Instructor: Ben DeWalt
Location: New Bedford Rod & Gun Club, Massachusetts
Weather: Sunny high 70s
Round Count: 400 +/-
This is a technical shooting class; taking it will make you a better shooter. Onsight Firearms Training (OFT) typically teaches defensive shooting classes, but the Pistol Accuracy and Accountability class is a marksmanship class. As a concealed weapon carrier, you need to be able to hit what you intend to shoot and nothing else. HARD STOP! We are responsible for every bullet when we press the trigger. If we can’t hit our intended target on a flat range without incoming rounds, then how can we possibly expect to solve the problem successfully on the worst day of our lives with our stress level at an all-time high?
The class starts off with a safety brief so each student is fully aware of what is expected of them regarding the dos and don’ts of gun handling. Next was a medical brief, trauma kits were pointed out, students were given jobs in the unlikely event of a medical emergency, and callers and gate runners were selected. All the essential things that need to be worked out before guns are touched. [If you are in a class where no safety/medical briefs are given….WALK OUT]
The class lines up at the five-yard line, and we do a five-round walk-back to the twenty yards. Five of your best shots from the five, ten, fifteen, and twenty. This is a warmup for the students, and it gives the instructor an idea of the cold skills of the students.
Ben spent some time reviewing the proper grip on a pistol and where he places your support hand for maximum stability during recoil. We worked on some drills to find the grip that works with our hands and pistols. Ben would identify and correct some issues with students’ grip, and their targets would show improvement immediately. After Ben was satisfied with everyone’s grip, he talked about the trigger press. “Too little finger, too much knuckle; where should we place our finger on the trigger?” There was an extensive discussion and demonstration on how much finger-on triggers can move the gun and make the bullet miss the intended impact area. Each of us has different hand sizes, finger sizes, and different gun sizes, so one way may not work for everyone. We shot a few drills with different placements of our fingers on the trigger and found the one that worked for us.
Before each drill, Ben would explain it, demo the entire drill, and explain it again. I like that teaching approach. I like to hear the instructions and then see them being done correctly. There was absolutely no ego. We analyzed our target misses as possibly killing good guys by accident. Ben made you really think about what happened on each shot. The real world has consequences. Don’t be a good guy active shooter!
Ben talked about iron sight pictures, as one student was using iron sights, and the rest had dots. We discussed being target-focused and not looking for the dot. We talked about mechanical offset with dots on pistols and, depending on where you are zeroed, where your holdover/under should be. I have been in classes where the instructor’s explanation of holdover/under is very technical and confusing. Ben’s way of explaining it was simple and easy. I like simple and easy! Getting the gun out of the holster was explained and demonstrated. I have been in classes where the draw was complicated and broken down into long, drawn-out steps. Ben explained and showed us a simple, effective, and efficient draw to easily get the gun out of the holster and up to our sightline.
Stance was next, Ben likes the term balance. He asks what your stance is when you are moving to cover. Or what is your stance if you are flat on your back on the Earth? Ben has a background in martial arts, so he talks about having balance when fighting. Gunfighting is still fighting. Balance is where it is.
We worked single shots from the holster and multiple shot strings to see where our grip failed. Ben walked the line, watching and assisting where needed. I learn a lot from watching instructors adjust other students. Ben has a way of articulating what the student needs to hear. I watch him say the same thing to students differently so each of them will get it. Ben can understand how the student needs to hear it so they understand it. Not all instructors can do that well. Ben does!
The timer comes out and adds some pressure to the students. This class is not so much about time, but we do spend some time drills trying to keep the accuracy up while meeting the par times of the drill. We shoot some drills for score and time, not against others but against ourselves. Ben was looking for self-improvement.
We shoot strong-hand-only and weak-hand-only drills. Ben shows us some cheat codes for single-handed shooting, and we practice them from various distances. We see how a slight change in pressure or grip drastically improves our one-handed shooting.
We did some close-to-target (3yrds) precise shooting to demonstrate the offset hold we would need to make precise shots. This drill looks easy, but it isn’t!
This class is one of my favorites to attend. It’s not a run high-speed defensive class, BUT IT IS! You must possess these skills and the correct technique before adding the movement, cover, unorthodox positions, etc... This class lets you learn, experiment, and fail in a safe, controlled space, so when it’s for real, and you don’t have time to think you will fall back on your training. It has been said that “you will not rise to the occasion but sink the level of training you have mastered.” I truly believe that statement.
I really like Ben. He is knowledgeable, skillful, funny, humble, and sometimes appropriately inappropriate. As the day goes on, his jokes go downhill. He is a down-to-earth dude who is easy to talk to and fun to be around. OnSight Firearms Training is one of the best training companies. Absolutely take this class if you have the opportunity.
Ben also brings big-name national trainers to the Northeast. Check his website (oftllc.us/classes) for classes OFT hosts with Steve Fisher, Chuck Pressberg, Jared Reston, Aaron Cowan, Bob Keller, Dan Brokos, and Tim Herron.
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