Online Precision Rifle Training from Top Shooter, Jake Vibbert

Have you ever wished you could practice with one of the top shooters in the country? Have you ever wondered what was going on in the head of veterans as they’re preparing for a stage? I have. At the 2017 Heatstroke rifle match I was fortunate to be squadded with Matthew Brousseau, Jon Pynch, and a couple other great shooters. For context, Matthew ended up being the 2017 Overall PRS Champion, and Jon is a top shooter who won the Extended Long Range PRS Match at Q Creek and a couple other majors last year. You wouldn’t believe how much I learned just watching those guys shoot, and listening to them talk through how they were going to attack a stage. I received an education over that two-day match.

Not long ago, a friend of mine told me about a new online Precision Rifle Training from Jake Vibbert, which was very similar to what I just described. My buddy has shot PRS-style rifle matches for a couple of years, but he said he found the videos really helpful. His opinion carries a lot of weight to me, so after looking into it, I ended up subscribing to the online course for $70. At this point, I’ve already watched it twice and I’ve gotten a ton out of it, so I wanted to share it with you guys.

Jake Vibbert is national-level competitive rifle shooter and one of the top-ranked shooters in the Precision Rifle Series and National Rifle League. Jake has placed in the top 3 at 52 matches in the past three years! This online training course includes 55 videos which follow Jake in the field as he shares everything from fundamentals to tips on shooting common barricades to stage strategy to wind reading … and much more. It provides a unique, behind-the-scenes look into the mind of a champion-level precision rifle shooter.

I can pretty much guarantee that anyone from beginner to advanced shooters would benefit from this content. That might sound like a sales pitch, but to be clear I’ve never even talked to Jake … and definitely don’t get any kickback from this. I just found this training really helpful myself, so I wanted to pass it on to my readers.

Jake starts with building a solid foundation and mastery of the fundamentals of marksmanship and basic positional shooting, which is a great reminder even for us veterans. He also covers basic gear (in a straight-forward and unbiased way, which I appreciate), along with the competition gear he personally carries in his pack on match day.

You follow him into the field and he talks through techniques for shooting from common props used in matches such as multi-height barricades, rooftops, tank traps, tires, rocks, shooting ports, and more. He also has a section with solid tips for shooting off a tripod, and another section on free recoil technique. All of this gave me a lot of ideas that I’ve incorporated into my practice sessions at the range.

For each scenario, Jake demonstrates a few approaches and talks through the pros and cons of each. He always encourages the student to try a couple of ways and learn what works best for them. Jake had a very well-rounded and level-headed approach as an instructor, and never came off as overly dogmatic or close-minded.

One of my favorite sections of the training was when Jake went into a few more advanced or obscure topics like stage strategy, pre-stage and post-stage checklists, and the mental rehearsal he runs through. He also had an entire section on how the pro’s read and correct for wind, which contained several things I hadn’t ever thought about before.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your competition performance in tactical/practical precision rifle matches, I’d highly recommend this online training. For $69.99 you get access to all of 55 videos. Here’s a link where you can buy it, along with the full course curriculum:

JC Steel Targets – Precision Rifle Training for Competition

Jake Vibbert’s Precision Rifle Training Course Curriculum

1. Introduction

• Introduction to Precision Rifle Training for Competitors
• Practical Precision Rifle

2. Getting Started – Gear & Cartridge Selection

• Basic Gear Considerations
• Cartridge Selection Considerations

3. Fundamentals of Marksmanship

• Fundamentals of Marksmanship
• Sight Picture
• Trigger Control
• Bolt Manipulation and Breathing
• Natural Point of Aim

4. The Prone Shooting Position

• Building a Prone Position
• Bipod Loading
• Rear Bag Manipulation

5. Unsupported Positional Shooting

• Unsupported Positional Standing
• Unsupported Positional Kneeling
• Unsupported Positional Sitting
• Unsupported Positional Prone
• Unsupported Positional Live Fire Example

6. Basic Prop Shooting

• Basic Prop Shooting – Tips & Techniques, Part 1
• Basic Prop Shooting – Tips & Techniques, Part 2
• Basic Prop Shooting – Tips & Techniques, Part 3

7. Gear Up for Competition

• Competition Gear Overview
• Tripod Gear Considerations
• Competition Mindset

8. Tripod Shooting – Tips & Techniques

• Tripod Shooting – Part 1
• Tripod Shooting – Part 2
• Tripod Shooting – Part 3

9. Stage Strategy – Game Plan Through Execution

• Stage Strategy
• Pre-Stage & Post-Stage Checklists
• Visualization & Mental Rehearsal
• Execute The Game Plan (Example)

10. Free Recoil & Recoil Management

• Free Recoil & Recoil Management

11. Prop Shooting – Tips & Techniques

• Tire Prop Shooting Tips
• Tire Prop Shooting – Live Fire Example
• Tank Trap Prop Shooting Tips
• Roof Top Prop Shooting Tips
• Roof Top Prop – Live Fire Example
• Reverse Roof Top Prop Shooting Tips
• Reverse Roof Top Prop – Live Fire Example
• Barricade Shooting and Practice Tips
• Barricade Shooting – Live Fire Example
• PRS Skills Barricade Tips & Live Fire Example
• Field & Terrain Shooting Tips & Live Fire Example

12. Wind Reading & Tips

• Wind Reading & Visualization
• Wind Call Tips – Part 1
• Wind Call Tips – Part 2

13. Pro Tips for New Precision Rifle Competitors

• Pro Tips for Precision Rifle Competitors

14. Care and Maintenance of Your Precision Rifle Kit

• General Guidance About the Care and Maintenance of Your Precision Rifle Kit

15. Post Match – Stage Analysis

• Introduction to Post Match – Stage Analysis
• Match Stage – Combine Tires
• Match Stage – Long Range
• Match Stage – PRS Skills Stage
• Match Stage – Torso Off The Rocks
• Match Stage – A-Frame Tire of Fire
• Match Stage – Bark At The Moon
• Match Stage – Running After The Turkey Bird