i’m looking to take my first pistol and carbine class this summer and was wondering how many of you wear armor during classes.
i have seen several class photos and AARs that doesn’t seem to show anyone in armor. And i guess the reasons for not doing so is 1)strong emphasis on safety prior to class starting 2)the “train as you fight” mantra, when armor is seldom donned in a defensive situation.
however, would i be out of line to wear armor regardless? would this offend the instructors or other students? i’ve been muzzle swept before at my local indoor range and was none too pleased.
I have seen a few guys wearing level II or Level III soft armor in classes. It is rare, but cannot hurt. Especially if wearing it is part of your job. The only open enrollment classes from Vickers Tactical were armor is required are the Low Light specific classes (Level I & II) due to them being shoot house / team work heavy - for obvious reasons.
My former Dept required armor on the line. And seeing how some people shot I would have worn it regardless.
I have only taken one Carbine class so far and most of us did not wear armor. A couple of the .mil guys ran some drills in their full battle rattle, but not the whole class.
If you are doing any type of shoot house work it will probably be required, and I would wear it regardless. But for most standard carbine drills I don’t think it’s necessary, but you can wear it if you want. Classes seem to be a good opportunity to shake down your gear.
Unless you wear armor for a living I would not wear it in class.
Additionally, in regards to a carbine class you will be shooting from positions you may or may not be familiar with such as kneeling, sitting, barricade etc. Armor/kit interferes with getting into these positions. In my opinion you should learn the positions slick then work into/modify the position to accommodate gear, anatomy or physical limitations.
As the other guys have said… it all depends on the class. If I`m in a square range setting…I just wear my belt, so I can move easier, and such. If were doing room clearing, team tactics, ect… I wear my full kit.
My department requires armor on the line as well, but again its a safety issues we have some folks, like most departments who need to be retired to a desk… :o
I brought my Level IV plates and carrier to the Vickers AK class last August, but as soon as we got there, LAV and Mystery Dave said it was so hot and humid that armor and vests were not recommended. They were right, since it was hot hot hot that day and it was all I could do to concentrate on training in between guzzling water. We had a good crew and I wasn’t worried about getting flagged or blasted.
Other than on days where being a heat casualty is distinctly possible, I much prefer to wear armor when around others with guns. It’s not a trust thing, it’s a nobody’s immune from AD/NDs thing. If I’m in a real life situation where I feel the need to break out the patrol carbine, I’ll first put on my plate carrier, not least because it’s where my spare rifle mags are. Sometimes there may be no time to put on the carrier. So, it’s fair for me to train with and without armor. But next class, I’ll prepare beforehand with armor on to deconflict gear and make sure I can do what needs to be done, and bring armor with me.
Some personal thoughts here. Back in 2006 I was attending training at a place in Northern North Carolina. It was hot as hell and we required to wear chicken plates. I was glad because the yahoo behind me flagged me three times with a carbine.
Having said that, when I was in the military we always wore the gear that we would be wearing deployed. So if you are a police officer, contractor or military guy attaending a course on your own time/ dime I would wear what I would be wearing when the SHTF. It may be hot and uncomfortable but you will probably be glad when the SHTFF and you are better prepared.
There’s a time for training “all kitted up” and a time for training with the gear you are learning to use (and little else). Doing either exclusively is going to result in failure.
Think of it like weather. Is there a benefit to training when the weather isn’t perfect? Absolutely. But at the same time, the worse the weather, the less of the basic skills training you can accomplish. Bad weather eats up time, distracts students and teachers alike, etc.
Obviously, you need to be able to perform in/with the gear you’re actually likely to have on you. So it’s important to practice and test things with all of that gear on. But for a lot of people, spending five days straight on their feet running around the range wearing Level Umpteen armor is going to wear them out and make them less likely to learn the skills being taught.
Our agency requires us to wear our body armor when shooting quals or training. I have personally worn my plate carrier to a couple of classes… but usually only on the first day. Probably because that’s all my back can handle.
