LESSON 1

MARKSMANSHIP

Marksmanship is defined as the skillful art of shooting and hitting the target at a given
distance. In the field of soldiery it is important that each and every soldier should have
at least the basic fundamental knowledge of marksmanship to attain this.

Marksman practices marksmanship by bow and arrow, rifle, pistol, knifes or just about
any object that can be thrown, slung, or shot at a given spot or mark, such as the bulls
eye target, hitting it as closely as possible in the center.

The purpose of marksmanship training it to provide proper information and instruction to

you can become a safe and effective shooter. Good shooting, whether on the firing
range or in combat, depends upon the application of the basic marksmanship principles.
These principles are interrelated and must be practiced each time you fire a shot so you
achieve effective results.

FIREARM

Firearm refers to any hand held or portable weapon, weather a small arm or light
weapon that expels or is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug missile or any projectile
which is discharged by means of expansive forces od gases from burning gunpowder or
other form of combustion or any similar instrument. The barrel, frame or receiver is
considered a firearm. (Section 3, R.A no. 10591)

HISTORY OF FIREARM

The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes containing
gunpowder and pellet projectiles were mounted on spears to make the portable fire
lance, operable by a single person, which was later used to good effect in the Siege of
De'an in 1132. In the 13th century, fire lance barrels were replaced with metal tubes and
transformed into the metal-barreled hand cannon. The technology gradually spread
throughout Eurasia during the 14th century. Older firearms typically used black powder
as a propellant, but modern firearms use smokeless powder or other propellants. Most
modern firearms (with the notable exception of smoothbore shotguns) have rifled
barrels to impart spin to the projectile for improved flight stability.

Modern firearms can be described by their caliber (i.e. bore diameter). For pistols and
rifles this is given in millimeters or inches (e.g. 7.62mm or .308 in.), or in the case of
shotguns by their gauge (e.g. 12 ga. and 20 ga.). They are also described by the type of
action employed (e.g. muzzleloader, breechloader, lever, bolt, pump, revolver, semi-
automatic, fully automatic, etc.), together with the usual means of deportment (i.e. hand-
held or mechanical mounting). Further classification may make reference to the type
of barrel used (i.e. rifled) and to the barrel length (e.g. 24 inches), to the firing
mechanism (e.g. matchlock, wheellock, flintlock, or percussion lock), to the design's
primary intended use (e.g. hunting rifle), or to the commonly accepted name for a
particular variation (e.g. Gatling gun).

Shooters aim firearms at their targets with hand-eye coordination, using either iron

sights or optical sights. The accurate range of pistols generally does not exceed 100
metres (110 yd; 330 ft), while most rifles are accurate to 500 metres (550 yd; 1,600 ft)
using iron sights, or to longer ranges whilst using optical sights. (Firearm rounds may be
dangerous or lethal well beyond their accurate range; the minimum distance for safety is
much greater than the specified range for accuracy). Purpose-built sniper rifles and anti-
materiel rifles are accurate to ranges of more than 2,000 metres (2,200 yd).

LESSON 2
Different types of firearm

1.   Hand Guns

2.   Long Guns

3.   Rifles

4.   Shotgun

5.   Carbines

6.   Machine Guns

7.   Submachine Guns

Definition of different types of firearms

 HANDGUN

Is a short-barrelled firearm that can be held and used with one hand. The two most
common handgun sub-types in use today are revolvers and semi-automatic pistols,
although other handguns like machine pistols and derringers also see infrequent usage.

a. Pistols – in early firearm history, all handguns are generally called as pistols. These
were three classes of pistols in the period. The single shot pistol, the semi-automatic and
revolving pistols now known as the revolver.
 b. Revolver – firearm designed to position cartridge into position for firing with the aid of
rotating cylinder serving as the chamber. There are two types of revolvers according to
its mechanical firing action.
c. Single Action – A type of revolver that needs a manual cocking of the hammer before
squeezing the trigger.
d. Double action – A type of revolver that does not need manual cocking. Just press the
trigger and it both cocked and released the hammer causing a much faster firing.

LONG GUN

A long gun is any firearm with a notably long barrel, typically a length of 10 to 30 inches
(250 to 760 mm) (there are restrictions on minimum barrel length in many jurisdictions;
maximum barrel length is usually a matter of practicality). Unlike a handgun, long guns
are designed to be held and fired with both hands, while braced against either the hip or
the shoulder for better stability. The receiver and trigger group is mounted into a stock
made of wood, plastic, metal, or composite material, which has sections that form a
foregrip, rear grip, and optionally (but typically) a shoulder mount called the butt. Early
long arms, from the Renaissance up to the mid-19th century, were generally
smoothbore firearms that fired one or more ball shot,
called muskets or arquebus depending on caliber and firing mechanism.

RIFLE

A rifle is a long-barrelled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has

a helical pattern of grooves ("rifling") cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus
on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with both hands and braced firmly
against the shooter's shoulder via a buttstock for stability during shooting. Rifles are
used extensively in warfare, law enforcement, hunting, and shooting sports. Shoulder
weapon designed to fire a projectile with more accuracy through a long refilled barrel,
usually more than 22 inches.

SHOTGUN

A shotgun (also known as a scattergun,[1] or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-

barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell,
which usually discharges numerous small pellet-like spherical sub-
projectiles called shot, or sometimes a single solid projectile called a slug. Shotguns are
most commonly smoothbore firearms, meaning that their gun barrels have no rifling on
the inner wall, but rifled barrels for shooting slugs (slug barrels) are also available.

 
CARBINE

A carbine is a firearm similar to a rifle in form and intended usage, but generally shorter
or smaller than the typical "full-size" hunting or battle rifle of a similar time period, and
sometimes using a smaller or less-powerful cartridge. Carbines were and are typically
used by members of the military in roles that are expected to engage in combat, but
where a full-size rifle would be an impediment to the primary duties of that soldier
(vehicle drivers, field commanders and support staff, airborne troops, engineers, etc.).
Carbines are also common in law enforcement and among civilian owners where similar
size, space and/or power concerns may exist. Carbines, like rifles, can be single-shot,
repeating-action, semi-automatic or select-fire/fully automatic, generally depending on
the time period and intended market. its barrel rifle measuring not longer that 22 inches.

MACHINE GUN

A machine gun is a rapid-firing, rifled long-barrel autoloading firearm designed for

sustained direct fire with fully powered cartridges. Other automatic firearms such
as assault rifles and automatic rifles are really designed more for unleashing short
bursts rather than continuous firepower, and not considered machine guns. Squad
automatic weapons, which fire the same (usually intermediate-powered) cartridge used
by the other riflemen from the same combat unit, are functionally light machine
guns though not called so. Submachine guns, which are capable of continuous rapid fire
but using handgun cartridges, are also not technically regarded as true machine guns. A
machine gun is a fully automatic firearm, most often separated from other classes of
automatic weapons by the use of belt-fed ammunition (though some designs employ
drum, pan or hopper magazines), generally in a rifle-inspired caliber ranging
between 5.56×45mm NATO (.223 Remington) for a light machine gun to as large as .50
BMG or even larger for crewed or aircraft weapons.

SUBMACHINE GUN

A submachine gun is a magazine-fed firearm, usually smaller than other automatic

firearms, that fires pistol-caliber ammunition; for this reason certain submachine guns
can also be referred to as machine pistols, especially when referring to handgun-sized
designs such as the Škorpion vz. 61 and Glock 18. Well-known examples are the
Israeli Uzi and Heckler & Koch MP5 which use the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, and
the American Thompson submachine gun which fires .45 ACP. Because of their small
size and limited projectile penetration compared to high-power rifle rounds, submachine
guns are commonly favored by military, paramilitary and police forces for close-quarters
engagements such as inside buildings, in urban areas or in trench complexes.
Submachine guns were originally about the size of carbines. Because they fire pistol
ammunition, they have limited long-range use, but in close combat can be used in fully
automatic in a controllable manner due to the lighter recoil of the pistol ammunition.
They are also extremely inexpensive and simple to build in time of war, enabling a
nation to quickly arm its military. In the latter half of the 20th century, submachine guns
were being miniaturized to the point of being only slightly larger than some large
handguns. The most widely used submachine gun at the end of the 20th century was
the Heckler & Koch MP5. The MP5 is actually designated as a "machine pistol" by
Heckler & Koch (MP5 stands for Maschinenpistole 5, or Machine Pistol 5), although
some reserve this designation for even smaller submachine guns such as the MAC-10
and Glock 18, which are about the size and shape of pistols.

