New tools new tactics
Whenever we run a novice student through a carbine course, one of the first things we teach them after the basic saftey and shooting techniques is barrel sight offset. Since so many people are using AR15 type rifles, there is a considerable distance between the place where a scope points its crosshairs and where the bullet is going to impact at close ranges. Something like a Trijicon ACOG gives you a good idea of what people mostly use and we show crosshairs pointing at a dot and where the bullet hits approx 2 inches below that. This really only has a purpose in showing a shooter what could be applied is using a firearm in self defense in a hostage type situation.
Since lasers have been improving and prices are coming down, we see them showing up more and more on handguns. While I suggest people take a look at the price they are paying for them and do a lot of research on the durability of the product, a whole new can of worms emerges when sighting in your crimson trace or lasermax laser sights. Depending on how your laser is mounted, there will be a windage offset that needs to be known. Crimson Trace laser grips on revolvers can project from right above the grip area or there is a newer style that projects next to where the barrel line is. Each have their pros and cons, but there is still an offset. With new tools, there are always slight changes that need to be made to insure an operator knows that with distance, bullet impacts change.
Even though the short stroke and other piston designs have come on the market, and these guns all operate much cleaner, the AR15s DI guns that are being fielded these days are far more reliable than the M16A1 that was issued in Vietnam. Designs and improvements of metalogy has been tremendous and this can be noticed just by feeling the difference between one bolt carrier and another. Another major point about why the AR 15 guns have caught on is that they are so ergonimically superior to most of the military style guns out there that they are easy teaching tools. I normally start people out with learning the fundamentals with a 22lr bolt action with iron sights, but when I’m dealing with an adult that is not afraid of recoil, a .223 A2 style Carbine is an excellent staring point.
I had the opportunity to get out to the range again this week. I tend to bring the same bullet weights with me to firing ranges whenever I’m shooting my ARs because there can be really big differences in bullet trajectory when shooting out to 600yds. There is also a very big difference between bullet drift with just a few extra grains of weight. I’ve pulled the trigger on 150gr FMJ bullets out to 500yds that missed targets just depending on whether or not I fired during a wind gust or not. It’s really a lot of fun to shoot distances because you find out that it’s not all about how well you hold a gun down and how well you pull the trigger. Timing is something that really plays a factor when shooting into the wind. I use to shoot at a range that had a wind that blew from right from 100-300yds and when you got out to the 400-600yds, the wind blew from the left.
There is much to debate when it comes to discussing the effectiveness of the 5.56 round. When it was originally deployed in the M16A1, the military had issues with the reliability of the gun, but I have heard not one complaint from any Vietnam vet about the lethality of the round. That was when the military was using a 20inch barrel with a 55gr bullet travelling well over 3000fps. The bullet is extremely violent at that velocity. The lethality of the round was greatly diminished when the military started using shorter length barrels and the 62gr SCBT also known as SS109 or M855. Although it is only 6grs heavier, the bullet is so well balanced that it basically zips straight through a target and the terminal ballistics are not very good below 2800fps which is practically what an M4 shoots it at near the muzzle.
Russian ammo may save you money compared to shooting domestic 556 ammo, but be careful that you clean your guns after each range session. I saw more malfunctions at traininig ranges and gun clubs in the last 2yrs than I have ever seen before. Since nobody wanted to put 1000rds down range that cost $500 or more + the cost of the training course which could have cost from $150-$300 depending on what you were going for. When you are considering saving money by buying dirtier or less expensive ammo, you should consider that you may have to clean your gun more often and that you will have more malfunctions. I’ve seen plenty of the AR15 crowd show up at competition shoots with guns that had not been cleaned recently or they were not lubricated properly. I remember people getting in debates about DI AR15 reliability 12yrs ago and it amazes me to this day that people that go out and buy an Ar15 think that they do not need more lubrication than other semi-autos.
There is another issue that I see come up when taking new students to the range. I usually bring various military style rifles with me to get people to adjust to recoil and realize the common military style weapons that exist in the world. Many of these individuals, after a day on the range tend to select the gun that fit them the best. When I first got into shooting rifles, I started out with all of the military surplus firearms that came into the Country in the early and mid 1990s. There may never be another time where Soviet style weapons are imported into this Country. The military warehouses got cleaned out after the fall of the Soviet Empire and American gun owners were the beneficieries.
The caliber wars are never ending, but once spin to the argument that in my opinion is not much of an argument anymore, is that bullet designs are becoming more and more effective. When you read about the 9mm vs 45acp debates people argue about the size of the bullet, over penetration and stopping power. The reality is that hunting bullets and defensive ammo has taken a step, maybe not a giant step, but a considerable step forward in increasing a calibers effectiveness.
It’s hard to know if a configuration is best for you. I recently got a phone call from a shooter that sounded like he was new to the AR15 family. He was asking about which rifle stock configuration was best and then I asked him what his LOP or length of pull was and he had no idea. The reasons for adjustable stocks is because each operator issued a Carbine has a different arm length. I’ve punched myself in the nose with rifles and shotguns that were too short for me and modified several of my M1A rifles to fit my comfort. There are also other reasons for having stock modifications. If you are wearing a heavy winter coat or body armor you will want to shorten your stock. Next time you are at a gun shop or a shooting range, ask other shooters if you can hold there gun and see how it feels. Check the gun stock manufacturer and do some research.
I was never the one that was into the tactical doodad thing when I got into shooting AR15 rifles. My idea of a rifle is a 30/30 or a M1 or FAL rifle. I understood the ballistics of the .223 round and knew what is was good for and always thought that I should stick with the 20 inch heavy barrel for the best terminal ballistics. Well, then I actually started learning about close combat and understood that toting the longest barrel gun and the heaviest barrel is going to mean slower speed and too much weight.
If you are new to learning about defending yourself with a firearm, let me answer that question and save you from having to do any research. The answer that you will come to if you choose not to read further and decide to research on your own is NO! Using something as lethal as an Ar15 inside your home makes more sense than using any caliber handgun.