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I am going to NTI XX in a couple of weeks and would appreciate any feedback folks could provide on what to bring, how to prepare, what to expect, and all that...
For those that don't know what NTI is, I will post the website, but it's been in "redesign" for months now and is, alas, not all that helpful...
* Teddy Tactical - American Tactical Shooting Association
* NTI
I have been.
Best to first read thru some reviews. John Farnam goes every year and writes a review every year. You can look back through his website Defense-training.com in the "quips quotes and lessons learned section. Look for the date around 1st week of June every year and you'll find his reviews of like the last 10 NTIs.
You can also check out my review of the one in 2007. It is posted at NTI 2007 REVIEW - Tennessee Gun Owners among other places.
What to bring?
Common sense.
Seriously. It is not a "hardware" intensive experience. It is a "software" intensive experience. In fact if you want to you can avoid fights by using your awareness, verbal skills, and feet. Or if you want to you can get into gunfights. In fact that is one of the quotes I heard. "If folks come here looking to get into a gunfight...they probably will. If they come here looking to avoid a gunfight...they probably will."
Now, I have heard of people emptying 3 guns in a shooting scenario. They must be missing...A LOT. I do not think I ever even drew my backup gun.Shoot accurately. The knock down targets have to be knocked down. So again...shoot accurately.
One piece of "anatomy advice"....the knockdown manequin targets have a 3" diameter gravel filled PVC pipe "spine".If you hit it they fall over. If you don't then they may not fall over. It only goes up to chin level. Head shots with pistols or rifles zip right thru the head and will not drop them. I know from experience.
Of course they do not expect people to shoot targets in the head so they figure that anatomical anomoly does not matter. I shot some targets in the head on a stage where we used "battlefield pickup" shotgun in a CQB environment and they went down. Of course the guy running that stage was highly disturbed by the idea of head shooting people with a shotgun. But on another stage I emptied a pistol into the eyesocket of a target at about 6 yards and it did not fall over. They had to "declare it dead". So Don't shoot for the head and expect to get realistic results.
On the FOF stages just act natural.If you are nice to the role players and cautiously friendly and pay attention to body language you'll do fine. If you are a jackass to the role players they'll either fight you or rob you or not help you when you need help. If things look odd or out of place extricate yourself from the situation . Common sense.
Hope that helps some.
Randy, thanks for the pointers. I had read a few reviews already so I had a general picture of what to expect (i.e., software vice hardware), but your review was very helpful. I am now working my back through Farnam's reviews, as well.
I do believe I am in over my head, :embarassed: but I will try to both enjoy and learn from it, anyway. :biggrin2:
So, the Simunitions guns are all J-Frames, right? Do you recall if they are 2" or 3"? I plan on getting a cheapie nylon holster so I don't have to resort to pocket carry... I also think I can bum some J-Frame speedloaders off a buddy if I can use them, too.
I think I will probably try to run some stages with a covering shirt and others with my IDPA vest to get a real feel for the difference in trying to work with both setups.
Heck, three weeks away and I am already getting nervous! I think that's a good sign...
The one I got issued was a 1 7/8" barrel SW model 36. BUt I do not know if they were all the same. They also gave us holsters....but not what I'm used to using so I used the nylon holster I bought at the gunstore on the way and wore it IWB Appendix. The holster they issued with the gun would not have worked well for A-IWB.
You may run into problems with switching stuff around wardrobe wise.
You have to fill out your"man card" with everything you are carrying and WHERE you are carrying it. And you cannot deviate from that. So it really is not the place to "experiment" with different carry modes. I'd stick with what I used most of the time.
NTI is not really so much a "training exercise"where you learn new techniques as it is a "test". You show up with what tools you already have in your box and test them. The learning comes not from seeing new techniques like you would in a class, but from learning how much of your previous training and instinct is valid and how much is not and how much you need to work on. Everyone comes away from the first time with a new perspective.
Oh, and I'd LOVE to see a review after you get back.
Yeah, I got the explanation about the "man card" in an e-mail today. Although, looking through Farnam's AARs, he does seem to have switched equipment during the event a couple of times. Multiple primary carries and such.
On the other hand, I don't have enough equipment to provide that much variation. :biggrin2:
Yes, I plan on trying to write up my experiences every evening and I will put together some sort of AAR from that. I am really looking forward to it!
Cruel Hand Luke...sent you a PM.
I have attended once.
You may find the marksmanship standard for the live fire exercises can be rather high. You may want to work on that.
As Randy says, it's more of a software experience. Skip told me that it has been successfully negotiated with a J-frame and two Speed Strips.