AAR - Rogers Shooting School (Bill Rogers) - Ellijay, GA - Oct. 2-7, 2016

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Amateur
Location:

Rogers Range, Ellijay, GA

Dates:

October 2-7, 2016

Instructors:

- Bill Rogers: From the school website: “Bill Rogers, is a former FBI Agent, police instructor, successful inventor, and is well known in the shooting industry. Rogers has been a world ranked IPSC shooter, a state trap champion, and has over 40 years of shooting competition experience.”

- Billy Lumpkin: Former US Navy SEAL, Team 8 & Devgru (Team 6)

- Adam Smith: Captain, Gilmer County, GA Sheriff’s Dept SWAT

- Kyle Armstrong: Sergeant, Gilmer County, GA Sheriff’s Dept SWAT

- David Campbell: Civilian firearms instructor, and technical range expert.

Students:

One local police officer, two instructors from Georgia Public Safety Training Center, one civilian US Army contract firearms instructor, one plastic surgeon, one retired attorney, one RN, one retired business owner, one mechanical engineer, one IT specialist, one FBI Regional SWAT member (only attended for one day. Checking it out for future attendance for his team.)

Weather:

70’s-80’s all week. Mainly clear, with occasional clouds.

Guns and gear:

Glock 19 “Roland Special” (KKM match barrel and compensator, RMR, SAI magwell, Overwatch Precision flat trigger, polished trigger bar and detent, Ghost Elite connector)

Mix of OEM and Magpul Glock 17 magazines, and six Glock 19 OEM magazines with Taran Tactical +4 extenders. Glock 17 mags were problem-free. One Glock 19 mag failed to lock the slide back on an empty gun. +4 extenders were problem-free (switched back to standard Glock 19 springs, from the Glock 17 springs I ran in my last class).

PerSec Systems Modular Pancake Holster and PerSec Systems dual mag pouch for most of the class.

For the low-light portion, I used my training/battlebelt system, with a Safariland 6354DO holster and Safariland Slimline triple magazine pouch.

I also used a Safariland Model 71 Universal Magazine Pouch, for stronghand-only reloads.

I brought my Glock 17 with Dawson adjustable irons as a backup, but it was not needed.

I experienced three failures to eject while shooting one-hand only strings, which I attribute to limp-wristing. Mechanically, the Roland Special ran problem-free. I specifically ran an optic-equipped gun at this course to tighten up my abilities with one. Prior to this, I had one class with a handgun optic (Pat McNamara TAPS Instructor), and a total of about 2500 rounds on one. I was still faster/more consistent with irons. This class changed that.

I last changed the battery on the RMR about three months ago. I tend to run the dot on a fairly high setting, because I shoot it often in bright sunlight. I also leave it on at all times. On Thursday, almost as soon as we began to run “The Test” in the morning, the dot began to intermittently shut off or to strobe. I tried to switch to irons, and was able to score a Basic Rating on the test, but it was very distracting. I changed the battery out, and experienced no other issues. Mental note – these are not Aimpoints.

I saw only one other student having problems. He was using a Glock 17, with aftermarket stainless steel RSA, that had multiple FTE. Bill switched the RSA out to a stock one on Thursday (?), and the problems largely disappeared.

Most other students were running various Glocks, with a smattering of Sigs, and one STI in 9mm.

TD1:

This was Sunday night, and consisted of getting situated in the bunkhouse, Instructor introductions, and an approximately two-hour talk from Bill, covering the philosophy behind the school, and the science behind it. Everything in the class is based on HRT’s (Human Reaction Times), which have been found to be 0.24 seconds (rounded to 0.25 secs for purposes of the school).

He also covered the general positions we would be working from. These would be Holstered, Extended Low Ready, and the Transition (essentially a Compressed Ready).

We were also given the safety brief at this time.

Half the class were multi-time attendees. The contract instructor for the US Army was on his 14th time, the plastic surgeon on his 12th, the retired business owner on his 4th, the mechanical engineer and one of the GPSTC instructors were on their 2nd times.

TD2:

TD2 started at 0900 on the range which is approximately 20 miles from the bunkhouse. The day started with being assigned our shooting positions. This would change throughout the week, based on cumulative scores on “The Test.” Everyone knows how everyone else is doing in the class – scores are read aloud and positions on the range see to this.

We then immediately began shooting the target system. There are seven targets per lane. All seven have an 8” head plate, three of them (targets 1, 2, and 7) also have an approximately IPSC D-zone sized “body” as well. Target 2’s head plate is a hostage shot, with ¾ exposure. T1 is at 8 yds, T2 at 10 yds, T3, T4, T5 are all at 12 yds (appearing at different spots behind “The Wall,” T6 is at 15 yds, and T7 is at 20 yds.

Each lane has a doorway, and a window. There is also a target base right by the door, to one side, that cardboard turners can be mounted on. Years ago, if you didn’t step out of the doorway to do reloads/immediate action, you got shot with a paintball (the paintball system can be seen at the base of T1 in the pic). They stopped this because people were getting injured.


rogers-targets_zpsudz6thmv.jpg


Approximately half of the shooting would be one-handed, evenly divided between both hands. Time allowances did not change regardless of whether the course was two-hand, SHO (strong hand only), or WHO (weak hand only). If a course was shot SHO or WHO, all reloads had to be done with that hand only. All reloads must be done behind cover, and the gun needs to be at eye-level, ready to work when you come out from behind said cover. Don’t do so, and no points past that point count. Several guys lost a lot of points over the course of the week for stuff like that.

Times allowed were allocated in terms of HRT’s. A single shot from the extended ready was given a 0.5 second exposure. A shot to T1 body, one to T1 head, then a shot to T5, starting at the low ready was given a 1.5 second exposure.

“The Test” is shot everyday (twice on Thursday). It consists of 9 sub-tests, and 125 rounds. 1 point per hit. Only 4-6 people (I’ve heard both numbers) in 40 years have shot the course “clean” – Bill Rogers has done so three times (twice with a Glock, once with an M&P), Rob Leatham, Manny Bragg, and Gabe White (all USPSA Grand Masters) have also done so. Manny and Gabe did so in the same class, on the same run, with Gabe doing so from AIWB concealment. It is rarified air at that level.

0-69 points = No Rating, Certificate of Attendance (have read the average, academy-trained police officer usually shoots between 25-35)

70-89 points = Basic Rating (usually about 40% of attendees end here)

90-109 = Intermediate Rating

110-125 = Advanced Rating (about 5% of all shooters attain this)


Test 1: two-handed, from extended ready, 1.5 seconds per stringMaximum possible points: 9One round to body plate of T1 (at ~7yd), knock over the head of T1, then knock over the T5 plate atop the wall (at ~9yd).



Test 2: two-handed, from extended ready, 3.0 seconds per string
Maximum points: 16Knock over T1, then three other plates … must be shot near to far


There are four strings of fire. Each string consists of four plates appearing. T1 always appears first, followed by three other plates. The additional three plates are not random. The strings work out as follows:

1. T1 + T2, T3, T4

2. T1 + T3, T4, T5

3. T1 + T4, T5, T6

4. T1 + T5, T6, T7



Test 3: two-handed, from the holster, 6.0 seconds per string
Maximum points:14Draw and hit each target T1 through T7; repeat


The targets come up in three groups: T1 & T2 rise at the start; T3 – T5 come up shortly after; and finally, T6 & T7.



Test 4: two-handed, from the holster loaded with exactly six rounds, 7.0 seconds
Maximum points:9Two to the body and knock over the head of T1, two to the body and knock over the head of T2, reload from slidelock, knock down T3-T5 at the wall



Test 5: strong hand only, from the holster, 2.5 seconds
Maximum points:14T1 + one other head appear; repeats 7 times



Test 6: strong hand only, from the holster loaded with exactly five rounds, 15 seconds
Maximum points:10T5 through T1 appear in order from farthest to nearest, SHO reload, T1 through T5 appear in order from nearest to farthest



Test 7: weak hand only, from the ready loaded with exactly six rounds, 12.5 seconds
Maximum points:9Two to the body and knock over the head of T1, two to the body and knock over the head of T2, reload from slidelock, knock down T3-T5 at the wall



Test 8: weak hand only, from the ready, 30 seconds
Maximum points:23Seven targets appear, pause for reload, eight targets appear, pause for reload, eight targets appear



Test 9: two-handed, from the holster, 21 seconds
Maximum points:21Seven targets appear, short pause for reload, seven targets appear, long pause for reload, seven targets appear



During “The Test,” targets appear in the same order, which allows a little bit of “gaming.” However, as the low number of clean runs shows, it doesn’t really help. Providing you are not behind on any runs, and providing your reloads are on-point, it is feasible to ambush a couple of targets in a couple of spots. In the grand scheme of things, I really don’t think the constant nature of “The Test” really helps (and that was one of the things I thought cheapened it a bit, before seeing it.)

Each day focuses on one piece of the pie, and, starting on Tuesday, they add in an “extra.” Monday is all shooting from the Ready Position. It is also where you really start to understand what you have gotten yourself into. I read every AAR I could find on the school before coming, and watched an absurd number of youtube videos. The videos all tended to be of Bill or Gabe White running the stages, and they made it look easy. Honestly coming into the class, I felt like I should be able to bust out Advanced by the end, and I would be borderline-suicidal with anything less. The idea of leaving with a Basic rating or no rating was laughable. I stopped laughing on TD1, when I shot a 59.

I consider myself a decent shooter. Apparently I was wrong. The targets here move FAST. Add in A LOT of one-hand work, and this class is no joke.

TD3:

Today, we focused on the Transition Position. We ran a lot of the same drills as on TD2, only from this starting position. We also had a class on shooting while moving (forward, backward, and laterally), as well as some runs on the targets doing all of the above.

I shot a 77 this day (Basic Rating). I felt good about this, because we had been told the vast majority of people fall apart on Tuesday (and often on Wednesday), and usually shoot substantially worse.

