Way back in May, we pre-announced a long distance precision rifle training course, against my wishes. Our GM, Andy Glawe, had browbeat me into putting it out there. I told him we’d run a test class if we got 20 people to “pre-sign up”. We got nearly 200. Happy to admit when I am clearly wrong, we proceeded to setup and offer our PRC training curriculum. We’ve now successfully run 5 precision rifle classes, and are planning for number 6.
Precision Rifle Class 1 (PRC1)
We started off with PRC1 to open things up and see what type of response we got when we asked for people to actually pay money for the class. We’ve now run three full classes of PRC1. We offered PRC1 as classroom training only, with the option to stay and zero your precision rifle at 25 yards, just for the practice of learning how to properly zero.
Our instructor, Kent Gilbert, is solid in front of the room, knows his stuff, and knows all the little things that you can’t find in any book or blog, simply because he has been there and done that for the US Army. Kent is generous with his time, and patient with the newcomers to Precision Rifle Shooting (PRS).
The promise of each of those sessions of PRC1 was, of course, Precision Rifle Class 2 (PRC2). The feedback we received from PRC1 was overwhelmingly positive, and helped us define and solidify the offering for PRC2.
Precision Rifle Class 2 (PRC2)
Next up, we invited everyone who attended any of the three PRC1 classes to attend Precision Rifle Course 2. We also offered a private lesson for those who were not able to attend PRC1, but who really wanted to attend the second class. Since the classes build on one another, students have to attend – or get the requisite knowledge from – each class.
We have now offered two sessions of PRC2, which is an all day, outdoor, long distance shooting class. We ran both sessions at Arena Training Facility in Blakely, GA, which was not our first choice of venue. There was a last minute venue change, which caused some consternation, but in the end, it worked really well. It was hot. BOY was it HOT!! But that’s why we had our resident Army Medic, Josh Corday, on site feeding our students water, whether the thought they needed it or not.
Positive Feedback
Kent and Josh had reported back that “the class went really well” both trips to Blakely. Even I was taken aback at just how good the classes went. The feedback we received, unsolicited, from the students is just extraordinary. We will be using this feedback as we refine PRC1 and PRC2, and put the finishing touches on PRC3. Below is a sampling of the response we had from several students.
"It will be difficult to capture this past weekend and what an outstanding time we had ... Safety at the forefront (Eddie/Kent - "zero tolerance" for unsafe acts! - well done - that is clear from the start), professional, expert instruction, memories for a lifetime."
"It's the dinner the night before, beverages & corn hole competition, followed by an early start with breakfast the next day with the "guys & girls" - and then actual PRC shooting, w/ safety at the forefront - was outstanding. Can't wait for PRC3! ... I'm signed up already."
"Other than being a bit of a drive, the Arena Training Facility was perfect for this experience. The cabins that allowed overnight stay were really necessary because of the drive (which for me was the expected 3 hours on the return trip, but took over 4 hours on the way down because Atlanta traffic). The ranges were terrific, especially the 2500 yard range in the afternoon. The pro shop provided a nice break to relax, eat and get to know the other students and staff. The overall experience was a tremendous combination of learning and fun."
"Just a short note to let know that the event at The Arena was fantastic. Everything was great, location, cabins, food, entertainment, people and of course the shooting and teaching. Looking forward to the next event."
"I just wanted to take a moment and Pass on my gratitude for PRC 2. Kent did an incredible job creating a welcoming and safe learning environment. Not only was the instruction great, but I really appreciate his patience managing and working through my frustrations when I made an error with my scope. The course surpassed all of my expectations. Thanks for making this a possibility I look forward to participating in PRC 3and other trainings."
The highlight of the response from the PRC2 students was the fact that one student took a chance on a 1760 yard (1 Mile) target, and succeeded. It was his very last round of match ammo. Welcome to the 1760 club, sir! Until you’ve done it, you cannot know the thrill of hitting your target from a mile away.
Precision Rifle Course 3 (PRC3)
The next step in the Precision Rifle Course series is, of course, PRC3. We intend to offer this class after August, because nobody wants to melt in south Georgia while trying to ping steel at 1000 yards (or more!) PRC2 will be a required prerequisite. And, of course, PRC2 requires PRC1.
So, for this run of PRC classes, we will offer PRC3 exclusively to those who have endured PRC1 and PRC2, or who have received equivalent private training from Kent Gilbert.
PRC3 will again be offered at Arena in Blakely, and will be a full weekend, overnight course. That means cabins and camaraderie for all! Stay tuned for more information to be released on PRC3.