<span style="font-weight: bold">Central Cascade Precision Rifle April 2010 Review</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Synopsis</span>
An outstanding new school and great resource for shooters in the Pacific NW and beyond.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Instructors</span>
Central Cascade Precision is a new school in the Pacific NW established by Caylen Wojcik. His credentials are impressive and consist of USMC Scout/Sniper with active deployment to the Middle East. He also served as a Scout/Sniper and marksmanship instructor for the USMC Scout/Sniper School.
For the inaugural course Caylen also had guest instructor Billy “Shep” Shepperson, owner of Long Range International. Billy is also former USMC Scout/Sniper who served overseas in combat along with Caylen. The course had six students registered, which gave us an incredible 3:1 student instructor ratio.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Classroom Lecture</span>
The first day of training was in a classroom setting. Classes began with basic rifle nomenclature and each shooter was encouraged to place their safe and unloaded rifles on the table in front of them so the instructors could describe in detail the various operational aspect of each weapon.
Next was an in-depth description of scope optics. This included basic scope theory, reticles, turrets, Mils and MOA differences, parallax, focusing issues, bullet drop compensators, accuracy issues in ranging reticles, eye relief, first vs. second focal plane and need for high quality, rugged and repeatable adjustments.
Along with proper position, we went into rifle fit to the shooter. Descriptions of common issues relating to reticle cant, stock length, cheek rest height, etc. were covered. Shooters were placed in prone with their rifles and students and instructors double checked shooting position and eye height. Students were shown how to determine proper cheek weld height to place the eye on axis with the scope. Students then, if needed, built their own cheekrest with commonly available components such as foam and duct tape. On rifles like the Remington 700 this small change made a large difference in comfort for shooters using the factory stock.
Rifle length and eye relief were also double checked along with an exercise to ensure the scope reticle was in perfect focus. Instructors checked each rifle individually as well to ensure the reticle was straight.
After a brief lunch, we covered the basics of proper shooting positions to include use of bone support, muscle relaxation, natural point of aim, and the “Five Factors of Shooting Positions.” This included correct placement of the stock, proper stock weld, placement of shooting and non-shooting hands and elbows.
Following this was additional coverage of the prone shooting position with bipod support. Emphasis was placed on solid body position straight behind the rifle, straight spine, flat feet, proper trigger and support hand position, use of a rear sand bag and a relaxed eye position behind the rear of the scope, etc. All students went behind their rifles and fellow classmates and instructors each critiqued and corrected errors.
Next was detailed instruction into marksmanship fundamentals including the basics of sight alignment, sight picture, breathing, trigger control, follow-through and calling the shot. Also was another deeper view into the workings of scope optics and proper operation of elevation and windage turrets and the dangers of not correcting for parallax when changing ranges.
Continuing further we covered MOA and Mil ranging and adjustments and doing proper conversions between the two methods. This led into a comprehensive overview of external ballistics, come-ups, air density, weather conditions and other factors that affect bullet flight.
Wrapping the day up we finally covered “cold bore” shots. Which really means the difference shooting from a freshly cleaned bore vs. one that is fouled and the importance of knowing how your rifle reacts to shooting from a clean bore vs. one that is dirty.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Shooting Range</span>
The next three days were spent in the field. The shooting range was located around 30 minutes outside Yakima on a large piece of privately owned ranch land. The range consisted of rolling hills with sage brush, grass and ponderosa pines. The weather was a perfect 70 during the day with dusty conditions on the ground. Wind ranged from mild to gusty over 10MPH by the late afternoon. The range itself was intersected by several small cuts in the hills and this led to interesting wind conditions.
One aspect of the range I really enjoyed is that the firing lines were variable. Instead of shooting from the same position each day, we found ourselves facing entirely different directions. Just when you thought you’d mastered the wind and ranging from one day of firing, you’d find that the next day you would be shooting from the exact opposite end of the firing line. This was a really unique and valuable experience and kept students on their toes.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day One on the Line</span>
The first day on the range we worked on zeroing our rifles at 100 yards on paper gradually working out to 300 yards on paper. During this time we ensured our equipment was adjusted for the 2300 ft. elevation and worked on our shooting position and marksmanship fundamentals. Instructors then had us each chronograph our rifle/ammo combination. Caylen then took this data and gave students a personalized ballistics chart the following day on their weapon.
