What is a Field Shoot?

[wildman]

Based on some of the questions post on various other topics here on the Home Range Events I realized not everyone knows what a Field Shoot is. That's understandable since the RWVA Range is only one place in the US that I know of where civilians can do what we do. A Field Shoot is a practical shooting exercise on reactive targets.

The targets are man size silhouettes that can appear and disappear on an electronic signal and are operated by a machine. This is the same hardware used by the US military. The amount of target visible to the shooter varies from head and torso to just head. The range to target can be anywhere from 100 to 500 yards.

At the field shoots we conduct different exercise in an attempt to challenge shooter with difficult shots under less than ideal circumstances. Shooter must engage target that are sometimes difficult to see because of size and light conditions. 

Typical exercises are:

8 Down: Shooter engages 8 targets at ranges of 200 and 300 yards in one minute.

Counter Attack: Shooters are broken into teams of three to four and from the firing line engage all targets. When all targets are dropped the team moves out on line down range and engages all targets as the appear. This will happen twice and when the team reaches the 100 berm they rush the berm and engage all targets. This is a timed exercise fastest team wins. We can do this with complete safety a range officer "chases" each team to insure they stay on line.

100 Yard Snap: Shooters stand on 100 yard berm and engages targets at a range of 100 yards from the off hand position. Shooter has 5 seconds to make the shot. 

1st Hit: Measures the shooter ability to engage targets from 200 to 500 yards with one shot. Shooters are broken into teams of three with one shooter, one spotter, and one scorer. The team rotates until all members have had a chance to shoot. This is excellent practice for the WW2 and Korean War Sniper Courses.

These are just a few of the exercises we are always coming up with new stuff like exploding pumpkins.

The training received at Field shoots is excellent. We try to help each other and have no problem with shooters that are just starting out and want to be better. However if you have no shooting skills we highly reccommend you go to at least one Appleseed prior to coming to a Field Shoot. We all had to start somewhere.

What type rifle should you bring?  A good military type rifle is what is needed. Bolt actions, gas rifles, of any national origin do well. The 5.56 ARs sometimes get hits but the fast bullet doesn't drop the target. ARs shooting the heavier bullets 62gr and 69gr do better. Now here is where I get into trouble. We have found that most AKs are not a good choice for shooting a longer ranges. I have no personal beef towards the AKs but they were not designed for shooting at longer ranges and most of them can't. There is always someone that has a AK variant and wants to tell me his does this or that. They think its a personal insult. Well its not intended as such I just hate to see someone spend the time and money to bring a rifle to a Field Shoot and not be able hit anything. If you have an AK and insist on bringing it come on.

Where is the RWVA Range? There is an excellent sticky on this forum on how to get to the range. Read it.

When does the shoot start? Every scheduled shoot starts at the same time 09:00 hours be there early and ready to go at 09:00. We don't wait on anyone and don't start over. You can come later but you'll miss what we have already covered. The morning begins with zero firing.

Range fee? The range fee is $45.00 attend 3 paid shoots in 09 and shoot the KWSC free.

What are your questions at this time?

[n00b]

How many rounds would one expect to run through at a Field Shoot?

Thanks,

n00b

[wildman]

How big a truck you got? There is no such thing as too much. I think 200 would be a minimum, depends on the shooter.

1st shot hits saves ammo.

[Precisely Advantageous]

Where can we attend one of these? nevermind I saw the top link.