Marksmanship

Fundamentals

Marine Corps JROTC

Terminal Learning Objective:

Marine Corps JROTC

Demonstrate the fundamental marksmanship skills with the Daisy 887 Sporter Air Rifle.

Enabling Learning Objective:

Marine Corps JROTC

Evaluation

Marine Corps JROTC

You will be evaluated on this next week with a 20-question multiple choice quiz.

Safety Brief

Marine Corps JROTC

1. Treat every rifle as if it were loaded. 2. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger

until you intend to fire. 3. Never point your rifle at anything you don’t

intend to shoot. 4. Keep your rifle on safe until you intend to fire.

The Aiming ProcessSight Alignment & Sight Picture

Marine Corps JROTC

1. Sight Alignment2. Aiming3. Sight Picture4. Relationship between Eye and Sights**5. Stock Weld6. Eye Relief

Sight Alignment

Marine Corps JROTC

… is the relationship between the front sight, the rear sight aperture, and the aiming eye.

Aiming

Marine Corps JROTC

… is applying correct sight alignment to the target.

Sight Picture

Marine Corps JROTC

… is the placement of the front sight diopter in relation to the target, while maintaining correct sight alignment.

Relationship Between the Eye and the Sights

Marine Corps JROTC

The human eye can only focus on one object at a time. Focus on the front sight throughout the aiming process.

Relationship Between the Eye and the Sights

(Shifting Focus)

Marine Corps JROTC

You should shift focus repeatedly from the front sight to the target, until the correct sight picture is obtained.

Relationship Between the Eye and the Sights

(Inexperience)

Marine Corps JROTC

Inexperienced shooters have difficulty accepting that the final focus should be on the front sight…

Relationship Between the Eye and the Sights

(Fatigue)

Marine Corps JROTC

If you stare at the front sight for longer than a few seconds, your perception of a true sight picture.

Stock Weld

Marine Corps JROTC

…is the point of firm contact between your cheek and the stock of the rifle.

Stock Weld(Eye Strain)

Marine Corps JROTC

If your head is in the wrong position, you may be straining your eye by not allowing it to rest in its natural position (center).

Stock Weld(Movement of Stock Weld)

Marine Corps JROTC

Changing the placement of your cheek up or down the stock from shot to shot will make your shots inconsistent.

Eye Relief

Marine Corps JROTC

…is the distance between the rear sight aperture and your aiming eye. Average eye relief is two to six inches.

Marine Corps JROTC

Eye Relief(Too Short)

Eye Relief(Too Long)

Eye Relief Varies

Marine Corps JROTC

Your eye relief may vary from position to position, but it is vitally important to maintain a consistent eye relief for each position.

Wearing Glasses

Marine Corps JROTC

Prescription lenses have an “optical center” that may influence your Stock Weld.

Cleaning and Blackening Sights

Marine Corps JROTC

Shinny sights cause glare. If you blacken your sights, you must clean them every day, or they will become distorted due to buildup.

Breath Control

Marine Corps JROTC

Good breath control will interrupt the breathing cycle long enough to fire a well aimed shot. Proper breath control is critical to the aiming process.

Breath Control(Natural Respiratory

Pause)

Marine Corps JROTC

A respiratory cycle (inhaling and exhaling) lasts about four or five seconds. Between respiratory cycles there is a natural pause of two to three seconds. This is the natural respiratory pause, where the breath naturally stops exhaling without forcing any air out. During this respiratory pause, breathing muscles are relaxed and the rifle sights settle at their natural point of aim. You should fire at this point.

Trigger Control

Marine Corps JROTC

Trigger control is the skillful manipulation of the trigger that causes the rifle to fire while maintaining sight alignment and sight picture.

Trigger ControlGrip and Placement of Trigger

Finger

Marine Corps JROTC

• High Firm Pistol Grip With the Firing Hand• Proper Grip• Proper Trigger Finger Placement

Techniques of Trigger Control

Marine Corps JROTC

• Uninterrupted Trigger Control• Interrupted Trigger Control

Timing of Trigger Control

Marine Corps JROTC

Controlling the trigger is a mental process. The skilled marksman knows when the rifle will fire and manipulates the trigger so that the shot is fired when they are at their aiming point.

Improper Trigger Control

Marine Corps JROTC

•Jerking•Bucking •Flinching•Hesitation or Lack of Confidence

Follow Through

Marine Corps JROTC

…is the continued application of the fundamentals, until the round has exited the rifle barrel.

Marine Corps JROTC

Summary

The most skilled competitive marksmen in the world reached the top by concentrating on the application of the fundamentals of marksmanship. Even though experienced marksmen improve their skills, refine techniques, and add variations, their success is rooted in the proper application of the fundamentals. Basic marksmanship fundamentals are the basis for shooting well.