I took an all day tactical handgun class Saturday...

...and I SUCKED!!!!

It called Street Survival Handgun II, and was a low light/no light course.

I did really well in level I, but I just couldn't get it together in this class. I shall itemize...

1. I couldn't see! In the low light/no light, targets within 7 yards or so, I was okay with, but shortly after that, there was a demarcation between "okay with", and "freaking blind"...even with my Surefire. For the past year or so, I've noticed I've been having problems reading in dim light, and can't read at all if the text is too close to my face. I've got an eye appointment Wednesday.

2. My Sig kept short stroking. I don't think it was a problem with the gun its self...I think it was something I was doing. I haven't really shot it in a while (usually shoot the Colt), so I guess I need to practice with it more. Take it from me. It's hard to clear a malfunction in the dark when you're holding a flashlight.

3. I totally lost it during the final Combat Course where you have to run an IDPA like stage that tests all the techniques you learned during the class...with all the lights out. I froze up and every single thing I learned went right out the window. I did EVERYTHING wrong. I've shot IDPA before. I know how to use cover and slice the pie...but I turned into a drooling idiot as soon as the buzzer went off. I used my flashlight all wrong. I kept looking for no-shoots when there weren't any, I didn't use cover...at all....and after turning one corner, there was a target like two feet in front of me. I missed him entirely. I could have just punched him I was so close.

Don't get me wrong...it's not like I accidentally shot anybody or dropped my gun or started crying. I did well enough to pass the class....in fact I got an overall "good" rating...I just didn't do near as well as I thought I should have.

I did really well on my malfunction drills, and with a few glaring exceptions my accuracy was pretty good, but add any stress to the situation, and I just sort of fell apart....and Street Handgun III is going to be a high stress class....not to mention if I ever have to defend myself.

I'm going to practice more, and I'm going to start shooting IDPA again...then after a few months I plan on taking the class again. There's no way I'm going to try to take the high stress level III when I couldn't handle the low stress of level II.

Overall, my performance in that class was humbling and more than a little disguisting. I learned I'm not near as good as I thought I was.

Did they do that thing with the targets and body armor where you don't kill it unless the air bladder bursts yet?

You did look kinda worn out when I saw you!

Nope. About as fancy as it got was when we had to physically move a no-shoot out of the way in order to engage a target.

Yeah, it was kind of exhausting. There were only six people in the class, so there wasn't much down time. By the time you topped off your magazines, it was almost time for you to go again....but we still went for the whole eight hours.

Hey man, you did well. Plus you got to hang out with the drug guy with the funny beard!

That guy was cool.

And scary looking.

He was nice though, and went out of his way to point out where I was having problems, and gave me exercises to address them.

Sounds like fun.

Plus, it sounds like you found some areas where you want to work on your mad skilz, so the class was good for you. Do what you said- practice and redo, and see how it goes next time.

I always wanted to take one of those courses like Gunsite or Thunder Ranch or something, but I'm very afraid of dropping the 2 grand or so on the course and coming away with nothing.

Come to range USA then! It's not NEARLY that expensive!

For my next 'tactical shooting course' I thinking of buying a bag of oranges, a pumpkin or two, and a couple watermelons and heading out into the boonies, whereupon I shall wreak great fury and anger upon the fresh produce, just so I can see it blow up all juicy-like when those hot rounds blast through them.

Provided I can hit them, of course.

I just use bowling pins.

Y'all could come up here and we'll go shoot prairie dogs in the dark.

Interesting to find out one's shortcomings ain't it?
The one and only time I shot a practical pistol course I thought I did okay (after fumbling around a little in the beginning). My final score was at 49% of the whole day's shooters. Dead average.

And the first guys says "no, that's one point below average," gets to be that hostage target I winged.

One good moment that did stand out was a mag change I did. I lost count of my shots, ran dry, and the surprise of running dry launched me into a super-fast mag change without even thinking about it. I actually heard the crowd gasp!

At least, I hope that's what they were gasping at.

Being a lefty, there is no such thing as a 'fast' mag change for me.

Would it shock you to learn that I'd never even thought of that?

I'll have to try that next time. The mag release button is still on the wrong side, though.

I've never used the slide release to put a handgun into battery. Doing it that way takes fine motor coordination, which is one of the first things to go out the window in a high stress situation.

I would never use it on most handguns, but on my xd the release is so perfectly placed I think a drunk could do it.

It's the one thing John Moses browning didn't make perfect.

I actually like having the mag release on the wrong side. My thumb won't comfortably reach the button, so I work it with my...trigger finger? Yeah. I think that's what I do. Anyway, I can do it pretty quick.

I was doing the magazine changes pretty fast IMHO. The only thing I got an "excellent" score on was malfunction drills. My best time was 23.2 seconds, and that involved two magazine changes.

My only problem with them was that I wasn't keeping the muzzle pointed straight forward when I was doing them. I kept canting the gun at a slight angle.

Did you hold the gun up over your head, sideways and yell "GAT! GAT!" while shooting?

Clearing jams ain't my forte either. I can't do the swipe-a-stovepipe thing 'cause I'd rather not rip my fucking hand open target shooting. Saw a hot lady shooter do it at that same competition, though, so fast I barely saw it. She got a gasp from the crowd too - her black halter top probably contributed to that.

My usual jam-clearing drill is lock the slide back, dump the mag, check the chamber, pop in a new mag and continue. Slow, but it always works.

A spare gun is my anti-jam.

I don't have an anti-jam yet.

Oh Hell, funny you should mention that.

They actually taught us to use sort of a modified gangsta grip when shooting one handed. They suggested holding the gun as if you were pointing with your finger. When I point, I hold my hand at a 45ish degree angle, so that's how I was pointing the gun. The instructors said that holding it straight up and down one handed isn't as natural, and causes you to tense more muscles. Holding it at an angle also helps with the sight picture when you're shooting weak hand only and are strong eye dominant.

Well, I just confirmed one of the problems.

I need glasses. :herp:

I'm getting the prescription tomorrow.

Sorry man.

Don't get gay ones!

Well, I would submit that that is a slightly poor choice of words (eh. Maybe not). Of course you realize the reason to hold the gun upright is because the sights are designed to factor in gravity. A bullet starts dropping the moment it leaves the barrel, so sights are designed to have the trajectory on a slightly upward arc.

So if a right-hander held a gun sideways, one would expect the bullets to hit low and to the left if sights were used (because "up" is now left and "left" is down, so gravity affects the bullet while the intended correction against gravity causes you to aim slightly to the left instead).

Of course at the ranges they are likely teaching, the sights will have little effect and the technique sounds like it is more suited to point-shooting, where the sights aren't used anyhow.

I heartily recommend soft extended-wear contacts. Had 'em for 25 years. Can't stand glasses.