Learning to shoot properly is fun, relaxing, and provides a level of safety in your life.
My shooting experience started at Camp Mathews, outside of San Diego in 1963. It was the main rifle range for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. In boot camp the Marines issued me a M-14 rifle to most people, but to the Marines it was U. S. Rifle, M-14, 7.62mm caliber, magazine fed, gas operated, semi-automatic shoulder weapon. At Mathews we learned to shoot the right way, in this case read, the Marine Corps way. We fired from 200 yards off-hand (standing) slow fire and kneeling rapid fire, 300 yards sitting slow fire and prone rapid fire, and 500 yards, both rapid and slow fire were prone. It was tiring, it was hot, it was frustrating, but at the end of 3 weeks my platoon had the only 100% qualification of the 4 platoons in the series, and we had more recruits than the other 3 platoons did. 
Camp Mathews was founded in 1917 and up to its closing in 1964 over a million Marine recruits, as well as other shooters, received their marksmanship training at this military base. The photo depicts one of the many ranges at the facility.
The photo on the right depicts a Marine firing in the off-hand position……my least favorite of a four basic firing positions. I learned to fire the M-14 in bootcamp and used iron sights with a rear peep sight and a front sight blade. Today’s Marines learn with a M-16-A4 which has a 4x scope, which I think it makes things a lot easier. Will have to try one out sometime. The photos depicting the various positions are current ones using the M-16, the replacement for the M-14 I started with.
The Marine’s Rifle Creed….something every Marine memorizes in bootcamp:
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will…
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit…
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will…
Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace!
by Major General William H. Rupertus (USMC, Retired)
(written following the attack on Pearl Harbor)
Later in life. . . .
That was then, and now I am shooting at 1 inch targets at 7 yards in 1.8 seconds from the holster. I went with some friends to Front Sight, a premier training center ad shooting range outside of Las Vegas. We spent 4 days of dry firing and live firing. The weapon I was using for this event was a Walther PPQ .45 calibre pistol….picked the gun up Wednesday and cleaned it very good, flew to Las Vegas Thursday, and started shooting Friday. I really do like that gun! 
