Went last week.
Basically the past four or five years of trying to be better with a rifle has been 100% self taught. Running on Gods Grace and luck. Having good equipment but not much skill.
Equipment failures
My goal was to have the Rokstok CTR I'd ordered in January and use Atlas bdm with aics mags... yeah that didn't happen.
Instead I bought a Rok from a buddy and got Red Snake tactical bdm. I function tested it Friday before I left and it seemed to work.
After we tore the rifles apart Sunday night though it seems I just have not had the full 65lb on the action screws. The one plastic aics mag I had worked great but not the three metal ones. Those hanged down too low. Frick! Form Daddy lent me a school gun until we could swap my gun to another Rok and mamba mags.
Holy buckets I've never used a rifle in such horrible conditions. Nothing besides north central MT moon dust. We had horizontal rain a couple of the days. Form yelling at me to reset and prep but the bolt was starting to have a hard time throwing from all the
in the action
Like I'm trying Boss but she dirty
I'm glad I went on Amazon and ordered elbow pads. I thought it was my technique shooting prone that always leaves my elbows tore up. But I guess it's normal. I taped my elbows and used my pads as much as I could. Also knee pads.
Pre test reminds me of why I try and always hunt in an ambush situation. And if I'm working coulees to jump deer I already have my trekking poles ready. It was tricky too in the hurry up situations at the course because there was no animal behavior to read. You couldn't go bbbblllllaaaahhh at the instructor to buy some time
Or you didn't really know how much time you had to build a position.
Throughout the week I was shown how much I suck. But I took it as what I need to train on this summer.
Shooting prone was a butt kicker. Which surprised me.
Wasn't a fan of using rear bag. Normally when I shoot I rest my hand on an ammo box or a firmer Cole tac bag then hold the stock. Finally on Wednesday night I was shown how to keep your bino harness on and hook your offhand fingers into the pouch and hold the rifle. Maybe even rest the stock on the binos.
Another game chamber was Form showing me how to use some stretching bandaging tape and foam to wrap my stocks. Build up the cheek riser and the tape adds some grip on the bottom of the stock. This and the one time he came by and was like dude, drive the stock up into your cheek. That way you'll have control of the rifle to reset and prep.
I ordered the neoprene piece from UM and some skate tape to modify my 6 UM. Though I'd used cardboard and the same bandage wrap to get through Friday. I think with my tiny hands I have a hard time man handling the stock. So I need a lot of texture to hold onto. Or when I shoot my Sig Cross I can just hook my thumb and index finger in the stock.
Also the other thing I struggle with was body positioning for prone. I usually try and get close then adjust as I get on the ground. Not sure how many times my knees would hit dirt and it seemed like I was already hearing "BODY POSITION!!!!!" Like dang dawg I'm not even on the ground.
But there was even more times when I was legit in my position and they'd be like your hips are a foot off.
Learning seated unsupported was fun. I grew up with, if you can't use a rest then don't shoot. Thursday evening I hit at 700+ on a second attempt in this position. Shout out to Form for making sure we all found away to make this position work for our own body types. For me I have to cant the rifle. Which is wild.
Reset n prep
Never thought I'd ever be yelled at to put my finger on the trigger
Form had us all on the line to dry fire train prep and reset. He's like the previous class couldn't get this and I had them out until 2 am! He's like I just want 10 good reset and preps. If someone makes a mistake I'm going to start the entire group over. Thanks to 30 some years of being told to keep my finger off the trigger until I'm actually pressing a shot I had my class restart twice
Their optics system is definitely optimized for that style of hunting and I definitely don't disagree with it. But doubt I'll be able to buy big binos this year and ranging binos. Buying the handheld Revic was a big jump for me last year. There's gotta be a good way to get better and getting the big angled spotter out fast and aiming it. But I hunt solo too. When I take my kids they're shooting inside 300 yards.
I've got a lot of stuff to work on. Since I put up the longbow this year instead of shooting after work I'll be doing dry drills in the evenings. Also passing this stuff to my kids.
in the action
Like I'm trying Boss but she dirty