BASIC PARTS OF FIREARM

 Extractor – causes the empty shell to be withdrawn or pull out from chamber
 Ejector – causes the empty shell to be thrown out of the firearm
 Barrel – initiate paths of bullet
 Center pin – serve as locking device for the cylinder
 Flash hole – where the primer imparts ignition to the gun powder.
 Frame – houses of the internal parts
 Hammer – push the firing pin
 Ratchet – device used to help in the withdrawal of the cartridge of shells from the
chamber of the cylinder.
 Trigger – activates the part necessary to fire the weapon
 Trigger Guard – prevents the trigger from unnecessary action to avoid accidental firing
 Yoke – connecting pivot between frame and cylinder
 Bore –The bore in the inside of the buns barrel through which the projectile travels when
fired
 Breech – The Breech is the area of the firearm that contains the rear end of the barrel,
where the cartridge is inserted
 Grip – The Grip is the portion of a handgun that’s used to hold the firearm.
 Magazine – A Magazine is a spring-operated container, that can be fixed or detachable,
which holds cartridges for a repeating firearm.
 Muzzle – The muzzle of a gun is the front end of the barrel where the projectile exits the
firearm.

Most Firearms have similar parts, pictured below are the parts that one would find
on a rifle.

Shotguns are a type of firearm that fires shells containing either shot (small
round pellets) or a slug (a solid projectile). Below are the parts of a common
pump-action shotgun.
General composition of a sub-machine gun

Additional physical properties are usually necessary to identify a firearm or its parts. A
serial number is usually indelibly stamped on the firearm although these are sometimes
removed to hide the provenance of the firearm.

Other identifying features are the name of the manufacturer, branding and additional

markings added during production, import or acquisition. Detailed aspects of the
physical design of the rearm are also important. In general, identification requires a
combination of all the physical characteristics of a firearm, and not just the serial
number (UNODC 2015, p.82)

LESSON 3
5 PRINCIPLES OF MARKSMANSHIP

1.   Sight picture

2.   Natural alignment

3.   Breathing

4.   Trigger control

5.   Follow through

 
SIGHT PICTURE

·         Sight Alignment it the most critical aspect of aiming.

·         It is the alignment of the eye, rear sight and front sight.

·         Shooter must have a proper sight alignment while centering the target to obtain
proper picture

The eye

·         The eye only focus on one thing at a time, the main focal point should be the front
sight.

·         The shooter should move their focus in the sight alignment process.

-          From front sight to target

-          Back to front sight

-          To rear sight and

-          Back to front sight to squeeze the trigger

NATURAL ALIGNMENT

·         Natural alignment is obtained when the gun can be perfectly aimed at the target
without using muscles

·         To acquire proper natural alignment follow these steps.

1.   Look through the sights and acquire a proper sight picture.

2.   Close eyes, take normal breath and relax into a comfortable position.

3.   If directly centred with the target, the shooter will need to re-orient their position
slightly.

4.   If the shooter moves their position he must check his natural alignment again until it
is perfect.

BREATHING
·         Important to supply energy to the muscles and refresh the muscles in the eyes.

·         In between breathes shooter can make sure he is on the appropriate target

·         For maximum stability athletes must stop breathing when taking the shot (called
the HOLD)

·         Beginners have a harder time calming down for the first shoot.

·         Follow this routine for each bout in the range.

1.   Take 5 deep breaths before getting into position.

2.   Take 2 breaths for each shot.

·         First breath

-          Check natural alignment

-          Muscles relaxed, sights moving vertically

·         Breathe all way out

-          See a perfect sight picture

·         Second breath

-          Relax, get ready to commit to shot

·         Breathe out

-          See a perfect sight picture

·         HOLD is critical between breathing and releasing shot

-          Sights must be perfectly still

-          The most focus is required at this point

-          A hold must last no longer that 5 seconds

TRIGER CONTROL

·         Squeezing the trigger is constant, controlled, slow and deliberate.

·         It should be done without any movements in the foresight

·         The trigger goes in front of the first joint.

-          More feeling at this point

·         The squeeze takes place at the second joint like a hinge.

-          Allows the trigger to come straight backwards. The first joint would wrap around
the trigger causing movement.

·         The shooter should have a firm grip on the hand grip. Not too soft or not too hard.

·         Allow the finger to bend naturally when placed on the trigger.

·         The amount of pressure when squeezing the trigger should be equal to the
pressure on the hand grip.

FOLLOW THROUGH

·         Staying at the aim after the shot has been released. It helps to develop a proper
HOLD, maintain stability, ensure no movement of the gun as the shot has been fired
and calling shots.

·         As a shooter gain more experience it is easier to see any movement (call the
shot).

·         Follow through does not take long. It will decrease errors for shooter who attempt
to switch diagrams too early or leave the range too quickly before the shot release.

·         The shooter should:

1.   Squeeze the trigger, releasing a shot

2.   Keep the trigger squeeze back

3.   Exhale the rest of the oxygen out

4.   Breath in

5.   Breath out

6.   See a perfect sight

7.   Change diagrams

LESSON 4
HISTORY OF FIREARM LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES

Gun control was a small issue in the Philippines. However, this became an issue during
the various armed insurgencies that plagued the country in the 1960s and 1970s by
Islamic militants in Mindanao and communist groups throughout the country.

Strict gun control was enacted in 1972 under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos.
Under Proclamation No. 1081, citizens were banned from carrying a firearm outside of
their residences. Though, despite the government claims that this was a temporary gun
control law, citizens often fell victim to door-to-door searches for firearms. Confiscated
firearms were not returned.

During the 2010 election season, on January 10, a ban was implemented which
completely prohibited citizens from carrying firearms into the public, with no exceptions.
Off-duty police officers carrying their guns in the public were arrested for failure to
comply with the law. This gun ban was a measure to prevent political killings, as the
Philippines often deals with armed conflict during elections such as the Maguindanao
Massacre.[3] This move saw opposition from the gun lobby, especially from members
of PROGUN.

On May 29, 2014 Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act 10591.[4] This required

gunsmiths to contain licenses to repair registered firearms. The law also required gun
owners to renew their licenses every two years, and registration of their guns every four
years. Failure to comply will result in revocation as well as confiscation of guns.

This new law also required people who wish to carry their firearms outside of their
residence to apply for a Permit to Carry, under good reason. These permits are often
given to high-profile people.

LEGAL SOURCES OF FIREARM IN PHILIPPINES

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10591

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LAW ON FIREARMS AND

AMMUNITION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive Firearms and
Ammunition Regulation Act".

Section 2. Declaration of State Policy. – It is the policy of the State to maintain peace
and order and protect the people against violence. The State also recognizes the right
of its qualified citizens to self-defense through, when it is the reasonable means to repel
the unlawful aggression under the circumstances, the use of firearms. Towards this end,
the State shall provide for a comprehensive law regulating the ownership, possession,
carrying, manufacture, dealing in and importation of firearms, ammunition, or parts
thereof, in order to provide legal support to law enforcement agencies in their campaign
against crime, stop the proliferation of illegal firearms or weapons and the illegal
manufacture of firearms or weapons, ammunition and parts thereof.

OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION OF FIREARMS

Section 4. Standards and Requisites for Issuance of and Obtaining a License to Own
and Possess Firearms. – In order to qualify and acquire a license to own and possess a
firearm or firearms and ammunition, the applicant must be a Filipino citizen, at least
twenty-one (21) years old and has gainful work, occupation or business or has filed an
Income Tax Return (ITR) for the preceding year as proof of income, profession,
business or occupation.

In addition, the applicant shall submit the following certification issued by appropriate
authorities attesting the following:

(a) The applicant has not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude;

(b) The applicant has passed the psychiatric test administered by a PNP-accredited
psychologist or psychiatrist;

(c) The applicant has passed the drug test conducted by an accredited and authorized
drug testing laboratory or clinic;

(d) The applicant has passed a gun safety seminar which is administered by the PNP or
a registered and authorized gun club;

(e) The applicant has filed in writing the application to possess a registered firearm
which shall state the personal circumstances of the applicant;

(f) The applicant must present a police clearance from the city or municipality police
office; and
(g) The applicant has not been convicted or is currently an accused in a pending
criminal case before any court of law for a crime that is punishable with a penalty of
more than two (2) years.

