Practicing with a Snub Revolver
Favorite Five Shot Snub Revolver Courses of Fire
#wheelgunwednesday
While some consider the five shot snub revolver passé, it is still a common self-defense tool and viable when used correctly. Using a snub correctly does require a bit of familiarity and practice, so here are some practice regimens that are appropriate for snubs and can be used at most indoor ranges. CCW Qualification Courses have value in that they provide structure for practice and a modest measure of skill determination. Note that simply shooting a CCW Qualification Course on your own DOES NOT mean you are authorized to carry a handgun in that area. Check the local laws for carry requirements.
All Courses of Fire are untimed. Any silhouette target can be used. When using the B-27 target, only count hits inside the 8 ring. For those who feel confident of their marksmanship ability, put a sheet of paper on the silhouette and only count hits on it.
- New York State CCW Qualification Course – 5 rounds
- Silhouette at 4 yards.
- With an unloaded revolver, draw, snap at the target, and safely reholster. Draw the unloaded revolver, load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target.
- Four of five rounds must hit the target to successfully qualify.
- Nevada CCW Qualification (5 shot revolver version) – 25 rounds
- Silhouette at 3 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 5 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target, reload, and fire five more rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 7 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target, reload, and fire five more rounds at the target.
- Of the 25 rounds, 18 must hit the target to qualify.
- LAPD Retired Officer Qualification Course – 10 rounds
- Silhouette at 7 yards.
- Load with five rounds and reholster. Draw, shoot five rounds, reload, and shoot five more. If the range does not permit drawing from a holster, start from Low Ready.
- Seven of the 10 rounds must hit for a successful qualification.
- San Diego (California) Sheriff CCW Qualification Course – 15 rounds
- Silhouette at 7 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 5 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready. Fire five rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 3 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready, holding the revolver in the Primary Hand Only. Fire three rounds at the target. Transfer the revolver to the Support Hand Only and fire two more rounds at the target.
- Of the 15 rounds, 13 must hit the target to qualify.
- Kansas Concealed Carry License Qualification Test – 25 rounds
- Silhouette at 3 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready, holding the revolver in the Primary Hand Only. Fire five rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 7 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready with both hands. Fire five rounds at the target, reload, and fire five more rounds at the target.
- Move Silhouette to 10 yards.
- Load with five rounds, and come to Low Ready with both hands. Fire five rounds at the target, reload, and fire five more rounds at the target.
- Eighteen of the 25 rounds must hit the target to qualify.
Trigger manipulation practice is enhanced if after firing a shot, we open the cylinder, spin it, and then close it without looking at the round placement. Only fire one shot after closing the cylinder and then open and spin it again. As the rounds become fired, we will encounter fired cases as we press the trigger. By watching the sights carefully as we press the trigger, any jerking of the trigger will be obvious. These dummy snaps are where we learn to press the trigger smoothly.
Although reloading can be done with loose ammunition from a box of ammo, it’s more useful to have some kind of loading device. Using a loading device gives some practice at reloading the revolver under some conditions of stress. The snub shooting organization Snub Noir https://snubnoir.com/ uses three devices in their matches. They are looped ammunition carrier, flexible loading strip, and speed loader. Other possibilities are 2x2x2 ammo pouch and dump pouch for loose ammunition.
These Courses of Fire don’t have to be shot all at once. At the point of feeling fatigued or bruised from recoil, pack it up, and call it a day. Have fun with your practice and you’ll be more inclined to do it more often.
TacCon 2025 Match
The Rangemaster 2025 Tactical Conference is a wrap. For the Match, 251 participants (63%) of approximately 400 shows for the Conference chose to shoot the Match. It consisted of 30 rounds for the Four Second Standards and five rounds for the Tiebreaker that was shot immediately after the Standards. The target was the Rangemaster Q and more specifically the eight inch circle in the upper chest. All equipment had to be completely concealed.
I chose to shoot it with my Taurus 856 snub with Viridian LaserGrips. The laser dot was visible at all distances involved. To reload, I used a pocket full of Zeta6 K Pak2 loading strips.
FOUR SECOND STANDARDS
- 3 yards – Draw and fire 6 shots
- 5 yards – Draw and fire 5 shots
- 5 yards – Draw and fire 5 shots
4. 5 yards – From Low Ready, Present and fire 4 shots, Primary Hand Only
5. 5 yards – From Low Ready, Present and fire 3 shots, Support Hand Only
6. 7 yards – Draw and fire 4 shots
7. 10 yards – Draw and fire 3 shots
30 rounds subtotal for the Standards
TIEBREAKER
• 5 yards – From Low Ready, fire 5 shots to the head, individually timed and scored.
5 hits – 3.01 seconds
35 rounds total for the Match
My final place was 167 out of the 251 participants. Considering only one other shooter used a revolver and that was a 686 Plus, I’m happy with how I did.
Open Carry v. Doofus Carry
A video is circulating on the Interwebz now about an unfortunate situation in which a man’s gun was snatched from him in a gas station. He chased the thief and was subsequently shot with his own gun.
Although I am not a fan of Open Carry, let’s analyze the situation in a little more depth. The proximate cause of the snatch was that he simply stuck his gun in his back pocket unconcealed and then walked into a crowded environment where a bunch of lowlifes were coming and going.
As a result, a ne’er-do-well nonchalantly walked up behind him and simply grabbed the gun out of his pocket.
The carry technique the man was using is more correctly described as “Doofus Carry,” having two parts. There’s no back story to the incident but it wouldn’t be surprising to find that his usual carry technique is in the side door pocket of his car. If so, then when he pulled into the gas station and saw a bunch of lowlifes going in and out, he decided to stick his gun in his pocket when he went in. He probably didn’t stick it in the front of his waistband because he had a striker fired gun and was concerned about ‘shooting his junk off.’
Sticking a gun in a back pocket is not the same thing as having it in a proper holster attached to the belt.
If my hypothesis is correct, it leads more credence to something the late Pat Rogers often said:
“Your car is not a holster.”
To reiterate, I’m not advocating Open Carry. But, if you’re going to carry a gun, at do it right. Have a decent holster and belt. Use it all the time when you leave home. If it’s uncomfortable and you don’t like wearing it, get a better holster or consider getting a more comfortable gun. “Your gun should be comforting not comfortable” is possibly the most ridiculous statement that’s ever been made about firearms.
The one good piece of advice in these retellings is that if your gun does get taken from you, Let it go. https://www.patreon.com/posts/let-it-go-107811846 The thief is now armed and you’re not. Chasing the felon means you’re going unarmed to a potential shooting. That’s a Serious Mistake. Don’t be foolish and assume the thief isn’t familiar and experienced with guns. As this incident shows, that’s the formula for a Negative Outcome.
If you like my work, join me on Patreon where I post more in-depth articles about shooting, marksmanship, and incident analysis.
Periodic Personal Evaluation
#saturdayskillsczech
My December article for Shooting Illustrated is entitled Near to Far Marksmanship Practice.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/near-to-far-marksmanship-practice/
Although New Jersey made a strong try to keep people from getting their License To Carry, the qualification course itself is a decent practice regimen. It’s also a useful metric for measuring your skill periodically.
Try shooting it on an IALEFI-Q and score it by the rings. Center ring gets 5 points, next ring get 4 points, balance of the Q receives 3 points. Hits inside the face circle score 5 points. Anything outside the Q scores 0. A Possible would be 250 points (5 x50 shots). If you don’t have an IALEFI target, just trace around a paper plate in approximately the same place on your silhouette. Your scoring is then 5 points for the circle and 3 points for the rest of the silhouette.
To make it a good tune-up and personal evaluation, shoot the course as a version of Jimmy Cirillo’s 1-2-3-6 drill. Instead of 6, fire 4 shots for the final string. Start loaded with 6 rounds only. Draw and fire 1 shot, reholster, draw and fire 2 shots, reholster, draw and fire 3 shots, reload, and immediately fire 4 shots. Bear in mind that the second most missed shot in shooting is the shot immediately following clearing a stoppage. The reality of transitioning back to trigger control after doing a gross motor manipulation can be tricky.
Since CCARE starts at 3 yards, at that distance shoot all face shots. Repeat the same sequence at 5 yards, 7 yards, 10 yards, and 15 yards but shoot for the 8 inch circle. After shooting each distance, tape your hits before moving to the next distance. At the end of the course of fire, place your pistol in whatever condition you wish to when you leave the range.
Although the CCARE is rather stringent for a CCW qualification, it has value as a practice regimen. It includes a minimum of 10 presentations to the target or 15 if you use the 1-2-3-4 sequence. There are multiple opportunities to practice reloading, and it’s highly manageable with wheelguns. Even J-Frames can work, just reload in a slightly different sequence. It’s a good use for a box of practice ammo.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – September 2024
The September edition showcases Negative Outcome. There’s also a link to a superb live rendition of The Ecstasy of Gold by The Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-113039247
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – September 2024
The Good
Retired Army colonel shoots robber [who] shot him 3 times, Cullman sheriff says
If you have a malfunction, don’t throw your pistol away; that’s a Serious Mistake. A better title for the article would have been ‘Army Colonel Shot 3 Times by Robber He Shot After Throwing His Pistol Away.’
