MARKSMANSHIP:

Is defined as the skillful art of shooting and

hitting the target at a given known 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. As a soldier, we
are expected to possess its necessary skills
and knowledge in order to become
proficient marksman to effectively gain
confidence especially in real combat
situations.
PRESENTATION
1. Learn the four rules of gun safety
handling and the basic range commands.
2. Positioning Techniques
3. Aiming Techniques
4. Breathing Techniques
5. Trigger Press Techniques
6. Coaching Techniques
7. External Ballistics
8. Zeroing Techniques
9. Care and Maintenance
4 Rules of Gun Safety Handling:
1. Consider every gun as loaded!
2. Do not point your gun to anything you dont
want to destroy.
3. Do not insert your trigger finger unless you
are ready to fire
4. Be sure of your target and what is in front
and behind it.
Basic Range Commands:
Lay down your firearm- Shooters will place
their firearm on their respective shooting
position. All firearms must be open bolt and
without an inserted magazine.
Behind the gun!- shooters will stand behind
their gun
Take position- Shooters will be directed to
assume prone/kneeling/standing position
and they are allowed to dry practice when he
has taken his most comfortable position.
Load and make ready- Shooters will insert
magazine, cock the rifle, safety up.
Shooters are you ready?--- Confirmation from
the shooters are needed to ensure that everyone is
ready to fire.
Commence firing!- the signal for all shooters to
start firing at their respective targets.
Unload!- this is the command for all shooters to
remove magazine and open bolt.
Downrange!this is the command for all shooters
to approach their target and verify their shot group.
Advanced Marksmanship Training Policies
1. Magazines must be fully loaded at all times despite if
you will only fire 5 rounds!
2. Always maintain your sight picture on the target
unless you are told to unload,
3. Follow through every shot. Do not look at your shot
group.
4. Perform the immediate action drills during
malfunctions. Do not wait for the help of your
assistant instructors.
5. The first zeroing activity must be achieved in prone
supported position
6. There shall be separate dry practice exercises for
prone/kneeling/standing unsupported positions


ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 2
(Positioning Techniques)
ACTION: Perform the steady-hold factors in shooting
to assume the steadiest, relaxed SHOOTING
POSITION.

CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction and all
the necessary equipment.
STANDARD: Achieve the natural point of aim
without stiffening your hold of the rifle
The steady hold factors are the
correct ways of holding your
firearm so that you can achieve the
relaxed natural point of aim. Let us
discuss this block of instruction
using the prone supported position
(with sandbag):

1. Shooting hand
fingers that are holding the pistol grip (M16) or
the small of the stock (M14) must be relaxed to
avoid tension on the whole stock system which
will cause disturbance of the barrel.
2. Non-shooting hand
hand must push the butt rearward by holding
on the sling swivel
3. Stock weld/spot weld
stock weld must be on the same spot on the
stock all throughout the firing process. Crevice
of the cheekbone must be firmly pressed against
the stock.

4. Placement of butt
butt of the rifle must be placed on the soft
portion of the shoulder blade. It must not
slide from one place to another while firing.
5. Body alignment
as much as possible, body and rifle must be
aligned. This is to ensure that the force of
recoil is absorbed by the body
6. Elbow placement
elbows must be in same spot all throughout
the firing process. Non firing elbow must be
comfortably placed directly under the rifle
while the firing hand elbow must be placed in
such a manner that appropriate balance is
attained.
7. Feet
feet must be relaxed and be flat on the
ground. Two basic techniques include the V
spread and the climbing the ladder
technique.
8. Distance of nose from charging
handle
for M16 rifle, nose must not touch the
charging handle. Doing so will disturb your
follow through. Maintain a one finger
distance from your nose to the charging
handle. By doing this, you also ensure that
you maintain same eye relief while delivering
each of your shot
NOTE:
While breathing, you must see that
your front sight is moving straight
upward/downward. Once you exhale,
the tip of your front sight must be on
your desired aiming point. If your
front sight is not moving in a straight
upward/downward direction, you
need to recheck your POSITION.
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 3
(Aiming Techniques)
ACTION:
Aim at the target correctly
CONDITION: Given this block of instruction
STANDARD:
Aim at the target using the correct sight
alignment and appropriate sight picture

