Shooting Fundamentals I

• Safe Gun Handling

• Grip & Stance

• Zeroing & Clearing Malfunctions

Seminar Topics

• Section 1 – Stephen Mosel

• Preparing the Magazine

• Loading/Unloading

• Section 2 – Floyd Dunstan

• Proper Grip

• Shooting Stances

• Section 3 – Terry Marksberry

• Zeroing Your Gun

• Open Sights

• Optics

• Clearing Malfunctions

Section 1Preparing Magazines

• Magazine Construction

• Cartridge Orientation

• Changing Base Plates

• Preparation Assist Devices

Loading & Unloading

• Loading a Gun

• Inserting Magazine

• Proper Seating

• Chambering a Round

• Unloading

• Step-by-step

• Ensuring it is Unloaded

Magazine Construction

• Designed to Hold Cartridges for Insertion in to Chamber

• Upward Tilt to Cartridges

• May be Single or Double Stack

• Flat Side & Round Side(Matches Cartridge)

Magazine Construction

Changing Base Plates

• Purpose

• Pinky Extension

• Grip Extension

• Capacity Extension

• Procedure

• Depress “Pin” in base

• Slide Base Plate off

• Go Find the Spring

• Slide New Base Plate On

Mag Prep Assist Devices

Loading the Firearm

• Insert Magazine into Magazine Well

• Seat with Authority!

• Chamber a Round by Racking the Slide

Chambering a Round

•Two Techniques

1. Fingers on Slide

• Requires Finger Strength

2. Bring to Chest

• Rotate Body 90°

• Push with Arms

Keep the Gun Pointed in a Safe Direction!

Racking the Slide

Remember…

YOU can rack a slide!

It’s Technique, NOT Strength.

Unloading a Firearm (Semi)

• Keep the Gun Pointed in a Safe Direction

• Remove the Magazine & Lay it Aside

• Rack the Slide 1-3 Times to Eject Round in Chamber

• Open Action – Observe Empty Chamber

Consider ALL Firearms are Loaded until YOU Verify They are Not!

Any Questions?

Section 2Grips & Stuff

• Two Handed vs One Handed

• Safeties (other features)

• Proper Fit Considerations

• Reaching Controls

• Trigger Reach

• Grip Circumference

• Finger Grooves

Top 5 Stances

• Weaver

• Chapman

• Power Isosceles

• Power Point

• Strong Hand Retention

Two Handed Grip• Pickup Gun with Non-Shooting

Hand & Place in Shooting Hand

• Hand High on Grip in web of Thumb (engage grip Safety)

• Trigger Finger along Frame

• Grip as shown with non-shooting hand

• Thumbs Forward – Same Side of Gun

•DO NOT CROSS THUMBS

Two Handed Grip• Wrist Extended, Angled

Down • Four Major Points

One Handed Grip

• Pickup Gun with Non-Shooting Hand & Place in Shooting Hand

• Hand High on Grip in web of Thumb

• Trigger Finger along Frame

Safeties• Thumb Safeties

• Some UP, Some DOWN

• Some Ambidextrous

•Magazine Disconnect

• Long Trigger Pull

• 7-8 lbs

•Grip Safety

•Double Trigger

Other Features

•Slide Lock

•Decockers

•Disassembly Lever or Pin

•Magazine Release

Proper Fit Considerations

•Ability to Reach Controls

• Thumb Safety

•Width of Grip

• Single vs Double Stack

• Trigger Reach

• Too Long – Push to Left

• Too Short – Pull to Right

• Finger Grooves

Shooting Stances

Weaver Stance• Support side foot 8-10” forward

• Strong-side Toes @ 45°

• 2 Handed – Both Elbows Slightly Bent

• Push/Pull Tension on Gun

Advantages

• Fast Sight Picture

• Wider swing arc to support side

Disadvantages

• Less Recoil Control

• Difficult for Cross-Dominate People

Chapman Stance• Support side foot 6-8” forward

• Strong-side Toes @ 45°

• Stance more Relaxed

• 2 Handed – Strong side arm straight

Advantages

• Better Recoil Control

• Better for Cross-Dominate People

• Better for Heavy Calibers

Power Isosceles Stance

• Drop strong-side foot back 6-8 inches – feet shoulder width

• Both elbows locked

• Knees slightly bent

Advantages

• Improved Stability

• Increased Peripheral Vision

• Move Faster Between Multiple Targets

Power Point Stance• Gun foot Forward 15-20”

