Tag: law enforcement

Enhance Training Realism

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Action Target

Be honest. How many people reading this have attended or even taught a training course where you have used 2’X4” pieces of lumber to outline a room? How many of you have used this wood-outlined configuration for dynamic or static entry training? What about searching rooms outlined by strips of wood? These concepts are good at building on classroom instruction and enhancing the fundamentals necessary for entry and clearing. But is it great? Realistic?

Don’t worry, we both know the answers.

It is time to demand more out of training. The list of “props” that have been used by law enforcement and the military in training to add realism would take too much time to list. The days of telling an academy recruit, “Now simulate these pieces of wood are a room and this is the door,” are over. The technology of today allows us to have better training materials. Current technology allows us to have more realism added to our training scenarios. It allows us to train in controlled settings that are as real as possible without actually being in a free-standing structure, which has been vacated for your coursework.

There is nothing wrong with conducting your training in a real building. Personally, in the past I have run my recruits to several locations in various cities for them to get the most realistic training possible. If your organization is lucky enough to have established relationships with businesses, warehouses, apartment buildings and private homes, then you know just how challenging having a training course in those locations can be. It takes a significant amount of time and effort to set training dates, coordinate with all parties involved, ensure your class know the location, have enough parking space, obtain approval from the neighbors and/or city if necessary. Wouldn’t it be much easier to have training that encompasses all of those types listed in a single structure?

Of course! It would be great to have that type of capability in a single location. Is it possible and is it cost effective? Those are the key questions. And, by the way, the answer is yes, it is!

The days of training our first responders, SWAT, corrections and military personnel with the most realistic and safe training using only one building are here! The answer can be found with Action Target and our newest product, FlexTact®. Action Target has recently partnered with Hufcor to be the Exclusive World Wide vendor for their FlexTact® movable wall training system.

The FlexTact® system is currently used for non-live fire training only. Since non-live fire training can really be conducted anywhere, what is so great about this system? It’s simple. The system can be completely be reconfigured within minutes. For example, in a matter of a few minutes, you can transform your office scenario to a warehouse then into a residential setting. If you need to serve a high risk warrant and want to realistically structure your breach training, the physical layout of the residence can be duplicated with the FlexTact system.

Since FlexTact® is only available from Action Target, we have been receiving requests from all areas of the world on how to incorporate this revolutionary training system into a new building or existing structure. The great aspect of FlexTact® is that it can be placed in either! Those interested in FlexTact® are from the commercial, military and law enforcement communities. The FlexTact® system compliments our core expertise in live fire ranges and shoot houses such as the M.A.T.C.H. (Modular Armored Tactical Combat House) live fire structure shown below.

Top View of FlexTract Training System The FlexTact® system employs the following:

Rugged 16 ga. welded steel frames resist impacts
High Pressure Laminate surfaces are easy to clean and resist impacts
Quickset bottom seals hold walls in place during exercises
Overhead architectural aluminum tracks allow panels to move smoothly and quickly into place
Side bulb seals allow panels to be configured quickly
Specially designed passdoors for entry exercises.
Optional window inserts and glass walls panels for diversified training scenarios.

FlexTract Moveable Training System Please notice from the picture that everything is suspended from above. There are no grooves in the floor, which means there are no tripping hazards. The FlexTact® system has an overhead railing system built on a grid pattern that can be self-sustaining or tied into the existing beams of a building. The panels can be moved quickly and set onto the floor with rubber feet that keep them in place. These panels accommodate full impact breach doors for entry training. They have frangible window options that can be struck with shotgun less than lethal rounds, training with explosives like Stingball Grenades or Flash Bang technology.

In addition to those already listed, you can enhance the realism of FlexTact® even further with the following options:

Low light / No light capability
Doors with handles that actually shut
Wall graphics for custom scenes / murals
Standing targets
Foam furniture / props

This system has already been installed and used in many locations. It has been used by more than just law enforcement and military. This technology allows for firefighter training by filling the structure with smoke and having to search. Fire Departments from local, state and federal agencies are discovering the multiple uses for FlexTact®. They are also finding it is easier to obtain funding for a training structure that can be used for multiple purposes.

Man Training in FlexTract Training System Imagine having a 40’x40′ room, like a typical gymnasium. It is a big box with a wooden floor. How many of you have a room like this somewhere? I would bet that most of you have something similar that is the property of your agency. What is that space being used for? Storage? Offices? Mat room for Arrest Techniques / Defensive Tactics? Classroom? Now imaging having all of those capabilities in just one room! With FlexTact®, you can quickly reconfigure that room into anything that supports your training needs.

This is the most revolutionary new product for public safety training! The capabilities are so substantial, that it warrants a further look. Action Target welcomes you to review it for yourself. Here is the FlexTact® Brochure for you to review.

Two Shooters Training in FlexTract Training System Take a look and you will see that FlexTact® will meet your training needs and can be placed in almost any existing building or incorporated into new builds. If you have a project currently underway and want FlexTact® installed, our lead time is as little as (5) five weeks from design approval to installation!

You will not find a better option for a realistic structure that can be used for such diverse applications. As the industry leader, Action Target asks you to contact us today to learn how we and the FlexTact® system can support your training needs. Enhance your training realism today with FlexTact® by contacting Action Target!

To learn more about Action Target and its full line of products, please visit www.actiontarget.com. For additional information on Tactical Breaching Door technology, please contact one of our Action Target Representatives, Law Enforcement & Commercial, Federal, Military or International.

Function Testing Long Guns (Part Two)

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Action Target

Written by Benjamin Kurata

*This is the second entry in a 2-part series on Long Gun Function Testing. The first entry was published two weeks earlier.

In a previous article, I covered function testing the AR-15 / M4 patrol rifle and variants. Now, let’s turn to that old standby of the police arsenal, the 12 gauge pump shotgun. It’s a common misconception that the 12 gauge pump shotgun is maintenance free. Certainly, the majority of shotguns I’ve seen were evidence of this misguided belief. The police shotgun has to be routinely cleaned, lubricated and function tested the same as any other duty weapon. One area that most shooters overlook when cleaning and lubricating the police shotgun is the magazine tube. The tube is made of steel, and the magazine spring and shell follower are made of steel. (If the shell follower in your shotgun is a thin plastic cap, discard it and get the steel one. If the plastic cap breaks inside the magazine tube, you’ll have to put the shotgun on to the workbench to get it to work again.) When the shotgun is carried in “cruiser carry” mode, the magazine spring is compressed against the interior of the magazine tube. Let some moisture get into the magazine tube, and corrosion of magazine spring can occur.

Whenever I disassemble, clean, lubricate and function test my shotgun, I push a bore brush and patches wet with solvent through the magazine tube until the patches come out clean. I finish up with a clean patch moistened with lubricant followed by a clean, dry patch. A wipe down of the magazine spring with some lubricant completes the maintenance on the magazine tube.

Function Testing of the Pump Shotgun:

Make certain that there is no live ammunition in the magazine tube or chamber. With the bolt back, a quick physical check through the loading port by touching the magazine follower and the empty chamber gets the task done.
Pump the fore end all the way forward. Try to pull the fore end back. The fore end and bolt should remain locked forward.
Put the safety on “Safe”. Press the trigger, hard. Nothing should happen.
Point the muzzle in a safe direction and press the trigger. You should feel / hear a normal hammer fall. Keep the trigger depressed.
With the trigger depressed, roll the shotgun sideways so you can look through the ejection port. Slowly work the fore end all the way back and then forward. You should see the shell lifter rise up when you start the fore end forward. Continue to push the fore end all the way forward while keeping the trigger depressed.
Slowly let the trigger forward until you feel and hear the disconnector reset. It won’t take much forward motion of the trigger, and the reset will be subtle. The reset on my personal Remington 870 feels about the same as my 1911A1 Colt. Yes, all modern pump shotguns since the model 1897 Winchester have disconnectors.
Press the trigger again. You function test is now complete.

Function Testing the Police Semiautomatic Shotgun:

Make certain that there is no live ammunition in the magazine tube or chamber. With the bolt back, a quick physical check through the loading port or the ejection port by touching the magazine follower and the empty chamber gets the task done.
Let the bolt go forward by pressing the bolt release button. The bolt should move forward sharply and lock into the rear of the barrel.
Point the muzzle in a safe direction and put the safety on “Safe”. Press the trigger, hard. Nothing should happen.
Point the muzzle in a safe direction and press the trigger. You should feel / hear a normal hammer fall. Keep the trigger depressed.
With the trigger depressed, roll the shotgun sideways so you can look through the ejection port. Slowly pull the charging handle to the rear with your non-dominant hand and ease it slowly forward. As the bolt starts forward, you should see the shell lifter rise up. Work the charging handle back and forth a few times. You shouldn’t feel any unusual binding, just slight resistance when the bolt unlocks and a slight “bump” as the bolt body passes over the hammer.
Pull the charging handle all the way back and let it fly forward.
Slowly let the trigger forward until you hear and feel the disconnector reset. Again, this won’t take much forward motion of the trigger and is subtle (compared to the disconnector reset on say, an AR-15).
Press the trigger again. Your function test is now complete.

Tactical Breaching/Forced Entry

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Action Target

Who out there has actually breached a door? Most of our readers have breached many doors in the past. Most will have the opportunity to do it in the future as well. But, how many have actually trained over and over again within the same day? The truth is, not that many.

Action Target has developed a revolutionary Tactical Breaching Door™ that affords instructional staff the best option for consistent and realistic training. Our Breach Door adds a whole new dimension to training realism and eliminates the problems faced when training breaching techniques to students. The Tactical Breach Door uses advanced engineering which allows trainers to adjust the tension holding the door closed (shown below) and gives them complete control over the level of force required for a dynamic entry.

The Tactical Breach Door is designed especially for use in Action Target’s Modular Armored Tactical Combat House (MATCH) shoothouse but it can also be used in a stand-alone frame or can be modified to fit into any existing shoothouse.

There is no better option available.

Here are some of our breaching door’s capabilities:

It can stand alone
It can be integrated into a shoot house
It can be integrated into our FlexTact system
It resets in seconds
It is reusable

Shotgun, ram or explosive entries can be exercised and the patented latch system allows an immediate re-set for multiple training sessions. No more replacing doors after each entry-simply close the door and reset the latch. This allows for instant correction of improper technique, multiple repetitions in shorter training sessions and a range of difficulty levels for various entries.

