Page 27 - December 2017

Staying on target
Annual Prescribed Firearms Qualification is around the corner, and focusing on the front sight and smooth trigger squeeze to hit the target and qualify is a lot easier said than done for some.
During your years of firearms training you have been told somewhere along the way that shooting is a deteriorating skill. Many of you will be arriving at the range with a bit of anxiety knowing that it’s “testing time” and you did not practice prior to this day. So to stay on target and put your nerves to rest, review the shooting fundamentals, practice some dry firing and make sure you get in some trigger time. If you are still concerned about your ability to
qualify, seek out one of the Department’s firearms instructors for a few tips. You will be surprised what you may learn.
Staying on target is not just about shooting. It is also about proper care and maintenance of your firearm. As you may learn from the firearms instructors, a few too many officers lack hav- ing a clean and or lubricated firearm. Proper maintenance of your firearm(s) is just as important as being able to properly shoot your gun and qualify. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If in doubt, refer to your firearm owner’s manual about how to properly maintain your firearm, or seek out a Department in- structor who may be able to answer questions because many are certified armorers for different types of guns. As a rule of thumb, you should clean your firearm every two weeks and af- ter shooting. Also, take the time to inspect your magazines and ammunition.
For more help staying on target, Chicago Lodge 7 has already scheduled the 2018 FOP Firearms Safety Days, a two-day event that brings various firearms vendors to the FOP Hall on May 23 and 24. During this event, the FOP will have several gun man- ufacturers that will participate and offer, free of charge, gun in- spections, some part replacements and weapon cleaning ser- vices. In addition, we also invited other vendors to show up that we think will interest our members and meet their needs. Save the date. d
The di erence between a clean ring pin safety (left) and a dirty ring pin safety.
As a rule of thumb, you should clean your rearm every two weeks and after shooting.
RAY CASIANO
CPD Firearms Instructor
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2017 27