Reflexive Fire

[7677]

The army taught "Quick Kill" with the rifle in the 60s and 70s and they taught "Quick Fire" with the pistol in the 70's, 80s and 90s. Quick Fire is still in the manual but the army is currently teaching reflexive shooting with a rifle.

FM 3-06.11 (Combined Arms OPS in Urban Terrain)

7-22. CONDUCT OF SHORT RANGE MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING
Short-range marksmanship requires individual Infantrymen to be trained to standard in reflexive firing, target discrimination, and on all the necessary BRM fundamentals prior to semi-annual qualification. An explanation of the base level proficiency requirements is provided with each course of fire. As a minimum, infantrymen should be qualified on their individual weapon within the previous six months. Shotgun and automatic firing is required for annual familiarization only, Reflexive MILES dry-fire drills are an essential part of the training and should be conducted by the team leader or squad leader during troop leading procedures and before any SRC or SRM training.

7-23. FUNDAMENTALS OF SHORT-RANGE MARKSMANSHIP
During SRC there is little or no margin for error. Too slow a shot at the enemy, too fast a shot at a noncombatant, or inaccurate shots can all be disasterous for the soldier. There are four funadmentals: proper weapon ready positions and firing stance, aiming technique, aim point, and trigger manipulation. Mastery of these fundamentals is key to the soldier's ability to survive and accomplish the mission in close quaters. All SRC-and SRM-related training should always begin with a review of the principles of safe weapon handling--assume the weapon is always loaded and never point the weapon at anything you do not intend to destroy.
a. Firing Stance and Ready Positions. Regardless of the ready position used, soldiers must always assume the correct firing stance to ensure stability and accuracy when engaging targets. The two weapon ready positions are the high ready and low ready.
(1)Firing Stance. The feet are kept approximately shoulder-width apart. Toes are pointed straight to the front (direction of movement. The firing side foot is slightly staggered to the rear of the nonfiring side foot. Knees are slightly bent and the upper body is leaned slightly forward. Shoulders are square and pulled back, not rolled over or slouched. The head is up and both eyes are open. When engaging targets, the gunner holds the weapon with the butt of the weapon firmly against his shoulder and the firing side elbow close aainst the body. (figures 7-34 and 7-35)
(2)High Ready Position(Figure 7-34) The butt of the weapon is held under the armpit, with the barrel pointed slightly up so that the front sight post is just below the line of sight but still within the gunner's peripheral vision. The nonfiring hand grasps the handguards toward the front sling swivel, the trigger finger is outside of the trigger well, and the thumb of the firing hand is on the selector level. To engage a target from the high ready, the gunner pushes the weapon forward as if to bayonet the target and brings the butt stock firmly against the shoulder as it slides up the body. This technique is best suited fo the lineup outside of a building, room or bunker entrance.
(3)Low Ready Position(Figure 7-35). The butt of the weapon is placed firmly in the pocket of the shoulder with the barrel pointed down at a 45-degree angle. The nonfiring hand grasps the handguards toward the front sling swivel, the trigger finger is outside of the trigger well, the thumb of the firing hand is on the selector level. To engage a target from the low ready, the gunner brings the weapon up until the proper sight picture is achieved. This technique is best suited for movement in buildings.
(4)Movement Techniques. Soldiers must practice moving with their weapons up until they no longer look at the ground but concentrate on their sectors of responsibility. Soldiers must avoid stumbling over their own feet. The low ready method is the best method to use when moving or turning. To execute a left turn the soldier places his firing foot forward, shifts all his weight to the firing foot, and pivots, bringing the nonfiring foot forward to complete the turn. To turnto the right the firing foot is to the rear, the weight is evenly distributed between the feet, and the body pivots on both feet. To turn to the rear, the firing foot is forward, the weight is placed on the firing foot and the body pivots similar to the drill "rear march."
(5)Kneeling Position. Although short range engagements generally take place from the standing position a soldier may be required to engage targets from the kneeling position. The kneeling position is generally used when correcting a weapons malfunction.

