Why marksmanship is so important

[249gunner]

Why marksmanship is so important to a Marine. Little moto.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq4eRQizGe0&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z0VpWEg0T4&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz7V4KqNGB4&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsh_uapZC-8&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lkJABLvR6Q&mode=related&search=


Im aiming for either Rifle Expert or High Shooter, Ive been shooting all my life so Im pretty confident.

[rvillac2]

The high shooter is always an Expert. It's not an either/or kind of thing.

Overconfidence and not listening to your instructors is the fastest way to UNQ.

[249gunner]

I know that, but isnt there supposed to be one high shooter?
I got a friend who qual-ed as Rifle Expert and wasnt promoted to PFC, because there was someone else in his platoon that scored higher.

[killerinstinct]

never heard of getting a promotion for shooting a higher score.

[762mm]

As a shooter who was taught by the Marine Rifle Teams, here are a few of my tips.

1. Listen intently to your PMIs. Do everything they say.

2. Trust the fundamentals. Relax, and rely upon them to work, because they will.

3. Sight alignment, trigger control, bone support, natural point of aim, breath control, cheekweld and eye relief. High and firm pistol grip. These are the things you will learn, and more. Memorize them well.

4. USE your databook. The databook is one of the most underused tools in service rifle marksmanship. Be scientific with it, and never write negative things in there. If you have bad trigger control, don't write 'Bad trigger control', because this is what you will remember when you hit the range. Write 'Focus on slow, steady, deliberate squeeze,' because this is what you will remember.

5. Use your sights. They are there, and are easy to use. 1 MOA elevation, 1/2 MOA windage on the M-16A2. This ain't the M-16A1 where you adjust elevation with the front sight post, and windage with the rear sight, all using a bullet as your sight tool.:confused:

6. Do not sling up too tight. The M-16A2 has a heavy barrel only forwards of the front sight base, or that little A-frame with the front sight in it. Under the handguards it is thin - sling up too tight, and the barrel will actually bend under the pressure, and your point of impact will be different every time. Ensure to sling up the same way every time.

Remember, this is just food for thought. The PMIs will teach you these things for an entire week, so listen up, and do what he says.

Remember, qualification, while nice to score high, is all about qualifiying you to become a Marine. High shooter or expert should be a secondary concern.

Remember, he who is relaxed wins. ( Sgt. Mahutga, PMI )

[jinelson]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/NewRecruitingPoster.jpg

He, He, He I may have to delete this one but its how I feel my enemy should be treated. Nuetralize the target sanitize the mission! OORAH!!!

Jim


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/thPoliticallyIncorrect.gif

[249gunner]

As a shooter who was taught by the Marine Rifle Teams, here are a few of my tips.

1. Listen intently to your PMIs. Do everything they say.

2. Trust the fundamentals. Relax, and rely upon them to work, because they will.

3. Sight alignment, trigger control, bone support, natural point of aim, breath control, cheekweld and eye relief. High and firm pistol grip. These are the things you will learn, and more. Memorize them well.

4. USE your databook. The databook is one of the most underused tools in service rifle marksmanship. Be scientific with it, and never write negative things in there. If you have bad trigger control, don't write 'Bad trigger control', because this is what you will remember when you hit the range. Write 'Focus on slow, steady, deliberate squeeze,' because this is what you will remember.

5. Use your sights. They are there, and are easy to use. 1 MOA elevation, 1/2 MOA windage on the M-16A2. This ain't the M-16A1 where you adjust elevation with the front sight post, and windage with the rear sight, all using a bullet as your sight tool.:confused:

6. Do not sling up too tight. The M-16A2 has a heavy barrel only forwards of the front sight base, or that little A-frame with the front sight in it. Under the handguards it is thin - sling up too tight, and the barrel will actually bend under the pressure, and your point of impact will be different every time. Ensure to sling up the same way every time.

Remember, this is just food for thought. The PMIs will teach you these things for an entire week, so listen up, and do what he says.

Remember, qualification, while nice to score high, is all about qualifiying you to become a Marine. High shooter or expert should be a secondary concern.

Remember, he who is relaxed wins. ( Sgt. Mahutga, PMI )

You didnt mention the loop sling :devious: :evilgrin:

[rvillac2]

I know that, but isnt there supposed to be one high shooter?
I got a friend who qual-ed as Rifle Expert and wasnt promoted to PFC, because there was someone else in his platoon that scored higher.

