Marksmanship and Combat Shooting

Handouts

Definition
Marksmanship refers to the art or skill of using a firearm, such as a rifle or a pistol.

Marksmanship principles

Basic Gun Safety

Four Rules of Gun Safety (GUN SAFETY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY)

1. Treat every firearm as it is loaded. (Even if they are not, treat them as if they are).
So EVERY TIME you pick up or draw a gun, inspect it in a safe manner (control your muzzle) and
always treat it as a loaded gun.
2. Do not point the muzzle to an object which is not intended to shoot
A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause
injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed
at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.
3. Always Keep your Finger out of trigger (Until Your Sights Are On The Target!)
Almost all of the ADs during a match are caused by a finger on the trigger when you were not ready
to fire. Some examples: Finger on trigger during reloading, during movement, during the draw, and
during jam clearing have led to ADs and disqualifications (DQs)
4. Know your target and know what’s behind it.

Fundamentals overview
The basic fundamentals of marksmanship can be described in a number of ways.
1. The position and hold must be firm enough to support the weapon.
2. The weapon must point naturally at the target without undue physical effort.
3. Sight alignment and sight picture must be correct.
4. The shot must be released and followed through without any undue physical disturbance to the
position.
Marksmanship principles into four fundamentals:
 Steady position - Regardless of stance or position, the weapon must be held the same way for each shot
and in a manner that will facilitate the least wobble (natural movement of the body as indicated by the
sights.) The basic method of firing taught to novice-level shooters and soldiers is the prone supported
 position; that is, on your stomach with the position supported by another object, usually a sandbag.
 Aiming - Sight Alignment (the relationship of the front and rear sight or clear, centered reticle in an
optical sight) is most important to accuracy as it helps eliminate angular error. The aligned sights placed
on target is Sight Picture. The front sight or reticle should always be positioned in the same spot. These
two factors ensures that shots fired, if the other fundamentals are correctly applied, will hit in the same
general area. Normally a center hold (center mass of the target) is preferred but other hold points may be
used.
 Breathing Control - [Not everyone agrees that this is] The least important factor. Normally, the firer
should press the trigger during the natural pause after exhalation. The breathing sequence should be as
follows: inhale, exhale, hold, squeeze.
 Trigger Control - The trigger is the interface between shooter and "machine", and therefore requires
careful attention. The shooter must smoothly squeeze the trigger straight back with increasing pressure
without attempting to anticipate when the round will fire. Once the grip/hold is achieved, only the index
finger of the shooting hand moves during the trigger squeeze. During initial training a marksman should
strive for a "surprise break." There is no "wrong" way to place the index finger on the trigger provided
that the shooter is able to consistently move the trigger straight rearward. Begin with the pad of the
trigger finger and adjust positioning as needed.

Stance or position overview

The weapon should point toward the target, without effort or strain. The ideal position is attained by
"natural point of aim" in which no undue muscular tension is required to keep the sights on target.
In order to ascertain the natural point of aim (POA) and to adjust the natural POA to the desired POA the
shooter undertakes a procedure called "test and adjust".
The test portion consists of the shooter closing their eyes and relaxing the grip on their weapon while still
holding it in the firing position. The shooter then re-firms his grip and opens his eyes. Where the sights are
now pointing is the natural POA.
To adjust the natural point of aim when shooting from the standing or squatting position, the shooter
alters his/her position by moving his/her feet. With other positions, the shooter moves their body. For example,
in the sitting position the shooter would move their backside. In the kneeling position the rear leg/foot is
moved. Moving back foot (standing) or body (prone) forward generally lowers the point of aim. Moving it
rearward raises the point of aim. Similarly, moving the rear foot or body to the right moves the point of aim
left and vice versa. The shooter continues to test and adjust until the the natural POA coincides with the target.

