Basic M4 Carbine Course - Lesson 5

Title: Basic M4 Carbine Course- Lesson 5

Type: Dry Practice (No live ammunition)

Time: 2 hours

Venue: Weapon Training Classroom

Students: 12

Student Equipment: 12 X M4 Carbines

12 X USGI 30 round M4 magazines

6 X dummy 5.56mm rounds per student (72)

Instructor Equipment: 1 X M4 Carbine

2 X USGI M4 30 round magazines

6 X dummy 5.56mm rounds

Assistant Instructors (AI'S): 2 (Names)

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES:

Prior to arrival of students:

- Write lesson title on board.

- Set up classroom chairs.

- Place six (6) dummy rounds under each chair.

- If used, load/check PowerPoint.

On arrival of students:

- Student Safety Check all weapons.

- Check all magazines, no live rounds.

- Safety declaration, check no live rounds brought into classroom.

- Seat.

- Place 1 X M4 carbine, 2 x 30 round magazines under chair.

- Designate Safe Direction for the student practice.

CONDUCT OF LESSON

This lesson, Basic M4 Carbine-Lesson 5, teaches the Malfunction Drill and Tactical Reload Drills. I am the primary instructor (if first time with students, give name and background) and I will be assisted by (introduce the assistant instructors).

Review

EXPLAIN- The previous lesson, Lesson 4, covered the Emergency Reloading and Immediate Action Drills for the M4 Carbine.

PRACTICE AS MUCH AS TIME PERMITS (Ensure the students are set up for the practice with one empty magazine on the weapon and one magazine containing at least one dummy round in the carrier. Have the students pull the Charging Handle to the rear and push it all the way forward. Have students conduct an Emergency Reload, set up again and repeat as necessary with oversight.)

Introduction

EXPLAIN- In any situation where a weapon fails to fire when expected, the first action is always to move into cover before attempting to fix the problem. As explained in Lesson 4, a weapon not functioning in a gunfight is a very dangerous situation. The drills taught in Lesson 4 will take care of most causes of a weapon not firing, including no rounds left in the magazine.

Although rare, it is possible to experience mechanical failures on an M4 which are not remedied by either the Emergency Reload or the Immediate Action Drills and this compounds an already bad situation. A weapon malfunction, such as a double feed, or failure to extract, possibly caused by a broken or defective part such as magazine failure, ammunition primer failure or ammunition case failure, require a different drill.

The Malfunction Drill will remedy the remaining problems not requiring disassembly and/or a qualified armorer to repair. Again, the drill must be practiced constantly to become a fine motor skill.

There will be times during a gunfight when reloading is not an emergency and can be conducted after deciding it is prudent, during a lull or before moving for example. These types of reloading are called tactical reloads and there are two drills which should be practiced as much as any other drill. The decision on which to use is the firers and will depend upon the situation.

Objective

EXPLAIN- At the conclusion of this lesson, you will know the Malfunction Drill and Tactical Reload Drills for the M4 Carbine. It will be your responsibility to practice as much as you can to develop these drills into fine motor skills.

Malfunction Drill

EXPLAIN & DEMONSTRATE (Inform students the demonstration will be in stages and conducted slowly for ease of understanding.)- After conducting the Emergency Reload (if the user has recognized the magazine is empty) or the Immediate Action Drill and the weapon fails to fire, the shooter will conduct the Malfunction Drill as follows:

• Remove the finger from the trigger.
• Bring the weapon in closer and cant if necessary to aid in manipulation.
• Attempt to place the Selector Safety Switch on Safe.
• Grasp the charging handle, vigorously pull the charging handle to the rear and watch to see if anything is ejected from the ejection port. Holding the bolt carrier group to the rear, press the bottom of the bolt release and ease the bolt carrier group forward under control until it stops. The bolt carrier group is now locked to the rear.
• Press the magazine release, strip the magazine from the weapon and discard.
• Inspect the chamber to ensure it is clear. If not, clear it.
• Grasp the charging handle, vigorously pull the charging handle to the rear and allow the Bolt Carrier Group to go forward. Do not ease the Bolt Carrier Group and Charging Handle forward. Vigorously pull it to the rear and let go, two or three more times.
• Insert a new magazine into the magazine well until you feel/hear a click. Ensure it is correctly seated by giving the magazine a slight tug.
• Grasp the charging handle, vigorously pull the charging handle to the rear and allow the Bolt Carrier Group to go forward. Do not ease the Bolt Carrier Group and Charging Handle forward.
• Reacquire sight picture, place the finger back on the trigger. Assesses the need for follow up shots and, if necessary, resume firing (remember, the decision to fire has already been made). This is the end of the Malfunction Drill.

If the weapon fails to fire, discard and continue with a different weapon or remain in cover. The weapon will need to be disassembled to determine cause of problem and may need an armorer's attention to fix.

Ask if any questions

IMITATE, PRACTICE AS MUCH AS TIME PERMITS (Demonstrate the Malfunction Drill again and have the students slowly imitate each action in time with the instructor. Have students set up again and repeat as necessary. When satisfied actions are correct, allow students to conduct the drill at an increasingly faster pace and then allow to practice in their own time with oversight.)

Tactical Reload Drill #1

EXPLAIN & DEMONSTRATE (Inform students the demonstration will be in stages and conducted slowly for ease of understanding.)- During a lull in a gunfight, when the shooter does not know how many rounds are left in the magazine or before moving, the shooter may perform a Tactical Reload Drill #1 as follows:

• Remove the finger from the trigger.
• Ensure the Selector Safety Switch is on Safe.
• Bring the weapon in closer and cant if necessary to aid in manipulation.
• Remove a new magazine from the carrier. Check the top rounds are seated.
• Bring the new magazine up to the weapon and conduct a final visual check of surroundings.
• Press the magazine release allowing the empty magazine to fall away from the weapon.
• Insert the new magazine into the magazine well until you feel/hear a click. Ensure it is correctly seated by giving the magazine a slight tug. This is the end of Tactical Reload Drill #1.

Tactical Reload Drill #2

EXPLAIN & DEMONSTRATE (Inform students the demonstration will be in stages and conducted slowly for ease of understanding.)- Tactical Reload Drill #2 is conducted as follows:

• Remove the finger from the trigger.
• Ensure the Selector Safety Switch is on Safe.
• Bring the weapon in closer and cant if necessary to aid in manipulation.
• Remove a new magazine from the carrier. Check the top rounds are seated.
• Bring the new magazine up to the weapon and conduct a final visual check of surroundings.
• Holding the new magazine, grasp the magazine fitted to the weapon between the available fingers of the same hand.
• Press the magazine release and switch the magazines, inserting the new magazine into the magazine well until you feel/hear a click. Ensure it is correctly seated by giving the magazine a slight tug.
• Place the old magazine in a dump pouch or down the front of a jacket, not in the magazine carrier. This is the end of Tactical Reload Drill #2.

As stated, the choice of drill is the firers and depends on the situation. The main difference between the drills is the partial magazine is retained in Drill #2 but discarded in Drill #1.

Ask if any questions

IMITATE, PRACTICE AS MUCH AS TIME PERMITS (Demonstrate the Tactical Reload Drills again and have the students slowly imitate each action in time with the instructor. Have students set up again and repeat as necessary. When satisfied actions are correct, allow students to conduct the drill at an increasingly faster pace and then allow to practice in their own time with oversight.)

Final practice, if any

Ask if any questions

Ask the students questions for final confirmation

Summary

EXPLAIN- Proper manipulation of your weapon may be the key to staying alive in a gunfight, particularly those drills which keep your weapon working. Practice all the drills taught until they become fine motor skills which can be conducted without thinking. Dry fire practice is a convenient and cost-effective way for you to learn and maintain weapons handling skills, most top shooters spend hours and hours in dry practice. Always conduct a Safety Check before and never use live ammunition in dry fire practice. All drills have a start and finish, do not shortcut the drills. Remember the difference between a drill and a procedure, you can take your time and think about the steps for a procedure.

Look Forward

EXPLAIN- Your next lesson is Range 1 where we will check each weapon and ensure it is correctly zeroed to the individual. We will address both iron sights and optical/reticule sights such as red dots. You will need to bring all your equipment for the range, including zero data for your optic if applicable. This will be in the user manual.

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