TRAINING A CIVILIAN TEAM FOR THE
INFANTRY TROPHY TEAM MATCH
National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice
19 January 1959


THE INFANTRY TROPHY TEAM MATCH.  According to Army Regulations 920-30 dated 5 July 1957 and Changes 1 and 2 thereto, currently valid, the following descriptive information is presented.

  1. Strength of Teams.  Teams will consist of six firing members, a team captain and/or coach (non-firing members), all of whom will be permitted on the firing line during the match.
  2. Course of Fire.
    1. Stages
      1. First stage is 600 yards prone in 50 seconds
      2. Second stage is 500 yards prone, sitting or kneeling in 50 seconds
      3. Third stage is 300 yards sitting or kneeling in 50 seconds
      4. Fourth stage is 200 yards offhand in 50 seconds
  3. Sling.  The sling may be used in all positions of all stages.
  4. Conditions.
    1. Ammunition.  384 rounds of ammunition in eight round clips will be issued to each team at the 600 yard firing points prior to the beginning of the match.  This ammunition is the total for the entire match and may be used at the discretion of the team captain.
    2. Teams will take their places on the 600 yard line as directed by team officals.  Firing will begin at each stage when the targets are exposed.  Teams will be in firing positions, pieces loaded and locked.  Targets will be withdrawn after being exposed for 50 seconds.  Movement forward between stages will be in line with pieces loaded and locked, muzzles elevated and pointed down range.
  5. Scoring.  All scoring will be done on the firing line and spotters will be used.
    1. Hits will count four (4) points at 600 yards, three (3) points at 500 yards, two (2) points at 300 yards, and one (1) point at 200 yards.
    2. To the total score made at each range will be added as a bonus for distribution, the square of the number of targets containing six (6) or more hits each.
    3. No adjustments will be made for misfires, disabled pieces, or other failure of materiel or personnel.
  6. Targets--Position and Sizes of Silhouettes.
    1. 200 yards--eight (8) F-targets, each superimposed on an A-target; top of F-target aligned with the top of the four (4) ring.
    2. 300 yards--same as 200 yards.
    3. Size of F-target--26" wide, 19" high.
    4. 500 yards--eight (8) E-targets, superimposed on an A-target, top of E-target aligned with top of three (3) ring.
    5. 600 yards--same as 500 yards.
    6. Size of E-target--19 1/2" wide, 40" high.
    From the descriptive material one can readily understand that extensive practice for civilian teams is restricted greatly by the ammunition problem.  Ordinarily, the average civilian is not willing to furnish or does not have the funds to furnish sufficient ammunition for training comparable to that of the service teams.  Consequently, it is unrealistic to expect a high degree of proficiency from civilian teams in this match.  However, a minimum of practice will produce surprising results.
    Organization.  It was mentioned previously that the six firing members, a non-firing coach and a non-firing captain comprise the team.  Control is facilitated by dividing the team into two equal units mentioned hereafter as fire-units.  The non-firing member of each fire-unit is designated fire-unit leader (FUL) and directs the fire of his unit.  Each fire-unit expends its ammunition on four (4) targets.  Ammunition is expended according to several systems which are presented as the following subjects.
    Concentrated Fire.  Approved for firing on days which have steady wind.
    Members fire on BONUS target first.

600 yards--4 rounds on bonus target, 16 rounds on own target.
500 yards--8 rounds on bonus target, 16 rounds on own target.
300 yards--4 rounds on bonus target, 16 rounds on own target.
200 yards should have no rounds.

    Advantages.
  1. Minimum of shifting of aim.
  2. Greater volume of fire in minimum of time.
  3. Easier for fire-unit leader to follow trajectoy of bullets.
    Disadvantages.  If one firer is off "dope," the bonus target is usually lost.

Note:  The foregoing is the recommended system for untrained firers.


    Concentrated Fire - Simplified System.  Approved for firing on days when the wind is steady.

Shooter600 Yards500 Yards300 yards200 yards
No. 116, 4, 0, 016, 8, 0, 016, 4, 0, 0Anything
No. 20, 10, 10, 00, 12, 12, 00, 10, 10, 0left
No. 30, 0, 4, 160, 0, 8, 160, 0, 4, 16over
    Advantages.
  1. Minimum shifting of aim and yet an equitable distribution of rounds.
  2. Easier for fire-unit leader to follow bullet trajectories.
  3. Increases volume of fire due to less shifting.
    Disadvantages.
  1. All firers must be on dope of the loss of targets 2 and 3 is highly probable.
  2. Firer number three (3) does not fire at bonus target.
  3. An extremely high degree of accuracy is required to all men.
    Note:  The foregoing system has proven very satisfactory for trained teams.


