5 Day Pistol Course - Lesson 11

Type: Practice (live ammunition)

Time: 1 hour

Venue: Title: Basic Pistol Course- Lesson 11

Range and classroom

Students: 12

Student Equipment:

Instructor Equipment:

Assistant Instructors (AI'S): 2 (Names)

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES:

Prior to arrival of students:

- Write lesson title on board.

- Set up classroom chairs.

- Layout NA

- Safety check all weapons.

- Inspect all magazines, no live rounds/ensure working.

- If used, load/check PowerPoint.

On arrival of students:

- Safety declaration, check no live rounds.

- Seat.

CONDUCT OF LESSON

This lesson, Pistol-Lesson 11, Medium shoot and Conditions of Readiness. I am the primary instructor (if first time with students, give name and background) and I will be assisted by (introduce the assistant instructors).

Introduction

EXPLAIN- We have previously discussed the difference between cover from view and cover from fire and the requirement to use cover during a gunfight. The medium shoot will help you better understand those differences and paint a clearer picture of your particular "battlefield". A thorough understanding of the Conditions of Readiness will prepare you mentally to avoid an encounter completely or deal with one effectively should one arise.

Objective

EXPLAIN- At the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to understand the effects of popular caliber bullets on different types of mediums and apply the conditions of readiness to your everyday life.

Review

EXPLAIN- The previous lesson, Lesson 10, covered Shooting strong and weak handed, shooting moving targets strong and weak handed, strong and weak handed malfunction drills and unconventional shooting positions.

Here are some questions for you:

Explain how to perform the Immediate Action drill using your strong hand only?

What usually dictates our firing position during an armed encounter?

Medium Shoot

EXPLAIN & DEMONSTRATE – This is a demonstration for the students conducted by the instructors, to show the students the ballistic effects of certain rounds on different materials. Due to possible fragmentation, make sure all body parts are covered and protected and have the students stand far back from the material. The demonstration will include various popular and readily available firearms systems and ammunition types, such as:

Carbine

Shotgun

Pistol (varying calibers if available)

Utilizing ammunition such as:

Hollow points

Frangible

Flat points

Ball

5.56 green tip

5.56 Hornady TAP ammo

7.62 x 39

Buckshot

Slugs

Door shells (Hatton / Polyshock)

Utilizing the following materials:

Hollow core doors

Solid core doors

Masonry (various types)

Wood 2x4

Wood 4x4

Plywood (various thickness)

Drywall (sheetrock)

House and car window glass

Vehicle (doors, trunk, engine block)

Engagements should be performed at a safe distance. Students should exit the demonstration with a clear understanding of the capabilities of each type of round.

Ask if any questions

Conditions of Readiness

EXPLAIN & DEMONSTRATE – Designed in the 1970s by Colonel Jeff Cooper USMC, the color code is essentially a method of helping us think in a stressful situation where situational awareness is broken down into four levels of escalating degrees of readiness. The system is a mental one, not a physical one and should be applied whether you are armed or not:

Condition White – A relaxed condition in which you are not aware of what's going on around you e.g. you are sat in your dressing gown watching tv at home. If attacked in this condition your ability to survive will heavily depend on the ability of the attacker. But the doors are locked and you are safely ensconced in your castle.

Condition Yellow – A modest state of awareness in which you are aware of your surroundings. It is not a state of paranoia, it's a state of passive observation of everything around you utilizing all of your sensory systems. You should be in this condition every time you leave a "sanctuary" and you should not be vulnerable to surprise attacks. If attacked in this condition you should not be caught completely off guard, being already aware of a predator's presence.

Condition Orange - A focused state of awareness in which you're paying attention to and evaluating a perceived threat while still being aware of your surroundings – don't get tunnel vision and miss another threat to your side or rear. If the perceived threat subsides then return to condition yellow. If the perceived threat continues and grows you will want to set boundaries i.e. if the threat does X then I will do Y etc. If attacked in this condition you should be fully expecting the attack and will have a good chance of disrupting the attacker's OODA loop by mounting an active defense. Through quality training you will be assisted by your own library of "what if" solutions to incorporate into your defense strategy.

