Back in my day (wooden ships and iron men) my Marine corps taught me the finer principals of marksmanship. This was back in the late fifties and the M1 Garand was the primary infantry rifle of the military. It's predecessor, the Springfield, Garand and the Carbine were all equipped with rear peep sights (no wimpy glass here.) We were instructed to keep our focus on the target and not on either the front or rear sight. The sight picture thus obtained presented you with a very blurry rear peep image and ,in many cases, a lesser blurred front sight. Guess what? That's the proper sight picture and having the peep and post blurry does not effect marksmanship in any way. Most of us could fire a ten round twelve inch group at 500 yards, prone with the trusty M1.
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless.
Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than any enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will....
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...
Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but Peace.
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