A way to avoid being "THAT GUY"

[Jay Cunningham]

I am going to be taking a Tactical Carbine/Handgun class with ITTS and Scott Reitz this march. I desperately do want to be "that guy" (I know this has probably brought up before) in this class. I have taken The basic Carbine class that is required for LEO's here in MA, but it mainly covered different ways to sling your rifle and we only shot 100 rounds from varied positions Kneeling, prone, standing and etc. I am very confident in my ability to shoot and handle the weapon safely. What I am looking for are some suggestions on what are some things I should work on from now till I take the class. I have the ablity to work one on one with a Carbine instructor (Local LEO) during this time.

As I have already mentioned, I am looking for some suggestions on things I can work on before I take the class so I can avoid becoming "that guy". Keep in mind that I am very open minded and have zero problems when it come to following intructions. The last time I was worried about being "that guy" I dropped that worry as soon as I stepped on the range and shot a 98 and 96 (out of 100) on the two parts of the MA LEO pistol Qual. So I should have no problems but I just want to be prepared.

-DM-

Keep in mind that you are going to attend training, not an exhibition. Don't worry about anyone else around you (with the exception of your muzzle awareness) and just follow the instructions Scott gives you to the best of your ability. Stay safe, ask questions when appropriate and stay "switched on" during the whole course of fire.

You'll be just fine, no issues.

[John_Wayne777]

Behave safely on the range, refrain from being an impediment to instruction and just keep from being a dork in general and you'll never have to worry about being "that guy".

My experience is limited, but from what I've seen the kind of people who make a conscious effort not to be "that guy" were never in any danger of earning that title in the first place.

[Derek_Connor]

be safe, have fun, compete with yourself, not others.

[Buck]

Prior to your arrival at Eagles Nest, commit these to memory…

1) All guns are always loaded – and will be treated as such…

2) Never allow the muzzle to cover anything that you are not willing to destroy…

3) Keep your finger off the trigger, until your sight s are aligned on the target, and you intend to shoot…

4) Be sure of your target…

These are the 4 basic firearms safety rules as taught by LAPD, and used by Scotty in all of his courses… If you know them word for word, before hand, your brain-housing group may thank you after…

[HighSpeedDreams]

"That guy" typically labels everyone else that guy. So, simply by doing some introspection, you're DQ'd.

Good luck and have fun.

[rhino]

"That guy" typically labels everyone else that guy.

There is much truth there!

[Barry in IN]

Yes, I'd agree that by coming here and trying to find out how to avoid being "that guy" shows that you will make the effort not to be.

But...
The main things are to not endanger anyone and don't slow the class down.
The first one has been covered.
The second one (Don't slow the class down) is a bit more detailed.

Everybody is spending serious money and time for training. It may be a once in a lifetime thing for some. Every minute the class is held up due to someone fighting malfunctions caused by cheap ammo or a weapon they've never shot, or listening to a classmate back up the instructor's points with "Yes, that's true, because one time I..." is wasted time.

But don't worry if you need some individual attention. Everyone will have a problem with something, which will require the instructor (s) to work with them while the others stand around. It's gonna happen to everyone there before the class is over unless, a) the instructor is not very observant, or b) you got lucky to be grouped with God's gifts to shooting as classmates. Everyone will have a chance to be the "dummy of the moment" and delay things a little.

Just don't add to the inevitable delays by seeing how long your weapon will go without cleaning or buying cheap ammo you've never tried before. "Saving" $10 by buying mystery ammo for a $500 class makes little sense.

Other than that, some tips to maybe get the most from it:

-Listen to and apply what is taught. Even if it sounds wrong or just plain silly- Try it, at least. If it really is wrong, you learned why, so you learned something.

-If you just have to question anything, don't do it in argumentive form.

-Be nosy. When the instructor is helping the guy at the other end of the line because he is suddenly yanking shots to the left- Listen. Even if you aren't doing that yourself, you will sometime, and it would be good to know how to correct it.
Electronic muffs are a help here.

-Finally...It depends on where you are going and who is teaching, but one of the best pieces of advice I got was: Take your lunch.
Many instructors stay on the range during lunch. I've learned a lot during lunch break. Many times I've heard the instructor say something like "Hey, it's not much but since you're sitting here, I happened to notice you were doing this..." and I picked up a nugget or two of info that I never would have got otherwise.
It's also when you hear the best stories.