1. Firing Positions
Good morning, I am ____________,and for the next 20 minutes I will be giving you a period of instruction on the Principles of firing positions.

2. Sight Alignment Trigger Control
The purpose of any good shooting position is to support the two basic principles of marksmanship
Sight Alignment
Trigger Control
People are different sizes and shapes so its impossible to have a picture perfect position.
As long as the position meets the requirements, can consistently and quickly be acquired, and works for the individual shooter by supporting the two principles, then it’s a good position.

3. Three elements of a Steady position:
Support (Artificial & Bone)
Muscular Relaxation
Natural Point of Aim
There are three elements to a steady position.
These three things must happen and cannot be broken in order for the position to work for the shooter.

4. What is the most stable platform?
Support
What is the most stable platform?
The Ground
Transfer the stability of the ground into your position through the use of artificial and bone support
Bone support is simply using the skeletal structure of the shooter to support the weight of the rifle.
Optimally we want the weight of the rifle over the positions’ center of gravity.

5. Muscular Relaxation
If you have good support, your muscles will be relaxed
Less muscle tension means less movement
Comfort equals relaxed
Without some sort of muscle tension we wouldn’t be able to hold the rifle in position.
Optimally we want to eliminate any undue muscle tension while still being able to control the rifle.
A simple way to look at is, as you use your muscles they become fatigued, with fatigue comes instability

6. Natural Point of Aim Where your position is naturally pointing
Your position must be adjusted so that your natural point of aim (NPA) is aligned with the target
Natural point of aim is where your position is naturally pointing.
When you assume a firing position if you were to look through your sights with no undue tension on your rifle, the same as if you were going to shoot, you would notice that the rifle is pointed somewhere, not necessarily at your target but it is pointed somewhere.
This is the natural point of aim of that position.
The goal now is to adjust that position so that the natural point of aim is aligned with the target.
This will enable you to engage the target without having to muscle the rifle over, causing undue muscular tension.
How do we adjust our position?
We want to adjust our position by moving the center of that particular position.
In the prone we adjust at our belt buckle. We move the entire position.

7. 5 Factors of a Solid Position
Non-Firing Hand
Rifle Butt
Firing Hand
Stock Weld
Elbows
These elements can be found in every position.
There are optimal placements for each, but they can be modified in order for the position to work.

8. Hasty Sling 1 5 4 2 3

9. Loop Sling

10. Putting the sling on Turn sling 1/4 turn to left (for RH shooter)
Put arm through loop
- high as possible (above tricep)
Tighten sling
Bring hand around outside of sling and place under handguard

11. Prone Natural Point of Aim (NPA) FIRING HAND
NON FIRING HAND
Handguards rest in the “V” formed between forefinger
Wrist remains straight
Weight of rifle rests on heel of hand
Fingers curled naturally around handguards
Only enough grip pressure to maintain control of rifle
STOCKWELD
This is where your face contacts the stock
Head should be vertical and upright
Consistent from shot to shot
Purpose is to achieve proper achieve eye-sight alignment
Look for excess skin forming a roll
FIRING HAND
Placed high on the pistol grip
Firm handshake grip
Trigger finger should be placed naturally on the trigger
Proper placement of the firing hand on the pistol grip allows the trigger finger to be moved straight to the rear without disturbing sight alignment.
RIFLE BUTT
Place the rifle butt firmly into the pocket formed in the shoulder.
Bring the rifle up to your head, not your head down to the rifle.
The higher the position, the higher the butt is in the shoulder.
ELBOWS
The non-firing elbow should still be positioned as close to directly underneath the rifle as possible to create bone support
The firing elbow should be allowed to rest where it naturally falls after the rest of the position is acquired
Natural Point of Aim (NPA)

