Dry/Live Practice Routine

by Mike Perez, LMS Defense Instructor

A disciplined dry fire practice routine is absolutely critical in weapons training; not only for keeping our skills sharp, but for taking our skills to the next level. On the one hand, you can spend hours at the range shooting hundreds of rounds to reach a performance peak only to return to the range a short time later to find those skills severely diminished. You then spend half of your range day shooting to get back to where you were and the next half gaining only marginal improvement. It's not just inefficient, it's just plain wasteful of time and ammo, neither of which are in surplus for most of us.

On the other hand, a few short minutes a week can not only help maintain our skills but actually improve them. None of this is really news but here's the rub: An unorganized dry fire practice routine can be just as inefficient if not as wasteful! So often we practice things at home dry and then get to the range and practice something completely different live. That's like an athlete training for a marathon by running sprints. Our live fire practice should be a verification of the things we practice and learn in dry fire practice.

Dry fire practice is a way to get the most out of your training investments. A wise man *cough cough* (Chappy) once told me at the conclusion of the first LMS Defense class I took that "the class was not training". While I scratched my head wondering what I was doing there if not training he continued, "this is a down payment on training, if you want to truly own these skills you must make your payments in dry fire practice. If you skip the payments you lose the skills".

Too often in this business students use courses as their only form of practice and end up frustrated when they don't see the desired improvement. But if they spent some quality time practicing in between their LMS Defense Pistol 1 and Pistol 2 classes, they would begin to see exponential improvement and realize the true value of their training. So how then do we get the most out of our dry fire practice time? A dry/live practice routine is a great way to see actual progress in our skills and keep our training interesting and relevant.

Example, choose three skills or techniques you want to work on the next time you go to the range, such as draws, reloads, and one handed shooting. Next, plan dry fire practice sessions between now and your next range day that incorporates each of these skills or techniques. Five minutes on each per session is plenty. Then at the next live fire range practice, spend the first hour at the range practicing draws, reloads and one handed shooting. While at this live fire practice, review the documented results of your dry fire practice time, note improvement, identify problem areas, and then you can move on to other skills. End your session with two or three things you will work on during the down time between your range sessions. You will now have fresh skills to work on and incorporate into your routine. This practice method can add value and efficiency to your training time and dollar.

And remember, always follow your dry fire safety protocol. Stay safe.

To Carry or Not?

By Matt Merony, LMS Defense Instructor

I am a Law Enforcement officer and get asked all the time if I carry my sidearm off-duty or not and if I do how often? My answer to people is yes and almost always. I say I almost always off-duty carry because there are certain situations where carrying a firearm would not be appropriate. These situations would include anything that puts you in a state where your judgment may be impaired. The following is just my two cents.

It is my opinion that officers are never “off-duty”. When a person takes their oath they do not swear to “protect the citizens of their community for a certain numbers of hours on a particular day”. As a trainer in my agency this is a battle I have fought with others many times. The following are some of the responses I have been given when I pose the above question to fellow officers: “I’m not getting paid for it so I’m not doing it”, “This is a paycheck, when I leave for the day I leave everything here”, or “It’s too hard to conceal” and my answer to them is to find another job. We as Law Enforcement have been given the task of protecting our communities from ever growing violence in society, a task we freely accepted by taking our oath’s. The first Department I worked for made it mandatory for officers to carry their weapon off-duty, the only excused days were if the officer was sick or they were on vacation and this was a large metropolitan department; in my opinion every department should have this policy. We are given the training to employ our weapons in an effective manner to stop a threat and we owe it to the people we serve to be able to do that whether “on duty” or not.

Civilian Concealed Carry holders have made the decision to be armed and it is a decision that should not have been taken lightly. If you are one of the people that got a Concealed Carry License just because you could and do not train with your weapon, do yourself and society a favor and lock up your gun and never touch it; you will ultimately only hurt some innocent person and put the ones you love through a legal nightmare. The others that have taken the step to get the training and pursue additional training in order to better prepare themselves, I applaud you. Armed citizens have made the choice not to be victims to the ever increasing predatory nature of criminals in our society. The decision to carry your weapon should not be made whether it is convenient to do so or not, I don’t recall suspects asking people if it was a “convenient” time for them to be a victim. If you are licensed to carry a weapon, and appropriately trained to do it, then please do; you may be all that stands between an armed assailant and a massacre.

It is far better to have and not need than to need and not have. Again, this is just my opinion. Train hard, train often, and stay safe.

How will you be remembered?

by Rob Edwards, LMS Defense Instructor

I have been a law enforcement officer close to 20 years now. With 10 or so years left on the job, I have begun to think of how I will be remembered. You can call it self-centered or conceited if you want. I would rather say I am concerned about how my peers feel about me. I want to feel like I have served my team well and earned my living. I also like to think that I made a difference. I think of guys that I know that came before me. Some I have the utmost respect for, others I don’t. What impact did they have in their chosen profession? What impact will you have?

Whether you strap a weapon on and defend our streets, defend your household, or serve in the armed forces, you have a job to do. Do you train for the event that your teammate or family will need you most? I often see guys in my line of work that refuse to train. They look at being an armed professional as being a job and not a way of life. I know it’s not just the police that don’t want to train. It comes in all line of work. The one thing that I always try and remember is that I am constantly being evaluated. That evaluation is informal but is conducted by peers, citizens, or family members. I refuse to be a failure or fail the people who mean the most to me. What they think is very important.

I am making it my commitment to be the best I can be. Every day I will do the best job I can. Not for me but for everyone who I come in contact with. It is kind of a life re-dedication. I encourage you to do the same. As I contribute to this blog, I plan to focus on pushing all of us to be the best we can be. Hopefully you and I both will get something out of it. At LMS Defense we have experts in all facets of shooting and tactics. I would like to push your mind. The mind is the ultimate weapon. How will I be remembered? That is for others to decide. My goal is simple, a professional!

Stay safe.

Pocket Carry IFAK Update

Well, if you look back about a year, you'll see a blog entry I made on a small trauma kit meant for everyday carry. The premise being, what you have in your pockets day to day, is all you're likely to have should bad luck find you.

The kit has held up and worked well, however carry was only possible while wearing cargo pants due to the size of the pouch. Fine with me, but I also need to wear jeans from time to time (per my wife).

Not to long ago, I borrowed a friend's vacuum sealer and created a pouch with the same capabilities in a much smaller footprint. I wanted something wallet sized that I could carry in a front pocket.

What's in it? Swat tourniquet to function as a tourniquet or pressure dressing. Quickclot Combat gauze to pack a wound or apply hemostatic agent at the point of bleeding. Gloves to keep the ickies off me. And if need be, the wrapper can function as a chest seal. I cut some pre-tears on the edge of the packaging to allow easier opening under stress.

Like any other piece of equipment though, if not trained properly it will be of little value to you. Get training somewhere, anywhere, and maintain and increase your skills. Being physically fit and proficient with your carry weapon is only part of the package. You need to be able to treat yourself or a loved one until professional medical help arrives.

LMS Defense's Defensive Medicine course is one place you may want to start. Here's a link to one coming up in March in Nevada http://www.lmsdefense.com/lms/home/courseinstance/305 and here's an after action review of a recent course in California http://www.lmsdefense.com/forum/index.php?topic=6208.0

Start the year out right and inventory the skills and training you have and what you're lacking.

Weapons Mounted Lights

By Jeff Hogan

Since 9/11, the firearms industry and gear industry has grown in leaps and bounds. I can't even keep up any more with all the new "must haves" that come out what seems like every other day.

