Concealed Carry Fundamentals-VGS-wide

Presented By
Virginia Gun Safety, LLC
Welcome to Our Training Academy
 
Administrative Items
  No ammunition in the classroom
  Securing of firearms
  Restroom
 
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Emergency Exits
Refreshments and snack policy
Smoking policy
Breaks and lunch
Room temperature
Cell Phone and Pager policy
Virginia Gun Safety
Established in 2007; Incorporated in 2009
  Specialize in firearms training
 
  As of 2012, 697 students, 7885 man hours of
instruction
 
NRA Certified Instructors and Training
Counselors
  Staff Introductions
Course Goal
 
To teach the
fundamental
knowledge, skills, and
attitude essential for
the safe, effective and
responsible use of a
handgun for selfdefense.
What this Course is Not
This course does not
dispense legal advise.
  This course is not an
advanced shooting
course.
  This is not an NRA
Course.
 
Stages of Skill Development
Conscious
Incompetence
Conscious
Competence
Unconscious
Incompetence
Unconscious
Competence
Why Are You Here?
 
Student Introductions
  Who are you?
  Firearms experience
Why are you seeking
firearms training?
  What do you want,
need, or expect to get
out of this course?
 
Course Lessons
 
Lesson I
  Fundamentals of Self Defense
 
Lesson 2
  Pistol Fundamentals as They Apply to Carrying a Firearm
 
Lesson 3
  Handgun and Ammunition Selection
 
Lesson 4
  How to Carry a Firearm
 
Lesson 5
  Presenting a Firearm from a Holster
Required Materials
  Personal
Protection
Outside the Home
Handbook
  Gun Safety Rules
Brochure
  Course Completion
Certificate*
Terminology
 
 
 
 
Guns are firearms. Firearms
are guns.
They are handguns, pistols,
revolvers, semi-automatic
pistols, etc.
They are NOT weapons!
You may hear terms you
may not be familiar with. If
you do not understand
something – ask us when it
happens.
Objectives
  This
course is
objectives based. We
make sure you
accomplish the
learning objectives
before we move on.
A Gun Owner’s Responsibilities
 
Americans enjoy a right that citizens of many other
countries do not — the right to own firearms. But with this
right comes responsibilities. It is the gun owner’s
responsibility to store, operate and maintain his or her
firearms safely. It is the gun owner’s responsibility to
ensure that unauthorized or untrained individuals cannot
gain access to his or her firearms. And it is the gun
owner’s responsibility to learn and obey all applicable
laws that pertain to the purchase, possession and use of
a firearm in his or her locale. Guns are neither safe nor
unsafe by themselves. When gun owners learn and
practice responsible gun ownership, guns are safe.
Hygiene
 
 
 
Refrain from eating, drinking,
smoking, applying makeup, or
otherwise placing your hands
and/or fingers near your face
while on the range or while
cleaning a gun.
Always wash hands and face
with cold water and soap, after
shooting or cleaning and
before eating.
Change and wash clothes as
soon as possible.
Q&A Period
Lesson 1
Ethical Responsibility
 
 
 
 
A firearm is a tool of last
resort.
Used only when in
imminent danger.
Are you capable of using
deadly force?
Are you capable of
exercising mature
judgment?
Safe Gun Handling Rules
Always keep the gun pointed in
a safe direction
  Always keep your finger off the
trigger until ready to shoot
  Always keep the gun unloaded
until ready to use
 
How the 3 Rules Apply
 
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
 
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When the gun is in the holster.
When the gun is being drawn.
When the gun is at a ready position.
When you are moving or getting behind cover.
When the gun is fired to stop an assailant.
When the gun is being cleared of a stoppage.
When the gun is being reloaded.
When the gun is being reholstered.
How the 3 Rules Apply
  Always
keep your finger off the trigger
until ready to shoot
  When drawing the gun from the holster.
  When clearing a stoppage.
  When moving or getting behind cover.
  When reloading the pistol.
  When the gun is being reholstered.
How the 3 Rules Apply
  Always
keep the gun unloaded until
ready to use
  When it is in the holster or holster purse.
  When it is in a drawer or glove compartment
for immediate access.
  When it is in your hand.
Additional Safety Rules
 
