The Kentucky rifles took this to the extreme, and soon the American frontiersmen using them shot out a place in history with them. During the American Revolution, Daniel Boone shot the renegade slave Pompey at extreme long range during the siege of Boonesboro. Pompey climbed a tree at what should have been safely out of range of return fire and had begun a harassing fire campaign aiming at the general interior of Fort Boonesboro. Eventually, one of those bullets was liable to hit someone. So, Daniel Boone took him out with one carefully aimed long-range shot. The British soon learned that anyone within 200 yards of a frontier rifleman was an easy target, while the British troopers’ Brown Bess musket was, at best, a 100-yard weapon and many were so badly bored that a hit at even that short range was considered lucky.

In the War of 1812, at the battle of New Orleans, one frontiersman systematically picked off the British officers who thought they were out of range thereby destroying the British command and control of their troops. This resulted in them being unable to call their men back when the musket, rifle, and cannon fire from General Jackson’s defensive line began decimating the attacking British formations. By the time they were able to recall their Redcoats, the battle had become a massacre with huge British losses and the Chalmette Battlefield was red with the blood of the dead British.

TRAINING

Why is this history important? Because the same truths hold true today. First, the frontiersmen practiced shooting offhand. Skill at this takes practice and it requires training the muscles to hold steady. I don’t care how strong you are, your muscles are not going to hold that rifle steady naturally. I have a scoped 12-pound rifle that I hold on a mark without firing every day until the rifle gets shaky. I do this several times a day. Even though I have used dumbbells up to 110 pounds for decades, I still have to do this if I am going to get maximum accuracy. It is an old tradition dating back to before the days of the Kentucky rifle that, sadly, seems to have been forgotten in modern times.

These days, far too many hunters sight in their rifle from a rest and then strike out hunting. I have nothing against shooting from a rest. I just wish I had a rest to shoot from when I need one. In my long life, I have never been able find the time or a place to rest a rifle for an important shot. Other folks may have, but perhaps I am just unlucky that way… So, I practice shooting offhand and, preferably, at moving targets because that is the way I always end up shooting in the field. A lot of shots are not taken or if taken they are missed because men do not practice shooting offhand sufficiently, if at all.

Remember, there are only 3 ways to learn to shoot. Shooting, shooting, and more shooting. The need for practice is why I tell people to hunt with common calibers like 308 Winchester and 30-06 which are relatively inexpensive and readily available instead of the latest super expensive magnums. Unless you are very wealthy, you will not be able to practice enough with the expensive ammo to get any benefit out of whatever slight performance advantage it may offer. The difference between an exhibition shooter’s skill and the average shooter’s skill is the mountains of ammunition the exhibition shooter goes through in practice. The average person won’t shoot that much ammo for that long, even if he has the money to do it.

Offhand shooting also requires RECENT practice for best results. Some people think they can hang their gun up at the end of the hunting season and not shoot it again until next hunting season with no loss of ability. Only if that ability is low, my friends, and going hunting with low level shooting skills is inhumane to the game.

RIFLES

With some rare exceptions like the U.S. M1 carbine it is difficult to get the best results with a light rifle. This is taken to the extreme if you are tired. In the old days of African hunting when you had to feed your safari with what you shot it was not uncommon to have to run after your game before shooting it on the Veldt. This is why the older rifles made for African use were often made heavier than they needed to be for recoil mitigation. You just can’t hold a light rifle still when you are sweating and out of breath in Africa’s infernal heat. 10 or 11 pounds is about as light as you can afford to go in that situation, and 12 to 15 pounds is much steadier.

A long barrel like a Kentucky rifle has leverage to give the effect of more weight without weighing more. I have been able to put the first two shots fired offhand in one inch at 100 yards with both a mint, previously unfired, M1873 Trapdoor Springfield 45-70 and a long barreled, unaltered, 6.5 Swedish M96 Mauser with a slightly rough bore. In both cases the long barrel was a major factor in holding the gun steady enough.

After the first two shots, the groups widen with each succeeding shot as almost imperceptible fatigue sets in. I, for one, have no hesitation about hunting with a long-barreled, full-stocked rifle no matter how antiquated. Beauty is as beauty does, and all I care about is results. Why should I care about the latest styles and fads when I am out in the woods trying to put meat on the table? I want results. I want my dinner. I can’t get those results with the latest bolt action magnum sporting rifles, so I don’t hunt with them.

Whatever you shoot at or with if you are serious about bringing home the bacon, you should practice shooting offhand like Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett did. In their day no one was considered a competent shot unless he could shoot offhand accurately. That still holds true.

The Wilkinson Arms’ Linda pistol and Terry carbine were an excellent example of early 1980s engineering genius. I first read about the Linda pistol at a public library in 1990, when I was 16. Looking at a recent Gun Digest and comparing various weapons, I was fascinated by Linda. Having no firearms of my own at the time and a minimal familiarity with them in general, I was drawn to it by the clean forms and high-magazine capacity. Holding 31 rounds, the Linda pistol was one of the clear winners in my mind. That, along with its distinctive appearance and memorable model designation, implanted the name of that gun in my memory. Discovering that Linda was back in production as a carbine was like having a chance to meet a once-famous musician.

Some History

Designed during the 1960s by Ray Wilkinson of J&R Engineering, the guns were originally designated M68 and M80. They were produced with law enforcement use in mind. Later, once J&R was closed and re-incorporated as Wilkinson Arms, the family of 9mm and rimfire pistols and carbines also became a family in model designations, named after Ray’s wife and daughters. The design then passed to Northwest Arms, and production ran through 2005. For a while, the Linda pistol and Terry carbine were relegated to “A-Team” re-runs on late night TV. Fortunately, in 2015, Wilkinson Arms was bought and revived by a shooting enthusiast named Patrick McFarland, who acquired the remainder of the unused Linda parts and went about setting up renewed production.

Linda as a Carbine

As soon as possible, I got my hands on the carbine version of the Linda pistol. Fitted with a simple tubular buttsock and a 1/2×28 threaded 16-inch barrel, it was an improvement over the one of my teenage dreams. Several details also improved upon the original configuration, including the addition of a Weaver rail on top of the receiver. The new Linda’s overall length with fixed stock is 31.5 inches (underfolding AKMS or collapsible M4 stocks also available) with an unloaded weight of 6.1 pounds. The tubular receiver houses the enveloping bolt concept originated with the Czech Sa. 23 and the Israeli Uzi. Even more efficient than those already compact designs, Linda uses a bolt almost entirely encircling the barrel, with just enough behind the chamber to load the next cartridge. Unlike the submachine guns which use small diameter recoil springs on guides behind the bolt, Linda uses a larger single spring wrapped around the bolt in front of the chamber. At rest when in battery, this spring stretches on firing and returns the bolt into its original position by compression, making the mechanism even shorter. Like the Sa. 23 and the Uzi, Linda uses a barrel nut; unlike them, Linda has a second nut behind the first to retain the bolt. Although, like those two submachine guns, Linda feeds through the grip—Wilkinson improved the grip angle considerably. Using a double-stack, single-feed magazine, it provides a very natural forward-leaning grip instead of the straight (Uzi) or backward-raked (Sa. 23). 

