"Range Kata"

[Redhat]

I'm going to assume the question about stepping laterally is addressed to me. When we brief, the instruction is, to move laterally, left or right. No one moves forward of the firing line. No shooter steps in front of another shooter, the geography of the line prevents this from happening. If one moves right and another left and they move into each other the instruction is to fight through it, as the scenario is exactly as would happen in any confined space threat engagement in the field, work through it and engage the threat.

It was thanks. I have run the same type ranges where the ability for movement was severely restricted. My question was more of how it works off the square range where everyone may not be exactly "on line" when the need to engage arises?

Thanks again

[kmrtnsn]

It was thanks. I have run the same type ranges where the ability for movement was severely restricted. My question was more of how it works off the square range where everyone may not be exactly "on line" when the need to engage arises?

Thanks again

Same answer, understand your threat, your sectors and priorities, and fight through it.

[currahee]

The important aspects of the scan and asses is that (A) you don't do it when you still have a threat to the front and (B) you don't just do it without actually looking. I haven't been to as many classes as some of ya'll are talking about, but I've always done the the scan and asses thing. Once Tiger McKee had his assistant stand off to our side with a knife out... no one noticed him. He emphasized the importance of actually focusing on something.

When I train with friends we call - "shoot," "threat"(or whatever) for one another, we keep assessing and engaging until the partner says "down" THEN we scan the area before holstering.

When training alone I make it a point to look for the holes (assessing the target) then scan the area.

Another "KATA" move I have noticed is the magpul -can't the rifle and inspect the chamber before reloading. A lot of people are ding this now and I have seen more than one person do it and completely overlook an actual feed issue - which this is supposed to prevent.

[kmrtnsn]

Our M4 qualification has two prone stages, and several fired from the kneeling. In the field our rifle and shotgun operators may be engaging from multiple cover positions, non linear, and in depth. A fired upon from a neighboring house during a warrant scenario is a realistic one from the recent local badguy playbook. We now ask our long gun operators to scan to the rear before coming to the kneeling position, and again before coming to their feet. This isn't so much about scanning for a threat as it is to scan for a friendly muzzle and to locate alternate cover. During scans it is important for our shooters to know what they are looking for and to able to articulate what they see, not turning their heads for the movement's sake. While conducting qualifications we will periodically ask them to describe something, not in the threat area, "where was my hand, what hand was I holding the PA in, who is standing behind us?", etc.

[Guns-up.50]

You're talking about a drill or a COF that requires the shooter to hold a phantom rifle at and the fire command "drop" the rifle and draw the pistol? To simulate a transition?

Yes this was my point, I under stand the tech but for the most part people myself included do not "lower the rifle" as I go for the fastest draw as you said.

[Guns-up.50]

Maybe you're mis-understanding what I mean. There are times when you need to go "hands on". BEFORE I put the weapon away and even if I haven't fired a shot, I scan 360 to make sure there are no threats. Most times it CANT be a 360 detailed scan. It's just a quick look that breaks tunnel vision. On the range we reholster pretty much every string of fire, so we get this silly "kata" motion that Rob is referring to. It becomes so frequent that people lose their grasp on why the do it (or just stop doing it). For me the target assessment is an entirely different action. I keep them separate when I train because in "real life" you would do the two of them potentially minutes apart or one not at all.



Right. So that's the whole point of scanning ***before*** you holster - completely different from "target assessment". So that I'm NOT putting the weapon away before it's safe. I'm not talking about linear combat where the "action is over". Like I noted previously, the ONE time that I'm glad I did this was when it allowed me to make eye contact with an apparently angry bystander that turned out to be a protective "neighbor". It had nothing to do with locating a threat, but at least made the other guy know I knew he was there (and gave me a chance to back him up). Lucky for me I've never had to "assess" my shots...I've never taken one on the street. But I've done plenty of scans before reholstering in the field. At least that's my personal take on it.

...and I'm known for my slow reholstering. I do a press check and a slide bump *every* time I reholster. Subject for a different thread maybe. I already know lots of people that think that's silly too... I have my reasons.

Got you, I meant not disrespect or ill fame.

[az doug]

When we are teaching a basic academy class on a square range one of the instructors will indicate the number of rounds to be fired in the next string by "holding up" that many fingers. His hand may be at his side... The students must scan after each string, find each instructor and look at their hands. If each student doesn't then he or she will not know how many rounds to fire.

Not the best solution, but it forces the students to actually scan and look at each instructor's hands versus just turning their head and going through the motions. We are also big on communications amongst students.

[Iraq Ninja]

I just want to comment on the Kata aspect. Background- 30 years in classical Japanese bugei and experience being a bullet magnet.

I am always a bit concerned when people in the West try to import Japanese terms or texts, such as in the case of Musashi and the Go Rin no Sho.

The idea of Kata and how it is to be used in training is often stifled into a strict form, yet that is not really the meaning. One strictly learns the form, then breaks it, then discards it once they have internalized the essence of the kata. The kata exists only as a tool for the practitioner.

Kata is not dogma. It is a method of instruction designed to be discarded once the goal is achieved. One may impart variation (henka) and still be true to the form.

If one studies martial traditions, one sees a focus on practical and uncomplicated techniques used in conjunction with skills (fundamentals) that are rock solid.

All this dribble about the correct way of "scan and access" is minutia masturbation. My S and A is simply to look for "more work" and things that need to be shot. It may take many different forms. It is more mindset than technique.

The majority of people who use the term Kata don't know what they are talking about...

[Failure2Stop]

I just want to comment on the Kata aspect.

I'm taking the "kata" metaphor in this case to be playing "make believe" with stuff that requires more depth than simple mimicry to actually be worthwhile.

[Arctic1]

When training alone I make it a point to look for the holes (assessing the target) then scan the area.

I would not recommend that, as you are looking for something you will probably not see in real life. There might be a slight ripple of a shirt or the like, but no noticeable visual indicator on the target that you actually hit it. Unless there is a physical reaction of course.

Focus on making the required hits in the required time, and mentally play out the scenario in front of you. Check the holes in the target after the course of fire is over.

When using paper targets, I stress to my guys that they have to take in to account that something will happen downrange when you shoot at people. They will:

-Be wounded or killed
-Taking cover
-Displacing
-Pulling out/regrouping

If they do not get "in character", so to speak, all that happens is they will keep firing, stay locked to their scope, not developing and maintaining situational awareness and burn through their ammo.

As the enemy will also return fire, I stress that we must also displace, when doing a reload for example, so we don't poke our heads up in the exact same spot every time. I might work a few times, but one time an enemy might have fixed your position, and could just be waiting for you to pop your head back out.