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I use these articles in our highpower clinics and have foundthem very helpful for both newshooters and reinforcement of the basics for the moreexperienced.Thanks, Gary M.Thanks for the great articles onthe Carbine, Springfield, Garandmatches. All the articles areinteresting, but the Carbine,Springfield & Garand are myfavorites.Jim H.The September-07 on lineshooting tips by SSG TobieTomlinson, USAMU Service RifleTeam Member, is a great article.

What Sight Picture Is Best For You?

By SSG Tobie Tomlinson, USAMU Service Rifle TeamMember

Which is correct? There are a myriad of sight picture options thatshooters have used to great effect over the years. The sight picturethat allows you to consistently shoot the smallest group, with aminimal shift in zeros, is the correct one. In the next few paragraphswe will explore a few of the more commonly used sight picture options.Remember, for any shooter to be successful, consistent sight picturemust be complemented by front sight focus and sight alignment.

Center Hold

– With a center hold thefront sight placed directly in the center of the target. A center hold is great indifferent light conditions. On a brightday the target appears small. On a darkday the target appears large. In thesedifferent light conditions the center of the target is always in the center. Ashooter who has problems withelevation shots in various lightconditions may benefit from a center hold.

6 O’clock

– With the 6 O’clock hold thefront sight is placed at the bottom of theaiming black. For many shooters, thishold allows precision placement of thefront sight. The ability to accurately callyour shots will come with time and

Center Hold

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I have reproduced 15 copies of itto hand out and discuss to our “newbie” first year air rifleshooters on our high schoolJROTC Air Rifle Team. Come tothink about it believe I’ll hand outa copy to my advance shootersas well. His explanations aresimple to understand but rich indetail. Coupled with the sightpictures this article will go a longway towards helping all our JROTC shooters obtain better sight patterns. Keep up the greatwork. AND…..keep the articleslike this coming.Malcolm V.CW2 (R), US ArmyIt seemed good to read the articleon Infantry Trophy Match. As ashooter on the Marine CorpTeam way back in 1967 Iparticipated in the Match. Wewere the second team for theMarines but placed secondoverall. One of our shootersforgot to put the windage on hisrifle. I enjoyed shooting the M-1and M-14 at Camp Perry andalways wanted to go back butnever seemed to find the time.The top over all shooter at thattime was my team mate Lt.Bowen. I remember some of theteam members carrying him fromthe 600 yd line back to the rest of us. It was a great time in my lifeand will never forget it. Thanksagain for the article.Mike A.Thanks for the great series of articles from the USAMU – theyare very readable, and usable!Tom, AZGreat articles. Great to identifythose who are participating aswell as those who are workingbehind the scenes to make thewhole of the National Matchesrun so well.David D.Boxford, MAThis is a special note just for myfriends at the CMP, I want tothank you all for your hard workand attention to details, it's agreat program!"You help our shooting dreamscome true!"Best Regards,Tony M.CMP,Your review of the CMP EICbrought back good memories. Myson and I usually participate inthe rifle event. This was the firsttime we participated in the pistolevent. Our experience waspositive and we have decided tocome back and do it again nextyear!DAVE J. H.I don't think that I have taken thetime lately to thank you and the

experience. Light changes, which alter the appearance of the target, may affectshooters who utilize the 6 O’clock hold.

Sub 6

–The sub6 is justlike the 6O’clockhold, onlythere is a small line of white betweenthe front sight and the aiming black.Many shooters have a problemdetermining the exact 6 O’clock positionwith their front sight, but by using a sub6 or line of white they may be able tobetter estimate their hold.

Frame Hold

– With the frame hold, justlike with the other holds, the front sightis in the center of the rear sight. Thefront sight can then be placed at the 6or 12 O’clock position on the framewhen there is no visible aiming point.This hold is typically reserved for foulweather and poor light conditions. Byplacing the front sight at the top or bottom of the frame, a shooter may holdbetter when there is little target to see. Itcan be difficult to hold a tight group thisway, but it may add more hits in bad conditions. This technique isnormally applied when shooting longer ranges such 600 or 1000yards.Along with the sight picture options described above, here are somegeneral aiming guidelines for effective shooting:1.With all holds you must be able to see the front sight, the crisptop-edge of the front sight. The target image is second. Mostpeople want to see the target clearly. If they do see the targetclearly they probably cannot see the front sight well. You onlyneed to see down range well enough to see your number boardto eliminate the possibility of crossfiring.

6 O'clock HoldSub 6 HoldFrame Hold

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CMP for your faithfulness inkeeping me updated on all of theCMP news. I thank you and your staff very much for the fine jobyou are all doing.Many thanks, and keep up thegreat work!PeteYour article titled "Rifle Cleaningand Maintenance" was so timely.I am a novice rifle shooter, andthe information is just what Ineeded. The owner's manual thatcame with my rifle is far toosketchy and assumes the newowner is experienced. This isconcise yet detailed enough tomake me comfortable cleaningmy firearm.Regards,Jane W.Cleaning a rifle or handgun is nota lot of fun. The article oncleaning the rifle met the K.I.S.S.principle that I can relate to andunderstand. To the point.Arthur S.Thank you for this excellent e-newsletter. The links andinformation are great.Sincerely,John B.

2.Sight clarity can be improved with front sight size changes. Awide front sight works well with most shooters. Your vision isdrawn to a wider sight and away from the target. Rear sight sizechanges can add to the clarity by allowing more or less light in.3.Eye relief is the distance betweenyour eye and the rear sight. Your eye relief is different in eachposition. Any changes in sightsizes must be tried in all positions.Your eye relief from shot to shotmust be consistent to fire smallgroups.4.You should not over hold. If you aim too long you will fatigueyour eyes. Use your first sight picture. Whenever you stare at abright object, such as a target on a sunny day, the image isbeing burnt temporally into your eye. Try staring at a brightobject for approximately 10 seconds and then close your eyes.5.To improve sight pictures, you may need corrected vision. Themost common vision corrections are glasses, contact lenses,and eye surgery. You may also use corrective lenses in your rear sight. I have had great success with this.6.A way to increase your concentration on the sight is to use ablinder. By relaxing the non-firing eye and lowering the light fromsides, your firing eye will be more relaxed. Besides who wants tosee the guy moving around next to them? Also, wear a hat.7.You must be able to accurately call your shots. This skill can beenhanced by focusing on the front sight and paying carefulattention to your sight alignment.Whichever sight picture you use, consistency is the key. Good luck,and good shooting!

The USAMU Service Rifle Team is also answering your questions pertaining to Service Rifle Shooting including topicssuch as Equipment and Ammunition, Shooting Positions andShooting Techniques and Tactics. Go tohttp://www.odcmp.com/usamu/shooting_tips.htmto view thelatest questions and answers. If you have a question youwould like to ask, emailUSAMU@odcmp.com.

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