Are you in the know? Or one of those instructors who only knows what you want to know? It’s natural to continue to do what works for us but we aren’t teaching “us”, we’re teaching “them”. Most of us in the last category are pretty closed to anything that we don’t like, while instructors in the first group are open to anything that helps them teach the fight. Yes, the gunfight, not qualification – fighting, not shooting.
When it comes to instruction in secondary firearms (backup guns – BUG), few instructors give their department much time, and when they do, it’s mostly focused for “on-duty”, even though we may allow “off-duty” carry of department firearms, with department issue identification while in departmentally covered aera of arrest authority. You should read that as “liability breeder”. Wow! Even if it’s not a department concern, concealed carry is a personal concern. Don’t let this be a “Failure-to-Train” blind spot.
There are many excellent options available for officers who carry a secondary firearm, and personal preference can play an important role in selection of equipment. If you’re a black plastic, striker-fired instructor, would you let me encourage you to put other life-saving tools in your instructional toolbox? Those you train will appreciate it. I’m talking about the revolver. Usually a small, “J-frame”, “snubby” that millions of civilians and thousands upon thousands of police officer carry as insurance. I have the privilege of meeting a lot of officers as I instruct for IALEFI and the number of revolvers that show up as “concealed carry/BUG” training would be surprising to some.
A large portion of instructors have never fired anything but semi-autos and have a learning curve in front of them for the time-honored “pocket” revolver. Semi-autos are more reliable today than ever and offer some unique advantages, but that has not always been the case. The revolver has, and will always be, an excellent choice for the arms-length gunfight.
Here are a few immediate advantages that a fight instructor should know about a fighting “snubby”:
- It is not grip dependent. Grab it, point it and shoot it. (which may be all the time you have in a close quarter attempted murder – of you).
- Not ammo sensitive – most revolvers love all ammo-types. And almost all major ammo makers offer loads tailored to the short-barreled BUG. A subcompact semi is often sensitive to bullet nose shapes (ogives) and weights, pressures, over-all cartridge length but the snubby will eat everything in its class without complaint.
- Failure to Fire? Just pull the trigger again. No “tap, rack”, no using your boot or belt for leverage, no letting go with the other hand to manipulate…just pull the trigger.
- No magazine with cheap springs, followers, bodies or feed lips that are “out of spec” and full of lint.
- Snag free with no square sights, manual safety, beavertail, mag release buttons.
- A small frame revolver with curvy lines is easy to conceal and presents little printing under clothing.
- Walk the buffet line for your choice from .22 LR to .44 Special. Even 9mm.
- Shoot it through your coat pocket or bag with no concern of a failure due to slide binding.
Department policies and guidelines aside, selection of a BUG should be personal and the training should be consistent and fight-related. Carry locations, deployment, etc. is for another time and place but for today, get in the game. It’s not sexy or eye-catching but it’s a trusted partner and will there for you when the going gets rough. And if you are a deadly-force fight instructor, teach the fight not your favorite equipment. Learn it, love it and teach it. Get to work with a BUG revolver today, and…quit being a snub snob.
Locate a local, regional or national IALEFI event at: IALEFI.com/training
