i was hoping some of y'all might be able to point me in the right direction here. i've been shooting as a hobby more regularly in the last 4-5 years. i've gotten lots of tips from outstanding marksman in many forums. but i have great opportunity coming up this weekend. a former marine marksmanship instructor is volunteering some time to give me some shooting tips, as well as another marine with combat experience. i want to gain the most i can from this time. i want to learn the basics from these pros, such as shooting positions, use of sling, porper techniques, etc. i'll likely be shooting an AR and a 22 pistol. so here is my question; could y'all think of any other shooting or gun skills that i could request training on? what in your opinion, are the most valuable skills/techniques i could learn from these guys in a few hours? thanks for any input
I would say that any instructor can see what you need training on and can gear the lesson to what you need. That is who you should be asking. And it only take a few shots for a good instructor to see where you need assistance.
Agree. And most people have more difficulty with long range precision shots for obvious reasons. I dont know if you will be doing any of that? But that is what seams to be the hardest to master. But yes a good instructor will see what you need help with with in the first 10 min.
Why wouldn't you do the training with your carry gun? He should go through shooting techniques, malfunction handling,drawing and aiming etc. I'm sure they are all on his list. Again I would say just about worthless if its not your carry gun.
well, i don't actually have a carry gun, as i don't currently carry. i understand your point though. but i don't think it will be worthless either. i've really never received personal instruction before, i'm closer to self taught.
fair enough and you're right of course. i just wanted to see if there were any specific skills some thought i should try and push for training on.
Well if you don't have a carry gun then I suppose the .22 is better than nothing. There is always value to training, you just won't get nearly as much good out of it if its not familiarizing you with your gun. If you can I would recommend getting a carry gun before the training and using it in the training.
Hawk, any training is good training for the most part. If you haven't already become a member of a TX. based firearms forum and get in touch w/ whats going on locally. The KS. site has an entire section dedicated to different instructional groups. Training isn't cheap and it's a diminishing skill over time. Most carbine classes incorporate primary and secondary transitions so you'll get instruction on your carbine and handgun of choice. I would not limit my training to your carry weapon. If you own it it could end up being the firearm that may one day use to protect yourself. Be familiar w/ them all. A .22 is cheap to shoot but may not be the best choice. Classes can at times be higher paced. You don't want to be the guy holding up the show because of a malfunctioning weapon. I also wouldn't concentrate on shooting at distance. It is nice to know but I feel learning proper technique/manipulation for shooting/moving 100+/- and in is more practical. How often do you think you'll be behind a bench when you really need to put your skills to work?
Come visit us in Oklahoma. We have two of the best schools in the world here. www.tdsatulsa.com and www.usshootingacademy.com
it went very well. these guys gave me some good tips on basic shooting, and took me out of my comfort zone a bit by having me shoot at 100 with irons. i have trouble seeing and focusing on objects past 50 with irons, so i was a bit worried. in the past, i have required a scope to shoot with good accuracy past 50 yards. i think the greatest benefit was having two guys who really know their stuff watch me, and correct bad habits with stance, breathing, trigger control, etc. stuff i already knew i guess, but still wasn't doing consistently enough. in the end, and i actually put a few shots on top of each other (mostly luck i guess). they actually admitted i out shot them on this trip , so i considered it pretty good training for just paying their way to range and letting them shoot some rounds. they were really nice guys, just passing along some knowledge.
Do it again if you get the chance. On the focus problem over 50 yards, may I suggest that the focus should remain on the front sight? I wear trifocals and trying to focus on anything other than the front sight decreases my accuracy. There are exercises to increase peripheral vision (and any item not in focus could be considered peripheral)
yes, sir! like i said, the main benefit imo, was having these guys watch while i shoot. i think i improved under their guidance, but i still could use more guided practice. i'm afraid i'll fall back on bad habits. i appreciate any suggestions & i will try it out. these guys instructed me to "lolipop" the front sight in the target and focus on the target, not the sights. it worked very well for me. i shoot ok with irons, but after 20-30 rounds the blurring starts, and i have difficulty. i feel like the blurring was less of an issue using their method. i am near sighted, but i have fairly good vision with correction. i don't need bi or tri focals (yet ). my problems with irons has always been my eyes getting worn out after 15-20 minutes. that, and beyond 50, i have trouble seeing details...but i guess this would be normal. it felt strange to pop shots off at a target that is nothing but a spot in the distance. then to walk down and discover you hit it regularly. relaxing, and putting all my focus on the fundementals really made a difference. sometimes i wish i had learned to shut up and listen to those who know more than me at a much younger age.
