Anyone hear of S.T.A. Training Group out of Phoenix and what they may be like?

Hmm, not one response.

Well, when I get back I'll let you know how it went! Look for an update after the 20th of this month.

I'm taking the 5 day precision rifle fighting course. They will provide the 16" P-308 and most everything else related. However, I will take my Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 to train with. It's been iritating to shoot 300 yards in a static environment at the local range. There will be much to learn as I'm a newb and beyond the fundamentals I don't know jack.

I'll get the opportunity to tour the POF facility while I'm there, so that should be real neat.

Can anyone recommend educational type material related to MOA and milradian?

http://statraininggroup.com/courses.html

Shoot straight and carry on!

Just got back! Happy to say I don't have anymore holes in me than what God gave me.

+100 degree heat each of the 5 days in the desert, with it being 107 on the last day when we ran the "RAT" (River Assault Trail).

STA Training Group instructors were top notch. The two lead instructors are USMC Scout Snipers. The student to instructor ratio was 4 to 1 with a total of 8 students. I was one of two civilian students with the others being from Police Dept. SWAT serving with agencies in Arizona or California. It was an honor to have trained with these men. I have tremendous respect for them.

There was a great amount of emphasis of observational skills. Several items were placed in the vegetation at different distances and we had to find them using our binoculars and weapon mounted scopes. This will be a huge benefit when I go hunting this year for white tail deer. I can't say enough how important it is to really know your surroundings and looking for things that don't neccessarily stand out or much less know what your looking for. Sketches were made of the terrain in our Data books and the information that was obtained was used as reference material.

Using my Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 Mildot reticle scope and school provided POF P308 16" rifle, we first ranged multiple targets from distances of 200 yards out to 1010 yards. After calculating our try DOPE and using the shooter/observer (students were paired together) method the targets were engaged. Firing on the targets the observer gave me the splash of the round and corrections were made using hold overs or dialing in the Mils on the long range targets. For the 1010 yard target I made a third round hit and every subsequent round was a hit. I was thoroughly impressed, not only with my newly acquired skill but with that of the 16 inch barrled semi-automatic Patriot Ordnance Factory P308 rifle. Not once in five days did I clean my rifle. This rifle had obvious signs of wear, but functioned flawlessly.

On day three we had a night shoot. At 260 yards we engaged seven 8" targets that were only illuminated by what I can describe as a garage flood light that was on one side of the targets making the others only discerable through our scopes with very little light cast on them. Using my training, I settled down and relaxed, made my necessary hold overs, missed my first three times, made the corrections and nailed all seven targets one right after the other, consecutively. WOW! headshots in low light at 260 yards! Then we attached the scool provided night vision devices on our rifles and made the same shots with no light whatsoever, total darkness! That only thing I was scared of was being bit by a rattler snake while taking a piss on the cactus in total darkness.

On day 4 we studied the characteristics of 5 different brands of bullets. This was great for the SWAT guys. We set automotive glass windshields and wood pallets at 100 yards and put silhouettes behind them. Just to mention a few, Hornandy A-MAX, Federal GMM 168gr Sierra BTHP, and 165gr subsonic. This was done to show what the bullets does when passing through the glass into the target. Awesome, awesome shit!

I have no real backround in firearms other than the NRA Basic Rifle course I took two years ago. My enthusiasm and desire to learn helped go a long way. I've gone hunting only once before on my buddies farm and wondered if I could take that ethical kill out to 250 yards. I did study Milliradian and Minute of Angle before I attended this course which helped me grasp their relationships and how they are used. The only gear I brought with me beyond the obvious was my scope, Camelback vest with mag pouches and hydration pack, and a good pair of light weight boots. I would have liked to have brought my rifle, binoculars, and associated kit. I flew out from Wisconsin and wasn't sure of the hassles I wanted to endure bringing my own stuff. But in hindsight it saved my gear from getting banged around. Our round count after five days was appox 200rds. That kind of surprised me as I thought it would have been much more than that. In addittion to the course fee of $1250 we had to purchase our own ammo, which I got through the school and was waiting for me there. They have another course in November which I will attend after selling my right kidney............'cause it's well worth it ;)

Very nice a.a.r. on your schooling, Danno.  I've got a new Savage 10 FLCP-K with a new SWFA 5-20x54 SS HD scope on it and, like you were before the class with STA, know just very basic stuff about the long range 'game'.

I'm interested in learning more, not developing bad habits and eliminating a year or more of trial & error on my own.  Besides, Arizona in November would be a good time for me to get away & it would easily be drivable for me.

Will look up their website for answers to other questions I have.  Failing that, I'll come back to ask you about hotels, food, etc.

Thanks, again, for your report.

Bailagent100

Thanks for the response.

You can find STA Training Group on Facebook. They post upcoming events there. Alternatively, you can email them for more information.

Like you related I also wanted to eliminate the guessing and the not "knowing if I'm doing this right" conflict. So, that is why I signed up. I have not taken any other courses similar to this and STA Training Group was my first. I'd like something much closer so that I can drive. If time, money, and opportunity permits I will be back to STA Training Group. They are, without a doubt, a top rate outfit. If this is for you and you attend, you'll soon agree.

STA Training Group  gave me the red carpet treatment and I can't say a bad word about them. They were very accommodating as I was an out of towner, but I'm confident they'd treat anyone else the same way! I feel like I owe them for all that they did for me, in addition to paying the course fee. I can't say this would be the norm though, but I'm sure it'd be pretty frickin' close.

This course was perfect for me being a beginner. Doing some prep work before attending helped make sure I understood, at least in part, what was being discussed. After living it for five days, I wanted to stay 5 more and practice, practice, practice.

Bring all your "kit" if possible. Train like you fight, fight like you train. I lamented not having some of my "kit". They will provide the weapons and associated items, but I wanted to be intimately familiar with my own gear. However, you'll get the opportunity to try out different items and see if that is what you might like. They had vendors there during the downtime hawking their goods. The vendors were offering their items to students who had gone through the course for a discount. For next year it'll be a PVS-14 for me! As soon as I got back I sold my scope and am looking to get a US Optics with the Horus vision reticule. This, after trying what was there, helped make these decisions for me.

I stayed at the Comfort Inn University of Phoenix Stadium Area on Camelback Rd. When you talk with Jerod, and sign up, he'll give you a discount code for the hotel. There's plenty of places to grub around the area, but I didn't venture to far from the hotel. I found out later that the hotel offers courtesy shuttle service to within a 7 mile radius of the hotel. Still, knowing this, I just stayed at the hotel and ate what food I shopped for at Wal-Mart. The hotel room had a small fridge and a microwave.

I have no affiliation with STA Training Group or their partners. I was a student of theirs after having learned about them on facebook earlier this year. My payback, for their generosity, to them is the reviews I have posted.

Good luck and please tell Jerod that "Dan from Milwaukee" sent you.