Blade Tech Training Barrel

I picked up a Blade-Tech Training Barrel last week.  Initially I picked it up for training purposes and for filming training videos where we wanted to use a realistic weapon and still have the weapons be noticeably safe.  The installation of the training barrel is as easy as field stripping your handgun and putting it back together.  The Training Barrel also works great for dry fire exercises.  There is no way a negligent discharge could happen with a Training Barrel installed in your handgun.  Though the price tag is a little bit more than a chamber plug/flag, I think that the barrel being replaced is well worth the extra few dollars, especially with the ability to have a completely safe environment to conduct dry fire drills with.

From Blade-Tech's Web Page:

1. The Training Barrel provides the ability of realistic dry-fire weapon handling during practice and training but more importantly eliminates any chance for a tragic accident, such as a negligent accidental discharge.
2. The training barrel will allow full slide function which aids in tap rack manipulation drills and trigger function.
3. The training barrel allows the operator/instructor to use his/her OWN weapon by simply removing the factory barrel and inserting the high visibility yellow training barrel which is recognized as a safety color.
4. By using the training barrel one of the many key benefits is that you will be able to get good sight picture while presenting the pistol to a threat or target, this eliminates bad habits and promotes good training habits.
5. The training barrel is ideal for disarming, weapon retention, room clearing and CQB tactics.
6. While the solidly constructed training guns available today are 100% safe, they are not beneficial to teaching or demonstrating weapon manipulation along with trigger function.
7. The training barrel is lighter, smaller, and easier to transport than plastic training weapons and is made with strong impact resistant material which prevents flexing& bending; and is resistant to harsh chemicals.
8. The training barrel is less expensive and more economical than the average training weapon.
9. The training barrel has no complex parts to attach, lock/unlock, etc. It is one piece construction. No extra equipment is needed.
10. The Training Barrel works with all holsters! In the case of closed bottom holsters the barrel length can be modified to fit by just shortening the Training Barrel’s length (easily done with a hacksaw). The 19/23 barrel will also work in the 26/27, Just needs to be shortened to desired length. (Easily done with a hacksaw)
11. It makes weapons on display at trade Shows or in a gun stores 100% safe, allowing the potential client’s, student’s and customer’s to observe and handle the weapon.
12. Instructors can maintain possession of all real barrels until students have demonstrated proficiency with handling the weapon and “graduate” to the actual barrel.
13. Eliminates using annoying large steel dry fire plates at training schools.
14. The Training Barrel is backed by a 1 year warranty! 

Blade Tech Web Page

Blade Tech Link to Training Barrel



Free Training Targets #2 - Courtesy of WASHLEFI

Here are a few more targets that I have created for your training use.  Let me know if they work out for you.

If there are any problems in downloading the Target .pdf files, please let me know as soon as possible at washlefi@gmail.com so I can resolve any issues.

The Speed and Accuracy Target is meant to be used with a shot timer, but a stopwatch will work as well.  One shot per circle as accurately, quickly, and safely as possible.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

The Nickel Drill is to assist the shooter in working on obtaining a tight grouping of shots.  Typically the shooter will shoot 5 shots per Nickel to gauge how accurate their grouping is. 

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

 Same principle as the Nickel Drill, only now you have a smaller target.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

Same principle as the Nickel Drill, only now you have a larger target.

  

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

The Billiards Select Target is best if used with a shooter / coach relationship.  The coach will call out either a number or color.  If the coach calls out "2", the shooter will shoot at the "2" ball.  If the coach calls out "Blue", the shooter will shoot at the "2" and "10" balls.  It is up to the shooter and/or coach how many rounds are shot at each ball.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

Firearms Photo Contest Announcement and Rules

Announcing the first Trigger Press Blog Firearms Photo Contest

Rules:

1. The photograph must be your own work, don't steal images for the contest.

2. The photograph must be of an actual firearm, no Air soft versions or other replicas allowed.

3. Only one (1) entry per email address, so pick your best image.

4. The top three (3) photographs will win the prize(s) listed below.

5. The rights to your image, will remain your rights.  If you want to watermark your image to prevent intellectual property theft, please do so, but do not place the watermark directly over the center of the image.
6. You must be a resident of the United States and have a mailing address within the United States or APO AE/AP/AA.
7. Be creative.  Pictures of guns sitting on  your dining room table or on the floor become boring after awhile.
8. I reserve the right to select the winners and my choices are final.  I ensure you that this will be a fair contest.

Prizes:

1st Place - Protech Impac S.T. Trauma Plate - 7"x9" (value ~ $120)

2nd Place - Stark Equipment SE-2 AR-15 Hook Mount Sling Grip - Dark Earth (value ~ $45)

3rd Place - Tactical Tailor Large Utility / Dump Pouch - Coyote brown (value ~ $30)

Deadline:

All entries must be submitted by midnight (PST) on Friday, October 15th, 2010.

How to submit:

Submit  your digital photograph to washlefi@gmail.com.  Ensure that the file is in .jpg format and under 2MB in size.  Include your full name and the preferred method of contacting you in your email if you win.

Questions

If you have any questions about the contest, please post a comment and I will reply in the same manner so everyone knows what questions have been asked and answered.

Do You Train Enough?

How often we train with our firearms and how effective that training is can have a profound effect on maintaining your skill levels. Firearms skills are a perishable skill that diminishes over time. Overall, for law enforcement, the most proficient an average officer is at their firearms handling skills is probably immediately after they graduate the Academy. The recruit is receiving constant and effective training on a weekly basis, if not a few times a week. Some days the recruit may be training for 2-4 hours, while other days it may be all day on the range.

After a recruit leaves the Academy, their agency may give them additional handgun and/or rifle training to prepare them for the streets and for the agency to ensure that they have indeed trained to a sufficient level at the Academy. Unfortunately, after the initial push of decent training, most officers do not receive on-going training throughout their career.

