I don’t have consistent access to a range that will allow shooting at night. So I try to take advantage of every opportunity I get. Pursuant to that, I take this class with ACT every year. I also like classes that add complexity to the problem. Shooting in low-light definitely does that. So does shooting in cold weather, from concealment of heavy coats, while wearing gloves, with movement and cover, etc. ACT gives us an opportunity to roll all these elements together. If you’ve trained with ACT (or are otherwise qualified to take this course) and you didn’t show up, you missed an excellent opportunity to work some critical skills.
The Basics
Training Provider: Adaptive Consulting and Training
Course: Low Light Skills
Date: 12/14/13
Duration: 4 Hours
Location: Riley Conservation Club
Instructors: John (obijohn), Joe (rhino)
Students: 7
Students from the Board: bwframe, ColdSteel223, iChokePeople, jason, OneBadV8, nad63
Related Threads
Summary
This is a short format class that ACT has put on annually for the past few years. It usually begins with about an hour of classroom time covering types of flashlights and basic flashlight techniques then moves to the range for a series of low-light drills. This session usually presents several problems to the student in addition to low light. The drills usually involve movement, cover, searching with the light, some decision making, and a lot of one-hand shooting. The class is also conducted during cold, night-time winter conditions. So students have to deal with coats, gloves, and slippery snow-covered conditions.
Details
Classroom:
The classroom session was pretty short this time around. All but one of the students had taken this class at least once if not two or three times in the past. The classroom started with a safety briefing. John provided a quick overview of various flashlight types and some of the advantages. He also presented three different techniques for using the flashlight while shooting.
Range:
When we moved out to the range it was still fairly well lit, but the sun was on its way down. We kicked off with a warm-up on steel at 10yds or so. This gave us an opportunity to work through accessing the flashlight, drawing the pistol from our winter clothes, and shooting with gloves. While the flashlight wasn’t necessary for hits at this point, we were encouraged to practice with the various flashlight techniques. Most of the students adopted a neck index with the flashlight while shooting with one hand.
The first drill after we warmed up was basically moving laterally across the line and shooting at the steel targets. It was getting a bit darker by this point and while still not absolutely necessary, flashlights were helpful for illumination of sights and target. Shooting small steel discs on the move, with one hand, while trying to keep your flashlight oriented in such a way that it hits the sights and your target is fairly challenging.
One of the more complex drills was the “figure 8” drill. For this drill John and Joe set up two stacks of two barrels. Steel targets were set up down range with numbers and letters painted on them. There were also cardboard no-shoots interspersed with the steel. The student would begin the drill walking a figure 8 around the barrels, gun holstered, flash light in pocket. An instructor would call out a target by number or letter and the student would have to draw the flashlight and pistol while moving behind a barrel (cover), use the flashlight to search for the correct target while properly utilizing the cover, then engage the target. In some cases there was more than one target with the letter. It was important to systematically search the whole area, identify the letter or number on each target, and engage as necessary. We also did an iteration of this drill shooting left handed while holding the flashlight in the right hand.
After a few more drills we capped off the evening with some one-on-one (aka ‘man-on-man’ as it came be known) speed competitions from the holster. Basically, two people on the line, one steel target, both have the objective of drawing a pistol, a flashlight, and putting a hit on steel before the other person. I was bested in round two by the eventual overall winner.
My Thoughts
The Basics
Training Provider: Adaptive Consulting and Training
Course: Low Light Skills
Date: 12/14/13
Duration: 4 Hours
Location: Riley Conservation Club
Instructors: John (obijohn), Joe (rhino)
Students: 7
Students from the Board: bwframe, ColdSteel223, iChokePeople, jason, OneBadV8, nad63
Related Threads
- ACT DP205b -- Low light skills 14DEC13 at Riley Conservation Club
- AAR: ACT DP205b low-light, December 2013
Summary
This is a short format class that ACT has put on annually for the past few years. It usually begins with about an hour of classroom time covering types of flashlights and basic flashlight techniques then moves to the range for a series of low-light drills. This session usually presents several problems to the student in addition to low light. The drills usually involve movement, cover, searching with the light, some decision making, and a lot of one-hand shooting. The class is also conducted during cold, night-time winter conditions. So students have to deal with coats, gloves, and slippery snow-covered conditions.