For purposes of this Act, an acquittal or permanent dismissal of a criminal case before
the courts of law shall qualify the accused thereof to qualify and acquire a license.

The applicant shall pay the reasonable licensing fees as may be provided in the
implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

Section 5. Ownership of Firearms and Ammunition by a Juridical Entity. – A juridical

person maintaining its own security force may be issued a regular license to own and
possess firearms and ammunition under the following conditions:

(a) It must be Filipino-owned and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC);

(b) It is current, operational and a continuing concern;

(c) It has completed and submitted all its reportorial requirements to the SEC; and

(d) It has paid all its income taxes for the year, as duly certified by the Bureau of Internal
Revenue.

The application shall be made in the name of the juridical person represented by its
President or any of its officers mentioned below as duly authorized in a board resolution
to that effect: Provided, That the officer applying for the juridical entity, shall possess all
the qualifications required of a citizen applying for a license to possess firearms.

Other corporate officers eligible to represent the juridical person are: the vice president,
treasurer, and board secretary.

Security agencies and LGUs shall be included in this category of licensed holders but
shall be subject to additional requirements as may be required by the Chief of the PNP.

Section 7. Carrying of Firearms Outside of Residence or Place of Business. – A permit

to carry firearms outside of residence shall be issued by the Chief of the PNP or his/her
duly authorized representative to any qualified person whose life is under actual threat
or his/her life is in imminent danger due to the nature of his/her profession, occupation
or business.

It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove that his/her life is under actual threat by
submitting a threat assessment certificate from the PNP.

For purposes of this Act, the following professionals are considered to be in imminent
danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business:
(a) Members of the Philippine Bar;

(b) Certified Public Accountants;

(c) Accredited Media Practitioners;

(d) Cashiers, Bank Tellers;

(e) Priests, Ministers, Rabbi, Imams;

(f) Physicians and Nurses;

(g) Engineers; and

 Businessmen, who by the nature of their business or undertaking, are exposed to

high risk of being targets of criminal elements.

LESSON 5
LESSON 5 REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF FIREARM

REGISTRATION AND LICENSING

Section 8. Authority to Issue License. – The Chief of the PNP, through the FEO of the
PNP, shall issue licenses to qualified individuals and to cause the registration of
firearms.

Section 9. Licenses Issued to Individuals. – Subject to the requirements set forth in this
Act and payment of required fees to be determined by the Chief of the PNP, a qualified
individual may be issued the appropriate license under the following categories;

Type 1 license – allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of two (2) registered
firearms;

Type 2 license – allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of five (5) registered
firearms;

Type 3 license – allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of ten (10) registered
firearms;

Type 4 license – allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of fifteen (15)
registered firearms; and
Type 5 license – allows a citizen, who is a certified gun collector, to own and possess
more than fifteen (15) registered firearms.

For Types 1 to 5 licenses, a vault or a container secured by lock and key or other
security measures for the safekeeping of firearms shall be required.

For Types 3 to 5 licenses, the citizen must comply with the inspection and bond
requirements.

Section 10. Firearms That May Be Registered. – Only small arms may be registered by
licensed citizens or licensed juridical entities for ownership, possession and concealed
carry. A light weapon shall be lawfully acquired or possessed exclusively by the AFP,
the PNP and other law enforcement agencies authorized by the President in the
performance of their duties: Provided, That private individuals who already have
licenses to possess Class-A light weapons upon the effectivity of this Act shall not be
deprived of the privilege to continue possessing the same and renewing the licenses
therefor, for the sole reason that these firearms are Class "A" light weapons, and shall
be required to comply with other applicable provisions of this Act.

Section 11. Registration of Firearms. – The licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity

shall register his/her/its firearms so purchased with the FEO of the PNP in accordance
with the type of license such licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity possesses. A
certificate of registration of the firearm shall be issued upon payment of reasonable
fees.

For purposes of this Act, registration refers to the application, approval, record-keeping
and monitoring of firearms with the FEO of the PNP in accordance with the type of
license issued to any person under Section 9 of this Act.

Section 12. License to Possess Ammunition Necessarily Included. – The licenses

granted to qualified citizens or juridical entities as provided in Section 9 of this Act shall
include the license to possess ammunition with a maximum of fifty (50) rounds for each
registered firearm: Provided; That the FEO of the PNP may allow more ammunition to
be possessed by licensed sports shooters.

PENAL PROVISIONS

Section 28. Unlawful Acquisition, or Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. – The

unlawful acquisition, possession of firearms and ammunition shall be penalized as
follows:

(a) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person
who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a small arm;
(b) The penalty of reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua shall be imposed if three (3)
or more small arms or Class-A light weapons are unlawfully acquired or possessed by
any person;

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-A light weapon;

(d) The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall,
unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-B light weapon;

(e) The penalty of one (1) degree higher than that provided in paragraphs (a) to (c) in
this section shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully possess any firearm
under any or combination of the following conditions:

(1) Loaded with ammunition or inserted with a loaded magazine;

(2) Fitted or mounted with laser or any gadget used to guide the shooter to hit the target
such as thermal weapon sight (TWS) and the like;

(3) Fitted or mounted with sniper scopes, firearm muffler or firearm silencer;

(4) Accompanied with an extra barrel; and

(5) Converted to be capable of firing full automatic bursts.

(f) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a small arm;

(g) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a small arm or Class-A
light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged
with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a small arm, the former violation shall be
absorbed by the latter;

 The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-A light weapon;

(i) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person
who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a Class-A light weapon. If the
violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful
acquisition or possession of a Class-A light weapon, the former violation shall be
absorbed by the latter;
(j) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-B light weapon;
and

(k) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any
person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a Class-B light weapon.
If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the
unlawful acquisition or possession of a Class-B light weapon, the former violation shall
be absorbed by the latter.

Section 39. Grounds for Revocation, Cancellation or Suspension of License or

Permit. – The Chief of the PNP or his/her authorized representative may revoke, cancel
or suspend a license or permit on the following grounds:

(a) Commission of a crime or offense involving the firearm, ammunition, of major parts
thereof;

(b) Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or any offense where the penalty
carries an imprisonment of more than six (6) years;

(c) Loss of the firearm, ammunition, or any parts thereof through negligence;

(d) Carrying of the firearm, ammunition, or major parts thereof outside of residence or
workplace without, the proper permit to carry the same;

(e) Carrying of the firearm, ammunition, or major parts thereof in prohibited places;

(f) Dismissal for cause from the service in case of government official and employee;

(g) Commission of any of the acts penalized under Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise
known as the "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002″;

 Submission of falsified documents or misrepresentation in the application to obtain

a license or permit;

(i) Noncompliance of reportorial requirements; and

(j) By virtue of a court order.

LESSON 6
 AMMUNITION, CARTRIDGE CASE, BULLET, SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE AND GUN
POWDER

1.      Ammunition – (also called Cartridge or Round)

Legal Meaning. Ammunition refers to “loaded shell” for rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns,
revolvers and pistols from which a ball, bullet, shot, shell or other missile may be fired by means
of gun powder or other explosives (National Internal Revenue Code, Chapter 7, section 290 and
Revised Administrative Code, Sec. 877).

Technical Meaning. Ammunition refers to a group of cartridges or to a single unit cartridge –

meaning a complete unfired unit consisting of a bullet, cartridge case, gun powder and primer.

2.      Cartridge case (Also known as Bullet case; casing or Shell) – the tubular metallic
container of the gun powder.

Parts of Cartridge case

1.      Rim – serves the purpose of limiting the forward travel of cartridges into their chambers
and thus also limit the clearance, if any, between the heads and the supporting.

2.      Primer pocket – hold primer securely in central position. It provides a means to prevent
the escape of the gas to the rear of the cartridge. It also provides a solid sipport for primer anvils,
without which, the latter could not be fired.

3.      Vent or Flush hole – the hole in the web or bottom of the primer pocket through which the
primer flash provides ignition to the powder charge. It is the opening or canal that connects the
priming mixture with gunpowder.

4.      Head and boy – constitute the corks that plug the breech of the barrel against the escape of
the gas.

5.      Neck – that part of the cartdige case that is occupied by the bullet.

6.      Cannelures  - are the serrated groves that are sometimes found into the necks and bodies
of the cases at the location of the bases of the bullet to prevent the bullet from being  pushed
back or loosened.

7.      Crimp – the part of the mouth of the case that is turned in upon the bullet. It aids in
holding the bullet in place and it offers resistance to the movement of the bullet out of the neck
which affects the burning of the gunpowder.

8.      Base – the bottom portion of the case which holds the primer which contains the priming
mixture and the shell head which contains the head stamp, calibre and the year of manufacture.

9.      Shoulder – the portion which supports the neck.

10.  Extracting groove – the circular groove near the base of the shell designed for the
automatic withdrawal of the case after firing.

Types of cartridge case according to type of firearms

a.      Revolver cartridges

b.      Pistol cartridges

c.       Rifle cartridges

d.      Shotgun cartridges

Types of cartridges case according to location of primer

a.      Needle-fire cartridges (obsolete)

b.      Pin-fire cartridges (obsolete)

c.       Rim-fire cartridges

d.       Center-fire cartridges

Types of cartridges case according to shape

a.      Straight

b.      Tapered

c.       Bottleneck

Types of cartridges case according to rim design

a.      Rimmed type

b.      Semi-rimmed type

c.       Rimless type

3.      Bullet – the projectile propelled through the barrel of a firearm by means of the expansive
forces of gases coming from burning gunpowder.
Different types of bullet heads

a.      Jacketed soft point

b.      Full metal jacket

c.       Semi jacketed hallow point

d.      Jacketed hollow point

e.      Wad cutter

f.        Flat point jacketed

g.      Lead round nose

h.      Semi-wad cutter

4.      Shotgun Cartridges

a.      Rim

b.      Brass head

c.       Shell case

d.      Wad

e.      Shots

f.        Primer

g.      Gunpowder

Shotgun modern cartridges as alternative shotgun cartridge

a.      Primer

b.      Gunpowder

c.       Wad

d.      Slug casing (for sabot shell only)

e.      Slug flechette (for flechette only)

5.      Gunpowder – also called as propellant or powder charge. When gunpowder is ignited by

the primer flush, is converted to heated gas under high pressure and propels the bullet or shots
charge through the barrel and to the target. Forms of gunpowder are black powder and smokeless
powder, are substance that burns very rapidly, releasing gases that act as propellant in firearms.
Both forms of gunpowder are low explosives. As it burns, a subsonic deflagration wave is
produced rather than the supersonic detonation wave which high explosives produce. As a result,
pressure generated inside the gun are sufficient to propel a bullet, but not sufficient to destroy the
barrel.

LESSON 7
               INTERNAL OR INTERIOR BALLISTIC

Interior Ballistics

It is the study of motion of projectiles within the gun barrel. The time during which the
projectile is influenced by Interior Ballistics is very short. From the release of the firing
pin to the moment the sound of the shot can be heard as it leaves the muzzle occupies
only about 0.01 seconds, in a modern rifle.

 Interior ballistics involves: 

1.   Ignition of the primer.

2.   Flames is produced

3.   Combustion of the gunpowder

4.   Energy that is generated

5.   Force/Pressure developed

6.   Velocity of the bullet (from the chamber to the muzzle)

7.   Rotation of the bullet

8.   Engraving of the cylindrical surface of the bullet.

 
Interior ballistics deals with the temperature, volume, and pressure of the gases
resulting from combustion of the propellant charge in the gun; it also deals with the work
performed by the expansion of these gases on the gun, its carriage, and the projectile.
Some of the critical elements involved in the study of interior ballistics are the
relationship of the weight of charge to the weight of projectile; the length of bore; the
optimum size, shape, and density of the propellant grains for different guns; and the
related problems of maximum and minimum muzzle pressures.

Note the following: 

The British engineer Benjamin Robins conducted many experiments in interior

ballistics. His findings justly entitle him to be called the father of modern gunnery. 

Late in the 18th century the Anglo-American physicist Benjamin Thompson made

the first attempt to measure the pressure generated by gunpowder. The account of his
experiments was the most important contribution to interior ballistics that had been
made up to that time.

About 1760 French ballisticians determined the relationship of muzzle velocity to length

of barrel by measuring the velocity of a musket ball and cutting off a portion of the barrel
before taking the velocity of the next shot. By using the results of these experiments and
advances in chemistry and thermodynamics, ballisticians developed formulas showing
the relationship between muzzle velocity and weight and shape of projectile; weight,
type, and grain size of powder charge; pressure and temperature in the barrel; and the
size of the powder chamber and the length of the barrel.

Related Terms in Interior Ballistics

1.   Action – term referring to the mechanism of a firearm.

2.   Burning Rate - An arbitrary index of the quickness that burning propellant changes

into gas. Burning rate is controlled by the chemical composition, the size and shape of
the propellant grains, and the pressure at which the burning takes place. IMR 5010
powder is very slow burning and Bulls eye is fast burning.

3.   Bulk Density - The ratio of the weight of a given volume of powder vs. the weight of
the same volume of water.

4.   Chamber Pressure – the pressure generated within the chamber erroneously

called breeched pressure.
5.   Charge Weight to Bullet Weight ratio - This is the ratio of the weight of the
powder charge to the weight of the projectile.

6.   Detonation – Chemical rearrangement of molecules into gas instead of solids to

cause the high explosives to exert full power of shock. The speed of detonation varies in
different explosive but in some it is as high as 7000 yards in a second.

7.   Energy - is measured in foot-pounds, and one foot-pound means that amount of

energy, which would be capable of lifting a weight of one pound through a distance of
one foot Drop-Block Action- That type of action in which the breechblock rises and
forces vertically in cuts in the receiver side walls.  Lever actuated as a rule.

8.   Expansion Ratio - The ratio of the capacity of the powder chamber plus bore (in
grains of water) to the capacity of the powder chamber (in grains of water).

9.   Foot – Pound - the amount of work required to raise one pound one foot high
against the force of gravity.

10.                Foot second - velocity expressed in foot per second.

11.                Gas - a fluid resulting from the combustion of gun powder with a relatively
great expansion and spontaneous tendency.

12.                Hangfire - Occurs when a cartridge fails to explode on time or delayed in

firing.

13.                Knocking Power - the power of the bullet which delivers a very heavy
paralyzing blow that put the victim down and may then recover if the wound inflicted
upon is not fatal.

14.                Loading Density - The ratio of the weight of the powder charge to the
capacity of the powder chamber (case).  It is usually expressed as the ratio of the
charge weight to the capacity the powder chamber in grains of water. (See below.)
Generally, the more fully the powder charge fills the case the more consistent and
accurate the load will be.  On the other hand if the loading density is too low, (too much
free space in the case) it can cause erratic ignition, change in the pressure curve
(moving the peak towards the muzzle), or even overly rapid burning ("detonation") of the
powder charge. (One reason manuals list minimum or starting loads.)

15.                Misfire – total failure of a cartridge to discharge. This is different from

hang fire which merely a delayed combustion, while misfire a complete failure eve to
start combustion.

16.                Powder Chamber Capacity - As with most interior ballistics capacity

measurements it is usually expressed in grains of water. It is determined by measuring
the weight of water that a fired case from the test firearm can contain with a bullet
seated to its normal depth. Note that this varies with different bullets or seating depth as
well as the dimensions of the chamber, and the brand of case.

17.                Pressure – Outward push of gases from powder combustion against

cartridge case, chamber and bore.

18.                Sectional Density - The ratio of the bullet's weight (in pounds) to its
diameter.

19.                PSI - Pounds per square inch. It is often seen designated as PSIA. This
designation is now used to signify a measurement of chamber pressure taken with a
piezo-electric device. Piezo-electric units operate in a similar fashion to the copper
crusher units but use a reusable crystal "crusher" that changes its electrical properties
in response to pressure. When connected to suitable recording equipment the entire
pressure pulse history can be recorded or displayed. The peak pressure recorded by a
piezo-electric peak device usually reads about 5,000 psi higher than the figure
determined by the copper crusher method.

20.                Recoil – the equal and opposite reaction of the gun against the forward
movement of the bullet during the explosions.

21.                Residual Pressure – the pressure remaining in the chamber after the

bullet has left the barrel.

LESSON 8
Exterior Ballistics 

Exterior Ballistics deals with the motion of projectiles from the time they leave the
muzzle of the firearm to the time they hit the target. The flight of most bullet or projectile
does not exceed 30 seconds at maximum range, which for almost any firearms is
obtained at an elevation of about 33.

CONDITIONS - refers to the natural laws.

a.    velocity - speed per unit of time ex. M16 - 3,300 ft/sec.

b.   energy - fatal equivalent of a bullet.

c.    yaw - the unstable rotating motion of a bullet.

d.   gyroscopic action -  refers to the stillness of its rotating motion and attained its
highest  momentum or stability in flight and penetrating power.
 

In exterior ballistics, elements such as shape, caliber, weight, initial velocities,

rotation, air resistance, and gravity help determine the path of a projectile from the
time it leaves the gun until it reaches the target.

Until the middle of the 16th century it was believed that bullets move in straight lines
from the gun to the target and that shells fired from mortars describe a path made up of
two straight lines joined by an arc of a circle. The Italian mathematician Niccolò
Tartaglia, in a published work on gunnery, claimed that no part of the path of a
projectile could be a straight line and that the greater the velocity of the projectile the
flatter its path. Tartaglia invented the gunner's quadrant used to determine elevation of
the muzzle of a gun.  He is and Italian scientist who a book in which he said that the
trajectory of a bullet was really a continuous curve. He directed some firing tests to
determine this angle, and discovered that it was near 45 degrees and he noted that the
trajectory was continuously curve.

Galileo proved that in a vacuum a projectile describes a parabolic arc. The description

of the law of gravitation by the British scientist Sir Isaac Newton made plain the cause
of the curvilinear motion of projectiles. By the use of calculus he determined the
momentum transferred from the projectile to the particles of air at rest; this method of
calculating air drag has been superseded by the use of tables prepared from
experimental firings.

Two methods have been used to determine the velocity of a projectile after it leaves the
gun. One method measures the momentum of the projectile; the other measures the
time required for the projectile to travel a given distance. The first method is the older,
and in the past, when guns and projectiles were small, velocities low, and ranges short,
the results were sufficiently accurate for most practical purposes. The ballistic pendulum
and gun pendulum were used to measure projectile momentum, but these devices have
been supplanted by cheaper and more accurate machines working on the principles of
the second method.

The ballistic pendulum was developed about 1743 by Robins, who was the first to

undertake a systematic series of experiments to determine the velocity of projectiles.
The principle of the ballistic pendulum, as well as of the gun pendulum, which was
developed by Thompson, is the transfer of momentum from a projectile with a small
mass and a high velocity to a large mass with a resultant low velocity.

The ballistic pendulum consisted of a massive plate of iron to which was bolted a block
of wood to receive the impact of the projectile; the pendulum was suspended freely from
a horizontal axis. The block, when struck by the projectile, recoiled through a certain arc
that was easily measured. Knowing the arc of recoil and the masses of the projectile
and the pendulum, the velocity of the projectile could be determined by calculation. The
ballistic pendulum was able to withstand the impact of musket balls only; however, by
determining the relations that should exist between the caliber, length of barrel, and
charge of power, Robins substantially advanced the science of gunnery.

By the second method, the velocity of a projectile is determined by measuring the time
required for it to travel a known length of its path. Numerous machines have been
devised for this purpose; in 1840 the British physicist Sir Charles
Wheatstone suggested the use of electricity for measuring small intervals of time. This
suggestion led to the development of the chronograph, a device for recording, by
electrical means, the time required for a projectile to pass between two screens of fine
wire.

The formulas and tables for the exterior ballistics of each new type of gun or cannon are
more or less empirical and must be tested by actual experiment before the aiming
devices can be accurately calibrated.

Further, exterior (external) ballistics refers to the attributes and movements of the bullet
after it has left the gun muzzle. It includes:

1.   Muzzle blast - the noise created at the muzzle point of the gun due to the sudden
escape of the expanding gas coming in contact with the air in the surrounding atmos-
phere at the muzzle point.

2.   Muzzle energy - energy generated at the muzzle point.

3.   Trajectory - the actual curved path of the bullet during its flight from the gun muzzle
to the target.  The following are the kinds of trajectory: straight horizontal line -
parabola-like flight - vertical drop

4.   Range - the straight distance between the muzzle point and the target.

a.    Accurate (effective) range - the distance within the shooter has control of his shots,
meaning he can place his shots at the desired spots.

b.   Maximum range - the farthest distance that a projectile can be propelled from a
firearm.

* While the range at which the ordinary pistol and revolver are supposed to
be effective in only 50-70 yards, all of them can send their bullets much further than
that and are capable of inflicting fatal wounds at distances up to one mile, depending
on the caliber and gunpowder content.

5.   Velocity - rate of speed of the bullet per unit of time.

Long barrel rifle – up to 3,000 yards accurate range and its hinge muzzle velocity of
1000-4000 ft./sec.

* Bullets from rifled weapons spin at 2000-3000 revolutions per second, but over the
first few yards of trajectory – distance varies with the weapon – their flight is slightly
unstable; the end of the projectile wobbles before it picks up a smooth flight path.  This
phenomenon is called “TAILWAG”, and is of considerable important in evaluating
gunshot wounds.  A bullet with “tailwag” does not strike its target clearly.

6.   Air resistance - resistance encountered by the bullet while in flight.

7.   Pull of gravity - downward reaction of the bullet while in flight.

8.   Penetration - depth of entry on target.

Note on the following Terms in Exterior Ballistics:

1. Accuracy Range – The maximum distance at which a particular gun and

cartridges will consistently place all shots in the standard target for that distance.
2. Accurate Range – The distance within which the shooter has control of his
shots.

3.   Back Curve - This is that portion of the bullets trajectory that drops below the critical
zone beyond the point blank range. Past this point the trajectory begins to drop off very
rapidly with range and the point of impact becomes very difficult to estimate.

4. Ballistic Coefficient – The means that the bullet may lose its speed very rapidly
during its flight the air. This is a number that relates to the effect of air drag on
the bullet's flight and which can be used to later predict a bullet's trajectory under
different circumstances through what are called "drag tables." 
 5. Bullet Energy – the power possessed by a moving bullet, or in other words, its
ability to keep going when it meets an obstacle and to do work on the obstacle is
immense importance, for obviously the more power a bullet has an the harder it
is to stop the more effective it can be as a weapon

6.   Bullet Trajectory - This is the bullet's path as it travels down range. It is parabolic in
shape and because the line of the bore is below the line of sight at the muzzle and
angled upward, the bullet's path crosses the line of sight at two locations.

7.   Critical Zone - This is the area of the bullet's path where it neither rises nor falls
greater than the dimension specified. Most shooters set this as ± 3" to 4" from the line of
sight, although other dimensions are sometimes used. The measurement is usually
based on one-half of the vital zone of the usual target. Typical vital zones diameters are
often given as: 3" to 4" for small game, and 6" to 8" for big game and anti-personnel
use.

8. Drift - is the curve taken by the bullet while in flight. A right hand rifling curves to
the right while that of the left and rifling curves to the left.
9. Effective Range- The maximum distance at which a bullet may reasonably be
expected to travel accurately and kill a particular type of live targe
10. Extreme Range – The greatest distance the bullet will travel when the cartridge
is fired.
11. Flat Trajectory - A comparative term used to indicate very little curvature in the
flight in the bullet from muzzle to point of impact. When the velocity is high,
comparatively flat trajectory.
12. Gallery Range - The indoor target range. National rifle association of America,
gallery rules required stance from firing point to target of 50 feet or 75 feet for.22
rim fire riffle; 50 feet or 60 feet for .22rim-fire pistols. On properly constructed
indoor ranges, firing may be conducted with center fire pistol and revolvers at
ranges of 25 yards and 50 yards. Such installation are generally referred to as
“indoor range” the term “gallery” being applied usually only to the short range .22
caliber installation.
13. Gallery Range - The indoor target range. National rifle association of America,
gallery rules required stance from firing point to target of 50 feet or 75 feet for.22
rim fire riffle; 50 feet or 60 feet for .22rim-fire pistols. On properly constructed
indoor ranges, firing may be conducted with center fire pistol and revolvers at
ranges of 25 yards and 50 yards. Such installation are generally referred to as
“indoor range” the term “gallery” being applied usually only to the short range .22
caliber installation.

14.               Initial Point - The range at which the bullet's trajectory first crosses the line
of sight. This is normally occurs at a range of about 25 yards.

15. Instrument Velocity - the velocity of a projectile measured by the scientific

instrument called chronograph, at a specified point on its trajectory. Always lower
than the muzzle velocity.
 16. Key-hole Shot – the tumbling of the bullet in its flight and hitting the target
sideways as a result of not spinning on its axis.

17.               Maximum Point Blank Range - This is the farthest distance at which the
bullet's path stays within the critical zone. In other words the maximum range at which
you don't have to adjust your point of aim to hit the target's vital zone. Unless there is
some over riding reason to the contrary shots should not generally be attempted much
past this distance. In the words of the Guru, "It is unethical to attempt to take game
beyond 300 meters." If you do, you should write yourself a letter explaining why it was
necessary to do so. An approximate rule of thumb says that the maximum point blank
range is approximately your zero range plus 40 yards.

18. Maximum Range – the farthest distance that a projectile can be propelled from a
firearm.

19.               Maximum Ordinate - This is the maximum height of the projectile's path

above the line of sight for a given point of impact and occurs somewhat past the halfway
point to the zero range and it is determined by your zeroing range.

20.               Mid-range Trajectory - This is the height of the bullets path above the line
of sight at half way to the zero range. It does not occur at the same range as the
maximum ordinate height which can be greater.

21.               Minute of Angle (MOA) - A "minute" of angle is 1/60 of a degree which for

all practical purposes equates to 1 inch per 100 yards of range. Thus 1 MOA at 100
yards is 1 inch and at 300 yards it is 3 inches. The term is commonly used to express
the accuracy potential of a firearm.

22. Point Blank Range – Popularly used to indicate the distance the bullet will travel
before it drops enough to require sight adjustment. A short fired so closed to the
target that no sighting is necessary for effective aiming.
23. Ricochet – The bouncing off or deflection of a bullet from its original trajectory
(normal path) after striking a resistant surface.
24. Shocking Power – the power of the bullet that results in the instantaneous death
of the victim.
25. Stopping Power – the power of the bullet that put the victim out of action
instantly. So it should be understood that stopping power is not necessarily the
same thing as killing power. However, stopping power depends very largely on
the location of the sot.
26. Target – an object at which the firearm is aimed and discharged.
27. True Drop – the actual distance the bullet falls during the time of flight to the
target.  This is not the same as what we speak of when we discuss drop in the
ordinary sense, which is more properly termed effective or apparent drop
28. Zero Range - This is the farthest distance at which the line of sight and the
bullet's path intersect.
 

TERMINAL BALLISTICS

It is the study dealing with the effect of the impact of the bullet on the target. Penetration
of the bullet is of prime interest. Penetration is important also in determining safety
requirements for target backstops. They are important to both sportsman and military.

TERMINAL BALLISTICS involves:

1.       Terminal accuracy - size of the bullet grouping on the target.

2.       Terminal energy - energy of the projectile when it strikes the target. Also known
as striking energy.

3.       Terminal penetration - depth of entry of the bullet in the target.

4.       Terminal velocity - speed of the bullet upon striking the target.

Terminal ballistics also deals with the destructive actions and effects that occur at the
end of the projectile's flight as an integral and un-de¬formed body.  The flight may end
in one of two ways:

1.       the projectile may strike a solid obstruction, or

2.       its metal case may be broken by the explosion of a burst¬ing charge

LESSON
Preparatory Marksmanship

We are not to take the heart of our subject- Preparatory Marksmanship. All
marksmanship trainings that takes place before live firing or range firing is called
Preparatory Marksmanship or its equivalent terms in a different law enforcement
agencies trainings. Marksmanship is defined as the skilful art of shooting and hitting the
target at a given or known distance.

In order to understand the lesson in this chapter, you must read by yourself, listen to the
lecture and keenly observe the demonstration.

Basic gun Safety

The four rules of gun safety provide an almost complete guide to prevent any accident.
If you are a gun owner, you must make these rules bery important to you. You must be
a responsible and safe gun owner. The PSBRC Module II on Police Tactical Responses
identified four rules of gun safety:

1.     Consider every gun as loaded

Every gun is a potential for danger. Accidents may happen by thinking or presuming
that the gun is not loaded. If you always assumed that the gun is loaded, you will avoid
accidents to happen.

2.     Never let the muzzle of the gun point at anything you don’t intend to shoot

If a gun is fired accidentally, the chances of harming anybody can be avoided if it is

pointed to a safe direction. Do not let the muzzle point at people or at surfaces which
can be penetrated and where there maybe people.

3.     Keep your trigger finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire

A gun will not fire unless the trigger is deliberately pressed. Do not touch the trigger until
you have set your gun sights on the target and you are ready to shoot.

4.     Be sure of your target and what is behind it

When you have made a decision to shoot, make sure you know where the bullet ends
up. If you miss, the bullet can hit an innocent bystander or go through a wall and hit
someone behind.

Essential Gun safety Rules

1.     Be sure the gun is safe to operate. A gun that has been neglected or that is very
old may not be safe to use, some of the older guns manufacturers should not use
modern ammunitions.

2.     If you don’t know anything about the gun, seek the help of knowledgeable person.
If you are in a position to use a gun at a range or while recreationally shooting outdoors
and you are not familiar with the gun and then ask the owner. Almost every gun model
operates model operates differently from others.

3.     Know how to use the gun safely. Don’t pretend to know what you are doing when
shooting outdoor. It is always better to ask questions on matters you do not know. Don’t
be afraid of about looking less that macho. If grievous mistake make while handling a
gun, then how would you look.

4.     Use appropriate ammunition for the gun. It is not justification that if an ammunition
fits to any gun then it can be used as ammunition for firing. This may cause damage to
the gun may caused an accident to the one who used it. Ammunition with extra powder
is often labelled as “+P or +P+” that may blow up the barrel.

5.     Carry only one calibre cartridge or shell at a time. This will reduce of possibility of
using the wrong ammunition in your firearm.

6.     Wear eye and ears protectors. Always wear appropriate protective eyeglasses as
alternative to protect your eyes during firing. You may also make use of safe ear
protection as alternative measure to avoid damage of your ear internal parts.

7.     Never take away the firearm from someone by pulling on the barrel. If the finger in
on the trigger, pulling the barrel could discharge the gun and may injure you or another.

8.     Never use drugs and drink alcohol before or during shooting. Alcohol and drugs
impair one’s judgement, thus mistakes may happen.

9.     Never shoot to water to avoid ricochet. If someone fires to the water, this may
cause the bullet to change its direction and may cause injury to someone around.

10.   Store guns and ammunitions not accessible to unauthorized people. Place of

storage should be out of reach of children and other people that may use the gun way
around. Make a proper storage area of your gun and ammunitions to avoid loss and
accidents.

11.    Store firearms and ammunitions separately. Store ammunition where it cannot get
to much moist or in an area which is not excessively hot.

12.     Always obey firing range rules and commands of a range safety officer.

13.     Never rely solely on the safety device of the gun. Mechanical safeties have been
known to fail. If you know the so-called Murphy’s Law “Safety levers or buttons are
going to fail at the worst possible moment”.

14.     Read and fully understand the manual of the gun. The Gun manufacturers are
concerned about the gun safety rules. Ever gun product has it manual that contains how
the gun is to be operated, cleaned, assemble or dissemble, etc.

15.     Never play with a firearm even if you are certain that it is unloaded. This habit or
action would condition the mind of others specially minors who would regard gun safety
as less important.

16.     Be sure that the barrel is clear from obstructions. An obstruction inside the barrel
such as bullet or bullet jacket case can destroy the usefulness of the gun and could
cause severe injury to death. If the discharge of the cartridge seemed a bit different in
sound or recoil, the gun should be pointed to a safe direction for 30 second to 2 minutes
in case of hang fire. The barrel then should be checked for obstruction afterwards. A
hang fire occurs when the gun does not immediately discharge, but discharges a few
minutes later.

