<span style="font-weight: bold">Event</span>: Precision Tactical Rifle (PTR) Training at Central Virginia Tactical (CVT), 25-27 Jul 2012
<span style="font-weight: bold">Executive Summary</span>: Completed a 3-day Basic PTR course at CVT (www.centralvirginiatactical.com) in Louisa, VA. Instructed and led by Ed Shell, the Event consisted of two students of varying degrees of long-range and hunting experience. I ran a Sako TRG42 300WM and USO SN-3 EREK 3.8-22, Mil-GAP, 58mm Objective (34mm) with 0.1mRad turrets coupled to a SPUHR 24MOA mount. My shooting partner (Lexington) drove a FNH SPR A2 .308 with USO ST-17 CMR with 0.1mRad turrets linked to USO rings. I was equipped with 250rds of handloads (208gr AMAX over RWS and Norma brass, 2960/70 MV) and Lexington settled on 350rds of FGMM 175gr.
We ranged, engaged, and impacted steel targets at UNK distances from 300 to 1000+ yds. Awesome! We watched Ed work the wind and then learned how to make wind calls for our teammate and deliver hits. Excellent.
The training at CVT was the most detailed and comprehensive level of rifle instruction I've ever completed. Ed Shell is a top-tier instructor and shooter/spotter. Always the professional and gentleman, his coaching style expertly guided us to the answers sought. The facilities (classroom/shop, range/farm) and challenging environmental conditions (terrain, wind, heat/humidity, rain), coupled to Ed's real-world experiences and marksmanship expertise, made the 3-day course a blast! If you are seeking an outstanding long range rifle training Instructor from one hell of a great guy, highly recommend investing the time to learn from Ed Shell at Central Virginia Tactical.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Training Objectives</span>:
- Weapon safety during rifle handling, shooting, and maintenance
- Selection, knowledge, and configuration checkout of equipment (rifle, scope/rings/base, bipod)
- Building and maintaining a repeatable shooter position (body blading, LOP, shoulder pocket, comb height, finger pressure, eye relief, rear bag) and basic markmanship skills (sight alignment, NPA, focus on sight, trigger pressure/control, follow through) to “unitized” the shooter/rifle
- Theory and practical exercises of angled fire (RR, Modified RR, Scope Elevation Method)
- Theory and effect of ballistics (interior, exterior~flight, terminal~hits) and modeling of G1/G7 BCs
- Theory and effect of meteorological parameters (physical altitude, temperature, barometric pressure, DA, RH) on air density and bullet drop
- Theory and use of Mil-Dot Master, (XR-MILSPEC) FDAC, and Ballistic FTE for iPhone
- Theory and effect of wind on ballistics. Establishing “wind calls” based on tactile/visual indicators and formulas for vectored wind values (0, 0.5, 0.707, 0.866, 1.0)
- Theory and application for setting parallax and correcting for Magnus Effect (Bernoulli's Principle), spin drift, and Coriolis effect
- Theory and practical exercises of mRad and MOA ranging on UNK range targets.
- Range card development and use, with extensibility to data book logging
- Establish scope “zero” at 100yd range
- Ranging and engaging UNK distance steel targets (various shapes/sizes) from 300 to 1000+ yds with elevation/windage adjustments via dialing and holdovers
- Communication protocol for shooter/spotter Team
- AR500 target construction and maintenance
- Rifle operation, maintenance, and care/cleaning
<span style="font-weight: bold">Schedule</span>:
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 1</span> (T=93degF, 87% RH, 2500' DA, clear skies)
We met at the Mineral Restaurant in Mineral, VA at 0745 for introductions and breakfast. Over the meal, we provided Ed with a slice of our backgrounds and overall goals for the course. Ed discussed his background and recent activites with CVT. A really nice way to begin our course of instruction! After a great country-style breakfast, we proceeded to Ed's CVT facility to start our training at 0815.