Everyone receives a qualification badge depending on their score. The badges are Marksman, Sharpshooter, and Expert. Everyone shooting a score of 220 or more will be Expert. There is only 1 High score for your Series/Platoon and that shooter is recognized as the High Shooter. The Series High Shooter (or shooters in a tie) typically receives a meritorious promotion.

[rvillac2]

I know that....

And by the way, LOCK IT UP!
If we didn't teach it to you, you don't know dick.

(Well, since you're from New York, you might be familiar with dick.)

Sgt V. Out.

[249gunner]

I meant I know that I might fail.

lock it up then

[762mm]

Of course I mentioned the loop sling. Tip number 6!:cool:

In all seriousness though, they will teach you properly, and everything you need to know. Stop worrying about something you have no control over until you get there.

Think you will fail and you just might. Be determined to succeed, and you probably will. Big difference in mindset there.

When you get there, just let the PMIs do their thing. Hell, they even have a portion in which they tell you how to properly set up the cotton web sling, and how to put it on. Quite simple, really.

[mrbsox]

[QUOTE=jinelson]

He, He, He I may have to delete this one but its how I feel my enemy should be treated. Nuetralize the target sanitize the mission! OORAH!!!

Jim

[QUOTE]

But not before I copied and saved. Now... can I get away with posting it on my office cubical ??

My 2 cents for shooting expert:
Every shot down range
Every round from the barrell
Every kick of the rifle (or pistol)

Should be a suprise.
With your eye OPEN.
You MUST see the target/sight alignment at the instant the round leaves the chamber.

And when the dot on your databook page MATCHES the mark on the target, you will KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT, that the round goes where you point it. EVERY TIME.

[mesaRAT488]

I heard the best shooters are those who have never shot. Soooo from that, you should keep ur confidence to a minimum and just learn a new way.

[SgtHMH]

The only differance in the A1 and the A2 is the A1 is full automatic, were as the A2 is three round burst, both semi automatic one round at a time. Then the foward stocks are differant but that is just a plastic thing. You are shooting at paper targets remember, you do have to qual. Then when you get in the battle zone scores don't matter, you shoot and put the dirt bag down. Expert, Sharpshooter, markman badges don't matter in the combat zone. The only thing that matters is you are a Marine and quald on the rifle. So but the rounds in the dirt bags and make him or her die for their cause or country. You stay alive for yours and bust caps on them.

Full Metal Jacket

Semper Fi

[Sgt D]

Don't get wrapped up around the type of rifle. Marksmanship is something you will be taught. As far as I know the M16 A2 is what you will still use in boot camp, but after that you may have an M16 A4 or a M4. It depends on the unit that you are with. I've used them all and the fundamentals are all the same. So, just absorb what you are taught and use it.

[MKinney]

Stay relaxed! That's what I recommend most. If you start getting upset, it'll just make your shooting suffer even more.

[jetdawgg]

Follow that Front Sight Post. You won't miss. Heed all of what the Marines here are saying. It will work.

I finished 2nd in my CLNC Platoon with a 236. The high was a Marine from GA with a 238. NYC Marines generally don't shoot that well as we don't grow up around rifles. I listened a learned from the instructors.

I shot a 195 in Boot Camp. My trouble was the 200 and 300 yard line there. While in the Fleet I corrected those mistakes by listening to the instructors:usmc:

[Marine84]

Ya'll have missed the very reason WHY MARKSMANSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT.........................because it makes it MUCH easier to kill your enemy! :p

[davblay]

BRASS
that's All You Need To Remember When Shooting! ;)

[BR34]

Tap/Rack/Bang!

Better remember that for MCT when you're running around shooting blanks, you'll need it.

[TazMatt]

You dont have to shoot expert or anything else to do the job the Marine Corps gives you to do. I went unq and still was able to graduate and still survive in the Corps. Just do your best and the rest will follow. I qaulified marksman later on and was able to attain rank and also reenlist with just a marksman score. I was one who never cared to shoot but still did my job .

