Saturday, April 21, 2012

Qualified?

This is coolbert:

Again from the comment to the blog:

"Your qualifications for stating that this was 'NOT' possible"

My qualifications would include firing U.S. Army range fire way back when [1966], passing the five day course a MUST to graduate from basic training.

Firing the high-power M-14 rifle for score at a various ranges varying from short [110 meters?] to long distance [250 meters maximum].

That M-14 rifle using the NATO round [7.62 X 51] and roughly comparable to the round as fired from the British SMLE rifle [.303 caliber].

 The M-14 a semi-automatic weapon, not bolt operated, featuring a twenty round magazine [I don't believe on range fire we ever loaded the mag to more than ten rounds for any specific shoot!]

 My particular M-14 fired for training during range fire and qualification NOT ZEROED, A LAPSE BY THE DRILL INSTRUCTORS AND A VERY UNFAIR TEST OF MARKSMANSHIP!!

I barely qualified at the end of the five day course but at least DID qualify.

 [it has been suggested that I was either very good or very lucky. Firing an unzeroed weapon IS an unfair test of marksmanship. I might like to think that I am very good but know better!]

Those targets also of the pop-up variety, at longer ranges [175 meters and out] the size of a man from the legs up and appearing for only about five seconds, not giving you much time to shoot, targets at less than 175 meters having the appearance of a man from the shoulders up and only fleetingly appearing.

 Range fire I must admit was a challenge and a fair test and was GOOD TRAINING.

 That M-14 rifle in 1966 lasted at the standard rifle as carried by the common soldier in the U.S. Army for only about eighteen months and was then replace by the M-16.

Again, with regard to Snoxall, the "Mad Minute" and the record of thirty eight hits on a 12 inch bull at a range of 300 yards [274 meters], operating that BOLT ACTION rifle so fast with RELOADING and achieving such a degree of accuracy at range with a high-power weapon does astound but then I have said I defer to authority.

Once more, just because I cannot run a four minute mile [1500 meters] does not mean someone else can!

 coolbert.

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