When we went to the 3 Gun nation event in St. Augustine, FL. Neil Demo'd a lot of his guns.  The SCAR was shot quite a bit with the silencer on it and was not taken off.  Several days later we tried many different methods to get the can off.  So Neil decided to loosen the latch and shoot a round through it.  This is something you can do with Surefire Suppressor to get the can off however it's not recommended.  

 

This is a Wilson Combat CQB LE.  Wilson designed this 1911 to have the features the modern day tactical shooter might want with a light rail, magwell, ambi safety, etc.  

 

Pretty cool 1911.  We finally got one in here for sale.

 

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Here's a couple of pics of some M4A1 SOPMOD block II clones. We're starting to see this rifle in use more and more in the military.

 

 

Recently I was able to attend a survival and preparedness class by Adler and Associates called D.I.R.E. 1 (Disaster Insurgency Recovery Event) The class was partially sponsored by Gun Gallery and unfortunately I had to stop by the shop Satuday morning to pick up the giveaway items before heading to the class. Which made me miss some of the lectures from the morning. When I got there the class was going over different ways the military goes over how to set up a chain of command and who sets up what. Things like METT-T (In the Corps we used METT-SL) and how the disaster units and military mark houses. We talked about approximately how much food the average adult male needed to survive for one year.

One individual went over what was in his 3 day pack and why. Things like toilet paper, socks, underwear, food with a high shelf life, a sleeping bag maybe a tent or hammock. All of these things fit into a backpack that weighed about 35 pounds. This point was really driven home to me later in the day when it started pouring rain and I really wished I had brought an extra pair of clothes. I got some really good ideas for stuff to carry with me on a usual basis. Points were brought up that this doesn't have to be about a "Zombie Invasion" back in 1989 it snowed here in Jacksonville and all the bridges were shut down. If you were on the wrong side of town you were out of luck for a few days. The same with Hurricanes which are a very real possibility here in Florida. You may get stuck somewhere for a short or long period and it will help a lot to have some sort of plan and provisions to deal with this.

After that we did a fam (Familiarization) fire. Some of the students there were up to speed with their firearms, Some not so much. Those students didn't get to do as much shooting in the live fire drills. We did a bit of patrolling and break contact drills both dry and live fire. One cool thing they did was to have the targets held up by balloons so as soon as you shot through the target and hit the balloon it would go down. After doing that and getting soaked. We moved over to an area where we had to cook food in a dutch oven and post security around our little camp.

Once we ate our lunch we did Clint Smiths Rolling Thunder drill a few times. For the final Drill we put our rifles in our vehicle and drove up to a predetermined spot in pairs. One individual would get out and shoot with pistol while the other got out and went for his rifle. After one rifle was up the other shooter would go and get his rifle and join the other shooter behind the barricade. Overall it was a fun class. I learned some new things and am now going to start getting together some more stuff. And hopefully I can take the next level class when it comes around.

 

 

 

Another great month at Florida Defensive Carbine Club.  We had a good turnout of shooters and the competition was pretty stiff.  A lot of the top spots were very close in times.  Alan came in third place, Billy came in 6th place, Logan 7th, Myself (Martin) 8th, Mason 11th, and Neil 12th (First place in trooper class) 

 

The first course of fire required you to duck under a board draw your pistol and shoot the steel targets.  Then stand up and holster your pistol and run to the next barricade on the left barricade you had to shoot from both the left side of the barricade and the right side of the barricade.  Then going to the right barricade you had to shoot one shot through each hole of the Vtac barricade.  This turned out to be one of the longest stages with the most penalties.  Even though it was pretty simple it also had a fair degree of difficulty for those who hadn't shot through a VTAC barricade before. 

 

Video

 

The second COF was called the Paper plate stage on each target there was a paper plate with a number below it.  The number was the amount of times you had to shoot the paper plate.  Anything that was not a hit in the paper plate didn't count.  This was a very fun stage for me as I really don't like people to get too into the shoot two and move on method because often times it may take many more rounds to stop a threat.  