Fundamentals of Rifle Marksmanship

Breathing Control
Oxygen deficit leads to an unsteady hold as the muscles require more oxygenated blood. Therefore, the
trigger should be pressed at a point in the respiration cycle (inhale, hold, exhale) when the shooter is steadiest.
Various techniques work for different individuals: usually after exhaling half a breath or exhaling the entire
breath. Since it is almost impossible to measure half a breath with consistency, the latter technique is most
popular.
Support
The rifle is held at two points: with the firing hand and with the support hand. The firing hand not only
grasps the portion of the stock around the trigger group, but exerts steady rearward pressure into the “pocket”
of the shoulder. The support elbow is held directly under the rifle, without a hard grip by the hand which may
introduce lateral “wobble”.
The rifle should never directly be rested on a hard surface such as a vehicle roof, window frame, rock or
sandbag wall. Instead the support hand should rest on the hard surface and the rifle should rest on the support
hand. The reason for this is that laying the rifle directly on a support will introduce changes to the vibration
pattern of the rifle when firing. Placing the hand between the rifle and the support surface, reduces (but does
not eliminate) the changes to the vibration patterns of the weapon.
Cheek Weld
Consistency in sighting begins with proper “cheek weld”, positioning the cheek at the same place along
the stock. Besides before and after placement of the “weld”, it also determines the height of the eyes in
relation to the sights or scope.
Natural Point of Aim
Every marksman has a natural point of aim (NPOA), the optimum position of the body in any shooting
stance. For instance, in prone, the shooter aligns himself with the target in such a manner that his sights rest
comfortably on the bull’s eye without excessive muscular tension to maintain a desired sight picture. The
position may be “fine tuned” by subtle movement of the arms, elbows, or feet. NPOA can easily be checked
by finding a comfortable position with sights properly aligned, then closing both eyes. Inhale and exhale.
When the eyes are opened, the sight picture should remain unchanged. If not, adjust as necessary.
Sight Alignment
With metallic sights, proper alignment with "U" notch sights places the front sight post squarely within
the “notch” of the rear (square) sight. The top of the front sight should remain even with the top of the rear
sight, with equal “daylight” on either side of the front site within the notch. If the rear sight is a peep sight
( circular aperture) or “ghost ring”, the tip of the front sight should be centered in relation to the circle. When
shooting at longer distances, the rear sight will be elevated to compensate for the bullet’s ballistic “drop”, but
the sight picture should always remain the same. Make everything consistent.
With optical sights, such as telescopes, proper alignment is obtained when there is no dark portion or
“shadow” at any point in the circumference of the field of view. This will ensure that you are always sighting
through the center of the scope.
Sight Picture
Sight picture is the placement of the sights (properly aligned) in relation to the target. In most formal
competition, the desired sight picture is the front post tangent to the bottom of the bull’s eye, yielding a “six
o’clock hold”. The six o’clock is almost universally preferred to placing the front sight at the intended point of
impact in the center of the target because the resultant picture is inevitably inconsistent. At the time the shooter
fires the shot, the tip of the foresight should be in clear focus. This will render the rest of the sight picture
blurry. This ensures correct sight alignment.
Trigger Control
Trigger control is commonly considered the easiest aspect of marksmanship to explain and the most
difficult to accomplish. A perfect release or “break” results from steadily 'squeezing' the trigger straight back
(usually with the pad of the trigger finger, not at the first joint, although the firing of a revolver in double
action may typically be descibed as using the first joint) with no lateral pressure. It should occur at an instant
when the shooter does not expect the rifle to discharge, resulting in a “surprise break” that is immune to
anticipation or “flinch” that disturbs the sight picture. More in depth, the ability to control trigger "creep", as
in the dead space before the trigger works the action; overtravel, the distance the trigger travels rearward after
it causes the action to fire the gun; reset, the minimal forward movement of the trigger to be made ready to fire
again.
Follow Through
Follow through is important in developing consistency. While the bullet leaves the rifle’s barrel within
milli-seconds of ignition, the shooter benefits from “staying on the target ” in order to determine where the
round likely struck. With experience, shooters can tell with extreme precision whether the projectile has struck
the target or elsewhere.

