For those that may not know, I'm in the process of becoming the new firearms inst for our department. I've been trying to talk to a few guys and one of the biggest complaints that I've heard is that shooting isn't fun for them; just punching holes in paper. I was wondering what kind of FUN shooting courses do your depts (or on your own for that matter) use. {Since this is an open forum, you don't need to go into a ton of details on your dept training} I know a few courses that I could set up pretty easy and I'm looking at trying more compition type skills rather than just shooting against a timer. Falling targets for example. Also, as with most departments, budget is low. ((%*&(%(*& gas prices!)) Does anyone know of any sites for compitions like IDPA that might outline different courses of fire? This is one area that I'm going to search on the net for examples. I know the info should be out there, it's just finding it. I'm trying to do a little research now so I can be ready to roll once I get my certification.

Thanks and stay safe out there!

Slash the idpa idea was a good one as some of those senarios can be life like, but also you need to use the kiss principle (Keep It Simple Stupid), no insult intened.

I dont know the level of your depts training but you can never go wrong with the basics but these needs to be that real life thing in there as well.

I know some of the other guys will be along shortly to give you some better ideas.

J.R.

while employed by Big Brother i rather enjoyed our range days. pretty simple like retdet said. the drill ranged from 1 1/2 meters ( face to face interrogations) out to 25 meters. adding to the mix were immediate action drills, weak hand, kneeling, reloads, double taps, triple taps, and to make it more fun now my wifes office got in 2 M4's last week.

shotgun drills were done at 10 meters and was pretty much point and shoot with 00 buck.

that's about all i remember for now...

The paper punching will never stop, but try to mix in a little fun stuff if you can. We utilize an outdoor range, and we have some pretty good flexibility as far as steel work. We use dueling trees, falling plates, and even balloons for head to head competitions. One that stands out in my mind, was even as simple as stapling a paper plate to the center of a target, then doing a line-wide shoot-off. We started at the 5 yard line, and did two rounds from the holster, no time limit. If you did that correctly, you stepped back twice. If you missed the plate, you were off the line. The top shooter got some goofy "award", it came down to me and our SRO at around 75 yards. I don't think I could do that well again, but it was a blast when we did it.

My dpt just changed our qual course, I go next week. This year, like last year, we work from the 3yd out to the 25 yd. However, this year out to 10 yds we engage 2 random turn targets, so it's fire from the holster at the turn of the target, go to low ready, engage #2 (which is random) failure drills up close and then 4 to the body for the short distances. 10 yds & 15 yds is from the low ready with light in hand starting from the low ready as well as offhand shooting - all COM shots. 20 yds from the holster, 25 yds is dummy rounds + malfunction drills from behind cover. After the dpt quals are done, this year we are re-doing the state quals (which they mandate at the academy) which includes all of the above in some form or another as well as turning towards the target (90 degree offset, orient, turn, draw, and fire, as well as 180 degree offset).

I'll let you know how it goes, I hear that for the classes previous, there are 20 year vets that are failing the qual for the 1st time ever due to the 2 target areas of responsibility.

Sorry, some extra thoughts:

As far as fun shooting goes, our dpt range also has targets (shoot & no shoot ) on sleds that will move laterally across the range. Often we will pair up in 2 officer teams and engage multiple (usually 4) targets starting from the 20 yd line up to the 7 yd line utilizing cover; it's a great way to practice partner communication, moving to cover while your partner covers you, and stresses partner communication during tactical reloads (Cover! Covering! Ready! Up! - so on and so forth). It's a great way to practice team communcation principals + tactical reloading and proper cover techniques + identifying shoot/no shoot targets. Of course, all 4 targets are moving so of course sometimes the no shoot targets are running (sliding) in front of your shoot targets. Assists with decision making and target discrimmination.

What part of Indiana are you from? I'm up here in the NW corner, and I'd happily have you as a guest to any one of the multiple IDPA matches I attend monthly.

PM me if you don't want to post it on an open forum.

bc

move, dont have guys just standing in one spot and shooting, working on moving to cover

Exactly move! Use multiple reactive targets.

For on the cheap we have used balloons with a string on them with the balloon inside a box, then a shirt over the box. When the balloon is hit the target will drop. Use 3 or 4 balloons per shooter and have at least one use a stick instead of a target so it doesn't drop and requires multiple shots. I will take old clothing to the range and put it up over the silhouette it shanges the view from shooting at paper with rings.

We also shoot from the interview position and have to move back to cover while engaging the target.

If you have access to airsoft or simunitions, do some force on force. We do this on traffic stop scenarios.

I HAVE BEEN ONE OF MY DEPARTMENT'S INSTRUCTORS FOR A YEAR NOW. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING FIREARMS SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID. AS FOR RESOURCES ONCE YOU BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR JOIN I.A.L.E.F.I. PROBABLY THE BEST RESOURCE FOR FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS.

ON MY OWN I HAVE STARTED OFF DUTY RANGE DAYS. GUYS SIGN UP AND GO ON THEIR OWN TIME. I TALKED THE DEPARTMENT INTO FOOTING THE BILL FOR AMMO. SO WE GO WITH OUR DUTY AND OFF DUTY STUFF, DEPARTMENT SHOTGUNS AND AR'S. WE HAVE A BLAST. WE DO MULTIPLE TARGET/BOX DRILLS, VERTICAL TRACKING, DOUBLE TAPS, HEAD SHOTS ONLY, AND ALSO WORK ON FIRING FROM THE GROUND SIMULATING BEING KNOCKED DOWN IN A FIGHT/STRUCK BY A CAR/SHOT, ETC. I HAVE SET UP MULTIPLE TARGETS AND POSITIONS OF COVER AND RUN TWO GUYS THROUGH SIMULATING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER TYPE SCENARIO WHERE I POP OFF ROUNDS BEHIND THEM, SCREAMING AND YELLING AS THEY GO. I ALSO COVER PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO MALFUNCTIONS.

I'M GOING TO BORROW AN OLD PATROL CAR NEXT TIME OUT AND WORK ON FIRING FROM THE CARS, DRIVING UP A CALL, SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. BEAS CREATIVE AS YOU WANT. THE ONE THING I STRESS TO MY GUYS IS TO IMAGINE THAT THE PAPER TARGET IS A REAL PERSON TRYING TO KILL YOU. I REALLY TRY TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE WHEN WE DO THESE DRILLS.

AS ALWAYS THOUGH, SAFETY FIRST. THINK ABOUT WHO U HAVE ON THE RANGE. ARE THEY FAIRLY MOTIVATED GUYS WITH GOOD TACTICS? OR ARE THEY THE DEPARTMENT SOUP SANDWICHES? TAKE IT ALL INTO CONSIDERATION. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE FUN, AND USE ALL YOUR IMAGINATION TO MAKE THE TRAINING AS INTENSIVE AND REAL AS POSSIBLE THEN YOUR GUYS WILL LEARN AND PICK UP THE TACTICS AND EXPERIENCE THEY NEED.

GOOD LUCK AND BE SAFE!!!