View Full Version : Question About Expert Rifleman
Russel Harris
06-07-09, 02:15 PM
How hard is it to get expert? I'm wondering because I've never shot a rifle and I need to get expert to keep my Reconnaissance Man MOS. If I don't get expert I'll be put into a 3XX contract.
Wyoming
06-07-09, 02:26 PM
Get a broomstick and practice in the frontyard.
Stay away from Maggie's Drawers.
Hit the center of the target.
never heard of expert being a requirement for an MOS in bootcamp... course I only recently heard they are giving recon as a primary MOS from boot camp....
Pay attention to your PMI and you will shoot expert..
ggyoung
06-07-09, 03:13 PM
My advice is this-------Do you do any shooting now? If so stop now. Forget everything you think you know. If you don't shoot at this time do not start.When I was in bootcamp we Had a kid from LA who had never Even had a gun in his hands before. He broke the Camp Mattheus record. I believe it still stands.
Russel Harris
06-07-09, 03:46 PM
I've never shot a rifle before. I'll just go in as a blank slate then.
Fubar5812
06-07-09, 05:52 PM
i never shot before I went to bootcamp...look at my signature.
they will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know.don't worry about your qual honestly,you requal every year...i'm requaling here soon.
sooo, they teach you how to not unq on the pistol huh? haha
Fubar5812
06-07-09, 05:57 PM
284 out of Mp school,284 on the pistol range 2 weeks ago..what are the odds!
ameriken
06-07-09, 06:24 PM
I never shot a rifle before boot camp either, and qualified as sharpshooter in PI and later as expert. Perhaps my best suggestion would be to take 'snapping in' very seriously and try to master the firing positions. It's painful, boring, and sometimes feels meaningless, but IMO snapping in is the most important element to qualifiying.
Tim Self
06-07-09, 07:22 PM
As I have stated before, DO NOT stress out. Listen to the PMI's, you have no bad habits to break. And when you start hitting bulls, don't get to excited. I've seen MANY shooters heading towards expert and blow it cause they got excited.
Sgt Jim
06-07-09, 08:46 PM
Bigal this poolee has idea what maggies drawer are,might be some girls panties
NoRemorse
06-07-09, 09:03 PM
I never shot a rifle before boot camp either, and qualified as sharpshooter in PI and later as expert. Perhaps my best suggestion would be to take 'snapping in' very seriously and try to master the firing positions. It's painful, boring, and sometimes feels meaningless, but IMO snapping in is the most important element to qualifiying.
Did we mention painful? Try contorting yourself into different positions whilst remembering a number of different acronyms that detail what you're supposed to do before putting anything downrange effectively.
Oh yeah... and then relax. Just focus on what you're doing and take the PMI's word as the gospel on marksmanship.
our platoon had the company high shooter.... he snapped in in his sleep.
I remember 'cause I had fire watch one night and he was in the prone position... heard a story that the DIs knew about this and said to leave him alone... and to skip him for fire watch if he was doing it.
he never knew about that... just wondered why he didn't have as much fire watch at the range.
he thought he was in trouble one day 'cause he knew he had fire watch and no one woke him up.
Covey_Rider
06-07-09, 10:29 PM
The BIGGEST piece of advice that I can give you when you're shooting for score...is fire and forget. Once you take that shot, you can't take it back so there's no point in worrying about it. Take a look at where that shot lands, if you need to, make adjustments...but once you get everything that you need from that shot, forget about it. Your concentration should always be on the shot that you're taking, not the one that you took. A big part of shooting is the mental portion. You start getting frustrated or excited, your barrel will start moving around more and you won't hit the black.
Also, BZO'ing is very important...make sure when it comes time to do your BZO, that you get a really good one. And don't be afraid to adjust your sights...don't do kentucky windage. Use the weapon, don't be afraid of it.
echo3oscar1833
06-09-09, 09:14 AM
If your going to be a reconnasince man, thats cool and all I guess. However here is my question. Besides having to shoot expert, im sure there are other pre reqs that have to be met like uh i dunno knowing how to freaking swim:scared:, first class PFT, and other things Im assuming, but assumptions are like something else we all have them:D Still a good point to ponder, can anyone fill me in.
psyclopsus
06-18-09, 06:18 PM
Do EXACTLY as your PMI (Marksmanship Instructor) tells you to do. Every single detail, precisely as he says. There is a reason he is a marksmanship instructor, he knows his sh!t very well. ANY other notions of weapons, shooting, anything at all completely forget it, and faithfully follow the PMI's directions. Don't be afraid to make windage adjustments. Use the range book, it works. If you have a solid zero, perfect sight alignment and sight picture and the shot hits off center, YOU NEED TO ADJUST. Don't be afraid, just do it. Trust in yourself and your PMI. Fire and forget. Do this and you will fire expert. Before boot camp I never fired a rifle once. I got meritoriously promoted out of boot camp for being company high shooter. I remember having a little routine I went through for EVERY shot. My PMI taught me all of it and it worked.
um, your PMI will instruct you then what you'll have is the new PMIs (coaches in my time) working with two relays (two target numbers) which is generally 6 of you and will have plenty of time to teach you stuff...
but the Cpl is correct, it's VERY important for you to get a good zero on the weapon otherwise everything else will be you trying to figure out why when you do everything correctly you are WAY off target.
Stephen M Dombe
07-13-09, 08:40 PM
I was the high scorer in Platoon 322 Graduation April 1968. Don't quite remember what my points were. Drill instructors were ****ed because my MOS was Avation. Ended up being a crew chief in HMM-362 in Phu Bai.
Last time I qual'd in the fleet, I had expert coming off the 300. Me and my buddy bet beers for headshots at the 500. I only pulled off 2 headshots, and I think 1 was more or less the neck, but my buddy bought me 2 beers. He didn't get any headshots.
I was talking to the Marine afterwards who pulled my target in the pit. He said he was wondering what happened because I did well up until the 500, then I started shooting high. I told him what my intentions were and he laughed. Ah, good times.
That was the only time I came off the 300 as an expert. The other two times I was already at the 500.