EAG Tactical Carbine Operators Course, Kathleen, FL 11-13 Dec 09

[Jay Cunningham]

If I missed it, I apologize, but how did your Redi-Catch thingy work during malfunction clearance?

[Submariner]

One such way is to fire a single shot on the first target, a hammer to the second, and finish with a single shot back on the first. often called "boarding house rules" or "roadhouse rules" (no idea where those names came from, so don't ask).

No one gets seconds until everyone is first served.

In other words, one round in each target before delivering a second round to any target.

[rob_s]

If I missed it, I apologize, but how did your Redi-Catch thingy work during malfunction clearance?

in looking back over my pictures it appears that I was using the BAD-equipped carbine during that block of instruction.

[Jay Cunningham]

in looking back over my pictures it appears that I was using the BAD-equipped carbine during that block of instruction.

Fair enough. How did that thingy work, then?

[rob_s]

Fair enough. How did that thingy work, then?

The BAD is phenomenal for doublefeed clearance. Like it was made for it

Maintain your firing grip throughout the whole cycle, release essentially the same way you lock, etc.

The Redi-catch accomplishes much of this, but because you push down on the RC to lock open and up on the BAD, the BAD works more with the weight of the gun. not sure if I'm explaining that well or not....

[simple1]

Great AAR.

Re your comments in TD1 about bumbling seemingly simplistic drills. Ain't it true.

Pat really stresses one thing at a time. "When you're shooting shoot, when you're reloading reload" - but invariably someone gives us a laugh.

Same thing with the turning drills. Something as simple as turning and firing shouldn't make you feel like a retard.

With good reason though, you aren't doing it the way you normally would. So you end up fighting muscle memory and habit.

It reminded me of boot camp when invariably a few knotheads step off with the RIGHT foot WHILE SAYING "Sir! Take a 30" step with the left foot Sir!".

[Jay Cunningham]

The BAD is phenomenal for doublefeed clearance. Like it was made for it

Maintain your firing grip throughout the whole cycle, release essentially the same way you lock, etc.

The Redi-catch accomplishes much of this, but because you push down on the RC to lock open and up on the BAD, the BAD works more with the weight of the gun. not sure if I'm explaining that well or not....

Thanks. I plan on running the Redi-Catch hard here pretty soon and will post results. Otherwise looked like a solid class.

[rob_s]

TD3

Training Day 3 began just like TD2, with a zero confirmation at 50 yards beginning at 09:00. Still more fiddling by still more shooters, an odd phenomena to be sure. TD3 is "test day" and most of the emphasis after zeroing is on getting the shooters warmed up and back in the groove before they shoot the Modified Navy and MEU/SOC for score.

zeroing, TD3






Beginning around 09:30 we did practice runs on the Modified Navy (5 rounds standing, 5 rounds kneeling, 5 rounds prone; speed reload at each elevation change) from 50 yards. Before lunch we would shoot this for score. This is part of the building blocks approach. We started out shooting this drill with full magazines at the 25, then we added magazines downloaded to 5 rounds which requires the shooter to drop the bolt, then we moved it out to 35, then 50, and finally we would eventually shoot for recorded score against the clock.

two shooters in kneeling at 50 yards




We then slowly worked our way in shooting various warm-up drills that incorporated all of the lessons of the previous two days. We ended with various turn and pivot drills at the 10 yard line (or thereabouts).

shooters firing a drill somewhere around the 15 yard line.




turning left, as a group, in a wave of death. this is prior to the crescendo.




Just before breaking for lunch, all students shot the Modified Navy at 50 yards for score. I have mostly video of these that will require further editing, cropping, and resizing. I have not found a tool to do this as efficiently as with photos so it will have to wait.




After lunch, it was all about the warmup for the MEU/SOC Qual. Running from the 50 to the 25 and engaging targets, various shooting on the move, etc. Each portion was run multiple times to get the students familiar with what they would be doing for score later on. Again, introduce a skill, introduce another skill, and another, and another... put them all together into a drill, introduce more skills and add them in, demonstrate and give the students a chance to practice the "test", and finally put it all together and shoot for score to gauge your ability to absorb all of the above. We finished out with all shooters doing just that, with Pat and Mike scoring the targets when each evolution was done.

(this is another area where almost all of my documentation is video)




We wound up with a little bit of time left at the end of the day, so Pat and Mike introduced one more training block. Having been in previous classes this is something I've seen before and is an incentive to shooters to keep their shit together over the course of the three days and not waste a lot of time. If you burn up time then the MEU/SOC test winds up the last thing you do. We were fortunate this time that we had time remaining and got a chance to go over this extra block.

Optical sights are not infallible. They are electronic, battery-operated, and made by man. They can get occluded by mud, snow, or other materials. This block of instruction is on what to do in those cases. First we all taped over the objective end of our optical sights (that's the end that points towards the target). We then used the optics as an occluded-eye sight. This is an interesting experiment for many shooters that have not done this before. All manner of eye infirmities can yield interesting results, not the least of which is an astigmatism (which I have) which can cause a shift in the POI (which I experienced). After this we all switched off our optical sights, removed the tape, and Pat explained how to use the optic as a large ghost-ring rear sight to get acceptable hits at close range. We fired hammers, NSRs, Box Drills, etc. with both sighting methods.

