Since the boys and I recently acquired night vision and lasers. We decided we needed to proper training on how to use our new tools. Especially since I haven’t worn them in 10 years and walked into a tree. However, thanks to barriers to entry a prerequisite course was required. Not for me or my friend Ed (Militant Farmer on the gram & Concerned Citizen on Twitter he’s got branding issues I know but it’s not my hill to die on) since we got those glorious DD-214’s. Instead, it was required for my Crackhead of a roommate (he’s not actually a crackhead but if you saw him stand next to one you’d have to ponder) since he never served. With that said, we decided fuck it we’ll make a weekend road trip out of it. We ended up getting a recommendation for a carbine employment class from Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts. What I admittedly assumed would be a B.S. check in the box class ended up being what I think is one of the better classes one should take when first entering the world of professional firearms instruction.
The Instructor
Now, let’s first get to know our instructor. Steve "YETI" Fisher (I didn't care to ask how he got the nickname, now one cares to ask where T-Rex came from but it sure as shit ain't from Lucas Botkin) has been a firearms instructor since the 90’s. He has been involved in many endeavors in his home state of Michigan and has worked for reputable instructional companies like Magpul Dynamics and EAG Tactical. Since 2014, he has been owner and lead instructor for Sentinel Concepts where he has been travelling the country providing firearms instruction to police departments and private citizens alike. He also has done consulting for various companies in the tactical world, testing and giving input on various products currently on the market. I will admit, before signing up for his course I had little knowledge of who Steve Fisher was. However, his credentials speak for themselves and one should have know doubt that this man knows what the fuck he is talking about.
Actually meeting the man himself was a rather interesting experience in itself. We arrived at the range and he just happened to be relaxing at the bed of his truck drinking a white Monster (we'll get back to that) and smoking a cigar. We all introduced ourselves to each other and shook hands. Naturally however, he saw my Haley Strategic hat and made the joke "Disruptive Dick" which in hindsight I probably should have seen coming. We did the usual range routine of photocopying identification and permits and filling out waivers. During that time was some very pleasant and informative conversation regarding rifle builds. All 3 of were putting new optics through the paces for the first time so it was nice to have the input of what could obviously be regarded as an industry expert. He even showed us what he currently runs and gave us information regarding night vision and lasers even though it wasn't at all part of the course. I enjoyed the fact that we were very able to pick his brain regarding various builds and setups. If there was anything that did throw me for a loop was that he offered us homemade blueberry and peach zucchini bread. Little did I know he was a bit of a homesteader who grew and preserved his own produce. I really shouldn't have been all that surprised given the community overall but still, it was interesting to find out.
The Course
Time for the actual class. It first started with basic introductions and what weapon system you are using and more importantly why you were taking his class in the first place. This not only informs him he's going to have to adjust some of his instruction to account for nontraditional weapon systems but also, how and where he can adjust his curriculum based on the skill level of shooters. We then went into the usual safety brief information classroom instruction. I regret not taking notes at this time because I only remember some information about LPVO's (Low Power Variable Optics) since I happen to use one. I did find that part a little funny seeing how Steve talks about them in a somewhat begrudging manner acknowledging the fact that their use is a trend that he had a large part in proliferating. He did make a good point however to the fact that you can't substitute one distance for another when zeroing a given optic. Apparently that is some myth as the distance people use are not completely accurate in regards to bullet trajectory. He also gave some points on what was probably one of the bigger takeaways from this whole course, being the importance of proper sling usage. He's very adamant about the usage of 2 point slings (luckily I brought my BFG Vickers sling) and he sees 1 points as little more than a holster for your rifle.
After that it was onto the actual shooting portion of the course. Naturally we started off with a 50 yard zero. I had no issues in getting my groups into the black. However, I did find difficulty with my American Defense scope mount as the height proved to make proper mounting of my rifle difficult let along my crosshair barely clearing my DBAL. Militant on the other hand had a great deal of difficulty with his zero. It came to the point that it was determined that his Sig Romeo 5 was total garbage and Steve just made it simple by providing a spare Knight's Armament upper receiver with a Vortex Crossfire. I found this surprising gear wise as I never had issues with my Sig Romeo 7 and I've always heard that the red options provided by Vortex were of poor quality. The course proved that to by gun snob bullshit.
