ary around the kitchen.

CHAPTER VIII.

TARGET PRACTICE.

SECTION 1. PRELIMINARY TRAINING IN MARKSMANSHIP.

Effective rifle fire is generally what counts most in battle.
To have effective rifle fire, the men on the firing line must
be able to HIT what they are ordered to shoot at. There is no
man who can not be taught how to shoot. It is not necessary or
even desirable to begin instruction by firing on a rifle range.
A perfectly green recruit who has never fired a rifle may be made
into a good shot by a little instruction and some preliminary
drills and exercises.

Before a man goes on the range to fire it is absolutely necessary
that he should know--

1. How to set the rear sight.
2. How to sight or aim.
3. How to squeeze the trigger.
4. How to hold the rifle in all positions.

If he does not know these things it is worse than useless for
him to fire. He will not improve; the more he shoots the worse
he will shoot, and it will become more difficult to teach him.

SECTION 2. SIGHT ADJUSTMENT.

Men must be able to adjust their sights correctly and quickly.
An error in adjustment so small that one can scarcely see it
on the sight leaf is sufficient to cause a miss at an enemy at
500 yards and over.

Notice your rear sight. When the leaf is laid down the BATTLE
SIGHT appears on top. This sight is set for 547 yards and is
not adjustable. When the leaf is raised four sights come into
view. The extreme range sight for 2,850 yards at the top of the
leaf is seldom used. The open sight at the upper edge of the
drift slide is adjustable from 1,400 to 2,750 yards. To set it
the upper edge of the slide is made to correspond with the range
reading on the leaf, and the slide is then clamped with the slide
screw. This sight also is seldom used. The open sight at the
bottom of the triangular opening in the drift slide is adjustable
from 100 to 2,450 yards. To set it the index line at the lower
corners of the triangle is set opposite the range graduation on
the leaf and the slide clamped. This and the peep sight just
below it are the sights most commonly used. To set the peep sight,
the index lines on either side of the peephole are set opposite
the range desired and the slide clamped.

Notice the scales for the various ranges on either side of the
face of the leaf. The odd-numbered hundreds of yards are on the
right and the even on the left. The line below the number is
the index line for that range