TD4:

Wednesday was Strong Hand Day. Same drills in the morning, only SHO. Ouch. My test score this day dropped. I shot a 72 (still Basic). We did some shooting from retention, and shooting while back-peddling rapidly.

TD5:

Thursday was Weak Hand Day. Talk about humbling. Again, the same drills, only WHO. This is the day with two runs at “The Test.” The morning run was when my battery started to go out on the RMR. I shot a 72 again. After lunch, we did more drills, then shot the Test again. I shot a 96 (Intermediate).

We then had a class on lowlight techniques, before breaking for dinner. We came back to the range at 1900, for approximately two hours of lowlight shooting. This was basically shooting various drills using different flashlight techniques (Chapman, Harries, Rogers, and FBI), and WML’s. They prefer Chapman and Rogers techniques, which I agree with.

TD6:

Friday was bringing everything together in the drills. This is also when we shot the final Test. I was on-track to break 100, until we hit Stage 6. Then my mind went completely blank. I got into the doorway, and for some reason thought we were shooting Stage 3. By the time my brain caught up to reality, two plates had already disappeared, and I never caught up. I got 2 out of 10 points. I was still beating myself up over it, as we moved into the next stage, and shot that one poorly as well. I managed to shoot a 92 for the day, so still Intermediate.

General:

While the targets come up in a pre-set order during the Test, many of the drills involve shooting randomized targets. I did as well/as poorly on them, as on the courses where I knew the order of targets. This is another reason I really don’t think the Test being constant really makes it easier. If you stay focused and use the techniques they teach, the courses, random or set, are all doable. Lose focus, or start free-lancing technique, and they are not.

· We ended the class with 2 shooting Advanced. One’s resume includes:

United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) – Master Classification
Rogers Shooting School Advanced Rating
Rogers Shooting School Top Shooter Award
International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Master Classification
Steel Challenge Georgia State Champion, Production Division (2013)
Glock Gunny’s Challenge Invitational National Match “Top Four” (2005, 2011, 2012)
Glock Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) “Master Classification”
24 GSSF “Matchmeister” Overall Match Wins in GA, NC, SC, TN, KY, FL, AL
31 GSSF Division Wins in GA, NC, SC, TN, KY, FL, AL
Georgia Police Games Multi Gold Medal Winner in Pistol Competition (2000, 2005)
Police Week Sniper Match Winner (1996, 1998)
Police Week Pistol Match “Top Gun” (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996)
Top shooter 108th Mandate Class (1991)
2853rd Security Police Squadron “Top Gun” Award (1990)

The other was the guy who had been to the school 14 times.

· Five of us shot Intermediate. Only two of us had never been to Rogers before. Myself, and the other GPSTC instructor. Both of us shoot a lot. Interestingly, the guy who has been to the school 12 times has never shot advanced.

· Three received a No Rating. Four if you count the FBI Regional SWAT guy, who only shot the test twice.



Take-aways:

I learned more about raw shooting in this class than in all the shooting I have done before.

This class was not a class on how to fight with a gun. It was a class on how to shoot a gun to the absolute limits of human reaction. While there is cross-over, they are not the same thing.

I won’t say there were no tactics involved in the class, as they did force you to reload/fix malfunctions behind cover. They also covered very basic shooting while moving, shooting from retention, and shooting in lowlight, which all have significant places in defensive shooting.

Also, being able to land on-demand headshots in 0.5 seconds, out to 20 yards is a pretty hard “tactic” to beat.

I had a conversation with Pat Rogers in 2004, after taking my first class with him, when I asked him if there were any other schools he would recommend, to fill in any gaps in my training. Being Pat, the response was pretty colorful, but two things stuck out –

1. he said if he had a family member that could only take one class, he would send them to Bill.

2. I said, “that good, huh?” And he said, “I can shoot, brother. And I wanted to eat my fucking gun on Day Three.”

I can’t argue with Pat. This class is emotionally and physically tough. I can’t conceive of a shooter it wouldn’t challenge.

The bunkhouse was a good, cost-effective option. It was tight. Only four of us stayed there, and based on the layout, that allowed us to split up. The bunkhouse has three living wings off a centralized circle, which houses the living room/dryfire area, and the dining room (downstairs). Each wing has 6 bunks (three high), and a bathroom with two tiny shower stalls, two private toilet stalls, and two sinks. My buddy and I shared one wing, and each other wing had just one other student in it. I can’t imagine how tight these would have been with six students in the same wing. Meals were edible, but not stellar. An extra $175 over the cost of the class got you all meals and lodging for the week, so it is hard to complain. Everyone who had been to a class before (or was travelling with someone who had) opted to stay in town at the Best Western. Honestly, on my next trip, I’ll probably do the same. If anyone goes, I highly recommend the Cajun Depot for a meal. Jolly Roger’s and Colonel Peele’s BBQ were also solid.
 

WeberK64

Newbie
Merle Edington shot it clean with an Army M9 Beretta in about 1997ish. He was working at a Special Forces school at Fort Bragg after leaving the Army Marksmanship Unit. He worked at the same school I did, and our instructors were there for a week course. It was pretty impressive to see.
 
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