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NRLO "eTraining"
FIREARMS
(Basic Educational Series) hosted by Captain
Chuck Mantkus
"Armed
Response"
Written by Donnie W. Daniels (Retired Firearms
Instructor)
About Instructor
Daniels
INDEX
Armed
Response
"Your score with a weapon
should be in the 85 percent
range or better."
By Donnie W.
Daniels (Retired)
Introduction
Being armed carries the responsibility of being proficient
with the weapon you carry. This applies if you are a full-time
Law Enforcement Officer, Reserve Officer, or private citizen with a
concealed carry permit. In my thirty years of Law Enforcement,
I have seen too many Officers that do not take being armed as
seriously as they should. I am not talking about being ready
to quick draw at the drop of a hat or always sitting with your back
to the wall, I am simply stating that if you need to draw your
weapon, have the mindset and skill to know how to use it and when to
use it.
All Police Agencies/Academies
have a minimum qualification for firearm certification. If you
are satisfied with a minimum score, you should find another line of
work. If you think I'm being unrealistic, then get the
guy from your local fast food restaurant to perform your next
surgery; or better still, have him as your proctologist.
Hopefully by now I've gotten your attention; if not, or if I've
offended anyone, I apologize.
What I'm trying to say is
this: Your score with a weapon should be in the 85 percent
range or better. Yes, some people can obtain this with
very little effort. While others have a very hard struggle to
qualify at 70 percent or even to qualify at all. Regardless of
how well you shoot, you can always improve. All it takes if
hard work and determination.
Back to
INDEX
Safety
Your first
responsibility is safety. Know how your weapon functions, the
safeties, loading, unloading, and cleaning. I'm not an
expert, nor do I claim to be. I've been shooting for over
sixty years, and I've come to one conclusion. On accidental
discharges, there are two kinds of people: those that have had
one and those that are going to have one. Be sure your weapon
is safely stored where children cannot get to it.
Remember, your neighbor's children probably also play in your
home.
Improving Your Score
If you are not
shooting the scores you want, try analyzing your problem.
Have a Firearm Instructor help you, if possible. Most of
the problems I've encountered with new and even experienced shooters
are in trying to focus on the front sight and on the
target. The human eye cannot focus on a close-up object and on
a distant object at the same time. Your front sight should be
in focus and the target indistinct. The other major factor of
wild shots is the anticipation of the recoil.
Make sure you are looking at
your front sight and not over it. Some shooters will look at
the target after firing to see where they hit. Soon you will
be looking at the target instead of the front sight.
Be sure that you understand
what sight alignment and sight picture really mean. Keep the
trigger pull smooth and controlled whether or not the sights are
perfect. Understand that there will be an arc of movement with
your sights, and learn to ignore it. No one can hold a perfect
sight picture all of the time. Keep your concentration on the
front sight and smooth trigger.
The further you are from the
target, the smoother the trigger needs to be. Be sure to pull
the trigger straight back and not to one side; don't jerk it, and
don't stage it. Don't anticipate the recoil, and don't tighten
up your hand. You should have a firm grip on the weapon, but
don't try to squeeze it into sawdust. Find the best grip for
you, and use it each and every time.
You should know how to analyze
your target. There are a good many books out there that can
show you how. This paper is not meant to take the place of a
good Firearms Instructor. Just be sure that the Instructor is
a good one. Talk to other shooters, and listen to how your
Instructor instructs. I recently was involved with an
Instructor who would stand behind the students shouting "aim small,
miss small." I guess he has seen Mel Gibson in the
Patriot. You should not aim to miss. All I'm trying to
do is to get you thinking about what you are doing. We've all
heard that good practice makes perfect. I believe that perfect
practice makes perfect.
You should be able to shoot
from five to seventy-five (5 - 75) feet. However, I would do
most of my practice at the distance I felt was most needed. If
you look at the statistics, that seems to be within five
(5) feet. You should do some shooting at the fifty (50)
yard range just to see what you can do. When I first started
in Federal Law Enforcement, our course was from fifteen (15),
twenty-five (25), and fifty (50) yards off hand. You'll be
surprised what you can do with a pistol if you set your mind to
it.
