The reason the USMC qualification targets are what they are is because they a) represent prone and kneeling humans which coincides with USMC doctrine and b) represent humanoid forms in order to train riflemen to engage humans (See "On Killing" by Grossman). By engaging humanoid targets riflemen learn to establish aiming points on humanoid shapes.
Having said all that when I was running the marksmanship package at the scout-sniper instructor school in Quantico I used NRA repair centers for developing zeroes and initial training but when we qualified, the students we went with FBI silhouettes. When I was an instructor/NCOIC of the National Guard sniper school, we used NRA centers for all KD training including qualification then went with silhouettes for unknown distance.
My point is there are reasons why the military uses the silhouettes.
The reason the USMC qualification targets are what they are is because they a) represent prone and kneeling humans which coincides with USMC doctrine and b) represent humanoid forms in order to train riflemen to engage humans (See "On Killing" by Grossman). By engaging humanoid targets riflemen learn to establish aiming points on humanoid shapes.
Having said all that when I was running the marksmanship package at the scout-sniper instructor school in Quantico I used NRA repair centers for developing zeroes and initial training but when we qualified, the students we went with FBI silhouettes. When I was an instructor/NCOIC of the National Guard sniper school, we used NRA centers for all KD training including qualification then went with silhouettes for unknown distance.
My point is there are reasons why the military uses the silhouettes.
"Marksmanship is just not important to about 3/4ths of the Marines and maybe 4/5ths of the Army."
"target size/qual scores are influenced by a desire to not fail out too many people."
Everyone involved in military small arms training must come to terms with these truths.