8 Steady Hold Factors ?

[pistola]

Who can refresh my memory on the eight steady hold factors of rifle marksmanship????:confused:

[JMusic]

Here's the US Marine guide to Markmanship. I believe you received your answer on another site so I won't repeat here.
http://www.txmarks.org/cdfiles/Individual%20Weapons/MC%20Marksmanship.pdf

Jim

[pistola]

Thanks Jim.:)

[Brownie]

Pistola,

If you were given the info, why don't you post it on this forum for members as well. I've not heard of this 8 steady hold factors until this thread.

Thanks

[pistola]

I am planning on doing some riflery with a pre-64 Winchester 30-06.Haven't shot it in some time,I want to get all I can get out of it and I'm in the process of re-training myself.371:D

[Sgt443]

Good find Pistola. I'm adding it to my Rifle Class outline.

I like the statement that "marksmanship is a discipline". I have, in the past, used Col. Cooper's edict that"...[I]marksmanship is dependant entirely upon individual self-control, and self-control is out of fashion in the Age of the common Man."[I] (Art of the Rifle). Unfortunately, as you can imagine, some people (spell that c-o-p-s) sometimes take umbrage when presented with facts.:D

Lonnie

[Brownie]

pistola,

How did you make out with the pre 64 and the marksmanship skills you were working on?

I was fortunate that at the tender age of 18, I was trained by the Marine Corps great rifle instructors. Even more important, was that the Corps was still training recruits in 69 with a battle rifle [ the M14 ].

Something I'll share regarding just how well trained we were and how you don't have to lose those skills just because you don't use it for some time [ in this case 3 decades plus :eek: ].

I hadn't shot any prone long range battle rifle [ 500 yrds ] since 71. I had an M1a since almost that time, but had shot it no further than 100 yds at my local gunclub.

I met a gentleman back in 2003 who was into his long range M1a shooting at 600 yds. Entered into matches locally and was only interested in enjoying himself and picking up tips from others [ he had not been formally trained in this discipline ].

We ended up hooking up at his range which was a good hour from my location one day for some 600 "play time" with the M1a's, both scoped, I was pretty excited at the chance to try it. I didn't have the equipment he had, no shooting jacket, no nice fat leather sling to get into position with [ mine was a military web sling, just like they issued me ], no NM customized M1a, just a rack grade SA, etc.

We set up two big targets in the "butts", ran em up and drove back to the 600 yd line. I can't remember how big the targets were, smaller than the Corps at the time I went through, but bigger than any target I'd seen since 71.

Shot 10 rds and checked em. Doped the rifle accordingly and repeated with another 10. Get a final dope on the guns and we settle in for "score". 10 more rds, everything slow fire at your own leisure.

Neither of us did well, we are both older.:(

Head up to the 300 yd line and shoot some, adjusting from there till we're back down on center. From this distance we can see our hits through the scopes. Bunch of mags from there and pulled the targets down. I was steadier sitting than he was[ I think due to my knowing exactly how the DI's has us "snap in" after a full week of doing so before we shot for score in boot ], and the group was smaller overall with a few fliers for each of us.

I then had a chance to shoot with irons at 100 yds on another range with this same guy. He can hold em inside 1" with his custom rifle from the bench, and my own best group with the rack grade irons was 1.4 inches. Thats a huge difference when you factor 4-500 yds out with irons.

I'll tell ya though, my groups that measured 1.4-1.9/2.0" each for 5 rds that morning was just a blast. I hadn't shot irons on battle rifles for precision "groups" for a very long time.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that the professional training I had when I was 18 in the Corps really has been kept an advantage of sorts when it comes to long range rifle. We were taught to be riflemen at distance with precise shots, how to get into positions for the most stable platform [ standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone ]and know our rifle almost too well.:eek:

Sgt443

Marksmanship most certainly is discipline. Ya should have seen them sitting on our backs with the command to "get lower, get them elbows over your knees, not on them" while in a sitting position:)

[pistola]

Brownie, I did well. My range session consisted of: 40 rounds M2 ball @ 100 yards (W/3X9X40 Scope),eight 5 shot groups. Smallest group size was 2.65" and largest was 4.10"(due to one flier),and an average of 2.96". Then I shot 40 rounds of Remington 165 gr. PSP core lokt @ 235 yards. Three 3 round groups,2.35",2.20",and 2.55". Busted 5 out of 5 clay birds and the rest were spent on picking off the visible pieces of the broken birds. I can live with it. Sad thing is I used to shoot that good with a Lyman peep sight,LOL.
My father taught me to shoot when most of the .22 rifle butt was sticking out behind my armpit:).He made a stock to fit me eventually. My father was never in the military due to suffering the effects of polio when he was three years old in 1919. His father was a marine. I spent many days of my youth shooting and hunting with my dad and brother.Began reloading shotshell,rifle,and pistol around 14 years of age. I exceled with weapons in the army and shot competition on active duty and when in the active reserve. I've been shooting rifles and handguns more here lately than I have for several years. I really enjoy it. :D

[Brownie]

Then I shot 40 rounds of Remington 165 gr. PSP core lokt @ 235 yards. Three 3 round groups,2.35",2.20",and 2.55"

Thats nearly minute of angle at that distance, nothing wrong with those groupings in the least sir. Good shooting:cool: