NEED Shooting Practice for BMOQA Willing to Pay and also go out to the USA for lessons

[RichardCaan]

Good day everyone, I hope you are doing well!

To give some context: Currently a LOG O, OCdt in ROTP CIV U, I got BMOQA in May 2026 so this gives me a long time for me to train for BMOQA, I have been training physically for the course and am on track to improve my fitness heavily before the course even starts. But I want to improve my shooting before the course ( failed pwt1 everytime I go on a range, so far only been on 2 ranges, only passed on BMOQ).

I am in Toronto, please recommend me shooting ranges here or in the USA wherein I can do PWT1 and practice all the drills on the C7, C6 and C9 OR similar weapon platforms, many times before BMOQA, the CAF learning system does not help me, I can only learn by making errors on my own and trying to rectify them, please read below if interested in why.

I will likely have to travel to the states to actually get access to similar weapons like the C6 and C7 which I am willing to do. BUT if there are any Canadian alternative ranges, please let me know!

ALL Answers/ Responses are appreciated!

MORE CONTEXT:
During my time at CFLRS on BMOQ I enjoyed my course but I was just a mediocre candidate at best, my staff and peers did like me. Everyone always said my attitude was great and they liked how I was always in a great mood and was always willing to learn. However during my course, I did eat a lot of shit due to skill issues (failed c7 weapons test first time, almost failed drill, failed VIMIY orders exercise twice, sucked in the field) essentially all my failures were caused by my skill, due to my very odd learning style.

The main reason is due to the fact that my learning style is very different than other people, when the instructor would demonstrate the C7 drills, assembly etc the whole class would instantly get it, I would be the only one who couldn't. I would clearly hear the words but my body could not register/understand the lesson, I kept getting jacked up and even towards the end of class I wasn't able to do anything.

I felt absolutely horrible for every technical class like that, I could just not learn stuff the way the CAF teaches (the CAF instruction style works for 99.9999% of the population not me).

However, after training the drills in my pod I was able to understand them in a few hours, this would happen for basically EVERY assessment.

Also, throughout my schooling, kindergarten to high school, I have learned the same way (teacher teaches, I don't understand but everyone in my class does, I go home and then on YouTube or Google or a tutorial, then keep trying, make mistakes and eventually get the same concept correct hours later). Unfortunately, my learning style is not supported by the CAF, and thus learning new concepts in the CAF is crazy hard for me. My staff were awesome it was never their fault, it was just me.

Despite a year later I still feel the pain of failing, the constant stress, worrying every second about being sent back home. I never want to experience this type of pain again, especially on BMOQA.
The only way for me to succeed on BMOQA is to learn the weapons in advance such as the C7, C9, C6, Pistol etc is in a private range, on my own time.

My Learning Style Simplified: You could be a JTF2 operator teaching me the C7 and I still wouldn't understand anything unless I go into an empty corner, watch a youtube video and attempt to do the drill, make a mistake, recognize the mistake, correct the mistake and practice until perfection. For some odd reason learning face to face with an instructor is just crazyyy difficult for me

 

[PuckChaser]

If you're failing PWT 1, I think I know exactly why: Need to get strong enough to hold up the c6 or c9 similar to Call of Duty

You potentially lack the physical strength to stabilize the rifle for 45-60 seconds at a time. No amount of shooting training is going to do that.

If you are incapable of learning basic C7 weapons handling drills, I honestly hope you are given all the remedial training possible and if you still fail, are released from the CAF. This is such a basic skill and your life (and the life of those around you) count on your ability to safely handle a firearm.

 

[RichardCaan]

Good day,

Hey, just wanted to update on that situation, I am confident I have trained that strength issue out! Also passed the weapon drills with almost a perfect score on my 2nd try! (might have been a small misunderstanding, I may worded my post in a shitty way, my apologies. Should have been more clear on this part haha.)

Before BMOQ I was able to OHP 100+ 30-40 pushups, bench 185+ ish, (not too sure if overall strength was the main factor, after all many unfit people can shoot pwt1 very well) so I am very confident this issue was caused by me just not training stabilizer muscles in the shoulder and forearm region, I wasn't a fat candidate either haha.


After BMOQ and that post, I have trained my body to be able to hold 25 lbs - 35 lbs for up to 1:30 min. BUT I still have a VERY STRONG gut feeling that I will still get a shitty score on the range or barely pass, I did want to add that my eyesight is basically ass and I have astigmatism which makes it tough to look through microscopes and other magnifying lens.

I am VERYYYYYYYYY confident I just need more time shooting!

For further context: I was always that kid who had to practice basic movements for days on my own time in my pod to get them correct while all my peers would instantly understand them (mark time while marching, halt while marching, climbing the wall, repel tower - shitty repels on the first 2 heights in Farnham but finally understood it on the 3rd haha)

Also, there is no amount of training the CAF could give me that would help me, due to my very unique learning style I can only unfortunately learn by doing things by myself, making a mistake, realizing the mistake and trying again. The traditional CAF instructing style will barely work with me
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Any advice on where I can find a range to learn the C6,C9 and pistol? I am trying to learn all the weapons before BMOQA so the course is more easier for me.


Also thank you for your feedback and response I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!


If you're failing PWT 1, I think I know exactly why: Need to get strong enough to hold up the c6 or c9 similar to Call of Duty

You potentially lack the physical strength to stabilize the rifle for 45-60 seconds at a time. No amount of shooting training is going to do that.

If you are incapable of learning basic C7 weapons handling drills, I honestly hope you are given all the remedial training possible and if you still fail, are released from the CAF. This is such a basic skill and your life (and the life

le of learning basic C7 weapons handling drills, I honestly hope you are given all the remedial training possible and if you still fail, are released from the CAF. This is such a basic skill and you

of those around you) count on your ability to safely handle a firearm.

 

[PuckChaser]

C6 and C9 are prohibited, you will not learn those on a civilian range. You are also only doing famil shoots, safe handling is the most important.

Just go onto the course and learn how they want to teach you. If you take civilian training, you will learn bad habits (or drills incompatible with CAF drills) and that could make it harder for you to pass.

 

[RichardCaan]

Ack, appreciate the help!!!!

 

[NavyShooter]

Visiting a shooting range in the US will likely introduce you to some bad (Yeeeeehaaawwww!) skills and techniques.

I will posit that the principles of marksmanship apply across all platforms that you may attempt to use, and only the operation/drills are truly different.

I'll suggest - go to a Canadian Tire, and buy yourself a pellet rifle, a shot trap (steel box) some targets, and a few boxes of pellets, and go home to learn how to use it. (note - pellet gun, not a bb gun or an airsoft gun)

First, learn the mechanics of the pellet rifle - how do you load and fire it. There are usually really good instruction manuals that are included.

Then, lay down in the hallway at home, set up the pellet trap 15-30 feet away (start closer until you learn not to suck) and start practicing.

Start with the prone position and get that figured out.

Youtube university can help you, but the core of it is 5 things.

HABIT

Holding
Aiming
Breathing
Instinctive Position
Trigger Control

Holding - where do you put your hands, your shoulder and your cheek on the rifle. Your 4 points of contact are important - you have a controlling hand (pistol grip/trigger) a supporting hand (holds the rifle up, elbow rested on the ground) a shoulder (absorbs recoil and steadies the rifle) and your cheek (aligns your eye with the sight.)

Aiming - if you're using iron sights, then it's got to be level, with equal light on all sides. If it's an optic, then the cross-hair is level. The eye can only focus on one thing - so you focus on the cross-hair/reticle. Put the reticle over top of the target and fire.

Breathing - normally you have a standard 3 breath cycle - IN - OUT - IN - OUT - IN - Slowly out, pause, hold (3-5 seconds) and fire) - out the rest of the way and repeat.

Instinctive Position - you need to be naturally aligned at the target. If your body is twisted and using a lot of muscle energy just to point at the target, you're going to miss. Line up on the target, close your eyes, do a breathing cycle, relax, open your eyes and see if you're still on target. If you're not pointed at the target, MOVE YOUR WHOLE BODY, don't just twist your arm or point back at the target using your muscles. Repeat the line up, close eyes, breathe, relax, open eyes, adjust position cycle until you end up not having to adjust your position anymore.

Trigger Control - slow, smooth, steady, squeeze of the trigger, straight to the rear, and the shot should come as a surprise when it goes off. If you're snatching or jerking the trigger, then you will disrupt your sight picture and your hold of the rifle. SSSSS - S - BANG


Using a pellet gun means you can practice on your own time, in your own space, and learn at your own pace.

I'll suggest one of the Daisy 853C type Cadet pellet guns. They work well, I think I have 5 of them.

Good luck, but as mentioned above, if you are unable to learn, and unable to effectively and safely operate your personal weapon, then you're unable to do the most basic skill of any member of the CAF - Take a Rifle, Stand a Post.