Someone mentioned a "triple tap." Is that what they teach now? I've been gone since 2002, so I don't know. I was always trained in double tap. I do remember some drills required two in the torso and one in the head, but those sessions were always at 7 yards. At distances beyond that, it was 2 at a time. That carried over from revolver days. Two rounds, holster, two more rounds, holster, two more rounds. At 25 yards, we did 12 and 18 round drills, the last six rounds being from the weak hand. I never could master that left handed shooting.
In the very early days, the 70's, we shot our 4" .38's at 50 yards from the prone position. We cocked the revolvers and fired single action. How times have changed. Then, in the latter years of police revolvers, cocking the gun was strictly prohibited and the 50 yard line was eliminated. I suppose that was based on statistics that indicated long range revolver shooting was not a reality on the highway.
Since I've retired, my dept. issues 3 weapons to each trooper/agent. A Sig Sauer .357 with no decocker, a riot shotgun which is a short barreled model 870, and a .223 auto rifle. I wouldn't fit in if I had to go back.
I remember that hateful 870. Everyone dreaded range day because of that beast. We fired slugs at a metal man 50 yards away. The recoil of 25 slugs in one session always left my shoulder badly bruised. I use to stuff a shirt, or the canvas shotgun case under my jacket to absorb some of the recoil, but still, it was a painful experience. Toward the end of the shotgun drill, flinching became almost unavoidable. But if the instructor didn't hear the metal man ring with a hit, you had to do it over again. I hated that metal man so bad.
Once a year, in addition to regular training, we had to drive a police car in a hurry to a desginated spot and roll out with both pistol and shotgun. That same metal man awaited us. We fired at him with the Sig, reloading once, emptying two magazines, then went to the dreaded shotgun, and fired 5 more times. All of that was timed. I can't remember the seconds we had to complete that course, but it was frantic from the car's starting line to the last shotgun round.
The first few times I did that crazyness, I was concious of the other officers watching me. It was embarrassing to screw up, but after a few times, I forgot about everything but putting the rounds on target, because I sure as heck did not want to have to repeat it. Shooting at the range is fun, unless you're being timed and scored. Simple things like where you stopped the car, putting it in park and setting the brake, exiting without fumbling for the shotgun, were all items to be considered. Pressure, pressure, pressure, but I reckon that's what makes a cop react correctly when the real thing comes up. Thankfully, I never fired my gun at anybody over 32 years of service. However, if I had, I would have been ready.
Most of us can't have that kind of training, but what we can do is go to the range and shoot and shoot. We can practice drawing and firing time and time again. It's dumb not to do that. Just get out and go. Spend the money for the ammo or the reloading and go. Every minute we spend practicing to put each bullet where it needs to go is worth more than the cost.
When the Bush administration passed the c/c national permit to retired policemen, it meant that I get to go qualify at my dept.'s range each October. They take it easy on retirees, eliminating the clock and the kneeling position, but still, I practice on my own. Do you? Do you take a day more than once a year to spend at the range or wherever you shoot, to build the confidence that you need? Are you practiced sufficiently that you definitely will not fumble when you need to draw and fire?
I can hardly imagine that the need will come up in the years I have left. If i didn't have to shoot during my entire career, it's highly unlikely that I ever will. But, the possibility is there, for me, and for you. Go tomorrow or this weekend and shoot. Be your own judge about your speed and ability. You might discover that you need more practice.
