Rigor, Discipline, and Excellence: Christian Prouteau on GIGN Training and the MR-73

[@Chromopila]

As to the kg muzzle energy: I'm almost certain he's talking about kilopondmetres. 1kpm is 9.81J so the prez de quatre-vingt ... soixante quinze kilo d'energie à la bouche would be 735-785J at the muzzle.

[@jeanmartox3570]

il a confondu les joules avec les newtons! Du moins je le pense! bien à vous!

[@jeanmartox3570]

pardons vous avez raison!

[@drdoom-skull2244]

My thoughts too. Not necessarily that he confuses them, more probably using kg is more intuitive for non-scientists. Exactly like using kg instead of Newton to describe a force.

[@drdoom-skull2244]

I guess you meant kilogram not kilopound?

[@khaelamensha3624]

Well 1973, the use of official units may not have been as common as now.

[@awmperry]

For some people, the phrase “special guest” just doesn’t quite cut it. This is fascinating stuff!

[@awmperry]

Imagine getting him to bring a team to Desert Brutality…

[@oncelewdtwicehigh438]

It would turn it into a seminar while a French man shouts at everyone for their bad postures and lack of discipline while failing to shoot the target multiple times... But at least it was sexy and classy while that all happened.

[@awmperry]

Il est formidable, ce mec.

[@lairdcummings9092]

Legendary. *Beyond* legendary.

[@ecarlate]

@@awmperry i had the chance to do shooting with them at one time, and fuck they are impressive. outside that, we had a guy from the GIGN at an paintball match, he eliminated all of us so easily that was funny lol

[@MrSiameseCat]

Christian Prouteau is 78 years old. He could easily pass as very fit man 20 years younger. Just so impressed with his verbal acuity and intellectual capacity. The French obviously picked the right man for the job.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

I was a general's decision, Prouteau,then a lieutenant, had written a report on the possibility of another terrorist action like the Munich Massacre, and the need for specialised units to deal with this threat. Pouteau was an Army Academy grad (like a West Pointer for the US) and was considered "unothodox" for a Gendarmerie young officer, meaning if he was not completely successful, he would have been promoted after more conventional, less imaginative, officers.

[@juliancantarelli]

I had to verify because I didn't believe it. He's 11 days older than my dad, and he looks younger than my older brother.

[@murphy7801]

French living is graceful on the body. My french side family always ages more gracefully.

[@TheNefastor]

@@Rainersherwood you should see what a typical company restaurant looks like in France. We don't mess around with good food. Wherever I work there's usually freshly-baked croissants every morning, and orange juice. I never eat breakfast home.

[@davidcox3076]

@@jean-pascalesparceil9008 Thank you for the information! Prouteau had great vision of what was needed. And considering that Munich occurred in 1972 his timing was exceptional.

[@LittleRabbit1138]

Best statement in this whole interview... "The firearm is no substitute for courage"

[@kxkxkxkx]

The one secret trick that gun stores hate...

[@frankkrunk]

I love how Ian is trying to wrap up, and this legend is like "No, wait, we have not yet discussed the importance of the propellant!" What an amazing guy, every law enforcement agency should listen to this, especially the moral and philosophical parts about how their job is not to mete out justice, but to arrest a suspect. And "Two bullets starts to be a problem, three is a waste of ammunition" is an amazing quote.

[@jubuttib]

The same kind of thinking he puts into philosophy of why the handgun is important is also IMO applicable to general law enforcement training. As just a rudimentary example, and not wishing to paint all police of a given nation with the same brush: In the US in many regions you can become a cop by going through a fairly short length police academy (between something like 6 to 26 weeks based on googling, varies massively based on region), then some months of field training and a year on probation, something like that. In France there's a fairly extensive entrance exam (as far as I'm aware), followed by a year of training, then another year of on the job training. In Finland, becoming a police officer is the equivalent of a getting a bachelor's degree, and takes around 3 years. This isn't to say that "US cops are bad", but it is possible that it being so "quick and easy" to become an officer is related to why the general opinion of the police has been deteriorating in the US for quite some time now. This is to say that I think the immense challenges of law enforcement, being authorized to carry and use deadly weapons while working within normal communities (as opposed to military people who mostly work within military communities) is something that should require a LOT of dedication over a long period of time so that problems can be averted.

[@frankkrunk]

@@jubuttib Totally agree. And It's surprising to see how many shots are fired in some of cases in the US. And also how few rounds actually hit the target. Like Amadou Diallo, four cops fired 41 shots, of which 19 hit him. That's pretty far from "two bullets starts to be a problem". If Diallo had been a criminal (and armed) that would still have been an atrocious shooting. Of course not ever Palookaville deputy can be trained to a GIGN level. But every cop should at least be taught that they are not soldiers, judges or executioners.

[@redaethel4619]

@@frankkrunk For most cops, higher capacity just means more rounds sprayed into the void when they clamp their eyes shut in terror and pull the trigger until it goes dry. Sympathetic fire is also an issue, which is more likely to be triggered by long strings of fire. You can even see this at the low stress environment of a shooting range: try to fire very slowly and precisely at your target while nearby shooters are magdumping as fast as they can.

[@rodrigodepierola]

It's the complete opposite of "spray and pray".

[@hahahano2796]

@@jubuttib The US used to have much more strict and stringent hiring practices for Police. They were often cited as being racist and sexist. Largely because they had basic and understandable physical requirements as well as legal requirements (no felonies, can't use drugs, etc.) and primarily only "White" men, in a then primarily "White" country could meet them. Once those were done away with the Police forces became what you see today. One of the most obvious examples of the dangers of giving into this rhetoric of "others can't meet your standards so they much be sexist/racist/phobic/whatever" is during the height of the Florida Drug Trade when they relaxed standards nearly all of the subsequent Police hires were quickly corrupted and went to prison for Drug related offenses or were killed as they defended the smugglers and not the people. This is very simplified but also generally accurate as well.