Next up we did “cold bore” (meaning: "clean bore") shooting exercises where students were encouraged to clean their bores as they normally would and then shoot. Data was collected on the variances of clean bore shots vs. dirty bore shots for each rifle. This reminded students about the importance of knowing how their particular rifle groups when coming from a clean to a fouled bore.
During the day we’d shoot for about an hour and then there would be about an hour “hip pocket” class. During these class sessions the instructors would build on the skills we had just learned and add in something new that we’d be working on next.
Classes this day covered external ballistics, drag, environmental factors on bullets and ammunition, altitude, humidity, precipitation and adverse weather, collecting Data On Previous Engagements (DOPE), calculating all environmental factors into final firing solution and angles.
Follow-on classes during the day began to focus on wind. This included using the clock system to calculate wind effect, reading mirage, wind flags, vegetation, multiple wind direction corrections, and using a spotter to make wind corrections before firing.
During the day there were also small demonstrations of variations in positions such as Hawkins and using British style shooting sticks.
The day was concluded with the introduction of using the shooter/spotter team to engage 18”W x 24”H steel plates at 400 and 500 yards to practice calling wind and making corrections to strike the plate center.
A demonstration of trenching a rifle for a Hawkins position:
Shooting from British-style stick support:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day Two on the Line</span>
The second day the instructors had us setup overlooking a known distance range stretching from 400-800 yards. 18”W x 24”H plates were setup in threes to allow all six students to work as shooter/spotter teams. The shooter/spotter concept would be the core focus for the rest of the course going forward from this point and every student would alternate on the teams between shooting and spotting.
The morning course of fire commenced and each team engaged targets from known ranges of 400-800 yards to acquire DOPE on their weapons and practice making wind calls.
After the known distances were established, we had another field class where ranging with the mil-dot reticle was covered in-depth. Instructors covered classic “football” and “baseball” sized mil-dots along with hash-line mil-dots. Tricks and tips were given to help measure targets more precisely down to 1/10th mil. The class also had detailed descriptions of common errors in milling, effects of mirage, parallax errors and the use of the Mil-relation formula for calculating distances. Ending the class was a lecture on the proper construction of a range card and diagram for targets at unknown distance.
After the class the instructors setup an unknown distance course with 16 targets ranging from 18”W x 24”H to 8”x 8” hangers. All distances were random and ranged from around 300 to 800 yards.
Students were then given some time to work with their partner and mil the targets and calculate their own range cards - without using a laser range finder. After ranges were calculated, the instructors laid out the rules of engagement for the course. Students would be given 10 points for a first round hit on any target and 8 points if they missed but hit it the second time. Only two shots were allowed and after two misses the shooter received a zero for that target. Using the shooter/spotter teams, range and wind corrections were given as each shooter engaged targets. For having only received one morning of instruction, teams had great success with scores ranging from high 40% to mid-70%.
Unknown Distance Range - White dots are larger targets. Other targets hanging in trees.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day Three on the Line</span>
Just like the days before, the firing line was moved. This time we were at the opposite side of the range shooting from a low hill into the valley below. Target ranges were from around 400-1000 yards. The first course of fire was to engage steel plates with the shooter/spotter teams at 900 and 1000 yards to establish good DOPE. We then played a couple games where shooters started around 30 ft. from their weapon and had to run to it and engage 1000 yard steel plates to see who would be first. Shooters had to spot and call their own corrections.
After this, another unknown distance course was setup with 15 targets of the random sizes used before. Because the firing line was different, shooters had to re-establish ranges to all the known landmarks and make new adjustments for wind. Again shooter/spotters were used to build range cards and make wind calls.
