Phazer
.338 Win Mag
Since I had not sufficiently battered my right shoulder at the OnSight Firearms Training (OFT) defensive shotgun course in April, I signed up for "combative shotgun" with guest instructor Alex Hartmann (of Ridgeline Shooting - ridgelineshooting.com). Since I felt that I was at least proficient with basic shotgun operation, I wanted to take things up a notch.
The course started at 10am. However, the range is not live until 11am on Sundays. The first hour started with a OFT's standardized safety briefing (which is excellent in its completeness and invariability from course to course). Then, Alex set up an "entry" (between barriers) and illustrated how to move down a hallway with a shotgun. Alex demonstrated how close to the doorway one should get with the shotgun's barrel before visualizing the available sector, entering the room, how to drop the barrel and turn quickly, and then sweep the remainder of the room. It sounds like it would be no big deal. But, there is more to consider than I'd thought. Moving efficiently in the "hallway" without hitting doorways or revealing too much of myself before traversing the entry is clearly a skill that I'd have to practice. I'm not going to pretend that I'll be actually clearing rooms any time in the near future. But, it was a good demonstration of the mental focus required to perform properly with a firearm in an enclosed space.
Alex ran us through drills the entailed shooting from standing, kneeling, and prone (yes, prone) positions. I don't think anybody liked the prone position with a pump-action shotgun. Until that course, I'd never considered just how different the prone position feels when compared with a pistol. As always, Alex made sure that he ran our shotguns to empty and required us to do combat reloads. That was one tricky maneuver for the uninitiated (having to lay on the ground, reach back and grab a shell from a dump pouch, load, rack, and then fire from an uncomfortable position).
During another drill, we walked forward in a line while firing and doing continuous combat reloads. Ben's team did an excellent job making sure that the line was indeed a line (for safety reasons). We also did drills that required turning to the side (from the right and left) and firing in one smooth motion.
For multiple target acquisition, Alex set up two groups of 5 steel numbered targets (one set on each end of the range's target line). Two shooters at a time did the drill - one in front of each set of 5 targets. Alex called out numbers (one, two, three, or four at a time). Shooters had to shoot the targets as fast as they could be accurate. When empty, combat reloads were the order of the day. Man...keeping the shotgun in shooting position while firing and reloading repeatedly had my upper arm muscles in knots. Whenever I managed to beat the other shooter and I had a free second or two before the next set of numbers, I was ecstatic to have the chance to load a few extra rounds into the tube. That excitement was always short-lived since the next set of numbers always depleted my magazine and forced continuous combat reloads. I learned to dread the "click." Nevertheless, it was an excellent drill and drove home the point that the shotgun must be continuously fed in order to stay in the fight.
I received some very useful information from Ben as to how to most efficiently hold my shotgun when reloading on-the-fly. These small things would seem to be matter-of-fact. But, they certainly are not. Even simple actions must be taught, learned, and practiced.
I went through 250 target shells and 50 rounds of buck shot...and I ran out of ammo before the final walking-while-shooting drill. This course requires a lot of ammo.
I'll certainly take this course again if my schedule permits. Next time, I'll remember my knee pads and I'll bring a lot more ammunition. Until then, I'll dread hearing, "Give me 5 rounds prone!"
The course started at 10am. However, the range is not live until 11am on Sundays. The first hour started with a OFT's standardized safety briefing (which is excellent in its completeness and invariability from course to course). Then, Alex set up an "entry" (between barriers) and illustrated how to move down a hallway with a shotgun. Alex demonstrated how close to the doorway one should get with the shotgun's barrel before visualizing the available sector, entering the room, how to drop the barrel and turn quickly, and then sweep the remainder of the room. It sounds like it would be no big deal. But, there is more to consider than I'd thought. Moving efficiently in the "hallway" without hitting doorways or revealing too much of myself before traversing the entry is clearly a skill that I'd have to practice. I'm not going to pretend that I'll be actually clearing rooms any time in the near future. But, it was a good demonstration of the mental focus required to perform properly with a firearm in an enclosed space.
Alex ran us through drills the entailed shooting from standing, kneeling, and prone (yes, prone) positions. I don't think anybody liked the prone position with a pump-action shotgun. Until that course, I'd never considered just how different the prone position feels when compared with a pistol. As always, Alex made sure that he ran our shotguns to empty and required us to do combat reloads. That was one tricky maneuver for the uninitiated (having to lay on the ground, reach back and grab a shell from a dump pouch, load, rack, and then fire from an uncomfortable position).
During another drill, we walked forward in a line while firing and doing continuous combat reloads. Ben's team did an excellent job making sure that the line was indeed a line (for safety reasons). We also did drills that required turning to the side (from the right and left) and firing in one smooth motion.
For multiple target acquisition, Alex set up two groups of 5 steel numbered targets (one set on each end of the range's target line). Two shooters at a time did the drill - one in front of each set of 5 targets. Alex called out numbers (one, two, three, or four at a time). Shooters had to shoot the targets as fast as they could be accurate. When empty, combat reloads were the order of the day. Man...keeping the shotgun in shooting position while firing and reloading repeatedly had my upper arm muscles in knots. Whenever I managed to beat the other shooter and I had a free second or two before the next set of numbers, I was ecstatic to have the chance to load a few extra rounds into the tube. That excitement was always short-lived since the next set of numbers always depleted my magazine and forced continuous combat reloads. I learned to dread the "click." Nevertheless, it was an excellent drill and drove home the point that the shotgun must be continuously fed in order to stay in the fight.
I received some very useful information from Ben as to how to most efficiently hold my shotgun when reloading on-the-fly. These small things would seem to be matter-of-fact. But, they certainly are not. Even simple actions must be taught, learned, and practiced.
I went through 250 target shells and 50 rounds of buck shot...and I ran out of ammo before the final walking-while-shooting drill. This course requires a lot of ammo.
I'll certainly take this course again if my schedule permits. Next time, I'll remember my knee pads and I'll bring a lot more ammunition. Until then, I'll dread hearing, "Give me 5 rounds prone!"