Pistol and Revolver Shooting

APPENDIX III

TARGET PRACTICE REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT

(In Effect After Jan. 1st, 1914)

The following is a digest of the target practice prescribed for the U. S. Army, using the regulation Colt automatic pistol, caliber .45, with service ammunition, as given in the “Small Arms Firing Manual” (War Department Document No. 442).

A very excellent and complete program for target practice is contemplated. Chapter IX is devoted to “Preliminary Drills; Position and Aiming Drills,” in which the soldier is trained in all the motions of aiming and firing, snapping the weapon. Exercises are provided for dismounted and mounted soldiers.

Chapters X, XI, and XII prescribe the actual practice shooting with complete rules, regulations, and methods of procedure, together with illustrations and diagrams.

The regulation target practice is divided into two courses: the dismounted course and the mounted course, each of which is separate and complete in itself.

The following schedule shows the general target practice scheme of each course, a score in all cases consisting of five consecutive shots.

TARGET PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Dismounted Course

Instruction Practice:		NO. OF SHOTS
Slow fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 1 score at each range. Target L. Time limit, none.		10
Rapid fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 2 scores at each range. Target L. Time, 20 seconds per score.		20
Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 2 scores at each range. Target E—Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards.		20

Record Practice:
Rapid fire, at 25 yards, 2 scores. Target L. Time, 20 seconds for each score		10
Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, 2 scores at each range. Target E—Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards.		20

Expert Test:
Rapid fire, at 50 yards, 1 score. Target L. Time, 30 seconds per score.		5
Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, 1 score at each range. Target E—Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards.		10
Total		95

Mounted Course

Instruction Practice:
Dismounted—
Slow fire, 15 yards, minimum of 2 scores. Target L. Time limit, none.		10
Quick fire, 15 yards, minimum of 2 scores. Target M—Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot.		10

Mounted—
Halt; minimum of 2 scores; one to the right and one to the left. Target M—Bobbing. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot.		10
Walk; minimum of 2 scores; one score firing to the right while moving to the left and one score firing to the left while moving to the right around the circumference of circle about 12 ft. in diameter tangent to the track at the firing point. Target M—Bobbing. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot.		10
Gallop; minimum of 8 scores. Target M. Range, 10 yards. Time governed by gait of at least 12 miles an hour.		40

[Note:—Five M targets are placed 10 yards from the track and 10 yards apart (20 yards apart for the revolver). Each trooper makes eight circlings of the track (four in each direction) firing four scores to the right and four to the left.]

Record Practice:
Halt; quick fire. Target M—Bobbing. 2 scores 1 to the right, 1 to the left. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot.		10
Gallop; Target M. Range, 10 and 14 yards. 4 scores—2, firing to the right while circling to the left; 2, firing to the left while circling to the right.		20

Time governed by gait of at least 12 miles an hour.
[Note:—Three of the five M targets (the first, the center, and the last targets) of the gallop stage, Instruction Practice, are set at an angle of 45 degrees to the track, and the trooper in making the run fires at each of these when facing them at about 14 yards range. The firing of the full score and the direction of the shots is therefore as follows: Right front, right, right front, right, and right rear. In making the left hand run, two targets are set at an angle and the firing is in the following order: Left, left front, left, left front, left.]

Expert Test:
Halt; 1 score. Five E targets—Bobbing; unknown angles. Range, 8½ to 15 yards. Time, 2 seconds per shot.		5
Gallop; 1 score; group of three M targets. Range, 10 and 14 yards; 3 shots to right advancing and 2 shots to left returning. Time governed by gait of at least 12 miles per hour.		5

[Note:—Two of the targets are set at an angle as in the gallop stage. Record Practice, the firing being right front, right, right rear, in advancing; and left front, left, in returning.]
Gallop, extended; 2 scores. Range, 5 to 15 yards. Time governed by gait.		10

[Note:—Targets arranged as follows: Target F, 5 yards to the right; 20 yards further along track, Target E, 7 yards to the right; 30 yards further, Target M, 10 yards to the left; 20 yards further, Target M, 10 yards to the left; 30 yards further, Target M, 15 yards to the right. Two runs are made firing at the targets in the order named.]

Total number of shots.		130

Explanatory Notes, etc.

Timing: —Intervals of time are measured from the last note of the signal or command, “Commence firing,” to the last note or word of “Cease firing.”

Targets:—Target L is illustrated on page 91. Targets E, F, and M are full size silhouette figures of men in the kneeling, prone and standing positions, respectively. When “bobbing” target is prescribed, it refers to an operating device for turning the targets 90 degrees on a vertical axis by means of ropes. The target is thus made to turn so as to appear edgewise and flatwise from the firing point and remains flatwise or “exposed” for the number of seconds stated in the time limit for each shot, and “turned from view” between shots for an interval of 3 to 5 seconds.

