Marksmanship Principles.

[LONG RANGE CAPT]

A good place to start is with the foundations:

 

1. The position and hold must be firm enough to support the weapon.

 

2. The weapon must be held upright and pointed naturally at the target

without undue physical effort.

 

3. Sight alignment and sight picture must be correct.

 

4. The shot must be released and followed through with out any undue disturbance to the

position.

[Chris-NZ]

Sounds easy in theory Rob

The execution is the tricky bit

 

Chris

[brown dog]

My first ever go at youtube (so that's me now part of the yoof generation (well, almost. I seem to have managed to de-synchronise the sound) )

 

The fellow in this clip is clearly some sort of rifle jedi effortlessly demonstrating the 4th marksmanship principle .

 

[devilishdave]

Strange hand thumb position!

 

Dave

[Guest Scotland Rifles]

Strange hand thumb position!

 

Dave

 

 

i was just going to say that.

 

never ever told to shoot using that thumb position,even back in the 70's when in training.

 

the Internet is your friend if you have never had a black watch sniper instructor shouting at you on a day when the money in your wallet is so wet after being on the rages in a downpour from hell and hes telling you you could not shoot for sh*t.

 

bob.

 

 

Factors affecting marksmanship

 

Understand and be able to follow the basic marksmanship principles summarised by position, sight picture, breathing, trigger pressure and follow through.*

Know your ability to group shots in different circumstances, in particular when shooting after exertion, from different positions and at different ranges.

Only take shots that are within your capability.

Know at what distance your rifle is zeroed,** and where your shots will fall at other distances.

Estimate the range as accurately as possible. Use a range-finder or take advice if available.

Poor light, mist or snow all make accurate shooting more difficult; take account of the effect of cross-wind on your bullet.***

Ensure that nothing will impede the bullet on its flight path. The view through the telescopic sight may be clear, but because the muzzle is beneath the line of sight, the path of the bullet may be obstructed by an unseen object such as vegetation or a rock.

[brown dog]

Strange hand thumb position!

 

Dave

 

 

Thought it'd attract comment I feel a 'trigger' article coming on

 

[Elwood]

My first ever go at youtube (so that's me now part of the yoof generation (well, almost. I seem to have managed to de-synchronise the sound) )

 

The fellow in this clip is clearly some sort of rifle jedi effortlessly demonstrating the 4th marksmanship principle .

 

 

I bet he can't do that without the muzzle brake, the pussy

[TonyH]

A good place to start is with the foundations:

 

1. The position and hold must be firm enough to support the weapon.

 

2. The weapon must be held upright and pointed naturally at the target

without undue physical effort.

 

3. Sight alignment and sight picture must be correct.

 

4. The shot must be released and followed through with out any undue disturbance to the

position.

Use a bipod. Plus a small slightly squashy bag under the heel of the butt. Er....?

TonyH

[Barrelsniffer]

Faster movement to the bolt to get a second rapid shot off..if it works which it does why not.

[devilishdave]

What ever works for the individual. I once watched a guy shooting a Lee Enfield No4 and he was cocking the rifle withe fore finger and thumb on the bolt. He never let go of the bolt and actuated the trigger with his middle finger. His rate of fire and speed of reload was impresive for bolt action rifle. and he seamed to be getting consistant hits on a fig 11 at 200m.

 

Dave

[Orka Akinse]

Nobody's mentrioned breathing yet?

[terryh]

You beat me to breathing and follow through

 

set up for NPA?

 

 

Terry

[brown dog]

Faster movement to the bolt to get a second rapid shot off..if it works which it does why not.

 

Yup, but primary reason is an undisturbed trigger pull - I've just posted a few ideas on a new thread.

 

As regards speed - also worth noting where the thumb goes -to the top of the shroud - not to the bolt handle....better (faster) leverage, less rifle movement -press down on shroud with thumb whilst lifting with upper edge of fingers.

[Barrelsniffer]

Yup, but primary reason is an undisturbed trigger pull - I've just posted a few ideas on a new thread.

 

As regards speed - also worth noting where the thumb goes -to the top of the shroud - not to the bolt handle....better (faster) leverage, less rifle movement -press down on shroud with thumb whilst lifting with upper edge of fingers.

 

 

Yeh i use my 22 rimmy thumbhole anshutz this way sometimes which has the thumb groove in the stock running up to rear of the bolt action and like you say use thumb to press down while same times cocking the bolt..if im clearing a lot of rabbits and need the quick rapid shots..easier and hell quicker to cock then fire..at a rapid rate...than the normal bog standard grip.

Also other rifles if the need be, for quick rapid shots..and only when safe to do so.

 

Mick

[John MH]

Here's a link to a PDF file on marksmanship notes that can be applied to bolt action rifles and semi-auto .22s.

 

Marksmanship Notes

[Vortex]

The way his thumb is positioned stops undue movement from the thumb being wrapped around the thumbhole stock as you pull back on the trigger. This method lets you pull back in a straight line. Sympathetic movement I think it's called. I was also taught to put my thumb on the back of the bolt to get better leverage and seems to cycle the bolt more smoothly.

[Guest Stacka]

The best ever training I had on the subject was down at CTCRM.

 

Once mastered it really makes a difference

[Orka Akinse]

The best ever training I had on the subject was down at CTCRM.

 

Once mastered it really makes a difference

 

Leave us hanging why don't ya!

[gbal]

STANGSKYTING.

 

How about 16 hits on 12 inch steel at 300y in 25 secs;Sauer 2000 6.5x55?

 

gbal

[Gundoc]

On a recent RMQ course we had an interesting discussion, backed up by some practises in the DCCT on which of the 4 marksmanship principles were the most important.

 

At the start everyone had their own ideas about which was the most important, at the end it was unanimous.

 

 

To see how people differ, which do you think??

 

The tests included positions & techniques to deliberately cancel out various principles.

My personal favourite was wearing body armour, helmet, webbing and day sack, standing. With another soldier dressed the same on my shoulders.

[Guest Stacka]

 

Leave us hanging why don't ya!

 

Sorry lads, iv been a bit unexpectedly occupied tonight i will post a article on it tomorrow at some point

[eldon]

On a recent RMQ course we had an interesting discussion, backed up by some practises in the DCCT on which of the 4 marksmanship principles were the most important.

 

At the start everyone had their own ideas about which was the most important, at the end it was unanimous.

 

 

To see how people differ, which do you think??

Ok I'll have a stab; The shot must be released and followed through with out any undue disturbance to the

position.

 

I would have said breathing but that wasn't in the original OP list.

[DutchTRG22]

I use this hand & thumb technique with my Sako TRG 22. Thumb along the riflestock. With the tips of my middle and ringfinger I pull the grip of the stock slightly in my shoulder pocket and than load the bipod. Works great and easy repeatable.

The Amreican guys of Magpull have a video according to this technique

 

Results are OK

 

[brown dog]

The best ever training I had on the subject was down at CTCRM

CTC? Must involve wearing suspenders and a skimpy dress!

[Guest Stacka]

CTC? Must involve wearing suspenders and a skimpy dress!

You know me brown dog, not my normal colour.....but one has to dabble in the Navy once in their life.

 

To be honest their sniper/small arms/pistol school is very good. Take away the wets and galley and it's a good little out fit down there.