Pistol Marksmanship

Line of Sight: Some shooters consider aiming with a pistol more challenging than with a rifle due to the
smaller sight radius - the distance between the rear and fore sights. The key is, as with shooting rifles, is to line
up the front notch at the front of the pistol's slide within the two rear notches at the back of the pistol's slide.
Do this, and almost every time your shot will hit its mark.

Control: Many shooters have problems with controlling the recoil of a pistol. This problem is not as often
shared by rifle shooters due to the energy of the recoil of their rifles dissipating against their shoulders.
However, when shooting a pistol it is far more difficult to control the weapon when it is just held by your
hands as it often recoils up and back at the same time.

Posture/Stance: When firing a sidearm it is important, as with firing any weapon, to maintain a proper firing
stance at all times. There are several wrong shooting stances that many shooters use obliviously. One common
one is that of a shooter holding the pistol and slightly leaning away from the pistol as if afraid it will spring
back and hit them in the face. This will not happen unless you let the pistol fly out of your grasp, or place your
self directly behind it. A correct shooting stance includes a firm two handed grip, strong hand extending out
towards target with the "weak" or support hand slightly pulling rearward as to "lock" in a stable platform for
the pistol, knees bent and feet approximately shoulder width apart, upper body slightly leaning forward into
firearm. By leaning forward, with the firearm held in such a manner the arms are stable and take up recoil
better than not having a fully extended arm, the upper body also dissipates recoil much better, in conjunction
with slightly bent knees and proper foot placement creating a very suitable firing platform for a the pistol.
Resulting in an improvement in accuracy, and with better recoil management, the ability to put faster follow
up shots on target

Rifle shooting positions

There are four basic positions for shooting rifles or carbines.

 Standing or offhand: Erect on both feet with the rifle supported by the strong hand and the support hand.
This is the fastest position to assume but is the least steady.
 Kneeling: Generally with one knee on the ground and the support elbow resting atop (improperly) or
(preferably) slightly forward of the elevated knee. Steadier than offhand and faster than sitting or prone.
 Sitting: Two variants include "open legged" or "cross legged" (ankles apart or overlapping) with both
elbows supported on the knees or thighs. The best all-round supported position, as it permits a fast, steady
platform suitable to rough terrain.
 Prone: Lying on one's stomach with the support hand beneath the rifle. Feet may be splayed or closer
together but most shooters find it helpful to bring the strong-side knee forward. The steadiest position,
but requires more time to assume than any other and may be unsuitable for some terrain or where ground
cover obscures the target.

Other nonstandard positions include the squat ("rice paddy prone"), "speed kneeling" with both knees on
the ground, and "supine", where the firer lies on his/her side, with the rifle lying on the bent lower leg; the
sight is usually mounted on the end of the stock and as such the rifle is designed to be shot in this position
only.

Grip or hold

The grip or hold depends on the shooting discipline (i.e. what is allowed under the rules of competition)
and what is practical. For instance, in the IPSC pistol discipline, the most used grip is two handed, although
some stages will be designed such that the shot must be taken with either the weak or the strong hand only.
When gripping a handgun, "shake hands" with the grip. Take a firm and high grip, wrapping the three
lower fingers around the grip with the trigger finger resting along the slide away from the trigger and trigger
guard.
When using iron sights, the firer must focus on the tip of the foresight at the moment they release the
shot. The rear sight and the target itself will not be in focus. This assists in assuring correct sight alignment.

Accuracy & Precision

Two methods of looking at the success of a shot group involve accuracy and precision, where accuracy is
defined as 'the ability of a measurement to match the actual value of the quantity being measured,' and
precision is defined as 'the ability of a measurement to be consistently reproduced' (www.dictionary.com).

