Over the decades, law enforcement training has evolved to keep up with the times and equipment. Long gone are the days of one-handed bullseye-style shooting with revolvers. Today’s law enforcement agencies design dynamic, multi-faceted firearms training for their officers to ensure they practice skills required in the line of duty. Even with adding a dynamic twist to training, it is still a one-way event on a shooting range dealing with paper targets. Enter GLOCK and their solution to making the training a two-way street while being safe. The GLOCK G17T FX

Making it as Real as Possible – The GLOCK G17T FX

The G17T FX is a training pistol designed by the engineers at GLOCK to allow law enforcement to train force on force without dangerous consequences. The pistols were developed to enable reality-based shooting exercises and training using color marking or plastic projectile ammunition. With over 65% of all law enforcement agencies in the US using GLOCK, the G17 T FX is a perfect fit. Officers get the opportunity to train with a weapon that has both the same feel and function as their duty weapon. The weapons make force-on-force training safe in that traditional ammunition will not feed into the G17 T FX. It will only accept a specialized marking round.

The benefits of dynamic force-on-force training are priceless. While mastering accurate shooting on a one-way range is one thing, it becomes drastically more difficult when someone shoots back at you. In 2013, an interesting study, unlike any other, took place in Belgium. “Force-on-Force Handgun Practice-An Intra-Individual Exploration of Stress Effects, Biomarker Regulation, and Behavioral Changes” was a scientific look at force-on-force training.

Force on Force

Their results confirm that force-on-force training is significantly superior to traditional firearms practice in multiple ways. Three of which are worth mentioning in detail. First, officers who took part developed a more serious attitude regarding training and worked to improve their tactics “on their own accord.” Second, accuracy suffered a “significant” and “ominous” decline during the force-on-force training. The average drop in participant accuracy was 30% in the scenarios. Third, officers experienced more stress when engaging active opponents than cardboard targets.

The study’s ultimate summary concluded, “FoF practice is an effective training tool for armed officers because it simulates a realistic work environment by increasing task-specific stress, which affects important outcomes of professional performance and leads to desirable behavioral changes during training.”

First Time Nerves

Many officers who experience training against other officers with the G17 T FX are shaken by the adrenaline and pressure the event produces. The rounds used in these weapons produce both a colored mark on impact as well as a “pain penalty.” Yes, they hurt. Nothing debilitating, but those not savvy enough to seek cover or concealment rarely have to question whether they have been hit. Participants are required to wear face and throat protection at a minimum. The rounds used resemble a hybrid 9×19 parabellum round with a semi-soft colored “bullet.”

Rounds load into magazines just as officers are accustomed to, and magazine reloads are identical to those of their duty weapons. The gun’s function is similar to their duty weapon’s, with a similar recoil and slide cycle. One of the most significant benefits is that the G17 T FX fits any duty holster designed for the GLOCK 17 or GLOCK 22. There is no need to change a student’s duty rig to allow them to take part in training. 

Benefits of Training

The benefits of using the G17 T FX in training are countless. It allows officers an opportunity to test their range of skills and polish areas that are lacking. It is also an essential tool for trainers and command staff to evaluate their officers and their performance in high-stress situations. All of the gathered results can help the training staff improve an officer’s performance in high-stress situations. Another positive aspect of training in force-on-force scenarios is that they help officers acclimate to stress in a way similar to what they may experience in the real world. Students participating in ongoing force-on-force training tend to perform better each time they train.

Their improved skills and understanding of the dynamics improve their confidence, which in turn improves their accuracy and performance. Trainers in this arena have the luxury of manipulating the scenarios to create new and challenging problems for the students. They also, in many cases, have the opportunity to replicate specific events to help officers learn what worked and what did not work. The G17 T FX is an integral part of this equation.

GLOCK G17T FX

Law enforcement has always been a dangerous and challenging job. With lightning-quick transitions from calm monotony to struggles for life and death, it is unlike any other civilian position. The people wearing badges around the country are our wives and husbands, friends and neighbors. They are the thin blue line that stands in defense while we enjoy peace. The skills they need to carry out this important job must be practiced and developed. One of the greatest skills an officer must develop is the ability to win a lethal force encounter should that day come. A skill that the pioneers at GLOCK understand and have dedicated an exceptional piece of equipment to. The G17 T FX is more than just a “training” tool. It is a lifesaving tool.

For more information, please visit: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g17t-gen4-fx-fof