Post by Pete Carpentier jr on Sept 6, 2005 14:14:16 GMT -5
On 03-04 Sept 05 I attend a Tactical Carbine class at Combat Shooting and Tactics in Nacogdoches TX. The class was put on by Paul Howe who owns and operates the school.
DAY 1, started early. Paul wanted us on the range early because of the HEAT. We were on the range at 0630. The class started with an intro, safety produces, and range commands. Paul also went over how to set-up the AR system. His AR had a few modifications and he used Iron sights on his rifle. I asked why he used Irons and not an optic and he said I must be able to show students that I can do it with Iron sight. He said that there is nothing wrong with optics, but that is why he uses irons. After the class we moved to the range and we started at the 7 yard line. We fired a 3 shot group with our iron and optic sights. This was done to check our zero and to make sure we were on paper. We then moved to the 100 yard line and zeroed our iron and optic sights.
75 yds kneeling position.
After every one had a good zero we moved to the 75 yard line. We again shot 3 round groups from the kneeling position. We did that several times. Each time going down and checking our groups. We then moved to the 50 yard line and again fired 3 shot groups from the kneeling position.
Shooting the one shot and two shot drills for time.
We then moved to the 7 yard line and started doing one shot and two shot drills. We started slow and then we started shooting for time. We shot on one target and then we started shooting multiple targets. After that we started doing Transition drills. We would fire our rifles, and if we would have a malfunction or we would run out of ammo we were to transition to our pistols. Again we started slow and then did it for time. After that we started doing failure drills. The failure drill that Paul teaches is 5 rounds to the body and one round to the head. We then had a short question and answer session and that was the end of day 1.
Day 2 again started early. We had to be on the firing line ready to go at 0530. The reason we were there so early was one to beat the TX heat and also to do some lowlight shooting. Paul talked about some different light systems and how to mount them on our guns and also he had some different light systems for us to use.
We started at the 100 yard line. We fired 5 shots prone at the target as it was lighted-up by a spotlight. We then moved down and checked our groups. The target was a human silhouette of a man holding a gun. We fired another five shot group from the 100 yard line and moved again downrange to check the targets. We then shot 5 shot groups from the kneeling position at 75 and 50 yards using our gun lights. At the 25 yard line we again shot a 5 shot group, standing. Again using our gun lights.
We then moved over to the barricades and shot on some steel targets at 75 yards. The steel target was a square plate that was 11” tall by 6” wide. We used our gun light to light up the target.
Once it was light we started doing barricade drills. We fired from the kneeling and standing position. Again we shot on steel plates.
Paul going over Malfunction drills.
After that we worked on malfunction drills, tactical reloads and speed reloads.
After a short break we moved over to the long range. There we shot 5-shot groups at 200 and 300 yards on paper targets. The drill here was to see how much our bullet drop from our 100 yard zero and also to see where our point of aim should be. After that we again shot on steel targets starting at 100 yards and going out to 300 yards.
We moved back to the short range later to do a shirt drill. The shirt drill was a drill in which we put a t-shirt on a paper target. We started at 100 yards and fired a 5-shot group, prone and then went down and checked our targets. Some of the students shot groups were low. Paul explains that some times it’s hard to tell where the center of the target is on a person. That is why he likes to use this drill. We again fired a 5-shot group and we were all back in the center. Once this was done we fired 5-shots kneeling at 75and 50 yards, at 25 yards we fired 5-shots standing and then fired 5 shot standing at 7 yards in the head. We then checked our groups.
The next thing we did was shoot the whole drill under time and running to each yard line. We started standing at 100 yards. On the signal, we went prone and fired 5 shots. We then stood up and ran to the 75 yards and from the kneeling position we fired 5 shots. We did this again at the 50 yards. We then ran to the 25 yard line and fired 5 shots standing. We then ran to the 7 yard line and fired 5 shots to the head. After that we cleaned up and moved to the classroom.
Paul then gave a class on weapons maintenance and how to set-up our gear. He also gave us a real GOOD class on how to set-up a Trauma bag and how to treat gunshot wounds. Again being an Operator, he knows what works and does not work.
