FUNDAMENTALS OF

MARKSMANSHIP
 Question:
Why is it important for
hunters to have good
marksmanship skills?

How do you develop good

marksmanship skills?
 What is Marksmanship?
Marksmanship describes a person’s ability to shoot a firearm
accurately.
It also describe “best practice” ways to hold a rifle, align it on the target
and fire accurate shots with it.
“Marksmanship” is the act of skillfully holding, aiming, and firing shots
with projectile arms that consistently hit distant, difficult targets.
Objectives of Marksmanship:
1) how to hold a rifle,
2) how to align it with a target and
3) how to fire the shot so that it hits the center of the target.
 IT’S PRINCIPLE
Marksmanship principles:
1. The shooting position and hold must be firm
enough to support the rifle.
2. The rifle must point naturally at the target without
any undue physical effort.
3. Sight alignment and sight picture must be correct.
4. The shot must be released and followed through
without undue disturbance to the position.
Definition of Terms
Firearm
It is a device which projects either single or multiple projectiles at
high velocity through a controlled explosion.
This process of rapid burning is technically known as deflagration.
In older firearms, this propellant was typically black powder, but
modern firearms use smokeless powder, cordite, or other propellants.
Handgun - Refers to small arms, such as pistol revolver.
Pistol - A hand firearm usually applies to single shot and automatic
loading.
Revolver - A hand firearm in which a rotating cylinder successively
places cartridges into position for firing.
Rifle - A type of weapon fired from shoulder.
Why is Marksmanship
considered an art?

Marksmanship is considered
as an art because it refers to
the skill of using a firearm,
such as a rifle or a pistol.
What is the difference between
a marksman and a
sharpshooter?

sharpshooter is a person trained to

shoot precisely with a certain type
of rifle while marksman is a man or
person skilled in shooting.
 Origin of Firearms and the Evolution of
Weapons
Firearms
Technical Definition: It is an instrument that is used for the propulsion of projectiles by
means of expansive force of gases from the burning powder.
Legal Definition: It refers to any handheld or portable weapon, whether a small arm or
light weapon, that expels or is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any
projectile, which is discharged by means of expansive force of gases from burning
gunpowder or other form of combustion or any similar instrument or implement. The
barrel, frame or receiver is concerned a firearm (Sec 3, RA 10591).
John M. Browning - Started the production of a single shot rifle
David “Carbine” Williams - Maker of first known carbine.
Alexander John Forsyth - Father of the percussion ignition
John Wolfe Ripley - The development of the model 1855 rifled musket
Samuel Colt - Produced the first practical revolver
 Types of Firearms
Handguns or Short Arm
1. Revolvers
A repeating firearm that consists of multiple chambers and at
least one barrel for firing. As the user cocks the hammer, the
cylinder revolves to align the next round with the barrel,
which gives this type of firearm its name.
2. Pistols
A handgun in which the chamber is part of a barrel, usually
applied to a single shot and semi-automatic loading. A
firearm designed to be held in one hand when used, with the
other hand supporting the shooting hand. This characteristics
differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from
their larger counterparts.
Types of Firearms

Long Guns or Shoulder Arms

Shotgun
A firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the
shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire
a number of small aspherical pellets called shot or a
solid projectile called a slug.
Rifles
A firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the
shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or
pattern of groves (rifling) cut into the barrel walls.
12 GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN
HANDLING
1. Always treat the gun as loaded.
2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until
you are ready to shoot.
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
5. Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.
6. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
12 GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN
HANDLING
7. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are
using.
8. Always use proper Ammunition.
9. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and
shooting.
10. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting
position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe
direction, carefully unload the gun.
11. Don't rely on the gun's safety to keep it from firing.
12. Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don't trip
or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone
or anything.
FUNDAMENTALS OF
MARKSMANSHIP/ FIRING
STEADY POSITION
AIM
BREATHING
TRIGGER SQUEEZE
The 7 Shooting
Fundamentals
1. Stance
 Stance is the first fundamental for every shot. Stance refers to the position of your feet
and body in relation to the target. All other shooting fundamentals are built upon a
steady position when firing. Different shots require different stances, including:
Bullseye
Weaver
Isosceles
2. Grip
 When it comes to grip, the most important thing to remember is that you want to grip
with enough strength to prevent the pistol from moving during the shot but relaxed
enough so that your hand doesn’t shake from the pressure.
Here are some tips for better gun grip:
 Make a “v” with your dominant hand; your thumb should be on one side and all the
other fingers on the other.
 The gun is placed in the center of the v with the middle, ring, and pinky fingers
wrapped around the pistol’s grip.
 Place the area between the joint and the tip of the index finger pad on the trigger. Do
not over insert the finger; otherwise, it may cause the other fingers to move and
interfere with your shot when you squeeze the trigger.
3. Sight Alignment
 Sight alignment refers to the process of lining up the rear and front sights on the gun.
For a well-aimed shot, the shooter must pay attention to the rear sight aperture and
how it lines up with the front sight, with most of the focus on the front sight post.
4. Sight Picture
 Any shooter who wants a well-aimed shot must have the correct sight picture. The
sight picture is the image seen when the sights align with the target. This is true for all
types of sights when holding a rifle, handgun, or any other firearm. Sight picture does
not rely on the natural ability to shoot. Instead, the shooter utilizes a precise system to
center objects in preparation for a shot.
5. Breathing
 In any type of shooting, breath control is extremely important. In general, it’s good to keep
a calm, regular breath throughout your preparation, aim, and fire. This helps to:
Oxygenate the blood – Regular breathing adequately oxygenates the blood, which
sharpens vision and keeps you alert.
Relaxes the nerves – Regular breaths help to relax the muscles and nerves for optimal
shots.
Steady movement – Prevent jerky movements and forced breathing that can quickly mess
up your shot.
6. Trigger Control
 Trigger control involves pressing the trigger to complete the shot without upsetting your
sight alignment. There are two main issues when it comes to proper trigger control:
Pulling – Pulling the gun is caused by placing too much finger on the trigger, causing a
hooked finger that pulls the gun to the side when the shot is discharged. This causes your
shot to hit to the right of the target.
Pushing – Pushing is caused by too little finger in the gun, which creates a side push of the
trigger instead of straight back, producing a shot that will be hitting left of the target.
7. Follow Through
 Once you’ve discharged the gun, you want to be sure to follow through with each
shot. Follow-through is when you end the shot by keeping the trigger finger fully
depressed until your gun has completed recoil and the shooter’s sights are back on
the target. Once your sights are back on target, then you can release the trigger.
BASIC PARTS OF A PISTOL
(CALIBER 45)