Marksmanship

Marksmanship refers to the person's ability or skill to both accurately and consistently hit their
intended target while using a firearm like rifles and pistols. It requires focus, practice, and routine steps for
safe and accurate shots. Learning to handle a firearm properly and refining your craft will help you become
a safer, more precise gun handler.

Fundamental stances of shooting

• Isosceles stance

- The Isosceles shooting stance is a shooting technique for handguns. This stance is a two-
handed technique in which the dominant hand holds the pistol or revolver while the support
hand wraps around the dominant hand. Both arms are held straight, locking the elbows. Viewed
from above, the arms and chest of the shooter describe an isosceles triangle (a triangle with
two equal sides, from Greek iso "equal, uniform" and skelos "leg"), which gives the stance its
name.
Pros: The positives include the fact that it feels like a comfortable and natural position to most
shooters. In addition, the body positioning seems to have a positive effect on accuracy.
Cons: The predominant problem with the Isosceles Stance is that while it has side-to-side
stability, it lacks front-to-rear balance due to the positioning of the feet.
Proper Body Position:
1. Feet, knees, hips, shoulders square to the threat or direction of travel
2. Knees slightly bent
3. Bend slightly forward at the waist (aggressive posture / control recoil)
4. Shoulders rolled forward
5. Arms straight with elbows and wrists locked
6. Head erect (bring the weapon to the eyes, not your head and eyes to the weapon).
7. Body weight resting on balls of feet, not the toes or heels

• Weaver stance

- The Weaver Stance has become popular and replaced the Isosceles as the standard taught to
most new shooters. The shooter blades his body, placing the foot on the firing side back and
turning the support side towards the target. The shooter’s strong, or firing side, arm is extended
 and the support arm’s elbow is bent. This allows the shooter to employ a very stable push-pull
grip. The shooter pushes with his firing arm and pulls with the support arm to stabilize the
weapon.
Pros: The biggest plus is the push-pull grip which is effective in controlling recoil and weapon
control in general.
Cons: A major problem with the stance for the law enforcement community is that by blading
the body, an officer is exposing an area of his torso that isn’t completely covered with body
armor. A right-handed shooter exposes his left armpit, which is an entryway to the heart. In
fact, many officers have been fatally shot in this area despite body armor.
Proper Body Position:
1. Stand in the interview position
2. The feet are approximately shoulder width apart, with strong side foot slightly back
3. Bend slightly forward at the waist (aggressive posture / control recoil)
4. The strong arm is slightly bent
5. The support arm is sharply bent with elbow pointing straight down
6. Using approximately 40 pounds of pressure, push forward with the strong arm, and pull
back with the support arm. This equal and opposite pressure creates the "isometric
lock" on the pistol which aids in controlling recoil
7. Head erect (bring the weapon to the eyes, not your head and eyes to the weapon).

• Fighting Stance

- Fighting Stance refer to it as a modified Isosceles or Weaver. Others call it a fighting, boxer or
tactical stance. In this stance, the shooter is square to the target. His feet are shoulder width
or slightly wider and the firing side foot is slightly behind the support side foot. The knees are
flexed to absorb recoil and to act as shock absorbers when moving in any direction. The shooter
leans slightly forward and extends the arms straight out, bringing the sights to the eyes. The
head is kept level to maintain balance, especially when moving.
Pros: Any weapon can be fired effectively from it this stance, although a case can be made for
the traditional shotgun stance due to the recoil.
Cons: With the fighting stance, there isn’t a downside. By modifying the Weaver and Isosceles
stances, it eliminates the common drawbacks of the other two stances.
Proper Body Position:
1. Stand in the interview position
2. Knees slightly bent with feet approximately shoulder width apart
3. Bend slightly forward at the waist (aggressive posture / control recoil)
 4. Strong arm is extended straight out, and the elbow is locked
5. Support arm pulls back on the gun hand with approximately 40 pounds of pressure.
This locks the gun arm into the shoulder like a rifle stock
6. Head erect (bring the weapon to the eyes, not your head and eyes to the weapon)

Safety rules
1. Always Keep Firearm Pointed in a Safe direction
- Never point your gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. This is particularly important when
loading or unloading a firearm. In the event of an accidental discharge, no injury can occur as
long as the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction.
2. Treat All Guns as Though They are Loaded
- By treating every firearm as if it is loaded, a habit of safety is developed. Firearms should be
loaded only when you are in the field or on the target range or shooting area, ready to shoot.
Whenever you handle a firearm, or hand it to someone, always open the action immediately,
and visually check the chamber, receiver and magazine to be certain they do not contain any
ammunition.
3. Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger until You are Ready to Shoot
- Never touch the trigger on a firearm until you actually intend to shoot. Keep your fingers away
from the trigger while loading or unloading. Never pull the trigger on any firearm with the safety
on the “safe” position or anywhere in between “safe” and “fire.”
4. Always Be Sure of Your Target and What’s Beyond It
Don’t shoot unless you know exactly what your shot is going to strike. Be sure that your bullet will
not injure anyone or anything beyond your target. Be aware that even a .22 short bullet can travel
over 1 1/4 miles and a high velocity cartridge, such as a .30-06, can send its bullet more than three
miles. Shotgun pellets can travel 500 yards, and shotgun slugs have a range of over half a mile.

Is it important for u to learn program (marksmanship training)? Why?

For me, learning marksmanship or marksmanship training is an important program to promote
understanding and give information about the safety principles and responsible gun ownership. The training
can be helpful for ensuring safety and for being a responsible member of society. Just like other sport or
activities, the training teaches individuals not only proper and safely handling of firearms, but also helps
individuals develop the necessary skills that help us in our daily life and to accurately and effectively use
firearms, whether for self-defense or professional purposes. It also enhances discipline, focus, and
proficiency in shooting to the person, which are good attributes in situations where firearms are involved.
Additionally, proper marksmanship training emphasizes safety protocols, reducing the risk of accidents as
well as misuse of firearms.

SOURCES:

• DeCicco, K. (2024). The 3 shooting stances: Which one’s right for you.
https://www.police1.com/police-products/firearms/training/articles/the-3-shooting-stances-which-
ones-right-for-you-LA3iowVFZFC9hE24/
• https://www.dps.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/PAPP-FA3_Fundamentals-of-
Marksmanship.pdf
• https://bestpracticeguides.org.uk/firearms/marksmanship/