In casual mood, Hide started his explanation with the trigger system and safety mechanism. As a striker fired handgun, HK VP9 didn’t have external safety lever, while its internal safety was being integrated with its trigger mechanism. To fire it, shooter only had to squeeze back the center bar until it parallel with the trigger, and then continued squeeze it along the way to the back together with the trigger.
This kind of mechanism enabled a quick deploy or pull and fire action, but compared to other mechanism it would require more pressure to pull the trigger. Of course, shooters could spend some money to modify the trigger take up into their preference.
However, unlike other striker fired handgun that had punchy trigger take up, HK VP9 had a very smooth and crisp trigger mechanism. The trigger reset was also very short and enabled a lightning speed follow up shot.
Under the rear sight, just above the grip, it had an indicator to show if the gun was cocked. Once shooter cocked the gun, the indicator would turn red. It also had chamber indicator to tell the shooter that its firing chamber was loaded or unloaded. Therefore, shooter didn’t need to slightly pull the slide when they wanted to check the firing chamber.
Most of all, HK VP9 was ambidextrous. Shooter could fire it using either right or left hand and with ease could reach the magazine release button or slide-stop lever no matter which hand they used. It would help Shizuka a lot in case she had to shot using her left hand when riding a motorbike.
After ensuring that Shizuka understood the basic function on HK VP9, and smoothly executed every example he showed to her, Hide then explained about some procedure in the shooting range. After that, the shooting practice finally began.
“Before every shooting session, you have to ensure your gun is empty. Even if you are sure it’s unloaded, you still have to re-check it and develop this step into your second nature,” Hide calmly said. “Do you understand?”
“I do,” Shizuka firmly replied.
“Are you ready for the practice?”
“I’m.”
“Execute my instruction then.” After a moment of paused Hide continued, “Shooter, take the gun!”
Shizuka immediately took HK VP9 on the table, hold it close to her chest with both hands, pointed down to the floor, and then she said, “Shooter have the gun.”
“Clear it.”
In a swift movement, Shizuka took the magazine out and put it into table. Then, she pulled back the slide a few times. She resolutely used full power to pull the slide. Hide had told her that she had to do it that way to ensure the firing chamber was totally clear. She also didn’t have to worry it would break HK VP9 in her hand as this handgun was specifically made to receive hard abuse.
After she sure that the chamber was clear, Shizuka deployed the slide-stop lever to hold the slide, peeked into firing chamber from behind diagonally, and then she showed it to Hide.
“Gun is clear.”
“Load the magazines.”
Shizuka immediately put the gun back to the table and swiftly loaded 9 mm round to the first magazine. Before long, she already fully loaded all three magazines on the table and arranged them next to HK VP9.
“All magazines are loaded.”
‘So far so good,’ Hide calmly muttered. “Insert the magazine and ready the gun.”
After inserting the magazine, Shizuka put the slide-stop lever back into its position and the slide automatically drive back forward and loaded one round into firing chamber. Then, she held the gun close to her chest with both hand, and as always the muzzle was pointing down to the floor.
“Gun is ready.”
“Stand by for unconventional stance,” Hide said as he took the tablet on the table.
The tablet was connected to the digital smart control panel, and Hide used it to generate three holographic targets six meters in front of Shizuka. Each holographic target was 20 cm in diameter, red in color, and it floated 170 cm above the floor. In short, it was target practice that mimics human’s head in size and position.
After looking at Shizuka for a moment Hide said, “Ready. Go!”
In a smooth motion, Shizuka opened her right leg to the side at shoulder wide, lower her knees a little and slightly bent her upper body forward. At the same time, both her hands pushed HK VP9 forward until it formed a triangle. Then, she made a line alignment to the target without using iron sight. In short, she took an aim by relying on her feeling and stance. After that, she lowered her finger to the trigger and gently pulling it.
Bang!
The first shot was missed by a land slide, but Shizuka stayed calm and made an adjustment before pulling the trigger one more time.
Bang!
It was another miss, and Shizuka made another adjustment before firing again. She kept repeating the sequence of alignment adjustment and firing until finally, she hit the first holographic target at her sixth shoot. It immediately disappeared and she then took aim to second target.
However, before Shizuka pulled the trigger Hide suddenly shouted. “Hold fire! Hold fire! Hold fire!!”
Shizuka immediately canceled her intention to fire, but maintain her firing stance, and calmly waiting for further instruction from Hide.
“Shooter, answer my question,” Hide calmly said. “Who can become range officer in the shooting range?”
Without turning away her eyes from the target, Shizuka firmly replied, “Everyone in the shooting range can become range officer for other shooter. They can give other shooter a warning to stop the practice if they see unwanted circumstance arise in the firing range.”
“Give me an example of unwanted circumstance where a range officer should shout a warning to shooter?”
“A puppy enters the firing area.”
“That’s the example I previously gave to you,” Hide calmly said. “Be creative and give me other example."
After furrowed her brow for a whole 30 seconds Shizuka said, “A kitty enters the firing area.”
“Not so creative, but it will do for now.” Hide paused for a moment before asking another question, “What does shooter should do when they hear ‘Cease fire!’ from a range officer?”
“Clear the gun, put it back to the table pointed to safe direction, step back three steps from the table, and wait for further instruction or notification.”
“What does shooter should do when they hear ‘Hold fire’ from a range officer?”