[@Vilamus]

This man's philosophy should be embedded in every LEO in every country on this world. Law enforcement is not there to dispense immediate justice, but to detain the person and to have them turn up in court for the court to decide. That is the way it should be.

[@JimTempleman]

Yes, that's the way it should be! But that level of training costs time & resources. How many LE units have the budgets to come close to that level of training? The poorer the training the more likely the practical policy will be to shoot to stop the assailant quickly with as many rounds needed to put them down (sadly). Skill & finesse comes at a price.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@JimTempleman For illegal parking you don't need a lot of training, but for a hostage situation it is better to have few very well trained men than a crowd shooting everywhere. As Tsun Tsou said: An armed crowd is as much an army as a pile of bricks is a wall.

[@Hansengineering]

@@JimTempleman Then shortly fire the ones who can't handle the training, use their salaries to hire people that can.

[@Bert2368]

Eric Hansen People smart enough to make GOOD peace officers are generally too intelligent to WANT to be part of what police have become in the present USA.

[@Hansengineering]

@@Bert2368 I'll agree with that.

[@AustrianJager]

This was one of the best interviews with an former police officier, i have ever seen. Just to mention, that the Austrian Special Police unit COBRA, also formaly known as GEK (Gendarmerie Einsatz Kommando) has used the MR73 for a period of time as their primery sidearm. Merci beaucoup, Christian Prouteau pour vos connaissances approfondies sur le sujet du tir au revolver, de la balistique et de l'importance d'un entraînement intensif !

[@lairdcummings9092]

Dude. You get to meet the *best* people. This man is *beyond* legendary. Revolver: Because France does their own thing, rather than follow anyone else's trends.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@iHawke Harry Callahan shoot everyone go and kill anyone who moves (even ears) Quite the opposite of GIGN which kills him only if he cannot do otherwise.

[@stevailo]

The French copy nobody, and nobody copies the French.

[@Zorglub1966]

@@olivierpuyou3621 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rajUaamkfNelhdU

[@rubennasser6907]

@@stevailo Thankfully!

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

Also at the time, it was very difficult for Prouteau to have adequate support from the Gendarmerie HQ, any foreign weapon would have not been budgeted.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

God damn it, it's Cdt Prouteau's shape. What seems to me to be the most important to remember is this philosophy: We are not executioners, our goal is to bring the target in front of its judges. A philosophy that many police services should have. This man is a legend, well done to Ian for being able to do this interview. And as Cdt Prouteau could have said "The liters of sweat in training avoids the liters of blood in combat"

[@lairdcummings9092]

"The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat." Not at all surprised by the philosophy - this man's life mission was to save as many lives as he could.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@lairdcummings9092 Absolutely but this is the French version ^^

[@johntavish8750]

Exept in France, criminals walk, the judges are liberal corrupted traitors. I'd rather they were shot on scene.

[@lairdcummings9092]

@@olivierpuyou3621 but of course. Because la Belle France does things her own way.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@johntavish8750 Anyway even if the judges are lax (and I am the first furious) A policeman or a gendarme cannot be at the same time: the one who will capture, judge and execute. that's a Stalinist vision of things

[@drdoom-skull2244]

I can't believe Ian managed to get C. Prouteau as a guest! It shows how FW achieved credibility and notoriety through hard work and dedication.

[@charlesstoeng9166]

100%

[@drdoom-skull2244]

And a super interesting interview too! Being French, I knew some of GIGN history but I learned a lot of new information. Scoring 90/100 at 50m with a 3" to be allowed to carry the 5"1/4 is redefining the word expectation.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

I believe no French U Tuber has ever done such interview on weapons and training with Prouteau, at least here is none on social media.

[@charlesstoeng9166]

@@jean-pascalesparceil9008 I agree, or at least I haven't seen any either. But he is often on CNews on other topics

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

@@charlesstoeng9166 Yes, unlike policemen only retired Gendarmes and the "Relations Publiques" officer can give their opinion on news shows (most operations or investigations commanders can give interviews but they must stay with facts and as little as useful).

[@therogers4432]

Hats off to Ian and his influence in the gun world -this takes Surprise-Guest to the next level and beyond...

[@christianwilliams1690]

Proteau himself- this is incredible, Ian!

[@AxLWake]

Prouteau. Not Proteau.

[@HereticalKitsune]

Now that is a very special guest for sure! Monsieur Prouteau is 77 years old by now, but doesn't look that age. His philosophy makes sense for a police force for sure, but I can also see why it would not be as practical for most military units (unless they are special forces too).

[@lairdcummings9092]

A fit and young 50, maybe.

[@nigeh5326]

I’m 57 and he looks 10 years younger than me bravo Monsieur Prouteau 👍

[@HeliophobicRiverman]

Yeah, I was about to make a similar comment. His voice does sound about right for that age, but man he looks nothing like 77.

[@HereticalKitsune]

@@HeliophobicRiverman Very rough voice, aye, but looks younger.

[@andrewespinoza2896]

@@HereticalKitsune you could easily write that off with smoking Frenchman stereotype. Would have put money the dude was mid 50s

[@Tusk-ruk]

Mr Prouteau's culture of excellence is a testament to the French's soul. Congratulations Ian for this very exclusive interview, and thank you (so much) for building a bridge between our people and cultures. Merci.

[@moiseman]

Christian Prouteau is an exceptional man, he's as kind and compassionate as he's brave and that says a lot.

[@alainpichon4395]

The guy was prosecuted, charged and found guilty. 15 months jail term. 1991.

[@moiseman]

@@alainpichon4395 And?

[@alainpichon4395]

@@moiseman And not exactly the knight in a shinny white armor.

[@moiseman]

@@alainpichon4395 I think you should inform yourself on the matter before talking non sense and dropping a jugement like it means anything. Laws aren't the word of God and that espionnage story contradicts in no way shape or form what I wrote.

[@alainpichon4395]

@@moiseman Enlighten me: where is the non sense ? Has the guy been sentenced to jail ? yes. *A fact*, not my own judgement but the one of French justice.

[@aljole683]

As a sports coach, I LOVE his ideas about training under stress and removing certain cues, they make complete sense. As a gun guy, his ideas about the use of the revolver are interesting, and make a lot of sense as well. There are far too many "shootouts" in the US involving professionals that can't seem to hit a target. I know...stress, dynamics, there's a LOT of reasons. But they are carrying guns, and even though they hope to never use them, that sort of training, the "First Shot" ideal....that would be worthwhile. To them, AND to the rest of us. Prouteau is a BOSS even at his age, he's a guy that people follow, he just oozes leadership. Great bit of video, of a great man. Well done, Ian!

[@geodkyt]

His comment about the philosophy of their primary goal being preservation of life, trying to bring their subjects in for trial rather than merely neutralizing them reminds me of a meeting I was in at work. We had USN and USCG folks in the room, in a rather heated argument about whether a Navy proposed weapons fit met the Coast Guard requirements for the platform in question (USN was lead design for a USCG program, simply because the Navy had more experience and a stronger engineering organization). The question was whether or not the weapon and sight in question could meet the requirements for "warning and disabling fire" - the Navy and Coast Guard had opposing stances, and things had gotten quite heated and bothnsides bunkered up. It eventually hit me (I was on the Navy side) that we had a fundamental difference in outlook, and I cleared up the matter by addressing each side to explain what I suddenly realized about this difference. [Addressing the Navy guys] "To the Coast Guard, when they say they are 'prosecuting a target', they mean they're going to put him in handcuffs and drag him to a judge. They're trying to take the boat equivalent of the SWAT team 'hostage shot'." [Awareness dawns] [To the Coast Guard side of the room] "To the US Navy, a smoldering oil slick *IS* a target that has been 'warned or disabled'." [Awareness dawns]

[@jubuttib]

Great comment. This is another example of how so many issues between people are the results of not understanding each other, rather than thinking what the other's are trying to do being fundamentally wrong.

[@randomnobodovsky3692]

Excellent story.

[@otm646]

@@jubuttib There's something wrong with you morally and philosophically if you believe "warned or disabled" equals a smoldering oil slick.

[@jubuttib]

@@otm646 I think that was a bit of hyperbole...

[@BaritoneMonkey]

I love seeing comments like this. I feel like I've been on a mission in my own life/community - and yes, sometimes on KZbin lol - to bring awareness about this sort of thing. So much more often than we think, the real root cause of our conflicts is really that we do not truly understand the others' perspectives. Like one thing I'll point out, I love how channels like Forgotten Weapons can bring together both gun people and academic-types. Without getting into whether or not these associations are well deserved, there's this perception that academia is and can be by and large quite hostile to firearms. And at least where I'm from, there's this perception that links "gun people" with close-mindedness. I love when channels and people bring very different types together, and allow them to discuss and understand their differences, especially when it leads to people realizing that maybe they're not so different after all.

[@amaclean4515]

I would have zero complaints if he were a regular on this channel. He was absolutely fascinating, and with all the tacticool BS on KZbin it was a real treat to hear from someone who truly has been there and done that.

[@colbunkmust]

No offense to Larry and Ashley, but this is probably the coolest interview you've done so far.

[@KenworthW900HG]

@@timewave02012 never thought I would see someone calling Christian Prouteau a fudd. The internet truly is an amazing place...

[@SteelHex]

@@KenworthW900HG I’ve been on the internet long enough to expect a keyboard warrior to pop out any minute, and I’m not disappointed this time.

[@andersjjensen]

@@timewave02012 Today, yes. In '73 when the best pistols had an absolutely atrocious trigger pull and feed reliability was still not 100%, no. You need to appreciate that 48 years ago even the 1911 or Browning Highpower couldn't routinely dump 100 rounds in rapid succession without at least one hickup. For a military force his idea would be dumb as fuck, but GIGN is *not* a military force. They're an anti-terror unit operating among civilians. They are, if worst come to worst, there to sacrifice themselves in exchange for a hostage. Today a Glock 17L with a hand fitted trigger and a precision barrel would do the job just fine. But '73 is certainly not today....

[@Krogort]

@@timewave02012 The GIGN adopted Ruger mini 14 ? you often see them with exotic stuff but it always seem to serve an operational purpose, not for PR. They even use the army camo, which you never see police using. Although I'm curious to know why they needed a scoped SPAS12

[@XxJay71xX]

I think we all want to look like Colonel Prouteau when we're 77 years old, damn that man is in shape. Also being french, the GIGN is legendary in our country, hearing THE man that made it all possible, it's quite incredible.

[@Nightdare]

Helll, I look like Prouteau Mind you, I'm just 44, so I think I got the edge on him 🤣

[@mattfleming86]

That was a FANTASTIC interview. His philosophies are so well thought out and meaningful. There are lessons to be learned here.

