This is an AAR on the Precision Long Range 1 course held by Jon Weiler of Professional Marksmen Inc at the Whittington NRA Center near Raton, NM 16-18 July 2012. The course has two options, with or without lodging included in the price. I choose the lodging option which had me staying in one of the NRA cabins.
The intent of the course is to “introduce students to the art and science of Precision Long Range Shooting with classroom instruction, known distance gathering and unknown distance engagements.” As it states the course is essentially for novice long range shooters who want to learn how to consistently hit targets at long range. The ranges for the shooting started at 400 yards all the way up to 1200 yards. The PLR 1 course is actually the first of three PLR courses leading up to a Masters Course. Each course increases the target ranges considerably and incorporates high angle engagements, range estimation and alternate firing positions.
My rifle for this course was a Tactical Rifles M40A1 chambered in .308 with a 20” barrel and a 20 MOA base. The optic was a US Optics ST-10 which is a fixed x10 scope. Ammo was Sierra Mach King 175gr from Federal Ammunition. Prior to this course I had never gone past 100 yards and learning to shoot long range was my main goal of this course, closely followed by getting a better understanding of what I can, and cannot, do with the gear I have.
Day One was primarily lectures on the following topics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, optic adjustments and marksmanship. The class was taught in the conference room of the main NRA building which allowed the students, during breaks and lunch, to wander the gift shop and check out the firearms museum. The day finished with each student establishing a 100 yard zero. We would, and for the remainder of the course, be shooting off our packs with an extra sandbag/rear bag under the stock. I have always fired off the bipod, so this was new to me. We had to call a ceasefire at one point to allow a young buck to cross over the range. I swear that deer actually waited at the edge of the range until he heard ceasefire and then strolled across the range without a care in the world.
Day Two started with breakfast (all meals are catered, see below). Then we headed into the back country of the Whittington Center. Anyone wishing to use a personal vehicle should make sure they have 4WD; otherwise you can catch a ride with the instructor. We would be engaging the same targets but from different firing positions. We were given the sizes of the targets at the beginning which would help us determine corrections for each shooter. Students were then split into shooter/spotter teams. As luck would have it I was paired with a 13 year old whose dad had bought him a Barrett .338 Lapua MRAD with a Nightforce scope. ‘Nuff said about that. Targets on the first day ranged from 410 yards to 850 yards.
Day Three started again with breakfast and then we drove up to our new firing point. From here we engaged targets from 850 yards to 1200 yards. Once the shooting was finished for the day, we held a graduation with certificates, class picture and a couple of T-shirts.
For anyone picking the lodging included option you will be housed in one of the Founder’s Cabins. I had a decent sized room to myself with two single beds, shower and closet. The cabin had a shared fridge/freezer, cooking and entertainment area (no TV). There were also a couple of tables set up outside on the porch. Unfortunately the rooms do not come with A/C or wireless, nor are there TVs in any of the rooms.
All the meals are catered on PLR1. Breakfast consisted of a couple of burritos, bananas, yoghurt and oatmeal. There was a packed lunch each day which consisted of a meat sandwich, chips, crackers, and an apple. Dinner consisted of plenty of meat to include chicken, homemade sausage, pork chops, plus grilled pineapples, rice, potatoes and veggies.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and being able to shoot so far was great. The small class size (6 shooters, 1 instructor) was awesome and each student had enough teacher time. Up to 1000 yards I was able to put shots on target pretty consistently. It was when I started shooting the 1200 yard target that I noticed that I wasn’t as good. Out of 15 rounds I hit the 40”x60” plate once, but I did come close with a few rounds. Bearing in mind that I was shooting 175 gr .308 from a 20” barrel I can settle for that for now.
For what it is worth I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking for entry level training into the world of precision long range. One unexpected bonus was that, when I told the HH6 of the limitations of my setup beyond the 1200 yards, she suggested I buy a new rifle! I’ll see how that one pans out.
NRA Whittington:
Rifle:
The intent of the course is to “introduce students to the art and science of Precision Long Range Shooting with classroom instruction, known distance gathering and unknown distance engagements.” As it states the course is essentially for novice long range shooters who want to learn how to consistently hit targets at long range. The ranges for the shooting started at 400 yards all the way up to 1200 yards. The PLR 1 course is actually the first of three PLR courses leading up to a Masters Course. Each course increases the target ranges considerably and incorporates high angle engagements, range estimation and alternate firing positions.
My rifle for this course was a Tactical Rifles M40A1 chambered in .308 with a 20” barrel and a 20 MOA base. The optic was a US Optics ST-10 which is a fixed x10 scope. Ammo was Sierra Mach King 175gr from Federal Ammunition. Prior to this course I had never gone past 100 yards and learning to shoot long range was my main goal of this course, closely followed by getting a better understanding of what I can, and cannot, do with the gear I have.
Day One was primarily lectures on the following topics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, optic adjustments and marksmanship. The class was taught in the conference room of the main NRA building which allowed the students, during breaks and lunch, to wander the gift shop and check out the firearms museum. The day finished with each student establishing a 100 yard zero. We would, and for the remainder of the course, be shooting off our packs with an extra sandbag/rear bag under the stock. I have always fired off the bipod, so this was new to me. We had to call a ceasefire at one point to allow a young buck to cross over the range. I swear that deer actually waited at the edge of the range until he heard ceasefire and then strolled across the range without a care in the world.
Day Two started with breakfast (all meals are catered, see below). Then we headed into the back country of the Whittington Center. Anyone wishing to use a personal vehicle should make sure they have 4WD; otherwise you can catch a ride with the instructor. We would be engaging the same targets but from different firing positions. We were given the sizes of the targets at the beginning which would help us determine corrections for each shooter. Students were then split into shooter/spotter teams. As luck would have it I was paired with a 13 year old whose dad had bought him a Barrett .338 Lapua MRAD with a Nightforce scope. ‘Nuff said about that. Targets on the first day ranged from 410 yards to 850 yards.
Day Three started again with breakfast and then we drove up to our new firing point. From here we engaged targets from 850 yards to 1200 yards. Once the shooting was finished for the day, we held a graduation with certificates, class picture and a couple of T-shirts.
For anyone picking the lodging included option you will be housed in one of the Founder’s Cabins. I had a decent sized room to myself with two single beds, shower and closet. The cabin had a shared fridge/freezer, cooking and entertainment area (no TV). There were also a couple of tables set up outside on the porch. Unfortunately the rooms do not come with A/C or wireless, nor are there TVs in any of the rooms.
All the meals are catered on PLR1. Breakfast consisted of a couple of burritos, bananas, yoghurt and oatmeal. There was a packed lunch each day which consisted of a meat sandwich, chips, crackers, and an apple. Dinner consisted of plenty of meat to include chicken, homemade sausage, pork chops, plus grilled pineapples, rice, potatoes and veggies.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and being able to shoot so far was great. The small class size (6 shooters, 1 instructor) was awesome and each student had enough teacher time. Up to 1000 yards I was able to put shots on target pretty consistently. It was when I started shooting the 1200 yard target that I noticed that I wasn’t as good. Out of 15 rounds I hit the 40”x60” plate once, but I did come close with a few rounds. Bearing in mind that I was shooting 175 gr .308 from a 20” barrel I can settle for that for now.
For what it is worth I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking for entry level training into the world of precision long range. One unexpected bonus was that, when I told the HH6 of the limitations of my setup beyond the 1200 yards, she suggested I buy a new rifle! I’ll see how that one pans out.
NRA Whittington:
Rifle:
