Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

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DougS90
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Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by DougS90 »

Rangers,
I was wondering if it would be advisable that DEPers pursue any firearms training prior to shipping?

I've been an avid shooter since I was 8, with the last 7 years being focused on the AR platform as well as handguns. Shooting has been my biggest hobby in my life, and I'm pretty competitive with it, trying to narrow down shot splits, or target transition times. To be clear here, I'm not the guy who heads out once a month and decides to bump fire into the dirt with his WASR-10. (Although I hold nothing against those who do, its quite fun to watch, but I cringe with the price of ammo being what it is!)

For the last two years however, I've focused more and more time on PT, letting my shooting skills wane. In my mind, shooting was always training, and PT makes for better training (or at least more needed training in my case), so why shoot when I can PT? When I hit the range though, I notice that my skills are deteriorating; this is no surprise, since I can't count the times I've heard the phrase "shooting is a perishable skill". I can still shoot proficiently, and I do much better than my friends who are already serving. This includes the fundamentals like marksmanship at distance, to speed shooting, and weapons manipulations. But being faster/more accurate than friends who can barely reload their issued weapon is not the standard I imagine Rangers are held to. It appears, from my friends, that BCT and even infantry OSUT do little in the way of quality weapons training, although it seemed that both of my friends, entering as non-shooters, came back with good safety habits.

Should I focus more on shooting, or just consign it to being a 'hobby' until I ship? If so, would it be worth my time to continue to train on handguns at all, or put the bulk of my time into the AR? I've shot Beretta's for years (not terribly fond of them, but I shoot them as well as anything else) and have an M9 clone, but I have no idea what the odds are of me being issued a handgun. Still, even if I completely shelve my pistols, I have confidence that I can pick up any handgun and perform to whatever standards are expected, so this is hardly a big concern for me.

I don't imagine that the weapons qualifications for Rangers are anything I can't handle (then again, I could be wrong in which case I need to shoot more) but I want to be an asset, and shooting is certainly a skill that I feel I can contribute. Basically, do I need to make the time to head out to the range with my timer honing splits and working on speed reloads with the AR and itty-bitty groups at distance, or should I accept that my skills will slide, and just be ready to swallow what the Army teaches me as far as shooting goes? To be clear, I'll always want to be a better shooter, but I'll put it on the back burner if its not applicable to reaching my goals.

Thank you Rangers for any replies or advice.
11X Option 40 Shipdate 20120206
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RangerX
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by RangerX »

The best shot in my Basic company was a guy who had never touched a gun before in his life.

Your avid shooting upraising could actually be detrimental, depending on how many bad habits they have to undo.
C Co 3/75 88-90 (Just Cause)
124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)

Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.

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DougS90
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by DougS90 »

Thank you Rangers for the replies. It's hard not to overthink these things with so much time between now and shipping, but I need to keep from wasting it on questions that won't make a difference if I'm not adequately prepared physically and mentally. I'll keep up on my shooting insofar as I've always done, but never to the detriment of more needed PT, and I'll be ready with an open mind to the instruction I'll receive from the Army. Thanks again, I'm off to train.
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RangerX
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by RangerX »

Focus on PT & getting laid. Just stay away from the po-po......
C Co 3/75 88-90 (Just Cause)
124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)

Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.

ΜΩΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis

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Worldweaver
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by Worldweaver »

RangerX wrote:Focus on PT & getting laid. Just stay away from the po-po......
So...nothing in the Butt??! :oops: :lol:
Go Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.
--Simonides

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RangerX
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by RangerX »

Worldweaver wrote:
RangerX wrote:Focus on PT & getting laid. Just stay away from the po-po......
So...nothing in the Butt??! :oops: :lol:
I guess that depends on what state he lives in, or where DADT is at that point.
C Co 3/75 88-90 (Just Cause)
124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)

Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.

ΜΩΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis

Panem Et Circenses

My safe space
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colt1rgr
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by colt1rgr »

Stud, the Army will teach you their way, which is rudimenatry at best and then the boys at RASP will expand upon it and teach you "the right way". Make their job easy by not having to un-@#$% any bad habits you may attain. Best of luck!
1st Ranger Bn 86-92, C Co, HHC, Bn COLT, RHQ 94-95 Ranger Class 14-87 MFF 05 May 88

"Life is like a drop zone, sometimes you just miss the whole damn thing!"
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scar
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by scar »

Stand up shooting is easy, shooting in kit after you just ran a mile in the middle the Georgia/Afghan summer is not.
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ArmyFIST03
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Re: Any Utility in DEPers Shooting?

Post by ArmyFIST03 »

As RangerX stated... when I was in Basic our best shooter who shot 40 out of 40 never touched a weapon before in his life and was a damn bible thumper... Focus on pt, more pt and some more pt. If you can't help going to the range and shooting.. focus on steady position, TIGGER SQUEEZE, aiming, and BREATHE CONTROL. But going out and being Rambo for a day isn't going to help you.
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101st Division STB 07 "Strength of the Eagle"
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