“Action Target’s Tactical Breach Door will advance training to a whole new level. For those of us who train, this innovation is a powerful and functional tool that will allow us to better prepare our teams to protect their own lives and the lives of those around them. Every law enforcement officer, special ops team and military recruit needs to be trained with this door so they can learn the techniques that will make building and room entries safer when breaching the fatal funnel.”
– Sergeant Daniel Gray – Firearms Instructor, Turlock Police Department

Take a look and you will see that our Tactical Breach Door will meet your training needs and can be used by itself with our free-standing option or integrate it into your MATCH or FlexTact® shoothouse.

You will not find a better option for forced entry training. As the industry leader, Action Target asks you to contact us today to learn how we and our Tactical Breaching Door can support your training needs. Enhance your forced entry training today with our technology. Contact Action Target today!

To learn more about Action Target and its full line of products, including the Tactical Breaching Door™, please visit www.actiontarget.com. For additional information on Tactical Breaching Door technology, please contact one of our Action Target Representatives.

Function Testing Long Guns (Part One)

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Action Target

Written by Benjamin Kurata

*This is the first entry in a 2-part series. The second installment will publish in coming issues.

12 gauge pump shotguns have been part of the Law Enforcement arsenal for a long time, and patrol rifles are becoming more commonplace, with the AR-15, M4 or some variant being the most common. It is no secret that I am a proponent of the patrol rifle, as anything a handgun can do, a rifle can do better, and from a longer distance. As more and more of America’s LE Officers are being confronted with rifles (the semiauto AK-47, SKS and variants being the most common), it’s time to rethink operational priorities. Early in my LE career, when the 12 gauge pump was the standard LE long gun, you could always tell the rookies (myself included) from the veterans. The rookies would go dashing off to the scene of a shots fired or man with a gun call, where the veterans would always take the few seconds to get to the trunk, take out the 12 gauge pump, and maybe grab a pocketful of extra buckshot or slugs. Therein lies a lesson:

Don’t take a handgun to a long gun fight.

Now, I can hear the cyber moaning and wailing already as I type this. “My department will never allow… My Chief will never go for…. The community will be in an uproar….”, etc., etc. All I can say is, I never thought I’d see the day when fully geared up NYPD ESU Officers would be visibly present at major infrastructure locations in Manhattan, wearing M4’s, full raid vests including a Kevlar lid, but that day is here. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. I’m not making light of any department’s struggles with getting a patrol rifle program accepted and funded, as I have assisted many departments with getting their programs off the ground and know how difficult it is. My point is, more and more of America’s finest are being gunned down with a rifle chambered in 7.62 X 39 COMBLOC. When facing a rifle with a 30 round box magazine attached, even your favorite high capacity 9mm / .357 SIG / .40 S&W / .45 ACP is not “enough gun”. You need a long gun.

Maximizing Patrol Rifle Reliability:

The AR-15 / M4 (or some variant) is the most common patrol rifle, so let’s focus on it first. First, the direct gas impingement system invented by Eugene Stoner is an inherently high maintenance system. Anyone who has spent the better part of an evening attempting to scrape the last bit of carbon fouling off the bolt tail or the corresponding recesses in the bolt carrier knows what I am talking about. Which brings up an operational question: How often / who will perform routine preventative maintenance on the issued rifles? The Stoner system also requires a fair amount of lubrication, particularly once you start firing it, as the gas blowing back onto the bolt has a tendency to burn off any lubrication on the bolt’s gas rings quickly. Here in the Southwest, where the air temperatures have been above 100 degrees F all week, the temperature inside a police cruiser’s trunk is hot enough to bake a pizza. Almost every patrol rifle that I have seen taken directly out of a cruiser’s trunk has been bone dry and badly in need of lubrication. Routine maintenance is critical if the rifle is going to function reliably.

Another area to look at closely is the patrol rifle’s magazines. I covered magazine function checks in a previous article, but suffice it to say that just previous to the last national high capacity magazine ban, anybody with aluminum sheet metal and a spot welder was cranking out AR-15 magazines. Even the original mil-spec magazines were intended to be used just a few times, then discarded. I personally run only stainless steel mags with a military phosphate or nitride finish. If a rifle magazine is not feeding properly due to a split back seam (common) or bent feed lips, take it out of inventory and destroy it.

Patrol Rifle Function Test:

Make certain that there is no live ammunition in the rifle or associated magazines. Again, I find a physical chamber check going up through the mag well faster and more accurate than a visual check.

Let the bolt go forward.
Insert a mag and lock it into the mag well.
Pull back smartly on the charging handle. The bolt should lock to the rear. If it does not, check the orientation of the magazine springs. Unlike most pistol magazines, the spring in most AR-15 mil-spec mags is attached to the follower and is difficult to orient backward. But, if it is humanly possible…
Push the charging handle forward into the locked position.
Push the magazine release button. The magazine should fall free under its own weight. If it does not, it could be due to either a bent magazine tube OR the magazine release catch has been screwed too far into the mag well. If you have the same problem with all of your mags, try backing off the catch arm one full turn and repeat the test.
Slap the bolt release. The bolt should fly forward sharply and lock up into the rear of the barrel.
Point the muzzle in a safe direction and put the safety on “Safe”. Pull the trigger, hard. Nothing should happen.
Put the safety on “Fire”. Press the trigger. You should have a normal trigger press and hammer fall. Keep the trigger depressed.
Rack the charging handle.
Let the trigger go forward slowly until you hear and feel the very loud disconnector reset.
Press the trigger again.
Attempt to put the safety on “Safe”. With the hammer down on an AR-15 and variants, the safety cannot be put on safe.
Repeat for all remaining magazines.

