The marksmanship instructors check the line, double checking each rifle. It is time to move back, another hundred yards. The sun is fully up now, the temperature rising through the 90s. There is more to do at 300 yards, and then at 500. Iron sights on an M-16 at 500 yards. Two weeks ago, it seemed impossible. Today, some recruit will shoot a perfect score at that distance.I think that this is the first time that the words "waxes poetic" and "boot camp" have appeared together. It's a great post; RTWT.
And in February, I took #2 son to visit Parris Island while we were on vacation in Hilton Head. I had what I thought was a great idea - The Marines should have a public range, as part of a recruiting effort ("Come shoot with the Marines!"). The problem is that I probably couldn't hit a target the size of Luxembourg at 300 yards with iron sights. 500 yards? Yikes.
If you want to hugely improve your rifle marksmanship, go to an Appleseed shoot. I'm a pretty new shooter and after 1.5 appleseeds, I shot expert on the 25m AQT(not at the appleseed, but at my club with fresh eyes a few weeks later). The 25m AQT is shot on reduced size targets to simulate 100,200,300, and 400 yards.(Shot standing, sitting, prone, and prone) I'm looking forward to seeing how 25m practice with 22LR translates to full distance with my Garand.
ReplyDeleteZeeke42,
ReplyDeleteA full stocked, bolt action .22 rifle with iron sights is great practice for military rifle shooting. So much so that the U.S. military used .22 cal. rifles during both world wars for training. Get something like a Remington 513T, you can find the used in pawn shops. Put a military sling on it. Use the iron sights at 25 m, and you'll get a great deal of good practice for very little cost.