Red Dot Pistol Transition

COURSE GOAL:

This course will provide students with the information and hands-on experience needed to effectively use a handgun equipped with a pistol mounted optic (PMO).  This course will train personnel in the nomenclature, function, and use of PMOs. 

Modern pistol optics provided law enforcement with several distinct advantages benefitting deputies and the public compared to traditional iron sights.  Pistol mounted optics allow for a continual threat focus which facilitates better threat identification and management.  The precise dot reticle facilitates better accuracy, eliminates many issues in sight alignment, and can provide a significant improvement in low light accuracy and speed.  As aging individuals begin to have difficulty focusing on iron sights, an optic can provide a way to maintain effectiveness and accuracy. 

The course will provide the student with the minimum topics of tactical firearms and lethal force required in the POST perishable skills program (PSP).

TACTICAL FIREARMS:

Minimum Topics/Exercises:

a.         Basic tactical

b.         Student evaluation & testing

c.         Safety guidelines/orientation

d.         Sight alignment, trigger control, accuracy

e.         Target recognition and analysis

f.          Weapons clearing

g.         Live fire tactical

h.         Policy/Legal issues

i.          Use of force considerations (options)

j.          Moral obligations

k.         Judgment and decision making

l.          Live fire application

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The student will:

A.         Demonstrate knowledge of the Department Use of Force/Firearms Policy.

B.            Demonstrate a minimum standard of tactical handgun proficiency with every technique, exercise and course of fire to include:

1.         Judgment and decision making

2.         Weapons safety

3.         Basic presentation technique

4.         Fundamentals of shooting

5.         Lethal/Non-lethal threat identification

6.         Speed, accuracy, effectiveness under stress and movement conditions

7.         Shot placement: stopping power - multiple rounds

Minimum standards of performance shall be evaluated by an instructor observing the student during their performance of each technique, exercise and course of fire.  If the student does not meet the minimum standards, reasonable remedial training will be provided until the standard is met.

EXPANDED COURSE OUTLINE

1. Classroom – Orientation
   1. Staff Introductions.
   2. Conduct student introductions.
      1. Name
      2. Unit of Assignment
      3. Gear used for Class
2. Classroom – Registration
   1. Complete course paperwork
      1. POST Roster
      2. Department Rosters
3. Classroom – Firearms Safety
   1. Four Fundamental rules of firearms safety
   2. Basic safety guidelines
   3. Range Violations
1. Classroom – Medical Brief
   1. Emergency medical plan
   2. Non-emergency medical plan
5. Classroom – Policy
   1. Legal/moral/ethical issues involving use of force
   2. Federal Laws involving use of force
   3. Review of Department Policy involving use of force
   4. Review of Department Policy involving firearms policy
   5. Review of Department Policy involving PMOs
6. Classroom – Pistol mounted optics
   1. Equipment Setup
      1. Backup iron sights
      2. Pistol mounted optics
   1. Approved handguns
      1. Department authorized handguns
      2. Factory-produced optic-compatible handguns
   1. Approved optics
      1. PMOs authorized by the department
      2. PMOs tested by the department
   1. PMO features

1. Power Controls
2. Illumination Controls
3. Battery Replacement
4. Reticles
   1. Minutes of Angle (MOA)
   2. Various dot sizes (1 – 13 MOA)
5. Battery Life
   1. Battery connections
      1. Bottom mount beneath unit
      2. Top mounted/side mounted battery compartment
   2. 2 years battery operation with typical use
   3. Battery types (CR2032, CR1632M, or CR1225, etc)

1. 1. Mounting options-
      1. Pre-manufactured optic capable pistols
      2. Non-authorized
         1. Dovetail mounts
         2. Frame mounts
   2. Iron Sights
      1. Backup sights
      2. Useable sights
   1. Advantages/Disadvantages of PMOs
      1.  Enhanced accuracy, better for aged eyes, etc.
      2.  PMO failure, occluded optic, etc.

1. Classroom – Support equipment
   1. Holsters-
      1. Department-approved duty holsters
         1. Holster shall meet department policies for on-duty handgun holsters
         2. Holster finish shall match the gun belt

1. 1. 1. Concealed carry holsters

1. Holster shall meet department policies for off-duty and secondary handgun holsters
   1. Lens cleaners
   2. Batteries