The best products invented,besides the accessory rail handguards for the AR15,has to be the weapon mounted light. I come from a time when night sights were too expensive for the regular cop to afford and using a PVC, mag light and hose clamp was the weapon mounted light for a rifle. In reality, weapons mounted lights have been around forever but when they were designed to be a designated system, it was a breath of fresh air.

Alot of departments will not allow weapon mounted lights for their officers. This is something I have yet to understand. Why would you want to keep your officers at risk?

The argument against weapon lights that I hear all the time is, " You will cover what you are not willing to destroy because your light goes where the muzzle goes" or vice versa. I call BS on that.

If your house is blacked out, turn on your weapon mounted light and point your weapon at about a 45 degree angle. Does the light reflect off the walls, pictures and floor? Does it give you enough ambient light to identify a threat? Yes it does. The other argument I hear is that it will give away your position. Well gee, what do you think that hand held light is doing? Even if held out with the arm fully extended, it is causing enough ambient light to show your body.

I have proven in several classes that you will not cover your children, wife or dog if you search with a weapon mounted light. The reaction from people is generally the same. It is a look of disappointment. Because so and so said it in a magazine, it must be true and they just took it as gospel and never tried to challenge it.

Open ground searches are a different animal that we will get into at a later time but I challenge you to clear your house with your handgun or rifle with a weapon mounted light. I'll bet you can do it with out covering something you are not willing to destroy.

In the picture below, you can see how much light bounces off of furniture and walls. There is plenty of light to identify a threat while not covering anyone with your muzzle. The light is an X300 mounted on a short barrel rifle. I am standing at the low ready at about a 45 degree angle to the ground.

To Stay or Go – What will you do during a crisis or emergency?

By Jason Drader, LMS Defense Instructor

In the spring of 2009 I wrote a column for the blog on planning to make it home, whether it be during inclement weather or during a crisis or disaster of some kind. Since then I have continued read comments made by folks about grabbing their rifle and the bug-out bag when the SHTF and heading for the hills.

Unfortunately I don’t see a lot of value in the prevailing concept of heading for the hills as soon as the proverbial SHTF. In some extreme cases, it might be the only answer. But the concept itself leads to more problems than it answers. So let’s explore what it takes to make the decision to stay or go during a crisis.

For myself and those that I care for, departing our home is the last thing I am going to do during a crisis unless absolutely necessary. For me, we are talking about imminent or immediate threat to life such as a chemical or biological hazard, where staying home would mean our certain demise. Post disaster such as an Earthquake would be another, where the damage is so bad that staying home would be hazardous. So short of such incidents, I’m not going anywhere. My bug-out bags are in fact get home bags. They are to sustain me and those I care for until we can make it home.

There seems to be a prevailing attitude or belief with some people that anarchy, whatever it ends up being, will best be sorted out with a bug-out bag and a gun and running around the hills. Unfortunately, I believe this belief can do more harm than good.

OK, so let’s say you made a decision to GO…now where are you going and what are you going to do when you get there? IF you can even get there.

Rolling with your decision to bug out for whatever reason, let’s say you have a three day pack, rifle and the seasonal clothes. You were lucky to hit the roads before the masses and traveled 350 miles en-route to Uncle Herb’s farm in the hills…a spur of the moment decision. Uncle Herb has stuff stashed away, he will look after you right? Unfortunately, you have run out of gas about 100 miles short of your destination and yes, you are in the middle of no where and no one is interested in stopping to help you. There are no services available. You will have to walk to Uncle Herb’s.

Now, imagine this 100 mile trek by foot in the winter time in the Pacific Northwest where you are going to be rained and snowed on for a good week at stretch. Why will it take you a week or more? Because you have a wife and three kids aged 7, 9 and 11 along. Remember that 3 day pack? It now has to sustain five people. I expect you ran out of food and fresh water before you were more than a day on foot because there wasn’t any stored in the vehicle and your wife grabbed her knitting bag and not the pack you set out for her.

You have a tarp and a couple of solar blankets, but you are still soaked and freezing as is the rest of your family. You haven’t slept properly in three days now. It isn’t just the cold and wet. For the last two nights there have been shots not that far away. You though that you may have even heard screams. You are the only person that can shoot, so you have to remain awake for security reasons.

Sounds like fun right? Trouble is it isn’t necessarily that far from reality. I believe that many people rest upon unrealistic preparations, planning, equipment and ability to solve there post-crisis problems. When in reality they add to the problem by becoming a casualty themselves. In many cases this can be avoided.

Let’s say there was a crisis of some kind, but we didn’t need to go. Let’s say we decided to bug-in instead of bugging-out. There are a huge amount of advantages to bugging in. For starters, many of the things we need day to day are already there; clothing, blankets, food, water, medicine, toiletries, etc. Our home gives us shelter (hopefully) from the elements and a good amount of security if we spend a bit of time preparing.

Our preparations to bug-in, aside from the normal stocks in the household, are specific items that are set aside just for a crisis or emergency. We have a supply of water and provisions to sustain us for at least a couple of months should we be unable to leave the home. We have a box of over the counter meds to treat cough, cold and flu symptoms, pain meds and other things we might need but are unable to go out and buy. If you have prescription meds that you need to take daily or something to that affect, ask your Doctor for an extra prescription so that you can have a supply on hand.

Extra batteries, glow sticks, solar and hand crank lights are also stored for times we may be without power. I also have a fairly comprehensive medical kit set aside as well.

For securing the home, I have been laying on a stock of ½ inch and ¾ inch plywood to cover doors and windows. I don’t live in hurricane or tornado country. I have the plywood to add to security of the home during a time of crisis. If your windows and doors are covered for the most part and you have someone on the other side determined to get in despite those coverings and warnings from you on the other side, its pretty obvious their intent is less than honourable.

While there are plenty of us that can look after ourselves for an extended period in the field, at some point supplies run out. Having a family to care for can compound issues very quickly. You can only carry so much stuff. Sure I have heard people discuss using utility trailers, RV’s, etc. Again, if absolutely necessary they are fine.

Caches might be an option if you are so inclined, but they require a considerable amount of planning and effort to put in place and maintain. Not to mention you may have to bug-out the opposite direction of your caches, in which case they won’t do you any good.

A retreat or cabin might also be an option. But the majority of people don’t have the luxury of such things.

With a little planning, bugging in can sustain the majority of people through many different emergency scenarios that you could well envision, and most people would be better off for it. You are less likely to become a casualty yourself and face it, emergency services are already going to maxed out. Why not add bugging in to your preparedness plans? Stay safe.

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Visit us at: http://www.lmsdefense.com

How many ways can you skin a cat?

Posted for Troy Price:

Many firearms trainers quote "Hicks Law" as the reason to train to a finite number of techniques when using firearms, with no variation. Hick's Law generally states that the more options that you have the longer it takes to choose an option and execute it.

The trainers' (there have been more than a few from multiple different organizations that I have witnessed) reasoning usually includes the precept that the more ways that an individual knows to perform a specific task the longer it will take them to perform that task or the more options a person has the longer it takes to respond. While this could potentially true if the individual in question has not mastered any singular technique, I want to point out some flaws in using Hick's Law to justify a singular methodology of training or technique.

Hick's experiments (and the previous experiments of Fitt and Donder) used a known stimuli to trigger a known response: see a light or sequence of lights (Morse Code), press a button or see a colored light press a colored button. Where the options came in was that the numbers of buttons to be pushed went from two to 10-15 depending on which experiment.Issues:The response to be performed was to push a button; the choice of button was increased but not the task of pushing the button. In a threat/conflict scenario your options are not that limited. You can run, punch, stab, subdue, or any number of other choices (and those are just fight/flight choices). When it comes to clearing weapons malfunctions the desired end result is the same every time; be able to continue the fight not to specifically clear the weapon. This can be done by clearing the weapon, choosing another weapon, etc. etcHick's experiments found that after a specific number of options had been reached reaction times were the same no matter how many more options were presented (that number was generally 4). This somewhat rules out the logic that the more options you have the longer it will take you to respond ad infinitum.

