your finger while squeezing the trigger is enough to
move the strike of the bullet several inches.
FLINCHING is a subconscious reflex caused by
anticipating the recoil from firing. JERKING results
from attempting to fire the pistol at the precise time
that you align the sights with the target. Both
flinching and jerking will cause the bullet to strike
the lower left section of the target. An attempt to
correct flinching and jerking by tightening the large
muscle in the heel of the hand may cause heeling.
HEELING causes the bullet to strike the target high
and to the right. You can correct all these shooting
errors by understanding and using the correct trigger
squeeze. Improper trigger squeeze will cause more
Figure 3-56.--Two-handed grip.
misses on the target than any other single step of
preparatory marksmanship training.
you are looking straight out through your shooting
You obtain correct trigger squeeze by applying a
eye. Keep your shooting arm fully extended.
uniformly increasing pressure on the trigger straight
In the one-handed position, the shoulder of your
to the rear without disturbing the sight alignment
shooting hand should be slightly raised. Turn your
until the pistol fires. The trigger slack, or free play, is
head in order to see the target through the sights. The
taken up first, and the correct squeeze continues
ease with which your head can be turned is another
steadily until the hammer falls. If the trigger is
determining factor in how far you must turn to the
squeezed properly, you will not know when the
right or left. There should be no strain on the neck
hammer will fall. This is the best way to prevent
muscles with your head held upright. The whole
jerking, flinching, and heeling.
position, with the exception of your shooting arm, is
To assist you in squeezing the trigger properly,
one which can be maintained with the least muscular
use the acronym BRASS as you did with the rifle.
effort. Your body is balanced rather than held in
You must also learn to call your shots. If you cannot
position. The muscles of your shooting arm and
call your shots correctly, you are not concentrating
shoulder should be tightened somewhat to sustain the
properly on sight alignment and trigger squeeze.
weight of the pistol and to maintain a correct grip.
Excessive tightening of the muscles of your shooting
TECHNIQUE OF FIRE
arm and hand should be avoided. The tension in the
muscles of your shooting arm and hand should be
The technique of fire is the application and
maintained after the hammer falls. This will assist in
control of the combined fire of a fire unit. The rest of
getting off your second shot quicker.
this chapter concerns the technique of fire for rifle
Because of the differences in the body structure
and machine gun units.
of individuals, the standing position will vary
slightly. But regardless, your position should be
FIRE CHARACTERISTICS
relaxed and comfortable. The pistol should point at
the center of the target or you will be tense while
The fire of rifles and machine guns has the
firing. If you are tense, there will be excessive muzzle
following characteristics: trajectory, danger space,
movement.
burst of fire, dispersion, shot patterns, and beaten
zone.
Trigger Squeeze
The TRAJECTORY is the curved path of the
bullet in its flight through the air. Trajectory is
Poor shooting is most often caused by disturbing
influenced by three forces: velocity of the
your aim as the bullet is leaving the barrel. This is
projectile, gravity, and air resistance. The farther
usually the result of jerking the trigger, or flinching.
the bullet travels, the greater the curvature
The trigger does not have to be jerked violently to
of its path becomes. The highest point on the
spoil your aim; even a slight off-center pressure of
trajectory (called the maximum ordinate) is a point at
3-27
