Not too long ago, in the Walmart parking lot at Speedway and Kolb in Tucson, three gang bangers attempted a carjacking. That being in Arizona, not Massachusetts or California, the owner of the car shot the one who threatened …
In addition to the usual flashlight techniques and other standard night fighting fare, this class included role-playing experience fragment escape and evasion scenarios with blanks. We practiced periodic blinding methods and integrating flashlight IFF with lateral movement to the left and right. Students practiced “flash & smash”” close-quarters defensive techniques, working corners with lights, and incorporating flashlights into retention fire. We also practiced night fire without flashlights, for those rare occasions when the bad guy makes his badness and intentions known. IFF and teamwork were the main themes.
Although taking cover may save you from a sniper, it won’t stop his murderous rampage. If you are fortunate enough to have an accurate scoped rifle nearby, and more importantly YOUR ABILITY TO USE IT APPROACHES YOUR RIFLE’S CAPABLITY, you may be able to save lives. This after action fleshes out several counter-sniper concepts we touched upon in this range session.
This intro to defensive use of the handgun was more than just didactic. We practiced a great many skills (“dry” but hands-on), using barrel inserts. Subjects included solving line of fire problems (what to do about bystanders); grip, hold, and stance; weapons theory; Jennifer Fulford drills; Adam Miller drills; panning thresholds; switching hands; off lines and disarms; supine and standing weapon retention; Riding and Killing the Dragon; jamming the opponent’s draw; and situational awareness. This report explains what we covered and why.
Pistol Fudnamentals students: Here is a summary of the training you attended on 08 August 2020. Thanks for braving the heat with us! Training Summary Warlizard Pistol Fundamentals clinic, NBGs (Not-beginner Group) North range, Pinal Airpark, AZ, 08 Aug 2020 …
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Students: This document summarizes the training we conducted in your level 1 Defensive Shotgun class. It’s here for you to use as a reference for future training and practice, as well as to document what was done and how we …
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Nick & Sarah: Thank you for all your attentiveness during our didactic Revolver and AR coaching session. This is my lesson plan (“training outline”) for that day, annotated with additional notes you may find useful. I’m already looking forward to …
Home invasions became popular in the 1990s. Now even spree killers are targeting people in their homes; witness the Nova Scotia killer’s arson and shooting rampage. This course is NOT just about Active Shooters. We will give you unarmed skills …
In this era of hijacked protests turned into riots, the old-fashioned “riot gun” is making a comeback. Many people still use shotguns for the bunkering down phase of home defense. But as the carbine has gained popularity, corporate knowledge of …
This session was for less experienced shooters in a Pistol Fundamentals class. Although it’s often considered “advanced,” we started teaching them to shoot from retention positions, as they are more likely to be in a close range fight than a long range one. We also covered stoppage reduction and other aspects of manipulation. This course was followed by a Use of Force lecture for CCW students.
DP1A is the first half of our celebrated introduction to FIGHTING WITH HANDGUNS. We will teach you how to keep your pistol when the bad guy tries to take yours away, even if he’s on top of you. You’ll also …
There is a misconception out there about the so-called “average” gunfight, that is often quoted as if it were Gospel. Sadly, many store clerks who perpetuate this lie, while selling new shooters guns that are hard to hold, hard to manipulate, and hard to hit with, actually believe The Lie.
One way to speed up your response to threatening situations is to reduce doubt. A great way to do that is to know, beforehand, exactly what the law says about what you can and cannot do. “Everything seemed to be …
This course took place the evening after an afternoon Managing Multiple Assailants class. After introducing various hand-held flashlight search techniques, we talked about when and when NOT to use them in practical application. We followed up with several threat identification (decision shooting), use of cover, and movement drills. Importantly, we practiced verbalization and resisting sympathetic fire.
This instructor-level class was conducted with multiple weapons systems. We covered a wide range of advanced gunfighting and teamwork concepts.
This was a joint venture between Heloderm and our partners from Warlizard Tactical. We used multiple methodologies, including simulators, Airsoft, and live fire. A great deal of the class involved movement and use of various types of cover, including Warlizard’s V-Tac type walls. We started with close quarters drills, using an (inert) AR to parry impact weapons following up with dynamic oblique movement and clothes-lining. We practiced different manipulations, including one handed stoppage reduction and fire. One target-discrimination drill involved memorizing the black and white photo of an “active shooter’s” face, sprinting about 50 meters, retrieving the AR and other gear from a car, sprinting to a different range, and finding the “suspect” in a geographically dispersed array of multiple targets with different color photo faces and a host of no-shoot “bystanders.” It culminated in transition to uniformed control of the scene without getting shot by the good guys. We practiced “swimming” in and out of slings, and several other aspects of “tactical slingology.” The last part of the class involved fighting around vehicles. Students shot automobiles to learn what their cartridges will and will not do. We demonstrated shallow-angle ricochet off car hoods. Students shot at targets through laminated windshield glass, learning likely effects upon trajectory.