Hick's experiments did not take into account the option of no action being taken. This has to do specifically with the algorithm that demonstrates Hick's Law but can be used to illustrate the absence of multiple courses of action or the actions of other individuals (ex: when I am in public with my friends they are usually as well armed as I am and potentially solve the problem before I do - not saying this should be a consideration but it is a variable that is unexplained by Hick's Law)Hick's experiments found a correlation between intelligence (measured by IQ) and response time.

His conclusion was (no surprise here) that the more intelligent an individual is the faster their brain processes information. This can be extrapolated to demonstrate that the better you process information the faster you can choose from multiple options. (ex. the more skills you have mastered and continue to practice the faster you will be able to choose).

Hick's experiments showed that between the introduction of options 2-4 there was measurable increase in response time. The problem with this is that between each experiment the options were moved or switched around. The person executing had to evaluate each option because its location was unknown. In solving a threat/conflict you should know, and have practiced if not mastered, each and every one of your available options. In choosing an otion that you have mastered there is no "unknown location variable" as created in Hick's experiments.

Bottom Line:
If someone quotes you Hick's Law, or any other physic/behavioral law, as a reason for learning to perform a task/technique in a singular fashion you might want to be wary.

Conclusion: Go train. Learn several different ways to perform the same task. Choose what works best for you and master it. Remember the other techniques and practice them.

Why? Because you may be forced to do it that way due to the dynamics of a situation.

THERE IS HOPE

I saw this today and took heart. We are exposed to so many young people being spinless, I am strongly encouraged to see some character in a high school student.

Warriors protect others at risk (hopefully controlled) to themselves.

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http://www.clarionledger.com/a...cle?AID=200990901028

September 1, 2009

Yazoo High athlete a hero, sheriff says

By Chris Joyner
chris.joyner@jackson.gannett.com

Law enforcement and school officials are praising the efforts of a Yazoo County High School football player for disarming a 14-year-old student aboard a school bus this morning.

Yazoo County Sheriff Tommy Vaughan described Kaleb Eulls as a hero for tackling the girl, who allegedly threatened to shoot the 22 other people on the bus, some of whom where elementary school students.

“If it hadn’t been for this star football player, things could have been different,” he said. “He didn’t go overboard, but he did exactly what it took to get her on the ground.”

Vaughan, who watched the incident from the bus security camera, said the girl, whose name has not been released, entered the bus at 6:53 a.m. and moved about two-thirds of the way to the back before pulling a .380 semi-automatic handgun from her bag. The girl loaded a clip of ammunition into the gun and pointed it at several students while ordering the bus driver to pull over, Vaughan said.
“She was using some hard words,” he said. “She was saying somebody on the bus was either messing with her or picking on her.”

Vaughan said Eulls stood up, talked briefly to the girl and then tackled her, wrestling the gun away.

“He made the statement to one of my deputies that if she was going to shoot anyone he would rather she shoot him,” Vaughan said. “Watching him do that and him doing such a heroic act and not even caring about his own safety, that’s something you don’t see every day.”

Vaughan said the girl was arrested on 22 counts of attempted aggravated assault, 22 counts of kidnapping and one count of possession of a firearm on school property. She was transported to the county juvenile detention facility, he said.

Yazoo County High School Principal Billy Ray Harber would not comment on the specifics of the incident, but praised Eulls and the bus driver.

“They did a great job,” he said.

Eulls, a 6-foot 4-inch, 255-pound senior, plays defensive end and quarterback for Yazoo County and was a Dandy Dozen pick this year by The Clarion-Ledger. He has committed to Mississippi State.

Stout Hearts

Techniques vs. Tactics

Several students asked me this week "what is the difference between a technique and a tactic?".

Techniques are specific skills (front sight focus, trigger press, shooting on the move, pivots, moving as a team, etc).

Tactics is a term used to describe the combination of skills applied to a given set of circumstances.

What separates the good from the dead is their ability to think clearly enough under stress to consciously apply a correct set of skills to that specific set of circumstances.

Stout Hearts

CONGRATULATIONS KING COUNTY SWAT!

Photo by www.freedomfilm.com jason metcalfe / david howlett us tactical rifle association

We want to give a hearty congratulations to King County, WA SWAT for their First Place finish at the 2009 Washing State SWAT Rodeo.


A more professional, dedicated group of warriors would be hard to find.

Stout Hearts.

Comics blog launch

We wanted to create a single area where all of our comics could be viewed and downloaded, so we've launched a new blog.

http://lmsdefense.wordpress.com

International Poser

LMS Defense April Newsletter

You will want to check out our new newsletter.

It lists the upcoming LMS Defense classes as well as announces our new catalog for FY2009/FY2010.

And if you haven't signed up to receive our newsletter, it's quick and painless.

A LITTLE PIECE OF HOME

COMPETITION SHOOTING IS GOOD

Given the current ammo situation, I have been hearing more than the usual banter about the value of practical firearms competitions for personal defense training. Bottom line up front: any shooting and dry practice time, no matter the motivation, serves to improve your skills.

Having said this, make sure you do not completely replace training with competitions. Competitive shooting gets you out of the house, allows you to hang out with a good bunch of folks who enjoy the same things you do, and gives you time on the guns. The fundamental gunhandling you practice will serve you well.

Do not, however, mistake practical competition scenarios for serious tactical training. Some of the rules and tactical "solutions" I have seen in competitions will get you hurt on the street. Remind yourself of the differences, and remember it's ok to lose the competition if you decide to break their "rules" (not talking about safety) in order to not go against your good habits developed in training.

In conclusion, more shooting is always good. Come talk to us about it on the forum.

Stout Hearts

Staying Fit and Fighting the Inner Demons

By: The Hog, LMS Defense Instructor

The last year has been a sobering time for me. Both humbling and discouraging at the same time. Visits to the Doctor for my back, coming to the realization that I am older than I think I am (no matter how juvenile I act) , told that I can no longer fight, and losing my last fight. It put me in a slump where I lost interest in staying fit. I'll give a little history...

I weighed in at about 230 on a regular day, would drop weight to 205 with no problem. I then decided to cut a huge amount of weight, 75 pounds and try my hand at lightweight. In about 6 months, I cut the weight while maintaining my strength. My back gave out once again and I went to the doc who told me, I was done fighting and I needed surgery. I thought, ok, I can still train but I am in no way, having surgery. Then an opportunity arose that would have changed things for me for a while. I had an opportunity to take a lightweight fight . I told my wife, let me have this one fight. If I lose, I will quit, if I win, I will go out on top of my game and can be left with some pride. Well, it didn't quite work out the way I had planned and it started that downward spiral. I still went to the gym to teach and workout with the kids but something was scratching at me.Then I stopped going to the gym as much. I started eating wrong, didn't work out and just had no heart to put into it. I gained some bad weight. Although it was 30 pounds, it was an ugly 30 pounds. I looked in the mirror after a few months and just had enough...

This is when I started practicing what I preached. Some of the forum members and alumni had contacted me in the past about helping them lose weight and get them on a PT program. It was now time to take care of myself.

In the later parts of last year, I started to get some motivation and started a PT program of my own. I started reading books from the 50's-60's . The workouts the old timers did before performance enhancing drugs, creatine etc. etc. However, I don't have alot of money and couldn't afford a gym membership and being with my kids all day made it rough to get to the gym with my old training partners. So I thought, I don't need tons of money to get back in shape. So I went to the junkyard. I found a stainless steel bar that weighed in at 143 pounds. SWEET! I'll take that sir. I found some old 55lb tractor weights, a fire hydrant, keg and some chains. Then a buddy of mine hooked me up with an olympic weight set. Now I had everything I needed and no more excuses. For the last few months I have busted my butt to get back in shape.

You may ask, "What's the deal with a fire hydrant?" Well, you lift it in a bear hug and walk around the yard with it. It weighs in at 150 pounds. The tractor weights? My version of a poor mans kettle bell. The stainless bar? I cut it down and it made a squat bar and two dumbell bars for the olympic weights. Dumbell bars alone weigh 20lbs.

I have what I call the torture rack. It's a home made squat rack . I can do squats and a variety of pullups. I bought some baseballs, drilled holes in them and bolted chains to them. I hook them up to the torture rack and can work on grip strength pullups. In total, I have spent about 80 bucks. I'm up to 190 and it's a good 190. My cardio is lacking but I have begun a cardio program which includes running 3 miles every other day...on my garage sale treadmill. I am stronger at 36 than I was in high school.

What's the point of this blog entry? Well, we all lose sight sometimes. Whether it's how much we get to the range or our bodies. It's a proven fact that the better shape you're in, the better your chances are of surving a deadly encounter. We look at ourselves in the mirror and we don't like what we see but we lack the motivation to do something about it. It takes hard work, there is no miracle pill and it doesn't happen over night. All you have to do is...DO IT!! Set a goal for yourself. It doesn't have to be unreachable. Just small baby steps. When you reach that goal, set a new one. You will be surprised at how quickly you notice the change. You will feel better about yourself and your confidence will show. You will almost have an intimidation factor in your favor.
Look, we all have an inner demon. It may be Taco Bell, McDonald's, pain killers...whatever. Once you identify the problem, it makes it that much easier to over come and be the best you can possibly be. Will I be fighting again? Nope, but I don't care any more. I have other mountains to climb. Find your mountain and attack it, destroy it and own it.

Happy Carry

By: Kevin Williams, LMS Defense Instructor


There are several common locations for carrying a concealed handgun on one's person. Strongside hip at the 4 or 3 O'clock, weakside hip (if carrying a backup pistol), small of the back, an ankle or purse holster - all have their pro's and con's. A person's level of confidence, flexibility, any physical disabilities they may have, and body type are also just some of the factors that make some carry methods more suitable for a person than others.


A couple of things are needed regardless of which method is chosen: the pistol needs to be carried in a holster that prevents objects from entering into the trigger guard, the holster needs to stay firmly attached to one's belt, and ideally a person should be able to access the weapon with either hand and from multiple positions (standing, seated in a vehicle, laying on their back).






For the last few years I've been using the appendix carry method almost exclusively, commonly known as Appy carry. Appendix carry is holster carry with the holster located somewhere to the right of your belt buckle, typically the 12 to 2 O'clock position. Here are a few reasons why it's the method I prefer.


1. I'm faster drawing from the holster from the appendix position than from my hip at the 3 or 4 O'clock. My shot timer doesn't lie. Less ground to cover as I bring my gun on target.

2. It's less obvious to people on my flanks or rear that I'm drawing a weapon. May be important if I'm confronting multiple bad guys or if I want to draw covertly.

3. I'm safer from bump frisks or people inadvertantly contacting me and feeling my pistol because it's in front of and almost centerline of my body.

4. I'm far less likely to print through my cover garment. I can bend, squat, lean, and reach without the butt of my handgun presenting it's ugly head. I carry appendix in a t-shirt and shorts all summer long with no issues.

5. I can draw with my support side hand much easier than if I had my gun on my strongside hip. Could be important if my strongside arm is pinned by an attacker or wounded and unusable.

6. Drawing while seatbelted in a vehicle is much easier. I have had to do this once under duress in a real life encounter from a strongside holster and it was an eye opening experience.


Ok, so more than a few reasons but you get the idea. Appendix carry is a viable technique that bears looking into. As with anything self defense related, don't take my word on it. Seek out professional training, try it for yourself and see if it has merit. Then practice, practice, practice until your at the level of unconscious competence with it.

In case your wondering if this is for tiny guns only, it's not. I'm 5'10, 205 and my daily carry is a full sized Glock 17 with 2 spare magazines.




Photo of access seated and belted in vehicle:

A Man's home is his castle

Kevin Williams, LMS Defense Instructor

Or so it should be. Everyone's probably seen those ridiculous home security system commercials on TV where the bad guys kick in the front door, and then run away like little girls when the alarm starts making noise. Of course the alarm company is on the phone calling in to make sure Mrs. Smith is ok, and the police are on their way.

Reality, no.

It makes sense to make your house a less inviting target to criminals by cutting back excess shrubbery, installing motion sensor activated lighting, and taking your cars' garage door openers in the house with you at night. But none of those will stop a determined predator.

Any house is subject to forcible entry and nothing is foolproof. But you can take some simple steps to delay a criminal's entry or make it much louder, so that you have time to orient to the threat and put your home defense plan in effect.

A good solid door with a deadbolt is the first step. I have stuffed many doors with a simple mule kick during forcible entry operations to gain access during a structure fire. Deadbolts are often present, but I'm surprised at how many homeowners don't use them.

Another low cost tool is available at Target department stores and costs about $20.




This extendable door brace makes contact with the door knob and floor and resists efforts to open the door. I have them on all lower level exterior doors in my house.

Don't forget the windows. Cut sections of PVC pipe to place in the channels of your side opening window frames, so that an intruder has to break glass to gain entry. Many hardware stores sell small alarm units that make an ear pierceing shriek when a window in opened and the alarm in armed.

Remember, the idea is to delay, deter, and create noise so that you are awakened and ready to defend yourself should that bump in the night get ugly. Your nightstand gun does you no good if you're sound asleep.

We've got a larger discussion on putting together a home defense plan on our forum. The link is http://www.lmsdefense.com/forum/index.php?topic=4886.0

Come check it out and tell us what your thoughts are......

PLANNING TO MAKE IT HOME

Jason Drader, Managing Director
LMS Defense Canada

There are countless magazine articles and internet forums filled with all kinds of discussion on “bugging out” or SHTF scenarios. Few of these articles or discussions focus on making it home during or post-crisis, let alone how to sustain ones self or family during the trek home. If you can’t drive home, how long will it take you to get there and how will you survive in the interim?

As the fast majority of us rely on motor vehicles for getting from point A to point B, our preparations to make it home need to start there. Have a look in your vehicle, what do you see that will sustain you and your expected number of vehicle occupants for 24-48 hours? For many vehicle owners, they won’t find a damn thing.

Let’s first talk about the Get Home Bag. That’s right I didn’t say “bug out bag.” The only place I am going if I can help it is home. I have a Get Home Bag in each vehicle that is pretty much identical. Each bag is set up to help me get the family home if we are rendered unable to travel by roadway for an extended period. Each bag contains the basics; food, water, shelter, fire starter, warm clothes and a first aid kit. These items will help us get home if the need arises, or at least look after ourselves until alternate arrangements are made. If there is a crisis on, you can’t rely on checking into the Super 8 and ordering room service until it is over.

How about vehicle equipment? Perhaps the only reason you can’t drive home during a crisis is because you are simply stuck off the highway. Chances are that you aren’t going to come across a tow truck when you need one, so how about a tow strap or chain? You can have another motorist pull you back up onto the highway. How about snow chains, road flares, an axe, a shovel, spare engine and transmission oil? All of these items could aid you and your family in making it home.

