While I haven't been to many Appleseeds, I have been shooting for 40+ years and have picked up a few tidbits of knowledge along the way. I have a bunch of different rifles as well. I thought I would share some of the things I learned.
These tips are not intended to game the system, merely to help shooters attend less to equipment issues and more to learning proper technique.
And of course they are worth exactly what you pay for them. If they can help one of your attendees get through the course of fire better, then it really is worth it. I am also very frugal so many of these are cheap tricks.
Ruger 10/22- Of course we all know that installing an extended mag release is a big help during mag changes. And we also know that the bolt release on a 10/22 is a pain to release sometimes. Obviously modifying the bolt release solve that problem and is one of the most common mods we find on the 10/22.
Cheap Trick #1
Here is a cheap extended mag release....Use a empty 22 shell, a drill and some JB Weld. Take the mag release out of the trigger assembly
1. Drill 1/4" hole in mag release. It doesn't have to be deep.
2. Fill hole with JB Weld
3. Insert empty 22 case, clamp and let set overnight
4. If you want it longer use a 22 magnum case.
5. For a plastic cover, break the leg off the thing that holds 22s in the box. Cut to size, split and slip over the shell.
Of course you could go without the plastic thing but the rim of the shell is painful to push on.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/100_3272.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/100_3281.jpg)
The ones in the pics below have been in place for at least a decade or two and thousands of rounds.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/100_3292.jpg)
I have more tips and tricks if anyone is interested, just ask.
I like it Mac.
My Grandfather was a piano builder. Some how I ended up with a box of pins that are used in pianos. I have used these for extended mag releases with out any JB weld. You have to have a drill a few thousands of an inch smaller and just tap it in.
Of course the savings is only about 5 bucks, but I did it myself is worth much more.
Another good tip is to prep a spare magazine and keep it on your mat in case of malfunctions. This is especially useful during stage 2 and 3. If you have a malfunction, you can immediately drop the mag, clear the chamber, and load your spare and finish the stage. It really helps if you have a .22 that hangs up on the feed ramp or a stove pipe that jams things up. It's usually quicker to do this than to try and clear it, hunt for the loose round on the ground, (if it is even useable) and get going again before time runs out. Of course you have to keep track of how many shots you have fired so you don't have any extra holes on one of the targets.
Another tip is to always be sure which magazine has the 2 rounds and which has the 8 rounds. I always make sure to put my 2 rounder in front of the 8 rounder. If you start with the wrong one, it can cost you precious time.
Fixing the factory bolt release is also a huge help.
Quote from: ksuguy on June 09, 2011, 12:41:53 AM
Another good tip is to prep a spare magazine and keep it on your mat in case of malfunctions. This is especially useful during stage 2 and 3. If you have a malfunction, you can immediately drop the mag, clear the chamber, and load your spare and finish the stage. It really helps if you have a .22 that hangs up on the feed ramp or a stove pipe that jams things up. It's usually quicker to do this than to try and clear it, hunt for the loose round on the ground, (if it is even useable) and get going again before time runs out. Of course you have to keep track of how many shots you have fired so you don't have any extra holes on one of the targets.
Another tip is to always be sure which magazine has the 2 rounds and which has the 8 rounds. I always make sure to put my 2 rounder in front of the 8 rounder. If you start with the wrong one, it can cost you precious time.
Fixing the factory bolt release is also a huge help.
I wrote a 2 on one mag feed lips and a 8 on the other with felt tip pen. Once set upright its easy to spot
Brilliant Mac! Thanks for the tip!
TG
Tape on the bottom of the mag with the "2" & "8" works well out here as well..... 8) @)
I hate to even admit it but I use extended aftermarket 10 round mags when shooting Appleseed. Not only are they clear so you can see how rounds they have in them, but they stick out far enough to be able to grab to remove and insert easier. I learned this while teaching my kids and nieces and nephews how to shoot when they were small. All had trouble with the little cube factory mags. Grabbing a handful of extended mag is just easier to manipulate when your hands are cold and/or wet (rain or sweat).
