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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Five, four, three, two,
‘boom' - the echo of two Barrett M107 sniper rifles leaves the
firing line quiet.
Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion,
2nd Marine Division, took part in a sniper, live-fire range to hone
their long-range skills aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina,
November, 2014.
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Two Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance
Battalion, 2nd Marine Division perform a synchronized shot aboard
Camp Lejeune, N.C., November, 2014. A synchronized shot is when
multiple rifles are fired and only one sound is heard. Marines
practiced various shooting techniques during their time on the
firing line in preparation for an upcoming urban sniper course.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Dalton A. Precht)
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“We are preparing the students of the upcoming [urban
sniper] course on the various techniques they will be
doing,” said Sgt. Fabian Morales, an assistant team leader
with 2nd Recon Bn. “We are also testing our rifles and
getting a true zero for [the Marines] before the course.”
Finding a true zero for the rifles will ensure the
Marines know what their aiming points are for each target,
according to Morales.
“[Finding a] solid zero, or a
true, is using the ballistic calculators to configure the
math that is needed to use one plug in from zero out to a
thousand yards,” said Morales. “It saves a lot of time and
helps in their preparation for this upcoming course.”
The training also gave the Marines a sneak peek at some
of the techniques that would be presented to them in the
upcoming weeks, such as loop-hole shooting.
“The best
advantage a sniper can have is shooting behind cover, and we
do that with loop-hole shooting,” said Morales. “Loop-hole
shooting is when the sniper is shooting from holes about
three to four inches in diameter. Normally in an urban
environment, we use the loop hole shooting method and the
sniper creates the holes using either tools or explosives.”
The Marines looked to the more senior shooters in order
to better understand the shooting techniques and what it
takes to succeed at those techniques.
“We want them
to go out to the course with a general understanding of what
will be expected during the training,” said Morales. “One of
the key things for them to grasp is how to utilize the
ballistic calculator.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Dalton A. Precht
Provided
through DVIDS
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