ALL SAFETY RULES APPLY! These drills should be performed at the RANGE or an appropriate area, do it dry, with an UNLOADED FIREARM!

Always abide by the four rules of gun safety:

1.      All guns are loaded. (Treated as such)

2.      Do not point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3.      Finger off the trigger, out of the trigger guard until sights are on target.

4.      Be sure of your target and foreground/background

Let’s talk about Presentation from the holster and doing it as a Dry Practice exercise with 1 EYE OPEN.  What the heck is this? This is the BASIC presentation, to get your handgun from the holster to “sights” on target, AND YOU CLOSE THE NON-DOMINATE EYE to get the 100% focus on the front sight!  OK, this technique IS required to guarantee that “LONG” shot or a close precision hit like a hostage takers eye socket, or just shoot a nice tight group.

You must learn that situations dictate the amount of precision sighting required for a hit, is measured in distance and target size.  More about this subject in the 2 EYE OPEN blog and the advanced Dry Practice Programs that will teach you the difference between shooting 3 feet OR 15 yards, as an example,  3’  -   2 eyes,   15yds   -   1 eye open. You need to learn the 1-EYE OPEN method first, then move on to more advanced techniques.

Everyone at ATAC Training courses trains with semi-auto pistols, but the firearms are carried in variety of locations. It does not matter what type or brand of handgun you run, but you are ABSOLUTLLY NUTS if you don’t Dry Practice with it from the location you carry it!  THIS IS THE DRILL THAT MUST BE REPEATED OVER AND OVER UNTIL THE PRESENTATION BECOMES A REFLEX ACTION!  THIS MIGHT SEEM BORING, BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU WANT HIGHER SKILL LEVELS.

Understanding know and unknown distances prior to starting:

Start with establishing a known distance.  As you begin, or if you think you have judging distances mastered, that doesn’t mean you DON’T NEED to practice the basics.   Judging unknown distances is a stand-alone exercise.  On the other hand, we will give you two methods.  There are all types of controversy out there on one or both eyes open when shooting.  Lets keep it simple; if you were going to push a thread through a needle you would shut one eye.  Yes, we shoot with both eyes open and the conditions and distances will dictate using a dominant eye only or both eyes open.  Lets move forward and give you a simple solution.  From 7 yards and in you can get away with hitting “close enough” to your intended point of impact.  But, it will only be close to rather than the exact intended point of impact.  (As you read further down, between steps 3 - 4 you need to learn to shift your focus.) For those of you that think you only need to shoot with both eyes open, here is a question for you.  If you were held by the neck as a hostage and the hostage taker only exposed one eye every few seconds. Would you tell the cop, SWAT, or XXXX to, “use both eyes, it is faster, just shoot it is not a precision shot”. I doubt it, your exposed to all types of errors which could be fatal.  The point is, at any distance you need to guarantee the hit, not hope for the hit.  Yes, you may think this is advanced; no it is the basic fundamentals. This is not an range drill trying to hit a big steel plate; you are trying to ht a quarter over and over.  Then be able to pick up the pace.  As you excel in your skills, you need to ALWAYS give yourself a refresher course on distancing while shifting your focus from the target to the top of the front sight post.  After time you will develop a natural point of aim, which will ONLY last as long as your continuing education does.  So lets dry practice at 7 yards with one eye for now.  You can go to the next stage of both eyes open after you have performed at least 1,000- 2,000 dry presentations.  In our advanced programs we explain in great detail with video of what happens as you back up and forget to close that eye.  It a tactical environment, you may have to keep both eyes open to have a wider field of view.  But before you go off and start point shooting, get the basics down.  It is a safe number to say if you have 10,000 rounds through your pistol and 2 - 3 times as much dry practice, then you can move on to more advanced tactics with both eyes open.  In the end, regardless of how much you have trained just remember, if it is a precision shot, use your dominant eye only!  You may only get that one shot.

Check our the programs on www.AtacTv.com

ATAC TV, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, JIM FULLER, JEFF HALL, GLENN JUSTICE, VENOM TACTICAL, RIFLE DYNAMICS, FORCE OPTIONS, ATAC TV FIREARMS, DRY PRACTICE, HANDGUNS

11/11/11

Today we honor our nation’s veterans, and ask you to pledge
allegiance once again to those who pledge all.

