Stay in the Fight With Two Guns
This training recap provides a valuable framework for two-person drills, mitigating posible failure to fire, emphasizing the importance of coordination, situational awareness, and seamless transitions under stress. Here's a distilled breakdown and key strategies for this evolution. In this Scenario we are focused more on the team shooting then malfunction but we'll cover that too at the end.
Scenario Summary:
Environment: A long hallway in a church, approaching gunfire from a classroom area.
Goal: Advance toward the source of gunfire while maintaining effective suppressive fire on the threat that’s concealed or coming in and out of view..
Complication: One firearm temporarily goes down,Failure to Fire, creating a gap in fire cadence.
Core Insights:
Cadence and Coordination:
Establishing a firing rhythm is essential for maintaining constant suppressive pressure on the threat.
When one shooter is compromised, the partner compensates by doubling their rate of fire to cover the gap.
The moment the disabled firearm is back online, the team seamlessly resumes the original cadence.
Recovery from Disruptions:
Situational disruptions (e.g., stepping on a partner's foot, losing sight alignment, or mechanical failures) can throw off cadence.
Recover quickly and communicate—verbally or through firing rhythm—to avoid signaling vulnerability to the threat.
Threat Perception Management:
A consistent and uninterrupted firing pattern may mask minor team issues from the adversary.
Disrupted cadence can signal trouble to the threat, potentially emboldening their attack.
Peripheral Awareness and Target Reacquisition:
Peripheral vision is critical for maintaining spatial awareness without losing focus on the target.
If target focus or sight alignment is lost (e.g., due to looking down to verify footing), reacquiring the red dot swiftly is critical to avoid prolonged cadence interruptions.
Adaptability in High-Stress Environments:
Training to adapt under stress—whether due to equipment failure, environmental factors, or missteps—is key to survival in dynamic scenarios.
Key Training Enhancements:
Drills for Recovery Under Stress:
Practice rapid sight picture reacquisition after losing focus (e.g., simulating stumbling or checking peripheral areas).
Incorporate deliberate disruptions (e.g., a partner stepping on your foot) during drills to mimic real-world challenges.
Cadence Backup Training:
Focus on seamless transitions where the partner adjusts their rate of fire without hesitation.
Integrate auditory cues for when the downed firearm is back online to minimize lag in cadence recovery.
Movement and Spatial Awareness:
Train to maintain cadence while moving and adapting to spatial constraints, such as narrow hallways.
Use peripheral vision exercises to ensure environmental awareness while staying locked on target.
Communication Drills:
While firing cadence is often a nonverbal form of communication, incorporate verbal cues as a backup (e.g., a quick “up” to signal recovery).
This drill emphasizes how teamwork, adaptability, and maintaining the illusion of control under stress are vital in dynamic threat scenarios. By addressing the lessons learned and applying them in future evolutions, you can refine coordination and response to potential breakdowns, further minimizing risk in real-world encounters.
Failure to Fire Quick Take:
Firearm has a Failure to Fire Malfunction:
Most Instructors teach this fix as "Tap, Rack, Assess"
We as "Gunfighters" Will refer to the fix as "TAP, RACK, BANG!"
Get the firearm in, within your Workspace and get to work.
TAP:
Smack/Hit the baseplate of the magazine upwards toward the firearms slide, being sure it's seated.
RACK:
Rack the slid to it's full extent chambering the next round
Bang:
Come back up on target and engage with the most appropriate action(s).
We continue to engage until the threat's behavior changes.