Because of U.S. government regulations, Linda shoots semiautomatically from the closed bolt, requiring a slightly heavier bolt than its automatic competitors. The closed-bolt mechanism reduces ventilation between bursts of rapid fire but yields superior accuracy and improved dust sealing of the chamber. Firing is by hammer and firing pin, with the trigger feeling lighter than its 6.5 pounds of pull thanks to the smooth wide face. Cross-bolt safety stands out by feel, so its state can be ascertained without looking. The overhanging receiver sides fence it from accidental interference in both ON (right) and OFF (left) positions. Since the extra-wide ejection port exposes the back of the receiver behind the bolt to outside dust, Linda uses an M16-like hinged cover.

Take-down is simple but requires tools. Use a 5/32-inch Allen key to remove two screws holding the grip to the receiver and also the set screw locking the shroud to the barrel. A 3/16-inch Allen key is needed to unscrew the charging handle. Unscrewing the barrel nut releases it along with the attached ventilated shroud. Using any flat object for a wrench helps unscrew the second nut retaining the bolt, which comes forward with the attached spring. That’s the full extent of field-stripping the carbine for cleaning. Reassembly is pretty straightforward, but care must be taken to align the locating pin at the base of the barrel with the corresponding open

The signature 31-shot magazine looks like most pistol mags, with the addition of over-insertion tabs. Loading is surprisingly easy for the capacity, with no mechanical loader required. The magazine doesn’t drop free, full or empty. This helps retention but harms reloading speed. The magazine is compatible with 59 and 5900 series Smith & Wesson pistols, so 15-, 17- and 20-round options are also available. Linda lacks any kind of bolt hold-open device, manual or automatic, so an empty magazine or a misfire feels alike.

The iron sights are a throwback to the 1980s. Both front post and rear aperture are fixed for elevation and windage, so matching the point of impact is a matter of luck. They can be bent into regulation, but that’s a pretty crude method. Fortunately, the updated Linda comes with a Weaver rail. Some Picatinny mount optics fit, like the Primary Arms red dot the author mounted; others, like Magpul sling eyelet, do not. The crude iron sights are removable, but finding Weaver-compatible iron sights can be a challenge, and the sight radius is quite limited for a carbine anyway. The problem is less the separation of the sights and more the placement of the front sight way too close for most people to focus. The left-side charging handle reciprocates safely away from the hands, but its knob position has to be considered when mounting optics to avoid hitting knuckles against the sight. With many optic mounts, the optional extended charging handle available from Wilkinson Arms is essential.

Ergonomics are good for action shooting, awkward for prone. The carbine is well-balanced, especially with a full magazine and an optic attached. The balance is very slightly to the front of the pistol grip but is placed behind the support hand on the re-designed wooden forend. The forend is made of nicely finished wood, but the stylishly pointed edges not present in the old Linda pistol reduce handling comfort. It is similarly nice looking, but hard-polished wood is used for the stock buttpad. A layer of soft rubber would have been a welcome addition. The metal tube which is the buttstock could use neoprene insulation for comfort. The angle of drop is considerable, yet the carbine comes to the shoulder naturally, and the eye lines up well with the sights in standing, kneeling and squatting positions. For people who crowd the rear sight and so end up with a higher head position, a slightly raised red dot works better. Prone shooting is nearly impossible because the angle of the stock drop puts the sights well above eye level for a natural shooter pose, especially if optics are used.

Test Firing

Typical for blowback designs in tubular receivers, Linda has some blowback from the ejection post. Use of a linear compensator or muzzle brake increases it slightly; the use of a sound suppressor increases it a lot. The reduction in muzzle blast is partially offset by the ejection port pop, but the overall noise level is still milder.

The most important feature of any weapon is reliability, and Linda carbine shines there; only one malfunction out of about 750 rounds of ammunition ranging from 50-grain Liberty hypervelocity alloy bullets to Seismic 185-grain subsonics. Accuracy was also respectable, amply adequate to keep all hits on the A zone of a silhouette target at 100 yards. With 9mm Luger being, at most, a 150-yard cartridge, this seems sufficient. The author did the first round of testing with a Hi-Lux 4MOA Tac-Dot, a very excellent little optic with a front-facing auto exposure cell that adjusts the reticle brightness to match target illumination. Rather than mount a magnified scope to wring the smallest groups out of the carbine, I wanted to see what realistic results can be expected in a typical fighting configuration. Due to strong wind on the day of the range trip, all of my groups were wider than they were tall, with the vertical component being more an accurate representation of the actual bullet dispersion.

For varmint use, the frangible lightweights would be superior, but for everyday plinking and target shooting the least expensive, most common 115-grain load proved the most accurate. Felt recoil is fairly low, to the point where drop stock didn’t affect follow-up shots. Lighter weight bullets produced noticeably less push, which is a further argument in their favor for rapid fire. 

With both red dots, I have an impression that I was wasting some of the accuracy potential. So the red dot came off, and the illuminated 1-4x Trijicon AccuPoint went up on the Weaver rail. Low rings kept the height over the bore to a minimum, while 4x top magnification enabled more precise aiming. Unmagnified, the scope worked like an improved red dot, with vertical and horizontal references to guard against accidental cant and with MRAD hash marks to enable accurate rangefinding.The best ammunition this time was Remington 124-grain Golden Sabre, at ¾-inch at 60 yards, or 1.25MOA. Groups fired with Fiocchi 115 grain did not change, which suggests the red dot was not the limiting factor. What did improve with the magnified optic was the ability to center the group on the desired point of impact. The speed of target acquisitions at 1x magnification did not change from the red dot.

Despite its distinctly dated look, Linda carbine turned out to be comfortable and ergonomic for everything but the prone position. Compared to straight stock modern PCCs, it rises a little more on recoil, but not enough to make a strong difference. A muzzle brake would reduce that difference. The less hunched-over position afforded by the drop stock design permits better awareness of the environment. 

50-YARD TEST FIRING

Speer Lawman: 147gr FMJ 1.4in -1060fps

Inceptor RNP: 65gr polymer 1.3in – 1715fps

Liberty alloy: 50gr HP 2.15in – 2550fps

Fiocchi: 115gr FMJ 1.15in – 1320fps

Seismic: 185gr 5.5in – 1010fps

The first evening of the gathering made it clear the SecureIt event was not your typical “feed & seed” media event. Up in front with SecureIt brain trust, including CEO Tom Kubiniec, was Paramount Tactical Solutions’ owner and lead instructor Gary Melton along with two of his core training cadre instructors, Tyler Houston and Derek Rogers. When the agenda was distributed you could sense a stirring in the room. Instead of being confined to hours of meeting rooms, we were going out to Paramount Tactical Solutions’ home base at Summit Point Training Facility for two days of hands on training and scenario driven exercises, including force-on-force training in a state-of-the-art shoot house.

LIFESTYLE

The event illustrates SecureIt’s commitment to a lifestyle of firearms training and proper gun storage. SecureIt feels you owe it…no…it is a responsibility…of gun owners to train with and become proficient with their firearms. SecureIt has taken the time and made the investment in creating its “Beyond The Gun” safe training curriculum. As SecureIt points out, you are not always going to start with your firearm in hand when a defensive encounter starts, especially at home. This ties back into SecureIt’s decentralized storage concept of locating firearms in strategic locations at home, place of work, etc. The company offers a variety of products that serve this purpose well.

SecureIt does not merely want to sell you a gun safe or cabinet and walk away; they want to change your entire concept of how you securely store your firearms. The struggle between balancing weapon access with security is real. Having a basic, yet flexible, plan made in advance is crucial. Pertinent questions are: how best to access and locate personal defense items? Can you even make it to where the secured firearm is before yourself or a family member comes into contact with an intruder? Do you have the fine motor skills necessary to open your gun safe in an adrenaline induced situation? These are questions that SecureIt safes, inserts, and bundles are designed to help answer.

SecureIt’s approach is to store firearms in decentralized locations. It offers far more than merely hiding your weapon in a sock drawer or within  the coats in your closet. The company’s products are made from hardened steel and provide lockable solutions preventing thieves, as well as any other unauthorized person easy access to your firearms. Decentralized, yet accountable secure storage, spread around the home per security needs is the way to go.

Even cursory research into SecureIt’s webpage and other media sources leaves no doubt that SecureIt’s CEO Tom Kubiniec is on a mission to better serve the consumer versus defaulting to traditional, vault-based storage methods. SecureIt’s experience with the often fluid needs of U.S. Special Forces and Marines pay dividends in its service to civilian consumers. These DOD customers did not have the time or patience for more traditional hard safe arrangements. Who wants a thousand-pound behemoth with limited practical space for modern optic, light, laser, pistol grip equipped weapons—albeit long arm or handgun?

SecureIt offers superior alternatives to traditional hard safes. Their products cost less, provide more readily access, and have the ability to be placed around the home for the greatest tactical benefit. It has put together packages for the civilian looking to take advantage of decentralized storge. For example, a Level 2 Decentralized Storage Bundle consisting of two SecureIt Fast Box Model 47 Gun Safes and the Agile Ultralight Model 52 Pro Gun Safe. The Fast Box Model 20 and Model 36D are other options. All of these products were present at the SecureIT training and media event.

The Fast Box Model 47 can be configured for horizontal or vertical placement, accommodating one to two long arms in a vertical orientation. A handgun can be snuggled in, as well. Think horizontal, under a bed, or vertical, in a foyer closet. The Fast Box Model 47 weighs 39 pounds.

The Agile Model 52 is assembled after it arrives. SecureIt has come up with ingenious design that maximizes security. It takes about 20 minutes to put together (with help suggested) once the door component is ready to mount. A customizable 6-digit electronic push-button keypad and swing bolt lock system is found with the door. The lock system provides silent access in a matter of seconds. A key override is also included. The Agile Model 52 is meant to be mounted to the floor or wall for added protection. The Model 52 weighs 105 pounds. This provides stoutness while still enabling placement in the most optimum locations. You can even change your mind without having to contact a professional mover to relocate. The Agile Model 52’s external dimensions of 52 x 20 1/4 x 15 1/4 inches allow for placement in closets or smaller nooks and crannies in various rooms around the house. Door organizer, metal trays and magnetic hooks that also arrive with the Agile Model 52 Pro enable  handguns and other items to be secured. SecureIT also offers small, medium, and large bins that offer flexibility for organized storage of other sensitive items—ammunition, magazines, etc.

HANDS ON EXPERIENCE

Any chance to train with subject matter experts such as Paramount Tactical Solution should be embraced. A hands-on event is the best way to get a point across, versus just sitting in room talking about it. Force on force training quickly dispels any preconceived notions. The first day was flat range work with Paramount Tactical. Various models of Walther PDPs with Trijicon SRO optics were handed out for use. Nice touch there. Crossbreed Holsters and Federated Ordnance ammunition were other important items used, as were Wiley X eye protection and Shellshock ear pro. Range bags from 5.11 Tactical kept everything together.

The second day of the event had us arriving at Paramount Tactical Solution’s Pro Shop located at the Summit Point Training Facility. We then headed back to a shoot house to drill basic CQB tactics before commencing with force-on-force drills that incorporated various SecureIt products. All participants were briefed on SecureIT safes that were located in the shoot house rooms with Simunition-equipped pistols inside.

SecureIt’s Beyond the Gun curriculum gets into the details of how best to orientate designated personal defense firearm inside a safe for efficient access, how best to remove it, pass codes, backlight colors, and so forth. The most crucial thing urged was the importance of training to get into your safe in a regular, repeatable way so there are no surprises if you need to do it for real. We covered getting into a safe in the dark, learning how to manipulate keypad by touch, etc. I noticed that SecureIt has adapted its products based on feedback from previous events. For example, the keypad on the Agile 52 was altered to six large, tactile numbers that light up when the code is entered versus the previous, smaller keypad that had all nine numbers shown with no real “feel” to them. It’s refreshing to see a company enhancinh its products based on end-user feedback.

Paramount Tactical Solutions instructors began scenarios by briefing participants on plausible situations one might encounter in the home. Most started with loud, aggressive knocking on door. Others were just full-blown home invasion with “good” side scrambling towards a SecureIt safe, entering the pass code to gain access, and grabbing a pistol to begin responding to threat. Fifteen seconds was the given time to access the Fast Box or Agile safe. This was generous. Only about 5 seconds was needed, even with the heavy protective gear we were wearing (including gloves.) The new, larger SecureIt keypad and backlit function was appreciated with the Agile 52 and the distinct buttons on the Fast Boxes were easy to operate.

DECENTRALIZATION

SecureIt specializes in lightweight, modular gun storage solutions. Traditional gun safes are heavy, difficult to move, and not efficient in storing modern firearms. More importantly, accessing a firearm when needed in a hurry can be problematic. SecureIt products allow you to store firearms anywhere in your home. Its solution is an integrated home defense system. This is far superior to a lockbox next to your nightstand or large safe isolated to the most convenient place to put it, as opposed to the most strategic location.

Having grown up with low recoiling carbines myself, I have always shunned shotguns because of recoil. It was barely tolerated only because of 3-gun competition. Symtac changed that with Rob Haught’s signature push-pull recoil reduction technique. I came away from the course bruise-free and with a new appreciation on the utility of a shotgun.

PUSH-PULL RECOIL CONTROL

Recoil forms the primary entry barrier to shotguns, causing some to shied away despite its undeniable terminal effects. Symtac’s push-pull technique tear down those barriers and unlock the closest thing to a one-shot-stop that you can buy over the counter. The theory is deceptively simple: push with the support hand while pulling with the dominant hand, as if one were stretching out the gun to absorb recoil with isometric tension. The devil is in the details: I learned to push a lot more than I think need, and to aggressively lean forward.

