yasnevo
10-23-06, 13:09
Name of Course: Precision Rifle 1 & Precision Rifle 2
Training Org: Rifles Only
Location: Rifles Only, Kingsville, Texas
Lead Instructor: Jacob Bynum
Assistant Instructor: Lindy & Frank
Date: October 2, 2006 through October 7, 2006
Weather Conditions: Massive dew in the mornings, 85 degrees in the day, humidity was high. Heavy rain on October 2...clear and sunny the rest of the week.
Rifle & Gear Used: Remington LTR in .308, McMillan A5 stock, Leupold Mk IV with TMR Reticule, Eagle Industries Stock Pack, 6” Harris Bipod, Leather Gov’t sling by Uncle Mikes.
Ammunition: Blackhills 168 grain Boat Tail Hollow Point
I flew to Corpus Christi airport the day before the class was to begin and drove my rental car just past Kingsville, TX to the Rifles Only ranch. The drive was only about 45 minutes and I didn’t break any speed limits like I usually do. Kingsville is home to a new Starbucks I am happy to report. I was staying at the ranch bunk house. The bunk house was comfortable, not a 5 star hotel... but it had what one could want and or need while staying at the ranch during a course.
Day One started promptly at 08:30. The total student count was 7 and we had one primary instructor and two assistant instructors. I was impressed with the student/instructor ratio. After a brief introduction of the staff and students, Jacob, the primary instructor, went right into the safety rules for everyone attending a class at Rifles Only. The number one rule that stood out was that there is no such thing as an Accidental Discharge (AD) and that they are all Negligent Discharges (ND’s). Rifles Only has a zero tolerance policy, one ND and the violator is out of the course, period.
We launched right into what was going to be our longest time in the classroom. Jacob covered the NPA, the natural point of aim. This is basic, but, oh so very important. Basically, NPA is the weapon pointed at the target and your body then pointed at the weapon. This guarantees a straight axis running from the muzzle, along the weapon, the length of the shooters body to the tips of the toes. The straighter the axis the more accurate fire can be delivered. The reason the NPA is vital in that when the weapon fires and there is deviation from the NPA, the more the deviation the more the deviation is at further distances.
Sight picture, ensure that there are no shadowing, moons and adjust the ocular on the optic so that your target appears crisp and clear as you look at the target. Adjust for parallax. If possible, adjust for parallax for every range you are shooting. I understand that this is not possible in an urban combat environment, but if possible do it otherwise.
Note! Dry practice is vital in precision rifle fire. For every round fired 60-80 dry practice shots need to be made. This builds muscle memory and instills perfection with repetition.
Breathing, break the shot at the bottom of the breathing cycle. It is important not to hold your breath because this will cause your body to tremble in just a few short seconds. Some schools tell you to let out half of your lung capacity. What is that amount? How can you tell if you have let out half of your lung capacity? Let it all out.
Trigger control, this is key and it is the last human input on the weapon. Place the fingernail 90 degrees to the bore of the weapon. It is important not to “drag wood”, meaning have some space between the index finger and the weapon. During dry practice, you should come off your sights and check to see your finger... insure that it is at 90 degrees on the trigger.
Follow through; I cannot begin to impart how important this is. The last thing that should happen after firing is your finger coming off that trigger. For myself, I was jumping off that trigger so fast that I was actually missing the shots. The goal here is to fire the shot, keeping the trigger held to the rear, then running the bolt, setting up the next shot.
With all of the above given, we have our checklist. This checklist can be memorized and then run down as we line up for a shot:
-NPA
-Sight picture
-Breathing
-Trigger control
-Follow through
Next, we went over the MILDOT reticules and the use of a formula for determining range to a target. My Leupold Mk IV with TMR reticule is a little different that the more common MILDOT. This was a new scope for me and I was a little nervous because I was the only one with this type of scope at the class. Please go here for more information on the Leupold TMR http://www.leupold.com/products/reticles_TMR.htm
The formula used to calculate range is quite simple. First of all, the target that you are ranging has to be a size that is known to you. For instance, the size of steel targets was 11.75 inches wide and measured in my TMR reticule to be .7 then the range was 466 yards.
Here is the formula written out: (size of target, known size) x 27.77
Divided by Mil size = Range to the target
It’s actually pretty easy, but, as with all things new, they have to be practiced over and over.
Mirage, what does the mirage consist of? A mirage is water and hot air. Wind carries the image of the mirage.
Wind and reading the wind. After you dial your dope on the scope, hold into the wind for wind correction. Keep these things in mind when shooting against the wind: Wind, velocity and where the bullet is pointed.
What wind has most impact on the flight path if the bullet? Far wind at the target? Mid range wind between the target and the shooter? Wind at the shooter? By and large the wind at the shooter has the most impact. I know it’s hard to imagine that and I thought and have always thought that wind mid range and far range had the most impact. However, after 5 windy days in South Texas I was humbly reminded over and over that wind at the shooter has by far the largest impact on the flight of the bullet.
As Jacob said, “there is no voodoo to this”.
Temperature: Cold temperature, less pressure, more bullet drop.
Hot temperature, higher pressure, less bullet drop.
Humidity, more the level of humidity less the bullet drop, lower the level of humidity more the bullet will drop.
Barometric Pressure: density of air, this is how much air weights.
Spin Drift, fact or fiction and does it exist? Yes, it exists, but, it’s really something the shooter doesn’t have to worry about at distances less than 1,000 yards.
Cororialis effect, again, fact or fiction? Fact, it does affect MRLS or artillery... Not really something you have to worry about with rifles.
We then went to the 100 yard range to confirm zeros and to work on body positions. Keeping in mind the NPA and the check lists we went over earlier in the class room. The ratio of students to instructors insured that there would be immediate correction on any mistakes made.
Day two consisted of shooting cold bore at 100 yards and then we headed to the Rifles Only tower. The tower has three decks and is situated in the middle of the property. The lanes of fire resemble the letter “V”... the left side of the “V” being the left end of the tower, fires toward the berm where we fired our 100 yard zeros. The right side of the “V” fires toward the longer distance targets out to 1,000 yards... with a few mixed in at unknown ranges that we had to range, but that is for later.
On this day we did a really course of fire called “The Moving Chaos Drill”. We set 400 yard dope on our scope. A mover presents itself at 400 yards and you have to engage it, and then engage targets at 220, 280 and ultimately 545 yards. The goal here was to think while shooting. Remember, the dope on the scope was set for 400 yards. The 220 yard target, hold low 1.5 mil, 280 hold 1.0 mil low, 400 hold right on, 545 hold high 2.2 mil. This was a challenging drill and I had to do it quite a few times before I shot the sting clean. I can see how this drill could be used in an urban MOUT environment where targets present themselves at various ranges and you have to quickly engage them.
Day three started off with a cold bore shot out to 500 yards.
NOTE! Be sure to set your scope back to zero from the previous shooting string. Imagine the error that can be made. As I said earlier, I am still a newbie to this kind of shooting. So, after each string, ZERO YOUR SCOPE OUT!!!
We ranged known distance targets just to see that we had the formula down, and then we ranged some unknown distance targets to insure that we had the formula and the method down. If I were still active military I am sure I would have been doing more than a couple push-ups. Let’s just say I had to do it over more than once. Thank heaven’s Frank was a patient instructor with me.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable courses of fire was the Run and Gun. This consisted of a small closed circuit firing range where we were to engage a target with two shots, run to another firing position and fire two more shots, so on and so fourth. This was great fun and I really enjoyed it allot. Yes, it was a challenge, but it proved that a shooter with a bolt action gun and run and fight very effectively.
We then shot a 10” round plate, moving (2 MPH, which is a common gait for most humans) at 500 yards. The goal here was to get 5 shots on the 10” plate before it came to the end. It sounds completely impossible, but it is not. Even I successfully completed this drill. If someone would have told me on the first day of the course that I was going to shoot and hit a 10” plate 5 times at 500 yards I would have said they were smoking crack.
We also did a night shoot doing the same thing. This was kind of a challenge but only so because I had never done it before. So, I asked myself... how do you hit a 10” moving plate at 500 yards? You shoot and hit it... simple as that.
We also practiced the NPA in complete darkness. This was done by a target being illuminated with us behind our rifles. Then the light was taken off the target and we had to engage the target on cue from one of the instructors. If we got a hit, we passed. If not... well, we didn’t pass and had to do it again until the target was hit.
As if all of the above was not enough, we fired “The Moving Chaos Drill” at night. Wow, what fun that was, and yes, it can be done. How you ask? Well, simply by doing it.
Day 4 Frank gave a very interesting lecture on sniper field craft. I don’t know for sure, but I am guessing it was from one of the open source military FM’s that are currently available to everyone. I am very leery about divulging OPEC materials. However, this stuff is available and it’s out there.
During this lecture, we covered:
-Range cards, field sketches, target indicators, camouflage, and route selection, hide selection, hide construction, KIM’s.
KIM: Keep in Memory
-Appearance
-Color
-Condition
-Location
-Getting into your firing position and most importantly getting out if need be.
-Range estimation and factors effecting range estimation.
Movement and the various methods of movement:
-Low crawl
-High crawl
-Walking crouch
-Be aware of danger areas
-Have an escape route planned
Hides, avoid the obvious locations. Try to get into the head of your opponent. Think, “where would I think a shooter might be holed up”? Have a secondary location planned incase you need to fall back to it. Most important, make sure that your muzzle is clear to take the shot and it is not obstructed at all.
Data book... perhaps one of the most important pieces of kit the sniper can have... I know that if I ever loose mine... I am truly screwed. Frank went over how to use it, what to fill in, etc.
Day 5 we had the Weapons Conditioning Drill, where we covered a particular sector. When the target presented itself in our sector we engaged it. Pretty good drill. Teaches that you need to keep both eyes opened and be able to see the target as it enters your sector. Keeping one eye closed you will fatigue easy and quickly and will not be as efficient. Both eyes need to be open.
We shoot out to 900 and 1000 yards.
NOTE! 168 grain Blackhills BTHP ammunition is not the optimal bullet weight to use for ranges 800 yards and further. Don’t get me wrong, you can hit the target, but those hits are not as consistent as with 175 grain bullets. As soon as I am done with the 168 grain bullets, I am switching to Blackhills 175 grain BTHP.
Glass shooting, all I can say is that you have to do it and see for yourself where the bullet will impact. We used standard front auto glass and fired with 50 yards of the target. Yes, the bullet was deflected.
Stalk into position, range the target, hit the target: this was a bitch. In short, we were given about 1 hour to get into a firing position unseen, identify the target, range it... and on command, engage it. I ended up crawling about 200-250 yards into my firing position. I can’t say it was really difficult; I was just making a mountain out of a mole hill. Again, how to you stalk into a firing position that involves a 250 yard crawl? You just do it. NOTE! A sniper veil would have worked wonders for this drill, something to drape my rifle and optic with. Even a boonie hat with some kind of Ghillie camouflage on it would have helped.
NOTE! Scope caps, esp the front ones, are like signal mirrors. They are shiny and they need to be roughed up with sand paper to make them less shiny and you less of a target indicator...
Day 6 was our last day. Jacob arranged and had a tactical M.D. give us a medical presentation. After the MD’s presentation was completed, we were given one last task to do. From the tower, we were to, one by one, get to the top deck, engage a target with 5 rounds and then make our way to the closed circuit range where we did the ‘run and gun’. After doing that we were finished. The goal here was to physically stress us and to teach us the importance of controlling our breathing and to keep calm when stressed. NOTE: Again, be sure that you set your scope to ZERO after each string of fire. I failed to do it from the night before and when I engaged targets from the tower, my hits were way the hell off. Again, its an experience issue and I sure learned from that experience.
After we all completed this drill, I had to make my way back to Corpus Christi to catch a late afternoon flight.
Conclusion:
I’ve been aware of Rifles Only for quite a while. Everyone that I have met that had attended a class at Rifles Only was almost frothing at the mouth in singing praises to the facility and the course of instruction. I used to think that, perhaps, they were a little too over zealous in recommending this course and this facility. However, I can honestly state that Rifles Only, its instructor cadre, its course of instruction, and facility are top notch and I recommend them.
Detractors: the wind... but that is an environmental issue and there is no way to control the environment that I know of. How do you shoot in windy conditions? You just do it.
-168 grain ammunition, I really needed 175 grain for the distances that I was shooting at Rifles Only.
Positive issues: the packing list on what to bring was spot on. I mean, heck, the packing list included a calculator! It was a vital piece of kit. The formula that I gave earlier, while not too complicated, can you do it and do it accurately in 3 minutes or less? Perhaps... but I don’t trust my math skills and will use the calculator.
-Data book, as I said earlier, the data book is the diary of the sniper. A vital part of the snipers gear.