His facility, part classroom and part gunsmith/reload shop, was an ideal location for the didactic portion of the PTR course. After first setting the stage in proper firearm safety/handling, Ed segued into checking our equipment readiness. He inspected our rifles, scopes, rings, and bases from top to bottom for proper fit, form, and function. Upon inspection, Ed noticed that the scope rings on Lexington's USO ST-17 needed adjustment. Ed removed the scope and rings, lapped the rings, and then remounted the scope. Learned how to lap rings. Perfect!
Next, we worked to establish our prone marksmanship position. Working from the shooter to the target, we aligned (bladed) our body behind the rifle while Ed checked our LOP and buttstock-to-shoulder interface. Each shooter required an additional 1 to 2 inches LOP adjustment. Ed was kind enough to lend each shooter a rubberized LOP spacer for the duration of the training. With our LOPs set, Ed then focused on our comb heights and eye reliefs. My TRG42 already had a 10mm comb height spacer, but the .308 rifle required 1.5in of height for compliance. Ed cut/affixed a foam spacer to the FNH. GTG. Following, he adjusted the eye relief on one of our rifles. Next, we set our rear bags before proceeding to dry-firing. For the next hour we discussed, established, and repeatedly executed the basic markmanship skills (sight alignment, NPA, focus on sight, trigger pressure/control, follow through) in order to “unitized” the shooter/rifle combination. Time was flying and we were just getting started!
At the white board and armed with 308/300WM charts and reference data/books, Ed launched into the core topics covering rifle-level, angled fire, ballistics, environmental parameters, the wind, parallax, ELR considerations (Magnus Effect, Spin Drift, Coriolis Effect), and mRad/MOA ranging on UNK range targets. Being technically-minded, each shooter started/stopped Ed numerous times for Q&A. He led you to the answer, but did not give it away. He took us as far down the rabbit hole as we wanted. I really enjoyed his interpretation of reading The Wind, complete with the tactile and visual indicators. Golden! His math was always spot on....way before each of the shooters had figured it out. The practical exercises from the CVT handouts were challenging and highly effective. An aside: Ed's instructor style reminds me of my favorite physicist -Dr. Richard Feynman- of CalTech. Ed, like Dr. Feynman, relishes the “joy in finding things out” teaching style with his students. Always patient and never rushed, Ed made concepts as simple as possible but no simpler.
We concluded Day 1 at 1730. Scored dinner at a local restaurant and then proceeded to establish our camp at www.smallcountry.com. Located :15 from CVT, the campground was clean, inexpensive, and professionally hosted. Erected our tents, blazed a fire, and rested. A great and productive day!
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 2</span> (T=97degF, RH 92%, 3000' DA, clear skies)
After another excellent breakfast amidst a friendly staff at the Mineral Restaurant, we proceeded directly to the farm (range) arriving at 0830. The farm is a gem of a landscape, replete with rolling hills, multi-directional winds, and varying terrain from the FFP to targets. Beautiful Virginia farmlands.
Prior to any weapons handling Ed briefed us on the range protocol, weapons safety, medical/first-aid kit, and emergency communications. In addition, he stressed continuous hydration and the use of DWO to combat tics. Ed scanned the farm for scene safety, verified no personnel were downrange, and declared the range “hot”. Each shooter then invested multiple rounds to establish a zero at the 100yd range. Lexington had his 308 dialed in after only a handful of rounds. Good work. My Atlas bipod has a loose set screw and my ear-style leather bag (non-conforming) was challenging me. Thanks to Ed's keen eye, he linked my bullseye problem to an equipment anomaly. He immediately fixed the problem, by removing the bipod from the rifle and tightening the screw. Also, Ed's array of rear bags allowed both shooters to rip a solid group at 100yds and zero out the W/E turrets on the USO glasses. GTG. Next, we proceeded to the upper elevation of the farm to our FFP for steel target engagements.