It’s because of the dedication of the men and women who wear a uniform
and carry a firearm to make our liberties possible that we created
NRA Life of Duty—to give our frontline warriors a voice, to tell their stories,
to give them a home in the National Rifle Association. So I invite NRA
members to view a remarkable video. It’s the poignant profile of a
one-of-a-kind patriot, and a sample of the stirring reporting you’ll find on the
NRA Life of Duty network. The life story of an American hero, Navy SEAL
Adam Brown, is a tribute to a husband, a father, a person of unyielding
courage and faith, and above all, a man who exemplified the American spirit.

Watch A Tribute to Navy SEAL Adam Brown. And give thanks to the
soldier, sailor, airman and Marine, as well as the sheriff’s deputy, the police
officer, the Border Patrol agent, the firefighter—all who protect your life and
your independence 365 days each year, not just on 11/11/11.

ATAC TV, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, GLENN JUSTICE, JIM FULLER, VENOM TACTICAL, RIFLE DYNAMICS

For many Americans, home invasions are what happen to “other” people. Most people do not plan for this as they do not believe they will ever be the victim of this type of crime, or any type of crime for that matter. Initially the best defense is awareness. Being alert can save your life and that of your family. As in any emergency situation, Do Not rely on the police or other people to come to your rescue in your time of need.

You will need to rely upon yourself and/ or your family members as law enforcement can only respond to what crimes they are aware of. If by chance they are made aware of a crime in progress, there is still the issue of how much time will pass before they actually arrive on scene. At that point we must also consider this home invasion could turn into a hostage situation. If that happens then your chances of escape as well as your choices shrink considerably.

1. NEVER open the door for a simple knock or for anyone selling or asking questions unless you know them. If you open it, you have just allowed the criminals entry to your home and have jeopardized the safety of your entire family.

2. Develop a crisis/emergency plan with your family. Rehearse it so that everyone is sure of his or her roles. Try to work in as many variables as you can think of. When unsure of how to go about developing such a plan, do not hesitate to contact a professional for help.

3. Keep a cellular phone accessible inside your home. Make sure it is always charged and in good working order. Your cell phone is no good if it is off; leave it on through the night.

4. While in your home, keep all the doors locked. Do not leave your garage door open at any time, unless you are doing something directly in front of it. If you are outside mowing the lawn, keep the garage door closed and locked.

5. Vary the routes you travel daily to work and/or recreational activities.  These criminals can also monitor a traditional or regular pattern of your schedule in order to follow you directly back to your home.

6. Know your neighborhood. Be familiar with the people, their vehicles and their typical daily routines. Be alert if anything is out of sorts. Unfamiliar people or vehicles.

7. When approaching your home after being out, scan the area for anything out of place or unusual prior to entering your property.

8. Always maintain proper lighting to the approach of your residence. Be alert if one or more lights

are not working.

9. Set up key words with your family members so that you can all communicate an emergency covertly, in the event you or a family member is in trouble. An example of this is as follows; you are out shopping, your youngest daughter who is 17 years old is home but an intruder is with her. You call her from your cellular phone on the way back from your work or outing and she answers by hitting the key pad three times then saying to you “I am sorry you must have the wrong number” and presses the key pad as many times as possibly before she hangs up. This is your signal that she is in grave danger and you immediately call the police.

10. When possible, designate or construct one room or place in your home to be the “safe room”. This room must maintain a very solid door (fire proof when possible), heavily constructed walls and ceiling. Always keep a form of communication, preferably a cellular phone in that space that is active and fully charged. Just to mention a few other items that are important to maintain inside that room, potable drinking water, non-perishable food items, weapons and a separate electrical supply (when feasible).

ATAC TV

ATAC TV, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, GLENN JUSTICE, JIM FULLER VENOM TACTICAL, RIFLE DYNAMICS, FIREARMS,

Sin City Precision - ATAC TV

http://www.sincityprecision.com/a/Articles/Entries/2011/9/26_ATAC-TV.html

MARK FLINN

MARKFLINN.ME

What to Do Before an Earthquake

You will normally not have any forewarning that an earthquake is about to strike. They can come on suddenly and violently. It is therefore imperative that you plan ahead for such a disaster. By planning in advance you can minimize the potential risk to yourself and your family.

Earthquakes release stress, which will create / cause a permanent change in the Earth’s crust. The Earths way a releasing “stress”. The Plates move against each other’s until the lithosphere breaks or moves.  If the force is large enough the “crust” is forced to break. The force then travels in the form of waves, which we feel and identify as an Earthquake.

Three types of Earthquakes are: Tectonic, Volcanic, Explosive and Collapse earthquakes.

