Rifle fighting: courses of fire

This is what a good tee-time would look like.

Any day spent on the range is better than a day at the office. Any day playing golf is wasted, since a golf course is the knowing and willful misuse of a rifle range. Our handlers sent us TDY with a friend so we've been training the last few days (more on that  later). It got us to thinking about some courses of fire we've seen. One was a course that was the bastard stepchild of three others. Something Jim Cirillo taught mixed with pieces picked up from a former South African Recce here on a green card and some of an I.C.E. course thrown in.  As if that's not weird enough, the first time we shot it was outside the sock capital of the world. True story.

This reconstruction may not be entirely accurate but it's just a guideline anyway. We shouldn't have to point out safety considerations, but: this can be a dangerous course if you don't pay attention or are just a dumbass. Don't get sloppy. Train hard, train realistically, but go home at the end of the day.

We'd be interested to hear of any suggestions you might have as far as tweaking this, and we'd also love to hear details of your preferred courses of fire. Perhaps other readers might benefit. Post particular drills or an entire course of fire as you will.

Modified Close Contact Course (Mad Duo)

Targets will be engaged from the low ready unless otherwise indicated. Targets should be B27 style target with a 5.5” ring drawn centered inside the head for the face. Rounds are worth 10 points from center torso to line of ‘8 ring’ or face. 5 points outside center torso within the scoring ring, 3 points in head outside face. 1 point in the target but outside the scoring rings. Round accountability: a miss disqualifies. 100 rounds total. Passing score is 920.

Multiple Targets I: 2 silhouette targets mounted adjacently on 2 points. Shooter will stand in the center and engage each in turn with two hammer pairs. Two-and-two, shift, two-and-two, assess after for threatening movement or additional targets, remember to look behind.

Multiple Targets II: Two silhouette targets mounted on two points with one point between. Shooter will stand in the center and engage first target with a hammer pair (to slow him down), shift fire to second target and engage with two hammer pair (to put him down permanently), then back to the first target for additional hammer (to finish him off), assess after for threatening movement or additional targets, remember to look behind.

Rob’s Figure 8 Multiple: Two barrels or stands placed approximately 10’ apart centered in front of 2 targets positioned as MTI (place to the closest edge of the figure 8 is on the 15 yard line). Shooter will “patrol” between and around the two barrels walking a figure eight. At the whistle shooter will engage each target with 2 hammers in turn and assess after for threatening movement or additional targets (each iteration should be from a different point in the walk or turn), remember to look behind.

Rob’s Figure 8 Impaired Vision: Two barrels or stands placed approximately 8’-10’ apart centered in front of 1 target. Target will have a t-shirt or man-dress pulled over it to conceal scoring rings. Shooter will wear protective eyewear (glasses or goggles) that have a film of dishwashing soap or shampoo smeared over the lenses to simulate blood or sweat in the eyes. Shooter will “patrol” between and around the two barrels walking a figure eight. Upon the whistle shooter will engage the target with a controlled pair and assess for threatening movement or additional targets (each iteration should be from a different point in the walk or turn), remember to look behind.

Single target impaired vision: 1 target with t-shirt or man-dress over it to conceal it scoring rings. Shooter will wear protective eyewear (glasses or goggles) that have a film of dishwashing soap or shampoo smeared over the lenses to simulate blood or sweat in the eyes. Shooter will begin at the 10. Upon the command [engage: right! Or engage: left] shooter will advance on the oblique at the appropriate angle, engaging target center mass with 2 controlled pair (4 rounds total). Assess after for threatening movement or additional targets, remember to look behind.

Single target impaired vision: 1 target with t-shirt or man-dress over it to conceal it scoring rings. Shooter will wear protective eyewear (glasses or goggles) that have a film of dishwashing soap or shampoo smeared over the lenses to simulate blood or sweat in the eyes. Shooter will begin at the 10. Upon the command [engage: right! Or engage: left] shooter will advance on the oblique at the appropriate angle, engaging target center mass with 2 controlled pair (4 rounds total).

Single target impaired vision rear engagement: Shooter begins on the three facing away from target; target will have a t-shirt (preferably with Che Guevara on it) or man-dress pulled over it to conceal scoring rings. Shooter will “patrol” away from the target advancing toward the 10. Rangemaster will blow whistle at random between 3 and 10; shooter will turn toward the target and engage with a controlled pair three-round string to the torso, followed by one round to the head (4 rounds total).

Multiple targets impaired vision: 2 silhouette targets mounted adjacently on 2 points. Target will have a t-shirt or man-dress pulled over it to conceal scoring rings. Upon the whistle shooter will engage the first target with a controlled pair, engage second target/failure drill, return to first target for head shot (Two rounds, three rounds, one round.) Assess after for threatening movement or additional targets.

On the range with Travis Haley at a Haley Strategic class: course overview to follow if we survive it.