Back to
INDEX
Point Shooting
Most
Agencies/Academies do not teach point shooting other than at about
three (3) feet in the bent elbow position. This is about where
you would be if you were talking to a suspect and the #%#% hit the
fan. This is a good distance for weapon retention practice and
should be used often. One agency I worked with was training at
1.5 yards, bent elbow position, firing two (2) shots from the
holster in three (3) seconds for a total of six
(6) shots. The next position was at the three-yard
(3-yard) line where you fired two (2) shots from the holster in
three (3) seconds, point shoulder position, both hands. You
than stayed in the high scan for the next two (2) rounds, for a
total of six (6) shots. Your next position was at the fifteen
(15) and twenty-five (25) yard line.
While this is good, I believe
some good point shooting practice here is also needed. I have
made a practice of using what would benefit me the most in my
career. Remember, it's your butt that's on the line. If
you have a place to shoot, try different ways. One agency had
a course "down and disable." The students were shown that they
could shoot from odd positions like lying on your back and shooting
over your head. If possible, have someone with you during
practice. If not and you have a video camera, by all means,
set it up and record your practice.
In closing, remember, good
shooters are made, not born. Sure some people have better
hand-eye coordination than others. With perfect practice, you
CAN shoot better.
Back to
INDEX
#####
Identification and Safe Handling of
Firearms
By Donnie W.
Daniels (Retired)
Introduction
While reading
Captain Mantkus' "Time for Review," something jumped out at
me. Captain Mantkus writes that many, certified,
Reserve/Auxiliary Officers have never fired or seen any other weapon
other than their own. This is so true that it got me to
thinking (a dangerous thing for someone like me, who's older than
dirt!), that it is also true of many full-time, Law Enforcement
Officers.
During my recent duties as a
Firearm Instructor, one class was on ID and safe handling of
firearms. I was shocked to see so many Officers who had no
idea how to safely unload different firearms. It was about
this time that I realized that I have grandkids that are about the
same age as some of the Officers. I also realized that most of
these fine young men and women were not raised in the same rural
setting as I; nor were they able to have access to all of the
weapons that I have owned or handled in my thirty (30) years of Law
Enforcement. As Reserve Officers, you may not be called on to
handle seized firearms; then again, you may. So, with that in
mind, I decided to write this article. I sincerely hope it
will be of some benefit to you and will help keep you
safe.
Basic Rules
-
In handling any firearm, always point the muzzle in
a safe direction and keep your finger off the
trigger.
-
Remove the source of ammunition.
-
Check the chamber, both visually and physically, and
stake it open if possible.
-
If you don't know what you are doing, "ask someone
who does."
-
Remember "the first law" of accidental
discharges. There are those who have had one
and those that are going to have
one.
Double Action
Revolvers
There are so many revolvers out
there that it is impossible to list them all. This article is
not meant to take the place of hands-on-training, but I hope it will
make you think each and every time you pick up a
firearm.
Smith & Wesson revolvers have a push latch on the
left side that you push "forward." The cylinder on S&W's
turns "counter-clockwise." The cylinder then pushes out to the
left, and you can dump the ammo. Of course, there are some old
S&W revolvers still around that have a break-open latch on
top. You pull "up" on the latch to "break open" the
weapon.
Colt revolvers also have a latch on the left side, but
you pull it "back," and push the cylinder out to the
"left." Remember, the cylinder on Colts turn
"clockwise."
Then, you might find a revolver that you pull
"forward" on the cylinder pin to open the cylinder. There are
just too many to list, but a good source of information is the
"American Rifle" from the NRA. They
usualy show a different weapon each time it's printed. There
are also many good gun magazines out there. Also, many
firearm dealers, if not busy, will take the time to show you
different weapons.
Back to
INDEX
Single Action
Revolvers
What is a single
action revolver, you ask? Just what the
name implies. You must pull the hammer "back" each time
you fire it. The old Colts and copies hold six rounds, but you
keep an empty chamber under the hammer. That is, if you
like your foot and leg as the good Lord gave it to you. The
only safety these fine old weapons have is a small notch in the
hammer that the trigger can rest into. To unload it, you can
open the loading gate on the right side and pull the hammer
back slowly until it can rest in the half-cock notch, which is the
second notch. The cylinder will then rotate and you can remove
the cartridges. The last notch or the third one is the full cock
notch so, be careful.
