on June 6, 2010 8:46 AM
The class consists of a brief safety lecture, review and introduction of such techniques as shooting from unorthodox positions and cover, and culminates in some courses of fire that invoke those techniques.
The class is light on theory and lecture and heavy on doing, which I really liked. You don't get to do these kind of things at the range, and you're not going to build these skills without having a chance to do them for real. So the focus on doing is good in my opinion.
The class is not a high level operator class. It's for average folks who want to learn how to use their rifles.
I used my CMMG M4 clone for the class with an Eotech 512 sight, Magpul PMAGs, and Monarch steel cased ammo.
I had never used that ammo before, but to my amazement it shot to almost the same POI as my Zombie Load within 50 yards. At 50 yards it was probably a little over an inch high, but for this kind of training, it was fine.
I've heard a lot of horror stories about steel cased ammo in AR rifles, but I had no failures of any kind. I retrieved a couple of empty cases and I couldn't find any signs of the lacquer coming off. I will say the ammo is dirty as heck. I don't think I could have fired 500 rounds of the stuff without a cleaning in there somewhere, but for training or plinking it works fine.
One of the things I learned is that I need to change my setup. I use an Eotech and I like to get the front sight post out of the way when I am using the optic. One of the things that causes me to do is lift my head off the stock which really takes away a lot of the stability you need to shoot well. I think I am going to get a new barrel with a mid-length or rifle-length gas system, without a front sight post. I will have backup sights, but they will be of the flip up variety so that nothing is in the way of the Eotech retical.
Now I need to go clean my rifle.
The class is light on theory and lecture and heavy on doing, which I really liked. You don't get to do these kind of things at the range, and you're not going to build these skills without having a chance to do them for real. So the focus on doing is good in my opinion.
The class is not a high level operator class. It's for average folks who want to learn how to use their rifles.
I used my CMMG M4 clone for the class with an Eotech 512 sight, Magpul PMAGs, and Monarch steel cased ammo.
I had never used that ammo before, but to my amazement it shot to almost the same POI as my Zombie Load within 50 yards. At 50 yards it was probably a little over an inch high, but for this kind of training, it was fine.
I've heard a lot of horror stories about steel cased ammo in AR rifles, but I had no failures of any kind. I retrieved a couple of empty cases and I couldn't find any signs of the lacquer coming off. I will say the ammo is dirty as heck. I don't think I could have fired 500 rounds of the stuff without a cleaning in there somewhere, but for training or plinking it works fine.
One of the things I learned is that I need to change my setup. I use an Eotech and I like to get the front sight post out of the way when I am using the optic. One of the things that causes me to do is lift my head off the stock which really takes away a lot of the stability you need to shoot well. I think I am going to get a new barrel with a mid-length or rifle-length gas system, without a front sight post. I will have backup sights, but they will be of the flip up variety so that nothing is in the way of the Eotech retical.
Now I need to go clean my rifle.
Obviously I wasn't able to make it out for the class. What did y'all actually DO in the class?
And you got to shoot steel-cased? I thought Karl didn't like steel-cased ammo. But I guess if you cleaned up after yourself.....
So why mid-length vs. the carbine-length gas system? I mean, I can understand the desire to get away from the fixed sight and go to pure flip-ups, but you didn't say why the change in the gas-system length?
Re: The Class
Shoot from behind cover, under cover, around cover, etc. Some practice mounting and shooting, moving with the rifle. It was kind of an extension of the Defensive Long Gun class we took with more time spent shooting.
Re: Steel Cased Ammo
Karl made an exception for this class, I didn't pick any pick any cases up other than a couple to inspect. By the way, I finished cleaning up the rifle and it was any more involved than shooting brass cased ammo. I've heard lots of horror stories, but at least with this stuff it wasn't that bad. Lot's o carbon though.
Re: Gas system
No real reason other than I'm probably going to get a longer rail, so I either need a gas block that can fit under the rail, or a longer gas system. I think I'm going to go with the longer system as you can get a railed gas block which gives you a slightly longer sight radius for the BUIS.
Class: OK, so just a "part 2" sort of thing. Cool.
Steel: Yeah, seems exceptions get made for the rifle classes, due to the nature of the beast. OK.
Most of the horror stories I've heard is the chambers heating up, the coatings melting, then it all oozes all over the place and becomes a pain. OR, that you shoot steel cased, the coating gets in the chamber, then you go to shoot brass-cased (without a cleaning in between) and things get all messed up.. extraction problems, etc.
Gas: Well, if all you want is the longer sight radius, I'd say to just get a low-profile gas block and then a longer rail system. That will give you what you want and won't cost as much as also getting a new barrel and/or a whole new upper.
If you want to see something ugly with steel-cased ammo, check this out:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/06/09/a-clean-wouldnt-hurt/
GAH! That's ugly.
Not just all the carbon "shit where you eat" build-up, but all the red from the sealant and who knows how much may have been coating-induced.
wow.