Precision

Precision also referred to as "intrinsic accuracy", is measured by the group, where hitting close to bulls
eye does not affect precision rather than the fact that all bullets in the group landed very close to one another.
Hence, the smaller or "tighter" the group, the better the Precision.

Major factors that affect precision are:

 shooting position
 the rifle
 the shooter
 the weather (within the span of the group)
 ammunition (especially in competitions, and surgical sniping. However, ALL firearms have particular
likes and dislikes, causing malfunctions for even the highest quality ammunition. It's up to the firearm
owner to test for what his or her firearm can reliably feed and function with while using)
 elevation
 humidity
 Coriolis effect
 breathing pattern
 parallax (scoped rifle)
 execution of proper marksmanship fundamentals

The intrinsic accuracy (precision) of each of these components can be measured separately. The typical
unit of measurement for rifles and scopes is MOA (Minute of Angle). There are 360 degrees in a full circle and
60 minutes per degree.
"Mechanical Accuracy" refers to the accuracy of the rifle and the ammunition. The accuracy of a given
weapon will actually be equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the dispersion caused by each
individual factor, such as weapon, ammunition, shooter skill, weather.
We have the least control over the weather and other environmental factors. We have the most control
over the accuracy of the individual shooter. Do not be overly concerned about upgrading your rifle or
ammunition (to a lower MOA) until your own MOA approaches a similar degree of accuracy.
The intrinsic accuracy of all these components is measured by the tightness of the group as discussed below.

Accuracy

The ability to hit the target (as opposed to shooting a small group) is probably the more commonly
perceived measure of accuracy amongst new or non shooters. I refer to this ability to hit the target as practical
accuracy, because, generally speaking in field shooting, hitting the target is the point of the practice of
shooting. This accuracy is a measure of the shooter's ability to cause the group to hit the target, by adjusting
the point of aim. The operation or exercise of causing the group to fall on the target, by adjusting the point of
aim is called "application of fire". Also you must know as with any weapon when firing and aiming for your
target you must know that the bullet gradually moves downward when fired so when aiming at a target it's best
to aim a little above it to get a accurate shot at your target.

Precision Leads to Accuracy

Without precision, or repeatability of the above-mentioned components of precision, a high degree of

accuracy is nearly impossible. In order to accurately strike a target, the shooter must adjust the aim to account
for several variables, and to the extent the repeatability of the firearm or conditions is poor, this adjustment
becomes correspondingly uncertain --- in other words, with poor precision the shooter simply will have to
guess. For example, suppose a given cartridge produces a wide and unpredictable variation in muzzle velocity,
and that all other elements of the firearm are highly precise. In this case, the shooter has very little idea of
where the shot will go, as the amount of drop for which to compensate is highly uncertain, and the shooter will
simply have to hope for the best.

Maximum effective range vs. Accuracy

Firearms are considered ineffective beyond the distance a carefully fired shot is guaranteed to strike the
target. At longer ranges, a miss could occur that might endanger the marksman's mission. In those instances,
other weapons may be preferred over marksmen/snipers equipped with special sniper rifles, even though the
situation may be an otherwise ideal job for a sniper.
For example, in counter-sniper roles a sniper might spot a target that is out of range for a sniper rifle, and
so the sniper may need to call upon a machine gunner to attack it. A machine gun using the same ammunition
as the sniper rifle can be effective at a much greater range due to lower accuracy requirements for effective
use.

Here is a simplified example to illustrate why, counter-intuitively, a less accurate weapon of the same
calibre may actually have a greater effective range than a sniper rifle: For human targets in military sniping,
snipers aim at a "target circle". The equations that describe the approximate relationships between range,
accuracy, and the target circle, as used in this section, are as follows:
 (Target circle (inches) / Accuracy (MOA - Minute Of Angle) * 100 = Range meters
 (Range meters * Accuracy (MOA) / 100) = Target circle inches

Also note that "target circle" is used exclusively even when "cone of fire" or "group size" may technically
be more accurate. These terms have subtle differences that are not important for the purpose of this section,
and they are left out to avoid introducing unnecessary complexity in illustrations and examples that have been
intentionally simplified.
The target circle is typically about 8 inches in diameter, corresponding to an imaginary circle on the vital
area of a person's chest. For a common sniper rifle capable of 1 MOA accuracy, the maximum effective range
(the range at which the bullet impact point is guaranteed to be within an 8-inch circle on the first shot) is about
800 meters.

In contrast, a machine gun using the same ammunition with a low accuracy of only 6 MOA will typically
have a greater maximum effective range of about 1,100 meters. At that range and accuracy, a machine gun has
a larger target circle of about 66 inches. The machine gun's target circle is much larger due to its rapid fire
capability, which allows a machine gun to strike with one or more hits and numerous misses at random
locations within the target circle.
While a machine gun's large target circle means that its effective range can be longer than a sniper rifle's,
note that the design of a weapon is more likely to determine its effective range than the maximum range of its
ammunition. The maximum range of common 7.62 × 51 mm NATO ammunition is a comparatively large
3,725 meters, and both machine guns and sniper rifles are not able to use even half of the maximum range of
the ammunition effectively, largely due to unpredictable atmospheric disturbance of the bullet's flight path.
The maximum range is much larger than the maximum effective range. The corresponding disadvantage is that
the machine gun may need to fire dozens, and perhaps hundreds of rounds before scoring a hit.

Theory of the Group

What is a Group?

A group is defined as a series of shots fired at the same POA, or point of aim, from the same position and
hold. Generally speaking three shots is the minimum considered necessary to form a group and groups of
three, five, ten or more are commonly used for measuring accuracy for testing and comparative purposes.
Generally speaking the more shots fired in a group, the more useful the data is for comparative purposes.
Certain shooting disciplines, styles, shooter accuracy, or experience may define the number of shots
required for a group in their competitions or practice (as in teaching trigger control).It may also benefit newer
shooters to use a higher round count group, to increase their probability at placing multiple rounds
together(encuraging confidence) , and highlighting the ones that have "pulled", to reinforce what has been
learned earlier in the fundamentals.

How is a group measured

The group is a measure of the angular dispersion of a series of rounds. There are two methods commonly used
to describe a group:
 The first and perhaps easier to understand for the lay person is the absolute size of the group and the
range. E.g. "4 inch group at 100 yards".
 The second and more succinct method is to simply state the angular dispersion of the rounds in the
group as an angle. The usual units for this are "minutes of angle" (MOA). A minute of angle is
1/60th of a degree of angle.

It is important to remember that both methods describe the same thing, i.e. the angular dispersion of the
shots. Generally speaking MOA is the preferred way to describe a group as it is a single range neutral number.
For most purposes shooters approximate 1 MOA to be a group of 1 inch at 100 yards which is accurate enough
for all but the most precise measurements.
Note however that the size of a group may vary at different ranges, e.g. a rifle may fire 4 MOA at 100 m
but fire 2 MOA at 600 m. Reasons for this might include different stability at different ranges in the trajectory.
However despite this when comparing accuracy it is usual to discuss the size of the group at a given range,
often 100 m. Also despite the fact that, in reality, the accuracy of a rifle may vary at different ranges, it is
common to interpolate the accuracy of a rifle at one range from the known accuracy at another range. I.e. it is
commonly assumed that a rifle that shoots 1 MOA when measured at 100 yards, i.e. a 1 inch group at 100
yards, will still shoot 1 MOA at 200 yards, i.e. a 2 inch group at 200 yards.
How is a group useful?
As indicated above, the group is the measure of the intrinsic accuracy of a rifle, ammunition, shooter or
some other component in the shooting combination in a given set of conditions. By this we mean the accuracy
potential of the combination when ignoring, removing or otherwise canceling, as far as possible (perhaps by
conducting all testing in the same environment at the same time), external factors, such as weather.

