P.

E 4
MARKSMANSHIP

PCpl Raymark Blaza Paligutan

• Bachelor of Science in Criminology PCCR
• Master of Science in Criminal Justice UCC
• Registered Criminologist 2012
• PSBRC Class SINAGALAB
• PNP Special Counter Insurgency Operation Unit Training 2016
• Criminal Investigation Course 2019
• Crime Investigation and Detection Course 2020

Grading Scheme
• Attendance 20%
• Recitation 10%
• Quiz 10%
• Examination 20%
• Actual Firing 40%
• Total 100%
 The four fundamentals of marksmanship include steady position, aiming, breath control, and
trigger squeeze. Steady position relates to selecting a stance, position, and grip that creates a stable
firing platform. Prone position, kneeling, and standing are a few common positions used by hunters
and military personnel.

AGENDA
 Four Cardinal Rules in Gun Safety
 Marksmanship Definition of terms
 Pistol-Riffle-shotgun
 Parts of firearms and its function
 Assemble and Disassemble of Firearms
 Proper Sight Alignment
 Five Basic Factors of Marksmanship
 Marksmanship Definition of terms
 Actual Firing

RULE NO. 1
Treat All Guns as Though They are Loaded.

RULE NO. 2
Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger until You are Ready to Shoot.
 RULE NO. 3
Always Keep Firearm Pointed in a Safe direction.
Never point your gun at anything you do not intend to shoot.

RULE NO. 4
Always Be Sure of Your Target and What's Beyond It.
MARKMANSHIP
• A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting. In modern military usage this
typically refers to the use of projectile weapons such as an accurized scoped long gun such as
designated marksman rifle (or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than-usual
ranges.
• Pistol - The term “Pistol” means a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a
projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having: a chamber(s)
as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s)
• Rifle - a type of gun with a long barrel (part shaped like a tube), fired from the shoulder and
designed to be accurate at long distances.
• Shotgun - a smoothbore gun for firing small shots at short range.
• Ammunition - the projectiles and propelling charges used in small arms, artillery, and other
guns. Ammunition size is usually expressed in terms of calibre, which is the diameter of the
projectile as measured in millimetres or inches. In general, projectiles less than 20 mm or .60
inch in diameter are classified as small-arm, and larger calibres are considered artillery.
CARRIES
Holstered
• The Holstered carry requires the pistol on safe and secured properly inside the holster.
Tactical
• The Tactical carry is performed by holding the pistol properly with both hands and arms relaxed
about 45 degrees from the body.
Ready
• The Ready carry is performed by bringing the pistol to eye level, either from the Tactical carry,
or from the Holstered carry. In this carry, your wrists and forearms will have light muscular
tension to stabilize the pistol.
There are (7) Fundamentals of Handgun Shooting and in my opinion they are all equally
import. The goal should always be to shoot to stop the threat.
1. Stance
2. Grip
3. Sight Alignment
4. Sight Picture
5. Trigger Control
6. Breathing
7. Follow Through
Stance - The Stance is the base for the shooting platform. Not only does a proper stance assist in
controlling recoil, it also allows you to move and react quickly and to draw your weapon with minimal
movement. The proper stance consists of:
a. Shoulders square to the target.
b. Feet shoulder width apart.
c. Weight slightly forward on the balls of the feet.
d. Head remains high and still with chin pointing at the target.
e. Ears in front of shoulders, shoulders in front of hips.
f. Be Comfortable.
Types of Stances:
• Weaver
• Isosceles
• Modified Weaver
• Modified Isosceles
• Dynamic

The shooting stance is basically a support or shooting platform. The quality of thestance is a major
determining factor in creating conditions for maximum control and accuracy for shooting. A high
degree of control is necessary to deliver a rapid, accurate shot. Every individual is unique and
possess characteristics that are their’s alone. These characteristics include height, weight, muscular
and skeletal development, degree of flexibility and more. Therefore, there can be no universal
shooting stance that can be utilized by all people. Each shooter, under the guidance of the Firearms
Instructor, and consistent with safety must find the shooting stance which is best suited to them and
provides the greatest degree of stability and accuracy for shooting. The shooter must be able to
assume their stance instinctively, as a reflex action with minimal effort or conscious manipulation of
their body.

