What I learned from my first formal rifle class

[MSparks909]

This past Sunday I completed my first formal rifle course, Vickers Basic Carbine in Carthage, NC. Vickers is a first-rate instructor and I learned some excellent information and tips from him. A bit of background...I'm not new to the shooting scene and compete locally in pistol/3-gun matches and recreational shooting, but I'm always looking for ways to improve my firearm handling skills. As a self-taught shooter, I've had to overcome some training issues that I had developed when teaching myself how to shoot. For several years I shot pistol/rifle/shotgun right handed, with my left eye closed. Turns out, I'm cross-eye dominant and no one told me to shoot with your dominant eye and train around the dominant hand issue. So last year, I started running my pistol right handed with my head canted to the right so my left eye lines up behind the sights (and I was able to keep my right eye open). Major epiphany moment! So this year I vowed to transition shooting shotgun and rifle left-handed to take advantage of my left-eye dominance and train myself to get competent with my non-dominant side. The Basic Vickers course was my first step in easing into this transition. Some things I learned from my first rifle class:

1.) It pays to have a proper zero ahead of time. I was the only shooter in the class who did not have to adjust/re-zero. While this is a basic class and I realize there were new shooters who were unfamiliar with the zeroing technique (Vickers prefers a 100M zero), having the proper zero allowed me to be good-to-go in 5 shots. It took the majority of the class between 20-30 shots and an hour and a half to get zeroed. Walking back and forth and pasting targets takes up valuable class time, especially on a one-day class.

2.) I was unsure of the best way to carry spare mags on my person, and borrowed a buddy's HSGI Costa drop-leg holster to use in order to find out what I like. There are some complications when trying to run a pistol and rifle mags on the same side, and I think the HSGI setup is a good compromise for me. Vickers agreed, and unless I run my pistol AIWB whenever I'm running my rifle, the mags will be ran in a drop-leg.

3.) I really need to work on my sitting and kneeling shooting positions. Shooting from my non-dominant side was initially frustrating because my wobble zone was quite large. Continued training will overcome this, and I look forward to regularly incorporating shooting from kneeling and some sitting positions into regular aspects of my training.

4.) I also really need to work on my trigger control. I threw some shots because I was smashing the trigger when the sights wobbled over the center of the target. Dry firing will now be a regular practice as well. Increased trigger control with my non-dominant hand as a result of running rifle/shotgun left handed from now on will also help me manipulate my pistol better when shooting with my support hand, which is a bonus.

5.) I quickly learned that my gear setup wasn't ideal. Vickers gave me a helpful hint on how he runs his sling setup and his setup is 100x better than how I was running mine. This minor adjustment totally transformed the way I use my 2 point sling and was extremely beneficial.

6.) Bring good ammo to class and keep your boom-stick well lubed. There were some students that had ammunition problems (some related to not enough lube as well). I ran XM855 throughout the class and my rifle was well-lubed. Some students re-lubed after lunch but I personally did not find this was necessary on my rifle as the BCG was still adequately wet.

7.) Variable scopes are HEAVY when you run them all day and aren't very forgiving in odd positions (such as sitting). While the capability of these optics are nice (1-6x in my case), this class experience has changed my view on them. I had been trying to build a "do-it-all" rifle for everything from local 3-gun matches to long range plinking to HD and training classes. I had some eye-relief issues with my setup and struggled to find the reticle in some drills (of course under the crunch of the timer as well). After the class ended, I handled several students lightweight setups that featured T1's and fixed/flip-up irons. It felt like I was holding a toy gun by comparison. My setup had at least a good pound and a quarter over most rifles in the class, and a pound and a half compared to a few others. Vickers personal gun is exceptionally light for a 14.5" middy and I'm now looking into selling the 1-6x and switching to fixed irons and a T1. In all reality, while a variable optic is nice, to me (now) a carbine is a sub-250M gun. If I'm engaging anything further than that, I want a different caliber and platform than 5.56 regardless.

8.) Perhaps the most important thing I learned is that I need more training, and I will be seeking more in the future. I'll be incorporating various drills that I've read about on this site and others, along with regular dry fire practice and reloading practice. The gear setup changes and weapons manipulation changes that I learned in this class were invaluable and well worth the price of admission.

[walkin' trails]

Good AAR! I'm getting off my arse and taking a TAPS class later this year. Your review gave me some things to consider. I'm going to run it with my job-issued carbine, but have been trying to modernize and simplify my gear; and also to get myself into better shape. I'm going to be there to learn, but dont want to be too far behind the curb. Again, good review.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

[Wake27]

If I'm engaging anything further than that, I want a different caliber and platform than 5.56 regardless.

I'm assuming this came from LAV? I asked him about it in his SME section here after seeing him mention it on TV, but he has yet to respond.

[MSparks909]

Good AAR! I'm getting off my arse and taking a TAPS class later this year. Your review gave me some things to consider. I'm going to run it with my job-issued carbine, but have been trying to modernize and simplify my gear; and also to get myself into better shape. I'm going to be there to learn, but dont want to be too far behind the curb. Again, good review.

