In addition to unarmed combat, Soldiers should be proficient in their individual weapons. 

 

As a Soldier, you must understand and apply the four key fundamentals of firing before you approach a target and engage with your rifle. You must establish a steady position allowing observation of the target.  You must aim the rifle at the target by aligning the sight system, and fire the rifle without disturbing this alignment by improper breathing or during trigger squeeze. These skills are known collectively as the four fundamentals. Applying these four fundamentals rapidly and consistently is the integrated act of firing.

1.  Steady Position.  You should assume a comfortable, steady firing position.  If you can hold the front sight post steady through the fall of the hammer, you have a good position. The steady position elements are as follows.

Nonfiring Handgrip.  The rifle hand guard rests on the heel of the hand in the V formed by the thumb and fingers. The grip of the non-firing hand is light.

Rifle Butt Position.  The butt of the rifle is placed in the pocket of the firing shoulder. This reduces the effect of recoil and helps ensure a steady position.

Firing Handgrip.  The firing hand grasps the pistol grip so it fits the V formed by the thumb and forefinger.  The forefinger is placed on the trigger so the lay of the rifle is not disturbed when the trigger is squeezed.  A slight rearward pressure is exerted by the remaining three fingers to ensure that the butt of the stock remains in the pocket of the shoulder, minimizing the effect of recoil.

Firing Elbow Placement.  The firing elbow is important in providing balance. Its exact location depends on the firing/fighting position used. Placement should allow shoulders to remain level.

Nonfiring Elbow.  The non-firing elbow is positioned firmly under the rifle to allow a comfortable and stable position.

Support.  When artificial support (sandbags, logs, stumps) is available, it should be used to steady the position and support the rifle.  If it is not available, then the bones, not the muscles, in the firer's upper body must support the rifle.

Muscle Relaxation.  If support is used properly, you should be able to relax most of your muscles.  Using artificial support or bones in the upper body as support allowing you to relax and settle into position. Using muscles to support the rifle can cause it to move due to muscle fatigue.

Natural Point of Aim.  When you first assumes your firing position, you orient your rifle in the general direction of your target.  Then you adjusts your body to bring the rifle and sights exactly in line with the desired aiming point.  When using proper support and consistent cheek to stock weld you should have his rifle and sights aligned naturally on the target.  When correct body-rifle-target alignment is achieved, the front sight post must be held on target, using muscular support and effort.  As you fire, muscles tend to relax, causing the front sight to move away from the target toward the natural point of aim. Adjusting this point to the desired point of aim eliminates this movement.  When multiple target exposures are expected (or a sector of fire must be covered), you adjusts your natural point of aim to the center of the expected target exposure area (or center of sector).

2.  Aiming.  Having mastered the task of holding the rifle steady, you must align the rifle with the target in exactly the same way for each firing.  You are the final judge as to where your eye is focused. 

Rifle Sight Alignment.  Alignment of the rifle with the target is critical.  Any alignment error between the front and rear sights repeats itself for every 1/2 meter the bullet travels. 

Focus of the Eye. A proper firing position places the eye directly in line with the center of the rear sight aperture.  When the eye is focused on the front sight post, the natural ability of the eye to center objects in a circle and to seek the point of greatest light (center of the aperture) aid in providing correct sight alignment.  You can place the tip of the front sight post on the aiming point, but the eye must be focused on the tip of the front sight post. This causes the target to appear blurry, while the front sight post is seen clearly. Two reasons for focusing on the front sight post are:

             (a)   Only a minor aiming error should occur since the error reflects only as much as you fails to determine the target center.  A greater aiming error can result if the front sight post is blurry due to focusing on the target or other objects.

             (b)   Focusing on the tip of the front sight post aids you in maintaining proper sight alignment.

Sight Picture.  Once you can correctly align your sights, you can obtain a sight picture.  A correct sight picture has the target, front sight post, and rear sight aligned.  The sight picture includes two basic elements: sight alignment and placement of the aiming point.  Placement of the aiming point varies, depending on the engagement range.

3.  Breath Control.  As your skills improve and as timed or multiple targets are presented, your must learn to control your breath at any part of the breathing cycle.  Two types of breath control techniques are practiced during dry fire.  You must be aware of the rifle's movement (while sighted on a target) as a result of breathing.

The first technique is used during zeroing (and when time is available to fire a shot). There is a moment of natural respiratory pause while breathing when most of the air has been exhaled from the lungs and before inhaling.  Breathing should stop after most of the air has been exhaled during the normal breathing cycle.  The shot must be fired before you feel any discomfort.

The second breath control technique is employed during rapid fire (short-exposure targets). Using this technique, you hold your breath when he is about to squeeze the trigger.

4.  Trigger Squeeze.  A novice firer can learn to place the rifle in a steady position and to correctly aim at the target if he follows the basic principles.  If the trigger is not properly squeezed, the rifle will be misaligned with the target at the moment of firing.

Rifle Movement.  Trigger squeeze is important for two reasons: First, any sudden movement of the finger on the trigger can disturb the lay of the rifle and cause the shot to miss the target.  Second, the precise instant of firing should be a surprise. Your natural reflex to compensate for the noise and slight punch in the shoulder can cause you to miss the target if you know the exact instant the rifle will fire.  You will usually tenses your shoulders when expecting the rifle to fire.  It is difficult to detect since you do not realize you are flinching. 

Trigger Finger.  The trigger finger (index finger on the firing hand) is placed on the trigger between the first joint and the tip of the finger (not the extreme end) and adjusted depending on hand size, grip, and so on.  The trigger finger must squeeze the trigger to the rear so the hammer falls without disturbing the lay of the rifle.  When a live round is fired, it is difficult to see what effect trigger pull had on the lay of the rifle.  It is important to experiment with many finger positions during dry-fire training to ensure the hammer is falling with little disturbance to the aiming process.

Rifle Shooting Tips