Tactical rifle course

[manygunner]

I jus finished a two day tactical rifle course this weekend. I am bushed. Two days of non-stop running and gunning, ~600+ rounds expended. After training two days we were required to take a "masters test". You could repeat any course of fire twice if you failed the first time. I managed to pass with a second try on a few of the skills. I was using an Olympic Arms A2 model AR-15 with iron sights and a basic carry sling. The test consisted of the following:

1) 100 yards, 60 seconds, prone supported position. Engage target and score 10 hits. Scoped weapons need 100 points (3" 10 ring), iron sights need 90 points. ( I got 100 points)

2) 50 yards, 60 seconds, kneeling and sitting. From low ready transition to kneeling ,engage target and score 5 hits, transition to sitting, engage target and score 5 hits. Passing for iron sights was 85 %. (I passed on second try even though I had a malfunction on that string of fire)

3) 50 yards, 60 seconds, standing and barricade positions. From low ready engage target in standing position and score 5 hits, transition to right side barricade, engage target and score 5 hits, transition to left side barricade and score 5 hits. Forgot the necessary score, think it was 90% for iron sights. (I passed on the second try)

4) 25 yards, 30 seconds, standing position. From low ready at position A engage each of five targets and score two hits, move to position B performing a mag change on the way, from position B engage each of five targets scoring 2 hits. Passing was 90%. (Passed on first try)

5) 25 yards, 3 repetitions, standing position. From low ready engage moving target (speed was fast jog) which is exposed for ~4 seconds, score 2 hits, repeat three times. Passing is A zone hits on IPSC target. (passed on second attempt).

My question to you is is what you think of this test? I am just curious of how you rate it. I found it very challenging in my tired and bedraggled state. I have not seriously trained with a rifle since the marines and that was over 20 years ago. Only the confidence of my instructors gave me the wherewithall to keep going and repeat the second trials. It was fun in the end. The interesting thing was the number of weapons that had serious malfunctions and had to be retired the second day (all of us had AR-15 or M-4 carbines, some were LEO/military) and the number of optics that developed problems and/or failed. In the end even the $800 Trijicon could not help one guy pass. Only about 7 of us got our master certificates.

[hobocircus]

Congrats on your score! Sounds like a very thorough test of skill. The surprising part is the high percent of weapon failures The entire test was less than 100 rounds. What caused so many malfunctions? Dirty weapons?

[manygunner]

Originally Posted by hobocircus

Congrats on your score! Sounds like a very thorough test of skill. The surprising part is the high percent of weapon failures The entire test was less than 100 rounds. What caused so many malfunctions? Dirty weapons?

In many cases, yes. I cleaned mine between the two days, some people did not bother. I am also not familiar with their maintenance of their guns, I try to take care of mine. In addition it was wet weather and ARs are susceptible to mud and dirt. I had a miss feed on on part of the course and had to clear it and change mags to finish the string. On another part my bolt refused to close and chamber the first round when getting ready, took three tries to get the weapon ready, by that time I had probably gone through at least 350 to 400 rounds earlier. It was as much a test of equipment as skill. Several people had optics fold on them. One guy had bad luck and ran out of ammo (his PD only issued him the 600 rounds the course was listed as needing), had to borrow some and his zero was way off for the 100 yard shoot with the new ammo. I went through most of a case of PMC 55gr FMJ. We trained out to 265 yards and had to get groups on a silhoutte target in the 8 ring at that range before the instructor was happy. Was a great course but very fatiguing.

[daveofspades]

That course sounds sooo cool. We have one here in Ohio at TDI but its fairly expensive, plus the cost of ammo. Though I drool over the idea of taking thier "Tactical Shotgun" course.

DD

[So Flo]

Wow, that sounds like a very cool course.
Did you do any CQB skills training/testing?
Mind if I ask what it set you back, not including ammo?
I have really been wanting to do something like this.

[manygunner]

Course fee is $275, $92 for motel for two nights, $200 for case of ammo, cost of passing masters test, priceless. We did some CQB training in trasition from rifle to handgun and house search technique. Rapid acquisiton of target and good sight picture were very important on the moving target stage. I can not stress the importance of breath control, trigger control and follow through enough for the long range shooting. Also low light shooting was covered and practiced in a dark house. It was a pretty good course It is run at a local firearms academy twice a year. Now I qualify for advanced tactical rifle when they next offer it.

[So Flo]

Thanks for the info. Amazing how you tend to forget to breathe under stress...then you find your muscles hurt and you get a slight headache. Sounds like $600 and a weekend well spent!