4. Correction of Sighting.—Correction of sighting in individual firing is rarely possible in war. It is therefore all-important to estimate the elevation and deflection for the first shot. When a reasonable standard of skill in trigger-pressing has been shown in grouping practices, and the principle of application is understood, further practice in deliberate fire should aim at successful application of fire from the first shot, and less importance should be attached to correction of sighting, according to the signalling, of a series of shots.
5. Sighting Shots.—For this reason skilled shots should fire two or three shots at each of several ranges for sighting practice rather than long series of shots at one or two distances. Only a few rounds in all should be devoted in their case to deliberate shooting; a high standard of snapshooting should be developed. Officers and sergeants may fire sighting-shots at ranges beyond 600 yards, but as a rule such training should be reserved for the fire-direction practices.
6. Allowance for Wind.—It is convenient to memorize the effect of right-angle winds at some one distance, as a guide in estimating deflection allowance for winds of similar strength at other distances. Five hundred yards is a satisfactory range for this purpose, and the approximate effect of right-angle winds blowing ten, twenty, and thirty miles per hour may be studied with advantage. The use of elaborate wind-tables, and dependence on flags, telescopes, or sighting-shots, is prohibited.
TABLE A.
RECRUITS’ COURSE—REGULAR FORCES (CAVALRY, ROYAL ENGINEERS, AND INFANTRY).
N.B.—Royal Engineers (Sappers and Pioneers) of the Regular Forces will fire those practices only which are detailed in the Instructions for Royal Engineers (see Sec. 61, para. 6).
| Part I.—Instructional Practices (Elementary). | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Practice. | Target. | Distance in Yards. | Rounds. | Instructions for Conduct of Practice. |
| 1 | Grouping | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 100 | 5 | Lying, with arm or rifle rested. |
| 2 | Application | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 200 | 5 | Lying, with arm or rifle rested. |
| 3 | Grouping | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 100 | 5 | Lying. |
| 4 | Application | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 200 | 5 | Lying. |
| Total rounds | 20 | ||||
| Part II.—Instructional Practices (Repetition). | |||||
| 5 | Grouping | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 100 | 5 | Lying. All shots in 12-inch ring. |
| 6 | Application | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying, with arm or rifle rested. Five hits, including four within inner (24-inch) ring. |
| 7 | Application | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying. Five hits within Magpie (36-inch) ring. |
| 8 | Application | 2nd Class Figure | 300 | 5 | Lying. Five hits. |
| 9 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Kneeling. Four hits at least within inner (40-inch) ring. |
| 10 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 300 | 5 | Kneeling with arm or rifle rested. Four hits at least within inner (40-inch) ring. |
| 11 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 400 | 5 | Lying. Four hits at least. |
| 12 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 500 | 5 | Lying, with arm or rifle rested. |
| 13 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 500 | 5 | Lying. |
| 14 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 600 | 5 | Lying, with side of rifle only rested. |
| Total rounds | 50 | ||||
| Part III.—Instructional Practices (Timed). | |||||
| 15 | Deliberate | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying. |
| 16 | Deliberate | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Kneeling. |
| 17 | Rapid | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying. 40 seconds allowed. |
| 18 | Deliberate | 1st Class Figure | 400 | 5 | Lying. |
| 19 | Rapid | 1st Class Figure | 400 | 5 | Lying. 40 seconds allowed. |
| 20 | Deliberate | 1st Class Figure | 500 | 5 | Lying. Taking cover behind stones or sandbags representing a parapet and firing over them. |
| 21 | Snapshooting | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying. Exposure, 6 seconds for each shot. |
| 22 | Snapshooting | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Kneeling. Taking cover in a trench, or behind a screen representing a wall, and firing over the parapet. Exposure, 6 seconds for each shot. |
| Total rounds | 40 | ||||
| Part IV.—Instructional Practices. | |||||
| 23 | Grouping | 2nd Class Elementary (Bull’s-eye) | 100 | 5 | Lying. |
| 24 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 300 | 5 | Kneeling. |
| 25 | Rapid | 1st Class Figure | 300 | 5 | Lying. 40 seconds allowed. |
| 26 | Snapshooting | 2nd Class Figure | 200 | 5 | Lying. Taking cover as in 20. Exposure, 5 seconds for each shot. |
| 27 | Application | 1st Class Figure | 500 | 5 | Lying. |
| Total rounds | 25 | ||||
Part V.—Individual Field Practices.
Twenty rounds will be expended in elementary practices, 10 rounds in an attack practice from 700 to 200 yards, and 10 rounds in a defence practice against full-length figures representing an advancing enemy.
| Total rounds | 20 |