Joe Leland
Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2006
- Messages
- 35
On 9/9/07 I attended Tom Bullins' Long-gun 1/Tactical Rifle class (www.trigger-time.com). The course was taught by Kirk Kirkpatrick (http://www.trigger-time.com/Instructors.aspx). The class started much like the Shotgun/AK47 class I attended back in June of 2007. The class ran from 9AM to 5:45PM with a 45 min. lunch. The class consisted of:
-Range rules, safety, first aid, medical evac.
-Weapons zero (I was shooting a Norinco and a Customized Saiga .223 AK; I alternated during the day).
-Ready up drills w/1,2,and 3 shot strings at 7 yards.
-Speed drills from the ready-up w,1,2,and 3shot strings.
-Reloading drills, mag changes from the chest harness and belt.
-Multiple target engagement: 2 targets/2 to the body.
-the same drill with 2 targets/2 to the body, 1 to the head as quick as possible.
-All targets were IDPA standard and had an 8" circle in the center. The goal was to run the drill as fast as possible without leaving the 8" circle.
After a break for lunch, we trained in the following:
-Malfunction clearance drills for the AR-15 and the AK47.
-Malfunction clearance drills w/multiple target engagement.
-Steel target engagement using the prone, high kneel, low kneel, and standing positions; the targets were at 50,55,60,65,75,and 100 yards at left, right, and center.
-Weapons' transition w/sling and non-sling methods.
-To end the class, we shot our handguns at the steel 100 yard target.
The class was $200, a real bargain. Kirk Kirkpatrick is a top- notch instructor and brings a ton of knowledge and experience to a class. I'd be honored to train with him again.
Some thing I learned from this class:
The .223 AK is a much better weapon for distance than the 7.62X39 AK47. I was really surprised at how accurate both .223 AKs were at 100 yards using iron sights. The .223 AK is easily a 300 yard weapon.
The multiple target engagement combining mag changes and malfunction clearances was some of the best training I've ever had with a shoulder fired weapon.
If you shoot an AR-15 LEARN TO CLEAR ALL OF ITS POSSIBLE MALFUNCTIONS. There are 5 we learned: failure to feed, failure to fire, double feed, extraction failure, and "above the bolt" extraction failure. The case separation was another, but that failure is a "show-stopper" that requires a weapon transition. The AK is so reliable that the main failure, failure to feed, requires a rack of the op-rod. Any other malfunction, except a case separation, requires a mag change. The .223 Norinco AK had 2 failures in over 300 rounds. The first was an improper seating of the rounds in the mag causing a FTF. This was fixed with a rack of the op-rod. The extracted round was later fired in another magazine without a problem. The second failure was when I was using an AK74 magazine at the end of the class. It fired 15 rounds before a nasty failure to feed; note to self-do not use an AK74 mag in an AK .223 unless it is modified for such.
The Saiga .223 used modified Galil and Weiger magazines. It was reliable and accurate with no failures.
The Chi-Com chest pouch is slow for reloading the AK, a mag pouch is much better.
For the class I fired 410 rounds of .223: 270 rounds of 55 gr. FMJ Malasian surplus, 100 rounds of 55 gr. FMJ PMP, and 40 rounds of 45 gr. Winchester JHP Varmint. All of these rounds were accurate, especially the 45 gr. JHP.
After 7 hours of training in the hot sun, 95degrees, I was gassed. I was sore the next day.
This completed my 2 day training session at Trigger Time. I highly reccomend this facilty.
-Range rules, safety, first aid, medical evac.
-Weapons zero (I was shooting a Norinco and a Customized Saiga .223 AK; I alternated during the day).
-Ready up drills w/1,2,and 3 shot strings at 7 yards.
-Speed drills from the ready-up w,1,2,and 3shot strings.
-Reloading drills, mag changes from the chest harness and belt.
-Multiple target engagement: 2 targets/2 to the body.
-the same drill with 2 targets/2 to the body, 1 to the head as quick as possible.
-All targets were IDPA standard and had an 8" circle in the center. The goal was to run the drill as fast as possible without leaving the 8" circle.
After a break for lunch, we trained in the following:
-Malfunction clearance drills for the AR-15 and the AK47.
-Malfunction clearance drills w/multiple target engagement.
-Steel target engagement using the prone, high kneel, low kneel, and standing positions; the targets were at 50,55,60,65,75,and 100 yards at left, right, and center.
-Weapons' transition w/sling and non-sling methods.
-To end the class, we shot our handguns at the steel 100 yard target.
The class was $200, a real bargain. Kirk Kirkpatrick is a top- notch instructor and brings a ton of knowledge and experience to a class. I'd be honored to train with him again.
Some thing I learned from this class:
The .223 AK is a much better weapon for distance than the 7.62X39 AK47. I was really surprised at how accurate both .223 AKs were at 100 yards using iron sights. The .223 AK is easily a 300 yard weapon.
The multiple target engagement combining mag changes and malfunction clearances was some of the best training I've ever had with a shoulder fired weapon.
If you shoot an AR-15 LEARN TO CLEAR ALL OF ITS POSSIBLE MALFUNCTIONS. There are 5 we learned: failure to feed, failure to fire, double feed, extraction failure, and "above the bolt" extraction failure. The case separation was another, but that failure is a "show-stopper" that requires a weapon transition. The AK is so reliable that the main failure, failure to feed, requires a rack of the op-rod. Any other malfunction, except a case separation, requires a mag change. The .223 Norinco AK had 2 failures in over 300 rounds. The first was an improper seating of the rounds in the mag causing a FTF. This was fixed with a rack of the op-rod. The extracted round was later fired in another magazine without a problem. The second failure was when I was using an AK74 magazine at the end of the class. It fired 15 rounds before a nasty failure to feed; note to self-do not use an AK74 mag in an AK .223 unless it is modified for such.
The Saiga .223 used modified Galil and Weiger magazines. It was reliable and accurate with no failures.
The Chi-Com chest pouch is slow for reloading the AK, a mag pouch is much better.
For the class I fired 410 rounds of .223: 270 rounds of 55 gr. FMJ Malasian surplus, 100 rounds of 55 gr. FMJ PMP, and 40 rounds of 45 gr. Winchester JHP Varmint. All of these rounds were accurate, especially the 45 gr. JHP.
After 7 hours of training in the hot sun, 95degrees, I was gassed. I was sore the next day.
This completed my 2 day training session at Trigger Time. I highly reccomend this facilty.
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