Crutches

Hey riflemen!

Hey - RIFLEMEN!

HEY! RIFLEMEN!



There is a group out there claiming to teach you how to be a rifleman. They claim they can teach you to: "take a rack grade rifle and surplus ammunition and consistently hit silhouette targets out to 500 yards from the prone position using iron sights and no rests or sandbags." I'm here telling you that may be the intent, but so many of those "riflemen" just ain't so.

So many people that get the "rifleman" designation from that outfit do so with highly tuned rifles, match grade ammo, scopes, and slings.

All of those devices are crutches!



I went shooting the other day - I do that a fair amount. An M16A2 clone, personally assembled for under $600, was the tool of choice. Shots were taken from improvised sitting position.  


First, the rifle was tested out at 25 yards. 
Sight setting: 8/3
5-shot group

Sight setting: 8/3 + 2
10-shot group

An Army Alt-C course of fire (40/40):

And here is a man-sized silhouette, shot at 400-yards:

Equipment and Statistics:
A2 fixed carry-handle sights.
Del Ton 1:9 twist 20" barrel. Government profile. 
Federal American Eagle 55-grain .223 ammo ($6.99 from Wal Mart for 20 rounds).
Improvised sitting position.

What was NOT used:
Match grade ammo.
Scope.
Sling.
Prone position.
Match grade barrel.
Match grade trigger.


What I am not saying:
I am not saying that match grade ammo and barrels are not useful - they certainly are!
I am not being derogatory toward a prone position or use of the sling - those things are fine within their proper context.
I am certainly not advocating against a match grade trigger. In fact, as soon as I have funds, a RRA national match trigger is going in that M16A2 clone!


What I am saying:
Don't go around thinking you have some sort of Jedi Black Belt once you get a patch that says you played a game well.
Do go out there, and take those shooting skills to the next level. Challenge yourself!
Don't just shoot at 25 yards.
Don't just shoot at 100 yards, though that is much better.
Work most on your standing position. It is most likely to be used.
Work next most on your sitting position, it is second most practical.
Learn how to steady the rifle when braced on something for support. 

Rely on skill - not equipment. 
When you have skill, then add equipment, things really go in your favor.


To put it another way:
To shoot a 1.5" target at 25 meters with a highly tuned .22 and a scope from the prone with a sling is one thing. To shoot an actual silhouette at 300+ yards without a sling while using iron sights on a centerfire rifle in a modern military caliber and configuration is quite a different thing, altogether. 


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