Procedure:—In quick fire the soldier stands at the firing point, pistol loaded with 5 cartridges, hammer down (in mounted practice hammer cocked at safe), weapon in holster, flap, if any, buttoned. Upon the first exposure of the target the soldier draws and fires, or attempts to fire, one shot at the target before it is turned from view and keeps the weapon in hand until he has fired five shots at successive exposures of the target to complete the score.

Qualification Scores: Dismounted Course—Sixty per cent. of the aggregate possible score of the Instruction Practice for advancement to Record Practice and 80 per cent. of the latter for advancement to Expert Test. In Expert Test, 50 out of a possible 60. Mounted Course—Fifty per cent. of the aggregate possible score of the Instruction Practice for advancement to Record Practice and 70 per cent. of the latter for advancement to Expert Test. In Expert Test, 13 out of a possible 20.

Competitions:—In every alternate year department pistol competitions are held simultaneously with the department rifle competitions at places designated by the department commanders.

ORGANIZED MILITIA TARGET PRACTICE

The prescribed course in effect in 1914 is adapted to the service revolvers. Five shots constitute a score. All shooting is on Target L. The course is divided into Instruction Practice and Record Practice.

Instruction Practice:

Slow Fire: Range 15, 25, and 50 yards; one score at each range. Time limit, none.

Rapid Fire: Range 15, 25, and 50 yards; two scores at each range. Time limit, 30 seconds per score.

Rapid Fire: Range 15 and 25 yards; two scores at each range. Time limit, 15 seconds per score.

Record Practice:

Rapid Fire: Range 25 and 50 yards; two scores at each range. Time limit, 30 seconds per score.

Rapid Fire: Range 15 and 25 yards; two scores at each range. Time limit, 15 seconds per score.

The rules, regulations, and procedure are the same as those governing the U. S. Army practice.

Qualification scores are as follows out of a possible 400: Second classman, 250; first classman, 300, and expert pistol shot, 320. Insignia badges and pins are awarded to those qualifying.

U. S. NAVY TARGET PRACTICE REGULATIONS

The revolver practice in the U. S. Navy consists of three classes, designated the Marksman’s Course, the Sharpshooter’s Course, and the Expert Pistol Shot’s Special Course. Each course is subdivided into “Instruction Practice” and “Record Practice.”

All shooting in the Marksman’s and Sharpshooter’s courses is done on Target A, which is a rectangle 6 ft. high by 4 ft. wide, with a circular black bull’s-eye 8 in. in diameter, counting 5, and concentric circles of count with diameters as follows: 4 ring, 26 in.; 3 ring, 46 in.; 2 rectangle, rest of target. Target L is used in the Expert Course.

Marksman’s Course (Slow Fire)

Instruction Practice:

At least 1 string of 6 shots, each range: 25 yds., 50 yds.; no time limit.

Record Practice:

At least 1 string of 6 shots, each range: 25 yds., 50 yds.; time limit, 5 minutes.

Sharpshooter’s Course (Rapid Fire)

Instruction Practice:

6 shots, each range: 25 yds., 50 yds.; time limit, 30 seconds per score.

Record Practice:

6 shots, each range: 25 yds., 50 yds.; time limit, 30 seconds per score.

Expert Pistol Shot’s Special Course

Instruction Practice:

Slow Fire: 6 shots, each range: 15 yds., 25 yds., 50 yds. No time limit.

Timed Fire: One score of 5 shots, each range: 15 yds., 25 yds., 50 yds. Time limit, 30 seconds for each score.

Rapid Fire: Two scores of 5 shots, each range: 15 yds., 25 yds. Time limit, 10 seconds for each score.

Record Practice:

Timed Fire: Two scores of 5 shots, each range: 25 yds., 50 yds. Time limit, 30 seconds for each score.

Rapid Fire: Two scores of 5 shots, each range: 15 yds., 25 yds. Time limit, 10 seconds for each score.

Qualification scores are 80 per cent. of the possibles of each course.

In rapid fire practice the timing is done at the target. On a signal that all is ready at the firing point, the target appears and remains exposed during the time limit, then disappears.

In addition to the above regulation practice, the men are put through a thorough preliminary course of position, sighting, and aiming drill.

The more expert men are given advanced practice in snap, double-action, and left-hand shooting, also firing alternately at targets at different distances and at floating objects at unknown distances.

Excellent practical suggestions and information is contained in Chapter V, devoted to Pistol Practice, in “The Landing Force and Small Arms Instructions,” edition 1911.

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