Grip
 A proper grip aids in controlling recoil and muzzle flip.
 It also allows the shooter to obtain a second sight picture more rapidly.
 Hands must have a 360-degree grip around the weapon.
 This allows the shooter to engage more rapidly.
  Ideally, the weapon should be placed in the hand, so a straight line is formed with the barrel of
the weapon and the forearm. The webbing of the hand should be fully under the tang of the
back-strap. The weapon must initially be gripped with sufficient force to cause shaking and
gradually released until the shaking stops. The support hand applies pressure in exactly the
same fashion. The idea behind the two-hand grip is to completely encircle the grip of the gun in
order to be in control of recoil. The support hand thumb will be on the same side of the gun as
the weapon hand thumb.
 The Grip must be consistent for each shot.
 a good grip enhances accuracy.
 high on the back strap.
 finger must reach the trigger.
 will reduce muzzle rise.
 leads to faster recoil recovery.
 just as firm as a handshake, no firmer
 weak side fingers should be wrapped around the strong hand.
 wrists should be close together.
 supporting hand heel should be in contact with the weapon grip.
 Thumbs should rest on top of another.
 Fingers over Fingers Thumb over Thumb
Grip is acquired in the holster, prior to draw and presentation. The web of the shooting hand must be
in the top of tang on the back-strap and no higher. If you are too high the slide will bite your hand. If
you are to low with your grip you allow the gun to move more with recoil making sight recovery and
follow-on shots more difficult and time-consuming. A key point is to have both thumbs pointing at the
target. The heal of your non-shooting hand should cover the area on the grip that is exposed.
 Grip is acquired in the holster, prior to draw and presentation. The web of the
 shooting hand must be in the top of tang on the back-strap and no higher. If you
 are too high the slide will bite your hand. If you are to low with your grip you allow
 the gun to move more with
 recoil making sight recovery
 and follow-on shots more
 difficult and time-consuming.
 A key point is to have both
 thumbs pointing at the target.
 The heal of your non-shooting
 hand should cover the area
 on the grip that is exposed.
Sight Alignment
• Sight alignment is the relationship between the shooter’s eye, the rear sight aperture, and the
front sight. The front sight blade is centered and flush with the rear sight aperture. “Equal
Height; Equal Light”.
• In order for the bullet to hit the center of the target, the shooter must aim the pistol and give the
barrel a definite direction relative to the target. In theory, accurate aiming is achieved when the
shooter places In exact alignment the rear sight with the top and sides of the front sight and
holds them In alignment in the aiming area. A requisite for correct aiming is the ability to
 maintain the relationship between the front and rear sights. When aiming the front sight is
positioned in the middle of the rear sight notch with an equal light space on each side.
• The horizontal top surface of front sight is on the same level as the top horizontal surface of
the rear sight notch (Figure above) A. RELATIONSHIP OF SIGHTS. It is necessary to be
acutely aware of the relationship of the rear sight to the clearly defined front sight. Normal
vision is such that the rear sight of the pistol will be as nearly In focus as the front sight. Some
shooters may be able to see only the notch of the rear sight In sharp focus; the outer
extremities may become slightly blurred.
• “The top of the front sight is even with the top of the rear sight and there is an equal amount of
space separating the front sight post from the sides of the rear sight notch.”

Sight Picture - Sight picture is the placement of the sights on the target while maintaining proper
sight alignment. Sight picture is the relationship of the target, the front and rear sights and the eye.
Emphasis here is on the front sight. Inside combat distance, 7 yards and closer, if the front sight is on
the target, the target will be hit when the weapon is fired. In combat shooting, this is the most
important fundamental. “The eye can only focus on one object at a time. It cannot keep the rear sight,
the front sight, and the target in focus simultaneously. The shooter must concentrate on the front
sight.
Your eye can only focus on one thing at a time….You must focus on the front sight while keeping
good sight alignment. When you pull the trigger you do not want to disrupt sight alignment.
1. The Target should be blurry.
2. The rear sight should be blurry.
3. The front sight should be sharp.
“Remember Point of Aim is Point of Impact”

