A Rant: Tacticool wannabes who run gun schools

[Recluse]

I know, I know, I know. Don't let things like this bug you. It's not good for my blood pressure and I have a bi-annual flight physical coming up in a few months.

But still. . .

A reader e-mailed me a link to a story from some online gun rag about the pros and cons of open carry. The beauty of the internet, much like YouTube, is that it offers every delta-alpha in any given community the opportunity to suddenly become an expert by virtue of having posted and built their own website or video. And then like the mindless lemmings they are, the unwashed and uneducated and uninspired and unmotivated entitlement crowd who doesn't want to actually THINK for themselves or actually learn and PRACTICE the trade can come along, read the rag or watch the broom-closet produced video and then consider themselves as part of the great washed masses.

We have those same idiots in the gun world. But even more dangerous than that are the supposed experts, the "unmarried marriage counselors" if you will, who collect acronyms behind their name that impress the great unwashed among us and made the unknowing actually think that the instructor with the alphabet soup behind his (or her) name actually knows what the hell they're talking about.

So I'm reading this article and the quotes from all the "instructors" and "gun school" owners/founders (in which the majority of cases is some yahoo showing up at a local gun range with a firearm, a briefcase and a wheelbarrow load of BS) about open carry.

As I'm apt to do, I begin googling and researching and e-mailing my old military and LE friends to see if they've ever heard of these yahoos. Zilch in most cases, and in two, they HAD heard of the yahoos and it was not flattering.

BUT. . . these "instructors" all use the tacticool language such as "situation awareness," or better yet, the beloved acronym "SA," and "engage" and "conditioned response" blah blah blah blah.

To read the drivel these people write (and undoubtedly spew), one would think that these "instructors" have more kills than Wyatt Earp and Chris Kyle combined. The reality is they have more mouth than Jesse Ventura. In looking at their pictures, a majority have the required and requisite "special forces beard" which is a joke because the REAL special forces professionals I've known and continue to know. . . first thing they do when they get home and discharged is shave that sucker off. Most let their hair grow a little, but I've only known a couple that kept the beard--and they lived in the great white northern climates. Don't know of too many that kept the big heavy beard down here in the South.

And then there are the pictures of them and their students on the firing line. Always pictures. Students have the special forces beards and tacticool sunglasses and tacticool gloves and tacticool hearing protection and using a tacticool shooting stance and using tacticool movements.

I'll wager a BBQ dinner that if 95% of these tacticool instructors/students were to ever find themselves in an honest-to-goodness real life "I've got to shoot and NOW, no time to think or ohmygodI'mgoingtodie" situation, a six-pack of squeeable Charmin and Mr. Whipple himself wouldn't be able to clean the mess in their britches they'd make.

I wonder if these "instructors" and "schools" teach tacticool crapping?

The people I know, at least in my generation, who've had the unfortunate experience of having to point a weapon at another human being and pull the trigger don't talk about it with glee, nor do they particularly relish the memories. The snipers are a little different. But the cops and military people I know of my generation and older. . . they did what they had to do and moved on.

My father-in-law was a Marine in WWII in the South Pacific. He was a machine-gunner in the original Raider Battalion according to his discharge papers. Won some medals, caught some Japanese lead in the process, and lost a helluva lot of friends along the way--friends he grew up with in Waterville/Winslow, Maine because back then, entire towns would sign up to go to war and the Army or Marines would often keep them together for obvious reasons.

When it came to schooling my wife and her sister on firearms, my FIL spoke gently and quietly and from a position of experience. Nothing "tactical" and no words like "Honey, when you engage the perp as he breaches your apartment door, you'll need to do an evasive tactical roll to your right, follow the tactical flashlight I've duct-taped to your tactical .25ACP assault pocket-pistol and then proceed to discharge your firearm until empty then make a tactical reload and re-engage the perp while still maintaining a high-level of SA because you are now in Condition Nuclear."

Instead, he told the girls something like "hide behind the bed, call the police and then shoot the SOB as many times as you have to to get him to stop threatening you."

