Aurora Sportsman club is having its first CMP rifle clinic on Sunday 27 April to teach about Garands and Carbines and AR10s with shooting. Check it out here. Cost $60 which includes ammo and targets. Need a reservation.  I plan on going. Club can provide rifle of your choice and ammo.

https://aurorasc.org/rifle-pistol-events/100-yd-bay-2/5613-cmp-rifle-clinic-5

This is a four-hour class aimed primarily at the new or newer shotgun owner who has an interest in home protection.  We get people who've never handled a shotgun to people with hunting experience looking to take a different angle.

We don't shoot from the booths for the drills, but from downrange.  We use reactive steel plates with birdshot loads to build muscle memory of taking a cruiser-ready gun to firing condition and then rapidly shooting the multiple targets.  Reloading and other manipulations are included.

Bring your own shotgun of any type (we even had a youngster come with his hunting over/under and he amazed all with how efficient he became) and 50 rounds of lead birdshot for the plate drills part.

At the end of the drills session, we set up cardboard silhouettes so that you can fire your defensive buckshot loads at different distances to see what your gun and load is doing- Bring a few rounds of that, too.

If you don't have a practical shotgun yet, we do have loaners for the shotgun-curious in 12, 20, and .410.
Perry Stevens, IDPA guy, and I have been doing this for a while now and the results have been gratifying, seeing people get good with their scatterguns.

9am-1pm, $150.  Signup at GAT's Event Page.

It's a small class capped at only eight.

Plus, a plug for the rest of our handgun classes there, Intro, Women's Intro, Intro II, Gun Buffet, and Skills & Drills (think: shoot faster).

Bill

This is a four-hour class aimed primarily at the new or newer shotgun owner who has an interest in home protection.  We get people who've never handled a shotgun to people with hunting experience looking to take a different angle.

We don't shoot from the booths for the drills, but from downrange.  We use reactive steel plates with birdshot loads to build muscle memory of taking a cruiser-ready gun to firing condition and then rapidly shooting the multiple targets.  Reloading and other manipulations are included.

Bring your own shotgun of any type (we even had a youngster come with his hunting over/under and he amazed all with how efficient he became) and 50 rounds of lead birdshot for the plate drills part.

At the end of the drills session, we set up cardboard silhouettes so that you can fire your defensive buckshot loads at different distances to see what your gun and load is doing- Bring a few rounds of that, too.

If you don't have a practical shotgun yet, we do have loaners for the shotgun-curious.
Perry Stevens, IDPA guy and I have been doing this for a while now and the results have been gratifying, seeing people get good with their scatterguns.

9am-1pm, $150.  Signup at GAT's Event Page.

Plus, a plug for the rest of our handgun classes there, Intro, Women's Intro, Intro II, Gun Buffet, and Skill Builder (think: shoot faster).

Bill

…the ASC is a great organization that I’m a 

Member of and hope you can check it out. 
 

Tony
 

https://aurorasc.org/events/range-buildings/west-side-building-garage/cmp-m1mgarand-cleaning-party-2023

I'm considering hosting a private class with a fairly well known law enforcement instructor. 

This could be one or two days.

If you're interested, please reply and let me know if you're interested in one day, two days, and if you want pistol + shotgun or shotgun only.

Most ranges don't allow shot loads of any kind to be fired, much less at a fast pace.  We wanted to provide an opportunity to do that.

Given GAT's large training facility, which we've been doing handgun classes at for over ten years now, it finally came to pass that this shotgun class got put together and on the schedule.

Drawing in part on our multigun match directing experience, plus some practical defensive shotgun training, we have a class where the practical shotgun owner can come and learn basic handling, loading, and shooting techniques and get some practical (i.e., fast) shooting on reactive steel targets.

Along with my estimable IDPA-guy colleague Perry Stevens, we run a class that focuses on safety and good gun handling, ready conditions and multiple target shooting, all in a three-hour class on Saturday mornings.

We will do our shooting in the 50-yard range, but not from in the booths.  Rather, we work from tables downrange with the steel plates at ten yards.

The typical round count for the birdshot portion is 36 or a little more.  #7 1/2 shot size or smaller is required and no steel shot is allowed.  We are also including a short section as time permits where the students bring a couple of rounds of their real-deal buckshot loads to fire at cardboard silhouettes to see the actual patterns they will get. 