Paul is a GREAT instructor, communicates well with students and also gets his point across. I will be taking another class from him later in the year or next year.
DAY 1, started early. Paul wanted us on the range early because of the HEAT. We were on the range at 0630. The class started with an intro, safety produces, and range commands. Paul also went over how to set-up the AR system. His AR had a few modifications and he used Iron sights on his rifle. I asked why he used Irons and not an optic and he said I must be able to show students that I can do it with Iron sight. He said that there is nothing wrong with optics, but that is why he uses irons. After the class we moved to the range and we started at the 7 yard line. We fired a 3 shot group with our iron and optic sights. This was done to check our zero and to make sure we were on paper. We then moved to the 100 yard line and zeroed our iron and optic sights.
75 yds kneeling position.
After every one had a good zero we moved to the 75 yard line. We again shot 3 round groups from the kneeling position. We did that several times. Each time going down and checking our groups. We then moved to the 50 yard line and again fired 3 shot groups from the kneeling position.
Shooting the one shot and two shot drills for time.
We then moved to the 7 yard line and started doing one shot and two shot drills. We started slow and then we started shooting for time. We shot on one target and then we started shooting multiple targets. After that we started doing Transition drills. We would fire our rifles, and if we would have a malfunction or we would run out of ammo we were to transition to our pistols. Again we started slow and then did it for time. After that we started doing failure drills. The failure drill that Paul teaches is 5 rounds to the body and one round to the head. We then had a short question and answer session and that was the end of day 1.
Day 2 again started early. We had to be on the firing line ready to go at 0530. The reason we were there so early was one to beat the TX heat and also to do some lowlight shooting. Paul talked about some different light systems and how to mount them on our guns and also he had some different light systems for us to use.
We started at the 100 yard line. We fired 5 shots prone at the target as it was lighted-up by a spotlight. We then moved down and checked our groups. The target was a human silhouette of a man holding a gun. We fired another five shot group from the 100 yard line and moved again downrange to check the targets. We then shot 5 shot groups from the kneeling position at 75 and 50 yards using our gun lights. At the 25 yard line we again shot a 5 shot group, standing. Again using our gun lights.
We then moved over to the barricades and shot on some steel targets at 75 yards. The steel target was a square plate that was 11” tall by 6” wide. We used our gun light to light up the target.
Once it was light we started doing barricade drills. We fired from the kneeling and standing position. Again we shot on steel plates.
Paul going over Malfunction drills.
After that we worked on malfunction drills, tactical reloads and speed reloads.
After a short break we moved over to the long range. There we shot 5-shot groups at 200 and 300 yards on paper targets. The drill here was to see how much our bullet drop from our 100 yard zero and also to see where our point of aim should be. After that we again shot on steel targets starting at 100 yards and going out to 300 yards.
We moved back to the short range later to do a shirt drill. The shirt drill was a drill in which we put a t-shirt on a paper target. We started at 100 yards and fired a 5-shot group, prone and then went down and checked our targets. Some of the students shot groups were low. Paul explains that some times it’s hard to tell where the center of the target is on a person. That is why he likes to use this drill. We again fired a 5-shot group and we were all back in the center. Once this was done we fired 5-shots kneeling at 75and 50 yards, at 25 yards we fired 5-shots standing and then fired 5 shot standing at 7 yards in the head. We then checked our groups.
The next thing we did was shoot the whole drill under time and running to each yard line. We started standing at 100 yards. On the signal, we went prone and fired 5 shots. We then stood up and ran to the 75 yards and from the kneeling position we fired 5 shots. We did this again at the 50 yards. We then ran to the 25 yard line and fired 5 shots standing. We then ran to the 7 yard line and fired 5 shots to the head. After that we cleaned up and moved to the classroom.
Paul then gave a class on weapons maintenance and how to set-up our gear. He also gave us a real GOOD class on how to set-up a Trauma bag and how to treat gunshot wounds. Again being an Operator, he knows what works and does not work.
Paul is a GREAT instructor, communicates well with students and also gets his point across. I will be taking another class from him later in the year or next year.