Lessons learned on the Rifle Range!

31 Dec 07

Good lessons relearned. From a friend and Instructor:

"I participated in a 'tactical' rifle match down South Saturday. Yes, they're a bunch of cold-range gun-apologists, but it still gives me the opportunity to shoot under pressure on a course I didn't design.

I used my Robinson Arms XCR (223) with a forward-mounted EOTech, flip-up iron sights by Yankee Hill, and a Vickers two-point sling. It's set up exactly like yours, per your recommendation. Rifle, optic, and sling ran perfectly, and I discovered that I can easily and quickly achieve good hits on human targets from contact to two-hundred meters with this set up while avoidingthe clutches of tunnel vision.

But, there were challenges:

At the first stage, I had a sun-glare problem, as the rising sun was just a few degrees directly over my target. I could not find the red dot in my EOTech. I dithered around trying to adjust the brightness of the reticle. No joy! After a few seconds, I just used the red doughnut as a giant 'ghost ring.' I managed to make marginal hits on the 25-meter silhouette with this method. Afterwards, during a 'V-8 Experience,' I realizedI could have just flipped-up my iron sights and engaged the target precisely. I'd heard about this 'sun-glare phenomenon,' but I have to admit, the whole episode made me feel like a dunce! I ran the rest of the stages with the EOTech but with the front iron-sight post up (rear iron sight down), and that is, from now on,the default condition for my rifle. I had no other difficulties with my EOTech.

At another stage, I was making a magazine change while running, and I neglected to seat the magazine fully. Sure enough, seconds later as my target came into view, I experienced the classic bang-'click' syndrome,as I unhappily discovered I had a chamber full of thin air! When I hastily attempted to strike the bottom of the magazine, I, of course, discovered the magazine was not there, but was rather on the deck ten meters behind me. It had jettisoned itself without my notice. When administratively loading the rifle, I always briskly insert the magazine, push up until it seats and locks, and then pull down on it in order to assure that it is properly locked in place. Why don't I adhere to the same procedure when tactically reloading? Another embarrassing lesson learned!

The exercise allowed me to confirm that my current setup works, and works well. What I need to practice was blatantly brought to my attention, and my attention it shall get. I found what I need to improve and what I need to practice in order to maintain. I'll go back in the spring and reevaluatemy practice regimen. Maybe I'll do the whole thing with iron sights!"

Comment: Serious rifles need to be run and run hard! That is the only we can enjoy at least some confidence that they are going to serve us well at the critical time. Faults, when discovered, should be cause for rejoicing! When important lessons are firmly learned, and the only price we have to pay isa little personal embarrassment, it is a grand day indeed!

"I am a free man, regardless of what set of "rules"surround me. When I find them tolerable, I tolerate them. When I find them obnoxious, I ignore them. I remain free, because I know and understand that I alone bear full responsibility for everything I do, or chose not to do."

R Heinlein

/John