Safety Check Your Home

• Shut off any gas main including propane tanks
• Put away all flammable and volatile chemicals and liquids on a low shelf or floor and away from people.
• Take down any hanging pictures and mirrors from walls and doors and store them securely.
• All glass and breakable items should be stored in a box or in a place that restricts them from falling on people and pets.
• If you are able, secure light fixtures. If not, make sure you are not standing directly under any of them during a quake or tremor.
• If time permits, fasten all shelving securely to walls.
• Repair any defective electrical wiring-this would be deemed a fire hazard.
• If there are any leaks in any gas system such as natural or propane, get them fixed. This is also an incendiary hazard.
• Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
• If your foundation or home has signs of structural damage or defects, you may want to seek out an expert and get them repaired.

Identify Safe Spots

• Stay away from all glass, windows, mirrors, hanging wall pictures and heavy bookcases.
• Use strong furniture such as a heavy desk or table to help shield you.
• Against an inside wall of your home, office or other structure.
• If you are caught out in the open stay away from buildings, trees, and telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.

Educate Yourself and Family Members

• Contact your local Emergency Management Office to ask for more information.
• Teach children how, why and when to call 9-1-1 for police or fire.
• Teach children which radio station to tune into for emergency information.
• Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.

Have Disaster Supplies on Hand

• Flashlight, battery lanterns and extra batteries.
• Portable crank or battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
• First aid kit and guidebook.
• Emergency food and water.
• Non-electric can opener.
• Essential medicines.
• Cash and credit cards.
• Extra clothing and supportive shoe wear for all family members.

Develop an Emergency Communication Plan

• In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (this is a real possibility if a quake should strike during daytime hours when adults are at work and children are at school); develop a communication plan and chain calling system for reuniting after the disaster.
• Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the “designated family contact.” After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

Help Your Community Get Ready

• Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on earthquakes. Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross, and hospitals.
• Conduct a week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
• Work with local emergency services and American Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do during an earthquake.
• Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in the home.
• Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water companies about shutting off utilities.
• Work together in your community to apply your knowledge to building codes, retrofitting programs, hazard hunts, and neighborhood and family emergency plans.

Personal Defense

• Consider having some type of personal defense tools or weapons with you after the earthquake. History has demonstrated that there is the possibility of lawlessness for a while amidst the chaos following disasters.

What to Do During an Earthquake

Safety is paramount during an earthquake. Maintain your composure so that you can properly instruct your family. Be aware that what you think is the earthquake may only be the foreshock and tremors that precede a larger quake. Minimize your movements and stay in a safe place but be aware that what you pre-determined in your disaster plan to be a “safe place” can change in an instant depending upon the circumstances at that moment. So be ready to mobilize the family at any moment. Stay indoors until all the shaking has stopped completely. When you do decide to exit the structure, be very aware of your footing and the landscape as it may have changed as a result of the earthquake.

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and squat down in an inside corner of the building.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
• Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is strongly designed.
• Stay inside until all shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that the most injuries occur during earthquakes when people panic and move about without forethought going outside only to be struck by falling debris.
• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
• DO NOT use elevators.

If outdoors

• Stay there.
• Move only when you have to.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
• Stay there until all shaking stops. Again, the greatest danger is being outside and in close proximity to buildings, glass and other potential shattering or falling debris.

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

• Do not move about or kick up dust.
• Cover your mouth with your clothing or anything you have.
• Do not attempt to light any matches.
• If possible, use your hand or anything in close proximity you can grab as a tool to tap on piping, or other structures so the rescue team can get a fix on your position. If you have a whistle, use it. Try to avoid screaming and shouting as you may inhale dust which could be dangerous.
  

Would you let your kid touch a machine gun?

SOURCE: FOX NEWS -

Photos of officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department letting kids handle the department’s SWAT team weaponry at a community event has sparked a debate over how much exposure to guns is healthy for kids.

Community organizer Attila Nagy, who took the photos, told FoxNews.com that he was concerned it might encourage kids to use guns in the future.

“My main concern is for kids who handle these things. They’re fascinated by them, and it makes them familiar with guns,” he said.

One city councilwoman, Marsha Vas Dupre, told her local paper that she was “alarmed and devastated” by the photos.

But the police department is pushing back, saying they see nothing wrong with how they handled the event.

“The weapons are rendered safe and are unloaded. We ensure the safety of those weapons,” Santa Rosa Police Capt. Gary Negri told FoxNews.com, adding that the police attend the event to build ties between the police and the community.

