2. uscca classroom presentation lesson two(1)
- 1. Lesson Two: Self-Defense Firearm BasicsLesson Two Self-Defense Firearm Basics
- 2. 1. The universal safety rules. 2. Clearing handguns. 3. Understanding a handgun’s action. 4. Understanding revolvers. 5. Understanding semi-automatics. 6. Which handgun is right for you? 7. Handgun ammunition. 8. Malfunctions. 9. An introduction to home defense shotguns, and the AR-15 platform. 10.Other use of force options. Key Topics Covered in Lesson Two
- 3. 1. Treat all guns as though they are always loaded, and always perform a clearance check every time you pick it up! Most firearm “accidents” occur with firearms that the users had sworn were unloaded. Never, never, never grow careless with a firearm. Every single time you pick it up, perform the proper clearance procedure and educate those in your household how to do the same. Treat a firearm that you’ve just unloaded with the exact same respect as one that you’ve just loaded. Four Universal Safety Rules
- 4. 2. Never point your gun at anything that you are not willing to destroy! While your firearm has to point somewhere, you should always ensure that it’s pointed in a direction that can serve as a backstop if the firearm were to discharge. A good method to practice this rule is to pretend that a laser extends out from the end of the barrel. You should NEVER let that imaginary beam touch anything that won’t stop a bullet (that includes any wall, ceiling, or floor that could not stop a bullet) or ANYONE (that includes your own hands, legs, or body) unless you are in a defensive situation and all criteria is present for the use of deadly force. Four Universal Safety Rules
- 5. 3. Keep your finger OFF the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are on target and have made the decision to shoot! Until these criteria are met, your trigger finger should be straight and placed firmly on the frame of the firearm. In a defensive situation, do NOT put your finger in the trigger guard unless all requirements have been met for the use of deadly force. Training consistently with this method will avoid a negligent discharge in a stress situation, when your body’s natural adrenaline dump will cause the strength of your grip to increase. Four Universal Safety Rules
- 6. 4. Always be sure of your target and beyond! Said another way, you must POSITIVELY identify your target before you shoot and you MUST be convinced that anything that you shoot at (a target on the range, or an attacker in a parking garage) must have an effective backstop to stop your bullet, otherwise you MUST NOT SHOOT! Four Universal Safety Rules
- 7. Clearing Semi-Automatics With the firearm pointed in a safe direction and the trigger finger outside the trigger guard, drop the magazine.
- 8. **Clearing Semi-Automatics Look through the top of the slide, through the entire magazine well to confirm the magazine has been removed. You should see the ground below. Lock the slide back.
- 9. Observe the feedramp and chamber of the barrel to ensure that no round is chambered, and double-check by sticking your pinky into the chamber. **Clearing Semi-Automatics
- 10. Clearing Revolvers Open the cylinder. Look through each chamber, and confirm that they are completely clear.
- 11. ▪ Understanding a handgun’s “action” is one of the first steps toward understanding their function and in selecting one that meets your needs. ▪ Firearms in single-action mode will have a shorter, lighter trigger press, and firearms in double-action mode will have a longer, heavier trigger press. ▪ Mechanically speaking, single-action means that the trigger performs a single function, that is, it releases the hammer (which means that the hammer already has to be cocked), while double-action means that the trigger press does two things—it first cocks the hammer, then it releases it. **Defining a Gun’s “Action” Interactive 2.1 Explaining Handgun Actions Tap or click the widget above, to see the differences between double-action and single-action, mechanically and functionally.
- 12. EXPLAINING HANDGUN “ACTIONS” Trigger press is approximately 3/4 of an inch, and the weight of the trigger press is approximately 12 pounds on this sample P229. The decocked hammer indicates that the firearm is in double-action mode, which is considered to be a safer method for carrying. Exit Double-Action Mode Single-Action Mode In double-action mode the trigger is set fully forward.
- 13. **EXPLAINING HANDGUN “ACTIONS” Double-Action Mode Exit The cocked hammer indicates that the firearm is in single-action mode, either from the shooter cocking the hammer in preparation for a first shot, or because the slide was racked (manually, or automatically during the firing cycle). In single-action mode, the trigger is set farther back, closer to the break point. Single-Action Mode Trigger press is less than 1/2 of an inch, and the weight of the trigger press is approximately 4 1/2 pounds on this sample P229.
