Individual Room Clearing at Gunsite Academy

I took the one person room clearing class at PSR37 in Fayetteville.

Part of it was Force on Force training with simunitions. You almost never got through a room without taking at least one hit.

You definitely don't want to do this unless you absolutely have to.


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I think there needs to be a distinction made between a structure you've never been in before and one you not only know, but can set up to your advantage.


Just sayin'
 
Not long ago, it was taught that 1 person could not safely clear a house.

You are 100% right, a single person can not safely do so. but gunfighting is not a safe related activity. Being in a shooting is a LOT more safe then a gunfight. The key to this process is the only area clear, is directly in front of you. The environment is fluid and changes every second. its not fun to lead a single man assault into, through and out of a structure.
 
I’ve never done it, but I’d think that grenades would make the process much safer.

serious question, is there anything in your house that provides good cover even from centerfire pistol rounds?
 
I would also like to note, that while solo structure clearing is sub-optimal, there may be times you don't have a choice. So, it's an exercise that should be at least practiced to understand the challenges.
 
I’ve never done it, but I’d think that grenades would make the process much safer.

serious question, is there anything in your house that provides good cover even from centerfire pistol rounds?
I hear refrigerators are decent and maybe a full file cabinet. But, a gun safe should work. :D:D
 
I’ve never done it, but I’d think that grenades would make the process much safer.

serious question, is there anything in your house that provides good cover even from centerfire pistol rounds?

Yes,
A dark as hell house, and a 1000lum weapons light. Blinding the B.G. is the best cover...

CQC is not a game of cover, Ranger Reg coined this phrase in the late 90's.

Surprise, Speed and Violence of Action

Still holds true.

Barricade on strong points, exposing very little on one's self, and distance always works on the defense.
 
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I would also like to note, that while solo structure clearing is sub-optimal, there may be times you don't have a choice. So, it's an exercise that should be at least practiced to understand the challenges.


Airsoft pistols work well for this exercise.

You can practice in the same environment you may have to clear, it can be done day or night and if someone else is with you, they can set up targets in locations unknown to you.

B27s work well for this. To practice target i.d. (friend/foe), you can use different colored tape squares placed on the target’s “face” (I use 2”x 2” squares of duct tape in red for foe/bad dude and white for friendly.)
 
Airsoft pistols work well for this exercise.

You can practice in the same environment you may have to clear, it can be done day or night and if someone else is with you, they can set up targets in locations unknown to you.

B27s work well for this. To practice target i.d. (friend/foe), you can use different colored tape squares placed on the target’s “face” (I use 2”x 2” squares of duct tape in red for foe/bad dude and white for friendly.)

For threat ID I like to use weapons. A gun, a knife. That item is the clue. But, in home defense, knowing ones family and guests help alot. Lol
 
You are 100% right, a single person can not safely do so. but gunfighting is not a safe related activity. Being in a shooting is a LOT more safe then a gunfight. The key to this process is the only area clear, is directly in front of you. The environment is fluid and changes every second. its not fun to lead a single man assault into, through and out of a structure.

No, but at least in your house you have the advantage. In Dirkadirkastan how many buildings/houses did you get 3 seconds into and think "well, this isn't going as planned..."

I HATED clearing buildings....
 
Airsoft pistols work well for this exercise.

You can practice in the same environment you may have to clear, it can be done day or night and if someone else is with you, they can set up targets in locations unknown to you.

B27s work well for this. To practice target i.d. (friend/foe), you can use different colored tape squares placed on the target’s “face” (I use 2”x 2” squares of duct tape in red for foe/bad dude and white for friendly.)
If you're going to utilize Airsoft, you might as well go FoF. Having someone else think outside YOUR box goes a long way. Suddenly, I have visions of a wife knitting while grown men run around her shooting each other with Airsoft and she's shaking her head. :D

No, but at least in your house you have the advantage. In Dirkadirkastan how many buildings/houses did you get 3 seconds into and think "well, this isn't going as planned..."

I HATED clearing buildings....
As I've mentioned, when it's YOUR turf, you can stack the deck. Area denial, fatal funnels, strategic lighting, etc. are under your control before the invasion. One of the high risk times is when you're coming home to an empty house. I used to leave a $20 or some other easy grab, valuable item in immediate view as I opened the door. If the item wasn't where I left it, I knew someone was in the house and could act accordingly. You ever come home to a door that wasn't locked and you're not sure if you or the wife or one of the kids screwed up? Or maybe someone broke in and left it open. If the $20 it still on the table, it's likely no one came in the house.

