Answering questions (2024): SF physical fitness, anatomy of a gunfight, Recce gear, guns and more!

Topics include: Why I went Special Forces, getting ready for SFAS, physical fitness on a SF team, SOCP and combatives training, working with Tier 1 units, luck in a gunfight, anatomy of a gunfight, best foreign SOF units, facing peer to peer threats. Can a civilian get as good at shooting as SF? Best teams I served on in SF, M7 and 6.8, RM277 and 6arc, M203 vs. M320, why SF hates the M9. Recce set ups, worst piece of issued gear, body armor set up, and my thoughts on social media and KZbin (Gun Tubers) within the firearms industry.
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[@IndoGunsnGear]

"Kids wake up, Modern tactical shooting uploaded a new video" 7:45 Holy cow, I think I was the one who asked that! Unless some other person had the same question as I did 15:53 ayeeee he answered my question again, now I finally get the hype behind getting your favorite streamer to say your name during live streams

[@LRRPFco52]

Home school for the win.

[@RT81775]

In my life’s experience, one of the most difficult things for people to do is admit that luck had any part in their success. There’s a side of human nature to want to attribute it 100% to skill, planning, knowledge, etc.

[@woodsghost9088]

I think we have controllables and uncontrollables. We feel better if we think the world is completely made up of controllables.

[@wcoonradt264]

Shooting matches my not be gunfights, but every gunfight is a shooting match... (paraphrased from Massad Ayoob)

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Every combat tour was the ultimate multi-gun match.

[@mattsrandomsheet2744]

Your fault I built a block 2. Love the info and history you provide. Thank you for your time and labors making these videos

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Happy to feed you gun addiction

[@Pompomgrenade]

The last vehicle leaving gets the chicken s*** potshot... And leaders don't leave people behind.. 💪 You are the s***🤙

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I'm sure most Team Sergeants had same experience.

[@dangvorbei5304]

Good to hear you're plotting new classes for once things have settled down. Keep us posted.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Will do

[@markhatfield5621]

Frank Proctor says something similar, that he was a Green Beret teaching other Green Berets how to shoot and he learned that civilian competitors here were doing things which he hadn't even known were possible.

[@IndoGunsnGear]

Does anyone remember which video it was where Jeff proved to us that our fine motor skills will still work under stress and fatigue which is why you dont slam the bolt release button on an ar-15?

[@w.w.9047]

I’m saving this vid for Saturday morning after the gym when I clean guns and drink coffee. Looking forward to it!

[@jamesbrisendine]

I've done that a couple times. I loaded about 15 ar mags and about 30 10rd ar stripper clips listening to the Block 2 vid.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

The polymer cased ammo would save weight and looks to the direction to go on the way to caseless ammo.

[@matthewrank109]

I had a 320 on my rifle while on active duty for a while and it was as cumbersome as it looks.

[@dangvorbei5304]

Stupidest corporate welfare handout ever. We could've just modernized M79s, whose technical data package we already owned.

[@ab5olut3zero95]

@@dangvorbei5304lots of better options than 320 IMO. Modernized China Lake launcher, modernized M57 blooper, six pack rotary launcher… just a couple off top of head.

[@dangvorbei5304]

@@ab5olut3zero95 If you have an MOS that requires you live with a weapon 24/7, that's definitely not the one I'd want to live with. Way too many better options.

[@ab5olut3zero95]

@@dangvorbei5304 try living in/on your assigned weapon…..

[@dangvorbei5304]

@@ab5olut3zero95 I had an M1025 I lived in, periodically. I would've liked Captain's chairs and AC, but things were primitive then. It didn't even have cupholders.

[@CooldonkeyK31]

Thanks for answering

[@Native_love]

Honestly, your two videos a month are better than 90% of the training videos out there! Can't wait to take one of your classes! 😃

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Too kind..Thank you

[@davesusierobinson6508]

Another informative video. Thanks

[@christopherrhodes9934]

Great video sir! My only question is what is that low profile plate carrier you are using??

