Pointman_FL
Member
With more than a dozen Randy Cain classes under my belt, ranging from Tactical Handgun 101 (multiple times) to Close Quarters Tactics/Handgun, Carbine and Shotgun classes, I’m obviously a big fan of the instructor. As someone whose first centerfire handgun was a four inch Model 19 Smith & Wesson bought brand new for $125 in 1971, I’d been looking forward to taking Randy’s revolver class for some time. My already high expectations were unsurprisingly exceeded.
TD1 began as all training days at Southern Exposure do, with a review of the Four Rules and the non-negotiable nature of their adherence at all times. Randy took us back in conversation to the days when about the only thing working cops carried were revolvers, and the early myths about the revolver’s so-called “reliability advantage” over autopistols, and qualified that saying that it might be true for the first six rounds, but after that with a revolver, all bets are off, since there are so many more things that can interfere with or prevent the full functioning of even the best quality revolver. We didn’t have anyone’s extractor rod back out and lock up the gun during this class, but we did have one shooter lose the cylinder release cap/screw on her 686. After spending some time in the grass looking for it, on the next break I carefully applied a tiny bit of blue LocTite to mine (and several others) to be sure I wouldn’t suffer the same fate.
With the exception of a single Ruger, which to my eye has all the visual appeal of a cinder block (and which also went belly up at one point), all the guns in class were Smiths – no Colts. We had more than a few 66’s and 19s, two F Comps, a 686 and my 586-0. We reviewed the different ways of loading revolvers, from inserting loose rounds to using Bianchi Speed Strips and finally, speedloaders. We practiced the revolver equivalent of a tactical reload by learning how to extract a few empty cases at a time and replace them will fresh rounds. We did this in between drills on our own, and on the move if necessary. I really came to appreciate the handiness of the Speed Strip, which has since replaced some old HKS J frame speedloaders in my pocket when carrying my 638. We also learned to rotate the cylinder in a particular direction when loading individual rounds, and why that mattered (so that if you had to close the gun up in a hurry for a shot before you were finished reloading, you’d actually have a loaded round ready to rotate in front of the firing pin).
All but one of the participants had trained with Randy to one degree or other previously, and the rookie to the class had taken some prior private training, so once we went to the line, things moved along pretty quickly. In fact, for a class with a normative round count of 500, we went through about 300 on TD1 one alone.
We learned the three different methods of shooting a modern DA revolver: deliberately staged double action, rapid double action, and single action. There was some discussion about the circumstances under which one would use single action, and the answer to that is pretty much for as precise a shot as possible at longer distance, given the time to make the shot. We did some of the deliberate DA shooting to learn the feel of our triggers before moving to mostly rapid DA shooting.
Eventually, we moved on to using speedloaders, and I finally learned why mine didn’t always work as well as I wanted. As if typically the case, there was nothing wrong with the hardware (Safariland Comp IIs), just the guy operating it. Randy showed us how the muzzle goes straight up for case ejection (and a vigorous rap with the web of the hand to ensure positive extraction/ejection) and straight down for reloading. Not an upward or downward angle, straight UP or straight DOWN. When I burned up too much time on a reload during an el Presidente event shooting steel plates on the timer or man-on-man, it was because I didn’t have the gun pointing straight down, taking full advantage of gravity, when inserting the rounds from the speedloader. Watfa was good enough to take a picture of me illustrating how NOT to do it.The brown rough-out holster is a superb LP with matching belt and speedloader case from Matt Del Fatti, a gifted maker and fellow southpaw. The holster's great, but it does not prevent window licking.
Speaking of el Presidente, we learned that for par time with a revolver, you only get two more seconds than you do with a pistol – hard to do! And while things like the plate and el Pres are fun to do, the focus on competent, purposeful gunhandling never lets up. I got a little sloppy re-holstering after one of the plate shoots, placing my hand and thumb more around the cylinder of the gun, kind of like a guy who had wandered off the set of a Western movie. Randy, whose eyes never miss ANYTHING, admonished me, “Keep a firing grip on that revolver until it’s secure in your holster.” That eye for detail, and the commitment that goes with it, keeps me coming back to Southern Exposure regularly.
The class also included movement (shooting on the move, moving forward and backward at low ready, and engaging on command). For some drills, Randy directed us to all reload prior to holstering, but as with his other classes for pistols, carbines and shotguns, we were mostly expected to keep the guns running ourselves, whether that meant an entire speedloader or just one or two cartridges.
