Winter Sniper Course at North Springs Range Feb. 27-28th, 2015

[LRRPF52]

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Winter Sniper Course

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Class size: 10 max
Round Count: 400 rounds of quality ammunition, capable of 1.5 MOA for the DM guns, and 1 MOA or better for the long guns
Location: North Springs Range, just outside of Price, Utah
Course Fee: $400
Special Items: Bring good cold weather gear and provisions for 6600 ft elevation in Rocky Mountains

Guest instructor will be a good friend from the Finnish Sniping community, who has been actively shooting and winning military team matches for many years, and is a gifted shooter and coach.
He helped run my Multi-gun 3-Day/2-Night Course in September, and was a great resource to have with a totally different perspective on long range shooting, which will also dovetail well into this Winter Sniper Course. This will be a very practical and technical course, with a great amount of information being dumped over the 2-day period.

I use a certain method for teaching classroom work without interfering with any range time that has proven effective, and is being used more and more now by others. I also like to keep the classes small, so I can have more 1-on-one time with attendees.

We have 1640yd, 1000yd, 600yd, 800yd, 1100yd, and various field fire ranges that reach through and across canyons to work with there, all complete with steel.

Attendees can expect to cover down on the DM Skill Set, as well as what I call the Light Sniper concept if you are looking to bring more gun. The course material and range opportunities will support both skill sets in terms of shooting, so if you would just like to learn the DM Skill Set, or hit DM in winter conditions to see where your capabilities and limitations are, this will be an excellent opportunity at a world class facility.

If you want to get more formal training on reaching out with your bolt gun or precision semi-auto, including 1000yd and beyond, in cold weather, this is also a great opportunity. We will cover the basics on flat ranges, then move into positional shooting. There is more steel at North Springs than you can shoot in a week, so targetry is unparalleled there.

We will then move into field shooting positions in rough terrain, where you really don't have many places to shoot prone. Here are some pics from a few places at North Springs from previous courses I have run:

These are the 1000yd (L) and 600yd ® flat ranges, with steel every 50yds from 200yds on out. Excellent for learning what you and your system can actually do on a well-defined range.




This is what we call "Over the Edge", where you shoot from a cliff across the canyon to steel targets all over on the other side. There are around 18 positions including roof tops, a car, barricades, loopholes, cliff spurs, and other natural vegetation to shoot from at various steel targets at distances from 100yds on out.




This is Buffalo Canyon, where you have steel targets from close range out to 800yds, with some natural targets at 1100yds.

[LRRPF52]

Bring your DM AR15, AR10 in .308, .243, or 6.5, precision bolt guns, and be prepared to learn more about what your capabilities and limitations are from 200-1640yds in cold weather, from field positions under practical scenarios.

We're going to start off with proofing you and the systems on the flat ranges at 600yds and 1000yds, then go out into the field ranges/canyons, and shoot in real terrain from alternate positions.

You'll walk away with a much more solid relationship with you and the rifle knowing what you are capable of in terms of establishing a solid position, compensating for wind and distance, rifle cant, and being able to make hits at extended range with your AR15, AR10, or precision bolt gun.

[LRRPF52]

If you guys can keep the posts relevant to the thread as to intent to attend, accommodations, any course details I haven't covered, and things specific to that, it will help keep the thread on track. Thanks.

North Springs is probably the best venue I have seen around the world for running things like this, with terrain that is just hard to duplicate in a lot of places.

[BjornF16]

Give us an idea of expected weather at that location in late February...

[danm]

So I'm assuming this is not a course for a relatively new long range shooter?

[LRRPF52]

Give us an idea of expected weather at that location in late February...

Should be pretty sucky, which is the intent. There should be snow on the ground, temps below freezing, maybe some surprise sideways blowing snow, wind chill. Hence the Winter Sniper Course. When we did the DM Course last year in March, we had sideways snow and wind the first morning, but then it warmed up. There was residual snow on the ground in shadow spots, but nothing else. It was pretty warm the next day. It might be like that, or it might be polar vortex.

[MKo]

This is a perfect opportunity for learning how you, your ammo and weapon platform works in winter conditions.
And if snow conditions are good we can extend the training how to set up survive w/o tent
I'm looking forward to this and will bring "old school" rifle that has know to work in these (and colder) conditions

[bwaites]

So I'm assuming this is not a course for a relatively new long range shooter?

On the contrary, these guys will get you set up and shooting well regardless of skill level! This is a great place and opportunity, wish I could make it!

[MKo]

On the contrary, these guys will get you set up and shooting well regardless of skill level! This is a great place and opportunity, wish I could make it!

exactly! We'll get you set up if you are just virgin for long range shooting or take you to the next level if you are more experienced. I personally probably pick up something as well from you guys.
Shooting longer distances is nothing more than repeating your 100yds shots with a dash of elevation. Let your spotter make difficult calls like wind and target

[LRRPF52]

Keep in mind that you can cover down on one of 2 classes for this course. One will be for those who want to dive into the Designated Marksman/Intermediate range arena, and the other will be the Light Sniper class, where we will reach out much farther, emphasizing how the fundamentals, wind, trajectory, and atmospherics become factors that we have to look at in more detail.