[7677]

b. Aiming Techniques. Four aiming techniques are used during SRC. Each has advantages and disadvantages and the soldier must understand when, how and where to use each technique.

(1)Slow Aimed Fire. This technique is the slowest but most accurate. It consists of taking a steady position , properly aligning the sight picture and squeezing off rounds. This technique should only be used to engage targets in excess of 25 meters when good cover and concealment is available or when the need for accuracy overrides the need for speed.

(2)Rapid Aimed Fire. This technique utilizes an imperfect sight picture. When using this technique the soldier focuses on the target and raises his weapon until the target is obscured by the front sight post assembly. Elevation is less critical than windage when using this technique. This aiming technique is extremely effective on targets from 0-15 meters and at a rapid rate of fire.

(3)Aimed Quick Kill. The aimed quick kill technique is the quickest and most accurate method of engaging targets up to 12 meters. Experienced soldiers may use the technique at greater ranges, as they become familiar with it. When using this technique, the soldier aims over the rear sight, down the length of the carry handle, and places the top 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of the front sight post assembly on the target.

(4)Instinctive Fire. This is the least accurate technique and should only be used in emergencies. It relies on instinct, experience and muscle memory. The firer concentrates on the target and points the weapon in the general direction of the target. While gripping the handguards with the nonfiring hand he extends the index finger to the front, automatically aiming the weapon on a line towards the target.

c. Aim Point.Short-range engagements fall into two categories based on the mission and hostile threat. Most short range engagements will be decided by who hits his target with the first round first. During this type of engagement it is more important to knock the enemy soldier down as quickly as possible than it is to kill him immediately. During this type of engagement soldiers must aim at the "lethal zone" (center mass) of the target as in regular rifle marksmanship. Although shots to the center of the target may prove to be eventually fatal they may not immediately incapacitate the enemy. During SRC a shot that does not immediately incapacitate the enemy may be no better then a clean miss. Because of this, and the possible presence of military equipment or protective vests, soldiers must be able to not only engage soldiers in the "lethal zone" but also engage them with "incapacitating" shots.
(1)Lethal Shot Placement. The lethal zone of the target is center mass between the waist and the chest. Shots in this area maximize the hydrostatic shock of the round (Figure 7-36). Due to the nature of SRC, soldiers must continue to engage targets until they go down.
(2)Incapacitating Shot Placement(Figure 7-37). The only shot placement that guarantees immediate and total incapacitation is one roughly centered in the face, below the middle of the forehead and the upper lip, and from the eyes in. Shots to the side of the head should be centered between the crown of the skull and the middle of the ear opening, form the center of the cheekbones to the middle of the back of the head.

d.Trigger Manipulation. Short-range combat engagements are usually quick, violent, and deadly. Due to the reduced reaction time, imperfect sight picture, and requirement to effectively place rounds into threat targets, soldiers must fire multiple rounds during each engagement to survive. Multiple shots may be fired either through the use of a controlled pair or automatic weapons fire.
(1)Controlled Pair. A controlled pair is two rounds fired in rapid succession. The soldier fires the first round and allows the weapon to move in its natural arc without fighting the recoil. The firer rapidly brings the weapon back on target and fires a second round. Soldiers must practice the "controlled pair" until it becmes instinctive. Controlled pairs should be fired at single targets until they go down. When multiple targets are present the soldier must fire a controlled pair at each target, then reengage any targets left standing. Rapid, aimed, semiautomatic fire is the ost accurate method of engaging targets during SRC.
(2)Automatic Fire. Automatic weapons fire may be necessary to maiximize violence of action or gain fire superiority when gaining a foothold in a room, building, or trench. When properly trained, soldiers should be able to fire six rounds (two three round bursts) in the same time it takes to fire a controlled pair. The accuracy of engaging targets can be equal to that of semiautomatic fire at 10 meters with practice. The key to firing a weapon on burst or automatic is to squeeze the trigger, not jerk it.
(a)For the majority of soldiers, fully automatic fire is rarely effective and can lead to unnecessary noncombatant casualties or fratricide. Not only is fully automatic fire inaccurate and difficult to control, but also rapidly empties ammunition magazines. A soldier who finds himself out of ammunition with an armed, uninjured enemy soldier during SRC will become a casualty unless a fellow soldier intervenes.
(b)Controlled three-round burts are better then automatic fire but they are only slightly faster and not as accurate or effective as rapid, aimed, semiautomatic fire.
(3)Failure Drill. To make sure a target is completely neutralized, soldiers should be trained to execute the failure drill. A controlled pair is fired at the lethal zone of the target, then a single shot to the incapacitating zone. This type of engagement is particularly useful when engaging targets wearing body armor.