Details
Classroom:
The classroom session was pretty short this time around. All but one of the students had taken this class at least once if not two or three times in the past. The classroom started with a safety briefing. John provided a quick overview of various flashlight types and some of the advantages. He also presented three different techniques for using the flashlight while shooting.
Range:
When we moved out to the range it was still fairly well lit, but the sun was on its way down. We kicked off with a warm-up on steel at 10yds or so. This gave us an opportunity to work through accessing the flashlight, drawing the pistol from our winter clothes, and shooting with gloves. While the flashlight wasn’t necessary for hits at this point, we were encouraged to practice with the various flashlight techniques. Most of the students adopted a neck index with the flashlight while shooting with one hand.
The first drill after we warmed up was basically moving laterally across the line and shooting at the steel targets. It was getting a bit darker by this point and while still not absolutely necessary, flashlights were helpful for illumination of sights and target. Shooting small steel discs on the move, with one hand, while trying to keep your flashlight oriented in such a way that it hits the sights and your target is fairly challenging.
One of the more complex drills was the “figure 8” drill. For this drill John and Joe set up two stacks of two barrels. Steel targets were set up down range with numbers and letters painted on them. There were also cardboard no-shoots interspersed with the steel. The student would begin the drill walking a figure 8 around the barrels, gun holstered, flash light in pocket. An instructor would call out a target by number or letter and the student would have to draw the flashlight and pistol while moving behind a barrel (cover), use the flashlight to search for the correct target while properly utilizing the cover, then engage the target. In some cases there was more than one target with the letter. It was important to systematically search the whole area, identify the letter or number on each target, and engage as necessary. We also did an iteration of this drill shooting left handed while holding the flashlight in the right hand.
After a few more drills we capped off the evening with some one-on-one (aka ‘man-on-man’ as it came be known) speed competitions from the holster. Basically, two people on the line, one steel target, both have the objective of drawing a pistol, a flashlight, and putting a hit on steel before the other person. I was bested in round two by the eventual overall winner.
My Thoughts
- I have night sights on my pistol. They are somewhat old and not as bright as they once were, but they still glow. I didn’t use them. I didn’t even think about them during any of the drills. I use a flashlight technique that generally illuminates the sights. When the flashlight was not properly illuminating the sights, I still did not use the night sights. I adjusted the flashlight until the front sight was well illuminated. I am not sure I even realized the night sights were glowing.
- Maintaining light discipline while moving around, shooting, trying to reload and keep your gun running, and use the cover can be tricky. This is something I plan to work more often.
- Searching with the light around cover really shows me how effectively I’m using the cover.
- After I find the target, finding a position for the light which illuminates the target, my sights, and doesn’t reflect a blinding light off the cover can be tricky.
- Holding the flashlight in my right (strong/dominant/pimary/whatever) hand while trying to use the gun with my left (off/weak/reaction/whatever) hand is a lot harder than I would have guessed. My right hand didn’t know where to put the light and my left hand… Well it belongs on the short bus anyway.
- I plan to try out a pistol-mounted light. I never run one, but could see its usefulness.
- Most of us don’t do nearly enough one-hand shooting. All of the shooters who showed up are well-practiced and have taken several training classes, some shoot competitions, and all are well above average when it comes to pistol skills. We are even fairly competent one-handed pistoliers compared to the average gun owner. Even with this level of ability on the line, you could see a significant drop in marksmanship while using one hand vs two.
- Winter clothes will foul you up. Practice with your coat on. Practice with your gloves on. Wear gloves you can use to shoot.
- When I started carrying a flashlight I just dropped it in my pocket. I have flirted with belt carry of my flashlight next to my magazine(s). I utilized the belt holster for the flashlight in the last few low-light courses including one FoF course. During various training sessions since then, I have grabbed the flashlight while reaching for a magazine. This is fine if you haven’t pulled it out yet. If the flashlight clears the holster before you realize what you have, you just added a lot of time to your reload by having to put it away and get a magazine instead. Lately I’ve gone back to pocket carry, and that is what I utilized for this course. It is slower, but I don’t confuse the flash light for a magazine anymore.
- The guys at ACT put on a good course. I want to give thanks to them for hosting this course every year. It’s a really great opportunity for guys like me who don’t have an opportunity to shoot in the dark very often.
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