Thanks. I'm intimately aware that most of my issues were "software" related and not "hardware" related, but I think having the proper hardware will allow me to become more proficient in the future.

I'm assuming this came from LAV? I asked him about it in his SME section here after seeing him mention it on TV, but he has yet to respond.

Yes, Vickers stated to us at the beginning of the class that in his opinion, a carbine is a 200/250M and closer weapon. Some of his reasoning behind this is that with the 100M zero he advocates, it's a very flat trajectory out to 200 and with slight holdover one can engage targets to 250/300M. Furthermore, he did mention to keep in mind that 5.56/.223 is a varmint caliber...that kind of resonated with me throughout the day. While excellent loads such as MK262 make up for some of the ballistic disadvantages of 5.56 over distances, especially out of shorter barrels, it's still a .22 caliber projectile. So with that excellent reasoning in my head, I'm gonna optimize my AR for more CQB/HD/sub 250M engagement gun. If I want to shoot further I'll build a 6.8, 6.5 Grendel or 7.62 AR with a higher power optic.

[Wake27]

Thanks. I'm intimately aware that most of my issues were "software" related and not "hardware" related, but I think having the proper hardware will allow me to become more proficient in the future.

Good gear will make anything easier.

Yes, Vickers stated to us at the beginning of the class that in his opinion, a carbine is a 200/250M and closer weapon. Some of his reasoning behind this is that with the 100M zero he advocates, it's a very flat trajectory out to 200 and with slight holdover one can engage targets to 250/300M. Furthermore, he did mention to keep in mind that 5.56/.223 is a varmint caliber...that kind of resonated with me throughout the day. While excellent loads such as MK262 make up for some of the ballistic disadvantages of 5.56 over distances, especially out of shorter barrels, it's still a .22 caliber projectile. So with that excellent reasoning in my head, I'm gonna optimize my AR for more CQB/HD/sub 250M engagement gun. If I want to shoot further I'll build a 6.8, 6.5 Grendel or 7.62 AR with a higher power optic.

Thanks for the clarification.

[DacoRoman]

Good review. What 1-6 scope did you use?

[Vendetta]

Do you mind sharing what Vicker's advice was and how you changed your sling setup?

[MSparks909]

Good review. What 1-6 scope did you use?

I used a Primary Arms 1-6x in a LaRue SPR-E (LT139) mount. I decided that it might be wise to test the concept of variable scopes by going with an entry-level one, but to also get a high quality mount in case I find a different scope to upgrade to. Here are some of my thoughts on running the scope that I replied to in the Primary Arms 1-6 thread in the optics section:

"The reticle works well for me from close in to 500+ yards. It is very similar to the Eotech reticle and is quick to pick up. I ran my 1-6x yesterday in a Vicker's Basic Carbine class. My scope held zero perfectly and the magnification was nice to have in certain instances. I did not feel handicapped by the reticle during any portion of the course, but I did feel handicapped by the weight of my setup by the end of the day."

Some other members chimed in with their thoughts on this optic as well in the thread:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...-6-scope/page2

[MSparks909]

Do you mind sharing what Vicker's advice was and how you changed your sling setup?

Most of the advice he gave will probably be old news to you guys but almost all of it was new to me. I'll start from the beginning:
~100M zero. Vickers preferred zero for carbine-type weapons. Benefits/Negatives of this zero can be found in the optics section.

~Use both elbows and the magazine to stabilize the rifle while prone. Some shooters will use both elbows and keep the weapon off the ground while shooting. By placing the magazine on the ground and using both elbows, your prone shooting will be more stable since you have 3 contact points on the ground (2 elbows and magazine) vs. just 2 elbows and supporting the gun. By getting the gun on the ground, you also lower your profile as well.

~If you have feeding issues caused from resting the magazines on the ground, you need to either ditch the magazines for new ones, or if the problem persists, ditch the weapon. Vickers stated that in his opinion, a combat geared weapon needs to be able to fire/function when resting the magazine on the ground.

~I learned both the low-kneel and high-kneel. I was previously familiar with the high-kneel, but as a (now) left handed shooter, I was able to stabilize my kneeling position by sitting on my left leg and ankle and while extending my right knee forward. I could rest both elbows on my knees this way and my profile was much lower than (standard) high-kneeling. Only caveat is that it takes a little longer to get in this position from standing than high-knee and it might not be viable in all situations.

~Know your holdovers. With a 100M zero as we moved closer to the target Vickers stated that we must be aware of our holdovers if we want to keep the shots in the black.

~Slapping a magazine too hard could cause a malfunction in some instances (SPORTS) method. He demonstrated this by taking a loaded PMag and slapped the bottom of it decently hard several times. The rounds shot out of the magazine. If you slap the magazine too hard on insertion or while doing a tap, rack, bang (SPORTS) type clearance you could cause the magazine to eject a round into the chamber when it's not expected, causing further complications. He taught us the "push-pull" magazine insertion method. Grab a magazine, insert it into the rifle and roll your hand underneath the mag and give a final push. Then pull to make sure the magazine is seated.

