Category Archives: Training

Costa Ludus Shotgun Class After Action Report

by SurvivalGuy Posted on January 1, 2013

Class Attended
Shotgun Employment

Instructor
Chris Costa

Class length
3 Days

Class Description
This course is designed to give the beginner, intermediate or advanced shooter the proper Shotgun fundamentals. Starting with mindset, the class focuses on the core foundation of proper manipulation and function of shotgun employment to include the use of Slugs, 00Buck patterning, and ammo change overs. This course will leave the shooter with a proper shotgun foundation in manipulation.

Ammo (minimum amount, I brought about 20-30% more than recommended)
600 rds for handgun, and 400rds 00Buck, 100rds Slugs, 100rds Bird.

Gear Brought to Class
Remington 870 Express Tactical with Magpul forend, adjustable stock, and sling swivel
Magpul MS3 sling
Tacstar Sidesaddle mounted on 870
S&W M&P9 VTAC with Apex DCAEK trigger kit installed and 4 extra magazines
VTAC Brokos belt with VTAC cobra inner belt
Mounted on the belt above was a Bravo Concealment pistol kydex holster, Bravo Concealment pistol magazine pouches, 3 California Competition Works 4 round shotgun shell holders, Maxpedition dump pouch, Dark Angel Medical Pouch and leatherman

Thoughts
The class was three days long. On the first day we did strictly pistol and we went through about six hundred rounds going over our basics and one handed pistol drills.

On the second day we sighted in our shotguns and went over accessories and the importance of using blue loctite on every screw on your shotgun. I found this out the hard way on day 3 when I lost two screws from my 870 XS Frontrail sight, my extended magazine tube started causing FTE’s because it was loose and my sidesaddle was wobbling around which made feeding the gun more difficult.

One of the most eye opening lessons on day 2 was the use of good 00 buckshot ammo. I was using Federal Premium Self Defense 00 buck  also known as Federal Premium Law Enforcement Ammunition TACTICAL (Fed Tac) during the 00 buck patterning portion of the class. Firing this ammo through my stock 870 tactical barrel I was getting very tight groups in the chest up to 15 yards and the performance was passable out to 25 yards. Several people next to me were using 00 buck made by Remington and Sellier & Bellot. Their patterns were wider and inconsistent the further back we went. The patterning was so wide that the lesser quality 00 buck was not usable past 10 yards without running the risk of hitting bystanders. Almost everyone at the class agreed that the Fed Tac 00 buck which also happens to be low recoil was the best one to use.

Another great lesson learned on day 2 was how to properly hold and fire the shotgun. I found this very useful since before this class I would come away with a bruised shoulder when firing a shotgun. Costa taught us how to fire the shotgun without getting bruised. It’s all about using the push pull method when firing. Here is a video by Rob Haught demonstrating how it works.

On the third day we did shotgun and pistol transitional drills. Everybody was safe but an important lesson that stuck with me was to watch your feet when you’re firing the shotgun off your back. It’s way too easy to blow your feet off if you’re not paying attention. Towards the end of the third day I managed to have some serious failure to eject (FTE) issues with my shotgun. There was about two hours of class left and Chris Costa lent me his spare 870 so I could finish up the class.

When I took the shotgun home and did a postmortem on the gun I found that failure to ejects were caused by a loose factory two round extension tube. The Remington factory extension tube is two pieces. The extension tube is screwed into magazine cap. The magazine cap with extension tube is then screwed down to keep the barrel in place. On earlier models of 870′s you would have a magazine cap detent and magazine cap detent spring to keep the collar from shaking loose. My temporary solution for preventing this is to use blue loctite the extension tube into the magazine cap so it handles as one unit and then screw it down against the barrel as hard as I can. This part will be replaced so I don’t run into this issue in the future.

Issues Encountered

  • Stock plastic ammunition tube follower sticks when loading ammo quickly
  • FTF’s and FTE’s caused by the barrel not being seated in the receiver properly due to the stock Remington extension tube coming loose
  • Tacstar sidesaddle came loose even with repeated use of blue loctite
  • Stock to cheek weld needs to be improved

Upgrades to fix Issues
Scattergun Technologies Magazine Tube Extension to fix the follower and FTF and FTE issues
High Speed Gear Shot Shell Tray to fix the wobbly sidesaddle issue and to increase speed of reloading
MagPul SGA Low Cheek Piece Riser Kit to fix the cheek weld issue

Final Words
I went in feeling that the shotgun was my weakest link and left very confident in my ability to use a shotgun to defend my home and family. I completely recommend taking any class that Chris Costa is offering. The class was great.

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Fundamentals Of Small Arms Weapons (1945) – Part 1

by SurvivalGuy Posted on January 5, 2012

Fundamentals Of Small Arms Weapons (1945) – Part 1 covers the processes of chambering, locking, cocking, firing, unlocking, extraction, ejection and feeding, all explained in detail with a functional model built up to illustrate each step.