So far, we've seen that more than half of our students have never even fired a shotgun in their lives, and this is the shooter we are most looking to serve.  Not that anyone can't stand a bit more full-speed trigger time.

A couple of things we've seen so far, just for information.  The students with Mossberg slide-action 500-series guns pretty much dominate in numbers and successful results.  If  you haven't purchased a defensive shotgun, take that as a tip.

Shooters with many semi-automatics find that low-brass, standard power shotshells won't run well in their guns.  Be sure to bring or buy the highest-power ammunition you can.  We had one poor fellow who'd gotten an AR-pattern magazine-fed 12 gauge import that hardly ran at all except with high-brass slugs.

The class is on the gatguns.com website in the Events page.  Typically we are running it on  the fourth Saturday morning of the month, 9am-12pm, and the class fee is $100.  October's schedule got a little out of the usual due to other commitments and range time availability.

The next one is scheduled for 9am Saturday, October 30th, and November's is set for 9am Saturday, November 27th.

Of course, our regular handgun classes continue, Intro, Women's Intro, Phase II, and Skill Builder Phase III (where we make you shoot your handgun fast and hard.  Fun class.)

Bill Zeller
Excel Training Group

Rifle 1 - $350 - This 1-day course lays the foundation that all future rifle training will rest on.  Safety, range etiquette, weapon operation, accessories, fundamentals of fire, shooting/ready positions, rapid target acquisition, target transitions, clearing of stoppages, rapid fire, and fighter mindset are the main subjects tackled in this essential course.  Though this course is built for beginners, the subject matter and technique is designed to allow students to build realistic skills that can survive the test of stress and small-time constraints.

Rifle 2 - $500 - This 1-day course begins with a review of safety protocols and an audit of each individual’s shooting fundamentals. During this course, students will be introduced to movement, use of cover and/or concealment, alternate body positions, scenario-based stress fires, fighter mindset, and more. This course requires prior training equivalent to ‘Rifle 1’.

Rifle 1 - Saturday, July 2nd, 2022 - 9am - 5pm

Rifle 2 - Sunday, July 17th, 2022 - 9am - 5pm

Sign up via: https://www.wethepeoplefa.com

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Sons of Liberty’s 2-day AR15 Armorer Course is a comprehensive course on the AR15 weapon system. At the completion of this class you will have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform proper assembly/ disassembly, barreling procedures, perform routine maintenance and inspections. You will have a better understanding of the cycle of operation and how to troubleshoot component problems and keep your weapon operational. Students will also learn about gas port sizing and component specifications.

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July 21, 2021, 04:19:00 PM »

 

UPDATE:

In Project Appleseed, student safety is paramount.  We recognize and appreciate the effort that Smith & Wesson has made with their M&P 15-22 safety alert.  The M&P 15-22 rifles will again be allowed for use at Project Appleseed clinics, effective August 1st, 2021.  We urge every 15-22 owner to read and comply with the instructions contained in the following links before attending a Project Appleseed rifle clinic:
https://www.smith-wesson.com/sites/default/files/MP1522_Alert_030619.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJO0gJRmc_c

S&W has graciously sent us Bolt Inspection Gauges for the M&P 15-22 and we are issuing them to event leaders in the field.  Project Appleseed will strive to have a Bolt Inspection Gauge available for 15-22 owners to check their bolts at our clinics.  If a rifle fails the gauge test, we will offer a loaner rifle where legal & available.

I'm not a 15-22 owner myself, but I know people that have them seem to love them.

EDIT: As background, if anyone doesn't know but wants to, the 15-22 could experience runaway with out-of-battery discharges, resulting in shell fragments ejected out the port. After several reports of such incidents at Appleseed sessions, Appleseed banned 15-22s from use.

I've been obtaining parts for the past 10 months and have doing all my homework and did the build myself with helpful and appreciated assistance from our very own King since he has some tools I don't have.

I looked at the classes at RKA and the Level 2 looks ideal but you have to take the Intro before they'll let you take the level 2.

Any suggestions?

Cost: $100

More info and sign up here

http://usrifleman.org/?event=introduction-to-tactical-carbine-chillicothe-il-06-23-2018

Introduction to Tactical Carbine is a course that will take you from having a safe queen to having a rifle you can rely on and use effectively. We get your carbine off the bench and put it where it belongs, in your hands! Class begins with basic manipulation of your weapon and gaining an understanding of all the controls and their function. As the day progresses, you work through reloading your carbine in an efficient manner, identifying jams, clearing malfunctions, movement, utilizing cover and concealment, various shooting positions and more. The day will culminate with an obstacle course that will put all your newly refined skills to use. While not a timed or scored event, it creates an adrenaline dump that further tests your ability to quickly, yet accurately, put hits on your target.

