Schedule and Course of Fire for P3 (#151122P3)

0730 – Range Set-up and Registration (All to participate)
0800 – Introduction & Safety [Lou]
0830 – Overview of TAC-1 1911 Manipulation and Elements of Thumb Safety [Shoji}
0845 – Application of Thumb Safety [Buddy System]
0900 – Topic #1 “Trigger Control” & Drills #1
0945 – Topic # 2 “Sights, Grip & Reload” Drill #2
1015 – Topic #3 “Distance & Single Hand Shooting” & Drill #3
1100 – Break & Class Photo
1130 – Drill #4 FBI “Q” Course
1200 – Presentation by Dave’s Metal Work &  Discussion
1230 – Ear Protection fitting
1300 – END

Topic #1: Trigger Control Discussion and Practice:

Proper application of the 1911’s thumb safety was discussed using the example from loading, unloading, reloading and malfunction clearing. The critical nature of the safety in-conjunction with the single action gun was also cautioned.

“Smooth continuous press straight to the rear without disturbing the sight picture achieving surprise break.”  The majority of shooter errors can be related to improper trigger control. It is one of the hardest to learn and it is the hardest element to teach.

Drill #1 (Warm-up)

We began our shooter warm up using the Santa Monica dot targets. Slow, concentrated firing from single dot to multiple dots were practiced. Listening and following range direction is an acquired skill.  With complicated direction of fire instilled this skill set early on in the training. Multiple dots were shot incorporating the reload.  Releasing the magazine was discussed by a instructor. Furthermore, focusing on front sight and not looking at the target after each shots taken was advised for better accuracy and habit. SMPD dot target was shot at 5 yard line.

The general consensus of the instructors present at the training was that many students lacked proper presses on their trigger. Many missed the target at 5 yards. Often students shot way too fast for their abilities. More often then not, classes containing many shooters will often influence other shooters to shoot as fast as the person next to them not considering their own abilities. When the range instruction was to shoot “slow fire” students must have a hard focus on their front sight and experience proper trigger control on every presses.

Dot Torture  (For Score)  x 2

(1) Individual Result

1 Snow NA 47
2 Zarnegar Master 47
3 Shaw Master 46
4 Acencio Master 45
5 Gonzalez NA 45
6 Kanin Expert 44
7 Weir, K NA 44
8 Dern NA 40
9 Wisdom Sharpshooter 40
10 Bartolotti NA 38
11 Weir, C NA 37
12 Addiss Expert 36
13 Biggs NA 35
14 Pineda NA 33
15 Steinwender NA 29
16 Lahidjani/Alex NA 25
17 Salguero NA 25
18 Laforme NA 25
19 Sorfazian NA 24
20 Henriques NA 8

(2) Team Result

1. TEAM Gingerbread 45

2. TEAM America 35

3. TEAM Snowman 33

4. TEAM Mistletoe 30

Topic # 2 “Sights, Grip & Reloads” Discussion and Practice”

Once the marksmanship portion of the warm up and drill was complete, students were ready to tackle the tactical shooting.  What differ is the speed at which the shooter must press the trigger and maintain center body accuracy. Swift and consistent drawing of the weapon from the holster was needed.  The recoil of the 1911 must be managed in order for the front sight to come back and reacquire the adequate sight picture however not perfect. Any poor trigger presses will be magnified and will print accordingly on the target.

Reloading must also be swift and with out error. Proper purchase of the magazine from the pouch and its consistent insertion into the magazine well must be performed.

Drill #2

Modified P1 TEST (For Score)

From holster
5 yard –  5 rounds – 5 sec par (Mags: 2 rd & 3 rd w/ Reload)
10 yard – 5 rounds – 6 sec par (Mags: 2 rd & 3 rd w/ Reload)
15 yard – 5 rounds – 8 sec par (Mags: 2 rd & 3 rd w/ Reload)
20 yard – 5 rounds – 10 sec par (Mags: 2 rd & 3 rd w/ Reload)
25 yard – 5 rounds – 12 sec par (Mags: 2 rd & 3 rd w/ Reload)

Result:

1 Zarnegar Master 25
2 Addiss Expert 24.5
3 Weir, C NA 24
4 Shaw Master 22.5
5 Snow NA 22
6 Bartolotti NA 21.5
7 Wisdom Sharpshooter 21.5
8 Acencio Master 21
9 Sorfazian NA 19
10 Pineda NA 18.5
11 Dern NA 17.5
12 Gonzalez NA 17
13 Salguero NA 15
14 Biggs NA 13.5
15 Weir, K NA 12.5
16 Kanin Expert 11.5
17 Henriques NA 11.5
18 Steinwender NA 8
19 Laforme NA 7
20 Lahidjani/Alex NA 0

Drill #3

FBI “Q” Course (For Score)

1 Snow 47
2 Zarnegar 47
3 Bartolotti 47
4 Addiss 47
5 Weir, C 46
6 Shaw 45
7 Biggs 45
8 Acencio 45
9 Kanin 44
10 Lahidjani/Alex 44
11 Wisdom 41
12 Dern 40
13 Pineda 38
14 Weir, K 36
15 Steinwender 34
16 Sorfazian 33
17 Gonzalez 32
18 Salguero 29
19 Henriques 26
20 Laforme 19

Topic #3″Distance & Single Hand Shooting” Discussion and Practice

Drill #3

Students were given an opportunity to fire 6 rounds out of their 1911 50 yards slow fire to determine how their gun performed at that distance. As mentioned in the class, my Bar-Sto barrel was custom match fit by Dave’s Metal Work and it has not been the same ever since – it is sooo accurate that it’s scary. At 50 yards, I test fired my gun aiming just above the head shot of a steel target – it shot high. I lower my point of aim just lower and still shot high into the dirt.  Then I just aligned it center of the steel target and I fired 4 rounds hitting every one of them…I needed not to adjust my aim at that distance.

TAC-1 challenged the Pistol-III shooters with WSSC USPSA Standard. This is a difficult standard but shooters needed to be pushed and taken them out of the comfort zone.  In order for the shooter to be successful in this standard is to have proper grip (tight) that can with stand the recoil.  Less movement of the muzzle directly translated to the follow-up shots.

Western Single Stack Championship Standard (USPSA)

Start: Loaded, Holstered & TAC-1 Combat Stance (For Score)

(1) 50 Yards part time 5.7 sec (shots after 6 sec is penalty = 5 sec)
Draw, fire 6 rds, free style

(2) 25 Yards part time 5.7 sec (shots after 6 sec is penalty = 5 sec)
Draw, fire 3 rds, mandatory reload, 3 rds

(3) 15 Yards part time 5.7 sec (shots after 6 sec is penalty = 5 sec)
Draw, fire 6 rds, primary hand only

(4) 10 Yards part time 5.7 sec (shots after 6 sec is penalty = 5 sec)
Draw, fire 6 rds, support hand only

Result:

Final Score for TOP SHOT – [FINAL]