How often does the officer come to the range? Once a year for qualification? A few times a year for qualification? Is there training built in to the time that the officer is out at the range for qualifications?

Do you consider a qualification as being training? You shouldn't. A weapons qualification is not training. It is only a test. It is a test of your proficiency to continue to carry your firearm for duty use. Do not count your time on the range during a qualification as "training" time.

How often should you train? There are a lot of variables to this question. Cost of ammunition, availability of ammunition, time of the officer being off the street, times the range is available for use, and officer motivation to train on their own are only a few.

A good friend of mine made a good point to me once. I'm not sure if he came up with it himself or if he read it in a book, but he told me; "It is better to train a little bit more often, than to train a long time less often."

The way I translate this is as follows: If you go to the range once a week and shoot only one box of ammo (handgun - 50 rounds) for one year, you will have had 52 training sessions to work on your fundamentals and to maintain, if not improve, your firearms handling skills. If you go to the range twice a year and shoot 26 boxes of ammo (1300 rounds), you would have shot the same amount of rounds down range, but how effective was that training? Sure, shooting 1300 rounds of ammunition in one training day is not realistic. Is it possible, probably, but very likely. More realistically is that you would probably at the max, shoot 200-300 rounds during a training day, if you are truly focusing on properly training. Too much training in one day will cause fatigue and will create training scars. This will cause you to move backward, not forward in improving your skills.

Take every training opportunity that you have. If your agency offers training, mandatory or not, take advantage of it. If you can find a tactical shooting course, take it. You may not agree with everything that the instructors say, but it may help you open your eyes to something that you did not previously know. Train a lot, especially if you can get the ammunition for free.

Here are two links that offer a great wealth of knowledge. The first is the 2008 FBI statistics on Officers feloniously killed and the second link is information once again from the FBI about cop attackers and their mentality.

2008 FBI – Officers Feloniously Killed Stats

Force Science News #62: New Findings from FBI About Cop Attackers & Their Weapons

Here are a few points from Force Science of information on findings from the FBI about cop attackers and their weapons. The entire article is worth the read.

From a pool of more than 800 incidents, the researchers selected 40, involving 43 offenders (13 of them admitted gangbangers-drug traffickers) and 50 officers, for in-depth exploration. They visited crime scenes and extensively interviewed surviving officers and attackers alike, most of the latter in prison.

Several of the offenders began regularly to carry weapons when they were 9 to 12 years old, although the average age was 17 when they first started packing “most of the time.” Gang members especially started young.

Nearly 40% of the offenders had some type of formal firearms training, primarily from the military. More than 80% “regularly practiced with handguns, averaging 23 practice sessions a year,” the study reports, usually in informal settings like trash dumps, rural woods, back yards and “street corners in known drug-trafficking areas.”

One spoke of being motivated to improve his gun skills by his belief that officers “go to the range two, three times a week [and] practice arms so they can hit anything.”

In reality, victim officers in the study averaged just 14 hours of sidearm training and 2.5 qualifications per year. Only 6 of the 50 officers reported practicing regularly with handguns apart from what their department required, and that was mostly in competitive shooting. Overall, the offenders practiced more often than the officers they assaulted, and this “may have helped increase [their] marksmanship skills,” the study says.

The offender quoted above about his practice motivation, for example, fired 12 rounds at an officer, striking him 3 times. The officer fired 7 rounds, all misses.

More than 40% of the offenders had been involved in actual shooting confrontations before they feloniously assaulted an officer. Ten of these “street combat veterans,” all from “inner-city, drug-trafficking environments,” had taken part in 5 or more “criminal firefight experiences” in their lifetime.

One reported that he was 14 when he was first shot on the street, “about 18 before a cop shot me.” Another said getting shot was a pivotal experience “because I made up my mind no one was gonna shoot me again.”

Again in contrast, only 8 of the 50 LEO victims had participated in a prior shooting; 1 had been involved in 2 previously, another in 3. Seven of the 8 had killed offenders.

New Training Targets - Courtesy of WASHLEFI

Here are a few targets that I have created for your training use.  Let me know if they work out for you.

If there are any problems in downloading the Target .pdf files, please let me know as soon as possible at washlefi@gmail.com so I can resolve any issues.

The Buildig Blocks - Decision Maker target is good for a shooter / coach relationship in having the coach call out a letter, number, or shape and the shooter has to respond quickly and accurately to get a round or rounds on target.

 CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

The Reducing Boxes target is to get the shooter to slowly gain confidence in aiming for and hitting a smaller target.  Shoot 5 rounds into each box.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

The Meerkat Mayhem Target is just for fun.  Do with it what you like.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

 The principle of the Reducing Circles Target is the same as the Reducing Boxes Target above, just a different shape to shoot at.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

The Hostage Target is designed to give the shooter a threat target to shoot at while attemtping to aviod hitting the hostage.  The "T" zone on the threat target represents the area around the eyes and nasal cavity that is preferred when conducting a head shot.

CLICK HERE FOR TARGET

Rainier Arms

It is not very often that you have the pleasure of dealing with a distributor that you feel compelled to write about it.  Rainier Arms is one of those companies.  I have had many different shopping experiences with them and every single time the customer service was top notch.  The staff is extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to answer even the most menial questions.  They specialize primarily in the AR-15 field, but also have knives, nylon gear, and other products suited for the gun nut.

I have not yet had the opportunity to go to their new store front, but I have heard that it is well put together.  Below is a little but about them from their webpage.  If you are in the market to purchase anything related to your AR-15, just take a peek over at their webpage or stop into their store to see if they have what you need.

Law Enforcement and Military also receive an additional discount.

From their Webpage:

Company Info

Rainier Arms, LLC was started by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. We specialize in high end AR15s/M16s, parts & accessories. "If we won't use it, we won't sell it." Founded in 2005, Rainierarms.com already has more than 1214 unique products, and growing. Our technical advisory team consists of enthusiasts, law enforcement, & military personnel that continue to make our offerings unique and desirable in the market place.

