And when he means training, it should be at least 500 rounds down the tube if you've qualed/carry/use/familiar with a similar carbine (AR) more if not, and at least 1000 rounds if little to no prior experience or formal trianing.
***Warning-before ya'll write me off as some doomsday nut I'm not. But I can't just undo years of training and experience for a "casual day" out shooting. I dress to get dirty and I get dirty but i still have fun. On that note, for the others who just want to plink, that's what a .22 fills my niche, enjoy your slurpee, shade cover, and do what you enjoy doing. Disregard the following***
For the rest,
Have at least 6 mags and any set up that is practical for intended purpose. If you will be starting out in LE, a chest rig/molle won't be practical b/c you will start out on street patrol and won't be wearing stuff like that. Get a nylon duty type belt, BDU/ACU pants, and something that holds at least 2 30 rd mags. Get good eyes and ears and BALL CAP, no boonies. You'll see why. If you've got a pistol put that on too when you shoot a course even if your are not shooting a pistol. If you can add extra equipment you'd expect to use in the real world (LE/MIL/SHTF-EOTW) to include body armor. If you don't have all those, get what you can and go from there.
Either take a carbine class preferably one that does some sort of qualification score. Or team up with a gun nut in the military or leo. Make sure you are confident they even know what they are doing. Shoot their qual course to include 2 qualifying scores. Something else that may also help is do 3 gun matches, any EBR rifle matches, maybe CMP but the xcr won't fly. See what NRA offers.
This may seem much but I recommend this to ALL. It's better to over do it in training and get into practicing what you would do in a real fight as in train as you would fight.
Last word, for god's sake don't shoot your foot off. Come to think of it, shit can everything Hollywood puts out. Some stuff was been good but it's advanced like what you saw on Miami Vice, Heat, and that Bruce Wilis oneTears of the Sun or something like that.
If you, or anyone else, are in AZ, pm me. I'll set you up and at least do the USBP course. IMO it's the least you should do. Maybe I can replicate my old Batallion Individual Tactical Course - Live Fire Exercise. We did did that after Bn twice anual quals and those were considered "too easy" all firing done from a static position. The ITC-LFE was being considered to replace the then curren Army Marksmanshp Program which I think is still being used. I believe we copied it from the Rangers, so speak up if anyone remembers it. The ITC-LFE is basically a live fire qual course that requires you to shoot at 90 targets as you run through a course with 90 rounds. And I mean you literally run. It is timed from start to finish having only 12 minutes (i think-could have been 18) to complete the 600 meter course. If you fail the ITC-LFE, well we'll just say, they usually have enough ammo and time to be sure you have plenty of tries. If you fail it you won't get booted, but you don't want to fail that one. Or anything come to think of it. The guys running that range were in top running shape running 600 meters with stops about 12 times a day! They didn't care for the ones who didn't qual and have to come back again later.
That is all.
