FUNDAMENTALS

OF
MARKSMANSHIP
 HISTORY OF MARKSMANSHIP
I. HISTORY

The sport of small-arms target shooting

dates from the invention of the pistol and
the rifle in the 16th century. For several
centuries the sport was contested only in
sporadic impromptu fashion, because the
firearms of that period were too
undependable and inaccurate to meet the
requirements of large-scale, organized
competition.
 HISTORY OF MARKSMANSHIP
Turkey shoots and weekend target-
shooting matches were popular among the
frontiersmen of colonial America. During
the American Revolution (1775-1783) and
the American Civil War (1861-1865) rural
sharpshooters played a strategic role as
snipers.
 HISTORY OF MARKSMANSHIP

Popular interest in rifle shooting

reached new heights after the Civil War,
when the sport became a favorite diversion
of city dwellers, groups of whom organized
weekend target-shooting excursions into the
countryside.
New advances in the manufacture of
weapons and ammunition, meanwhile,
resulted in high standards of accuracy and
reliability.
II. INTRODUCTION

Target Shooting, indoor and outdoor sport in

which contestants fire small arms at
stationary targets. The sport is similar to
trapshooting which uses catapulted targets.
III RULES AND EQUIPMENT

The standard target is a square of

cardboard with concentric black and white
rings around a black circular center known
as the bull's-eye. The object in target-
shooting contests is to place a series of
shots inside the bull's-eye.
III RULES AND EQUIPMENT

Both rifle and pistol matches are contested

with various classes and calibers of
firearms. Typical events include team and
individual matches for women, men, and
juniors.
III RULES AND EQUIPMENT

Contestants are classified, in ascending

order, as tyros/novice or beginners,
marksmen, sharpshooters, experts, and
masters. Rifle- and pistol-shooting
championships are sponsored each year by
USA Shooting and the National Rifle
Association of America (NRA). Shooting
events are also included in the Olympic
Games.
 Rifle matches are divided into small-bore
and high-power events. High-power rifles are
center fire arms of at least .22 caliber that are
fired at distances ranging from 200 to 1000
yrd (182.9 to 914.4 m); small-bore rifles are
.22-caliber arms that are fired at distances
ranging from 50 to 200 yrd (45.7 to 182.9 m).
 Both types usually weigh considerably
more than standard hunting guns, a
characteristic that lends the target arms great
stability and accuracy. The small-bore and
high-power events are subdivided into
contests for firearms with optical sights and
those with metallic sights.
 The chief component of an optical sight
is a small telescope mounted on the barrel,
which provides a magnified view of the
target.

Metallic sights are comparatively simple

mechanical guides affixed to the barrel that
are designed to facilitate the proper aiming of
a rifle; such sights provide no magnification
and thus impose a greater test of shooting
skill than do optical sights.
 Contestants in rifle matches fire in turn
from prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing
positions. The highest overall score
determines the winner of the competition.
 In pistol shooting, contestants fire
handguns at targets 20 to 50 yd (22.9 to 45.7
m) distance. The arms used are .22-caliber,
.38-caliber, and .45-caliber revolvers and
automatic pistols.

Each contestant fires 30 rounds in a

typical match: 10 rapid-fire shots at 25 yd, 10
slow-fire shots at 50 yd, and 10 timed-fire
shots at 25 yd.
 EMPTY GUN v.s EMPTY MIND

“An Empty GUN does not kill a

Man, It is an Empty MIND that
kills a Man”
 MARKSMANSHIP
Skillful art of
shooting and hitting a
target at a given range
or known distance.
15
 BASIC GUN SAFETY
REMINDER NO. 1

Police Operational Procedures, Rule No. 6

The excessive use of force shall be avoided. The
use of firearms is justifiable by virtue of the
Doctrines of Self-Defense, Defense of Relative and
Defense of Stranger, and if the police has probable
cause to believe that the suspect poses an
imminent danger of death or serious physical injury
to the police or other persons.
16
 BASIC GUN SAFETY
REMINDER NO. 2

“A Bullet Fired Cannot be Recalled”

A. Regard all gun as always LOADED.

➢Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction
➢Be muzzle conscious

B. Never give a loaded gun to anybody

17
 BASIC GUN SAFETY
REMINDER NO. 2

“A Bullet Fired Cannot be Recalled”

C. Remember a gun is not a toy.

➢Never play with it

D. Don’t mix intoxicants and firearms.

➢Just the same with “IF YOU DRINK, DON’T

DRIVE”
➢Intoxicants includes: regulated liquor and/or
prohibited drugs 18
 BASIC GUN SAFETY
REMINDER NO. 2

“A Bullet Fired Cannot be Recalled”

E. Always be conscious of your firearms.

➢Where it is?
➢In what condition?

AND DON’T LEAVE IT AROUND UNATTENDED!!!

19
 COMONLY USED HANDGUNS AND
SHOULDER WEAPON

• Revolver
• Pistols
• M16 Armalite Rifle
 THE FOUR (4) LAWS OF GUN SAFETY

The 1st Law of Gun Safety

ALWAYS TREAT THE GUN AS
ALWAYS LOADED!

The 2nd Law of Gun Safety

NEVER POINT A GUN AT

SOMETHING YOU’RE NOT
PREPARED TO DESTROY!
21
 THE FOUR (4) LAWS OF GUN SAFETY
The 3rd Law of Gun Safety

ALWAYS BE SURE OF YOUR

TARGET AND WHAT IS BEHIND IT!

The 4th Law of Gun Safety

KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE

TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE
ON THE TARGET!
22
 3 INSTANCES IN WHICH THE GUN MAYBE
REMOVED FROM THE HOLSTER

1. While engaging targets under the

supervision of RO/SO
2. With verbal instruction from the
RO/SO
3. When in a designated safety area
Three (3) Elements of Shooting

1. ACCURACY

2. SPEED

3. POWER
24
Six (6) Principles of Shooting Foundation

1. STANCE
2. POSITIVE GRIP
3. SIGHT ALIGNMENT
4. HALF SLACK
5. BREATHING CONTROL
6. TRIGGER SQUEEZE

25
 Five (5) Handgun Malfunctions

• SLIDE NOT FULLY HOME

• STOVE PIPE
• DOUBLE FEED
• SQUIB LOAD
• FAILURE TO FIRE

26
 RANGE COMMANDS AND PROCREDURES
1. Load and make ready
2. Are you ready shooter?
3. Standby
4. A whistle or other signal to
commence
5. If finished Unload &
show clear
6. If clear, hammer down,
holster
7. The range is clear
8. Time
9. Verify target
10. Scoring
 RANGE OFFICERS AUTHORITY
The RO has complete
authority in the range.
He will be in charge of
the exercise at hand.
He will ensure the
safety of all people in
the range. His action
will be strictly
according to the
rulebook. His decision
will be made and
implemented fairly.
 SHOOTING POSITIONS:

1.Standing 6.Weakhand
2.Kneeling 7. Strong hand
3.Sitting
4.Prone
5.Barricade
FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKSMANSHIP

1. Stance
2. Grip
3. Sight Alignment
4. Sight Picture
5. Trigger Control
6. Breathing
7. Follow Through
 STANCE

*ISOSCELES

1. Feet
2. Knees
3. Weight
4. Lean
5. Arms
6. Head
 GRIP
1. Form a “V”
2. High on Tang
3. Shooting finger rests
along the frame
4. Two-handed grip
(Pistol Grip)
5. Fill the gap left by the
shooting hand
6. Thumbs parallel to the
slide
7. Observe 60-40 rule
 SIGHT ALIGNMENT
1. Relationship between the
Front & Rear Sights with
respect to the eye.
2. Top of the Front Sight will
be flush with the Rear
Sight
3. FS is centered between the
Rear Sight notch…same
amount of light.
4. Dominant eye
 SIGHT PICTURE
* Relationship of Sight
Alignment to Target.

1. The Top of the Front Sight

Post should Bisect the
Center Mass of the Target
2. Front Sight Clear
3. Target & Rear Sight should
be Slightly Blurred
FRONT SIGHT , REAR SIGHT, WRIST, & ARM
ARE ALIGNED
SIGHT PICTURE
SIGHT PICTURE
6 12 3 9
DEAD CENTER
 BREATH CONTROL
• Applies when the shooter is not under physical stress or
time pressure (precision shooting).
• Breath control is not a major factor for handgun
marksmanship, except under exceptional
circumstances like hostage rescue situations.
• During combat shooting, breath control is not a
practical fundamental to be applied.
 TRIGGER CONTROL
1. Trigger Finger
Placement
(single/double action)
2. Maintain Contact
3. Feel slack or free play
4. Speed at which trigger
is pulled (continuous &
apply the same amount
of pressure)
5. Don’t Flinch (anticipate)
6. Don’t Jerk (jump on the
trigger)
 ERRORS IN TRIGGER CONTROL

1. Flinching - muscular tension or reaction

in anticipation of the recoil. It is caused by
moving the head, closing the eyes,
moving the shoulder to the rear or
combination.
2. Jerking - an attempt to make the pistol
fire at a certain instant by rapidly applying
pressure on the trigger.
PROPER GRIP
INDEX FINGER POSITION WHEN
SQUEEZING
SQUEEZING
 FOLLOW THROUGH

*Follow Through
It is the continued
application of the FM
after each round has
been fired.
1. Re-acquire Sight Picture
2. Shooting Finger
Remains on Trigger
3. Assess your hit and re-
engage when necessary
• Dry Firing
• Single Action
Trigger
Practice
 REVOLVER
• Single Action Trigger
Control (Cocked Hammer)
• Double Action Shooting
(Down Hammer)
• Reloading the Revolver
– Down hammer
– Open the cylinder
– Point the muzzle upward
– Allow the cartridge case to
fall down with the help of
the extractor rod
 PISTOL
• Reloading the Auto Pistol

– Weak hand grasp the

fresh magazine
– Release the empty
magazine
– Weak hand inserts fresh
magazine
– Release the slide lock
PISTOL
REVOLVER
SHOTGUN
 Feeding and Extraction Jams

– Strike the back of the slide forward

– If it did not work release the magazine
– Lock the slide back
– Shake the round out of the mag well, letting it
fall
– Insert a new magazine and release the slidelock
• (Or if it doesn’t work pull back the slide and
eject the round)
 Clearing a stovepipe (jam)

1. Strike the
case rearward
2. Continue
firing
TYPES OF TARGETS

1. Target Board
a. IPSC
b. IDPA
c. PSMOC
2. Metal Plates
a. square
b. round
c. Falling plate
d. popper
e. Falling target
3. Moving/Running
Targets
4. Wooden target
 End of
Lecture
Thank You
&
Good Day !