Trying to keep the weapon up was getting harder for me. No bicep in my left arm. I had to resort to supporting it from my hip in order to reload it. I was toast, but didn’t know it.
When I first signed up for this class in Dec 2010. I started contacting some vendors in order to get some promotional items that would be given away to the shooters of the class. I got great responses. I would like to say THANK YOU very much, and I encourage all the shooters from the class to drop an email to them to say the same.
5.11 Tactical
King Armory
CDM Gear
Hogue
OSOE
Don Lazzarini
Summit Uniform
StreamLight
Range photo’s courtesy of Titleist
