Dave Spaulding "Reduced Light Pistol" Course coming to South Bend!

[N8RV]

For anyone interested in taking Dave Spaulding's "Reduced Light Pistol" course, he will be running this 2-day course at Kodiak Firing Range on January 25-26, 2014.

Dave was the 2010 Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year, and is actively involved in teaching others the art of armed self-defense. His bio can be found on his website:

Staff

Sponsored by Norm Hood of Defensive Solutions, LLC.

Contact Norm via e-mail: akhoodlum@gmail.com
via phone: (907) 952-4788

Kodiak Firing Range is located at:
4611 South Burnett Drive
South Bend, IN 46614
(574) 299-8000

Cost: $385 + 600 rds ammo

PDF of the course can be viewed here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/f5v7s4oh74x4pfx

 

[Jackson]

I've never trained with Dave Spaulding, but I've heard good things. If you have never taken any training or done any significant shooting in low light, you should consider a class like this. Darkness can really complicate the problem you're trying to solve with a pistol. It takes some experience to have an understanding of the limitations and practice to employ the light and the gun together effectively. So if you haven't taken a training class like this, or don't have much experience working in the dark with a flashlight and a gun, this sounds like a great opportunity. I wish I'd known about it earlier.

Can you tell us a bit more about the course content? The website doesn't say a whole lot about what's included.

 

[cedartop]

I trained with Dave earlier this year (no it is 2014, last year dummy) at Kodiak. This was more to check out his teaching style and see what I could steal, err, I mean borrow, but I thoroughly enjoyed the class. Dave seems to have made a lot of progress forward in his philosophy and is even doing FOF type classes now. Back when he was with the PD and all I knew of him was from the gun magazines he wrote for, I thought his stuff was pretty dated. These days I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him. As a matter of fact, I can't make this class but plan on getting to one he is teaching later this year at Kodiak.

 

[N8RV]

I just added a link to a PDF that Norm sent me, but it comes up kinda goofy when I click on the link. However, it's readable, just jumbled a bit.

I took a 2-day class of Dave's last year and found it fun and solid training. Dave's a no-nonsense guy on the range, but has a quick and dry wit in the classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed the class.

At the end of each course, he likes to run his "2x2x2" drill -- 2 shots in under 2 seconds from 20 feet, from concealment, into a 3"x5" index card. I was unaware of this tradition of his, and wondered why several in the class had donned cover garments for the last segment of training on the second day. When he announced the commencement of the 2x2x2 drill, I grabbed a vest that I had been wearing and listened to the instructions.

We lined up 20' away from the target and he produced his timer. Student after student tried and failed to get the requisite two shots on the card in under two seconds. A few close ones, but no ceegar.

Then it was MY turn. I took a deep breath, practiced sweeping my vest and drawing once, then said that I was ready.

BEEP

I confidently placed my hand on the grip of my pistol and immediately felt something just wasn't right. In my excitement and haste, I had sort of neglected the whole sweeping-the-cover-garment-out-of-the-way thing. Oops. I was irritated at myself, to say the least. Not that I really thought that I had a chance of succeeding at the task, but to fail without even drawing was pretty embarrassing.

I looked at Dave and he just stood there, still holding the timer. Suddenly emboldened and equally mad, I put my hands back out in front of me in the ready position, swept my vest away, drew on the card and ... popped it twice. Both shots actually on the card! I replaced my pistol and looked at Dave. He looked at the timer and just said, "Five-and-a-half seconds. Next..."

I'm sure my face was beet red as I retreated to the back of the line with my tail tucked between my legs. Thankfully, nobody made fun of me. I mean, after all, I DID put both rounds in the card. Not everybody did that. Funny thing is, when Norm sent me his cell video of my inept performance, I played it several time and timed it with a stopwatch. If you just ignore the stupidity at the beginning and start timing from when I started again ... under 2 seconds! Honest.

Mike Swisher (Paladin Combatives nee Suarez International) was in that class, too. I wouldn't have known it was him, except that he wore an INGO shirt (or was it hat?) on the second day, so I had to introduce myself. I wondered who this quiet guy was, who drew the entire time from appendix-carry concealment while the rest of us schlubs used OWB holsters.

EDIT: Haha! I posted this only to see that Mike beat me to it. I'm sure that he will enjoy reliving my embarrassment. LOL

 

[cedartop]

No need to be embarrassed Don. I have seen (done?) worse. At least you finished it out right.

 

[Jackson]

That is why I just run everything, every class, every range session, and competitions from concealment exactly like I carry. When the stress is high and my mind is elswhere, I want as few differences between my practice and my circumstances as possible.

Im planning to start competing in a more serious way. So Ill have to break my rule for that. That just means Ill have to put in extra reps the usual way when I get home.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Have him tell you the Police Olympics story! "My light is a weapon!" *Flexing pose*

I think about that story and laugh out loud at every INGO b.s. thread about flashlights.

 

[Bfish]

what does "reduced light pistol" mean?

 

[cedartop]

what does "reduced light pistol" mean?

Since that is not in purple I will assume that it is a real question. Reduced light, low light, night fighting, there are all kinds of names for classes where you learn the methods for shooting in the "dark". It is a commonly held belief that the majority of gunfights occur in reduced light situations. If you take that as true, then it only makes sense to train and practice for that possibility. Night sights, flashlights, one and two handed methods of shooting wile using a light, weapon mounted lights, etc.

 

[Bfish]

Since that is not in purple I will assume that it is a real question. Reduced light, low light, night fighting, there are all kinds of names for classes where you learn the methods for shooting in the "dark". It is a commonly held belief that the majority of gunfights occur in reduced light situations. If you take that as true, then it only makes sense to train and practice for that possibility. Night sights, flashlights, one and two handed methods of shooting wile using a light, weapon mounted lights, etc.

Hahaha well I am glad I can laugh at myself. My brain must not have been working when I asked that. Rather than my brain going to "low light" I started thinking about air weight revolver models and other things haha… Thanks

 

[N8RV]

what does "reduced light pistol" mean?

Sorry for the confusion. I actually typed "low-light," then decided to change it to the course title from his website. Most of his courses are named "________ Pistol," thus the confusion. Admittedly, it does read kinda goofy without context.

 

[rhino]

I would do this class if I could. Dave Spaulding is a good teacher. He's also an excellent shooter.