Asked a competitive shooter buddy if he'd heard of the new record. His comment: "Being an old iron sights guy I still think he cheated with the half assed TV set he had sittin on his upper receiver (ACOG)"

I remember Qualification day at the rifle range at Parris Island. Our Drill Instructors placed a lot of evanesce on qualification. One of our platoon did not qualify, simply dropped his M14 on the ground and took of running. Several days later he returned to the platoon. With that event it diminished my respect for one of our platoon Drill Instructors whom was absolutely physically hands on brutal with recruits. This was in the Summer of 1964.

The best part of this is that somewhere in an office in a foreign country hostile to the US, there is a military intel officer who is assigned to read this sort of thing.

He is afraid.

He is also going to have to explain to his boss that the 500 yard qualification is not for marine sniper school, cooks qualify at that range.

quote:

Originally posted by Belgian Blue:
Personally, I never believed any of that bullshit and I think this story is a good example of common sense, that growing up in a sport shooting culture which emphasizes the importance of good marksmanship tends to make people excellent riflemen in the military.

I understand that it’s an article of faith that the Marines do a better job of teaching rifle marksmanship than the other armed forces, but I was not taught how to shoot “properly” in Army basic training. I was therefore glad that I had had extensive training and experience before enlisting.

If there is a risk that being taught how to shoot before entering military service will ruin someone for further marksmanship training, he needs another lesson first: “Do what you’re told, not what you think you know how to do better.”

As for using optical sights being “cheating,” if they make it so easy, why can’t everyone do it today? “Dang! Next thing you know they’ll figure out a way so that it’s not necessary to pour powder and shove a bullet down the barrel.”

For those of you that have Facebook you should check out the MCRD Parris Island page. There is a CWO in charge of it who is pretty hilarious, especially when guys come on there talking shit about how the Marines should still be using iron sights and optics are “cheating”. The story about this young man was full of those comments and the CWOs witty replies.

My dad was in the Marine Corps. He never shot much as a kid, but turned out to be a pretty good shot when he got to Parris Island. On the practice days, he was shooting well, and thought he had a good chance at earning the highest marksmanship badge they gave. (I don't know what they called it in 1959, but now it is the Expert badge.) On the day they shot for record, though, he was so nervous and excited he didn't shoot well, and earned only one of the lowest of the bages. He was always sorry about that.

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
Asked a competitive shooter buddy if he'd heard of the new record. His comment: "Being an old iron sights guy I still think he cheated with the half assed TV set he had sittin on his upper receiver (ACOG)"

Sore losers often say that.

Nice shooting there soldier.

My 12 year old just put a few hundred rounds on steel Saturday with my carry handle sighted 16 inch dissipator upper at our friends ranch. I like the longer sight radius of that upper. Hes always asking me why can’t he use the rifle with optics. That’s what I tell him, Optics is cheating. Besides anything he would need to shoot with an AR will be inside 100 yards and he’s young and doesn’t wear glasses yet like his old man.

Outstanding in the recruit. Young man did a remarkable job.

The CWO’s comments on the Facebook page are golden. Respectful, polite, and slaying the haters.