When it came to the actually shooting portion, there was nothing really out of the ordinary. The primary focus of the class was on fundamentals and the use of the B8 Target. Steve emphasized fundamentals as a baseline for shooting. Everything beyond that is just tactics. You can do all the high speed tacticool if you want but there is no point to any of that if you don't have the proper technique and the ability to shoot accurately. The priority is more for efficiency than it is for speed. Case in point, whenever I tried to go fast I would begin to hook shots all over the place. My roommate Crackhead, was trying to go so fast during a failure to feed drill that he missed slapping in the the magazine and failed to pull the charging handle all the way back. The B8 is a target that is 11in wide overall with a 5.5in black circle that was our primary target for the entire duration. Steve's big focus throughout was round accountability. I took it as a physical manifestation of aim small miss small. While he was accepting of rounds in the 8 zone, the goal was to get all of your shots in the 9 zone or better. The use of this target made it very easy to determine whether or not you are applying the proper fundamentals. It came to the point where I was able to tell which of my shots were from me applying the proper techniques and where I fucked up.
When it comes to modern shooting, most people (myself included) don't factor in making use of the sling anymore. Steve made a point of mentioning in the class that for many, it has become nothing more than a holster for your rifle. This is especially the case when shooters use 1 point slings. In the class we used 2 points and Steve taught proper ways to manipulate the sling in order the achieve shot stability. Modern 2 points with quick adjust systems allow you to quickly adjust sling tension at various shooting positions. Before the class I usually saw my sling as an afterthought and would constantly just use a simple 1 point if I bothered with the sling. Now, I take it as seriously as every component on my rifle.
Steve's teaching style can very much be described as big boy rules. He didn't really yell at all except when telling people to shut the fuck up when he was passing important information. Techniques and drills came with a story of how it was developed and often there was an explanation as to the purpose of the training and the intended effects. There were no shot timers or time limits. He simply told you the course of fire he wanted and we did it. There was no rushing through anything, he wanted to make sure that you were focusing on technique and shot placement. One think I liked but wasn't really expecting was that after every period of instruction, he went around and asked everyone for input. Essentially he was asking for a takeaway or lesson learned throughout. It allowed for discussion of the techniques and to see that the knowledge was being retained and what effects the practical application of the knowledge being provided. Most training I've done didn't have this desire for input. Then again most training I've done felt like things were being done because it was expected or for the instructors on gratification. As if people were people told what they wanted to hear or instructors loved the sound of their own voice and trying to show off. This class was more of what you need and what did you actually learn.
Lessons Learned
Well, for starters you should wear fucking pants or at least apply a generous amount of sun screen. I decided not to do either and man did I fucking pay for it. I was able to power through it but was definitely not a good time. It was the first time I did serious shooting with the LPVO and didn't really have a problem using it at close range. I figured it was gonna be similar to an ACOG where where the lack of eye relief and abundance of scope shadow would throw me out of focus. However, I do need a higher mount for the scope. Beyond having to look past my DBAL, properly mounting the rifle proved to be more difficult than need due to the optic being so low. Steve recommended the Badger Ordnance 1.93 mount and that's what I went with. Using a sling proved to be a valuable asset but, my BFG Vickers sling proved to not be up to snuff. It's a good sling but the webbing material proved to make quick adjustments more tedious than need be. It think I'll be transitioning to a Magpul MS1. You can have all the cool gear you want but if it's more hindrance than help, you need evaluate what is more important.
Final Thoughts
I've been trying the think of how I'd best recommend this class. While I did learn a lot of things, the majority of the class felt more like a refresher. It was mostly fundamentals with new things added in. However, that's not a bad thing. Especially after years of tacticool bullshit and trying to feel like an "operator" or some shit you have to step back and go back to basics from time to time. If like us, you've decided to start taking shooting courses, this is the place you should start. If you're gonna start taking more serious training, then you're gonna have some bad habits work out. A class like this where you're gonna get a refresher with some new information. You're also gonna get a base line that you can build upon. We will be taking another class with Steve depending on scheduling and finances. He has a wealth of knowledge and we will continue to learn from him. Especially this little nugget of wisdom I got from him before leaving. "Wear pants next time!"