“Our goal is saying to people, ‘hey, don’t be intimidated by the police.’ We want to break down that barrier… Once these events are over, people will be more comfortable having conversations with officers.”

Another goal, Negri said, was to educate kids about guns.

“Education and gun safety is a component of what we do… We teach kids the difference between a real gun and a Toys R’ Us gun.”

But the department’s response hasn’t convinced everyone. One woman, Elaine Holtz, was so concerned by the SWAT team’s weapons that she approached the police officer at the community event and asked what was going on.

“I would not want my child to be involved with something like that… Those guns, they should have been behind glass — to teach the kids that you don’t want to deal with this gun, because it kills.” Holtz told FoxNews.com.

“I am coming from the heart of a woman, a mother, a grandmother,” she added.

Despite the complaints, some gun safety experts say the police are right — and that data shows kids who grow up with legal guns are actually less likely to get into trouble.

“A U.S. Department of Justice study showed that children introduced to firearms by their fathers had a lower rate of delinquency than children who learned about guns on the street, or even children who had no experience with guns at all,” Dr. Tim Wheeling, of the group Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership, told FoxNews.com.

The 1994 Justice Department report concluded: “Boys who own legal firearms… are even slightly less delinquent than nonowners of guns.” Specifically, 14 percent of kids with legal firearms committed street crimes, compared to 24 percent of kids with no guns at home.

Given that, Wheeling said, the response to the police actions seemed overblown.

“If this controlled lesson in firearms helped the kids understand that guns are not toys, some good could come from it. The knee-jerk rejection to the police outreach by locals was clearly excessive.”

The pro-gun control Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence declined to comment.

Whether the police event actually helped the kids understand that guns are not toys is a matter of debate.

“It wasn’t a safety thing,” Nagy said, contesting the police version of the story. “That’s misinformation. I was there. The gun was displayed, and kids just picked it up and played with it.”

Nagy cited his photos as evidence.

“In one of the photos I took, as Elaine Holtz was talking with the officer, you can see a little boy is reaching up to the table and grabbing a gun… the youngest kid there was maybe 5 years old.”

Holtz said that when she asked the officer what was going on, he replied that they were doing “training,” but that she did not find his answer convincing.

“I did not see any education going on; it looked like it was just fun,” she said. “And I think we generally have a good police department. But what happened here was poorly thought out.”

Police Capt. Negri said that the department is looking at “whether we want to change our tack in the future.” But for now, the police are sticking to their guns.

“Gun safety is a part of the discussions we have with the kids,” Negri said. “These kids, what do they learn about guns from video games, movies and TV? A lot of the questions we get from kids are way off base… So it’s helpful to have some realistic dialogue.”

One of the prime factors that drive an individual to train with a firearm is to increase their skill set. Whether you train with guns for hunting, sport or self-defense purposes, it all starts with the basics. ATAC TV Firearms Channel can help you with these training basics no matter what you are working to accomplish. As a person builds their skills set, it becomes evident that they can be shooting too fast for their skill level by producing large groups. In a self-defense situation, this can be a problem. You can’t shoot fast enough when you are missing your target. The other problem can be your groups are too tight. This means you are shooting too slowly. There has to be a balance to strike between how fast you shoot and your ability to make these hits. Don’t Shoot faster than you can guaranty the bullets are striking your target or threat. The ideal way to increase your skill level is with Dry-Practice. We will talk about this practice with no ammunition, but the same practice can be accomplished on the range with a loaded firearm. Before we get started, lets review safety with the firearms.

While dry practicing or live fire with any firearm platform, ALL SAFETY RULES APPLY and all ammunition must be removed from the training area when training dry.  Dry practice becomes dangerous if you get lazy or comfortable and complacent with the learning process.  You do not want an accidental discharge with your firearm, and/or nervously tracking the path of your bullet through your house.

Always abide by the four rules of gun safety:

1. All guns are loaded. (Treated as such)

2. Do not point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Finger off the trigger, out of the trigger guard until sights are on target.

4. Be sure of your target and foreground/background

The basics of making a firearm hit the target you are aiming for are simple to explain, but much harder to execute until you get enough practice, and doing it correctly. Here are the basics:

Stance or platform:

You must have a stable stance from which to practice. This position is not the same for everyone as each person has different body structure.

