3 Day Precision Semi-Auto

[TheBelly]

So, I'm now registered for the Rifles Only Precision Semi-Auto course from 12-14 April in Kingsville, TX.

this will be my first training course, other than whatever the Army has decided to give me over the last decade. If you have any advice, I'm all ears.

Here's the link to the course description and what-not: http://www.riflesonly.com/course-details/20130412/Semi_Auto_Precision_Rifle.html

[asmo]

Show up with a zero'd rifle (or two).
Bring knee pads
Bring extra batteries for ear pro
Bring an open mind

[TheBelly]

Tomorrow is day one. I. Am. Pumped!!!

[02ducky]

Hey Belly can you give an AA report when you are done?

please.

[TheBelly]

AAR: here's the bottom line: go to this class.

heres the topics that were covered:

fundamentals of marksmanship
trigger school
position
scope adjustments
pre shot cchecklist range estimation mmethods
external ballistics/effects of weather
wind
post shot cchecklist
before moving from behind the rifle
moving targets and angles.
other factors in shooting.


pics in next post.

[TheBelly]

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/7149B5DB-7CB4-4B93-A517-648A25187471-5870-0000040432564763_zps0cd69ccc.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/5B60F4A1-F4C8-4733-90A1-1748362195B4-5870-00000404235D2CE5_zps12afd919.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/BFF177D2-6267-4A28-8DE8-BE8DFC733E9D-5870-0000040409DCA708_zpsa33ba0e7.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/6A49B67C-AD30-48E4-B0D5-7877929012A0-5870-00000403FB05719F_zps68cedde3.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/10906787-AF27-44DB-935B-D687EA110FA4-5870-00000403EBC9537A_zps0b993094.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/748F01AD-8EC9-4A52-B334-2A7DDC2B308E-5870-00000403E06E230D_zps67547af6.jpg

[TheBelly]

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/A228B4DE-8338-4B18-8CA7-8949823FBC38-5870-00000403CBAA34DA_zps91abe9ed.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/AAE6B7C8-A9BB-4099-B5FD-6D4994E0C72E-5870-00000403B7BC1310_zps9556956b.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/60948527-8D60-4625-AA96-3EF1611375CD-5870-00000403B3661529_zpsd218c312.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/9C2FE4FF-27E9-455C-81C7-DFBA70FDE569-5870-00000403AD96B4C0_zps72363df0.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/F4398335-A5F1-4A48-A69B-B2EBE885F510-5870-00000403823A7B8E_zps3e7d5a8b.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af70/thebelly925/9D74AC09-248B-4B8C-A4A3-DA25E15D623A-5870-00000403742C9044_zps3d7b8cf9.jpg

[TheBelly]

Equipment:

i used my home built rifle. It is a 16" .223 AR with a Rainier Arms Ultra Match barrel and a Geiselle 2-stage match trigger. The CarbonArms tube worked very well, talk to MarkCO about getting one. Over 400 rds fired in all kinds of field positions, and no FTF or FTE. It just worked. I was nervous because everyone else had very expensive rifles: a Colt 901 (yes, the new .308 AR), a 12.5" LaRue 5.56 OBR, a 16" LaRue PredatAR in 7.62 (with a muzzle brake on it.... We called him Blaster Bob), a Knights Armament Stoner Rifle 16" in 5.56, and mine.

the optics used were a Bushnell HDMR 3.5-21x50, a Leupold CQBSS, a Bushnell HDMR 3.5-21x50, a Leupold CQBSS, and my Leupold MK4 LRT 3.5-10x40.

i used an Eberlestock GunSlinger 2 backpack to walk to the different shooting stations. It was very comfortable for walking around.

I used a Blackhawk gun belt with a mole mag pouch. It worked really well, and stayed generally put where I left it. I didn't worry about magazine retention throughout running around obstacles, climbing things, and just general movement.

I wish I had boots that were more comfortable. Mine were straight up army issued. Nothing fancy, and I paid the price for it. Hot spots abounded, but no blisters.

[TheBelly]

Facility:

Rifles Only has a truly exceptional facility. The ability to shoot off a tower at 600m and beyond, just to change our direction (and thus changing the wind direction) and do it all over again. There's a stinking school bus out there!

[TheBelly]

Instructors:

we had two instructors, and they were both very direct, honest, they know their material, and they know how to teach the material. Two instructors and five students meant a lot of good very personal instruction.

"Hey Belly. See how your shots are doing XYZ? It's because you're doing such-n-such wrong. Stop it!"

[TheBelly]

OK, now ask any questions you might have.

[02ducky]

Thanks for posting and providing an AA report, looks like a great course.

Was this something the DOD provided or was this money out our own pocket?

Anyways, what was the your number one take away?

Thnaks man, hope you are digging Texas.

[TheBelly]

This was my own money, and well worth it.

number one take away is the positional stuff. How to get set up for a 300 yard mover from the kneeling position, and things like that.

[Mick-Boy]

Belly,

Thanks for the AAR. Glad to see you hit the ground running in the Republic. I've done Precision Rifle classes through work a couple of times and shot the Magpul PR class but Rifles Only is definitely on my to-do list.

[TheBelly]

Mick,I would have provided more info about the course content, but I don't want to teach others the course via an AAR. It's their information and teaching methods. This course falls under their description of 'basic courses' and I had to really try and get it right; I mean REALLY try to perform well using their methods. One of the last things I got told was, "take one of our longer courses.... Your brain will melt!" (I don't think he was talking about the heat, either.)

[TheBelly]

More equipment notes:Everyone used PMAGs. None failed. For certain drills we only loaded them with 1, 2, or 5 rds, or other numbers. For me, the 30rd mags made me too high off the ground, so I used 20 rd after that. The Colt rifle was a backup rifle. The one that failed was an old M14 with the Troy ind battle stock on it. The optic is attached to the stock and not the receiver, so when the stock screws backed out and the whole thing became loose, the zero was lost, by about a foot at 100m. The 12.5" OBR was not enough barrel for the farther shots, I don't think. That rifle might not have had the oompf to get out there. No failures, and the 300 & 500 targets weren't a problem, but 600-700 was a stretch I think. The user was a pretty good marksman, so I don't think it was him. More to follow as I remember.

[Hoser]

OK, now ask any questions you might have.

Why does it burn when I pee?

[TheBelly]

Why does it burn when I pee?


you've got a UTI in your va-jay-jay.

[TheBelly]

Equipment (continued):

everyone had a rear bag. On day one, no one used them in the positional exercises. On day three, everyone was using them in their positional shooting. I was the only one that actually used a little carabiner and some 550 cord and attached it to my rifle. That made it a little easier to move quickly between awkward positions and up and down that apparatus they call the mouse trap. It was pretty difficult to get to a good position when shooting at a 600m target. The other fundamentals HAD to be rock solid.