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Gunfighter Moment – Larry Vickers

Saturday, January 24th, 2015

I just finished up the 2015 SHOT show in Las Vegas and it reminded me just how far we have come in the tactical firearms and gear industry since 9/11.

Many companies did not even exist in the tactical industry prior to 9/11 and the offerings were a fraction of what we have today.

In my line of work this is the best time ever – always try to keep this in mind when commenting on equipment and companies on SSD and elsewhere. Thanx to all those who have revolutionized the tactical industry – we all owe you tremendously for your efforts.

-Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical Inc.
Host of TacTV

Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical is a retired US Army 1st SFOD-Delta combat veteran with years of experience in the firearms industry as a combat marksmanship instructor and industry consultant. In recent years he has hosted tactical firearms related TV shows on the Sportsman Channel with the latest being TacTV of which Bravo Company is a presenting sponsor. Larry Vickers special operations background is one of the most unique in the industry today; he has been directly or indirectly involved in the some of the most significant special operations missions of the last quarter century. During Operation Just Cause he participated in Operation Acid Gambit – the rescue of Kurt Muse from Modelo Prison in Panama City, Panama. As a tactics and marksmanship instructor on active duty he helped train special operations personnel that later captured Saddam Hussein and eliminated his sons Uday and Qusay Hussein. In addition he was directly involved in the design and development of the HK416 for Tier One SOF use which was used by Naval Special Warfare personnel to kill Osama Bin Laden. Larry Vickers has developed various small arms accessories with the most notable being his signature sling manufactured by Blue Force Gear and Glock accessories made by Tangodown. In addition he has maintained strong relationships with premium companies within the tactical firearms industry such as BCM, Aimpoint, Black Hills Ammunition, Wilson Combat and Schmidt & Bender.

Larry Vickers travels the country conducting combat marksmanship classes for law abiding civilians, law enforcement and military and has partnered with Alias Training to coordinate classes to best meet the needs of the students attending the class.

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer us some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Security and Training Services, Larry Vickers, LAV, Vickers Tactical
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 3 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Daryl Holland

Saturday, January 17th, 2015

Streamline your kit and don’t be that guy with the floppy leg holster, soon to lose his pistol when he really has to run for it!

Why wouldn’t you want a streamlined kit? Sure, cover the vital body parts of the head and torso. However, don’t become a Kevlar turtle because mobility and speed are extremely critical in a gunfight without even getting into marksmanship capabilities. For what’s at stake, you would think that everybody wants a lighter and more streamlined kit. If it’s not the heavier weight slowing you down and humbling you or adding more wear and tear to the body, I t’s that there is always something to climb over in an urban environment. I’ve been told that around 80% of the world’s population lives around the urban environment. During my time as a sniper, weight became a high consideration due to climbing into position before the assault, which meant roof tops most of the time. I’ve been on dozens of roof tops in Baghdad alone. Even as an Assault Team Leader, every suspect had a wall or fence to climb over.

I like seeing that Bravo Company Manufacturing & Blue Force Gear have done their research, with hands on experienced personnel helping design gear for the current day battlefield that keep our operators on the leading edge of kit. Several colors and options help modify to your own specific needs and easily changed out to meet the next mission requirements.

If I was putting my kit on with the chance of a gun fight, I’d consider taking kit off my legs and wear a drop holster on my belt. Before going out on a mission after modifying your kit, you should always test it by jumping up and down, running and not just jogging, but like your life depended on it. If you’re a garage sale afterward, then adjust as necessary.

Respectfully, Daryl Holland

Daryl Holland is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major with over 20 years of active duty experience, 17 of those years in Special Operations. Five years with the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) and 12 years in the 1st SFOD-Delta serving as an Assaulter, Sniper, Team Leader, and OTC Instructor.

He has conducted several hundred combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Philippines, and the Mexican Border. He has conducted combat missions in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush Mountains as a Sniper and experienced Mountaineer to the streets of Baghdad as an Assault Team Leader.

He has a strong instructor background started as an OTC instructor and since retiring training law abiding civilians, Law Enforcement, U.S. Military, and foreign U.S. allied Special Operations personnel from around the world.

