Learning To Teach The Dot

CMS’ Pistol-Mounted Optics Instructor class

Whether you like it or not, a pistol-mounted optic (PMO) on an officer’s service weapon is becoming the accepted and expected standard.  As this transition to the new normal occurs, many agencies are struggling to properly implement their programs.  There are a wide range of programs that claim to offer that guidance. They range from hacked-together “bro-science” to meticulously researched programs emphasizing practical solutions to common problems.  I recently attended the Cougar Mountain Solutions (CMS) PMO Instructor course. It is a great example of the latter.

The Instructor

The lead instructor of CMS is Erick Gelhaus.  Gelhaus was a deputy sheriff for nearly thirty years, an Army veteran (GWOT), and a longtime Gunsite instructor.  His experience with red dots goes back to 2012 when he first carried one on patrol as part of an evaluation program for his former agency.  As part of his duties at Gunsite, Gelhaus was primarily responsible for the development of their PMO program.  In other words, Gelhaus literally wrote the book for our country’s oldest shooting school when it comes to teaching and using the pistol-mounted optic.

Classroom Discussion

As currently offered, the class uses a 2.5-day format.  The first day includes a three-to-four-hour classroom block where topics such as history, instructional methodology, mounting, manufacturer differences, zeroing, and many other relevant topics are discussed.  It is hard to do service to the extensiveness of the classroom lecture.  Gelhaus is a walking encyclopedia of PMO knowledge, and he does his best to pass this knowledge on to students.  Any criticisms of the course I might have are related to the classroom portion.  Gelhaus has more information than he can reasonably convey in the time available, and more time is needed to do it justice.  For the admin weenie who sweats details like battery selection, zero distances, and court-defensible training, the classroom portion of this course could be a worthwhile, standalone option.

Meadhall’s Facility

It should be noted that this course was held at the Meadhall Range near Oklahoma City, OK.  Meadhall is a premier training facility with an incredible infrastructure and a regular roster of well-regarded national firearms instructors and other experts in lawful violence.  The classroom is the nicest his author has seen at a non-governmental facility, with a state-of-the-art audio-visual setup, a video shooting simulator, and plenty of amenities to make the student comfortable.  The live fire range (300-yard maximum) is equipped with turning targets, a lateral moving target, a shooting tower, enough steel targets to host several national-level matches, and some of the nicest restrooms ever to grace a shooting range.

Range Time

The next two days were spent almost entirely on the range.  Those two days were not round-burning orgies of consecutive mag dumps in hopes that something might stick.  Rather, we expended less than 500 rounds during deliberately selected drills that were meant to convey the greatest learning value possible in the time available.  Rather than jump into the PMO material immediately, Gelhaus did an excellent job of presenting several drills that had universal value for any semiautomatic pistol regardless of sighting system.  These drills served to make sure that trigger control and proper presentation were refreshed and allowed the student/future instructor to have additional tools to help with common shooting problems.  Erick’s coursework includes PMO-specific drills, and his large block on occluded optics as a training modality was exceptionally well done and valuable.

As it was an instructor class, Gelhaus divided the class into two relays.  This allowed those shooting to focus on learning the drill from the student’s perspective.  The other relay was tasked with actively coaching and instructing their student, so they saw the drill from the perspective of an instructor. Erick made it a point to swap the coach/student pairs regularly so everyone saw a variety of students in the class.

Course Work

Gelhaus’ range drills were not limited to rapidly presenting the gun from the holster where acquiring the dot is easiest.  There was a huge emphasis on using the dot from a variety of real-world positions.   Erick understands the research on ready positions and which ready positions reduce the chance of a tragic mistake-of-fact shooting.  Since officers regularly hold suspects at gunpoint, working from a variety of ready positions was heavily emphasized.  Gelhaus also taught using the PMO from the ground in case of being knocked down, a fall or injury, and very low cover.  The class also included a low light block where the problems unique to running a PMO with a handheld flashlight or weapon-mounted light were addressed.

Unlike some PMO classes, this one included and required the passage of relevant shooting tests to graduate.  These include Justin Dyal’s 5 Yard Roundup, the 5×5 IDPA classifier, and the Judgmental El President. Gelhaus made sure that anyone receiving a certificate could run their pistol and hit within relevant and demanding standards.  Having a drill that requires careful assessment prior to delivering ]surgical gunfire is important. It is an often overlooked consideration for any law enforcement firearms training.  Along with the shooting tests, there was a written test covering a variety of material, from legal requirements for training to instructional methodologies.

Final Thoughts

It isn’t easy to offer enough positive feedback on this course.  First, it was a legitimate instructor class.  Rounds were not fired for the sake of making noise.  Drills were not just shot but were carefully explained and demonstrated beforehand.  A strong desire to present necessary and relevant information was present during all three days.  Gelhaus’ willingness to address more difficult topics with solutions for them is a hallmark of this course. That makes it the best PMO class and one of the best firearms courses I have ever attended.

 

RESOURCES:

Cougar Mountain Solutions

Meadhall Range