This site is notorious for telling people to get training, for good reason, but attending open enrollment classes and reading through the T&T forum (especially a specific recent thread) has shown that there isn’t much info for the first timer to let them focus on the class instead of being frustrated due to their lack of preparation and experience. This thread is intended to fix that.
Before we get to the list, first things first: Don’t be scared. Whether you are brand new to shooting or a retired Sniper, there will be guys better than you. Don’t think that you have to be the best shooter in the class. You are going to get better, and that’s what matters. Performance anxiety will turn a fun learning experience into frustration. You don’t need to practice for 6 months before enrolling in a course. Choose an applicable class, and in the words of the prophet Nike, “Just Do It”.
1- Have a good zero. What is a zero? It is knowing exactly where your bullet will land at a certain diastance in relation to your sights.
There are two preferred zeroes:
The 50/200 meter or yard zero
The 100 meter or yard zero
I list the 50 and 200 as the same zero simply because they will be virtually identical from muzzle to about 100 meters, which is the distance most carbine courses will be within. I recommend the 200 over the 50 since you will have precision at long range and only minimal difference at 50.
The 100 yard/meter (yards and meters are basically interchangable, so for brevity I will use yards here, but personally prefer meters) is my preference. It has a more gentle rise from muzzle to 100, which makes for a more forgiving hold-over at close ranges.
For more information on Zeroes, refer to Molon’s superb thread on the subject- https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=65679
Your zero can be considered good to go if you can stuff 8 of 10 rounds into a 6" target at 100 yards or a 3" target at 50 yards from a bench or prone position. This is not the same thing as getting 8 of 10 in a 6" group, but rather hitting an established target, and having the group centered in that target.
Zeroing should be done with the ammo you intend on using in the class.
Throughout the zeroing process constantly check your sight and mount. It is a common problem with people just getting into high volume fire to experience mounts loosening. Make sure they are properly mounted and that applicable parts are loctited, but don’t take it for granted that it won’t come loose. I had a brand new mount that I loctited and mounted shake loose toward the end of a zeroing/precision testing session. I was embarrassed, but not nearly as much as I would have been if it had happened in front of students, during a match, or if needed to save lives.
2- Know your offsets.
Because the sights of pretty much every assault rifle sit well above the bore you will have to hold your aiming point above the point you want the bullet to strike until you reach your zero distance or the initial intersection of the trajectory and line of sight. This distance will be the greatest at the muzzle and gradually decrease until the initial point or zero distance. Knowing the difference in hold-over (or hold-under, depending on range and zeroing distance) in 5 yard increments will put you ahead of many others. You will notice that not each increment will need a new point of aim, falling into “blocks” that are very close to each other. Knowing these “blocks” will make CQB distance shooting much easier and more applicable to real use. A shooter should be able to place a round into a 2" circle from 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 yards on demand without a time limit. Naturally, being able to do it quickly is a good thing.
3- Have dependable equipment.
The first time you use a piece of gear should not be day 1 of the course. Your gear should fit, hold what it needs to hold, and be relevant to your expected method of employment. If you are a normal guy you probably don’t need to wear a BALCS armor package with front, back, and side plates, 12 mags in triple mag pouches, a MICH helmet, Crye combat top and trousers, and 2 gallons of water. Likewise, if you are a mil student, it’s a bit silly to show up looking like a 3-gun competitor. FYI- the instructor and other students won’t be impressed by your gear if you don’t know how to use it, don’t have a reason to wear it, and can’t shoot.
Magazines are the leading cause of stoppages in the AR platform. Make sure that you bring at least 5 magazines (unless the course asks for more) that work, and you have cleaned before the class. Bring at least 2 extra mags, just in case.
Write your name or a unique identifying mark on your gear. It makes recovery easier. Everybody has GI and PMags, you don’t want to get into the “who has my shit” game during a class.
Get a good pair of electronic ear protection. Wear them so the mic is facing backward. You will be able to hear the instructor during demos without having to take them off, it will be easier to hear commands on the line, and you will be able to hear coaching/corrections easier.
Bring spare batteries for all electronic items. However many batteries you initially think you will need, double it. Trust me.
4- Be prepared to be outside all day.
Bring sunscreen, rain gear, bug spray, an extra set of shoes/boots and socks, and alternate clothing for both warmer and colder conditions than you expect.
Bring water and Gatoraide.
Have a boo-boo kit. You won’t have to be applying your own traich, but you will probably get a brass-burn, cut or a blister, and being able to take care of yourself quickly can make the difference.
Bring 2 sets of eye protection, just in case.
Don’t worry about taking water to the line, you will be busy shooting, drink water when you are not otherwise engaged.
Bring lunch money, as in cash.
Bring a roll of toilet paper.
Bring a hat.
5- Know your weapons. Know how to load, chamber a round, manipulate the safety, unload, and lock the bolt/slide to the rear. You don’t need to practice speed reloads like some chimp on YouTube, the instructor will tell you how he thinks you should be doing it. You just need to know how to safely make your guns work.
Don’t point your gun at anybody. This includes when you are takin the gun out of it’s case, holstering it, slinging it, verifying a clear, whenever. It’s an immediate sign of complacency and ignorance, and almost instantly will make you “that guy”.
6- Bring decent ammo. A mixed lot of bargain ammo is probably not going to ensure proper function. Figure out what gives good enough precision, will work in your gun, and costs the least; and buy a bunch of it. Bring at least the minimum required by the class. I generally bring 10 to 20% more, as there are often opportunities to use it.
7- Bring a back-up or at least spare parts.
Always have another BCG on stand-by, at minimum.
8- Bring note-taking gear, and use it.
9- Bring a digital camera. Use it to document points of interest. Do not take pics of other guys or their gear without their consent.
10- Don’t argue with the instructor or say things like "Well, so and so from wherever said to do fill in the blank, like this. " If he doesn’t teach it a certain way, it’s for a reason. It might be because he likes a method for a certain reason, or doesn’t know or have proficiency with whatever other technique. Either way, he isn’t going to stop he class and adopt a different technique. If you want to talk about it with him later, great, but don’t interrupt a period of instruction to do it. After all, you aren’t paying him to teach him stuff.
11- Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s your first time. You’re going to make mistakes. It’s ok. If you get all pouty because of a correction or because you aren’t the best shooter in your relay it will interfere with your learning process. Have a good time, talk to the other guys and girls at the class. Just don’t go too far and try to be a clown.
12- Bring a friend. It is a good way to make sure you have somebody to BS with in case everybody else already knows each other. If you are competative, try to be next to each other on the line so you can push each other to excel. If not, you can give each other gay high-fives as relays turn over.
Anyway, those were just the ones that jumped to mind. There are plenty more. It has been a long time since my first class, so those are things that I have seen mostly as an instructor.
So M4, anybody else want to help out the new guys?
