D.A.R.C.1 Tactical Carbine Course
The class was a 5 day class compressed into 3 days, 2 nights carbine class. The cost was $650. There were 7 students in the class, all regular guys and gals, all good people of character. The class was held at the DARC1 facility, North Little Rock, AR. The place has been training people for many years and has great ranges. I consider the instructors to be wise people, finding the balance in the confidence of experince and the humor of life. Both the lead. Rich Mason, and the 2nd were instructive without being intense, and always ready to explain the “why” behind the “how”.
We shot about 1500 rifle rounds, 1700 .22lr, and about 300 pistol rounds in the 3 days. We were either shooting, or moving, or loading/listening/learning for 13 hours a day. When you do this, you go through some bullets…
The first day started with malfunction drills. We covered 5 types of malfunctions with our own rifles. Then all of the rifles were set up down the firing line with one of the 5 types, we paired up and we had to clear and fire, and hit the target to go on to the next rifle, the 2nd person setting a various malfunction up for the next pair. Then we worked on time reloads from the pouch, next poi/poa at very short distances and then transitions. We then had dinner.
After dinner we worked on lighting and light management. Then, we did the line of rifle malfunctions again, in the dark, having to figure out each persons rifle lights, clear the malfunction, illuminate the target, and hit the target. Needless to say, I stopped off for aspirin and aspercream on the way home that night…
The 2nd day was on a different range with the .22 conversion kits. We went over shooting on the move, ready positions, pistol manipulations, transitions, and then it was dinner time. After dinner, we did it all again…in the dark this time.
The 3rd day started with the gladiator drill, which invovled barricades, shooting on the move and putting all we had learned from the previous 2 days together. Then it was competition time with various challenges and distances.
The website is
I am not sure when they will have another rifle class, but will have a great T.U.S.C. program coming up in November. IMHO, any class you take at the DARC1 place is well worth the money.
Cheers,
GB