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A Sortie on Rifle Shooting.Pages

Assume there are two Men with Rifles competitively poised against each other. Let the man behind rifle A and/ or rifle B be equally advantaged in terms of all fighting perks pertaining to the Arm (rifle) and/or the ground. However not in terms of motivation or training of the shooter. Assuming Opportunities provided to these two soldiers are of same value and quality.

The moot questions now are:
a) Who fires the first shot?
b) Who fires the Last shot?
c) Who fires the Middle shot?

Let us ponder over the possible (but soldier-like) answers!

Who fires the first shot: If the answer is in who is ready with the aim then let us first look at the prerequisites of good firing.

These are in the following three attributes:
i) Good Holding (of rifle),
ii) Right Aiming, and
iii) Controlled Trigger Operation.

Good Holding: Obviously it is in terms of the requisites of Good Holding that this rifle is being christened as Arm. Because when a weapon is held in the hand it must demonstrate the same control as one has on one’s hands (or arms). The rifle is supposed to act as an essential part of your body. Tame the rifle to focus at the bull. Naturally. This is the first trait of a good Firer. Good Aiming : Always aim higher. But in shooting one may aim lower. At the lower part of the Bull. Or the interface between ‘Black’ and ‘White’ of the target. One is sure required to aim at a specific place, where shooting marks are maximum. But you should also have ‘a point’ of aim at rest. Which does not waver like the eye. Aiming at a fixed point always will provide the consistency to the firer. So choosing the right point of focus is essential. Aiming at the lower part can certainly be corrected later. One assures of a success by adjusting the drop in sighting by respective elevation in ‘sighting’. This pertains to the concept of a projectile. An ‘Elevation’ the bullet assumes after a certain distance. So one could engineer an artificial elevation by adjusting the ‘U’ at the back-sight.

Good Trigger Operation: Right! A rifle is fired by pressing the trigger. Trigger lets unlock the firing pin, which, when pulled by a spring, strikes at the back of the bullet to explode the explosive, that powers the bullet by the gas (generated by firing of the explosive) and releases the bullet out of the chamber, then muzzle and out in to open looking for the target. So what does the firer have to do? Press the trigger, which is a lever. And it is not at all hard. Even a child can do it. So where is the skill involved in trigger operation?

So ready with the first shot! Not yet?

Why? Is the rifle not ready, maintained, Zeroed? Oh! Just waiting for the orders or clearance! Range discipline is very essential. But if this competition is a challenge between life and death ;-).

With the choice between life and death, if the man who fired the first shot was well trained then the story has ended. One may call him as winner (termed as W). So who fires the first shot is very vital.

The Principles therein are:

a) Locate the enemy.
b) Aim for the target.
c) And sing a song aloud.

(hoping there is no more enemy around, unless you want to hear enemy crying with pain).

The next question who fires the Last shot is very simple? If case 1 was true, and he has been a winner, then the last shot was already fired. The first shot was fired by one who did operate the trigger without synergizing the three parts of principles of good firing. If all the rules were rightly learn’t then the man who fired the first would have been the one who fired the last too. And if both the shooters were fools, then you must read further….

For the middle shot.
Shooting in the dark. Eh! … ….. …. then
Continue firing

Adieu!

@ 2006 Major Priyavrat Thareja

- Posted on November 26th, 2007 in Pages | 3,014 Views |

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