KL-Strategic HOW course - box/self-loader

After we were impressed by the HOW - Pistol by KL-Strategic, we naturally wanted to see what the Handgun Operation Workshop (HOW) – SL/RIFLE Basic had to offer. This took place on August 21, 2015 at the Müller Shooting Center Ulm (MSZU), so we packed our long guns and participated in this spectacle.

The MSZU is worth a visit in itself, it offers indoor ranges from 25 to 300 meters, which are fully walkable, and an indoor clay pigeon shooting range. Some ranges have moving wild boar targets for hunting shooting, and shooting cinemas are available. The great thing is that even large calibers can be trained on short distances here.
We started at 11:00. The group was rather small, which is a bonus for both the instructor and participants. The teacher covered his costs and the participants benefited from more intensive individual support.
After a brief welcome, Khi Pa, CEO and founder of KL-Strategic, opened the theoretical part (For those interested in Khi Pa's background and history, we recommend the HOW - Pistol Review). Since the safety basics of pistols and rifles are similar, or exactly the same, we didn't learn anything new in this part. However, the basics are so important that they should be heard over and over again until one can recite them in their sleep:
- Only aim at what you want to hit.
- Treat every weapon as if it is loaded until you are sure it isn't.
- The trigger finger only touches the trigger when the muzzle is on target and leaves when the muzzle leaves the target.
- The weapon is only unlocked when the muzzle is on target and is secured again once the muzzle leaves the target.
- You must be sure of the target, shot, target front, and background.
The theoretical part also covered basic shooting elements such as grip, stance, aiming, breathing, and adjusting. Practical tips and tricks were then provided for choosing the stance (standing, kneeling, lying down, leaning, supported…). This was followed by a casual discussion about the different advantages and disadvantages of various sights that can be used with a rifle and their applications. Finally, safety on the range in case of accidents was discussed, so that everyone knows what to do. With that, the theoretical part was over and it was time for lunch.

Whether someone is a bodyguard or IPSC shooter, hunter or regular sports shooter looking to further their training, everyone can learn something here.

Refreshed and in good spirits, we headed to the 100-meter range, where the rifles were unpacked and zeroed in while seated at 100 meters. Three AR15 rifles in .223 caliber and one AR10 in .308 caliber were used. Sightings included an EOTech Holosight, iron sights, and two optical sights with magnifications of 1-6 and 1-8.
The rifles were zeroed in quickly due to the small group, allowing the actual training to begin. KL-Strategic adheres completely to the law with their tailored training program – there is no "combat shooting" or "martial training" involved. However, the exercises are not necessarily part of a sports ordinance and can be universally applied. This means that whether someone is a bodyguard or IPSC shooter, hunter or regular sports shooter looking to further their training, everyone can learn something here.
But back to the training. First, it was checked whether the equipment harmonized with the weapon, meaning if the magazines were easily accessible in every position and if the sling, if present, was correctly positioned and not obstructive, etc. This was followed by the mandatory instructions for the shooting range, which were strictly followed (weapon unloaded, weapon loaded, etc.). The first exercise chosen by Khi Pa was the aiming point during aiming. It quickly became clear that a rifle zeroed in at 100 meters has a different impact point at 25 meters and how to correct this. This exercise was then combined with the body posture that should counteract the recoil. Of course, safety was always emphasized - and was meticulously observed throughout the course - long finger off the trigger, safety on/off - felt like it was repeated a thousand times that day.
Once the impact points and impacts were determined, the exercises were ramped up and included magazine changes with both empty and half-full magazines. This was a requirement for the rest of the day, and self-reloading during the exercises - regardless of position - was often seen as the exercises became more complex.
Speaking of complex exercises: Similar to the HOW - Pistol, Khi Pa structured the course with increasing difficulty levels and the drills became progressively harder: from initial comfortable target changes between two discs while standing without time pressure, to later using the KL-Strategic's infamous colors/letters/numbers target in conjunction with standing/kneeling positions - we were really sweating with a hefty 5.3 kilogram AR10 rifle…
By the way, all the targets are available for download on KL-Strategic's website - a great feature!
After a short break, a demonstration was given on how to shoot at and with obstacles. These can be used as support for the so-called "leaned or supported" stance, which provides a lot of stability. Khi Pa also demonstrated how to shoot around or through them (if there are openings), which is particularly interesting for IPSC shooters. Shooting while lying on the side near the ground was also very impressive - an experience we wouldn't want to miss 🙂

To wrap up, a small competition similar to the BDS discipline Mehrdistanz took place - a target was shot at while moving forward with three shots each at 25, 15, and 10 meters, shooting only while standing and not during movement. Then a magazine change was performed and the distance was traversed backward. The time needed was then added with each miss, and the winner was determined - who received an embroidered cap from KL-Strategic.
This was followed by a final discussion and the presentation of participation certificates and KL-Strategic patches. These patches are unique and have different colors for each course, and CANNOT be purchased. With sore muscles and a blissful feeling, and a significant dent in the wallet (if only I had bought a .223 rifle back then...), we left MSZU saying "Thank you, KL-Strategic" - it was once again a lot of fun and we learned a lot - see you again on September 26 for HOW - Pistol Advanced!

KL Strategic online: www.kl-strategic.com