Wherever the front sight is pointed is where the bullet will go once it leaves the Muzzle of the Gun.
 • Trigger Control - in either double action or single action mode, it is defined as steady
pressure exerted on the trigger straight to the rear to release the hammer and fire the weapon
and immediately allowing the trigger to return so the weapon can be fired again. Descriptive
term here is a press and not a squeeze. Note the trigger finger continually maintains contact
with the trigger. When pressing the trigger, the shooter should use the tip of the index finger.
This should be accomplished by utilizing a smooth movement isolating the trigger finger only.
All other fingers must remain still during the trigger press. Another important part of trigger
control is trigger reset. Once the trigger has been fired, slowly release pressure on the trigger
until an audible click is heard and felt. At this point, the shooter need not release any more
pressure on the trigger to fire again. This maintains a proper sight alignment and sight picture
more easily.
Trigger Manipulation
• Speed at which the trigger is pulled – a single gear, one smooth continuous motion at a single
speed… not increasing as you apply pressure.
• Motion in which the trigger is pulled – a smooth continuous motion, not a jerk, not a little at the
time.
• Always remember that you press or pull a trigger, you never squeeze or jerk the trigger. The
finger is placed so that the trigger is halfway between the tip of the finger and the first joint.
“The trigger is squeezed straight to the rear in a smooth continuous manner without disturbing
sight alignment.” You should not be able to predict the instant the gun will fire. Each shot
should come as a surprise. Note the trigger finger continually maintains contact with the
trigger.
• To begin proper trigger control, the shooter must first properly place the index finger on the
trigger. The index finger is placed in the middle of the trigger at the most rearward curved
portion, to apply pressure to the trigger. The trigger should cross the finger approximately
halfway between the tip of the finger and the first joint, over the swirl of the fingerprint. Trigger
Squeeze. After attaining proper placement of the finger on the trigger, proper trigger pressure
can be applied to the trigger. There are three parts of trigger pressure each time the weapon is
fired. They are slack, squeeze, and follow through.

All three parts are important to proper trigger control.

1.Slack. The shooter must first take up the slack at the beginning of the trigger movement by
applying slight pressure to the trigger. The trigger will move slightly to the rear until the internal parts
of the trigger mechanism come into full contact with each other, and the “softness” in the tip of the
finger is eliminated.
2.Squeeze. The trigger is then in the squeeze portion of its movement, which is when the internal
parts of the weapon are being disengaged from each other to allow the hammer to fall. The pressure
should be a smooth, constant, and even pressure, applied straight to the rear so that the sights are
not misaligned at the instant the hammer falls. Once the hammer begins to fall, the follow through
portion of trigger control begins.

3.Follow Through. Follow through is the continued steady pressure applied to the trigger until the
trigger reaches its most rearward point of travel. If the shooter does not continue to apply the
constant, even pressure during follow through, it is possible that the impact of the round could move
on the target, thus spoiling an otherwise good shot.
Breathing
Breathing - is an important factor that impacts the accuracy of your shot. One can practice sight
picture, sight alignment, natural point of aim, and optimum shooting positions, but if one does not
breathe properly, one may never engage the target as accurately as possible. Also, the further away
the target is, the more important breathing comes into play.
• Don’t try to hold your breath while you shoot.
• Don’t Shoot on a natural respiratory pause – on the inhale or on the exhale.
• We recommend a “half-breath,” inhale, let some of the air out, then fire.
• (B.R.A.S.S. – see below)
• Vertical tracking is sometimes noticed in long range shooting when the shooter fires on the inhale,
then the exhale causing the muzzle to move up and down.
In order to maintain body movement, your breath must be held while firing a shot. “Before each
shot take a breath, let enough air out so you are comfortable; hold the remaining breath while firing
the shot. If you hold your breath for more than 8 seconds muscle tremors may start. The breathing
process provides the body with oxygen and eliminates waste elements from the blood. Correct
breathing while shooting is essential to proper body functions. A complete respiratory cycle lasts for 4-
5 seconds (inhaling and exhaling) and between each cycle, there is a pause of 2-3 seconds.
Proper breath control allows the shooter to remain steady once a good sight picture is attained.
The shooter should inhale while bringing the pistol to eye level. When the weapon is at eye level, the
shooter should exhale approximately half of a breath. By allowing some air to remain in the lungs, the
shooter will not fight to exhale or inhale. The optimum time to fire the round during slow fire is four to
seven seconds. During slow fire, if the round has not been fired after ten seconds, the shooter should
relax and begin again. This allows the weapon to remain steady until the weapon is fired. The
acronym for proper breath control is
“B.R.A.S.S.”¨
• Breathe
• Release halfway and hold.
• Aim.
• Squeeze.
• Shoot.
Follow Through
Follow Through - is the end of the cycle the fundamentals of shooting. It is at this point, after you
have fired a round, that the fundamentals begin all over again. Resetting the trigger; obtain a proper
sight alignment and sight picture, and begin asking yourself these important questions:
• Do I need to take another shot?
• If I do, will I hit my target?
Continuing to do everything that was being done at the time the shot was fired. “Follow through
prevents any unnecessary movement before the bullet exits the barrel. Follow through is the
continued steady pressure applied to the trigger until the trigger reaches its most rearward point of
travel. If the shooter does not continue to apply the constant, even pressure during follow through, it
is possible that the impact of the round could move on the target, thus spoiling an otherwise good
shot.
The key elements we teach are:
 Always finish the shot, never quit the shot.
 Keep the gun at eye level doing the exact same thing as the shot breaks that you were doing
prior to the shot… aligning the sights, maintaining target acquisition.
 Maintain the gun in front of the eyes long enough to ask two questions:
a. Did I hit the target?
b. Did it work?

