Shooting
Marksmanship has a long history in the RAFAC and it remains one of our most popular activities. Cadets can train on a variety of rifles, shoot for various marksmanship awards and take part in numerous competitions.
Before live firing any rifle, cadets must undertake a period of dry training and complete a weapons handling test (WHT) under the supervision of a qualified Skill At Arms Instructor (SAAI). WHT's ensure cadets can safely operate the rifle and must be renewed every 6 months, with each rifle type having its own WHT. All shooting activities in the RAFAC are conducted by staff who hold range management qualifications issued by the Small Arms School Corps.
Before live firing any rifle, cadets must undertake a period of dry training and complete a weapons handling test (WHT) under the supervision of a qualified Skill At Arms Instructor (SAAI). WHT's ensure cadets can safely operate the rifle and must be renewed every 6 months, with each rifle type having its own WHT. All shooting activities in the RAFAC are conducted by staff who hold range management qualifications issued by the Small Arms School Corps.
Rifle Types
Most cadets will receive their first marksmanship training on an air rifle due to their light weight and low recoil. Air rifles are usually Squadron purchased items and types can vary from unit to unit.
The Enfield No.8 Rifle is usually the first 'real' rifle a cadet will fire. It is a single shot, bolt action rifle which fires a 0.22 inch rim fire round. It must be manually loaded with a single round before each shot and is usually fired on indoor 25 metre ranges.
At 14, cadets are eligible for training with the L98A2 Cadet General Purpose Rifle. The L98A2 is a single shot version of the L85A2 rifle used by members of the UK Armed Forces. The L98A2 is a semi-automatic rifle, meaning that only one shot can be fired with each pull of the trigger. It fires a 5.56mm round fed from a magazine with a 30 round capacity.
The Parker Hale L81A2 Cadet Target Rifle is the largest calibre rifle that a cadet may fire. It is a single shot bolt action rifle which fires a 7.62mm round. This rifle is designed for competition shooting and is used mainly by Wing/Regional Shooting Teams for the Inter Service Cadet Rifle Meet at Bisley. To be eligible to train with and fire the L81A2, a cadet must first reach a high level of proficiency on the L98A2.
Marksmanship Awards
Cadets can qualify for a marksmanship award by completing a series of shoots to a certain standard. Each marksmanship award can be gained on any rifle type and as such the proficiency standard varies greatly. Firing an air rifle on a 25 metre indoor range is greatly different to firing the L98A2 or L81A2 on an outdoor barrack range at distances of up to 100 metres.
Squadron Marksman
The Squadron Marksman Award involves four shoots, with each shoot consisting of a five round grouping. The aim of a grouping is to get all shots as close together on the target as possible.
Each grouping is scored as follows:
A maximum of 100 points are available across the four shoots. If a cadet scores 75+/100, they will be awarded the Squadron Marksman Badge. |
Wing Marksman
The Wing Marksman Award is a little more advanced and introduces three new types of shoot.
A maximum of 70 points are available across the four shoots. If a cadet scores between 54-59/70 they will be awarded the Wing Marksman Badge. |
Regional Marksman
The Regional Marksman Award consists of the same four shoots as the Wing Marksman Award and is scored in the same manner, but the standard required is higher.
A maximum of 70 points are available across the four shoots. If a cadet scores 60+/70, they will be awarded the Regional Marksman Badge. |
Corps Marksman
The Corps Marksman Award is the final level of proficiency and consists of four shoots of increased difficulty.
A maximum of 120 points are available across the four shoots. If a cadet scores 100+/120, they will be awarded the Corps Marksman Badge. |
Cadet 100
The Cadet 100 badge can only be achieved at the Inter Service Cadet Rifle Meeting held annually at Bisley Ranges. To qualify for the award, a cadet must score amongst the top 100 of all cadets present over the weekend. This is a massive achievement as only 100 are awarded out of all the cadets in the country.
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