Article By Chris Fry / MDTS Training
We possess a number of ways to move in a combative environment and it is well documented that movement is a life saving tactic. Movement almost always helps us except maybe when attempting to engage a target with accurate gun fire. This guide will focus on the varied methods of vertical displacement taught in the MDTS level 1&2 course work. Vertical displacement in this context is movement along the vertical line or up and down through varied shooting positions. Vertical movement can aid us by making us a hard target when in a location where horizontal, forward or backward movement is inhibited, such as in a hallway. Vertical movement also aids us when attempting to establish a desired angle of fire or achieve maximum cover and/or concealment behind an object such as a vehicle, postal box or concrete Wal-Mart lamp piling in a parking lot.
Please note: This is meant to be a quick study guide not a treatise on positional shooting so adapt what is useful and discard what is not.
The following are (5) shooting positions along the vertical plane of movement:
With the boom of the AR-15 in popularity amongst firearms enthusiasts, many people have little to no training in how to use such a firearm in a tactical situation. I have always been interested in tactical training not only because of the cool factor, but it can benefit my shooting, and hone my skills for personal protection.
I stumbled across LMI Inc and their tactical training offerings. Ron Lauinger, owner and instructor at LMI, was extremely helpful over the phone and quickly made my decision for me to give the class a chance. At around $200, the class is very reasonably priced, especially for an 8 hour training class (Try that in the IT world). However, there is a significant expense in ammo needed for the class. I ended up using 750 rounds of .223 ammo which cost me close to $400. Overall, the expense was well worth it.
The class was held at Canandaigua Sportsman’s Club, where many of Ron’s classes are held. The layout at this range is perfect for classes like this and provides a large amount of room to move and shoot.
After a little practice shooting at different distances, and differing body positions, we started really diving into the tactical situations. We learned responding to malfunction and reloading situations as well as a big emphasis on moving while shooting. The concepts are not hard to grasp, but under pressure, it can be very difficult to remember to do certain things. Additionally, we worked with barricades, multiple threats, and working with a partner for room-clearing techniques.
For anyone interested in enhancing their skills and firearms experience, I encourage you to check out the offerings by LMI, Inc. They have a wide range of classes from pistol and rifle training to close quarters combat training. Also, Ron and LMI have recently become sponsors of this site, and are here to help support all of us. I am glad I was able to participate in this class, and I’m looking forward to taking another with LMI.