My FIL, like most decorated combat veterans and LE professionals I know, would've made a lousy instructor at today's gun schools. He didn't talk and act and dress cool enough--and he didn't have the special forces beard, although he did have some pretty cool large wrap-around sunglasses he picked up after his cataract surgery.

How I miss the days of Bill Jordan and Jeff Cooper. . .

:coffee:

[btroj]

I want to know how to practice form a practical point of view. How to quickly clear a jam, change mags, and do so safely.
I have no desire to roll in mud, wear black, or any of that garbage.

Teach me the basics them let me go practice on my own. I want instruction on the how of shooting quickly and accurately.

Don't try to impress me with you resume. I don't care how you dress or look or what you tell me. I want to see intelligent discussion and well planned and thought out instruction.

I am not in the special forces, don't care to be. Teach me to be a better practical pistol shooter and handler. I want to be able to defend myself, my family, and my property.

Tell me I need a tactical vest or flashlight and I quit listening. Period

BS don't cut it with me these days. I am not 21 and working as a mall cop....

[sh00ter787]

I attended a PSG course recently, the first time I have had formal training in (oh dear) about 15 years...
Very pleasantly surprised that it was clear, concise and comprised of a lot of "look, here are 2 or 3 ways of doing this, practice each and find the way that YOU get on with best". I had almost forgotten how much a difference a really good instructor makes!

One thing that always makes me smile, and I may well be wrong and showing my ignorance here - is when I watch a video on youtube you see them visibly looking left and right after "engaging" targets, now call me old fashioned but that is what your peripheral vision is for and I am more concerned about what may be behind me and not in front!

[Love Life]

Practice and repitition. That will do it. Combat rolls are for the birds...

[runfiverun]

But still. .
When it came to schooling my wife and her sister on firearms, my FIL spoke gently and quietly and from a position of experience. Nothing "tactical" and no words like "Honey, when you engage the perp as he breaches your apartment door, you'll need to do an evasive tactical roll to your right, follow the tactical flashlight I've duct-taped to your tactical .25ACP assault pocket-pistol and then proceed to discharge your firearm until empty then make a tactical reload and re-engage the perp while still maintaining a high-level of SA because you are now in Condition Nuclear."

Instead, he told the girls something like "hide behind the bed, call the police and then shoot the SOB as many times as you have to to get him to stop threatening you."

How I miss the days of Bill Jordan and Jeff Cooper. . .

:coffee:

mainly because that's pretty much how it's done.
you try to not get shot while doing the opposite to the other guy's.

[Sweetpea]

Geez, JD, why don't you tell us how you really feel??? You can be so hard to read sometimes.:kidding:

Honestly, though, I couldn't agree more... I like to learn new and better things myself, but at the end of the day, I'm not gonna hang around and have a tacticool circle-jerk with a bunch of folks that got their BDUs at K-MART!

Wannabes are just that...

I'm not top of the heap, middle at best, but try to learn and do better, not just look the part.

Brandon

[jsheyn]

I laugh at my buddies when they go into their tacticool rants about working on there weaver to isosceles transitions....

[Goatwhiskers]

This is such a sore spot with me, tacticool, dressed out black guns, and the whole pile of garbage. Heaven forbid that it should ever happen, but if it does I will do my best to "make the other sob die for his country", beliefs, whatever. I'll move on to keep from saying too much. GW

[Sensai]

If I were in a real urban combat experience, I'd like to be surrounded by some of these tactically dressed "experts". There are definite advantages to having primary targets around you to draw fire!

[texassako]

I have several friends that have developed the habit of talking in tacticool now that they have become gun owners, but at least they joined the ranks even if I think their ideas can go a bit overboard at times. I take something uncool when they ask me to go shooting just to piss them off, usually something antique with 'character'.

[Blacksmith]

There are the guys with the latest tacticool gear and black outfits who talk like the movies. Then there are the guys with the hard eyes, a revolver or 1911 with the blue worn off, dressed in jeans and a shirt, who don't talk much. I know who I'll pick in a fight.

[9w1911]

I appreciate your rant

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I want to know how to practice form a practical point of view. How to quickly clear a jam, change mags, and do so safely.

...Teach me the basics them let me go practice on my own. I want instruction on the how of shooting quickly and accurately.



Practice and repitition. That will do it. Combat rolls are for the birds...

JD's rant along with btroj and Love life comments remind me of last fall when I setup and ran a "for fun" pistol shoot competition. Most of the shooters were recent grad's of our local tacticool carry course. Nearly everyone who shot, either forgot the safety was on...or had a misfeed or jam. And when their was a misfeed or jam, nearly everytime the shooter would turn their body (and gun) toward me, to ...I suppose, have me fix the jam...til I yelled at them "point GUN downrange"

Oh, How I wish the carry class instructor would offer some practical advice and then have the students practice.
Jon

[KinkBreaker]

my sole source of income is i teach karate for a living, mostly to children. when adults do actually ask about self defense(usually women). i tell them i carry almost all the time, and they should consider it.
lots of guys i meet after they find out i teach karate just want tell me about their herculean exploits

[dakotashooter2]

I practice my tactical skills the same way I practice my bowhunting skill. Wandering through the woods or gravel pit drawing on and shooting at random targets (rocks, stumps, logs etc.) at random ranges. Thats where the real skills develop......If you know where all the targets are before you shoot at them you are not improving your "situation awareness" skills at all. While the technology is cool your average shooter with only minimal practice will likely forget to take advantage of his cool electronics when the bullets start flying his way.

[40-82]

The type you're describing, Recluse, is as old as human nature. Maybe they didn't have black guns and BDU's, but I remember an instructor from nearly forty years ago demonstrating the combat shotgun. He wore a campaign hat and had a cigar clinched in the corner of his mouth. After he finished his harangue at the students he pulled his riot 870 loaded with 00 Buck to his hip and proceeded to empty the shotgun at five man-sized silhouettes twenty-five yards downrange. He never bothered to check his target for pattern afterwards. The idea that he could be so confident in his ability that he didn't raise the stock to his shoulder even after the first shot, when he could have done so with no loss in time fascinated me enough that when the class took a break I eased down toward the targets for a look. Not a single pellet touched a single target.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

One piece of advice I have read from several experts. If and when you decide to pull that trigger your life could well change forever.

[Nortex]

My Tacticool Instructor Run-In

Getting my CHL a few years ago. The state law is if I possess a valid/current military qualification, then all I need to do is attend the classroom instruction (no shooting required). So I bring proof to the class and tell the Tacticool Instructor (TI) I do not intend to shoot.

TI (with voice dripping mockery): So, you don't think you can qualify or what?
ME: That's not it at all
TI: well then what is it?
ME: why do you carry concealed?
TI: Huh?
ME: why do you carry concealed?
TI: well, because (blah, blah, blah insert Tacticool speak)
ME: ok, that's all fine, but I'm into risk mitigation and if I don't have to, I prefer to not accept the risk of being around two dozen folks I don't know, with unknown shooting ability and possibly minimal firearms training while they blaze away....capisce?
TI: .....good point.

[wv109323]

What gets me is that they insist on a $4000.00 rifle with a $1000.00 sight to shoot across the living room.

[Nickle]

Yeah, I hear you guys.

I've seen my fair share. Kind of really irritates me, because I was recently the Chief Master Instructor of Project Appleseed. You don't get to that level in that organization unless you can back your mouth with your actions, and "tacticool" anything about you will get you exactly nowhere. We don't teach tactical shooting, and truth be known, it's pretty much useless.

Now, consider that I'm retired military (Army & Army Guard). Add that the last unit I belonged to was real deal mountain infantry (3/172 Inf). They don't teach the kind of garbage those idiots like to endorse.

Basics is what we taught, in the unit, and with that program. Traditional riflery, with hits out to and exceeding 500 yards is the goal.

And, I've yet to see any "tacticool master" that could hit the broad side of barn at 200 yards (most less).

[popper]

I read thumbcocker's post, hugged the wife, went outside with the puppy to watch her practice a 'tactical roll' on her whiffle ball. Didn't do her much good but was great for me. I'm doing sporting clays & center mass 'point & shoot' for my tactical training. Got some relatives that are 'gun-ho' but don't own one. It's hard to keep a straight face when you are laughing so hard your side hurts.

[rush1886]

If I were in a real urban combat experience, I'd like to be surrounded by some of these tactically dressed "experts". There are definite advantages to having primary targets around you to draw fire!

+1, Amen!

[koehn,jim]

Jeff Cooper used to teach a course that was pretty good, but without all the modern stuff.

[TXGunNut]

I'm just a fat middle-aged guy with a beard. There's an old .45 around here somewhere and I have a hot pink bumper on my extra mag. Dunno which scares the tacticool guys most...:wink:

[AricTheRed]

Here is the patch I got when I graduated my 1/2 day course last week! I proudly wear it on the shoulder of my level IV body armor!


73282

[Charley]

Several local CHL instructors around here push the "tactical" BS pretty hard, including radio spots. One school even gives out yard signs to those who've taken their course, saying "This house protected by Texas Castle doctrine". It's a small scale B5 sillouette with pretend bullet holes in it. Great idea, no need to worry about any liability.

I'd rather not draw attention to myself.

[Kraschenbirn]

Back in the mid-1980s, I did the short (3-day) course at the Chapman Academy in Columbia, MO. Back then, primary emphasis was on what Ray Chapman called 'effective shooting'...i.e. putting your rounds on target as expeditiously as possible without getting yourself killed in the process. This wasn't your basic marksmanship class; classes were open only to law enforcement and 'experienced' civilians and, as I recall, the letter confirming my enrollment suggested bringing a *minimum* of 750 " rounds and, also, stated very succinctly that 'softball' ammo and tricked-out competition-style guns/holsters would be strongly frowned upon. Nobody wore 'tacticool' either...mostly jeans or khakis with hiking boots. Every exercise started with a holstered weapon and we worked at shooting standing and kneeling, from behind cover, and on the move. We did eight hours instruction/range time every day and, then, coached each other on the practice range for an hour or so after dinner. Was a great experience and I've always regretted not being able to go through the whole 10-day program.

Bill

[Gliden07]

I like the saying "The best Gunfight is the one that doesn't happen". I hope I never have to shoot or shoot at another human being. I believe that safe firearms practice's are the foundation of all gun handling skills. The outfitted "TACTICOOL" guns with the Picatinny rails all over it and all that other **** are pretty much useless! Give me a nice trigger, barrel and a good set of sights anyday over that junk! Those Blacked out wannabes P@$$ me off too!!

[PbHurler]

Nothing "tactical" and no words like "Honey, when you engage the perp as he breaches your apartment door, you'll need to do an evasive tactical roll to your right, follow the tactical flashlight I've duct-taped to your tactical .25ACP assault pocket-pistol and then proceed to discharge your firearm until empty then make a tactical reload and re-engage the perp while still maintaining a high-level of SA because you are now in Condition Nuclear."

That's some funny stuff right there!

Thanks for the "rant" Recluse, I really enjoyed it!

[archmaker]

Those instructors that you talk of remind me of the old saying we had as a kid, about cars "If it don't run - chrome it!" Anybody that has to chrome their reputation is covering up a lack of knowledge in my book.

[dakotashooter2]

By the time some tacticool guy "dials in" his $1200 scope I already have 2-3 shots down range and have "walked" my shots onto target......

[Blacksmith]

In a real situation the tacticool guy will draw ALL the attention. I hope he is prepared for all the lead that comes with attention in a situation. Don't stand out it makes you a target.

[bruce drake]

I'm just a Public Affairs Guy... ;)

[shdwlkr]

Well all that tactical stuff is great if you are in great shape and have nothing better to do with your life.
But as an old guy that is not in perfect health all that is just show that won't work. Far better I work on putting my shots on target no matter the distance, that I make good use of what I have and feel good using.
I also have looked at those ugly black rifles that we used to carry so long ago and swore I would never have again. Well that has changed because the black rifles have changed and for the better in my mind. I have some firearms with scopes for good reason it makes it easier for my old eyes to hit the target. Some don't for the same reason and how I use them.