Service

We view every customer as a customer for life and instill this philosophy to our staff to assure the complete satisfaction of every shopper. We work around the clock to update our site with the hottest products, pictures, features and reliable content. From browsing our intuitive and information-rich website, to purchasing and delivery to your door: we utilize the latest e-commerce and Internet technologies to provide real-time order status information, tracking numbers, safe and secure SSL encrypted transactions and much more.

Products

Rainier Arms, LLC loyalists are accustomed to first-class service and the best values on the web. That is because we are experts on delivering the finest tactical gear available and are in tune to what's hot and what's not. Our reputation, experience and keen industry insight permit us to deliver great product at affordable prices. We stock the most in-demand products and encourage patrons to recommend merchandise to supplement our vast selection. If you have a suggestion you would like to share with our team, please let us know. Customer feedback shapes our business and allows us to better serve our audience so your ideas are always welcome.

(800) 556-GUNS
(253) 218-2999
(253) 218-2998 FAX
http://www.rainierarms.com/
http://twitter.com/rainierarms 

3802 Auburn Way N #305 

Auburn, WA, 98002

Hours: 

Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sun: Closed

POF-USA P-415 6.8 SPC Mid-Length Review

Review

Get The Lead Out

Great article from the Baltimore County Police Department on Lead Exposure:

Lead Poisoning - The purpose of this article is not to suggest curtailing shooting or reloading activities in any way. Rather, it is to make Officers, Firearms Instructors, and Administrators aware of the possibility of lead poisoning and how to protect yourself from toxic lead contamination.

A Firearms Safety Hazard - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies lead as a heavy metal with no beneficial biological use in the body. When a person inhales or ingests lead, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Once in the body it becomes very difficult to remove. Continual exposure results in the accumulation of lead in the body, and measurable amounts of lead indicate cumulative exposure over a lifetime.

The EPA has determined that lead poses a serious health hazard to everyone. Unfortunately, individuals working with and around firearms often overlook the harmful effects of lead. Therefore, firearms range personnel must take precautions to control all unnecessary exposure to this toxic element. For firearms range personnel, knowing the hazards of lead is a primary responsibility. Taking the necessary precautions to minimize exposure is a duty of all firearms instructors.

Effects of Lead on the Body - Approximately 6 percent of all lead ingested or inhaled is deposited in the blood or soft body tissues, such as the kidneys, brain, or other vital organs. The remaining 94 percent is deposited in the bone. Because the body mistakes lead for calcium, it presumes that, once deposited, the lead needs to be stored. However, the body does break down lead so that it can be removed. The time required for this process is measured by the term "half-life", which means the amount of time the body needs to excrete one-half of that lead. The half-life of lead is approximately 20 years. This means one-half of the lead dosage absorbed by the body through only one exposure and deposited in the bone would still be present after 20 years.

Health Concern - For decades, the presence of lead in the environment has been widespread, beginning with smelting factories and continuing with the manufacture of glazed pottery, batteries, and lead gasoline. It has only recently been acknowledged as a serious threat to public health that warrants government control.

In 1971, the EPA began enforcing the Lead Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act, which restricts the amount of lead used in paints. Seven years later, the agency set the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which serves as the primary mechanism to reduce lead in gasoline. However, even with these standards and controls, the residue of lead in food, water, and dirt can elevate the lead level in a person's blood.

Firearms and exposure to lead, typically the exposure to lead on the firing line occurs as soon as the shooter pulls the trigger and the hammer falls. This action causes the primer of the cartridge to explode, in the chamber, which then ignites the main powder charge. At this point, a breathable cloud of lead particles is expelled into the air, with lead dust spraying the shooter's hands.

Lead particles also shear off as the bullet travels through the barrel. When the bullet leaves the barrel, a second cloud of contaminants, in the form of the muzzle blast, blasts into the air. Then, as the bullet strikes the impact area, another contaminated cloud rises.

When shooters inhale these clouds of contaminates, lead particles go directly into their lungs and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. The blood then transfers the lead to soft body tissue and bone. Heat from smoking, sweating, or physical activity accelerates this process.

Lead can also settle on the skin and hair, and in turn, can be absorbed through the pores of the skin. If lead particles reach the mouth, they can be ingested into the digestive system.

Exposure increases at clean-up time. Handling empty casings can result in lead being transferred to the skin. The weapon cleaning process also removes much of the remaining lead in the barrel and transfers it to the cleaner's hands. Oils and solvents used to clean and lubricate weapons cause the natural oils in the skin to evaporate, leaving dry skin and open pores through which the lead can pass.

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning - The numerous symptoms of lead poisoning mimic various diseases, often making diagnosis difficult. Most commonly, individuals experience abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, subtle mood changes, headaches, constipation, irritability, and depression. Muscle pain, muscle weakness, weight loss, impotence, convulsions, anemia, and renal failure may occur with increased lead levels in the body.

Testing for Lead - Testing for lead can be performed in several ways. The blood lead level (BLL) test detects recent exposure to lead but does not provide information regarding long term or past exposure. The BLL measures the quantity of lead in micrograms per deciliter of blood, written as us/100 dl, that is micrograms of lead per 100 deciliters of blood.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards states that the median blood levels for adults should be about 15 ug/100 dL. For reproductive health, the blood level should stay below 30-ug/100 dL. OSHA recommends removal from the work place of any employee whose BLL measures 40 ug/100 dL or higher.

The zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) test can be performed in conjunction with the BLL to determine longer exposure. Lead interferes with the absorption of iron into the blood, which is needed to transport oxygen, thereby allowing zinc to replace iron. The ZPP measures the amount of zinc in the blood, which remains elevated longer than the BLL. The normal range for the ZPP is 0-100 dl. An elevated ZPP indicates concentration in the bone marrow.