• Feet shoulder width, feet flat in the shoes.
• Feet, knees, hips and shoulders in alignment, bladed from your target.
• Knees slightly bent forward for stability and quick movement.
• Bend over slightly at the waist, and suck your belly button into your spine.
• Head up looking to your target with hands at your side.

Presentation with Sequence of Shooting:

This is the ATAC TV 4-COUNT PRESENTATION from the holster.

Get the Handgun clear of ammo, and back in the holster. (Where ever you carry it) These are the basic steps of the Presentation. If you need to SEE the steps, go to ATAC Firearms channel and view the 1911 or Glock Presentation, Grip and Stance, and / or Sequence of Shooting videos. Doesn’t matter which handgun; the steps are basic to all. (DRY PRACTICE DRILLS SHOULD BE AT ¼ TO ½ YOUR NORMAL PRESENTATION SPEED!)

STEP 1

Eyes on TARGET, establish a firing grip on the handgun while in the holster, at the same time move support hand up to mid-line tight to your body as you focus on your target.

STEP 2

Handgun is drawn straight up, trigger finger is straight along the frame, (not on the trigger) as elbow drops down, rotating the muzzle toward target, anchor the butt of the handgun in a rib near your pectoral muscle, support hand in mid line of chest tight to your body. Bring the gun as high as you can and is still comfortable for you. Eyes are still on target.

(This could be a shooting position, if needed, more on this in the advanced programs)

STEP 3

As Handgun is raised up toward your line of sight, support hand mates with firing hand, safety goes off if you have one, Handgun is raised higher into your line of sight, and pushing out toward target, trigger finger (firing hand index finger, if you haven’t figured this out yet?) starts to enter the trigger guard and the center of the first pad your index finger is placed in the center of the trigger and pulls the slack (free play of trigger) out. Now shift your focus from the target to the top of the front sight post AS the sights are brought on target.. This is one of the biggest faults many shooters do not practice and their ability can only go so far. Most often you cannot diagnose what is going wrong. You MUST practice shifting the focus from the target to the top of the front sight post. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Shift your focus to the front sight and STAY on the front sight post! DO NOT SHIFT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TARGET AND FRONT SIGHT!

STEP 4

HANDGUN COMES TO REST AT FULL EXTENSION, Focus has moved from the target to your sights, front sight level with the rear sight with equal light passing on the right and left sides of the front sight post, (aligning your sights and eye focus SHOULD be happening between Step 3 and 4) closing your non-dominate eye and establish 100% focus on that front sight post. You are ready to shoot!

Start your trigger press until the trigger “breaks”. (It should surprise you) With 100% focus on the FS post, it should NOT move when trigger breaks! Trap the trigger to the rear, simulating a “reset” while focusing on the front sight (follow-through) trigger finger goes straight along the frame, lower the handgun to about 45* as if following your target to the ground, and perform appropriate After-Action-Responses.

Handgun is in the ready position (In both hands, pointed low, about 45* angle) RESET your trigger by racking the slide and releasing it.

Return to holster in the reverse order, from the ready position, move through STEP 3 to STEP 2, and PAUSE. Look around to make sure you are ready to re-holster. The muzzle should be point straight out, down range towards your target.

Move from STEP 2 to STEP 1 (re-holster carefully)

So why not just go shooting more often?  It is fun to shoot, but burning through cases of ammunition could be non-productive to your skills. There are many great benefits of dry practicing you would miss if all you do were to shoot live cartridges.  Practice the entire sequence of shooting, which includes presentation from the holster, sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control and follow through.  As you dry practice, pressing straight back the trigger, 100% focused on the front sight, you must pay attention to any slight movement of the front sight, which will affect the accuracy of the shot, resulting from a mash, flinching or bad trigger control.  You must to be 100% focused as you dry practice, or it becomes a waste of time, or much worse, ingraining bad habits that are hard to fix.

OK, We talked about a proper stance, presentation, sequence of shooting and safety with the firearms to increase your skill set. Now that you have been practicing and your skill levels are getting better, you start shooting too fast and the groups open up. You have to balance the speed you press the trigger against your level of skills and the sight picture you have to make sure the bullet will strike the target. Simple, slow down until the group is about a hand-sized group in center mass. If the group is smaller than that, increase the speed a little. This is the balancing act between accuracy and speed. You can’t miss fast enough to win!

For more instructional video training, go to ATAC TV Firearms Channel. Click the link below for a video demonstration by Tom Clarke on balancing Accuracy Vs. Speed.

Accuracy Vs. Speed Ratio Video on ATAC TV Firearms Channel