Training Courses Arena Training Facility-Long Range Precision Rifle Class

If anyone is unsure about this let me shed some light on who Robert is. I consider him a friend as well as a mentor and there few if any who are more qualified to teach long range precision rifle. From winning the king of two mile, to many podium finishes at national 2 day PRS matches, Robert’s skills and knowledge run deep. He is also one of the absolute nicest guys in the industry and doesn’t have an ounce of arrogance to him that so many Instructors exhibit and intimidate students. You can buy all the gear you want but nothing is more valuable than training from a top level pro shooter. Take this class with extreme confidence. I also agree with Robert that this is one of top ranges in the country and I made the drive from New York down to Georgia twice a year to go shoot there because I enjoyed it so much. The on-site lodging is as convenient as it gets as well.

Will you be doing any other training days in 2023?

Thank you. I’m trying to get a bunch of guys from my team to make the trip and train together. Please keep me updated, so I can try to coordinate my guys together.

Do want. Lemme know if space opens up. I’m in North Alabama.

In for next available class info.

You ever shot at Alabama Precision, where Alabama Arsenal YT shoots? It's in Carbon Hill.

TheHorta said:

Do want. Lemme know if space opens up. I’m in North Alabama.

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AK74U said:

You ever shot at Alabama Precision, where Alabama Arsenal YT shoots? It's in Carbon Hill.

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Never. It’s not too far from here. I need some training in LR/ELR before I embarrass myself in front of others.

TheHorta said:

Never. It’s not too far from here. I need some training in LR/ELR before I embarrass myself in front of others.

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Naaaah. (Said with heavy Russian accent): Piece of pie, easy as cake, comrade.

TheHorta said:

Do want. Lemme know if space opens up. I’m in North Alabama.

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As well as southern middle Tennessee!

My in-laws live in Blakely, so I’d like to turn a visit into fun. My first choice would be Basic Precision Rifle, then PRS.
Thanks

Long range and precision rifle

RobertB said:

Hey y’all, we’re definitely looking at doing some more. Thinking early May if possible for the next!

Any particular flavor of shooting y’all wanting?

PRS?
Long range hunting?
Basic precision rifle?

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I’m looking for PRS

RobertB said:

Hey y’all, we’re definitely looking at doing some more. Thinking early May if possible for the next!

Any particular flavor of shooting y’all wanting?

PRS?
Long range hunting?
Basic precision rifle?

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If you do it in early May, I will try to be the first one signed up. I was the one who asked on FB if this was an appropriate class for a beginner that has never shot past 550 yards. Once I talked to the wife about it (budget, and all that, lol), I went back to sign up and it was full. PLUS The Arena is only a little over two hours of driving for me.

So, as for your question about particular flavor, anything that teaches me what I need to be doing and provides me some of the basic skill sets so that I can start becoming more familiar with how to shoot a precision rifle at distance . . . it sounds like the March class would have been perfect for that.

Already signed up! Eager to learn.

Review.

Two day precision rifle course taught by Robert Brantley at The Arena Training Facility in Blakely, Georgia.


This is an excellent training facility that has everything you need for any kind of weapons training and caters to military customers (everything from enough acreage on the ground for airborne assaults to close quarters indoor battle with catwalks for instructors overhead, to a 40 foot tall shooting platform with about a mile and a half shooting range).

The class starts with the fundamentals, setting up your equipment, how to use a data solver, setting up your rifle and optics for your own body, obtaining a zero on the rifle, muzzle velocity, and so on, before proceeding out to the UKD range and engaging targets at distance.

We then shot, starting off the bench with a bipod and sand bag, at various distances, starting at 400 yards or so and moving out to 619, 850, and then . . . The course went to 1217 yards (3651 feet, so over half a mile, .6914772 miles), and I was pretty easily engaging the man-sized target, so I ended up switching over to what I called "The Little Piggy" and found I could hit that, too.

Reading the wind was emphasized heavily during this portion. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought. I assumed that if the wind is blowing left to right, that it changes the point of impact to the right, and that is all. I was not aware that it also changes the elevation, and the change is different depending upon the direction of the wind. This does not really show up at the distances I had shot previously (out to about 525 yards), but it does show up beyond that.

Then we moved to positional shooting off various barricades, like the skill set barricade, the stairs, rocks, and so on. Robert Brantley spent a good deal of time with us on getting on target more quickly and being more stable in positions, which are the main reasons I took the course.

I improved in every way, and reached out much further than I ever had.

My rifle went down during the course. It appears that bad primers (half a dozen were pierced) blew metal back and killed my trigger, so that the gun fired when chambering.

The instructor, Robert Brantley, had not only a new trigger with him, but ammunition to fit my gun (minus the defective primers), so we tore it down and got it back up and running. He also had the owners of the action company and the trigger company on speed dial and was able to speak and text them, on a weekend, to narrow down the cause of the malfunction and get the rifle running again. He reached out to a contact at Hornady, but they did not reply over the weekend.

Recommendation - this class was outstanding. If you are interested in getting into precision rifle, I recommend taking a course from Robert. It is not a problem if you do not have a rifle. He brings with him at least four rifles properly equipped for precision rifle shooting. In fact, I used one while my rifle was down - Trump Stick 1, a Defiance action and Bartlein barrel on a custom red, white and blue camouflage Manners stock, which I understand is the only one of the series of three not in the hands of a Trump family member (Eric and Donald Jr. own the other two). it is visible in the photograph below.

Do not hesitate to take a class from Robert Brantley. He is serious about teaching, and he alters his course to meet the needs of the students in front of him and address those needs.