All of our targets, consisting of AR500 steel of various sizes/shapes, were positioned downrange at 300 to 1000+ yds. The targets were small. I will not disclose the actual sizes and distances out of courtesy to Ed and CVT. I determined early on Ed's “aim small, miss small” mindset was indeed true. Positioned beneath two 10ft x 10ft tents, we started to range each of the UNK distance targets. Given target dimensions, we measured target height vs target width via our reticles and then applied range estimation formulae for mRad and MOA to arrive at a range. I especially enjoyed this phase, as a significant difference between the range determined via width and height required pause for concern. Re-ranging, averaging, or “does it matter”? Ed regularly drilled us on parallax setup and rifle-level during ranging. I learned the importance of employing the basic marksmanship position to steady the reticle while mensurating a target. Ah! The classroom discussions were being put into practice at the farm! Most importantly, Ed encouraged us to range to the nearest 1/100mil, as the impact of a few hundredths 'delta' at long range would trend towards a missed first shot. After each shooter measured a target and provided his results (on the DL) to Ed, he would give us the actual distance to the target. This way, each shooter independently arrived at a estimated range without bias.
After each of the targets was measured and the actual distance recorded, we determined our bullet drop for each target. I primarily used XR-MILSPEC FDAC, approximating the 208gr AMAX with the available data published on the 2900fps 338LM 250gr Scenar card. Note: Taylor White's FDAC is based on a 100m zero with ranges given in meters. As a backup, I employed Ballistic FTE via iPhone. The manual (FDAC) and electronic (Ballistic FTE) approaches yielded near-identical (closely bounded) firing solutions. Lexington, on the other hand, used the Mil-Dot Master and FDAC with precision. Concurrently, we built quick Range Card with “Target, Size, Range, Mil/MOA Drop, Wind” data. I used my customized Impact Data Book from here on out. Worked awesome. Time for WindTalker ops!
Next, Ed slowed us down as we progressed into understanding/dissecting the wind present at the farm and the prevailing wind conditions. He dissected the wind from 0MPH to 12MPH at the Target, Mid-Range, and FFP. Cool to watch. He was math-quick! Each shooter practiced sensing/seeing the wind act at the various distances via Ed's Leupold 12-40 60mm w/ Mil-Dot Reticle Spotting Scope and Celestron ED Spotting Scope. We cross-checked our wind estimates with Ed's Kestrel 4000/4500 Meters and against his extensive personal wind experience database. It was starting to sink in. View the wind, look for the downrange “tells”, determine the directions and vectored values, estimate the MPHs, and arrive at a net MPH and direction. Also, we de-focused his scopes IOT witness mirage present off the targets and off man-made structures (e.g. shadow section along the eaves of the barn, silo). Worked methodical in a slow-n-smooth manner. This phase rocked! With Ed's supervision and coaching, each shooter definitely became more attune to the wind and its criticality in long range precision shooting. Time to Send It!
Two shooters lying prone and abreast beneath the forward tent, with Ed expertly spotting from the rear tent, we acquired, aimed, and steadied on the first AR500 target. “Dial 1mil R wind. Shooter ready. Standby. Hold left of target center and send it” Boom.....impact! The joy of finding things out. The remainder of the afternoon found each shooter alternatively sending shots downrange, hitting (and missing) steel targets. What a rush! After 3+ successive hits, we recorded our drop and wind data into our Range Cards and Data Books. Managed to hit and obtain drop data on half of the targets. We felt very privileged to have Ed in our company.
Concluded Day 2 at 1730 hours after another successful session with Ed Shell. Scored some grinds and headed off to camp for a bonfire and R&R.
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 3</span> (T=90degF, RH 85%, 2000' DA, partly-cloudy skies)
Our final breakfast at the restaurant. We parted ways with the nice staff and arrived at farm at 0830. Ed asked us to check out our equipment for any changes and to ensure the W/E knobs were zero'd.
After clearing the range “hot”, we successfully engaged all of the steel targets, multiple times, by 1400. Hits, misses, more hits, a few less misses. Transition time. Ed allowed each of us to be the Spotter and give wind calls to the shooter. Each shooter and spotter alternated between sending it and calling the wind. Was great to partner with Lexington because of his patience, "outside the box" thinking, and marksmanship abilities. I was really enamored with acting as Spotter. Shooter owns the elevation, and the Spotter owns the wind. Started to “sense” and get into the wind calls, with Ed's assistance, by the late afternoon. Even had the opportunity to call the wind for Ed, as he sent a 208gr AMAX to a target beyond 1000yds.