[@MrCarlozan96]

Knowing the how the French deal with the English language, I feel his effort at the end shows a lot respect towards Ian.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

It must be admitted that it is a relatively barbaric language compared to French, which is much more precise but also much more complicated to learn. Uhhhh yes I'm French hey hey hey (^_^)

[@therogers4432]

The only thing that Ian could have improved on in this excellent interview would have been to attempt to speak in French a little more (especially in thanking Cdt. Prouteau at the end), however badly it may have turned-out for him... As a Brit who lived in France for a while and has visited countless times, the French ALWAYS appreciate you making the effort to speak their language (however badly/falteringly that may be...), and it's seen as a huge show of respect to them under any circumstances that will open many doors, and usually they will break into English and continue the exchange like an old friend, rather than shrugging and walking away with a shake of the head if you just address them in English and expect them to do all the work...

[@hidakazuya2796]

@@therogers4432 Maybe Ian wasn't confortable enough to do it with such a Legendary Man :)

[@Christian-gb8nd]

I think that both of them speaking there own language was the best way. They both were able to be accurate to express they mind.

[@DC2022]

@@Christian-gb8nd and there are no need for more evidence of respect than Ian being known to be such a french stuff fan ^^ so Mr Prouteau was surely well aware of the respect. And looked very happy to be able to share his experience with someone who understand it and was eager to share it on his channel. That's a win / win . Next stop, Ian visiting Satory!

[@CeltKnight]

This was AMAZING! It's not often we get to hear directly from such a legend. Thank you! I was over a little SWAT team back in the early 2000s and in charge of their training. Mind you, this was a tiny team of volunteers (in addition to their real work), in a small tourist city so we saw a whole LOT of training but fortunately, not a lot of deployment. When setting up training back then we discussed a few times how the GIGN used .357 Manhurin revolvers. When we were all going through an FBI Basic SWAT course, on shoot-house drills (if our cobbled together sad attempt at such could be called a shoot house) we noticed that during times when we were using handguns, we seldom expended more than one or two shots on a target. A revolver would actually have been fine ... although arguably less "sexy" and therefore no one would try, LOL.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

Already being a volunteer in this kind of "part-time" unit is something that I find particularly honorable. But you have to have a lot of training the GIGN gendarmes shoot at least 100 cartridges per day (400 men X 100 cartridges 5 days a week out of 52 weeks in the year) that still makes more than 10 million cartridges per year for the group (10,400,000 exactly) you have to have the budget.

[@CeltKnight]

@@olivierpuyou3621 - You are so right. It takes a huge budget to keep even a little unit trained (we got in trouble all the time for our budget and it wasn't much). GIGN are the best of the best of the very best, though. They did (do) training right.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@CeltKnight Money, the lifeblood of all wars (and police services) ^^

[@khaelamensha3624]

I read a book by the second in command. They had less people at the beginning but already problem of budget for shooting practice 😂 This is why GIGN reloaded their cartridges to spend less money.

[@CeltKnight]

@@khaelamensha3624 - The bean counters who hold the purse strings (or "budget goblins") are forever the bane of those doing the real work. Our man in that position was so cheap that when I suggested we needed to issue everyone gas masks due to all the hazardous material shipping through town, his honest response was that when the first responders stopped answering and the next team showed up and saw them down, they'd know something was wrong. So, no need to spend a few bucks on gas masks, then. Never mind his opinion on ammo, overtime, buying me a tac-vest, ...

[@breakerbreaker4990]

French viewer here. Thanks a lot for this interview, the man and the group are legends ! I think now you can get brand new MR73s in the USA, such an iconic weapon. 🇫🇷 Again thanks to you and Monsieur Prouteau for this interview.

[@OverlordMaggie]

A fantastic interview! It's clear with everything he says that he's put so much thought into every component of the program - ways to make the training less predictable and more realistic and challenging in that way, the psychology of a small clip and the reality of firing a gun at a person, the specifics of ammunition types and sustained accuracy, and even usage considerations like drawing from the holster smoothly. Truly an expert take on security, he must have done great things with GIGN.

[@howardlittell6332]

This is a fantastic look into the philosophy and dedication necessary for periods of years in order for elite operators to perform where good guys and bad guys are mixed together. It is good to hear the reasons behind several instances of the stereotype "The French copy no-one..." (tactical revolver, non-rotating targets, first-shot drill) where the logic is undeniable, and explained by the originator. Dismissing that sort of thing as stubborn contrarianism is doing a great disservice to gentlemen such as Monsieur Prouteau. Thanks, Ian, this is an incredible interview for you to have bagged!

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

In the seventies (post Munich Massacre) there were very few units to copy, basically, only the SAS Pagoda Troop, the Israeli units were not open to foreigners. Plus GIGN had very little support from the high ups in the Gendarmerie, little budget unitl the Loyada operation. So Prouteau and some of his men had to be creative, like Wegener with GSG9 (of course the budget was different). And the Police was waiting to see the unit fail so they could take its place.

[@jubuttib]

Agreed. The one thing I wish he (or someone else) would update (and admittedly probably has already) is how to enforce that same sort of discipline, consideration and frankly philosophy, while using a weapon that's undeniably more effective in practice, like a modern, immensely reliable pistol, equipped with a red dot. As a weapon for making accurate hits in tough conditions it is almost impossible to argue that a revolver is better these days, but how do you make sure you instill that same SENSE of using the weapon without falling into the trap of it being "too easy" with the modern stuff... To me at least the ideal would be the mentality that you need to use a revolver like that effectively, but with an even more effective gun, and in the end you _have to_ practice with the gun you're going to be using...

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

@@jubuttib The Mk 23 of the Navy perhaps?

[@jubuttib]

@@jean-pascalesparceil9008 I was thinking more doctrinally and in terms of how to train to achieve the same philosophical goals, rather than a specific weapon. =)

[@williampeck6881]

I have now watched this a 2nd time, and am (re)struck by M. Prouteau's point that the police are to bring the bad guy(s) to justice, not to simply mete out "intermediate" justice. That is a superb philosophy, and requires the highest level of professional capability and humility.