LESSON
Principle of Marksmanship

There are seven ways to learn for a preparatory marksmanship. 1) comfortable stance;
2) steady position; 3) aiming point; 4) breath control; 5) trigger control; 6) proper grip
and 7) firing position. These are explained and/or illustrated in detail below.

1.      Make use of a comfortable stance

The excellence of the stance is a major factor in creating conditions for maximum
control. Every individual processes a combination of individual characteristics that is
peculiar to him alone. Examples of these are height, weight and proportion of the body
development to muscle system. Therefore, there is no definite purpose of stance that
will apply equally to all shooters. The shooter on the basis of his own peculiar
configuration must find a stance which provides the greatest degree of stability for his
body.

            Main requirements of Stance

a.      Equilibrium and Stability – the greatest possible degree of equilibrium and stability
in the body-weapon system occurs when there is a least possible strain on the shooter’s
muscles.

b.      Head Position – this would allow the efficient use of the eyes of the shooters
throughout the sighting and aiming process. The head should have a natural tilt.

c.       Position of the feet – should be about the width of the shoulders with toes pointed
out slightly.

d.      Legs – should be straight but not tense with the knee joint semi-locked but
relaxed.

e.      Hips – should be level in a natural position.

f.        Non-shooting arm – (one hand shooting only) the non-shooting arm should be
relaxed and put at the chest.

g.      Shooting Arm – should be extended with twist and the elbow locked with strain.
h.      Head and shoulders – should be levelled, no slouching with unnatural tilt to the
head.

i.        Body Weight – should be on the toes and not on the heel, more weight must be at
the forward foot.

2.      Establish a steady Position

This refers to the establishments of a position that allows the weapon to be held still
while it is being fired.

The Elements of Steady Position

a.      Non-firing hand grip – the rifle hand grip rest on the heel of the hand in the form by
the thumb and fingers. Grip is the light rear ward pressure exerted.

b.      Rifle-butt position – the butt of the stock is paced in the pocket of the firing
shoulder, this reduced the effect of recoil and helps ensure a steady position.

c.       Firing hand grip – the firing hand grasps the pistol/rifle grip so that is fits the V
formed by the thumb and forefinger. The forefinger is placed on the trigger so that the
lay of the rifle is not disturbed when trigger is squeezed.

d.      Firing Elbow Placement – the location of the firing elbow is important in providing
balance. The firing elbow should be properly and normally clipped to avoid extra
movement when firing.

e.      Non-firing elbow – position firmly under the rifle to elbow for comfortable and
stable position.

f.        Stock weld – should provide a natural line of sight through the center of the rear
sight aperture to the front sight post and to the target, fire’s neck should be relaxed
check fall into the stock.

3.      Proper placement of aiming point

This refers to the alignment of the rifle/handgun sights with the target. The aiming points
which are commonly used are the six o’clock hold, twelve o’clock hold and center hold.
This is proper aiming when correct sight alignment and sight pictures are established.

Sight alignment is the relationship between the rear sight and the eye. The front sight is
centered in sight notch and the top of the blade is even with the top of the rear sight.
Sight picture is also a relationship between the rear sights and the front sights of the
target with the respect of the eye. This differs from the sight alignment only by adding
the bullseye or aiming position points to the front sight blade.

4.      Breath Control

The third marksmanship fundamental refers to the control of breathing to help keep the
rifle steady. A complete respiratory cycle lasts 4-5 seconds (inhaling and exhaling) and
between each cycle, there is a natural respiratory pause of 1-2 seconds. This pause can
be extended up to 8-10 seconds without any special labor and unpleasant sensations. It
is during this pause between breaths that the shooter shall fire the shot.

The reason is that during the respiratory pause, the breathing muscles are relaxed,
thus, the shooter avoids strain from the diaphragm. Also thingking of the need of breath
does not break the concentration. If the holding of the breath is not sufficient to allow the
shot to be fired within the required time, hold fire, release the trigger and resume normal
breathing and repeat that process.

5.      Trigger Control

It is the independent action of the forefinger on the trigger pulling it straight to the rear
with uniformly increasing pressure until the weapon is fired.

Guideline for proper trigger control:

a.      The trigger finger’s location is where it falls naturally on the trigger.

b.      The slack or free play in the trigger is taken up first.

c.       Apply pressure with the trigger finger only.

d.      Trigger finger must be in an arch position to avoid contact with the side of the gun.

Errors in trigger Control:

Flinching – the muscular tension or reaction in anticipation of the recoil. It includes the
moving of the head, closing of eyes, moving the shoulder to the rear or the combination.

a.      Jerking – an attempt to make pistols fire at a certain distance by rapidly applying

pressure on the trigger.

b.      Follow through – the continued and physical application of the fundamentals after
each round has been fired. The shooter must not shift his position, move his hear or
bring down the pistols for a few seconds.

c.       Calling the Shot – the prediction of the shots where the hits are the target.
 

6.      Proper Grip

Proper grip provides the shoulder with the maximum control of the gun. The most
important feature of the grip is uniformity. To maintain a natural sight alignment, the
shooter must hold the weapon firmly. He must be able to apply positive straight to the
rear pressure on the trigger that will not disturb the sight alignment when the hammer
falls.

How to grip a pistol?

Learning the right way to grip a pistol will improve your aim and keep you safer on the
shooting range. A two-handed grip is recommended under most circumstances, but
there are occasions when it helps to know how to grip the gun with one hand. You
should also make yourself aware of common grip mistakes you need to avoid.

ONE HANDED GRIP

1. Know the proper form.

A one-handed grip can be difficult and even dangerous if not used correctly. You
 

automatically have less stability when you only hold the pistol with one hand, but if you
distribute the force of your dominant hand as securely as possible, this grip can work

 Hold the pistol with your non-dominant hand

 With your dominant hand, form a "V" by spreading apart your thumb and index finger.
Place the gun into the center of this "V" so that the front and rear sights line up evenly
with your dominant arm.
 Wrap your middle, ring, and pinky fingers around the grip of the pistol. Make sure that
you apply equal pressure with all three fingers, and use enough pressure to squeeze the
grip of the gun into the back of your hand. Use your thumb to wrap around the other side
of the grip, securing it in place.
 Use enough pressure to cause your hand to tremble slightly. Relax it just a bit so that the
trembling stops. Remember this amount of pressure; it is the proper amount of pressure
you will need in order to make this grip style work.
 Place your index finger on the trigger. The portion of your finger that lies between the tip
and second joint should be the portion on the trigger. You need to make sure that your
index finger can pull the trigger without disturbing the other fingers.
  Remember the placement of your fingers and the amount of pressure you have applied.
This is the right way to use a one-handed grip.

 Understand the pros and cons of a one-handed grip. A one-handed grip should be
avoided if at all possible since it is a fairly unstable grip style. The primary advantage of
this grip is speed. If you need to fire your gun in a hurry, knowing how to do so with one
hand might shave a life-saving second off your draw time.
·         Note that this grip will be much easier to pull off if you are using a pistol with less
recoil.

·         Use a two-handed grip whenever possible. In a two-handed grip, your non-

dominant hand gives your dominant hand support and stability as you fire

 TWO HANDED GRIPS

1.      Try a thumb-over-thumb grip.

While the thumb-over-thumb grip is not often used by professional sport shooters, many
beginners find it to be the easiest grip technique to master since it provides more
stability and makes it easier for the shooter to control the gun during recoil. It is slightly
less quick and less precise, but you can still have basically good aim while using it.

 Place the gun securely into your dominant hand. Spread apart your thumb and index
finger. Place the gun into the crook that forms, keeping the gun back strap as high as
possible.
 Wrap your middle, ring, and pinky fingers around the grip of the pistol. Your middle finger
should rest just below the trigger guard.
 For the time being, rest your index finger along the opposite side of the gun frame.
 Wrap your thumb around the grip. It should touch the top side of your middle finger from
the other side.
 Notice that there is a gap between the heel of your hand and the tip of your fingers to the
left side of the grip. Take your non-dominant or support hand and wrap it around the
strong hand so that this gap is no longer visible.
 Position the thumb of your non-dominant hand so that it overlaps with the thumb of your
dominant hand.
 When it comes time to fire the gun, place your index finger on the trigger. The space
between the tip of your finger and the top knuckle should be the only part on the trigger.
 The most common problem faced with the thumb-over-thumb technique is a tendency to
"muscle" the pistol, or grip it too tightly. This causes the gun to become unstable during
recoil, and if you aren't careful, it may end up twisting in your hands.

