Condition Red Training group, Alaska
So this was original posted by me in teh AK home town forum, becuase if you are flying 3000 miles for a basic carbine course that lasts one day I have some beach front property in AZ to sell you... I am trying to get a tack in the AK HTF for all in state training becuase flying 3000 miles for a 2 day class can get pricey fast.
Condition Red Training Group, taught by "Tony W."
Course title: Basic Carbine 1 day
Class composition: supposed to be 5 people, only 4 showed, composition was a father(45 ish) and son(18ish) running a pair of mini 14's(one scoped with a 3-9x lupold, other irons), a 20ish year old running a colt ar15 m4gery, and me (198 lbs of pure muscle and kung fu death... OR overweight 29 year old internet commando... you decide) running a Cav arms MkII lower, with a 5.45 smith and wesson upper with a larue mounted aimpoint M2.
1. Value do you regret spending the time/money on the course? $99 , 1 day 1000-1800 (actually ended @ 1720 due to small class size, no complaints though, additional training was added at the end of "traditional" class and weather was MISERABLE)
Nope, If my Now self could talk to my Then self I would still say take it. 1-10 would score 8.(only taken one class thus far)
2. Instructor Knowledge (strictly knowing what to do, no actual dexterity involved, combined with competence to yield 4 communication) instructor knowledge of basic carbine skills was 9 for ar15 variants, for the mini14's in the class 8, 10 for ballistics("pistols simply poke holes, rifles turn things to goo" was very memorable quote) instructors background was LEO/SRT M4 style weapon systems, the mini 14's in class gave a few issues with hand placement at one point (type 3 malfunctions)
3. Instructor competence (all book, or able to actually do the skills or mall ninja), I had no doubts about the competence of my instructor or his abilities, my skills increased proving his competence as an instructor, very military crawl walk run style teaching.
4. Communication ability (ability to explain the course drills, in a comprehensible manner or just getting louder when someone gets lost) , very crawl walk run, style teaching skills, able to communicate effectively and efficiently the movements and requirements of manipulations of weapon system as well as demonstrate while preforming actions, very good.
5. Gear, were requirements for class participation adequate (were you told bring 3k rounds and only used 60) . Pretty good using the items on the list I was able to complete the course, couse required 200 rounds, I brought extra and used 260(small class size sped up training, and more repetitions of some drills, as well as several advance skills not normally covered in a "basic" class, one class member had only brought 200 rounds and was unable to participate in some of the final drills.
6. Facilities (abandon RV "down by the river", or indoor 800 yard range with AC). rabbit creek 50 yard private range, it worked OK, the weather did not cooperate and at points there was rain coming in sideways, as well as a minor stream going down the middle of the range creating a pond at 25 yard line. The provided card stock targets were useless about 10 minutes after being exposed to the rain and a wind gust would literaly rip them off the stands,
7. Pace("crawl, walk run"or dead sprint right out of the door). very much a crawl, fast crawl, walk, run, at first and then a crawl walk run. near the end of the day, the teaching pace had become walk run becuase the class could keep up(3 of us)
8. Would you send your significant other to the class, would they still talk to you afterward?
Yes, probably if I could convince her friend to go(I intend to send sent the instructor a note about a "women only bring a friend" basic carbine course),
9. Instructor inspire confidence in YOUR own skills after class finished?
Yes, I now know far more than I did at the begining and realize all the things that I didn't know. I have had my over/false confidence severely damaged. If zombies attacked this minute there is a good change I would be food(I don't do cardio...)
10. Firearm (make, model, caliber) of any weapons that broke in class or simply led the pack in problems.(if no actual breakages report most problems).
class was composed of 1 Colt M4 iron sights, no problems, 2 mini 14's (one scope, one irons), and my cav arms w/ S&W upper in 5.45 aim point M2, the weapon with the most issues would definitely be the Mini14 with Leupold scope, the rings were too low to allow correct ejection, as well as non Ruger mags, this combination resulted in at least one jam per 10 rounds. my setup worked pretty well, up until the Pmag's had problems(not built for 5.45, but they work 100% when used as 20 rounders), all in all the colt had usgi 20 rounders loaded to 18 with no problems, and the Mini's worked pretty good using Ruger mags
My class was composed of 4 people, a smaller than normal class size and Im happy , lower student to teacher ratio means more mistakes get corrected. the amount I learned that I didnt know was startling, the amount that I didnt know being reaffirmed was alarming. I intend to take a further class once I have a weekend off.
class photo to be attached eventually, photo of rifle at same time.
