The weather: pretty much perfect.
The students: awesome!
This was an instructor only known distance event. These events are great for team building. But I think the best thing about these events is that they teach the instructors to be better instructors by realizing that what we teach really does work at all distances and that you really do need to have your sling that snug and your positions do need to be excellent to absorb the recoil.
We had 8 instructors on the line at the Hat Creek Rifle and Pistol Club range. Some had been before, some had not. All learned lots.
We got one AQT in on Saturday and Jack scored the first Rifleman score (hits count version) of 44.
Sunday opened with Ranging, Target Detection, Taking the shot, unknown distance exercise. It's a lot of fun and very educational for all. Learning how to measure distances using only your front sight, the reticle and lines in your scope, or other tools is very interesting. Darryl & Gareth "hid" cardboard targets out in the range, behind the berms, behind trees and a couple right out in the open. Some you could see without optics, some were very hard to see even with optics. Then...then there was him...standing between the trees, red uniform pristine...daring anyone to comment on his presence. Yes, a Red Coat officer. (see the picture below)
Morgan's Rifleman
Jason "CalLefty" joins the ranks of the KD Morgan's Rifleman.
Back to AQTs.
By the time the day was over 6 out of 8 students had score KD rifleman.
Jack 44 (Saturday)
Jason (Okayishrifleman) 40 (yes was given the Northbridge treatment), 42, 40, 42,40
Jason (CalLefty) 41
Darryl 44
Gareth 43
Missy 42
At the end of the day, we cleaned up and bid farewell to another wonderful learning event.
Thank you very much to Gareth, Darryl, Bill & Jack for setting up on Friday!
Thank you to all for helping to tear down and clean up.
Great work Joe, Gareth & Darryl for the classroom/range exercise Sunday AM.
Congratulations to all who scored KD Rifleman.
Thanks Jason for the pictures on the link: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCNURu
This looks like such a fun event, and a really scenic range. I didn't feel ready yet this year, mostly due to being barely familiar with my new centerfire rifle, but I will be sure to go next year.
Do I see someone on the line with a BR4, Foxtrot Mike, or other similar AR-adjacent "ranch rifle"? It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like it might be. I have a new Fightlite SCR I'm only beginning to set up, and I'm unsure how the ergonomics are going to work out in different positions. We will see. I was curious if someone in the pictures was shooting something similar.
Hi Fulcrum,
Wow, you have sharp eyes to have seen the Fitelight SCR on the line. I don't have a normal AR, so this is my compliance method. I love the traditional wood stock. I'm using an Aero 16" upper with an LPVO. The photo shows the Magpul RLS sling, but I went back to a standard USGI sling.
This is the second year I've used this rifle at the KD, and I have a lot more experience with it. The bolt release is not easy for me to use with my right (trigger) hand. And no, the Magpul BAD level doesn't work on the SCR. The magazine well is not easy to insert magazines while slung in prone. Other instructors said to take the rifle off my shoulder to do a mag change, and then reshoulder it. That worked a lot better, but it's still slow. I think the worst thing about other ranch rifles is that the comb height is very low compared to where the sights are. There is no hope of a cheek weld without building up the stock. Obviously mounting the sights/scope as low as possible will help, but you'll still need a cheek riser. I also had to add the rear sling swivel. I used a Magpul sling swivel for the front.
I think I still need more time behind the rifle to sort out AQT stage 2 and 3. But it was good enough this year! And good enough for Daniel Morgan too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55168275666_a245ec33ed_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s42QjE)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55167376687_9d47a5df20_w.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s3Xe62)
Thanks for the reply regarding the SCR! I'm excited to see someone else using one, and I didn't spot it on the line by luck -- I was definitely looking to see if anyone brought one. I don't own an AR either, and I decided to go the ranch file route for CA compliance.
I'm just starting to get it set up. I've added an adjustable cheek riser to the polymer stock (no more nice wood stocks from the factory, sadly), and I think I will be able to get a decent eye alignment. I have a USGI sling for it, with a Magpul QD cup sling mount in front on the hand guard and a QD swivel in the rear that plugs into the QD cup included on the polymer stock. I have a very nice new scope as well, but I'm setting that up first on my 1022 for a Rimfire KD in May in Sacramento. Later in the year, I'll switch the scope over to the SCR and try to get in some practice with that rifle at some of the 25m events so I can get used to it and be ready to try it out next year at the IBC and/or the IKD. I'm on a journey!
I do think the ergonomics of the SCR might be a bit awkward. For me, unshouldering the rifle will not be something new, because I pretty much have to do that to insert a mag in my 1022. But that bolt release is going to be awkward. I'm trying to figure out if I can reach it with my thumb behind the mag or other trigger-side finger or if it makes more sense to use the charging handle. It's not great either way. And overall, the rifle just might be bit long for me. I guess with a traditional AR, you can adjust the stock so your nose is on the charging handle -- you can't with the SCR. And the way the trigger is moved back to work with the traditional stock, it means the mag is forward another 1.5" or so from where it would be on an AR. My arms are not long, so I'll need to get more time practicing to see how well it will work.
Thanks again for your insights on the SCR, and maybe I will see you at the next instructor KD or another event this year.
Hi Fulcrum,
Yes, you are reminding me about other things I had to accommodate with the SCR. Because we want our scope mounted low (not high like a normal AR with straight buffer/comb), the scope will make using a rear charging handle more difficult. And especially if your left (support) hand is slung tight, you need to get an amibidextrous charging handle with large grips so you can use it with the right (trigger) hand.
And yes, the SCR makes me stretch out my support hand farther forward than I might have liked because the magazine well location. I figured out that I can get a stable position with support elbow under the rifle if I wear a glove, hold the closest part of the hand guard, and rest the front edge of the magazine on my forearm. To prevent my support hand from sliding forward on the handguard, I put some Magpul hand stops (installed backwards). This seems to help a lot in prone.
I'm getting used to it, and I think I'm making it work. With the stock shouldered in prone, my turkey neck face is definitely not "nose to charging handle". It's further back like on a non-AR. My scope is still as far forward as I can get on low mounts. The fit of the whole rifle still doesn't "click" for me like my other rifles, but I'm getting adjusted to it. And it was good enough ultimately.
Good luck with your SCR journey.
Cal Lefty,
I did buy a Radian ambidextrous charging handle during the "panic buy parts" period late last year, and it definitely made it easier to manipulate the charging handle. I'll just have to get more time using the rifle to figure out the rest. Unfortunately, because the SCR is rare to find in retail shops, I had to buy it sight unseen online. Maybe if I'd had a chance to check it out beforehand, I might have gone a different way, but I still like the rifle and am looking forward to actually shooting it in positions.
Quote from: NorCal22Gal on March 25, 2026, 11:22:24 AMJason (Okayishrifleman) 40 (yes was given the Northbridge treatment)
Username checks out
Quote from: OkayishRifleguy on March 31, 2026, 07:57:26 PMQuote from: NorCal22Gal on March 25, 2026, 11:22:24 AMJason (Okayishrifleman) 40 (yes was given the Northbridge treatment)
Username checks out
Opps sorry Jason!! But you are a great Rifleman.
Awesome! This looks like a great event! Congratulations to all the KD Riflemen!
Quote from: OkayishRifleguy on March 31, 2026, 07:57:26 PMQuote from: NorCal22Gal on March 25, 2026, 11:22:24 AMJason (Okayishrifleman) 40 (yes was given the Northbridge treatment)
Username checks out
You may have been a bit modest with the username... You're pretty good at this!