 

Video

 

The third stage was the shoot off.  On this stage two competitors shot against each other.  It pays to win.  The loser automatically had a time of 10 seconds, but you were still graded for accuracy.  There were some times when people won the stage but gained more time in penalties than the loser.  The stage started off with a 1-5 drill with rifle.  Then you would draw your pistol and shoot the plate rack.  The first one to make all their plates fall won.  I lost to Mason but he wracked up 12 seconds in penalties while I shot it clean.  

 

Video

The fourth stage was dubbed the All Steel stage.  You started in a box and had to hit the high angle steel 7 times and then transition to the slider triple dropper and shoot that until it dropped.  Then moving forward and using the wall as cover there were three targets at various heights that required three shots each.  This was a pretty fast and straight forward stage.  It was also the only one I failed to get on video.

 

The fifth stage was called the Texas star.  You started off in a start area with your rifle staged on a table in front of you and ran to a fault line. There were some steel poppers that you would engage with your pistol then you would move to the left and through a doorway engage the texas star.    Then you ran to the box picked up your rifle and shot a steel popper which would activate a swinger target that you would have to engage.  Then the shooter would move forward to the next fault line and using cover you had to engage all the bowling pins on the right and left side.  Then moving to the doorway at the end there were targets on the right and left side which required three rounds each.  

 

Video

Myself and Mason went to CFDCC last month on 3-18-2012

The first stage we did was called tac reload you started with a 10 round mag and 5 targets in front of you. You shot one round into each target did a tac reload and then shot one round on each did a speed reload and then shot one round on each again. I did ok on this stage. I got 6th for the stage I probably could have pushed it faster and done better.

The second stage we did was called Dual Navy Qual. Again didn't go to fast and my accuracy was a bit off. My time was ok but I had several penalties.

The third stage we did was called the woods stage. You started off behind a barrel and when the buzzer went off you would use the barrel as cover and engage the targets in front of you. Then move to the right side of the building and engage all the targets there and then move to the left side of the building and engage the targets there. This stage I probably spent too much time shooting. I shot several rounds on each target and while i shot the stage clean I also shot it slow and got 15th place for the stage.

the fourth stage we did was called Steel on the Move. You started off behind a barrel, rifle loaded to 6 rounds pistol topped off, with two targets in front of you and a no shoot in between. You shot two to the body one to the head on each target. Once your rifle ran dry you were to draw your pistol and while moving to the next set of barrels you engaged three steel poppers. After getting to the next barrel you were to engage the plate rack until all the plates had fallen. I did pretty good on this stage I ran it clean and got second place in time.

The fifth stage we shot was called Triple Dropper. You started off with a 10 round mag while moving forward and on the move you were to engage the targets in front of you without hitting the non threat. Then move to a wall that would give you cover against the targets to the right. Engage all targets from both sides and end with shooting the triple dropper. I shot the non threat and blew the stage. I got 26th out of 37 on the stage and that one hit dropped me from probably 4th or 5th to 9th overall.

Then we went to the long range stage which has yet to be counted to the scores. You started out with 10 rounds and ran from one cone to the next about 25 yards away. once there you engaged two steel targets about 75 yards away but they were about 2-3 inches wide. REALLY SMALL. you were not allowed to reload until you got to the next set of barrels. Once there you could reload and engage two more targets about 100 yards away. Then you ran again to another set of barrels and engaged more steel at I think anywhere from 100 to 200 yards away. I tottaly messed this up I ran it in 100 something seconds the first time. I went back and re-ran it in like 66 seconds which was I believe the fastest time but the second time doesn't count.

Anyway Mason had a better day than me and got 5th while I placed 9th. Overall I did decent but I don't feel I was anywhere near up to par

 

  I was recently told by someone else that I should give others a frame of reference when I do an AAR for a class: I was in the Marine Corps. from 2004-2008 as an 0311 in the Infantry. I was deployed to Iraq twice and was deployed with the 22nd MEU. I've been to several Magpul Dynamics classes, as well as taken classes with EAG Tactical and Telluric Group.