The second time around team scores all improved even with a very gusty and unpredictable winds happening in the valley below (dust devils were blowing around as the various winds shifted back and forth for instance). This was an excellent test of skills and was much more challenging than shooting on a flat range with constant winds. Gusts on one half of the course were so strong that wind calls of 1 mil or more off a target were common even at mid-ranges at times. Yet, the other half of the range the winds would be relatively constant and calm requiring little windage adjustment.
When the course was finished and scores read, the instructors gave shooters 30 minutes free time on the range. Shooters were encouraged to go back and re-engage targets they had problems with, adjust DOPE, practice wind calls, shoot other ammunition they wanted to try at extended ranges, etc. We really enjoyed this and it gave us a chance to try out some military surplus ball at 900+ yards (worked fine) and play with other’s equipment.
After this break we went back to the line and finished with some shooting games to test accuracy and bolt manipulation speed. The final shooting of the day was to engage two melons at distances around 400-600 yards away.
The course wrapped up with a final demonstration of alternative firing positions to consider such as offhand, sitting, Hawkins, partner supported, kneeling, shooting off branches, etc.
Caylen (in green shirt) explains the details of partner supported shooting:
Caylen explaining how to use a partner in prone supported position:
Using a knife in a tree for an improvised support:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Equipment Malfunctions</span>
The course had a couple equipment problems. A Premier Reticles scope elevation turret broke. A detachable scope mount (LaRue??) kept coming loose and the rifle wouldn’t hold zero. I didn’t notice any other malfunctions.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Overall Summary</span>
The course was $600 for four days of classes from top-notch instructors. We shot around 250 rounds of ammo. Caylen and Billy’s presentation styles are confident and detailed. It is obvious that both speak directly from experience in what they saw in the USMC and active combat. I came away from the class with a large number of notes with very practical and tested advice. My skills as a long-range shooter improved remarkably by the end of the course.
The Pacific NW is very lucky to have Central Cascade Precision offering classes in our region. Anyone interested in learning to use their precision rifle more effectively would be well advised to attend one of these classes. It’s money very well spent.
* Album link to above photos:
http://img15.imageshack.us/g/img2756wx.jpg/
<span style="font-weight: bold">Synopsis</span>
An outstanding new school and great resource for shooters in the Pacific NW and beyond.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Instructors</span>
Central Cascade Precision is a new school in the Pacific NW established by Caylen Wojcik. His credentials are impressive and consist of USMC Scout/Sniper with active deployment to the Middle East. He also served as a Scout/Sniper and marksmanship instructor for the USMC Scout/Sniper School.
For the inaugural course Caylen also had guest instructor Billy “Shep” Shepperson, owner of Long Range International. Billy is also former USMC Scout/Sniper who served overseas in combat along with Caylen. The course had six students registered, which gave us an incredible 3:1 student instructor ratio.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Classroom Lecture</span>
The first day of training was in a classroom setting. Classes began with basic rifle nomenclature and each shooter was encouraged to place their safe and unloaded rifles on the table in front of them so the instructors could describe in detail the various operational aspect of each weapon.
Next was an in-depth description of scope optics. This included basic scope theory, reticles, turrets, Mils and MOA differences, parallax, focusing issues, bullet drop compensators, accuracy issues in ranging reticles, eye relief, first vs. second focal plane and need for high quality, rugged and repeatable adjustments.
Along with proper position, we went into rifle fit to the shooter. Descriptions of common issues relating to reticle cant, stock length, cheek rest height, etc. were covered. Shooters were placed in prone with their rifles and students and instructors double checked shooting position and eye height. Students were shown how to determine proper cheek weld height to place the eye on axis with the scope. Students then, if needed, built their own cheekrest with commonly available components such as foam and duct tape. On rifles like the Remington 700 this small change made a large difference in comfort for shooters using the factory stock.
Rifle length and eye relief were also double checked along with an exercise to ensure the scope reticle was in perfect focus. Instructors checked each rifle individually as well to ensure the reticle was straight.
After a brief lunch, we covered the basics of proper shooting positions to include use of bone support, muscle relaxation, natural point of aim, and the “Five Factors of Shooting Positions.” This included correct placement of the stock, proper stock weld, placement of shooting and non-shooting hands and elbows.
