Shooting
 
Cadets at all levels of the Air Training Corps have the opportunity to participate in shooting using the No.8 .22 rifle or the Cadet General Purpose Rifle L98-A1 5.56mm weapon and the new Cadet General Purpose Rifle L98-A2 5.56mm weapon .
 
 
                                                     
               L98-A1 5.56mm / L98-A2 5.56mm                                                                                          No.8 .22 Rifle 
 
      
 A "range" is a location designed so that people can take part in shooting under controlled conditions and ranges come in many shapes and sizes. Initially, shooting takes place with the target 25m from the firer, either on a 25m indoor range or a 25m barrack (outdoor) range. Cadets can aim to achieve various marksmanship qualification badges to wear on their uniform - see them at bottom of this page. There are several types of live firing that a cadet might undertake to gain these awards:-   
   

Grouping: 

The firer selects a single aiming point on the target and fires a number of rounds at that point. 
The aim is for all the rounds to fall as close to the aim point as possible and it is measured as the diameter of a circle encompassing all of the holes in the target. Grouping practice is excellent for concentrating on perfecting your technique. There is no limit to how long the shooter may take when firing groupings.

Deliberate Fire:

This practice is fired at a target with marked, concentric scoring rings. The shooter aims at the centre of the target with the intention of placing the shot as near to the centre as possible. 
The shooter's score is marked depending on how near to the centre of the target they manage to get. Common targets for application shooting are a large, single target or a card with 5 or 10 separate targets marked on it. When firing at a card with multiple targets, the shooter will aim to place one or two rounds on each of the targets. The shooter can take as long as they like to make the shots as the goal is optimum accuracy.

Rapid: 

All that is required is that the shooter gets the round within the target area. However, they now have a time limit - for instance they may be required to fire 10 rounds in 40 seconds on a No.8 rifle and that really isn't too easy.

Snap:

Again, all the shooter needs to do is get the rounds to fall within the target area. However, the targets only appear for a short time before vanishing again and the shooter must typically hit the target with two rounds whilst it is visible. A snap practice might be for the target to appear and disappear 5 times, each time for 5 seconds. It will appear at random intervals so the shooter cannot anticipate the 
target.

Cadets whom prove to be excellent marksmen, can go on to the Inter-Service Cadet Small Bore Competition at Bisley, against Sea and Army Cadets. The top 100 marksmen of this tri-service competition gain a Cadet Hundred badge.

Safety is paramount with all ATC activities and shooting is certainly no exception. Training is an integral part of the system and each cadet is fully trained in whichever rifle they will be using before they shoot. Staff whom undertake shooting with cadets will have attended and passed a number of weekend courses with a Regional Small Arms Training Team (SATT) at either a Royal Air Force station or an Army camp, before they can do so. Courses staff can attend are:

  • Qualified to Conduct Weapons Handling Training (qcWHT)
  • Weapons Instructor (WI)
  • Basic Coaching Course (BCC)
  • Range Conducting Officer (RCO)

Qualified staff have to have refresher courses every few years to ensure they maintain their qualification.

Each cadet also has an annual weapons handling test to prove that they can safely handle the weapon. Should they fail this test, they are given refresher training before they are allowed to shoot on a range.
 
 
 
Marksmanship qualification badges
 
 
                         
Squadron Marksman               Wing Marksman              Regional Marksman                        Corps Marksman   
 
 
 
                                             
     Cadet Hundred