Starting Weapons?

[beenthinkin]

I want to work on my marksmanship. However I am not sure what weapons I would train with. I want to work on pistol and rifle marksmanship, so please make suggestions.

Also the reason I am training is because I am think about seeking employment with the United States Army Rangers, I am hoping to get into infantry then become a sniper.

 

[JORDAN_CForces09]

Rifle: AR-15 or anything chambered in .223 Remington since it has nearly the same external dimensions, military cases are thicker for greater powder capacity then commercial cartridges. I personally like the ANSCHÜTZ Model 1770 and Ruger Mini-14 for this calibre. As for pistols you will probably being using Beretta 92FS in most branches of the US Military. So go with 9mm for now.

http://jga.anschuetz-sport.com/index.php5?produktID=307&menu=262&sprache=1&produktShow=detail
http://www.ruger.com/products/mini14/index.html

 

[42RM]

What you should do is to join a gun club that has instructors with military background or find someone who has the relevant military weapons training who can teach you. Otherwise you risk getting some bad habits that can be hard to get rid of. And believe me, the last thing in this world you need, is to believe you are a good shot when you start basic training. Your ass would be chewed up and spat out in small pieces.

 

[5.56X45mm]

What you should do is to join a gun club that has instructors with military background or find someone who has the relevant military weapons training who can teach you. Otherwise you risk getting some bad habits that can be hard to get rid of. And believe me, the last thing in this world you need, is to believe you are a good shot when you start basic training. Your ass would be chewed up and spat out in small pieces.

The man speaks the truth.... bad habits are a horrible thing for shooting.

I want to work on my marksmanship. However I am not sure what weapons I would train with. I want to work on pistol and rifle marksmanship, so please make suggestions.

Also the reason I am training is because I am think about seeking employment with the United States Army Rangers, I am hoping to get into infantry then become a sniper.

If you're serious about the basics of firearm marksmanship then get yourself a Ruger 10/22 Rifle and a Browning Buckmark Pistol. Both are chambered in .22LR and are highly affordable and ammo is dirt cheap. Then go to a range and take a hunter safety course for learning the basics of firearm safety.

Once that is done, ask your local ranges when they do local competitions. Go to them and ask some folks for help in learning how to shoot. Then practice, practice, practice....

The US Army will teach you how to work your rifle but you can teach yourself on the basics and build a good foundation.

 

[mmarsh]

The man speaks the truth.... bad habits are a horrible thing for shooting.



If you're serious about the basics of firearm marksmanship then get yourself a Ruger 10/22 Rifle and a Browning Buckmark Pistol. Both are chambered in .22LR and are highly affordable and ammo is dirt cheap. Then go to a range and take a hunter safety course for learning the basics of firearm safety.

Once that is done, ask your local ranges when they do local competitions. Go to them and ask some folks for help in learning how to shoot. Then practice, practice, practice....

The US Army will teach you how to work your rifle but you can teach yourself on the basics and build a good foundation.

Listen to the man, he speaketh the truth!

I started in .22LR myself. Its a good beginner caliber and ammo is cheap.

 

[MikeP]

I did a lot of shooting before the military.
I owned Garands, carbines and others,

One thing I saw was that guys who never fired a weapon took the training and became vert good shots.
They had no bad habits to unlearn.

WTF is it with youngsters aspiring to hide behind rocks and kill people?

If that's your life's aspiration, I believe you won't pass the mental exams.
The military is about teamwork-no place for "lone wolf" commando wannabees.

 

[beenthinkin]

I did a lot of shooting before the military.
I owned Garands, carbines and others,

One thing I saw was that guys who never fired a weapon took the training and became vert good shots.
They had no bad habits to unlearn.

WTF is it with youngsters aspiring to hide behind rocks and kill people?

If that's your life's aspiration, I believe you won't pass the mental exams.
The military is about teamwork-no place for "lone wolf" commando wannabees.

It isn't about being a lone wolf, atleast not for me. I don't like the idea of killing an innocent by accident in a gunfight, as a sniper I believe that the risk of an innocent dying is greatly decrease. One shot, one kill. I see and know my target before I pull the trigger, and by doing that I help save the lives of my comrade could possibly be down there.

 

[beenthinkin]

If you're serious about the basics of firearm marksmanship then get yourself a Ruger 10/22 Rifle and a Browning Buckmark Pistol. Both are chambered in .22LR and are highly affordable and ammo is dirt cheap. Then go to a range and take a hunter safety course for learning the basics of firearm safety.

Once that is done, ask your local ranges when they do local competitions. Go to them and ask some folks for help in learning how to shoot. Then practice, practice, practice....

The US Army will teach you how to work your rifle but you can teach yourself on the basics and build a good foundation.

I will take that into consideration and look into both of those guns. After I get some money together I will search for someone with the qualifications to give me lessons.

Thanks you for the suggestions so far. I will take them all into consideration.

 

[George]

Ruger Mk II is a good .22 for learning also. Thicker case walls would reduce powder capacity, less room.

 

[mmarsh]

It isn't about being a lone wolf, atleast not for me. I don't like the idea of killing an innocent by accident in a gunfight, as a sniper I believe that the risk of an innocent dying is greatly decrease. One shot, one kill. I see and know my target before I pull the trigger, and by doing that I help save the lives of my comrade could possibly be down there.

I heard this from documentary interview of former Soviet Sniper at Stalingrad.

One former sniper was a man was in his 70's or 80s and stated he could still see the young men's faces (using the optics) just seconds before he killed them. He remembered them perfectly. I know zilch about the military, but that sounds like a pretty horrible burden to bear. Are You ready to carry that type of nightmare?

 

[beenthinkin]

I heard this from documentary interview of former Soviet Sniper at Stalingrad.

