Training Drills With a Carbine

GetYerShells

New member
Out of curiousity, where do you guys go to do training drills other than punching paper with you AR or AK? I apologize in advance if this topic has been or is already in discussion. The range I go to is only set up for benchrest shooting. This is wonderful for building practical marksmanship skills. On the other hand it's not very realistic for using your carbine in a defensive/offensive situation. I would like to achieve the same level of competency with my AK as I do with my service M4. Doing walking/running drills, turning and controlled pair drills, tactical reloads, shooting from cover...etc. Is there anywhere you all go to do your own personal training without forking out the $$ to attend Thunder Ranch or the Sig Academy. The ranges around here don't really accommodate for the level of training I am looking for. Any suggestions?
 
If the range will allow it, I like the old chair drill. Get a standard folding chair, open it up, and shoot around, over, under, and through. A few rounds squatting position fired over the top of the chair. A few rounds from the right side kneeling. Right side prone. Under the chair. Kneeling/squatting/sitting through the opening in the chair back. Same thing on the left side.
That doesn't address your movement issues, but it offers a lot of work with concealment/cover techniques, shooting positions, etc.
 
If you are in San Antonio:

1. Check out www.texastactical.net - Mike Webb runs a carbine match, IDPA style on the first Saturdays of the month. You can shoot your AK in those.

2. www.rivercityshooters.com - once in a while runs a three gun match or a carbine match.

3. Sounds like you are in the service - www.krtraining.com sometimes brings in long arm instructors.

4. Steve Moses and Paul Gomez do AK classes around here. Also Rob Pincus - may know some TX opportunities.
 
Mr. Armstrong thank you for your advice. I'll try to incorporate that technique if the range allows it. I never thought about using something as simple as a folding chair. I learn something new every day. Glenn, thanks alot for the links. Texas Tactical looks promising.
 
The range I go to is only set up for benchrest shooting. This is wonderful for building practical marksmanship skills.

How is using a bench "practical"???:confused:

What ever system you run, it is my belief (take it for what that is worth), that manipulation of the weapon is the most important skill you can practice. As Clint Smith says, people don't get in trouble because they cannot shoot, they get in trouble because they cannot run their gear.

In order of priority, I believe one should practice with the carbine:

1. Admin loading and unloading.
2. Empty loading.
3. Malfunction drills.
4. Transition drills.
5. Position shooting (no, stay away from that bench now)
6. And way, way down the list, tactical loads.

Just my suggestion from my years of training.

Have you watched the new Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle DVD? For $55.00 it is a heck of a lesson, but no substitute for a teacher by your elbow.

Have you looked into

Texas CQB

http://www.txcqb.com/welcome.html

or

Shootrite

http://www.shootrite.org/

Both work closely with Clint Smith.
 
how is using a bench "practical"???

Perhaps I should have better explained myself. By bench rest shooting I was referring to building the very basics of marksmanship. Breathing, stability, consistency...etc. I was not referring to what good solid training with an instructor and drilling repetition can do for you.
 
If you can at least stand up theres a lot you can do at a public range if you get creative. Turn your big silouete target over and draw several dots on the back with a black marker and place at 7-10 yards. Now you've got a bunch of close targets that appear further away and you can come up with drills alternating between number of shots and aiming points. Some other ideas include

stance
reloads
weak handed
one handed
kneeling
target focus shooting
using a timer

You can also do target identification by drawing a one, two, and three targets and have a buddy call out combinations like 1,1,3,3. If you dont have a buddy go by the second hand on your watch. Good luck
 
"...only set up for benchrest shooting..." Can you shoot off-hand? Benchrest shooting and shooting from a bench aren't the same thing. However, if you can practice shooting off hand, shoot until you can hit a 9" pie plate at 100, every time. Then use it for still hunting varmints, if it's allowed where you are. Being totally familiar with the rifle is far more important than shooting game 'drills'. Leave the 30 round mag at home though. Attracts too much unwanted attention. Just be advised that AK's aren't made for great accuracy. A ground hog won't care.
 
Try to be realistic, these are some I have used:

Take off your clothes, lather yourself up (dont forget shampoo) and then snatch up a gun 5 feet away and pop the target to simulate shower defensive drills.

Drop pants and sit on a stool. Put target three feet away. have friend slam a piece of metal with a bat to simulate the sound of stall door flying open...as soon as you hear the sound, snatch gun from pants and fire...this is the public toilet drill..

Buy a cheap car. Sit in driver seat with one hand on wheel and make motor noises. Have friend throw brick on roof. Draw and empty mag through roof while swinging the wheel back and forth and increasing volume of motor noises...this is the horde of Zombies or Terminators jumping on the Car drill...

Buy blowup doll. remove clothing and lay next to doll on a mattress with both arms around her. put gun under pillow and place target at foot of the mattress, three feet away. Have friend scream "what are you doing with my wife"....push doll away (or disengage :)), snatch gun from under pillow and empty gun at target...this is the angry husband drill......

:D

WildgoodluckAlaska TM
 
*raises hand*

Ummm, Wild, doesn't the Angry Husband Drill involve running down the hall trying to put on your pants and attempting to find your pistol magazines?

:D
 
There are procedures called infiltration and exfiltration. The bloke who might be smart enough to use these to prevent the ENRAGED HUSBAND drill......
 
Mr. Armstrong thank you for your advice. I'll try to incorporate that technique if the range allows it. I never thought about using something as simple as a folding chair. I learn something new every day.
I'd like to claim credit for it, but I learned it from an old British SAS instructor. A hint, BTW...remember the holdover!
 
Online Exercises and Scoring

If you are an active shooter, try out www.RangeLog.com

The site assists with quick scoring and going through the different weapons you use at the range. Also, there are drills (exercises) you can use to improve your skills and track your target score – some for accuracy and others for timing.

You can only view the exercises and shot log after you create an account, but we offer a free Range search to all users – the firearms catalog will be available to the public soon.

A member account is free, so I hope you decide to give the site a try!
 
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