Oak Park Public Safety

Tactical Rifle School

2008

Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they

want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to

become sheepdogs.

-LtC. David Grossman

• Designed by Eugene Stoner, who sold the design to Colt in 1959.

• Was marketed to various military services around the world.

• Contrary to popular belief, the AR in AR-15 does not mean “assault rifle”……It is just a model number that Stoner used when he designed the weapon for Armalite Corporation.

• Many different civilian models are currently produced.

History of the AR-15 Rifle

What does our new rifle have?-16 inch, chrome-lined, chrome moly barrel (longer life)

- 2-stage match trigger (lighter trigger pull)

- Flip-up rear sight

- Hogue rubber pistol grip

- SureFire quad rail handguard

- 6-position CAR stock

- EOTech holographic sight (co-witnessed)

- SureFire mounted flashlight

- Single point tactical sling

AR-15 Nomenclature

Upper and Lower Receiver

Barrel, Quad Rail, and Front Sight

Safety Selector

Bolt Catch and Bolt Release

Flip-Up Rear Sight

Large Aperture – 0 to 200 meters

Small Aperture – over 200 meters

Ejection Port and Dust Cover

Magazine Release Button

Forward Assist

6-Position Collapsible Stock

Take Down Pin

Rifle Broken Down at Pivot Pin

Bolt, Bolt Carrier and Firing Pin

Broken Down for Cleaning

Proof that anyone can do this !!!

•The first thing you should do when you pick up a weapon is…

•ALWAYS point the weapon in a safe direction

Weapon Safety

•Four safety steps when handling a weapon.1.Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.2.Never point a firearm at anything or anybody you do not intend to shoot or where an unintentional discharge may do harm.3.Never Place your finger into the trigger group until you are ready to fire.4.Be sure of your target, backstop, and beyond.

Weapon Safety

•General Rules–Eye Protection is Mandatory–Ear Protection is Mandatory–Ball Cap is Mandatory–Safety is everyone’s responsibility –report any safety problems immediately to a Range Officer.

Range Safety

1. Stance- Feet, Knees, Hips, and Shoulders square to target. Knees slightly bent. Elbows Tucked tight to the body. Feet shoulder width apart.

2. Grip- Right hand pulling weapon tight to the shoulder with pistol grip. Left had for support only. This is known as the Master Grip.

3. Sighting- A. Sight Alignment- Relationship of rear sight

to front sight.B. Sight Picture- Relationship of sights to the

target.

Shooting Fundamentals

Sight Picture

4. Trigger Control- Smooth even pressure.

5. Follow Through- Setting up for the next shot. Maintaining Fundamentals. Do not immediately drop the weapon to a ready position.

6. Scan and Breathe- Remember the +1 rule…Always assume there is one more adversary.

Shooting Fundamentals

1. Standing

2. Kneeling

3. Squatting

4. Prone

1. SupportedA. SlingB. Using cover as

support

2. UnsupportedA. Side coverB. Over coverC. Low Cover

(Prone)

Firing Positions

•Cover

–Provides protection from incoming rounds.

•Concealment

–Only protects you from being seen.

Cover vs. Concealment

Use of Cover

•Cover dictates firing position•From around side, over top, step out,roll out, left and right•Angle provides depth•Use cover as soon as possible•Protect your computer, motor, and wheels•Maintain visual of threat and threat areas•Vehicle as cover

•Prioritization

•Identifying targets

•Smooth firearm movement

•Jerking

•Tunnel vision

•One target at a time

Multiple Targets

•Stationary hold–Firearm stationary, target moves into sights

•Tracking–Firearm moves at the same speed as the target

•Overtaking–Firearm moves faster than the target

Dealing with Moving Targets

Shooting through Glass

•If a subject is standing behind glass, 10 feet is the furthest distance that he may be away from the glass and the shooter can be reasonably certain the fired bullet will accurately hit the target.

•Nothing is guaranteed when shooting through glass.

Loading Your Weapon

• Ensure that the bolt is locked back and charging handle stowed.

• Insert magazine.

• Slap bolt release with heel of hand.

• Weapon is ready to fire, once threat/target is identified and placed off SAFE.

Unloading Your Weapon

• Selector on SAFE

• Remove Magazine

• Pull charging handle to rear to eject round in chamber.

• Lock bolt to the rear with bolt catch and stow charging handle.

• ensure, visually only, that your chamber is clear.

• Weapon is now unloaded.

Weapon Storage while in Patrol Car• Your rifle will be store inside the cab of your patrol

vehicle.

• A full magazine will be inserted into the rifle on an empty chamber.

• If you need to put your weapon into service, do the following:

1) Press “standby” and then “gun lock” on keypad.

2) Access Rifle

3) Sling rifle

4) Pull charging handle to chamber a round.

5) Rifle will be ready to fire, once off SAFE.

Proper Reloading Technique -Tactical

Officers are to perform a TACTICAL RELOAD when they still have rounds in their magazine, but want a full magazine to continue on with the fight.

• Simply, remove partially spent magazine

• And insert a fully loaded magazine

• You are now ready to get back into the fight.

•No reason to eject the round presently inside the chamber.

Proper Reloading Technique – Emergency

Officers are to perform an EMERGENCY RELOAD when their rifle has run dry or out of rounds with bolt locked back.

• Empty magazine is ejected from rifle.

• Access and insert fully loaded magazine.

• Slap bolt release button with heel of hand.

• You are now ready to get back into the fight !

Malfunctions with the AR-15

• 85% to 90% of malfunctions can be traced to the magazine

–Old/bad springs

–Broken followers

–Dented magazine bodies

• Some malfunctions can be user induced–Hand position

–Improper loading/seating of magazine

–Bolt locked to the rear

–Weapon on safe

–Lack of weapons maintenance

Immediate Action Drill

•PULL (the trigger again)

•TAP (magazine)

•RACK (charging handle)

•READY (to handle threat)

If that doesn’t work? (Major Malfunction)

TRANSITION TO YOUR PISTOL AND FIND COVER

Once at a position of cover:• RIP (the magazine out of rifle)

• RACK (the charging handle and lock back bolt)

• ROCK (the rifle to 45 degrees to expel problem)

• INSERT (a new magazine)

• SLAP (bolt release)

• READY (to get back into fight)!!

Scene Containment•Levels of perimeter containment

•Roles of initial responders & relieving units

•Role of SRT

•The rifle should be deployed as soon as it is recognized that it may be necessary

–The purposes for utilizing the rifle are:

•To keep the situation from moving or expanding

•To protect the officer while gathering intelligence

•To help bring a resolution to the event

Firing Position SelectionO.K.O.C.A.

•Observation and fields of fire

•Key terrain

•Obstacles

•Cover and Concealment

•Avenues of Approach and egress

Weapon Retention

1. Best weapons defense = Proper Police Action

2. Verbalization

3. Mindset

4. Step and drag back

5. Reverse “J”

6. Power steering

7. Knee Strikes

8. Deadly Force -Back up firearm or partner

•An officer may use his firearm if all of the following are present:

1.The officer believes that there is no apparent alternative to the use of firearms.

2.The safety of bystanders will not be unreasonably jeopardized.

3.The officer is confronted by a person who has the present intent and capability to kill or seriously injure the officer or another.

General Order #79

Firing Terminology

A. Hammer- Double Taps

B. Controlled Pairs- Two aimed shots

C. Presentation Time- The time it takes to bring the weapon to the shoulder and into firing position.

D. Set Time- The time it takes to align the sights and fire accurate shots.

•The objective is Body Hits. Aiming point is center mass.

•All rounds in the head and torso are considered to be hits.

•Rounds in the legs (below the pelvic bowl) and in the left arm are considered to be misses.

•5 pushups for every miss.

•10 pushups for letting the weapon run dry.

•20 pushups for any safety violation.

Range Rules

•All exercises begin from a low ready position

•Reload Drill

–Fire 2 rounds, magazine off, fresh magazine on, fire 2 rounds –10 seconds.

–Same time standard for daylight and night shooting.

Standards

•25 yard line

–Double tap: 2 rounds in 2 seconds.

–Stoppage: Dry fire, go to backup weapon, fire 2 rounds in 5 seconds.

–Body armor: 2 rounds in the body, one in the head in 3.5 seconds.

–Multiple targets: 2 rounds in each target in 3.5 seconds.

Standards

•50 yard line

–Standing: 2 rounds in 2.5 seconds

–Kneeling from a standing ready position: 2 rounds in 3 seconds

–Prone from a standing ready position: 2 rounds in 3 seconds

Standards

•100 yard line

–Prone: 2 rounds in 6 seconds

Standards

•Course is run as one event…move from one position to the next utilizing whatever cover is available.

•Total of 18 rounds fired. 16 shots must be on the body.

•Must not be out from behind cover (when available) for more than 4 seconds or DQ.

•3 opportunities to qualify

Qualification Course

•100 yard line

–2 rounds prone

•50 yard line

–Barricade: 2 rounds left, 2 rounds right

•25 yard line

–2 rounds from squatting over top of barricade

–2 rounds while moving to new cover position

–From behind barricade, 2 rounds each on 2 targets

–From behind barricade, dry fire, go to backup weapon, 2 rounds

–Moving target 2 rounds

Qualification Course