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I may never come back, and I just want someone to know. This article contains text from a former Shadow Academy course. It is no longer in use, and is preserved here for historical purposes only and should not be used/referenced.
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Course Notes
Introduction
This course will teach you the fundamentals of shooting and how to safely and properly use your blaster rifle. This is meant for Sharp shooting and will show you how to achieve the highest level of accuracy. Essentially you will learn: One shot, one kill. Most commonly Dark Jedi prefer the use of Brute force, but in some cases, your target may be heavily guarded, or simply to powerful to engage in combat. Thus, marksmanship provides another option. If a target is at a far enough distance, his power will not matter, nor will his protection, because, if done properly, the target, nor those around him, will ever see the attack.
Rifle Safety
To begin with, the number one thing to remember when handling a blaster rifle of any sort is; A Rifle is not a toy, it is a weapon. This may sound simple or dumb but gun related accidents occur quiet often. To ensure rifle safety there are several simple rules one must follow:
Always treat your rifle as prepared to fire (whether the safety is on or not)
Never point a rifle at anyone unless you have intent to kill
Always keep your rifle pointed in a safe direction. (Upwards, at the ground, or at your target)
Keep your finger off and away from the trigger unless prepared to fire.
Firing Positions
With these safety rules in mind, you may now consider which shooting position you will fire from. There are three basic firing positions and I will outline them from least to most stable (All positions will be outlined for a right-handed shooter, simply reverse the hands for left-handed shooters)
Standing
A standing position should only be used by the most experienced marksman. In this position, one would place their left hand on the stock of the rifle, tilt their head slightly, and raise their right elbow 90 degrees from their body. For added support, lean back slightly and allow the left elbow to rest against ones body.
Kneeling
A kneeling position provides a quick way of gaining accuracy, and shrinking yourself as a target. To assume the kneeling position, one must place their right knee on the ground, and their left knee remains directly in front of them. Then one places their left elbow on the left knee and raises their right elbow at a 90 degree angle from their body. (If left elbow does not make contact with left knee, simply slouch your back till they make contact.)
Prone Position(Lying down)
The prone position provides the highest level of accuracy and cover a marksman can have. To adopt the prone position, one should remember that triangles are very important, as they provide maximum support of the rifle. Next, simply lie down, placing your right leg straight back behind you and lifting your left knee towards your torso so as to form a triangle. Once your legs have been positioned you must next choose a position for your left elbow (This elbow can never be moved once in its position, to enable maximum accuracy). Finally, place your right elbow down in a position that provides a high level of comfort and support (this position changes depending on the person).
Aiming
Once in your desired position, the next principle of marksmanship you must consider is Aiming. Aiming consists of several different segments, all must be considered before a shot is fired.
Master Eye
Everyone has one eye which is stronger than the other - this eye is called the master eye. Whenever aiming, one should be using their master eye. In order to determine which eye is your master eye, follow these simple steps.
Choose an object which is 10 m (about 32 feet) away
With both eyes open, extend your arms in front of you to form a small tight opening around the object with your thumb and index fingers. In other words the fingers must make a tight box or circle around the object.
Close first your left eye, re-open it, and then close your right.
Whichever eye could still see the object in the opening while the other was closed is your master eye.
Head position
To ensure a direct line of sight, one must attempt to keep their head as straight as possible. In some shooting positions slanting must occur, but the straighter the head, the better the shot.
Eye relief
To provide the proper view in one's sights, the master eye should be held 5-10cm (2-4 inches) from the rear sight (or scope where applicable). This distance should be decided by what is most comfortable for the shooter. Once this distance has been chosen, the shooter should attempt to keep it permanent. If eye relief is ever changed more then 1 cm, it will affect how you will shoot in comparison to how you usually shoot.
Sight alignment
When looking through the rear sight (or rear end of the scope) it is important to ensure it lines up properly from front to end. In the case of a circular sight or scope, the rear of the sight should form a large circle around the end; the inner circle should be placed dead in the centre when looking through the sight. If this is not done properly, a shot can miss by quite a bit, even if the crosshairs are on the target.
It should be noted that many weapons also have aids to help in aiming the weapon. Ranging from simple apertures to complex, computerized targeting scopes, these tools can help improve a shooter's accuracy.
Breathing
The next step in firing is often not considered a part of marksmanship, but to provide perfect accuracy, it must be taken into account. Breathing affects a shot enormously, especially at a distance, and can be the difference between a hit and a miss. The steps to proper breathing while making a shot are as such:
Take a few normal breaths until you feel adequately relaxed.
Gradually shallow out your breathing until you exhale half your lung capacity.
Hold you breath for a maximum of 7 seconds.
Within these 7 seconds, fire your round.
Return to normal breathing after firing.
It is important to attempt to conduct the same breathing exercise every time you shoot as this will encourage continuity and accuracy. Also, make sure not to hold your breath past 7 seconds otherwise your body will begin to experience oxygen deprivation and begin to shake. Finally, make sure not to under exhale; if too much air is in your lungs while firing, it will reduce the support provided to you in both the prone and kneeling positions.
Trigger Control
Seemingly insignificant, the way a trigger is used can affect the shot just as much as how you aim. For example, if you pull the trigger too hard, it will lift the rifle slightly, and the shot will go higher then expected; also you may pull the trigger sideways which would cause your shot to go too far to the left or right. To prevent this from occurring, the following steps may be followed:
First remember both hands on the rifle must be relaxed. Do not attempt to squeeze the rifle, for this will cause you to fatigue and shake.
The trigger finger should be placed on the vertical halfway mark of the trigger, midway between the tip of the finger and the first joint.
Pressure should be applied slowly and evenly to the trigger, this is done by bending the second joint of the finger while attempting to keep the first as even as possible.
Forced enhanced marksmanship
Those people properly trained in the Force have some advantages over normal gunmen. The Force can be used in several ways to enhance the accuracy of your shot. From stabilizing your shot to enhancing your vision, the Force can change a shot from good to perfect. Here are a few examples of Force use:
Farseeing can be used to enhance the image of your target even farther then what is shown in your scope, thus it will increase your shots accuracy exponentially
Telekinesis can also be used to stabilize ones rifle and oneself. Some Dark Jedi even go so far as to use force to completely stabilize their rifle, only using their arms as a force of habit
Also in later ranks, Battle meditation can be used to prevent distractions while shooting.
With proper use of the Force one will be able to shoot better then even the best non-Force using marksmen, making you even more deadly.
Closing
With these fundamentals kept in mind, accuracy should be greatly improved in comparison to spray firing. If you follow each step precisely you will have learnt: One shot, one kill.