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 
 
Know the target and what is beyond.
Know how to use the gun safely.
Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Use only the correct ammunition for the gun.
Never use alcohol or drugs before or while
carrying a firearm.
Store guns so that they are not accessible to
unauthorized persons.
Handgun Storage While Carrying
 
 
 
 
Restricts access to
unauthorized users.
Still allows easy access to
the gun when needed.
Still provides a measure of
concealment.
Check State and local laws
regarding storage of
firearms while not in your
home.
Levels of Awareness
 
Levels of Awareness
 
 
 
 
 
Unaware
Aware
Alert
Alarm
It is our responsibility as gun owners and
users to avoid the confrontation to begin
with.
Proper Mindset
 
Are you willing to use lethal
force in self-defense?
  Am I prepared to take the life of
another human being?
  Does my religion permit the
taking of a life in self-defense?
  Do my personal moral
standards permit the taking of
a life in self-defense?
  Am I prepared for the aftermath
if I must defend myself or
others with lethal force?
Proper Mindset
 
Never Give Up!
  Your determination to persevere and win is key
  That attitude may cause your assailant to back down
 
Visualization
  Formation of a mental image of a situation or activity
  Mental ‘what-if’ games
 
Develop a Plan
  Personal protection plans are specific to the individual or group
  Factors such as skills, capabilities, limits, habits, composition of
the group, environment all play a role
  Prepare to be flexible
Avoidance
 
Be Aware!
  Environment, surroundings,
people, animals, cover and
concealment, escape routes
 
Plan Ahead
  Who, what, where, when all
factor into a flexible plan
  Don’t inadvertently put yourself
into a potentially dangerous
situation
  Think about where your firearm
is going to be in your planning
Avoidance
Avoid Dangerous
People
  Avoid Dangerous
Situations
  Avoid Dangerous
Places
  Don’t Make Yourself a
Target
 
Avoidance
 
Avoid Antagonizing Situations
  Don’t antagonize others.
  Don’t respond to antagonizing
people.
  We have a responsibility not to
escalate a confrontational
situation.
 
Always Look for Escape
Routes
  Part of visualization technique
Use Cover and Concealment
 
Cover
  Hard material that has a high
likelihood of stopping incoming
rounds
○  mailbox, dumpsters, some
parts of vehicles, etc.
 
Concealment
  Soft material that provides
mainly visual cover but little
protection
○  Walls, door jambs, furniture,
some parts of vehicles, etc.
Psychological Reactions
  When
Confronted
with a Threat:
  Freeze
  Submit
  Posture
  Flight
  Fight
Physiological Reactions
 
General body responses
  Increased heart rate and respiration, pupils
dilate, muscles tense
 
Adrenaline Rush
  Heightens senses, increases strength,
increased heart rate/blood pressure
 
Loss of Fine Motor Skills
  Stress, adrenaline, blood flows from extremities
Perceptual Changes
  Tunnel
Vision
  Auditory Exclusion
  Time Dilation
  Temporary Loss of
Memory
Using a Firearm in Self-Defense
 
 
 
 
 
Only when in fear of imminent
bodily injury or death.
Goal is to stop the attack, not kill
the attacker. Shoot to stop the
threat.
Never shoot at a retreating threat.
Incapacitation may not be
immediate.
You may be injured (never give
up).
Once Your Attacker is Down
 
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Do not approach attacker
Look for other threats
Move to cover if possible
Contact the police
Wait for the police
Be on guard for renewed
threat
Don’t leave the scene
unless you are in continued
risk of harm
Emotional Aftermath
Elation
  Revulsion
  Remorse
  Self-Doubt
  Acceptance
  Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder
 
Legal Aftermath
 
 
 
 
 
Will vary depending on laws
and situation.
Be prepared to go to jail.
Be prepared to have your
firearm confiscated and
your permit suspended.
Be prepared to go to court.
Don’t talk to the police
without your attorney
present.
Social Aftermath
 
 
 
 
 
Stigma of shooting
someone.
May become a media
target.
May become a political
target.
May be job related issues.
May effect family relations
(stress).
It All Comes Back to This
  Are
you willing to use lethal force in selfdefense?
  Willing does not mean you HAVE to shoot. If
the threat is gone/retreating, it’s not a threat
any more.
  Only shoot as a last resort, and ONLY when
in fear of IMMINENT bodily harm or death to
yourself or your family.
Q&A Period
Lesson 2
Basic Pistol Skills
  This
course assumes you know how to
shoot, and that you understand the
fundamentals of shooting.
  This course is designed to take that
basic knowledge and skill and apply it to
drawing from a holster and shooting.
Grip
 
