For those not familiar with force-on-force training, it replicates real-world scenarios in a controlled environment where participants are armed with guns firing some sort of marking, less-than-lethal projectile. In July 2006, I trained at Tac Pro Shooting Center in Mingus, TX, using Simunition ammo. This ammunition launches a paint-filled projectile from a real, but slightly modified, handgun at a muzzle velocity of about 400 feet per second. They are very painful when one hits you and quickly brings to your attention the mistake you just made, or any deficiency in your equipment. I left Tac Pro with bruises and cuts on most of my body, but I left with several of my opinions on defensive handguns reinforced and some new conclusions formed.
Sights
In a letter to Colt Manufacturing Co. written on the stationary of the Opera House Saloon in Dodge City, KS, dated 1885, Bat Masterson set out the parameters for a Peacemaker to be built to his specifications:
Gents,
Please send me one of your Nickle plated Short .45 Calibre revolvers. It is for my own use and for that reason I would like to have a little Extra pains taken with it. I am willing to pay Extra for Extra work. Make it very easy on the trigger and have the front Sight a little higher and thicker than the ordinary pistol of this Kind. Put on a gutta percha handle and send it as soon as possible. Have the barrel about the same length that the ejecting rod is.
Truly yours,
W.B. MastersonP.S. Duplicate the above order by sending two.
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| XS Sight Systems’ Big Dot front sight is fast to pick up even in low-light situations. When one’s life is on the line, speed and accuracy are critical. |
Most of the handguns we used for the force-on-force training were equipped with XS 24/7 Big Dot sights. It became quickly apparent how beneficial this larger front sight was when I was trying to quickly index my gun on the threat while it was trying to do the same to me. I remarked to Dave Biggers of XS Sight Systems that I would like to have a sight twice as large as the Big Dot. I wasn’t kidding.
Confronted with a potential lethal threat, you bring the handgun up and your eyes are frantically looking for the front sight. Your brain screams, Enough of this! Pull the damn trigger! And that is what you do as fast as you can. This is where the benefit of a highly visible front sight becomes evident. As the gun comes into view you pick up the Big Dot and your brain says, Ah, there’s the sight, put it there—squeeze, squeeze, squeeze.
If you practice your shooting correctly, you are not standing still when you shoot, and you are shooting as fast as you can achieve hits in the target’s vitals. A sight that is readily visible increases the speed at which you can do this because it reduces the time that the eyes have to spend looking for the sight. Clearly, Masterson understood this more than 120 years ago.
Lasers
With lasers, shooters generally fall into two camps: those who like them and those who don’t. Until I accepted a laser as just another tool, I was staunchly against them. Lasers do have a practical application. They are perfect for holding a suspect or bad guy at bay until help arrives. Try holding your handgun on target for 10 minutes (an optimistic response time for law enforcement) in a manner where you are sure a fast hit could be made if required. It is much easier to hold the handgun at a low ready and use the laser as a reference point for aiming.
Sometimes the laser may be all you see. During one scenario I was using a handgun equipped with a Crimson Trace Lasergrip and, honestly, activated it unintentionally. I knew it was there but did not realize I was using it—possibly a byproduct of stress. The bad guy presented a target, and I brought the gun up in a hurry but have no recollection of seeing the sights. What I did see was a bright red dot on the offender’s torso. My brain said, This might be a good time to pull the trigger. I executed a double-tap and connected with both shots at about 16 feet.
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| A revolver has limited capacity and provides no means for the attachment of a weapon light. However, wheelguns readily accept Crimson Trace Laser Grips. |
Capacity
There have been a number of studies determining the hit-to-miss ratio in law enforcement shootings. Police shootings involving handguns tend to replicate distances and situations that are somewhat similar to what a citizen can expect to encounter. The numbers tell us roughly 20 percent of the shots fired by police hit the intended target.
Why is this important? If your handgun only holds five rounds, like many small frame revolvers commonly carried for personal protection, you can reasonably expect to hit your target with one of the five shots. If you are one of those who worship the 1911, then you can expect to hit the bad guy about 1.6 times. These numbers are not inspiring. After two trips through the shoot-house with a revolver I said, “No, more! Give me a gun that holds more ammo!”
Point is: You are in complete control of the handgun you select, so why intentionally choose one with limited capacity? Often it is because the ability to carry the gun concealed dictates a smaller pistol or revolver. If that is the case, your plan should be to use that limited-capacity handgun to fight your way to a gun with more firepower. Even a shooter of average skill can empty a standard-capacity 1911 in a few seconds.
Light
Many instances where a civilian is required to use a handgun for personal protection are in low-light conditions. There is an obvious reason for this: Bad guys like it when it is dark. Attendees at this training also completed the SureFire Instructor’s Course that deals primarily with the tactical application of light. I specifically requested to play the part of the bad guy on several occasions, just so I could see firsthand how bright, well managed light can be effectively employed.
Light in the eyes from any SureFire flashlight when employed within handgun distance is blinding. Now, granted, I could have still fired in the direction of the light but hits would have been due to luck, not skill. The immediate reaction when blasted with a beam of bright light is to cover your eyes or turn away. And, the upside of all of this for the good guy is that bright light lets him see the target better. It allows you to not only identify the threat, but helps you control it.
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| Fitting a handgun to be used for personal protection with a laser and a light may seem like overkill, but both of these accessories have a true tactical application and can enhance the employment of the handgun and your chances for survival. The trick is to learn the proper use of these accessories and practice with them until their use becomes second nature. |
Lessons Learned
The more bullets your handgun holds, the better your chances. Mid-gunfight I would much rather realize I had seven, 9 mm rounds left in my handgun as opposed to just one round of .45.
As affordable as Lasergrips are there is no excuse not to have one on your handgun. Laser sights when employed with discipline are viable tools, especially for individuals with less-than-excellent eyesight.
The easier your sight is to see, the faster you can hit your target. It may only save you portions of a second or it may mean the difference between aimed fire and an un-aimed shot in the dark.
Bright light can add to your ability to control and manage a potentially dangerous situation. Only a fool would drive a car without headlights and a person who does not keep a reliable light with or mounted to their handgun could be described similarly.
Finally, if you have ever wondered how you might perform in a life or death confrontation, consider force-on-force training. Tac Pro does an excellent job of balancing the scenario training with live fire exercises. You will leave with cuts, bruises and maybe a damaged ego, but you will leave better prepared to step out into that cold, dark night.
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Tac Pro is operated by Bill Davison. Davison is a former Royal Marine and was a member of the British Special Forces. He has performed VIP protection duties all over the world for various heads of state and ruling families. Davison has, as they say, seen the elephant, but more importantly he understands how to transfer practical and tactical information to students in an entertaining manner. The facilities are first-rate at Tac Pro and I can recommend its force-on-force training without hesitation. Based on comments from trusted sources, I also feel sure any training received at Tac Pro will be worth your time. |