What exactly does the group measure?

The size of the group is in fact a measure of the consistency of rifle, ammunition and shooter. The smaller
the group, the more potentially accurate the variable or variables being measured. This is because the smaller
the group is the greater the chance of a round striking the same place as previous shots fired in the group.
Here's the way to measure a group accurately: You need a caliper (digital-readout calipers are much easier to
use than dial-readout models) and the ability to subtract. First, measure the outside spread of the two widest
shots in the group. Then, subtract from that figure the diameter of the bullet you're shooting. Let's say you take
your .270 and shoot a group that measures 1.313 inches. Subtract from it .277, which is the actual diameter of
the bullet, and you get 1.036 inches, which is your group size.

What does a group NOT measure?

A group does not measure the ability of a rifle/marksman/ammunition or any other single component or
combination of components to actually hit a target.

Theory of Small Arms Fire

 The accuracy of small arms fire is affected by several factors. These include:
 The inherent mechanical accuracy of the rifle,
 The inherent mechanical accuracy of the ammunition
 The firer's ability
 Weather conditions

Mechanical Accuracy of Weapon

The mechanical accuracy of the rifle is affected by several factors including:
 The quality of manufacture, eg the closeness and consistency of the construction.
 The design of the rifle, including the stiffness of the barrel, the action, the amount of play if any
between components, the barrel mounting, eg free floating, dampened, locking mechanism
 The materials that the rifle is constructed of, especially their environmental stability (i.e. their
stability in the face of changing environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity and the
like).
Mechanical Accuracy of Ammunition
The mechanical accuracy of the ammunition is dependent on several factors including:
 The quality of the propellant
 The quality of the projectile
 The quality of the case

The firer's ability

 The firer's knowledge - affects the firer's ability to apply the principles of marksmanship to the
practice of marksmanship.
 The firer's strength - affects the firer's ability to hold the rifle correctly and with minimal effort,
which reduces shake/tremor.
 The firer's fitness - the fitness of the firer affects the firer's ability to breathe, and control the breath
and shaking/tremor due to breathing and oxygen levels in the blood and muscles.

Weather
There are several environmental (weather) factors that affect accuracy. These include:
Temperature. Affects:
 the burn speed of the propellant
 the air density (and therefore the trajectory)
 the expansion or contraction of the components of the rifle
 Mirages
Humidity. Affects
 the air density
 the burn rate of the powder
 the expansion or contraction of the components of the rifle, especially natural materials like wood
and leather
Air density. This is a function of temperature and humidity. Affects:
 the projectile in flight
 velocity of the projectile in the barrel
 burn speed of the powder
Precipitation. Affects:
 visibility
  wet or moist ammunition/chamber or barrel can also affect the chamber pressure
 the expansion or contraction of rifle components
Wind. Affects:
 the lateral trajectory of the projectile (drift)
 the velocity of the projectile, which affects both the lateral and vertical trajectory of the bullet
 the temperature of the physical components of the weapon
 visibility, e.g., blowing up dust or water

Factors Affecting The Mechanical Accuracy of the Rifle

When a rifle is fired the state of the rifle changes. Most of these changes are not perceptible to human
senses, yet each of them has a real and definite effect on the accuracy potential of the rifle. For example when
the rifle is fired the barrel flexes along its axis. This flexing is called whip. In order to obtain maximum
accuracy this whip should be as consistent as possible each time the shot is fired. One way of achieving this is
to minimize the whip. This can be done by stiffening the barrel, a condition usually achieved by adding more
material to the barrel, i.e. making it heavier. In some cases the rifle is fitted with longitudinal flutes (ie grooves
cut into the barrel along its length). These flutes increase the stiffness of the barrel, while reducing the weight -
or at least reducing the weight compared to a solid barrel of similar stiffness. At the same time the barrel flexes
along its length, the muzzle of the rifle moves, probably in a circle or oval, but possibly in some other pattern,
across a plane at right angles to the bore. Maximum accuracy demands that the round leaves the muzzle at the
same position on this plane every shot. Many factors affect the pattern described by the muzzle on this plane,
the most controllable of which is the pressure exerted on the barrel by the receiver and the stock.

