Advanced Marksmanship Sniper School

[DDgunslinger]

I apologize if this doesn't go here, but I didn't see a better place. If it needs to be moved please do.

Ok, I just got a phone call today from my Unit, and I'm going to sniper school in April. This was a last minute slot opening, so I jumped on it. So now, I have 3 weeks to prep and a lot of work today. I was an SDM on active duty and went to the a two week LRM course. However, that was using M4s and M14s. I have some experience with the M24 and M107 and very little experience with the M110. I already have my ghille cause I use it in the field during recon operations. I'm a 11B2 serving as a recon scout team leader in the ARNG. So I guess whatever information you all can give about your all's experience when you when through Sniper School will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Enough Said]

Re: Sniper School

If you've got a full Ghillie suit, then some of the pressure will be off during the first couple weeks. That's a good thing.

Give it all you've got and don't take it personally if you don't make it.

There's really not much prep you can do in advance, so go in with a dry sponge for a mind and absorb everything they put at you.

Congratulations on your spot in school!

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Sniper School

Brush up on you map reading and land NAV, I'm not talking about GPS, I'm talking map and compass (and protractor).

Go out in the back yard with your spotting scope and watch the wind. Even if you aren't shooting, watch the wind through glass.

Forgot to add, study your patrol orders also.

 

[Christopher Rance]

Re: Sniper School

Dry fire, shoot a .22, just work on the basics. Won't hurt to look over a 3-22.10 and read about the basic fundamentals of shooting.

First exercise is a grouping drill at 25meters with a m4 or M16 with iron sights. 3cm groupings, 5 shot groups.

 

[McCrazy]

Re: Sniper School

Practice your ability to estimate range by eye. If possible get a laser range finder to be able to check your estimation and calibrate yourself. I was surprised at how bad most guys in my class were.

My technique (I was the best at range e in my class) was as follows. I would pick out a point halfway to my target. I would then use the football field method to determine the half distance. Double that and you end up with a surprisingly accurate estimation. Worked very well for me. If not for you, find something that does.

The suggestion to practice reading wind is a solid offer too. Once again, see if you can get a Kestrel so you can check your guess and calibrate yourself. At the very least know the visual indicators of wind i.e. causes smoke to drift, felt lightly on face, picks up leaves and trash, etc...

If you are not familiar with reading mirage and trace then learning would help. If not then no big deal. I learned in school and it isn't too hard for most people. My spotter sucked but that is a story for another time.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DDgunslinger]

Re: Sniper School

Thanks for all the info, I appreciate it.

 

[northern shooter]

Re: Sniper School

This is how "Memory Palace" works, you think in your mind of your house or any other place you know very well and you place items that you want to remember in each room but make it bizzare for example i wanna memorize a duracell double A battery.
I walk into the first room and see a monkey putting a double A duracell battery into a tv remote, now do something else bizzare for other items in other rooms, You can also place mulitple things into one room.

A good way to Remember For KIMs

 

[11B-B4]

Re: Sniper School

I heard from an instructor that there is no more PT test at sniper school... pretty insane.

Really focus on being able to learn wind reading, spotting trace, and Range E. Those are probably the most important for shooting...

Once that is over listen hard during the classes on fieldcraft... the instructors really know what they are talking about with stalks as it pertains to blending into environment ect.

And remember they are eagle eyes... they know what to look for. So just be patient, make good use of your time on stalks and route selection is key.. use as much dead space as possible to close to the FFP prior to having to creep in and set up.

Also depth perception is your friend. You can set up on a little sapling in the middle of a field... but if you are 10 yards back off of it they wont be able to get the depth perception down.

Good luck.

Remember "Natural Veg is the edge" - Haskins

 

[DDgunslinger]

Re: Sniper School

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 11B-B4</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I heard from an instructor that there is no more PT test at sniper school... pretty insane.

Really focus on being able to learn wind reading, spotting trace, and Range E. Those are probably the most important for shooting...

Once that is over listen hard during the classes on fieldcraft... the instructors really know what they are talking about with stalks as it pertains to blending into environment ect.

And remember they are eagle eyes... they know what to look for. So just be patient, make good use of your time on stalks and route selection is key.. use as much dead space as possible to close to the FFP prior to having to creep in and set up.

Also depth perception is your friend. You can set up on a little sapling in the middle of a field... but if you are 10 yards back off of it they wont be able to get the depth perception down.

Good luck.

Remember "Natural Veg is the edge" - Haskins </div></div>

Thanks man, I appreciate it

 

[sniperkwg]

Re: Sniper School

Camp Robinson or Ft. Benning? Two different stalking scenarios. ARNG school required a lot of traditional stalks though open land and Benning had tree stalks a lot of the time.