One former sniper was a man was in his 70's or 80s and stated he could still see the young men's faces (using the optics) just seconds before he killed them. He remembered them perfectly. I know zilch about the military, but that sounds like a pretty horrible burden to bear. Are You ready to carry that type of nightmare?

I don't want to sound cold but sometimes it has to be done and I believe I could carry that burden and if I just save one life with that kill then it is worth it to me.

 

[mmarsh]

I don't want to sound cold but sometimes it has to be done and I believe I could carry that burden and if I just save one life with that kill then it is worth it to me.

Thats fine, I am not trying to talk you out of it. I only mention it to warn you that there may be a very heavy price to pay later...one they wont be mentioning in the brochures.

 

[5.56X45mm]

I don't want to sound cold but sometimes it has to be done and I believe I could carry that burden and if I just save one life with that kill then it is worth it to me.

I have been there, done it, and seen it. I've lost friends and I have taken someone's life. It is not something easy. I have nightmares to this day about what I have done.

Was it a case of them or us? Yes but that does not make it any easier. There are things I do not wish to speak about or look back upon. That part of my life is a closed chapter.

But please understand that combat is not a joking matter; nor is the taking of a life.

 

[MikeP]

My point is about the basic desire or concept that being a soldier is bushwhacking somebody from hiding.

Nothing against the job, it is necessary and I never had any remorse.

My grand fathers were in WW1.
At that time, snipers were held in low esteem and in fact, discontinued by the US.

Today there are so many posts by kids in basements whose only aspiration is to hide and kill people from ambush that one wonders wtf is the deal?

Too much Ghost Recon? Fortunately 99% will never get close.

First you go to be a real soldier and excel in teamwork and training.

Thre dreamers fall out pretty quick.

I think if you tell a recruiter your response and reasons, you will be laughed out of the office.

I could be wrong, but 4 years teamtime makes me cynical and judgemental.

 

[42RM]

Most sane humans, if given the choice, will not kill their fellow man and are extremely reluctant to do so, despite what hollywood would like you to believe. When they are forced to do so, many can experience a great deal of psychological trauma.

 

[brinktk]

I wish it were so black and white...unfortunately, it is not. Combat has a way of making simple problems, impossible ones. Moral dilemmas are constant and the decision process is done from seconds to fractions of seconds. Killing is no easy thing. What's frightening is that it is usually done without even thinking about it at the moment that your finger pulls the trigger. Training takes over and you do do what your training has taught you. It's afterwards that you have to deal with rationalizing what you have done...and trust me...it's never a clear cut situation. Some people handle it better than others, but it's never easy. Focus on being a good soldier first. Be the best at whatever it is you do, and if you get the opportunity to receive the training you desire then good for you. Only seasoned soldiers are afforded the slots of sniper in the army and you may find your motivations have changed once you get shot at for a while. Don't have your heart set on one particular thing and get tunnel vision. Remember, the needs of the military are going to always come before yours. If you can't handle that, then you need to reconsider the soldiers profession as a means of employment.

 

[42RM]

I have been there, done it, and seen it. I've lost friends and I have taken someone's life. It is not something easy. I have nightmares to this day about what I have done.

Was it a case of them or us? Yes but that does not make it any easier. There are things I do not wish to speak about or look back upon. That part of my life is a closed chapter.

But please understand that combat is not a joking matter; nor is the taking of a life.

In a war there are no survivors - only veterans.
I hope you don´t have too many demons to fight.

 

[KevinTheCynic]

...Today there are so many posts by kids in basements whose only aspiration is to hide and kill people from ambush that one wonders wtf is the deal?

Too much Ghost Recon?

Yeah actually, I believe that has a big part in it. Modern video games are visceral but exciting, there's a soundtrack to get the blood pumping and the "thrill of the kill" and being the lone warrior who saves everyone is really played up with such things as kill count and achievement points for having killed X or Y amount of bad guys in certain ways.
A number of the young guys playing these games have had no experience with firearms or being "in the bush", let alone any experience in the military.
Movies tend to convey the same message and then there is the whole glamourized presentation of various aspects of the military for recruiting purposes.

My first introduction to firearms was when I was 12 years old and I was only ever allowed to plink at targets. Later I was allowed to shoot pest animals like rabbits and foxes and then I was introduced to exactly what my rifle had done - I had to gut and dress the rabbits or bury the foxes I'd shot.
I only mention that because it's an experience that most city dwellers never have and so the connection between shooting something and the actually effect it has, is never experienced by them.

So, we end up with people with an unrealistic view of how an army operates, mainly because most of our entertainment has a fantasy representation of the military but also in a small way because most of us don't experience what really happens when you shoot a living creature.
--------

Apologies for my waffling on too long, I get a tad worked up on these sorts of debates :?

 

[Spartan613]

I want to work on my marksmanship. However I am not sure what weapons I would train with. I want to work on pistol and rifle marksmanship, so please make suggestions.

Also the reason I am training is because I am think about seeking employment with the United States Army Rangers, I am hoping to get into infantry then become a sniper.

Join up first. You'll be issued with the weapons you need, and trained by instructors who will teach everything you need to know.

 

[84RFK]

While it could be a good idea to learn some of the basics of shooting, I'd say that safe handling of a weapon and respect for what the weapon can cause of damage to yourself and innocent bystanders (team mates in the service) is by far more important.

Some have mentioned cheap .22 LR as a good alternative for training, I'll second that.
But only if you drop the idea of a scope, and just go for the iron sights instead!

And if you want realistic training, run/march to your local shooting range, lay down, load your weapon, and observe the targets, when the shooting range close for the night you unload your weapon and march home.
Keep doing that 6 days a week for a month or two, and you'll get a pretty good idea about things.
That's right, 6 days a week for 2 months without one single shot fired.