071-000-0005
Prepare a Range Card for a Machine Gun
Conditions: During daylight, in a defensive fighting position, given a tripod-mounted machine gun with
a traversing and elevation (T&E) mechanism; an assigned primary sector of fire with recognizable
targets (either an FPL [final protective line] or PDF [principal direction of fire]); and a secondary sector
of fire with recognizable targets; blank standard range cards DA Form 5517-R; a pencil; a lensatic
compass; and a map of your assigned sector of fire.
Standards: Prepared a range card for your position in duplicate. Sketched in the terrain in your
assigned sector of fire. Located and sketched in magnetic north, using the appropriate symbol. Sketched
in sector limits, the gun symbol, a FPL or PDF, and dead space. In the DATA SECTION wrote in the
weapon, the unit, and other data. Sketched in terrain features that offer likely targets and numbered
them in priority. Recorded the range and direction to and the elevation and description of each target.
Performance Steps
1. Show the gunner where to place fires on designated targets during limited visibility conditions such
as night, fog, or smoke.
2. Provide the gunner conducting a relief in place with all the information he needs to respond
immediately to enemy action.
3. Provide the platoon leader and company commander with information they need to plan fires.
4. Write all necessary information on the range card. Prepare a duplicate range card for the platoon
leader. Include on both copies all sketches, symbols (figure 071-000-0005-1) and data.
Figure 071-000-0005-1. Symbols.
a. On the range card, roughly sketch the terrain in front of the position.
(1) Center the machine gun position at the bottom of the sketch.
(2) Include any prominent natural and man-made features that a target could use to
take cover.
b. Using the lensatic compass, determine magnetic north.
c. Write the following information in the top portion of the range card (figures 071-000-0005-2
and 071-000-0005-3):
Performance Steps
Figure 071-000-0005-2. Primary sector with principal direction of fire.
Performance Steps
Figure 071-000-0005-3. Primary sector with final protective line.
(1) SQD. Write in the squad's designation.
(2) PLT. Write in the platoon's designation.
(3) CO. Write in the company's designation.
(4) MAGNETIC NORTH. Sketch the direction for magnetic north using the symbol shown
in B, Figure 071-000-0005-1.
d. Determine the location of the gun position relative to a prominent terrain feature. You could
use a hilltop, road junction, or building--in other words, use either a man-made or natural terrain
feature.
(1) Use any terrain feature located within 1,000 meters of the gun.
(2) If no such feature exists, then, somewhere near the gun position on the sketch, write
in the eight-digit map coordinates for your position (figure 071-000-0005-2).
(3) Use a compass to determine the azimuth in mils or degrees from the terrain feature
to the gun position or from the gun position to the terrain feature. Compute the back
azimuth from the gun to the feature by adding or subtracting 3,200 mils or 180 degrees.
(4) Determine the distance between the gun and the feature by pacing or looking at a
map.
(5) Draw the terrain feature in the lower left- or right-hand corner of the card, whichever
better shows the terrain feature's position relative to the gun.
(6) Draw a barbed line between the position and the terrain feature.
(7) Above the line, record the distance in meters.
(8) Below the line, record the azimuth in mils or degrees from the terrain feature to the
gun.
(9) Use the direction of the arrow's barbs to show the direction of the azimuth.
e. Sketch in the primary sector of fire (C, figure 071-000-0005-1), using either a PDF or an FDL.
(1) FPL. Use a FPL (figure 071-000-0005-3 DATA SECTION, Item No. 1) only if the
position offers a good grazing distance. Base the primary sector of the line of fire. Make
Performance Steps
the FPL the sector limit closest to friendly troops.
(a) Sketch in the limits of the primary sector of fire.
(b) Sketch in a FPL (D, figure 071-000-0005-1) on the sector limit assigned by
your leader.
(c) Have someone walk the FPL (if the enemy situation permits) to identify and
measure dead spaces (section[s] of a FPL where a person drops below the light of
sight).
(d) Show the dead space(s) on the sketch by a break(s) in the FPL symbol. Write
in the ranges to the beginning and end of each dead space(s).
(e) Write in the maximum range of graze.
(2) PDF. If you cannot identify an FPL, you must assign a PDF (figure 071-000-0005-2
DATA SECTION, Item No.1)
(a) Sketch in the limits of the assigned primary sector of fire, whose angle should
not exceed 875 mils (the maximum traverse of a tripod-mounted machine gun).
(b) Sketch in the symbol for a light automatic weapon (A, figure 071-000-00051). Orient the symbol toward the most dangerous target in the sector. Get this
information from the platoon leader.
f. Label the targets in the primary sector in their order of priority. Label the FPL or PDF with the
number "1" (figures 071-000-0005-2 and 071-000-0005-3).
g. Sketch in the secondary sector of fire (E, figure 071-000-0005-1).