Following this was additional coverage of the prone shooting position with bipod support. Emphasis was placed on solid body position straight behind the rifle, straight spine, flat feet, proper trigger and support hand position, use of a rear sand bag and a relaxed eye position behind the rear of the scope, etc. All students went behind their rifles and fellow classmates and instructors each critiqued and corrected errors.
Next was detailed instruction into marksmanship fundamentals including the basics of sight alignment, sight picture, breathing, trigger control, follow-through and calling the shot. Also was another deeper view into the workings of scope optics and proper operation of elevation and windage turrets and the dangers of not correcting for parallax when changing ranges.
Continuing further we covered MOA and Mil ranging and adjustments and doing proper conversions between the two methods. This led into a comprehensive overview of external ballistics, come-ups, air density, weather conditions and other factors that affect bullet flight.
Wrapping the day up we finally covered “cold bore” shots. Which really means the difference shooting from a freshly cleaned bore vs. one that is fouled and the importance of knowing how your rifle reacts to shooting from a clean bore vs. one that is dirty.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Shooting Range</span>
The next three days were spent in the field. The shooting range was located around 30 minutes outside Yakima on a large piece of privately owned ranch land. The range consisted of rolling hills with sage brush, grass and ponderosa pines. The weather was a perfect 70 during the day with dusty conditions on the ground. Wind ranged from mild to gusty over 10MPH by the late afternoon. The range itself was intersected by several small cuts in the hills and this led to interesting wind conditions.
One aspect of the range I really enjoyed is that the firing lines were variable. Instead of shooting from the same position each day, we found ourselves facing entirely different directions. Just when you thought you’d mastered the wind and ranging from one day of firing, you’d find that the next day you would be shooting from the exact opposite end of the firing line. This was a really unique and valuable experience and kept students on their toes.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day One on the Line</span>
The first day on the range we worked on zeroing our rifles at 100 yards on paper gradually working out to 300 yards on paper. During this time we ensured our equipment was adjusted for the 2300 ft. elevation and worked on our shooting position and marksmanship fundamentals. Instructors then had us each chronograph our rifle/ammo combination. Caylen then took this data and gave students a personalized ballistics chart the following day on their weapon.
Next up we did “cold bore” (meaning: "clean bore") shooting exercises where students were encouraged to clean their bores as they normally would and then shoot. Data was collected on the variances of clean bore shots vs. dirty bore shots for each rifle. This reminded students about the importance of knowing how their particular rifle groups when coming from a clean to a fouled bore.
During the day we’d shoot for about an hour and then there would be about an hour “hip pocket” class. During these class sessions the instructors would build on the skills we had just learned and add in something new that we’d be working on next.
Classes this day covered external ballistics, drag, environmental factors on bullets and ammunition, altitude, humidity, precipitation and adverse weather, collecting Data On Previous Engagements (DOPE), calculating all environmental factors into final firing solution and angles.
Follow-on classes during the day began to focus on wind. This included using the clock system to calculate wind effect, reading mirage, wind flags, vegetation, multiple wind direction corrections, and using a spotter to make wind corrections before firing.
During the day there were also small demonstrations of variations in positions such as Hawkins and using British style shooting sticks.
The day was concluded with the introduction of using the shooter/spotter team to engage 18”W x 24”H steel plates at 400 and 500 yards to practice calling wind and making corrections to strike the plate center.
A demonstration of trenching a rifle for a Hawkins position:
Shooting from British-style stick support:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day Two on the Line</span>
The second day the instructors had us setup overlooking a known distance range stretching from 400-800 yards. 18”W x 24”H plates were setup in threes to allow all six students to work as shooter/spotter teams. The shooter/spotter concept would be the core focus for the rest of the course going forward from this point and every student would alternate on the teams between shooting and spotting.
The morning course of fire commenced and each team engaged targets from known ranges of 400-800 yards to acquire DOPE on their weapons and practice making wind calls.
