ESB

My brother works for a company that makes material for diapers and wipes. They can't get any cotton so they haven't produced anything in 2 weeks. No end in sight.

Its great to have better options for sure. Everyone's situation will be different though and even though you think you may not need it, its good to practice different techniques so you have more tools in your toolbox so you can select the right one for the job depending on the situation. You don't want to try something out for the first time when your life depends on it. I have little kids so can't leave a loaded battle belt under the bed. I also sleep in my boxers so no pockets and a mag won't stay in the waist band if I need to run down the hall. All I need to do is grab my gun and beat the bad guys to the top of my stairs, and I'm fairly confident given the layout of my house I could safely hold them off there if I had to, but I want a 2nd mag just in case there's more than I thought. It would be a totally different story if they got to the top of the stairs before I did, so I'm not going to take the time to put anything on. Yes your shooting ability will be diminished some with a mag in your weak hand, but not as much as you think especially if you practice. Even with practice, it still will probably be diminished a little, but you should still be very effective at close range typical of inside a home.

Admin, can you delete this thread. I posted another thread with drills here:

Drill 15 Operator Readiness Drill Requires a laser trainer that does not need to be racked in between shots (unless its a pump shotgun) for both long gun and handgun. LaserLyte, Live-Ammo or Coolfire practice pistols, MantisX for AR, etc.

Drill 14 TACTICAL SHOTGUN RELOADS: There are many ways to reload a shotgun. The video below does a good job at showing them. Practice a few and see what you like and get good at it. Having a side saddle with different types of shells gives you the ability to chose the right shell (buck, slug, less than lethal, etc) for the task at hand at that moment. Learn how to load a shell from the sidesaddle while still having shells in the magazine. The exact procedure for this will vary by gun. Because shotguns have a limited ammo supply, when you aren't shooting, you're reloading!

Drill 13 HUNT PRACTICE:

Drill 12 1-5 (aka CHAOS) DRILL: Requires a laser trainer that does not need to be racked in between shots (unless its a pump shotgun). Live-Ammo or Coolfire practice pistols, MantisX for AR, etc. With 5 IDPA type targets, from ready, hit #1 then #2, then #1 then #3, then #1 then #4, then #1 then #5, then #1 then #4, then #1 then #3, then #1 then #2. then #1. Maintain sight picture, then back to ready position. Do this timed. Reload as needed.

DRILL 11 DOT TORTURE PRACTICE: Requires a laser trainer that does not need to be racked in between shots (unless its a pump shotgun). Live-Ammo or Coolfire practice pistols, MantisX for AR, etc.

Drills 9 & 10 MOVEMENT DRILLS You can do any of the above drills, but add movement. Start 2 yards away, either behind, left, right or even in front (mix it up). Walk smoothly, trying to keep your head level and not bobbing up and down, keeping eyes and gun on target. Don't hunt through your sights though. When moving, your head moves first and your gun follows. Start slow and build speed. Crawl, walk, run. Then start further away and run into position. When running, safety is on, finger off trigger, and gun pointed in a safe direction. Work on slowing down early and getting into ready to fire position as quickly as possible. As you start to stop, your gun starts to extend aiming at target, safety comes off and you are aquiring your sights on target, so that when you come to a complete stop, you are already in a good stance, arms extended properly, good grip on gun, and gun is covering target. MOVEMENT DRILL: Using laser trainer with shot timer, stand away from shooting position but at ready (finger off trigger, safety on). Similar to BASICS PRACTICE 2, but when shot timer goes off, move into position, aim, safety off, take shot, regain sight picture, analyze shot, then back to ready position, finger off trigger, safety on, move back over. Crawl, Walk, Run. Start slow and work on perfect muscle memory, avoiding training scars. MOVEMENT W/ LIGHT MANIPULATION DRILL: Same as MOVEMENT DRILL 1, but when shot timer goes off, from ready position use flashlight to identify target, turn flashlight off, finger off trigger, safety on, move into position, aim, safety off, flashlight on, take shot, regain sight picture, analyze shot, light off and back to ready position, finger off trigger, safety on, and move back over. Moving after you turn the light off is important as your target will think you are located where they last saw the light. Crawl, Walk, Run. Start slow and work on perfect muscle memory, avoiding training scars.

Drill 7 & 8 If you hear a bump in the night, chances are you aren't going to have time to get fully dressed and put on your battle belt with multiple mag carriers. You're probably going to grab your handgun and maybe an extra mag but have no where to put that extra mag. Here's what you do. 2 MAGAZINES PRACTICE: Place an empty magazine between the web of your pointer and middle finger of your weak hand, base in the palm of that hand with the projectiles facing your knuckles. This is similar to a "cigar hold' on a tactical flashlight. Practice shooting at target with laser trainer. Build proper muscle memory and avoid training scars. Purpose/Focus: To get used to putting 2nd magazine between fingers and still being able to get a good grip and proper shot placement. 2 MAGAZINES RELOAD DRILL: Using 2 magazines with either snap caps (no laser trainer in barrel), one magazine in gun and other magazine between web of pointer finger and middle finger, base in the palm of your hand. Practice racking, taking a shot, drop mag, insert new mag, slingshot rack, and take another shot. Maintain sight picture and analyze. Pick up mag, put between pointer and middle finger and rinse and repeat. Start slow and build speed. Crawl, Walk, Run. Build proper muscle memory and avoid training scars. To insert the 2nd magazine, drop the empty mag and bring the gun into your workspace. As you take your weak hand off the gun, start to squeeze your fingers (almost like you are trying to make a fist with the 2nd magazine still between your fingers), bringing the baseplate of the magazine closer to the palm of your hand. Grab the side of the magazine with your thumb and start extending your index finger. The magazine will now be between your thumb and middle finger, and your pointer finger indexing the side where the projectiles, are. The perfect hold for inserting the magazine into the gun. Purpose/Focus: Building on above drill, and quickly relaoding with a mag inbetween your fingers.