The Bad
Two articles this month are worthy inclusions for the Second Edition of Serious Mistakes Gunowners Make. One relates to Improper Storage and the other to Chasing and Shooting
Important Safety Tip: Don’t Store Firearms In Your Oven
We would think this goes without saying but apparently not.
Man arrested after allegedly chasing and shooting man who siphoned gas from his car
When the criminal breaks contact, we need to do the same thing; break contact. In terms of mindset, frustration and guns should not occur in the same sentence.
The Ugly
3 women killed, gunman dead in Hawaii after dispute between neighbors leads to gunfire
People are unpredictable. Just because your cause is righteous doesn’t mean a Negative Outcome won’t occur. Having a wacko drive a front end loader into your home and then starting shooting people is definitely a Negative Outcome.
Enjoy!
If you like my work, join me on Patreon where I post more in-depth articles about shooting, marksmanship, and incident analysis.
https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the September edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – July 2024
No incidents from Chicargo in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly this month. There is one in The Armed Citizen column though, a bicycle robbery.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-109150993
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – July 2024
The Good
Prosecutor says deadly shooting in downtown Anderson appears to be self-defense
Many, perhaps most, shootings take place in Social Space. This appears to be one of them.
The Bad
[Unintentional] shooting at Kentucky gun store under investigation
Another story emphasizing the importance of safe gunhandling by observing Fundamental Rules at all times. A combination of Rule Two (Point in a safe direction) and Rule Three (Keep finger outside trigger guard) violations caused the death of an innocent bystander. Rule One (All guns are always loaded) applies no matter where you are, even when examining a gun taken out of a display case.
The Ugly
Two women involved in custody battle shot dead
People sometimes get insane over child custody. Every unpleasant custody battle story I read makes me glad my parents weren’t like that.
“A 65-year-old retired probation officer from Chicago fatally shot her grandchild’s mother on an Upper East Side street Friday just yards from Gracie Mansion, then turned the gun on herself, NYPD detectives said.”
Enjoy!
If you like my work, join me on Patreon where I post more in-depth articles about shooting, marksmanship, and incident analysis.
https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the July edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – June 2024
Unsurprisingly, my hometown of Chicargo leads the post this month. Fortunately, the incidents fell in the Good category. Safety and mindset are fundamental in the other incidents.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-107216506
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – June 2024
The Good – Shenanigans from Chicargo
Chicago concealed carry holder scares off armed carjackers in Irving Park
Bonus! The second happened a few blocks from the gas station (probably gone by now) where I worked after school in my Senior year. It wasn’t a great neighborhood then but apparently has gotten much worse now.
Chicago concealed carry holder shoots 3 men who attacked him in Belmont Cragin
The Bad
School District of Palm Beach County employee accidentally [shoots himself] during ‘training exercise.’
This story points out the importance of safe gunhandling at all times. Guns are relentlessly unforgiving of carelessness.
The Ugly
Minnesota dad told landlord he ‘already dug a hole’ before executing daughter’s boyfriend for suspected abuse
The number of people who feel that gunfire is the solution to most every problem astounds me. Many tools are only for a very specific task and guns are one of those tools.
Enjoy!
If you like my work, join me on Patreon where I post more in-depth articles about shooting, marksmanship, and incident analysis.
https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the June edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – May 2024
Gunplay and confrontations can often result in Negative Outcomes, whether well-intentioned or not. This month’s Good, Bad, and Ugly stories are all about Negative Outcomes. There’s a useful warning in each of them.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-may-105306627
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – May 2024
The Good
Murder charge dismissed for Mobile man after hearing
The Bad
1 dead, 3 injured in gunfight during car break-in in Downtown Atlanta
This story sadly echoes the fate of Hollywood actor Johnny Wactor who was killed by felons trying to steal his catalytic converter.
The Ugly
Houston attorney shot and killed after fight with upset McDonald’s customer
Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote “Therefore no good deed is unrewarded, and so every good deed merits some good.” A countervailing viewpoint is often attributed to Clare Boothe Luce – “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Enjoy!
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the May edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like.
Deep Dive Into California
Doing more research for my Shooting Illustrated series about using CCW Qualification Courses as training structures led to exploring the California Qualification Courses. California has an unusual system in that the State mandates the requirements for the issue of a Concealed Carry License but the Licenses are issued by County Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police. The requirement for live fire is specified in California law but the actual Course of Fire is delegated to the issuing authority.
“SECTION 1. Section 26165 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
(b) A licensing authority shall establish, and make available to the public, the standards it uses when issuing licenses with regards to the required live-fire shooting exercises, including, but not limited to, a minimum number of rounds to be fired and minimum passing scores from specified firing distances.”