(1) Label the range (in meters) from the gun to each target in the secondary sector.
(2) Sketch in aiming and elevation stakes between the gun position and the target as
shown in figures 071-000-0005-2 and 071-000-0005-3.
5. Using the T&E mechanism, determine the direction, elevation, and range to each target. Write this
information in the DATA SECTION of the range card, as follows (figures 071-000-0005-2 and 071-0000005-3):
a. Center the traversing handwheel on the center mark.
b. If assigning an FPL, lay the gun for direction. For this step, you will not write anything on the
range card.
(1) Lock the traversing slide on the extreme left or right side of the bar, depending on
which side of the primary sector the FPL is on.
(2) Align the barrel on the FPL by moving the tripod legs.
Figure 071-000-0005-4. Traversing and elevating mechanism.
c. When assigned a PDF, lay the gun for direction.
Performance Steps
(1) Align on the primary sector by traversing the slide to one side.
(2) Move the tripod to align the barrel on the sector limit.
(3) Align on the PDF by traversing the slide until the machine gun is aimed at the center
of the target.
d. Fix the tripod legs in place by digging them in or sandbagging them.
e. Determine the direction to each target.
(1) Lay the gun on the base of the target.
(2) Read the direction on the traversing bar at the left edge of the traversing bar slide
(figure 071-000-0005-4).
(3) Determine by the direction of the barrel whether the reading is right or left.
f. Determine the elevation for each target.
(1) Lay the gun on the base of the target by rotating the elevating handwheel (figure
071-000-0005-4).
(2) Read the number (including a "+" or "-" sign, unless the number is "0") above the
first visible line on the elevating scale. (In figure 071-000-0005-4, this reading is "-50.")
(3) Read, from the elevating handwheel, the number in line with the indicator. (In figure
071-000-0005-4, this reading is "3.")
6. Record the data you found using the T&E mechanism (figure 071-000-0005-4).
a. Enter the reading in the ELEVATION column in the DATA SECTION of the range card,
separating the two numbers with a slash.
b. Enter the range to each target in the appropriate column in the DATA SECTION.
c. Enter the description of each target in the appropriate column in the DATA SECTION.
d. Fill in the REMARKS block for each target as needed.
e. Enter the width and depth (in mils) of linear targets. The "-4" in figure 071-000-0005-3,
REMARKS block, means that depressing the barrel 4 mils will cause the strike of the rounds to go
to ground level along the FPL.
f. When entering the target width (TW) in the REMARKS block, give the width in mils, and
express it in two values. For example, in figure 071-000-0005-2, Target 3 measures 7 mils wide.
The second value, R3, means that if the gunner lays the gun on the target and traverses 3 mils
to the right, the point of aim will lay to the right edge of the target. Target 3, figure 071-0000005-3, shows the width of the target as 15 mils; traversing 8 mils to the left will move the point
of aim to the left edge of the target.
g. Do not determine data for the secondary sector of fire; the gunner will fire the weapon in the
bipod mode.
7. Keep one copy of the range card at the machine gun position. Send the other copy to platoon
headquarters. Complete range cards for primary positions. Partially prepare range cards for alternate
and supplementary positions. Prepare the range card as soon as you arrive in a position, regardless of
the expected length of stay. Continually revise the range card the whole time you occupy the position.
Evaluation Preparation:
Setup: Provide the soldier all the equipment needed to prepare a range card: pencil, paper, a stationary
firing position, sector of fire, and target reference point designated.
Brief Soldier: Tell the soldier to prepare only one copy of the range card for training purposes.
Performance Measures
1. Prepared the range card.
a. Sketched the terrain located in front of the position.
b. Determined the direction of magnetic north.
c. Sketched in the direction of magnetic north.
d. Completed the DATA SECTION.
e. Determined the location of the gun position relative to a prominent
terrain feature.
GO
NO GO
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Performance Measures
f. Sketched in the primary sector of fire using either a PDF or a FPL.
g. Labeled the targets.
h. Sketched in the secondary sector of fire.
2. Used the T&E mechanism, determined the direction, elevation, and range.
GO
NO GO
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a. Centered the traversing handwheel.
b. Laid the gun for direction.
c. Adjusted the tripod legs.
d. Read the direction to each target.
e. Read the elevation to each target.
3. Used the T&E mechanism to determine data for targets, then recorded it on
the range card.
a. Entered the reading for elevation into the ELEVATION block in the
DATA SECTION of the range card.
b. Entered the range to the target into the RANGE block in the DATA
SECTION of the range card.
c. Described each target in writings.
d. Completed the REMARKS block for each target, as needed.
Evaluation Guidance: Score the soldier GO if all performance measures are passed. Score the soldier
NO-GO if any performance measure is failed. If the soldier scores NO-GO, show the soldier what was
done wrong and how to do it correctly.
References
Required
FM 3-22.68
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