Revolver Shooting Courses

[Kleanbore]

I have been interested in learning about revolver shooting since Eisenhower's first term. This is a neat publication

http://snubgunstudygroup.com/pdf/FBIRevolverCoursesAndTechniques.pdf

 

[Derek Zeanah]

As I've gotten older I've gone from a 1911 purist to someone who occasionally carries a revolver. Mostly because I shoot them very well, and the more I research it the more I think a 125gr JHP/SJHP at 1,450 fps is pretty close to optimal in a defensive round. If Ed Brown made a lightweight Commander in .357 Sig I'd probably think that was perfect.

Thanks for the link.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Wow, that's a blast from the past. I remember that being somewhat dated, technique-wise, when I was in the academy in the late 70s...but it is what the FBI taught and what our departmental instructors taught.

It isn't a horrible starting point, but just be aware that techniques for defensive and competitive use of the wheelgun have changed quite a bit

 

[alfsauve]

I'm a two thumbs forward person. And no, my thumb doesn't get burned by the cylinder gap blast. What I like is I use the exact same grip on semi-autos. Consistency.

 

[fastbolt]

Yep, blast from the past.

Yes, fighting with a handgun, which includes revolvers, has evolved a bit. However, the basics of the old FBI taught revolver course would still stand someone in good stead as a foundation.

Having been both a SA and DA revolver shooter, I still tend to use a curled master hand thumb. The job of the left thumb is to not interfere with anything (and to cock a SA revolver's hammer when shooting SA wheelies).

I've watched my fair share of shooters experience a gouged/bleeding thumb when they elevated their master hand thumb too high alongside the frame, and the rear of the cylinder came back and clipped it under recoil. Varies by the individual, of course, as well as the size of the wheelgun. One guy somehow also managed to have the cylinder release cut his thumb knuckle when he let his thumb ride too high.

Personally, I never cared whether someone wanted to use a neutral/high thumb hold on their revolvers, as long as it didn't interfere with their shooting ... and ... it didn't adversely affect their 1-handed shooting by weakening their control. It's hits going where intended that matter, along with sufficient controllability under recoil, after all. No prizes for appearance.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

I'm a two thumbs forward person. And no, my thumb doesn't get burned by the cylinder gap blast. What I like is I use the exact same grip on semi-autos. Consistency.


View attachment 1162873

Agreed—which is why I use the crossed thumb method for all handguns.

 

[GRIZ22]

I'm a two thumbs forward person. And no, my thumb doesn't get burned by the cylinder gap blast. What I like is I use the exact same grip on semi-autos. Consistency.


View attachment 1162873

I use the same but my support thumb is on top of my strong thumb. I've been a firearms instructor since 1976. I've never told anyone to change their grip as long as it was safe and it worked for them.

 

[old lady new shooter]

ITTS offers a revolver course. https://internationaltactical.com/

 

[2zulu1]

Gunsite has revolver classes for seasoned shooters, elementary 3 day and more intense 5 day, including simulator programs.

 

[luzyfuerza]

These two DVD/Videos have supplemented my in-person revolver training:

PDN: Fundamentals of Snub Nosed Revolvers For Defense (can be downloaded here: https://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/?s=snubby)

and

ArmedResponseTraining.com: Secrets of the Snubby (you'll have to scrounge around to find a copy of this one, but here's a sample: https://www.guns.com/news/review/dv...ecrets-of-the-snubby-from-claude-werner-video).

Both feature Claude Werner. They are much cheaper than in-person training, but expose a revolver shooter to all of the basics.

Try watching them with a buddy, and then training at the range together using the principles that Claude teaches.

 

[Kleanbore]

That five day 250 Revolver Course at Gunsite sounds great, for those who can do it.

 

[Derek Zeanah]

That five day 250 Revolver Course at Gunsite sounds great, for those who can do it.

The regular 250 was pretty solid. And IIRC you don't need to go to Arizona, necessarily. I think they have some classes in SC.

 

[GEM]

For the snubby life: https://thetacticalprofessor.net/
Claude is expert on such.

​

 

[Anchorite]

As I've gotten older I've gone from a 1911 purist to someone who occasionally carries a revolver. Mostly because I shoot them very well, and the more I research it the more I think a 125gr JHP/SJHP at 1,450 fps is pretty close to optimal in a defensive round. If Ed Brown made a lightweight Commander in .357 Sig I'd probably think that was perfect.