 A firearm malfunction is the failure of a firearm to operate as intended for causes other than
user error. Malfunctions range from temporary and relatively safe situations, such as a casing
that did not eject, to potentially dangerous occurrences that may permanently damage the gun
and cause injury or death. Improper handling of certain types of malfunctions can be very
dangerous. Following gun safety rules can prevent firearm malfunctions, and limit the damage
inflicted by them if they do occur. Proper cleaning and maintenance of a firearm play a big role
in preventing malfunctions.

Cartridge malfunctions
• Case head separation - Case head separation occurs when the walls of the casing become
thin or fatigued. Upon firing the round, the case separates into two pieces near the head. It is
not uncommon with brass that has been reloaded several times.
• Dud - A dud (also a misfire or failure to fire) occurs when the trigger is pulled but the primer or
powder in the cartridge malfunctions, causing the firearm not to discharge. Dud rounds can still
be dangerous and should be deactivated and disposed of properly.
• Hang fire - A hang fire (also delayed discharge) is an unexpected delay between the triggering
of a firearm and the ignition of the propellant. Whenever a firearm fails to fire, but has not
 clearly malfunctioned, a hang fire should be suspected. When this occurs, the correct
procedure is to keep the firearm pointed downrange or in a safe direction for thirty to sixty
seconds, then remove and safely discard the round (which is now a dud as explained above if
the primer was struck, otherwise the gun itself may have malfunctioned). The reason for this is
that a round functioning outside of the firearm, or in the firearm with the action open (out-of-
battery discharge), could cause a serious fragmentation hazard.
• Squib load - A squib load (also squib round, squib, squib fire, insufficient discharge,
incomplete discharge) is an extremely dangerous malfunction that happens when a fired
projectile does not carry enough force and becomes stuck in the gun barrel instead of exiting it.
In the case of semi-automatic or automatic weapons, this can cause subsequent rounds to
impact the projectile obstructing the barrel, which can cause a catastrophic failure of the
structural integrity of the firearm, posing a threat to the operator or bystanders. The bullet from
a squib stuck in the barrel must never be cleared by subsequently attempting to fire a live or
blank round into an obstructed barrel. Blank rounds use a type of powder different from that of
other rounds, and generate much more pressure, which, combined with the presence of the
projectile obstructing the barrel may cause the firearm to fail catastrophically.
• Light primer strike - A light primer strike is a failure to fire as a result of the firing pin not
striking the primer of a cartridge hard enough. A possible reason could be because of the firing
pin spring of a gun not being strong enough to release the power sufficient enough to strike the
primer and ignite the gunpowder. A light primer strike will result in a dead trigger and the gun
will not cycle. This malfunction is not to be mistaken with a squib load which the gunpowder is
ignited and the bullet fires, but is trapped in the barrel of a gun. A light primer strike will not
have expanding gases as a squib load would produce as sign that there is one. A cartridge
with a light primer strike will still have a hole on the primer as a result from the firing pin striking
on the casing.