 
 
It is essential that you get
a correct, positive grip on
your firearm while it is in
the holster.
You may not get the
chance to correct your grip
once you draw the firearm.
Holster selection will factor
in how well you can grip
your firearm.
Shooting Position
 
Two-Handed Standing
Position (Isosceles)
  Consistency
  Balance
  Support
  Natural Point of Aim
  Comfortable
Aiming
 
Sight alignment and sight picture
are the same as bulls-eye
shooting.
 
Focus on the front sight, not the
threat.
 
Exact alignment of sights is not as
critical at shorter distances.
 
Aim for Center of Exposed Mass.
 
Defensive Accuracy (pg. 150).
Breath Control
  Instead
of the practiced breathing
technique for precision shooting, simply
stop breathing long enough to get the
shot off.
  This will minimize your movement
enough for defensive accuracy at
shorter ranges.
Hold Control
 
 
 
Fundamentally the same
for precision shooting,
and just as important.
Consistent shooting
position and grip are the
key to good hold control.
This can be practiced at
home using dry fire
techniques.
Trigger Control
 
 
 
In a defensive shooting
situation, you don’t have
time for the ‘slow, steady
trigger squeeze’ of precision
shooting.
Trigger control, along with
sight alignment, is still
critical.
Dry fire practice will improve
your trigger speed.
Follow-Through
  Just
as important in defensive shooting
skills.
  You can reduce the time allocated to
follow-through from precision shooting.
  Sets up follow-up shots.
Q&A Period
Lesson 3
What to Carry?
 
 
 
 
 
We are not going to tell you what
make/model to get – but we’ll
help you decide.
We could devote an entire class
to firearm and ammunition
selection…
What is the self-defense
purpose?
Be sure that the pistol fits your
hand properly.
Select the largest caliber that
you can shoot safely, reliably,
and quickly.
Action Types
 
Single Action
  Lighter, consistent trigger pull
  Must be carried ‘cocked and
locked’
 
Double Action
  Most common action type
  Two trigger pull weights
 
Double Action Only
  Consistent trigger pull
  Pull weight usually between DA
and SA
Revolver?
Pros
 
 
 
Simple, reliable operation
Less moving parts
Variety of sizes and
weights
Cons
 
 
 
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Less ammunition
capacity
Slower to reload
Limited caliber selection
Heavy DA trigger pull
weight
Semi-Autos?
Pros
 
 
 
 
 
Increased ammunition
capacity
More grip [angle] options
Slimmer
Wider caliber selection
Variety of sizes and
weights
Cons
 
 
 
More moving parts
Requires more
maintenance
Slide can be hard to
operate (smaller calibers)
Big vs. Small Gun
Big
 
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 
 
 
 
Less concealable
More ammunition
Larger calibers
Slides easier to operate
Heavier
Less felt recoil
More trigger actions available
Longer sight radius
More customizable
Small
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
More concealable
Less ammunition
Smaller calibers
Slides harder to operate
Lighter
More felt recoil
Tend to have heavier triggers
Shorter sight radius
Less customizable
Practice
 
 
Once you make your
selection, practice, practice,
practice!
  Live fire
  Dry fire
  Drawing from holster
  Magazine Reloads
If you change equipment,
more practice!
Ammunition Selection
 
 
 
 
Premium self-defense
ammunition (generally hollow
point).
Commercial manufacture;
no reloads.
Heaviest weight projectile you
can shoot safely and reliably.
Test your selection with your
firearm (200 rounds minimum).
Ammunition Selection
 
Penetration
  Clothes, construction materials,
car doors, windows, etc.
 
