Book excerpt: MASTER THE M16 RIFLE, M4 CARBINE, AND OTHER BLACK RIFLE VARIANTS The art of the long gun is at the heart of every Marine, for every Marine is first and foremost a rifleman. There are no rear-echelon Marines, as no one is far from the front line during expeditionary operations. Therefore, this comprehensive guide contains the distilled wisdom of Marine Corps instructors and sharpshooters over decades, designed and proven to hone a student of any ability into a competition-ready, combat-grade marksman on whose skills his comrades may justifiably rely. Current edition note: this publication supersedes the old (pre-2016) MCRP 3-01A. 252 PAGES - COMPLETE & UNABRIDGED - NO CUTS, UNLIKE OTHERS ON AMAZON; CHECK THE PAGE COUNT! Full-size edition: LARGE 8.5" x 11" FORMAT: clear, detailed text & illustrations. The indispensable manual for service personnel, civilian contractors, law enforcement, competition shooters, hunters, preppers, and more. Essential reference for the bookshelf or range bag of any M16, M4 or AR-series rifle operator. "Batteries last hours, books last decades. Get the print edition!" The handbook covers: THE SERVICE RIFLE, ACCESSORIES, AMMUNITION, BALLISTICS & OPERATION MAINTENANCE, DISASSEMBLY, CLEANING, REASSEMBLY, FIELD MAINTENANCE IN VARIOUS CLIMATES, INSPECTION WEAPONS HANDLING, SAFETY PROCEDURES, COMMANDS, RELOADING, TACTICAL & SPEED RELOADS, STOPPAGE DRILLS, CARRY & SLING CHOICES, TRANSPORTS FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKSMANSHIP, COMBAT OPTICS, IRON SIGHTS, TRIGGER CONTROL FIRING POSITIONS, USE OF SUPPORT EFFECTS OF WEATHER, TEMPERATURE & PRECIPITATION ZEROING FOR COMBAT OPTIC & IRON SIGHTS, WINDAGE & ELEVATION RULES OFFSET AIMING FOR WINDAGE & ELEVATION ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, RIFLE PRESENTATION FROM CARRY, SHOT DELIVERY, POST-ENGAGEMENT SEARCH & ASSESS TECHNIQUES TARGET DETECTION, LOCATION & RANGE ESTIMATION MULTIPLE TARGET ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, ASSESSMENT & PRIORITIZATION MOVING TARGET ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES & LEADING MOVEMENT IN COMBAT LOW-LIGHT ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, NIGHT VISION, ILLUMINATION, ACQUIRING TARGETS AT NIGHT, NIGHT AIMING DEVICES Introduction Marine Corps forces are employed across the entire range of military operations. Those operations include war (characterized by large-scale, sustained combat operations) and other military operations that focus on deterring aggression, resolving conflict, promoting peace, and supporting civil authorities. These operations can occur before, during, and after combat operations. Marines always need to be prepared to carry out their mission and adapt to changing levels of threat and unexpected situations. Whenever the situation warrants the application of deadly force, the Marine rifleman must be able to deliver well-aimed shots to eliminate the adversary. Marines must have the versatility, flexibility, and skills to deal with a situation at any level of intensity across the entire range of military operations. Combat-ready Marines must be skilled in tactics and proficient in the use of firearms. Well-trained Marines will have the confidence required to deliver accurate fire under the most adverse battle conditions. The Service rifle is the primary tool that an individual Marine uses to obtain dominance over the enemy and neutralize the effects of enemy weapons. The Marine Corps Combat Rifle Program progresses the individual Marine from the fundamentals of marksmanship to advanced combat shooting, ensuring the ability to masterfully employ the Service rifle under all conditions.