BASIC TRAINING - COMBATS SHOOTING TACTICS

One of the issues of close-quarter rifle shooting is taking into account the offset between the line of sight and the line of bore. Practicing with hostage targets is a good way to learn this.

Good instructors can perform. Howe demonstrates every drill he teaches on the clock for score.

Howe prefers to use one club for the whole course. His preferred setup for a carbine (left) is nearly identical to his preferred setup for a sniper rifle.

The Wilson Combat BILLetAR features a matched upper and lower receiver that are 100 percent CNC-machined from 7075-T6 aerospace aluminum billet stock, making a good platform better. All Wilson Combat AR-15s can be had with this receiver.

While fixed sights are the most rugged, flip-up sights are sometimes needed. Wilson Combat TR-QDSSCSAT rail units are ideal if optics are used.

The AccuRizer AR flattop scope mount is machined from aluminum bar stock and provides instant on/off with no loss of zero.

Howe teaches students to move decisively from cover and to own the area. He feels it is better to dominate the area, servicing threats as necessary, and shooting with your strongest approach.

This Tactical Carbine from Wilson Combat has a Leupold scope, fixed Daniel Defense front sight, and flip-up rear sight with a CSAT aperture. This specific rifle covers both carbine and sniper operations.

CSAT GAT (Glass Assault Tool) provides a rapid and effortless means of breaching automotive or safety glass while keeping both hands on the rifle.

Gun owners seeking tactical instruction have no shortage of options. The problem is deciding which option yields the best result for the dollar. Even if the instructor’s resume checks out, the listed real-world experience is for naught if he or she can’t impart that knowledge upon students. Without a well-thought-out curriculum, tests and a training/practice plan to follow after the course is over, you’re just paying for war stories. Having a sensible training method coupled with objective performance standards is key.

Paul Howe is a high-risk training instructor with experience in law enforcement and 20 years of active-duty service in the U.S. Army, 10 of which were in special operations. Howe also was with 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993. As a tactical team leader, Howe led multiple combat operations and was a senior instructor for tier-one personnel before retiring as a master sergeant. Howe is the type of soldier G.I. Joe wishes he could be. Howe started CSAT (Combat Shooting And Tactics) as a training business in 2000 and purchased land in Nacogdoches, Texas, for a permanent school in 2004. Initially starting with 220 acres, the facility was expanded to 330 acres in 2009 and features multiple square ranges for pistol, rifle and law enforcement classes, and Sniper Hill, which goes out to nearly 1,000 yards. Several ranges feature multiple cars, simulating urban environments such as parking lots, as well as various structures. Shoothouses are surrounded by berms, allowing the use of all ammunition types. Even the obstacle course has berms and can be used for live fire. In addition to classes and law enforcement support, the facility has a sportsman’s range catering to local shooters. The on-site barracks accommodate up to 24 students and has hot-water showers, a kitchen with refrigerators and a sink, a dining/recreation room, a wet bar, gym equipment, a classroom, multiple bathrooms, a gun shop and a gun-cleaning shed.

First Things First
Bill Wilson shot with us and generously provided all the guns, equipment and ammunition. For pistols we used Wilson Combat X-TAC Compact pistols with Wilson magazines, sheathed in a mix of the company’s Practical and Rapid Response holsters and firing Bill Wilson Signature Match ammunition. We started with a meeting at the CSAT classroom for an overview of the company and Howe’s philosophy…

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