Editorial Shooting Playgrounds: K&M Precision Rifle Training John Darwin August 3, 2016 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More Two hundred acres of long range riflery and goodness — that's K&M Precision Rifle Training. If you set out with aspirations to build the best precision rifle complex in the country, you have to set your goals pretty high. Luckily, when you have a resume like K&M's owner Shannon Kay, you’re also starting from a wealth of experience that few other people possess. Shannon has years of experience as a US Army Ranger, Sniper Instructor, and Ranger Instructor. He has had numerous combat deployments. Not being the kind of man to boast, he proves himself instead, continually improving his own skills, constantly striving to improve others' skills and working to be one of the best Precision Rifle Series (PRS) in the country. Shannon has built one of the best ranges in the country, for the sole purpose of teaching as many precision rifle shooters as are willing to come learn. Buried in the hills of Tennessee, lies 200+ acres of manicured lawns populated by an army of steel targets. K&M is a members only range located about halfway between Memphis and Nashville. You can drive from either city and be sending rounds downrange at K&M in less than three hours. Membership is limited to keep the number of people occupying the range at a minimum, but does give you full access. Members also get priority status at any shooting competition held at the facility. Shannon didn't just build his range here arbitrarily. He took his time, selecting the perfect piece of property after looking at hundreds of parcels of land across the country. Finally deciding on the plot that is now K&M, Shannon had an excellent property, one that would suit his intention of utilizing every square foot in order to provide a wide array of training opportunities and challenges. K&M's ranges include: • 1,200 Yard Known Distance Range • 500 Yard Mover Range w/ two Automated Mover System (300 & 500 yards) • 850 Yard Unknown Distance Range • 750 Yard Utility Range • 700 Yard Urban Range • 500 Yard Urban Scenario Range • 200 Yard Carbine Assault Range • Ten 270 Degree Pistol and Carbine Bays w/two Automated Mover Systems • Numerous covered firing positions, 5 towers, 6 mock up shoot houses, various real world props and obstacles • Pro Shop/Automated Classroom with room for 30 students • Members Bunk House with kitchenette, full bath, etc. • Training Bunk House with room for up to 30 people (Wi-Fi, cable, kitchen, etc.) • 2,000 Square Foot Pavilion (RV hook ups, water, restroom, etc.) But even with all that, he isn’t done. He recently announced he's adding a 1000 yard+ field fire range, 700 yard field fire/utility range, 500 yard utility range, and expanded day camping and RV parking in the coming year. This will help support an increasing number of shooters, who have begun to realize K&M offers more than just long-distance-steel-banging. There are plenty of opportunities here for the pistol and multi-gun crowd as well. Shannon, being a competitive shooter himself, built the facility to support PRS matches. This brought entirely new planning considerations, these being necessary when you plan on running 100-200 shooters through ten stages over a six hour period. Considerations for shooter movement between stages, the number of shooters each line can support, and the varied props and scenarios necessary for all the different kinds of matches. It is no stretch to say K&M fits more into its couple hundred acres than many larger facilities do on a few thousand acres. My Own Turn at K&M I was invited earlier this year to check this playground out, and thankfully I was not only able help teach a class, but also attend two precision rifle matches held there. The layout of the range is very user friendly, and everything is within walking distance of the pavilion. There's also plenty of roaming room, so if other shooters are on location you don’t feel crammed. You can still receive legitimate training without seeming to step on each others' toes. The number of different props to shoot off of it staggering and includes rocks, barricades, cars, nets and even towers. The matches I attended at K&M were some of the best run precision rifle matches I’ve had the privilege of shooting to date. There was little downtime between shooting stages, everyone knew exactly what was going on, and there was no confusion about where to go next. The range officers that helped run the matches weren’t just friends of friends who had never spotted before. They were shooters themselves, which eliminated many of the problems so many of us have seen at some matches. Shannon ran everything like clockwork, a direct reflection of his years of herding cats in the military. In the end when I asked different participants about their overall experience, I heard nothing but glowing reviews from all, new and experienced shooters alike. Most echoed my feelings of anticipation for an opportunity to come back and shoot the next K&W hosted competition. If the idea of shooting a match against a bunch of people wearing flashy NASCAR jerseys is too much, K&M also offers a variety of training courses. Training at K&M is overseen by Jason Redding formerly of Ronin Strategies. Jason’s experience as a former Marine and full time SWAT officer brings a level of gravitas and authenticity to the classes he runs. There are classes that range from Law Enforcement SWAT Sniper to Carbine Fundamentals to a speed shooting pistol course. There is essentially something suitable for most anyone to enjoy. K&M employs other instructors from a wide array of backgrounds that include military Special Operations Forces, law enforcement officers, and national level competitive shooters of numerous disciplines. Courses are run regularly throughout the year, and accommodations can be made to stay on site during attendance, reducing the headache of commute and/or trying to find a good hotel nearby. The bunk house is an awesome feature for those who have to drive, giving you a place to crash for a weekend of powder burning bliss. But, should you plan to go in the summer, prepare yourself for some Tennessee heat and humidity, where the mirage at the extended range targets gets to boiling by mid day, and parts of you sweat that you didn't know even had glands. Coming out of two large scale wars in two different middle eastern countries, the firearms instruction market as a whole is overwhelmed with a glut people who possess an impressive list of legitimate accomplishments. Just because someone in a past life was high speed doorkicker doesn’t mean they can teach you do tie your shoes. Shannon Kay focuses, as should all good instructors, on only putting out good information while also searching out as much information as he can to keep himself relevant. These qualities lead have lead directly to the design and administration of a successful, enjoyable, ever adapting shooting range. If you're within traveling distance or have couple days off you want to use constructively, take a look at http://kmprecisionrifletraining.com and see if they don't have something that suits you. Explore RECOILweb:Political Prisoners: Battlefield Contractor Speaks Out On The Murky Legalities Of Asymmetric WarfareOutta the Closet: Skallywag Tactical's RAZORBaby It's Cold Outside!Weekly Deals From Around the Industry NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.