The prevailing wind conditions were tricky and bit on the light side. No constant 10MPH winds during anytime. Numerous wind shifts and mid-range velocity abatement prior to sending it. Where is the wind most important? Answer: yes. At the target, mid-range, here, there. Ed taught us to factor in the data (tactile, visual, mirage) efficiently in order to make a wind call. What a rush!
We concluded Day 3 of training at 1800. Last I looked at my watch it was 1300. Whoa! We assisted Ed in breaking down the tents and hauling gear from the FFP to his truck. Ed debriefed us as the rain was starting to fall. He thanked us for the opportunity to train with him and told us to let him know if we have any follow-on questions in the future. He was committed to aiding us in our journey as precision tactical marksmen. What a solid touch. We told Ed the pleasure was all ours and thanked him for his leadership, patience, and professionalism. We departed the farm at 1845 as better shooters/spotters and went our separate ways. Mission complete.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Lagniappe</span>: In addition to learning 'all things rifle' from Ed Shell, the following sideline discussions were the icing on the cake for me. For instance, I learned a ton about digital circuits and test gear, reloading, flora/fauna of central Virginia, hunting and fieldcraft, tactical competitions, and construction. Discussing these topics with Ed while we were 'dirt diving' concepts really made my day.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Key Lessons Learned</span>:
* Seek, sense and read the wind the moment you arrive at the range. Look for the prevailing wind conditions.
* The shooter drives the rifle, not the other way around
* Every round fired has a mission
* Marksmanship position is set from shooter to target (body allignment, LOP, shoulder pocket, comb height, eye relief, rear bag), not the other way around. Adjust bipod last and do not load.
* Set and check parallax for every target distance
* Ensure rifle-level is set prior to every shot
<span style="font-weight: bold">Conclusion</span>: The 3-day PTR Training with Ed Shell was stellar. Looking forward to completing a 2-day Intermediate PTR course with Ed where we can advance our skills as Shooter/Spotter Team. Since the class, recruited two addition students from MD/VA who are interested in completing the 3-day PTR course in 2012. Mahalo loa nui to Ed and CVT for the exceptional training opportunity!
<span style="font-weight: bold">Executive Summary</span>: Completed a 3-day Basic PTR course at CVT (www.centralvirginiatactical.com) in Louisa, VA. Instructed and led by Ed Shell, the Event consisted of two students of varying degrees of long-range and hunting experience. I ran a Sako TRG42 300WM and USO SN-3 EREK 3.8-22, Mil-GAP, 58mm Objective (34mm) with 0.1mRad turrets coupled to a SPUHR 24MOA mount. My shooting partner (Lexington) drove a FNH SPR A2 .308 with USO ST-17 CMR with 0.1mRad turrets linked to USO rings. I was equipped with 250rds of handloads (208gr AMAX over RWS and Norma brass, 2960/70 MV) and Lexington settled on 350rds of FGMM 175gr.
We ranged, engaged, and impacted steel targets at UNK distances from 300 to 1000+ yds. Awesome! We watched Ed work the wind and then learned how to make wind calls for our teammate and deliver hits. Excellent.
The training at CVT was the most detailed and comprehensive level of rifle instruction I've ever completed. Ed Shell is a top-tier instructor and shooter/spotter. Always the professional and gentleman, his coaching style expertly guided us to the answers sought. The facilities (classroom/shop, range/farm) and challenging environmental conditions (terrain, wind, heat/humidity, rain), coupled to Ed's real-world experiences and marksmanship expertise, made the 3-day course a blast! If you are seeking an outstanding long range rifle training Instructor from one hell of a great guy, highly recommend investing the time to learn from Ed Shell at Central Virginia Tactical.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Training Objectives</span>:
- Weapon safety during rifle handling, shooting, and maintenance
- Selection, knowledge, and configuration checkout of equipment (rifle, scope/rings/base, bipod)
- Building and maintaining a repeatable shooter position (body blading, LOP, shoulder pocket, comb height, finger pressure, eye relief, rear bag) and basic markmanship skills (sight alignment, NPA, focus on sight, trigger pressure/control, follow through) to “unitized” the shooter/rifle
- Theory and practical exercises of angled fire (RR, Modified RR, Scope Elevation Method)
- Theory and effect of ballistics (interior, exterior~flight, terminal~hits) and modeling of G1/G7 BCs
- Theory and effect of meteorological parameters (physical altitude, temperature, barometric pressure, DA, RH) on air density and bullet drop
- Theory and use of Mil-Dot Master, (XR-MILSPEC) FDAC, and Ballistic FTE for iPhone
- Theory and effect of wind on ballistics. Establishing “wind calls” based on tactile/visual indicators and formulas for vectored wind values (0, 0.5, 0.707, 0.866, 1.0)
- Theory and application for setting parallax and correcting for Magnus Effect (Bernoulli's Principle), spin drift, and Coriolis effect
- Theory and practical exercises of mRad and MOA ranging on UNK range targets.