Introduction:
Having mastered the task of holding
the rifle steady, the soldier must align
the rifle with the target in exactly the
same way for each firing. The firer is
the final judge as to where his eye is
focused. The instructor or trainer
emphasizes this point by having the
firer focus on the target and then focus
back on the front sight post. He checks
the position of the firing eye to ensure
it is in line with the rear sight aperture

1) Sight Alignment:
Sight alignment is the relationship between four things: your
eyes, the rear sight, the front sight and your target. Sight
alignment is the relationship between the front sight post
and rear sight aperture and the aiming eye. This relationship
is the most critical to aiming and must remain consistent
from shot to shot. Center the tip of the front sight post
vertically and horizontally in the rear sight aperture. Imagine
a horizontal line drawn through the center of the rear sight
aperture. The top of the front sight post will appear to touch
this line. Imagine a vertical line drawn through the center of
the rear sight aperture. The line will appear to bisect the
front sight post. Any alignment error between the front and
rear sights repeats itself for every 1/2 meter the bullet
travels. For example, at the 25-meter line, any error in rifle
alignment is multiplied 50 times. If the bullet is misaligned
by 1/10 inch, it causes a target at 300 meters to be missed
by 5 feet.
Fig ____Correct Sight Alignment
2) Sight Picture:
Sight picture is the placement of the tip of the
front sight post in relation to the target while
maintaining sight alignment. Correct sight
alignment but improper sight placement on the
target will cause the bullet to impact the target
incorrectly. A correct sight picture has the
target, front sight post, and rear sight aligned.
The sight picture consists of sight alignment and
placement of the aiming point on the target.
Align the tip of the front sight post in the center
of the rear sight and then align the sights with
the target.
Various sight pictures






3) Eye relief:
It is the distance of the eyes
from the rear sight aperture.
This may vary from person to
person but the average eye relief
for iron sights is 3 inches.
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 4
(Breathing Techniques)
ACTION:
Breath correctly to acquire the natural
respiratory pause
CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction
STANDARD:
Front sight post must move up/down
straight while breathing. Wobble area
must be minimized during respiratory
pause
Breath control is important with
respect to the aiming process. If the
shooter breathes while trying to aim,
the rise and fall of his chest causes
the rifle to move. He must, therefore,
accomplish sight alignment during
breathing. To do this, he first inhales
then exhales normally and stops at
the moment of natural respiratory
pause
a. A respiratory cycle lasts 4 to 5 seconds.
Inhalation and exhalation require only about 2
seconds. Thus, between each respiratory cycle
there is a pause of 2 to 3 seconds. This pause can
be extended to 10 seconds without any special
effort or unpleasant sensations. The shooter
should shoot during this pause when his breathing
muscles relax. This avoids strain on his diaphragm.
b. A shooter should assume his firing position
and breathe naturally until his hold begins to
settle. Many shooter s then take a slightly
deeper breath, exhale, and pause, expecting to
fire the shot during the pause. If the hold does
not settle enough to allow the shot to be fired,
the shooter resumes normal breathing and
repeats the process.
c. The respiratory pause should never feel
unnatural. If it is too long, the body suffers from
oxygen deficiency and sends out signals to
resume breathing. These signals produce
involuntary movements in the diaphragm and
interfere with the shooters ability to
concentrate. About 8 to 10 seconds is the
maximum safe period for the respiratory pause.
During multiple, rapid engagements, the
breathing cycle should be forced through a rapid,
shallow cycle between shots instead of trying to
hold the breath or breathing. Firing should be
accomplished at the forced respiratory pause
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 5
(Trigger press techniques)
ACTION: Press the trigger correctly
CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction
STANDARD:
Press the trigger without jerking;
shooter must be able to call his
shot by focusing his attention to
the movement of the front sight
after the hammer strikes
a. Trigger Press.
A novice firer can learn to place the
rifle in a steady position and to
correctly aim at the target if he follows
the basic principles. If the trigger is not
properly pressed, the rifle will be
misaligned with the target at the
moment of firing.
(1) Rifle Movement.
Trigger press is important for two reasons: First,
any sudden movement of the finger on the trigger
can disturb the lay of the rifle and cause the shot
to miss the target. Second, the precise instant of
firing should be a surprise to the soldier. The
soldiers natural reflex to compensate for the noise
and slight punch in the shoulder can cause him to
miss the target if he knows the exact instant the
rifle will fire. The soldier does not realize he is
flinching. When the hammer drops on a dummy
round and does not fire, the soldiers natural
reflexes demonstrate that he is improperly
pressing the trigger.