  With regards to firearms used, at this class I left my short barrel at home and brought my Noveske N4 Light Recce Switchblock and my new, mostly custom Noveske 18" rifle. For pistol, I stuck with my Smith & Wesson M&P9

  TD1 I couldn't make the first part of the class because of family obligations. I arrived for the second half of the day. When I arrived, Jared was going over how to get into the prone position; stressing that you should get into the prone as quickly as possible; that often people take distance for granted and take too long to get into their fighting position. The drill was done at approx. 50 yards. After a few repetitions, the targets were observed by the instructors and graded.

  Next we did a walkback drill where we started at about 50 yards and would walk back farther and farther. A steel target was setup and each person from the group would step up to the line and, from the standing position, take one shot at a time until they made a hit and then we would walk back several feet. We got all the way back to about 200 yards where most people could still hit the target from the standing but not all on the first shot. It took me around 3 shots with someone else's rifle. (I was taking pics at the time but wanted to shoot from the 200 yard line.) Next we went over how to reload the rifle. While I'm used to reloading in that Costa/ Magpul Dynamics style with the rifle barrel up in the air, Jared advocates a less pronounced flip of the rifle, and basically keeping it in your shoulder. This is so that once the mag goes in and you release the bolt your rifle will be faster back on target. One of the instructors, Jeff, asked me why I kept flipping the rifle one way before the other. I talked about checking the chamber to see why the rifle stopped working before simply trying to reload and possibly making the problem worse. Jeff basically said that they felt you should be able to feel the difference between an empty rifle and a malfunction and not waste time looking at the chamber because by the time you actually process that you'll already be in the middle of a reload. Or at least that was my basic understanding of it. We also went over tac reloads and how to properly accomplish them with a rifle.

  We also went over when and how to transition from rifle to pistol. Within 25 yards whenever your rifle stops running you dump it and go to your pistol. We ran this drill with a dry rifle and upon hearing the click you would dump your rifle and go to your pistol. Next we went over malfunctions. The typical Tap-Rack-Bang and the infamous Double Feed: Lock, Strip, Finger, Rack, Reload. While setting up the double feed, I managed to turn the rifle over causing the bolt to smash the bullet into the casing which resulted in powder all over the inside of my chamber. I was able to deal with the bolt override by using my finger to pull the bolt back and then push the charging handle forward.

  We then went on to a pistol drill where you had 7 seconds to draw and shoot as many times as you could in the 0 to 7 seconds from 7 yards. This drill was noted and graded, and shooters were able to note their improvements from earlier in the day. I didn't get to do it in the morning, but I was able to get off 17 rounds and was into my reload when the buzzer sounded.

  To finish off the day we did a mod navy qual at 50 yards. I still suck at these. This too was graded. One of the things I liked about this course is when you can actually see the difference from the beginning of the course to the end and how you stack up against others, and most importantly against yourself. Too many courses do not Keep track of your progression or degression. You may come out knowing or feeling your faster, but it's good to have hard facts and know where specifically you've improved.