[@batjackjohnson252]

Solid video. Thank you sir

[@glidewell19]

Good stuff! Love your channel.

[@ChrisDavis77]

Appreciate the video and answered questions Jeff! I'm thankful I got in a training a while back and look forward to hopefully getting in more in the future! Appreciate you brother!

[@10mikemike89]

Excellent work. I appreciate your videos.

[@novembermike512]

One other grip training technique is rice bucket training. It doesn't do as much for pure grip strength as the grip trainers but it helps with other parts of hand and wrist strength they don't work out and can minimize hand and wrist injuries.

[@TomRussellatAFA]

Great as always!

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Thank you

[@Vince-ml9gw]

Thanks Jeff 🇺🇸

[@jonc4050]

Proven information from individuals who have lived it, had mishaps and overcome. Is the most important info. Thanks great stuff as always.

[@Mike-kr9ys]

Thank you, Sir! That was a good session. I appreciate you sharing your experiences and knowledge with us.

[@275Ranger275]

Good video, homey!

[@death-to-dogma6142]

Thanks for the great info as always

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

You bet

[@wildcard556]

Glad to see content like this Jeff. Really appreciate the humble and modest answers you give.

[@Brandon-yk8qz]

Would love to see the vid on packs used in SF. Greatly appreciate all the gear and SF history vids you put out

[@academiacadejo3266]

I know this is a dumb request, but, I would love to see a video of plate carrier and/or body armor interaction with the M4/ar15 stock and cheek weld. How to make it work in real combat. I've seen nothing of value on the subject. Not flat range theatrics, but real combat shooting positions, what stocks work, how to shoulder a rifle with bulky soft body armor (very common in modern engagements with artillery), sight height, different body types, etc. Shooting a rifle with a shirt, standing, against a visible silhouette sure it's easy, keeping yourself a small target and/or perfect shooting stance with a vest, while leaning over a dirt pile for shooting at a suspected enemy position, meh, not so much.

[@goobasippay938]

Hi Jeff, I would love to see a video on how you painted your rifles.

[@freddyw4555]

Good one. Glad I joined the Air Force

[@joquin4618]

Excellent Q&A!!! 🙌 Would love to go to one of your training sessions 👍

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Any time!

[@ExtraRice365]

18X here shipping this fall. I hear rumors that SF is losing a large portion of their guys with combat experience, and is in somewhat rough shape in that regard. If we shifted to a purely advisory role, at what point would we still be legitimate advisors if our ODAs didn't have much combat experience anymore? Curious your thoughts.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Combat experience helps but being forward thinkers just as good..., Don't just rely on cookie cutter solutions. I despise hearing "that's how we have always done it". The guys who did the initial invasion of Afghanistan years ago, 90% no combat experience, just great problem solvers.

[@ExtraRice365]

Great point. I could see how trying to apply GWOT experience to a conflict like Ukraine or Taiwan might be problematic. Experience is valuable but it can also cause bias if unchecked

[@axelcaceres8853]

Could you make how you setup your belt/plate carrier for a cross dominant shooter as yourself?

[@apolitis1]

Great video. Please could you do a review of the new 6mm MAX cartridge. I think it’s very promising

[@Matt-O]

Are all of your classes in New Hill NC? I live 2hrs away and im having a hard time finding trustworthy and vetted instructors in my area. Love the information you put and how you lay it out in your videos

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Thank you

[@clayb3765]

I’m glad someone with real world experience is saying not to use a chest rig. I wear vests for work and it’s really not that bad to wear a vest and Walk around/ drive cars and so on. There’s no good reason to not wear armor.

[@mikebrown4433]

Haven’t been getting notified when you upload videos: looks like I’m 4 behind

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Hurry catch up!

[@vgt]

Great video, Jeff. Could you talk about the newer trend of elevated optics on rifles? Seems like we've kind of gone full circle with guys back in the day mounting optics on carry handles, then moving to flat top uppers and dropping optics to as close to the bore line as possible, and now we've got all these optic risers on the market now. What optic height did you prefer during your time in SF?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

The high optic trend personally I find silly. It offers marginal benefit only at very close ranges..Driven by great social media marketing.