“Stop firing their gun but maintain their stance, and wait for further instruction or notification.”
After taking a glance at Shizuka’s grip, Hide walked over to Shizuka’s side. “Your grip is good, but your posture is correct in form only.”
“Tell me what I had done wrong,” Shizuka said expectantly.
“Your neck, shoulder, and waist are too stiff, and stiff stance is mortal enemy of a shooter,” Hide calmly said. “It will easily drain your energy and focus. Most of all, it slow you down when you have to hit multiple targets.
Always remember that firm and stiff are two totally different things.”
“How I correct my stance?”
“Take a deep breath, feel your posture, and slowly relax your muscle.”
“…”
“Also, don’t forget that the reason why you bend your upper body slightly forward is to help you made the line alignment to the target. While you put both your arms in a triangle form is to help you suppress the recoil and muzzle raise. Every time you took this stance, always remember this two fundamental principal.”
“Understood.”
“Question?”
“If I take an aim without the help of iron sight, is it possible to hit the target at first shot?”
“It is. However, it need around 3000 rounds before you start getting the correct feeling on how to aim without visual confirmation. And it will need another 3000 rounds until you fully master it. Then, you have to spend no less than 3000 rounds each month to maintain your sharpness.”
“I see.”
“Well, tell me what do you remember about unconventional stance?”
Shizuka firmly replied, “It’s the most effective stance when you have to kill multiple targets. Shooter also has to develop a habit of always aim at the head when using this stance.”
“Very good.” Hide made a satisfied smiled before continuing, “What will you do if your target hide behind a hostage and have a knife at hostage’s throats?”
“Switch into conventional stance?”
“What is the cardinal sequence in conventional stance?”
“Aim through iron sight or optic, get clean line alignment, take the shoot.”
“Where do you place your shoot if your target has knife’s point at hostage’s throat?”
“Clean headshot through the eye,” Shizuka paused for a moment, and thinking so hard before continued, “Or at upper arm just below the shoulder. I forget the name of the nerve that I have to destroy, but I definitely remember its exact location.”
“What will happen if you shot at this nerve that you forget the name but definitely remember its exact location?”
“Target will lose the ability to grip or lift up his or her arm, and this is a permanent damage.”
“Is there any other place that can give similar result?”
“Lower arm just below the wrist, but there is a possibility the bullet will hit the hostage if I shoot at it.”
“In a close quarter fight, is it possible to destroy the nerve that you forget its name but definitely remember its exact location using a knife?”
“It is. A stab and screw movement will definitely destroy it.”
“You know,” Hide cheerfully said. “You have a good brain actually. If you use it on your study, you will definitely get a good score.”
“…”
As Shizuka remained silence while pouting her lips, Hide continued, “Unfortunately, all this time, you make a fatal mistake without realizing it.”
Then, as puzzlement filled Shizuka’s face, without any warning Hide used his finger to poke at her slender waist.
“Aww!!”
Bang!
In an instant, Shizuka turned her head to Hide and gave him a furious gaze. “Hide, that’s fucking dangerous.”
“Exactly.” Hide calmly replied, “Tell me the basic rule for firearm safety that you had violated?”
After tilting her head for a moment Shizuka replied in low voice, “Third rule, keep your finger away from the trigger until you are ready to shoot.”
“Yep.”
“Sorry.”
“No worry, but next time you violate it again, I will give you a severe punishment.”
“Understood.”
“Now, how is it? Do you find some discomfort with your grip, recoil, or such, and want to try the other gun?”
“No, I will go with this one.”
“Let’s continue the training then.” After taking a deep breath Hide calmly said, “Shooter, stand by for conventional stance.”
Without delay Shizuka pulled the HK VP9 close to her chest, and changed her posture into a ramrod straight stance.
“Ready. Go!”
Shizuka immediately moved her left leg a half-step forward and slightly bent her knees. At the same time, she pushed her right hand until it was as straight as possible, while her left hand slightly bending downward as it supported the gun. In summary, she pushed her firing hand forward while pulling her supporting hand backward.
Then, she took aim through the iron sight before lowering her finger to the trigger and gently pulled it.
Bang!
Shizuka missed again, but she stayed calm and took another aim. However, before she pulled the trigger Hide once again shouted. “Hold fire! Hold fire! Hold fire!!”
After moving her finger from the trigger Shizuka asked, “What I did wrong this time?”
“You miss horizontally to the left because you pull the trigger too hard,” Hide calmly said. “Remember, don’t pull the trigger but gently squeeze it. Just do it slowly but correctly, as time goes on your speed will increase on its own, and after doing it for a few thousand times it will become a second nature.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s continue then.”
Without delay, the training continued. This time, other than ensuring Shizuka followed the correct procedure, Hide didn’t give her any advice. He let Shizuka firing HK VP9 without pause other than when she changed or reloaded the magazine. However, Hide carefully made a note each time he found something worth to remember.
In total, Shizuka fired 100 rounds using two stances, and hit the target twenty four times. After that, it was Takeo’s turn. As Hide suspected, Takeo had already absorbed almost all information he had to know. He also fired 100 rounds using two stances, and hit the target thirty seven times.
After that, Hide carried a solo training. He fired 100 rounds using unconventional stance and hit the target sixty five times. Then, he cleared the gun before joining Takeo and Shizuka in the back area.
*****
