Since this Cook vs. Rifleman thing is being discussed elsewhere, I thought I might as well post an update on my progress to becoming a rifleman.
I still shoot the AQT target now and then. I tell myself I am going to do it all the time, but am not being very faithful to my promise. However, the skills I gained shooting them, and some of the techniques in Fred's Guide to Becoming a RIfleman are paying off for me.
Last weekend, I shot a match that is held three times a year. It is shot on Saturday with vintage military bolt action rifles. On Sunday, the same course of fire is shot with a vintage semi-auto military rifle. The rifles must have no external modifications and the matches are shot with standard issue iron sights. The course of fire each day is divided into two parts. In the morning we fired from the line at steel plates from 200 yards - out to 800 yards. 200 yards off-hand, 300 yards rapid fire, 400 500 600 700 and 800 are fired from prone. The targets measure 20"x30" at 200,300,400, and 500. 36"x40" at 600 and 700, and 60"x45" at 800 yards. On the prone targets you can use a rest (prone supported) but it has to be some kind of field gear. Most people use a military rucksack stuffed with foam or something. Me, being a perspective rifleman means that I dont' use a sissy bag: I use a sling. In the afternoon, we go on a walk. On the walk you engage targets from field positions at unknown ranges: as fast as you can. There is a time limit and you can get off as many rounds as possible (as many hits as possible) in that time frame. The targets are somewhere around 200 - 400 yards away and the high grass usually means that kneeling is as good as you are going to get but a couple will allow you to get down into sitting. The farthest target is like a pepper popper and you can get prone, however you are at a pretty good downward angle. Two of the stages also have five pistol targets (rack of plates) that you must engage (with a vintage military handgun) prior to grabbing your rifle: all on the clock of course. On that farthest target, I got all the plates using my 1911, flopped down behind my M1 and managed a total of 11 hits in I think, 35 seconds. Not bad for approx. 400 yards while lying head downhill in the rocks.
Saturday I shot my 1903A3 and took fourth. Sunday I shot a Greek, rack grade, CMP M1 rifle and Korean milsurp ammo and I WON !!!!!!!!! There were 48 shooters from Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
One of the big things I can credit Fred with is in his little guide to becoming a rifleman. In it, Fred gives a table of approximate "come ups" for your sights. At our local range, I got good sight dope out to just shy of 400 yards. At this match, I relied on the approximate "come ups" for the ranges past 400 yards and they were right on the money.
As I mentioned before. There is nothing here that you probably couldn't learn shooting NRA Highpower. But, I have never been exposed to formal rifle shooting and Fred's guide and targets are helping me learn a lot of this stuff that real riflemen take for granted.
I have to use my victory to brag a little: there are a lot of NRA Highpower shooters that participate in these vinatage rifle matches I like to shoot and I beat them all.
In addition to this match, I shoot a twice month match at our local club that is a spin off from the match I discussed above. I also try to participate in another monthly match where you shoot silhouettes with vintage military rifles. Chickens (220 yards) offhand, pig is sitting, turkey and ram are prone.
Eventually, I will become a rifleman.
