#Marksmanship

In a surprising turn of events given the recent public motions towards an all-M27 fleet, the United States Marine Corps has just released a new request for information (RFI), soliciting proposals from the industry for a whole new suite of infantry equipment, including rifles, upper receivers for existing weapons, optics, suppressors, and targets. The new RFI is very explicit as to what the industry can and/or should bring to the table as far as proposals. Below is replicated the “Infantry Rifle” segment of the RFI document, which is just one part out of five:

The bullpup rifle tends to be – when it comes up – a pretty divisive subject among “tactical” rifle shooters. Bullpup detractors dismiss the layout as clunky and awkward, while its proponents cite the advantage of longer barrels and shorter overall lengths. Both camps are often correct in their criticism, but there is another aspect of the bullpup that I think often goes poorly addressed – if it is addressed at all. That is the subject of balance.

The New Zealand Defence Force is conducting a rather unique campaign: They are taking their war materiel – including select-fire assault rifles – to primary schools in New Zealand, to teach kids about leadership, values, army life, and – of course – weapons.  As reported by Manawatu Standard News:

Recent experience in Afghanistan, coupled with concerns about the effectiveness of the M4 Carbine – and perhaps also just a general long-term swing of the pendulum – has spurred many to advocate for a new configuration of infantry weapon centered around long range fire enabled by compact, efficient ammunition firing low-drag projectiles. I am not one of these advocates, and indeed it’s no secret that I find serious flaws with this approach to infantry small arms weapons systems. Still, this idea of having a long-range sharpshooter-centric force does seem to be gaining ground, and therefore I think it would be worthwhile to take some time to go down that rabbit hole and see where it leads. Our eventual goal in this endeavor is to paint a picture of a future infantry force that lives and works with these weapons, and what compromises they have to make to reap the benefits of such powerful long-range weapons.

If there’s one thing you find you really do need a part of your kit if you’re a dedicated rifle shooter, it’s a shooting mat. Although there’s nothing wrong with getting down on the grass, in the dirt, and over the admittedly jagged edges of rocks, there are reasons beyond comfort for having a well-made mat. For example, some guns – especially those of greater weight – have bipods that will sink right into the dirt. It’s hard – no, impossible – to stay on target when your bipod is constantly behaving as though it’s resting atop quicksand. Now there’s a new shooting mat out from MidwayUSA designed to meet a variety of needs.

In a video put on the internet in 2015, and with over 500,000 views in Brazil, we have a classic walk through on how not to go about the proper fundamentals of handgun marksmanship. I will give the Brazilian police shooter credit in that she kept the firearm pointed downrange at all times. However, that is about the only proper thing she did right. From being unable to engage her target from the standing, then the kneeling, she goes into the prone. Once in the prone, she uses trigger fingers from both hands on the trigger to discharge the firearm. I’m not sure the concept of recoil was familiar to her that day, but thereafter I’m sure she learned her lesson when the recoiling handgun was sent flying back into her forehead, giving her a solid cut and making her bleed.

It’s an argument that’s been knocked back and forth at more than one 3-gun event or hunting cabin: does the shooter make the gun, or does the gun make the shooter? Or, in other words, can a subpar or average shooter be made into a superstar with the assistance of a high-end gun (and high-end optics)? Can a skilled marksman coax a stellar performance out of just any gun and/or optic, regardless of quality?

It’s a frequent argument, one prone to sparking tempers in person and on social media – pretty much any time it comes up. Is shot placement truly everything and if it is, does that mean it doesn’t really matter what caliber of handgun you conceal carry? Is carrying a pocket pistol chambered in .380 ACP or even .22LR justifiable if you’re confident in your ability to make the perfect shot when your life is on the line? Or should your EDC be something bigger, such as a .45 ACP or 10mm? With a larger-caliber handgun there’s a sizeable permanent wound cavity, which means maybe – just maybe – you’d have a bit more leeway when it comes to placement. Or does a bigger caliber mean you’d actually have a harder time making that shot thanks to recoil, and maybe even be less likely to carry it since it’s harder to conceal? There are endless questions and countless angles. This is one of those questions that draws a line in the sand, one those on both sides are unlikely to ever agree to crossing.

Breaking from a long tradition of providing the most mundane and barely readable Training Manuals, the US Army is getting with the modern times with the release of their new “Shooter’s Corner” videos from the Army Marksmanship Unit.

In the previous previous installment, we looked at how to assemble our eligibility package for the Civilian Marksmanship Program. In this installment, we will look at how to actually order a rifle from the Program. Ordering is not a particularly difficult process, so this post will not be very long. To order from the CMP, you can navigate the website to the ordering page located at this link. You will be presented with this text:

Ever since the news broke that the CMP would be able to sell M1911 handguns to the shooting public, thanks to a provision in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, I have received a lot of emails and comments asking me “how do I qualify for the CMP?” Well, you’re in luck: Not only will I be walking our readers through the process, but it’s easier than you think!

I am not someone who is very concerned with gear. My main rifle is close to bone stock, besides the optic, and is only “blinged out” with a USGI web sling. My Glock uses the much-maligned stock sights, because those work fine for me. I generally look at small products like slings and lubricants that claim to offer real improvement with a healthy dose of skepticism. What I have works, and I don’t generally feel the need to change it much.

Weaponsman seems to think so:

In my ongoing research effort on the 20th Century infantry rifle, I found an interesting training film from the 1960s. The USMC video is not quite 22 minutes in length, and covers marksmanship instruction on the M14 rifle:

Among shooting positions, I think standing is the most fun. The challenge of hitting targets at long distance without support is something I find thrilling and calming all at once. It’s then interesting to see something of a new perspective at ArtOfTheRifle regarding my favorite shooting position, and the use of the sling with it: