Fig. 27.—Loading in Standing Position.
Points to note:
1. Body erect and well balanced.
2. Left elbow close to body.
3. Firm grip with left hand, close in front of magazine.
4. Muzzle pointing upwards.
5. Butt well forward.
6. Forefinger of the right hand under the cut-off.
7. Eyes on the mark.
Fig. 28.—Firing in the Open. Heads lowered; Observer watching Front.
(ii) Rapid Firing.—The rate of firing should be increased gradually, provided that faults of aiming and trigger-pressing are not acquired. Short bursts of rapid fire only will be permitted, the firing being carefully regulated and controlled. A target will always be indicated.
6. Caution.—Before dummy cartridges are used on parade, special precautions will be taken to insure that neither ball nor blank ammunition is taken to the parade ground. The instructor will personally examine all cartridges, rifles, pouches, and bandoliers, before loading takes place.
Section 28.—Use of the Safety-Catch and Cut-Off.
1. Troops armed with rifles fitted with safety-catches will invariably set the catch to safety before movement. The use of the cut-off is to be confined in their case to occasions when they are not actually engaged with the enemy. Then it may be employed for the purpose either of charging the magazine without inserting a cartridge in the chamber, or to unload the rifle while retaining cartridges in the magazine.
2. The cut-off is never to be used to enable the rifle to be used as a single loader, and is not to supersede the use of the safety-catch. In the case of rifles which have no safety-catches, the cut-off will be pressed in and the rifle unloaded on all occasions when the safety-catch is ordered to be applied in these instructions. In an advance in extended order, however, these rifles may be carried during movement at the slope instead of being unloaded.