Active Crisis Consulting Basic AR-15 & Sidearm Training

Intro and Training Overview

The video opens at the Arena Training Facility in Georgia with hosts from Classic Firearms joined by Jason and the Active Crisis Consulting cadre. The course is described as basic AR-15 and sidearm training built from the same foundational blocks used when SEAL teams restart training cycles. Active Crisis Consulting is introduced as a company founded by former Navy SEAL Neil Mlan, with other instructors including Jim Foreman, a former SEAL Team 6 member. The day’s plan includes close-quarters concepts, shoot house work, force-on-force, and mission planning, but begins with very simple fundamentals. Instructors stress that even experienced shooters benefit from revisiting basics and that everyone on the line will be able to learn something from the structured progression of rifle and pistol drills.

Rifle Zeroing at 50 Yards

Training starts on the rifle range to confirm zero on the AR-style carbines before any dynamic work. Shooters are at 50 yards, aiming at the head box on the target and trying to keep rounds inside a small circle. The instructor notes that a 50-yard zero roughly translates to a 200-yard point of impact depending on bullet weight, but emphasizes this is not precision rifle work or a 100-yard precision zero. The focus is on a practical combat zero that keeps hits in an acceptable zone rather than chasing tiny groups. Students are told to fire tight three-shot groups at a consistent aiming point so the instructors can adjust optics, instead of shifting their point of aim after each shot and spreading impacts across the target.

Diagnosing Zero and Body Position

During zeroing, one shooter struggles with his optic adjustments because the scope lacks clear markings for MOA click values. An instructor explains that they initially chased the dot in the wrong direction, then corrected the adjustments and brought the group into an acceptable area. The discussion shifts to how body position, breathing, and trigger control affect point of impact, especially at 100 yards. A small change in position can move hits several inches, as seen when a shooter’s group shifted about six inches until his body alignment was corrected. The instructors emphasize a stable prone position, consistent shoulder pressure, and smooth trigger press to achieve tight, quarter-sized groups at distance. Once rifles are confirmed, they are put away so the class can move into pistol fundamentals.

Transition to Pistol Fundamentals

With rifles confirmed, the instructors move the group to basic pistol work. They frame the session around core performance factors rather than speed, asking what matters most when breaking a pistol shot. While front sight focus used to dominate the conversation, they note that many shooters now use RMR-style red dot optics, changing that emphasis. Regardless of sights, a clean trigger press is highlighted as critical, since slapping the trigger is common and easily throws shots off target. The instructors remind students that pistol shooting usually involves multiple rounds, so recoil management becomes just as important as the first shot. The initial drill is simple: draw the pistol, aim deliberately, fire a single clean round, and reholster, focusing on grip and trigger control without rushing or overloading students with details.

Pistol Grip, Recoil Management, and Stance

The instructors break down how to grip the pistol to manage recoil. They explain that recoil wants to flip the muzzle up around a fulcrum, so the firing hand should be as high on the backstrap as possible without interfering with the slide. A lower grip increases muzzle rise. The firing hand should be high and secure, with the pinky not over-squeezed, the ring finger applying more tension, and the middle finger slightly more than that. The support hand palm fills the open space on the grip, wrapping into the exposed area of the frame. Students are told to find a natural arm position where the pistol is pressed out but not locked so hard that tension is felt in the chest. The goal is a stable platform that allows the gun to cycle and return to target consistently rather than a rigid, uncomfortable stance.

Support Hand Pressure and Live-Fire Drill

Body position is tied directly to how the pistol behaves under recoil and in close-quarters environments. Shooters are coached into a fighting stance with the strong-side foot slightly back, knees bent, and shoulders slightly forward. This prevents being easily pushed off balance and keeps the pistol closer to the body, which is important around people or furniture and for law enforcement weapon retention. One instructor, a left-handed pistol shooter, explains that his firing hand grip is firm but not over-tight, while his support hand is tighter and angled slightly downward to help control muzzle rise. The class is told to think of the firing hand as a firm handshake and the support hand as providing stronger clamping pressure. A live-fire drill follows where students draw and fire four to five controlled rounds, with instructors walking the line to make small adjustments to grip, stance, and trigger press while emphasizing smooth, deliberate shooting over high round counts.