Drill 6 WEAPONS LIGHT PRACTICE: Add turning light on and off to BASICS PRACTICE. Similar timing as safety manipulation. Safety off, then light on as you Aim. THEN finger on trigger and take shot. Regain sight picture and analyze. Light off, then safety off as you go back to ready position, finger off trigger. Purpose/Focus: In addition to using light to identify and analyze your target, you can use light to blind, distract, and confuse your target. Don't keep the light on all the time, which will ruin your night vision and advertise your location. You need to positively identify and analyze your target, but can also be used at the same time to buy yourself some time and a give you a tactical advantage. When you first aim, aim higher up on their body, this will allow you to identify the target and blinds them immediately before they can react, then move the light to see their hands to identify if they are a threat. This also places the gun center mass. If you can tolerate it, strobe works better to confuse and blind your threat than steady light if your light has that feature. If you have a light with laser that has a separate button for the laser, practice switching both light and laser on/off at the same time. How and why to use your light.

Drill 5 SPEED RELOAD DRILL: With snap caps in 2 magazines, practice firing a shot from ready, dropping the magazine, bring the gun into your workspace, grab the 2nd magazine between your thumb and middle finger and your index finger along the side of the magazine with the projectiles. While looking at the magwell, use your index finger to guide the magazine into the magwell, then push up hard and seat the magazine firmly with your palm. Don't be gentle. Pull the slide back to chamber a round and take another shot. You should also practice doing this by skipping the first shot and instead lock the slide back, aim, pull the trigger to feel a dead trigger and start your speed reload from there. You can also practice using your thumb to release the slide lock during a reload doing it this way.

Drill 4 BASICS PRACTICE: Use laser trainer to work on grip, stance, getting sights on target from ready position, proper sight alignment and sight picture, breathing, timing, finding the trigger wall, smooth trigger pull, proper trigger reset, getting back on target and maintaining sight picture after shot before re-racking and going back to ready position. Make sure target is at correct height so you build proper muscle memory when extending gun into position. Focus on basics, don't get sloppy, avoid training scars. This is the most important drill. If you haven't mastered this and built proper muscle memory, it will be easy to develop training scars in later drills. Almost all of the other drills build upon this drill. Take your time, do it right, start slowly and build speed, and do tons of reps.

Drill 3 SLING PRACTICE: Practice taking gun out and putting sling on. Practice quickly adjusting sling, swapping shoulders. Going from admin to ready and back, etc.

DRILL2 GUN INTO ACTION DRILL: Use snap caps and remove all live ammunition from area. Practice getting gun from your secure location and getting it ready for action. A lot of this will depend on what you have, how you have it stored (which condition), and where you have it stored. Ideally you want to choreograph your movements to make the entire process as quick, easy, and efficient as possible. As you work through this you may find you need to change up the order of what you do or how it is stored to make the process more efficient or easier. Usually if you work on efficiency of motion, it also makes it easier to remember what comes next in the process. If you forget what's next, wherever your hand is, it is probably near the next action. I have a handgun in a lock box stored with a full mag in gun, but no rounds in the chamber (called condition 3 or cruiser ready). The trigger is already pulled so it will feel different, which lets me know it needs to be racked. It has a Red Dot Sight (RDS) with a cover on it (it automatically turns on when it senses light. When I grab that gun, all I have to do rack the gun and take off the RDS cover. I can do this in one movement. I actually grab the gun with right hand, grab the 2nd magazine with left hand and put it between my pointer and middle finger (see 2 magazine drills below) and then rack and remove the RDS cover. For my rifles and shotguns, they are in a cruiser ready state with bolt forward, safety on, sling wrapped behind stock (pistol brace) and secured with a ranger band. RDS is off, but offset back up iron sights are flipped up. To put it into action, I have found the most efficient order for me to it is to get a proper grip on the rear grip with my right hand (I'm right handed), finger off the trigger, grab the sling at the rear of the stock (or pistol brace) with my left hand, yank it out, throw my left arm through it and don the rifle. As I put my left arm through the sling, my hand naturally comes close to my RDS so I turn that on next by rotating the knob. I then rack the charging handle and adjust the pistol brace length then put my thumb on the safety and I'm ready to go. TLDR: Grip (Finger Off Trigger) Sling RDS/BUIS Rack charging handle Extend Pistol Brace Thumb on Safety Start slow, then build speed. Adjust method for efficiency and ease. Crawl, Walk, Run. Build proper muscle memory and avoid training scars. Practice this every time you take gun out (after making it safe).