Marksmenship question

[SmokeyBandit]

My right eye's vision isn't as good as my left eye which is perfect. I don't currently wear glasses. I may be wearing BC glasses in boot so it won't matter, but if not is it better to use the more coordinated hand pulling the trigger and the not so good eye looking down the sights or having the better eye look down the sights and the better hand holding the barrel while the not so coordinated hand is pulling the trigger.;)
Thanks

[jinelson]

SmokeyBandit its best to know nothing and let the PMI's teach you from scatch.

Jim

[GySgtRet]

One question. Are you a right or lefthand shooter? This makes a difference becasue of sight alignment and sight picture. The problem that I see is that when you are trying to track the correct target and believe me you don't want to put lead on the wrong target this is the only thing that would make it a necessity to have BCs. If you are getting lead on the wrong paper then you may need to get the BCs...?? Only the docs know for sure at that point. In fact when you get to the depot you will be evaluated for such things as marksmanship so your sight doesn't become a problem, after all every Marine is a marksman.

Good luck and I hope I started to answer you question for you.

[Soon2BeVIP]

Ehh we'll let an expert answer this, but just a guess before it's answered, I'd guess the more coordinated hand should be pulling the trigger. From the way you said it it didnt sound like you were horribble in that one eye, just not as good as your other eye. Can you still see stuff pretty good out of that eye, even though you can't read the letters on a wall as good as your other eye? I don't know, I'm guessing steady hand shooting. No use seeing something that you aren't definitely going to hit on target.

[SmokeyBandit]

I assume I'll be a right handed shooter. The reason I'm asking is I don't want to get there and have a ****-poor score for something I may be able to prepare myself for.

[GySgtRet]

As mentioned earlier the PMIs are the best to evaluate the situation with you. They are very acute in what to look for as far as sighting for rifle qualification. I know that you don't want a pizza box for rifle qual, I wouldn't either. Keep asking the questions they are excellent ones.

[Camper51]

As SSgt Nelson said, do NOTHING and let the PMI (Primary Marksmanship Instructor) teach you everything you need to know.

Bad habits learned prior to bootcamp can be IMPOSSIBLE to break, so you are much better off going in as a virgin shooter. Most of the high shooters I knew in the Corps were virgin shooters in bootcamp and did not have any bad habits that needed breaking.

My advice is do NOTHING and learn in bootcamp...

[Accord]

Do they make you wear your BCG while on the firing line?

I am near sighted, so that means I can easily focus on something directly in front of me (like a front sight post) but no way in hell could I clearly focus on something far away (like a target). So my glasses correct this, the problem is when I have my glasses on I become far sighted and therefore cannot focus on anything directly in front of me (like a front sight post).

When I go to the range, I just wear a pair of clear shooting glasses, I don't wear my prescription glasses because when I wear them it's impossible for me to focus on the front sight post.

So two questions:

1) When they issue me the BCG's, will the prescription be tailored to shooting or would they issue me glasses which would allow me to see perfectly, but not be able focus on something as essential as a front sight post?

2) Do they make recruits wear their BCG's on the firing line?

Thanks

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

They will give you the same perscription that any eye doctor would give you. And, they will make you wear your glasses. But, if you tell your PMI/coach about the issue, I am sure they would look the other way when you take them off.

As for the original post: You have an interesting problem that I have as well. You are right handed but left eye dominant. It creates problems mainly when you try to shoot with both eyes open. For shooting on the range, it isn't an issue. You can just close your let eye and you'll be fine. That's what I did, and I have a stack of expert badges.

But, if you're an infantry type, you may have issues at other times. When I went through a surgical shooting course, I ended up changing to shoot left handed. It was a huge change, and it never did feel totally right. It is just an issue you will have to deal with. Tell your PMI the problem when you're in grass week and he will work with you. If you've shot before, I would tell you to shoot with the hand you've used before. If you haven't, I would tell you to learn left handed.

[SkilletsUSMC]

As SSgt Nelson said, do NOTHING and let the PMI (Primary Marksmanship Instructor) teach you everything you need to know.

Bad habits learned prior to bootcamp can be IMPOSSIBLE to break, so you are much better off going in as a virgin shooter. Most of the high shooters I knew in the Corps were virgin shooters in bootcamp and did not have any bad habits that needed breaking.

My advice is do NOTHING and learn in bootcamp...

Thats not always true. I did pretty good and I had owned an AR-15 for years. 236... 10-10 on the 500m line. The fundamentals of marksmanship are the same everywhere. Granted shooting was my #1 hobby for a long time.

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER ON YOU'R RIFLE,SON!YOU CAN PULL ON YOU'R GUN,IN THE HEAD!:evilgrin:

[Camper51]

Thats not always true. I did pretty good and I had owned an AR-15 for years. 236... 10-10 on the 500m line. The fundamentals of marksmanship are the same everywhere. Granted shooting was my #1 hobby for a long time.

My statement stands. I said BAD habits can be impossible to break. It seems evident you did not have bad habits, but rather good habits. If someone has not learned to shoot by now and they are just getting ready to go to bootcamp I think they should not do anything and let the Corps teach them, rather than take the chance of learning bad habits...

[The1stSgt]

Even a person with 20/20 vision can only focus on one object or point at a time without some type of visual aid, which cannot be used for rifle qualification.

All expert shooters will agree, the main focal point on the weapon is "the clear tip of front sight post/blade". The rear sight aperture and the target (bulls eye) are blurry, or fuzzy if you like.

The medical personnel, Drill Instructors and PMI's are all trained to help you become a rifleman. When you are going through your eye exam, speak up and tell them about your near sightedness.

[SkilletsUSMC]

My statement stands. I said BAD habits can be impossible to break. It seems evident you did not have bad habits, but rather good habits. If someone has not learned to shoot by now and they are just getting ready to go to bootcamp I think they should not do anything and let the Corps teach them, rather than take the chance of learning bad habits...

Dont get me wrong, I stand by your first statement too, I just wanted to point out that previous shooters can do well also.

[Soon2BeVIP]

Bad habits learned prior to bootcamp can be IMPOSSIBLE to break, so you are much better off going in as a virgin shooter. Most of the high shooters I knew in the Corps were virgin shooters in bootcamp and did not have any bad habits that needed breaking.
I'm a virgin shooter. My friend found out my enlistment at the end of this summer and wanted to take me to a firing range with him and his dad. I was told from my recruiter though the reason a lot of girls do amazing in the shooting is because for the most part they haven't shot anything in there life so they rely strictly on what they are taught. My friend kept trying me to go and I was like "No..I'm staying a virgin til boot camp"....I mean virgin shooter :p

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

The PMI's will teach you everything you need to know. When I enlisted I had been competing for years, and not everything you do carries over to Marine Corps shooting (particularly the kneeling position)

If you have never shot and you don't have someone that really knows that they are doing (and I don't mean Bubba and his deer rifle) then don't even consider picking up a rifle.