AAR: Kyle Defoor Advanced Pistol 4/30-5/01/11 - USTC

[synergy]

Details -
Cost: $400 tuition
Dates: April 30th-May1st
Ammo: 800 rounds called for (~1100 expended by many including extra time on the Rogers Range)

TD1: After meeting Kyle one at a time as we trickled in in the morning, we got right onto the range, and Kyle got right into his intro and safety brief. For those of you not familiar with Kyle's background, he deployed in the SEAL teams as an assaulter and later sniper, then after multiple combat deployments to the Balkans and Afghanistan, Kyle left the Navy and ran Blackwater USA's training program in Moyoc, NC. After leaving Blackwater, Kyle went to TigerSwan for a while, and now runs his own company, Defoor Proformance Shooting. Today, Kyle is training virtually every special operations unit and agency that has a fancy abbreviation in everything from sniping and stalking, to CQB entry work, to covert/deep concealment pistol work, and who knows what else.



Kyle gave us a quick safety brief, and got right into his standards. Kyle purposefully took the previous 10 days off of shooting, so he could shoot his standards cold with us right then and there. Kyle let us know that he set his standards really high, as we can't ever expect to be performing at 100% on the day of, so we if train to excel beyond what is necessary, even if we're only running at 70%, we'll still be some bad-MF'ers at only 70%. Kyle then let us know that he often struggles to pass them himself. I think all of our eyes got a little bigger when we heard that.

Right off the bat, no dry fire, no warm up...20 yard sprint, to scored shots on a bullseye target at 25 yards...on the clock. Out of 60 possible points, if you didn't get 50, you fail. Next we did some closer stuff up at 6 yards. Out of the holster, to a reduced (1/2 size) A-zone in 2.0 or you fail. Into the credit card reduced scoring ring headshot box in 3.5 seconds, or you fail. All scores were recorded, and Kyle knew every shooter by name and how they were performing and improving.

Kyle took down scores, noted each shooters times, scores on the drills, general notes, etc...then at the end, the winner got to choose their prize...either some Smith sunglasses, or Defoor Glock sights. The sights were the favorite prize, by far.

After the base line tests were done, Kyle started to really dig deep into the mechanics of shooting as he teaches them...which is a little bit different than others may be familiar with. Kyle really explained in detail how his grip works, where pressure is applied, what elements of his grip, stance, etc are doing to his performance. Really nitty gritty details that would help us as we moved on through the day and started picking up the pace.

After lunch we worked on some rhythm drills, working 1 second, .5 second, and .25 second splits and how to gauge our timing on them.

Throughout the day, Kyle started to paint a picture of his mindset, and how he thinks about shooting. Every target for the rest of the class was getting shot in the head at the end of every string. "If this thing is coming out...someone is getting it, today." Kyle hammered home the importance of a thorough scan..."I'm not looking for dangers to me...I'm hunting right now. Who else needs some?" Kyle's mindset was becoming clearer.

We didn't refer to our non-dominant hands as "weak"...anyone who's seen Kyle shoot would have to be high to consider either hand of his "weak". Instead, right handed folks called their left hand their "other strong hand". Kyle is a big believer in positive thinking, and projection. Thinking about yourself in a positive light, and presenting that confidence in everything that you do...not just being aware of your environment, but dominating it.


We started to shoot some multiple target arrays, working body shots on some, then head shots on others. Going right to left and left to right, going head/body/head, and body/head/body. Accuracy standards were still highly present, with head shots needing to land in the "credit card" if you wanted it to count. Any body shot that landed in the "D-Zone" was considered a complete miss. Upper A zone hits were just about all we were looking for.

After that, we got into working Strong Hand Only and Other Strong Hand Only draws, reloads, manipulations, and shooting.



Kyle went over some of the difference in OSH draws, some of the safety concerns, ways to use the ground to your advantage, and most importantly...the REAL WORLD reasons for why you might need this valuable skill. We did SHO and OSH drills where we simulated holding a body out in front of you at a 45, having your arm occupied out to your side, and pinning down someone on the ground while drawing and shooting.





After dinner, we came back and got into the low light portion of the class. While we waited for the sun to set fully, Kyle reviewed key features he looks for in a flashlight. Luckily we had Kevin B. of Streamlight there with us to help explain how flashlights are rated, how they work, and he even brought out a variety of products for us to compare and try out.





Kyle spent a good bit of time talking about the various flashlight positions people have been using for years, and the weaknesses he's seen with them. He even had a great tip for helping with alignment issues people typically experience in Harries. Then, half in jest, mentioning how seemingly everyone in the industry who teaches low-light has a technique named after them...Kyle showed us the "Defoor Technique". This technique seemed pretty easy to pickup, worked will for backlighting your pistol sights, worked well on the mover, and was just simple and to the point.



We put a fair number of rounds downrange at night, more than I've done in any other class with night fire in them. Kyle got the movers going at night, and we were really able to each get comfortable with our technique of choice and the gear we had.

Just like he had earlier in the class, Kyle got right in there with us during a lull while folks were loading magazines and put some lead on target with us too. If anyone heard the hits on the steel, they would have thought it was daylight and someone was using both hands on the gun...not that it was just Kyle shooting with a flashlight in 1 hand...dude can SHOOT!


TD2:

"Hold my beer and watch this".



Kyle jumped right into one of his toughest standards, sprinting 50 yards, making A-Zone hits at 50 yards, then closing in and making more A-Zone and Credit Card hits...all on the clock. Kyle wasn't shy about explaining just how hard these stardards were...we ALL had a tough time passing them. Ever try sprinting 50 yards and shooting the A-Zone on a IPSC target? Friggin' hard stuff.



As this standard requires running around with a gun, Kyle showed us how to do so safely while hauling ass. In all of my previous shooting classes...running with a gun in hand wasn't covered. Very good, valuable info here.

Kyle's standards were designed for dudes shooting fullsize pistols. Kyle passed them with his Glock 19, which gave me some hope running a G19 myself. Somehow, I managed to get the top score (passing, BTW) on the drill, and won a set of the Defoor Pistol Sights. During a break Kyle was even generous enough to bust out his tool kit and put them on my slide right there on the range. How many people have Kyle Defoor Sights INSTALLED by Kyle Defoor? Very cool stuff.

After running the standard, we hammered out some groups at 50 yards, as very few have ever done this. We had multiple students shooting 6" groups from 50 yards...lots of hard shooting folks at this class.

After some distance work, we went over turns, and this was something where you really saw Kyle's real world experience shine through. Rather than standard wide swinging turns often taught in classes, Kyle has us kick in 3' gaps on the range, to simulate being in a doorway or other tight space. Kyle showed us how to turn in these tighter spaces and get out hitting on the target fast. We were putting hits on target from less than optimal stances, fixing them as we finished the target off.

Moving closer, we started to go over close quarters shooting.



Kyle explained where blades came in, and how there was a fork in the road between those who depend on their guns as their only weapon, and those who carry blades and know how to use them. Kyle demo'ed just how fast he could have a blade in a target from up close (using a shot timer on a board - sub .4 second "slow-draw" to entry) and how lethal a blade can be.






Those that didn't have blades with them would have to use some combatives and try to create distance. Both ways were shown, and those with the option to run the blade stuff, practiced both. Students ran through multiple reps on each drill before we moved on.

After we got comfortable with shooting from retention and retreating, we ran another drill...following the target to the ground.

Most good trainers tell you to shoot the target until it drops, but few actually let you practice it. Kyle ran us through a drill where we could shoot the target into the ground, finish it off with a shot to the head, all while retreating and/or cutting it up with a blade.



After lunch, we reported to the famed Rogers Range at USTC. I think we were all giddy with excitement to shoot the Rogers, and we all stuffed every mag we had and prepared to assault.



Kyle first showed us how he clears from cover/concealment...another signature Defoor difference that pretty much no-one who hasn't trained with him has seen. Really good, real world techniques. Kyle's recent and relevant experience in these topics really gives him an edge over many of the other trainers in the industry today.

After running some vertical and horizontal cover on the plates, Kyle addressed shooting from a sitting position...such as one would shoot from a car. Kyle gave us some key tips for POI difference through auto-glass, ran a demo (punishing the steel), and let us run it until we felt good about it.





After that, we got to shoot our hearts content on the Rogers Range, working draws, SHO work, sitting, shooting from sitting at an angle, etc. Several guns were left sitting open on the baricade windows to cool down...we got those things heated UP shooting that steel!

After we were burnt out, out of ammo, and happy as hell, Kyle pulled us all in for a quick recap/debrief...asked for questions, and we hit the road.

This class covered so much. Shooting for score at 50 yards, working from retention range, shooting while physically dealing with another problem, shooting from sitting, shooting in low light, shooting a falling target, working blades into your firearms work, etc. I can't imagine how to cram any more into a single 2 day class.

Kyle's real world experience, familiarity with the facility, unmatched energy and passion for shooting, and Kyle's simple to the point way of explaining things really makes him one of the best instructors I've ever had the pleasure to learn from. Even having a number of classes under my belt from gents like LAV and Ken Hackathorn...there was a TON to learn from Kyle Defoor.

With Kyle being as in-demand as he is...folks would be a fool not to jump on the next possible opportunity they have to train with Kyle.

I'll be working on what Kyle taught me for some time now. Can't recommend him highly enough.

Also, a lot of folks started to see just how deadly and useful blades were through this class.
Kyle personally recommended Tom Kier to all of us, someone I've trained with some myself, and is really the go-to guy on this stuff (as those of us who were there got to hear about). Tom can be reached at:tomkier@sayoctactical.com or via phone at 610-496-2670. Their Facebook page typically has some great blade drills and tips on it: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sayoc-...00765649969744

[Shawn.L]

so............... who won that first set of sights Jim ?


Its hard for to convey exacly how great this class was. We covered a metric shit ton of info, had a very "up to speed" student base, and used the awesome facilitites at the USTC to their fullest at every chance.

Ive taken 2 courses with Kyle this year and hes quickly jumped to the top of my list for dudes to prioritize instruction with.

[synergy]

so............... who won that first set of sights Jim ?


Its hard for to convey exacly how great this class was. We covered a metric shit ton of info, had a very "up to speed" student base, and used the awesome facilitites at the USTC to their fullest at every chance.

Ive taken 2 courses with Kyle this year and hes quickly jumped to the top of my list for dudes to prioritize instruction with.

Yep...you did.

I beat you on the first run, and FELL APART on the second! You earned em though.

Have you run them yet? I need to get out and do some precision work with them in the next week or so...


ETA: Kyle just uploaded his helmet cam footage of Test #1, the one you were top shooter in.

[Shawn.L]

I'll get out either Thursday or Sunday .

Give my trigger finger a break !

I wouldn't have dropped that first shot if it wouldn't have been a squib. I should have just took an extra shot , I had the time .

Kyle is a beast !
While we break for lunch dude is making videos of the drills !