[JGarcia]

I finished the National Guard Squad Designated Marksman Course last March. It is two weeks long; the first week is all iron sights, the second is all ACOG shooting.

One of the first things they taught us there (not merely suggested, but taught) was to use the magazine as a bipod, and NEVER to touch the hand guard on the fore end. To hammer the point home, they strapped a rifle down, and put a beam hit lazer in the muzzle to demonstrate the spot the muzzle was pointed on, then they put slight pressure on the fore end handguards, and showed us how the lazer spot actually moved as a result.
(M16's and M4's do not have free floating hand guards.)

We were believers after that.

So, now my magazine rests on the ground, my non firing hand grips the magazine well, pulling the weapon in tight to my shoulder, my entire trigger finger goes into the trigger. My hips are directly in line with my shoulders when I lay in the prone, so that the entire body absorbs the recoil.

They explained the natural point of aim and ensured we understood it, the explained follow through and reset. Then they went out to the range with us, and closely watched each of us, indentifying bad habits and breaking them down. After a day of coaching on the KD range, the next day I was routinely smacking the 600 yard target. Giggling like a kid. It was a great feeling.

All in all we fired about 1500 rounds, nearly each shot recorded in our record books, we learned how to make adjustments for wind with the iron sights at various ranges with different winds. The course dramatically improved my shooting. Some of the best shooting training I have ever had.

To me this new change the Army is about to execute is very welcome indeed. But I am skeptical as to how the change will get dumbed down and safety-fied when it goes out to the units.