Pulling hard enough is easy with a field stock, and it is even easier with a pistol grip stock. I fell short on pushing with my triceps as well as grip strength. My Benelli M1 forend, carried over from a field gun, was too slick; this demanded an iron grip that tired my hand quickly. To solve this, I anchored my hand on the ramped portion for better purchase and bending my elbow to better push forward. At the end of my first day, my fatigued muscles were sore and required some physical therapy to finish the second day. Since then, I have added more tricep work to my gym routine and applied grip tape to the forend.

The second lesson learned is to aggressively lean into recoil. Light recoiling carbines have spoiled us all with forgiving shooting positions, and the shotgun now showed me the error of my ways. Once I pointed my toes towards the target and leaned forward into the gun, I better managed muzzle rise and decreased my split times. While I recognize that shot timing is dictated by the situation and not my body posture in real life, there is value in learning good body posture. Taking a half-step to lean into the gun for a plate rack in 3-gun is well worth the effort.

Contrary to initial fears, this technique did not induce any short-stroking malfunctions with my inertia driven Benelli M1 shooting 1 1/8oz #8 birdshot. Upon reviewing videos, I noticed the empty hulls were weakly dribbling from the gun, possibly due to the technique robbing some energy from the inertia system; gas systems (e.g., Benelli M4 or Beretta 1301) may be affected less. You can play the video above at 1/2 speed to see the shells slow ejection.

Two full days of shooting did not bruise my shoulder. Nine pellet buckshot (i.e., not a reduced recoil load) and slug shells felt no different than birdshot. After many repetitions, my jaw swelled slightly, presumably due to cheek slap. This was eliminated by mounting the gun from the side rather than pressing my cheek vertically into the stock. The lack of recoil was further confirmed by instructors demonstrating from less than supported positions, and students shooting from a seated position. Breaking down this barrier opened up the possibility of short-stocking a shotgun to manage its length.

SHORT-STOCKING

Taming recoil allowed me to short-stock the shotgun and flow through thresholds easily in close quarters battle (CQB). Excluding NFA controlled guns due to accessibility and excluding NFA driven innovations due to inefficiencies, shotguns (minimum barrel length of 18 inches) can be longer than the popular 5.56 mm carbine (minimum barrel length of 16 inches). For example, my Benelli M1 has nearly 20 inches of barrel.

To move through a threshold efficiently, Orion Training Group taught me to short-stock my rifle vertically over my shoulder to avoid catching the magazine on door frames. Despite proven terminal effects on target, I initially rejected shotguns because I did not know how to fire from this collapsed position. Symtac corrected my thinking.

Symtac taught turning the shotgun sideways, ejection port up for right-handed and down for left-handed. With no magazine to catch on door frames, my primary concern is to avoid cheek slap by placing the flat of the stock against my shoulder to maintain separation. My support hand thumb is wrapped over the barrel for a good pushing grip; I wore gloves to protect against a scalding barrel. Being left-handed, I did not experience any cycling issues with a semi-automatic despite pointing the ejection port down. However, the instructor did caution us to roll a pump gun 45-degrees before cycling to prevent gravity from pulling a fresh shell out the ejection port.

Shooting from the short-stock position requires point shooting, which was initially uncomfortable for me. My night vision experiences conditioned me to rely on a laser pointer, but repetition built my competence from bad breath distance to fifteen yards. Symtac also built my skills to quickly transition from point shooting to giving aimed fire from the shoulder. The importance of both point shooting and transitions were evident from their incorporation into the skills test: point shoot one slug from short-stock, transition to aimed fire from the shoulder for two slugs, perform emergency reload, then fire one more slug to the head. It is at the emergency reload where I learned my third lesson: the value of a match saver.

MATCH SAVER

Shotguns lack capacity and are slow to reload. An 18-inch barrelled gun has enough tube length to only hold six shells in a cruiser-ready configuration (tube full, lifter empty), and only eight if I load the chamber and ghost load. Some users even down-load the tube (i.e., load five if the capacity was six) to simplify a slug-select (not covered in this course). Low capacity, and the possibility of a shotgun being the only weapon in a grab-and-go scenario, drives home the need for a fast emergency reload.

For emergency reloads during this course, I placed a shell on my belt, brass up. While I muddled through, I learned it’s inefficient compared to a match saver because my hand must travel further. A match saver holds one shotshell horizontally on the gun, in-front-of and in line with the ejection port, with the brass end facing shooter. To reload, one just needs to palm the shotshell straight rearward, through the ejection port, then close the bolt and fire. Shorter distance makes this faster than reaching into my belt. Furthermore, this is easier to accomplish in the dark than searching my belt for a shell.

A match saver also has the advantage of always staying with the gun. In a grab-and-go scenario, one may lack the luxury to don additional ammunition sources. This is especially important as I eschewed side saddles to reduce weight. My match saver can carry either an emergency reload or a slug when, precision is required. I am grateful to learn this valuable, and easily applied, lesson in an academic setting.

CONCLUSION

Prior to this class, I relegated the shotgun to anti-avian warfare due to its recoil and length. With the push-pull recoil reduction technique taken to heart over many repetitions, Symtac then taught me to short-stock a shotgun for CQB. This unlocked its well documented terminal effectiveness, leading me to perhaps keep a shotgun handy for close encounters.

While there is still some squabbling about proper terminology, mostly used to arrogant-ly put down the less experienced, the article in question is generally referred to by the shooting community as a “sound suppressor.” Silencers obviously do not silence a weapon’s operation, and those who refer to them as such usually get their terminology from Hollywood or the National Firearms Act of 1934. As much as suppressor gurus cringe at the use of the word “silencer,” it is the language used by Federal law, as regulated under Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was coined by Hiram Percy Maxim, himself. For this reason, I have never really worried about the terminology and just enjoyed the suppressor/silencer for what it is—a wonderful tool that adds another level of convenience and tactical practicality to the battlefield and the range. With the influx of usage during this suppressor renaissance, training is key for users to properly deploy their suppressor, as it is not like any other accessory.

This author had the pleasure to attend a tier one course operated by Dan Shea of Phoenix Defence. His company is well known to the U.S. Defense community, as well as to NATO and NA-TO-aligned nations. The course was organized as a seminar and was instructed by Dr. Philip H. Dater, MD. “Doc” Dater has over 50 years of experience in firearm suppression, including design and manufacturing. He is also an expert in firearm sound measuring techniques and pioneered the standardization of measuring procedures. Dr. Dater found this passion while filling the hours on-call as an overnight radiologist. In his spare time, he began to tinker with suppressors and successfully reproduced and improved upon existing designs. In the 1970s, he launched the Automatic Weapons Company (AWC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By 1994, he had left AWC and started Gemini Technologies (Gemtech) in Idaho with a team of professional designers. A man of many hats, Dr. Dater also created his own private consulting company, Antares Technologies, which works with other defense manufacturers and the U.S. government. His consultancy specialized on firearm and suppression testing with modern sound equipment, high speed photography and other technologies.

The Seminar

The seminar was filled with top tier representatives of a wide spectrum of three letter agencies from around the DC belt-way and government design groups. Apart from tuning up on suppressor deployment, many were conducting research for product procurement and possible contract so-licitation. The seminar instructors included pioneers in modern suppression who offered development workshops, testing procedures, and live-fire testing of many examples. Instructors walked participants through the basic principles of suppression, source of sound, acoustic characteristics, ballistic crack and flash suppression through proper suppressor design with optimal material construction. As a class, participants reviewed proper suppressor maintenance, cleaning and common problems encountered. We discussed, at length, the role of muzzle length and gas pressure, the role of suppressed pistols and recoil management and modern linear inertial decoupler design. These lectures were punctuated with high-speed photography and videos, which transformed more abstract concepts into concrete engineering problems, and ideally, solutions.

Doc also passed on an interesting look into craft-built expedient devices. These lectures were complimented by detailed examples in the history of suppressor de-velopments. He elaborated on advantages and disadvantages of integral and mount-ed suppressors, baffles designs, including K and M baffles, and different construction materials in common use today, which in part, determine durability and service life and affect potential sound reduction. The seminar also addressed the persistent first-round pop problem, which challenges designers to this day. Of particular interest was the dissection of Soviet/Russian sup-pressed systems and specialty, reduced velocity ammunition, such as the 9×39 cartridge and the VSS rifle, and the role of captive piston ammunition.

Lesson Learned

The most valuable lesson from the course was the standardization of sound measuring procedures which Doc helped to develop and which private and government operators and instructors are able to bring back to their respective agencies. This author would highly recommend the seminar to any agency or individual looking to gain insights on next level suppressor deployment and development. Contact Phoenix Defence for the next upcoming advanced suppressor seminar, scheduled for October 3-4, 2019. phoenixdefence.com / 702-208-9735

Civilian Classes:

Military/LE Classes:

Go to training.hk-usa.com  to review and register for the classes.

SHOOT SIG is a shooting experience aimed at getting you from the house to the range in a fun, approachable atmosphere. SHOOT SIG is a membership community welcoming all levels of firearms enthusiasts, encourages participation in shooting sports, and offers generous member-only benefits including: ability to register for SHOOT SIG matches across the country with generous prize opportunities for every participant, participation in the SHOOT SIG Product Purchase Program, entry into an aspirational annual member sweepstakes, quarterly giveaways, webstore discounts, member newsletters and a SHOOT SIG welcome pack.

“In the first year of SHOOT SIG we welcomed thousands of members and laid the foundation for a successful program,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc. “In 2024 we are turning it up with more matches, more benefits, and more excitement for our members.”

The 2024 SHOOT SIG Competition Season will consist of 25 matches spanning the country with the kick-off match with Team SIG Captain Max Michel, occurring in coordination with the SIG SAUER Academy EDC Championship at Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club in New Smyrna Beach, Florida February 10 – 11, 2024.

The following is the initial release of the competition schedule with all matches taking place on Saturday and Sunday, unless noted.

2024 Confirmed SHOOT SIG Match Schedule:

February 10 – 11: Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club / New Smyrna Beach, Florida*
March 23 – 24: Talon Range / Midway, Florida
April 20 – 21: Atlanta Conservation Club / Atlanta, Indiana
April 27- 28: Cavern Cove Competitive Shooting / Woodville, Alabama
May 4 – 5: Summit Training Center / Summit, WV
May 18 – 19: Golden Triangle Gun Club / Beaumont, TX
June 1 – 2: Triggerguard, Wellington, KS
June 15 -16: Frontline Defense Firearms Center / Warrenton, NC
June 28 – 30: Cardinal Shooting Center / Morengo, OH**
July 12 – 13: SIG SAUER Academy / Epping, NH***
July 20 – 21: Laughery Valley Fish & Game / Versailles, IN
August 24 – 25: Easton Fish & Game / Easton, PA
August 31 – September 1: Shadow Hawk Defense / Hedgesville, WV
September 28 – 29: Tri-County Gun Club / Sherwood, OR

• occurs in conjunction with SIG SAUER Academy EDC Championship
  ** occurs in conjunction with USPSA Carry Optics Nationals, 3-days of shooting.
  ***occurs on Friday and Saturday.

Newly schedule matches will be immediately added to the schedule as confirmed and posted to the SHOOT SIG schedule available on SHOOTSIG.com. To learn more about the SHOOT SIG program, become a member, learn how to register for a match, or news visit SHOOTSIG.com.

While the fictional “NCIS” character Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ “Rule Number Nine” is stated as “Never go anywhere without a knife,” and this is wise counsel, it’s actually paraphrased from the real “Rule Number One” as taught to young men raised in the pre-1970s era. As a child of the ‘50s and ‘60s, I can attest to the fact that almost every adult male would at some point or other say, “Nothing will ever cut you faster than a dull knife.” This was usually stated after asking to see one’s pocket knife to see if he was keeping a proper edge on it. God help the young man with a dull knife, or worse yet, no knife at all.

Our knives are as American as our guns are. Our lore and legends revolve around them: the Bowie, the Ka-Bar, the Randall, Trench knives, all fighting knives. Then there were our carry/work knives: the Buck 110 Folding Hunter, Camillus Military Utility and of course the Uncle Henry and Old Timer knives. I’m getting all nostalgic just thinking about them; I still have my U.S. Army Ka-Bar and Camillus kept in a drawer (wouldn’t carry today, too sentimental), but unfortunately I lost my Buck 110.
The fact is, in today’s world it’s getting harder to carry a good “Gentleman’s knife.” TSA will take it, and many places you go people will confiscate (steal) it if you put it out where it can be seen. Traveling overseas, well, there is the horror of having a knife in England, a land that was carved out by guys with swords, knives and other sharp cutlery. “Dear Lord, how can you have a knife?” This author’s response is, “How will I open boxes? How will I cut that horrible over-cooked beef you boil?” So, taking a good knife overseas is pretty much out because of the possibility of losing it to theft by blaggards or other government people. I take cheap knives with me, because I know they’ll get stolen.

In the U.S., however, we’re mostly in the free world regarding our knives. This allows for choices of good, reliable knives to keep with us and be there when we need them. These are such important tools, and quality might cost extra, but it seldom disappoints.

Spyderco

Spyderco is one of the leading knife manufacturers in the modern world, having started business in 1976. They have some of the world’s top talent in their leadership, including Michael Janich. This author has gotten to know Michael over the years while at military trade shows and had many conversations regarding knives. He is truly an encyclopedia of knife metallurgy, lore and knife tactics, as well as being a top designer himself.

