xMINORxTHREATx
New member
I would clear my house room by room, but with a 7 and 9 year old running around pretending to be insane, or maybe they are insane who knows, I end up tripping about three rooms into it. haha
in-home training
- Thread starter xMINORxTHREATx
- Start date
Something I have done (more of a self-awareness drill rather than training per se) is to practice responding to an intruder using the "finger gun" - i.e. no weapon, just a pointed finger.
I start from rooms I typically occupy - bedroom, office, den - and react to potential intruders breaking in from different locations. My main intention is to plan for the best options of cover, concealment, and retreat. Following my personal rule #2 in a gunfight - which is to not get shot, staying behind some form of cover and peeking around corners is a big part of this.
One of the interesting things I have learned from this is that due to the layout of my house, the vast majority of the time I find if I needed to shoot, I would be using my left hand and shooting one handed if I were trying to expose as little of my body as possible. This has changed my range practice focus a lot, so that I shoot "weak hand" a lot more than I used to, as well as one handed with both hands.
I've also recognized where the best defensive points are and where my best retreat paths are, so that I could cover a doorway effectively behind as much cover as possible while being on a land line phone to the police.
The other trick is to practice this same drill at night with all of the lights out in the house. You can assume that an intruder who just came in from outside probably has adjusted to the dark, so turning a light on when you first get up to see what that noise was may put you at a disadvantage.
I like to practice the dark-house drill three ways. With handheld flashlight, with weapon-mounted flashlight or laser (if you have either) using an unloaded gun of course, and with no flashlight at all. For the flashlight drills you tend to need an unloaded or blue plastic gun so you can get used to dealing with a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other, swapping hands if need be, peeking around corners and pulsing the light as needed to illuminate and hopefully dazzle intruders. I prefer a small bright (100+ lumens) LED flashlight but others may prefer the big D-cell Maglites that double as a club.
As I mentioned earlier, the main value I get from this is for self awareness and to adjust my range time so that I practice the things I need to work on.
I start from rooms I typically occupy - bedroom, office, den - and react to potential intruders breaking in from different locations. My main intention is to plan for the best options of cover, concealment, and retreat. Following my personal rule #2 in a gunfight - which is to not get shot, staying behind some form of cover and peeking around corners is a big part of this.
One of the interesting things I have learned from this is that due to the layout of my house, the vast majority of the time I find if I needed to shoot, I would be using my left hand and shooting one handed if I were trying to expose as little of my body as possible. This has changed my range practice focus a lot, so that I shoot "weak hand" a lot more than I used to, as well as one handed with both hands.
I've also recognized where the best defensive points are and where my best retreat paths are, so that I could cover a doorway effectively behind as much cover as possible while being on a land line phone to the police.
The other trick is to practice this same drill at night with all of the lights out in the house. You can assume that an intruder who just came in from outside probably has adjusted to the dark, so turning a light on when you first get up to see what that noise was may put you at a disadvantage.
I like to practice the dark-house drill three ways. With handheld flashlight, with weapon-mounted flashlight or laser (if you have either) using an unloaded gun of course, and with no flashlight at all. For the flashlight drills you tend to need an unloaded or blue plastic gun so you can get used to dealing with a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other, swapping hands if need be, peeking around corners and pulsing the light as needed to illuminate and hopefully dazzle intruders. I prefer a small bright (100+ lumens) LED flashlight but others may prefer the big D-cell Maglites that double as a club.
As I mentioned earlier, the main value I get from this is for self awareness and to adjust my range time so that I practice the things I need to work on.
insolentshrew
New member
As someone else said, 1 handed drills...for just about everything you can think of. Especially drawing from a strong side holster. All your practice shooting weak handed only is fine and dandy, but pretty useless if your strong arm gets disabled and you cant clear leather with your weak hand.
I would also recommend doing something along the lines of the Tueller drill (google it if you've never heard of it) to go along with situational awareness. This can give some fore site for people as to when people become within danger close range. This could be adapted for dry fire exercises in the yard to help with practicing clearing leather. Obviously different carry rigs, draw speeds of individuals, speed of attack will change the range in which someone could clear leather and effectively fire a round - but it will be an eye opener as to what people should actually consider a safe vs dangerous distance of a potential attacker etc.
I really like the bang bang click drill you mentioned, I have heard of people doing similar drills at the range when you go with a friend. Friend loads magazine for auto's and loads 1 snap cap randomly, or for a revolver leave 1 chamber empty. The snap cap for the semi can serve 2 fold though, can practice doing a clearing drill when the snap cap is encountered and also look for anticipated recoil
I would also recommend doing something along the lines of the Tueller drill (google it if you've never heard of it) to go along with situational awareness. This can give some fore site for people as to when people become within danger close range. This could be adapted for dry fire exercises in the yard to help with practicing clearing leather. Obviously different carry rigs, draw speeds of individuals, speed of attack will change the range in which someone could clear leather and effectively fire a round - but it will be an eye opener as to what people should actually consider a safe vs dangerous distance of a potential attacker etc.
I really like the bang bang click drill you mentioned, I have heard of people doing similar drills at the range when you go with a friend. Friend loads magazine for auto's and loads 1 snap cap randomly, or for a revolver leave 1 chamber empty. The snap cap for the semi can serve 2 fold though, can practice doing a clearing drill when the snap cap is encountered and also look for anticipated recoil
xMINORxTHREATx
New member
Tueller drills. Good addition.
Originally I was just thinking simple drills you can do if you have a few minutes of down time, but I like the direction its taking here.
Another one I'd like to add is target transitions and acquisition.
One thing I started to think of is what if the threat is coming from behind you (IE you are walking down the street and the BG comes up behind you and yells "gimme your money") Turning, accessing threat, drawing and firing.
Or if you are approached by BG's on opposing angles. (IE front and behind)
So I came up with a drill, you can set up targets yourself, or preferably have someone set them up for you. For in home use you can simply stand in the middle of your living room, GUN EMPTY, eyes closed. Have a friend put red plastic plates up in front and behind you. Ones with X's (BGs) and ones with check marks (by standers.) Friend shouts "front" "back" or "both."
You then turn to which ever side he yells, acquire the target, say bang (since you cant shoot) and move on to the next target.
Originally I was just thinking simple drills you can do if you have a few minutes of down time, but I like the direction its taking here.
Another one I'd like to add is target transitions and acquisition.
One thing I started to think of is what if the threat is coming from behind you (IE you are walking down the street and the BG comes up behind you and yells "gimme your money") Turning, accessing threat, drawing and firing.
Or if you are approached by BG's on opposing angles. (IE front and behind)
So I came up with a drill, you can set up targets yourself, or preferably have someone set them up for you. For in home use you can simply stand in the middle of your living room, GUN EMPTY, eyes closed. Have a friend put red plastic plates up in front and behind you. Ones with X's (BGs) and ones with check marks (by standers.) Friend shouts "front" "back" or "both."
You then turn to which ever side he yells, acquire the target, say bang (since you cant shoot) and move on to the next target.
BILLtheDJguy
Moderator
I like everything but the X's and check marks...In a real situation you won't have these to recognize. Try using a pic of a gun or knife or baseball bat on the BG's and nothing on the IB's...You should learn to acquire the danger, not a symbol...
xMINORxTHREATx
New member
Dwight,
You can definitely use an airsoft gun. Since they don't make a decent one for my M&P, I was leaning towards the bang method.
Bill,
I was thinking that, but I was always told to stay away from leaving the bystanders blank because then you get use to just looking for the drawing period. Ultimately it would be best to use silhouette targets with the black & white photos on them.
You can definitely use an airsoft gun. Since they don't make a decent one for my M&P, I was leaning towards the bang method.
Bill,
I was thinking that, but I was always told to stay away from leaving the bystanders blank because then you get use to just looking for the drawing period. Ultimately it would be best to use silhouette targets with the black & white photos on them.
BILLtheDJguy
Moderator
I would make the bystanders look just like the BGs. Simply without the weapon.
Get 3-4 different images of men/women and mix and match.
Get 3-4 different images of men/women and mix and match.
xMINORxTHREATx
New member
They even have ones with people carrying guns, but holding up a badge as well.
If you use a shotgun for home defense, you should practice loading a shell through the open ejection port or speed loading if it's a break breech. The steps should be the same for each type of shotgun (open, load, close, fire, eject) until you can do it all smoothly. I like doing these drills with two shells in whichever hand I'm loading with.
You can get 12 ga snap caps, but I prefer using an empty shell because they behave slightly unpredictably and when you get those mastered, loaded shells are a breeze.
Practice loading with each hand and from a variety of positions. You should also practice practice shouldering your shotgun on both weak and strong sides with your hands in both strong and weak positions. (Strong-side strong handed, weak-side strong handed, weak-side weak handed, and strong-side weak handed. Hope that made sense.)
Practicing these hand positions help you work around cover and obstacles.
Happy practicing!
You can get 12 ga snap caps, but I prefer using an empty shell because they behave slightly unpredictably and when you get those mastered, loaded shells are a breeze.
Practice loading with each hand and from a variety of positions. You should also practice practice shouldering your shotgun on both weak and strong sides with your hands in both strong and weak positions. (Strong-side strong handed, weak-side strong handed, weak-side weak handed, and strong-side weak handed. Hope that made sense.)
Practicing these hand positions help you work around cover and obstacles.
Happy practicing!
While I practice the room to room clearing routines and practice how I would / could respond to a BG in the house, the one scenario that always has me stumped is if he enters via the basement. No way to head down stairs and have an opportunity for that first shot. He's got the advantage no matter how I figure on getting to the basement (only one set of stairs in my home). All he has to do is wait me out - maybe using 911 plus locking the basement door is the best defense?!
BILLtheDJguy
Moderator
My first thought is that you have the high ground and hopefully a cell phone...
Also, depending on how well prepared you may be, tear gas works great in situations similar with no help available or several minutes out.
You could always get one of those shields that SWAT uses...
I would just camp out at the upstairs entrance...Maybe lure him out with a "please go away...we're unarmed"...
Also, depending on how well prepared you may be, tear gas works great in situations similar with no help available or several minutes out.
You could always get one of those shields that SWAT uses...
I would just camp out at the upstairs entrance...Maybe lure him out with a "please go away...we're unarmed"...
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Minorthreat I have good news for you on the M&P. They do not make a good airsoft that I know of. They do however make a good BB gun scaled to the same size that feels just like the 9mm & .40 S&W. It does not have the same weight. However the Grip, and handeling feel as close as any I have handeled. I bought one at a local sporting goods store when I bought my M&P. I think it was around $50. It is CO2. I use it for draw and fire practice in the back yard. (Works good for putting holes in soda cans too 
)
)xMINORxTHREATx
New member
Thanks M&P45!!!! Great news!!!!
As for the basement scenario, if your gonna get a riot shield, just grab one of your M-18's (Claymore mine) and set it at the top of the steps. BOOM done.
As for the basement scenario, if your gonna get a riot shield, just grab one of your M-18's (Claymore mine) and set it at the top of the steps. BOOM done.
xMINORxTHREATx
New member
DiCarnage - one thing im going to start practicing again (I noticed last time at the range I'm getting clumsy) is loading specialty rounds in the shotgun through the breech. I use a pump loaded with high brass buckshot, and my shell holder has four slug rounds and two bean bag rounds. If I need to switch to slugs I pull the action back, flip the gun on its side to get the buck round out, and put a slug in by hand.