The only effective test used for bone lead levels is the disodium edentate (EDTA) chelating agent test. EDTA, a solution that is administered intravenously, bonds with the lead in bone, and clears it from body compartments so that it is excreted through the urine. EDTA both tests and treats an individual; however, medical personnel use it only in extreme cases of lead poisoning because of the potentially harmful side effects.

Special Risks - In males, high levels of lead can decrease the sex drive and cause sterility. Lead can also alter the structure of sperm cells, thereby potentially causing birth defects.

Pregnant women are vulnerable to rapid absorption of lead, along with calcium, from the blood into the bone. This mobilization occurs due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy. In pregnant women, lead passes unimpeded through the placenta to the fetus, potentially causing miscarriages of the fetus and birth defects.

Children are more vulnerable to lead toxicity than adults are. Children exposed to lead may manifest into slow learning, mental drifts, slight retardation in development, hypertension, and behavioral problems. Excessive blood levels in children can seriously and irreversibly damage a child's brain and nervous system. Because the symptoms mirror those of various childhood diseases, many doctors do not test for lead.

Precautions on the Range - Precautions can be taken both on and off the range to protect shooters, instructors, and their families from lead poisoning. Administrative controls and good hygiene are two necessary tools. In addition, all shooters and instructors should practice the following dos and don'ts of range safety.

Do Not Smoke on the Range - Smoking any type of tobacco products on the range should be prohibited to prevent acceleration of inhaled lead into the blood stream and ingestion of lead transferred from hands to the cigarette, cigar, etc.

Do Not Eat on the Range - Lead dust on hands and face can be ingested through contact with food. Airborne lead expelled from the weapon can also contaminate food.

Don't Collect Fired Brass in Baseball Caps - Many shooters use their baseball caps to collect spent brass, this contaminates the cap with lead particles, When the cap is placed back on the head, the lead is deposited into the hair and absorbed into the skin. Providing boxes for the brass prevents this practice.

Do Be Aware Face, Arms, and Hands Are Covered With Lead - Shooters and instructors should wash thoroughly with cold water and plenty of soap. Cold water is preferred because warm water enhances the absorption of lead by opening the pores of the skin. If no water is available, shooters should consider carrying a box of wet hand wipes or a bottle of cool water and a washcloth for this purpose.

Do Be Aware That Hair and Clothes Are Still Contaminated - Shooters and Firearms Instructors should wear an outer garment, such as a jumpsuit or coveralls, or change clothes before going home. Contaminated clothes should not be cleaned by blowing, shaking, or other means that dispense lead into the air. To prevent cross-contamination, range clothes should be washed separately from the family's regular laundry. Families with infants should be particularly careful, since infants are most vulnerable to lead contamination. Families with infants should be particularly careful since infants are most vulnerable to lead contamination. Changing to clean clothing before leaving the range prevents recontamination of the hands and any contamination of the family vehicle.

Do Change Shoes Before Entering The Residence - Shoes can also transport lead into the home. Shoes should be left at the door to prevent tracking lead onto floors and carpets. Ordinary vacuuming does not remove lead from the home, but redistributes it by blowing it in to the air to be inhaled and/or resettled onto the carpet.

Do Avoid Physical Contact With Family Members Until After Shower, Shampoo, and Change of Clothes - Lead can be transferred by casual contact. Family and friends should not be hugged or kissed until after a shower and a change of clothes. Any physical contacts should be avoided while the shooter is still in range clothing.

Indoor Ranges - Most indoor ranges have a greater lead dust problem than outdoor ranges. However, range personnel can institute several controls to lower the amount of lead dust in these facilities.

The choice of ammunition is one such control. Nonjacketed ammunition produces the most lead dust and fumes, jacketed ammunition, the least. Shotgun shells produce more airborne lead dust than any handgun round. Currently, many ammunition manufacturers are developing lead-free ammunition.

Indoor ranges should not be carpeted, since lead dust settles and contaminates the rugs. A High Efficiency Particulate (HEPA) vacuum, which has a 3-stage particulate air filter is the best vacuum to use for lead.

Because water cannot be treated for lead contamination, personnel should use water sparingly to remove lead when cleaning ranges. If water is used for lead removal, minimizing the amount of water used will result in less pollution. Range maintenance employees should wear disposable coveralls and air purifying masks while cleaning and/or repairing indoor ranges.

What Does All This Mean To You? - Baltimore County Police Department conforms to OSHA lead standards, which became law in 1978. The police department monitors firearms training instructors for lead, and employees are informed of their results. Medical monitoring, such as BLL testing of employees, is conducted and funded by the department. In addition, air-purifying masks are provided to employees.

Washroom and showers are provided to ensure proper clean-up and eating areas are separate from lead contaminated areas. A Lead Abatement Training program has been instituted for all firearms training instructors who may be exposed to lead.

The department has placed warning signs on the range and weapon cleaning area that read: "WARNING, No Smoking or Eating in the gun cleaning area." Additional signs have been placed stating: "Wash Hands With Cold Soapy Water."

The blood level of the typical Baltimore County Police Officer is about four. The typical blood level of those continuously assigned to the Firearms Training Unit is slightly higher. As long as the above precautions are observed, employees of Baltimore County continue to remain safe from excessive exposure.

During the early years of firearms training, neither eye protection or ear protection was provided or encouraged on the range. Today, most departments now require both types of protection on the line.

Currently we have learned that another health hazard, - Lead Poisoning, threatens the physical well being of shooters and instructors in firearms ranges. However, through administrative controls and education, departments can reduce the on-the-job exposure of employees and their families to lead.

If you have any questions, please contact the Range Staff, 410-887-2330.

Revised October 17, 2007

 Link to original article

Free Online Targets for the Range

With training budgets continuing to be cut, here are some links to free targets that you can download and print.  Granted they are to be printed on 8.5"x11" paper, but you can add challenges and spice your training up a little bit, all while saving some money.

AccurateShooter.com Custom Targets

EGP World Targets

Glock FAQ Target Gallery

Lost Hunter Targets

MyTargets

Personal Defense Training Drills and Targets

Pistol Training 26662 Target

Pistol Training 3-Two-1 Target

Pistol Training Dot Torture Target

Pistol Training F.A.S.T. Target

Pistol Training Press-Six Target

Ray-Vin Targets

Reload Bench Targets

Sniper's Paradise Targets

Targetz

Fundamental Firearms Safety Rules

Something as simple as safety should go without saying, but just to reiterate here are the four Fundamental Firearms Safety Rules:

1.  Treat all guns as if they are loaded. - The thought behind this is that if  you treat all guns, even those that you have already confirmed as unloaded and safe, as well as "toy" guns as real guns, you will never have a lapse in judgment and have a negligent discharge.  There is an exception to this rule.  During training, we use red or blue plastic guns.  There are some who are uncomfortable in having these chunks of plastic pointed at them.  Reminder: red or blue plastic training guns are not guns, they are chunks of plastic molded to resemble a gun for use in training.

2.  Never point a gun at anything that you are not willing to shoot / destroy. - This one is pretty self explanatory.  If you point your gun at something and have a negligent discharge, it will be destroyed.  It could be your brand new flat-screen TV that you are using for "dry fire" practice (bad idea) or your partner's head during a building search.  Maintain the low ready or "sul" position when your gun is out of the holster (handgun) or unslung (rifle) until you are ready to shoot.  Walking around conducting a building search while maintaining a perfect isosceles stance is never a good thing.

3.  Keep your finger off the trigger (indexed) until your sights are on target and you are ready to shoot. - Studies, especially the "Enoka Study" show that having a finger on the trigger while "conducting business" can cause negligent discharges through sympathetic contractions, loss of balance, or through a startle response.  If you have not yet read the "Enoka Study", I highly recommend it.

4. Be sure of your target and the backstop and beyond. - Not only should you be aware of your target, but also what is directly in front of and behind the target.  Also know what the ballistic capabilities of your ammunition is.  You may think that you have a good backstop, only to find out that your round went straight through it.

Be safe out there!

Low Light Considerations

I would guess that the mass majority of Law Enforcement Officers in the United States carry at least one flashlight of any make and model at least part of their shift. Whether the officer works during the day or during the night, every officer should carry at least one light, if not more. There is nothing worse than conducting a building search and have your light’s battery completely drain and not have a backup.

A few years ago, fellow officer and I were conducting a building search of a residence that had the front door kicked-in and the alarm sounding. It was late afternoon so the majority of the first and second floors were fairly well lit by the ambient light from outside. However, Mr. Murphy reared his ugly head as we went to check on the basement. The fellow officer that I was clearing the residence with had that “uhh-ohh” moment when we were about halfway down the basement stairs when his light stopped working. Luckily I was carrying my duty-issued Streamlight Stinger and my personal Surefire 6P. I was using the 6P because I liked the smaller size that allowed me to manipulate door knobs and anything else I needed to open while leaving my strong hand for what the strong hand should be doing, holding my handgun. I provided him with the Stinger and we completed the job. My point to all of this is that your light can fail you at any time, most likely it will happen at the most inopportune time.

One light or two or more?
As I mentioned above, only having one light has its obvious drawback. Aside from the batteries or bulb failing, burning out, or dying, there are some other problems that can cause you to have a bad day. You could drop your light, you could break your light, you could forget your light in your patrol car, the possibilities could be endless. I am a huge advocate of having multiple light sources on your person. I’m not saying that you have to have two full sized flashlights on your duty belt. The days of large incandescent D-Cell Maglights are behind us. I still have a Streamlight SL-20, but I rarely, if ever carry it anymore. My primary light for patrol is the Blackhawk Gladius Maximus, which packs 120 lumen for 2 hours on just 2 CR-123 batteries. It has a robust rotating tailcap that I can select constant on, strobe, and momentary on. I can also dim the light from 120 lumen down to 1.5 lumen. I also carry a SureFire G2 on my belt. Both lights are small and lightweight and produce enough light throw to get the job done. Think outside of the box as well. I carry a small Life Gear LED light on my keychain that doesn’t pack much light throw, but it will assist me in navigation if the other two fail. So what if all three fail? I have a flashlight application on my HTC EVO cell phone that actually puts out quite a bit of light to navigate with. Don’t restrict yourself to the conventional thought of what types of lights to carry, but try to ensure that you have at least two of them.

LED or Incandescent?
With the advancements in LED technology these days, it is hard to beat the brightness and battery life of LED over Incandescent. Some say that LED light produces a cooler, more white color balance which they do not feel is natural. Incandescent lights produce a warmer color balance, which some are more accustom to. However, in my opinion, the LED lights appear to throw light further than the Incandescent lights do. I personally prefer the LED lights over the Incandescent ones.

Small, Medium, or Large?
The size of your flashlight is something that you will have to determine for yourself. I prefer a smaller flashlight that packs a high lumen count. Others prefer a large flashlight that can be used as an impromptu impact weapon. A smaller light can be an advantage when you are in need of doing some sort of manipulation while holding your light, whether it be turning a door knob or racking the slide of your handgun. Before buying a new light, see if someone already has one so you can try it out to determine if it fits your style of doing business. Train with it as well. A lot of officers will clear a building with flashlight in one hand and gun in the other, but never fire that way on the range.

Plastic or Metal?
There are pros and cons for each. Metal flashlights are heavier, which is more weight that you have to carry around with you, however they make a great impromptu impact weapon or can be used to break out a car window if need be. Plastic flashlights are lighter, but may not be the best tool for using to impact anything with. More likely than not, your light will break before your suspect or the window will.