Do you need to be an uber super sniper stud to attend this course? No, not at all. You need to have an open mind and the willingness to listen, observe and learn and you will learn volumes and volumes.
Other rifles in the class: There were a total of three gas guns in the class. One was an Armalite and ran well, another was a DPMS built gun and it ran for shit and was very ammo sensitive and the last one was a Bushmaster BARS that was a PD issue gun and it was traded for one of Jacob’s bolt guns (Remington 700 in a Accuracy International folding stock) because the weapon would fire with the safety engaged. Other guns were GA Precision rifles and a Sako Tactical bolt gun. Something I noticed, the more guys tinkered with their guns, the worse they operated. Two students, obviously into their precision rifles were constantly having issues with triggers, bolts, and the optics. I learned later that in the evenings they would completely strip their rifles and make ‘adjustments’. The DPMS gas gun would not feed reliably Federal Gold Medal 175 grain BTHP ammunition. However, it would feed Blackhills 175 grain BTHP ammunition. The owner of said rifle is an accomplished shooter I have known for a while and his frustration, while measured, was visible. Often it was as if he had a 20 round single shot. Advice, make sure that your rifle is shooting the way it should, make final adjustments at home, go to the course and leave the rifle alone!
If you do happen to need to work in your rifle, make sure that you have some kind of tool kit for your particular rifle and do not depend on others at the course to have what you need to work on your rifle.
Another piece of gear not mentioned on the packing list but highly useful is a Shemagh. Yes, one of them there A-rab rags. A Shemagh more than once was there when I needed to wipe off the optics, wipe my eyes from the heat and humidity... it’s a good piece of gear that makes it just a bit easier to cope with the whatever.
Lastly, a bo-bo kit to deal with cuts, scrapes, scratches, bug bites, etc. One of the students had severe rash on his elbows from shooting prone one the tower. It later became infected. I had a bug bite that grew into God knows what. I always carry one of Tactical Response Gear’s Ventilated Operator Kits with me for the more serious things that could happen when you are around firearms, and I have a small bo-bo kit consisting of band-aides, Neosporin, alcohol pads, iodine pads, Motrin tablets, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, etc. One kit is to save my ass if I, or someone is hit by gunfire, the other is to make things a bit more comfortable.
Training Org: Rifles Only
Location: Rifles Only, Kingsville, Texas
Lead Instructor: Jacob Bynum
Assistant Instructor: Lindy & Frank
Date: October 2, 2006 through October 7, 2006
Weather Conditions: Massive dew in the mornings, 85 degrees in the day, humidity was high. Heavy rain on October 2...clear and sunny the rest of the week.
Rifle & Gear Used: Remington LTR in .308, McMillan A5 stock, Leupold Mk IV with TMR Reticule, Eagle Industries Stock Pack, 6” Harris Bipod, Leather Gov’t sling by Uncle Mikes.
Ammunition: Blackhills 168 grain Boat Tail Hollow Point
I flew to Corpus Christi airport the day before the class was to begin and drove my rental car just past Kingsville, TX to the Rifles Only ranch. The drive was only about 45 minutes and I didn’t break any speed limits like I usually do. Kingsville is home to a new Starbucks I am happy to report. I was staying at the ranch bunk house. The bunk house was comfortable, not a 5 star hotel... but it had what one could want and or need while staying at the ranch during a course.
Day One started promptly at 08:30. The total student count was 7 and we had one primary instructor and two assistant instructors. I was impressed with the student/instructor ratio. After a brief introduction of the staff and students, Jacob, the primary instructor, went right into the safety rules for everyone attending a class at Rifles Only. The number one rule that stood out was that there is no such thing as an Accidental Discharge (AD) and that they are all Negligent Discharges (ND’s). Rifles Only has a zero tolerance policy, one ND and the violator is out of the course, period.
We launched right into what was going to be our longest time in the classroom. Jacob covered the NPA, the natural point of aim. This is basic, but, oh so very important. Basically, NPA is the weapon pointed at the target and your body then pointed at the weapon. This guarantees a straight axis running from the muzzle, along the weapon, the length of the shooters body to the tips of the toes. The straighter the axis the more accurate fire can be delivered. The reason the NPA is vital in that when the weapon fires and there is deviation from the NPA, the more the deviation the more the deviation is at further distances.