*This is the first entry in a 2-part series. The second installment will publish in coming issues.

Reactive Steel Shooting – Bobber X-treme™

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Action Target

Reactive shooting is the skill a police officer must rely on when confronted with a suddenly hazardous situation. It is a critical skill that can save officers’ lives, and it is the result of conditioned hand-eye coordination developed by training on Action Target air-powered reactive steel systems.

As we learn more and more about the human dynamics involved in armed confrontations, we understand that physical skills that require conscious thought or intellectual processing tend to break down rapidly under high levels of stress. If defensive skills and responses are not programmed in at a subconscious level, the sudden stress may cause us to fumble, freeze or panic. It is in this environment that reactive shooting skills are needed. Such reflexive shooting skills can be taught through the use of extremely short time limits, thus pushing the shooter to function at the limits of reaction and response time. This can be compared to learning how to hit a fast moving ball with a bat or racket, or developing the reflexes to block a punch or kick at full speed. Reactive steel targets provide the instant feedback required to program an officer’s reflexive shooting skills effectively and efficiently.

Over the next several months, we will be showcasing our entire Reactive Steel line of targets. First one to be discussed is our Bobber X-treme™:

Bobber X-treme ™

Reactive steel with automated reset – Independent target control
Multiple AR500 steel target plates – Variable exposure times
Choose knock-down or “flop” heads – Computerized scenarios

The basic function of the Bobber X-treme™ will probably sound familiar. A steel plate is presented to the shooter from behind cover. This plate can be hit at any time while it is exposed, and a computer interface is used to control the frequency and duration of the target exposures.

Speed – The exposure times with the Bobber X-treme™ can be as short as a ½ second, so speed is of the essence. The whole idea behind reactive shooting is to train the body to automatically carry out the complex action of firing a gun without having to process the whole sequence with your conscious mind.

Accuracy – Not only is missing the intended target inefficient and ineffective, it is a staggering liability during an actual armed conflict. Because the 8-inch target plates on the Bobber X-treme™ jump up from and retreat behind total cover, only accurately placed shots will have any effect. Painting the chest plate and assuming it to be an innocent bystander or hostage increases the pressure for accuracy even more.

Judgment – Split-second judgment and threat analysis may be the most important elements of the training triangle. The revolutionary Bobber X-treme™ addresses this issue by presenting the shooter with two separate target plates, one directly behind the other. One plate is an 8-inch circle, and the other is an 8-inch octagon. Depending on your training scenario, you can classify all the circle plates as hostile, and all the octagon plates as friendly. When one of the plates jumps up from behind cover, the shooter must quickly determine whether the plate is hostile or friendly and then take the appropriate action. The circles and octagons look enough alike to force the shooter to be sure.

If you would like some more information about the Bobber X-treme™ or other Reactive Steel products, please contact the Territory Manager for your region.

Function Testing: Why and How

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Action Target

Written by Benjamin Kurata

I’ve had the benefit of traveling to many different locations and training with many different departments and agencies. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to train with the men and women who are on the front line protecting our country and society. That being said, a universally neglected area is proper preventative maintenance of the semiautomatic pistols, rifles, and shotguns issued and carried. IF YOUR WEAPON DOESN’T WORK, YOU CAN’T PROTECT YOURSELF, YOUR PARTNER, OR OTHERS!

Cleaning and Lubrication:

Here, I have to defer to, and ask you to do that most unnatural thing: read the Owner’s Manual that comes with every firearm. If you don’t have a copy, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and download a copy, or see your department RangeMaster. (S)he will likely have a copy. The other unnatural thing that I will ask of you is to follow the instructions. Light lubrication means a light coat of lubricant, not half of the 4 oz. squeeze bottle of CLP. We all have our favorite concoctions and potions to use on our firearms, just keep in mind two things:

1. In general, solvents are good at dissolving carbon, fouling, and copper from the surfaces of your firearm. They are not good at lubricating the same surfaces. A really good solvent will strip away all the residue on the surface being treated and LEAVE THE METAL BARE AND UNPROTECTED.

2. In general, lubricants are good at protecting metal-to-metal contact surfaces and metal parts / finishes from corrosion, but they are not necessarily good as a solvent.

Firearms Function Test

Which means, yes, in general, you will have to use two bottles of magical mystery stuff. I’m sure in saying this I will get barraged with spam about the latest and greatest whatever, and if it’s out there, please feel free to hook me up with lots of free samples. I’m just saying that I haven’t encountered the ultimate all-in-one product yet.

In a future article I’ll go over general guidelines for preventative maintenance for semiautomatic pistols, but for now, let’s assume that you have successfully disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated both your weapon and any associated magazines. Yes, I am a proponent of cleaning and lightly lubricating your magazines every time you clean and lubricate your weapon. Let’s think about it. Magazines are your weapon’s ammunition feeding system. If a magazine fails, your weapon will likely no longer fire with that magazine. That’s why we practice stoppage clearance drills every time we practice. (See previous article on magazine maintenance and function testing.)

To Function Test a Semiautomatic Pistol:

Make certain that there is no live ammunition in the pistol or any of the associated magazines. Check a second time.

How and Why Firearms Function Test

With the hammer down / striker in the “fired” position, insert and lock an empty magazine into the magazine well. This checks to see that the magazine locking notch(es) line up with magazine release, and the magazine release spring has enough power to retain the magazine in the magazine well..

How and Why Firearms Function Test

Smartly rack the slide to the rear. The slide should stay open. This tests the magazine follower, magazine spring, and the alignment of the follower with the slide stop. If the slide does not stay open, you may have reassembled the magazine with the spring backwards or upside down.

Function Test Magazine Release Step

Press the magazine release. The magazine should fall free of the magazine well under its own weight. If it doesn’t, the magazine tube may be bent.

How and Why Function Test Firearms

Using the slide stop / catch, release the slide and let it fly forward under it’s own action. DO NOT “RIDE” the slide with the support hand. You are testing the recoil spring’s capability to drive the slide into battery and lockup.

If your handgun has an external hammer and full cock notch, press under the hammer spur, attempting to push the hammer into the fired position without pressing the trigger. If the hammer slips or wobbles, the handgun is unsafe, do not use it, turn it over to a qualified armorer immedi ately!

How and Why to Function Test Firearms

If your handgun has a safety lever, put it on “safe”. Press the trigger. Nothing should happen.

If your handgun has a decock lever (like a SIG), decock. Again, nothing should happen except the hammer being lowered safety to the decock notch.

With the muzzle pointing in a safe direction, take the safety off (if applicable), and press the trigger AND HOLD THE TRIGGER IN THE REARMOST POSITION OF ITS TRAVEL. The hammer / striker should f How and Why Function Firearm Test

all normally.

Continue to HOLD THE TRIGGER TO THE REAR and manually cycle the slide.
SLOWLY let the trigger go forward until you feel / hear the disconnector reset “click”.
Press the trigger. Again, you should get a normal hammer / striker fall. Steps 9 -12 test the disconnector, the integrated safety mechanism that makes the semiautomatic weapon semiautomatic. A broken disconnector means your wea pon may go full auto on you. While that sounds exciting, it really is a nasty suprise!
Repeat steps 1 – 12 with all remaining magazines.

If you are thinking, “That’s a lot of work!”, consider the following:

1. When you get the hang of it, it will take you 5 – 10 seconds to function test your weapon with each magazine. Most officers carry 3 magazines, so 15 – 30 seconds total!

2. Do you really want to charge your weapon with live ammo, holster it, and not know if it is mechanically functioning properly? A gunfight is not the place to perform a function test!

Next up: function testing the AR-15 (and similar) patrol rifle and the semiautomatic or pump shotgun.

Weapon Clearing

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Action Target

How to Clean Your Weapon There is no shortage of techniques for clearing a stoppage or malfunction; just trying to explain the difference between the two sets off a never ending debate. Unfortunately, those who have time to engage in never ending debates lose track of what is important. You’re fighting for your life. Whatever works is what is important.

Stoppages usually occur in the cycle of operation of the semiautomatic pistol or rifle, usually caused by a dirty, un-lubricated weapon, bad magazines (covered in a previous article) under powered ammunition, poor grip (including unlocking the wrist while shooting). There are other contributing factors, but these are the primary ones.

A malfunction relates to a mechanically broken weapon that usually cannot be fixed on short notice. I would like to deal with the stoppage techniques in this article.

First, prevention or at least steps we can take to prevent this from happening are important, but please keep in mind there are no guarantees. It is hard to believe that in 2010 the primary cause of stoppages is still dirty, un-lubricated firearms. With all the training and preaching about the importance of cleaning and maintaining our weapons systems many of our fellow officers continue to not take this seriously. A properly maintained and lubricated firearm following the manufacturer’s guidelines is as important to you and those that rely on you as understanding sound tactics and techniques to survive a firefight on the street.

Every time a firearm is taken apart, cleaned, lubricated, and put back together, you should perform a function check. Often at the beginning of a training class I will have the students unload, make the weapon safe and perform a function check. I am often surprised by the number of officers that have been “trained” and carrying the firearm for some time that still do not know how to properly perform a function check on their side arm or a shoulder mounted weapon they may be using. While specific firearms require specific manipulation for a weapon-specific function check, general guidelines for a function check will be covered in a later article.

Inspection of duty ammo as we load our magazines is as equally important. The primary objective is to keep our weapons at peak operational readiness so when we draw the firearm we are confident it will go BANG! (Preventative maintenance guide coming soon.)

So, let’s move on to some more terms such as slide forward, slide to the rear, primary stoppage, secondary stoppage, etc. Slide (or bolt on a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun) forward means that the slide or bolt is all the way forward in the normal locked (firing) position but the weapon did not go BANG! Slide (or bolt) to the rear means that the slide is locked to the rearward position. Primary stoppage means that when you pressed the trigger you heard or felt a hammer / striker fall. Secondary stoppage means that when you pressed he trigger you did not hear or feel a hammer / striker fall.

