Becoming a Rifleman in Less Than a Day, pt.1

[Editor’s note: This post originally ran on The Minuteman blog. Since MMM now posts here, it would be a shame to lose the good work he’s already done. We’ll post some more of his previous works here from time to time, as it is all still very relevant and useful.]

Before I write this blog post I can already predict some of the blowback I’m going to get from critics. “You can’t teach someone to be a rifleman with less than a day of training.” My response is a resounding, “Yes, I absolutely can. Watch me.” I’ve turned novices, barely capable of manipulating their weapon, into proficient shooters that know their zero and holds. All of them hit reduced size targets at 300 yards on the first day, no problem. Obviously, after training just a day no one is going to become John Wick. However, if someone is focusing on only the technical, real-world application details of something they can pick up on it remarkably quick.

The problem with a lot of tactical training is that too many abstract ideas are introduced into an otherwise straightforward process. There are many experts offering their insights on what should be simple tasks. They convolute them with extraneous details to let you know they understand something far better than you do and in the midst of your confusion, they offer a simple solution, which could’ve been provided from the start. I’ve seen it happen in academic, corporate, and military settings. People feel like they have to justify their existence within organizations.

I’m here to cut through all of the bullshit. Instead of having you spend weeks on unnecessary details before actually going to a range like we had to in infantry OSUT or spending $500 on a basic rifle class, I’ll condense things down for you. All you need to be proficient with ANY rifle is knowledge of the fundamentals —safety, sight alignment, trigger control, natural point of aim, and breathing. I understand that’s five different facets, but they’re so common sense-oriented that they’ll feel like you’re actually learning a lot less.

When you’re reading these instructions on applying the fundamentals, keep in mind they are only focused on marksmanship. This isn’t taking dynamic environments or alternative body positions into consideration. This is basic stuff. However, you have to start somewhere. Even seasoned shooters sometimes go back and strictly evaluate their fundamentals when they sense they’re getting sloppy. Some of the best shooters on the planet will tell you that it’s all about the brilliance in the basics. Now, let’s break them down.

Safety is the thing everyone wants to skip. Instructors and students alike space off and are annoyed at what they view as an obligatory lecture for liability concerns. Most treat it akin to signing waivers before you get to do anything fun. We’ve all heard the rules of gun safety or variations of them before; treat every weapon as if it’s loaded, keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire, don’t point the weapon at anything you don’t intend to destroy, and know your target and what is beyond it. It sounds so simple, but people still fuck it up. The rules aren’t as simple as you would imagine, though. Keeping your finger off the trigger is crucially important when you start moving around in dynamic environments. It’s common for new shooters to have a good grasp on safety manipulation and trigger discipline, but when they get distracted it’s like it all goes out of the window. They won’t even realize their finger has moved into the trigger guard or that the weapon is no longer on safe once you introduce a little stress and they regress. This can be bad if they’re running around with other people. Be cognizant of your muzzle orientation and where everything beyond your target is. There are actually advanced drills, particularly for crowds and structures, that address these principles specifically if that tells you anything about their importance. Strictly adhere to these principles so you can establish the foundation now. They need to be subconscious in your mind. Remember, friendly fire, isn’t.

While explaining sight alignment, I’m also going to assume you’re using iron sights. You should be starting out with them anyway, regardless of what some might say. They’re fundamental in developing excellent marksmanship. Sight alignment is pretty simple, but there are some mistakes even experienced shooters can make with it. Most people understand centering the front sight post perfectly in the middle of the rear sight aperture. They also understand using the tip of the front sight post as an aiming reference. Where most people screw up is threat focusing and reexamining the target. There is a natural tendency for people to want to focus on what they’re shooting at versus focusing on their front sight. This is normal and it’s why red dots are great (more on that in another post). People will line up their sights perfectly and then at the last second their focus will shift to the target before taking the shot. In other words, the target will clearly be in focus while the front sight post will be blurry when taking the shot. However, to achieve the highest degree of accuracy with iron sights, you have to focus on the front sight post. The target should be blurred into the background behind that laser focused front sight post. The other tendency people have when shooting is examining their target after each shot. It’s also natural, as you want to see where you’re hitting. However, this is unnecessary. If you’re applying the fundamentals correctly the shots will go exactly where you place them. If you keep reexamining the target it will invariably result in inconsistent groups because you’re constantly changing your sight picture and aren’t putting the front sight post where it originally was. Besides, you need to always have another sight picture ready for a follow up shot if need be. In short, stay focused on that front sight post and everything else will fall into place.

Trigger control is straightforward too, but people tend to over-complicate it. Many will preach specific trigger finger placement, but finger placement is subjective. Different hand sizes and finger lengths determine the way people press the trigger. The short answer to finger placement is, as long as you aren’t pulling shots to the left or right, you’re fine. If this means you’re shooting with the first pad of your finger or you have half your finger through the trigger guard, then so be it. Generally, most people will be better suited to using the first pad of their finger, almost to the first joint but never on it. Make sure that as you’re pressing (not pulling) the trigger straight to the rear that your front sights don’t move. You can check for this while dry firing and focusing on a target. Also, make sure that you’re resetting the trigger after each shot. Meaning, after you’ve fired your shot keep your finger on the trigger and held to the rear. Don’t immediately release your finger off the trigger after each shot. By keeping the trigger held to the rear all you have to do is release it out very slightly to reset it for the next shot. When you’re pressing on any two-stage trigger (pretty much all assault rifles, battle rifles, and handguns) you’ll notice that there is some slack before you hit a wall. Once you’re at the wall and apply a little more pressure the shot will break. By resetting the trigger, you’re putting it right back to that wall. This is great, as it aids in faster and more accurate follow up shots. You’re doing less work by not having to take up that slack again and your finger is interfering with the gun less.

Explaining natural point of aim is simple, but getting people to truly understand it can get a little hairy because most people are used to be tense all of the time. With any object we physically interact with we’re constantly giving it muscular input to manipulate it the way we want it to go. For rifles it’s a little different. While there’s certainly muscular input involved, for the sake of accuracy you want as little muscular tension as possible. If you’re aiming at a target and can feel tension or muscle fatigue, then you aren’t in an ideal shooting position. The most common symptom of this is seeing your sights dance up and down, swaying slightly left or right. People will try to game the shot and press the trigger right when the sights move to their target, almost as if they’re trying to time it just right. Most of the time this will result in a miss. Your sights shouldn’t move. The best way to know if you’ve achieved a natural point of aim is to line up your sights on the target and close your eyes for a few seconds. Once you open them back up your sights should be exactly where they were. If they aren’t then you need to get more comfortable and change your position. There is a lot more to be said about this, given different field positions and scenarios, but we’ll cover that another time.

Learning how to control your breathing isn’t difficult. You just have to remember to do it. Take deep breaths and exhale slowly until your heart rate is lowered. At the very end of your exhale is when you should be taking the shot. You should be completely out of breath at the exhale. Some teach that it can be at the beginning of your breath or at the end of it, as long as you’re shooting during those natural respiratory pauses. In my experience, taking the shot at the end of the exhale is much more conducive to accuracy. Measure your pulse while breathing. Notice how it goes up when you’re inhaling and goes down as you’re exhaling. If you’ve ever heard crazy stories about snipers being able to shoot between heart beats, this is all that really is, combined with them being able to see the pulse in the scope at higher magnifications while lying on the same surface. Relax and shoot at the end of the exhale.

That’s really all there is to it. There is no fancy ninja shit. If you practice these fundamentals routinely, you’re going to be a great shooter. It’s as simple as that. The only thing left to learn is zeroing, holds, and different shooting positions, which will be discussed further on future posts.