For the DM Class, the most common rifles are 16-20" AR15's, followed by lightweight AR10's & SCAR-17's, as well as those who want to get better married to their hunting rifles. The DM Class is an excellent venue to vet and stretch your legs with your hunting rifle, while becoming more capable of making ethical hits from close-in on out to the capabilities of you and your system. The 6.5 Grendel AR15 is an excellent DM/Hunting system, with a lightweight scope that allows reliable compensating for trajectory and wind, while many of the attendees bring a 5.56 or .223 Wylde AR15 with match ammo. 1.5 MOA accuracy is the threshold for the DM Class, but more accuracy will help you out of course.

For the Light Sniper Class, feel free to bring a precision bolt gun, AR10, or rifle that has the ballistic potential to reliably reach out from 600-1000yds. These rifles should really be holding 1 MOA or better, especially as you start to engage the 700-1000yd steel plates, as well as the smaller plates that are in the field stages.

You will want sufficient cold weather clothing to sustain you in mountainous terrain in the dead of winter in February, so watch caps, balaclavas, loose fitting gloves, hunter's mittens, multiple clothing layers, and decent boots are going to pay off. The DM Course in March of 2013 had sideways blowing snow on the morning of Day 1, with temps that got up above freezing and quite pleasant by the afternoon and Day 2. Be prepared to shed layers, and still have a wind-insulating capability.

[LRRPF52]

The weather has been relatively warm this winter here in Utah. I don't know what to expect, but it might be pretty mild, but you just never know. Anyway, just a reminder that we are 4 weeks away for those attending, and very much looking forward to hosting another course at the most impressive range complex in the Western United States.

[LRRPF52]

Just a reminder, as we are just over 2 weeks out on this. I just got back from snow shoeing and camping up in the Wasatch Mountains in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and the snow pack was very deep, but it was also quite warm. We have had a very warm winter here, so I don't expect there to be much snow at North Springs, but you never know.

Mko and I are really looking forward to linking up with you who have signed up, and are excited about the course and the opportunities we have at North Springs.

I can also provide rifles and carbines for training if you want to step into another caliber or system for a test-drive, before making that next choice in precision long-range. I have:

* 6.5 Grendel Carbines, 16" and 17.6", scoped, ready to go
* .260 Remington GAP AR10 22" barrel
* Several .223 Wylde and 5.56 carbines

[LRRPF52]

For those covering down in the Sniper Class, it will be helpful to bring a spotting scope and tripod. You also should consider a solid tripod and rifle brace or bracket. US Tactical Supply has some of the best rifle mounting options for tripod, with the HOG or PIG Saddle.

The reason for this is that the end goal is being able to set into position in actual terrain, which those of you who have already been to North Springs know there is plenty of, with excellent opportunities to challenge your skills shooting across canyons, up deep ravines and draws, and from concealed positions in the brush and trees in the area.

The PIG Saddle is sheet steel, whereas the HOG Saddle is machined from aluminum:





They also have some great tripod options at US Tactical Supply. http://ustacticalsupply.com/hogsaddle-2.aspx

[LRRPF52]

Another affordable option for rifle and tripod camo is McNett Multicam Camo Wrap. These are great for winter time as well, especially when hunting after dressing out with blood-covered hands. Mko can share a personal story about that.



We will also be offering some basic survival and fieldcraft training on Friday evening, and you can put the skills into practical application by camping out at the Range. For those that are interested in a class on camouflage, feel free to bring some materials to that end. If you are interested in Ghillie construction, I like the Night Desert Digital parkas from the 1980's as a base, or one of the Cobra hoods. To be honest, Multicam is pretty hard to beat, and with minimal augmentation, makes an excellent solution for concealment. You can add a boonie or veil and be pretty much set in this terrain.

Day 2 will be a very intense practical application of all the shooting skills, but within a series of concealment exercises with live fire throughout, at distances ranging from 100yds, to 1100yds, from different positions in varying terrain. This is where a lot of things will culminate together, and make sense in terms of how these skills can be used in reality, versus sitting on a flat range shooting steel from bipod prone, especially for hunters.

[MKo]

It was great to meet awesome shooters during the weekend. I hope some of the stuff made sense and was something you could put yin your toolbox for future use.
I'm bit back logged on my civilian job but will send the material promised during training. If you have any wuestion and/or comments pls pm me or send me a e-mail. All of you guys at the course have my e-mail address.
EDIT: this is the company making nice (somewhat pricey) ghillies. http://www.scanmil.fi/camouflage_suits

[LRRPF52]

[LRRPF52]

[LRRPF52]

My Lilja 17.6" Grendel and an 18" Grendel with 3.5x ACOG on Day 2 during Loophole Exercises. There is steel being shot in every one of these pics. Mega Machine 6.5 Creedmoor and DT SRSA1 .308 in the bottom right pic.

[LRRPF52]

I'm really enjoying this Lilja Grendel I built.

[LRRPF52]