- 14. Revolvers operate with rounds loaded into a revolving cylinder. Pressing the trigger (in double-action mode) or cocking the hammer rotates the cylinder, placing a new round in alignment with the hammer and barrel. Movie 2.1 Revolvers in Action The awesome power of a .357 Magnum is demonstrated in this high-speed video, filmed at approximately 2400 frames per second. Understanding Revolvers
- 15. Modern revolvers with an exposed hammer are designed to allow the shooter to fire in either single-action or double-action mode. With the hammer forward (double-action mode) a longer, heavier trigger press will rotate the cylinder and cock and release the hammer. Manually cocking the hammer with the thumb puts the gun in single-action mode, which might have a trigger press as light as three pounds, and trigger travel as short as 1/16 of an inch. DA/SA Revolvers
- 16. Cylinder Trigger Grips Cylinder Release Hammer Ejector Rod Front Sight Rear Sight **DA/SA Revolvers
- 17. With its hammer hidden within the frame of the gun, this revolver is double-action only (DAO), which provides a consistent trigger press that is longer and heavier than a similar revolver shot in single-action mode. This provides an additional level of safety, since a longer, heavier trigger press requires more “intent” than a short, lighter trigger press. Shrouded Hammer The lack of an exposed hammer indicates that this revolver can be fired in double-action only (DAO). Double-Action Only Revolvers
- 18. Semi-autos utilize a moving slide, which slides back using the power of the pistol’s recoil (or the blowback of the expanding gases), ejecting the empty casing and re- cocking the hammer or striker. A powerful spring then reverses the direction of the slide, causing it to strip a new round off the top of the magazine, chambering it, and putting the slide back into battery. Movie 2.2 Semi-Automatics in Action. In this high-speed video, you’ll see the hammer go forward as the trigger is pressed, and the slide moves to the rear, before reversing direction, and stripping a new round off of the top of the magazine. **Understanding Semi-Automatics
- 19. Single-Action Only semi-automatics, can only be fired after the hammer has been cocked, either by racking the slide or with the thumb, which makes it a single-action only. The light, short trigger press necessitates that the pistol have a manual safety, which locks the slide and trigger, and allows the gun to be carried “cocked and locked.” Single-Action Only Semi-Automatics
- 20. Safety Grip Safety Front Sight Rear Sight Hammer Slide Magazine Release Single-Action Only Semi-Automatics Slide-Lock / Take-Down Lever
- 21. ▪ DA/SA semi-automatics can fire in either mode, and are normally carried with the hammer forward, so the first shot will be a double-action shot and all subsequent shots will be in single-action (since the moving slide automatically cocks the hammer/striker during the firing cycle). DA/SA Semi-Automatics
- 22. DA/SA Semi-Automatics Take Down Lever Slide Lock Decocker
- 23. Hidden Hammer Spur The lack of an exposed hammer spur indicates that this semi-auto can be fired in double-action only (DAO). Double-Action Only Semi-Automatics Like a double-action only revolver, DAO semi-automatics have only one firing mode, which will consistently be a longer, heavier trigger press when compared to a similar model shot in single-action mode.
- 24. ▪ The actions described on the previous pages all have one thing in common—the firearms are all hammer operated; that is, regardless of whether or not the hammer is exposed or hidden, it’s the hammer that drives the action. ▪ Hammer operated firearms fit more neatly into the “single-action only, double-action only, or DA/SA action” categories than do many popular firearms, including the Glock, Springfield XDs, Smith & Wesson M&Ps and others. ▪ Instead of using a hammer to drive the action, striker fired pistols utilize a striker/firing pin held back under the tension of a spring designed to mimic the longer, heavier trigger press of a double-action only (DAO). Modern, Striker-Fired Handguns Interactive 2.2 Semi-Auto Firing Cycle When the trigger is pressed on a semi-automatic, a bullet leaves the barrel and the slide cycles, ejecting the empty casing and loading a new round, all faster than the eye can see.
- 25. Modern, Striker-Fired Handguns Recoil Spring Firing Pin Safety Locking Block Firing Pin and SpringRifling Trigger Safety Magazine Spring Magazine Follower
- 26. **Understanding Magazines Double-Stack Magazine Rounds are stored in two staggered rows, resulting in a wider magazine, and a larger pistol grip. Single-Stack Magazine Rounds are stored one on top of the other in a single, straight line, resulting in a thinner magazine, and a thinner pistol grip. Magazine Lips The width of the lips is slightly smaller than the diameter of the round, holding the round in place until it’s stripped off and loaded into the chamber. When the gap widens on a worn magazine, double-feeds can result. Base Plate and Base Pad The base plate secures the spring to the bottom of the magazine, while the pad gives more area when slapping the magazine into the magazine well and also protects the magazine when it hits the floor during a speed reload. Follower and Spring Rounds sit on top of the follower, which is pushed up by the spring. When the last round is fired, the follower pushes up the slide lock on the pistol, thereby locking the slide to the rear.
- 27. ▪ Before proceeding with the lesson, we’d suggest spending a few minutes reviewing a summary of the pros and cons of each of the action configurations that we’re reviewed. ▪ It’s important to remember that as you move up the scale in complexity, you’ll also have to move up your commitment to training to remain proficient. Interactive 2.3 Summary of Pros and Cons Tap or click the widget above, then tap or click on any handgun type to get a summary of its relative pros and cons. Selecting a Handgun
- 28. Selecting the Right Firearm for You will be Based Upon: ▪ The caliber range that you are comfortable shooting. ▪ Your size and the way you normally dress. ▪ Holster options that work for you. ▪ When and where you plan to carry. ▪ The weather and time of year. Trade-Offs: ▪ Lighter, smaller firearms usually mean a smaller caliber (and less stopping power) or a more punishing recoil, which might lead to less time on the range. Larger firearms, on the other hand, never get any lighter as the day goes on, which may cause you to leave it at home. Other Considerations: ▪ Grip size, shape, angle, and material. ▪ Grip Length. ▪ Proper placement of your finger on the trigger. ▪ Balance. Selecting a Handgun Interactive 2.4 Sample Handgun Weights & Sizes Open the widget above, and tap on any of the sample handguns to get a detailed description of its weight, size, and caliber options.
- 29. ▪ Reason #1: Hollowpoint ammunition is designed to stop in the body of the attacker, rather than overpenetrating and injuring or killing innocent bystanders. That risk was documented by the NYPD in 1998 when 46% of innocent bystanders that were struck by police bullets were hit by rounds that passed through an attacker’s body, or through another object. Equally troubling, 39% of police officers struck by “friendly fire” were hit by bullets that overpenetrated the bodies of attackers the police were battling. Why Use Hollowpoints?
- 30. ▪ Reason #2: As discussed in the next lesson, violent encounters are typically fast and close, meaning that the faster you can stop the violent attack, the higher your probability of survival. Hollowpoints are designed to the shock the attacker’s cardiovascular and nervous system more quickly than jacketed rounds, ultimately leading to fewer rounds fired, and a quicker end to the attack. Why Use Hollowpoints?
- 31. ▪ A longer barrel will result in a higher velocity bullet, since there is more time for the bullet to accelerate before the gases from the burning propellant dissipate out the end of the barrel. ▪ When it comes to punching holes through paper, it really doesn’t matter. When it comes to using a firearm for self–defense, it does matter. A higher velocity round is more likely to stop a violent attacker because of deeper penetration of the bullet and a higher probability that hollowpoint bullets will expand. Why Does Barrel Length Matter? Interactive 2.6 Barrel Length and Ballistics Expand the interactive widget above to see how different barrel lengths will affect muzzle velocity.
- 32. ▪ Keep ammunition in a cool, dry area and store it separately from your firearm. ▪ Keep ammunition in its original factory box or carton. ▪ Do not expose ammunition to water or any gun solvents or oils. ▪ Use only the correct ammunition for your gun, matching up the caliber on the barrel, the ammunition box, and the stamp on the bottom of the cartridge. ▪ Inspect ammunition prior to loading. Discard rounds with damaged cases, corrosion, or loose bullets. ▪ Avoid chambering and un-chambering the same round multiple times, which can lead to projectile set-back. Ammunition Care and Storage
- 33. ▪ Replace personal protection ammunition at least once a year (ammunition that has been loaded into your firearm, but not fired). That’s not because the ammunition goes bad , it’s because repeated heating and cooling of your firearm and ammunition can lead to condensation, which can lead to corrosion of both. ▪ Understand that not all types of ammunition will feed reliably in your firearm. In particular, for self defense ammunition, you should practice with at least 200 to 250 rounds before selecting your personal protection ammunition of choice. Ammunition Care and Storage
- 34. Misfire ▪ Occurs when the primer fails to ignite after being struck by the firing pin. This causes a “Type One” failure and must be cleared with the procedure on the following page. Squib Load ▪ Often caused by a round that has no propellant loaded—the primer’s small explosion is enough to drive the bullet from the casing, but not enough to make it all the way down the barrel. **Common Ammunition Malfunctions
- 35. Clearing Type One Malfunctions SLAP the bottom of the magazine. RACK the slide fully to the rear. ROLL the gun to the right to dump out the bad round / empty case. Releasing the slide (not easing it forward) loads a new round. Clearing Semi-Auto Malfunctions
- 36. ▪ While the AR-15 is tailored after the light rifle carried by American soldiers and Marines (the M16), that doesn’t mean that the AR-15 is a machine gun. ▪ Additionally, the fact that the AR-15 stock is made from black plastic and composite materials, doesn’t mean that it’s any more powerful than the average hunting rifle with a wooden stock. **The AR-15 Platform—semi-automatic rifle
- 37. In fact, the AR-15, chambered in the Remington .223, is considered too light a caliber to be legal in many states for deer hunting, with less than half of the kinetic energy as the .30-06 (pronounced “thirty- ought-six”), the most common deer hunting round on the market. Movie 2.3 AR-15 Ballistics The relative power of the AR-15 and Remington .223 round compared to a handgun round is apparent in this slow motion video. However, that doesn’t mean that the AR-15 is a “military grade” firearm. In reality, the Remington .223 has less than half the kinetic energy as the .30-06, the most common deer hunting round on the market. The AR-15 Platform
- 38. ▪ As part of our personal protection plans, we may want to consider other “use of force” options which have a lesser chance of killing an attacker, and a lesser chance of putting us in legal peril, such Tasers, pepper spray, knives, and impact weapons. Other Use of Force Options
- 39. ▪ When considering these other options, it’s important to remember that while a firearm can have a disabling or deterrent effect out to dozens of feet, these other devices will require you to be within 10—15 feet of the attacker for a Taser or pepper spray, and within arm’s reach for an edged or impact weapon. Other Use of Force Options
- 40. How Tasers Work Gallery 2.1 Taser C2 More properly called an electronic control device (Taser® is a brand name), these devices are designed to send a high- voltage, low-amperage electrical charge through the body of an attacker. The charge confuses the body’s own natural electrical signals, incapacitating the attacker.
- 41. How Tasers Work Gallery 2.1 Taser C2 Consumer models, such as the Taser C2, utilize cartridges that when fired, release compressed air to shoot two probes connected to wires in the direction of the attacker (up to 15 feet), which then embed themselves in the attacker’s clothes or skin. The device is designed to deliver a 30 second shock, allowing the victim to drop the Taser, and retreat to cover. To avoid misuse, the C2 showers the ground with 20 to 30 “confetti like” tags, containing an identification number that can be traced by police.
- 42. ▪ The active ingredient in pepper spray is oleoresin capsicum (OC), a chemical found in cayenne peppers (hence the name “pepper” spray). ▪ OC affects mucous membranes like the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, and causes instant capillary dilation, causing the eyelids to shut. ▪ The bronchial tubes may also swell tightly, making it hard for the attacker to breathe. Sprayed into an attacker’s face, pepper spray may incapacitate an attacker for as long as 45 minutes. Kimber Pepperblaster The PepperBlaster from Kimber, stores OC and benzyl alcohol in separate tubes, which are mixed when the trigger is depressed. The PepperBlaster delivers its spray at 90 miles an hour. The Pepperblaster has a CRC rating of 2.4%. How Pepper Spray Works
- 43. 1. The universal safety rules. 2. Clearing handguns. 3. Understanding a handgun’s action. 4. Understanding revolvers. 5. Understanding semi-automatics. 6. Which handgun is right for you? 7. Handgun ammunition. 8. Malfunctions. 9. An introduction to home defense shotguns, and the AR-15 platform. 10.Other use of force options. Key Topics Covered in Lesson Two