First, if you have to press the trigger and the weapon doesn’t go “BANG!”, your first immediate action is to MOVE!, preferably toward cover, but if none is available, remember that a moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one.

Reload:

If the indicators are:
(1) Slide or bolt locked to the rear, AND
(2) no hammer or striker fall, chances are that the weapon is empty and needs to be reloaded.
The fix is to reload the weapon and get back into the fight! Sounds simple enough, but how many times have you seen in training shooters; (a) catch an empty magazine, (b) place an empty magazine in a pocket, etc.? If you need to continue shooting, the most important thing is to get the fresh magazine into the weapon and chamber a round. The empty magazine is worthless!

Also, some shooters practice the method of pointing the muzzle of the semiautomatic pistol straight up and flipping it in their hand so the magazine well points out at a ninety degree angle. The theory is that you can see the opening of the magazine well out of your peripheral vision or “combat window” and are less likely to fumble a reload. I can’t say that I’m a big fan of this technique, as pointing the muzzle straight up on a semiautomatic pistol with the slide locked to the rear tells the whole world (including, possibly, your assailant(s)) that YOU’RE EMPTY. I’ve also seen shooters that get the steps wrong and flip the pistol to the ninety degree angle before pressing the magazine release, and then wonder why the magazine doesn’t fall out. (Sir Isaac Newton figured this out a few centuries ago.) I prefer to keep the muzzle pointed at the threat / threat area with the magazine well pointed down while executing the reload.

Primary Method of Stoppage Clearing:

If the indicators are:

How to Clean Your Weapon (1) Slide or bolt forward, AND
(2) hammer or striker fall, your primary method of immediate action is to:
(a) TAP and TUG on the magazine to make sure it is seated;
(b) RACK the slide or bolt,
(c) READY.

All of this should happen as you are moving and the weapon is still up, pointed toward to threat or threat area. With a semi-automatic pistol, a good “par time” for a tap, rack, ready is about 1.0 – 1.5 seconds. With a semiautomatic rifle, about 1.5 seconds. Dipping the muzzle toward the ground and staring at the weapon does nothing except alert your assailant(s) that you are out of the fight.

Secondary Method of Stoppage Clearing:

If the indicators are:
(1) Slide or bolt locked to the rear, AND
(2) no hammer or striker fall, AND
(3) When you press the magazine release, the magazine does not fall out of the weapon, you may have a failure to extract combined with a failure to feed, also known as a “double feed”. We refer to it as a “secondary stoppage”.

The traditional steps to correct this have been:

(a) LOCK the slide / bolt to the rear,
(b) RIP the magazine out,
(c) RACK the slide / bolt to clear the chamber, then
(d) TAP a new magazine into place,
(e) RACK the slide / bolt and
(f) READY.

That’s a lot of moving parts to memorize, and under low stress on the range we’ve seen a lot of shooters get the steps out of order, making the stoppage even worse.

We’ve simplified this “secondary method” into three steps that are more easily remembered under stress:

(a) UNLOAD the weapon, which usually means removing the
magazine, sometimes forcefully;
(b) CLEAR THE CHAMBER (I prefer a physical check with a fingertip
as opposed to a visual check, which assumes that you will have
sufficient light to see the chamber);
(c) RELOAD the weapon, preferably with a fresh magazine, as a faulty
magazine may have caused the stoppage in the first place.

To recap, the best way to minimize the need for stoppage clearing is to:

(a) Have your weapons clean and properly lubricated;
(b) Function test all of your magazines;
(c) Make certain that all of the cartridges in the magazines are
defect-free.

That being said, practice your stoppage drills. You can do them in any safe area that allows movement and has simulated cover. Make certain to remove all live rounds from the area and use only inert training cartridges.

Product Partnership

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Action Target

Action Target believes only the best of everything should be associated with all we do. One example of our continuous search for the best is our partnership with Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. After extensive review, we have aligned ourselves with Carey’s to use their heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems in order to provide our indoor range customers with the safest air conditions in the world. Action Target feels it is important for our readers to know more about Carey’s and the integral role they play in the industry. They are not only another provider of air flow products, Carey’s has been an innovator and pioneer with their systems. This article provided by Carey’s below is a little insight into the company. After reading, it will be clear to see why Action Target recommends their systems for our indoor projects.

Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been developing, designing and installing successful Indoor Range projects for over 15 years. They have specialized their designs in the control of contaminants created by indoor ranges and are currently known as a National leader in the field. They have worked with the United States Navy to develop the current range ventilation standards as described in the Unified Force Criteria. Carey’s wrote the ventilation standards for Region #5 of the GSA, edited the standards for the United States Air Force as published in the ETL, and have been consultants for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Department of Homeland Security) and FBI. With that background, it is safe to say Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning is the leader in contained range ventilation and the Subject Matter Expert.

There are three purposes for properly ventilating indoor small arms ranges:

1. Remove air-borne contaminates from human respiration created by the firing of a gun in an enclosed range. These include lead, other heavy metals and carbon monoxide. Left unaddressed, OSHA levels for safe operation are quickly surpassed.

2. Maintain a negative range pressure to the surrounding areas of the building. This keeps contaminates created in the range from entering adjoining areas. Heavy metals such as lead that are allowed to enter into non-range spaces can cause levels above OSHA allowable limits for surface contaminations. These high levels are unsafe due to the chance of ingestion.

