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Snap Shooting#InClose Combat

By Captain Stephen Stauers, USMCRTHE VALU E OF HIP-LEVEL snap shooting continues

La be a matter or controversy, notwithstandinp the amountof close-in combat firing in this war, especially in the Pacific theate rs. Those opposed to snap shooting decry itsrelative inaccuracy and min imize its sup eriority in speed.Those who favor snap shooting emphasize its effectivenessin close combat whe re the first shots separate the quick fromthe dead.T he function of snap shooting is clear. It is iutended forshort range ( twenty yards and under) combat firing wheretroops are moving quickly toward each other. In such situations it has been observed that almost every man 's instinctive reaction is to fire quickly, with out 'stopping tobring the weapon to his shoulder.

\Th e opinions or assertions contained in this article arcthe private ones of the autho r and are no t to be construed asofficial or reflecting th e views of the Navy Department or thenaval servic e at large.)- Such hasty firing without ben efit of pr evious practice israrely accurate. A moving opponent five yards away can bemissed entirely. Yet to align sights on him at that range isto anchor yourself in the position of a clay pigeon in ashooting gallery. N ot only is the stationary shoulder-aimervery vulnerahle in close-quarters combat - a bayonet-wielding enemy can readily parry his weapon barrel and runhim through- hut the original opponent may himself hit theslow aimer first with snap shots. The purpose of hip-levelsnap shooting is to canalize natural reactions and make firstshots as quick and accurate as possible.

The prin cipal elemen ts in hip -level snap shooting arefour : speed, mobility, reduced vulnerability, night effectiveness,

By snap shooting it is possible to get off initial shots ill

the piece level and pointing it toward the target. lt ' istherefore effective at night when close-range targets can bedetected only by shadow or sound.The main argument usually made against snap shootingis tha t it lacks accuracy, the implication being that anything less than one hundred per cen t accuracy at closerange is deplorable. But this reasonin g omits the vital timeelement. For even if a shoulder shooter could score onehundred per cent hit s between the eyes by shoulder aimingthat would do him no good if several enemy slugs had hithim while he was aiming.Although the nonnal accuracy-of snap shooting is abomsixty per cent ( with a general range of variation fromthirty to-ninety per cen t) , the volume and speed of fire iswhat produces the greater operational effect. Inasmuch as

three shots can be fired hy snap shooting in the time it takesto fire the first aimed shot, the snap shooter is likely to bethe winner even if his score is only thirty-three and onethird per cent. For his one hi t precludes the hundred percent score of the aiming opponent.Furthermore, the snap shooter's shots tha t miss are notwholly without effect. Firing practically in the face of theenemy soldier impai rs his aiming or preven ts it altogether.It is on this basis that hip-level snap shooting should beevaluated as a combat supplement to standard range methods of fire.The basic principle of hip-level snap shooting is to hold

the piece level at the side, clear of the hip, and pointed athaIL a_scond,_iu __contrast. to the one and a. half to tW0 F:" t he target. An hour of position practice and a few clips ofseconds it normally takes to get off the first shoulder-aimedshot. Troops in the field, after an hour of position practice,have averaged three shots snap shooting in the time it tookthem to get off one shot from the shoulder. Of their threeshots, one and two were hits on silhouette targets at tenand twenty yards.The mobility of the snap shooter enables him to approach his target rapidly without the necessity of stoppingto fire. Besides increasing his tactical effectiveness, this re

duces his vulnerability, for he presents a crouched movingtarget rath er than an upright stationary target. His lowersilhouette also reduces the chance of being hit.Sighting in snap shooting is accomplished by holding30

firing wiII considerably enhance any soldier's close-combatfiring effectiveness.Snap shooting tactics are not in tended to minimize theimportance of cover and concealment, on which the rangemethods of fire depend, and which should be used to advantage as mucH as possible. But especially in an assault,when a fight er must advance short distances uu covered,snap shooting on the run may be his best "cover" as well ashis best attack.

INFANTRY JOURNAL

8/14/2019 Snap Shooting Article

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