Some of the newly made single
actions like the Ruger have a safety bar; and all you have do do is
open the loading gate on the right side and the cylinder will turn
and you will be able to remove the cartridges.
Back to
INDEX
Derringers
There are many of this type of weapons still
around; why I don't know. Back in my younger days while
working the southern border, for a backup weapon I carried an
over-and-under, two-shot derringer in 38 special that was a copy of
the Remington. These weapons can discharge if dropped, and you
only have two rounds. I found that I could conceal a 38
S&W Chief Special just as easy and have five rounds.
Anyway, if you run into one, there is a latch by the trigger that
will "rotate" 180 degrees; and the the barrel will tip
"up."
Then we have small,
five-shot revolvers in 22 and 22 magnum that is very easy to
conceal, and I've found a few on some dope smugglers. On most,
you pull "out" the cylinder pin and "drop out" the cylinder to
unload.
Then there are some
single-shot derringers, mostly in 22 Caliber. Look at the top
of the barrel and see if the hammer is resting in a slot cut into
the barrel. If so, pull the hammer back one notch; and the
barrel will pivot to the right
side. Remember Basic
Rules 1 & 5
Back to INDEX
Semi-Automatics
Like the double
action revolvers, there are a lot of semi-automatics around.
Let's take the single action, semi-autos first. The "model
1911" is, in my opinion, one of, if not the finest, combat
firearms around. I have carried one for years; and believe me,
it was a comfort in some lonely dark places.
These weapons
have two (2) safeties; the "thumb" safety and the "grip"
safety. The magazine release button is located on the left side
near the trigger guard. Once the magazine is out, remember to
make sure the chamber is "empty." They do not have a magazine
disconnect and will fire if the chamber is loaded. They are
called single action because the hammer must be to the
"rear" for the first shot. Then the weapon will re-cock
when it is fired, and the empty is ejected.
There are a lot
of small autos still around like the Colt pocket pistols. Most
have a small thumb safety on the left side, and the magazine release
is on the bottom of the grip. Most do not have a hammer
visible and are referred to as "hammerless." Many of the gang
members like the cheap, .25 caliber; and I hope they continue to do
so. I once had a case where a gang member shot one of his
friends in the back of the head, and the bullet only went into the
skin, then bounced off. He also managed to shoot the driver in
the side, which his girlfriend bandaged with
duct-tape.
Then there are
the double action, semi-autos. These will fire when you pull
the trigger, and then the weapon will re-cock itself and be like a
single action auto. That is, unless it is a double action
only. If it is not a double action only, it will have a
de-cocking lever usually on the left side; and the magazine release
button is also on the left. Remember, some have a magazine
disconnect, and some don't. If it has a magazine disconnect,
the weapon is not supposed to fire with the magazine out. But
just remember
Basic Basic Rule
5.
Back
to INDEX
Shotguns
Shotguns are
single and double barrels, bolt actions, pumps, and
semi-automatics. The single and double barrels usually have a
lever behind the barrel that will open the action. The bolt
actions usually will have a safety behind the action on top of the
stock or to the side and may have a magazine that can be
removed.
Pumps take a little extra care
when you are unloading one. They usually have a safety on the
trigger guard that you push "in" to fire. Make sure that the
safety is in the "out," "safe" position before unloading.
There will be a bolt release usually in front of the trigger guard
that will release the action. After releasing the action and
removing the shell in the chamber, you turn the weapon upside
down and find the small latch that holds the shells in the tube
under the barrel. Mash it "in" and slowly remove any shells in
the magazine.
Semi-automatics are very much
like the pumps with the same type safety and bolt release.
Just remember, be very careful, and don't cycle the ammo through the
action if it can be avoided.
Back to
INDEX
Rifles
Rifles are also
bolt, lever action, pumps, and semi-autos. The bolts are easy
to unload, providing you are careful. Some have a push down
magazine under the bolt that is loaded from the top. Safeties
are also usually on top near the bolt or just to the rear of the
bolt and usually pursh forward to fire. Some military rifles
like the Springfield Model 1989, have a safety at the rear that can
be turned from one side to the other. If the rifle has a tube
feed, it can usually be removed and the ammo poured out. Just
remember that sometimes a shell may become stuck; so, replace the
tube and look inside the action.
Lever actions are the hardest
to unload if they have a tube feed because most load from a loading
gate on the right side of the weapon like the old
Winchester Model 94. You have to cycle the ammo through
the weapon, so keep that finger off the trigger.
Pump rifles are like the pump
shotguns for the most part. However, there are some other
types; so again, be careful. Some large caliber pump rifles
will have a magazine that can be removed. Others like the
Winchester 22 pump with exposed hammer will have a tube feed, and
some do not have an action release lever. The way to open the
action is to gently push in the firing pin with your thumbnail until
the action releases and can be opened. It it is a hammerless
pump, it willl usually have an action release lever around the
trigger guard.
Now, for the semi-auto rifles;
and there are many different kinds from 22 caliber on up. The
22 caliber rifles usually have a safety near the top of the action,
or it can have a push off safety near the trigger guard. An
easy way to remember which way the safety goes is "Right On."
If the safety is out or to the right, it should be "on."
Again, be careful.
Other semi-automatic rifles
operate much the same way, but they may have different locations for
the "safety." Some have a lever inside the tigger guard that
pushes to the front to fire. While others may have a lever
that rotates a quarter turn to fire like the M1 carbine.
Semi-autos like the AR-15 have the magazine release on the right
side, and the safety is on the left.
Back to
INDEX
Fully Automatic Weapons
You may never
have an opportunity to handle a fully automatic weapon or to fire
one. If you do get to fire one, it will be the most fun you've
ever had with your clothes on. Just remember some fire from a
closed bolt, like the M-16; and some fire from an opened bolt.
If you have a weapon that fires from an open bolt, and you trip the
bolt, it will fire if there is ammo in the magazine.
Most of the old, fully autos
will fire from an open bolt; and the safeties are rude, to say the
least. The Swedish K has a notch that the bolt can rest
in. The M3A1 or "grease gun" safety was the dust cover.
If it pops up, the safety was off.
The newer, fullty autos
fire from a closed bolt and safeties can be tricky; so
again, be careful. The Uzi has a safety on the left side with
the letters A, R, & S. "S" is safe; "R" is semi-auto; and
"A" is fully auto.
There is a simple way to test
a semi-auto to see if it has been converted to fire "fully
automatic." Make sure the weapon is empty and pointed in a
safe direction (rule number 1). Pull the trigger and
let the hammer fall, while keeping the trigger all the way "back,"
work the action; and you should be able to feel the trigger
reset. If it does not, it may have been converted to fire
"fully auto." Let up on the trigger and again see if the
hammer will fall; if the hammer falls again, it's still a
semi-auto.
Back to
INDEX
Summary
This
article gives you just a small example of the different
kinds and types of weapons you may encounter. It is not meant
to take the place of hands-on training; merely to get you to
thinking before you pick up an unfamiliar weapon.
Good common sense will go a long way in
keeping you safe.
Remember "the first law" of
accidental discharges. There are those who have had one and
those that are going to have
one.
One other thing, I've seen
more "accidental discharges" in and around the station while someone
was showing somebody else their new weapon. DON'T DO IT, and
remember to Be Safe and God
Bless.
Back to
INDEX
##########
Traffic
Stops
By Donnie W.
Daniels (Retired)
Traffic stops is one, if not
the most, of the dangerous duties that Police Officers have, along
with calls on domestic disturbances. I'm speaking of
interacting with the traveling public where your guard may be
down. If you are raiding a drug smuggler, you know you're
going to have problems; and you will prepare accordingly.
On traffic stops, you may be
stopping the person for rolling through a stop sign; and he or
she may have just robbed the local store or bank. The point
is, you don't know what is going on in the mind of the person in the
vehicle. Most of your traffic stops will be honest citizens,
so you can't go walking up and move their nose over with your
weapon. Although I've stopped a few people that I really
wanted to do that to after a brief conversation with them. Be
professional, and don't lose your cool; just write. Because,
trust me, if you let your temper get away from you, your supervisor
will find it. Also bear in mind that the person you have
stopped is probably more nervous than you.
