SMFTS Basic Rifle Course – THIS IS NOT AND NRA COURSE.  Click here to register.

Time Required:  8 hours plus @1.5 hours travel to and from the range

Who should attend?  This course is designed to address the training needs of shooters who fall into one of two categories.  The first is the complete novice, the student who has never shot a rifle before.  The second is the shooter who has shot a rifle before but has never attended any structured class on the basics of rifle shooting and may not know safety as well as he should, does not know how the gun works nor how to properly maintain it, does not understand the five fundamentals nor how to put them together to deliver accurate shots.

Goal:  Be safe, competent and confident when handling and shooting AR 15 type rifles.  The focus is on safety and the shooting fundamentals.  Zero a rifle at $25 yards.

Deposit:  $50   Course fee:  $150 + range fee of $30 Certificate Issued: 

Yes with 80% on written test shooting an acceptable zero during the live fire exercises.

Prerequisites: 
Be able to legally possess a rifle (e.g. you are not disallowed by state or federal law from being in possession of a rifle).

Student equipment: 
Note paper, pencil or pen,
eye and ear protection,
baseball cap,
utility jacket
work gloves. 
Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 and ammo is provided (.22 rimfire) or student may opt to bring his own rifle.  If he brings his own firearm he must also bring at least 200 rounds of professionally manufactured ammunition and he should also bring the user manual for the rifle.

Learning Objectives:
Lesson 1 Safety, Operation and Maintenance (1 hour)
Introduction
NRA Safety Rules
Jeff Cooper’s Safety
Rules for Assuming control of a firearm
NRA Rules for Using and Storing a Gun
Range Safety Rules
Ammunition
Malfunctions, Semi-automatic Rifle
Operation
    Loading
    Firing
    Unloading
Maintenance  

Lesson 2 The Fundamentals, Trajectory and Zeroing  (2 hours)
Fundamentals and Positions
   Eye Dominance
   Aiming & Breath Control
   Benchrest Position
   Hold Control, Trigger Control & Follow-through
   Introduction to the Standing Position
   The Integrated Act of Firing One Well Aimed Shot
The Hasty Sling
Introduction to the Sitting Position
Introduction to the Prone Position
Trajectory
Zeroing    

Live Fire Exercises:

Live fire:  All live fire is slow fire and is shot at National Match Course targets scaled down for 25 yards.

Grouping (benchrest) – The standard is three consecutive groups with four of five rounds inside a 1 inch circle the center of which all fall within a .5 inch circle.  (30 to 45 rounds for most students)

Zeroing (benchrest) - - The standard is three consecutive five shot groups of which four shots are centered on the bullseye and inside a 1 inch circle at 25 yards.  (18 to 27 rounds for most students)

Familiarization exercises for the standing unsupported, sitting and prone positions.  There is no standard for these exercises.  (at least 30 rounds per student)