Over Penetration
  Home construction
 
Shot placement more important
than bullet type/weight
 
www.buckeyefirearms.org/
printable/node/7866
Ammunition Malfunctions
 
Hangfire
  Don’t wait for the 30
count, cycle another
round
 
Misfire
  Cycle another round
 
Squib Load
  Still a dangerous
situation!
Ammunition Considerations
  Watch
for bullet
setback in the case
  Check with
manufacturers when
using new ammo in
older firearms
Handgun Transportation
 
 
 
 
In most states, handguns may be
legally transported while unloaded
and in locked cases.
Concealed Handgun Permit
required for concealed carry in VA.
In VA, open carry permitted in most
places.
Check the State Police web site of
your state, and any State
transporting to/from, including
States traveling through, for current
laws of those States.
Q&A Period
Lesson 4
Principals of Concealment
 
 
 
 
 
Select the appropriate holster
for the gun and the activity.
‘Dress to the gun.’
Larger guns are harder to
conceal.
Smaller guns are harder to
access.
Holster type and gun size
effect draw.
  The more concealed, the slower
the draw.
Carry Modes
  Open
Carry
  Concealed Carry
  Check local laws
  Where can you
carry?
  Private property
  Commercial property
Holsters
 
 
 
 
 
Holster must cover the trigger.
Provides adequate level of
retention.
Holster needs to retain its
shape when the gun is drawn.
Inspect your holster for wear at
least as often as you clean
your gun.
Use a gun belt.
Holsters
 
 
 
Materials
  Leather, Kydex, Nylon
Strong side hip holster
  Outside the Waistband
(OWB)
  Inside the Waistband (IWB)
Holster Cant (angle)
  Vertical, FBI
Other Modes of Carry
Cross-Draw
  Small-of-the-Back
  Shoulder Holsters
  Holster Purse/Fanny
Pack
  Briefcase Carry
  Vehicle Carry
 
Concealment Garments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loose clothing
Heavier materials
Avoid light-colored materials
Avoid regular patterns
Wear appropriate clothing
Grip material can ‘snag’ on
clothing
Don’t look like you are
carrying (vests, fanny
packs, etc.)
Carrying Ammunition
  Support
side
magazine carrier
  Single or Dual
  Strong
side speed
loader carrier
  Should you carry
extra ammunition?
Q&A Period
Lesson 5
Safe Gun Handling Rules
Always keep the gun pointed in
a safe direction
  Always keep your finger off the
trigger until ready to shoot
  Always keep the gun unloaded
until ready to use
 
The Draw
  Slow
is smooth, smooth is fast.
  Safety is the primary concern.
  Each step must be executed properly
and efficiently.
  Support hand starts on your chest.
  Continue to assess the threat while
drawing.
Presentation Steps - The Draw
Access
  Grip
  Pull
  Rotate
  Join
  Extend
  Fire
 
Presentation Steps – After the Shot
  Scan
and Assess
  Safety, Chest, Reholster
  SLOW AND DELIBERATE
Range Exercises
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Target Distance 7 yards (21 feet)
50 rounds minimum – only HITS count
(defensive accuracy)
Warm-up (10 rounds)
Step-by-step presentation and fire one
shot (5 rounds)
Present and fire one shot (5 rounds)
Present and fire two shots (10 rounds)
Present and fire one shot from
concealment (10 rounds)
Present and fire two shots from
concealment (10 rounds)
Dry Fire Draw and Reholster from Strong Side Hip Holster
Range Exercise
 
Sharpshooter's Small
Arms Range
  8194-M Terminal Rd.
Lorton, VA 22079
  703-550-8005
  HOURS:
Mon – Sat
10am - 10pm
Sunday
10am - 8pm
Q&A Period
Course Review
  Course
Goal
  To teach the fundamental knowledge, skills,
and attitude essential for the safe, effective
and responsible use of a handgun for selfdefense.
  Did
we meet your needs and/or goals?
  Do you have ANY other questions?
Don’t Forget…
 
Are you willing to use lethal force in selfdefense?
  Willing does not mean you HAVE to shoot. If the
threat is gone/retreating, it’s not a threat any more.
  Only shoot as a last resort, and ONLY when in fear
of IMMINENT bodily harm or death to yourself or
your family.
 
Practice
  Live Fire; Dry Fire; seek additional [advanced]
training.
Increasing Your Skills
 
Continued Training
Opportunities
  Concealed Carry
 
 
 
 
 
Intermediate
Personal Protection Inside
the Home
Personal Protection Outside
the Home.
Legal Seminar
Cleaning and Maintenance
Individual Range Instruction
Course Evaluation
  Please
fill out the student course
evaluation form.
  See you at the range.
  Thank you for your patronage!

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