2015 Open Courses

June 15-19, Pistol Instructor, Kent, WA

August 17-21, Basic SWAT School, Spokane County, WA

Sept 14-16, Tactical Pistol, Kent, WA

Oct. 19-21, Carbine/Submachine Gun User, Spokane County, WA

Oct 22-23, Tactical Pistol, Spokane County, WA

Nov 16-18, Hostage Rescue, Spokane County, WA

Dec 14-16, SWAT Team Leader, Spokane County, WA

I often get asked what I recommend for teams that want to start, or already have, a ballistic breaching program. I teach the topic different than most guys, at least from the courses I have been to and what I read. I won’t get into specific technique here, I will talk about the gun and supporting gear.

This is specific to police SWAT teams, since that is what I do and I think I have a good grasp of what team needs are. It should be a fighting shotgun first, meaning a full size gun with a stock and at least 8 rounds loaded. The reason for this is that it will be the only long gun that guy is carrying on the mission. So he needs to be able to throw down on doors, vicious dogs and vicious people off that platform.

It needs 8 rounds because if I run the hinges with six and then the door falls in, I will have two left on board to defend myself. There will be times where the breacher can’t retreat or get out of the way of the guys with rifles, so he’s gotta do work on his own. With that concept, the pistol grip, sawed off 870 that you made yourself is not going to cut it. The same level of quality you expect in your rifle should be in the breaching gun. This includes a decent red dot optic just like on your real gun.

The breacher needs to able to manipulate the shotgun with the same speed and accuracy he brings to his rifle. So dumping loose shells into a dump pouch, as the PRIMARY reload is ridiculous. I want to be able to access shells in a secure manner, so they come out the same way every time for the approach to the gun. You know, the same way you put your rifle mags in the pouches in a specific manner to ease reloading? One of the best things I have used to date is the EZ8 shell caddy from Gunner Solution. It allows a guy to have 8 shells standing by and allows for standard loading one at a time or using the twins or quad method. Shells are extremely secure, but still easy to access. The one I have came with MOLLE clips so it is secured right on my battle belt. It is about 4 rows wide, but it only take two rows to mount it. I highly recommend this piece of quality, American made, bad- assery if you are a shotgun breacher. Check them out at www.gunnersolutions.com. Seriously good stuff.