This Annotated Training Outline (ATO) is the plan for the class, augmented with explanations and commentary. The class this ATO documents started indoors, with the usual into to pistol manipulations and dry practice, such as Accordion / Inch Worm drills, complemented by scenario-based Use of Force / decision shooting exercises. Live fire training included ISM, non-diagnostic stoppage reduction, close contact fire and stoppage reduction, transition to pistol as an impact tool, shooting while moving, Turning the Tide drills, trading up to a pistol dropped by a partner, panning doorways, and taking thresholds.
MMA is one of the offerings that set Heloderm apart from other training organizations from the start. Many practice IPSC-style “target transition” drills like the El Presidente. But few understand that the bad guys aren’t just going to stand there and let you shoot them, no matter how fast you are. This course was based on actual multiple assailant events, and addressed real-world concerns like flanking, and what to do if you’re surrounded.
During a killing spree in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016, an officer took cover behind a large pillar. Taking fire from a suspect who ran at him, the officer ducked back behind his cover, which was very effective at …
This Annotated Training Outline documents an in-home class for a single mom and her young adult son.
This course had two main goals and a few tertiary ones. Primarily, we aimed to develop safe “real world” gun handling skills the Army Explorers could take with them as they transition to adulthood, in or out of the military. Secondly, actually handling lethal instruments–whether it’s a rifle, a car, or a fork lift, develops personal responsibility in ways they can’t get from computer-based training. Tertiary goals included familiarization and just having fun.
This course included didactic, in-home dry practice manipulations during the early afternoon, and an afternoon / evening live-fire component, for a father / daughter pair. It included hooded (blind) stoppage reduction drills, low light shooting (with and without flashlights), ground-fighting / downed operator drills, impeded slide movement, oblique / lateral movement, retention with and without a flashlight, RMR familiarization, and target discrimination (“shoot / don’t shoot”) drills.
This three-part course started in a home, with discussion of the Arizona state law regarding Use of Force, as well as more universal self defense principles. It also included scenario-based decision shooting drills and rape / abduction prevention in and around cars. Part II was a live fire qualification component from 1.5 to 25 yards. Part III was back at home and included off lines, disarms, retention, defensive tactics, and the use of pepper spray.
Do you need a Concealed Carry Permit? Is it a good idea to have one? Arizona is a “constitutional carry” state. You may carry a firearm on your person or in your car without any concealed weapons (“CCW”) permit. An …
The AR series carbine has twice as many manipulations to master as your average pistol, yet most of us spend far more of our time training with our handguns. Pistols are more likely to be our constant companions, but carbines …
There are 3 things you need to do with threats in the dark: 1) Locate potential threats 2) Identify whether or not something IS a threat 3) If so, you need to hit it. Many of us get “night” sights …
THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF CROWD VIOLENCE American news reporters in Japan covering the aftermath of the disastrous March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami were astounded that there was hardly any looting following the complete breakdown of law enforcement services–even …
These clinics took place in three phases. The daylight and low light pistol phases focused on speed and accuracy while managing competitive stress, matching participant against participant in live-fire steel plate “dueling tree” force on force. The shotgun phase was more scenario driven, but covered a wide range of shotgun manipulations and techniques. The main goal of the shotgun clinic was for each operator to gain an intimate knowledge and feel for what their scattergun will and will not do at different distances and under various operational conditions.
This state licensed armed security guard was trained and qualified by his agency on a Glock auto pistol. Then they issued him a revolver. There is so much more to mastering a wheel gun than “point, pull and pray”–especially if, like this security professional, you might need to bet your life on it. Fortunately, there are still a few of us “Sgt Roger Murtaughs” around.
“An elegant weapon, of a more civilized age.” Join us for a clinic on revolver tips and tricks. Today there are more semi-auto options than ever before for people with arthritis or hand injuries who find it difficult to manipulate …
Dynamics of Movement in Interpersonal Confrontation A class for intermediate level defensive shooters Ever wonder why law enforcement officers have a 99% hit rate during qualifications, but only a 20% hit rate in violent confrontations? There are many reasons, but …
A student wrote to me after a class, asking about some phrases she had heard elsewhere: “stand your ground” and “castle doctrine.” Here are some of the things I explained to her. STAND YOUR GROUND The phrase “stand your ground” is often bandied about …
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“I did my homework, and got off my wallet, to get a gun that never, ever jams. So why do we have to practice stoppage reduction till we can do it blindfolded?” The following is taken from an after action …
Here is what our students are saying about Heloderm training. Please feel free to give us YOUR feedback, good or bad. We strive for continual process improvement, and will consider any constructive criticism to help our future students become even …
