Rifle accuracy/Shooter accuracy
Jan 8, 2011 20:47:30 GMT -5
Post by ozark on Jan 8, 2011 20:47:30 GMT -5
For many years I worked with Army Marksmanship teams. I competed in maches, coached teams, built match grade rirles and observed and learned from what anyone would call super shooters. I was a few rungs down the ladder from these super shooters. With that serving as my introduction let me get to the nitty gritty of this article. Although I worked with Long range sniper rifles and Long range competitive rifles I restrict myself here to discussing only the M-1 and the M-14 Match grade rifles.
Both were semi-Automatic rifles that carried a bunch of parts hanging from it.
The criteria for accuacy was one minute of angle. We had a fully equipped shop with a large supply of extra NM parts. We bent, milled and buffed parts until we could put a rifle in a fixture and it would shoot 20 shots in a one inch circle at 100 yards. If a rifle met this standard it was put in a rack ready for issue. Triggers had to be creep free, clean breaking and set at 4.5 lb s. All had NM rear peep sights and square top blade front.Sights adjustable in half minute increments.
After shooting a few hundred rounds some improved in accuracy and some went the other way and had to be corrected.
Individual effort peaked almost instantly because if you made the team then you had no other duties. No field duty, no guard duty, no parades, inspections and spit and polish that the normal soldier hates. Failure to shoot consistently good score meant you would be cut. The pressure to make the team, wear the special jackets, hats and large patch was always there. If you were valueable enough it was a year round duty. Regular team members shot 50 rounds each weekday. Alll work was done in the mornings. Afternoons were devoted to Golf, bowling, or if you wanted you could practice on our indoor range.
The Match and practice was: 10 rounds standing from 200 yards, 20 Minute time limit. 10 rounds from standing to sitting at 200 yards to be fired in 50 seconds. a clip change during the string was required. The 200 yard target was 8 Inches. Same target at 300 yards 10 rounds from standing to prone in 60 seconds. Next would be 20 rounds in 20 minutes from 600 yards at a 20 inch bulls eye. This was called the National Match Course. Each hit in the bulls eye was worth five points. 250 Possible. Most shooters could stay on the team if they could hold a 245 average. We were not there to try to cut shooters. We were there to help them become better and better. You had to learn to read the wind value by using the mirage and scope, angle of raindrops. range flags. Much use was made of calling your last shot and during slow fire seeing what effect the wind had on it.
Now, I will stir opposition. It has been my experience that very few shooters are able to shoot a MOA using iron sights. Wits a good scope, a stable rest and an accruate rifle there are several who can but they are not thick. The deer hunter who can keep their shots in a four inch group under hunting conditions at 200 yards is a person I would look at closely for trying out for my team. Here is a bit of stuff few shooters know. There are marksman, sharpshooters, experts, masters, distinguished, double distinguished (Rifle and handguns). Many people thanks me for my service. Thank you taxpayers for the opportunity to shoot shoulder to shoulder with some to the worlds best. Ben
Both were semi-Automatic rifles that carried a bunch of parts hanging from it.
The criteria for accuacy was one minute of angle. We had a fully equipped shop with a large supply of extra NM parts. We bent, milled and buffed parts until we could put a rifle in a fixture and it would shoot 20 shots in a one inch circle at 100 yards. If a rifle met this standard it was put in a rack ready for issue. Triggers had to be creep free, clean breaking and set at 4.5 lb s. All had NM rear peep sights and square top blade front.Sights adjustable in half minute increments.
After shooting a few hundred rounds some improved in accuracy and some went the other way and had to be corrected.
Individual effort peaked almost instantly because if you made the team then you had no other duties. No field duty, no guard duty, no parades, inspections and spit and polish that the normal soldier hates. Failure to shoot consistently good score meant you would be cut. The pressure to make the team, wear the special jackets, hats and large patch was always there. If you were valueable enough it was a year round duty. Regular team members shot 50 rounds each weekday. Alll work was done in the mornings. Afternoons were devoted to Golf, bowling, or if you wanted you could practice on our indoor range.
The Match and practice was: 10 rounds standing from 200 yards, 20 Minute time limit. 10 rounds from standing to sitting at 200 yards to be fired in 50 seconds. a clip change during the string was required. The 200 yard target was 8 Inches. Same target at 300 yards 10 rounds from standing to prone in 60 seconds. Next would be 20 rounds in 20 minutes from 600 yards at a 20 inch bulls eye. This was called the National Match Course. Each hit in the bulls eye was worth five points. 250 Possible. Most shooters could stay on the team if they could hold a 245 average. We were not there to try to cut shooters. We were there to help them become better and better. You had to learn to read the wind value by using the mirage and scope, angle of raindrops. range flags. Much use was made of calling your last shot and during slow fire seeing what effect the wind had on it.
Now, I will stir opposition. It has been my experience that very few shooters are able to shoot a MOA using iron sights. Wits a good scope, a stable rest and an accruate rifle there are several who can but they are not thick. The deer hunter who can keep their shots in a four inch group under hunting conditions at 200 yards is a person I would look at closely for trying out for my team. Here is a bit of stuff few shooters know. There are marksman, sharpshooters, experts, masters, distinguished, double distinguished (Rifle and handguns). Many people thanks me for my service. Thank you taxpayers for the opportunity to shoot shoulder to shoulder with some to the worlds best. Ben