~Going with the above, he recommends downloading mags by 2. Seating on a closed bolt is easier and there's room for the springs to compress while seating on a closed bolt. Push-pull is key when inserting on a closed bolt because if you don't seat the mag properly it could fall out at a bad time.

~The AK has a superior combat-style magazine engagement compared to the AR style weapons, but it takes longer to reload. Pick your poison.

~Aimpoints rule the RDS optics class. I had an Eotech on my last rifle, and while it never gave me problems, 2 students had issues with their Eotechs during class. Vickers hates Eotechs. Attend one of his classes if you really want to find out what his complete opinions are on them

~It helps while reloading to capture the stock in your armpit while reloading. Enough said.

~To test whether your grip is too big, for right handed shooters, you should be able to easily hit the mag release with your trigger finger. For south paws, you should be able to hit the bolt release with your trigger finger. If you have to roll your hand or loosen your grip to hit either, downsize your grip size. Personally, I'm right on the edge of my grip being "too big" so I may try a smaller one.

~Extending your arm out on the fore-end helps control recoil. FF rail users had an advantage here compared to the shooters running traditional captured fore-end and front sight post AR's.

~To Vickers, most shooters run their stocks too collapsed. He recommends that for a plain stock with no butt pad, run the stock fully extended. If you have a butt pad, run one click in. If you have heavy clothing or a chest rig/vest/etc. run another click in. If you're short statured or a female, start 2 clicks in from fully extended and work in from there. At a minimum, you should be one click out at all times, and that's only for shorter statured shooters wearing body armor.

~Obviously, Vickers prefers a 2-point sling. 2 points (if set up correctly) will hang the rifle muzzle down without any further input from the shooter. Benefits of this are for instance if you have to bend down and drag a buddy to cover or pick something/someone up, you can do so without having the rifle flop around like a dead fish compared to a single point. Transitions to weak shoulder are slower with a 2 point, but I was able to quickly transition by extending the sling to full length and switching shoulders (I did not need to take one arm out). This might not be the case for all shooters though.

~If you're going to run a RDS/Eotech, have your BUIS up and ready. If they're going to be up all the time anyways, just go with fixed sights from the beginning.

~Talked about dwell time and SBR's after one students SBR duty weapon had some malfunctions. Dry weapon and it was overgassed. Vickers is amazed that these even function due to the short dwell time and speed at which the BCG cycles and he explained that is the reason Delta moved away from DI SBR's and switched to the 416.

~Shooting on the move is much harder than it looks. Roll your feet and use your knees/legs to keep from bouncing around while walking. You'll feel the burn in your legs if doing it properly. It's easier to keep shots on target walking backwards compared to walking forwards (due to how one rolls their feet from toe-to-heel when backwards compared to the heel-to-toe when going forwards). This was my first taste of SOTM and while it was only walking, it's not an easy feat.

~Keep your BCG well-lubed. FIREClean, Slip2K, CLP, FrogLube, MPro, Rand, Mobil 1...whatever your poison, keep the BCG (rails) and the bolt wet. With some of these lubes you can just dump the stuff everywhere, which aids in cleaning later, but for those who prefer a minimalist approach to lube, keep the 4 rails lubed and the bolt itself. You'll have far less issues when running the weapons hard/dirty/etc.

~I had been running my sling connected to the QD endplate at the back of the lower and on the first QD attachment point on my DD rail. This allowed me to transition shoulders easily, but when I would let the weapon hang, it had a tendency to want to roll over top because of the weight of my optic/mount. Plus it would get in the way when I went to bend down or if I did mock attempts at drawing a pistol. So, since Vickers is also a RH pistol shooter and LH rifle shooter, I copied his sling setup. I kept the front part of the sling attached to the rail but I moved the rear attachment point to the butt stock and I ran the sling under the back of the buttstock and over my shoulder. When standing, the rifle will hang muzzle down with no input from me and it's completely out of the way for drawing a pistol/carrying stuff, etc. I will try to get some pics up this weekend because it's hard to describe the setup and visualize it without pics.

That's pretty much all I can remember. I'm sure that there's more I'm forgetting but these are the immediate things that pop into mind.

Late edit: We ran a modified version of the infamous "Delta Drill". For those who aren't familiar, it's 40 rounds total. At the 100 yard line, fire 10 shots from prone in under 60 seconds. From the 75, fire 10 from sitting in 45 seconds. From the 50, fire 10 kneeling in 30 seconds. And lastly, fire 10 standing from the 25 in under 15 seconds. All positions begin in the standing position. I'm pretty sure we used a NRA B-8 target (but I could be wrong). We used a modified Vickers scoring system to simplify things. I think I remember this correctly...Out of the black is -1. Off the paper and hit the cardboard is -3 and off target is -5. I ran -8 for all 40 shots. Vickers said under 20 is good. Under 10 is very good. There was another student who ran a -6. I think the rest were above -10. If you can consistently run the drill clean it's time to start actually scoring it with the rings and see what you get. I'll be practicing this drill and testing myself probably once a month to rank my progression.

[mkmckinley]

Awesome AAR, thanks for taking the time to post. I'd like to see a picture of the sling setup you settled on.