THE SAGUARO

GUNNER
The monthly journal of ARIZONA WEAPONCRAFT SOLUTIONS.
A division of Johnnie L. Mock PSP
Security Consultants LLC
500 N. Estrella Pkwy, Suite B2-267
Goodyear Arizona
E-Mail: awsl@mindspring.com
Web: www.azwcsl.com
Issue, 1 Vol. 1
Jan/Feb 2010

Welcome to the first edition of the Saguaro Gunner, the free journal of ARIZONA WEAPONCRAFT
SOLUTIONS, a small arms training organization designed to bring world class small arms instruction to law
abiding citizens, police, and military personnel.
We will do doing a variety of informative articles of interest to former students, prospective students, and the
shooting public at large. We encourage reader feedback and if you have an article that you think would be of
interest, we encourage reader contributions. We hope to evolve into a monthly journal.
The Gunner is totally free of charge and can be acquired monthly by sending an e-mail with “subscribe” in the
subject line to awsl@mindspring.com or by downloading it at www.azwcsl.com
Enjoy.

In This Issue

1. Our upcoming class schedule

2. Places to Shoot: Joe Foss Range, An excellent range facility in the West
Valley
3. Equipment review: Safepacker Pistol Holster
4. Book Review: Tactical Pistol Marksmanship by Gabe Suarez
5. Shooting Fundamentals: Trigger control
6. Final Thoughts: Let us hear from you
1) Our Upcoming Classes

We have scheduled Arizona Concealed Weapon Permit classes on the following dates. All
classes will be held at the Joe Foss shooting range in Buckeye Arizona. Please check our
website at www.azwcsl.com to download application forms and for additional information.

Arizona CCW Classes

March 13, April 10, May 08, June 05, July 10, Aug. 07, Sep. 04, Oct.02
All classes are $75.00 payable in cash, check, or money order

We will be scheduling additional pistol and rifle classes at various locations later in the year. Be
sure to check our website frequently for type, dates, and locations.

NRA Basic Pistol Class

This is an excellent class for the new handgun owner or someone who wants to take the
Concealed Weapon Permit Course and wants a solid foundation in pistol marksmanship first. It
covers the basics of handguns, handgun ammunition, and basic pistol marksmanship. We did
one of these recently and it was a great success. We are trying to determine if there is enough
interest to run one of these again soon. If you or anyone you know of might be interested in
this class, please e-mail us at awsl@mindspring.com and if there is sufficient interest, we will
schedule one of these soon.

2) Places to Shoot

Joe Foss Shooting Range

Residents on the west side of the valley have a wonderful shooting range to use that isn’t as well
known as it should be. The Joe Foss shooting range is located 10 miles south of I-10 on SR-85.
The range has a small store where targets and ear protection can be purchased, as well as two
classrooms and two ranges. The main range has 40 covered tables with target distances up
200yds. The training range has 40 covered tables with target distances up to 50yds.
The Joe Foss Shooting Complex is owned by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, and
managed by the Buckeye Sportsman’s Club on a volunteer basis. The range personnel you see
out there operating the range on weekends do so without any compensation. And they could
use some help keeping this fine facility open for public use!
There are two ways to help out. Buckeye Sportsman Club members have a membership
commitment to volunteer 24 hours per calendar quarter (about 1 day a month) as well as
attendance to ½ of the regular club business meetings held on the second Thursday of each
month (6 meetings a year) The benefit of club membership is the ability to use the range during
scheduled opening times totally free. The second way to help is to be a range volunteer. The
benefit of this program is that you can shoot one day free for each day of volunteer work. To
find out more about membership in the Buckeye Sportsman Club please e-mail
membership@buckeyesports.org.
The Joe Foss range is expanding and a shotgun range is under construction. In addition, a
number of activities including training opportunities are available there. To find out what is
going on that may be of interest to you, check out the range website at
www.joefossshootingcomplex.com
You will be glad you did!

3) Equipment Review

The Safepacker Pistol Holster

The last few years have seen a tremendous increase in the number of law abiding citizens opting
to get concealed weapon permits (CCW) to go about armed for self protection. There has also
been a corresponding increase of unique ways to carry concealed. The Safepacker holster is one
of those unique designs that fulfill a number of functions. Constructed of tough Cordura nylon
and thick closed-cell neoprene padding, the Safepacker was originally designed to completely
protect a firearm and reload for armed mountain rescue teams whose equipment received hard
use in tough terrain and climates.
The inside of the safepacker will hold a pistol and a spare magazine. The side is fastened using a
Velcro strip. Once the retaining strap has been opened, the pistol can be quickly accessed simply
by thrusting the hand in and grabbing it. It comes in right and left hand models and in various
sizes to accommodate a wide variety of automatic pistols and revolvers.
The cover flap is also a smaller pouch that is Velcro closed which can store a variety of articles.
The holster has a carrying handle on top and two D rings that a removable shoulder strap
attaches to.
The Safepacker can be carried a number of ways. You can attach it to your belt using the large
belt loop on the back, across your shoulder using the carrying strap, in your hand using the
carrying handle, or attached to your rucksack a number of ways.
For the traveler, it can be used as a bed holster by opening the cover flap and placing it between
the mattress and box springs giving immediate access.
Another excellent way to use the Safepacker while traveling is to run the seat belt strap through
the belt loop and it will sit secure on your right side for quick access. This also has the added
benefit of keeping your pistol secure in the event of an accident. I carry my Glock 19 this way
and then transfer it to my carry holster when out of the vehicle.

