AAR: ACT DR101 Nov 05 @ Riley CC

[Suprtek]

Different but same. I shoot everything left handed but I am right hand dominant. My brother is the left handed and shoots right handed.

Wow. We need to start a club!

 

[downrange72]

I'm not sure you would want to be any club with me...

I just think my brain is all confused and stuff

 

[esrice]

Evan, you should come over tomorrow, just sayin.

I'd love to! Unfortunately I'm sitting behind a desk at work.

Yes and bring your SBR... oh wait, nevermind

Ouch. . . . .

I guess that's what I get for all those photoshopped pictures in the PW thread.

Looking forward to hearing about DR201 tonight!

 

[DialTone301]

The class was great. It was my first rifle class and I am very happy with how it went. I am amazed at how tired I was even tho it wasn't a real physical class. Just carrying a rifle on a sling all afternoon and learning new things wore me out.

This was about my seventh class with ACT and I always feel like I get my money's worth. I highly recommend them.

 

[rhino]

OneBadV8 ... thanks for an excellent report and for being an excellent and safe student! It was an honor sharing the range with you and the others.

Sounds interesting. Does this class focus primarily on the AR platform or could other weapons be used as well? I don't own an AR (yet) but I do have a decent .22 carbine. I'm sure many of the same concepts and skills would apply.

A lot of other weapons are fine, but we prefer centerfire repeaters. The most common are ARs and AKs, but you never know when you'll seen an M1 carbine, a Garand, an MP5, you name it.

There are a few problems with .22s for this application. First and foremost, it's not a great choice for a defensive rifle. It's better than nothing and a great practice tool, but not the best choice for potential defensive use. Another issue is reliability. I know everyone has a .22LR repeater that never, ever fails. Then when it's pushed a little bit in a class, the problems arise with many (most) of those guns that were flawless for 10,000 rounds previously. Compounding that, the simple techniques for reducing common malfunctions in an AR or AK don't usually work with .22LR, even if they're a conversion.

I would rather loan my own rifle or get one from someone else to a student who really wants training than see them suffer through a class with a .22LR (or worse a 9mm AR). If someone really wants to learn, the equipment isn't typically a real impediment.

Thanks for the AAR. I took this class a year ago, and learned a lot.

ACT, IMO, is very top notch. Those guys run a great program.

Thanks! Again!

You need to tell them to get a representative on INGO!

Mind if I ask how much it costs and where it is?

I'll see if I can convince one of the ACT guys to pop onto INGO sometime. Heh.

The classes we did this weekend were $145 each day. Tuition varies by curriculum, location, duration, number of students, number of instructors, etc. We always publish the tuition when we make the formal announcement for the course, but the most we've charged for a one day class was $165 per student, which included their range fees at the club where the course was held.

Rhino, obijohn, and Coach are all active on here. A great class, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Mags are jammed and I'm ready for some shut eye.

Thanks!

We can't even convince rhino to stop coming back!

I'm willing to negotiate my departure for a nominal stipend!

I have been in the market for an AR for awhile now. I am left handed and borrowed a Right handed AR from my buddy. I LEARNED A LOT today.

My main thought was using the standard AR and building it with a lot of ambi stuff. I was pretty much convinced that this is not the way to go for me. With that being said, I'm glad I borrowed one and shot it before buying one. I now have a decent idea of what I need to do with my set up. I have shot AR platforms a handful of times, but never in defensive situations. I had a lot of difficulty manipulating the gun backwards (for me anyway, but not the rest of the class ). I have pretty much been convinced to just go ahead with a Left handed model. Maybe I'll do better next time. Again, I'm very thankful I borrowed one before I spent .

The ACT guys were once again awesome and patient with my awkwardness with the platform. Thanks Rhino and Obijohn. Great class once again.

Thanks, Mike! We'll be happy to work on a solution with you if you like. Maybe a left AR from Stag, or maybe something else.

Ambi contols on a standard AR receiver can really help a lefty (or someone who shoots both sides), but 1) you have to have them, and 2) you need to spend some time getting to know them. I think we find a way for you to use the rifle you had effectively, but we'll need some time! Even if we get you set-up with something that works for you lefty, you should still be able to use your rifle from your right shoulder as well.

I'm very happy I used a borrowed gun for this class a couple years ago. It gave me a fair idea of what works and doesn't. More importantly, it prompted me to move away from the 10/22 platform for .22lr. as the controls differ from the AR platform causing confusion.

I remember! Training scars!

The class was great. It was my first rifle class and I am very happy with how it went. I am amazed at how tired I was even tho it wasn't a real physical class. Just carrying a rifle on a sling all afternoon and learning new things wore me out.

This was about my seventh class with ACT and I always feel like I get my money's worth. I highly recommend them.

Thanks, DT! I'm glad you found it a valuable experience!

 

[obijohn]

What Rhino said...

 

[Clay]

The first day was a little more stressful for me. I was the only guy in the class with an AK, well, except for obijohn, but that doesn't count since he didnt end up using his

The first part of the class was pretty basic stuff. Things that I would like to think that everyone knows, but hey, this is DR101, and everything we talked about needed to be discussed so everyone was on the same playing field.

Once we got out to the range, this is where I began to learn what was going to work and what wasn't, and plus we got to shoot guns and have some fun, and be safe.

The only thing I didnt 'like' about the first day, and this was all AK related, was the malfunction drill. Since no one really makes (yes Ive looked) a dummy round in 5.45x39, I had to "fake" my "fake malfunctions". Taking something that you know is going to happen because your friend loaded a dummy round into your mag, and then making something you have to think about to fake (and fake on an AK, which never fails ), isn't fun! I over thought it every time, and never really got a good malfunction practice in. oh well, something to work on later.

Round count for me on day 1 was 240 rounds.

 

[rhino]

The only thing I didnt 'like' about the first day, and this was all AK related, was the malfunction drill. Since no one really makes (yes Ive looked) a dummy round in 5.45x39, I had to "fake" my "fake malfunctions". Taking something that you know is going to happen because your friend loaded a dummy round into your mag, and then making something you have to think about to fake (and fake on an AK, which never fails ), isn't fun! I over thought it every time, and never really got a good malfunction practice in. oh well, something to work on later.

I felt a little guilty about that!

Until you had a real malfunction!

I'll have to think some more about how to simulate a malfunction for a gun like yours where we can't get a dummy round. Maybe we could make an inert rounds with real components and paint it.

 

[Clay]

I felt a little guilty about that!

Until you had a real malfunction!

I'll have to think some more about how to simulate a malfunction for a gun like yours where we can't get a dummy round. Maybe we could make an inert rounds with real components and paint it.

eh, no worries!! 5.45x39 isn't a super popular cartridge yet.

Maybe a mention on the "what to bring" list that you will need dummy/inert rounds for malfunction drills.

I actually made 3 last night in 5.45x39. pulled the bullets and dumped the powder, fired the primer, drilled a hole in the case, and reseated the bullets to the right length. They work like a charm! Let me know if you want some and Ill make up 10 more for you, no charge.

 

[rhino]

Thank you! That would be great and highly appreciated!

eh, no worries!! 5.45x39 isn't a super popular cartridge yet.

Maybe a mention on the "what to bring" list that you will need dummy/inert rounds for malfunction drills.

I actually made 3 last night in 5.45x39. pulled the bullets and dumped the powder, fired the primer, drilled a hole in the case, and reseated the bullets to the right length. They work like a charm! Let me know if you want some and Ill make up 10 more for you, no charge.