Thanks for the link.

I had a Blackhawk cylinder converted to 357/44 Bain & Davis by Bain & Davis. Fun does not begin to describe that experience. I think that’s the pinnacle of a 357 in a revolver.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Wow, that's a blast from the past. I remember that being somewhat dated, technique-wise, when I was in the academy in the late 70s...but it is what the FBI taught and what our departmental instructors taught.

It isn't a horrible starting point, but just be aware that techniques for defensive and competitive use of the wheelgun have changed quite a bit

Ditto, but I attended in the early '80s. I use thumb over thumb (small hands). Even with pistols I can do thumb over thumb w/out getting captain bars either.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Even with pistols I can do thumb over thumb w/out getting captain bars either.

My Walther PP cured me of that...those German slides were razor sharp

 

[kje54]

I learned speed loading a long time ago and I practiced so often that I could reload my revolver as fast as most people with a semi-auto. It's a good skill to have if you're carrying revolvers.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I learned speed loading a long time ago and I practiced so often that I could reload my revolver as fast as most people with a semi-auto. It's a good skill to have if you're carrying revolvers.

Yup, in the academy they made us practice until we could load in the dark (night qualifications). The optimal technique has actually changed a bit over the years

What you're losing ground on is the number of rounds you're getting into the gun with each reload

 

[kje54]

Yup, in the academy they made us practice until we could load in the dark (night qualifications). The optimal technique has actually changed a bit over the years

What you're losing ground on is the number of rounds you're getting into the gun with each reload

I know many think round count is the God of carrying firearms and that's great for them. I'm not one of them nor am I a noob so rehashing that argument for the billionth time is a bit ridiculous and unnecessary. Don'tcha think?

 

[Jim Watson]

I shot a revolver in the local Almost IDPA match yesterday. I did not get in a lot of advance practice and it showed. But a good time was had by all.

 

[GEM]

I shot a revolver in an IDPA match once and came in second after a national level shooter who comes in second after Jerry. I also came in last in that division. Pretend this is the SATs and figure out this occurred.

Actually, our accuracy matched but our time scales were orders of magnitude different.

 

[Kleanbore]

I know many think round count is the God of carrying firearms and that's great for them. I'm not one of them

It isn't until it is.

 

[shafter]

Humans are bigger than ever before, both in overall stature as well as their body fat. Humans are also on all sorts of drugs these days and typically any sort of drug or alcohol is going to significantly increase their tolerance to pain meaning they may need to be shot more than once. A human also loses a significant portion of their fine motor skills under stress meaning their performance with their firearm under stress may not match their range/training performance.

With that in mind, in preparation for defending my life, I see no reason to handicap myself by carrying a firearm fires a marginal round and only holds a few of them when there are options just as small, just as light, and holds double to triple the capacity of a hotter round.

Its a free country so by all means carry whatever you like but it seems to me that we have a weird type of nostalgia today that governs our firearm choices instead of embracing the natural evolution of firearms and saving the nostalgia for fun at the range. In the day when everyone carried a sword the flintlock pistol was a game changer until all of a sudden Colt gave us the percussion revolver and people couldn't ditch their single shots fast enough. When revolvers came along that fired metallic cartridges people who depended on firearms realized the advantage and made the switch until progress resulted in double action revolvers with swing out cylinders which reigned at king for many decades. Progress continues and now we have compact semiauto handguns that hold triple the capacity, offer lightning fast reloads and allow us to mount lights, night sights and optics.

 

[kje54]

I think it's time to bring Dr House out as this appears to devolve into another ammo capacity and modern vs old handgun (go nowhere) discussion as opposed to what the OP addresses. Wheel gun classes...............

 

[GEM]

IMHO, for EDC in most applications - the Snubby in the pocket is the realistic application. It shines for that and is viable despite the smaller semi pocket guns. If you carry on the belt and are serious, no reason not to carry a quality semi auto pistol. Yes, there are field applications for the larger calibers for big animals but that isn't a EDC SD situation. Also, you should train with such pocket guns. It's all the number of opponents and time in the fight if you get beyond one opponent.