Not a living target, but...
1980 USMC Boot Camp Parris Island. I was 18.
I knew how to shoot a rifle very well already. I hunted rabbits, deer, squirrel, dove, quail, went shooting bottles, we would throw bottles up in the air and shoot them with our 22 rifles and pistols, we basically shot anything that moved. So I already knew... But the DI's at PI wanted you to forget everything you knew about shooting and learn the Marine Corps way, and I did. I paid attention.
We had a week of what they called "Snapping in" where you just got used to the shooting positions, off-hand, kneeling, sitting, prone. We got used to the rifle (None of us had ever shot an M-16), the special shooting jackets we had to wear, the glove we had to wear, etc... It was new to all of us. We had to learn the KD (Known Distance) course, it was a big learning curve even to us southern boys.
So after the snapping in we all went to the range and spent a week shooting. I was listening and doing pretty well. Well enough to shoot Expert and I really wanted to shoot Expert, get that badge and make my Dad proud, since he taught me how to shoot.
The last day of qualification I was almost there, but I screwed up a few times, because the wind was a booger that day. I missed a few a 300 yards and I really didn't want to settle for Sharpshooter.
Fortunately the wind calmed down on the Carolina coast just about the time I settled into prone position for the final 10 rounds. Now keep in mind this is at 500 yards, with iron sights, with a 5.56 field grade M-16, and you are shooting at a 6'x6' target with about a 4' tall, 24" wide, upper torso silhouette of a man on it in black. I needed to get 9 out of 10 in the black to qualify Expert at this point...
First shot. Target went down in the butts, and came back up with a white spot in the black. I recorded it in my book. I breathed...
Second shot. Same.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Eighth...
By now I'm literally sweating bullets. It's May in South Carolina. Sand fleas are buzzing around my head. I'm honestly feeling ready to quit and I let the doubt creep in. I didn't lose my shit. I take in a breath, clear sight picture, let about half the breath out, squeeze the trigger, the rifle barked. The target went down. Butts came back up, there was a black spot in the white. I hit the target, but missed the bullseye. Dammit!
This was it. Do or die. I hit the bullseye, I get the expert badge, I miss and it's Sharpshooter. Still pretty good.
Keep in mind. When you are shooting this target at 500 yards with open sights, and you get a clear sight picture, the front sight post is way larger than the entire target. You are basically centering the target on the front sight post instead of centering the front sight post on the target. The "head" of the torso is a tiny black protrusion sticking up above the front sight post and the whole 6'x6' target is virtually obscured by the front sight post.
I relaxed, talked to myself, got a clear sight picture, let my breath out, stopped, squeezed, boom, target went down, target came back up, white dot in the left shoulder. Boom. Expert.
I went on to get 3rd award Expert before I got out. Still proud of that shooting...
Last edited by Irishguy; 06/21/26 09:59 PM.
