Low Light CCW: Sage Dynamics AAR
Jan 15, 2015 17:22:15 GMT
Browning35, RTF Squared, and 1 more like this
Post by Gingerbread Man on Jan 15, 2015 17:22:15 GMT
We arrived and were three deep. I'm baffled at the low turn out. It was cold, the day started at 40 degrees and just kept getting colder. Good, perfect conditions. Aaron gave use a reasonable range brief, don't point guns at people, be safe and don't do stupid shit.
We started in the stand up using flight lights and we worked one handed draws. We work 7yds, then 3 yds and about 10 yds. Then we had some discussion about light use, scanning and verbal commands. We then worked from our back, side, fetal and prone facing away from the target. This was about a hour worth of instruction in the twilight hour.
Once it was complete darkness we did the drills all over again. Things slow down, accuracy suffers and everything is very disco in the darkness. Once we got through the drills again Aaron took it to a whole new level. He had us wait back at the vehicles and took our 4 targets and arranged them in complete darkness. We had to walk up and start from standing, fetal and roll over prone and scan and assess who was armed and who was not. This isn't at all easy and illustarted that not everyone can be shot and only armed people need service.
Then Aaron once again stepped it up with a full on fight. He set us up on 4 targets with 2 of them being armed but the other two were belegerants who had to be served as well, trick was you had to hit the gun carriers first and then service everyone. In complete darkenss while just using a flashlight. Wow, I easily went through 2 mags each run. As a hoot, I grabbed my Glock 17 with TLR-1 running a Lyon Concealment kydex and worked it. Wow. WML is the way to work the darkness if applicable.
Kit I ran: 90% of the class I ran my Glock 26 with a Lyon Concealment Appendix rig, excellent holster. I only ripped the holster out once when I drew while standing up. Quick fix was to rip it off and keep running. I used my 10 year old Surefire E2E which worked perfectly but I'll discuss it more in the BIG TAKE AWAYS section. I also ran my aforementioned Glock 17 with TLR-1 in a Lyon Concealment belt rig. Big guns with WMLs in a kydex holster are winners, much faster and easier too work.
BIG TAKE AWAYS!:
1. Get a very bright flash light. The E2E was a little light on lumens, it's an incandecsent and was easily out classed. I'm going to get the LED head for it.
2. Don't carry flashlights that are too big.
3. Use all the lumens.
4. Practice point shooting
5. Low light shooting with lights require practice. Reloading guns with the light in your hand is the way to go, pocketing it or indexing it is fail. Hold the light while reloading it and practice it.
6. Be aggressive, be willing to fight, and train, then practice what you train.
7. Night sights are silly, just use a light and contrast sights. I ran my 17 just fine with a figer optic front sight and black rear sight.
Quick review of the Springfield XDS 45 ACP:
The other guy in the course had 6-7 stove pipes with a brand new XDS. One malfunction was so bad it took the case, flipped in around and jammed it in backwards into the chamber. He was running brass case 230 FMJ. Yeah, no.
My Glock 26 had zero malfunctions. E2E ran well. Glock 17 had zero issues. My old streamlight toggle got hit in my bag and melted a spot on my shot timer. I'll post pics later. Redeyes was having malfs with the Brown Bear 9mm he had.
We started in the stand up using flight lights and we worked one handed draws. We work 7yds, then 3 yds and about 10 yds. Then we had some discussion about light use, scanning and verbal commands. We then worked from our back, side, fetal and prone facing away from the target. This was about a hour worth of instruction in the twilight hour.
Once it was complete darkness we did the drills all over again. Things slow down, accuracy suffers and everything is very disco in the darkness. Once we got through the drills again Aaron took it to a whole new level. He had us wait back at the vehicles and took our 4 targets and arranged them in complete darkness. We had to walk up and start from standing, fetal and roll over prone and scan and assess who was armed and who was not. This isn't at all easy and illustarted that not everyone can be shot and only armed people need service.
Then Aaron once again stepped it up with a full on fight. He set us up on 4 targets with 2 of them being armed but the other two were belegerants who had to be served as well, trick was you had to hit the gun carriers first and then service everyone. In complete darkenss while just using a flashlight. Wow, I easily went through 2 mags each run. As a hoot, I grabbed my Glock 17 with TLR-1 running a Lyon Concealment kydex and worked it. Wow. WML is the way to work the darkness if applicable.
Kit I ran: 90% of the class I ran my Glock 26 with a Lyon Concealment Appendix rig, excellent holster. I only ripped the holster out once when I drew while standing up. Quick fix was to rip it off and keep running. I used my 10 year old Surefire E2E which worked perfectly but I'll discuss it more in the BIG TAKE AWAYS section. I also ran my aforementioned Glock 17 with TLR-1 in a Lyon Concealment belt rig. Big guns with WMLs in a kydex holster are winners, much faster and easier too work.
BIG TAKE AWAYS!:
1. Get a very bright flash light. The E2E was a little light on lumens, it's an incandecsent and was easily out classed. I'm going to get the LED head for it.
2. Don't carry flashlights that are too big.
3. Use all the lumens.
4. Practice point shooting
5. Low light shooting with lights require practice. Reloading guns with the light in your hand is the way to go, pocketing it or indexing it is fail. Hold the light while reloading it and practice it.
6. Be aggressive, be willing to fight, and train, then practice what you train.
7. Night sights are silly, just use a light and contrast sights. I ran my 17 just fine with a figer optic front sight and black rear sight.
Quick review of the Springfield XDS 45 ACP:
The other guy in the course had 6-7 stove pipes with a brand new XDS. One malfunction was so bad it took the case, flipped in around and jammed it in backwards into the chamber. He was running brass case 230 FMJ. Yeah, no.
My Glock 26 had zero malfunctions. E2E ran well. Glock 17 had zero issues. My old streamlight toggle got hit in my bag and melted a spot on my shot timer. I'll post pics later. Redeyes was having malfs with the Brown Bear 9mm he had.