12. Prone Leg Positions
Spread Leg
Bent Knee

13. Kneeling Natural Point of Aim (NPA) STOCKWELD
This is where your face contacts the stock
Head should be vertical and upright
Consistent from shot to shot
Purpose is to achieve proper eye-sight alignment
Look for excess skin forming a roll
FIRING HAND
Placed high on the pistol grip
Firm handshake grip
Trigger finger should be placed naturally on the trigger
Proper placement of the firing hand on the pistol grip allows the trigger finger to be moved straight to the rear without disturbing sight alignment.
RIFLE BUTT
Place the rifle butt firmly into the pocket formed in the shoulder.
Bring the rifle up to your head, not your head down to the rifle.
The higher the position, the higher the butt is in the shoulder.
FEET
Forward foot approx. 45 degrees to target and directly under knee
Rear foot: toe on ground or whole foot flat on ground
ELBOWS
The non-firing elbow should still be positioned as close to directly underneath the rifle as possible to create bone support
Place the elbow either forward of or behind the kneecap, but not on top
The firing elbow should hang as naturally as possible
NON FIRING HAND
Handguards rest in the “V” formed between forefinger
Wrist remains straight
Weight of rifle rests on heel of hand
Fingers curled naturally around handguards
Only enough grip pressure to maintain control of rifle
Left arm and left upper leg form a generally straight line
This allows the weight of the rifle to push straight to the base of the position
Natural Point of Aim
(NPA)

14. Non-Firing Hand
Rifle Butt
Firing Hand
Stock Weld
Elbows

15. Sitting Natural Point of Aim (NPA) NON FIRING HAND
Handguards rest in the “V” formed between forefinger
Wrist remains straight
Weight of rifle rests on heel of hand
Fingers curled naturally around handguards
Only enough grip pressure to maintain control of rifle
RIFLE BUTT
Place the rifle butt firmly into the pocket formed in the shoulder.
Bring the rifle up to your head, not your head down to the rifle.
The higher the position, the higher the butt is in the shoulder.
FIRING HAND
Placed high on the pistol grip
Firm handshake grip
Trigger finger should be placed naturally on the trigger
Proper placement of the firing hand on the pistol grip allows the trigger finger to be moved straight to the rear without disturbing sight alignment.
FEET
Cross your feet left over right. This is for right handed shooters, left handed shooters reverse the feet
The feet can be pulled close together for more elevation or pushed farther apart for less elevation
ELBOWS
The elbows should be placed either on the meaty portion in the bend of the leg, or in front of the kneecap
Be careful not to place the points of the elbows on top of the knees
STOCKWELD
This is where your face contacts the stock
Head should be vertical and upright
Consistent from shot to shot
Purpose is to achieve proper eye-sight alignment
Look for excess skin forming a roll
Natural Point of Aim
(NPA)

16. Standing Natural Point of Aim (NPA) RIFLE BUTT
Placement dependent on body type and equipment worn
Bring the rifle up to your head, not your head down to the rifle.
The higher the position, the higher the butt is in the shoulder.
STOCKWELD
This is where your face contacts the stock
Head should be vertical and upright
Consistent from shot to shot
Purpose is to achieve proper eye-sight alignment
Look for excess skin forming a roll
NON-FIRING HAND AND ARM
Handguard rests on heel of hand between thumb and forefinger
Non-firing arm as vertical as possible underneath the rifle
Elbow close to the body to incorporate as much bone support as possible
FIRING HAND
Placed high on the pistol grip
Firm handshake grip
Trigger finger should be placed naturally on the trigger
Proper placement of the firing hand on the pistol grip allows the trigger finger to be moved straight to the rear without disturbing sight alignment.
FEET
Approximately shoulder width apart
Equal weight distribution
Oriented perpendicular to target
Natural Point of Aim
(NPA)

17. Non-Firing Hand
Rifle Butt
Firing Hand
Stock Weld
Elbows

18. Sight Alignment Trigger Control
The purpose of any good shooting position is to support the two basic principles of marksmanship
Sight Alignment
Trigger Control
People are different sizes and shapes so its impossible to have a picture perfect position.
As long as the position meets the requirements, can consistently and quickly be acquired, and works for the individual shooter by supporting the two principles, then it’s a good position.

19. Questions on Positions?