Took an AR class yesterday

[Dash Riprock]

What a great time! 8 hours of AR shooting, can't beat that!! I will say though, that tactical training isn't near as easy as one might think it is!

Something interesting though, to deviate from the class topic a little.

There was this older guy in the class from Germany. He was talking about German gun control. He said you have to have a license to even buy a gun magazine (the kind you read!). The laws are so strict on legal gun ownership it's near impossible to legally buy guns there.

He talked about the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings here. Then he asked us if we heard about the guy in Germany that that murdered 36 students in a school with 9mm Beretta. Everyone said no, didn't hear about it.

He said of course you didn't. It wouldn't be politically correct. People aren't supposed to be able to get guns there.

He then said that you can't just walk into a store and buy anything gun related, but if you have the money I get you anything you want as soon as you step off the plane in Germany.

Want an MP5? No problem... How much ammo do you want? How many mags do you want? How many MP5's do you want?

I've been thinking about it since he said that. While we, law abiding citizens, have to jump through hoops to get a gun, and we're happy to do it in most cases simply because we want to be good little people, but it's insanely simple for the criminals to get guns.

[CBnL]

Welcome to the world of enlightenment!
Gun control isn't about guns... its about control.
What does the bumper sticker say?
"Armed people are citizens...
Unarmed people are subjects!"
That's basically correct.
The only reason government has to fear citizens owning guns is that they will be used overthrow the government due to its abusive treatment of its citizens.

[Sinatra877]

Was is a familiarization course or did they having you running back and forth doing bounding overwatches? Yeah, Germany has always been a bit tough on gun control. I bought an Anshutz competiton rifle while I was there and had to get the OK from the Provost Marshall and keep it in the Rod & Reel Club. It was a pain in the butt.

Even harder to find than weapons was anything that linked their Nazi past. Since I was intrigued by WWII stuff. My Squad Leader's German Wife did some checking around for me and introduced me to some flea markets out there where there was an underground sale of old items from the war.

I brought home a Fallschrimjager badge and a Knights Cross and a few coins from the era. I wish I could've brought back a MG-42 but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

[Dash Riprock]

They have an A&P course, but I don't really need that. AR's are pretty straight forward to learn the anatomy and such, but this was more running, stance, how to move, moving around corners, switching between the rifle and handgun, etc...

There was a short period in the beginning where we went over some things, but it was assumed we already had at least some experience with them.

It was a great time.

[Sinatra877]

Seems you went to a pretty good class. They taught the cutting the pie and angle deflections from walls and stuff huh? Did they do any team exercises and teach the clock or color method of engagement? Just curious.

Personally, I like shooting through drywall. You're really not trying unless you cheat. Good guy still wins.

[Dash Riprock]

All that stuff will probably be in Level II. Problem is getting people involved. These classes aren't exactly cheap so it could be a while before they have the next level. I hope not though, because I'm ready to go today!

They are pretty good. The instructors are military/ex-military and all are police instructors. Some I believe is on the Sheriff's Dept. SWAT team. State certified and NRA certified and the whole nine yards.

I also do IDPA and when you take classes like this it pretty much goes against all that is IDPA. Such as some of the rules in IDPA. We were going over mag changes and I wasn't letting the mags hit the ground because they still had ammo in them... In IDPA that's a procedural... Of course the the instructor let me know that stuff can get you killed in a gun fight.

"When bullets are flying at you what are you going to care about, firing back or if a mag hits the ground?"

Well, when ya look at it like that... :D

All in all, yeah the classes do cost a little money, but in the end it makes you think as well as gives you a respect for the guys that go through this training daily!

They are offering Dignitary Protection courses now that I'm thinking seriously about doing as well.

[Sinatra877]

Since you did it all the time during training, "muscle memory" will kick in during a real gunfight and you'll be coddling your mags too.

After a shootout with two bank robbers in Miami in 1986, one of the dead FBI agents was found near a rear bumper of a car. They noticed that he had picked up all his brass and stacked it side by side on the bumper and realized that he went to a class where the instructor didn't like spent brass on the range and had them stack it up side by side at their stations. It's weird but you'll have to drop those mags and leave them be. Plus combat reloads are important. You won't want to go to a fight with only five rounds remaining in a mag. Muscle memory could get you killed if you don't do what that instructor says.

It's just a thought.

[Dash Riprock]

Funny you mention that because in IDPA I got used to loading 10 rounds in my mags. Load to capacity in training isn't the same as loading to capaity in IDPA.

On the flip side I received a procedural in IDPA because I loaded a 17 rd. mag full and never changed mags... It gets confusing and a little embarassing at times.

So I definitely understand what you're saying.