Remember, the first thing that goes under stress is fine motor skills.
You can use factory mags to the same effect by gluing them bottom to bottom or gluing some sort of extended handle on the bottom of them.
Me? I just buy cheap 10 round Eagle mags. So far they have lasted through about 10 years and thousands of rounds of shooting, including two compete Appleseeds, and a couple seasons of rimfire silhouette league. For everybody else, I only recommend factory mags.
What I did was learned the skills necessary to become a Rifleman and then.....
PRACTICED and
PRACTICED and
PRACTICED and
PRACTICED and
... then shot by the numbers in Rifleman's cadence.
No games, tips or tricks necessary.
Quote from: mac66 on June 09, 2011, 08:54:47 AM
I hate to even admit it but I use extended aftermarket 10 round mags when shooting Appleseed. Not only are they clear so you can see how rounds they have in them, but they stick out far enough to be able to grab to remove and insert easier.
I just make sure all my 10/22 mags drop free.
I had to file down my mag well as welll as the mags to make them drop free, now they come out real fast.
Don't forget about the "one trick" for the middle stages. Fire one round and drop the mag, then replace, then you don't have to rack the bolt.
If righties shot right to left, the sling tension gets greater as they shift NPOA, instead of looser.
On the redcoat, shoot bottom up, and prep 4 and 9.
I'm sure I have others, but these are the only ones that currently come to mind.
Roland
Quote from: Roland on June 09, 2011, 02:04:09 PM
Don't forget about the "one trick" for the middle stages. Fire one round and drop the mag, then replace, then you don't have to rack the bolt.
Roland
I have heard this tip from many, including SB's, but if you read the QDAQT it clearly says for stage 2 & 3, load and shoot 2 rounds, reload with 8...
I believe that the intent is that you have to rack the bolt as part of the mag change, almost as if it is trying to get you to loose your NPOA and have to find it again.
This being said, I have never heard of a SB denying the patch for following your tip.
2cl
Quote from: Roland on June 09, 2011, 02:04:09 PM
Don't forget about the "one trick" for the middle stages. Fire one round and drop the mag, then replace, then you don't have to rack the bolt.
GAMER!
Sure like the budget extended mag releases. That's a nice piece of inexpensive kit!
Dryfire. Dryfire should make up 75 to 80% of your practice. Some might argue that it should be 90%. Dryfire does not mean pointing the rifle and saying bang. It means getting in a good position and following the 6 steps. That includes calling the shot after you hear the click based on the location of the front sight.
There's NO substitute for dry firing.
I've made it a point to make the shooters dry fire during the prep periods, to get them in the habit. Making them in the respect that I say "I will know when you're all ready when you're all dry firing". That also gets them to quit dwaddling during the prep period, and the time goes down to under a minute before the weekend is over.
Tips to prevent stupid failure are good, such as the extra mag idea, in case of a problem.
Gaming is just cheating yourself, such as the 1 round reload idea. The intent of the 2/8 rule is to break your position. matter of fact, that rule started as 5/5 (1903 Springfield). Current military qualification courses (Army anyways) call for 3 phases, First phase is 20 rounds (2 mags 10/10), the other 2 phases are 10 rounds each (no mag changes). 2/8 is because of the M1 enbloc clip.
The 1 round reload still breaks your position just as much as the 2 round/reload does on an AR with a BAD lever.
Here are a couple tips for the Marlin 795 and/or 60
I bought one of these cheap 795s to play with and use as a loaner. I already had an old model 60. Remember what I said about fine motor skills going out the window under stress? Well, that bolt handle is hard to grasp for kids, when it is wet, cold or if wearing gloves (it was 6 degrees at my first Appleseed and freezing rain at my second). So an extended bolt handle is handy. You can pay a lot of money for a custom one or pay nothing to do it yourself.
The bolt handle on the 795 is round so a neat trick is to simply wrap it a couple turns with duct tape (or electrical tap) and then press fit an empty .40 S&W shell over it. Mine has lasted several thousand rounds so far.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/DSCN0430.jpg)
It also works on the handle of the mod 60 and 10/22. Because those handles are curved you need to build up the concave with something. Best semi-permanent solution is to simply fill the shell with JB Weld or other epoxy and press it down over the handle.
I don't like the mag release on the 795. I did find that if you press the mag forward a bit, it will come right out. It is the only way I do it now.
Here is are couple AK 47 tips.
AK mags are big and heavy and can interfere with shooting prone. At the last Appleseed I went to i watched a guy shoot an AK all weekend and struggle with the mags and mag changes. I wish I had known he was bringing an AK or I had brought him some 10 rounders I made up.
Back in the day when AKs, mags and ammo was cheap everybody wanted the long 30 rounders. The 5 rounders that came with many AKs were often sold cheap. I remember picking up a bag of 10 of them at a gun show in the 80's for $2/ea. 30 rounders are cool but they are overkill shooting off a bench or at a range with a 7 or 10 round limit.
What most people don't know is that the 5 round AK mags are actually 10 round mags with a long follower. Cut 1" (dremel etc.) off the follower legs and you have a 10 round mag. Which coincidentally is prefect for AS. You don't have to do anything with the spring or anything else.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/DSCN0431.jpg)
CDNN also carries the short ten rounders if you can't find cheap 5 round ones.
The second tip is what all the cool high speed, low drag operators are doing. Basically when you reload, use the full replacement mag to trip the mag release and then knock out the empty mag. I didn't take a picture but here is a youtube video link that shows what I am talking about. I've been doing it for years but when I learned it, it was kind of a DUH, why didn't I think of that kind of thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz5LPaMhlOc
The third tip is a bolt open notch for the AK. Basically cut a notch in the safety lever to hold the bolt back. Safety on, bolt back. easy as that. I've done it to all my AKs.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mac66/100_0005.jpg)
Quote from: eaglescouter on June 09, 2011, 05:54:39 PM
The 1 round reload still breaks your position just as much as the 2 round/reload does on an AR with a BAD lever.
If you're right handed, I can contest that. 2 rd reload, you have to release the bolt. That requires a reach over the top of the receiver to release the bolt with your right hand. That being said, you really don't need to fully break position when reloading an AR.
On our CZs I load 2 rounds in the 5 round mag and 8 rounds in the 10 round mag. The different size makes it easy to keep them sorted out.
Quote from: Nickle on June 10, 2011, 08:54:46 AM
Quote from: eaglescouter on June 09, 2011, 05:54:39 PM
The 1 round reload still breaks your position just as much as the 2 round/reload does on an AR with a BAD lever.
If you're right handed, I can contest that. 2 rd reload, you have to release the bolt. That requires a reach over the top of the receiver to release the bolt with your right hand. That being said, you really don't need to fully break position when reloading an AR.
*With the B.A.D. lever installed, there is no need to reach for the bolt release on the left side of the receiver. It protrudes beyond the trigger guard on the right side.
Quote from: ATM on June 10, 2011, 12:31:54 PM
*With the B.A.D. lever installed, there is no need to reach for the bolt release on the left side of the receiver. It protrudes beyond the trigger guard on the right side.
They are nice....(http://by145w.bay145.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=9f545656-937b-11e0-86e5-00237de49116&Aux=0%7C0%7C8CDF59F8A2195D0%7C%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C%7C&maxwidth=220&maxheight=160&size=Att)
Yeah, I hadn't realized that when I posted, though I knew there are aftermarket levers that make much more sense than the original Colt/Armalite part.
In the situation of a right side bolt release (any kind) on the AR, it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference between a 1 rd reload and a 2rd reload.
I highly recommend this product. http://www.clipsnstuff.com/10-22-c-1/clip-holder-for-10-22-dual-p-50 It holds 2 Ruger factory 10 rnd mags back to back which accomplishes a ton of good things... 1) add weight to assist in drop free from rifle. 2) adds leverage as the mag is longer 3) With practice, makes reloads quicker as you just have to rotate the mag 180 deg vs searching for another mag on the mat...
This dumb little piece of plastic, is worth its weight in gold... Wish I'd have thought of it..