Take advantage of the advantages you have to better your odds in a high risk situation. Now, my situation is more area based instead of home based. Every time I go recon, I think, how could I have done it better. How could I have exposed myself less.

Just sayin'
 
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This is great fun..a wonderful way to set personal standards...If my wife or family was not being held inside...I would not engage.

some folks might say, If my wife was being held inside...I would not engage.

upon her exit she would say my ex husband wouldn’t even come clear his own house.

He would reply “well they had my house and my wife and my Hawaiian shirt was in my closet so I couldn’t boogaloo! “
 
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I’ve never done it, but I’d think that grenades would make the process much safer.

serious question, is there anything in your house that provides good cover even from centerfire pistol rounds?

Actually some flash bangs might be very helpful.


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No, but at least in your house you have the advantage. In Dirkadirkastan how many buildings/houses did you get 3 seconds into and think "well, this isn't going as planned..."

I HATED clearing buildings....

Very true statement. In 2003 we did a full on city for 18 days. Of that time I know I spent 3/4 of it at night and we worked every night.

Back to your home, its true when you own the terrain, defense is more simple.
 
some folks might say, If my wife was being held inside...I would not engage.

upon her exit she would say my ex husband wouldn’t even come clear his own house.

He would reply “well they had my house and my wife and my Hawaiian shirt was in my closet so I couldn’t boogaloo! “
The woman and the house are YOUR problems now, sucker!
 
If you're going to utilize Airsoft, you might as well go FoF. Having someone else think outside YOUR box goes a long way. Suddenly, I have visions of a wife knitting while grown men run around her shooting each other with Airsoft and she's shaking her head. :D

A long time back I did an exercise with some police and bounty hunters. It was ... interesting. (for one, we didn't use airsoft. We used our edc guns that were disabled by zip ties. I was nervous, but there were also a few other steps of safety in there, so ... meh) We were in a building that was being refurb'd and they gave the "bad guy" 2 or 3 minutes to go find a hiding spot before the "good guy" came to search.
I was doing overtime midnights and grad school full time in the days, so i was overworked, underfed, and 70lbs lighter. I managed to squeeze myself into a small under-sink cabinet (no sink) with my gun pointed up in case the guys hunting me found me.
They didn't. One guy came into the room by himself, and I heard him walking around. Once he yelled "clear" and got almost back to the door, I stood up and said "bang".
With all the screaming and cursing and "not fair" you'd have thought I actually took a shot at the guy. Instructor said something along the lines of "Yeah, I don't think it's fair either, but it's real and he'd have killed you for sure."
That was when I decided that clearing by yourself is VERY difficult if the bad guy has ANY time or ANY advantage and I'd rather not do it.

I like your idea about the $20 bill though. that's brilliant.
 
If you're going to utilize Airsoft, you might as well go FoF. Having someone else think outside YOUR box goes a long way. Suddenly, I have visions of a wife knitting while grown men run around her shooting each other with Airsoft and she's shaking her head. :D


As I've mentioned, when it's YOUR turf, you can stack the deck. Area denial, fatal funnels, strategic lighting, etc. are under your control before the invasion. One of the high risk times is when you're coming home to an empty house. I used to leave a $20 or some other easy grab, valuable item in immediate view as I opened the door. If the item wasn't where I left it, I knew someone was in the house and could act accordingly. You ever come home to a door that wasn't locked and you're not sure if you or the wife or one of the kids screwed up? Or maybe someone broke in and left it open. If the $20 it still on the table, it's likely no one came in the house.

Take advantage of the advantages you have to better your odds in a high risk situation. Now, my situation is more area based instead of home based. Every time I go recon, I think, how could I have done it better. How could I have exposed myself less.

Just sayin'
I need to pick your brain!!
 
I’ve never done it, but I’d think that grenades would make the process much safer.

serious question, is there anything in your house that provides good cover even from centerfire pistol rounds?

double stud, maybe some pipe, definitely bathtub, (I’m assuming your talking unplanned)... but don’t confuse concealment with cover...completely different.
 
I hear refrigerators are decent and maybe a full file cabinet. But, a gun safe should work. :D:D

Ive shot a whole lot of s$&t with handguns. Pistol caliber rounds are startlingly underpowered. They can’t manage to get through most of anything. Yes dry wall and flooring obvious stuff. But handgun rounds are designed and their performance based on directly contacting Target after leaving the barrel. And it’s obvious when you set up the hillbilly gun range and shoot random household items.
 
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