Carbine FAST: Tactical Carbine

Level III · 8 hours, into the evening · $425 · 8 students maximum · Denver metro area

Fast is what smooth looks like when it counts. Off the flat line, into the dark.

Get on the waitlist → The carbine series starts in early 2027 — there is nothing to book yet. Put your name down and say which level you want, and you will hear the dates before anyone else.

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Where things are not flat, square, or lit

SLOW taught you to do it right. SMOOTH took out the waste. FAST puts both to work behind cover, around a car, on the move, and after dark.

Every one of those makes Rule 5 harder: know your target and what lies beyond it. That is the point of this course. A hit on a no-shoot target is a NO-GO, no matter what else you did.

What you will be able to do

• Tell cover from concealment, on a barricade and on a car
• Shoot from barricade positions without hugging cover or shooting into it
• Hit while moving forward, backward and sideways
• Turn and engage with the muzzle under control
• Decide shoot or no-shoot before the selector moves
• Transition to your pistol when the carbine goes down up close
• Identify and engage in low light with a weapon-mounted light

How the day runs

Block	What happens
Classroom (45 minutes)	Cover and concealment, the muzzle-versus-dot problem, movement, target identification, transitions, low light
Daylight range	Barricades, angles, movement, turns, shoot/no-shoot, pistol transitions, and vehicle work
Low-light range	After dark, from a static line: identify with the light, then engage
The FAST Standard	60 rounds, day and night. Pass: 48 hits within par times, zero no-shoot hits, zero safety violations
Written test	25 questions. Pass: 80%

FAST runs from early afternoon into the evening so the low-light block happens after dark. Your start time is confirmed with your seat. There is a 30-minute meal break.

Class is capped at 8 students with two line instructors. One shooter moves at a time.

Prerequisites

• Carbine SMOOTH, or pass the SMOOTH Standard at check-in. Miss it and you move to SMOOTH with the price difference refunded.
• Pistol transitions: Colorado Tactics Intermediate Pistol, or John’s OK. Students without a pistol run carbine drills during that block.

What to bring

• Your carbine with a weapon-mounted light, unloaded and cased
• A handheld light (required)
• Two-point adjustable sling
• Six or more magazines in belt pouches or a chest rig
• 400 rounds of factory carbine ammunition
• For transitions: a holstered pistol in a belt holster that covers the trigger guard, two magazines, 50 rounds
• Eye and ear protection, with clear lenses for after dark. Knee pads and gloves recommended.
• Brimmed hat, collared or crew-neck shirt, boots or sturdy shoes, warm layers for after sunset
• Water, a meal, a pen

Your instructor

John Rader. Ten years, Sgt. and Primary Marksmanship Instructor, United States Marine Corps. 25+ years, a Sgt. and firearms instructor in law enforcement. 30,000+ shooters trained. 96.8% qualification rate.

Keep the standard

FAST is a standard you keep, not a box you check. Graduates come back every six months for the FAST Standard Requalification: 2 hours, $95.

Policies

• Military, veterans and law enforcement: 10% off with valid ID shown at check-in.
• Cancel 7 or more days out: full refund. Inside 7 days: you lose your $100 deposit.
• When seats open in early 2027, you book and sign your waiver on the member portal. Exact location confirmed with your seat.

This course teaches skills, not law. Colorado’s standards for using deadly physical force are in C.R.S. 18-1-704.

Get on the waitlist → The carbine series starts in early 2027 — there is nothing to book yet. Put your name down and say which level you want, and you will hear the dates before anyone else.

Questions? Call or text 720-464-SHOT (7468) or email john@coloradotactics.com.

Slow is smooth… Smooth is FAST!