AAR EAG Carbine Boone County IN 20-22June 2008

[Pat Rogers]

EAG conducted a Carbine Operators Course at the Boone County Sheriff Department Range, Lebanon IN, 20-22 June 2008.
As in the previous course here earlier in the week, Sheriff Ken Campbell once more used his Sheriff Super Powers to keep the WX issues down to a minimum, though it was touchy at times. Heavy WX was in the area, but it was only on the last day that we had any worries- twice Dispatch sent word that we needed to be prepared to receive severe WX within 20 minutes, but aside from a few sprinkles (AKA an Arizona monsoon), it all missed us, though not by much./

We had a range conflict issue on T2, but in the overall scheme of things, it was beneficial to all of us. The 4 H Club had over 350 kids on the range from 0800-1230, and all were shooting. This included .22 pistol and rifle, shotgun, blackpowder and archery. The kids all were enjoying it, and the benefits for us- all of us- outweighed any issues we had. We reversed our schedule and shot until 2100.

As with all of the open classes, this was a mix of cops, mil, Doc’s and average Joe’s, including Sue Mogle’s 16 year old nephew Jon- a High Power competitor, who was transparent in his ability to shift disciplines. He needed attention, but processed information and drove on. There were a lot of return faces, including one on PTSD therapy.

Unlike the first class this week, we had multiple gun problems. One shooter had a relatively new RRA gun. The receiver extension was loose; the nut not staked, and the buffer detent was released into the receiver. The extractor spring was about flat.
Another student had a POF gun, also with the receiver extension loose, and nut not staked. It was failing to extract regularly. When I asked him what lube he was using he stated that it was a piston gun and didn’t need lube. A generous dose of Vagisil got the gun running and he experienced no further problems (the Vagisil works, but Slip 2000 is longer lasting…)
Picking up discarded ammo is never wise. One shooter tried feeding a 5.45x39mm round into his 5.56x45mm chamber. It required a big hammer to rectify that…
I broke a brand new PMAG (my first success at breaking one, though unintentional).
The inefficiency of iron sights was once again apparent in this class. The shooter- an experienced cop- is issued an iron sighted gun and wisely stayed with iron sights to build on that skill set, but it gets hard to do when the sky darkens or the sun is in your face.
We require tactical slings, and that makes life easier all the way around. However, not all slings are equal, and not all mounts are sufficient.
I strongly prefer to keep the front mount at the rear of the rail, and the rear mount at the rear of the receiver. This gives me a more useful package, especially true with the back of the gun.
Attaching the rear sling mount to the back of the buttstock limits how you can handle/ move the gun, to include off shoulder transition, reloads, malfunction clearances and carry.
I use a TangoDown PR-4 (OK, I am biased here and it is a shameless plug) on the back. It is a 3 position unit, and keeps you from getting whacked in the face with your stock- which can be construed as a good thing.

I have been wearing a BAE RBAV for the past few months. This is another Matt Johnson creation, and it is a lightweight (1/3 lighter than a CIRAS with the same armor package) that comes in both releasable and non releasable packages.
The lighter weight and design features make this the least uncomfortable vest I have ever worn, and my 5 broke discs appreciate that, big time.
We have been loaning out this vest to some who are in the business for eval, and it has been well received.
ATS (www.atstacticalgear.com) has the entire line up on their website.

On T2 Sheriff Campbell and Major Mike attended a Pie In The Face fundraiser for a local Marshall whose daughter was born with a horrible affliction. For $25 you could pop the big guy in the mush. As much as we wanted to attend, we were unable, so the class did it symbolically, and ¼ of the funds raised that night were donated by this class. The emotional and financial burden faced by the family is devastating, and being able to contribute in even a small way was gratifying.

Thanks to Sheriff Ken and the Boone County Sheriff Department for bringing us back for our 6th year in a row. The hospitality, professionalism and fun have no equal.
Thanks to Donna for the hard work, and especially for trying to deconflict the two Victor Wong’s who had popped up on the screen. Sorry for the confusion guys… And of course thanks to Mike and Mark Hueser for keeping the show on the road and guns working.
Kudos to those who support us- TangoDown, Viking Tactics, BlueForce Gear, Slip 2000, Larue Tactical, CSM, BravoCompany USA; TacticalSprings and Magpul, who supplies a PMAG for each student.
Without your support we would be less successful.