Sight picture, ensure that there are no shadowing, moons and adjust the ocular on the optic so that your target appears crisp and clear as you look at the target. Adjust for parallax. If possible, adjust for parallax for every range you are shooting. I understand that this is not possible in an urban combat environment, but if possible do it otherwise.
Note! Dry practice is vital in precision rifle fire. For every round fired 60-80 dry practice shots need to be made. This builds muscle memory and instills perfection with repetition.
Breathing, break the shot at the bottom of the breathing cycle. It is important not to hold your breath because this will cause your body to tremble in just a few short seconds. Some schools tell you to let out half of your lung capacity. What is that amount? How can you tell if you have let out half of your lung capacity? Let it all out.
Trigger control, this is key and it is the last human input on the weapon. Place the fingernail 90 degrees to the bore of the weapon. It is important not to “drag wood”, meaning have some space between the index finger and the weapon. During dry practice, you should come off your sights and check to see your finger... insure that it is at 90 degrees on the trigger.
Follow through; I cannot begin to impart how important this is. The last thing that should happen after firing is your finger coming off that trigger. For myself, I was jumping off that trigger so fast that I was actually missing the shots. The goal here is to fire the shot, keeping the trigger held to the rear, then running the bolt, setting up the next shot.
With all of the above given, we have our checklist. This checklist can be memorized and then run down as we line up for a shot:
-NPA
-Sight picture
-Breathing
-Trigger control
-Follow through
Next, we went over the MILDOT reticules and the use of a formula for determining range to a target. My Leupold Mk IV with TMR reticule is a little different that the more common MILDOT. This was a new scope for me and I was a little nervous because I was the only one with this type of scope at the class. Please go here for more information on the Leupold TMR http://www.leupold.com/products/reticles_TMR.htm
The formula used to calculate range is quite simple. First of all, the target that you are ranging has to be a size that is known to you. For instance, the size of steel targets was 11.75 inches wide and measured in my TMR reticule to be .7 then the range was 466 yards.
Here is the formula written out: (size of target, known size) x 27.77
Divided by Mil size = Range to the target
It’s actually pretty easy, but, as with all things new, they have to be practiced over and over.
Mirage, what does the mirage consist of? A mirage is water and hot air. Wind carries the image of the mirage.
Wind and reading the wind. After you dial your dope on the scope, hold into the wind for wind correction. Keep these things in mind when shooting against the wind: Wind, velocity and where the bullet is pointed.
What wind has most impact on the flight path if the bullet? Far wind at the target? Mid range wind between the target and the shooter? Wind at the shooter? By and large the wind at the shooter has the most impact. I know it’s hard to imagine that and I thought and have always thought that wind mid range and far range had the most impact. However, after 5 windy days in South Texas I was humbly reminded over and over that wind at the shooter has by far the largest impact on the flight of the bullet.
As Jacob said, “there is no voodoo to this”.
Temperature: Cold temperature, less pressure, more bullet drop.
Hot temperature, higher pressure, less bullet drop.
Humidity, more the level of humidity less the bullet drop, lower the level of humidity more the bullet will drop.
Barometric Pressure: density of air, this is how much air weights.
Spin Drift, fact or fiction and does it exist? Yes, it exists, but, it’s really something the shooter doesn’t have to worry about at distances less than 1,000 yards.
Cororialis effect, again, fact or fiction? Fact, it does affect MRLS or artillery... Not really something you have to worry about with rifles.
We then went to the 100 yard range to confirm zeros and to work on body positions. Keeping in mind the NPA and the check lists we went over earlier in the class room. The ratio of students to instructors insured that there would be immediate correction on any mistakes made.
Day two consisted of shooting cold bore at 100 yards and then we headed to the Rifles Only tower. The tower has three decks and is situated in the middle of the property. The lanes of fire resemble the letter “V”... the left side of the “V” being the left end of the tower, fires toward the berm where we fired our 100 yard zeros. The right side of the “V” fires toward the longer distance targets out to 1,000 yards... with a few mixed in at unknown ranges that we had to range, but that is for later.
On this day we did a really course of fire called “The Moving Chaos Drill”. We set 400 yard dope on our scope. A mover presents itself at 400 yards and you have to engage it, and then engage targets at 220, 280 and ultimately 545 yards. The goal here was to think while shooting. Remember, the dope on the scope was set for 400 yards. The 220 yard target, hold low 1.5 mil, 280 hold 1.0 mil low, 400 hold right on, 545 hold high 2.2 mil. This was a challenging drill and I had to do it quite a few times before I shot the sting clean. I can see how this drill could be used in an urban MOUT environment where targets present themselves at various ranges and you have to quickly engage them.
