Survival Hint 2

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Mortis, May 14, 2007.


  1. Mortis

    Mortis Snake Eater

    duanet made some comments about shooting on the Basic Equipment Thread that needs to be enhanced some. I might also tell a funny tale at the end of this to show how things can be out of wack between reality and perception.

    I suspect no one really practices enough with their favorite firearms, much less any additional firearms in their gun safe. Due to weather lately, I have not been to the range for several weeks. Mostly what I'm working on now is loads for a couple hunting rifles.

    Now, I imagine if I had all the money spent on ammunition the taxpayers paid for that I expended over the years, I'd be driving a Ferrari.

    One very important thing every shooter should be doing in the course of normal range firing is expending approximately 25 percent of the days ammo allocation shooting from the weak side. Doesn't matter if you are shooting, rifle, pistol, blunderbust, shotgun or wristrocket. Practice with the weak side.

    Simple, learn to shoot left handed if you are right handed. To completely restrict yourself to a single method of handling a firearm is near suicide. Be Flexible!!

    My youngest was taking Law Enforcement at the local Vo-Tech while a Senior in High School. During Open House, the Wife and I, along with eldest Daughter went to see just what is what and how.

    The school had a FAST Trainer to assist teaching their training. Great system. I highly recommend it if you can get time on one. This particuliar system was hooked up to some Ruger Security Six's. I know some like them, I'm not one of them.

    Anyway, my brat decided that I needed to shoot the system and who am I to turn down my daughter's request.

    Up to the firing line I go and we're off to the races. The system ran 4 seperate scenerios before I decided that enough was enough. I laid the Ruger down, told the instructor he needed a good armorer to fix the trigger and started to walk away when the system posted my overall score on the screen. My hit ratio was 91%.

    My eldest was standing behind me, in her dressed to kill clothes, arms crossed and giving me a good imitation of her mother's look. "Dad, just what do you think you were doing? That score is horrible!" The looks on the other students faces just then was priceless. None of them had yet to crack 90% and I'm getting my arse chewed for shooting a 91 in my first pass through the course.

    Then she really slapped them all up side of the head. "You know you're not Left Handed......!"

    Yeah, I shot the course with my weak side hand. And I told the class that not every situation was going to give them the ability to shoot from their strong side. That got their attention. Over the next half hour, I watched 2 others try their weak side hand. Humble results. But they both said they were going to spend more time practicing it.

    Moral of this story is simple. Be prepared and Be Flexible.

    BTW......my Eldest shot an 88 in high heels.
     
  2. mage2

    mage2 Monkey+++

    In high heels. I am not sure what to say about that Mortis. What is this "FAST course"? I did a quick google and did not see anything that looked correct. Is there possibly another name for it? Or is it part of some other course?
     
  3. Mortis

    Mortis Snake Eater

    FAST is a simulator which projects a scenario such as a traffic stop or robbery upon a screen. It is a filmed situation with actors. Often you will have a partner who is in the film clip, another actor being your partner. It teaches what too look for and reaction to situations that go from normal to OH CRAP!!

    The firearms are loaded with what is basically a fancy Snap Caps with a lazer in them which only come on when the firing pin strikes the primer. It is a momentary pulse which is read by the sensors in the screen. With this set-up the gun is basically bore sighted to the lazers. Point of aim....Point of impact.

    It has been about 9 years since I played with it. So, I must apologize for not remembering what the FAST actually stands for. I do know that the systems have been upgraded for scene adjustments as when a criminal takes a hit, he'll fall down. If he is missed, he'll keep shooting at you.

    You've probably seen a similiar system on Mail Call. Those are computer generated situations where the FAST used live actors in a set scene. I've spent alot of time in the computer generated training systems starting back in the early 1980's.

    Daughter in High Heels.....well....You really don't have to do alot of moving
    around if you don't want too. She did shift from side to side some for better shot angle.
     
  4. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

  5. Mortis

    Mortis Snake Eater

    That's IT!!! Damn... I could have sworn they called it FAST.

    Looks like they have upgraded it in many ways over the years.

    Thanks Quig.....
     
  6. DesertDawg

    DesertDawg Monkey+++

    During the last 5 years of my career as a LEO, I was the training coordinator for all personnel assigned to my station (300+ sworn full-time officers, 75 reserve officers, and 100+ civilians). My unit used several training tools, including the "F.A.T.S." system. I had to attend a special school to become a "F.A.T.S." instructor.

    It was a very good system for training purposes. I went through it almost countless times, and after awhile, achieving 100% was almost "routine". What that said to me is, "Practise makes (near) perfect". It also proved to be very effective when the training was live-fire at the range. While "F.A.T.S." was a good training tool, it HAS to be used in conjunction with live-fire exercises.

    I also was able to get some sponsors to cover the costs of PAINTBALL training exercises. Having to put nearly 400 people through paintball shooting was definitely a hassle, but we got it done in 3 separate training days. The paintball training scored VERY high with all officers, but I was "chastised" for having done those training days! The location we used was an abandoned manufacturing firm that was about to be dismantled, and we had the approval of the owners, but....the "brass" found out that there was no liability insurance on the location! Fortunately, no one was injured, so that "chastisement" was left at a verbal warning, only.

    I put quite a few citizens through the "F.A.T.S." system as well. One of them was an ANTI-GUN political type, that had merely wanted a tour of the police academy. After he had gone through the "F.A.T.S." once, he wanted to try it AGAIN! Not sure, but I think that I changed his anti- thinking!
     
  7. mage2

    mage2 Monkey+++

    "Daughter in High Heels.....well....You really don't have to do alot of moving
    around if you don't want too. She did shift from side to side some for better shot angle."

    ya know. for some reason i read eldest son.. i know i was tired that day. I also didnt know what it was so, i was picturing one of the swat type simulations you see in movies sometims where you go in a building and plywood BGs pop out. Shows what I know. Thanks for clearing that up.
     
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