3. Remove smoke from the range for proper vision of the targets.

The design, installation and commissioning of the range ventilation system can be the difference between an unsafe range and a range that meets the OSHA, EPA and NIOSH standards. The critical components are custom fabricated in Carey’s facility and are the summation of the lessons learned from the completion of hundreds of prior range ventilation projects.

AT Partners with Carey's Specifically, the radial air diffusers and plenums are custom built and have been tested to provide laminar air flow at the firing line after proper commissioning. “Laminar” flow is a steady, even airflow required to safely clear contaminate from the respiratory zone of the users of the range. These special diffusers are not available from a standard diffuser supplier. The control system and programming uses standard parts from Johnson Control, but the programming of the equipment is critical. The programming is done by an experienced programmer who has worked on all of the ranges that Carey’s has completed. It is also critical to have the control system installed and tested to automatically shut down if unsafe conditions are detected. This will protect both the occupants of the range and the adjoining areas.

The on site supervision provided by Carey’s Heating & Air Conditioning is necessary to ensure guaranteed results in meeting these standards. If the project does not have the proper oversight, it can result in unsatisfactory results and finger pointing. Unlike a standard ventilation project where the system is installed and the air test and balancer sets the design air flow at each system outlet, a range ventilation system is designed for proper air flow at the firing line that is ten to fifteen feet from the distribution point. It must be the designer’s responsibility. An installing contractor can only install the project as shown on the drawings and control the air flow to the distribution device.

Due to the potential of over exposure to carbon monoxide, lead and other heavy metals on the range as well as the potential to contaminate adjoining areas with surface contaminates, the only way to guarantee performance is to have the system installation and design managed by someone with the experience to see potential problems with the installation. The site reviews also look at the building construction to identify potential problems such as a breach in the range walls that could present problems for the end users.

Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning has completed hundreds of range ventilation projects at facilities that have met all of the required standards, including projects for the US Navy, Air Force, US Marshals, Police / Sheriff Departments and private / commercial ranges.

Pasadena Police Department – Pasadena, CA
Milwaukee County Sheriff Department – Franklin WI
Matteson Police Department – Matteson, IL
Lake Forest Police Department, Lake Forest, IL
Great Lakes Naval Base – Great Lakes, IL
Oak Creek Police Department, Oak Creek, IL
Greenfield Police Department, Greenfield, WI
Unites States Air Force Reserves – Milwaukee, WI
Council Bluffs Police Department – Council Bluffs, IO
Boulder Police Department – Boulder, CO
Coronado Naval Base – San Diego, CA
San Diego Naval Base – San Diego, CA
Bangor Submarine Base – Silverdale, WA
Annapolis Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
Patuxcent River Naval Base – Patuxcent River, MD
Annapolis Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
Quantico Marine Base – Quantico, VA
Little Creek Naval Base, Virginia Beach, VA
Dam Neck Seal Base, Virginia Beach, VA
Portsmouth Ship Yard, Portsmouth, VA
New Orleans Naval Air Station, New Orleans, LA
Northeast Texas Community College, Texas
Newport Naval Base, Newport, RI
Middletown Police Department, Langhorne, PA
Sherwood Police Department, Sherwood, OR
Aviano NATO Base, Aviano, Italy
Sigonella Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Sicily
Gibraltar Training Range, Gibraltar, Great Brittan
Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, HI
Federal Reserve Bank – St. Louis, MO
Eagleton Courthouse, St. Louis, MO
Kansas City Police Department, Kansas City, MO
Montgomery County Police Department, Conshohocken, PA

Management

The management team assigned to any range project are key personnel at Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. and will ensure its successful and professional completion within the parameters previously established.

The Carey’s team consists of the following:

Bill Provencher: President and CEO – oversees all aspects of project
Pat Tovey: Secretary Treasure and CFO – responsible all material acquisition, contracts and project coordination.
Jim Provencher: Vice President – responsible for all custom material fabrication and delivery.
Jim McKay: Control Manager – Designs, supervises the assembly and start up of the range control system. Commissions the systems.
Kristofer Williams: Engineer – Designs equipment and distribution system for the range ventilation.

The team of professionals that Carey’s brings to this project are among the most knowledgeable and complete authorities in the range ventilation field.

Responsiveness

Carey’s is the only range ventilation supplier that has a 24 hour, seven day per week response center that can support and troubleshoot the range ventilation system though the direct digital control system. Their level of commitment to ensuring that our range is fully operational and functioning is extraordinary. Roselle is confident that no other company in the industry is capable of providing this degree of service and maintenance.

Experience of Contractor Personnel

Carey’s personnel have 13 years of experience installing ranges. In addition to seasoned employees and industry leading partners, Carey’s has extensive sub-contractor relationships with all the disciplines of range construction. Carey’s success in hiring experienced, professional employees, partners and sub-contractors is evidenced by their track record in building some of the most advanced, complex, state-of-the-art firearms training facilities in the world.

Uniqueness

Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. has been an innovative force in range ventilation design for over 15 years.

If you would like more information on Carey’s products, indoor ranges, ventilation or have other questions, please contact the Territory Manager for your area.