Of course, you can do this yourself.. by sanding mag bases flat and using epoxy, or get a benefit from simply epoxying a short wood base to the mag. The downside is that you don't have the benefit of swaping out mags as easily, if you have function issues with one of the mags in the set up.. BeSwift
Quote from: BeSwift on June 10, 2011, 07:45:02 PM
I highly recommend this product. http://www.clipsnstuff.com/10-22-c-1/clip-holder-for-10-22-dual-p-50 It holds 2 Ruger factory 10 rnd mags back to back which accomplishes a ton of good things... 1) add weight to assist in drop free from rifle. 2) adds leverage as the mag is longer 3) With practice, makes reloads quicker as you just have to rotate the mag 180 deg vs searching for another mag on the mat...
I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one, BeSwift - it also makes a mag stick out way below the bottom of the rifle, and for many people, those multiple mag clips will be sticking into their support side wrist as they're holding the rifle. Heck, I don't even like the Butler Creek mags for that reason. I stick to the single, 10-round factory mags. They feed the best, last the best and work the best.
(Of course, if you want to go all tacticool and Rambo on your 10/22, nothing beats the Eagle 30 round "banana" mags I have for my 10/22... ;D but I usually don't use them, either, for the same reason - they stick into my support arm when I'm in the proper position! Nope, for serious shootin' I stick to the factory mags.)
The Eagle 30 rounders don't work in mine. I could only get one round off from them before I'd get a stovepipe or type three malfunction. As a matter of fact, I think the only ones that work in mine are factory mags.
You can file down your mag well to make mags drop free easy. Works good on aftermarket synthetic 10/22 stocks.
Roland
My 10/22 mags dropped free straight from the factory... The current mod list: Tech Sights, extended mag release lever, auto bolt release.
Quote from: Nickle on June 09, 2011, 05:43:00 PM
Gaming is just cheating yourself, such as the 1 round reload idea. The intent of the 2/8 rule is to break your position. matter of fact, that rule started as 5/5 (1903 Springfield). Current military qualification courses (Army anyways) call for 3 phases, First phase is 20 rounds (2 mags 10/10), the other 2 phases are 10 rounds each (no mag changes). 2/8 is because of the M1 enbloc clip.
Its not just gaming the system. Its the total and deliberate failure to follow directions. A personal failure. In other shooting events, you could be DQ'd (disqualified) or if repeated, asked to leave. I wont go into the area of 'if they won't some follow instructions or rules, I wonder what else they will ignore because it doesn't suit them' territory, as I could be here all day.
But NOTE: You are supposed to listen to, and follow the line boss and instructors directions. Not do what suits you.
Quote from: marrandy on June 14, 2011, 10:13:11 AM
Quote from: Nickle on June 09, 2011, 05:43:00 PM
Gaming is just cheating yourself, such as the 1 round reload idea. The intent of the 2/8 rule is to break your position. matter of fact, that rule started as 5/5 (1903 Springfield). Current military qualification courses (Army anyways) call for 3 phases, First phase is 20 rounds (2 mags 10/10), the other 2 phases are 10 rounds each (no mag changes). 2/8 is because of the M1 enbloc clip.
Its not just gaming the system. Its the total and deliberate failure to follow directions. A personal failure. In other shooting events, you could be DQ'd (disqualified) or if repeated, asked to leave. I wont go into the area of 'if they won't some follow instructions or rules, I wonder what else they will ignore because it doesn't suit them' territory, as I could be here all day.
But NOTE: You are supposed to listen to, and follow the line boss and instructors directions. Not do what suits you.
Yup, agreed. But, I still stand by the fact that the person that's getting hurt worst is the shooter himself.
Quote from: marrandy on June 14, 2011, 10:13:11 AM
Its not just gaming the system. Its the total and deliberate failure to follow directions. A personal failure. In other shooting events, you could be DQ'd (disqualified) or if repeated, asked to leave. I wont go into the area of 'if they won't some follow instructions or rules, I wonder what else they will ignore because it doesn't suit them' territory, as I could be here all day.
