PREPARATORY AND COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP
COMMANDS
1. L A M R 2. S R 3. S B 4. R M A S C 5. S D 6. H D 7. H
PRINCIPLES OF MARKSMANSHIP
1. Make use of a comfortable stance 2. Establish a steady position. This refers to the establishment of a position that allows the weapon to be held still while it is being fired (PSBRC Module II on Police Tactical Responses, 2013)
READ
A. Weaver/Boxer/Aggressive stance. This is shooting technique wherein one foot is at the rear while the other foot is in front This was developed in 1959 by pistol shooter and deputy sheriff Jack Weaver, a range officer at the LA County Sheriff's Mira Loma pistol range Although the Weaver Stance was originally designed for pistols, it can be applied virtually to any type of firearm However, the main principles of the stance must still be applied (support foot rear at shoulder length with support foot at forty-five degrees while support hand supports the weight of the firearm) This technique has many variations including stances with the support hand carrying a flashlight knife, baton or other item Although this firearm technique is still popular among shooting enthusiasts and firearm professionals, it is currently considered an outdated technique by many current firearm instructors that favor the Universal Shooting Stance and/or the Isosceles Shooting Stance • •Main components of weaver stance • •1. The first component is a two-handed technique in which the dominant hand holds the pistol or revolver while the support hand wraps around the dominant hand The dominant arm's elbow is slightly bent while the support elbow is noticeably bent straight down The shooter pushes forward with his/her dominant hand while the support hand exerts rearward pressure The resultant isometric tension is intended to lessen and control muzzle flip when the firearm is fired • •2. The second component is the positioning of the feet in a walking stance, with the off-side foot ahead of the strong-side foot. A right-handed person will have the right foot angled out to approximately forty-five degrees to the side and to the rear at shoulder length Most of the weight will be on the forward foot, with the forward knee slightly bent and the rear leg straight The shooter's upper torso should be leaning forward at the hips, putting the shoulders just over the forward foot The rear foot will help catch the force of recoil, as well as allow for rapid changes in position A left-handed person would reverse the footing B. Isosceles stance. This is considered modern, this is widely used today by instructors and shooters because of its wide range and it is easily performed • •3. Proper placement of aiming point. This refers to the precise alignment of the rifle/handgun sights with the target. The aiming points which are commonly used are the six o'clock hold, twelve-o'clock hold and center hold There is proper aiming when correct sight alignment and sight picture are established (See explanation and illustration below) • •
Range Safety and Etiquette
In addition to the four basic safety rules, there are other rules for safety particularly while inside a firing range These safety rules involve safe gun handling and common sense. •1.Make sure that your firearm is unloaded upon entering a firing range •2. The un-casing and casing of firearm must always take place at a safe area •3.The handling of ammunition in any safe area is strictly prohibited •4 Once holstered the firearms may not under any circumstances, be handled in any fashion outside the Safe Area without the authorization of the Range Officer It must always be unloaded with the hammer down and no magazine inserted. If holstering of firearm is not allowed, the firearm shall remain in a case or bag •5. Eye and ear protection must be worn all times while in the range whether shooting or not •6. Observe the 180 degrees rule on safety When allowed to handle the firearm, always point the muzzle of your firearm downward Never hold the firearm if there are people around •7. In firing line with no barriers, the person to your right should always go first unless otherwise stated •8. Always announce that you are firing before you start shooting to caution the people •9. Load firearm only upon the command of the Range Officer. •10. Obey all instructions/commands of the Range Officer
General stances
In shooting positions, it is very important to know the comfort of every shooter. If someone accurately shoots at a certain position, then one must use it. Here are two options of stances that one can use.
The five basics gun safety rules
T N K B N
Facts about handguns
•1 Handgun sdo not function without operating them •2 Handguns are lethal weapon, hence they can cause serious injuries or death •3. Handguns are dangerous in the hand of someone who is not properly trained. •4. Handguns are the best choice for self-defense. •5. Handguns are easily concealable due to its size and weight •6. Handgun operations are easily learned by any person 7 Most handguns are very well made
Safety Equipment Required
•1 Safety glasses •2 Ear protection such as car muffs or car plugs •3. Gun case and PPSA/IPSC standardized speed holder •
Other Essential Gun Safety Rules
•1.Be sure that the gun is safe to operate. A gun that has been neglected or that is very old may not be safe to Some of the older gun manufactured should not work a modern ammunition. •2. If you don't know anything about the gun, seek the help of a knowledgeable person. If you are not familiar with the gun, ask the help from the owner Almost every gun model operates differently from the others. •3. Know how to use the gun safely. Don't pretend that you know what you are doing when shooting in the outdoor It is always better to verify on matters you don't know Don't be afraid about looking less than macho by asking questions If you make a grievous mistake while handling the gun just imagine the injury it can cause on the people •4 Use appropriate ammunition for the gun. It is not a justification that if ammunition fits the gun, then it can be used as ammunition for firing This may cause damage to the gun and may lead to an accident to the shooter Ammunition with extra powder is often labeled as "+P or +P+" which may blow up the barrel •5 Carry only one caliber cartridge or shell at a time. This will reduce the possibility of using the wrong ammunition in your firearm. •6. Wear eye safety glasses and ear-muffs/plugs. Always wear appropriate protective eyeglasses during firing Safety glasses vary in designs Clear glasses are recommended In order to avoid damage in the eardrum, every shooter is also required to use car maps or ear plugs. •7. Never take away the firearm from someone by pulling on the barrel. If the finger is on the trigger pulling the barrel could discharge the gun and may injure you or another •8. Never use drugs or drink alcohol before or during shooting. Alcohol and drugs impair one's judgment thus mistakes may happen. •9. Never shoot into water to avoid ricochet of bullet. In someone fires to the water, this may cause the bullet to change its direction and may cause injury to someone around. 10. Store guns and ammunitions not accessible to unauthorized people. Place of storage should be out of reach of children and other people that may use the gun in the other way around Make a proper storage area of your gun and ammunitions to avoid loss and accidents. 11 Store firearms and ammunitions separately. Store ammunition where it cannot get too much moist or in an area which is not excessively hot. 12 While hunting, positively identify your target and their location before shooting. Never shoot at a sound or movement while hunting While hunting, be aware of the location of your buddies to avoid mistaken identity or accidents Other hunters might mistakenly fire at their buddies as a result of lack of coordination. 13. Never climb a tree/fence or jump a ditch with a loaded gun. This situation is dangerous. Some gun parts are loosened thus, this may lead to accidental discharge of gun and may cause injury and/or death. 14. Always obey firing range rules and commands of a Range Safety Officer. When inside a Firing Range, it is mandatory to follow the rules and regulations and instructions of the Range Officer to avoid accidental firing. 15. Never rely solely on the safety device of the gun. Mechanical safety has been known to fail. The "Murphy's Law states that if something wrong happens, it will happen. 16. Read and understand the manual of the gun. The gun manufacturers are concerned about gun safety Every gun product has its manual that contains how the gun is to be operated, cleaned, assembled or disassembled 17. Never play with a firearm. This habit or action would condition the mind of others specially minors who would regard gun safety as less important Don't make it as a habit of playing a gun even if it is unloaded, 18. Be sure that the barrel is clear from obstructions. An obstruction inside the barrel such as bullet or bullet jacket can destroy the usefulness of the gun and could cause severe injury or death If the discharge of the cartridge seemed a bit different in sound or recoil, the gun should be pointed to a safe direction for 30 seconds to 2 minutes in case of hang fire. The barrel should then be checked for obstructions. A hang fire occurs when the gun does not immediately discharge but discharges a few moments later. 19 When shooting in an indoor range, make sure that the range is well ventilated. There can be a relatively in high concentration of lead and harmful compounds the air if proper ventilation is not observed
Safety Procedures During Live Training
•For live firing, there are also safety procedures as prescribed by the UCRWC Instructional Manual (2014) • 1. Never start live firing without permission from the instructor 2.Clean your weapon and ensure standards before practicing 3.Loading or unloading of firearm shall only be done down range 4 Wear earplug or car muff and eye protector during practice shooting or live firing 5. Malfunctions shall be treated facing the target. 6 Never wonder around range with cock firearm 7 Never fire on water to avoid ricochet of bullet 8 Never fire upward direction to avoid fall out of bullet 9 After firing, unload firearm and re-holster • •
Trigger control
•Guidelines for proper trigger control • a.The trigger finger's location is where it falls naturally on the trigger. b.The slack or free play in the trigger is taken up first. c.Apply pressure with the trigger finger only d Trigger finger must be in an arch position to avoid contact with the side of the gun • •Errors in trigger control Guay (2013) and PSBRC Module II on Police Tactical Responses (2013) identifies some errors in trigger control. These are the following: • •a. Flinching is the muscular tension or reaction in anticipation of the recoil It includes the moving of the head, closing of the eyes and moving of the shoulder to the rear or their combination. • •b. Jerking is an attempt to make pistols fire at a certain instance by rapidly applying pressure on the trigger • •c. Follow through is the continued physical application of the fundamentals after each round has been fired. The shooter must not shift his/her position, move his/her head or bring down the pistol for a few seconds • •d. Calling the shots is the prediction of the shots where the hits are on the target This means "do what you are told" specially during firing
Safety Procedures During Dry Training
•The UCRWC Instructional Manual (2014) used by several law enforcement agencies as training guide also provides for the safety procedures during dry firing • 1.Do not bring inside firing range live ammunitions during dry firing • 1.Before the start of training, unload your weapon and make sure that it is clean 2. Aiming the weapon toward the guide or other person will be done only when you are sure that there is no ammo on your gun and strictly upon permission from the instructor • •
Safety procedures at the firing range
•The UCRWC Instructional Manual (2014), provides safety procedures at the firing range •1 Treat all weapons as if they are loaded •2 Always check the firearm when receiving it or when you handed it over •3 Never play with the firearm at anytime •4 Never point your gun to any person whether it is loaded or unloaded •5. Never leave the weapon unsupervised, whether it is loaded or unloaded •6. Unload your firearm before cleaning •7 Never place your finger on trigger unless you are ready to shoot •
Errors in sight alignment.