(2) Trigger Finger.
The trigger finger (index finger on the firing hand) is
placed on the trigger between the first joint and the
tip of the finger (not the extreme end) and adjusted
depending on hand size, grip, and so on. The
trigger finger must press the trigger to the rear so
the hammer falls without disturbing the lay of the
rifle. When a live round is fired, it is difficult to see
what effect trigger pull had on the lay of the rifle. It
is important to experiment with many finger
positions during dry-fire training to ensure the
hammer is falling with little disturbance to the
aiming process.

(a) As the firers skills increase with
practice, he needs less time spent on trigger
press. Novice firers can take five seconds to
perform an adequate trigger press, but, as skills
improve, he can press the trigger in a second or
less. The proper trigger press should start with
slight pressure on the trigger during the initial
aiming process. The firer applies more pressure
after the front sight post is steady on the target
and he is holding his breath.
(b) The coach/trainer observes the
pressing of the trigger, emphasizes the correct
procedure, and checks the firers applied pressure.
He places his finger on the trigger and has the firer
press the trigger by applying pressure to the
coach/trainers finger. The coach/trainer ensures
that the firer presses straight to the rear on the
trigger avoiding a left or right twisting movement.
The coach/trainer observes that the firer follows
through and holds the trigger to the rear for
approximately one second after the round has been
fired. A steady position reduces disturbance of the
rifle during trigger squeeze.
(c) Wobble area is the movement of the front
sight around the aiming point when the rifle is in the
steadiest position. From an unsupported position, the firer
experiences a greater wobble area than from a supported
position. If the front sight strays from the target during the
firing process, pressure on the trigger should be held
constant and resumed as soon as sighting is corrected.
The position must provide for the smallest possible wobble
area. From a supported position, there should be minimal
wobble area and little reason to detect movement. If
movement of the rifle causes the front sight to leave the
target, more practice is needed. The firer should never try
to quickly press the trigger while the sight is on the target.
The best firing performance results when the trigger is
pressed continuously, and the rifle is fired without
disturbing its lay.
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE NR 6
(Coaching Techniques)
ACTION:
Coach a buddy shooter during dry
practice and live fire

CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction and
all the necessary equipment.
STANDARD:
Correct the errors of a buddy while
performing dry practice and live fire

Introduction:
One of the abilities of a leader is to coach
his peers and subordinates in order to
perform certain tasks properly and
efficiently. In the marksmanship training, a
student must also learn how to correct his
buddy during their marksmanship training.
This activity will also develop the teaching
skills of each student which they can use
in their respective units.
Responsibilities of the coach:
1. Check the body alignment (must be aligned with the gun)
2. Check the shooting hand. The fingers shall not grip
the rifle tightly
3. Check the cheek weld and eye relief
4. Watch for tensions in the back and the arms. Look at
the travel of the front sight if it is straight up/down
5. Watch the eyes for signs of jerking and flinching.
Ensure that shooters eye is naturally looking at the
target
6. Check the trigger finger pressure point
7. Check the placement of the rifle on the shooting
support. No part of the barrel shall touch on the
shooting support.
Coaching techniques:
1. Coin-on-the barrel. Let the shooter cock the
rifle then aim at the target. Put a coin near the tip of the
barrel then let him press the trigger. The coin must not fall
once the hammer strikes.
2. Recoil test. Let the shooter cock his rifle then aim
at the target. Ask him if he is ready then tap the tip of
the barrel to simulate a recoil. After the recovery of the
sight picture, let him press the trigger to simulate a
follow up shot.
3. Ball and dummy. This is a live fire exercise. The
coach will be the one to load ammo to the chamber
without the knowledge of the shooter. Watch for the
reactions (eye movement, jerking) of the shooter while he
fires a dummy or a live round.
NOTE:
Ball and dummy must be conducted
prior to the 25m zeroing exercise. Use
5 rounds for this activity. Dry practice
exercise must be conducted for 2days
to hone their skills in aiming, trigger
pressing and follow through. They also
develop their muscle memory by
repeating the exercise constantly.
Instructor may need to review the
fundamentals in aiming, breathing,
trigger control and follow through prior
to the start of the dry practice.

ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 7
(External Ballistics)
ACTION:
Learn how do bullets fly
CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction and all
the necessary equipment.

STANDARD:
Describe the flight of bullet and
the effects of gravity

1) The Bullet's Path
Many people believe that bullets fly in a
straight line. This is untrue. They actually travel in
a parabolic trajectory or one that becomes more
and more curved as range increases and velocity
drops off. The bullet actually starts to drop the
instant it leaves the firearm's muzzle. However, the
centerline of the bore is angled slightly upward in
relation to the line of the sights (which are above
the bore) so that the projectile crosses the line of
sight on its way up (usually around 25 yards or so)
and again on its way down at what is called the
zero range.

2) 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.

3) Ballistic Coefficient -
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." Drag tables, or "models" apply
only to a particular bullet, so using them to predict another
bullet's performance is an approximation. The most
commonly used drag model is the G1 model (sometimes
referred to--not really correctly--as C1) which is based on a
flat-based blunt pointed bullet. The "standard" bullet used
for this model has a ballistic coefficient of 1.0. A bullet that
retains its velocity only half as well as the model has a
ballistic coefficient of .5. The G1 model provides results close
enough to the actual performance of most commercial
bullets at moderate ranges (under about 500 yards) that it is
commonly used for all commercial ballistics computation.
A word to the wise.
Many manufacturer give rather generous BCs for
their bullets because: a) they want to look good--
high BCs sell bullets; b) they were derived by
visual shape comparison rather than actual firing
data; or c) they were derived from short range
firings rather than long range firings (which are
more difficult to do). You should confirm your
calculations by actual firing if you require exact
data. Several manufactures have recently
"readjusted" some of their BCs to more closely
conform to actual firing data.

4) Bore Centerline -
This is the visual line of the center of the bore.
Since sights are mounted above the bore's centerline
and since the bullet begins to drop when it leaves the
muzzle the bore must be angled upwards in relation
to the line of sight so that the bullet will strike where
the sights point.
5) 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
6) 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.
7) Initial Point (Near zero range) -
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.
8) Line of Sight -
This is the visual line of the aligned sight
path. Since sights are mounted above the bore's
centerline and since the bullet begins to drop when
it leaves the muzzle the bore must be angled
upwards in relation to the line of sight so that the
bullet will strike where the sights point.
9) 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.
10) 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.

11) 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.
12) 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.

13) Zero Range (Far Zero Range)-
This is the farthest distance at which the line
of sight and the bullet's path intersect.
Fig __ External Ballistics
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8
(Zeroing Techniques)
ACTION: Zero a rifle at 25m range
CONDITION:
Given this block of instruction and
all the necessary equipment.
STANDARD: Achieve a 3cm group shot (bulls eye)
while shooting at prone supported
position. Only 21 rounds is allowed
for this activity.
a. Pre-zeroing checklists
1. Set the sights to 12 clicks up
elevation. Rear sight shall be
centered (for M14 index lines must
be aligned while for M16, 17 clicks
from the leftmost side).
2. Set to L-mark for M16 rifle if point
of aim-point of impact type of
zeroing. If Canadian bull M16 target
(bulls eye at the bottom of aiming
point) is used, use unmark
3. Blacken the sights
4. Select ammos from the same lot
number
5. Prepare log book for the shots. List
the clicking, aiming points, ammo
used, shot group)
6. Clean the bore prior to shooting.
Apply small amount of oil on the
moving parts only.
7. Prepare sandbag and bean bag
8. Use only the appropriate target
b. Battle sight zeroing. Zero your rifle at 25m
then conduct live firing at 100m-300m to determine
the aiming point without any changes to the zero of
the rifle.
c. Conduct confidence firing
immediately upon the time the rifle
is zeroed. Standard is 2 hits in 3rounds; prone
position supported.
d. Record firing at 100m-300m.
5rounds per shooting distance. Each
student must be able to hit the body of an enemy
(Figure 11) when shooting at these distances without
any support.
NOTE:
1. Review steady hold factors for kneeling/
squatting, standing and prone without support
before conducting live fire.
2. Give supplemental instructions for the
following marksmanship activities:
a) Quick reaction fire with sling
b) Surgical shooting during raid/ambush and
hostage rescue
c) Night shooting
d) CQB shooting
e) Unconventional positions shooting
f) Endurance Shooting
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE 9
(Maintenance and Care)
ACTION:
Clean the barrel and other moving parts of
the gun properly
CONDITION: Given this block of instruction and all
the necessary equipment.
STANDARD:
Remove powder and copper fouling in
the barrel
Motivator:
The M14 or M16 rifles are engineering
marvels. They are capable to function
well under difficult conditions. However,
these rifles will function best, and help
soldiers perform best, if they receive
proper care, cleaning and maintenance.
Proper care extends the useful life of
the rifle, and the close examination of
parts will identify problems before they
become serious.
a. Care and Maintenance
Care means protecting the rifle- from
damage, prying eyes, tampering and theft. Soldiers
take their rifles inside their barracks wherever
detachment in far-flung areas they are assigned,
and good care starts when they get there.
During marksmanship training at the firing
range, protect the rifle from damage or tampering
by keeping it in the case as much as possible. Keep
the rifle up off the ground so dirt does not get
kicked inside, and keep the rifle safe from being
dropped or falling.

