Fundamentals Of Marksmanship

Written By: J. Curtman

OBJECTIVES

1. TO DEMONSTRATE HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH EYE IS THE “DOMINATE” EYE. Slide 4

2. TO IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN THE SIX FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKSMANSHIP. Slides 5-16

3. TO LIST THE FUNDAMENTAL GUN SAFETY RULES. SLIDES 7, 18

4. TO LIST THE TWO MAIN REASONS FOR GUN ACCIDENTS.

SLIDE 19

5. TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMMEDIATE ACTION DRILL USED TO CLEAR COMMON STOPPAGES. SLIDE 21

OBJECTIVES

6. TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COVER AND CONCEALMENT. SLIDE 22

7. TO EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICE IN RELATION TO A HEIGHTED RATE OF SURVIVABILITY. SLIDES 23 - 27

The Dominate EyeThe Dominate Eye

The dominant eye should be The dominant eye should be used for aiming.used for aiming.

WHY WOULD YOU WHY WOULD YOU SHOOT WITH BOTH EYES SHOOT WITH BOTH EYES

OPEN?OPEN?

Shooting FundamentalsThe Six Fundamentals

1. Position

2. Grip

3. Breath Control

4. Sight Alignment

5. Trigger Squeeze

6. Follow Through

FOLLOWFOLLOWTHROUGHTHROUGH

TRIGGERTRIGGERSQUEEZESQUEEZE

SIGHTSIGHTALIGNMENTALIGNMENT

BREATHBREATHCONTROLCONTROL

GRIPGRIP

POSITIONPOSITION

FundamentalsFundamentalsOf Pistol ShootingOf Pistol Shooting

Fundamental Gun Fundamental Gun Safety RulesSafety Rules

AlwaysAlways keep the gun pointed in a keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.safe direction.

AlwaysAlways keep your finger off the keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.trigger until ready to shoot.

AlwaysAlways keep the gun unloaded until keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.ready to use.

Do notDo not point a gun at anything you point a gun at anything you are not willing to are not willing to KILLKILL or or DESTROYDESTROY!!

Shooting Fundamentals Position

- Consistency

- Balance

- Support

- NPA (Natural Point of Aim)

- Comfort

- Weaver Vse. Isosceles

Shooting Fundamentals Grip

THE “HAND SHAKE” APPROACH!

Shooting Fundamentals Sight Alignment

Shooting FundamentalsSight Alignment

Target, front sight and rear sight aligned

“Six o’clock” hold, or “center of mass” hold

Shooting Fundamentals Sight Alignment

Focus is on the… front sight

Shooting FundamentalsBreath Control

Body movement affects the shot- So… quiet yourself

Breathing requires muscle movement- So… shoot between breaths

Breathe out part way, hold, and shoot.

Don’t hold your breath too long or muscle tremors will create movement and disrupt the shot.

Breath ControlBreath Control

In order to minimize body movement, your In order to minimize body movement, your breath must be held while firing a shot.breath must be held while firing a shot.

Before each shot, take a breath, let enough Before each shot, take a breath, let enough air out so you are comfortable, and hold air out so you are comfortable, and hold the remaining breath while firing the shot.the remaining breath while firing the shot.

If your breath is held too long, muscle If your breath is held too long, muscle tremors may start. (approx. 8 seconds, but tremors may start. (approx. 8 seconds, but varies from person to person) Point the gun varies from person to person) Point the gun in a safe direction, take your finger off the in a safe direction, take your finger off the trigger, put the gun down, relax take a few trigger, put the gun down, relax take a few breaths, and then begin the firing cycle breaths, and then begin the firing cycle again. practice purposes.again. practice purposes.

ARC OF MOVEMENTARC OF MOVEMENTEXERCISEEXERCISE

Shooting FundamentalsTrigger Squeeze

Don’t use the “P” word!!!