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn, they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Security and Training Services, Daryl Holland
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 6 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Larry Vickers

Saturday, January 10th, 2015

Misinformation overload; I hate to sound like a broken record but once again I must say be careful what you read and take as gospel from the Internet. Every single day I read something posted as if it is gospel handed down by Moses himself and it is dead ass wrong in regards to firearms and their use. Attending a class by an established instructor like those listed by Alias will teach you more than you will learn in a year of researching on the Internet. Be careful and consider the source before you listen to a keyboard commando on the World Wide Web.

-Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical Inc.
Host of TacTV

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer us some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Security and Training Services, Larry Vickers, LAV, Vickers Tactical
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 11 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Pat McNamara

Saturday, January 3rd, 2015

“It should surprise you when it goes off.”

That’s always seems like bad advice to me. I’ve been surprised when the hammer falls, and it’s usually called a ‘Miss.’

When we train, we should train to the point of knowing exactly when the hammer is going to fall. No surprises. In order to reach this point, proper repetition is paramount. To achieve proper repetition dry fire is necessary. Not the kind of dry fire where you are simply going through the motions, but deep practice and meaningful repetition.

We should work to the point of automaticity.

Automaticity is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice.

Of the fundamentals, one that is sometimes neglected in teaching is presentation. Especially important in pistol fundamentals, the presentation is how you present the pistol from a ready position to your firing position. As part of your draw stroke, the presentation should lie as flat as possible for as long as possible mitigating arching or scooping. In a perfect world, the hammer should fall right at the apex of your presentation.

Only through deep practice dry fire to the appropriate amount of repetition, can one achieve automaticity. When you’ve reached this point, with flat presentation and trigger preparation the dreaded ‘surprised shot’ will surprise you in that it will be an ‘A’ zone hit.

Patrick McNamara
SGM, US Army (Ret)

Patrick McNamara spent twenty-two years in the United States Army in a myriad of special operations units. When he worked in the premier Special Missions Unit, he became an impeccable marksman, shooting with accurate, lethal results and tactical effectiveness. McNamara has trained tactical applications of shooting to people of all levels of marksmanship, from varsity level soldiers, and police officers who work the streets to civilians with little to no time behind the trigger.

His military experience quickly taught him that there is more to tactical marksmanship than merely squeezing the trigger. Utilizing his years of experience, McNamara developed a training methodology that is safe, effective and combat relevant and encourages a continuous thought process. This methodology teaches how to maintain safety at all times and choose targets that force accountability, as well as provides courses covering several categories, including individual, collective, on line and standards.

While serving as his Unit’s Marksmanship NCO, he developed his own marksmanship club with NRA, CMP, and USPSA affiliations. Mac ran monthly IPSC matches and ran semi annual military marksmanship championships to encourage marksmanship fundamentals and competitiveness throughout the Army.He retired from the Army’s premier hostage rescue unit as a Sergeant Major and is the author of T.A.P.S. (Tactical Application of Practical Shooting). He also served as the Principle of TMACS Inc.

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Training and Security Services, Pat McNamara, TMACS Inc
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 2 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Mike Pannone

Saturday, December 27th, 2014

Getting a good deal or how to avoid pistol envy

With Christmas 2014 and all the associated shopping still clear in the rear view mirror I think it’s fitting to talk about getting a good deal when purchasing a firearm. I hear a lot about price comparatively speaking and want to make a few suggestions. There are many quality handguns available today but none in my opinion are without some needed upgrades Let’s look at pistols generically. Aside from price what do we really want? First a pistol that feels “right” in your hand. Without that you will never have a comfortable grip and will fidget incessantly, degrading your consistency and thereby your accuracy and speed. Second is reliability, without that you’ll never trust the pistol and only be able to employ it in certain capacities (even my competition pistols are combat reliable). Third is durability. If you shoot your pistols a lot then you don’t want to be frequently replacing parts or have a pistol that can’t handle +P or +P+ loads for instance. Fourth is trigger press weight which will dictate the amount of input required on the gun to make it discharge. The less and the smoother the more consistent and controlled the trigger manipulation. Fifth and final is accuracy and when you shoot guns at 25m and beyond that is an enormous strength or weakness. Trigger and inherent accuracy are both near and dear to me from my formal training in JSOC where pistol marksmanship standards were extremely challenging . Without a good trigger and an inherently accurate pistol (think barrel fit) that is virtually impossible. I assume you have noticed price has still not been mentioned. That is because price is the least important factor within reason. I say that because the extra $200 or $600 is 1-3 cases of ammunition depending on caliber and in the life of a well used gun that is not much. If you don’t have a list of criteria and evaluate your next purchase based on them then you are buying on impulse and emotion and may very well end up with something less than optimal. You won’t be satisfied with it and will end up purchasing what you really wanted or adding work to it that you hadn’t but should’ve expected. That said I know of no stock gun that will meet all the needs I have completely. I’m finicky about triggers and I shoot even sub-compacts to 50m so accuracy and trigger are critical. I have very few bone stock guns and honestly look at a new gun with the upgrades already in mind. Make sure your pistol is an investment in your training as much as the gun itself. Your guns should do what you want, how you want reliably and consistently or get worked on.

I highly recommend you pick a pistol that meets your own critical criteria and identify the mods and accessories you’ll want and then add it to the price. If you shop wisely you get what you pay for and quality is not cheap but is sometimes elusive . Going cheap always leaves you with pistol envy.

“The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot-It can’t be done! If you buy from the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. ”
Attributed to John Ruskin 1819-1900

-Mike Pannone

Mike Pannone retired from the Army’s premier assault force (1st SFOD-D) after an explosive breaching injury. A year after his retirement America was attacked on 9/11 and he returned to help serve his country as the head marksmanship instructor at the Federal Air Marshals training course and then moved to help stand up the FAMS Seattle field office. In 2003 he left the FAMS to serve as a PSD detail member and then a detail leader for the State Department during 2003 and 2004 in Baghdad and Tikrit.

In 2005 he served as a ground combat advisor of the Joint Counter IED Task Force and participated on combat operations with various units in Al Anbar province. Upon returning he gave IED awareness briefings to departing units and helped stand up a pre-Iraq surge rifle course with the Asymmetric Warfare Group as a lead instructor. With that experience as well as a career of special operations service in Marine Reconnaissance, Army Special Forces and JSOC to draw from he moved to the private sector teaching planning, leadership, marksmanship and tactics as well as authoring and co-authoring several books such as The M4 Handbook, AK Handbook and Tactical Pistol shooting. Mike also consults for several major rifle and accessory manufacturers to help them field the best possible equipment to the warfighter, law enforcement officer and upstanding civilian end user. He is considered a subject matter expert on the AR based Stoner platform in all its derivatives.

www.ctt-solutions.com

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Training and Security Services, CTT Solutions, Mike Pannone
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 6 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Jeff Gonzales

Saturday, December 20th, 2014

Do you ever get that feeling someone is paying way too much attention to you. Did you ever think you may be drawing that attention because of some poor choices for your method and behavior while carrying concealed.

We run a boatload of students through our Concealed Carry Tactics class and one thing we always get them to do is a “peer review”. This is where they walk the line looking over each other’s method of carry. Some are better than others, but having someone give you a once over is worth it big time. There is a mutual benefit through the feedback, honest feedback. Then the other person becomes more familiar with common mistakes and what they look like for real.

There are so many things people do that give away the fact they are carrying concealed, but the most obvious is when the gun actually is recognizable through the clothing. You really only see this one with poor selection in clothing options, mainly too tight or too light in nature. However, another method of printing is through what we call a “uniform”. While you may not actually be standing their in your dress blues, you fit the profile. Traveling overseas taught me a lot about this and in some parts of the world I absolutely did not want to be associated with my fellow Americans. Just about every single one of them looked like they stepped out of an REI catalogue. It was actually a bit funny when you stopped to look at it and while working on vulnerability studies it was something I would look for on the bad guy side, so it makes sense we do the same thing.

While we may not be walking around in little clusters of catalog models, I still see a lot of people making poor choices of clothing. So, while yes you want to conceal the weapon well, you also don’t want to draw attention to how you conceal the weapon. A year in the life.

– Jeff Gonzales
Trident Concepts, LLC

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn, they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Training and Security Services, Jeff Gonzales, Trident Comcepts
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 28 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Daryl Holland

Saturday, December 13th, 2014

Ranger Bands – Carbine Sling “S Roll”

I had a Gunfighter Moment putting together a BCM carbine and I noticed this nice thick black rubber band around the BCM stock holding a bag of Ranger Bands by GEARWARD. I wondered how many people didn’t know about “S” rolling the sling and securing it to the stock to keep it out of the way until needed, so hopefully I can help a few learn something new.

This simple heavy duty rubber band has been very useful for me over the years. Only, I had to use the beige rubber band that my Rigger friends would also use on parachutes. One of the uses with the carbine is to collapse the stock and “S” roll the sling so that the rifle is compact and a 215lb commando can fit into a sedan with kit on and spring into action as the vehicle stops without hanging himself by the sling around the neck and catching it on the corner of a car door thus becoming an obstacle for his team mates.

I learned another reason watching my cousin from Arkansas pull out what he calls a “Black Gun”, which was that he simply stored them in his safe collapsed and “S” rolled to make for a neatly kept gun safe. The sling is always in the way until you need it and having a few extra rubber bands in your pocket is always a good idea during operations…and rubber band wars!?

Having a “Gunfighter Moment” is way cooler than having a “Senior Moment”.

– Daryl Holland

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn, they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Security & Training Services, Daryl Holland
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 17 Comments »

Gunfighter Moment – Ken Hackathorn

Saturday, December 6th, 2014

Of the vast number of people that carry guns for self defense, only a very small number are competent with them. In my business to provide an enhanced level of combat marksmanship to the private sector, law enforcement, and military customer for the past 30 years, I have noted a number of trends.

While the overall quality of most training and practice has provided a higher level of skill, the increase of people from all three markets that now have access and carry sidearms has progressed very little than it was decades ago. Yes, we do know much more about how to train and prepare people to use their sidearms for self protection. But, that does not equal necessary skill across the spectrum. I am often asked to provide a skill check or ‘test’ for those that take their combat marksmanship serious.

I offer the following ‘Wizard Drill’. It is very simple, requires only five rounds of ammo, and can be shot on any range that allows work from the holster.

IDPA or IPSC (USPSA) targets are ideal. Place a 4″ circle centered in the head of the target. The handgun you use should be the one you carry, in the manner you routinely pack it. Ammo should be the self defense or duty ammo you carry as well. The time for each string of fire is 2.5 seconds. Start at 3 yards. On signal, draw and fire one head shot strong hand only at the head. Repeat at 5 yards, but you may use both hands.

Repeat at 7 yards, again both hands are permitted. Last, at 10 yards draw and fire two (2) body shots in the allowed 2.5 seconds. When you are done, you should have three head shots and two body hits. A miss is a fail. You can drop 2 points and past the test, anymore is a fail. Set your timer at 2.5 seconds. I allow 2.7 as that is about the length of the buzzer on most timers. If you are using a pocket carry mode, you may start with your hand on the gun in the pocket. Otherwise, hands normal at sides, no touching of the gun until the buzzer. Hits in the 4″ head circle or cutting the line are considered down zero, outside the circle but inside the head perforation is down one point. Competent and practiced shooters may consider this drill simple, but let’s be honest these folks make up less than one tenth of one precent of the people that carry firearms for self defense.

Try it, you may be in for a humbling experience. Don’t be surprised to find that those little 2″ airweight .38 special revolvers and pocket 380 autos are nearly impossible to pass this drill with. In police work we call this “a clue”.

-Ken Hackathorn

Ken Hackathorn has served as a US Army Special Forces Small Arms Instructor, Gunsite Instructor, and NRA Police Firearms Instructor. He is currently an FBI Certified Firearms Instructor, Certified Deputy Sheriff with Washington County SO, Ohio, and a SRT member and Special Response Team trainer. Ken has trained US Military Special Operations forces, Marine FAST and SOTG units and is a contract small arms trainer to FBI SWAT and HRT.

Ken has provided training to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and been active in small arms training for the past 25 years. He has written firearms related material for Guns & Ammo, Combat Handguns, Soldier Of Fortune, and currently American Handgunner and contributed to at least six other gun/shooting journals. Ken was also a founding member of IPSC and IDPA.

To see Ken’s Training Class Schedule visit aliastraining.com.

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer SSD readers hard earned words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Security and Training Services, Gunfighter Moment, Ken Hackathorn
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 11 Comments »