Every rifle gunfight begins in the same way: a shooter lifts the gun from a ready position, aims, deactivates the safety, and fires the first shot. While this may seem elementary to seasoned shooters, Bob Keller, owner of Gamut Resolutions and a U.S. Army Special Operations veteran, insists that this basic ready-up drill is the bedrock of all other training.

“The boring stuff is critical,” Keller asserts. “Ready-up is a 100-percent guarantee in every fight. Everything else is a maybe.”

Keller’s words carry weight. With over two decades in special operations, he has been involved in more than 1,000 real-world direct-action hits and over 400 engagements. Today, he uses this experience to train American citizens on how to survive real gunfights through his company, Gamut Resolutions.

Keller emphasizes the importance of accuracy over speed in the ready-up drill. The goal time is not slow, however: 0.5 seconds to hit a 3-inch circle at 10 yards. He also reminds trainees that the drill doesn’t end when the shot breaks; always be prepared to shoot again and avoid reactivating the safety too soon. If the gun goes empty, the reflex should be to reload immediately and get back on target.

Keller’s experience also provides insight into the reality of reloads in gunfights.

“I’ve gone to bolt lock one time in combat. I only remember two other dudes I saw do it in a fight,” he shares. As such, he advises trainees to treat emergency reloads as malfunctions and to perform a combat reload whenever possible.

In his training, Keller also emphasizes the importance of shooting from the support side, a skill essential for working around cover. He encourages trainees to practice this until they are confident in their ability to use it when their life depends on it.

Keller doesn’t spend time teaching prone or kneeling techniques, arguing that they are rarely useful in real-life scenarios. Instead, he advocates for standing and moving while returning fire, which provides a clear view of targets and allows for mobility.

The second day of training begins with a skill assessment with pistols at 25 yards. Keller explains that there’s no warmup before a gunfight, so there’s no warmup in his training either.

“There is no multi-step draw process in a gunfight. It’s one smooth motion,” Keller instructs. The training also includes immediate action drills, reloads, and shooting one-handed from either side, a challenging but necessary skill due to the high likelihood of sustaining an injury in a gunfight.

The training culminates with carbine-to-pistol transitions. Keller advises against switching to a pistol unless absolutely necessary, recommending an immediate action tap-rack to clear a malfunction first.

The Gamut Resolutions pistol and carbine class is demanding, but it serves as a stark reminder that surviving a real gunfight requires a high level of practice and proficiency.

Keller’s final advice is clear: “You must know you’re the most badass motherf*cker out there.”

Keller offers classes throughout the United States and has created The Gamut Challenge, a two-day event consisting of 16 different shooting scenarios plus over 20 miles of running or rucking. For more information, visit gamutresolutions.com.

Our Thoughts

Bob Keller’s assertion that the basics are the bedrock of all training cannot be overstated. The ready-up drill, as mundane as it may seem, is indeed a constant in every gunfight scenario. It’s a stark reminder that in survival, the fundamentals are paramount.

Keller’s emphasis on accuracy over speed in the ready-up drill is a valuable lesson. It’s not about being the fastest, but the most accurate. The stress on being prepared to shoot again and avoid premature safety reactivation also speaks volumes about the realities of gunfights.

The insight Keller provides on reloads is invaluable. His advice to treat emergency reloads as malfunctions and to perform a combat reload whenever possible is practical and grounded in real-world experience.

His emphasis on shooting from the support side and standing and moving while returning fire is a crucial lesson. These skills lend to the unpredictability and dynamism of real-life scenarios.

Keller’s no-warmup approach to training is a stark reminder that real-life encounters offer no such luxury. His one smooth motion philosophy underscores the need for fluidity and effortless transitions in potentially life-threatening situations.

The rigorous training offered by Gamut Resolutions is a testament to the level of proficiency required to survive a real gunfight. Keller’s final advice encapsulates the mindset needed for survival: confidence in one’s abilities and an unwavering belief in oneself.

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James McIntyre, a 33-year-old from Illinois, has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge following an incident involving Rep. Nancy Mace on Capitol grounds. The alleged encounter occurred on a Tuesday night, leading to McIntyre’s arrest for reportedly assaulting a government official.

The incident unfolded when McIntyre approached Rep. Mace and offered to shake her hand. According to a police affidavit, two witnesses observed the interaction and described McIntyre as a man in his forties. When Mace extended her hand, McIntyre allegedly clasped it with both hands and “shook her arm up and down in an exaggerated, aggressive hand shaking motion.”