2.      Use the straight thumbs technique. 

The straight thumbs technique, also called the forward thumbs technique, is very similar
to the thumb-over-thumb grip. The only real difference is the placement of your thumbs.
This grip tends to be more precise and allows for a faster draw, but it can also be a bit
more difficult to master for beginners.
  As with the thumb-over-thumb grip, the straight thumbs grip starts with proper placement
in your dominant hand. Place the pistol in the crook between your thumb and index
finger. Make sure that you keep your hand as high on the grip of the gun as possible.
 Wrap your middle, ring, and pinky fingers around the grip of the gun so that the fingers
are all side-by-side. The middle finger should also lie just below the trigger guard. Keep
your index finger on the opposite side of the gun frame.
 Wrap your thumb around the grip as you would do with a thumb-over-thumb technique.
The tip of the thumb should touch the top side of your middle finger.
 There will be a gap between the heel of your hand and the tip of your fingers. Use your
non-dominant hand to fill this gap. Wrap it around the dominant hand from the opposite
side, positioning the index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers over your dominant fingers.
 Line up your non-dominant thumb so that it lines up in front of the dominant thumb. Both
thumbs must be pointing forward. Note that your dominant thumb will no longer be
touching your dominant middle finger at this point. Instead, it will end up resting on top of
the side of your non-dominant thumb.
 When you decide to fire your gun, place the top of your index finger on the trigger and
pull. You should only pull with the portion of your index finger between the tip and the top
knuckle.
 Note that there are some pistols that are difficult to shoot with a straight thumbs grip.
 With a SIG, the dominant thumb has a tendency to ride up the slide stop and
prevent the slide from locking open when empty.
 With a Glock, the shooter may find himself or herself pushing up on the slide stop
with the heel of the support hand and locking the slide open prematurely.
 With a Browning Hi-Power, the dominant thumb can put pressure on the slide
stop at the rear and the non-dominant thumb can bang into the front of the slide
stop during the recoil, thereby preventing the shell from ejecting.

DANGEROUS GRIP TYPE

Avoid tea-cupping.

Tea-cupping, also known as the cup-and-saucer grip, is a somewhat popular two-

 

handed grip technique, but it is also a fairly unstable one. It is not advisable to use it.
Your non-dominant hand does not provide your dominant hand with enough support,
and as a result, your aim is more likely to be skewed and the gun is more likely to fly
back during recoil.

 With a teacup grip, the dominant hand rests on the gun as it would with any other two-
handed grip. The non-dominant hand rests below the dominant hand, essentially
"cupping" it from the bottom. The non-dominant thumb is usually positioned somewhere
around the middle and ring fingers

Do not cross your thumbs. 

While no experienced shooter crosses his or her thumbs intentionally, a beginner may
make this mistake without thinking. When you cross your thumbs, you are putting your
thumbs at risk for injury. The slide of the pistol moves back once you fire the gun. When
you hold the gun in this manner, you place your thumbs in the path of the slide, causing
the slide to crash into the thumbs at full force.

 A shooter with crossed thumbs holds both hands around the grip of the gun from either
side. The fingers overlap in front of the grip, and the thumbs cross over each other from
the back of the grip.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION

Keep your grip tight

As a general rule, you will shoot better if you grip the pistol with as much strength as
possible while still maintaining the ability to control the trigger. It is important, though,
that you only grip with your hands.

 When you grip the pistol, pay attention to what your shoulders and arms are doing. If
they feel tense, you need to relax them. Your hands should be the only part of your body
in which you feel the tension of the grip.
 You may find it easier to keep tension out of your arms if you grip the gun before your
arms are in a shooting position. Push your arms out in front only after you have a secure
grip on the gun.
 A pistol grip that is too relaxed will cause the pistol to recoil too much, but a grip that is
too hard may mess with your sight alignment or cause your hands to weaken too quickly.

Set your wrist. 

Position your wrists so that the heel of your non-dominant hand is as high and flat on
the gun as possible. In doing this, you can ultimately support and control the pistol
better.

 As a general rule, you want both hands to be as high up on the gun as they can be. You
need to secure the center of weight or pivot point to prevent the gun from flipping over
during its recoil. If you keep your grip too low, you will not be able to steady the gun at
this point.

Apply isometric tension when firing the gun. 

This technique is also known as the push-pull method. As you apply forward pressure
with your dominant or firing hand, you should pull rear pressure using your non-
dominant or non-firing hand.

 This technique reduces the amount of recoil you will encounter and can improve your
aim.
 The supporting (non-dominant) arm should be bent with the elbow pulled down. The
firing (dominant) arm should be fully extended with the elbow and wrist locked.

7.      Firing Position

a.      PRONE POSITION

The critical element to a prone, unsupported position is bone contact. You don't want to
use muscle to brace your gun. If you're a right-handed shooter, your position and
shooting stance should be built around your left elbow.

Traditional prone stances dictate that your body be positioned at an angle to the target,
whereas more modern theories put the body straight back. Whichever way you're most
comfortable is the best route to go.

Get down on your stomach, plant the left elbow, put your gunstock in your cheek well,
and plant your other elbow in the dirt. This shooting position builds on your left elbow's
contact with the ground. Relax the rest of your body and put the whole weight of the gun
on that elbow.

For a supported field shot, you won't be carrying around a rest or a sandbag to prop up
your rifle, but you probably have a backpack or jacket. Use these on top of a rock or log
to brace your rifle. You never want to put your gun directly on a solid object. Even if you
don't have a jacket or backpack, a folded hat or your hand will do the trick.

Build your position in the same way you would an unsupported prone shot, but prop
your rifle on the support. It's wise to use your left elbow (or the elbow of your non-
dominant hand) as a fixed brace in this position. 

Prone positions are the most stable long-range shots you can make in the field.
However, they're not used often because of dense vegetation and visual obstacles that
make the stance unreliable. 
 

b.      SITTING POSITION

The most stable of all the seated positions is to sit cross-legged with your elbows
planted on your knees. 

For an unsupported sitting shot, you still want to concentrate on building bone-to-bone
contact. Sitting at a 45-degree angle from your target, place your non-dominant elbow
on the same side knee, wrapping your arm around the sling to hold the rifle. Sock the
stock into your shoulder and aim, relaxing as much of your body as you can.

There are many tools you can use to help with a seated supported shot. Tripods and
bipods are telescopic, fast to set up and fit in your backpack. The key to using one of
these supports is to ensure it's at the ideal angle, so you're not pulling your rifle up or
down to compensate.

Use the same method to aim and shoot with your support as you would from an
unsupported seated shot. You can also use the gun sling to create stable tension
between your body and the rifle to increase precision.

 
c.       KNEELING POSITION

To achieve the proper shooting form for an unsupported kneeling position, plant your
right knee and tuck your right foot under your hip. To aim accurately, your left knee
should be as high up as possible for straight posture and regulated breathing. Place
your left elbow on that knee and build your position from the bone-on-bone connection
of your elbow and knee.

A supported kneeling position uses a tool like a bipod or a tripod. Make sure that the
stance of your tripod is perfect. It will make a lot of difference for your precision.

  

  

  

  

  

d.      STANDING POSITION

An unsupported standing stance is also called offhand. It is one of the most challenging

positions from which to shoot. Experts don't recommend this stance for a stable long-
range shot, but if it's the only viable shot you have, take it. The key to an unsupported
offhand shot is that you can't rush if you want to hit your target.

Stock fit is critical in this shooting stance more than in any other. Make sure your cheek
is firmly glued to the stock for a precise shot.

Stand 90 degrees to your target with your feet shoulder-width apart and relax the rest of
your body. Wrap the sling around your arm for more support or rest your left elbow on
your hip. This will give you more stability and keep your upper body extended and open.
You don’t want to be hunched over your rifle.

It is almost impossible to hold a target in your sights in this position. The barrel will
move, and there's not much you can do about it. The best you can do is get attuned to
the barrel's rhythm and squeeze the trigger when it's on the target.

A standing supported position is excellent if you have a tool that extends high enough.
In the field, you may not be able to shoot from a prone or kneeling position due to
deadfall, brush, or other obstacles. With a tripod, you can shoot over these to hit your
target.