I have long had a tendency to tie marksmanship to morality. The essence of good marksmanship is self-control, and self-control is the essence of good citizenship. It is too easy to say that a good shot is automatically a good man, but it would be equally incorrect to ignore the connection.
Marksmanship is the heart of everything we do here. Through marksmanship, we learn and practice discipline, focus, and self-control. As one of my podcast guests once put it over a couple of beers, “Marksmanship is the American Martial Art.”
Here you will find all of my articles, podcasts, and marksman challenges relating to the study and practice of good marksmanship. If you’re specifically looking to learn the fundamentals, be sure to check out my article series on how to shoot a rifle. I’ll soon be working on a series for pistol marksmanship as well.
If you haven’t tested yourself against a Marksman Challenge, be sure to check one of them out and lets us know how you did over in the community forum.
/// Marksmanship Archive
A Marksman’s Guide to the Sitting Position
Jeff Cooper, in The Art of the Rifle, stated that the seated position is the most useful for hunters. Military shooters use it less because it's neither as low as prone nor fast like squatting or kneeling.
Make the Sacrifice Worth it: Olympic Shooting with Amanda Banta
Amanda Banta is a national rifle champion and Olympic competitor. She began shooting at 11 years old and competed in the 2012 Olympic games only 9 years later. In this conversation, we take a look at what it took to make that kind of progress, what it means to have a winning mindset, and of course learn some tips for better marksmanship practice.
On the Cheap: 22LR as an Awesome Long-Range Training Tool
Today I'm broaching on the biggest omission from my safe: a 22LR rifle. I know it's been a great training tool for generations, but I've never been interested. Until now, that is. And the reason I'm suddenly interested is how well the little rimfire works as a trainer for larger centerfire cartridges like the 308 at long ranges.
Make faster Hits and Improve Marksmanship with Your Point Blank Zero
Most field shooters, from big game hunters to military members, do not have the luxury of time to check distance, adjust sights, and take a precisely aimed shot. Knowing and using the point blank zero is a tool for helping with that.
Sharpening the Edge: There’s Value in Competition
Life is full of competition. In fact, in the grand scheme of things, all of life is a giant competition for resources and reproduction. Entire species either prosper or go extinct on the macro level due to their collective abilities to compete in an ever-changing environment. Nations, businesses, and people operate in a similar way. And so should you.
Getting Started in PRS with Mike Keenan
This is an interview with pro PRS shooter Mike Keenan on what every newbie needs to know to get started in PRS or NRL competition shooting. We cover gear, attitude, and the all-important cartridge selection.
Real Life is Open Division: Interview with Jeff Gurwitch
Jeff Gurwitch served in the US Army for 26 years, with 19 of those being in Special Forces. Jeff has multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and has seen the gamut of fighting styles from close quarters to long-range mountain fighting. He's also been a competitive shooter for over 15 years, competing in USPSA, IDPA, and PRS. On top of that, he also publishes articles for Defense Review and SWAT Magazine. While his tactical credentials are certainly impressive, I wanted to use this interview to instead talk about competitive shooting and its relationship to defensive and combat shooting.
What I Learned from 30 Days of Dry Practice
Alex, AKA Diceman624, was the first to complete the Dry Practice Challenge and he did a fantastic job writing up an After Action Review for the community. We're reposting it to the main blog today so you can learn alongside him.
The 1 MOA-All-Day Challenge
This marksman challenge is all about holding 1 MOA of precision for as many shots as possible. It's timed and forces you to reset your position between each shot.
The Dry Practice Tune-Up Challenge
This Marksman Challenge is all about tuning up your skills through the use of disciplined and recurring dry practice (the activity formerly known as dry fire). If there is one recurring theme in every expert I've interviewed so far, it's the importance of dry practice.
Derrick Bartlett: Knowing the Need and Making it Happen
This is an interview with Derrick Bartlett, 28 year law enforcement veteran, SWAT officer, sniper instructor, and president of the American Sniper Association.
Skill Building: It’s Dry Practice, Not Dry Fire
I am what you might call a “fan” of dry practice. I’ve written articles about it, extolled its virtues to my friends, and engaged in quite a lot of it. In 2019 I set out to do ten minutes of dry practice per day for the entire year. I did it, and I spent a little over 62 hours dry practicing, mostly with my EDC firearm.
How to Measure Precision: Or, Why Three-Shot Groups are Terrible
One of my current goals is getting more involved in precision shooting and competition. It shouldn’t be a surprise that precision has been on my mind a lot lately. As I’ve been doing more and more reading and research, I’ve come across a few interesting ways of thinking about things that I want to share with you.
The Truth About AR-15 Marketing
Today’s episode is about the tactics of AR-15 marketing in particular, but what I’m saying applies just as much to all firearms and tactical marketing in general. The simple truth, albeit a harsh one, is that you are best served by ignoring the ads and influencers out there.
The Pistol Fundamentals Challenge
The PIstol Fundamentals Challenge is my variation on the classic Dot Torture popularized by Todd Green and Dave Blinder. It's a 30-round challenge testing your ability to maintain accuracy across different circumstances while under time pressure.
Mental Marksmanship: Train the Mind, and the Rest Will Follow
Linda Miller and Keith Cunningham are the authors of Secrets of Mental Marksmanship, How to fire Perfect Shots. They are accomplished shooters in both the civilian and military worlds, and today we are talking about developing the right mindset.
