Do we have anyone here that’s a hunter education instructor? As I have some classes coming up in the spring to teach I’m developing the idea as to include my AR15 in the presentation. Has anyone here done this? The thought is that it’s ideal for illustrating several core points and concepts in the Hunter Ed curriculum, as well as good PR for modern rifle designs to dispel the “assault weapon” fear and stigma.
In gun types, I’m showing the evolution from muzzleloader to single shot to lever action to bolt action to semi auto, and the AR design is ideal for showing how a semi auto rifle action works, as I can take off the hand guard to show the gas tube, pull out the bolt carrier group to show the bolt, cam, lugs, etc. and flip up the upper half to show the hammer, sear, etc. workings in the lower. Also showing how caliber and configuration change is easy as an advantage in the modern rifle design: purpose of caliber choice, difference in ammunition, etc. and ergonomic adaptability.
Cleaning, transportation, and storage will be very easy to illustrate, especially advantageous with takedown design. Safe handling in the field works well also with the single point sling as a “new” thing to throw into the mix when hauling treestands or wearing a backpack.
Then there’s the bit on public relations, anti gun stigma and nonsense. This will be a pretty good way of getting 50-70 people at a time to see what reality is vs. CNN and NBC, and also to get some people over the whole “good gun, bad gun” junk they get from “Fudds” which are disturbingly prevalent around here. Getting the whole “assault weapon” nonsense out of people’s heads is a BIG objective to accomplish and this is about the best way I can think to do it, gently, but factually, irrefutably, and with authority.
So, what are your thoughts on this? Any particular pointers?
Sounds like a good idea. You should make sure the facility that you teach your class is ok with it first.
I’ve never taken a hunter safety class before, I had no idea that you go over so much. I thought it was a reitteration of the “four rules” and the laws in your specific area.
I will preface by saying I am an active Ohio HE Instructor. I would make sure it is cleared with your state HE authority whomever they may be, we have district education officers who serve as our “bosses”. Our class in Ohio is down to about nine hours so we focus much more on safe gun handling rather than individual action types and what you have proposed could easily be a 30-45 minute class that could easily be over the 9-10 year old audience level of understanding. As an instructor I have not brought an AR to class yet, mostly because I don’t want fifty sets of paws on it. I will ask the education officer what plans are in place to start incorporating the “modern sporting rifle” into our classes. We also now use animated powerpoint presentations that shows cutaway views of how each action works in great detail and this method works much better than an instructor holding a rifle up in front of class trying to explain what is going on inside. Let me know what you come up with.
True, it’s a lengthy bit, but those are areas that are required for the test so we teach them in about that span of time anyway. The class is designed to cover the questions on the test. Simply using the AR platform as the firearm for reference for those sections isn’t much of a change at all, if anything it’s a clarification. As long as we keep it to the point and keep it clean we’re pretty much on our own. I’m not going to ask too loudly for approval–I’m in New York State and it’s a government department of one of the most anti gun governments there is in the country.
I’d think if you went with a flat top design that’s marketed for hunting you could get it by. In Putnam county .223 is legal for Coyote, so there is a tie in for hunters.
If I can get the $ I’ll have a 6.8 upper which is legal for deer as well, and swap between the two.