Rechargeable or Replaceable Batteries?
I currently have many different lights. Some are rechargeable, some require new batteries. There are pros and cons to both. With a rechargeable flashlight you can save money over time without having to buy new batteries, but you may have to wait a considerable amount of time before your light is fully charged. With a battery powered flashlight you will have to spend the money to replace the batteries, but once they are replaced you are immediately ready to continue on. Again, another reason to have a backup light.

5.11 Tactical currently makes a flashlight called the “Light for Life”. The UC3.400 model puts out up to 270 lumen and recharges in 90 seconds. Interestingly, the “Light for Life” does not use a conventional rechargeable battery, rather it uses a capacitor.

Strobe Feature?
Does your flashlight have a strobe feature? Yeah, I know they are fun to mess with your friends with and you can pretend that you are in a nightclub, but there are actually tactical purposes for the strobe. When the strobe feature is used in a manner where the user is moving the beam of the light around in a figure-eight pattern while moving the arm around, the suspect has an extremely hard time in determining where the source of the light is coming from. Couple the disorienting strobe effect with the light bouncing off of interior walls of a building in almost complete darkness, an officer can enter a room undetected by the suspect while the officer’s partner is controlling the light. Note: The light has to momentarily be turned off while the officer is entering the room. During a low light class during a Firearms Instructor course, this technique was used. There were eight students in the room, with one acting as a suspect. The instructor showed that he could detect the suspect and another officer could enter the room undetected, which nobody believed. Not one of the eight students observed the second officer enter the room and that officer had the “suspect” at gun-point (dummy gun) before the suspect could react. Obviously this is a tactic that needs to be practiced, especially with both officers, but it is a great technique to be used.

Weapon Mounted Light?
Handgun or Rifle, it doesn’t matter. The largest problem that I have seen over and over with weapons mounted lights is the propensity for the officer to use the weapon mounted light for searching. Unfortunately when an officer uses the weapon mounted light to search with, the officer is violating one of the Fundamental Firearms Safety Rules….”NEVER POINT YOUR GUN AT ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO SHOOT/DESTROY.” If you are searching with your weapon light and are more mindful of where the light is than where your muzzle is, you will be aiming your muzzle at many things/people that you don’t intend to shoot. You can use your weapon light to search with, however, use a light-bounce technique that will allow the light to bounce off of the floor or the surroundings, while maintaining a low-ready or sul position. With a handgun, I highly recommend that you search with a handheld light in one hand and your handgun in the other. You will be able to maintain a low-ready or sul position, keeping your gun pointed in a safe direction, while having the capability of freely shining your light wherever you wish.


Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions, comments, or concerns at washlefi@gmail.com.

Some favorite quotes...

Here are some of my favorite quotes...

"If you look like prey, you will be eaten." - Clint Smith

"If guns cause crime, all of mine are defective." - Ted Nugent

"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." - Jeff Cooper

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” –Thomas Jefferson

“You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.” – Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

“Men sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” – George Orwell

“Assault is a type of behavior, not a type of hardware.” - Unknown

"Every time I teach a class, I discover I don't know something." - Clint Smith

"But if someone has a gun and is trying to kill you ... it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." - Dalai Lama

"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them." G. Mason

"Amateurs practice until they get it right, experts practice until they can't get it wrong." - Faith Duck

Citizens perspective after an Officer's Use of Force

After a week of incidents around Western Washington that have involved four Officer Involved Shootings and two deadly Taser Applications, there are a lot of questions coming from citizens, who may have good intentions, but are mostly uninformed about how use of force by a law enforcement officer actually works.

A quick synopsis of the incidents:

Monday, August 30, 2010 – Seattle Police Officer shot and killed a man after he ignored commands to drop a knife.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – Pierce County Sheriff Deputy used a Taser on an unruly man, who later stopped breathing and died.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – Federal Way Police Officer shot and killed a man after the Officer perceived that the driver of the truck was attempting to back the truck up towards the Officer.

Friday, September 3, 2010 – Tacoma Police Officers killed a man who was threatening people with a knife, then raised the knife and approached the Officers as they attempted to contact him.

Friday, September 3, 2010 – Seattle Police Officers shot a man who pointed an AK-47 at them. This man was wounded, but not killed.

Saturday, September 4, 2010 – Snohomish County Sheriff Deputy used a Taser on a man, who stopped breathing and died.

Let me begin by stating that I do not have any direct knowledge of any of these incidents as I was not there. This posting is not to discuss the tactics used or whether or not the incidents were justified or not. This posting is to discuss the publics reaction to these incidents and how they perceive what happened and what should have happened.

I do understand that there are some who comment on news articles with ignorance, there are also those who speak intelligently and with reason.

Tennessee v. Garner (471 U.S. 1)


http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=471&invol=1


Tennessee v. Garner was a major U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1985 that clarified the “fleeing felon” rule that was law stemming from the beginnings of our country. Basically, prior to the ruling, deadly force could be used for any “fleeing felon” in any felony situation, whether it is Murder, Bank Robbery, Check Fraud, or Stealing a Horse. The U.S. Supreme Court Justices decided that there needed to be some guidelines for when it was reasonable for a Law Enforcement Officer to use deadly force.

There are two prongs to the Tennessee v. Garner decision:

1. Officers are authorized to use deadly force against any person as necessary in self-defense or the defense of another, when they have reason to believe they or another are in immediate danger of death or serious physical harm.

2. Officers are authorized to use deadly force to capture or seize a dangerous suspect when there is probable cause to believe that the suspect has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm, and there is no reasonably safe means of preventing the suspect's escape.