[@dakaptan6601]

i bet even Ian never would have thought he'd be interviewing the founder of the GIGN when he started this project over 10 years ago

[@sardanapale2302]

How in hell did you manage an interview with this man? "Au GIGN on a 2 vitesses, à l'arrêt et à fond!" Prouteau is a Legend.

[@michaelguerin56]

Thank you for a great interview. Monsieur Prouteau is the most impressive interviewee I have seen on your channel. The mental and professional rigour that he applied to his work, shine through in his words. Empirical data will always override sales talk and acquired habits. The routine of carrying out marksmanship training at the end of the working day makes perfect sense to me. I have always trained shooters in basic safety on the basis that: you have to be safe whatever the conditions. Genuine high level marksmanship training can only be conducted on the same rigorous basis. The old saying about making the training harder than the real thing exists for a reason.

[@ricjona1069]

That was an amazing interview. It is for many of the reasons he mentioned, that I have gone back to carrying revolvers. I feel I am much more effective mentally knowing that I have to make every shot count. In addition to having complete confidence in my weapon, in any position and from direct contact (problematic with pistols) out to 50 yards.

[@jamesbuckley6951]

Best interview on any gun channel hands down. Hearing you talk to this man of honor made me feel proud, if tangentially, to be part of the gun community.

[@Johnny-nb7eg]

Merci Ian pour cette video formidable! As a German, living in Switzerland I know how hard it can be learning a foreign language especially french! Keep on learning and putting out this great videos we all can learn so much from! Encore une fois merci beaucoup! Amitiés J

[@stevailo]

Definitely one of the peaks of your channel and of YT as a whole, and a great testament to the great work you're doing Ian.

[@fredericlepeltier3435]

Ian i do not have enough thumbs to put up to qualify that interview. They never was such a deep dive interview of Mr Prouteau here on TV (or i missed it) Thank you for that. Hats off to the translator who's help made it seamless. The explanation about how the MR73 is more a weapon system with that strong relation beetween barrel length, projectile and burnning speed of the powder than just a fancy gun to achieve a 1st effective round on target every single time, not to harm or kill but to bring criminals to justice is a gem!

[@GarioTheRock]

Listening to Monsieur speak, I just remember Ian saying: "Nobody copied the French and the French copied no one." Respect, absolutely love the French. Sorry LindyBeige x) Just listening to the language and understanding it partly makes my heart glow with joy, such a lovely and complicated culture.

[@mikeks8181]

LindyBeige! Yeah!

[@fuckednegativemind]

Thank you! And contrary to some belief, firearms were a great part in our culture, but unfortunately, it's lost for most of the french people now. We made a lot of "firsts" in the firearms history and we still have good manufacturers. It's a shame that, not only gun culture has mostly disappeared, but that our armed forces don't use french guns anymore...

[@unclejoeoakland]

I remember that- what video was that? The comment about French originality.

[@mrackerm5879]

Such a privilege to learn from a true expert. Fascinating. Thank you.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

Prouteau was frequently in contact with Danny Coulson; FBI HRT creator and first commander. In Coulson's book, he describes Prouteau as a friend, sharing the same values.

[@ConkreteMan]

Never would I have thought that I would read 32 minutes of subtitles about French Special Forces philosophy, but that was fascinating! Well done!

[@Amarok-7]

Best interview so far, i'm french, and this interview, collab is very good. Merci beaucoup Ian

[@tomislavzamic8714]

What a great interview...thank you Ian and thank Prouteau. Exelence brought to it best...sadly just a revolver remains now....good I have one and train enough to appreciate it.

[@PltOffPPrune]

I loved hearing him talk about the 4" S&W 19. My dad was a British police firearms officer throughout the 80s and 90s. For many years that was his issue sidearm. When they switched to Glocks in the early 90s, Dad bought his S&W 19 from the dealer they traded them to. It was always my favourite of his pistols to fire.

[@dmytro732]

Is there a way nowadays for retired British police to keep their handguns or do they have to be turned in?

[@PltOffPPrune]

@@dmytro732 No. This was back when a civilian could own a handgun in Britain. My dad had a Firearms Certificate to own a handgun and arranged to purchase the revolver that had been his issued pistol. In 1997 or 1998 handguns became prohibited firearms in Britain and they had to be surrendered to the local police force, for them to destroy.

[@Barbaroossa]

@@PltOffPPrune that's honestly heartbreaking to hear that this prohibition was extended even to police officers.

[@lavrentivs9891]

@@Barbaroossa At the same time, handguns are the firearm most used in crimes, so makes sense to take them out of circulation. And I suspect that the prohibition does not apply to those active police officers who need them (undercover work, living with death threats etc.).

[@contactacb]

@@lavrentivs9891 yes, but mostly illegally held handguns. So whilst legal civilian ownership of handguns outside Northern Ireland has ceased (with no doubt a few exceptions as the mechanism exists to grant s5 status) the amount of handgun crime has not abated and indeed has increased. It was a kneejerk political reaction to a tragedy caused by a failing in the licensing system.

[@big_red_machine3547]

This training regimen had vast similarities to my training in the government of Canada. I know that we collaborated with the French. My service sidearm was 5/14 S&W 38 sp + P. I loved the mechanical double action feel, and could push tacks all day at 25 meters. Very interesting interview here!

[@cameronmccreary4758]

Je comprends tout les mots! Merci beaucoup Monsieur Prouteau.

[@glennkelley6096]

Getting this man on camera is one of the best things you've ever done on your channel .