Maintenance includes all measures taken
to keep the rifle in operating condition. This
includes normal cleaning, inspection for defective
parts, repair, and lubrication.
b. Cleaning Materials, Lubricants, and Equipment.
1. Cleaning Materials
a) Bore cleaner (cleaning compound
solvent (CR)) is used primarily for cleaning the
bore; however, it may be used on all metal
parts for temporary (1-day) protection from
rust.
b) Hot, soapy water or boiling water is no
substitute for bore cleaner and will only be used
when bore cleaner is not available.
c) Dry cleaning solvent is used for cleaning
rifles which are coated with grease, oil, or
corrosion-preventative compounds.

d) Stubborn carbon deposits are removed by
soaking in carbon removing compound (PCIII-A)
and brushing. This process must be followed by
the use of dry cleaning solvent.

e) Basically, you need two types of solvents:

(1) Powder solvent (Hoppes, Shooters
choice)

(2) Copper solvent (Hoppes, Shooters
choice)

Caution: Individual protective measures must
be taken when using compound PCIII-A.

2. Lubricants.

a) Lubricating oil, general purpose (PL
special) is used for lubricating the rifle at
normal temperatures.
b). Lubricating oil, weapons (LAW) is used
for low temperatures (below 0 degrees).
c) OE-10 engine oil may be used as a field
expedient under combat conditions when the
oils prescribed in (1.) and (2.) above cannot be
obtained. However, the weapon should be
cleaned and lubricated with the proper
lubricants as soon as possible
d). Rifle grease should be applied to those
working surfaces.
3. Equipment.
a) Tools Needed
(1) Cleaning cradle or padded vise to
hold rifle
(2) Safety block or stripper clip to hold
action open
(3) Cleaning rod- Parker-Hale or Dewey
type
(4) Cleaning rod guide
(5) Bronze bore brushes- 30 caliber and
45 caliber
(6) Patch tip for cleaning rod- spear or
wrap around type
(7) Tooth brush
(8) Gas cylinder wrench
(9) Gas plug wrench/combo tool
(10) Gas system cleaning drills
(11) Chamber brush
(12) Pin punch- 1/8"
b) Supplies Needed
(1) Powder solvent- Hoppe's, Shooter's
Choice, etc.
(2) Copper solvent- Sweet's 7.62, Shooter's
Choice, Hoppe's
(3) Gun grease- Shooter's Choice, Plastilube,
Rig, Lubriplate
(4) Light lubricant- Breakfree, etc.
(5) Spray carburetor cleaner- Gumout, STP,
Gun Scrubber
(6) Patches
(7) Cotton Swabs
(8) Rags
c) Cleaning the Rifle
1. The need for cleaning.
The rifle must be cleaned after it has
been fired because firing produces primer
fouling, powder ashes, carbon, and metal
fouling. The ammunition now manufactured
has a non-corrosive primer which makes
cleaning easier, but no less important. The
primer still leaves a deposit that may collect
moisture and promote rust if it is not
removed.

2. Cleaning and Maintenance after
firing exercises.
After every shooting session perform the
following operations:
a) Put the rifle in the cradle or
vise upside down, with muzzle
sloping down slightly. This keeps
solvent from draining into the action
and affecting the bedding. Open the
action, and block it open with the
safety block or clip. This prevents
damage to the cleaning rod and your
fingers. For the M16, remove the bolt
and operating handle then kept the
barrel slightly downwards.
b) Use the rod, guide, patch
holder, patch and powder solvent to
push a wet patch through the bore to
remove loose fouling. Slip the guide on
the rod, seat and wet the patch with
solvent, push through bore after
aligning guide and remove patch at
breech. Do this twice. (For the M14,
the cleaning rod will be pulled from
the muzzle)
c) Use rod, guide and brush to
loosen fouling. Wet the brush with
powder solvent using a squeeze
bottle, then clean with ten strokes,
wiping the rod with a rag each
stroke. Let stand for 4-5 minutes.
While waiting, use the toothbrush to
clean the front and rear sights and
bolt face. Use a cotton swab and a
bit of rag to clean out locking lug
recesses, op rod hump, rear of barrel
and tracks in action. Patch the bore
dry.
d) Repeat #3, but this time while
waiting clean chamber with chamber brush
and patch, and relubricate lugs, recesses
and tracks. Patch the bore dry.
e) Apply copper solvent to bore with
plastic bristle brush or mop. Apply
liberally, and allow to soak for 5-10
minutes. While waiting remove trigger
assembly and clean hammer and trigger
hooks with cotton swab and rag. Also
clean the trough on top of the hammer,
hammer face and safety notch.
Relubricate hooks very sparingly with light
oil. Put a little grease in the hammer
trough and on the safety notch. Patch the
bore dry.
f) Repeat #5, this time cleaning the gas
system. Hold both gas cylinder and lock
at the same time with the special
wrench while removing the plug with
the combo tool. Shake out the piston,
and clean with the toothbrush. Gently
clean the inside of the piston and plug
with the drills. Clean the inside of the
cylinder with a few strokes of a dry 45
caliber brush. Reassemble; the flat side
of the piston goes toward the barrel.
Put a small dot of grease on the rear
of the piston. Snug the plug up tight
to the register marks, using both
wrenches, but don't force. Repeat
cleaning bore with copper solvent
until the first patch comes out clean.
Use the waiting time to check over the
stock and sling, repack your shooting
stool, etc. Finish with a patch wet with
carb cleaner, cleaning and dry
patching the barrel and chamber to
remove copper solvent traces.
Note:
If you dont have a bore guide,
make sure that you dont rub
your cleaning rod against the
throat (near the chamber) as it
will adversely affect accuracy. If
you have a one-piece Teflon
coated rod, use it especially
when you are in the garrison.
d.. Cleaning frequency.
The rifle must be thoroughly
cleaned no later than the evening
of the day it is fired. For three
consecutive days thereafter check
for evidence of fouling by running a
clean patch through the bore and
inspecting it. The bore should be
lightly oiled after each inspection.
e. Maintenance procedures during
combat operations
Malfunctions and stoppages are common
problems experienced by soldiers during
combat operations. It has been noted that
soldiers tend to neglect their basic duty of
conducting preventive maintenance during the
lulls of combat operations. The M14 rifle, if
exposed to rain and scorching heat of the sun
or salty water during waterborne operations,
will rust. Rust, dirt or dust that will accumulate
in the bolt, operating rod and trigger system
will likely cause the rifle to malfunction.
Cleaning of the rifle is one of the activities
during patrol base operations.
The maintenance procedures in the
patrol base are as follows:
1. Clean the rifles using the buddy system.
The rest of the patrol members will secure
the patrol base.
2. Use a poncho as a mat where the rifle
parts are laid down during cleaning.
3. Disassemble only the three main group
(firing mechanism, barrel and receiver, and
the stock group)
4. Inspect the bore for dirt or sand. Swab
it with dry patch.
NOTE:
5. A light coat of oil should be placed on all
other metal parts except those which come
in contact with ammunition.
6. Inspect the ammunitions. Wipe then
clean and dry. Do not apply oil or solvent
on the ammunition.
The rifle should not be disassembled any more
than is necessary for the level of maintenance
truly needed