Question for the Marines

Hay question,how big are y'all's rifle quality targets ?

What yardage?

500 ? The one they're always bragging about

As I recall, It was 500 meters, but I saw my kid's targets and it was a 5 inch or so 10 shot group. So 1 MOA. No scope. He shot Expert and they tried to get him to change his MOS to sniper. He didn't.

So how big was the whole target ?

It used to be 20 inches wide by 40 inches tall. Shaped like a standing person

Was over 20 years ago. Will have to ask. I don't remember it being that large of a target. I mostly remember the group size and thinking that was over 1/4 mile away, and didn't think I could see the target that far away with my eyes, and how in the heck anybody could shoot that group at that distance.

In 1958 the targets on the 500 yard (not meters) had a 20" round bulls eye. I used a M1 Grand 30-06 with open iron sights and shot a 45 out of 50 with 10 rounds.

Google is your friend…


Looks like things are changing…
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/ne...arine-corps-rifle-qualification-is-here/

Last time I was pulling butts in the marines was 75. I though it was 3 ft by 4 ft. But I didn't have a tape measure. The 500 meter target was bigger than the 300 meter target if I recall correctly which I probably dont.

I qualified Expert with an M-1 at Parris Island in September 1962. The 500 yard targets were roughly 6 feet X 6 feet.

In 1965 it was 500 meters with the M14 and I do believe it was 20 inches by 40 inches as stated above. Not bragging just fact.

Interesting on the timelines vs. rifles used for marksman qualification.
Seems to me both the M1 and M14 were fully up to the task. I am a fan of both.



Was your question of current or historical standard target sizes?

I can't make out the dimensions. Zooming in makes it even worse.

Scratch what I said. Took me some time to get an answer as he is on the other side of the world. He doesn't remember what targets I saw and neither do I but they were not his qualifiers. He didn't keep those.......see below. He was at weapons school at Camp Pendleton on 9-11, so it was a few years ago.

He also said that after they shoot their targets, they get to work the pits, where you get to get used to bullets whizzing overhead and impacting a few feet above your head.

Sure, brings back memories of when I was in the Army. The bull's eye (black ring) was 22 inches at 500 yards.
Only thing different was we flagged the spot of impact so you could see where you hit. But we put colored spotters over the hole so we could see where you hit the target better. At RED flag was a Maggie's drawers.

The sheet is 6’x6’
The body is human size.

So yeah the kill area is 20”x40”…the 6’x6’ is probably just so you can see the dang thing.

Ok and all you have to do is hit the human sized silhouette for it to count ?

When I became a short timer they made me a range coach. I didn't spend much time there and It was a along time ago. But I do remember the Marine rifle team shooting bull eyes at 1000 yards with The M1 In the off hand position. I think the actual bull was 40".

The other thing I remember Is when qualifying as a boot a black tailed deer crossed the down range area It didn't make It.

This appears to be the current scoring method. Head shots rule?

https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Portals/207/Docs/wtbn/wtbn%20schoolhouse%20packets/Annual%20Rifle%20Qualification%20Guidelines%20CURRENT%20210804.pdf?ver=-heMRZ9Nggd9oVouaxj3OA%3d%3d