Indexing Your Temple
In the past month or so, there have been some bantering about the legitimacy of indexing your temple while using a pistol. Earlier we posted about one training group’s technique of indexing your cheek.
Aaron Cowen, over at Moderno, explains the specific use and necessity of this technique. Like most things on the internet, when taken out of context, it can cause confusion and ridicule. He makes it clear that shooting on a range to practice is just that. It is practice.
We train on the range, we practice on the range. We are not training to fight on the range.
Aaron explains that the technique was called High Vertical Ready when he first learned this technique. It is used for Personal Security Detail purposes. Specifically working in and around vehicles.
It was used to safely pivot in a seat without muzzling other passengers to engage a threat inside or outside of the cabin. As anyone who has worked PSD knows, sometimes there are possible threats inside the vehicle with your client and everyone outside the car is a possible threat. Being able to maneuver in a seat with weapon drawn, be it with your family, fellow officers, soldiers, detail members or general passengers is tricky business with few physical techniques.
Aaron does mention his experience with Temple Index during a training encounter taught by a Naval Special Warfare veteran and they were using rifles.
a method to maneuver the weapon (in this case, a rifle) through deep snow/brush and to navigate tight spaces or move quickly when running with a barrel-down would lead to a lot of barrel/leg contact. Running with a long arm, especially as part of a team, leaves few ways to carry your rifle without muzzling others and the navigation of tight quarters or less-than-ideal terrain a problem with few solutions.
Given the explanation and context, it does seem like this technique has validity.
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Wow just Wow guess they never saw the Memo from the FBI investigations of shooting of Swat team members by "accidental discharges" (insert your favorite descriptive words here) when the hand guns were carried in this manner.
And the fact that the FBI now recommends DOWNWARD or towards the ground ready.
The problem is when the following officer, with firearm in this position, trips and looses balance and starts to fall forward the raised gun hand MOVES REFLEXIVELY AND NATURALLY DOWNWARD and the hand reflexively closes to retain the grip which has resulted in rounds discharged into the officer in front of this one.
If the firearm is carried at the downward position and the officer starts to fall the swing of the firearm is further towards the ground and NOT the back of the officer or other people in the area.
They also found there is no measurable difference in on target time between the two different carries, with the same level of training, making the low ready the preferable position for carry.
Never mind the mindbogglingly stupidity of pointing a firearm anywhere near your face unless you are a perfect person (and we know how many of them there are ZERO) that NEVER makes a mistake.
There is no justification for this carry for any reason in my opinion.
Makes sense to me,as long as your finger is OFF the trigger......