Training Hard!

Well, I didn't tell 'em that I was proud of them, but three of "my" cops and a county deputy kept me company at the range last night for some tough handgun training. We were moving and shooting and it was in the high 30's, raining and windy. Dark as all get out too.

Our only lights were our flashlights and time to time I'd turn on the overhead emergency lights from my patrol car.

We shot steel mostly - the paper targets were blowing down and falling apart in the weather. Shooting and moving. Reloading. Clearing malfunctions on the go. Fumbling around, trying to figure out if gloves or no gloves were best. Breaking flashlights. Gun mounted lights falling off in long strings of fire... Walking into dimly lit obstacles. Splashing through puddles. Glad I was wearing good boots.

We did the classic El Presidente drill as a training tool. Shot bright white steel targets. Shot dim, barely visible steel targets. Did the dueling tree and found a couple of guys shoot really, really fast and accurate. Everyone was wet, cold, and should have been miserable but the guys were all grinning from ear to ear.

I hear it's going to rain and snow again tonight. Guess I'll open the range again too. :grin:

I know the training will pay rich rewards if your men are ever called on to use it; I pray they are spared the necessity. However, without the training, they would be at the mercy of the elements and bad guys. I recall some memorable times with RCMP training. It was an eye-opener.

Good stuff Guy.
Honing the edge is always good, just hope you don't have to use your skills.

JD338

Four more officers out at the range last night. Cold, clear and windy. But dry! More or less.

The puddles of rain water had turned frozen though. footing was treacherous.

Again, good shooting, and good learning. I'm able to tailor it to the skill level of the shooters - one who always has problems got the junior version, the other guys who are all a bunch of gun nuts :grin: got a more intense version.

Early this afternoon, my youngest son accompanied me to the range. Mostly a clean-up detail, I also managed to run through another box of .45's on steel. Good stuff. I think that makes about 400 .45 rounds this week for me. Cool...

My son became less enthused about shooting the longer we were outside cleaning the range. It was a bit cold, dreary and icy out there. He was rewarded for his efforts with a hot cocoa and a trip to the local gun shop where we got some new sling swivels and tried a few rifles on for size... Fun, and all too tempting.

Guy