• Shoulder pushing into the gun

• Knees bent

• Support hand tucked tightly to center of chest.

Advantages

• Fast & Accurate close-range fire with either hand

• Good if one hand/arm injured

• More Aggressive then Bullseye Stance

Strong Hand Retention

• Gun-arm Elbow tucked tightly to side of the body

• Gun only a few inches forward pointed straight ahead

• Support hand tight to chest – free to fend off attack or extend gun for more distant target

Advantages

• Close Personal-Protection scenarioto prevent losing gun

• Pivot Body to face nearby threat

Any Questions?

Section 3Zeroing

• Distances

• Convergence vs Parallel

• Open Sights

• Replacing Sights

• Red Dot Optics

• Lasers

Malfunctions

• Misfire

• Hangfire

• Squib Load

• Clearing Malfunctions

• Wait Time

• Tap-Rack Technique

• Stovepipe

Zeroing for Open Sights

• Convergence of POI/POA to at a fixed distance

• 3-5 yds for Carry Gun

• 5-7 yds for Home Defence

• Use Laser Bore Sight

• Adjust Rear Sight in same direction you wish to move POI

Zeroing Options Red Dot

• Two Options

• Fixed Distance

• Traditional Sights

7 Yards

ZeroPOA

POI

Zeroing Options Red Dot

• Two Options

• Parallel to Barrel

Any Distance

Zero

1.25” 1.25”

POA

POI

Zeroing Options Laser• Two Options

• Fixed Distance

• Traditional Sights

7 Yards

Zero

Zeroing Options Laser

• Two Options

• Parallel to Barrel

Any Distance

Zero

1.25” 1.25”

POA

POI

Handling MalfunctionsMisfire

• You pull the trigger & click!

• Nothing Happens! The Gun has NOT cycled

• Keep Gun Pointed Down Range at all times

• YOU MUST WAIT 30 SECONDS TO BE SURE IT IS NOT A HANGFIRE

Handling

• Tap and firmly seat the bottom of the magazine while still Pointing Downrange

• Rack the Slide to Remove the Bad Cartridge

• Continue Shooting

Handling MalfunctionsHangfire

• You pull the trigger & click!

• Nothing Happens! The Gun has NOT cycled

• Keep Gun Pointed Down Range at All Times

• May Be a Misfire

• The Round Fires After a few Seconds

Handling

• Although Delayed by Some Period of Time, the Round did Fire Normally

• Gun Cycled Normally

• No Action Required

• Continue Shooting

Handling MalfunctionsSquib Load

• You pull the trigger & the Gun fires but with diminished sound & recoil

•DO NOT FIRE THE GUN AGAIN!

• Gun may or may not have cycled

Handling

• Remove the Magazine

• Rack the Slide to remove Live or Spent Round in Chamber

• Verify that the Barrel does not have a bullet lodged in the barrel

• Use object like chopstick to insert in barrel

• If clear, reload and continue

Handling MalfunctionsSquib Load

• Fire the gun again after a suspected squib load may cause serious injury to you and your gun

Handling MalfunctionsStovepipe• Gun Fires but leaves a spent

cartridge in the ejection port.

• Handling

• Remove Magazine• Rack the Slide to remove

spent casing• Reload & Continue

Note: the next cartridge to be loaded may be wedged between the magazine and the firing chamber. That round will have to be removed also.

Any Questions?