Day three started off with a cold bore shot out to 500 yards.
NOTE! Be sure to set your scope back to zero from the previous shooting string. Imagine the error that can be made. As I said earlier, I am still a newbie to this kind of shooting. So, after each string, ZERO YOUR SCOPE OUT!!!
We ranged known distance targets just to see that we had the formula down, and then we ranged some unknown distance targets to insure that we had the formula and the method down. If I were still active military I am sure I would have been doing more than a couple push-ups. Let’s just say I had to do it over more than once. Thank heaven’s Frank was a patient instructor with me.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable courses of fire was the Run and Gun. This consisted of a small closed circuit firing range where we were to engage a target with two shots, run to another firing position and fire two more shots, so on and so fourth. This was great fun and I really enjoyed it allot. Yes, it was a challenge, but it proved that a shooter with a bolt action gun and run and fight very effectively.
We then shot a 10” round plate, moving (2 MPH, which is a common gait for most humans) at 500 yards. The goal here was to get 5 shots on the 10” plate before it came to the end. It sounds completely impossible, but it is not. Even I successfully completed this drill. If someone would have told me on the first day of the course that I was going to shoot and hit a 10” plate 5 times at 500 yards I would have said they were smoking crack.
We also did a night shoot doing the same thing. This was kind of a challenge but only so because I had never done it before. So, I asked myself... how do you hit a 10” moving plate at 500 yards? You shoot and hit it... simple as that.
We also practiced the NPA in complete darkness. This was done by a target being illuminated with us behind our rifles. Then the light was taken off the target and we had to engage the target on cue from one of the instructors. If we got a hit, we passed. If not... well, we didn’t pass and had to do it again until the target was hit.
As if all of the above was not enough, we fired “The Moving Chaos Drill” at night. Wow, what fun that was, and yes, it can be done. How you ask? Well, simply by doing it.
Day 4 Frank gave a very interesting lecture on sniper field craft. I don’t know for sure, but I am guessing it was from one of the open source military FM’s that are currently available to everyone. I am very leery about divulging OPEC materials. However, this stuff is available and it’s out there.
During this lecture, we covered:
-Range cards, field sketches, target indicators, camouflage, and route selection, hide selection, hide construction, KIM’s.
KIM: Keep in Memory
-Appearance
-Color
-Condition
-Location
-Getting into your firing position and most importantly getting out if need be.
-Range estimation and factors effecting range estimation.
Movement and the various methods of movement:
-Low crawl
-High crawl
-Walking crouch
-Be aware of danger areas
-Have an escape route planned
Hides, avoid the obvious locations. Try to get into the head of your opponent. Think, “where would I think a shooter might be holed up”? Have a secondary location planned incase you need to fall back to it. Most important, make sure that your muzzle is clear to take the shot and it is not obstructed at all.
Data book... perhaps one of the most important pieces of kit the sniper can have... I know that if I ever loose mine... I am truly screwed. Frank went over how to use it, what to fill in, etc.
Day 5 we had the Weapons Conditioning Drill, where we covered a particular sector. When the target presented itself in our sector we engaged it. Pretty good drill. Teaches that you need to keep both eyes opened and be able to see the target as it enters your sector. Keeping one eye closed you will fatigue easy and quickly and will not be as efficient. Both eyes need to be open.
We shoot out to 900 and 1000 yards.
NOTE! 168 grain Blackhills BTHP ammunition is not the optimal bullet weight to use for ranges 800 yards and further. Don’t get me wrong, you can hit the target, but those hits are not as consistent as with 175 grain bullets. As soon as I am done with the 168 grain bullets, I am switching to Blackhills 175 grain BTHP.
Glass shooting, all I can say is that you have to do it and see for yourself where the bullet will impact. We used standard front auto glass and fired with 50 yards of the target. Yes, the bullet was deflected.
Stalk into position, range the target, hit the target: this was a bitch. In short, we were given about 1 hour to get into a firing position unseen, identify the target, range it... and on command, engage it. I ended up crawling about 200-250 yards into my firing position. I can’t say it was really difficult; I was just making a mountain out of a mole hill. Again, how to you stalk into a firing position that involves a 250 yard crawl? You just do it. NOTE! A sniper veil would have worked wonders for this drill, something to drape my rifle and optic with. Even a boonie hat with some kind of Ghillie camouflage on it would have helped.
