More from Mr. Davis
How are we doing with rifle marksmanship? By Vietnam, wasn’t everything beyond 200 meters abandoned to crew-served weapons?
During Vietnam, troops pulled back from the line for R&R were tested to reveal that they could, on average, pump out 300 rounds a minute at a target 50 meters away at a rifle range, and they would average one hit per minute. During the American Revolution, the enemy advised their officers that even at over 200 yards the American riflemen will hit with their first shot, so officers should conduct themselves accordingly. Also that these riflemen could reach as far as 300 yards.
As flintlock riflemen can pump out a maximum of only four shots per minute, it is obvious that Vietnam troopers have 75 times the firepower of the flintlock riflemen of the Revolution. This is in terms of muzzle statistics. In terms of target statistics, the flintlock shooter has four times the firepower of the M16 user because he has the skill to make every shot hit and the M16 user cannot hit more than once per minute.
Darryl Davis – On the subject of Marksmanship – Military Magazine, Feb 1998 – pp 18
Good quote and good point.
That’s a damned good argumetn for going back to a bigger bullet. You can’t carry as many so make them count. Hit the bastard you’re shooting at, not the rock he’s hiding behind.
Quick bit of background, my old man was a Scout Sniper in the Marines so he taght me proper marksmanship. One shot, one kill.
Need another reference. Try the book SHOTS FIRED IN ANGER by Lt.Col. John B. George. Good stuff.
Of course hitting what you shoot at is one thing. Just shooting is another. SLA Marshall the military historian opined that up to fifty percent of the infantrymen in the ETO never fired their weapons at the enemy in an engagement. I find this hard to believe but who am I to argue.
From what my son told me about Basic and AIT, they’ve been putting more attention into aimed single shots. Hopefully, that’s in the Army overall.