Gradually increasing pressure until the mechanism releases

SURPRISE yourself when the gun shoots

Shooting FundamentalsThe Six Fundamentals

1. Position

2. Grip (fit)

3. Breath Control

4. Sight Alignment

5. Trigger Squeeze

6. Follow Through

Fundamental Gun Fundamental Gun Safety RulesSafety Rules

AlwaysAlways keep the gun pointed in a keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.safe direction.

AlwaysAlways keep your finger off the keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.trigger until ready to shoot.

AlwaysAlways keep the gun unloaded until keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.ready to use.

Do notDo not point a gun at anything you point a gun at anything you are not willing to are not willing to KILLKILL or or DESTROYDESTROY!!

Safe Gun HandlingSafe Gun Handling

Major Causes of gun accidents:Major Causes of gun accidents: IgnoranceIgnorance- a lack of knowledge- a lack of knowledge

• An individual may not know how to properly An individual may not know how to properly operate a pistoloperate a pistol

CarelessnessCarelessness- firearms accidents can - firearms accidents can occur when a person is careless around occur when a person is careless around firearms.firearms.

• A person handling a gun may know the A person handling a gun may know the various gun safety rules, but neglects to various gun safety rules, but neglects to apply them.apply them.

SEMI-AUTOSEMI-AUTOSTOPPAGE TYPESSTOPPAGE TYPES

FIREFIRE FEEDFEED EXTRACTEXTRACT EJECTEJECT(STOVEPIPE)(STOVEPIPE)

GO INTOGO INTOBATTERYBATTERY

EMPTYEMPTYCHAMBERCHAMBER

YOUYOU are a component are a componentof the functioning of of the functioning of

A semi-auto correctly!A semi-auto correctly!

If you fail to If you fail to get aget a

proper grip proper grip andand

maintain it maintain it throughthroughFollow Follow

ThroughThrough it itcan cause can cause

malfunctionmalfunctions!s!

IMMEDIATE ACTION IMMEDIATE ACTION DRILLDRILL

Most stoppages that may occur to a semi-automatic pistol can be cleared by one Most stoppages that may occur to a semi-automatic pistol can be cleared by one immediate action drill:immediate action drill:• Tap/Roll/RackTap/Roll/Rack• Remove your finger from the trigger and point the gun in a safe direction.Remove your finger from the trigger and point the gun in a safe direction.• Tap-Tap- the base of the magazine to ensure it is fully seated.the base of the magazine to ensure it is fully seated.• Invert-RollInvert-Roll the gun toward your non-gun hand if it is an open top ejection port, the gun toward your non-gun hand if it is an open top ejection port,

or to the side with the ejection port if not. This will allow a cleared round to or to the side with the ejection port if not. This will allow a cleared round to escape during the next action.escape during the next action.

• Rack-Rack- the slide vigorously to the rear and let it go forward without riding the the slide vigorously to the rear and let it go forward without riding the slide.slide.

• Ready- Ready- Assess Assess the situation to determine if the target still presents a threat. Take the situation to determine if the target still presents a threat. Take appropriate action.appropriate action.

• This drill will clear most stoppages; however there are other techniques for This drill will clear most stoppages; however there are other techniques for clearing other less common stoppages that you should learn. This is a good clearing other less common stoppages that you should learn. This is a good reason to take a more advanced protection class.reason to take a more advanced protection class.

COVER AND COVER AND CONCEALEMENTCONCEALEMENT

Cover: Will potentially protect you Cover: Will potentially protect you from a projectilefrom a projectile

Concealment: Will “conceal” you from Concealment: Will “conceal” you from a potential assailant. a potential assailant.

..

THE IMPORTANCE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICEOF PRACTICE

SKILLS LEARNEDSKILLS LEARNEDMUSCLE MEMORYMUSCLE MEMORY

HEIGHTENED RATE OF SURVIVAL PROBABILITYHEIGHTENED RATE OF SURVIVAL PROBABILITY..

THE IMPORTANCE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICEOF PRACTICE

TIME FOR QUESTIONS!TIME FOR QUESTIONS!..