After the Get Home Bag and vehicle equipment, we get into seasonal equipment. Whether travelling in an area of extreme weather conditions or not, you need to consider before you start your trek if the clothing and items you have with you will get you home if things go bad. If you are going were it is expected that it get’s cold at night, consider blankets or sleeping bags and extra clothing in the car. If travelling in arid areas, have extra water in the car. In fact, make sure at least some of the extra water is accessible to you in the passenger compartment of the car. How many times of you heard in the news of people trapped in their car for days? It would make you pretty mad being stuck in the car knowing full well you had six liters of water in the trunk!

The same can be said about clothing and footwear. While that tank top, speedo and flip flops served you well at the beach for the day’s outing, how comfortable will you feel walking 5, 10, 20 or more miles with that clothing on now that you are unable to drive?

The inability to travel by roadway during or immediately post-crisis is a common occurrence, why not include the contents of your vehicle as part of your preparations for such an event?

Rifle support gear

Kevin Williams, LMS Defense Instructor

Load carrying gear is a matter of personal preference and should be based on the expected mission parameters and needs. There are numerous options available, but many times people buy and use what they see on the internet or in the latest gun magazine.

One popular piece of equipment is the chest rig and there are several great ones available from Eagle, DBT, Tactical Tailor, and a host of other fine gear makers. Chest rigs are great for hauling magazines and equipment during classes, but they take some time to get into and don't always work well over overt armor carriers. They are well suited to a law enforcement officer or military member who has time to gear up in advance.

Another option for a rapidly deployable platform is the bandoleer. I have tried the majority of chest rigs out there and I much prefer this setup. It is very quick to don, modular to allow me to mount whatever pouches I choose, and I have access to a large amount of medical gear by rotating the bandoleer across my chest.







The bandoleer fits well regardless of whether I am wearing body armor or not. I have mounted 3 M4 magazines pouches from Eagle Industries and an Eagle horizontal utility pouch for bleeding control supplies. The bandoleer is from Blackhawk Products and is their STRIKE bandoleer.

The Eagle horizontal utility pouch contains: 4 -6" ace bandages, 4 - large rolls of kerlix gauze, 1 packet of Celox hemostatic agent, 2 CAT tourniquets, and 2 pair of gloves.

THE PATROL KIT

John McCoperson, LMS Defense Law Enforcement Instructor

Patrol officers lead the way. There is no way around that. Investigation, specialty units and even SWAT are needed and serve a purpose, but when things first get going, patrol is usually the first on scene. With this fact in mind, every patrol officer or deputy needs to be ready for those extra ordinary calls.

First and foremost, all should have some type of “go bag” with extra supplies. Most people think of supplies as extra ammo, while I agree, this needs to be a bit more involved than that.

First, I believe that extra water is a primary concern. During times of increased stress your body can double or triple its need for water. Remember that you are carrying more weight than normal with your vest, duty belt and whatever other equipment you have. Now, add to that a rifle, ammo for that rifle, hard plates, a go-bag or chest rig and things can get real heavy. Having to run distance carrying these things, then possibly clear a large school or commercial building where the average inside temperature is 70-74 degrees will wear you out and dehydrate you very fast. Think about standing on a perimeter for several hours without anyone able to bring you a drink. If you live in areas such as the Southwest , where temperatures can reach triple digits, your ability to operate at the top of you game will be cut well below half with out fluid intake. Add a couple of bottles of water to your gear bag. You will be glad you did.

We discussed ammo but I’ll touch on it briefly again. There are varying ideas on how much you should be carrying. I think that three to four extra magazines, on some type of carrying device or in a bag is adequate. These combined with the one in the rifle gives a load out of 120 to 150 rounds of rifle, not including your pistol and extra ammo for that. If you are in a situation that requires more than that, things are seriously bad. I am not saying this is an absolute, just a guide. For the rural deputy who’s back up maybe an hour away, or the city patrol officer who has several large schools and banks in his beat, things may change. Adjust your load out to what you feel is right.

Gunshot Trauma Kits are also a mandatory item. Not just for treating injured victims, but yourself. None of us want to think about this, but it is always a possibility. Being able to stop major bleeding, or any other major injuries that could reasonably occur, should be a mandatory skill. A minimum list of items to include in this should be; Tourniquet, trauma bandage, occlusive dressing, a compact roll of gauze and a triangular bandage. These items can be placed into a package that can be carried in a side pocket or easily within the contents of our go-bag. Build it to your needs and learn how to use its contents.

Another item should include a small set of binoculars. These are an under used item. Too many times do we advance to our objective location without observing it first. Many times we could take an extra second and check the area first if we had a set of these available to us. Again, if you are on a perimeter waiting for SWAT, a set of binoculars could provide a ton of information that you may not get without them. There are a thousand different uses. If you don’t have a set, borrow a friend’s and see how much you begin to use and depend on them.

Some sort of marking device should also be carried. I tend to use a large Sharpie Marker. It allows for use on a ton of different surfaces. It will also last a while if it is kept properly. Chem. Lights work for lighting dark areas, or doorways when securing building too. Carrying a long strip of evidence tape is a cheap way to go. It is compact, and can be torn to the desired length and tied around door knobs to mark areas.

Add a heavy duty knife to your bag. This will provide you with the ability to open, cut and even pry things in a pinch that you may not have been able to do with a small cheap folder. Knives are an over looked item in the law enforcement community.

Power bars or other sources of energy. This is low on my list because eating will not be as important as re-hydrating. We all know that we can go days without food, but a substantially lot less without water. Having said that, it sucks to go 10 hours with no food, so why not add a couple ounces to our go-bag weight and throw in some CLIFF bars.

Something that needs to be mentioned but not discussed in this article is breeching. If able, a crow bar and sledge hammer will benefit you kit also. Gaining entry to a residence or building when you absolutely must is just as important as getting there safe.

The things mentioned above are just a guide. Take a look at where you work and what your needs will be. Once you have spent a little time doing that, build a kit which works for you. Nobody can tell you with certainty what you will need. That has to be determined by you, and the little things you forget and need, will come with experience working on the job.

LMS DEFENSE TARGETS

Some time ago, we decided to design our own set of targets to fulfill our requirements. It wasn't that we didn't think anyone else's targets were good, it was just that we couldn't find any that were realistic enough or which provided odd-angle views of threats which incorporated realistic target zones.



In our own training, we noticed we never shot at anything on an oblique angle, requiring us to identify the proper shot placement on a person from an odd angle. So, the "Tony Target" was born.



We encourage you to go to LE Targets and try some out yourself. We are interested in hearing your opinions on them at www.lmsdefense.com/forum.

To order the targets go to:

LMS Target 1

and

LMS Target 2

Stout Hearts

VISUALIZATION AS A TRAINING TOOL

Bill Toy, Instructor

So, money is tight, gun prices and ammo are skyrocketing, and most of us are finding it difficult to find the time and resources to head to the range for training. How can we keep our edge and hopefully improve our capabilities in today's state of the nation?

Chappy and Jeremy have posted some excellent advice on improving your efficiency through video taping your range visits and dry fire drills. In the next few articles we will be taking a look at some other ways you can keep your edge without cutting into your already tight budget.

The first thing I would like to discuss is one of the most overlooked yet highly effective training techniques, Creative Visualization. Professional and Olympic athletes, competition shooters and tier 1 military units use this technique to improve outcomes under stress. Simply put, it is using your imagination to visualize a specific action or scenario in a very detailed manner in order to replicate a desired level of performance. While visualizing an act, you want to include every available sense (Sight, sound, feel, and even smell). You can slow the act down or execute it in real time. The key is that every single mental repetition is executed PERFECTLY.