Application of fire is the act of applying a group to a target.

I.e. is the ability of the combination of rifle, shooter and ammunition to place the group where desired.

Zeroing
Zeroing is the act of mechanically aligning the point of impact with the point of aim at a given range.
Holdover
Holdover is the practice of aiming at a point other than the desired point of impact (POI) to allow for
factors such as range, weather, zero (in particular the range at which the weapons is zeroed, but also perhaps to
allow for the fact that a weapon may have been zeroed for a person other than the current firer).
Advantages of Holdover
The holdover technique is fast to apply and does not require the shooter to break his shooting position.
Holdover is especially useful when the shooter needs to engage several targets at different ranges or a target
whose range is changing, as the shooter is not required to break his position to adjust his sights for each range
change.
Disadvantages of Holdover
The holdover may be difficult to apply at longer ranges, where the sights may need to be held several
target heights above the point of aim. With a telescopic sight this can result in the target not being visible in
the field of view.
The holdover, especially at longer ranges, requires a higher level of skill than sight adjustment.
Sight Adjustment
Sight may be adjusted to allow for lateral movement. Wind may affect the round and range, resulting in a
vertical drop of the round in flight. By adjusting the sights at the time of firing, the need to apply holdover can
be reduced or entirely eliminated.
Advantages of Sight Adjustment
Does not require as much experience of practice to master.
Allows the shooter to aim directly at the desired point of impact.
Disadvantages of Sight Adjustment
The shooter needs to memorize or have available (perhaps on a card or similar device) the characteristics
of the sight adjustments and the trajectory for the ammunition rifle combination.
The shooter needs to keep track of how much adjustment is applied so that the sights can be re-adjusted
back to zero when the current firing session is complete. For this reason, many firers choose not to adjust their
sights unless the target is at such a long range that holdover is impractical, or if a first round hit is crucial, e.g.,
with a police or military sniper.
Requires the shooter to break their shooting position to re-apply their adjustments for each range over
which a target is to be engaged.

Glossary
Application of fire - the act of superimposing a group on to a target
Beaten zone - the intersection of the cone of fire with the ground
Cone of fire - volume of space described by the outermost projectiles in a burst of fire.
Dangerous space - the area between first catch and first graze.
Enfilade - the application of the length of the beaten zone to the longitudinal axis of the target.
First catch - the first point where the trajectory of a projectile intersects with a target
First graze - the first point where a the trajectory of the projectile first intersects with the ground.
Grazing fire - fire where the trajectory is largely or approximately parallel to the ground
Group a measure of angular accuracy, defined as a series of three or more shots fired at the same POA, from
the same position/hold.
Mean Point of Impact (MPI) - the center of a group, ignoring any obviously "pulled" or "jerked" shots.
Mechanical accuracy - the accuracy of a rifle or ammunition discounting as much as possible inaccuracies
introduced by other components. E.g. when trying to gauge the mechanical accuracy for a rifle you might fire
the rifle from a mechanical rest, using the same load of ammunition for each firing, and ideally under the same
environmental conditions.
Plunging Fire - fire where the firer is higher than the target and therefore looks and fires down upon the target.
Plunging fire results in a - small beaten zone not significantly larger than the cone of fire.
Point of Aim (POA) - the point at which the firer aims with sights
Point of Impact (POI) - the point on the target where the round impacts
Whip - the axial flexing of the barrel at firing.
Zero - the act of superimposing the point of aim with the point of impact at a given range.