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**44 AMP** · August 4, 2021, 12:23 PM

In 1975, we did not "zero" our M16A1s at 25m. We shot at 25m to zero the rifles for 250m. The target used was a special one, a few inches below the aiming point there was an "x" on the target, and that is where the bullet was supposed to hit.

We were told that sighting in this way would put us on target at 250m and still be able to get hits at 300m. They told us lots of stuff. Some of it was actually true...

We never shot our M16s at scored targets. Our qualification was done on an overgrown, badly in need of maint infantry range with the pop-up / knock down silhouette targets, many of which were in need of replacement as they had large (handsized) holes in them from being shot so much (COM). Actually hitting where you were supposed to sent your bullet through a hole in the target and did not knock the target down, and therefore was scored as a MISS!

The 25m pop up was small, just a "head and shoulders" silhouette, which we "snap shot" and I "missed" twice, before realizing I didn't miss, and I adjusted my aim to shoot the gravel in front of the target so a spray of rocks would hit it and knock it down.

I got most of the other range targets to fall by shooting them in the head. Shooting them COM almost always failed to knock them over because of the holes there.

I also found that, to reliably knock down the 300m silhouette, I had to aim 1/2 the target height above its head. Out of my entire company, only two people qualified shooting on the lane I had to use. I was one. And I was ticked off, because, I only qualified "Marksman" but I did qualify. None of the drill sgts managed that on that range lane, either. FT Leonard Wood 1975.

IF you're shooting a civilian rifle and something other than GI issue 55gr FMJ ammo, you might want to sight in a bit differently than we did back then with our 16A1s.

August 4, 2021, 12:23 PM	#14
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	In 1975, we did not "zero" our M16A1s at 25m. We shot at 25m to zero the rifles for 250m. The target used was a special one, a few inches below the aiming point there was an "x" on the target, and that is where the bullet was supposed to hit. We were told that sighting in this way would put us on target at 250m and still be able to get hits at 300m. They told us lots of stuff. Some of it was actually true... We never shot our M16s at scored targets. Our qualification was done on an overgrown, badly in need of maint infantry range with the pop-up / knock down silhouette targets, many of which were in need of replacement as they had large (handsized) holes in them from being shot so much (COM). Actually hitting where you were supposed to sent your bullet through a hole in the target and did not knock the target down, and therefore was scored as a MISS! The 25m pop up was small, just a "head and shoulders" silhouette, which we "snap shot" and I "missed" twice, before realizing I didn't miss, and I adjusted my aim to shoot the gravel in front of the target so a spray of rocks would hit it and knock it down. I got most of the other range targets to fall by shooting them in the head. Shooting them COM almost always failed to knock them over because of the holes there. I also found that, to reliably knock down the 300m silhouette, I had to aim 1/2 the target height above its head. Out of my entire company, only two people qualified shooting on the lane I had to use. I was one. And I was ticked off, because, I only qualified "Marksman" but I did qualify. None of the drill sgts managed that on that range lane, either. FT Leonard Wood 1975. IF you're shooting a civilian rifle and something other than GI issue 55gr FMJ ammo, you might want to sight in a bit differently than we did back then with our 16A1s. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.