Shooting Qualifications?

[eaglerugger]

Hi Marines and thank you for your service,
I am hoping to enlist in the Marine Corps after I graduate and I'm looking for a little bit of info on shooting. Obviously all Marines have to qualify at marksman, but I've decided that I am to do everything I possibly can to qualify at expert level. Given the fact that I have generally been a fairly poor aim (in terms of ball-sports and video games, etc. - not that I've ever fired a weapon), I would imagine that this will be a bit of a challenge for me and I would probably need a lot of extra practice. So my questions are threefold.

1) As an infantry marine, how often would I get the chance to practice shooting? (I suspect it would be a skill that's practiced regularly on the job, but also would I be able to practice in my own personal time?)
2) I know that you have to qualify on the range once every year, but would you get only one opportunity to do so every year?
3) At boot camp, during the personal time period at the end of the day, is there an opportunity to practice on the rifle range?

Thanks again for serving our country, and thanks in advance for any insights you can provide

[Lisa 23]

Everything you need to know on how to shoot the M-16A2 rifle, will be taught to you the Marine Corps way in boot camp. And no, you won't be able to go to the rifle range during your free time to practice.

This site will give you an idea of what the daily schedule is like at recruit training at Parris Island........
http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/training/index.asp

[ameriken]

IMO, the less you know now about shooting, the better you'll do in Boot Camp since the instructors wont have to unfvck whatever trash you pick up now. Better to go in as a dry sponge. As for practice in Boot Camp, you wont get any more practice than anyone else. Just pay real good attention during the 'snapping in' classes in Boot Camp.

I never fired a weapon before Boot Camp, and I got Sharpshooter. I was in Supply during my tour and had little or no practice during the year, the only time I shot was during qualification, and I continued to get Sharpshooter everytime except in my last year when I got expert. Seems like the stuff we learned in Boot Camp just stayed with me throughout my tour.

So relax about it, the instructors are trained to take dvmb fvcks like us and turn us into marksmen. Listen up, pay attention, and you'll do well.

[Komenko]

Everything you need to know on how to shoot the M-16A2 rifle, will be taught to you the Marine Corps way in boot camp. And no, you won't be able to go to the rifle range during your free time to practice.

This site will give you an idea of what the daily schedule is like at recruit training at Parris Island........
http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/training/index.asp

M16A2s have been phased out. its either the M4 or M16A4s now. For the OP you will get more than enough time during grass week with the snap in barrels. pay attention in the classes your PMI will teach you and listen to your Coaches. I can assure you if you do this you will be fine. also don't slack off with the positions your tought. you can do those during your free time in grass week and during the week you start firing! knowing your positions is one of the main keys in marksmanship! without it you might as well be throwing rocks! And believe me i know what i'm talking about, read my profile you will see that i was a 0933!

[tangovictor87]

3) Absolutely not. You will spend one week entirely devoted to dry firing at a 55 gallon drum. 4 days on the range with live ammo, 1 day to qualify. You will hate your rifle in boot camp but will be glad you know how to use it.

[Lisa 23]

M16A2s have been phased out. its either the M4 or M16A4s now.

Thanks for the correction.....:thumbup:

[Komenko]

Thanks for the correction.....:thumbup:

no problem. really don't like the A4s! they have detachable iron sights and the hand gaurds are slightly bigging than the A2 for accessories. Give me the A2 anyday of the week and i'll drop a target for hours on end from 500 yards! would love to see some army puke try that! lol does anyone know if the normal army soldiers actually know how to use their rear sight?

[egbutler1]

no problem. really don't like the A4s! they have detachable iron sights and the hand gaurds are slightly bigging than the A2 for accessories. Give me the A2 anyday of the week and i'll drop a target for hours on end from 500 yards! would love to see some army puke try that! lol does anyone know if the normal army soldiers actually know how to use their rear sight?

LOL to tell you the truth I don't think so, In Iraq and during my time in they had so much trash attached to their weapons. I'm sure they could but really I think they only qual at a max of 300yrds in basic. We had ton's of gear on our weapons my m4 was loaded but always carried my iron sights in my pocket just incase some chit happened to my optics. And like all Marines I could hit all day at 500yrds and I was only a sharpshooter, the 500 was my best.

[CplGiraffe]

When did they phase out the M16A2 Sgt? I used one all through boot camp and I graduated in September, in MCT we used A4.

[Zulu 36]

Army Rifle

[dizark]

I actually prefer using iron sights on the rifle range. This last go around we used the RCO, and while I did shoot better, it was harder to obtain due to seeing every bit of movement. Standing was bad, but I dominated on the 500 yard line. :)

[Sally]

The range now requires RCO but I prefer the iron sights and M4 is amazing for short people like me.

[Komenko]

When did they phase out the M16A2 Sgt? I used one all through boot camp and I graduated in September, in MCT we used A4.

i believe boot camp will keep the A2s only because they don't require all the trash that needs to be put on them for combat and to insure the recruits know how to use their rear sights unlike the Army! In the Fleet the A2s were phased out.

And Zulu that was funny! loved the fork and spoon. ROFL

[CplGiraffe]

Roger that. I think it's a good system to go ahead and teach people how to qualify with the iron sights because what are people gonna do if their little RCO breaks or something happens and they have to pick up a bare rifle and start shooting it. The system now teaches both ways so it's a win win.

[Zulu 36]

i believe boot camp will keep the A2s only because they don't require all the trash that needs to be put on them for combat and to insure the recruits know how to use their rear sights unlike the Army! In the Fleet the A2s were phased out.

And Zulu that was funny! loved the fork and spoon. ROFL

I don't remember where I found that rifle pic. I might have stolen it from this site a couple of years ago. It is a funny one.

I loved shooting iron sights at 500 yards/meters. I figured if one can do well with iron at that range, optics at shorter ranges should be a snap. I never used optic sights in the military (except when I shot sniper or designated marksman weapons for fun). My go-to-war rifles were always iron sights.

On the PD we started using red dots and ghost rings on our SWAT weapons during my last couple of years on the job. Hated lasers. Never trained new shooters on MP-5s, patrol rifles, or Benelli shotguns with optics - always iron first, then moved on to optics once iron was mastered.

[SGT7477]

no problem. really don't like the A4s! they have detachable iron sights and the hand gaurds are slightly bigging than the A2 for accessories. Give me the A2 anyday of the week and i'll drop a target for hours on end from 500 yards! would love to see some army puke try that! lol does anyone know if the normal army soldiers actually know how to use their rear sight?
I feel the same as you the army of none.:D

[SGT7477]

Army Rifle
Good One Zulu 36.:D

[Apache]

M-1 was the "Marine" rifle.