Although I’m an experienced firearms owner/shooter/reloader, and have have been POST certified and been to numerous handgun training, I’m just now getting around to taking a carbine course. Most of my rifle experience is hunting or precision bench shooting.
I’m wondering what kind of “tactical” gear I should have for the two day course? I’ll be taking my 6920, magazines, sling, etc.etc., but know I’ll need to have extra mags on my person.
Since I’m a seasoned citizen I’ll also have knee protection…
I’d welcome some input on other items I’ll likely need/use/want!
I don’t use any tactical gear when I take classes. I prefer the bare minimum to get the job done, when running the AR15 I use a 2 point sling and iron sights and stuff extra mags in my back pockets.
May want to read through this thread for more ideas.
They will provide you with recommendations. Bring plenty of magazines and/or a means to load them quickly (StripLula or MagLula. I prefer the StripLula). Pay attention to well thought-out and comfortable first and second line gear (I like to carry two rifle mags on the belt and four on the chest rig) and I run the pistol entirely from the belt). Have a dump pouch. Have a good, reliable RDS. Have your rifle zero’ed before you show up. Yes, you’ll re-zero, but it will take you less time and you won’t be the guy holding everybody up trying to zero from scratch. I recommend wearing gloves and having elbow pads.
Lots of mags and a Maglula
Water
Bring a quality back-up rifle if possible
sling (of course)
Dump pouch comes in handy
Be sure you zero’d in
Bring extra parts (BCG, etc.)
As much as I like to be as “minimal” as possible, using a warbelt or duty belt rig becomes very helpful
Proper clothing attire, sunscreen, food
I got a really bad knee and there ain’t no way I’m rolling without knee protection ever. Just thinking about it bothers me.
You touched on it, but make sure your rifle(s) are zeroed and you know your hold overs. If you show up not zeroed and you aren’t squared away with your offset your going to just be wasting your money missing paper all day and not absorbing what the instructor has to teach you. Don’t think you have to run out and buy tons of gear to simply take a class. I have taken a lot of civilian classes and have seen guys show up in more kit than I wear in the military with no clue how to even use any of it and then I have seen guys come and run classes stuffing mags in pockets. To each their own in the end, run what your comfortable with and make sure whatever gear you do use and bring you are very familiar with so you can focus on the instruction and not fussing with gear adjustments etc.
If you conjure a question not addressed, put it in whichever of those is appropriate.
F2S spoke to the class syllabus (or asking the instructor or host) because they’ll often describe some analogue of “be able to bring X magazines to the firing line.”
Ergo, if X = 2, that means one in the gun and a reload, so you can probably get away with one for the gun and a reload in a pocket. If that number goes up, your equipage needs may alter.