Witnesses managed to identify McIntyre through an internet posting, providing his name and photo to the U.S. Capitol Police. Mace corroborated the witnesses’ accounts, stating that she attempted to withdraw her hand but was unable to do so. She reported feeling intimidated and experienced pain in her wrist, arm, and shoulder following the encounter.

During the aggressive handshake, McIntyre reportedly stated, “Trans youth deserve advocacy.” Mace refrained from responding during the incident, later expressing her shock and discomfort.

After the event, Mace took to social media to inform her followers of the situation.
“I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women. Capitol police have arrested him,” Mace shared in a post on X. “All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!”

She continued to discuss the incident on social media, revealing in one post that she had spoken with President-elect Trump.
“Thank you, Mr. President, for checking in on me and standing up for women,” Mace wrote. “We cannot wait to see you back in the White House.”

In another post, she shared an image of herself with her arm in a sling, highlighting the physical impact of the encounter.

The incident comes amidst Mace’s outspoken opposition to transgender individuals using bathrooms that do not align with their biological gender. She has been particularly vocal against Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware, using the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill.

Mace has reported receiving death threats and feels she is being “unfairly targeted” for her stance. Her proposed resolution, H.R. 1579, aims to restrict bathroom use in the House to facilities matching one’s biological sex.

Following McIntyre’s arraignment in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, a magistrate judge ordered his release. Meanwhile, Mace’s office has not provided an update on her condition.

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In the world of law enforcement and survival, the ability to quickly and accurately assess a situation can make all the difference. This is why the rapid adoption of optics by law enforcement agencies is hardly surprising. These tools provide a wealth of visual information, aiding in making more informed decisions. A key factor in the selection of these optics is the window size, but it seems that co-witness sights, which can sometimes occupy half of the entire optic window, often don’t receive the attention they deserve.

“Without question, the speed with which LE agencies have adopted optics is testament to the advantage they offer: more visual information that yields better decisions.”

Interestingly, suppressor height sights are frequently paired with optics. To comprehend why this particular sight remains a popular choice when selecting co-witnessing sights, we must journey back in time. Around 2009, shooters, both professional and non-professional, began to repurpose a solution initially designed for Close Quarters Battle (CQB) rifle work for use on pistols.

The Trijicon RMR, a compact electronic optic, was a welcome alternative to the larger optics typically seen on competition pistols. Its smaller size offered more holster options, less likelihood of snagging in the field, and a more robust window and housing. As a result, it addressed many of the issues raised by professional users, leading to a shift towards an optics sighting solution within the firearms community.

“The smaller footprint meant more holster options, less to get caught on while in the field, and a less delicate window and housing.”

This shift was spearheaded by individuals in the military, law enforcement, defensive firearms instruction, and competition professionals. With the introduction of these optics, performance improved, and new shooters were able to develop accuracy and speed more quickly. The instinctual focal plane response to stress, which previously had to be trained out, could now be utilized as an asset by Firearms Instructors working with students who had optics on their pistols.

“Performance increased, accuracy and speed developed sooner with new shooters, the intuitive and instinctual focal plane response to stress no longer needed to be trained out—and instead, the threat-focus could now be an asset used by Firearms Instructors working with students who had optics on their pistols.”

As the popularity of optics grew, the aftermarket and firearms manufacturers responded by supporting this “new” sighting system. However, one critical component of the system was often overlooked: the back-up sights. This oversight highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to firearm optics, one that considers all elements of the sighting system to ensure optimal performance and safety.

Our Thoughts

The adoption of optics in law enforcement is a testament to the technology’s effectiveness. It’s no surprise that tools that enhance visual information, thus enabling better decision-making, have become a staple in the arsenal of law enforcement agencies.

The rise of the Trijicon RMR is particularly noteworthy. Its compact size and robust design addressed many of the practical concerns of professional users, leading to a broader acceptance of optics as a sighting solution.

The benefits of these optics extend beyond their practicality. They have brought about a shift in the training of new shooters, turning the instinctual focal plane response to stress into an asset rather than a hurdle to overcome. This has undoubtedly contributed to the improved performance observed among new shooters.

However, the focus on the main optic often results in the neglect of back-up sights. This is a reminder that a comprehensive approach to firearm optics is necessary to ensure optimal performance and safety. After all, a tool is only as good as the system supporting it.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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