7-24. PRELIMINARY MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTION
As with all other forms of marksmanship training, PMI must be conducted to establish a firm foundation on which to build. Soldiers must be taught, and must understand, the fundamentals of SRM described in paragraph 7-23. Blank fire drills are conducted to ensure a complete and through understanding of the fundamentals as well as to provide the trainers with valuable feedback as to the level of proficiency of each soldier. It is important during this training to emphasize basic force protection issues such as muzzle awareness and selector switch manipulation. SOldiers must be drilled on these areas to ensure that future training and performance during combat situations is done in the safest manner possible. The risk of fratricde or noncombatant casualties is greatest during SRC. Preliminary marksmanship training should include, at a minimum, the following tasks.
a. Weapon Ready Positions and Firing Stance. Ensure that each soldier understands and can properly carry his weapon.
b. Moving with a Weapon. Ensure that the soldier can move at a walk and run and turn left, right and to the rear as well as move from the standing to kneeling position and the kneeling back to the standing position.
c. Weapons Malfunction Drills. Ensure soldiers instinctively drop to the kneeling position, clear a malfunction (using SPORTS), and continue to engage targets. This drill can be performed by issuing each soldier a magazine loaded with six to eight rounds of blank ammunition with one expended blank round.
d. Target Engagement Drills. These drills teach soldiers to move from the ready position to the firing stance, emphasizing speed and precision movements. Soldiers must be observed to ensure that the finger is outside the trigger well and that the selector switch remains on the "safe" position until the weapon is raised to the riring position. This is a force protection issue and must be drilled until all soldiers can perform to standard.

[7677]

7-25. PHASE I REFLEXIVE FIRE TRAINING
Reflexive fire training provides the fundamental skills required to conduct short-range marksmanship. It involves the practical application of all four of the fundamentals of SRM. All soldiers must receive a go on the task Conduct reflexive Firing, before proceeding with training. Reflexive firing should be conducted as refresher training as often as possible to insure that soldier's skills are always at the highest level. This is a perishable skill that must be constantly reinforced.
a. Reflexive Firing Targets. Targets can be locally purchased (FBI style) or manufactured by the unit (bowling pin tagets). E-type silhouttes may be painted as shown in Figure 7-38.

b. Range Setup. The range must be at least 25 meters in length with identification marks at the 5-, 10-, 15-, and 25-meter distances. Each lane should be marked in a way that prevents cross firing between lanes. A lane safety-coach is assigned to each lane to observe and evaluate the soldier's performance as well as ensure the safe conduct of firing, All firing cues are given by the tower or line safety.

c. Conduct of Training. Each soldier will conduct a dry-fire exercise and a blank-fire exercise prior to conducting the live-fire exercise. The dry-fire and blank-fire exercises will give the soldier the repetition needed to successfully engage targets quickly and accurately. Soldiers start at the 25-meter line at the low ready facing the targets. The soldier is then told the engagement position (for example, facing left, turn right) and, once in position, is given the cue to fire. The soldier must, on cue, assume the proper firing position and stance, place the selector lever on semi, use the correct aiming technique for the target's distance, (italics mine) and enage the target. After engaging the target the soldier will continue to cover the target to reinforce firing until the threat is eliminated. Rounds fired after the time standard will be scored as a miss. The number of rounds fired after the time standard will be subtracted from the total number of hits the soldier has scored. The soldier will be evaluated on a "GO/NO GO" basis based on the standards in the training and evaluation outline (TE&O) and scoring table. Soldiers must complete a blank fire iteration before being allowed to live fire.