Mechanical malfunctions
• Mechanical malfunctions of a firearm (commonly called jams)[3] include failures to feed,
extract, or eject a cartridge; failure to fully cycle after firing; and failure of a recoil- or gas-
operated firearm to lock back when empty (largely a procedural hazard, as "slide lock" is a
visual cue that the firearm is empty). In extreme cases, an overloaded round, blocked barrel,
poor design, or severely weakened breech can result in an explosive failure of the receiver,
barrel, or other parts of the firearm.
• Failure to feed - Failure to feed (FTF) is when a firearm fails to feed the next round into the
firing chamber. Failure to feed is common when the shooter does not hold the firearm firmly
(known as limp wristing), when the slide is not fully cycled by the preceding round, or due to
problems with the magazine. It can also be caused by worn recoil springs, buffer springs, or
simply a dirty feed ramp.
• Rim lock - Rim lock is where the rim of the shell casing gets caught on the extractor groove of
the casing underneath it. It is a common issue for calibers with large rims, such as
7.62×54mmR, or guns that have been rechambered for cartridges shorter than intended
without replacing the original magazine with one that compensates for the shorter round.
• Hammer follow - Hammer follow occurs when the disconnector allows the hammer to follow
the bolt and firing pin into battery, sometimes causing the firing mechanism to function without
 pulling the trigger. This is usually a result of extreme wear or outright breakage of firing
mechanism components and can result in uncontrollable "full-auto" operation, in which multiple
rounds are discharged following a single pull of the trigger. It is a problem not limited to old
guns and may occur in any rifle, even those in good condition. It is more common in newer
guns when the firearm has not been shot. It is not a terribly rare occurrence, and the results
can be deadly.
• Slamfire - A slamfire is a premature, unintended discharge of a firearm that occurs as a round
is being loaded into the chamber, when the bolt "slams" forward (hence the name), as a result
of the firing pin having not been retracted into the bolt, or from the firing pin being carried
forward by the momentum of returning to battery. Similar to a hammer follow malfunction, this
can result in uncontrollable "full-auto" operation.
• Failure to extract - A failure to extract occurs when the casing of the just-fired round is not
successfully extracted from the chamber. This can be caused by an overly-dirty chamber,
broken extractor claw, case rim failures, or several other causes.
• Failure to eject - A failure to eject (FTE) occurs when the casing of the just-fired round is
extracted from the chamber, but is not ejected from the firearm, causing the next round to fail
to feed, or the slide/bolt to fail to return to battery. A stovepipe is common type of FTE.
Firearms without a dedicated extractor or ejector (like the USFA Zip .22) may eject erratically,
resulting in spent casings not clearing the action during ejection. Such improper ejections are
functionally identical to standard FTE scenarios.
• Stovepipe - A stovepipe or smokestack can occur in bolt-action, pump-action, lever-action,
semi-automatic, and fully automatic firearms that fire from a closed bolt, when an empty
cartridge case gets caught partway out of the ejection port instead of being thrown clear.
Stovepipes can be caused by a malfunctioning or defective extractor or ejector, or when the
shooter does not hold the firearm firmly enough for the action to function fully, known as limp
wristing, or due to reloads that are not sufficiently powerful to fully cycle the action, etc.
• Double feed (Type 3 Malfunction) - A double feed occurs when two rounds are picked up
from the magazine and both are moved to be fed into the chamber at the same time. This is
usually due to a bad magazine but can also be the result of a bad recoil spring. it can also
occur as a consequence of incorrectly clearing a stovepipe jam.
• Out-of-battery ignition - A firearm is "in-battery" when the slide/bolt is in the normal firing
position. A firearm is "out-of-battery" when the slide/bolt/action is not fully seated in the normal
firing position, typically because it did not cycle fully after firing (called "returning to battery").
Most modern firearms are designed to not be capable of firing when significantly out-of-battery.
As such, a firearm that is out-of-battery typically cannot be fired, which is why this is a type of
firearm malfunction.
• A dangerous situation can occur when a chambered round fires when the firearm is out-of-
battery (called an out-of-battery discharge). The cartridge casing is not sufficiently strong to
contain the pressure of firing by itself; it relies on the walls of the chamber and the bolt face to
help contain the pressure. When the firearm is out-of-battery, the round is not fully chambered,
or the bolt face is not against the rear of the cartridge, and if the round is fired in this situation,
the case will fail, causing high-pressure hot gasses, bits of burning powder, and fragments of
the casing itself to be thrown at high speed from the firearm. This can be a serious hazard to
the operator of the firearm and any bystanders.
Prevention
Some mechanical malfunctions are caused by poor design and cannot easily be avoided. Some
malfunctions with cartridges can be attributed to poor quality or damaged ammunition (often due to
improper storage, exposure to moisture). Many malfunctions, however, can be prevented by proper
cleaning and maintenance of the firearm.