Today, Spyderco has many utilitarian knives and tools, as well as many of what would be termed combat, or tactical, knives. Their designs are highly respected and carried by active users worldwide. That’s not what this article is about. Approximately 8 months ago, I sat with Michael for quite a while, discussing the history and use of the basic folding knife that a working person needs. We talked about the current designs that would be of interest to the tactical world, and I kept coming back to the fact that I was not satisfied with any of the knives I’d been carrying—there was always something a bit “off” or uncomfortable. While I can make anything work, I’m very picky about my carry guns, ammo and my work knife.

Michael reached into the Spyderco display case and pulled out a knife, handed it to me and said, “Look this one over. It’s the Brouwer design and is probably exactly what you are looking for.” He proceeded to tell me about Jerry Brouwer, a Dutch knife collector and designer. Brouwer designed a knife called the “Flanker” model, and when he met Eric Glesser from Spyderco at a knife meet in the Netherlands, they decided to collaborate on the design; the “Brouwer” was born. Michael told me that Brouwer wanted his knife to be a “seri-ous, every day cutting tool, small enough to carry conveniently and substantial enough for challenging cutting chores.” He was absolutely speaking my language.

I got the knife and decided to test it for a while as my work/carry knife and see if it was everything this author was looking for. I’ve used it for over 8 months now on everything as simple as shaving a broken fingernail to cutting heavy rope. Opening hundreds of boxes of magazines and cutting cardboard didn’t affect the sharpness at all. Pulling splinters, cutting plastic, shaving wood edges, occasional peel-ing of a 12-gauge wire, just everything in the course of a day proved no problem. The blade shape is perfect, and it cuts smooth as silk; there’s a very nice draw path through whatever I’m cutting.

It was easy to open one-handed with Spyderco’s Trademark Round Hole™ (I like to carry tip-up style anyway), and which side the clip is mounted, right or left, can be reversed if that’s your preference. The only problem I had is the same with any clipped pocket mounted knife: the pants wear at the pocket edge—but I’m talking about work pants, not fancy-go-to-meeting pants (I‘ve been carrying the Brouwer then too). If you work, you know what I mean—work pants get worn out. I want my knife where I can get it fast, and that’s just how it is.

Thumbs-Up

The specs are in the article; all the info is available on this knife at spyderco.com. As promised to Michael, I’m giving my opinion, and it’s a thumbs-up. I really used the Brouwer every single day when I was stateside for the last 8 months, and I am impressed. I didn’t even consider sharpening it during that whole time; it kept the edge beautifully. I’ve found my carry work knife, and my comfort level is back up, even better than my first Buck 110.
Jerry Brouwer, wherever you are today, kudos to you and Spyderco!

Keeping It Sharp

Spyderco offers an extensive group of sharpening tools. I have to confess that I use a Wicked Edge Pro-Pack II because I have it for my kitchen knives, and it’s been an outstanding sharpening system. I spoke with Michael about the correct angle for sharpening the Brouwer; it’s a “smooth blade” (plain edge) with right and left angles of 17 degrees (so an included angle of 34 degrees), and if you use the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker® at a 40-degree included angle, you’ll contact the apex of the edge. Also remember that the Brouwer is a Full Flat Grind (FFG) blade, and that requires some special attention with the Wicked Edge system. Watch the videos at wickededgeusa.com.

Michael Janich teaches his special Martial Blade Concepts, and you can also get his books online such as Knife Fighting: A Practical Course or watch his videos on YouTube. I strongly suggest going to his website and learning about his practical, well-thought-out program on MBC (martialbladeconcepts.com/about-mbc).
Please pay a visit to spyderco.com where they have a huge list of resources, from what metals are used and why, the treatment of the metal, types of grips, all of their seemingly thousands of products plus a very active forum section where questions and answers are provided.

Spyderco’s Description

The heart of the Brouwer is its Full Flat Grind blade, which is crafted from CPM® S30V® particle metallurgy stainless steel. Its drop-point profile offers outstanding utility, while a paired index-finger choil and textured thumb ramp ensure precise control when used with a “choked-up” grip. Spyderco’s Trademark Round Hole™ is positioned closer to the blade’s centerline to allow a straight spine, while still offering easy one-handed opening.

The Brouwer’s handle features a solid titanium scale and Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L.) on one side and a textured green G-10 scale and nested, skeletonized stainless steel liner on the other. To ensure a solid lock-up and long service life, the R.I.L. includes a stainless steel interface that also serves as an over-travel stop. A reversible stainless steel hourglass clip mounted to the butt end of the handle keeps the knife ready for instant access and offers a choice of left- or right-side tip-up carry. It is complemented by a lined lanyard hole for easy attachment of fobs and safety lanyards.

BROUWER FOLDER TI/G-10

Overall length 6.82in (173mm)
Blade length 2.82in (72mm)
Steel CPM S30V
Closed length 4in (102mm)
Edge length 2.36in (60mm)
Weight 2.8oz (79g)
Blade thickness 0.118in (3mm)
Handle Titanium/G-10
Clip position Ambidextrous
Tip carry position Tip-up
Lock type R.I.L. (Reeve Integral Lock)
Grind Full Flat
Sheath N/A
Origin Taiwan
MSRP $270 (as I said, quality costs but doesn’t disappoint)

Springfield Armory made a noteworthy introduction recently to their product lineup with the Echelon 9mm. Not resting on their laurels, the Echelon is a fresh Springfield design. Do not mistake it as a XD variant or anything else in the Springfield catalogue. It is made in Croatia to Springfield Armory’s specifications by the same manufacturer cranking out Springfield’s XDs, Hellcats, and Hellion bullpup rifles. The American consumer signaled their acceptance by snatching up Echelons from dealers’ shelves. In many areas demand still outweighs supply. A nice problem to have if you are Springfield Armory.

Many may ask what the Springfield Echelon offers to shooters compared to other polymer-framed striker-fired handguns already on the market. The answer lies more with refining the striker-fired concept that started more than 40 years ago than anything revolutionary. The Echelon benefits from lessons learned, combined with a manufacturer intimately familiar with what it takes to create a quality weapon.

REFINEMENT

The Echelon attracts admirers thanks to its ergonomics. For example, its grip angle offers a natural point of aim, especially when a red dot is mounted. With the Echelon, Springfield focused on enhancing the handgun’s interaction with the user using its “Adaptive Grip Texture”, oversized trigger guard that is undercut at frame, ambidextrous slide stops, and magazine releases, plus textured indexing points on both sides of the frame. The Echelon arrives with the medium grip module with small and large available for purchase separately… more on this later. This is further accentuated by three different backstrap contour options.

The Echelon slide’s shape is engineered to aid in increased muzzle control and manipulation. Echelon’s slide features four distinct engagement surfaces. A trench cut forward of the action gives shooters a natural index location for press checks and charging the firearm. The back of the slide is flared for positive purchase if this method of manipulating slide is preferred. Deep forward and rear serrations provide gripping surface from any angle.

