Police Shootout Videos: This link leads to ten videos of police shootouts recorded primarily by dash-mounted cameras. Most have at least one tactical lesson that can be drawn. http://www.policelink.com/news/articles/110174-policelinks-ten-most-intense-shootout-videos?page=1 --- From John Farnam: 10 July 09 Optics mounted atop M4 "carrying-handle" At an Urban Rifle Course in CO last week, a student brought an M4 with the standard carrying handle. Atop the handle, and anchored only by a single screw, was an EOTech Optic. Another student brought an M4 with an ACOG similarly plunked on top of the carrying-handle. Neither set-up was satisfactory. Both optics were too high for any kind of cheek-weld, and the screw holding the EOTech came loose constantly. In addition, this set-up is so flimsy that a consistent zero could not be maintained. Optics on M4s and other ARs need a flat-top configuration and need to be anchored to an integral rail in order to be low enough, and sturdy enough, to run in a serious environment. Attempting to mount sights on top of the carrying handle is a poor idea, any way it is attempted, as these two students unhappily discovered. /John (The term "carry handle" is a misnomer. Due to the stock being in line with the bore on modern military-style rifles, the sights must be elevated by means of a "sight bridge." Obviously, further raising the sighting plane above that sight bridge eliminates a normal cheek weld. Those who envision using optical devices on these rifles are best served by purchasing "flat top" models that either lack the sight bridge or are equipped with a removable one.) 11 July 09 The current state of police training, from a friend who trains at state level: "I just finished teaching our Firearms Instructor Update to a number of small departments. We update/audit/QC state-certified instructors. These are troops responsible for maintaining qualifications and training within their own departments. I can't tell you how many times I heard, 'Well, our department gives us neither time nor ammunition to train, so we only do the minimum (which is the same as nothing).' I reminded them all that, if they are waiting for someone to give them something they need, and then use that as an excuse not to train, they are failing their profession and the officers who depend on them. Some costs are just going to be 'out of pocket.' We instructors are the ones that have a license to correct bad tactics/habits, no matter how much brass, or how many stripes, are on the sleeve. Too many see themselves are merely 'qual-callers.' We run a stress-course. Nobody wants to be the first, and, when poor performance rears its ugly hear, oh the wretched excuses we hear! The good thing out is that most walk away, acknowledging that they need to train more, inspire more, and dither less!" Comment: Competent training cannot come too soon to our troopers! We only have to look south to see what is coming our way, ready or not! Don't wait. Train competently. Train hard. Train now. Your life depends on it! /John (One of the reasons that I share John's material is that he has been an innovator in many ways. For those who are required to shoot what NRA-LEAD prefers to call a "proficiency course," as opposed to a "qualification," John has devised one that requires a total of six rounds for an autoloader and eight rounds for a revolver [about two-thirds of the way down the page at http://www.kuci.org/~dany/firearms/all_drills.html#standards]. Training costs have increased for all of us, with increases in the price of ammunition, compounded by its current scarcity. I have the luxury of teaching only one or two students at a time. So long as I can get the students not to attempt their own corrections before I reach them, I can usually teach with many fewer rounds than most schools because I can make corrections before the student has wasted a dozen or so rounds doing something in a sub-optimal manner. For those responsible for their own skill maintenance, dry fire should be considered when applicable. Granted that it may only have been a bullseye course, in the waning days of the existence of the Republic of Rhodesia, a study was done with military recruits. One group was taught the use of the pistol with live ammo and another with dry-fire. When time came to "qualify," there was no significant difference in scores between the two groups. A laser sight can be of value when training in point-shooting techniques. Pellet guns, .22 conversions for autoloaders and .22-caliber versions of carry revolvers can reduce training costs for marksmanship exercises. Officers with underfunded departments may need to consider fund-raising activities in order to purchase targets and other training equipment. Such officers may need to consider organized training on their own time; many departments find it easier to budget for official funerals than for the training that might have prevented them.) -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .