Went to my first shoot, then came back the second time as a Blue Hat helping with admin and setup. To pay the bills while I look for a career out of school, I happen to be working at Cabela's and thus have a notable discount on a large variety of shooting supplies and gear. To pay things forward, I'm looking for a grocery list of items that Red Hats would find handy for running lines, helping new shooters, or handling minor repairs. I know most instructors already have it covered, just looking to do my part and have some spares just in case. I can't find a used 10/22 to turn into a loaner just yet, for now keep it to smaller items that are obvious or not so obvious to those in-the-know.
Shooting Mats are a great loaner.
extra 10/22 magazines are also a good thing.
extra Military slings are also a Plus
QD sling swivels are good
cow bell
duct tape
vet wrap/pipe foam
sight tools/multitools/gun tools/cleaning kits w/oil & solvent
cheap binocs/spotting scopes
bipod/sandbag for little ones to use if needed
the stuff tom listed
zip ties
Muffs
Glasses
I second the cowbell. I really could have used one this weekend.
Water.
AR sight tool for use with Techsites and AR's.
But mostly water.
cheap slip-on knee and elbow pads
baseball or boonie hats from Goodwill
10/22 extractor, plunger and spring replacements.
Seems every other shoot someone rips out an ECI on a closed bolt and looses these parts.
BIG can CLP. Many shrink wrapped rifles and grandpa's rifles (not cleaned in decades). Not a substitute for cleaning but will get them thru the weekend.
Foam ear plugs (include lesson for usage) eye protection.
OFF!
Sun Screen.
Extra sandwich (someone forgot or is planning to go out)
Ammo. You'd be amazed how many show up with 1 box instead of 1 brick of .22's.
Sweat shirts, gloves and jackets if cold. Seen people show up in 30* dressed to walk the dog around the block, not lie on the dirt all day and shoot.
In short if you would need/want it at a shoot bring an extra because I will guarantee that someone on the line didn't bring one for themselves.
2cl
In the last few shoots I've helped out with, the following items got the most use.
1. Tech sight adjustment tool.
2. Vet wrap (I purchase this by the 4 pack at Tractor Supply Co in the vet aisle, some of you probably don't have a Tractor Supply Co nearby, check vet supply places.)
3. Pool noodles (very cheap and plentiful during the summer at the dollar stores, $1 buys something like 5 feet of pool noodle) to build up the stock.
4. Screw driver set, I have a mini set from Harbor Freight.
5. Tape (I bring a roll of duct tape and a roll of masking tape), the duct tape is for DIY name tags, the masking tape is for those that want something to put over their dominate eye if they are cross dominate.
6. Markers (jumbo size black markers)
7. Small paper pad (for those that always forget to bring something to write on to adjust their IMCs)
8. Ear plugs
9. Sun screen
10. Bug spray
11. Bottles of water (you'll be surprised at the number of people coming out for a full day and bring only 1 or 2 small bottles of water).
12. Small bottle of lube, remoil or CLP.
13. Bore snake.
I have also seen the following get loaned and used a lot and wish I could get some more sometime later to provide to others.
1. Sling swivels
2. GI sling
3. Bandages
4. Mats (I use mover blankets from harbor freight, big enough for me to lay on and has other uses).
5. Rod or something to check for obstructions. I worked a shoot in LA where they used weed wacker line, that was a great idea to just check for obstructions. I haven't seen a squib load at a shoot I've attended but I've seen squibs before in other places. Having a hard rod of some kind would be very helpful.
Staple gun and ammo for it.
Pens, sharpies, dry erase markers
Knife
stopwatch
Any setup to get a gi sling on a 795 or 10/22
blue loctite
Don't bring anything you don't mind not getting back...because it's going to dissappear. It's nobody's fault, it just happens.
Quote from: Uncle Davey on September 30, 2014, 05:43:50 PM
Don't bring anything you don't mind not getting back...because it's going to dissappear. It's nobody's fault, it just happens.
For things like slings and mags that I want back I take a deposit of car keys.
2cl
Good idea O0
Perhaps it is time to update our "How To Prepare For An Event" page. ;)
Sundance, thanks for the offer to help. Anything you think you wish you had brought as a shooter or borrowed from someone would be great. Your gift of time is one of the best things you can bring! I truly appreciate your help.
If you brought everything everyone suggested, you quite possible would be broke and would not be able to sleep in your car because it would be full of all that gear!!!!
Look forward to seeing you again. (You can borrow my shooting mat again if you need it!) ;)
I swear I'm getting my own mat as soon as Midway has another sale! Just chasing down those last few dollars to save. For those not in-the-know, Boston is kidding about how I showed up to two shoots with a Walmart sleeping bag as a shooting mat. Horribly inconsistent prone positioning, but man was I comfortable.
Luckily enough I've been able to get a small hoard of .22 going because I'm usually working when we get a shipment in. We tend to get bricks of Winchester in which I'm not too fond of, those are great for giving away. We also get tons of Thunderbolt in...I just let those stay on the shelf, giving those away would be cruel. We don't have many of the wonderfully affordable things the shoots utilize such as GI slings, but maintenance materials are the easiest and cheapest.
To be honest a lot of this is me just being a gear collector in general, this allows me a guilt-free budget for things to fill my safe with and tinker with. I could have poured all this into just tricking out my Ruger to get the patch, would rather it be more beneficial.
The best things that an instructor can bring is the same as the best thing that a student can bring, an open mind and a good work ethic.
Learn how to diagnose positions, learn what is important in the shot process. Learn what people like Jim Owens and David Tubb say about shooting. Maybe attend a CMP SAFS at Camp Perry, OH, Camp Butner, NC, Oklahoma, Georgia or Raton, NM. Put all of that information together and learn to be the best coach that you can be. Then watch the shooter and correct what NEEDS correcting. HINT: dragging wood may or may not be a problem for a shooter, but lack of sight alignment, NPOA, a bad position, are. Part of the job is knowing what is important and then watching the shooter and the results and making the corrections that will bring the best results.
Here's a story for you all.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's former Master Instructor and VA SC, VAShooter was on the Navy Shooting team. Part of their summer job was to teach Midshipman at the USNA to shoot. On the pistol side, each instructor had 30 minutes per day for 5 days with each student. On the 5th day they shot a qualification course with the 1911 and hardball ammunition. His results were a 70% expert qualification rate with 18 year olds, many of whom were shooting for the first time. I discovered back in 2009 that we could do the same thing with Appleseed. If you have the staff, put your best instructors on coaching shooters. Spend some time watching the shooter and his results, then offer constructive coaching. It works!
Quote from: Boston on September 30, 2014, 08:44:50 PM
Anything you think you wish you had brought as a shooter or borrowed from someone would be great.
This right here is probably the best advice. Some stuff like extra pens/markers and ear pro is good to have for a blue hat, but try not to bring everything and the kitchen sink right away. Once you work a couple shoots you'll get a good handle on what is good for you to bring.
I haven't done the car keys thing yet, but I have made shooters fill out my form titled "I borrowed this equipment from the instructors and I promise to give it back."