But NOTE: You are supposed to listen to, and follow the line boss and instructors directions. Not do what suits you.
Are the shooters with 7 round mags engaging in a "total and deliberate failure to follow directions?" What about those with tube magazines, or the cz452 shooter with 5 round mags. The problem with inelasticity is what to do when it is impossible to follow the rule. In such cases the productive man finds away to follow the spirit of the rule.
Now personally, I can drop into position, fire two rounds, check a spotting scope for a target at 200 or 300 yards, make sight changes, reload, reconfirm NPOA, and finish the string with time remaining. I can do that because of the hundreds and thousands of times that I have practiced it.
If that shooter is following the spirit of the rule and breaking position for the reload, whether he fires one or two rounds is irrelevant. As a matter of fact if I come across a shooter who needs an extra second I will advise him to fire one and reload to save the second of reaching over the handle and dropping the bolt (or grabbing the charging handle). Some very good instructors advised me of the same some years ago at Ramseur.
Mike
Deleted in favor of CPR.
2cl
To reiterate an earlier post. The best tip that I can offer is to dryfire every chance that you get. If it works for Olympic Champions (and it does) it can work for you.
Mike
Quote from: jmdavis on June 14, 2011, 11:33:42 AM
Are the shooters with 7 round mags engaging in a "total and deliberate failure to follow directions?" What about those
The man said "Don't forget about the "one trick" for the middle stages. Fire one round and drop the mag, then replace, then you don't have to rack the bolt."
You are being pedantic and deliberately misleading by introducing other variables as some sort of justification. Typical of the attitude in the organization which is why I am pretty much done now. Have a nice day.
Thank you Marrandy.
I was making the same point and read my post !@#) ...I deleted it as violating CRP :-X. You put this much more elegantly than I ever could. Without even one profanity :D
Thanks
2cl
Quote from: marrandy on June 14, 2011, 12:18:51 PM
Quote from: jmdavis on June 14, 2011, 11:33:42 AM
Are the shooters with 7 round mags engaging in a "total and deliberate failure to follow directions?" What about those
The man said "Don't forget about the "one trick" for the middle stages. Fire one round and drop the mag, then replace, then you don't have to rack the bolt."
You are being pedantic and deliberately misleading by introducing other variables as some sort of justification. Typical of the attitude in the organization which is why I am pretty much done now. Have a nice day.
Gentlemen, making provisions for situations where 2/8 is not possible is much different than those who are altering the course of fire for nothing more than trying to pick up a few points by "gaming" the situation.
Matter of fact, as I stated earlier, 2/8 is itself an adaptation, as 5/5 is impractical in an M1 Garand.
The point is to do a complete mag change, ALL of it, in the course of fire. It matters little if it's 1/9, 2/8, 3/7, 4/6 or 5/5, or even the reverse of any of those. What does matter is for the shooter to do a complete mag change, not just half a mag change. If racking or releasing the bolt is part of it, then it's good.
Now, this is a minor issue, nothing more. Not worth the time to squabble over it.
And, why squabble over this, when there's work that needs doing, like getting the firing lines filled?
One tip I have is when posting your targets, mark it in a manner that it can easily be aquired when you lose your NPOA for whatever reason. i.e. clearing a serious malfunction.
Placing the target higher/lower than your two neighbors, drawing a smiley face in the middle, etc.
The shoot I was at there were numbers above each shooters target but when you are under the time pressure, don't assume you have the right target.
I started out placing my target as low as I could get it to relieve the stress on my neck. This put the numbers quite a bit above the target. Once my neighbor shooters started doing the same, I had to start drawing on mine.
Smart way to help prevent crossfiring, John.
I apologize for all the debate my post seems to have caused. It was not my intent. It's never been a problem around here, and I've always asked the shoot boss. Title of the post was "Tips to make qualifying easier". I don't personally suggest this unless a shooter is losing four or more shots due to repeatedly fumbling the magazine change.
Again, I'm very sorry for all the debate and frustration this seems to have caused.
Roland
Whew, looks like a few got off track there for a moment, how bout some more tips.
