#wheelgunwednesday

Prior to the FBI adoption of the Wheaties cereal box sized S&W Model 1076 in 1990, revolvers were the Bureau’s sidearm for well over half a century. After the FBI switched to the S&W Model 13 revolver in 1981, it created a publication, FBI Revolver Courses and Techniques, for using the gun with the Weaver technique.

“Sight Alignment: During close-in shooting (five to seven yards), the shooter does not have time to acquire perfect sight alignment. The shooter is, therefore, instructed to fire with both eyes open and to bring the sights up to eye level, seeing the front sight in the secondary vision. As distances increase, the need for better sight alignment increases and trigger pull should be slower.”

One of the Courses in the publication is the Double Action Course. It is intended as a practice regimen for double action shooting. The par times are short as is the allotted time for the one reload included. All strings are fired from the holster except one string at 15 yards.

DOUBLE ACTION COURSE (DAC)

The entire course is fired using the Weaver Position.

5 Yards

6 rounds -2 rounds on each whistle (in 3 seconds)

4 rounds -2 rounds on each whistle (in 3 seconds)

7 Yards

6 rounds -2 rounds on each whistle (in 3 seconds)

4 rounds -2 rounds on each whistle (in 3 seconds)

10 rounds -Load 6 rounds, on whistle, fire 6, reload 4 rounds, fire 4, all in 20 seconds.

15 Yards

6 rounds -2 rounds on each whistle (in 3 seconds). Fired from Weaver Ready.

4 rounds -All 4 rounds in 6 seconds

25 Yards

5 rounds -All 5 rounds in 10 seconds kneeling position

5 rounds -Repeat

Scoring: 2 points each for hits in either the KS or K4 area.

100 points possible.

Firing at an indoor range where drawing from the holster isn’t permitted can be done by using a table start.

Par times can be used via ear buds underneath hearing protection muffs and a par timer app on one’s cell phone. The phone’s Bluetooth connection will transmit the start and stop beeps to the ear buds.

Although it was shot by FBI Agents on the huge B-21 target, any silhouette will do.

It’s a fun course and very practical for those who carry a weapon.

Note to indoor range owners and operators. Granted that OSHA regulations can be onerous to work downrange maintenance with. But having inoperative carriers, targets left downrange on carriers and on the floor, thousands of fired brass cases in front of the booths, etc. presents a very unappealing scenario to the public. This is not a new phenomenon. In 1919, Walter Winans devoted an entire chapter WHY PISTOL SHOOTING IS UNPOPULAR in his book The Modern Pistol and How to Shoot It about the unpleasantness of this experience.