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Sig Sauer Academy Handgun Orientation – Handgun 101

by SurvivalGuy Posted on October 27, 2011

In my efforts to impart my hobbies on my better half I signed my girlfriend and I up for the Sig Sauer Academy Handgun Orientation (Handgun 101) class a couple of weeks ago. My significant other has never had any formal training before and I was worried that the formal education would be difficult to digest. Luckily instructors Ken Allen and Taki Okuno at the Sig Sauer Academy in New Hampshire made the class a joy to attend.

The class was about 14 people, half men and half women. We started off the class with an introduction and an overview of the class. Everyone had a instruction booklet, a Sig Sauer sticker and a Sig Sauer hat waiting for them in the class room. Ken and Taki went over the following in the class room before we broke for lunch.

  1. Responsible Firearms Ownership and Applications of the Handgun
  2. Firearms Safety for the home, workplace, and vehicle
  3. Safety Concerns and Practices While Training and While Carrying a Firearm
  4. Safe Use and Handling of Firearms
  5. Locking Devices and Techniques for Firearms to Prevent Unauthorized Access
  6. Potential Dangers (penetration, ricochet, misidentification, accidental discharges, etc.)
  7. Ready Positions
  8. Components and Operation of Modern Pistols and Revolvers
  9. Types, Components, and Purposes of Modern Ammunition
  10. Applicable Laws relating to the possession, transportation, and storage of firearms
  11. General Guidelines on interstate travel with firearms

After lunch we had a quick overview of the mornings instruction and then we went to the indoor range. Ken and Taki started by having us raise our hands and while they sized them up they picked the appropriate sized pistols for us to fire. We were separated into two groups and we were given very specific instruction on how to pick the pistol off the table in front of us, load the magazine and prepare to fire. We started off by firing one round, then two and then four depending on the drill. After finishing the first magazine we made sure everyone had their hands off the guns, the guns on the table and the range was clear. Ken walked down the line explaining to each student what they were doing wrong and how to fix the problem. The great part about Ken and Taki was that they not only did they tell us how to improve our shooting but they also praised everyone on how well they did.

Everyone was pretty excited and amped up after the live firing portion of the class. We went to the classroom and did an after action report in the class room and everyone got a certificate of completion. Ken and Taki took questions from the class and I asked them to recommend an ammo loader and the company that manufactured Taki’s magazine pouch. Taki recommended the LULA Magazine Loader that he tested and recommends whole heartedly. The magazine and flashlight pouches that Taki wore on his belt were molded plastic and very low profile. The company that makes the magazine pouches was Comp Tac.

After the live fire brain dump we went to the back and went over how to disassemble our guns and perform maintenance. Ken and Taki took the time to explain the importance of cleaning our handguns and what lubricants to use to keep the guns running flawlessly. Ken and Taki recommend TW25B grease and Ballistol Sportsmans Oil. Both of these products are used exclusively by Sig Sauer on all of their weapons.

I recommend this class for all of those people who have not had formal training before. Even if you have been using guns half your life like I have you can still pick up some excellent tips that will improve your abilities. I’ve added some pics of the class below.

Sig Sauer P250

Sig Sauer P220

His Target

His Target

Her Target

Her Target

LULA Magazine Loader

LULA Magazine Loader

Comp Tac Magazine Pouches and Holsters

Comp Tac

Ballistol Sportsmans Oil

Ballistol Sportsmans Oil

TW25B Grease

TW25B Grease

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Steve Tarani – Anatomy of Edged Weapons Defense Course

by SurvivalGuy Posted on September 12, 2011

A couple of months ago I took Steve Tarani’s Anatomy of Edged Weapons Defense Course at the Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH.  I used to carry a knife in the military and occasionally I carry one when I’m hiking outdoors. Even though I don’t carry a knife on a regular basis I’m still a firm believer of getting training in everything that you would use in a self defense situation. I took the class mostly for blocking and disarming techniques and I left the class with a great deal of knowledge regarding knife fighting in general.

My trip up to Epping, New Hampshire was pleasant since it’s a beautiful part of the country. When I got to the Sig Sauer Academy I was greeted by the staff and directed to the class room. The class compromised of 16 people including myself. The class participants were varied and ran the gamut from a criminal prosecutor to a retired cop to a truck driver and several doctors. We started the weekends worth of training going over different states of mind, knife shapes and tips, graphic pictures of knife wounds and several stories of Steve Tarani’s training over seas. Steve was very personable and happily answered any questions that we all had.

