LMS Defense conducted a Carbine 1 class on the grounds of Parma Gun Club on April 17-18, 2010. The location is approximately 40 miles northwest from Boise, ID. We had an excellent host who took care of all logistics, including getting a grill and a cook to the range on Day 1!
LMS Defense is a very active training outfit that provides a wide range of classes across western US. Their website is here http://www.lmsdefense.com/lms/home/. This class was run by John Chapman and Yancey Harrington. Both gents have real life experience, constantly continue to maintain their own skills and know how to deliver information. Safety was emphasized and enforced religiously which is important in any class, but especially so in entry-level classes full of inexperienced shooters. There were 14 shooters. Some drills were shot in one formation, and some – in 2 relays.
Being a Carbine 1 class, this was geared towards basics of manipulation and shooting. As a principle, I do not describe class’ curricula in my AARs. I will say that basics were delivered very clearly, with attention to a trigger manipulation I have not seen in any other class and the curriculum was very complete for a basic class. Some of the stuff covered would be considered a Carbine 2 material by some instructors. There was no low-light session.
If I were to pick one thing about this class, it would be no-nonsensical, accurate and articulate (“please-please promise me to unf***k yourself” :D) instruction. I’ve taken a number of classes from various instructors and I most honestly do go there with an open mind. Having said that, just about every class I took had a “there is no way I am buying what he’s saying and I will never use it” moment. I cannot remember anything that John or Yancey said that would evoke such moment. In anything technical – be that weapons use, or golf, or skiing or whatever – it is essential to get basics down right from the very beginning otherwise one would have to spend time to unlearn bad habits before ever moving forward. Based on this premise alone, the LMS Carbine 1 class gets my highest recommendations.
That’s all for AAR. Now random bits and pieces:
- A wounded Marine with a below knee prosthesis who shot hard, and ran on his artificial leg even harder, was a true inspiration. I don’t even have words.
- Similarly, words are amiss about said Marine being politely asked
to move his leg (artifical one, but we didn’t know that yet) up :D:D:D. Yancey felt bad afterward, but all was taken in good spirit and provided a source of jokes for the rest of a weekend. - A PWS crew was there with all kinds of cool rifles that ran well. Todd, who is a great shooter, ran a suppressed un-lubricated 7.5 inch rifle chambered in 7.62x39 shooting Wolf ammo – doesn’t this sound as a recipe for a failure? To the best of my memory, that thing ran non-stop. There were a few 7.5 inch 5.56 Diablo uppers that ran well too; one of them did have a stove-pipe or two. Several suppressed rifles had some issues but I didn’t dwell on that.
- My PRI Gasbuster charging handle’s pin broke. That rifle has about 3000 rounds. I know everything can break, but $100 part going down on such low round count rubs me a wrong way.
- Going through a class in level III plates gives one a whole new set of issues to solve. It also gives a new level of appreciation of people who climb mountains on two-way ranges wearing such armor + metric ton of other stuff on their bodies. To all whom this applies to – thank you for your service!
