Question for the LEOs

[chadbuddy]

I’m planning on applying to Nashville Metro once I graduate in about a year and a half. I got a Glock 22 for both home defense and to practice for the academy and let's face it, shooting is fun.

I've been hitting the range pretty hard lately but can you recommend any particular ways I should practice or what types of shooting tests should I anticipate?

[EMTRN]

Learn to shoot the way they want you to. The best thing you can do to prepare, is to start running. The mental and physical part of the academy is much harder than the shooting.

[Guest Phantom6]

Learn to shoot the way they want you to. The best thing you can do to prepare, is to start running. The mental and physical part of the academy is much harder than the shooting.

+1 Run every day. Run farther each week. Learn to love it. Stop taking elevators. Run up the stairs. Did I mention RUN?

[Guest Jamie]

I’m planning on applying to Nashville Metro once I graduate in about a year and a half. I got a Glock 22 for both home defense and to practice for the academy and let's face it, shooting is fun.

I've been hitting the range pretty hard lately but can you recommend any particular ways I should practice or what types of shooting tests should I anticipate?

Probably the most important thing you need to learn as far as the shooting portion of it goes is to learn to shoot under pressure, and to learn to tune out any distractions and do what you need to do. ( This doesn't mean ignoring your surroundings or developing tunnel vision though. You'll still have to pay attention and be alert. You'll just need to give things their proper priority. )

As for how to go about that... it's up to you and your imagination to figure that one out. You can have friends come to the range with you and provide the required distractions - yelling at you, pitching small gravel at you etc. - and basically try to simulate the "stress fire course" you'll go through at the academy.

You'll still need to be careful and do things safely though...

As others have already said, it's the mental aspect of the academy that'll be the hardest part. And working on your mental strength will be just as important as your shooting skills or physical conditioning.

J.

[TN-popo]

Learn to shoot the way they want you to. The best thing you can do to prepare, is to start running. The mental and physical part of the academy is much harder than the shooting.

+1 ...I used to work for Metro.

Edited July 27, 2010 by TN-popo

[kb4ns]

Yep. I gotta agree with all the others. Don't sweat the shooting. There'll be folks in your class that have never even held a gun, so you're probably already ahead of the curve. There'll be plenty of training. And plenty of shooting. It's been a while, but IIRC, firearms in the academy was 80 hours (most of it on the range). You'll get plenty of trigger time in and have all the time you need to get it right!

[Smith]

Run and KNOW your ten codes BEFORE you go. Will save you a little running time. Of course you will learn to love running so it's not that big of a deal!

They will teach you to shoot the way they want you to. Its actually better not to go in with a lot of bad habits or skills they may or may not have to break you from. When my BIL went in he had shot quite a bit before, but they changed him to left hand and he later became his departments SWAT sharpshooter/sniper.

[chadbuddy]

Thanks for the advice. It's still a little too far out for me to start making 10-code flash cards but I plan to before I go to the academy.

[Smith]

Thanks for the advice. It's still a little too far out for me to start making 10-code flash cards but I plan to before I go to the academy.

Haha, you would think that. However, I can tell you that on the second day of running "The Hill" in your suit and then standing in formation being quizzed withe zero response time and a wrong answer or 1 second delay means a "bonus" hill run...... a year and a half of practice would not seem like enough! Ah, fond memories of Sgt. Hickman!

[TN-popo]

Ah, fond memories of Sgt. Hickman!

LOL, I had Ed Lawrence.

[DBTN]

Just make master class in IDPA stock service pistol and challenge the Sgt. over firearms to a match. That should get you off to a good start. Good luck.

[TN-popo]

Just make master class in IDPA stock service pistol and challenge the Sgt. over firearms to a match. That should get you off to a good start. Good luck.

Hehe...you are evil, Mr.B.

#34

Edited July 25, 2010 by TN-popo

[GLOCKMEISTER]

run before you shoot...

[Guest jlsprouls]

I'm new to the forum, but I am a LEO, though not for metro. Obviously you need to be in shape, but spending time on the range isnt a bad idea. Here's a short list of shooting tips before you go:

1 Never abandon the fundamentals: sight picture and trigger control

2 Make your ammo last. By this I mean don't load full mags and punch holes in paper. Load two or three in a mag so you can practice mag changes. 50 rounds of well practiced ammo are better than 500 rounds blasted without purpose

3 practice moving to and from cover, and firing from behind cover

4 get your heart rate up to simulate the effects of adrenalin in a gunfight. Sprint 100 yards and then perform a failure drill, mag change etc.

These are just some ideas. Bottom line, when you get there, do what they say, the way they want you to do it.

[chadbuddy]

Thank again, the advice hasn't fallen on deaf ears. I have been hitting the track six days a week to run. I've lost a little weight already. I did practice a few mag changes at Norris the other day. It was really the first time I was at a range that would allow me to do anything but stand there.

[kb4ns]

You'll be so sick of running by the time you graduate that you'll probably never run again. At least that's how I felt...

Good luck!

[Makiaveli]

Not a cop, but I second the notion of practicing the 10 codes. Else you will do what I did and tell your boss to Signal 9 instead of 10-9. Fortunately he laughed it off and I got straight on the difference real quick!!

[Patton]

If you want to practice with your firearm just hold it and make sure your finger is outside of the trigger guard. I guarantee you someone from your class will get caught with that finger in there, don't let it be you.

Oh and start running more.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Buy some 1/4" nuts and bolts. You can use these to see where your stress level is. Run, jump, do any type of PT you can until it becomes difficult to screw the nut onto the bolts. At that point your fine motor skills are gone, the same as when you get into a fight or flight situation.

A lot of practicing you can do without ever leaving your house. Make sure your firearm is cleared then stand and practice drawing your firearm. I would recommend you get the exact same holster they are using in training for this. I stand in front of my TV and tell myself "the next blue shirt". When someone comes on with a blue shirt I draw. This way you have no clue when you are going to have to draw.

And as was already suggested when at the range practice mag changes. I would normally load 2-4 rounds in each mag. Pile them up and then grad enough for my mag pouch and for the gun. I would shoot and when dry do the mag change. And because you don't know how many rounds you have it will induce some added difficulty and stress.

And with almost any school it is a mind game more than anything. As long as you try your hardest and never give up you will be fine. You may not be the best shooter or the most physically fit in class but if you have the will power you will do fine. I have seen PT monsters get booted out of classes in the military because they thought they could skate through without giving 110%.

Dolomite

[johnnychimpo]

Chadbuddy, It's almost been a year & a half. You graduate yet?