After the class room training we went to a large indoor space and warmed up before drills. The first day was spent practicing with fixed blades and folders. Steve had the Sharkee Dagger training knives for us on the first day and also an aluminum karambit trainer for the second day. The second day we trained with the karambit and we practiced escape techniques from single and multiple attackers. Overall I had a great time and the training went by too quickly as it usually does when you are enjoying yourself. After only one day of training with the karambit I can tell you that I was apprehensive about carrying one on my person. The karambit is a vicious knife and I didn’t want to cut myself while practicing with it so I purchased one of the aluminum trainers Steve had for sale. Steve also had his specially designed karambit for sale at cost which is distributed by 5.11.

Here is the equipment list, a summary of the things we went over during the two days of instruction and some pictures of the equipment.

Equipment List

    1. Rigid professional training knife (non-flexible, not a toy) such as the “Sharkee Training Knife“
    2. Personal folding or fixed blade carry knife
    3. Groin protection
    4. Eye protection
    5. Footwear suitable for rapid movement and turning
    6. Casual, comfortable civilian clothing suitable for training

      Day One

        1. Orientation and Safety
        2. History of the Karambit and its modern application
        3. Carry and Deployment of the Karambit
        4. Grip and manipulation of the Karambit
        5. Effective use of the cutting edge and the point
        6. Safety and operation in daily (utilitarian) usage
        7. Basic Training in personal safety for close quarters altercations

          Day Two

            1. Full review of Day One Materials
            2. Advanced personal safety training drills
            3. Disarming and take downs
            4. Real life threat scenarios and their solutions
            5. Defensive Tactics Problem solving
            6. Certificates of Completion

              Spyderco Endura Training Knife

              Spyderco Endura Folder Trainer

              Steve Tarani Karambit Training Knife


              Steve Tarani Karambit Training Knife

              Steve Tarani Karambit

              5.11 Steve Tarani Karambit

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              Gun and Gear for Defensive Rifle / Carbine Operator Course

              by SurvivalGuy Posted on May 2, 2011

              A buddy of mine asked what kind of equipment I brought to the defensive rifle course that I took a month ago. Here is a list of the gear I brought.

              The rifle was a Stag Arms Model 2 with an EOTech 556.65 sight, a Midwest Industries AR-15 MCTAR-30HD sling adapter, a Specter Gear Viper Sling II, a MagPul Angled Forend Grip, a LED Lenser V2 Flashlight, a Safariland Rapid Light System and a pair of UTG AR-15 Handguard Picatinny Rails to mount the grip and flashlight on.

              My ammo carrier was a Specter Gear M-1 Mk-2 Chest Carrier with a Bianchi Double AR15 Pouch clipped on the left side.

              Seven Pre-Ban magazines. I should have brought more so I could have saved some time on reloading.

              A generic range bag with 500 rounds of 5.56, a can of oil (very important), extra AA batteries, rifle cleaning kit, pocket knife, a set of screw drivers, files, allen keys, small hand towel, Purel hand sanitizer, two sandwiches, snacks, three bottles of water and a red bull. I also brought a Individual First Aid Kit aka IFAK that was clipped to the outside of my bag and a set of Columbia Water Proof Pants and Columbia Water Proof Jacket. These two items are great because they go over your regular clothes. I bought the appropriate sized pants so they were not baggy and I could stay maneuverable. I made sure to buy a larger size jacket so I can put it over my winter jacket if necessary. Last but not least a pair of Blackhawk Waterproof Tactical Boots.

              I made sure to have my rifles EOTech 556 sight and my backup iron sights sighted in at 25 meters before going to the class. I also put about 300 rounds through the rifle in the two weeks before the course to make sure it was performing properly. Here is a pic of the rifle and my target that I used to sight in the EOTech 556. I included links to the targets so you can download them and print them out for your own use.

              Stag Model 2

              25 Meter Sight In

              25 Meter Target Torso

              25 Meter Target Full

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              Rochester Personal Defense – Defensive Rifle / Carbine Operator 101

              by SurvivalGuy Posted on April 28, 2011

              I attended the Rochester Personal Defense – Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101 course a couple of weeks ago at the Square Deal Sportsman’s Club in Maine, NY.  I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a carbine class for about a year. I thought about going for a week long course at the Gunsite Academy but decided to take a local course instead.

              I got to the club a early and mingled a bit before class started. There were a total of 6 people in the class including myself. The class instructor was Loring “Tink” McDaniel. Tink brought a variety of AR-15′s and one AK to show us some of the many different combinations of accessories that were possible on a rifle platform. He said that we should try to find what works for us and talk to our fellow students and handle their rifles. The topics covered in the class portion were.

