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The educated shooter is invariably the best shooter he or she can be, or at a minimum is on the right track for success. I often hear people in classes or read on the internet comments about how this drill or that one is “not realistic” or “would be meaningless in a real threat situation”. The problem is they don’t understand the difference between a drill and a scenario.
The definition of a drill as per Merriam-Webster is “a physical or mental exercise aimed at perfecting facility and skill especially by regular practice”. I articulate it in my classes as “the exercise of a component skill or technique for refinement and evaluation.” A scenario as per Merriam-Webster is “a sequence of events especially when imagined”. In classes, I define it as “a situation created to evaluate judgment and the selection and application of component skills or techniques.” A drill tests a technique and a scenario evaluates both judgment and the application of techniques. How you assemble a certain sequence of techniques is called tactics. Don’t confuse drills with tactics.
In summary, selected techniques are used to create and employ tactics within the guidelines of established principles of a given system or doctrine.
Training is science and without a logical approach it is sabotaged from the start. Be smart and train smart. That’s how the best at any skill have gotten there!
– 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.
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.
“Albert Einstein” Drill
I’ve got a new drill that I run on line and it’s been tough for me to put the proper vernacular to it. The drill is prefaced by asking where we should stand, time-wise, as far as single shot from the holster at 10 yards.
Opinions and answers vary, as they should. I then propose to set up timers on a par of 2.5 seconds and ask shooters to pick a zone on an IPSC target where they know, without a shadow of a doubt, they can maintain consistency. The zones are ‘A’ Credit Card Head, ‘B’ Head, ‘A’ Body, ‘C’ zone, or entire target. I tell shooters to outline their zone with a sharpie and stay in it for five consecutive, 2.5 second, single shot draw strokes.
The objective is not only to stay in it, but to strive to achieve better.
Thanks to Albert Einstein for assisting me in amending the verbiage for this course of fire; “One must develop an instinct for what one can barely achieve through one’s greatest efforts. Mark the boundary of your current ability, and aim a little beyond it.”
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
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I occasionally get push back or skepticism during courses when I have guys utilize the rifle’s safety while doing mag changes up close at say…7-10 yards. So I present them with this situation; you and I are fighting side by side from behind cover. The fight is mid-range. The cover is small. This is close quarters. I am within inches of you while performing a magazine change, or while moving around you to better my position. At times my muzzle may be oriented over your bow. Do you want me to use my rifle’s safety? I’m thinking your answer will be “Yes”.
If we are fighting together in close quarters, not only do I want you to use your safety while working alongside of me, but I am hoping that your safety manipulation is spontaneous.
Push back comes from those too lazy to perform the appropriate amount of meaningful repetitions until safety manipulation becomes an intuitive task or until one can perform this at a subconscious level.
If you can’t think to ‘Safe it’ at seven, what makes you think…you can think to do it instinctively, in close quarters?
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.
Establishing requirements before capabilities.
Many times I see people trumpeting a capability of a piece of equipment without prior identifying the requirements for application of the tool itself. For instance, I often see people with flashlights that are more concerned with the number of lumen output but have not established the requirements of application and don’t really identify the benefits or drawbacks of that particular light. An extremely high output light is a great tool for certain applications but might not be necessary or ideal for all uses. It is almost uniform with people that carry a CCW to carry a flashlight as well. I believe that’s absolutely the best course of action when carrying even during daylight hours (it’s still dark inside of buildings). That said, do I really need a larger light that is 300-600 lumens with multiple light options and settings on a day to day basis? You might but I don’t see the need for the bulk, the multiple options or an amount of lumens that I could fry an egg with. I need a light I can navigate with, without having excessive night blindness following use and one that is easy to carry.
A defensive light is just a facilitator for target ID and my pistol sights, with a positive friend or foe identification of a minimum of 25 yards. If I have enough light for both given the nature of defensive carry then it has met my needs. Any more is not necessary for that task and purpose I have established, although it might be a benefit for another application. An EDC light is a tool I carry for a specified purpose and I have identified the needs for it and thereby the capabilities required.
I have a small single CR 123 battery 180 lumen light I carry and it is perfect for EDC. I recently shot a covert carry class night portion with 100% satisfaction using a 65 lumen Streamlight Stylus Pro. It gave me all the light I needed even at 25 yards and is extremely easy to manipulate in conjunction with a pistol and magazines. I am not saying 65 lumens is all you need, what I am saying is specifically identify the needs and requirements before you invest in a tool that may not be optimal for the job for which it is intended. I also prefer a light that goes on and off at the same intensity and that is all. I don’t want the chance that I will somehow mistakenly or inadvertently change my settings and not get on demand the amount of light I expect.
More unnecessary lumens, and lots of unneeded options means a larger light and more cost with less ease of portability. Efficiency in application, size, options and price are the goal.
Sometimes the bigger hammer isn’t always the best one for the job.
– 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.
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.
Defoor Proformance climbing prep/ PRT prep pull up workout
This is a simple routine designed for use during the workweek with sat/sun off. I came up with this over the years to help guys pass certain PT tests and to prep for mountain excursions. If you perform this work out for a minimum of four weeks you’ll gain at least five reps on your max pull-ups. Once you are able to perform 15 dead hang pull-ups at any time start using the modification piece of the work out for Tuesdays and Thursdays. This will get you to the magical 20 rep place quicker. Once you can do 20 clean, dead hang, no kipping, palm away pull-ups you can go back to the normal Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine and you will maintain 20 pull-ups for as long as you want to.
First, it is extremely important to have the correct grip when you begin this routine. A lot of people have too wide grip when they do pull-ups. Look at any gymnast, professional climber, or anyone who does over 20 reps and they do not have an extreme wide grip. The ideal grip is just slightly wider than shoulder width and palms always facing away. This will also reduce any possibility of injuries due to over training or lack of proper rest.
Second, begin this routine with absolutely no kipping whatsoever. It has become commonplace lately in many exercise regimens to introduce kipping to the pull-up to make people feel better about the number of reps they can perform. All this does is give a false sense of one’s true strength.
Third, know your math when it comes to pull-up pyramids. For example; a pyramid of five is a total of 25 pull-ups, a pyramid of six is a total of 36 pull-ups. Simply multiply the top number by itself to find how many pull-ups are in that pyramid.
Fourth, the most ideal bar is between 2.5 and 2.75″ inches in diameter. Anything smaller is width causes too much hand and low forearm grip strength which can result in an overuse type injury or reduced total rep numbers. One of the best places to find a good bar is on any public or city playground, like Hannibal does.
Lastly, Monday’s workout was not invented by me but by United States Marine Corps Maj. Chuck Armstrong. Years ago I used his complete routine but I found it to be a little bit of overtraining with some individuals and myself. Also, I found the modifications that I made for Wednesday and Fridays workouts to work better for myself and others that I have been mostly around in the past 10 years. Major Armstrong’s complete pull up routine can be found here: http://www.ososb.com/documents/Armstrong_Pull-Up_workout_Program.pdf
The routine
Monday – from USMC Maj. Chuck Armstrong (if you don’t know you should) – 5 max sets of pull-ups with 90 seconds rest in between. My addition- Add up the total reps for the five sets you performed and find the closest pyramid to your total without going over and this will be the pyramid you will perform on Friday.
Wednesday – using 60% (round low for half numbers) of your max number of current pull-ups (set 1 from Mondays workout), do this number all day until you reach 100 total pull-ups.
Friday – pyramid of pull-ups with 10 seconds of rest between sets for each rep done in that set. start pyramid with your 60% number (ex.- if your 60% number is 10, you do a set of 10 first. This takes care of sets 1,2,3, and 4 of a traditional pyramid, your next set would be 5, then 6, 7, etc.
Modified workout additions (once you can do 15 pull-ups):
Tuesday – hang for 1 min, rest 1 min, repeat for 3 total hangs of 1 min
Thursday – using the number that is 75% of your max (set 1 from Monday) do that number of pull-ups 3-5 times throughout the day.
20 pull-ups is a great place to be.
V/R,
Kyle Defoor
“Trainer of Feeders”
Kyle Defoor is one of the world’s most committed and passionate shooting instructors. Literally growing up with a gun in hand he took his talents into the military where he was combat decorated as a SEAL assaulter and sniper. Kyle helped to create and define modern training while along the way personally teaching thousands of military personal and civilians from around the globe. His shooting prowess led to appearances on multiple TV shows including Shooting Gallery, Tactical Arms, and Tactical Impact, and guest appearances on History Channel. Kyle’s outdoor athletic lifestyle includes shooting, ultra running, stand-up paddle surfing and climbing. He now serves as the brand ambassador for Mission Ready Equipment and runs his own company which offers tactical training, wilderness navigation, TV and film consulting, and motivational speaking.
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.
First and second focal plane and misdeeds in the punchbowl!
I hope you already got a cup because I might be pissing in your punchbowl.
Front focal plane/first focal plane (from now on referred to as FFP) refers to the reticle being in front of the magnification on a variable power optic. This means as the power of magnification is increased, the reticle size increases proportionately. This is extremely advantageous on higher variable power optics with maximum magnification 10X or greater. The benefit is that the reticle retains its true calibration regardless of magnification. This allows the shooter to use the optimal magnification setting for range estimation and holds given the circumstance and have a true MOA/mRad scale.
Rear focal plane/second focal plane (from now on referred to as RFP) refers to the reticle being behind the magnification on a variable power optic and that means as the power of magnification is increased the reticle size remains constant. The reticle is only truly calibrated at the maximum magnification. This is advantageous specifically on low power optics (those starting between 1-1.5X variable to 4-8X) because the reticle is much more clearly visible at the minimum magnification and ranging is overwhelmingly (in my case always) done at the max magnification.
At 1X with an FFP optic, the reticle is very small and in low light very difficult to see so you NEED an illuminated reticle or dot. If the illumination fails for some reason you are bound to mount the rifle and really need to see some aiming reference (think short range engagement) and barely be able to see anything in the tube. Even in broad daylight an FFP reticle at 1x is hard to use rapidly due to the size of the reticle at the lowest magnification setting and the calibration is really meaningless in the midrange powers (1-4) as the hash marks are hard to see at those powers. Let’s use for instance a 1-8X variable power FFP scope. It is designed for the reticle size to be optimized at 8X. That means at 1X it is 1/8th the optimal size.
For the reasons stated above, I am not a fan right now of FFP on low power optics (last few sentences will explain so read on please!). Low power optics, again those starting between 1-1.5X and variable to 4-8X are better suited in RFP so the reticle is consistent and optimally sized at the lowest to highest magnification setting in case the dot/battery fails. I take that position from experience with both military and sport application in day and low-light/night use. Also, you are not going to range someone/something at anything under 200m with any setting but full power when you only have 4-8X considering the guns (5.56 and.308) shoot as flat as they do. With a 50, 100 or 200m zero your max point blank range, the distance where the bullet does not go above or below your height over bore for most AR based military carbine and sport carbine applications, you can hold center on an 8” target (plate or cranium) and get an effective hit out to 250 in 5.56 with standard sight height and 50 or 200m zero and out to 200m with a 100m zero (with non-SBR barrel lengths and based on a 16” gun with 55 grain M193). You can estimate close enough at fewer than 200m for a minor hold as not to need an FFP in my professional and operational experience. It is also more expensive and less functional for a combat or sport optic and is outperformed by the larger and optimized SFP reticle size with or without illumination. It is a capability without a requirement for low power optics. I see the benefit as negligible and the down-side distinct based on the profile of application of a low power variable magnification optic for combative and sport use.
Caveat- If you want an FFP low power optic then it needs illumination with extreme battery life/durability like an Aimpoint … and if Aimpoint can do it than the others can as well. I’d sign on to that but until then I’ll remain an advocate of rear focal plane variable power combat/sport optics in the 1-1.5X to 4-8X range of magnification. They dramatically increase the reach of any rifle yet still afford the close range speed and reliability of a reticle that is scale optimized and usable even without magnification.
– 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.
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.
Preparedness not Paranoia
My in and around car for day to day use is pretty non-descript. I’ve got no flashy in plain view inside worth stealing and “Kill ‘Em All” stickers plastered on the outside.
The items in my trunk are for when “Shit’s Gone South”. It would have to be a really bad day if I’ve got to deploy and employ my items, but I’d rather have and not need than to need and not have. If an active shooter is reaping havoc in a venue where my kids are, and if my local guys are not on the scene, I am going into that crisis site like a scalded ape.
The big dumb reflective vest is to separate me from the shit head in the venue. The rifle’s sight has cross hairs as well as bats (in the event the bats shit the bed). The battle bag has eight loaded mags. Inside of the battle bag I’ve got water, eyes, ears and lube. In the Day and a half bag I’ve got more “Shoot, Move, Communicate and Medicate.” I’ve got also, grease pencils, multi tool, chem lights, reading glasses (that’s right), lighter, 550 cord, and a few other nick knacks.
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).
