M&P 40L vs. Mass LEO Handgun Qualification

[Hrfunk]

Hi all! The link below will take you to video #19 in this series. In this one, I'm pitting my current duty pistol against the Massachusetts Law Enforcement handgun qualification course. Check out the video to see how it does, and then be sure to let me know your thoughts!

Howard

https://youtu.be/GmxnnV3VYAg

[BrokenolMarine]

Saw this one right after it premiered on YouTube. I was panting like a dog waiting on the porch for the UPS truck. LOL. I thought there was a lot of draw and fire to test the officer's skill set, but otherwise agreed with your eval. It was rather confusing and I had always tried to keep my courses straight forward with the strings having a real world application or testing real world skills. It's easier on those running the line and good for morale.

I did like your duty pistol and you shot it well. I never shot with optics on handguns much, but they are popular these days. Can't wait to see what's on the table for number twenty.

[Hrfunk]

Saw this one right after it premiered on YouTube. I was panting like a dog waiting on the porch for the UPS truck. LOL. I thought there was a lot of draw and fire to test the officer's skill set, but otherwise agreed with your eval. It was rather confusing and I had always tried to keep my courses straight forward with the strings having a real world application or testing real world skills. It's easier on those running the line and good for morale.

I did like your duty pistol and you shot it well. I never shot with optics on handguns much, but they are popular these days. Can't wait to see what's on the table for number twenty.

Thank you! My biggest criticism of this course has to do with its rather puzzling tactical approach to some of these stages. One of my viewers said he thought whoever came up with the course "overthought it". I think he's probably right. All in all, it's a pretty good course. It just needs to be a little more tactically grounded and simplified.

Howard

[PT7]

It was a dance, and you stepped through it well. From my perspective, I can see an advantage to the confusing moves. In a real-life incident, an LEO has no idea where anything will go with potentially a desperate and dangerous threat. I think the "confusion" forces more attention to the situation.

I've practice shot a snubby .38 Special + P from the hip at the short 3-yard distance, but not with target contact. Most interesting that you warned everyone to get the striking hand out of the line of fire. I would not have thought about that. Glad you're in charge!

PT7

[JEBar]

It just needs to be a little more tactically grounded and simplified.

Howard

based only on watching your video and my experience with NC's Dept of Correction's officer qualification course, I agree .... I'd really like to hear the thoughts of the course's designer(s) .... well done, as usual

[Hrfunk]

It was a dance, and you stepped through it well. From my perspective, I can see an advantage to the confusing moves. In a real-life incident, an LEO has no idea where anything will go with potentially a desperate and dangerous threat. I think the "confusion" forces more attention to the situation.

I've practice shot a snubby .38 Special + P from the hip at the short 3-yard distance, but not with target contact. Most interesting that you warned everyone to get the striking hand out of the line of fire. I would not have thought about that. Glad you're in charge!

PT7

I considered the idea that the "confusing" aspect of this course may have been an intentional effort to force the shooter to think under stress, but it doesn't really have that feet to it because there is so much time to think and so much direction by the firearms instructor conducting the qualification (plus, that would be awfully creative for an LE qualification course). I really think it's an accidental consequence of a course that was formulated to impress people watching it without correlating it to "real-world" tactics.

Howard

[markiver54]

Thanks Howard, that was interesting AND different. Well done, as usual. Must be a bit of a challenge to remember parts of the course description as you go.
Enjoyed it.

[Hrfunk]

Sometimes it is. Especially since the video you see is my first attempt at that stage.

Howard

[BrokenolMarine]

That palm strike and speed rock at three yards has been around a good while and is a very effective tool to have in your kit. It was a surprise to see it in the qualification. My mentor in PPC and throughout my LE career ran the Police Training for a major department in VA, and taught that technique during an inservice to all the officers in the department. As expected, there was the normal whining and complaining about the wasted time.

Two weeks after the training, one of the officers who had whined the loudest, responded to an alarm at a "stop and rob" which had been closed for several hours. After the search, he opened the small closet where the alarm panel was hidden, and out jumps an assailant with a knife in the ice pick grip. Palm strike, speed rock, five shots center mass. Never whined again.

[Hrfunk]

That palm strike and speed rock at three yards has been around a good while and is a very effective tool to have in your kit. It was a surprise to see it in the qualification. My mentor in PPC and throughout my LE career ran the Police Training for a major department in VA, and taught that technique during an inservice to all the officers in the department. As expected, there was the normal whining and complaining about the wasted time.

Two weeks after the training, one of the officers who had whined the loudest, responded to an alarm at a "stop and rob" which had been closed for several hours. After the search, he opened the small closet where the alarm panel was hidden, and out jumps an assailant with a knife in the ice pick grip. Palm strike, speed rock, five shots center mass. Never whined again.

I'm glad that worked out for the officer! That is probably the best case scenario for that particular tactic.

Howard