This block of instruction is one of my favorites at these classes and I wish we had more time to go over this segment. I would really like to get more practice with both of these techniques at various ranges and with multiple targets. While I have never had an Aimpoint go down on me, it's certainly not outside the realm of possibility and I'd like to have more practice with the technique if it ever does occur. It also reinforces the benefit of having a fixed from iron sight.





WRAP-UP

As mentioned this was my fourth EAG class with Pat and Mike at Southern Exposure. The first time was my first formal rifle training, the second I started to get my groove, the third I shot with my AK, and this time I originally intended to shoot all irons sights but wimped out in the end and used my optic. What I was hoping to get was a lot of trigger time on my Colt 6933 which has become my do-all carbine. What I got, instead, was a lot of stuck cases in that gun and wound up using my BCM carbine instead.

GUNS

Firearms were the above mentioned Colt 6933 with Magpul MOE furniture, Magpul BAD, Blue Force Gear Vickers sling modified to work as a convertible 1-to-2-point and an Aimpoint T-1 in Larue mount. Until it went down, and then the complete BCM 16" midlength carbine with Redi-Mag and Boonie Packer sling with 2 MOA Aimpoint C3 in ADM mount. Pistol was a Glock 19 with extreme grip reduction by Boresight Solutions and a Surefire X200 attached to it. Carbine magazines were almost exclusively Pmags (both from my paint test and DEET test) and pistol magazines were Glock 17 mags. No malfunctions in any gun attributed to magazines.

The 6933 has run fine in the past with the Wolf 75 grain ammo I fired in this class, but prior to class I changed out the stock "H" buffer for an "improved" aftermarket buffer (no, not an Enidine) that uses powdered tungsten instead of the solid weights in the original buffer. I don't know why that would matter, but it did, and subsequent to the class and replacement of the original buffer and the gun runs fine.

GEAR

On TD1 I used a Blue Force Gear SOC-C MOLLE belt with two Eagle M4-FB carbine mag pouches, two of the same for the Glock magazines, a CSM Gear mini dump pouch, a Blue Force Gear Trauma Kit NOW!, a Raven Concealment holster, and an Eagle Leatherman pouch. I generally went to the line with two loaded carbine magazines in the dump pouch and one in each mag pouch. I found that dumper to be a little cramped but it was a necesary tradeoff for me when using this belt and getting everything else I want on the belt. On TD2 I added a Mayflower armor carrier with soft inserts only (haven't settled on plates yet) and US Grunt Gear chest rig attached and moved the Trauma Kit NOW! from the belt to the chest rig. I also replaced the Eagle M4-FB carbine pouches with the ITW Fast-Mag. On TD3 I went to my carry holster IWB, a spare carbine and pistol magazine on the pants belt, and removed the armor and added the shoulder straps to the US Grunt Gear chest rig.

In terms of load carriage I had zero issues or complaints, and in fact it was a pleasant surprise to switch the systems up so much and still be able to forget about things completely and concentrate on the task at hand. I will definitely be expounding on this overall concept in the future, and the Load Carriage for Training Classes article on my site will be getting a refresh. I still stand by what is there now, but I have found a system and products that appear to work better for me now, and that weren't collectively available at the time of the original writing.

PERSONAL

Due to health issues (both personal and family) the last few years have seen me loose weight due to a decrease in my old fitness routine. Unlike many others I have cut calories to keep from becoming a fatbody, but this class was tough to get through sometimes. I was also recovering from a back injury that was plaguing me in the back of my mind for all three days. Couple that with wondering constantly if the carbine was going to go "click" or "bang", and my head just wasn't in the training. My reward, of course, was the Moose-Cock patch on TD1 and eventually the "THAT GUY" hat on TD3. Lessons learned here are to get back on the fitness wagon. I also wish I had figured out the buffer issue during the class as shooting the much lighter 6933 would have helped in the physical department.

CLASS IMPRESSIONS

Overall most of the students were very squared away. I saw fewer gear issues than I'm used to seeing, fewer gun issues, and generally a bunch that was pretty capable in the marksmanship department. Of course there are always straps covering holsters, chest rigs that puke mags on the deck when going prone, etc. but that really was kept to a minimum here and Pat and Mike did a great job of getting these people squared away before it became an issue. There was also FAR less bumble-****ing of guns and gear than what I've seen in the past. Finally there were very few infirmities. People got down into prone, and back up again, with reasonable quickness and did so safely. All of this combined to allow us to get to the alternative sighting block of training, so I am grateful to my fellow students for this.

GENERAL COMMENTS

Pat's classes have become a great year-ender for me. Often a way to finalize guns, gear, or techniques that I've worked with all year. They are also always a good learning environment, and Pat and Mike are both excellent at offering suggestions at all skill and experience levels as students need them.

Southern Exposure also remains my sole training location. With all that they have to offer I've had little to no reason to look elsewhere. The environment is friendly and fun, the facilities well kept, the admin taken care of (which allows the instructors to focus on, you know, instructing!), and the needs of the students well met.

[Peanut]

Outstanding write up Rob_s. Please keep up the good work.
I can't wait to get into one of Pat's classes to keep up my skills and to learn.

[irv]

Hi Rob

"Southern Exposure also remains my sole training location. With all that they have to offer I've had little to no reason to look elsewhere. The environment is friendly and fun, the facilities well kept, the admin taken care of (which allows the instructors to focus on, you know, instructing!), and the needs of the students well met."


Thanks but it is the instructors who keep the students coming back, we try hard to make it an enjoyable time for students and instructors.

be safe irv