This quality constructed holster is made right here in Phoenix by The Wilderness company.
They make a wide variety of nylon gear for the shooter, sportsman, police officer or military
person. You can view their entire line of quality products at: www.thewilderness.com
(Photos courtesy of The Wilderness website)
 4) Book Review:
Tactical Pistol Marksmanship
Gabe Suarez
Paladin Press
ISBN 13:978-1-58160-278-4

Gabe Suarez is one of the premier tactical firearms instructors in the United States, and has been
for some time. His techniques for teaching both basic and advanced Weaponcraft are
internationally recognized. In this volume, he covers the concepts of tactical pistol
marksmanship that are relevant to both the beginner and the pro. He begins with a general
overview of what makes a good defensive pistol, proper ammunition selection, and those
accessories that will enhance the selected pistol. Then chapter by chapter, he guides the reader
through safety, proper practice, dry firing, proper loading and unloading, and chamber checking.
He then delves into practical marksmanship techniques such as presentation from the holster,
tactical reload, speed reload, and malfunction clearing. He then covers tactical issues such as
360 degree response, shooting in reduced light, close quarter combat, and failure to stop
solutions. Finally, he gives the reader some excellent practice drills that will bring the novice to
acceptable competency, or help the old hand knock the rust off.
He emphasizes a subject that I agree with totally in that dry firing is your primary training tool,
while live fire is just the test to see what you have learned.
This is an outstanding book that gets to the heart of each subject directly. I can highly
recommend this book to anyone who wishes to move beyond basic CCW graduation and desires
to develop a training program on their own time.
This book can be purchased from Paladin Press at www.paladin-press.com or directly from the
author on his website at www.onesourcetactical.com
5) Shooting Fundamentals:
Trigger control

I spent 8 of my years in the Army as a professional marksmanship instructor/shooter

shooting NRA outdoor 3 gun pistol (as well as teaching combat weaponcraft and sniping)
For those who have never tried it, it is a precision form of shooting that leaves little room for
error when it comes to the fundamentals. All forms of shooting utilize the same basic
fundamentals of marksmanship in one form or another, so in this column I will review them
one at a time.
Since trigger control is the last “final act” of shooting one good shot, or a string of good
shots, I will begin with it. Many shooters are able to employ the other basic fundamentals
such as position, breath control, grip, and sight alignment properly but then ruin a shot with
improper trigger manipulation. Often called “jerking the trigger” or “flinching”, this is a bad
habit that the shooter is often unaware of. (Usually because they are not properly watching
the sights, a subject I will cover in detail in our next issue). So what are the causes of
improper trigger control? It is usually one of two problems. Either the shooter is trying to
“set up” the shot, or it is a reaction to the anticipated recoil or noise of the shot.
When a shooter tries to set up the shot, they align the sights properly, and then snatch the
trigger hoping to hit the aiming point before the sights go out of alignment. It is important to
accept that no one can hold a firearm perfectly still. Your body is going to move some do to
heartbeat. That is called “arc of movement” Just keep the front and rear sights aligned and
the aligned sights will actually stay in the aiming area. If you try to “make” it good, you will
“make” it go off the aiming area. Flinching in anticipation of noise or recoil is the second
major reason for poor trigger control. This is found often in new shooters, especially those
who are trying to master a large caliber weapon that is perhaps painful to shoot, before
instilling the basic fundamentals into their skill sets. Having good hearing protection while
live firing is important.
Trigger finger placement is very important. The idea is to find that spot on the trigger where
you can pull the trigger straight to the rear. Too much finger and you will tend to pull the
shots to the right (right handed shooter). Too little, and you will tend to push the shots to the
left.
Ideally, you are watching the sights, focusing on the front sight and applying steady, even
pressure on the trigger until the round goes off as a surprise shot.
Dry Firing (practicing the fundamentals without using live ammunition) is the most
important training technique you can use to develop good marksmanship fundamentals.
If you are truly watching the sights correctly, as you apply trigger pressure you can see
whether the sights stay aligned as the hammer falls.
Note: Always remember the basic safety rules for dry firing. NO live ammunition in the
same room that you are training in! Weapon properly cleared in a safe direction.
(Check and TRIPPLE check it!) Weapon pointed in a safe direction when dry firing!
An analogy to describe good trigger control is comparing it to when you use an eye dropper
for the first time. You usually anticipate the liquid going into your eye as you squeeze the
rubber bulb and “flinch” causing the water to go everywhere except your eye. Once you get
used to holding the eye dropper still (sights) you squeeze the rubber bulb (trigger) and wait
patiently for the liquid to go into your eye (shot on target).
Next issue we will combine sight alignment with trigger control. Until then, SAFE shooting!

6) Final Thoughts: Let us hear from you!

OK, this was our first issue, and we hoped you enjoyed it. We sincerely solicit both feedback
on our articles, and if you have a relevant article you would like to write, feel free to send it
to us. We reserve the right to edit any articles for content and length.
Until next time, shoot SAFE! and Have Fun!