- Range card development and use, with extensibility to data book logging
- Establish scope “zero” at 100yd range
- Ranging and engaging UNK distance steel targets (various shapes/sizes) from 300 to 1000+ yds with elevation/windage adjustments via dialing and holdovers
- Communication protocol for shooter/spotter Team
- AR500 target construction and maintenance
- Rifle operation, maintenance, and care/cleaning
<span style="font-weight: bold">Schedule</span>:
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 1</span> (T=93degF, 87% RH, 2500' DA, clear skies)
We met at the Mineral Restaurant in Mineral, VA at 0745 for introductions and breakfast. Over the meal, we provided Ed with a slice of our backgrounds and overall goals for the course. Ed discussed his background and recent activites with CVT. A really nice way to begin our course of instruction! After a great country-style breakfast, we proceeded to Ed's CVT facility to start our training at 0815.
His facility, part classroom and part gunsmith/reload shop, was an ideal location for the didactic portion of the PTR course. After first setting the stage in proper firearm safety/handling, Ed segued into checking our equipment readiness. He inspected our rifles, scopes, rings, and bases from top to bottom for proper fit, form, and function. Upon inspection, Ed noticed that the scope rings on Lexington's USO ST-17 needed adjustment. Ed removed the scope and rings, lapped the rings, and then remounted the scope. Learned how to lap rings. Perfect!
Next, we worked to establish our prone marksmanship position. Working from the shooter to the target, we aligned (bladed) our body behind the rifle while Ed checked our LOP and buttstock-to-shoulder interface. Each shooter required an additional 1 to 2 inches LOP adjustment. Ed was kind enough to lend each shooter a rubberized LOP spacer for the duration of the training. With our LOPs set, Ed then focused on our comb heights and eye reliefs. My TRG42 already had a 10mm comb height spacer, but the .308 rifle required 1.5in of height for compliance. Ed cut/affixed a foam spacer to the FNH. GTG. Following, he adjusted the eye relief on one of our rifles. Next, we set our rear bags before proceeding to dry-firing. For the next hour we discussed, established, and repeatedly executed the basic markmanship skills (sight alignment, NPA, focus on sight, trigger pressure/control, follow through) in order to “unitized” the shooter/rifle combination. Time was flying and we were just getting started!
At the white board and armed with 308/300WM charts and reference data/books, Ed launched into the core topics covering rifle-level, angled fire, ballistics, environmental parameters, the wind, parallax, ELR considerations (Magnus Effect, Spin Drift, Coriolis Effect), and mRad/MOA ranging on UNK range targets. Being technically-minded, each shooter started/stopped Ed numerous times for Q&A. He led you to the answer, but did not give it away. He took us as far down the rabbit hole as we wanted. I really enjoyed his interpretation of reading The Wind, complete with the tactile and visual indicators. Golden! His math was always spot on....way before each of the shooters had figured it out. The practical exercises from the CVT handouts were challenging and highly effective. An aside: Ed's instructor style reminds me of my favorite physicist -Dr. Richard Feynman- of CalTech. Ed, like Dr. Feynman, relishes the “joy in finding things out” teaching style with his students. Always patient and never rushed, Ed made concepts as simple as possible but no simpler.