[@Ymril]

I had the chance to have him as a guest in my school a few weeks ago. He gave us a fascinating insight on the GIGN and more importantly on my future job

[@TomRussellatAFA]

It was an honor just having the opportunity to watch this interview. A very intelligent, experienced warrior. Will be rewatchng this several times.

[@StrangerOman]

I love the fact how casual this whole meeting looks like. Like you can get an opportunity to interview the person who is behind THE GIGN every now and then. No, this is fantastic footage and it's amazing that you were able to record it and share it with us. The philosophy that this man have is amazing and right. Thank you Ian. Outstanding.

[@andersjjensen]

Normal SWAT teams: "You're coming with us dead or alive... but probably dead!" GIGN: "We'll turn you into Jesus rather than let you die! We said: YOU COMMIN' WITH US!" Mr Prouteau is an absolute legend, and it was a real pleasure to hear the fantastic tales behind both GIGN and the MR73. That confidence shot really puts things into perspective. As a former artillery man who addresses shells "To whom this may concern" that was a quite different take on things. I really like the "You're not certified to shoot in a hostage situation until you can shoot at your own buddy without sweating it"-philosophy....

[@kevinhartnett8436]

Find someone who looks at you the way Ian looks at the founder of GIGN

[@scruffy2629]

Lol!gold!

[@khaelamensha3624]

Well wish my wife still look at me like that 😂

[@partya11night20]

🤣🤣

[@nicflatterie7772]

THANK YOU so much for using subtitles and not a voice over. French is my primary language so it is great to hear both the original voices. And great content!

[@romeobravo2023]

Sir, I enjoyed that so much. I am a Francophile, retraite et resident en France, still a military historian, a collector and shooter of of my M&P S&W revolvers and of course my MR 73 Manurhin 5.25” revolver. From my research not only is each GIGN trooper who when qualifies presented with a Manurhin revolver, these models are still actively utilized along with their Sig and Glock semi autos, accuracy is still a essential requirement. However I believe the original GIGN principle to not shoot to kill but shoot to nullify the threat is now no longer an operational fact. Since the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015 (and the suicide bomber issue) snipers are trained to aim for an instant kill shot. Truly an excellent interview, bon courage mon ami.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

In the two recent non-terrorist-suspect-holed-in-the-mountains operations, GIGN operators did everything to keep them alive even when they had to shoot one. Of course the Kouachi brothers took many bullets to be neutralized, different situations, different principles.

[@Jack72607]

Legendary tier interview. Amazing how a .357 mag revolver was like this unit’s katana- more than a weapon and not just a symbol, an embodiment of the group’s warrior philosophy.

[@LYLEWOLD]

Well put.

[@MrPh30]

Norma heavy charged 158s they used also. Bob Petersen were one of the first to hunt very big game with his ,357 , Polarbear was the largest one. And in the shadows decade befire this, Phillip B Sharpe and Elmer Keith behind development and standarisation of the fine ,357. If one want most penetration a 180 grain ,like a Swirt Aframe or Keith style is fine.

[@ZacCrawforth]

Such a well spoken and thoughtful man. His ideas of justice and the role of the GIGN is truly admirable - If more police forces worked under similar overarching philosophy we wouldn't have movements like ACAB happening. Thanks, Ian, for giving such an insightful interview.

[@CandidZulu]

Fantastic stuff! I am a big fan of this man and the MR revolvers. He is clearly very versed in the science of shooting, and I wish you would've asked him about dry firing drills, and his opinions. I have read a lot about the Manurhin revolvers (and Mr. Prouteau), but seeing him in an interview makes me understand how clever he really is. Thanks for posting this, a KZbin high mark!

[@BaritoneMonkey]

Same! Please, please, if you ever get a chance to have him on again Ian, please ask him to talk more about his dry firing drills so we can learn more from his wisdom! Even if we don't end up agreeing on some fundamental principles, ANYONE that ever considers a firearm for the protection of self and loved ones would benefits from hearing this wonderful man's thoughts and practical tips! Forgotten Weapons is not a channel dedicated to this, and has no obligation to this end... But I do believe we really need channels doing more content like this. I'll say as an American, where politics aside it is a known fact that guns are in major proliferation, the proportionate proliferation of high quality discussion of both practical and philosophical aspects of firearm usage is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Firearms are a TREMENDOUS responsibility to bear, and need to be treated and discussed as such. Nothing is more effective for protection, but that efficacy also creates such grave risks to the bearer and loved ones around that it should NOT be taken lightly. No matter what, thanks for having this master of the craft on the channel, Ian et al!

[@JasperFromMS]

Wow. Just wow. However, this brought back some memories. I was a police officer in Oxford, MS in the late '80s and we had an intern from the University whose father was the Captain over Memphis PD's TACT Team. He gave us a bunch of "home videos" of them doing training. The videos showed them using 1911s of some sort and the were jamming as they did any sort of dynamic movement. Because of that, they went to S&W 25-5 revolvers in .45LC as sidearms. They had to take a shot, it 100% had to work. They were jot military and they did not do "volume of fire." And they didn't have to spin the spinner.

[@smat2899]

Interview particulièrement intéressante dont on retrouve l'esprit et les précisions dans le dernier livre de C. Prouteau sur le GIGN : Nous étions les premiers. Thank you forgotten weapons

[@14goldmedals]

Amazing interview, I could've watched another hour hearing this French Hero's wisdom. He's the team leader you dream of having because he cares about human life, not instant justice.

[@kc8omg]

Phenomenal interview Ian, so glad you had this opportunity and could share it with us!

[@reconty2133]

Fascinating interview Ian. In an era of “plastic fantastic” it’s not all about the gun but how you train and the philosophy behind the training.

[@HXIIIAEGIS]

What an interesting interview.I have quite an interest in French Cold War stuff,especially when it comes to their tanks like AMX-30,excellent aircraft like Mirage series and light attack heli like Gazelles but their firearms are also great.It's great to see and hear an explanation why GIGN chose revolvers for their sidearms and its application to real life situations. Thank you so much for this.

[@Ryan-31]

A fantastic interview. It's always a pleasure to hear from people with the experience and expertise as Mr Prouteau. His poised and incredibly detailed answers to your questions were a joy to listen to and must have been a dream as the interviewer.

[@emoryzakin2576]

That was absolutely fantastic, I can't believe it took me a year to see this. So well done

[@BlinkKong]

Thank you, Mr. Prouteau, for the interview. It’s pleasure and honor to watch the person of your achievements.

[@Summit_Moto_Utah]

I have never heard of this pistol until now. Can't wait to learn more. "A gun is no substitute for courage"... damn... Ian does it again!!! Also, I just received my forgotten weapons coffee mug... it looks great... support the channels you love!!!

[@khaelamensha3624]

You can find several videos on KZbin about the Mr73 It was conceived to fire full charged. 357 cartridges, 100 rounds a day for several years and not losing its precision.

[@shinigami1925]

Not sure what’s more amazing- this guy’s accomplishments, or that fact that he is 77 years old and in that kind of shape.

[@julian75411]

I can't think of a more fitting channel for that interview. That was an absolutely amazing video

[@FelisSilvestrisBE]

Wow. Incredible. I'd love to hear some more of his operations if possible. I've watched the movie ' L' Assault'' and was impressed, but the philosophy behind it all is incredible!

[@lebl1godelanight238]

I follow your channel from France. It makes me happy to understand everything for once :). Thanks for the quality interview.

[@fullmetalpenguin]

Brilliant interview! His comments about the way revolver demands “intention” in shooting resonates with me, particularly these days, when so many “experts” are counseling us to go about our day-to-day lives equipped to face off with a squad of armed thugs.

[@stevenbobbybills]

Intention is great and all, but he's speaking from the point of view of a squad of elite special forces units bringing in suspects, not your average Joe being mugged by a group of guys.

[@fullmetalpenguin]

@@stevenbobbybills He’s speaking from the perspective of someone who recognizes that shooting people has consequences. And that Walking Dead is a work of fiction.

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@Vivi2372 that training that they actually have, as part of a unit, in a country with an entirely different criminal culture from the United States. Once again, how many ordinary citizens are going to be fine after being jumped on their own with nothing but a revolver? Hell, even normal police officers? The majority aren't GIGN material and have barely any trigger time. A semi-auto isn't going to win a fight for you, but you've got a far better chance, hence why most police forces on the planet have switched away and the MR 73 is ceremonial in current use.

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@fullmetalpenguin ...what on Earth does The Walking Dead have to do with anything? I didn't say anything about having to fight off a horde of undead...

[@wheelguns4wheelmen802]

I'm a big believer in "the more the merrier" for compact semiautos as the rounds themselves are weaker than what this guy is shooting out of his Manhurin. I could carry a 5 round .357 but those are quite unpleasant to shoot. I'll take a 10 round 9mm any day. Also, as has been stated, this is someone with thousands of hours of training. Joe from Home Depot that has put two boxes of 9mm through his Glock 26 over the past year isn't going to be able to make each shot count unless it is point blank shooting. And don't get me started on boar and bear defense...

[@fabricedubois5824]

il was a pleasure for me Monsieur Prouteau ! et merci pour l’alibi d’avoir MR73 + FRF1 dans mon armoire forte. be safe.

[@jinroh516]

First, we learn small arms and the love of the M1 carbine with Ken Hackathorn, then a mini masterclass on revolver marksmanship with Christian Prouteau these topics are getting way better

[@crabblike]

Thank you Ian. What an amazing opportunity to showcase history direct from the source. What you do will never be insignificant.

[@ericchristopher1687]

Thank you, gentlemen... one of your best KZbin videos ever.

[@keithallardice6139]

Fascinant!! Vraiment impressionant d'entendre et comprendre une philosphie dont trop peu de gens sont au courant et qui est admirable, et devrait etre plus repandu .... Merci pour ce beau cadeau, Ian!

[@khaelamensha3624]

Pas mieux Joyeux Noël !

[@petrimakela5978]

One of the best firearms and shooting related interviews ever!

[@Sman7290]

That is NOT an interview I had ever expected to hear. That makes a number of things much more clear. Thank you.

[@UnclePutte]

What an incredible catch, Ian! This is remarkable.

[@carelnel7385]

WOW Ian, this was a GREAT guest. By listening to Proteau and his philosophy makes you think about a few things. This was a great interview. THANK YOU!!!

[@hockeywarrior]

Wow Ian, you have outdone yourself once again! What an amazing interview -- clearly your exploits have commanded a high level of respect to get this kind of access. It's also so refreshing to hear a law enforcement official talk about the immense responsibility inherent in arming police forces -- that taking a life is a huge decision and should always be seen as a last resort no matter the situation. That the idea of equipping the GIGN with this revolver wasn't just about giving them a great weapon, but about training them to become better, smarter, and more professional. That totally flips the script on the current trend in the US, where over militarizing our police forces by equipping them with assault rifles, humvees, armored cars, and insane body armor is becoming the norm, when they SHOULD be focused on 1) serving their communities 2) non-violent conflict resolution (aka not shooting at the first sign of trouble), and 3) not being racist (that's a whole other issue). Great interview Ian!

[@ihcfn]

Probably the best interview you've done! Thank you.

[@lougrims]

That was an amazing interview. You can understand how principled and driven he is. Could listen to him for hours.

[@ericlindholm7510]

This is one of my favorite vids by you sir. This guy rocks. You are very lucky to have spent time with him.

[@alun7006]

Thank you to M. Prouteau for sharing his insights, and thank you Ian for bringing them to us! There are many people in positions of power who would do well to heed his words on the weilding of such power.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

That was 32 minutes of reading subtitles I don't regret. Bravo!

[@Cmoth040]

An amazing video. This is a rare treat and God bless this man. Unfortunately, I don't think many of the other people in the audience are differentiating the abilities of an average person that makes up the majority of law enforcement or military personnel and the kind of people that are successful in specialized units such as the GIGN. I really don't think most paid close enough attention to the points he made after about the 25-minute mark. As a law enforcement weapons instructor, they were the most important points he did make. Mr. Prouteau's philosophy of trying to capture the perpetrator alive is generally the core thought process in the vast majority of law enforcement agencies in western countries, especially in the United States. By and large, we're extremely successful. When a suspect dies, it wasn't the goal, it was the consequence of the force needed to put an end to the actions they were taking. Contrary to popular media-fed belief, American Cops are not out to rack up a body count, and people who believe this do so because they want to for their own reasons. Mr. Prouteau would not have taken the risk he did with the life of the prison hostage without absolute faith and personal knowledge of the shooter's skills. Even at that, he risked nothing, the hostage was at risk. There were a lot of unpredictable and uncontrollable conditions that could have led to the shooter missing that shot. A subtle movement in the hostage or hostage-taker at exactly the wrong moment could have ended with the hostage getting shot in the back. His philosophy is absolutely good, I agree with it wholeheartedly and it should be the goal. However, I don't think the risk to the victims in these scenarios is worth playing the odds, even if they are in your favor. This sets an absolutely unobtainable standard in the minds of the viewers who don't have any experience doing this work. For highly-skilled, mentally and emotionally strong, high-tier professionals, courage is absolutely a valuable tool. For your average person, however, courage is in short supply. They don't have experience using courage because our modern culture conditions it out of them. I used to believe as an avid shooter, having spent consistent time on a gun range since I was 3 years old, that I could train anyone to shoot as well as I do if only they would put in the effort. I've learned in over 22 years of active instruction, that isn't the case. Your average person lacks the necessary hand-eye coordination and, for the most part, they lack interest. That average person makes up the vast majority of law enforcement. Besides, the average taxpayer would in no-way support the expense toward the level of training that is needed to hone the skills of even capable shooters to the level he's describing as necessary.

[@eloisalembier4121]

Amazing you had the opportunity to talk to him, even french interviews of this man are scarce

[@jocelynbocquel3155]

Bonjour de France 🇫🇷 Superbe entrevue ! Ta chaîne est top 👍🏻 vraiment.

[@Birdman7.62]

Awesome interview long time revolver shooter and handgun hunter here, I also found 5 inch barrel to shoot just as accruate as longer barrels and i shoot out to 200 yards though I shoot model 27 or 29 mostly. It took me many many thousands of round before I felt comfortable shooting a handgun at living breathing animals and as result I have always has success and one shot kills. Top ter handgun marksmanship is a skill that you will quickly loose if not in constant practice atleast weekly if not daily.

[@CliffMcAulay]

It is a great privilege to listen to a man with such focus and attention to detail. Thank you Iain. Your content is remarkable.

[@RonOhio]

I love his attitude. The world needs more of his kind.

[@CaptainAhorn]

Wow, the real deal. Congratulations, Ian, you have arrived!

[@getchaneviba6279]

Very very impressive that Ian managed to interview Mr.Prouteau. What a dedication.. Thanks for your job !

[@morora.9312]

Incroyable d'avoir pu avoir monsieur Prouteau sur cette émission ! Thank you so much for sharing this. The man is such a legend !

[@ShaunShearman]

WOW ! I'm am just lost for words ! What an amazing interview, I'm so glad that you took the time to talk to him, his philosophy on shooting is so very clever and to be able to talk to the man that honed the MR-73 into the legend that it is today is just beyond equal, that's like talking to Elmer Keith about the .44 magnum ! One of the best, if not the best interview you've ever done, well done Ian, you're a legend too !

[@maxcactus7]

Outstanding interview, Ian!! How rare it is to be able to sit down and really get into the mindset of someone so legendary in this field. Thoroughly enjoyed hearing of the philosophy behind the selection and use of the MR-73. I would love to hear his thoughts on the new Beretta imported MR-73.

[@sorenlilienthal1368]

Shouldn't be much different from those on the revolver, he helped to create. There had been a time, when a MR-73 had Millet sights, to reduce costs. But the current model has in house sights, again.

[@maxwayne9087]

Wow what a treat Today we are in the presence of a real operator, a term created for people like him, but who, with his humility, probably doesn't care much for A man that understand the importance of his tools, so much so as to design one for his own use, but never forgot for a day what comes before them: rigorous training and philosophy. A legend for his actions and accomplishments, but also for his ideas and motivations behind them. The world needs more reminders of these lessons that it has forgotten, so thank you, Mr. Prouteau, Ian, and the translator that made this all possible.

[@kiwi_comanche]

This has to be one of your best videos yet, Ian. Bloody brilliant mate.

[@marcoliviertetreault]

That was awesome. Thanks for including the moto, that's badass as hell!

[@MrGoodSpoon]

Absolutely one of the best interviews I've seen on KZbin. Had me from the first second. GIGN is truly a unique unit, built on a unique mindset and trained to the highest standards. "The firearm is no substitution for courage".