As a result, there is a wide variety of “live fire shooting exercises” among the issuing authorities in California. In some cases, the requirement is a relatively simple untimed Qualification Course of 10 to 18 rounds. In other locations, a long, elaborate, and difficult to administer scheme is perpetrated to make the process and qualification very difficult. A few Sheriffs require their Course to be shot twice, once for ‘practice’ and once for qualification.
Some are clearly designed to be five shot revolver friendly, others not so much. Without a shadow of a doubt, having to shoot 50 rounds through a J Frame for practice and then another 50 rounds for qualification in a three hour period is not conducive to good shooting. When the Course of Fire includes a timed requirement at 15 yards and the target is the 7 ring of a B-27, it’s even more difficult. That’s not setting applicants for success.
The most interesting thing I found related to the fact that any weapon carried has to be listed on the License and qualified with. The issuing authority determines what is an acceptable weapon. The Contra Costa County Sheriff has a long list of unacceptable weapons with some surprising inclusions.
- Prohibited firearms include any single action only firearms. This includes any semi-automatic handgun made by any manufacturer built on the Colt 1911 configuration.
- Firearms with attached laser sights, flashlights, red dots, and sighting systems [???] are not acceptable.
- Firearms which have been modified, including modifications to triggers, slides, safety mechanisms, conversions, and magazine releases are not approved.
- Any modifications to firearms after issuance of a permit may result in revocation.
- Glow in the dark or luminescent sights are acceptable. (That’s generous).
- Acceptable firearms include revolvers or semi-automatics with a caliber of not less than .32 or greater than .45. So you recoil sensitive folks who have a hard time shooting the qualification with a centerfire handgun are out of luck.
- Weapons will be inspected for suitability by an Office of the Sheriff Range Master at the time of qualification.
The Course I like best is San Diego County’s. It’s clearly designed to be workable with a J Frame.
- 3 yards: three rounds strong hand, two rounds support hand
- 5 yards: five rounds two hands
- 7 yards: five rounds two hands
Unfortunately, San Diego County does not comply with Penal Code § 26165, subd. (b).) and make available to the public “the minimum number of rounds to be fired and minimum passing scores from specified firing distances.” However, the structure is readily available from secondary sources. Passing is either 12 or 13 hits out of 15 shots; sources vary.
The one I find the most obnoxious is the course used by Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff, San Jose Police Department, and Santa Monica Police Department. Not because it’s the hardest because it’s not. Their Course is shot at 3, 5, and 7 yards like San Diego’s. It’s also untimed like San Diego’s. But the requirement is to shoot 24 rounds at each distance. What is the point of shooting 24 rounds at 3 yards? That’s only to make it fatiguing, more expensive, and annoying.
Although many thought that the Bruen decision https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/new-york-state-rifle-pistol-association-inc-v-bruen/ was going to make things better in California, it’s not clear that the situation has improved. This notice appears on the Alameda County Sheriff’s CCW webpage. “NOTICE: As implemented by SB2, psychological service fee has increased to $400, effective immediately.” That’s just the cost to get a shrink to write that you’re not a wacko. All the other fees are on top of that.
I feel for our brothers and sisters in California. It used to be a pretty nice place to live but no more.
Here are my Shooting Illustrated articles.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/organizing-your-shooting-practice/
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/shooting-practice-for-a-criminal-encounter/
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/three-shots-in-three-seconds/
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/home-defense-pistol-skills/
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/tightening-your-accuracy-and-performance-standards/
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/practicing-precision-and-transitions/
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – March 2024
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is an iconic movie in American cinema and arguably the best of the ‘Spaghetti Westerns.’ Rather than my usual boring rants about Serious Mistakes, Negative Outcomes, http://seriousgunownermistakes.net and excruciatingly detailed analyses of Armed Citizen incidents, I’m creating a short collection of a Good, Bad, and Ugly incident each month. Here’s the March 2024 issue.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-101430615
My Patrons get first look at it on the last day of each month. The following month I unlock the Patreon post on the last Monday and link it here for my blog Followers. Today’s the day to unlock the March 2024 edition.
My hope is that it will be both educational and entertaining. The movie soundtrack is outstanding so a snippet from the soundtrack is part of each month’s post also.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – March 2024
The Good
Woman shoots 2 alleged intruders, killing 1, inside West Philadelphia apartment, police say
The Bad
The Bad section this month was difficult to decide which incident to use but the most tragic won out.
Mother accidentally shoots, kills daughter when searching for keys in purse, police say
The Ugly
Kentucky man accused of shooting roommate for eating last Hot Pocket, police say
Enjoy!
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the March edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like. Naturally, my hometown of Chicargo is prominently featured.
tacticalprofessor 
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