heartbreaksix
Newbie
Course Review: LMS Defense Practical Carbine (2-Day)
Date: 7MAR-8MAR
Location: “The Ranch”, CA
Instructor(s): Josh Jackson and Jason Paletta
Training Background: Civilian; Vickers Tactical 2-Day AK, Haley Strategic Partners Handgun|Darkness|Vehicle D3, TASC Handgun 101/202, TASC Shotgun 101, Solar Tactical Beginner Handgun, LMS Defense Carbine Clinic, WOTG Performance Carbine
Carbine: My AR was a California “featureless” Black Rain Ordanance lower/PSA lower parts kit that I built, upper was a 16in. bbl BCM midlength with KMR13 and a YHM brake. Primary sighting was through Aimpoint H1 and MBUS in support.
Handgun: Glock 19 with Warren carry rear, fiber optic front, Vickers release and Gripforce Adapter 123SC
Support Gear: ran my HSP D3 Chest Rig and a Camelbak Ambush for 3L hydro, snacks and cleaning gear
Ammo: Federal XM193 5.56. Prescribed round count was 400, I brought 500 and shot roughly 440 rounds.
Objectives, and were they met?:
1.) get basic familiarization of ID’ing and engaging targets with white light in a no-light environment - MET
2.) experience locating and engaging targets in various states of concealment / angles of elevation - MET
3.) experience utilizing improvised shooting techniques (“loading into the gun”) using terrain features - MET
4.) experience putting hits on target after periods of movement across rural terrain (elevated heart rate, fatigue) - MET
5.) basic familiarization of shooting in an around structures - NOT MET
6.) experience locating engaging targets with thermal / NVG - MET
Class Details
- Targets were steel and cardboard IPSC A/B zones, and assorted steel poppers
- shots were taken anywhere from 3-375yds at the longest, with one semi-high angle shot thrown into the mix.
- shots were taken on the move, in improvised positions, and from whatever cover/concealment was afforded from the natural terrain.
- [of note] encountered EXTREME difficulty acquiring an IPSC B-zone at 70 yds in transitional light due to glare using my Aimpoint H1 - that is the ONLY equipment related problem I had all weekend. One other person using the same optic encountered the same problem.
Summary
I arrived at “The Ranch” around 10PM on Friday night after a 3.5 hour drive from the East Bay - most of my classmates, and our two instructors, were already on-site. No instruction was conducted Friday night. I arrived, unloaded my gear, and basically just hung out Friday night. It was a great opportunity to meet the people who I would be shooting with, and saved me the trouble of having to get up at 5:30AM Saturday to make the trip. After loading my mags it was lights out.
Class started as normal, with introductions from both instructors and the students, as well as the firearms safety/medical brief. Luckily we had several EMTs and a couple of doctors in attendance, in addition to the designated medic Jason. Due to the extremely rural nature of the training area, alternate transportation measures were in place in case somebody needed to be evac’d.
At this time, we were instructed to keep in mind that, while we would be utilizing exercises that wouldn’t necessarily be applied directly to our “lane” (with all students being civilians), they were used in order to convey concepts and techniques that would. Examples: the process for scanning for threats walking down a “jungle lane” is more or less the same in an urban environment, several areas required movement and clearance techniques that would be just as useful in a hallway or T-intersection, etc.
TD1
TD1 for Practical Carbine starts later than normal, at around 10AM, to allow for the no-light portion later in the evening. I was up by 8AM to eat breakfast, conduct final gear checks, etc. It was around this time that the remaining students began to roll in.
The class was split into two groups of +/- 7 people, Group A and Group B, to maximize training time and keep the instructor:student ratio manageable.
TD1 involved
-(2) different “jungle lanes” that we problem solved both individually and as part of a two-man team
- intermediate-distance positional shooting using both urban and rural terrain features, after a 3/4 mile foot movement
- a great tri-tip dinner (thanks LMS and Cliff!)
TD1 - Night Block
- no-light problem solving, individually
- IR/NVG demo courtesy of Chris from IR Defense (http://www.irdefense.com/)
The highlight of the evening block on TD1 would have to be the IR/NVG demo. Many students brought personally owned night vision devices, and a representative from IR Defense, Chris, was on-site to both participate in the class and demo some of his company’s products. Coming from running a jungle lane in no-light, using only weapon-mounted white lights for target ID/engagement, seeing the world through NODs and current thermal technology was truly eye opening for me. We heated up the steel targets from earlier and proceeded to shoot at them through thermal, as well as played around with using IR illuminators and visible lasers to show those of us without NODs their capabilities.
TD2
TD2 started earlier at 8AM, and after a re-hash of the safety brief from TD1, we hit the ground running.
TD2 was comprised of:
- multiple-target positional shooting exercise (targets were from 65-130yds, at varying elevations and in varying states of concealment)
- 1 mile movement up a mountain to reach a firing point for a 375yd high-angle shot
- individual and partner movement across open terrain
- small introduction to blowout kit basic components and lecture-only gunshot wound treatment fundamentals
- individual and partner intermediate distance “jungle lane” with hostage shots
We ended TD2 at around 5PM following a short AAR session, and the distribution of class certificates.
