Posted: 12/20/2014 7:28:33 PM EDT
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Winter Sniper & DM Course
Class size: 10 max Round Count: 400 rounds of quality ammunition, capable of 1.5 MOA for the DM guns, and 1 MOA or better for the long guns Location: North Springs Range, just outside of Price, Utah Course Fee: $400 Special Items: Bring good cold weather gear and provisions for 6600 ft elevation in Rocky Mountains Guest instructor will be a good friend from the Finnish Sniping community, who has been actively shooting and winning military team matches for many years, and is a gifted shooter and coach. He helped run my Multi-gun 3-Day/2-Night Course in September, and was a great resource to have with a totally different perspective on long range shooting, which will also dovetail well into this Winter Sniper Course. This will be a very practical and technical course, with a great amount of information being dumped over the 2-day period. I use a certain method for teaching classroom work without interfering with any range time that has proven effective, and is being used more and more now by others. I also like to keep the classes small, so I can have more 1-on-one time with attendees. We have 1640yd, 1000yd, 600yd, 800yd, 1100yd, and various field fire ranges that reach through and across canyons to work with there, all complete with steel. Attendees can expect to cover down on the DM Skill Set, as well as what I call the Light Sniper concept if you are looking to bring more gun. The course material and range opportunities will support both skill sets in terms of shooting, so if you would just like to learn the DM Skill Set, or hit DM in winter conditions to see where your capabilities and limitations are, this will be an excellent opportunity at a world class facility. If you want to get more formal training on reaching out with your bolt gun or precision semi-auto, including 1000yd and beyond, in cold weather, this is also a great opportunity. We will cover the basics on flat ranges, then move into positional shooting. There is more steel at North Springs than you can shoot in a week, so targetry is unparalleled there. We will then move into field shooting positions in rough terrain, where you really don't have many places to shoot prone. Here are some pics from a few places at North Springs from previous courses I have run: These are the 1000yd (L) and 600yd (R) flat ranges, with steel every 50yds from 200yds on out. Excellent for learning what you and your system can actually do on a well-defined range. 
This is what we call "Over the Edge", where you shoot from a cliff across the canyon to steel targets all over on the other side. There are around 18 positions including roof tops, a car, barricades, loopholes, cliff spurs, and other natural vegetation to shoot from at various steel targets at distances from 100yds on out. 
This is Buffalo Canyon, where you have steel targets from close range out to 800yds, with some natural targets at 1100yds. 
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Here are some rifle/optic/ammunition/sling, and gear recommendations:
If you are covering down on the DM Skill Set: * Reliable, well-built, free-floated AR15 chambered in .223 Wylde/5.56 NATO, 6mm, or 6.5mm capable of 1.5 MOA accuracy repeatedly * Lightweight 7.62 NATO/.308 AR10 or SCAR-H carbines ( we have had these in several of the courses already ) * Hunting rifle for those who want to improve their hunting reach and hit probability * Ammunition capable of same, quality brass cased match ammo. Use ammoseek as your searchbot to find deals if you're looking for ammo sources. For 5.56, we've seen best results from 68gr BTHP, 69gr, 75gr, and 77gr. Since we do a lot of positional shooting, I recommend 16-18" barrels, 20" max. The more important underlying principle is that the gun is well balanced to you when you go to shoot kneeling, seated, squatting, and alterations of these in rough terrain. If the gun is front-heavy, the sight picture wobble will be more difficult to overcome. Most of the DM Course engagement distances are 600yds or less, but you will have opportunities to see how far you really can stretch your legs at this facility, to include 1000yds, and 1640yds if you really want to. For lightweight 16"-18" AR15's from the prone, we're pushing the limits for hits at 550-600yds on 18" plates. For alternate positions, you're doing well if you can ring an 18" plate at 400yds repeatedly. 