Most, if not all, Departments
have some type of policy on traffic stops. Read it, understand
it, and follow it. Just remember that good, common sense goes
a long way in this world - especially in Law Enforcement. Just
because you have observed a traffic violation doesn't mean that you
have to stop the vehicle immediately. You may want to follow a
few blocks to where there is more light or until your "backup" is
closer. Don't take unnecessary chances.
On the other side of that
coin, you probably won't need the SWAT team to write some
grandmother a ticket because she went 35 in a 30 mph zone.
However, if there are two or more people that appear to be the
Taliban, by all means get that backup.
Once you have the vehicle
stopped, be sure you have your unit in the proper position. If
at all possible, it should help shield you from approaching
traffic. Again, most Departments will have a policy on how
your unit should be positioned. I always liked to have my unit
offset from the vehilce I had stopped. In other words, the
middle of my unit was behind the "left" taillight of the stopped
vehicle.
While you are approaching the
vehicle, be alert and observe how the occupants are behaving.
Are they moving things around in the vehicle or reaching under
the seat? Also, once you have decided to issue a ticket, don't
get so focused on writing that you fail to watch the traffic or the
occupants.
If you are fortunate enough to
have a partner, he or she should be on the "right" side of the
vehicle. Your partner should be in a position to observe the
occupants but not be in your line of fire. These are things
you should talk over with your partner before you hit the
streets.
BE CAREFUL, BE SAFE, AND GOD
BLESS!
********************************
For more on Traffic Stops,
also refer to
"Personality Disorders: What You Might Expect on
Traffic Stops"
by George H. Bercaw, M.A.,
ABDA
Back to
INDEX
About Donnie W.
Daniels 
Donnie W.
Daniels was born in Oklahoma, and he hunted at an early age to
assist the family in keeping food on the table. When he was
eleven, his family moved to Texas, where his father and older
brothers worked on a cattle ranch. When he was in his teens,
he also worked in the summer months as a ranch hand.
He later was employed as an
armored car guard hauling large sums of currency to banks in Texas,
and Louisiana. It was while he was delivering money to a West
Texas Bank that he met a Border Patrol Officer, and he became
interested in the BP. He applied and was accepted as a Border
Patrol Inspector in 1967. He worked in Rio Grande City,
Texas; Miami; Oklahoma; and Deming, New Mexico.
In 1977, he transferred over
to the Customs Patrol in Deming, New Mexico. He was sent TDY
to International Operations to assist in training Law Enforcement
Officers from South America and later in 1980, to Pakistan. He
was promoted to Supervisory Customs Patrol, then to Customs Special
Agent, and then to Resident Agent in Charge of Office of
Investigations in Deming, New Mexico.
After retiring from Customs in
1989, he was employed as a Deputy Sheriff, Narcotics Investigator,
and finally as Captain of the Law Enforcement Division of the
Luna County Sheriff's Department.
In 2001, he and his wife moved
to Wyoming, where he was briefly the Town Marshall for Cowley.
He returned to New Mexico in 2002, to assist in training the newly
hired Air Marshals in firearms at the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico. He is now retired in
Wyoming.
2/1967 - 4/1977
U.S. Border
Patrol: stationed at Rio Grande City, Texas; Miami;
Oklahoma; and Deming, New Mexico
4/1977 - 12/1989
U.S.
Customs Service: stationed at Presidio, Texas, and Deming, New
Mexico, as a Customs Patrol Officer, Supervisory Customs Patrol,
Customs Special Agent and Resident Agent in Charge. Office of
Investigation, Deming, New Mexico.
2/1991 - 4/1999
Luna County
Sheriff's Department: Deputy Sheriff, Narcotics Investigator,
Captain Law Enforcement Division.
10/2001 - 3/2002
Town
Marshall: Cowley, Wyoming.
3/2002 - 8/2002
Firearms
Instructor: Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Artesia,
New Mexico.
####
Updated
2003/08/01
National Reserve Law Officers Association
P.O. Box
6505 San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 805-8917 FAX
(210) 804-2463 | 