Condition Red - A hyper focused state of awareness in which you are ready to fight if the situation warrants. Your focus becomes intense and you are ready to fight but recognize that your ability to maintain 360-degree vigilance is reduced. If carrying a firearm, it will likely be in your hand and ready to use as necessary. If attacked in this condition you should be completely ready to defend yourself.

To repeat, this is a mental system. You are not in any color state because of the specific amount of danger you may be in, but rather because of a mental state which enables you to take the difficult psychological step of using force against another human being. Two people faced with the same situation may well respond differently depending on their perception of events and their familiarity with potential stress (either through training or past experience).

It's important to note that while situation awareness mentally prepares you for confrontation, its greatest attribute is in the perception of probable danger, prior to being in it, and hence the ability to avoid it altogether. If your gut instinct is that all is not well and you should remove yourself (and friends) from the situation, have the courage to say something. Better to be made fun of by your friends than become a victim to your enemies!

To assist in visualizing how this works, let's run through a scenario:

You get up and eventually make your way downstairs in your PJs, put the coffee on and make breakfast (condition white). You open the door and let the dog out into the back yard (condition yellow as you scan your surroundings for anything unusual to the limit of your vision). The dog comes back in and you close the door (condition white). When ready you get into your vehicle in the garage and open the garage door to drive out onto the street and head to town (condition yellow observing as much as possible within the limits of your vision and analyzing whether or not everything you see, hear, smell etc belongs?).

On your arrival at the strip mall you pull into the bank, observing two males sat in a vehicle. As you exit your vehicle and make your way across to the ATM you hear a car door open and close behind you (condition yellow). On arriving at the ATM you can see the reflection of one of the males heading towards the ATM. You hear the vehicles engine start but the vehicle remains static (condition orange). You turn to face the man heading in your general direction. He appears unconcerned with your presence but continues to move in your direction (remain at condition orange and aware of your surroundings. Establish a mental marker – if he does X then I will do Y). He stops at the edge of the pavement, turns around and waves to the person in the vehicle which departs (condition orange). He then heads off along the pavement away from you (condition yellow).

You head off down the street having retrieved your cash from the ATM. On moving down the street you observe the same individual heading towards you on the opposite side of the street (maintain condition yellow). He has not seen you. As the distance closes he notices your presence and placing his right hand into his jacket pocket crosses the street to your side (condition orange). You cross the street to the side he has just come from in an attempt to confirm your suspicion. He jogs across back to the same side and is closing on you fast. You are not in a position to escape therefore confrontation is imminent (condition red) – you deal with the threat as it unfolds;

Example 1 - you are physically attacked by the unarmed opponent, you defend yourself and deliver a number of well placed "telling" blows rendering your opponent temporarily incapacitated which buys you time to perform a hasty withdrawal.

Example 2 – your opponent withdraws his hand from his right hand pocket and you can clearly see he's holding a knife. You quickly draw your pistol from its concealed carry position. On seeing the pistol, and recognizing that you don't bring a knife to a gunfight, your would be opponent turns around and rapidly leaves the scene.

Example 3 - your opponent withdraws his hand from his right hand pocket and you can clearly see he's holding a knife. You quickly draw your pistol from its concealed carry position. Your would be opponent presses the attack until engaged and neutralized by you. You follow the correct post incident procedure.

Upon completion of any post incident procedure you revert to yellow and are back up and down the colors until such time as you arrive at a sanctuary and revert to condition white.

Ask if any questions

PRACTICE AS MUCH AS TIME PERMITS

Ask the students questions for final confirmation

Summary

EXPLAIN- Knowing the difference between cover from fire and cover from view relative to various common weapon systems is an essential survival skill on the "battlefield". Choose carefully and be equally mindful of your opponents' choice as it may be to your advantage. Applying the conditions of readiness will make you more aware of your surroundings at any given moment and less likely to be surprised.

Look Forward

EXPLAIN- Your next lesson is Course Debrief and Graduation.

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