Going prone like in this old army training manual?

[EIB0879]

I remember that we were taught to drop to both knees not one.

 

[someguy2800]

That’s how to make it look like you meant to do that after you trip over a rock

 

[C-grunt]

Was taught that in Basic in 2002.

 

[jaysouth]

When a couple of rounds snap over your head, you go to prone very instinctively without attention to good form or proper doctrine.

 

[phonesysphonesys]

If you're being shot at, you don't care about anything other than getting as close to mother earth as possible.

So true

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I don't recall doing it with an M-16 but I may have in Jungle Training at Fort Dix in 2 feet of snow.

Jungle training in the snow. Now that’s funny.

 

[Deus Machina]

Not a vet, but used to play paintball. Done this plenty.
And just like I made a habit of, note his knee is directed right toward that rock.

 

[Ignition Override]

No.
But Waterloo was probably won by several thousand British troops doing so.

They had then been ordered by General Wellington to lie on their bellies, which lasted hours, until some segment of the British line was taking too many casualties. *
Napoleon never knew that some sections of Flanders' mostly-flat landscape have Reverse Slopes - until the thousands of British troops all stood up at one time.! .

It didn't hurt that Prussian General von Blucher's troops (he Really hated Napoleon-see the casualties when N. went into "Germany") ....
.....were slowly but steadily making their way on muddy roads to Napoleon's rear.

 

[CapnMac]

Yep, used to be one of those things one was taught in the military.
Hard part was remembering to "quarter" off first so you'd line up right in the classic 45º prone used back then.

 

[G.A.Pster]

Thanks everyone for your comments, very interesting.

 

[Varminterror]

So is the principle that this is faster to get your body on the ground than going down both knees then elbows, with the rifle moving in line to the target throughout? @taliv - you have perspective on how we go prone with PRS rifles, is this simply faster to prevent bullet wounds? I can’t see this remotely possible of being faster to a first round downrange.

 

[1942bull]

In 1960 when I went through basic and infantry training the practice was similar to the sketches. However when you went to prone it was often from the kneeling firing position. When going from standing directly to prone the knee went to ground then the rifle butt dug into the ground to support your downward travel making hitting the ground softer.

 

[C-grunt]

So is the principle that this is faster to get your body on the ground than going down both knees then elbows, with the rifle moving in line to the target throughout? @taliv - you have perspective on how we go prone with PRS rifles, is this simply faster to prevent bullet wounds? I can’t see this remotely possible of being faster to a first round downrange.

This technique is for when you're walking along a trail and a belt fed machinegun opens up on you from 500 meters away. This is a "bullets have the right of way" type of manuever, not a shooting thing.

 

[C-grunt]

Or bounding from one position to another.

"I'm up, he sees me, I'm down"

 

[X62503]

It looks like the softest way to land while keeping two hands on your rifle, otherwise pointed at the sky or the bad guy(s).

 

[hps1]

Drop on both knees, place right hand (RH shooter) on buttstock adjacent to butt plate, not on pistol grip (weakest part of stock), to break the fall. Cam forward and place buttstock in shoulder firmly w/right hand to assume firing position. (circa 1950's).

Regards,
hps

 

[troy fairweather]

The real trick is getting back up the same way lol.

 

[hps1]

The real trick is getting back up the same way lol.

Well, Troy, it wasn't much of a trick in the 50's, but......let's just say, if I can't hit it standing on my hind legs, I'd best get out of Dodge fast.


Regards,
hps

 

[Varminterror]

This technique is for when you're walking along a trail and a belt fed machinegun opens up on you from 500 meters away. This is a "bullets have the right of way" type of manuever, not a shooting thing.

That was my assumption - which then simply points me towards the notion it’s kinda disappointing folks might need to be trained to quickly “hit the deck,” when SHTF.

 

[Dibbs]

View attachment 1034030

I have an old army training manual from the 20s, and it shows to go prone like this.
It seems very fast but a good way to twist an ankle, but maybe it works better than it looks.
Have any of you ever gone prone like this?

Yes, I have done this, but given conditions, in the sticks, it can get messy. Wet, sandy, etc. The only other problems I have encountered with this position is weeds may block your line of vision for the shot. You also have to be aware of your positioning as far as backdrop is concerned, you want to avoid shooting at an upwards angle, especially near a property border.

NOT a drop technique I would try with a MSR.

 

[d2wing]

Folks, this is not intended for target shooting, It is to hit the ground quickly not necessarily a shooting position depending on circumstances. This drill is from the days of wooden stocks that are used to cushion the fall with your rifle.

 

[taliv]

This technique is for when you're walking along a trail and a belt fed machinegun opens up on you from 500 meters away. This is a "bullets have the right of way" type of manuever, not a shooting thing.

Folks, this is not intended for target shooting, It is to hit the ground quickly not necessarily a shooting position depending on circumstances. This drill is from the days of wooden stocks that are used to cushion the fall with your rifle.

i'm not really super invested in arguing about which way is fastest to get out of the way of bullets. but it seems to me the method described in the pic is demonstrably slower than the one I previously described. it assumes the rifle is already in your hands in the proper position (whereas it may be slung or in a low ready or other position when the bullets start flying towards you... but even assuming it's in your hands already as shown in the pic, it would take muscle to start your body moving forward (pivoting around your feet) and falling, and then when your knee hits, it's going to slow you down, and when your rifle butt hits, you're slowing down, etc. when you compare this to simply dropping straight down, letting gravity do it's thing immediately, and kicking your legs out behind you as you approach a squatted position, much like doing a burpee, I'd wager money the method described in the OP is not the fastest way to get out of the way. you're for sure going to get from standing to a push up position (pretty low) faster.

 

[gifbohane]

If you're being shot at, you don't care about anything other than getting as close to mother earth as possible.

I always felt that the buttons on my Utility Jacket were sticking me up in the air. As I remember I took the brunt of the forward fall with my rifle butt. All back in the sixties.

 

[4v50 Gary]

A young man's game. If I tried that I'm not getting up. Just dig a hole and roll me in.

 

[d2wing]

i'm not really super invested in arguing about which way is fastest to get out of the way of bullets. but it seems to me the method described in the pic is demonstrably slower than the one I previously described. it assumes the rifle is already in your hands in the proper position (whereas it may be slung or in a low ready or other position when the bullets start flying towards you... but even assuming it's in your hands already as shown in the pic, it would take muscle to start your body moving forward (pivoting around your feet) and falling, and then when your knee hits, it's going to slow you down, and when your rifle butt hits, you're slowing down, etc. when you compare this to simply dropping straight down, letting gravity do it's thing immediately, and kicking your legs out behind you as you approach a squatted position, much like doing a burpee, I'd wager money the method described in the OP is not the fastest way to get out of the way. you're for sure going to get from standing to a push up position (pretty low) faster.

It's a moot point since this is from the a long time ago. Yes this is assuming you are moving forward in a combat situation moving forward quickly gun in hand in a controlled move to put you possibly a shooting position. I doubt that this is current training. In actual combat as seen in WW 2 footage it's more like a flop in beach landings. I don't know if this would be useful in current combat, maybe in desert fighting. In actual combat you do what you have to in the situation as it happens. It didn't apply to me as most of the ambushes I was in I was in or on a truck. While not in a truck I was at a base of some kind with defensive positions. Once during an attack, mortors and rockets, several of us have to take cover in a bunker with just sitting room. A guy ran from the shower buck naked and dove in sliding right over the some of us. I don't recall any training for that. LOL.