[@dylangreen9819]

Not even a new thing. A.R.M.S. was making loads of popular risers in the early 2000s

[@pleaseadoptus]

They're good for passive NV sighting. I have trouble below 1.6". There is a practical limit. 1.93"-2.26" maybe. Definitely diminishing return above that. And QD mounts mean you can swap day night optics easier maybe.

[@dylangreen9819]

@pleaseadoptus I agree. Any taller than 2.26 is alot. I shoot lower 1/3 mostly but I have a tall neck and I've been trying around the idea of 1.93 to try soon. I've tried it on other people rifles but not my own yet

[@Gryphonification]

@ModernTacticalShooting do you see any validity to having a red dot mounted on top of a magnified optic? The way I see it is, you can benefit from the heads-up position for close range but still have a traditional long range shooting position/cheek weld. Thoughts?

[@GimletYT]

Strength and Honor! Dagger 2.

[@See-yw1vw]

Would you say the old Alice rucks are better than the new issued rucks? I love the photos of you doing recce stuff with the mp5 hardest photos ever.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I was going to include in video, there is a reason why in SF selection they kept using the Alice ruck up until 2011ish. It is way stronger

[@andyroberts805]

I can speak to luck. In 2007 I was in Iraq as part of a mounted reconnaissance team. I was sent to a class in camp liberty for a week to take a class on ground penetrating radar for mine detection. It was a standard classroom setup. During a break in instruction a soldier in the back row stood up and exited to use the latrine. Not 30 seconds later an AK round came through the wall and went right through his now empty seat. Had he waited 30 seconds later he’d have been gone. Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Call it luck, God, fate… I don’t know but it’s best not to take things for granted.

[@BrettBaker-uk4te]

French SOF have experimented with 6 ARC and 224 Valkyrie. Don't know if they're actually adopting either, though.

[@gregscott2563]

Any chance you can do a comparison of the VCOG 1-6 you run and the new VCOG 1-8 adopted by USMC ?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

If I ever gets my hands on a 1x8 sure

[@gregscott2563]

@@ModernTacticalShooting I would bring mine for a comparison.

[@MrMcGuy]

I appreciate your information greatly. There is a fascinating shift right now taking place where people are beginning to question body armor relevance when required to move through the mountains as a group or when direct contact is not immediately expected. I appreciate you touching on this, but feel that topic alone is worthy of expansion and lengthy discussion. Reality does not always match ideas. A critical point you mentioned is how much someone can carry before their performance becomes degraded. I'll note that the men in the trenches right now in Ukraine are carrying as much ammo, armor and water as their bodies will allow from what I can see. Nice watch, by the way. Thanks for all that you do.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I agree need to talk about body armor more, yes guys in Ukraine laying down some serious lead. Supports my argument about just how much ammo one can go though.

[@jlew6890]

29:00 preaching the gospel truth 🙌🏻

[@shrapmagnet]

Haskins = 100% solid guy. Hadn't thought about him for a while.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

We actually went through selection together that is where i first met him.

[@USN1985dos]

I bought the Sig Spear in .308 and absolutely hated it. It's too heavy, too unwieldy, and that was with a red dot and no suppressor attached. Adding the suppressor plus the LPVO and PEQ, that thing is going to be hated by Joes in my opinion.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Your opinion holds up since you have experience with 308 version

[@user-jt8xw6fd1v]

I'm trying to find info on what brands, models and mods of the 1911 that elite shooters use in the single stack shooting competitions. Any advice?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

sorry I'm not up on current models, but any brand of M1911 single stack that already runs reliably, can then be modded for competition. Thats what i did with my Kimber when I ran limited 10 years ago.

[@davidbrandon9247]

Shouting out Klayco47! Awesome.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I've learned a ton about upgrading AKs from him.

