Clearing malfunctions in the dark: improving personal defense
Clearing a malfunction on the range in daylight or under LED lights is not the same as clearing a malfunction in a no-light environment. While technically the same, it becomes much more psychologically challenging.
Loss of light, e.g., operating in complete darkness with no light to amplify your vision, while under duress and faced with an imminent threat, can induce panic and have disastrous results if you’re unprepared. This skillset must be developed like any other so that you’re not operating at a serious disadvantage.
So this isn’t a “how to” post about clearing malfunctions. I’m assuming that’s a skill you already possess and can access on demand. Rather, it’s intended to get you thinking about acquiring the skill to clear malfunctions under no-light conditions for application in a personal defense context, like a home invasion.
Clearing malfunctions in the dark is a challenge and discrete skill. Why? Loss of light while trying to get a gun back in the fight after experiencing a malfunction doesn’t align with the SOPs in the safe, sheltered environment of the square range. You need a structured process designed for efficiency. A comprehensive procedure from start to finish that you can practice. Repetition builds skill, which builds confidence, which breeds calmness and the ability to think clearly.
In my previous life as a fireman, operating and performing isolated skills under stress in complete darkness was the norm and informs my approach to my firearms training. There are many possible scenarios where you may find yourself operating in complete darkness, from blackouts, rooms with broken lights or dark corners, or poorly lit or unlit outdoor areas. The importance of being able to remain calm to process information, visualize the problem and solve it quickly and efficiently—without seeing what you’re doing—can’t be overstated.
Here are a few things you can do to practice and start becoming proficient in identifying and clearing a malfunction without any visual cues. Knowing how to do this will ensure you’re not wasting precious time performing the wrong action, or possibly making the problem worse.
Set up multiple guns with various malfunctions. Preferably have a friend set them up so you don’t know which gun has which malfunction.
Simulate complete darkness. Put on a blindfold and select material that doesn’t allow light to pass through.
Learn to listen and feel. Using other senses, you get tactile and audible feedback from the trigger and charging handle/slide. How are they functioning, if at all? This immediately tells you which malfunction has happened so the correct clearance procedure can be initiated.
Create stress and urgency. Add in a timer and set a par to induce additional stress and a sense of urgency. Test yourself to see how fast you can get the gun back in the fight.
Don’t overlook mag retention. Once the mag is removed, place it on the floor with your knee over it. This will prevent you from losing track of it or accidentally kicking it across the room. You will lose it in the dark.
Have a Plan B. For a worst case scenario when a remedial action clearance may have failed or will take too long, consider staging a back-up gun as a contingency.
Considering real world scenarios as part of your training will ensure your skills are not only accessible while calm, but also replicable under stress. True competence, real proficiency in a skill, means you are able to adapt and succeed when everything goes wrong. That’s the difference between being range ready vs fight ready. When there’s an understanding of how your gun operates, the need to see the malfunction becomes irrelevant.
Prioritize your training.
Build on-demand performance through drills that develop and pressure test speed, accuracy, distance, and movement with your gun.