Key Takeaways:
- getting a better shot can be just as simple as dropping to a knee or moving a couple of inches to clear foliage/get the sun out of your eyes
- making intermediate distance shots on the flat range is easy - making those same shots after movement, off of improvised support, and in transitional light… is NOT.
- see what needs to be seen - narrow scanning down to likely danger areas
- be more concise with communication, ESPECIALLY when calling out targets
- low-light: dual output lights are good for searching then shooting
- low-light: spill + foliage = no bueno
- low-light: 200 lumens is good, 500 lumens with throw is better
- 1st time scoring a hit on a target at 60~ yards using a pistol, using a white light
- 1st time scoring a hit on a target at 375~ (though I did shoot 10 rounds)
- ID targets before shooting! I smoked a hostage
- thermal is the truth
Closing Thoughts:
As Josh stated, there is nothing new or groundbreaking to be learned in this class. Much of the learning value comes from being able to apply skills learned on the flat range in a more challenging environment, and breaking the flat range “programming.”
As always, I take classes to
1.) practice what I DO know (or think I know!)
2.) pinpoint what I DON’T know and what needs work
Practical Carbine was the perfect platform to accomplish both of these things. I was fairly confident in my carbine skills coming off of the enlightenment of acquiring intermediate shooting skills at WOTG Performance Carbine, but missing shots inside of 80yds due to breathing control issues and positional considerations was sobering and a reminder to keep working.
One key issue over the weekend, echoed by several students, was the down time in between blocks. Just due to the nature of the class - ie., individual lanes, different areas/teaching blocks requiring new target setups, the size of the property) down time was inevitable. It was great to have a rest opportunity to hang out with fellow students, but most students (including myself) would have liked to see that down time better utilized with small instructional blocks or similar. This was noted by our instructors and they will remedy this situation in future iterations of the class.
One personal issue I had with the class, and not a big issue by any means, was the lack of working in and around structures - my reason being that I am a civilian, and while 375yd shots are fun to make and definitely valuable to know how to do, the most likely environment I would need my gun would be in an urban setting. Previous AARs led me to believe that there would be at least some focus on this, but understandably that sort of focus is better reserved for a shoothouse class - so in this case, I may have had unrealistic expectations. But a little more focus on building work (especially low/no-light) would have been nice.
Overall? If you’ve had at least Carbine 1 levels of instruction and want to apply those skills and challenge yourself, Practical Carbine comes highly recommended. I would definitely take the class again.
(all photos courtesy of Josh Jackson)
Date: 7MAR-8MAR
Location: “The Ranch”, CA
Instructor(s): Josh Jackson and Jason Paletta
Training Background: Civilian; Vickers Tactical 2-Day AK, Haley Strategic Partners Handgun|Darkness|Vehicle D3, TASC Handgun 101/202, TASC Shotgun 101, Solar Tactical Beginner Handgun, LMS Defense Carbine Clinic, WOTG Performance Carbine
Carbine: My AR was a California “featureless” Black Rain Ordanance lower/PSA lower parts kit that I built, upper was a 16in. bbl BCM midlength with KMR13 and a YHM brake. Primary sighting was through Aimpoint H1 and MBUS in support.
Handgun: Glock 19 with Warren carry rear, fiber optic front, Vickers release and Gripforce Adapter 123SC
Support Gear: ran my HSP D3 Chest Rig and a Camelbak Ambush for 3L hydro, snacks and cleaning gear
Ammo: Federal XM193 5.56. Prescribed round count was 400, I brought 500 and shot roughly 440 rounds.
Objectives, and were they met?:
1.) get basic familiarization of ID’ing and engaging targets with white light in a no-light environment - MET
2.) experience locating and engaging targets in various states of concealment / angles of elevation - MET
3.) experience utilizing improvised shooting techniques (“loading into the gun”) using terrain features - MET
4.) experience putting hits on target after periods of movement across rural terrain (elevated heart rate, fatigue) - MET
5.) basic familiarization of shooting in an around structures - NOT MET
6.) experience locating engaging targets with thermal / NVG - MET
Class Details
- Targets were steel and cardboard IPSC A/B zones, and assorted steel poppers
- shots were taken anywhere from 3-375yds at the longest, with one semi-high angle shot thrown into the mix.
- shots were taken on the move, in improvised positions, and from whatever cover/concealment was afforded from the natural terrain.
- [of note] encountered EXTREME difficulty acquiring an IPSC B-zone at 70 yds in transitional light due to glare using my Aimpoint H1 - that is the ONLY equipment related problem I had all weekend. One other person using the same optic encountered the same problem.
Summary
I arrived at “The Ranch” around 10PM on Friday night after a 3.5 hour drive from the East Bay - most of my classmates, and our two instructors, were already on-site. No instruction was conducted Friday night. I arrived, unloaded my gear, and basically just hung out Friday night. It was a great opportunity to meet the people who I would be shooting with, and saved me the trouble of having to get up at 5:30AM Saturday to make the trip. After loading my mags it was lights out.