•The usual errors of firers during sight alignment are the angular shift error and parallel shift error. The improper position of the front sight post is referred to as the angular shift error while parallel shift error is the improper placement of the sight alignment on the aiming point To further explain see the illustration below
Breath control
•This is the third marksmanship fundamental that refers to the control of breathing to help keep the rifle steady. A complete respiratory cycle lasts for 4-5 seconds (inhaling and exhaling) and between each cycle there is a natural respiratory pause of 1-2 seconds This pause can be extended up to 8 10 seconds without any special labor and unpleasant sensations It is during this pause between breaths that the shooter shall fire the shot • •The reason is that during the respiratory pause, the breathing muscles are relaxed, thus, the shooter avoids strain from the diaphragm Also thinking of the CHAPTER 3 PREPARATORY AND COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP • need of breath does not break his concentration If the holding of the breath is not sufficient to allow the shot to be fired within the required time, hold fire, release the trigger and resume normal breathing and repeat that process
Proper grip
•This provides the shoulder with maximum control of the weapon The most important feature of the grip is uniformity To maintain natural sight alignment, the shooter must hold the weapon firmly. He must be able to apply positive straight to the rear pressure on the trigger that will not disturb the sight alignment when the hammer falls •
•Main requirements of a stance
•a. Equilibrium and stability. The greatest possible degree of equilibrium and stability in the body Weapon system occurs when there is a least possible strain on the shooter's muscles. •b. Head position. This would allow the efficient use of the eyes of the shooter throughout the sighting and aiming process. The head should have a natural tilt •c. Position of the feet. The feet should be about the width of the shoulders with toes pointed out slightly •d. Legs. These should be straight but not tense with the knee joint semi-locked but relaxed •e. Hips. These should be leveled in a natural position •f. Non shooting arm. (for one hand shooting only) The non-shooting arm should be relaxed and put at the chest. •g. Shooting arm. The arm should be extended with twist and the elbow locked without strain •h. Head and shoulders. These should be leveled and no slouching with unnatural tilt to the head •i. Body weight. It should be on the toes and not on the heel More weight must be at the forwarded foot
The Elements of Steady Position
•a. Non-firing hand grip. Rifle hand grid rests on the heel of the hand in the form by the thumb and fingers Grip is light rearward pressure exerted •b. Rifle butt position. The butt of the stock is paced in the pocket of the firing shoulder This will reduce the effect of recoil and helps ensure a steady position •e. Firing hand grip. The firing hand grasps the pistol/rifle grip so that it fits the V formed by the thumb and forefinger. The forefinger is placed on the trigger so that the lay of the rifle is not disturbed when trigger is squeezed • •d. Firing elbow placement. The location of the firing elbow is important in providing balance. The firing elbow should be properly and normally clipped to avoid extra movement when firing • •e. Non-firing elbow Position firmly under the rifle to elbow for comfortable and stable position • •f. Stock weld This provides for a natural line of sight through the center of the rear sight aperture to the front sight post and the target. The firer's neck should be relaxed and cheek falls on the stock. •
Sight picture
•is also the relationship between the rear sight and the front sights of the target with respect to the eye. This differs from sight alignment only by adding the bull's eye or aiming points to the front sight blade (PSBRC Module II on Police Tactical Responses
Sight alignment
•is the relationship between the rear sight and the eye The front sight is centered in the rear sight notch and the top of the blade is even with the top of the rear sight.
