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Two recent articles on improving and increasing the standards for law enforcement firearms training generated feedback based on readers’ experiences. They asked for articles discussing close-range and point shooting.
This led to a discussion of retention position shooting after a recent class.
After drawing from a pocket holster, this shooter moves through the draw to his index.
During this same time frame, I taught at the Pat Rogers Memorial Revolver Round-Up, a three-day revolver-centric event held at Gunsite. One of the other instructors was Cecil Burch. Cecil is the principal of Immediate Action Combatives, a Phoenix-based training provider, and a Gracie black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is one of a handful of legitimate subject matter experts on interpersonal conflicts in the contact to five-foot range. His expertise integrates hands-on skill sets with firearms.
Development
The shooting part of this is a very small part of the overall in-close problem. This includes positioning, control of your opponent’s arms and hands, and – most importantly – timing. That timing specifically includes when you initiate your draw after you have physically controlled the other guy enough to prevent him from fouling your draw.
Cecil credits Craig Douglas, of SouthNarc fame, for developing much of this material, which also evolved from the work of the late Paul Gomez. Burch has added his perspective based on personal and teaching experiences. He continues to refine and develop it. That includes pressure testing with competent opponents using non-lethal training ammunition, such as Simunitions FX, UTM, and even airsoft.
Burch offers certain immutable truths about fighting. To develop techniques, one needs to start by being honest about the problem. From there, one needs to work with the technique. Like with the scientific method, you are trying to prove the material or disprove it. While fighting is fighting, there is always going to be room to tweak it.
Clearing Clothing
If you are working in duty gear, this will not be a consideration. However, none of us are wearing duty gear all the time.
Cecil strongly recommends clearing your cover garment with your strong hand and your firing hand rather than using both hands. Why? Your support hand will be tied up with the BadGuy. With the support hand occupied, your strong hand needs to grab the garment, pull it up, trap it against the torso, and keep it there while acquiring your grip and drawing the handgun.
Grip
Like any other draw, getting your initial grip is key.
To establish the grip on your handgun, start by driving the web of your hand into the gun. Your hand, wrist, and arm should be locked. The goal is for them to become one with the gun, locked into one piece.
Once you have established your grip, your elbow and shoulder drive any movement from then on.
Your Draw
While drawing, the elbow comes up and back, putting the shooter in the proper position for the shot.
After establishing your grip, you move the pistol upward and to the rear. The goal is to get the thumb pectoral index with as much of your thumb as possible in contact with as much of the pectoral muscle as possible.
Another part of this is to roll your fingertips into your ribs as much as possible.
Cecil reiterated that you need to get as much of the meat on your thumb and the first joint in contact with as much of the pectoral as possible.
This shooter’s elbow has come up and back during the draw. He has established his thumb-pectoral index.
That position helps give you the information you need to aim. The contact between the thumb, your fingertips, and the pectoral muscle results in a constant feedback loop, which is a physical index letting you know where your shots will go.
As you draw, your elbow moves up and back. No, it is not comfortable, and it never will be.
Burch says he has been doing this for twenty years, and it is still uncomfortable.
The Angle
When using this technique, you will see that the muzzle has a distinct downward angle. There are multiple reasons for this. The biggest is that it prevents you from violating Rules 2 and 4 during the entangle fight. Additionally, it provides a platform for repeatedly delivering shots that will change BadGuy’s attitude and behavior.
Yes, left-handers can use the thumb-pectoral index as well.
Positioning
Burch has come all the way to his thumb pectoral index. His hips are squared to the threat and his support hand is clear of the muzzle.
Your hips need to be squared to the threat, the target. That is how your aim is accomplished. You adjust the point of impact by rotating your torso. This happens the way a tank turret rotates. If you need to shift the point of aim, you accomplish that by rotating your upper body at the hips.
Training Side Bar
When teaching this, Burch and others use a pause to visually check the support hand location and the line to the target.
When Cecil teaches this, he has the students visually clear the bullet path. This check involves looking at where the support hand is and checking the line between the muzzle and the target.
Again, this is for training.
In actual usage, your support hand will be on the gun or your opponent.
Bringing the Gun Out
Again, timing & control are a thing.
Cecil says there are two times you draw your handgun: a) when you have the distance between you and the threat that you need to use the sights as intended, up at eye level, or b) you have enough physical control of your opponent so that he cannot impede your draw and the use of your firearm.
After everything that has been covered so far, you will want to get distance and acquire a better shooting platform.
Final Thought
The thumb pectoral index gives a hard physical index that is robust, reliable, and replicable under stress.
Regarding that index, it is not point shooting. It uses a consistent physical index right where we need them to go.
When talking with Cecil about this process, he reiterated that the goal is to get All the Meat (thumb) on All of the Meat (pectoral muscle).
As mentioned, many issues occur long before a contact shot is initiated and completed. Competent trainers, such as Burch, are best able to address these issues. Their training will allow you to understand your limitations and mitigate those concerns. We owe it to those we serve and train to get these things right.