Me shooting off the rocks Sunday. Kneepads, but still cut up my knees (you can see the right one is slipped down, but I kept at what I was doing). That is a mud and rock slope under me with over six feet of change in elevation. We were learning here to engage two targets at two different distances from five different positions. Get on target, stability, holdover, etc., were skills being developed here under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor.

And now I see my elbow was not on my knee, so I was missing a point of stability I might have taken advantage of . . .

Learning, learning, learning

Will you be coming to any of the open range days?

Malum Prohibitum said:

Review.

Two day precision rifle course taught by Robert Brantley at The Arena Training Facility in Blakely, Georgia.

Arena Training Facility | The Leading Choice for Elite Training

Arena's multi-purpose training complex is the leading choice for elite training for Military, Law Enforcement, and Civilians in the Southeast.

arenatrainingfacility.com

This is an excellent training facility that has everything you need for any kind of weapons training and caters to military customers (everything from enough acreage on the ground for airborne assaults to close quarters indoor battle with catwalks for instructors overhead, to a 40 foot tall shooting platform with about a mile and a half shooting range).

The class starts with the fundamentals, setting up your equipment, how to use a data solver, setting up your rifle and optics for your own body, obtaining a zero on the rifle, muzzle velocity, and so on, before proceeding out to the UKD range and engaging targets at distance.

We then shot, starting off the bench with a bipod and sand bag, at various distances, starting at 400 yards or so and moving out to 619, 850, and then . . . The course went to 1217 yards (3651 feet, so over half a mile, .6914772 miles), and I was pretty easily engaging the man-sized target, so I ended up switching over to what I called "The Little Piggy" and found I could hit that, too.

Reading the wind was emphasized heavily during this portion. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought. I assumed that if the wind is blowing left to right, that it changes the point of impact to the right, and that is all. I was not aware that it also changes the elevation, and the change is different depending upon the direction of the wind. This does not really show up at the distances I had shot previously (out to about 525 yards), but it does show up beyond that.

Then we moved to positional shooting off various barricades, like the skill set barricade, the stairs, rocks, and so on. Robert Brantley spent a good deal of time with us on getting on target more quickly and being more stable in positions, which are the main reasons I took the course.

I improved in every way, and reached out much further than I ever had.

My rifle went down during the course. It appears that bad primers (half a dozen were pierced) blew metal back and killed my trigger, so that the gun fired when chambering.

The instructor, Robert Brantley, had not only a new trigger with him, but ammunition to fit my gun (minus the defective primers), so we tore it down and got it back up and running. He also had the owners of the action company and the trigger company on speed dial and was able to speak and text them, on a weekend, to narrow down the cause of the malfunction and get the rifle running again. He reached out to a contact at Hornady, but they did not reply over the weekend.

Recommendation - this class was outstanding. If you are interested in getting into precision rifle, I recommend taking a course from Robert. It is not a problem if you do not have a rifle. He brings with him at least four rifles properly equipped for precision rifle shooting. In fact, I used one while my rifle was down - Trump Stick 1, a Defiance action and Bartlein barrel on a custom red, white and blue camouflage Manners stock, which I understand is the only one of the series of three not in the hands of a Trump family member (Eric and Donald Jr. own the other two). it is visible in the photograph below.

Do not hesitate to take a class from Robert Brantley. He is serious about teaching, and he alters his course to meet the needs of the students in front of him and address those needs.


Me shooting off the rocks Sunday. Kneepads, but still cut up my knees (you can see the right one is slipped down, but I kept at what I was doing). That is a mud and rock slope under me with over six feet of change in elevation. We were learning here to engage two targets at two different distances from five different positions. Get on target, stability, holdover, etc., were skills being developed here under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor.

View attachment 8145081

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AK74U said:

Will you be coming to any of the open range days?

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Yes, very likely will.

Great, we'll put your new knowledge to the test!

Malum Prohibitum said:

Yes, very likely will.

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Being a retired educator, Robert quite effectively gets difficult, and quite technical information across in a manner that is understandable and engaging.

He is a hands on fellow who won’t quit and wont let his students quit.

He is a fine fellow to boot.

So, despite my son not doing what I asked (wack me upside the head if I did not keep my mouth shut) I did some things I never dreamed I could do, repeated them this past Thursday and Sunday at Altus, and felt a tinge of sadness when we were driving away from Arena

Money well spent.

When is the next one?

Don’t know if y’all have seen this

by all accounts, it was a pretty big match

Wiillk said:

Don’t know if y’all have seen this

by all accounts, it was a pretty big match

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Congrats, Robert!

Tagging for more classes down here in GA - trying to get better at this whole long distance thing!

Where in GA are you located?

AK74U said:

Where in GA are you located?

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Athens!

Closest range to you to my knowledge is Gunsite Hills in Lexington. Heard Chief is a good guy as long as you follow the rules. No experience myself though. I think his range goes out to 800 yards.

AK74U said:

Closest range to you to my knowledge is Gunsite Hills in Lexington. Heard Chief is a good guy as long as you follow the rules. No experience myself though. I think his range goes out to 800 yards.

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I'm definitely headed that way soon. Have heard mostly good things. He's only 20 minutes from me.

Hour and a half plus for me. Let us know how the range is.

RKM556 said:

I'm definitely headed that way soon. Have heard mostly good things. He's only 20 minutes from me.

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He’s done it again. Two in a row.

Congratulations!

Wow, impressive!

@RobertB Will you be coming back to Arena in 2024? Would love to sign up next year.

Rommel Garcia said:

@RobertB Will you be coming back to Arena in 2024? Would love to sign up next year.

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You won't regret taking a class from him wherever he hosts it.