How effective is Creative Visualization? A paper written by Charles A. Garfield Ph.D titled "Peak Performance-Mental Training Techniques of the Worlds Greatest Athletes" cites a study which matched 4 groups of world class Soviet athletes prior to the 1980 Winter Games.

• Group 1 - 100% physical training;
• Group 2 - 75% physical training with 25% mental training;
• Group 3 - 50% physical training with 50% mental training;
• Group 4 - 25% physical training with 75% mental training.

The results? Group 4 showed significantly greater improvement than group 3, which was followed by group 2 and finally 1.

We have all heard the term "Practice doesn't make perfect, PERFECT Practice makes perfect." By including Visualization into your training plan you will make the most of your limited range time and ammo budget. In the next post I will take a look at how to conduct visualization and incorporate it into your training plan.

The business, it's a-changing...

IBM files Matrix bullet dodging patent

When I first read this over at HotAir, I thought to myself, this is going to be good.

I was right. Turns out IBM indeed has filed a patent to this effect. Patent #7484451 to be exact.

Here is the abstract from the actual patent.

A method of protecting a target from a projectile propelled from a firearm comprises detecting an approaching projectile, continuously monitoring the projectile and transmitting an actual position of the projectile to a controller, computing an estimated projectile trajectory based upon the actual position of the projectile, determining an actual position of a target with a plurality of position sensors and a plurality of attitude sensors, determining whether the estimated projectile trajectory coincides with the actual position of the target, and triggering a plurality of muscle stimulators operably coupled to the controller and to the target when the estimated projectile trajectory coincides with the actual position of the target, wherein the muscle stimulators stimulate the target to move in a predefined manner, and wherein the target moves by an amount sufficient to avoid any contact with the approaching projectile. The projectile may be detected in the detecting step by emitting an electromagnetic wave from a projectile detector and receiving the electromagnetic wave after the electromagnetic wave has been reflected back toward the projectile detector by the projectile.

Will it work? Who knows. What I do know is I would rather address a lethal threat with the appropriate level of lethal force. Preferably before I need to dodge a bullet.

I'm sure Chappy will weigh in on this with some real world wisdom at a later date.

EVER FORGET TO DO SOMETHING?

Back in the day (late 90's), I was turned on to a simple way to drastically improve my shooting: video feedback. I know this is probably not the first time you've heard of making a video of your training for review and correction later, but reading some old AAR's of some of Paul Howe's classes jarred my memory.

I stopped doing this at some point when the camera I was using died, and just never really started it up again. Pretty lame, huh. If you are having issues finding a training partner, or you and your partner only get together occasionally, video feedback is a must. As with all training, honesty with yourself is obviously a must. If you are just taking video to see yourself being a badass, don't waste your time. Remember, growth requires pain and struggle. Be ruthless with yourself, and share the video with your partner and have him rip it apart.

Use this invaluable tool to identify things requiring work, and develop your plan accordingly. I am interested to hear your thoughts on camera types and systems for this application, as I am now in search of a good camera system.

Take advantage of this lesson learned at my expense: just because it's not convenient, doesn't mean it's not valuable.

Stout Hearts

What's in your pockets?

If you're like most of us, you have some sort of emergency trauma kit somewhere in your shooting gear. It makes the trip to all your range sessions, competitions, and any classes you take to become a more skilled shooter.

You probably also have a small pile of gear you stuff in your pockets each day as you go out into the world and conduct your day to day business....Pistol, holster, spare magazine or 2, small flashlight, cell phone, pager, wallet, car keys. Notice something missing here?



















That life saving equipment you make sure to always have around firearms is no where to be found. You may have a first aid kit in your vehicle, but that does you about as much good as leaving it at home should you be out in public and away from your rig (anyone remember the Tacoma Mall shooting?)

The missing item here is a compact kit containing the means to stop severe bleeding. An adult can die in 2-3 minutes from an uncontrolled femoral artery bleed. By carrying a few low cost items, you can greatly increase your chances of surviving a traumatic injury.

Where and how to carry it? First off it needs to be small in size or you'll leave it behind. That bulging nylon pouch that hangs on your plate carrier is not the answer. Think wallet sized if you're a man. If you wear cargo style pants, you can get away with a slightly larger carrying container. Women have it easier in that they typically carry purses and don't need to cram something in a pocket.

The container should be water resistant and hold up to the rigors of everyday carry. Quart sized ziploc bags last about 2 weeks. A much better option I've found is this handy little pouch from REI.
















For about $7, it's tear and water resistant and the contents are visible from the outside. The zipper keeps everything contained and is easily accessible.

What to carry? That's simple. My main concerns are gunshot and stab wounds and being able to control the bleeding till help arrives. For severe extremity bleeds, a tourniquet gets the job done. I carry a Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) in mine. Anything not able to be controlled with a tourniquet gets a pressure dressing. For that I have a small 4" wide ace bandage and a compressed roll of kerlix gauze. I also have a hemostatic agent (Celox) in the pocket kit to help with difficult bleeds. If I need to seal up an open wound in the neck or chest, the wrapper for the Celox or gauze will do the trick.















I also carry a pair of nitrile gloves to protect myself from bloodborne pathogens. If I am in a position to help a wounded stranger, I want to make sure I don't expose myself to any of the serious diseases spread by contact with blood.

Some newer products to the market will allow me to downsize my kit even more. Combat Gauze combines a roll of gauze with a hemostatic agent. The SWAT Tourniquet (Stretch,Wrap,and Tuck) looks like a section of rubber inner tube and can be used as a tourniquet or a pressure dressing. Mine are on order and once here, will give me the wallet sized envelope I'm looking for.


Equipment is just a small piece of the equation. If you don't work in a field that provides you the exposure, seek out emergency medical training on your own. Most fire departments offer a low cost, monthly 8 hour first aid course. Organizations like the Red Cross offer classes as well. There are numerous resources online, and hands-on training courses available that are geared towards treating injuries resulting from hostile action (LMS Defense's Defensive Medicine for example).

Whatever your individual situation, the responsibilty to protect yourself and family and ensure their well-being lies solely on your shoulders.

Traffic Stops and the Legally Armed Citizen

Jeff Hogan, LMS Defense Law Enforcement Program Manager

This topic frequently comes up in conversation. Sometimes, it brings hostility from those that don’t like law enforcement for whatever reason, and some just want to know how to handle it. We wont get into a political debate on this issue. Instead, I will just give some pointers how to handle the traffic stop and the officer. Keep in mind I am an officer, and fully support your right to be armed.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way right now. Law enforcement does not go around just pulling people over for no reason. You have violated a law, however minor it may be. Before you get angry for being stopped, find out why you were stopped in the first place. There are the obvious laws that everyone knows about, like speeding. There are also laws on the books that some have no idea about. Heck, there are laws on the books that I didn’t know existed. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for any of us. It’s our responsibility to know them, whether it’s me as an officer, or you as a citizen.

Also, some States require you to notify the officer that you are armed. Even if this is not the case in your state, it’s still a good idea, trust me.

Let’s move forward to the stop. After pulling to the right and coming to a stop, place your hands on the steering wheel. Place them both at the 12 o’ clock and relax. Placing them at the 9 and 3 makes you look a little tense and will start sending warning flags to the officer.

Allow the officer to make his approach and make contact. You don't want to stick your head out of the window and scream, "I'm armed officer". Let him give you his reasons for the stop. At this point, he’ll probably ask you for your registration, insurance and drivers license. This is where you chime in. Let him know, “Officer/Deputy, I am a CCW holder and I have a weapon on my side and it happens to be on the same side as my wallet. ” The officer will probably give you instructions at this point. Just follow what he tells you to do. He has to worry about his safety, just as you do yours. If you keep a good attitude, it should not be a rough experience.