INNOVATION

The heart of the Echelon is its chassis trigger group that bears the required serial number. Springfield labels it their “central operating group” (COG). The COG is self-contained and can be moved between grip modules in seconds. Think of the modularity options that will be forthcoming after the Echelon’s initial rollout. Precision built from stainless steel, the COG provides a host for a patent-pending operating system i.e., the trigger group. The Springfield Echelon takes full advantage of the learning curve based on previously introduced chassis operating system handguns by other manufacturers. The Springfield COG features trigger bar and striker block safeties, reducing the opportunity accidental discharge incidents.

Concealed beneath the slide cover plate is the Echelon’s patent-pending optic mounting system. The variable interface system (VIS) allows users to mount more than 30 optics directly to the slide without the use of adapter plates. In short, if your optic is or shares the footprint of Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, or Shield RMSc you are good to go out of the box. Simply configure the self-locking pins for the footprint of your desired optic to achieve a low, direct mount for intuitive sight alignment.

The Springfield Armory VIS employs patent-pending self-locking pins. As the optic mounting screws are torqued, the pins exert lateral pressure on the optic’s interior mounting surface to eliminate variance and left/right movement. The result is an unparalleled fit between the slide and a wide variety optics. This Springfield VIS system mounts your red dot deep into the slide, keeping it as low to the bore as possible. This translates into seamless dot acquisition when combined with the Echelon’s grip angle.

DESIGN INPUT

I think we all accept that elite competition shooters are the highest skilled “pistoleers” in the world — after all, that is what they do for a living. Expending time and ammunition that most people cannot imagine. Tier one special operation units often invite world class competition shooters to train with them in an effort to teach its members how to gain any advantage possible in running a handgun more efficiently and ruthlessly. After all, the physical aspects of shooting are the same in every realm i.e., grip, stance, weapon manipulation, trigger control, hand-eye speed, and coordination. Springfield Armory has one of the greatest ever — Rob Leatham — on their team. He surely collaborated on the Echelon project — especially regarding aspects of the trigger and the pistol’s overall ergonomics.

The Echelon offers a repeatable 5-pound trigger pull with a minimal reset. Short tactile reset allows rapid, multiple shots placed on target. The Echelon’s trigger is proof Springfield engineers listened to customer feedback… as well as one of the greatest ever competition shooters — Rob Leatham. To my way of thinking, the secret to striker-fired handgun success is minimal operating controls, high cartridge-capacity-to-size ratio, relentless reliability, and, to mis-paraphrase an famous political advertisement….”it’s the trigger, stupid…” The Springfield Armory Echelon follows this formula and improves upon what was previously thought possible with striker-fired handgun triggers.

THIS IS THE WAY

What if there were ways to maximize potency of your personal defense handgun? After all, as a civilian, or even a law enforcement officer, if a hostile situation is encountered you may most likely be dealing with it with a handgun. So, what would be some of the ways to best boost your handgun’s capability and functionality? The most obvious personal defense handgun equipment upgrade over the last 10 years has to be red dot sights (RDS). My first articles on red dot use appeared in 2010, thus dating my own journey. Though technology should not be used as a crutch that substitutes diligent practice and training, red dots are definitely a positive in supplementing the centuries-old iron-sight concept. With a red dot, a user can now do as nature intends–focus on the target/threat. Moreover, because the indexing of a red dot is far easier than shoving multiple pieces of steel back and forth on a pistol slide, shooters find they can perform beyond what was considered possible with iron sights. All simply because the concept uses the eyes in a more normal manner. The Springfield Echelon embraces red dot usage with their VIS system.

An EOTECH EFLX was mounted to the Echelon. The EFLX uses a top mounted CR2032 battery offering 20,000 hours of run time. The EFLX mounted on the Echelon features a 3 MOA dot (with a 6 MOA dot version also available.) EFLX’s aluminum housing offers durability while only still only weighing 1.4 ounces. The Echelon’s already low bore axis is further enhanced with the beavertail and undercut triggerguard allowing for a very stable sight picture no matter how many or how rapidly rounds are fired. The low mounting position of the Springfield VIS system is appreciated with the EO Tech EFLX’s dot seamlessly located.

FEEL DOES NOT MEAN FIT

One note here of an important lesson relearned. While the medium backstrap fit my hand well, the position of the EOTECH dot seemed high in the screen. Out of curiosity the smaller backstrap was installed. The benefit of finding the dot upon extension of draw was immediate. In short, while “feel” is important, proper fit is crucial. Think about how custom rifles and shotguns are contoured to the end user. The same applies to handguns, especially those with a red dot.

Proper grip starts from the holster and sets the stage for the most efficient use of a red dot-equipped handgun. The majority of aiming any pistol, red dot or not, is achieved through kinesthetic awareness. Kinesthetic awareness is a person’s ability to sense the relative location of their body’s parts based on the engagement and tension of muscles and joints. This especially pertains to red dots via proper grip and tension applied to the pistol as soon as possible with shooting hand from the holster and support hand close to the body under the dominant eye. Grip is the key for tracking the red dot vertically on target during multiple round drills.

Back to the earlier competition shooter reference, I got to take advantage of Origin Shooting’s Ken Bloxton while testing out the Echelon. Ken was the 2015 Two-Gun Nationals Champion and placed fifth in the Three-Gun Nationals the same year. He created Origin Shooting in 2017 with an emphasis on enhancing students’ speed placing rounds on target accurately, even when combined with movement. This, after all, would facilitate better performance, no matter the matter situation. Competing is encouraged by Origin Shooting to better define weaknesses; thus, allowing weaknesses to be overcome.

PERFORMANCE:

Echelon testing consisted of establishing reliability first, then testing accuracy and handling. The Echelon arrives with a flush fitting 17-round magazine and a 20-round magazine featuring an extended baseplate. Several magazines worth of ammunition was spent engaging plate racks and man-sized steel targets. Ken Bloxton and I took turns running the Echelon during an initial range visit with it. No malfunctions were encountered with nearly 300 rounds fired that first day. The Springfield Armory Echelon is a handgun you can count on being ready to go straight out of the box.

While technological quick fixes are not to be used in lieu of training, red dots on a personal defense weapon cannot be ignored. Focusing on the target is one of the key concepts of red dot use. The natural pointability of the Echelon comes into its own in this realm with the EOTECH EFLX doing its part, as well. The EFLX rectangular “wind shield” offers a superior field of view compared to other red dot options. The glass in the new EFLX is clear with no tinting or other coatings being obvious. The EFLX clarity gives better target acquisition without having to figure out what you’re looking at through the glass. The dot is crisp with no halos or disfiguration. The Springfield Armory Echelon combined with the EFLX proved very capable at quick target engagement with shots broken faster than what it takes to read the description.