We concluded Day 1 at 1730. Scored dinner at a local restaurant and then proceeded to establish our camp at www.smallcountry.com. Located :15 from CVT, the campground was clean, inexpensive, and professionally hosted. Erected our tents, blazed a fire, and rested. A great and productive day!
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 2</span> (T=97degF, RH 92%, 3000' DA, clear skies)
After another excellent breakfast amidst a friendly staff at the Mineral Restaurant, we proceeded directly to the farm (range) arriving at 0830. The farm is a gem of a landscape, replete with rolling hills, multi-directional winds, and varying terrain from the FFP to targets. Beautiful Virginia farmlands.
Prior to any weapons handling Ed briefed us on the range protocol, weapons safety, medical/first-aid kit, and emergency communications. In addition, he stressed continuous hydration and the use of DWO to combat tics. Ed scanned the farm for scene safety, verified no personnel were downrange, and declared the range “hot”. Each shooter then invested multiple rounds to establish a zero at the 100yd range. Lexington had his 308 dialed in after only a handful of rounds. Good work. My Atlas bipod has a loose set screw and my ear-style leather bag (non-conforming) was challenging me. Thanks to Ed's keen eye, he linked my bullseye problem to an equipment anomaly. He immediately fixed the problem, by removing the bipod from the rifle and tightening the screw. Also, Ed's array of rear bags allowed both shooters to rip a solid group at 100yds and zero out the W/E turrets on the USO glasses. GTG. Next, we proceeded to the upper elevation of the farm to our FFP for steel target engagements.
All of our targets, consisting of AR500 steel of various sizes/shapes, were positioned downrange at 300 to 1000+ yds. The targets were small. I will not disclose the actual sizes and distances out of courtesy to Ed and CVT. I determined early on Ed's “aim small, miss small” mindset was indeed true. Positioned beneath two 10ft x 10ft tents, we started to range each of the UNK distance targets. Given target dimensions, we measured target height vs target width via our reticles and then applied range estimation formulae for mRad and MOA to arrive at a range. I especially enjoyed this phase, as a significant difference between the range determined via width and height required pause for concern. Re-ranging, averaging, or “does it matter”? Ed regularly drilled us on parallax setup and rifle-level during ranging. I learned the importance of employing the basic marksmanship position to steady the reticle while mensurating a target. Ah! The classroom discussions were being put into practice at the farm! Most importantly, Ed encouraged us to range to the nearest 1/100mil, as the impact of a few hundredths 'delta' at long range would trend towards a missed first shot. After each shooter measured a target and provided his results (on the DL) to Ed, he would give us the actual distance to the target. This way, each shooter independently arrived at a estimated range without bias.
After each of the targets was measured and the actual distance recorded, we determined our bullet drop for each target. I primarily used XR-MILSPEC FDAC, approximating the 208gr AMAX with the available data published on the 2900fps 338LM 250gr Scenar card. Note: Taylor White's FDAC is based on a 100m zero with ranges given in meters. As a backup, I employed Ballistic FTE via iPhone. The manual (FDAC) and electronic (Ballistic FTE) approaches yielded near-identical (closely bounded) firing solutions. Lexington, on the other hand, used the Mil-Dot Master and FDAC with precision. Concurrently, we built quick Range Card with “Target, Size, Range, Mil/MOA Drop, Wind” data. I used my customized Impact Data Book from here on out. Worked awesome. Time for WindTalker ops!
Next, Ed slowed us down as we progressed into understanding/dissecting the wind present at the farm and the prevailing wind conditions. He dissected the wind from 0MPH to 12MPH at the Target, Mid-Range, and FFP. Cool to watch. He was math-quick! Each shooter practiced sensing/seeing the wind act at the various distances via Ed's Leupold 12-40 60mm w/ Mil-Dot Reticle Spotting Scope and Celestron ED Spotting Scope. We cross-checked our wind estimates with Ed's Kestrel 4000/4500 Meters and against his extensive personal wind experience database. It was starting to sink in. View the wind, look for the downrange “tells”, determine the directions and vectored values, estimate the MPHs, and arrive at a net MPH and direction. Also, we de-focused his scopes IOT witness mirage present off the targets and off man-made structures (e.g. shadow section along the eaves of the barn, silo). Worked methodical in a slow-n-smooth manner. This phase rocked! With Ed's supervision and coaching, each shooter definitely became more attune to the wind and its criticality in long range precision shooting. Time to Send It!