After the known distances were established, we had another field class where ranging with the mil-dot reticle was covered in-depth. Instructors covered classic “football” and “baseball” sized mil-dots along with hash-line mil-dots. Tricks and tips were given to help measure targets more precisely down to 1/10th mil. The class also had detailed descriptions of common errors in milling, effects of mirage, parallax errors and the use of the Mil-relation formula for calculating distances. Ending the class was a lecture on the proper construction of a range card and diagram for targets at unknown distance.
After the class the instructors setup an unknown distance course with 16 targets ranging from 18”W x 24”H to 8”x 8” hangers. All distances were random and ranged from around 300 to 800 yards.
Students were then given some time to work with their partner and mil the targets and calculate their own range cards - without using a laser range finder. After ranges were calculated, the instructors laid out the rules of engagement for the course. Students would be given 10 points for a first round hit on any target and 8 points if they missed but hit it the second time. Only two shots were allowed and after two misses the shooter received a zero for that target. Using the shooter/spotter teams, range and wind corrections were given as each shooter engaged targets. For having only received one morning of instruction, teams had great success with scores ranging from high 40% to mid-70%.
Unknown Distance Range - White dots are larger targets. Other targets hanging in trees.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Day Three on the Line</span>
Just like the days before, the firing line was moved. This time we were at the opposite side of the range shooting from a low hill into the valley below. Target ranges were from around 400-1000 yards. The first course of fire was to engage steel plates with the shooter/spotter teams at 900 and 1000 yards to establish good DOPE. We then played a couple games where shooters started around 30 ft. from their weapon and had to run to it and engage 1000 yard steel plates to see who would be first. Shooters had to spot and call their own corrections.
After this, another unknown distance course was setup with 15 targets of the random sizes used before. Because the firing line was different, shooters had to re-establish ranges to all the known landmarks and make new adjustments for wind. Again shooter/spotters were used to build range cards and make wind calls.
The second time around team scores all improved even with a very gusty and unpredictable winds happening in the valley below (dust devils were blowing around as the various winds shifted back and forth for instance). This was an excellent test of skills and was much more challenging than shooting on a flat range with constant winds. Gusts on one half of the course were so strong that wind calls of 1 mil or more off a target were common even at mid-ranges at times. Yet, the other half of the range the winds would be relatively constant and calm requiring little windage adjustment.
When the course was finished and scores read, the instructors gave shooters 30 minutes free time on the range. Shooters were encouraged to go back and re-engage targets they had problems with, adjust DOPE, practice wind calls, shoot other ammunition they wanted to try at extended ranges, etc. We really enjoyed this and it gave us a chance to try out some military surplus ball at 900+ yards (worked fine) and play with other’s equipment.
After this break we went back to the line and finished with some shooting games to test accuracy and bolt manipulation speed. The final shooting of the day was to engage two melons at distances around 400-600 yards away.
The course wrapped up with a final demonstration of alternative firing positions to consider such as offhand, sitting, Hawkins, partner supported, kneeling, shooting off branches, etc.
Caylen (in green shirt) explains the details of partner supported shooting:
Caylen explaining how to use a partner in prone supported position:
Using a knife in a tree for an improvised support:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Equipment Malfunctions</span>
The course had a couple equipment problems. A Premier Reticles scope elevation turret broke. A detachable scope mount (LaRue??) kept coming loose and the rifle wouldn’t hold zero. I didn’t notice any other malfunctions.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Overall Summary</span>
The course was $600 for four days of classes from top-notch instructors. We shot around 250 rounds of ammo. Caylen and Billy’s presentation styles are confident and detailed. It is obvious that both speak directly from experience in what they saw in the USMC and active combat. I came away from the class with a large number of notes with very practical and tested advice. My skills as a long-range shooter improved remarkably by the end of the course.
The Pacific NW is very lucky to have Central Cascade Precision offering classes in our region. Anyone interested in learning to use their precision rifle more effectively would be well advised to attend one of these classes. It’s money very well spent.
* Album link to above photos:
http://img15.imageshack.us/g/img2756wx.jpg/