Latest Projects in the Great Lakes Region

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Action Target

No matter how big or small, if you need a target, range, ventilation system or custom facility, Action Target has a solution. Starting with our portable steel targets, graduating to our Tactical Application Scenario Kit (TASK) for the ultimate in portable options to the designing and building of a more permanent solution with a member of our staff, we can help.

Holding numerous patents on the products we produce and working with some of the best partners, such as Carey’s for ventilation, Action Target will construct the finest range solution for your needs. We have built, maintained and updated ranges for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, all branches of the United States Military, professional / competitive organizations and various private / commercial entities.

We feel it is important to highlight some of our most recent projects and acknowledge those involved. Many times it is not an easy process, but whether building new or updating an existing facility, Action Target and our team of dedicated professionals will get the job done right. With that, we would like to announce the completion of two projects. Both of the following ranges were facilitated by Jason Snell, the Great Lakes Territory Manager, and the team he assembled.

First up is the renovation of Dearborn Police Departments (DPD) firing range. Located in the basement of Michigan’s DPD, this project took careful planning and execution. With the help of several dedicated companies, Action Target managed the removal of DPD’s existing bullet trap, modified the existing target systems, cleaned the range and installed two 16′ Total Containment Bullet Traps (TCT).

A special thanks goes to Mancom, Best Technology Systems, Inc., Truxell Electric, Arch Environmental Group, Dearborn PD Procurement, Dearborn PD Project Manager, Stephen White, Action Target Great Lakes Territory Manager, Jason Snell, Project Manager, Mark Ostebo, and many others for their hard work and a job well done!

Equipment provided and installed by Action Target includes the following:

(2) AR550 Steel Total Containment Bullet Traps
(1) Dust Collection Unit (DCU)

Congratulations to Dearborn Police Department and all those involved!

The second project recently completed in the Great Lakes Region is the updated Metro Nashville Police Academy Outdoor Firing Range. Located in Tennessee at Nashville’s outdoor training facility, this project included the removal of all old targeting systems from two separate ranges and the installation of new Action Target equipment.

A special thanks goes to Officers Bob Allen and Greg Lee, City and State Officials, Metro Nashville Procurement, Action Target Great Lakes Territory Manager – Jason Snell, Action Target Project Manager – Brian Sanders, and many others for their hard work and a job well done!

Equipment provided and installed by Action Target includes the following:

(60) Power 90 Turning Targets
(3) Track Runners

Congratulations to Metro Nashville Police Academy and all those involved!

If you are in the Great Lakes region and would like more information about any of our products or services, please contact the Territory Manager, Jason Snell.

801-377-8033 ext. 158
801-809-6966 cell
[email protected]

Action Target International

Posted on September 30, 2010February 12, 2016 by Action Target

AT Build MATCH in Germany Did you know that we are an international company? For years we have been increasing our presence abroad. Countries around the world have been increasing their police and military forces to parallel their growing populations. With more officers and law enforcement staff, countries are turning to Action Target to provide the very best training solutions. With our diverse line of range-related products, we have been fortunate enough to be selected to build some of the largest shooting facilities in the world. We have designed, manufactured and installed indoor, outdoor and M.A.T.C.H. (Modular Armored Tactical Combat House) ranges for our international friends and US military bases located on foreign soil.

Pictured above are structures we built in Germany that utilize M.A.T.C.H. technology. They are just one example of the course and scope of our international efforts.

Action Target Provides Innovative Training Worldwide Along with our range and steel target technology, we have been sought for practical application training solutions as well. Action Target has been able to supply some of the best military and law enforcement trainers from the US to provide a comprehensive training program using our range equipment. Our ability to provide training on the equipment we manufacture and install continues to set us apart. We can provide this service with the purchase of our systems for a limited or extended time. If you do not have a range and/or would like to discuss having some specific coursework delivered to your personnel, we would like to discuss the options available with you. We have the capacity to deliver the entire spectrum of shooting-related coursework. Our capabilities including classroom and nomenclature discussions to static live fire, non-live-fire, force on force, close quarter combat, tactical live fire all the way to the pinnacle of tactical combat house live-fire training. Basically, if you have a firearm-related training need, whether it is for equipment, instruction or both, Action Target has a solution. If you would like to know more, please contact the Action Target representative for your area. Their information is below.

Europe and Africa:
Rod Wilkerson
+801-705-9146 office
+801-367-0726 mobile
[email protected]

Latin America:
Walter Roese
+801-705-9174 office
+801-787-7445 mobile
[email protected]

Middle East:
Jason Xochimitl
+801-705-9112 office
+801-376-2722 mobile
[email protected]

Pacific Rim:
Steve Thomas
+801-396-1213 office
+801-602-0014 mobile
[email protected]

If you are with the US Military and want to discuss range options in the US or abroad, please contact the military representative for your area. Their information is below.

Eastern United States, Europe, Middle East:
Alan Denmark
+801-705-9186 office
+801-995-2062 mobile
[email protected]

Western United States and Pacific Rim:
Kelli Cutler
+801-705-9111 office
+801-319-1198 mobile
[email protected]

Whether you are looking for targets, targeting systems, range development, training or anything else, please let us know. Our international staff will be able to find a solution to your needs. Since we are always committed to service and producing the highest quality products, please provide any feedback you may have by clicking here.

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Tag: law enforcement

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