Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
Now that you have a solid foundation for handgun shooting, it’s time to take your skills to the next level.
Let’s be honest: If and when you find yourself in a situation where you need to use your handgun, realistically, you are not going to be in a stationary position. You also won’t be able to take your time to slowly squeeze off each shot.
That said, ALL of the fundamentals from my previous article still apply — we are just going to add some “real world” drills to help you train for a “real world” situation.
Be Quick on the Draw
This three-step sequence should be practiced with an unloaded, cleared and safe weapon.
Step 1 — Draw with your shooting hand. Once your firearm is clear of the holster, rotate it up toward the target. This allows you to initiate “instinctive” firing immediately.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep your nongrip hand pressed against your upper body when executing this technique. You don’t want to shoot a hole through your nontrigger hand!
Step 2 — Bring both hands together. Remember to overlap your fingers and stack your thumbs with your grip-hand thumb on top and point them toward your target.
Step 3 — Fully extend to the correct Isosceles firing position by creating an even triangle from your hands to shoulders and across your chest. Remember to keep your feet shoulder-width apart, lean forward a little and bend your knees slightly to maintain an aggressive body position while firing.
This drill follows the classic example of, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Trigger control is essential during this drill. Your might want to hammer the trigger but that will lead to an inaccurate shot.
Remember proper trigger finger position (middle of the first pad of your index finger) and then squeeze.
Shooting From Cover
When the sh*t hits the fan, whether you’re armed or not, you need to GET DOWN AND MOVE. Look for cover versus concealment if possible:
- Cover not only hides you but protects you from bullets, shrapnel, etc.
- Concealment only hides you and won’t stop bullets from penetrating.
If you are armed, sending rounds toward your assaulter (aka suppressive or cover fire) may help you get to cover unharmed.
Suppressive fire is used to suppress the enemy and prevent them from performing their duties efficiently. It keeps the enemy occupied, preventing an effective attack against defenseless personnel.
Here’s how to train for this type of situation…
For this drill, stand approximately 10 feet from your designated cover. While moving, send several rounds toward the area of the enemy until you are behind your cover.
Once you are behind the cover, remember this old saying that goes back to Vietnam-era training: “I’m up, I shoot, I’m down.” Strive for quick, accurate two–three-round volleys when practicing the shooting portion of this drill.
Shooting on the Move
You may not always have the ability to get to cover. That said, you don’t want to present a static target — which means you’ve got to move.
Even when you are moving and shooting, be sure that you are using a proper isosceles stance. You should always be squared up with your target.
Lastly (and this is extremely important), shuffle your feet. Make small, 10–12-inch foot movements — left, right, forward, back. NEVER cross your feet.
Be a survivor… not a statistic,
Cade Courtley
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