Care must be taken by the instructor not to make the position and aiming drills tedious. Thirty minutes daily should be spent in this practice during the period of preliminary instruction. After gallery practice is taken up, however, five or ten minutes daily should be sufficient for these exercises.
In order that the instructor may readily detect and correct errors the squads for these drills should not consist of more than eight men.
The instructor should avoid holding the squad in tiresome positions while making explanations or corrections.
Position Exercise
[1367]. The instructor commands: 1. Position, 2. EXERCISE. At the command, "Exercise" without moving the body or eyes, raise the rifle smartly to the front of the right shoulder to the full extent of the left arm, elbow inclined downward, the barrel nearly horizontal, muzzle slightly depressed, heel of the butt on a line with the top of the shoulder. ([Fig. 28].)
Fig. 28
(Two.) Bring the piece smartly against the hollow of the shoulder, without permitting the shoulder to give way, and press the rifle against it, mainly with the right hand, only slightly with the left, the forefinger of the right hand resting lightly against the trigger, the rifle inclined neither to the right nor left.