These wannabe's are going to suck as much money out of as many folks as they can for as long as they can. Real training for home defense, personal defense is much simpler for many of us. It is simply doing all we can to not be in a bad situation if at all possible. Yes we may cc but that isn't so we can have a shoot out more to give us an edge if we can't get out of a really bad situation.

I have no desire to be in a firefight if there is any way I can avoid such a situation. All this talk of another civil war have no clue how many innocence's get killed along the way. I have seen way to many that gave all to ever want to do it again. I prefer a republic that has honest people running the government and its citizens all free to enjoy life in safe and free way as long as it harms no one else.

May we always be free and in a free land. Hard to believe right now but if we never give in, never quit it is still possible.

[garym1a2]

If you want to learn to shoot a pistoel well shoot some matches, USPSA, IDPA, steel or Bullseye. Plus practice a lot, USPSA is good for learning reloading skills if you shoot production or single stack as you can reload 15-20 times a match.
For Rifle skills the appleseed program is a great start to learn the basics, after that shoot some conventinal high power matches. Try to find ones with ranges of 300 and 600 yards and you will learn quite a bit about windage and elevation.
for shotguns I have limited skills but think the best way to get good with ones is to shoot clays. If you can hit the birds flying fast than a human in your house is not an issue.

[Beecher Tool]

This thread hit a nerve with me.....I learned to shoot during my junior year of high school [1977]. My dad gave me [and both of my brothers and my sister] a brand new Pachmyer Signature Series Combat Special .45 ACP built on a Series 70 frame the second week of that school year....we went to the range 3x per week shooting 75 rounds in each hand for an entire 9 month school year. The tasks got progressively more difficult as we went along, and by the end of the year each of us could fully qualify at 25 years one handed with our weak hands.

My dad is long in the ground, I have that pistol which has been restored twice though it has close to 130K rounds through it...and is about to be "retired" and replaced with a new Pistol Dynamics Combat Evo. I currently shoot 2x/week year round, and putting lead down range is about as tacticool as I will probably get....sure I have shot in multiple other types of situations, leagues, etc...but the fundamental principal of being able to put multiple rounds where they need to be, when they need to be there is what good shooting was, is and will always be about.

[Ajax]

I have had no school. I learned to shoot pistol on my own as a teenager. I learned to shoot rifle and shot gun with minimal instruction. To this day i don't understand why so many people shoot for those itty bitty groups. I have always been a hunter for as long as i remember. I hold myself to a self imposed limit on my grouping to 3" at 100 yards, if i and the gun can't do that i will quit shooting. The same truth holds for my self protection when i practice i aim for center mass and dump the mag, when i train with my 22 i carry sometimes i aim at head and as fast as i can empty the mag. if i cant keep all 11 inside the head with the 22 and all 10 inside the body with a 9mm i figure i will just stay home with my shotgun.


Andy

[km101]

These "tacticool" people ARE a real source of irritation sometimes, but they do serve a couple of useful purposes.

1. They would draw a lot of hostile fire in a real tactical situation.
2. They serve as a bad example for most "real life" training programs.

And if you can overlook the bluster, bravado and BS, they can be really amusing!

Bill Jordan would have loved these guys!!!

[Riverpigusmc]

My gun I carry is a Wilson CQB..It ain't a "platform"
I carry it on a holster. On a gunbelt.
"Operators" went out with payphones
I wear jeans and Justin boots..and the only way I'm gonna do a "roll" is if I'm taking incoming mortar fire..highly unlikely in this stage of life. My rules for a gunfight are:

1. Don't be there
2. If you have to be there, bring a gun, and friends with guns
3. Shoot first and often

Ain't no rules after that

[Gunslinger1911]

When Ohio first got CCW there was an "instructor" who would teach you to bounce bullets off the ground to hit a concealed attacker. I laughed. I walked. Found a real NRA cert instructor - learned a lot from her !

[Don Purcell]

Beecher Tool, Pachmyer Combat Special? WOW! I've lusted after one of those since I first seen one over thirty years ago, you lucky dog.