Firearms Instruction School: Day Four.

Today, I went back to my car, feeling only slightly-- SLIGHTLY-- let down.

We had been scheduled to go to the range in the afternoon and put in a couple of hours of shooting and diagnosing problems of other shooters. But instead, we stayed in the classroom, and each student had to give a 15 minute presentation. Mine, on the familiarization with the various forms of the M1911, was well-received.

The former Marine and current SWAT officer who gave a 15 minute demo on the Marine method of disassembling the M16/M-4/AR15 platform was very well done.

The woman who taught the full familiarization with the USP .40 taught a great course.

They guy who taught methods of securing and unloading various esoteric guns, with props, was very well-received.

The guy who taught the safety lecture did a good job.

The fellow who taught on various common shooting errors had some insights, and good pictures.

Everyone used good props. Everyone was passionate about what they taught on.

The instructor pointed out our errors in teaching (mine was in time management-- 5 minutes on History of Adoption of the M1911 was a bit excessive for a 15 minute lecture in which I was going to try to demonstrate the safety differences, wouldn't you think?) We all learned from the topics, but more importantly, we learned How To Teach more efficiently.

Basically, I got paid to talk about guns all day, today.

Tomorrow, I'm slated to shoot 600+ rounds, as we each run each other through the qualification courses that we write tonight. Awwww.... poor me.

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Yesterday, we shot shotgun, and I found that my patrol 870 was shooting well to the left of center. At 15 yards, the center of my pattern was at the left edge of a sheet of typing paper. I asked if they had punches and a mallet, and I drifted my front sight left. I went to 35 yards and shot at a sheet of typing paper with a Federal Tactical rifled slug. On paper, but still left of center. I drifted it further left, and shot another slug, this time from 50 yards. Dead center. Perfect.

I found that Federal Tactical 9 pellet 00 Buck is a very comfortable round to shoot, and turns in decent patterns. That said, the Federal PREMIUM Vital-Shok 9 pellet 00 Buck turns in astoundingly tight patterns, by virtue of its shot cup, which seems to envelop the shot out to about 10 yards. Would you believe 2" patterns at 12 yards? No, I'm not kidding.

Our group had a long discussion on the relative merits and demerits of a sling on patrol long guns, and one guy, who is very knowledgeable about shooting, stated flatly that he doesn't like them, and doesn't need them. I was astounded, and made some transition demonstrations for him, and gave him scenarios in support of slings. Nope. They "get in the way." Ooooookay. Our instructor, who had sparked the discussion on purpose, made us justify our positions on slings, as we would to an admin person who knows nothing of firearms and police work.

The training that I'm getting is really quite good, here.