Class started as normal, with introductions from both instructors and the students, as well as the firearms safety/medical brief. Luckily we had several EMTs and a couple of doctors in attendance, in addition to the designated medic Jason. Due to the extremely rural nature of the training area, alternate transportation measures were in place in case somebody needed to be evac’d.
At this time, we were instructed to keep in mind that, while we would be utilizing exercises that wouldn’t necessarily be applied directly to our “lane” (with all students being civilians), they were used in order to convey concepts and techniques that would. Examples: the process for scanning for threats walking down a “jungle lane” is more or less the same in an urban environment, several areas required movement and clearance techniques that would be just as useful in a hallway or T-intersection, etc.
TD1
TD1 for Practical Carbine starts later than normal, at around 10AM, to allow for the no-light portion later in the evening. I was up by 8AM to eat breakfast, conduct final gear checks, etc. It was around this time that the remaining students began to roll in.
The class was split into two groups of +/- 7 people, Group A and Group B, to maximize training time and keep the instructor:student ratio manageable.
TD1 involved
-(2) different “jungle lanes” that we problem solved both individually and as part of a two-man team
- intermediate-distance positional shooting using both urban and rural terrain features, after a 3/4 mile foot movement
- a great tri-tip dinner (thanks LMS and Cliff!)
TD1 - Night Block
- no-light problem solving, individually
- IR/NVG demo courtesy of Chris from IR Defense (http://www.irdefense.com/)
The highlight of the evening block on TD1 would have to be the IR/NVG demo. Many students brought personally owned night vision devices, and a representative from IR Defense, Chris, was on-site to both participate in the class and demo some of his company’s products. Coming from running a jungle lane in no-light, using only weapon-mounted white lights for target ID/engagement, seeing the world through NODs and current thermal technology was truly eye opening for me. We heated up the steel targets from earlier and proceeded to shoot at them through thermal, as well as played around with using IR illuminators and visible lasers to show those of us without NODs their capabilities.
TD2
TD2 started earlier at 8AM, and after a re-hash of the safety brief from TD1, we hit the ground running.
TD2 was comprised of:
- multiple-target positional shooting exercise (targets were from 65-130yds, at varying elevations and in varying states of concealment)
- 1 mile movement up a mountain to reach a firing point for a 375yd high-angle shot
- individual and partner movement across open terrain
- small introduction to blowout kit basic components and lecture-only gunshot wound treatment fundamentals
- individual and partner intermediate distance “jungle lane” with hostage shots
We ended TD2 at around 5PM following a short AAR session, and the distribution of class certificates.
Key Takeaways:
- getting a better shot can be just as simple as dropping to a knee or moving a couple of inches to clear foliage/get the sun out of your eyes
- making intermediate distance shots on the flat range is easy - making those same shots after movement, off of improvised support, and in transitional light… is NOT.
- see what needs to be seen - narrow scanning down to likely danger areas
- be more concise with communication, ESPECIALLY when calling out targets
- low-light: dual output lights are good for searching then shooting
- low-light: spill + foliage = no bueno
- low-light: 200 lumens is good, 500 lumens with throw is better
- 1st time scoring a hit on a target at 60~ yards using a pistol, using a white light
- 1st time scoring a hit on a target at 375~ (though I did shoot 10 rounds)
- ID targets before shooting! I smoked a hostage
- thermal is the truth
Closing Thoughts:
As Josh stated, there is nothing new or groundbreaking to be learned in this class. Much of the learning value comes from being able to apply skills learned on the flat range in a more challenging environment, and breaking the flat range “programming.”
As always, I take classes to
1.) practice what I DO know (or think I know!)
2.) pinpoint what I DON’T know and what needs work
Practical Carbine was the perfect platform to accomplish both of these things. I was fairly confident in my carbine skills coming off of the enlightenment of acquiring intermediate shooting skills at WOTG Performance Carbine, but missing shots inside of 80yds due to breathing control issues and positional considerations was sobering and a reminder to keep working.
One key issue over the weekend, echoed by several students, was the down time in between blocks. Just due to the nature of the class - ie., individual lanes, different areas/teaching blocks requiring new target setups, the size of the property) down time was inevitable. It was great to have a rest opportunity to hang out with fellow students, but most students (including myself) would have liked to see that down time better utilized with small instructional blocks or similar. This was noted by our instructors and they will remedy this situation in future iterations of the class.
One personal issue I had with the class, and not a big issue by any means, was the lack of working in and around structures - my reason being that I am a civilian, and while 375yd shots are fun to make and definitely valuable to know how to do, the most likely environment I would need my gun would be in an urban setting. Previous AARs led me to believe that there would be at least some focus on this, but understandably that sort of focus is better reserved for a shoothouse class - so in this case, I may have had unrealistic expectations. But a little more focus on building work (especially low/no-light) would have been nice.
Overall? If you’ve had at least Carbine 1 levels of instruction and want to apply those skills and challenge yourself, Practical Carbine comes highly recommended. I would definitely take the class again.
(all photos courtesy of Josh Jackson)