Elevation
Categories: TARGET PRACTICEMilitary Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual Advanced Training
General rule for changing the elevation after hitting the target: A
change of elevation either up or down, of 100 yards on your rear sight,
will raise or lower your bullet in inches on the target equal to the
square of your distance in yards from the target. I.e., a change of 100
yards in elevation on the rear sight leaf while firing at the 200-yard
range raises or lowers the striking point of the bullet at the target 4
lowers the striking point of the bullet 9 inches, at the 400-yard range
it would be 16 inches, at the 500-yard range 25 inches, and so on.
The following illustrations are self-explanatory in regard to windage
and elevation changes and should be diligently studied during
preliminary instruction. The effect of windage changes (given in points)
will be found at the bottom of each target, while the effect of
elevation changes (given in yards) will be found to the left of each
target.
The above system of indicating the windage and elevation on each target
is used in the United States Marine Corps score book. Each man at
Plattsburg, in 1916, was supplied with one of these score books. If used
at the firing point they greatly simplify sight adjustments, besides
containing other very useful information on shooting.
5. Gallery Practise. Purpose
1. To note errors in the position of the man while he is in the act of
firing and call his attention to them after he has fired.
2. To give instruction in squeezing the trigger properly.
3. To stimulate and maintain interest.
4. Offers a check on what the man has absorbed from the other
preliminary drills.
Fire just as much on the gallery range as you company commander will
permit. You cannot fire too much. Every shot you fire should teach you a
lesson on some point connected with the art of shooting.
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