    Distributed Fire.  Very satisfactory for firing in a gusty wind or when a firer is uncertain of his zero.
    Members fire on BONUS target first.

Shooter600 Yards500 Yards300 yards200 yards
No. 18, 8, 4, 08, 8, 8, 08, 8, 4, 0Any rounds
No. 28, 4, 4, 88, 4, 4, 88, 4, 4, 8left
No. 30, 4, 8, 80, 8, 8, 80, 4, 4, 8over
    Advantages.
  1. Provides for wider distribution of rounds.
  2. If one firer is "off dope," the target will be hit by others.
    Disadvantages.
  1. Fire-unit leader has a more difficult time in following trajectory of bullets.
  2. Numerous shifts cut down volume of fire in many cases or reduce accuracy of fire.
    Note:  Foregoing is not recommended for civilian use unless highly trained.

    The Fire-Unit Leader.  Fire direction and control depends upon this man.
  1. Qualifications.  He should:
    1. be an experienced coach.
    2. be able to follow the bullet's trajectory well with binoculars since thses are the only optics allowed.
    3. be able to estimate the wind correctly and call out accurate changes.
    4. understand the problems inherent in this particular match.
    5. know the perculiarities of the various weapons and men in his fire-unit.
  2. Duties Before Firing.
    1. Distribute 64 rounds of ammunition to each man and see that men check clips for long rounds, etc.
    2. Check with all firers regarding estimation of wind velocity if any.
    3. Make certain that each firer has set sights according to instructions.
    4. Make certain that each firer understands his target assignment and the firing system to be used.
    5. Redistributes ammunition at each range when necessary.
    6. Commands are as follows:  (example)
      1. Set sights for 600 yards, zero wind
      2. Right three minutes
      3. Unlock
      4. Cease firing, unload
  3. Duties During Firing.
    1. Observes firing from behind the fastest shooter and calls out necessary elevation and windage changes by saying (for example):
      Number One--up 2, right 3
      The fire-unit leader should practice keeping his mouth shut when not giving a command.
    Sighting and Points of Aim.  There are several systems of sighting.  Each has been satisfactory for certain groups under certain conditions.  Each is presented for examination and each should be tried before accepting any.
  1. Center of Mass.  This method of aiming is often called "Squaring the Target."  That is to say, the firer aims at the imaginary center of the target frame.  The firer should reduce his normal six o'clock zero setting by approximately three (3) minutes.  The majority of trained firers use this system of aiming at 500 and 600 yards.
  2. Base of Target.  This system is often called the "butt hold."  That is to say, the firer aims at that point where the target and ground at its base seem to conicide.  This hold requires the addition of three (3) minutes approximately to the setting for the normal six o'clock sight picture.  One advantage of this system is that the firer may be sighted prior to the raising of the targets.  Untrained firers have made good use of this system.
  3. Six o'clock Hold.  Since it is almost impossible to see the silhouette at the long ranges because of its color, this system is not recommended.  However, this hold is used by the majority of trained and untrained firers at 200 and 300 yards and is considered very satisfactory.  This is the standard government sight picture as shown in Field Manual 23-5, US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1.