*** ~ Sign in starts at 8AM ~ ***

Safety Briefing at 8:45

Clinic 9 AM until 5 PM

SAFE HANDLING

Maintenance

Zeroing

Field Positions

Presentation Positions

Useful Ballistics

Wind and Weather Effects

Hold Overs/ Hold Unders

Discussion on lights, sights, ammunition, accessories, and more!

Feel free to check the link for additional info, instructor bio, and details:

https://provenprotectivesystems.com/collections/rifle-training/products/rifle-essentials

Has anyone had good experience with anyone in IL or the surrounding states? I've found a couple of good options that are 1000+ miles away, but I'd prefer to start a little closer to home, so I can get the basics under my belt first.

I don't work for, or get paid by any of these people.

I'm not a super-duper, high-speed, low-drag, operator. I'm a fat, middle-aged guy who likes weapons training.

My opinion is worth exactly as much as you're paying for it.

I took the FAST Carbine class at The Site in Mt Carroll, IL last year.

http://thesitetraining.com/fast-carbine

It is a two day course focused exclusively on self-defense with a tactical carbine. Everybody in the class had an AR15 but they can train you with whatever you bring.

The Class Focus: This is a beginners level course. most shooters had no prior training and just a little informal practice.

The shooting focused primarily on self defense between 15 yards and kissing distance. The sort of shooting you would expect to be doing if you had to defend your house while inside your house.

Bringing the gun up from the low-ready, rapid fire, shooting while moving, emergency reloads, tactical reloads, multiple targets, all of these things were covered on the first day.

The second day was more of the same but with longer distances thrown in. Turning to face the target from 25 and 50 yards. eventually we ended shooting prone from 200 yards but that was more of an after thought than the focus of the class.

My Opinion: As someone who has never been trained on how to get the most out of my AR I really liked the class. Class size is kept small so there is plenty of personal instruction as needed. Would I take the class again? Yes. In fact I will take the class again this year.

The Facilities: If you choose to stay at the on site lodge then life is so much easier. The lodge is dedicated to the range so there are no conflicts in the schedule. They also don't mind you whipping out an assault rifle and cleaning it on the back deck.

The range itself is well maintained and easy to use parking is kinda laze-faire because it's a private range we can do what we like.

What You Should Know: If you are going to take the class then the most important thing to know is they use iron sights only.

THIS CLASS IS IRON SIGHTS ONLY!!! BRING IRON SIGHTS ON YOUR RIFLE!!

They don't say that on the website and they should.

Luckily everybody had BUIS on their gun so it wasn't an issue. By the second day we all took the optic off our rifles.

Elbow pads. Cause' the rocks are sharp.

Notebook. There is a classroom portion at the beginning of each day.

Spare parts. You can bring a whole other rifle since you just drive your car everywhere weight isn't an issue.

So that's it. ask any questions you like.

This class is just as applicable to law enforcement officers' patrol rifles as it is for home defense rifles, and at only $35, it is a bargain. Click on the date link for sign up:

https://provenprotectivesystems.com/collections/rifle-training/products/care-of-feeding-of-the-ar-15

$100

*** ~ Sign in starts at 8AM ~ ***
Safety Briefing at 8:45
Clinic 9 AM until 5 PM

More information and registration here:

http://usrifleman.org/?event=introduction-to-tactical-carbine-chillicothe-il-05062017

Or does it make any difference at all?

I can only assume I never noticed it with handguns because the focus point is nearly always the same. But, with long guns having the front sights further from the rear sights, I sometimes can't focus on the front sight because I can't see it.

This sounds like a simple repositioning would solve the issue but I'm wondering if any other shooters have encountered this with their eyeglasses and how they have permanently resolved it.

Have any of you with poor vision had a similar problem? Do you have special prescription glasses for shooting seperate from your daily lenses or do you just learn to deal with it? Next time I buy glasses I might be able to resolve it with a better fitting pair of eyeglasses but until then... I wonder if you all have any ideas.

Thanks again for all the education and help you all provide.