[@ExtraRice365]

Another question. So I've met a lot of other young guys going into SOF, it seems like a large portion of them just want to earn the "operator" status and look cool. Did you see a lot of GBs like that in your time? And do you think the regiment does a good job of getting guys who are in it for the right reasons and getting them in the fight? My biggest fear of going into SF if that I'll end up on an ODA with a bunch of dudes who just wanna post on instagram about how badass they are and we never actually do any meaningful work lol.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Great question, half the 18X that make it to teams get out after 1st enlistment. Yes, they just doing it for adventure, say they did it, etc.

[@LRRPFco52]

SF aren't operators. Those are in JSOC. A lot of guys have the idea that getting into SF means they'll be doing what JSOC does, then get disillusioned sometime between week one of SUTs in SFQC and their first year in Group. It's just that they didn't do their due diligence in researching what SF's primary missions are.

[@ExtraRice365]

@@LRRPFco52 I didn't realize "operator" was an official title. I thought it was just a colloquial term that could refer to someone on any SOF unit. But you're saying that it should technically only apply to those in Delta, DEVGRU, or 24th STS? I've heard a lot of GBs refer to themselves and others as "Special Forces Operator" so it's kind of confusing.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@ExtraRice365 A lot of people have borrowed the term since GWOT, including SWAT Teams, SF CIF Teams, and SEALs, but it only applies to JSOC. There are other units within JSOC as well. If you look at the organizational culture, training cycle, and the fact that JSOC are always in a wartime mode, you can see the differences. There are a very broad set of skills Operators need to be proficient in, which bridge between military and non-military tasks on-behalf of the National Command Authority, that SF, SEALs, most units in Ranger Regiment are not required or expected to do. It isn’t just a cheeky term to be exclusive, but actually means many things.

[@ExtraRice365]

@@LRRPFco52 thanks for the info

[@spacedredd]

In Afghanistan 2008, I saw Spanish soldiers rocking G36s and P38s. Hammer fired pistol, just like the M9 I was issued. My complaint about the M9... It's way to heavy for a sidearm. It's better than harsh language, but it was a hunk of metal. Some of our allies were using Glocks. Yes, I coveted the Glock...

[@unclefreedom213]

Preaching on the ruck I got issued a 3dap and it changed my life prior to that I spent an ungodly fortune Malice outing an ALICE

[@ab5olut3zero95]

What’s the advantage of the 3DAP over MALICE? Been carrying MALICE for a few years now and I’m pretty happy with her, but I came up on ALICE so she’s my go-to.

[@LRRPFco52]

Imagine being in Weapons Squad or Mortars....someone tells you to draw out your XM7 and get to stepping.

[@stickfighter1038]

The M203 was a great and practical grenade launcher.

[@Throwaway208]

I'm really not trying to talk shit on the fella, but is the guy on your right (our left) @24:45 a long tabber? I know not every team guy is a chiseled Hercules but he seems a bit on the pudgy side. Are standards lax after you've been on the teams for a while?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

That guy is a tank, he carried two rifles every mission MK18 and Scar Heavy in his pack, thru the mountains of Afghanistan.

[@lancekilkenny721]

ALL vehicles are bullet magnet's

[@pyeitme508]

Also I think I missed asking u can M4A1 carbines with URG-I rails mount under barrel grenade launchers (M203, M320 & FN40GL) with no problems or need specific parts & adjustments to get things go smoothly?

[@mww1363]

It would need a pic rail on the MLOK to attached, but honestly attaching the 320 to your rifle is an awful idea. Makes both the rifle and grenade launcher less effective.

[@pyeitme508]

@@mww1363 Yet the 320 exists when 203 seems a bit outdated on assault rifles.

[@mww1363]

@@pyeitme508 they developed the 320 to fire as standalone. Not sure why they even included the option to attach it to a rifle.

[@dangvorbei5304]

​@@mww1363For the same reasons you attach chainsaws and flamethrowers?

[@corvetteguy1980]

M1 Garands were used in Vietnam in the early years of the Vietnam War.

[@angryveteran8585]

We worked with Romanians at FOB Lagman in '06, they were good guys. But maybe I'm just biased bc their colonel got us drunk the last night we were at the FOB lol. Also I recall the locals freaked out bc they thought we brought the Russians back due to the ex Soviet hardware they were rocking.