What is Deadly Force? (as defined by the Revised Code of Washington)
Deadly Force is the intentional application of force through the use of firearms or other means reasonably likely to cause death or serious physical injury. (RCW 9A.16.010)

What is a Deadly Weapon? (as defined by the Revised Code of Washington)
Deadly Weapon means any explosive or loaded or unloaded firearm, and shall include any other weapon, device, instrument, article, or substance, including a vehicle as defined in this section, which, under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used, or threatened to be used, is readily capable of causing death or substantial bodily harm. (9A.04.110)

What is Substantial Bodily Harm? (as defined by the Revised Code of Washington)
Substantial Bodily Harm is bodily injury which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes a temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ, or which causes a fracture of any bodily part. (9A.04.110)

Here are a few comments left by citizens on various news forums reference the recent incidents:


“Didn't police used to have some sort of guideline about not using their gun unless they were confronted with one?”

“Ok, I have a six shooter, so I will put a couple rubber bullets in for the guy with a knife if he is acting funny, bean bags if he advances on me, a real bullets encased he pulls a gun. Then I will just select the one I want as I need them.”

“Even a Rubber bullet is much more useful when confronting someone with a knife instead of killing people!!!”

“Two cops with tasers and other non-lethal things couldn't subdue someone with a knife several feet away?”

“Disabling the victim would of been a lot more humane than firing up to 7 shots from 10-15 feet away. One shot can kill a person from fifteen away. “

“Cops train to fight off knife suspects, and nearly every other tactic does not include shooting them.”

“I think these two cops (once they're cleared of wrong-doing and off their paid vacations) should be disarmed and given only pepper spray and tasers until they can learn the difference between a real threat and a dumb__s waving a knife. Seriously, this guy probably could have been knocked down with stick.”

“I stand with the justifiable force for the stolen truck coming at them, but this one. why not shoot his hand or knee?”

“The man obviously had a mental problem. He attacked no-one in the store or outside. 7 shots ...1 shot would have stopped him. Who, has been training these Tacoma Police Officers.....do they get their training in Bagdad,Kabul or Takuhr?”

“7 shots. I received extensive training while in the military. It doe's not take 7 shots to take down a guy with a knife.”

“I can't imagine how 2 highly trained officers with a myriad of weapons and backup available could feel as though their lives were endangered by one man holding a dollar store kitchen knife they had cornered in a bus stop.”

“I have been deer hunting and the good hunters take down their deer with one shot. They don't use a machine gun. I once shot a charging boar with one shot.”

“Our murderers in blue strike again. They were 15 feet away from him. Could they not have kept him contained, called for back up that had a tazer and then waited? Or, are they so filled with bloodlust that they can't wait to kill a man? Hell, even their pepper spray can shoot a fairly long stream.”

“Too many CHERRY officers out there with itchy trigger fingers. Something needs to be done! Better training, education, and proper equipment (tazers, pepperspray, and other non-lethal methods.)”

“Shoot them in the arm, shoot them in the shoulder, shoot them in the leg, just to slow them down - to stop them. But I don't think they have to take their lives.”

“Perhaps the police need advanced training in Krav Maga so they can disarm suspects with their bare hands just like Israeli Commandos or maybe they can shoot the weapon out of the suspects hand just like they do in movies.”

“Why even have a taser anymore?? The only cop who tried to spare a life by using the taser had his victim die anyway!!! Maybe if the cops could actually try to communicate with these victims in a non-threatening manner, they might get better results!”

“I would like to know why do officers shoot to kill every single time?Do the police officers not do target shooting while in training?why can you not shoot too disable,ya know a knee,the leg,that always drops them."

Here are my thoughts of some of the misperceived notions that some citizens have about what the Officers “should have done”. Note: I am not perfect and I do not know all of the facts of the above mentioned incidents. Whether each of the incidents was justified or not will have to be determined through the course of investigation. However, I would like to provide some education to those who do not fully understand the law and/or what the life of a Law Enforcement Officer is really like.

Chuck Norris and Hollywood
Chuck Norris is an American Icon. There are web pages devoted just for him and how great he is. I have never met Mr. Norris, but I am sure he is a nice guy and one hell of a man’s man. However, Mr. Norris’ characters do not live in the real world and he has not been cloned in his Hollywood state to protect the rest of the world.

Many citizens believe that what they see on the big screen or their television is truth. Hollywood portrays horrible firearms handling skills, but that is for another day. Many times Hollywood portrays a suspect being shot in the hand and he gives up or that one shot will kill a man instantly. Are these possibilities? Absolutely. Is this reality, not really.

Enter the CSI effect. This is slightly off-topic, but it will help to paint a picture for you. The CSI effect is what we in Law Enforcement call what typically happens during a trial and how the jury perceives how the investigation should have happened. Pick a CSI episode, whether it be Vegas, Miami, New York, wherever. A murder happens and within minutes of the incident, the cops are standing guard while the armed forensics technicians are conducting the full investigation. Granted, there is usually a Detective Sergeant over watching them, but the forensics techs are the ones doing all of the “real” work. The forensics techs gather the evidence, process the evidence, find the suspect, interview the suspect, and solve the case. This all happens within an hour. Again, is this reality? No, it is not.

Same thing goes for use of force situations. Normal citizens will rarely if never have a real interaction with a police officer. The only law enforcement that they interact with is either on the news or on some television drama or movie. The citizens will typically believe what they see is the truth of how it should be done and except nothing else.

Shoot to wound or shoot to kill?
“Why didn’t the officer shoot to wound the suspect?” The officer should have shot the suspect in the arm, or the leg. That would have definitely stopped him, right? If you have ever shot a handgun or rifle in the past, you probably have shot at a round bulls-eye target. Most civilian ranges will not allow life-like targets that depict humanoid features. I don’t understand this, but it is the way it is. I bet that for those of you who have done some target practice, you were taught to shoot at the middle of the target? It is human nature to always look for the center of an object.

