pleaforwar
12-10-11, 19:45
Location- Force Options Range- Phoenix, AZ
WX- ~60°, clear skies
Cost- $450
Requirements- 800 rounds ≥9mm (~500 used), 3 magazines (preferably 5), ear/eye pro
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lav.jpg
“Speed is Fine, Accuracy is Final”
If you’ve heard of Larry Vickers, you have probably heard the phrase. I heard it several times, gaffed it off as if it were nothing more than a marketing slogan, and trained with handguns as I had learned in my limited experience. I’m proud to say my attitude towards handgun training and the phrase has changed after attending this course.
T-1 kicked off with some basic drills most of you are familiar with; the ball and dummy, trigger reset, dime drill, etc. Larry emphasizes heavily on trigger control. Aspects of grip, stance, and sight alignment have their importance, but Larry made it VERY clear that he wanted students to focus on trigger control and evading “El Snatcho”. Having shot handguns for a while and trained with them (informally), I was surprised to realize that I had issues on T1 with my trigger control and adjusted accordingly. Within the first couple of hours the first lesson had already sunk in for me and my accuracy improved.
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lvme.jpg
(Myself working on trigger control)
Larry would mix in performance/competition tests throughout the day so we could track our improvements as the day progressed. The drill we did the most was the walk-back drill, but I particularly enjoyed “The Test”. This drill consists of a ten second window to shoot 10 rounds (from the low ready) in the bull from 10 yards (IIRC). If you were shooting a 1911 you had to shoot 8 rounds in ten seconds from the draw. This drill is a great diagnostic tool to see how you implement trigger control into a short span of time.
We continued the day with reload drills and finished ~1600.
T-2 started with a rehash of the lessons learned on T-1. Some of us showed regression to our “El Snatcho” ways, which demonstrated that trigger control is clearly a perishable skill. After a few reps of working on fundamentals we transitioned to malfunction drills (TRB and Rip drills) and shooting on the move.
Shooting on the move was different in this class because Larry introduced a measure I had never trained for before, shooting on the move while moving backwards. Falling is an obvious concern when training with this movement, but Larry stressed a low center of gravity to avoid any trips or falls. None occurred. It was a very interesting drill and gave me something new to work with.
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lv.jpg
(My "brother" working on trigger control. Our setup was nearly identical)
We finished T2 with shooting on the move team drills and concluded ~ 1530.
This was my first handgun course and first course with Larry. His instruction method is deliberate and effective, and he delivers his message in a way that keeps shooters involved and interested. I’m confident that I am a much better handgun shooter as a result of Larry’s instruction and I recommend him to shooters regardless their background (competition, LEO, .mil, etc).
A quick note on my gear, I attended this course with a G34 that I have used as a secondary with previous training. I experienced a few malfunctions at a recent course, but experienced none this time. I suspect the previous issue was due to lack of lubrication, as I heavily lubricated the Glock this time around.
Thanks for taking the time to read my AAR. I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, or questions.
S/F,
Dan
WX- ~60°, clear skies
Cost- $450
Requirements- 800 rounds ≥9mm (~500 used), 3 magazines (preferably 5), ear/eye pro
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lav.jpg
“Speed is Fine, Accuracy is Final”
If you’ve heard of Larry Vickers, you have probably heard the phrase. I heard it several times, gaffed it off as if it were nothing more than a marketing slogan, and trained with handguns as I had learned in my limited experience. I’m proud to say my attitude towards handgun training and the phrase has changed after attending this course.
T-1 kicked off with some basic drills most of you are familiar with; the ball and dummy, trigger reset, dime drill, etc. Larry emphasizes heavily on trigger control. Aspects of grip, stance, and sight alignment have their importance, but Larry made it VERY clear that he wanted students to focus on trigger control and evading “El Snatcho”. Having shot handguns for a while and trained with them (informally), I was surprised to realize that I had issues on T1 with my trigger control and adjusted accordingly. Within the first couple of hours the first lesson had already sunk in for me and my accuracy improved.
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lvme.jpg
(Myself working on trigger control)
Larry would mix in performance/competition tests throughout the day so we could track our improvements as the day progressed. The drill we did the most was the walk-back drill, but I particularly enjoyed “The Test”. This drill consists of a ten second window to shoot 10 rounds (from the low ready) in the bull from 10 yards (IIRC). If you were shooting a 1911 you had to shoot 8 rounds in ten seconds from the draw. This drill is a great diagnostic tool to see how you implement trigger control into a short span of time.
We continued the day with reload drills and finished ~1600.
T-2 started with a rehash of the lessons learned on T-1. Some of us showed regression to our “El Snatcho” ways, which demonstrated that trigger control is clearly a perishable skill. After a few reps of working on fundamentals we transitioned to malfunction drills (TRB and Rip drills) and shooting on the move.
Shooting on the move was different in this class because Larry introduced a measure I had never trained for before, shooting on the move while moving backwards. Falling is an obvious concern when training with this movement, but Larry stressed a low center of gravity to avoid any trips or falls. None occurred. It was a very interesting drill and gave me something new to work with.
http://pleaforwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lv.jpg
(My "brother" working on trigger control. Our setup was nearly identical)
We finished T2 with shooting on the move team drills and concluded ~ 1530.
This was my first handgun course and first course with Larry. His instruction method is deliberate and effective, and he delivers his message in a way that keeps shooters involved and interested. I’m confident that I am a much better handgun shooter as a result of Larry’s instruction and I recommend him to shooters regardless their background (competition, LEO, .mil, etc).
A quick note on my gear, I attended this course with a G34 that I have used as a secondary with previous training. I experienced a few malfunctions at a recent course, but experienced none this time. I suspect the previous issue was due to lack of lubrication, as I heavily lubricated the Glock this time around.
Thanks for taking the time to read my AAR. I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, or questions.
S/F,
Dan