Any tips for new army weapons (m4) qualifications?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:31:13 -0400

I have some trouble for qualifying the new army weapon (m4) qualifications. Anyone have tips that will help me and new soldiers to qualify?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2021 2:43 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:43:24 -0400

There is so much out there on youtube and marksmanship training material. Major problems I see when someone just can't qualify:

1) Do not close your eyes when you pull the trigger.
2) Do not fight your holding position. Your muscles pull the rifle one direction or the other. The art of the position is to have equal muscle force on both sides. The recoil should only go up and down. After recoil, wherever the rifle comes to a natural rest be it left/right or perfectly right in front of you is where the bullet went. You need to find a hold where you are not fighting to hold onto the rifle.
2a) Hold the rifle stock firmly into your shoulder.
2b) If wearing your battle rattle the rifle will feel different in your shoulder. THIS IS KEY, make sure you are still pointing the sights in the correct direction and on target.

Don't get too wrapped up in "advanced" shooting skill. You only need to do three things with a properly zeroed in rifle.
1) Properly use the sights and get them on the target
2) Hold the firearm in a way that it's going to recoil up and down
3) Pull the trigger in a manner that doesn't pull the rifle one direction or the other. Just trust it, it wont hurt you if you have a solid grip on it.

Do those three things and you will be able to qualify.

*******
Game the qualification table, and hold back far shots and use the extra ammo on closer shots to make sure you don't miss out on easy targets/points.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2021 5:07 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:07:27 -0400

Lets see.

A gun is like a pair of shoes. if they don't fit they don't work. The problem with the military is its one size fits all and when it comes to marksmanship that boat don't float.
Practice.
Practice.
Practice.

Breathing.
Do not jerk the trigger. Squeeze it through.
Let the firing of the round surprise you.
Proper stance/hold.
Know which eye is dominate.
Use both eyes.
Length of pull.
Cast of the stock.
Problem is the military issues right handed rifles. So if you shoot left handed, left eye dominate but right handed you are not going to shoot well.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2021 6:24 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:24:38 -0400

Well, we'd be a lot better if we went to the range more than twice a year.
It's all about practice. The more you use the weapon, change magazines, change positions, shoot, practice shooting, etc...the better you will get. If you need more trigger time and the unit isn't providing, find a buddy who has their own AR platform rifle and tag along to the civilian range and practice the same stuff.
Find your unit's Master Marksmanship Trainer, look at AMU's website for writeups on how to get better.
Understand the ballistics of a 5.56. At 25m you want the grouping at the BOTTOM HALF of the center circle in the zero target, not the dead center. This allows for at 300m to hit dead center mass due to the external ballistics of the round (they aren't exactly in line 25/300).
Use iron sights before worrying about an optic.
If you have the money and wish to spend it on parts you could grab a hydraulic buffer and improved buffer spring, also a bolt carrier weight. These slow down the BCG allowing for less recoil and better target acquisition after the first round, there are even butt stocks that gave springs built in for extra recoil absorption. My civvy rifle has all three and its hilarious to shoot - zero recoil.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2021 6:56 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:56:57 -0400

Steady shooting position, bone support, sight alignment, Sight Picture, Natural Repository Pause, Slow steady squeeze,

tips and tricks are all fine and dandy but practicing and building fundamentals is key to mastery of repetitive actions

Response by CPL Douglas Chrysler made Apr 14 at 2021 8:31 PM

CPL Douglas Chrysler — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:31:18 -0400

If you have been in a gun environment from an early age, you shouldn't have any problem. If not, learn everything about the weapon you can find. The M4 5.56 was about the easiest rifle I ever fired, even better than a 22lr. You can adjust the stock for length which is helpful, yet it's still short enough to make it very easy to handle. The most important thing is to practice every chance you get.

Response by 1SG Bill Farmerie made Apr 15 at 2021 12:18 PM

1SG Bill Farmerie — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:18:19 -0400

Biggest thing is to take your time and truly zero your weapon.

Response by SFC Marc W. made Apr 15 at 2021 2:43 PM

SFC Marc W. — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:43:35 -0400

If your shot grouping is wide, bullets going left to right, it's a trigger squeeze problem. If your shot grouping is up and down, it's a breathing problem. If you are grouping ok, but it is in different spots without adjustments, it's a sight picture problem. Consistency is the name of the game, same grip, same squeeze, leg goes in the same place, etc.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Apr 16 at 2021 6:47 AM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 06:47:22 -0400

Shooting is an acquired skill, qualifying once a year and expecting much is a real stretch, bottom line they don’t shoot near enough. Direct combat MOS should shoot at least monthly, imo of course, and the lack of skill is why they’re always searching for a new magic shooting platform that will make up for the lack of basics skills. If you don’t shoot often you won’t be skilled, muscle memory is a real thing, they’ll spend trillions on new toys but invest little in the soldiers and Marines whose life depends on that skill.

Response by SGT Don Schaffer made Jun 2 at 2021 7:36 PM

SGT Don Schaffer — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 19:36:59 -0400

Buy an AR and set to up the same and practice.
You don't get enough rage time in the Army to be really good.
If you don't come along on your own, take a course.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2021 9:42 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 09:42:01 -0400

Seek out shooting competition. Merely attending a match won't improve your skill but it will put you in contact with shooters that are genuinely good (most military personnel are not) and demonstrate what good shooting looks like. Practicing to increase your score in competition will elevate your skill higher than anything else.

Qualification is literally an initial entry introduction to marksmanship intended to be passed by new recruits. Few Marines and Soldiers can coach effectively because they've never experienced high-level shooting. Shooting competition draws and demonstrates the most skilled marksmen. Learn from them.