Some time back, I was listening to the That Weems Guy podcast, “Instructor Updates? with Hearne and Gelhaus,” and the topic area generally covered an article done by Erick Gelhaus in American Cop.

Had I read the article first, I’d have seen the first general issue that arose. That was the issue of “fairness” on the academy range. In Erick’s case, it was everyone in a group having to shoot with irons on their pistols, disabling the optics. Why?

It wasn’t fair to non-optics equipped types to have those with PMOs shoot with a dot, resulting in “better scores.”

I graduated basic in 1978, in the days that only revolvers were allowed at the academy – even those of us who carried autos. 

We all have to be the same you know.

Many of us arrived with speedloaders – a good many had these as issued equipment – but no use of them was allowed. Why?

“It’s not fair” to those who don’t have them.

Frankly, the last thing on my mind in a fight is being fair. The only thing is “what does it take to get me out of this?”

The fact that we weren’t allowed to participate with gear that we were authorized to carry – or mandated to carry, in the cases of those from agencies who issued life-saving gear – amounts to negligence. 

Or it would today.

More critically, it’s the “gear made them better” canard. I remember the results when we transitioned from revolvers to autos in 1986. We were all amazed at how well people shot. 

That didn’t last … at all. It never does.

“But he qualified!” 

That was then. What have you done for him lately?

Sustainment is key to maintaining abilities. That means handling, regular practice (even – or particularly dry practice), keeping up with industry trends. 

They’re finding people do well in the pistol optics classes. Of course, they just finished one-, two- or three days of transition. They’re going to be better at the end of the class.

Give them a few months, then have them shoot. It’ll look like it’s time for the rubber-gun squad.

An opinion widely broadcast recently is that regardless of the expense involved in acquiring and issuing guns and optics, the real expense in time and money is training.

Training is likewise absolutely critical to the safety of officers and citizens. 

To think we did the job with a fixed-sight 38 revolver and twelve spare rounds of ammo. But, before us, there were American cops with 32 revolvers and maybe some loose ammo in a pocket. 

It’s all relative.

What about metallic sights? They’re the default, the base; it’s helpful to know how to shoot accurately using them. 

But, in the fight, if you’re good with the optics and they work, have at it. 

Get home at the end of the day.

– Rich Grassi