Here is a little test that you can do anywhere: Point your thumb up in the air like you are hitching a ride and extend your arm out in front of you. Pick an object around you, whether it is a doorway, window, television, whatever. Now point your thumb at that object before you read on. You aimed your thumb at the middle, didn’t you? It is human nature to find the middle of any object you are pointing at. The same goes for aiming a firearm, it is human nature to aim at the center of mass of whatever you are shooting at. During stressful situations, you primarily rely on your basic human instincts and your extensive training and experience.

“But what about the arms and legs?” Most people who have done some sort of target practice shot at a non-moving paper target. If you have never shot at a moving target before, it takes a great deal of training to become efficient. If you are shooting at a moving target, I can guarantee that you are going to pick the largest portion of that target (center of mass) to hit and not even think about the arms or legs. If you want to try this theory out, make a rubber band gun with your finger and have someone stand 10 feet away from you. Have them move around and shoot them in the chest (center of mass), then try to shoot them in the arm as they are flailing their arms around. Oh, and don’t forget that there may be someone standing behind your target that you cannot hit with a stray round. If you think that this is easy, give them a straw and tell them to try to stab you before you can accurately hit them in the arm. This is a watered-down version of reality, but hopefully it will give you a better understanding without actually having to shoot somebody.

One Shot, One Kill
“It only takes one bullet to kill a suspect, right?” Maybe. It all depends on where they are shot. Do they have on body armor? It is possible to shoot someone in their torso and completely miss all vital organs. I have seen victims on the street get shot in the head and lived. Not only did they live, they were walking and talking when we arrived.

“Ok, maybe it takes more than one bullet, but they shot 10-15 times. That is way too excessive.” Is it? As a Law Enforcement Officer and as a Firearms Instructor, we are not trained to kill. Period. We are taught to stop the threat. If I can stop the threat in one shot, great. If it takes me 10-15 shots to stop the threat, that is what it takes.

“But why would it take so many shots to stop the threat?” There are a lot of factors. The ammunition used, the clothing the suspect was wearing, if the suspect is wearing body armor, the placement of the shots, what type of drug the suspect is on, the mental state of the suspect, and the list goes on and on of possible reasons that one round may not stop the threat.

The one shot, one kill adage should be reserved for snipers.

Less Lethal Options
Sure there are plenty of less lethal options. The Taser, the wooden baton, the extendable baton, pepper spray, PepperBall, rubber bullets, drag stabilized bean bag rounds, and the list goes on.

If a suspect has a knife and is 50 feet away, he is not an immediate deadly force threat. If the suspect has a knife and is 10 feet away, he is. More about that in the next section.

Less lethal options should be reserved for actively resistant or assaultive (non-deadly) suspects, or in situations where the responding officer has the advantage of cover, distance, and appropriate lethal backup on scene.

Bottom line: Deadly force threats should be met with a deadly force response.

They were 21 feet away and he only had a knife, they should have used a Taser.
There is an exercise called the Tueller Drill which quantified the “21 foot rule”.

The Tueller Drill is a self-defense training exercise to prepare against a short-range knife attack when armed only with a holstered handgun. Sergeant Dennis Tueller, of the Salt Lake City Police Department, showed that it was not that simple.  A common test of handgun skill was to start with one’s hands at shoulder level with a holstered gun and place two shots on a target 7 yards (21 feet) away within 1.5 seconds. Typically, those trained with handguns can complete the drill in 1.3–1.4 seconds, although some have managed the task in less than one second.  Tueller wondered how quickly an attacker with a knife could cover those same 21 feet. So he measured as volunteers raced to stab the target. He determined that it could be done in 1.5 seconds. A defender with a gun has a dilemma. If he shoots too early, he risks being charged with murder. If he waits until the attacker is definitely within striking range so there is no question about motives, he risks injury and even death. The Tueller experiments quantified a "danger zone" where an attacker presented a clear threat. (Source: Wikipedia)

Though shooting and killing a man, armed with a knife, at the range of 21 feet to a normal citizen may not seem reasonable, the mass majority of Law Enforcement Officers know of the real danger of the loss of life potential.

The “21 foot rule” is more of a theory, not a rule, but provides great insight to how serious of a threat a person can be at a range of under 21 feet.

But a Taser is a less lethal tool, why did they die?
I do not know all of the facts of the above mentioned incidents, but the first thought that came to my mind was the potential for Excited Delirium. Instead of attempting to describe something so complex in my own words, here is an excerpt from ExcitedDelirium.org:

”Over the past decade, increased attention has been paid to the sudden and seemingly inexplicable deaths of some highly agitated subjects being held in police custody. In most of these cases, the force required to restrain or incapacitate the suspect was not sufficient to cause death.

Our colleagues in Miami-Dade County, Florida, first described the syndrome of excited delirium associated with cocaine abuse. The symptoms of excited delirium include bizarre and/or aggressive behavior, shouting, paranoia, panic, violence towards other people, unexpected physical strength, and hyperthermia. Throughout the United States and Canada, these cases are frequently associated with psychostimulant abuse, representing the extreme end of a psychiatric continuum of drug abuse effects. However, reports of acute exhaustive mania, physical restraint, Pepper Spray or TASER and sudden death also have been reported that are not related to abused drugs, suggesting further that an underlying central nervous system disorder was the precipitating cause of lethality. Such victims of excited delirium have provoked allegations of police misconduct, unnecessary force and improper TASER deployment.

Medical examiners often have extreme difficulty in identifying the cause of death, but frequently drug intoxication is considered as a contributing factor or cause of death. While the precise cause and mechanism of these deaths remain controversial, we have demonstrated abnormalities in brain that define and confirm the occurrence of the excited delirium syndrome.”

I know that there are still and will always be questions about what Law Enforcement Officers do and why they do it. The job that we do and the split second decisions that we have to make are sometimes difficult ones. We rely on our training and experience to keep ourselves and the innocent citizens that we have sworn to protect alive.

I welcome comments and questions to this post. I will attempt to respond to each of them as completely and as honestly as I can.