Here's one for loading mags.
If you have two mags, load 10 and 8. When you are done with the first stage, just load 2 into the empty mag to be prepared for the second.
If you have three mags, load 10, 8 & 8. Again, you only have to load subsequent mags with two rounds for stages 2 & 3.
I load 4 mags, 10. 8, 8, & 10. Easy to load 2 rounders for the middle stages.
That's what works best for me. YMMV.
A ways back I heard a good one -
"Verify your NPOA is on target and then shoot at Rifleman's cadence by the numbers." Every shooter I've seen that's done that has shot Rifleman scores consistently, and in short order.
Typically when I see folks try all these tips and tricks using various gidgets and gadgets, they struggle to shoot Rifleman scores consistently. They'll hit it that one time at that one event but when asked to do it again, they'll always have an equipment issue or something just didn't work right.
A Rifleman can pick up any rack-grade rifle, surplus ball ammo, and after a one round sighter, make hits on a man-sized target at 500 yards. shoot a Rifleman score.
Folks, don't get fixated on that score. It's just a score. Appleseed teaches a skill. Teach 'em the skill and they'll get the score. Teach 'em to worry about the score and they may miss the skill - and the score!
I am with Slim in that the focus on instruction is to master the fundamentals and NPOA is as fundamental as it gets.
At the same time, I do not see little gaming tricks any violation of instructor control and do not mind them so long as they do not lead to a safety risk (as a few can be).
The tricks however, should not be any focus just like match triggers, etc can become.
Personally, I find the 1 shot mag swap to be most useful with a shooter that is having issues with racking the bolt. The down side is that many end up racking anyways and ejecting a good round which costs many more seconds than the tactic offers... ;D
If the shooter has fun, the rounds end up in the right places, the focus remains on NPOA and the POI, then a little thing here and there for the competitive ones to smirk about is no problem to me as a RH or SB.
They are just not something I teach to everyone. And from what I gather, that is the same for most in this thread.
I have always been a little leery of the one shot mag change for safety reasons. I have never felt comfortable with a high stress mag change with a round in chamber and the safety probably in the fire position. That is simply a lot of agitation around the trigger. As an Instructor or Line Boss I will permit the one shot change but I do not advocate it. Most shooters will gain more by simply getting down in position and practicing the changes with empty mags.
One of the tips that I give to shooters that are having difficulty changing magazines, is that they need to practice doing it, at home, as part of their dry-fire exercises.
Here's how I become proficient with changing magazines on a new rifle:
Practice inserting and removing the magazine in a comfortable position. (kitchen table, recliner, where ever) Determine the fewest number of hand movements required to successfully insert and remove a magazine. Practice these movements, taking careful note on exactly how the magazine should be indexed to the rifle (which angle should it take to the mag well, if any, etc)
Once figured out, now start doing it from the various shooting positions.
Once you think you're really good at it, do it in the dark, with a pile of magazines dumped helter-skelter like on the floor next to you- practice discarding 'empties' (they should ALL be empty) and grabbing fresh ones.
Get pretty good at doing that too?
Start over, but this time, do it opposite-handed.
Somewhere along the way, changing magazines becomes second nature, as it should be...
(FWIW, I also do the above with stripper-clip charged rifles, such as the SKS and '03; I just use 'snap caps' instead of live rounds)
Quote from: mac66 on June 14, 2011, 06:30:10 PMHere's one for loading mags.
Here's a better one: I use a Butler Creek 10/22 Magazine loader when I'm shooting my LTR. It's awesome - no more waiting to load up. Product # 540353 at MidwayUSA. (I'd post a link but being behind the Iron Firewall I can only see the Midway site on my cell phone.)
Only drawback? You can go through a lot more ammo faster... ;D
Forget all the nonsense.
Do as Slim said.
Bringing a chopped and channeled 10/22 with an anti-tank scope and more mods and aftermarket parts than most low-riders is cheating the shooter. Bringing a stock rifle with a sling and "normal" (Ball or bulk) ammo is more productive for actually learning the skill. Learn to shoot adequately with "normal" gear and ammo and you will shoot even better with tarted up stuff. Learn to shoot adequately with man-barbie toys, you will likely shoot poorly with normal gear.
