MANUAL FOE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 99 



At the command fire, press the finger against the trigger; 

 fire without deranging the aim and without lowering or turn- 

 ing the ritie; lower the rifle to the position of load and load. 

 (Figs. 17, 18, 19.) 



134. To continue the firing: 1. AIM, 2. Squad, 3. FIEE. 

 Each command is executed as previously explained. Load 



(from magazine) is executed by drawing back and thrusting 

 home the bolt with the right hand, leaving the safety lock at 

 the " ready." 



TO FIEE AT WILL. 



135. FIRE AT WILL. 



Each man, independently of the other, comes to the ready, 

 aims carefully and deliberately at the aiming point or target, 

 fires, loads', and continues the firing until ordered to suspend or 

 cease firing. 



136. To increase (decrease) the rate of fire in progress the 

 instructor shouts: FASTER (SLOWER). 



Men are trained to fire at the rate of about three shots per 

 minute at effective ranges and five or six at close ranges, de- 

 voting the minimum of time to loading and the maximum to 

 deliberate aiming. To illustrate the necessity for delibera- 

 tion, and to habituate men to battle conditions, small and com- 

 paratively indistinct targets are designated. 



TO FIEE BY CLIP. 



137. CLIP FIRE. 



Executed in the same manner as fire at will, except that each 

 man, afer having exhausted the cartridges then in the rifle, 

 suspends firing. 



TO SUSPEND FIEING. 



138. The instructor blows a long blast of the whistle and 

 repeats same, if necessary, or commands : SUSPEND SIRING. 



Firing stops; rifles are held, loaded, and locked in a position 

 of readiness fo? ii:i!>tant resumption of firing, sights unchanged. 

 The men continue to observe the target or aiming point, or the 

 place at which the target disappeared, or at which it is ex- 

 pected to re&ppear. 



