Robust an der Pistole

At the beginning of October of the previous year, shooting instructor Henning Hoffmann presented his "Robust Pistol Management" in Wiener Neustadt. Over ten participants from Austria and Germany had gathered at the HE-SA Indoor Shooting Range to learn and practice simple techniques that guarantee a "robust" - meaning always safe and functional - handling of the weapon. Three days intensely with their own weapons. Three days intensely with Henning Hoffmann. We at SPARTANAT were there.

Henning Hoffmann in a picturesque image. As an instructor with his Academy 0/500, he imparts solid knowledge in handling long and short weapons. Three days of "Robust Pistol Management", which are not only a challenge for the participants, but also for the instructor, who runs a packed program. He explains, teaches, improves - or leads, as seen here, with the timer in hand, guiding an exercise himself.

The trainer as a lecturer: Henning Hoffmann is concise, precise, and gets straight to the point. He demonstrates, the group practices, he supervises and explains. No question is left unanswered. The days of collaboration have a lasting effect on the students.

Three days and around 1,000 rounds of ammunition per person. And because the errors related to weapon management, which challenge the robust handling, do not appear on their own: dummy rounds, loaded randomly to challenge for immediate error correction.

A friend, a good friend... This is someone who prepares the weapon behind your back. Loaded. Half-loaded. Dummies as obstacles at an unknown position in the magazine. And a task that needs to be shot. When the announced errors occur, Robust Pistol Management is needed.

And all of this under the watchful eyes of Henning Hoffmann. Every mistake is immediately addressed and corrected. If questions arise, they are answered. And all of this without a stern seriousness. The concentration of the shooters in the pictures may give the impression that there was only intense focus, but in reality, there was also a lot of laughter and smiles during those three days. Laughter over their own mistakes, when the shots happen to land exactly where they shouldn't be. When they handle things in an unrobust manner. Or simply because a good joke is just what's needed... Robust Pistol Management can be fun and brings together people from different backgrounds.

Often, it is from simple, unfamiliar situations that the learners can learn how to handle the weapon robustly. For example, when the target is very close and the pressure wave reflects. The trainer shows what to watch out for.

Or when the weapon malfunctions, but there is only one hand available. Unfortunately, it's also the unfamiliar left hand. Henning Hoffmann demonstrates a procedure here that ensures the shooter can quickly get back into action despite the circumstances.

Or how to deal with unfortunate positions that are imposed upon us. The shooter is on the ground. How does he get back up from a supine position - without endangering himself and others - and confidently back into action?

In a comprehensive chapter, Henning Hoffman also addresses how the shooter should handle weapons and light. This includes an extensive presentation of the various available flashlights on the market. And then the trainer himself demonstrates the common techniques for handling both weapon and light simultaneously.

SAFETY is paramount in Robust Pistol Management. The "Blue Gun" is definitely a suitable tool for practicing situations. At the same time, the course also has a realistic approach: Hoffmann analyzes dangerous situations with the participants and emphasizes de-escalation and non-violent conflict resolution as the primary measures.

Robust Pistol Management was practiced in a variety of drills during the course - HERE is the article "Practicing with WEAPON CULTURE", in which the basic exercises are presented (with download link). The situation afterward: Hoffmann at the board, providing candid yet lighthearted feedback on shooting accuracy.

Shared outdoor program at lunchtime. The participants at Robust Pistol Management may not have seen much sun, but the shared training brought together the group from Austria and Germany. The intensive involvement with the weapon has a high learning effect. We had interviewed Henning Hoffman about RPM before the course (HERE is the link). In hindsight, this is the accurate summary of what Hoffmann imparted over those three days. What remains is the robust experience of having to constantly work on the basic techniques and break them down so that they work just as well at the firing range as they do in the field, with cold fingers, under stress... Robust Pistol Management is beneficial for any shooter willing to engage with their weapon and learn a thoughtful and safe handling.

Hening Hoffmann will be offering "Robust Carbine Management" from June 18th to 20th, 2015, and "Robust Pistol Management" again from October 1st to 3rd in Wiener Neustadt. From June 12th to 14th, there will be "Robust Pistol Management" in Melle near Osnabrück (limited spots still available). Anyone interested in the current schedule of Henning Hoffmann can find it on www.0-500.org.