We did shooting from retention at contact distance (the fellas shooting the F Comps loved THAT), then continued to engage as we rapidly withdrew. We made lateral movements, X number of steps to the left or right on command, engaging everything from two shots to the body and single head shots to failure drills. We shot strong hand only, then weak hand only, at distances from 5 to 25 yards. One thing you’ll find consistently at all of Randy’s courses is that your speed is worthless if you’re not getting good hits – “you can’t miss fast enough to win” is a phrase many of us have heard from him when we start pushing too hard, at the expense of accuracy.
After we were done shooting and had emptied out the wheelguns on the line, Randy invited those of us who were carrying our 1911s (and other lesser pistols) to gear up with them and bring a few magazines worth of ammo to the line. Randy wanted us to get re-acquainted with our triggers after spending two days pulling longer, heavier ones to make the guns go “bang.” On the first drill, I literally gave myself a major “surprise break,” feeling like I’d just begun to press the trigger after taking up the initial slack when it made the gun go off. After several more drills, I had a renewed appreciation for, and improved control of, a good 1911 trigger.
The bonus of the class took place under cover after all the shooting was complete. Russ Wood, a Southern Exposure veteran of dozens of classes, knows more than a thing or two about wheelguns. We were turned over to Russ for demonstration and hands-on application of removing the sideplate, thoroughly cleaning the guts of the guns, a couple of handy tips for polishing and smoothing the internals, and re-assembly without launching rebound slide springs into outer space. This was a great way to wrap up a fun and informative course.
Finally, some special students require extra attention.
I’ve carried a 1911 since 1972, but have only been well trained in its effective operation for the last four years or so, mostly as the result of training at Southern Exposure, and mostly with Randy Cain. But in addition to the fun I had shooting a favorite wheelgun, it was really great learning that while revolvers give up some things to good autopistols in capacity and reliability, they are still formidable defensive tools that will do just fine if the person employing them is up to the task.
Living one hour away from Southern Exposure in Florida, and having access to many of the best trainers in the country, such as Randy Cain, is truly a good thing. Thanks to Irv Lehman for organizing such great training at a fine facility, and to Randy for his continuing commitment to first rate instruction. If you own or can borrow a revolver, suitable holster and a couple of speedloaders, I promise you a two day Tactical Revolver class that will be fun, intentional and valuable.
TD1 began as all training days at Southern Exposure do, with a review of the Four Rules and the non-negotiable nature of their adherence at all times. Randy took us back in conversation to the days when about the only thing working cops carried were revolvers, and the early myths about the revolver’s so-called “reliability advantage” over autopistols, and qualified that saying that it might be true for the first six rounds, but after that with a revolver, all bets are off, since there are so many more things that can interfere with or prevent the full functioning of even the best quality revolver. We didn’t have anyone’s extractor rod back out and lock up the gun during this class, but we did have one shooter lose the cylinder release cap/screw on her 686. After spending some time in the grass looking for it, on the next break I carefully applied a tiny bit of blue LocTite to mine (and several others) to be sure I wouldn’t suffer the same fate.
With the exception of a single Ruger, which to my eye has all the visual appeal of a cinder block (and which also went belly up at one point), all the guns in class were Smiths – no Colts. We had more than a few 66’s and 19s, two F Comps, a 686 and my 586-0. We reviewed the different ways of loading revolvers, from inserting loose rounds to using Bianchi Speed Strips and finally, speedloaders. We practiced the revolver equivalent of a tactical reload by learning how to extract a few empty cases at a time and replace them will fresh rounds. We did this in between drills on our own, and on the move if necessary. I really came to appreciate the handiness of the Speed Strip, which has since replaced some old HKS J frame speedloaders in my pocket when carrying my 638. We also learned to rotate the cylinder in a particular direction when loading individual rounds, and why that mattered (so that if you had to close the gun up in a hurry for a shot before you were finished reloading, you’d actually have a loaded round ready to rotate in front of the firing pin).
All but one of the participants had trained with Randy to one degree or other previously, and the rookie to the class had taken some prior private training, so once we went to the line, things moved along pretty quickly. In fact, for a class with a normative round count of 500, we went through about 300 on TD1 one alone.