2. Classroom – Parallax 
   1. Parallax is detected in an optic when, as the viewing eye is moved laterally, the image and the reticle appear to move in relation to each other. 
   2. Pistol red dots are only parallax free at one distance determined by manufacturer (50 yards)
   3. Offset of an object when viewed through a lens. A good analogy would be looking at the speedometer of a vehicle from the passenger seat.
   4. Conclusion- parallax deviation is minimal and will not affect acceptable accuracy out to reasonable distances
3. Dry fire
   1. Wall drill
   2. Apply correct trigger manipulation and watch for movement of the dot
   3. Note: should be fairly quick review, long enough to reinforce proper technique
4. Range Live Fire - Parallax check
   1. Have students present gun to the target
   2. Advise them to bury the red dot into the lower left corner of the red dot window. With that orientation staying the same, have them fire 1-3 rounds on target. Repeat for upper left, lower right, and upper right. Repeat at various distances.
5. Range Live Fire - Zeroing 
   1. Place cardboard targets up with B8 bullseye targets
   2. Starting at 15 yds., offhand/benched, fire a 5 round group and evaluate. Make proper adjustments and repeat process until all students are hitting within 7 ring.
   3. Move to 25 yards and repeat until pistols are zeroed within black portion of B8.
6. Range Live Fire - Walk back drill holdover check
   1. For the entire drill, students are to aim at X-ring of B8 bullseye target.
   2. Evaluate targets after each yard line
   3. Various distances (3 - 25 yards)
   4. 5 shots fired at each distance 
7. Range Live Fire - Daily maintenance
   1. Tighten mounting screws
   2. Tighten battery compartment
   3. Clean viewport
   4. Co-Witness sights
8. Range Live Fire - Recoil management tracking the red dot
   1. Stance, extension of arms, grip
   2. Multiple round recoil management drills
   3. 7, 15, and 25 yards
9. Range Live Fire - Two hand Draws
   1. Focus on initial acquisition and seeing the dot as soon as possible.
   2. Break down draw stroke
   3. Two full mag
   4. Draw and fire one round
   5. Draw and fire multiple rounds
10. Range Live Fire - Strong Hand Only Draw
    1. Multiple Positions
       1. Support hand on chest
       2. Support hand by side
       3. Stepping into target
    1. Thumbs up/down
2. Range Live Fire - Support hand Only Draw
   1. Draws/manipulations (NO LIVE AMMUNITION)
   2. Reach across/pull duty belt
   3. Defeat retention device
   4. Re-grip
3. Range Live Fire - Chase the bullet, holdover drill
   1. Students pair up
   2. Load magazines to equal capacity
   3. Utilize brown portion of cardboard target
   4. Shooter one takes a shot anywhere on the target
   5. Shooter two attempts to hit first shooters bullet hole
   6. Shooter 2 gets up to three attempts to hit initial shot
   7. After it is hit or a failed third attempt takes place, shooter two puts up a clean bullet hole
   8. First shooter to slide lock is the loser
4. Range Live Fire – Optic Failure
   1. When the dot fails, transition to backup iron sights
   2. When the dot is visible, but window is covered, use occluded eye aiming
      1. Ghost image over non-dominant eye will give unobstructed target data while PMO data from the dominant eye is used to aim. 
   3. When the dot fails, and window is obstructed
      1. Edge of slide as a reference
      2. Thumbs as a reference
      3. Top of the window as a reference
      4. Light or laser (if mounted) as a reference
1. Range Live Fire - Malfunction Clearance & one handed reload
   1. Failure to fire
      1. Tap and rack
      2. Options for racking the slide
         1. Front of optic
         2. Over the top
         3. Slide serrations
         4. Sling shot
   2. Failure to Extract
      1. 1. Rip, cycle, reload
         2. Lock, rip, rack, load
   1. Strong hand only reload
      1. 1. Drop the mag
         2. Reholster, slide locked to the rear
         3. Insert a fresh mag
         4. Draw pistol and release slide

1. 1. 1. 1. Rack the slide using the front of the optic
         2. Use the slide release
2. Range Live Fire – Push Back Drill
   1. Drill starts at 15 yard line, then goes to 20, 25, and beyond
   2. Reload magazines
3. Range Live Fire - Multiple target engagement 
   1. Look first and drive the gun
   2. Shoot to the body quickly, shoot to the head precisely
4. Range Live Fire – Preliminary Qualification Course (PQC)
   1. Instructor demonstrates PQC to give students a complete understanding of the drills
   2. Two man teams(1 timer, 1 shooter)
   3. PQC with backup iron sights
5. Classroom – Day 2
   1. Q & A
25. Classroom – Firearms Safety
    1. Four Fundamental rules of firearms safety
    2. Basic safety guidelines
    3. Range Violations
1. Classroom – Medical Brief
   1. Emergency medical plan
   2. Non-emergency medical plan
1. Classroom – Daily maintenance
   1. Tighten mounting screws
   2. Tighten battery compartment
   3. Clean viewport
   4. Co-Witness sights
2. Range Live Fire – Warm Up
   1. Marksmanship
   2. From a ready position
   3. From the holster
   4. One handed shooting
   5. Cadence/timing
   6. Multiple Targets
   7. Reloads
3. Range Live Fire – Various Distances
   1. Drill starts at 5 yard line, then goes to 10, 15, 20, and 25
   2. Students start at 5 yard line and fire 5 shots untimed, for skilled shooters 15 sec. par
   3. If all shots are within the black (or touching the line, bulls eye scoring used), student moves on to next yard line. If student has a miss, they are out
   4. Long Distances
      1. 50 yards – 100 yards
4. Range Live Fire – Shooting while moving
   1. Tracking the sights moving forward
   2. Starting at the 15 and moving to the 3 yard line
   3. Progressive drills as confidence and skill builds
   4. Start with 1 shot and progress to multiple shots
   5. Quick setting up to shots
      1. MEU (SOC) CQB Pistol Course
      2. Half-Moon Drill
      3. Move, stop, and shoot
      4. Mad Half-Minute Drill
      5. Marksmanship Evaluation Course
5. Range Live Fire – Judgment/Decision Making
   1. Multiple Distances
      1. 3yds – 15 yds
      2. Varying target locations
         1. No-Shoot Targets mixed with Lethal-Threat Targets
         2. Lethal Threat targets demand shots fired
         3. No-Shoot targets demand verbal commands
         4. No-Shoot targets demand change of trigger finger placement
      3. Varying target order
         1. Targets shot from left to right
         2. Targets shot from right to left
6. Range Live Fire – Tactical/Situational Training
   1. Review and practice tactical searching/cover/concealment techniques
   2. Live fire tactical situations
   3. Target discrimination with Lethal Threat/No-Shoot targets
7. Range Live Fire – Preliminary Qualification Course
   1. LASD PMO Enhanced 20 round Course of Fire
   2. LASD PMO Enhanced 20 round Course of Fire (Iron Sights Only)
   3. LASD 24rd Perishable Skills Program Qualification (PMO)
8. Classroom – Course Debrief
   1. Teaching Takeaway Points