The rules say how each string of fire should be executed. If you CAN do them that way, you SHOULD do them that way. Find another way to add time (thus, points) to your score (Hint--Slim knows how to do this...).
Make slight mods to the rules if needed due to equipment limitations or handicapped shooters, but be honest with yourself and others as to what your objective actually is. (Are you staying within the spirit of the rules because the letter of the rules is not do-able with the equipment or situation at hand, or gaming the system to get a "score" >:(). After that don't get caught up in arguments about how many Patriots can dance on the head of a cartridge.
Quote
"Verify your NPOA is on target and then shoot at Rifleman's cadence by the numbers." Every shooter I've seen that's done that has shot Rifleman scores...
QFT. don't over-complicate it, just do what he said.
SoM
Think I got another one that I don't believe will make anyone angry...
What I've been doing at the last couple of shoots when I see shooters having problems with the mag changes is:
During prep periods, I have them practice reaching down and pretending to insert a mag without breaking position. (And, needless to say, with no mags anywhere near.)
Then, have them put the mags down at Safeties on Stand, at just the right spot.
After a little bit of practice, you can do it without hardly thinking, or breaking NPOA.
However this won't work with most ARs, because of that darn charging handle. It seems to work with almsot all other rifles I've seen though.
Works wonders, and I don't see a way how that could be considered gaming.
Roland, that is Instruction, certainly not gaming or even close to it. Continue to do that.
I've got way over average experience with AR's. Charging handle doesn't come into the equation of AQT strings.
I'll be glad to discuss why it doesn't with anyone that wants.
If you want to know, and don't have my phone #, just PM me for it, if you're an IIT or Red Hat. Others, just ask one of your local Instructors (IIT0 through MI), I'm sure they'll help you, if they know the answer, if they don't, they can call me. That will keep me from potentially getting bogged down with calls.
We get many new shooters on the line who not only have little experience shooting but little if any experience with firearms. We throw a lot of information at them and expect them to learn their rifle, learn the trigger, safety, sights, sling, positions, techniques of shooting, and the course of fire. We then throw it all together and expect them to perform everything under a time limit.
Remember what I said about fine motor skills eroding under stress? Well these people are under stress when we do that to them.
Some rifles have mechanical disadvantages to them. The mags, buttons, levers, sights, etc, etc are difficult to operate under stress and/or you are young and/or unfamiliar with handling them. So modifying those items may take away some of the disadvantage and may help moderate some of the stress. It can hardly be called gaming, or cheating when one lessons the odds stacked against them.
We all agree that practice, practice, practice is the best thing to shoot rifleman. But in a real world, our students don't get to practice much if at all. Making it easier for them to be successful lessons the frustration and the stress. It enhances the shooting and learning experience in my opinion.
Think reading this thread all the way through again has made me change my mind about some things. Nickle, thank you for the encouragement, and I'll plan on that.
Well, I could tell you all about the story of the school teacher that came to an Appleseed with her first rifle. When she got there, she barely knew which end the bullets come out of, but, she did her homework, and knew the "controls". It was a Savage bolt action MkII series, scoped with a reasonable scope.
By the end of the weekend, she got her Rifleman patch. She listened and she persevered.
There's nothing we teach that is that hard to do. Yes, getting all 10 rounds down range in stages 2 & 3 can be hard. Work with the shooter to get them there. Have them shoot a RF/AQT or two, that usually gets their stage by stage times better, as there's no time to waste. The RF/AQT shooters that do real actually have plenty of time left over. The purpose is to get them to quit "fussing the shot".
And, those I see "gaming" the AQT are virtually never new shooters, but usually the guys that have been shooting for years, that really just want the patch so bad.
2 and 8? One clear and one black magazine. Or 2 clear ones.
Mag not dropping free? Wal-mart, Lowes, HD all have sandpaper in various grits.
Ammo problems? A little time at the range first to see what your weapon likes.