4-6 mags is all you will really need. Feel free to bring 20rd for ground clearance on the sanitized flat range, and 30's for shooting alternate positions, as well as magazine monopod prone with the AR15's. For the Light Sniper segment: We encourage attendees to bring either bolt action, or semi-auto platforms capable of 1 MOA or better accuracy, pushing .308-based cartridges or larger. We will reach out from 200-1000yds and farther in this class of the training course. * .260 Remington/6.5 Creedmoor AR10's, configured medium/light profile * .243 Win. AR10 with 6mm target pills * .308 Win 175gr, 178gr, or new 155gr Hybrid target projectiles A bolt action target rifle in a good chambering that you can bring enough ammo for, that isn't so heavy that you have difficulty shooting from positions. Most target shooters prefer detachable magazine bottom metal, so you aren't top-feeding the action all day, if you bring a bolt gun. Optics: For the DM Class, lighter 1-4x, 1-5x, 1-6x, 1-8x, 2.5-10x and scopes like that work really well. In keeping the overall weight of the carbine/rifle down, you'll want a compact scope. The Vortex PST 1-4's are a great economy option, as are the Burris and Bushnell's. If you can keep the turrets and reticle matching, you're doing better. I like Mil/Mil personally, but I can give corrections in MOA if you have one of the MOA reticles. Higher end DM optics are the NightForce 2.5-10x24 and x32, USO 1.8-10x37, Vortex 1-6x Razor HD, Schmidt & Bender Short Dot, and optics of that class. Here's an example of some of my set-ups that work well for DM: 
If you are just getting into this, you can't go wrong with the 1-4x Vortex, Burris, or Bushnell's. You will have the opportunity to look through a lot of other glass that I will bring. For the Light Sniper Class, 2.5-10x32 is the bottom end, with 2-12x50/56, 3-15x50's, 5-20x50's, 5-25x56's and scopes in the higher ranges. I still like to keep the longer range optics as light and compact as possible, with capable glass and gears. The Vortex Viper PST, Bushnell HDMR, Leupold Mk 4, Vortex Razor HD, NightForce, Steiner, USO, Schmidt & Bender, and Hensoldt are typically what work well for this. A lot of people getting into this discipline find the price point of the Vortex Viper PST's hard to beat, especially given that they have matching reticle and turrets, zero stop, Side Focus, good gears, and illumination. Slings: I actually still prefer the Viking Tactics 2-Point Quick Adjust sling, set up for you. Set-up is very important with this sling, so follow the directions. They are very easy to lock into position with, no matter what gear you are wearing. Blue Force Gear, Proctor, and Ares Armor 2-point slings also work for positions. We will train with the sling to show how it can really be a game-changer for positional shooting. Note the tension on the front end of the sling: Another technique that comes from older sling designs is to place the support hand over the sling in this position, and put more tension on it that way, but the quick adjust feature of modern 2-points allows you to achieve the same effect with less pretzel effect. 
I'll update the gear recommendations for winter in Utah mountains in the next post. |
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There are 2 classes going on side-by-side, that have a lot of overlap, namely DM and Sniper.
I can confidently recommend this course for an entry-level shooter who has wondered how far they can stretch their legs with their free-floated AR15, as well as even a seasoned competitive shooter who would like to gain insights into positional shooting, as well as how to plug those marksmanship skills into a range complex that has several venues for shooting in terrain. There are also a lot of details that any of us can overlook, and still become accomplished despite what we don't know. Bubble levels are one example. On-the-fly ballistics solutions are another. Modifying alternate positions to fit the target and terrain are another. Developing solutions for scenarios where someone might be shooting back at us is the most over-looked. These courses make bread and butter out of all of the above. |
| You will want sufficient cold weather clothing to sustain you in mountainous terrain in the dead of winter in February, so watch caps, balaclavas, loose fitting gloves, hunter's mittens, multiple clothing layers, and decent boots are going to pay off. The DM Course in March of 2013 had sideways blowing snow on the morning of Day 1, with temps that got up above freezing and quite pleasant by the afternoon and Day 2. Be prepared to shed layers, and still have a wind-insulating capability. |
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Looks like I'm going to fill two spaces for sure, 50% chance of the third space and 10% chance of a fourth if there are that many spots open. We've been in the mid-50's for the last few weeks at my house, which is at the same elevation and right over the mountain from the range. Perfect shooting weather.
Let's see if I can fall down a few times and make it look good. |
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We're very looking forward to seeing some of you again from past courses, and meeting new friends.
For the Sniper Class, I would strongly recommend bringing a sturdy tripod and a way to bracket your rifle onto it for alternate positions that will be the majority of the positions used in the course. The reason for this is that the end goal is being able to set into position in actual terrain, which those of you who have already been to North Springs know there is plenty of, with excellent opportunities to challenge your skills shooting across canyons, up deep ravines and draws, and from concealed positions in the brush and trees in the area. One company that I can recommend when it comes to specific equipment that will be helpful to this end is US Tactical Supply. Their HOG and PIG saddles are awesome, and designed by end-users who have lived this skill set over the past decade+ of deployments in the long gunner duty position. US Tactical Supply 
We will also be offering some basic survival and fieldcraft training on Friday evening, and you can put the skills into practical application by camping out at the Range. For those that are interested in a class on camouflage, feel free to bring some materials to that end. If you are interested in Ghillie construction, I like the Night Desert Digital parkas from the 1980's as a base, or one of the Cobra hoods. To be honest, Multicam is pretty hard to beat, and with minimal augmentation, makes an excellent solution for concealment. You can add a boonie or veil and be pretty much set in this terrain. Day 2 will be a very intense practical application of all the shooting skills, but within a series of concealment exercises with live fire throughout, at distances ranging from 100yds, to 1100yds, from different positions in varying terrain. This is where a lot of things will culminate together, and make sense in terms of how these skills can be used in reality, versus sitting on a flat range shooting steel from bipod prone, especially for hunters. |
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Course is full. Looking forward to seeing everyone in a few days.
Make sure to bring basic shooting range gear: * Hearing protection * Eye protection * Meals and snacks * Water * Cleaning kit * Optics cleaning gear The temps have dropped here a bit, and the forecast is showing temps to be pretty low. Friday high is supposed to be 43 F, low 26 F, partly cloudy. Saturday 43 F/23 F, 50% chance of snow and rain. Bring your cold weather gear, including rain gear. Think about what you will do to take care of your rifle and optics in rain and snow. Spray your boots with Camp Dry if you aren't sure about their ability to repel moisture. |
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Pre Patria 431 is one of those guys who you send new products to for extreme durability testing.
He sheared off a TRG22 bolt knob on Day 1, then abused a back-up Surgeon .308 I had with USO in Manners stock like a freckled red-headed stepchild. I've spent the past 2 days cleaning that rifle after the initial wipe down he did on it at the end of the course. It took a beating and liked it. Good dude. I first met him back at Sniper Adventure Challenge in 2013 when I was pulling Med Support for the competition. He found one of the best loopholes out of all the guys in the long gunner section of the class this weekend. Day 2 is basically a series of loophole exercises in the morning with multiple opportunities for live-fire on steel. Every position set up on has steel downrange, and there is more steel than you can shoot in a day at just one portion of the range. 
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 I also have rattled the guts on an ACOG, and have a Benelli that doesn't run 100%. 
Sorry for leaving the mess on the Surgeon, I didn't have much in the way of proper cleaning equipment. 
The TRG will get the same treatment if I can make it to your next class, if not before. |
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Originally Posted By bradpierson26:
Recommend me some gloves for below freezing precision shooting I wore USGI wool glove liners for both days. They got wet, but my hands didn't get too cold. I have had good luck with neoprene gloves as well, although neither are very durable. When it gets really cold the USGI trigger finger mittens work. I haven't explored the high end options though. |
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Originally Posted By bradpierson26:
Recommend me some gloves for below freezing precision shooting I don't know that it matters too much. Have some big oversized mittens to use when you are cold and don't need dexterity, and have several pairs of thin gloves that you can swap out when they get wet. I had a selection of gloves and used them all at times, but the thin SKD PIG gloves and thin Mechanix gloves were used the most. |
Day 1: KD Range. I love this place...
Morning, Day 2. Spotting for shooter at Over the Edge at one of scores of steel targets across the canyon. 
Where you see the two trees in the center of the FOV, there is a cliff drop-off just beyond them going down about 60 feet, with a ravine down there. On the other side, there is a shallow ridgeline or long spur filled with more targets than you can shoot in a day, if you can find them. It's an awesome venue to shoot practical long range at. 
Here's one of the student teams working together in a live fire stalk at another portion of Over the Edge: 
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Originally Posted By ziarifleman:
Is that lost brass or are you policing everything? I lost all but a few when we got away from the benches. There was enough mud and snow that they got lost in the weeds and trees as fast as I could shoot. I think the bolt guys did better but still lost some. |