Running Low on Training Ammo? Here’s the fix…

Combat Studies Group

As everyone knows, ammunition is in short supply these days and what little that makes it’s way to store shelves is becoming somewhat cost prohibitive. This is consequently putting a damper on many folks training time. Here are some ways to take advantage of the situation and explore some new training options….

Work on your movement skills.  

With an empty weapon, move tactically through your house. Focus on – clearing doorways and making entry – moving through hallways – checking six every three paces – clearing corners and dead space in rooms – linking up with family members and moving them to a designated safe zone – etc

Work the same skills but with a partner or your spouse. Work on the communication aspect – team member responsibilities – how to move with a “package” (such as a child) – practice “bunkering” your loved ones while you await help, or wait for another team to move to your position.

Go outside and work on Individual Movement Techniques (IMT’s). Dry-fire engagement of the target from a covered position, determine if you are advancing to the enemy or retrograding – Identify your next covered position that you can move to in 3-5 seconds – simulate a retention reload if needed, check 360, move to next position, repeat.

Work on shooting positions.

Work on moving quickly from standing to a prone firing position.

Standing behind your vehicle, work on quickly moving to a firing position behind the strong points – urban prone behind the wheels – leaning to engage around front and rear – squatting to engage over hood and through windows.

Work on your dry-fire/dry-practice skills.

Penny drills

Work on your draw-stroke.

Practice drawing and acquiring a good sight picture from concealment.

Draw while seated at a table or desk.

Draw/acquire your weapon while in bed.

Draw while seated in your vehicle.

Work on transitioning from primary (rifle) to secondary (pistol).

Dry-fire your primary and then smoothly transition to your secondary, dry-fire and transition back to primary.

Work on focal transitioning.

This will exercise the ciliary muscles of the eye which focus your eye’s lens by thickening or flattening it (they need to be exercised just like any other muscle). As a gunfighter your first point of focus will be the threat, whether it be at 5 yards or 300 yards. As you draw and extend your weapon out towards the threat you will transition your focus to the sights as they come into view. The threat becomes more out of focus as the front sight becomes very much in focus as you fire. You then will make a focal transition back to the threat and then on the surrounding area to check for further threats. Another focal point we have to deal with is the magazine well during a reload. As you feel your weapon run dry, you eject the empty magazine as you bring the weapon back into your workspace, simultaneously indexing a fresh magazine with your support hand. As you bring up the fresh mag you want to make a quick focal transition to the magazine well as you insert – this is key for a smooth, successful reload.

Couple tricks that help facilitate these techniques…

Take a yellow (or any bright color) paint/craft pen and paint a line along the inside edge of the mag well (strong side) so that as you bring an empty pistol back into your workspace the bright line catches your eye.

Paint the top edge of your front sight post. During your draw-stroke, as you begin to press out to the target, the bright edge will catch your eye and aid in making that focal transition.

This paint technique may seem strange to some, but give it a try – there’s a reason some of the most tactically proficient military units in the world utilize it.

So, as you can see, the current ammo shortage can serve as a way to motivate one to expand their current training regimen……and it’s all free.

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