Two shooters lying prone and abreast beneath the forward tent, with Ed expertly spotting from the rear tent, we acquired, aimed, and steadied on the first AR500 target. “Dial 1mil R wind. Shooter ready. Standby. Hold left of target center and send it” Boom.....impact! The joy of finding things out. The remainder of the afternoon found each shooter alternatively sending shots downrange, hitting (and missing) steel targets. What a rush! After 3+ successive hits, we recorded our drop and wind data into our Range Cards and Data Books. Managed to hit and obtain drop data on half of the targets. We felt very privileged to have Ed in our company.
Concluded Day 2 at 1730 hours after another successful session with Ed Shell. Scored some grinds and headed off to camp for a bonfire and R&R.
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Day 3</span> (T=90degF, RH 85%, 2000' DA, partly-cloudy skies)
Our final breakfast at the restaurant. We parted ways with the nice staff and arrived at farm at 0830. Ed asked us to check out our equipment for any changes and to ensure the W/E knobs were zero'd.
After clearing the range “hot”, we successfully engaged all of the steel targets, multiple times, by 1400. Hits, misses, more hits, a few less misses. Transition time. Ed allowed each of us to be the Spotter and give wind calls to the shooter. Each shooter and spotter alternated between sending it and calling the wind. Was great to partner with Lexington because of his patience, "outside the box" thinking, and marksmanship abilities. I was really enamored with acting as Spotter. Shooter owns the elevation, and the Spotter owns the wind. Started to “sense” and get into the wind calls, with Ed's assistance, by the late afternoon. Even had the opportunity to call the wind for Ed, as he sent a 208gr AMAX to a target beyond 1000yds.
The prevailing wind conditions were tricky and bit on the light side. No constant 10MPH winds during anytime. Numerous wind shifts and mid-range velocity abatement prior to sending it. Where is the wind most important? Answer: yes. At the target, mid-range, here, there. Ed taught us to factor in the data (tactile, visual, mirage) efficiently in order to make a wind call. What a rush!
We concluded Day 3 of training at 1800. Last I looked at my watch it was 1300. Whoa! We assisted Ed in breaking down the tents and hauling gear from the FFP to his truck. Ed debriefed us as the rain was starting to fall. He thanked us for the opportunity to train with him and told us to let him know if we have any follow-on questions in the future. He was committed to aiding us in our journey as precision tactical marksmen. What a solid touch. We told Ed the pleasure was all ours and thanked him for his leadership, patience, and professionalism. We departed the farm at 1845 as better shooters/spotters and went our separate ways. Mission complete.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Lagniappe</span>: In addition to learning 'all things rifle' from Ed Shell, the following sideline discussions were the icing on the cake for me. For instance, I learned a ton about digital circuits and test gear, reloading, flora/fauna of central Virginia, hunting and fieldcraft, tactical competitions, and construction. Discussing these topics with Ed while we were 'dirt diving' concepts really made my day.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Key Lessons Learned</span>:
* Seek, sense and read the wind the moment you arrive at the range. Look for the prevailing wind conditions.
* The shooter drives the rifle, not the other way around
* Every round fired has a mission
* Marksmanship position is set from shooter to target (body allignment, LOP, shoulder pocket, comb height, eye relief, rear bag), not the other way around. Adjust bipod last and do not load.
* Set and check parallax for every target distance
* Ensure rifle-level is set prior to every shot
<span style="font-weight: bold">Conclusion</span>: The 3-day PTR Training with Ed Shell was stellar. Looking forward to completing a 2-day Intermediate PTR course with Ed where we can advance our skills as Shooter/Spotter Team. Since the class, recruited two addition students from MD/VA who are interested in completing the 3-day PTR course in 2012. Mahalo loa nui to Ed and CVT for the exceptional training opportunity!