NOTE! Scope caps, esp the front ones, are like signal mirrors. They are shiny and they need to be roughed up with sand paper to make them less shiny and you less of a target indicator...
Day 6 was our last day. Jacob arranged and had a tactical M.D. give us a medical presentation. After the MD’s presentation was completed, we were given one last task to do. From the tower, we were to, one by one, get to the top deck, engage a target with 5 rounds and then make our way to the closed circuit range where we did the ‘run and gun’. After doing that we were finished. The goal here was to physically stress us and to teach us the importance of controlling our breathing and to keep calm when stressed. NOTE: Again, be sure that you set your scope to ZERO after each string of fire. I failed to do it from the night before and when I engaged targets from the tower, my hits were way the hell off. Again, its an experience issue and I sure learned from that experience.
After we all completed this drill, I had to make my way back to Corpus Christi to catch a late afternoon flight.
Conclusion:
I’ve been aware of Rifles Only for quite a while. Everyone that I have met that had attended a class at Rifles Only was almost frothing at the mouth in singing praises to the facility and the course of instruction. I used to think that, perhaps, they were a little too over zealous in recommending this course and this facility. However, I can honestly state that Rifles Only, its instructor cadre, its course of instruction, and facility are top notch and I recommend them.
Detractors: the wind... but that is an environmental issue and there is no way to control the environment that I know of. How do you shoot in windy conditions? You just do it.
-168 grain ammunition, I really needed 175 grain for the distances that I was shooting at Rifles Only.
Positive issues: the packing list on what to bring was spot on. I mean, heck, the packing list included a calculator! It was a vital piece of kit. The formula that I gave earlier, while not too complicated, can you do it and do it accurately in 3 minutes or less? Perhaps... but I don’t trust my math skills and will use the calculator.
-Data book, as I said earlier, the data book is the diary of the sniper. A vital part of the snipers gear.
Do you need to be an uber super sniper stud to attend this course? No, not at all. You need to have an open mind and the willingness to listen, observe and learn and you will learn volumes and volumes.
Other rifles in the class: There were a total of three gas guns in the class. One was an Armalite and ran well, another was a DPMS built gun and it ran for shit and was very ammo sensitive and the last one was a Bushmaster BARS that was a PD issue gun and it was traded for one of Jacob’s bolt guns (Remington 700 in a Accuracy International folding stock) because the weapon would fire with the safety engaged. Other guns were GA Precision rifles and a Sako Tactical bolt gun. Something I noticed, the more guys tinkered with their guns, the worse they operated. Two students, obviously into their precision rifles were constantly having issues with triggers, bolts, and the optics. I learned later that in the evenings they would completely strip their rifles and make ‘adjustments’. The DPMS gas gun would not feed reliably Federal Gold Medal 175 grain BTHP ammunition. However, it would feed Blackhills 175 grain BTHP ammunition. The owner of said rifle is an accomplished shooter I have known for a while and his frustration, while measured, was visible. Often it was as if he had a 20 round single shot. Advice, make sure that your rifle is shooting the way it should, make final adjustments at home, go to the course and leave the rifle alone!
If you do happen to need to work in your rifle, make sure that you have some kind of tool kit for your particular rifle and do not depend on others at the course to have what you need to work on your rifle.
Another piece of gear not mentioned on the packing list but highly useful is a Shemagh. Yes, one of them there A-rab rags. A Shemagh more than once was there when I needed to wipe off the optics, wipe my eyes from the heat and humidity... it’s a good piece of gear that makes it just a bit easier to cope with the whatever.
Lastly, a bo-bo kit to deal with cuts, scrapes, scratches, bug bites, etc. One of the students had severe rash on his elbows from shooting prone one the tower. It later became infected. I had a bug bite that grew into God knows what. I always carry one of Tactical Response Gear’s Ventilated Operator Kits with me for the more serious things that could happen when you are around firearms, and I have a small bo-bo kit consisting of band-aides, Neosporin, alcohol pads, iodine pads, Motrin tablets, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, etc. One kit is to save my ass if I, or someone is hit by gunfire, the other is to make things a bit more comfortable.