Shooting Gallery Historical Handgun episode

Earlier this year, Michael Bane, who produces Shooting Gallery and other shows for the Outdoor Channel, invited me to meet with him and his production crew during the NRA Annual Meeting in Dallas, to discuss the idea of doing an episode of that show that covered the material I’ve been presenting in my Historical Handgun class (and the book in progress).

That meeting led to my traveling to the Great Guns range, near Fort Collins, CO on Saturday, Sept 8 to record a Shooting Gallery episode that will air in early 2019. Here’s a short clip, of my “handgun technique history in 30 seconds or less” demo.

Michael talks about the episode taping as part of this episode of his Down Range TV podcast.

 

As part of the episode taping, I had to shoot a bunch of the historical drills using period appropriate guns and holsters, like the FBI 1980’s qual (shooting Weaver with a DA/SA gun), and the current Marine military police qual using an M9 from a drop leg retention holster.

I also had to shoot the 1930’s U.S. Army qualification. Michael brought a beautiful 1930’s replica 1911, built by Doug Turnbull for him.

As usual, the tang on the grip safety dug a nice divot out of my hand, after shooting 15 rounds out of it. This is why when shooters began doing a lot more live fire practice, gripping the gun higher and harder, that different (wider and smoother) beavertail grip safeties were created.

Some photos of the crew in action.

And some pics of some of the different targets we used during the shoot.

The 1960’s to 1980’s array:

The Austin PD 1990’s target:

The F.A.S.T. target after my first take 6 second run from appendix carry, using a Keepers Concealment holster.

And the Marine military police target after I shot part of that test.

The one target I didn’t get a picture of was the 1940’s FBI target.  My first take on the hip shooting at 7 yards drill (5 shots in 5 seconds or less) put 5 rounds in a nice 8″ group high center chest – exactly where you would want them.  At the end of the day they filmed me re-running that drill using a high speed camera. Hopefully that clip will make into the broadcast episode.

FINISHING THE BOOK

With an expected broadcast date in early 2019, I have even more motivation to get back to work on the book, and get it completed in time for Christmas 2018, or SHOT show 2019.  After I get back from teaching the Historical Handgun class in Culpepper, VA in late October, KR Training will take our usual deer season/holiday season break, giving me time to sit down and write.