  TD2 Got there on time and the groups were broken up into two. One group would focus mainly on rifle while the other would focus mainly on pistol. I was in the group that started with pistol. During most of the pistol shooting I wore a concealment garment that I wear on a day to day basis. Made by Scott E. Vest. I'm not sure if they make this shirt anymore which is a real shame because I think it's awesome. We went over a few different drills one of which was a draw and shoot 6 different targets with one shot each. The drill was to get you tracking the targets with your eyes instead of overshooting it while looking down your sights and trying to swing the gun from target to target. We also did some reload drills etc. Another interesting component is that we were given snap caps and were told to randomly load them in our mags. So at some point in time while running drills you may have to deal with a malfunction. This added an interesting aspect to some of the drills as 1) it would immediately show if you were anticipating recoil and 2) you had to deal with a malfunction when you least expected it adding stress to the drill. A note on Michael Hiday: while he's not exceptionally talkative, this is a man who watches everything. When you would look directly at him with mirrored sunglasses on you couldn't tell, but when I observed him from the side, he was constantly scanning the individual he was talking to. When you were done running a drill he would note where improvement was necessary. From the inexperienced to the experienced, he seemed to be able to gauge your skill level and offer advice based on that. For me, there were some minor nuances that may have slowed me down. For example, I tend to lean from side to side while drawing and reloading. There are three places this habit comes from. 1) I'm trying to get the best possible purchase on the gun, and while doing so, if the pistol or magazine is against my body it seems more difficult to do so. 2) I occasionally wear body armor and when I have a plate carrier on I need to get it out of the way as I draw and reload. 3) When I throw my cover garment out of the way it just seems natural for me to swing. However, I did seem to be just slightly faster when I didn't lean. But as always, when I'm in a class, I try not to argue and do what the instructor asks. You have to realize you are there to learn. If you don't like it, leave it at class, but at least try the things you are paying to learn.

 

  We also did a drill starting at about 30 yards and running to 20(?) yards and engaging 6 targets and then 10 and 7 (I don't remember the exact numbers) Adding a timer to it added stress not to mention having to run gets the heart rate up. I love to add motion to the mix. Too often people practice their nice static draws and their perfect static stance. And last, but not least, we practiced with three steels, one on the far left, middle, and far right.

  The only thing I guess I could say as a "negative" is that while things like search and assess and how to do other things in a certain way were taught, students would as the class went on go back to not doing these things. Also during one drill a student had a malfunction, stopped what he was doing and very slowly cleared it while looking down at the ground. Then he re holstered and asked to start again. I was kind of surprised because I know this individual has been to a lot of classes. Personally I tell people to keep their head in the game and stay in the fight. Nothing was said. Now I do realize that this individual has never been a professional gunfighter. He hasn't been in the infantry nor has he been a police officer. So this type of mindset sometimes escapes these individuals. Also as an instructor it can be hard to gauge how hard you want to be on a student. You don't want to drive people away. Trust me, customer service can be very hard while trying to instruct. Most guys coming straight from training other Mil and LEO guys have to take some time to get into that groove of where to push and where to let go.

  We then took lunch, came back, and moved over to rifles. We started out with a quick 50 yard check on zero to make sure no one's zero was off and that they were still able to hold a good group. For the first portion I ran my Noveske Recce Switchblock with Acog and AAC M4-2000 It's been awhile since I've shot this gun because while I believe you can be very fast with an ACOG, it's not as fast as an aimpoint and takes more practice to be proficient with it at close distances. I was pretty happy with my speed using my ACOG. But the biggest thing is switching from target to target; it's easy for your right eye to get sucked into that magnification and take way too long to place your shots.

  We went over things like shooting on the move, shooting multiple targets, and tactical sequence. Again using your eyes to lead and then bringing the rifle to meet your eyes was stressed. We also went over how and when to draw your pistol. Here again drills were watched and timed on an individual basis as well as during the drill as a group. This personal attention is one of the things that really set this class apart for me. Good times were had by all.

  Next we went over shooting from a barricade. Jared's method is to come up to the barricade (while not crowding), bring the rifle up, place the foot that's about to step out near the edge of the barricade, and step out and shoot. Jared doesn't feel that bending over awkwardly is the best practice because, though it may provide you with the most cover, it's also hard to shoot 4, 5 or more rounds as quickly as you could in your proper shooting stance. And as many of us (especially Jared) know, the 'one and done' method of shooting is not the most sound. We also went over how to brace on the barricade to make yourself a stable base to really hammer rounds down range on target. After this we went over kneeling and shooting around barricades. Jared's method is similar to that of Kyle Lamb's (from what I've seen in videos and YouTube) where you have the knee back and used as a rest. I've resisted trying this method as to me it seems like your just sticking more of yourself out there to get shot. But I did find it to be a very stable kneeling position especially when using Jared's method for barricade resting. When you really pulled everything in tight you could put some serious rounds down range QUICKLY.

  We ended the day with a final drill that was almost a culmination of all the things we'd learned. It was a drill that utilized teamwork and precision along with speed. Two shooters started at the furthest barricade approx. 100 yards. To start, the first shooter had to knock down the barricade before the second shooter could begin to fire. Once the second shooter laid down a good base of fire, the first shooter was allowed to move. From then on the two shooters would bound from barricade to barricade until they were cut off on the last one and one by one they would sling their rifles, draw their pistols, and shoot from around a barricade hitting the steel from both the left and right side and then make way for the next shooter.

  Overall I'd highly recommend this class. The instructors seem to have a very well planned curriculum. The amount of instruction, personal time, and collective experience of these instructors made the tuition costs seem pretty small. The methods taught seemed top notch. Jared shows us the Importance of getting to the pro quickly and how to do it without breaking something.

 

 

Jared shows us the Importance of getting to the pro quickly and how to do it without breaking something.

Part 2

Shooters practicing dropping straight to prone and getting effective hits at 50 yards.

Blue Force Brittney shows off the new Black Bart. A quick release mechanism for QD sling swivels.

Blue Force Brittney does her search and assess.

Michael Hiday goes over the advantages of an aggressive stance over the "Sponge bob" Square feet stance.

Part 2

John Mounce also from Blue Force gear was here for his first class ever. Having worked with John before I know as well as anyone he can be a bit... frugal. He bought a C-more sight and seemed to have problems keeping zero. I think slowly but surely he's finding that you get what you pay for. Jared looks on while JM makes some longer range shots.

Jared demo's a 200 Yd. standing shot with only an Aimpoint Micro.

Blue Force Brittney shows the boys how it's done.

Shooting steel cased cheap stuff seems to make your gun dirtier.

A closer view.

Student in the middle of a drill finds one of the snap caps and immediately clears the malfunction.

Shooter shows us a proper draw. Finger off the trigger good purchase on the pistol and left hand waiting to meet with the right.

Sequence I talked about earlier where shooter experiences malfunction. To be fair though I talked with him about this after I wrote the AAR and he mentioned that he had been having several problems with that particular gun and thought he had it fixed and so the malfunction just frustrated him more than usual.

I always perform a brass check on "Admin" loads.

Part of my excessive movement on draw that both Hiday and Jared mentioned.

Search and assess. I try to always remind myself to do them. But it is something that I have to remind myself of from time to time.

Drawing and reloading from concealment is different and can cause you to grab fabric instead of the pistol or magazine you're looking for. Practice this if you carry concealed

Obligatory fireball shot. If you run an SBR with a brake you will get this.

Speed and accuracy! Something stressed at this class getting effective hits on target stops the fight faster. Shooter has one casing in the air and one soon to follow.

Gun is empty, dump it and get that pistol up.

At 100 yards magnifiers can help with first round hits. But are not necessary.

Jared guides the student for safety.

Student exemplifies proper use of cover while doing a reload before heading to the next barricade.

Eyes shift focus to drive the gun to the target as he completes the reload.

Again cover by barricade and by fire shooter chooses the proper time to do a reload.1

The small Popper on the right had to be hit before the second shooter could come in and lay down suppressive fire for the first shooter to move.

Using Jared's technique with the leg out as support and a hand bracing the barricade was very effective for making your hits.

So today we have another sweet Nighthawk for you. This one is a Predator II with a lot of options that a customer traded back into us. This one came with a Magwell, All Diamondblack finish, and Crimson Trace laser grips. To my knowledge this one has never been shot except at the factory. But I have to say the last predator I shot was the smoothest shooting 1911 I've shot to date. And having an all Diamondblack finish is an excellent addition to any 1911. It always seems to make the gun feel smoother.

 

 

As you've seen I've posted a lot of Nighthawk 1911's lately.  They are deffinetely one of my favorite 1911 makers out there.  They always seem to be pushing the envelope with new and exciting innovations in the custom 1911 arena.  Anyway here's a promo video they've recently released.