"All impulses come from the civilian sector"

His book "Firefight & Tactics" is the German-language foundational work on the topic of handling modern firearms. SPARTANAT interviewed the book author, shooting instructor, and editor of the online magazine "Waffenkultur" Henning Hoffmann, and wanted to know where he teaches, where he learned himself, and what is particularly important when handling a weapon.

SPARTANAT: As a shooting instructor, you train with your own academy in Germany. Academy 0/500. What does "0/500" mean?

Henning Hoffmann: "0/500" stands for the distance range that we cover with our training: Zero to 500 meters. Traditional shooting training usually only takes place in the distance range between seven and 25 meters or between 50 and 100 meters for long guns. This neglects 80% of the total distance. As a result, soldiers cannot effectively utilize the effective range of their assault rifles of 500 meters, or the shooter has no solution for confrontations at arm's length. The "gap," as Gabe Suarez calls it, is "Zero to five feet."

SPARTANAT: What is the most important thing to learn good handling of a weapon?

Henning Hoffmann: Safety education according to Jeff Cooper's 4 Safety Rules. These must be lived. Being able to handle the weapon is important, such as loading, malfunction clearing, and adjusting a rifle within a few minutes. And of course, hitting the target. The gun owner 2.0 should also be able to make small repairs themselves.

SPARTANAT: When you think of the USA, who are the instructor figures one should train with?

Henning Hoffmann: Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers come from a different shooting universe. Those would be the first addresses. Paul Howe from CSAT offers solid training in rifle, pistol, and small group tactics. He taught me rifle shooting. And then, of course, instructors who have had a good reputation for many years: my friend and mentor Andy Stanford, James Yeager, and Gabe Suarez. Many others could also be named.

SPARTANAT: Where do you see the importance of shooting training from the civilian sector?

Henning Hoffmann: This importance cannot be overstated. Almost all new impulses in training in the last 50 years came from the civilian sector. Shooting training is divided into different generations, very similar to the generations of warfare. We are currently in the 4th generation of shooting training. The 3rd generation was exclusively developed and supported by private/civil institutions. Jeff Cooper with his Gunsite Academy or Chuck Taylor with ASAA led the way. The 4th generation is strongly influenced by the idea of "Integrated Training" across weapon systems and distances.

SPARTANAT: Your book "Firefight and Tactics" has become a standard work. How did the book come about?

Henning Hoffmann: From the training experience I was able to gather in the USA and Switzerland. I trained with about 20 different training facilities or instructors; some multiple times. Eventually, my notes became so extensive that they wanted to be compressed into a book. In the absence of a proper title, we simply called it "Firefight & Tactics." (laughs)

SPARTANAT: You, like American instructors, have introduced your own version of the M4 to the market. What can customers expect?

Henning Hoffmann: With the 0/500 DAR-15, we have achieved a symbiosis of high manufacturing quality and simplicity. We do away with all unnecessary attachments. No attachment in the world eliminates training deficiencies. Many users underestimate their natural abilities to hit a target 500 meters away. Neither expensive optics nor a match trigger are needed.

SPARTANAT: What's the trick?

Henning Hoffmann: Shooting technique, using reference points between person and weapon, and implementing basic shooting skills: sight picture, hold, trigger control, and follow-through.

SPARTANAT: When will you come to Austria to give courses?

Henning Hoffmann: I am currently planning a 3-day pistol course for the second half of the year in Vienna.

SPARTANAT: What is the reason to own a gun privately?

Henning Hoffmann: I don't understand the question. What reason is there not to own a gun? Our society would not be safer without weapons, and our world certainly wouldn't be more peaceful.

HENNING HOFFMANN, born in 1972, is the editor of "Waffenkultur", a free online magazine. He holds a degree in business administration and was a paratrooper and member of a so-called B1 commando company in Nagold from 1992 to 1996. His book "Firefight & Tactics" has become a standard work and is currently available in its 3rd edition (e.g. via sierra-313.de). Henning Hoffmann is considered a long-standing expert in the shooting training scene in the USA and in Europe. He has published over 80 specialist articles and is also a course leader at Academy 0/500 ( 0-500.org ), the German market leader for shooting training. Hoffmann can be found on Facebook.