[249gunner]

You dont have to shoot expert or anything else to do the job the Marine Corps gives you to do. I went unq and still was able to graduate and still survive in the Corps. Just do your best and the rest will follow. I qaulified marksman later on and was able to attain rank and also reenlist with just a marksman score. I was one who never cared to shoot but still did my job .

I wanna make a good impression thats all. And Ive been good at this my whole life.

[davblay]

You dont have to shoot expert or anything else to do the job the Marine Corps gives you to do. I went unq and still was able to graduate and still survive in the Corps. Just do your best and the rest will follow. I qaulified marksman later on and was able to attain rank and also reenlist with just a marksman score. I was one who never cared to shoot but still did my job .
WOW, I went thru MCRDSD in May-July 1969 and we dropped three for not qualifying with the M-14! I guess PI was easier then! :confused:

[SgtHMH]

" The Most Deadlist Weapon In The World Is A Marine And His Rifle "

SEMPER FI

[TazMatt]

davblay,I was dropped back for a week and picked up with another platoon and was still able to graduate. Hollywood will never be harder than P.I. As I said you do your job and everything else will come about.Even though I didn't qualify during boot camp I later scored marksman and still earned my Sgt stripes in less than three years by doing my job to the best of my ability.I guess I was fortunate that I only had to requalify once during the whole six years I was in. I had a supply mos in case you were wondering,not taking anything away from supply people but I was'nt required to shoot but the one time.As I was saying qualifying is important if you are a grunt or where you have to fire your weapons all the time but you can still do your job without ever firing a weapon.I am not a C.O. but firing a rifle just wasn't one of my things and I guess I was very fortunate that I didn't have to go to combat,I would have if given orders to but as stated I didn't have to make the choice.Every Marine is important in what they do for without one you can't do the other.

[davblay]

davblay,I was dropped back for a week and picked up with another platoon and was still able to graduate. Hollywood will never be harder than P.I. As I said you do your job and everything else will come about.Even though I didn't qualify during boot camp I later scored marksman and still earned my Sgt stripes in less than three years by doing my job to the best of my ability.I guess I was fortunate that I only had to requalify once during the whole six years I was in. I had a supply mos in case you were wondering,not taking anything away from supply people but I was'nt required to shoot but the one time.As I was saying qualifying is important if you are a grunt or where you have to fire your weapons all the time but you can still do your job without ever firing a weapon.I am not a C.O. but firing a rifle just wasn't one of my things and I guess I was very fortunate that I didn't have to go to combat,I would have if given orders to but as stated I didn't have to make the choice.Every Marine is important in what they do for without one you can't do the other.

Thanks for clearing that up, but the way you posted it, it looked fishy:

"You dont have to shoot expert or anything else to do the job the Marine Corps gives you to do. I went unq and still was able to graduate and still survive in the Corps. Just do your best and the rest will follow. I qaulified marksman later on and was able to attain rank and also reenlist with just a marksman score. I was one who never cared to shoot but still did my job."

Again SGT thanks for clearing that up, I knew it wasn't easier on the Island, just trying ot rattle your chain, ok?

[yellowwing]

In the days before the Legendary Assault of Belleau Wood, we impressed the Fag Frenchmen by killing the Kaiser's boys from 700 yards. One shot one kill.

But then came the day when our Grandfathers had to race across open ground under heavy machinegun fire to close with and finally destroy our enemy.

http://www.ywg-web.com/images/belleau-wood.jpg

Its the hard and tested Never Quit heart of an indivdual Marine that wins the battle.

http://www.sftt.org/JPG/article02032005a.jpg

[jetdawgg]

Its the hard and tested Never Quit heart of an indivdual Marine that wins the battle

Michael, that is a quote for all time....:usmc:

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u17/jetdawgg/post_usmc_tell-marines_ww2.jpg

[TennysonUSMC]

Listen to your PMI, that's all you have to do. Don't think about shooting, just enjoy it. Trust me, you're going to love that tiny little bit of freedom you get on the rifle range.

Also, since when do Poolees tell Sergeants...or any Marine for that matter to lock it up....haha...dude if you said that to me. Oh man.

[killerinstinct]

never heard of getting a promotion for shooting a higher score.

hey clarifying something you wont get a merirtorious for simply shooting a better score, BUT a rifle score is probably one of the biggest things in determining your cutting score. This is how important the Corps mputs being a rifleman over any thing else