[@a_shuchu_601]

25:30 any opinion on Soviet GP-25 grenade launchers?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Sorry no

[@Pompomgrenade]

Peace owes a lot to SF😂 No, not San Francisco! Thanks for sharing your craft with The descending knowledge pool for future generations of 🇺🇸 fighters.

[@resolute123]

Kinda suprise Delta didnt want to do futher joint ops. Figure a lot of their ranks came from the SF community

[@xxxlonewolf49]

Everyone does things differently, that can be an issue for some. DELTA takes people from all over. The briefing to apply is offered to lots, even random Navy & Army.

[@southern842]

75% of Delta came from the 75th.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

@@southern842 agree

[@kelly2105]

You could do a combatives course (if you get back to teaching civilians).....?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I'm not in the best shape to run a full blown combatives course..father time is catching up with me.

[@TLTL24631]

Was it Dustin a prior service, Marine, by any chance?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Nope

[@TLTL24631]

​@ModernTacticalShooting Rgr thanks Boss

[@Bad_spark]

If you've done a lot of sifting and sorting, perhaps you could share some links to channels you appreciate.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

I do list them at the end of the video

[@Bad_spark]

@@ModernTacticalShooting my bad! Keep it up!

[@Jonny-tr9qo]

SF fitness question - MK18 video has pic of huge dude who is clearly overweight . Is he grandfathered in or what lol?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Don't know which person but if it's who I'm think of he was actually a stud

[@hk45c62]

Did you ever train with Smokey West?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Don't know.smokey west

[@hk45c62]

@@ModernTacticalShooting , he was 7th group back in the 80's and 90's. Saw him on Jack Murphy's podcast a few times. Jim West was heavy into multiple forms of martial arts. Didn't know if you might have crossed paths. Thanks Jeff.

[@silkplayer9]

Thank you for sharing, what is the weirdest/ most bizarre thing you see in your career.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Good question!

[@gec-o2167]

Oh damn-- is that Entebbe airport where the Israelis rescued the hostages in '76? Looks like the Ugandans just left it as a memorial bullet pock marks and all. Pretty cool! What's the story you guys going there?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Yes that was Entebbe, they built a new airport about a mile away left that one how it was to include the destroyed Migs sitting on runway.

[@mattbrown5949]

7,000rounds per year is super low. Wow. I thought it would be 10x that minimum.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Early in GWOT was more like 11,000 per man the money flood gates were open

[@unclefreedom213]

man you and I need to chat I can share some 6 arc goodness with you

[@remo_williams]

Comment

[@lancekilkenny721]

Ever heard of Kung Fu San Soo?

[@echofoxtrotwhiskey1595]

Don’t bother. If you want “kung fu” go with Sanda.

[@corvetteguy1980]

Who carried the rocket launcher on the team?

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

We had laws and Carl Gs , usually the 18B or C

[@Murderface666]

I think the worst guntubers are what I call Tactical Divas/Combat Fashionistas who try to brand themselves as an authority.

[@ellerybice3787]

And now days? 🤷🏼‍♂️ trying to hide behind selective camera angles.

[@MrFox1111]

Never was there a time where you were doing 80 pushups in 2 minutes, then banging out pull ups. Be honest with yourself.

[@LRRPFco52]

That was literally the old APFT standards. 17-21 yr old 100pts: 82 PU 100pts: 92 SU 100pts: 11:54 or less on 2-mile run This was always what I held myself to even after they lowered the standards. Edit: Sorry, I just noticed you said "pull-ups" after 80 push-ups. That would be a smoker for sure, though the primary muscle groups are different, with only commonality among supporting muscle groups (traps, lats, infrasprinatus, teres minor, teres major).

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

​@LRRPFco52 Yes I was going to mention something about old school PT.

[@dangvorbei5304]

Just barely passing was 42 pushups in two minutes. All the guys going to SFAS could at least come close to maxing out the APFT. That's reality.

[@ytty5183]

OUTSTANDING 🫡