Elric
Well-Known Member
Coleman Hold and Trigger Squeeze Device
By LIEUT. COL. W. P. COLEMAN, 341st Infantry, U. S. A.,
In the Infantry Journal
American Rifleman, vol 64, no. 25, September 14, 1918 page 489
https://books.google.com/books?id=t...4ChDoAQgsMAE#v=onepage&q=Coleman Hold&f=false
For those officers who have given serious thought and study to instruction in rifle firing, the most difficult task is to teach what “Hold and Squeeze” really means.
It is comparatively easy to teach the recruit theory of sights and, if his interest is properly maintained, the monotonous push and pull drills bring us the results desired, but when we come to the instruction in holding .the rifle and squeezing the trigger we can only coach and beg, for it is like taking a horse to water—the animal may drink or not, and it is just so with the recruit—he may hold and squeeze if he makes a conscientious effort, but the instructor is powerless to force this effort.
It appears to be very well agreed that, before a man can be taught to shoot a rifle properly, he must be made to realize that at the time of aiming the piece his attention and effort must be concentrated on something else than the explosion; that is, the act of squeezing the trigger is incidental and the main duty at this time is to hold on the target. It also appears to be accepted that even with old shots there is a tendency to jump when the rifle is fired, and if this jump is anticipated, as is unconsciously done when one jerks the trigger, the jump deranges the aim at the critical time and the shot misses the mark. In other words, men must be taught to deceive themselves as to the exact moment the rifle is fired, and we do this by requiring them to concentrate on the hold, the squeezing being so gradual that the explosion cannot be anticipated.
When the above conclusions were reached it became plainly apparent to me that there was need for some mechanical device to drive home the necessity to concentrate on the “Hold,” so as to bring home to the recruit and make plainly apparent to him his inability to grasp what is meant by “Hold and Squeeze.” So I began to think of some combination that would serve this end and the Coleman Hold and Trigger Squeeze Device is believed to accomplish the purpose.
If a man does not know how to hold his rifle steady while squeezing the trigger, the device will show him up. It also drives home the fact the recruit must concentrate on the “hold,” the trigger squeeze being incidental; that is, it may occur any time while the piece is being properly held, and it is this point that we must emphasize, for when the novice is so much absorbed in holding that his mind does not concern itself with the explosion, he has overcome the most difficult feature of rifle shooting.
The device has been given to the War Department and accepted. It can be constructed by a company mechanic.
To shoot a rifle effectively one must be brought to a realization of what “hold and squeeze” means. To do this successfully is the most difficult step in the instruction. And while there are many devices that teach men to become good shots, they do not isolate the test of holding and squeezing, but, like gallery practice, combine it with other features of the instruction.
By this device a soldier's inability to properly hold and squeeze becomes plainly apparent to himself and his instructor and therein lies its merit.
Use.—The sling is adjusted for use in the prone position and is placed on the left arm of the recruit, who cocks his piece and takes the prone position. The device is placed immediately in front of the recruit and near enough for the point of the detachable needle to slightly enter the muzzle when the rifle is held in the aiming position with the line of sight touching lower edge of bull’s—eye on miniature target.
As soon as rifle becomes steady, indicating a proper aim, the switch is closed and the recruit is required to squeeze the trigger and snap the piece without causing the bell to ring, for any decided movement of the rifle will cause the point of the needle to touch the side of the bore and the bell will ring.
By LIEUT. COL. W. P. COLEMAN, 341st Infantry, U. S. A.,
In the Infantry Journal
American Rifleman, vol 64, no. 25, September 14, 1918 page 489
https://books.google.com/books?id=t...4ChDoAQgsMAE#v=onepage&q=Coleman Hold&f=false
For those officers who have given serious thought and study to instruction in rifle firing, the most difficult task is to teach what “Hold and Squeeze” really means.
It is comparatively easy to teach the recruit theory of sights and, if his interest is properly maintained, the monotonous push and pull drills bring us the results desired, but when we come to the instruction in holding .the rifle and squeezing the trigger we can only coach and beg, for it is like taking a horse to water—the animal may drink or not, and it is just so with the recruit—he may hold and squeeze if he makes a conscientious effort, but the instructor is powerless to force this effort.
It appears to be very well agreed that, before a man can be taught to shoot a rifle properly, he must be made to realize that at the time of aiming the piece his attention and effort must be concentrated on something else than the explosion; that is, the act of squeezing the trigger is incidental and the main duty at this time is to hold on the target. It also appears to be accepted that even with old shots there is a tendency to jump when the rifle is fired, and if this jump is anticipated, as is unconsciously done when one jerks the trigger, the jump deranges the aim at the critical time and the shot misses the mark. In other words, men must be taught to deceive themselves as to the exact moment the rifle is fired, and we do this by requiring them to concentrate on the hold, the squeezing being so gradual that the explosion cannot be anticipated.
When the above conclusions were reached it became plainly apparent to me that there was need for some mechanical device to drive home the necessity to concentrate on the “Hold,” so as to bring home to the recruit and make plainly apparent to him his inability to grasp what is meant by “Hold and Squeeze.” So I began to think of some combination that would serve this end and the Coleman Hold and Trigger Squeeze Device is believed to accomplish the purpose.
If a man does not know how to hold his rifle steady while squeezing the trigger, the device will show him up. It also drives home the fact the recruit must concentrate on the “hold,” the trigger squeeze being incidental; that is, it may occur any time while the piece is being properly held, and it is this point that we must emphasize, for when the novice is so much absorbed in holding that his mind does not concern itself with the explosion, he has overcome the most difficult feature of rifle shooting.
The device has been given to the War Department and accepted. It can be constructed by a company mechanic.
To shoot a rifle effectively one must be brought to a realization of what “hold and squeeze” means. To do this successfully is the most difficult step in the instruction. And while there are many devices that teach men to become good shots, they do not isolate the test of holding and squeezing, but, like gallery practice, combine it with other features of the instruction.
By this device a soldier's inability to properly hold and squeeze becomes plainly apparent to himself and his instructor and therein lies its merit.
Use.—The sling is adjusted for use in the prone position and is placed on the left arm of the recruit, who cocks his piece and takes the prone position. The device is placed immediately in front of the recruit and near enough for the point of the detachable needle to slightly enter the muzzle when the rifle is held in the aiming position with the line of sight touching lower edge of bull’s—eye on miniature target.
As soon as rifle becomes steady, indicating a proper aim, the switch is closed and the recruit is required to squeeze the trigger and snap the piece without causing the bell to ring, for any decided movement of the rifle will cause the point of the needle to touch the side of the bore and the bell will ring.