Tim McBride
12-28-12, 18:37
Course Review
Defensive Carbine, November 23rd 2012
Independence Training
Head Instructor: Glen Stilson
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6540_zps734eab9d.jpg
Group Photo, I am 3rd from the left in the back row.
By Tim McBride; timmcbride@gmail.com
Brief Overview:
Don’t just shoot with your carbine, learn how to use it effectively! Utilizing military, competitive shooting, and law-enforcement training methods, you’ll learn how to turn your carbine into a self-defense workhorse. You’ll improve your accuracy, learn how to keep your rifle in the fight with reloads and malfunction clearing, and also become proficient on how to move and shoot. You will be trained to engage from various shooting positions as well as how to transition from your rifle to your sidearm.
Independence Training’s Defensive-carbine class is a one day, comprehensive course designed, for the novice or intermediate carbine shooter who wants to increase their skills with a carbine. The class was well taught, and covered all the basics of marksmanship, manipulation, malfunction drills, and other basic skills needed by the civilian user of a carbine in a defensive role. This course was geared toward the civilian use of a carbine; therefore stayed focused on single person usage of a carbine. The class also covered movement techniques and alternative shooting positions, but managed to stay focused. It was a class that I would highly recommend anyone take that plans to use a carbine for home defense.
Detailed review:
I chose Independence Training for my first civilian firearms course since leaving the Army. I've known Glen for a while and felt that a local course, offered at a good price was the way to get my feet wet with civilian training. Signing up for the course was very easy via Independence Training's website. I was kept informed by Glen via email on updates, what I needed to bring for the course, and where to meet.
The course began at Eight am at the Chino Valley PD range. Of course, I arrived way too early, and had to wait for Glen to unlock the gate. The range facility itself was very nice, and I liked the fact that we had the 100 yard rifle bay to ourselves; with the exception of one person we were the only people at the range that day. The range had adequate parking, bathroom facilities, and an area of over-head cover to get out of the elements.
The course began with a brief intro by Glen, and then a round robin style of meet and greet amongst the students. This way everyone got a chance to at least know each other names. Afterward, Glen went into a very detailed safety brief, an overview of where to find his medical kit, and even briefly how to use it.
In the next stage of instruction, Glen began his intro to gear selection. He explained what he's found that works, and how to select gear that serves a purpose beyond taking up space on your rifle. I enjoyed the fact that Glen was more than willing to take comments and suggestions from students. This is not the typical 'my way is the only way' approach that I've read about other instructors taking. After discussion, we moved on to the range portion of the training where we spent the majority of the 8 hours of class time.
We began with a brief instruction on how to handle the rifle, and then went into marksmanship. Glen believes; and I agree, that marksmanship is fundamental to all firearms training and it shows in the class. We started with a series of targets that forced us to concentrate on marksmanship without the typical big circles with an x of older bulls-eye targets.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6071_zps93f0020a.jpg
Something that I liked in this portion was that Glen covered the important differences between Point of Impact and the Point of Aim. Overall this portion of the class was very well laid out and worked well for getting everyone novice and above, back into thinking and shooting; not just putting rounds down range. After the number target drills we moved onto using the VTAC skeleton targets that show the importance of hit areas on the human body, which Glen covered nicely. It's good to be reminded that we need to aim for the vitals, not just 'center of mass'.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6188_zps79a1b2f7.jpg
After this, we moved into weapons manipulation and malfunctions drills. Glen covered all of the major types of malfunction. Something I liked about this portion was that Glen didn't just teach to the AR-15 that the majority of the students were using. Another student and I were using alternative style (Sig and an AK) rifles. Glen made sure to not only show us manipulation and malfunction clearing of the AR-15 style carbine, but also made sure that all the students knew how to use these other rifles.
I'd also like to mention that I highly enjoyed the fact that Glen did not force students to shoot just two rounds, or three or any given number. He allowed the students to shoot until they feel they've neutralized the target.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6256_zps6a8a02ed.jpg
After lunch we began with the “Warm-Up challenge”. We had to put as many rounds as we could in short time period into the small, but vital head hit box, on the VTAC target. This was an interesting challenge. It basically summed up everything the student had learned up to that point and forced them to use it. Next, we moved into the movement portion of the class. Anyone familiar with the Army's reflective fire course will be at home here. We also covered the how and WHY one should transition to the pistol when using a carbine as your primary weapon. Glen then moved instruction to alternative shootings positions, and gave a brief list on how and why to use each method. We did not get into any of the crazy odd positions you see today in some classes, but a good solid understanding of the fundamental positions was there; which is what is needed.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6194_zpsbc95ae60.jpg
We ended the day with two of Glen's special challenges, I won't give them away here but both reminded me of why we were there and tested our knowledge from the days training.
Overall, this was a great course. The one thing that I needed; I got from this course, a change in mindset. I spent most of my adult life in the Active duty Army, as a Cavalry Scout. I always had at least one other person at my side, and normally more. I realized that I am now someone who has to account for every shot, be able to do it myself, and that artillery support is no longer a radio call away.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6332_zps988f173b.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6361_zps15f18d0f.jpg
Rest of the Album: http://s43.beta.photobucket.com/user/timmcbride1945/library/Defensive%20Carbine
Defensive Carbine, November 23rd 2012
Independence Training
Head Instructor: Glen Stilson
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6540_zps734eab9d.jpg
Group Photo, I am 3rd from the left in the back row.
By Tim McBride; timmcbride@gmail.com
Brief Overview:
Don’t just shoot with your carbine, learn how to use it effectively! Utilizing military, competitive shooting, and law-enforcement training methods, you’ll learn how to turn your carbine into a self-defense workhorse. You’ll improve your accuracy, learn how to keep your rifle in the fight with reloads and malfunction clearing, and also become proficient on how to move and shoot. You will be trained to engage from various shooting positions as well as how to transition from your rifle to your sidearm.
Independence Training’s Defensive-carbine class is a one day, comprehensive course designed, for the novice or intermediate carbine shooter who wants to increase their skills with a carbine. The class was well taught, and covered all the basics of marksmanship, manipulation, malfunction drills, and other basic skills needed by the civilian user of a carbine in a defensive role. This course was geared toward the civilian use of a carbine; therefore stayed focused on single person usage of a carbine. The class also covered movement techniques and alternative shooting positions, but managed to stay focused. It was a class that I would highly recommend anyone take that plans to use a carbine for home defense.
Detailed review:
I chose Independence Training for my first civilian firearms course since leaving the Army. I've known Glen for a while and felt that a local course, offered at a good price was the way to get my feet wet with civilian training. Signing up for the course was very easy via Independence Training's website. I was kept informed by Glen via email on updates, what I needed to bring for the course, and where to meet.
The course began at Eight am at the Chino Valley PD range. Of course, I arrived way too early, and had to wait for Glen to unlock the gate. The range facility itself was very nice, and I liked the fact that we had the 100 yard rifle bay to ourselves; with the exception of one person we were the only people at the range that day. The range had adequate parking, bathroom facilities, and an area of over-head cover to get out of the elements.
The course began with a brief intro by Glen, and then a round robin style of meet and greet amongst the students. This way everyone got a chance to at least know each other names. Afterward, Glen went into a very detailed safety brief, an overview of where to find his medical kit, and even briefly how to use it.
In the next stage of instruction, Glen began his intro to gear selection. He explained what he's found that works, and how to select gear that serves a purpose beyond taking up space on your rifle. I enjoyed the fact that Glen was more than willing to take comments and suggestions from students. This is not the typical 'my way is the only way' approach that I've read about other instructors taking. After discussion, we moved on to the range portion of the training where we spent the majority of the 8 hours of class time.
We began with a brief instruction on how to handle the rifle, and then went into marksmanship. Glen believes; and I agree, that marksmanship is fundamental to all firearms training and it shows in the class. We started with a series of targets that forced us to concentrate on marksmanship without the typical big circles with an x of older bulls-eye targets.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6071_zps93f0020a.jpg
Something that I liked in this portion was that Glen covered the important differences between Point of Impact and the Point of Aim. Overall this portion of the class was very well laid out and worked well for getting everyone novice and above, back into thinking and shooting; not just putting rounds down range. After the number target drills we moved onto using the VTAC skeleton targets that show the importance of hit areas on the human body, which Glen covered nicely. It's good to be reminded that we need to aim for the vitals, not just 'center of mass'.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6188_zps79a1b2f7.jpg
After this, we moved into weapons manipulation and malfunctions drills. Glen covered all of the major types of malfunction. Something I liked about this portion was that Glen didn't just teach to the AR-15 that the majority of the students were using. Another student and I were using alternative style (Sig and an AK) rifles. Glen made sure to not only show us manipulation and malfunction clearing of the AR-15 style carbine, but also made sure that all the students knew how to use these other rifles.
I'd also like to mention that I highly enjoyed the fact that Glen did not force students to shoot just two rounds, or three or any given number. He allowed the students to shoot until they feel they've neutralized the target.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6256_zps6a8a02ed.jpg
After lunch we began with the “Warm-Up challenge”. We had to put as many rounds as we could in short time period into the small, but vital head hit box, on the VTAC target. This was an interesting challenge. It basically summed up everything the student had learned up to that point and forced them to use it. Next, we moved into the movement portion of the class. Anyone familiar with the Army's reflective fire course will be at home here. We also covered the how and WHY one should transition to the pistol when using a carbine as your primary weapon. Glen then moved instruction to alternative shootings positions, and gave a brief list on how and why to use each method. We did not get into any of the crazy odd positions you see today in some classes, but a good solid understanding of the fundamental positions was there; which is what is needed.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6194_zpsbc95ae60.jpg
We ended the day with two of Glen's special challenges, I won't give them away here but both reminded me of why we were there and tested our knowledge from the days training.
Overall, this was a great course. The one thing that I needed; I got from this course, a change in mindset. I spent most of my adult life in the Active duty Army, as a Cavalry Scout. I always had at least one other person at my side, and normally more. I realized that I am now someone who has to account for every shot, be able to do it myself, and that artillery support is no longer a radio call away.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6332_zps988f173b.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/timmcbride1945/Defensive%20Carbine/IMG_6361_zps15f18d0f.jpg
Rest of the Album: http://s43.beta.photobucket.com/user/timmcbride1945/library/Defensive%20Carbine