(1)Each soldier will identify and engage the proper targets at ranges from 5 to 25 meters from the stationary position, while turning and walking. Soldiers must score a GO on the familiarization firing tables (Table 7-3 and Table 7-4, page 7-44) before attempting to qualify.

NOTE: All rounds must impact on the E-type silhoutte. Hits are defined as being in the lethal zone (bowling pin).

(2)All tables are fired at night, with and without protective mask, and using automatic fire for familiarization. The tables are also fired using night vision devices. The standard for protective mask firing is 60 percent day and 50 percent night. Unit commanders should conduct training continually to first establish and then sustain levels of proficiency in reflexive firing.

[kilogulf59]

Very nice....

You wouldn't, by chance, have this as a .pdf file to include the pics would you?

[7677]

Very nice....

You wouldn't, by chance, have this as a .pdf file to include the pics would you?
I have a disk at work that might have those pics in pdf.

[Low Drag]

I forgot how I came upon this:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-22-9/index.html

Army Marksmanship manual. Enjoy.

[Brownie]

LD,

Thanks for the link, I have it saved in it's entirety now.

[kilogulf59]

LD,

Thanks for the link, I have it saved in it's entirety now.

OK, this is odd.

I received a notice telling me of Brownie's reply...

"Dear kilogulf59,
Brownie has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Reflexive Fire - in the Quick Fire forum of Threat Focused Forums.

This thread is located at:
http://www.threatfocused.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112&goto=newpost (http://www.threatfocused.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112&goto=newpost)

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
KG,

I have the information in a word doc format, you have incoming sir
***************


There may be other replies also, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again.

All the best,
Threat Focused Forums"

Yet the last message that showed up was the 1st one quoted above?

[Brownie]

KG,

I had replied with that message and then deleted same as I subsequently realized you were looking for accompanying photos to 7677's narrative which I didn't have.

[Shdwdncr]

Last week I attended a three-day class at the Warrior Training Center of the instalation I'm stationed in....
A big part of it was reflexive shooting....:D
I truly had a blast, though the hours were long. (0500-2400 hours on Wedn and Thurs, and 0500-1630 on Friday.)
And I get to do it again in a couple of months. :D
Life here is good. :)

S.

[Matthew Temkin]

Last week I attended a three-day class at the Warrior Training Center of the instalation I'm stationed in....
A big part of it was reflexive shooting....:D
I truly had a blast, though the hours were long. (0500-2400 hours on Wedn and Thurs, and 0500-1630 on Friday.)
And I get to do it again in a couple of months. :D
Life here is good. :)

S.
Any chance you can give a review of what was taught and how it was taught?

[JMusic]

I posted this on another thread but it is more proper here. No matter what you shoot the same principles apply.

YouTube - Carolina Camera: The Sling Shot Man


Jim

[DocH]

I saw that slingshot man video a week or so ago. Just goes to show what's possible. I think I'll probably start wearing my Liberty tactical overalls more often now.:D

[JMusic]

Believe it or not Doc I'm wearing the bibs now!:p He does remind me of the old guy that taught me how to do aerials. I've seen guys that good with a pistol when I was younger. It truely is an art when you see someone with the skill that he has. I got my old sling shot out and put new rubbers on it tonight. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow.:D


Jim

[DocH]

Jim,let me know when you're ready to challenge him.I want to drive up and video that one. Have a good 'un.