The officer may or may not have you step out of the vehicle. If he does, just do as he says. Right now is not the time to fight or argue the 2nd amendment. Remember, he has the duty to make sure that you are legally carrying that firearm. If we believed everything we were told and trusted everyone’s word, we wouldn’t put very many bad guys in jail and we would bury a lot of cops.

I know none of us like others touching our weapons, but he may want to make sure it’s not stolen. You wouldn’t believe how many guns I have run that people bought at a gun show or from the local paper that were stolen. Better you find out now rather than when you’re involved in something bigger than a traffic stop.

After the check, he may or may not drop the magazine, clear the chamber and lock the slide back. You have to remember, he is thinking of his/her safety and trying to take one factor out of a possible deadly incident. He is not doing this to screw with you. Keep a positive attitude…it’s almost over.

He’ll write you a ticket if he feels the need or give you a warning. You then get sent on your way.

Just remember this, LEO has a job to do. You entrust them to do it. That’s all he is doing. If you feel that the officer did something wrong during the stop, don’t confront the issue on the side of the road. When it’s over, file a formal complaint.

Bottom line, keep a positive attitude, be polite and go with the program. You may end up talking guns with the cop and gain a new training buddy.

JUST RELOAD

I have been hearing a lot of chatter about what type of reloads guys should practice. Here is my take on this.

When you press the trigger and nothing happens, TAP RACK BANG. If your weapon is empty, you will realize it, usually in the TAP phase. Dump that magazine while your support hand fetches a fresh magazine, insert the fresh magazine and either run the slide or press the slide stop with your offhand thumb. This is generally called an emergency reload. In application, it’s usually called an “ohfuckohfuckohfuck” reload. This reload should be done while your feet are moving unless you are behind some solid cover.

The other type of reload, which should also be trained on every day, is commonly referred to as the speed reload. This is just like the emergency reload, only is performed when you have stopped shooting at someone and either aren’t sure how much ammunition you have expended, or know you are almost out. It makes sense to get your weapon back up to full capacity quickly, so find a full magazine, get it up to the gun, dump the partial magazine out of the gun, and insert the fresh magazine firmly. If your weapon gave no other indication of being empty, there is no reason to run the slide in this situation. If you have time and are so inclined, you can pick up the magazine that is now on the deck and stow it somewhere, but this is unlikely to be necessary unless you are applying these techniques in a military context. If you do decide to pick up magazines, check them for top round alignment before stowing them to ensure they can be used if needed. If the situation is not such that you have time to check this, leave them on the deck. Magazines are disposable.

Any other reload, in my opinion, is administrative in nature. I do not teach tactical reloads because they are overly complicated and are advocated for use during a “lull” in the gunfight. There are no “lulls” in gunfights; you have either shot your opponent to submission, unconsciousness or death, or they remain a threat. Don’t train yourself to perform complicated, unnecessary procedures requiring finger dexterity if they can be avoided. If, after a realistic evaluation of the threats you are likely to face, you genuinely feel you may need those few rounds later, you will be much better served by either changing your lifestyle to reduce your threats or by carrying more magazines.

Whatever you decide, train, train, train. Make sure you dry fire practice reloading, both speed and emergency, from every conceivable body position and with both hands. Also get some training in one-handed reloading and off hand reloading. Do not allow yourself to be convinced you need skills based on someone’s training philosophy (including mine). Educate yourself and choose techniques and procedures likely to be required for your specific situation, then become an expert in their use.

Stout Hearts

GET A TRAINING PARTNER

Training every day, or every week, is tough, but anything worth having is hard to earn. One way to help prop up your self discipline is with a training partner. A training partner, just like a workout partner, is a good idea for many reasons.

First, training partners serve to motivate each other. Even if you don’t train together every day, you should talk every day and check on each other’s progress. Secondly, having a partner automatically cuts your planning workload in half! Training the right way involves detail orientation, creativity and preparation. It’s nice (and effective) to spread that work around.

Next, having a training partner helps avoid “training inbreeding” so long as both of you are always on the lookout for new ideas and procedures. Training partners also make good coaches. Training by yourself can lead to the unknowing development of bad habits. A good partner will be paying attention while you are working, and will correct and supervise your technique or procedure until you get it right.

Having a training partner, probably most importantly, serves as an integrity check on your program. It’s much easier to lie to yourself than to your buddy.

Once you find your partner, do them the honor of never ever lying to them. If they are screwing something up, you need to correct them. If their ego is such that they cannot be corrected, they are not a training partner, they are just looking for your acceptance. If this is the case, part as friends and go find someone who is serious about learning.

If your ego is out of control, you will know it as soon as your partner asks you why you are being an asshole and not believing him about jerking your trigger. This is called a clue to fix yourself. If you just want someone to shoot with who will tell you how cool you look, go to an airsoft game and make friends there. Allow your training partner to keep your ego in check. Anything less is just wasting everyone’s time.

So, email that old buddy you have been to some classes with, get with your beat partner on night shift, or hit up your team mate, and find someone to exercise your fighting muscle with.

Stout Hearts

THE NECESSITY OF OFF-HAND PROFICIENCY (Dry-Fire Drills Included)

Jeremy Miller, LMS Defense Instructor

Much of the training that we all do is meant to ensure our success in a fight. As John mentioned earlier in the week, the ability to shoot off-handed with the rifle is an important skill to be proficient in, especially in a close-quarters environment.

My current position has me in the high threat protection arena. Here, we spend a considerable amount of time in vehicles, and situations requiring us to utilize our rifles from within the vehicles are always a possibility. Recently I had a conversation with someone who indicated he didn’t like to sit in the left rear position of the vehicle, because he was right-handed and “sucked at off-hand shooting.” It got me thinking about the necessity of off-handed shooting proficiency. If the need arises for you to utilize your weapon from this particular position, being a right-handed shooter, you have a number of factors working against you (The opposite side of the vehicle provides the same difficulties for a left-handed shooter). The first being the fact that you are generally not as accurate, fast, or stable with your weapon from the off-hand. Second, you are functioning in an adrenaline-induced state. Third, you are having to engage from a VERY awkward position—sitting in a moving vehicle, leaning outside of the door, completely unsecured to the vehicle itself. Of course this is a position that many people will never find themselves in, however the need to be accurate and proficient with shooting with the off-hand is still very important. With that, these are the off-hand dry-fire exercises that I include into my dry-fire practice sessions.

First and foremost, go through your Dry Fire Setup and Safety Protocol. John listed his in the previous post.

25 optic/iron sight - pull, transition to offhand, pull - Standing

-During this series, my safety aiming dot is to my front.

-The focus during this exercise is proper transition, proper sight picture, and smooth, proper trigger pull. Pay special attention to your sight alignment during the off-hand pull. Your muscles are most likely not used to this motion; it will take time and repetition.

25 optic/iron sight - offhand pulls – Sitting (chair)

-During this series, my safety aiming dot is on my right. If you are left-handed, your safety aiming dot would be on the left.

-Again, focus on proper shooting fundamentals. Watch your sight alignment during the pull.

These exercises can be incorporated into your normal dry-fire routine, and with effective live-fire training, you will begin to develop the muscle memory needed to proficiently engage targets on the offhand.

DRY FIRE SAFETY PROTOCOL

So in yesterday’s blog I mentioned a Safety Aiming Dot, and I got a very reasonable question asking me what the hell I meant by that.