We learned the three different methods of shooting a modern DA revolver: deliberately staged double action, rapid double action, and single action. There was some discussion about the circumstances under which one would use single action, and the answer to that is pretty much for as precise a shot as possible at longer distance, given the time to make the shot. We did some of the deliberate DA shooting to learn the feel of our triggers before moving to mostly rapid DA shooting.
Eventually, we moved on to using speedloaders, and I finally learned why mine didn’t always work as well as I wanted. As if typically the case, there was nothing wrong with the hardware (Safariland Comp IIs), just the guy operating it. Randy showed us how the muzzle goes straight up for case ejection (and a vigorous rap with the web of the hand to ensure positive extraction/ejection) and straight down for reloading. Not an upward or downward angle, straight UP or straight DOWN. When I burned up too much time on a reload during an el Presidente event shooting steel plates on the timer or man-on-man, it was because I didn’t have the gun pointing straight down, taking full advantage of gravity, when inserting the rounds from the speedloader. Watfa was good enough to take a picture of me illustrating how NOT to do it.The brown rough-out holster is a superb LP with matching belt and speedloader case from Matt Del Fatti, a gifted maker and fellow southpaw. The holster's great, but it does not prevent window licking.
Speaking of el Presidente, we learned that for par time with a revolver, you only get two more seconds than you do with a pistol – hard to do! And while things like the plate and el Pres are fun to do, the focus on competent, purposeful gunhandling never lets up. I got a little sloppy re-holstering after one of the plate shoots, placing my hand and thumb more around the cylinder of the gun, kind of like a guy who had wandered off the set of a Western movie. Randy, whose eyes never miss ANYTHING, admonished me, “Keep a firing grip on that revolver until it’s secure in your holster.” That eye for detail, and the commitment that goes with it, keeps me coming back to Southern Exposure regularly.
The class also included movement (shooting on the move, moving forward and backward at low ready, and engaging on command). For some drills, Randy directed us to all reload prior to holstering, but as with his other classes for pistols, carbines and shotguns, we were mostly expected to keep the guns running ourselves, whether that meant an entire speedloader or just one or two cartridges.
We did shooting from retention at contact distance (the fellas shooting the F Comps loved THAT), then continued to engage as we rapidly withdrew. We made lateral movements, X number of steps to the left or right on command, engaging everything from two shots to the body and single head shots to failure drills. We shot strong hand only, then weak hand only, at distances from 5 to 25 yards. One thing you’ll find consistently at all of Randy’s courses is that your speed is worthless if you’re not getting good hits – “you can’t miss fast enough to win” is a phrase many of us have heard from him when we start pushing too hard, at the expense of accuracy.
After we were done shooting and had emptied out the wheelguns on the line, Randy invited those of us who were carrying our 1911s (and other lesser pistols) to gear up with them and bring a few magazines worth of ammo to the line. Randy wanted us to get re-acquainted with our triggers after spending two days pulling longer, heavier ones to make the guns go “bang.” On the first drill, I literally gave myself a major “surprise break,” feeling like I’d just begun to press the trigger after taking up the initial slack when it made the gun go off. After several more drills, I had a renewed appreciation for, and improved control of, a good 1911 trigger.
The bonus of the class took place under cover after all the shooting was complete. Russ Wood, a Southern Exposure veteran of dozens of classes, knows more than a thing or two about wheelguns. We were turned over to Russ for demonstration and hands-on application of removing the sideplate, thoroughly cleaning the guts of the guns, a couple of handy tips for polishing and smoothing the internals, and re-assembly without launching rebound slide springs into outer space. This was a great way to wrap up a fun and informative course.
Finally, some special students require extra attention.
I’ve carried a 1911 since 1972, but have only been well trained in its effective operation for the last four years or so, mostly as the result of training at Southern Exposure, and mostly with Randy Cain. But in addition to the fun I had shooting a favorite wheelgun, it was really great learning that while revolvers give up some things to good autopistols in capacity and reliability, they are still formidable defensive tools that will do just fine if the person employing them is up to the task.
Living one hour away from Southern Exposure in Florida, and having access to many of the best trainers in the country, such as Randy Cain, is truly a good thing. Thanks to Irv Lehman for organizing such great training at a fine facility, and to Randy for his continuing commitment to first rate instruction. If you own or can borrow a revolver, suitable holster and a couple of speedloaders, I promise you a two day Tactical Revolver class that will be fun, intentional and valuable.
