I would offer slightly different advice.

If you are just starting out and planning on attending a class where you're expected to show up with a dead-nuts zeroed rifle, 30 loaded magazines, ability to carry 5+ of said magazines on your person, and needing lots of gear, you're probably at the wrong class.

Before you enroll in a run-around-throw-yourself-on-the-ground-jump-down-turnaround-pickabaleofcotton type class, get yourself into a fundamentals class. It doesn't have to be a 3-day sleepaway class, but it wouldn't hurt. Barring that you can find a local clinic, training day, whatever.

If, however, you find yourself a good three-day sleepaway class that not only stresses the fundamentals and has a high accuracy standard but also comes with an instructor that knows how to get you to a point where you can meet that standard, there are things to be learned through the zeroing process and other things that were poopood in the other thead. and a class like this will have very low gear requirements so that you don't have to jock all up to take the class.

A good fundamentals class will only require:
  • a functioning, quality rifle, even with only iron sights and no light, but you'll need a sling. a spare BCG wouldn't hurt
  • three magazines. you'll have time to stuff them
  • one, maybe two, rifle magazine pouches
  • probably a pistol, your carry gun will do
  • a holster, your carry holster will do
  • a single magazine pouch, your carry pouch will do


It would be beneficial if you can get a few hundred rounds through the carbine before the class to ensure that it functions, and if you buy a quality carbine to begin with and get a couple hundred rounds through it chances are good that it will have zero issues, as any problems would likely reveal themselves early on. If you buy a questionable carbine there is no telling when it might fail.

I think F2S has done a pretty good job of trying not to overwhelm prospective students. I know that when I took my first carbine course I was concerned that I wouldn't have everything I needed, that I'd forget some crucial element and wind up "that guy", etc. The truth of the matter is that if you are worried about that it's a good thing, and it means your head is in the right place with regards to preparing for the class, and your likelihood of being that guy is greatly reduced. The problem children are the assholes that don't think they could possibly be wrong, that think they're totally prepared for the class, and that you can't tell anything to. They show up with too much, ****ed up, gear and refuse to listen. There are always two "that guys" in most classes. One is the guy that's just having a bad day but is otherwise a competent shooter. The other is the guy that nobody talks about, or to, that just doesn't get it, and wouldn't get it if you put it in a sock full of quarters and smacked him in the face with it.