Two main evaluation priorities were making sure that the Echelon’s reliability was beyond reproach and answering the question that the handgun offers something beyond what the other polymer handguns on the market offer. The Echelon handled several types of ammunition without a problem. Firing began with basic drills to get acclimated with the trigger, sights, and overall feel. Brass and steel ammunition was used along with various bullet weights and bullet profiles. Federal, Black Hills, Hornady, and Remington ammunition was used. Accuracy was in the 2.5- to 3-inch range for five rounds at 25 yards, depending on ammunition used. Drills quickly moved past stand and deliver drills to more dynamic drills involving movement, magazine reloads, and firing from behind cover. The Springfield Echelon’s simplicity of operation allowed for rapid engagement of targets combined with well thought out ergonomics positioning the hand near optimum placement starting with the presentation from the Black Scorpion holster.

With the Echelon, Springfield Armory’s attention to detail is instantly sensed. Crucial items such grip texture, trigger, and maximizing getting the shooters hand as near the bore axis are seamlessly interfaced between the handgun and shooter. Years of experience allowed for Springfield Armory engineers to take the nebulous concept of “feel” and translate it to being one of best shooting pistols on the market, right out of the box.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Close Quarters Battle (CQB), also known as room clearing, is a demanding endeavor that even ordinary citizens may find themselves doing. If we come home to an open door and screaming family, waiting for help is not an option. If we suspect a home invasion, shelter-in-place is insufficient if we need to gather and secure other family members. In such cases, we prefer not to tackle this difficult and dangerous problem without prior experience.

Orion Training Group (OTG) fills this need with open enrolment courses. We first attended an introductory class focusing on solo and duo-response. We honed fundamentals like footwork, then learned to navigate complex room geometries and the use of additional manpower for speed and security. We attended another night vision CQB class. Using fundamentals from introductory course, we dealt with light gradients while learning the limitations of technology first-hand.

OTG imparted knowledge in digestible chunks, introduced multiple methods to solve the same problem, and held students accountable for their choices (or lack thereof) when they outrun their brain. Force-on-force tested our execution. The teaching points were not focused on any citizen, law enforcement, or military context but rather emphasized how resources, mission, and environment dictated tactics. Throughout these courses, we had to consciously slow our movement down to our processing speed in order to make optimal decisions; more than once, we played the fools who rushed in where angels feared to tread.

SPATIAL AWARENESS

CQB is a game of angles. Before we can process and address the angle with our eyes and weapon, we must avoid overexposing and telegraphing our location. We could procedurally short-stock a rifle over or under our shoulder (see this YouTube video, but we should recognize our environment and decide whether it is necessary or desirable. With wide hallways common in commercial buildings, it is possible to pan a door with a shouldered rifle without extending its muzzle past the threshold. There may even be sufficient room for another teammate to hold hallway security while panning. However, environmental features (such as opposing doors) may dictate a simultaneous pan where it is necessary to short-stock our rifles. During force-on-force, we needlessly compressed our pistol to pan a threshold because we always procedurally short-stock the rifle. This left us unable to return aimed fire when confronted during the pan; we could only run away like Monty Python and the Holy Grail. During this scenario, we failed to recognize and exploit the fact that a pistol reduces overexposure concerns.

We also learned our habit of leading with our elbow when pieing around a corner. With a heavy rifle, we chicken-winged to manage the weight. With a pistol, we formed an isosceles stance. Both caused our elbow to telegraph our location long before our eyes can process the scene, make decisions, and apply ballistic counselling.

We observed other students ducking back behind a corner due to incoming fire, only to re-peek at the same height when opposition is ready and waiting. Force-on-force punished these mistakes and reinforced the demand for spatial awareness that can only result from slowing down to our processing speed. Outrunning our processors inevitably lead to failures.

LIGHT MANAGEMENT

We intuitively understand we should minimize light emissions to maximize surprise, but we also learned to broadcast light to our advantage. If we were already backlit (i.e., already compromised), we can create a photonic barrier with our weapon lights and deny information. The opposition can neither discern our manpower, nor choose a point-of-aim. Of course, we must process the environment to judiciously use this at the cost of surprise. 

Light can also be used to disrupt the opposition’s observe-orient-decide-act cycle (aka “OODA” loop) and somewhat increase the violence of action when distraction devices are unavailable. Modern weapon lights with 1000+ lumens can be blinding and might cause recipients to involuntarily squint or raise their hands to block the light, thus disrupting their firing solution. We experienced this during force-on-force. In another scenario, we lost speed while pieing a corner under night vision. Intuiting the bad guy is in the room, we employed white light during entry to increase the violence of action and regain the initiative.

On the more subtle side, we recognized environmental lighting gradients that dictate our entry method. Stacked strong side in a bright hallway and about to enter a dark room, we could have moved across to create a split stack and to better manipulate the door or perform a crisscross entry. However, this would cast our shadows under the closed door and telegraph our location. Mindful of this limitation, we chose to enter strong-side to maintain surprise. In order to make informed decisions, our legs must not outrun our brain.

COMMUNICATIONS

To non-verbally communicate with teammates, instructors emphasized consistency across different lighting conditions. For example, one can muzzle pump or wag to ask a teammate to open the gate for a safe entry. We chose to wag regardless of lighting conditions because one cannot easily discern a pump under night vision by just observing the pointer. The limited field-of-view also forced us to constantly scan for these signals. Moving too fast caused us to miss cues, which created chaos.

Slowing down to process our teammates’ body language made us smoother. For example, a teammate’s intent focus behind a couch indicates a dead space. That prompted us to move and assist. Conversely, we learned to wait for others to process, else we risk launching into the next problem unsupported. This is especially important under night vision with degraded field-of-view, reduced contrast, and such.

Our instructor remarked that the hallmark of a good team is not the lack of mistakes, but the fact that gaps are recognized and plugged on-the-fly. We found we can only achieve that by processing cues. As the class progressed, repetitions improved processing speed. Consequently, movement speed increased, as well.

Every player of an effective sports team knows all plays and calls; every member of an effective CQB team knows all techniques and signals. A team that frequently trains together can establish default tactics techniques and procedures (TTPs) to increase efficiency and reduce confusion. For example, a teammate expecting a strong side entry while another expecting a crisscross can create a fatal foul-up. OTG took pains to present a plethora of techniques and encouraged students to explore, all without forcing their preferences upon us. While students agreed upon TTPs for the remainder of the course, instructors emphasized flexibility by requiring us to articulate our decisions. During a scenario, we found hostages but no hostage-taker during the initial threshold assessment. By processing our environment, we realized we dawdled too long and might be backlit by ambient lighting. Following TTP to pan over for crisscross entry would actually increase risk to both the hostages and the entry team as we lost surprise already. By making a strong side entry without delay, we increased speed to regain the initiative. We were successful because we processed environmental clues while our teammates processed our body language, obviating the need to verbally call for the play.

CONCLUSION

OTG provides open enrolment classes to tackle the difficult and dangerous problem of CQB. Instructors presented multiple techniques and emphasized flexibility while holding students accountable for their choices. We learned to move only as fast as our processing speed for spatial awareness, light management, and non-verbal communications with teammates would allow. Practicing micro drills at home improves individual elements, but we feel the needed to also practice with others for stimulus and communications. This, and the valuable critique from instructors, is why we find utility in repeating courses from time to time.