Marksmanship fundamentals for the M136 AT4
STEADY HOLD:
Maintaining a steady hold involves holding the
launcher as steady as possible while sighting and firing. To maintain the proper
sight picture and sight alignment until you fire, hold the launcher in a tight,
comfortable position so that it becomes a natural extension of your body. Keep
your elbows close to your body to help balance the weapon and prevent you from
jerking or flinching when you fire. With your left hand, grasp the carrying
sling where it attaches to the launcher near the muzzle. With your right hand on
the trigger mechanism, pull the shoulder stop into your right shoulder pocket.
Steady Hold Position
AIMING PROCEDURES:
Aiming procedures include placing the eye
correctly, obtaining a sight picture, and aligning the sight. Combining these
procedures is critical to correctly aiming light antiarmor weapons.
Eye Placement:
Estimate the range before sighting the weapon.
Place your firing eye between 2 1/2 to 3 inches from the rear sight. This
distance is necessary for correct sight alignment and to prevent injury to the
firer from the weapon’s recoil.
Eye Placement
WARNING: When firing the M136 AT4, do not
place your eye closer than 2 1/2 inches from the rear sight. The M136 AT4’s
recoil could cause the rear sight to injure your firing eye.
Sight Alignment:
Align the sights correctly with the target.
Position the rear sight so that the white semicircle of the front sight is a
hazy line around the bottom half of the rear sight opening. Position the front
sight posts on the target. Align the sight by moving your head forward or
backward.
Sight Alignment for the M136
AT4
Sight Picture:
Position the front sight on the
target.
Stationary Targets:
Stationary targets include fixed positions
and fortifications as well as vehicles moving directly toward or away from the
firer. Adjust the rear sight for the correct range and place the center sight
post in the center of the target.
Sight Picture, Stationary
Targets
Slow Moving Vehicles:
Slow-moving vehicles are those with an
estimated speed of 10 miles per hour or less or those moving in an oblique
direction. Place the center sight post on the front or leading edge of the
vehicle.
Sight Picture, Slow Moving
Vehicles
Fast Moving Vehicles:
Fast-moving vehicles are those estimated to
be moving faster than 10 miles per hour. Place either the left or right lead
post on the center of the target. For example, if the target is moving from
left to right, place the left lead post on the target’s center of mass, and
vice versa.
Sight Picture, Fast Moving
Targets
BREATH CONTROL:
Breath control is as important when firing the
M136 AT4 as it is when firing an individual weapon. Improper breath control
while firing can cause a miss. To control breathing, the firer breathes deeply a
couple of times, takes one last deep breath, exhales partly, holds his breath,
sights, and then fires.
TRIGGER MANIPULATION:
To fire the M136 AT4, the firer must apply firm
and steady forward pressure to the trigger with the thumb of the firing hand.
Soldiers can practice trigger manipulation and control techniques on an expended
launcher or FHT.
Trigger Manipulation
INTEGRATED ACT OF SHOOTING:
Correct sight alignment is critical, as sight
alignment errors increase as the range to the target increases. Maintaining the
correct relationship between the rear and front sights is as important as
placing the aiming point. The steps for doing this should become automatic. No
matter how quickly they are done, these steps are always distinct because the
human eye can only focus at one distance and on one point at a time. The firer
focuses on the front sight to obtain the correct sight alignment, and then
places the aiming point to complete the sight picture. He shifts or adjusts the
position of the launcher as necessary. The entire time he is pressing the
trigger, the firer maintains the sight picture.