  4. Special Sight Adjustments.  Many shooters have found it advantageous to put on from one to two minutes of left windage and elevate from one to two minutes before firing on a zero wind day.  This is done because in some cases, the shooter's center of impact tends to be low and right during firing at a high rate.  This is not an established fact for all shooters and each person must determine his slow and rapid fire zeros.
    Positions.  Orthodox prone and sitting positions are employed with minor modifications.
  1. Prone.  The body should be positioned directly behind the rifle if possible and the right leg should be placed as far to the right as possible.  The chest should be clear of the ground in order to place the wieght of the body on the elbows.
        Under ordinary circumstances, the hands are not used specifically to point the weapon, such pointing being accomplished by positioning the body correctly prior to firing.  Contrary to the usual system, the hands and arms are used in this match in an effort to maintain sight alignment on the target.  Both hands grasp the rifle firmly in order to facilitate rapid recovery from the high rate of fire.
  2. Sitting.  Since the sitting position is not as solid as the prone, recoil causes the body to move further to the rear after each shot, delaying recovery for the next shot.  Therefore, the position best suited is that of open legs with the weight of the body well forward.  The right elbow should rest inside of the knee.
  3. Offhand.  No attempt has been made to arrive at a satisfactory stance for this stage as in the majority of cases, all ammunition has been or should have been expended before arriving at the 200 yard line.
    Trigger Manipulation.  The standard trigger squeeze system is not entirely saitisfactory for firing from 16 to 24 or more rounds in 50 seconds.  It is necessary for the firer to maintain continuous sight alignment while recovering from the previous shot.  Trigger squeeze of this type is often spoken of as a "rapid mash" of the trigger.
    Sling.  The sling is permitted in all positions at all ranges and should be as tight as possible in order to hold the firer in constant position.  It has been found that the tighter the sling, the higher the score, generally speaking.
    Sight Sizes.  It is recognized that the eyes of all shooters are not the same as pertains to defining the sights or target.  Consequently, the shooter should determine by experimentation which of the various sights is most suitable.
  1. Rear Sight.  The largest rear aperture should be used since this size aids the firer in distinguishing his target or aiming point more readily on a dull or dark day.
  2. Front Sight.  Actual practice has shown that the width of the front sight blade makes little or no difference to trained firers.  Untrained firers will find that a wide front blade will facilitate aiming at the long ranges since the width of the blade coincides almost exactly with that of the target.
    Distribution of Ammunition.  It has been found most satisfactory to issue 64 rounds to each firer immediately upon receipt of the ammunition.  Each firer should at the time of issue, check for long rounds, etc.  The 64 rounds should then be placed in his belt and the pockets fastened.  Issuing all rounds at one time helps prevent confusion at the various ranges.
    Positioning of Firers.  The fastest firer should be positioned in the center of the fire-unit.  Thus, in event of a misfire or malfunction by a team member, he will be in a position to cover the targets with a minimum of shifting on his part.  (It is considered that all team members are accurate riflemen.)  The fire-unit leader should position himself directly behind the center position team member and make corrections for the fire-unit by observing the fire of the center member.
    Reloading.  Continuous dry pracice should be undertaken in order to obtain smooth and swift reloading.   A firer should be able to reload, resume position, and fire in from four to six seconds.  (Such timing being from the last shot in the previous clip to the first shot in the new clip.)  Well-trained firers perform these steps in less than two seconds as an average.
    Immediate Action.  No provision for alibis is made in this match.  Consequently, the firers should from time to time have someone load malfunctions into the weapons.  That is, have someone load an occasional long round or one or more dummy rounds into the clip of live ammunition.  This procedure will accustom the firer to applying immediate action and to establish a system for clearing each type of stoppage.
    Affect of High Rate of Fire upon the Rifle.  A rifle which is not glass bedded is affected by firing of this type as the action becomes loose in the stock with the resultant loss of accuracy.  This is not necessarily true when using the rifle only occasionally for light practice.  It is a fact that a greater number of repairs are necessary for tifles used in this type of firing.  That is, handguards, screws, stocks, trigger groups, and so forth tend to loosen more quickly and must be replaced or repaired.  The barrel does not wear any more quickly unless practice is with armor-piercing ammunition.
    In general, it is advisable to use a separate rifle for this match, if for no other reason than psychological, since many firers lose confidence in the number-one rifle after it has been used for this type of firing.  For the most part, civilians are restricted to the use of one rifle and should adjust their amount of practice accordingly.
    General Notes.
  1. It is not uncommon for each trained rifleman on a team to average an expenditure of 24 rounds at 600 yards.  This amount is desirable for experienced personnel but not for those untrained.  Untrained or inexperienced personnel should try for from 14 to 20 rounds each at the 600 yard stage and from 18 to 24 rounds at the 500 and 300 yard stages.  The 200 yard stage is considered of no value.
  2. It is desirable for state team members to have the use of two rifles - one for the standard course of fire and one for the Infantry Trophy Team Match.
  3. The singularly most important point is that each firer knows the zero of his rifle for rapid fire at the long ranges.
  4. Sight alignment must be maintained at all times.  This requires that the face be "welded" to the stock.
  5. The body should be positioned directly behind the rifle when assuming the prone position.  The right leg should be as far to the right as possible.
  6. It is a mistake to attempt the highest rate of fire at the longest range (600 yards) unless the team members are highly trained and have superior weapons.
  7. The "center of mass" sighting system seems to be best at 500 and 600 yards and the "6 o'clock system" best for 200 and 300 yards.
  8. The wide front sight blade seems to be best for untrained firers.
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