Most shoots occur at 7m, 10m and 15m, with some at 5m and 20m, or 15m and a smaller target.

One practices mag changes, failure to fire, support side shooting, kneeling, prone etc.

One of the most difficult things is to keep the sequences together and still function under time pressure. I have to admit that one hears and utters some choicy words during the practice runs 😉

The following is overly simplified, just to give an idea. Basically, handgun proficiency  requires shooting 5 shots in five second over meters, and later on over 7 meters; then 10 shots in 10 seconds over 10m and then 15 shots in fifteen seconds over 15m. These  sequences would differ to add 2 secondes for a mag change or FTF, etc. One learns to concentrate and focus very fast to achieve the 80% minimum.

The target is an A4 target, and even though it is large for regular standards, it becomes fairly small to put all the shots on the target in the required time - especially at the longer distances.

All handgun shooting is done strictly over iron sights. For the first time I realised how much the old saying of "prep the front sight" made sense. I also learnt how important grip could be.

I started off with my M&P9, but switched to my CZ75 very fast, simply because the trigger is so much better on the CZ. It improved groupings as well as shooting time, because "catching the link" is much clearer and faster on the CZ. The one instructor just dryly said "CZ for life" when I did much better with the old CZ 75.

One of the hardest shoots was shooting against time and transitioning between shoulders with an SLR. Picking up a sight with an undertrained left eye and still maintaining the minimum hits took effort.

Lastly, shotgun proved to be brutal and fun. I consider myself hooked. Knocking over steel plates at 10m with a semi is really juicy when all the other shooters had to struggle with pump actions, but once it got to reloading sequences I had the work cut out for me. Things like "load two, shoot one, load three, shoot four" takes way more time with my semi that with a pump action.

All in all, simply marvellous and an utter joy. The more one learns, the more one realises how little one knows.

Ds J, is die opleiding bloot om vaardigheid te verbeter of kan jy nou ook lede van die publiek oplei om vir lisensies aansoek te doen?

Ds J, is die opleiding bloot om vaardigheid te verbeter of kan jy nou ook lede van die publiek oplei om vir lisensies aansoek te doen?

Dit is n volledige SAQA-kwalifikasie om bevoegdheidskwalifikasies te doen vir Basiese en Besigheidsbevoegdheid, asook Seksie 21 bevoegdheid. Ek sal werk onder Molopo Wapens in Vryburg.