I constantly preach that the four firearms safety rules always apply, all the time, no matter what. This philosophy obviously bumps up against the requirement to dry fire to maintain proficiency, so what I have done is create in my head a safety protocol I go through whenever I plan to press the trigger on my weapons and NOT have them go BANG. The Safety Aiming Dot / Point is one of the elements in my safety protocol.

So, here is my Dry Fire Setup and Safety Protocol.

1. Clear the room of ALL ammunition.
2. Conduct safety check of all firearms. Open the action, look and feel the magwell and chamber.
3. Identify the Safety Aiming Point. This needs to be in a position which, should a discharge take place, no persons or valuable property are downrange. Rule 4 still applies (Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it).
4. Set up the target over the safety aiming point. Remember, take the position you intend to dry fire from into account when setting up the safety aiming point.
5. Conduct safety check again. Confirm no ammunition is in the room.
6. Conduct your training. If interrupted, you must stop and re-do steps 1-5. No exceptions.
7. When your training is complete, focus your mind and review what you have covered. Make a conscious decision to load your weapon if appropriate. Once you load, holster or lock up the weapon and STOP TRAINING.
8. Document the training in your log. Rob Pincus at I.C.E. Training recently published a great training log.

I cannot stress enough the creation of a conscious break at the beginning and end of every dry fire session. If you are harried or in a hurry, do not dry fire. Period.


A picture of an Elbow is an effective dry fire target.

Stout Hearts

TRAIN TODAY AND THIS WEEKEND

Most of us, me included, find it hard to maintain the self-discipline to effectively train every day. I know it’s hard, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Find something today that you haven’t done for a while.

For me, today I practiced pistol fighting from the ground. This morning I did my usual dryfire pistol drills lying on my back, with my safety aiming dot on my left side. Your daily task today doesn’t even have to be firearms related. Get out your training medical kit and put a TQ and a pressure bandage on yourself in the dark. See, in five minutes you’ve refreshed a fundamental skill, now go have a beer.

This weekend, I will confirm my daily training by shooting live from the same positions I dry fired from this week. Something to think about. After all, I’m sure your future opponent isn’t training right now…..

Stout Hearts

TRAINING FOR THE NON STANDARD RESPONSE

Training on a square range is always artificial. We all work hard, or should, to develop drills and training protocols based on a realistic look at our mission essential tasks. One area where I have seen a breakdown in reality based learning objectives is round counts for shooting drills.

One effective method we have found of combating "bring the range to the street" is the incorporation of the Non-Standard Response (NSR) into shooting drills. This is one way to avoid developing the habit of firing a set number of rounds then assessing, or only firing on a specific command proceeded by a number. We are trying to train ourselves to shoot until the deadly threat either surrenders or stops effectively engaging us.

If you train to fire two rounds then assess, or fire a failure drill of two to the body and one to the head, that is what you will do under stress. The problems with this in real life should be obvious. Bad guys do not stand still, do not square up to you, and do not just wait to be dispatched. We need to train to shoot until the circumstances dictate we stop shooting.

To incorporate the NSR into your usual range routine, simply substitute the round counts in your drills for the NSR concept. An NSR is anything between 3 and 10 rounds. Mix it up, never firing the same amount of rounds in any two strings in a row. I understand this makes round counts difficult for those organizing shoots, but we shouldn’t be training for the convenience of the range staff, but to the requirements of the mission.

Another variation of the NSR is a Cognitive Drill, where the fighter is presented a target with a number and at least one other variable, ie: different shapes, colors, locations, pictures, etc. Each iteration is called individually. For example, “two, four, UP” would order the shooter to engage the #2 target with an NSR and the #4 target with an NSR. These Cognitive Dills need to be performed under a time limit with a zero miss standard in order to be fully effective. Make the distances and times realistic, and score after each string. Steel with numbers painted works best for these drills with the carbine, especially when placed at different distances and partially obscured.

In conclusion, don’t set yourself up to bring the range to the street by training yourself to deliver known rounds on target. Prepare yourself for success by training to shoot, when absolutely necessary, until the job is done.

Message to SHOT Show 2009 from Chappy

LMS Defense

SHOULDER TRANSITIONS WITH THE CARBINE

There has been much talk lately on the intarweb about transitioning shoulders when using the carbine. When people ask “do you transition shoulders around off-side cover?” I say “well, that depends”.

As with most things, people seem to want a “one way” solution, when none really exists. The timing of using this procedure, like everything else in the gunfighting world, depends on circumstances. Remember, circumstances dictate the technique or procedure.

Bottom line, I usually switch shoulders only when I have stopped moving, and then (usually) only in a CQB environment. When moving, as part of a team or alone, or when outside, I generally advocate staying on your strong shoulder.

In gunfights, speed and accuracy count; and we are all far more accurate with our strong side shooting, both stationary and moving, than our off side. Our eye dominance, coordination and thousands of repetitions all favor our strong side. Remember, if the shooting actually starts, the person who shoots their opponent to surrender, unconsciousness or death first wins. The accuracy and speed gained by staying with your strong side outweighs, except sometimes in the circumstances illustrated below, the small benefit in protection gained by utilizing off side cover from your weak shoulder.

When to shoulder transition
I generally switch shoulders when I need to hold a strong point utilizing cover (or concealment) for more than 5 seconds or so, and the circumstances dictate that I do so from around my non-dominate side of the cover. This circumstance can arise if I’m holding a hallway from a door, holding an area from a right-side corner or holding a stairwell from the right.

How to shoulder transition
For whatever reason I have decided to hold a space from around my non-dominate side of the cover. As soon as I see this situation and decide I am going to transition shoulders, I want to bring my support hand back to the magwell of the carbine, move my shooting hand to the foreend, place my support hand in a firing position, point the muzzle straight down, rotate the carbine to my other shoulder, then bring the weapon up in my support side hold. With practice, you should be able to accomplish this in about 1 second, standing still or on the run.

Once I have transitioned shoulders, I want to decide on the most likely avenue of attack, and post my feet or body to be behind the cover as much as possible, while leaving my muzzle, light, optic and laser and eyeball with a clear view of the threat area. I want to be positioned so the muzzle of my weapon is at least 3-6 inches “behind” the line of cover. In other words, be far enough away so you can’t touch the wall or other structure you are using for cover. Cover your sector until your team moves up or the situation changes (the police show up, you shoot someone etc).

I advocate that as soon as you move on from that strong point, you immediately transition back to your strong side.

View of off side cover use from the threat area

View of off side cover from the offset angle

View of offside cover from the side. Note the distance between the muzzle and the wall.

As you can see from the 1st photo, transitioning shoulders when using off side cover can present a very small target to the enemy, thus gaining you some advantage. Keep in mind, however, that not getting shot will not win the gunfight. Only fast, precise hits to vital areas of your opponent will do that.

So, how much do you practice making these hits from your off side while off balance? Not enough I bet. If you use your carbine to defend your home, or work with it as part of a team, you need to posses this skill and the judgment gained through training and experience to utilize shoulder transitions in the appropriate circumstances.

Stout Hearts

Welcome to the LMS Defense Blog

We here at LMS Defense welcome you to our new communication medium. This blog, and our new YouTube Channel, has been created to enable us to best present the capabilities of LMS Defense and our instructor cadre. As always you can also find us at our website www.lmsdefense.com and our forum. You can check our upcoming class schedule here on this blog and on our website schedule.

The launch of this blog coincides with the 2009 SHOT industry show in Orlando, Florida. Due to various circumstances such as deployments, we can not be with our many friends at SHOT this year. We look forward to seeing you at next year's SHOT show.

Various LMS Defense instructor cadre will be posting their articles here as well as linking our latest videos on YouTube. We hope you enjoy the blog.