              1. Use of Force doctrine
              2. Equipment selection and accessories
              3. Difference between administrative skills and combat (Stress Loading) skills
              4. Malfunction and stoppage clearing
              5. Operation of your rifle in a defensive/combat mindset

              We went over the topics in a little less than three hours since everyone had a military background and was familiar with handling firearms. The most important lesson that I took home with me from the morning portion was to think about where in your home you would stand your ground against an intruder. Tink said that it would be different for everyone and that your choices were dependent on the situation. The decision would be simpler for a single person at home then it would be for someone with children and a panicked spouse. He also said that if you could avoid shooting anyone that would be your best bet. So in an ideal situation once you hear an intruder you would call the police and keep them on the phone. Since the police record all 911 calls you would announce to the intruder that you have called the police and that you are armed and they should leave immediately. Make sure not too curse or use any racial slurs as that would be used against you in court if you did have to shoot the person(s).

              After a 30 minute break for lunch we went out to the range. The range portion of the class was about 5 hours long. The topics covered in the range portion were.

              1. Defensive accuracy and shooting
              2. Proper defensive rifle or carbine stances
              3. Skills for shooting multiple targets
              4. Shooting from cover or concealment

              We started off with shooting targets at about 5 yards to see the height difference between the point of aim and the point of impact. We practiced adjusting our aim so that the rounds would impact the center of the target at close range at different distances. After this initial familiarization we started doing drills. I was pretty excited about doing the drills and I tried to explain them as best as I could below.

              Drill # 1 – We were broken up into pairs and one person fired a single shot anywhere on a target. The second person was then going to take two shots and try and hit within a quarter of the first person’s bullet hole. After the second shooters attempt the first shooter tried hitting as close to the original bullet hole as possible with two rounds.

              Drill # 2 – We started shooting at the targets from the low ready. We concentrated on getting a good sight picture and then firing off 1 round. We quickly transitioned to two well placed rounds in the center of the target.

              Drill # 3 – We took a few steps back and started vocalizing commands to a potential home intruder. We practiced by keeping our carbines in a low ready position and bringing the rifles up with the safety on while saying clearly but loudly “put the weapon down” if the intruder did not comply then the safety was flicked off, the command repeated and two shots were fired center mass. If an assailant were to try and get up then we would shout “stay down, stay down” and then fire another two in the chest if they did not comply.

              Drill # 4 – We started shooting at multiple targets. The training term used was “turkey dinner”. Everybody gets a serving before getting seconds. The instructor would yell out how many targets we would be engaging. We fired at multiple targets quickly giving every target one round, the last target received two and then each previous target received an additional one. We were also instructed to look to one side and the other after neutralizing the targets to identify any additional threats and to break the tunnel vision that is associated with high stress situations.

              Drill # 5 – Was firing behind cover at one target and then multiple targets. We were told to watch our feet and our elbows because they will stick out from cover and provide early warning to our aggressors and potentially get shot by them.

              Drill # 6 – Was engaging multiple targets from behind cover, taking cover and reloading and then reclaiming your space and neutralizing targets. It was pointed out that if you have to reload and there are multiple threats still up then you should get behind cover to reload. The downside is that you have to reclaim your territory.

              Drill # 7 – Was engaging multiple targets from behind cover, reloading, engaging the same targets and then running over to a new location and engaging targets from behind cover, coming back behind cover to reload and then engaging the targets one final time.

              Overall I had a great time during the course and  I am looking forward to attending more classes by Rochester Personal Defense.

              Rochester Personal Defense - Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101

              Rochester Personal Defense - Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101

              Rochester Personal Defense - Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101

              Rochester Personal Defense - Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101

              Posted in Self Defense, Training | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

              Proflex Knee Pads

              by SurvivalGuy Posted on April 7, 2011

              I attended the Rochester Personal Defense – Defensive Rifle/Carbine Operator 101 course this past weekend at the Square Deal Sportsman’s Club in Maine, NY. There will be more about the class in a future post. Prior to the class I bought a pair of Proflex Knee Pads that I thought I might need during the course. It turns out that I did not need the knee pads for the Carbine 101 Operator course but they should come in handy for the intermediate course.

              Since I did not want to put a brand new pair of knee pads to waste I took them out to a range along with my Stag Arms Model 2 rifle and did some target practice from a kneeling position. Luckily for me the night before it snowed so they were put to good use. I’ve used knee pads with velcro straps in the past and they tended to be too tight but they did not slip off. The Proflex knee pads have a lower strap that is a non elastic band that rests below the knee and an elastic band with a buckle above the knee cap. The knee pads fit well but they became slightly undone often and needed to be tightened regularly. They did not become overly loose but enough so that they might slip down too far and have you bang your knees when you least expect it.

              The price for the Proflex knee pads was $20 plus free shipping using Amazon Prime. They were a reasonable purchase and the price was not that high. I would prefer the knee pads not come loose so frequently but they will do for mild range work and the occasional training class. I think they would be more appropriate if you were laying wood flooring then if you were running and gunning.

              Proflex Knee Pads

              Posted in Gear Review, Training | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment