[revwardoc]

When I was in the AF ('68-'72) we had to qualify with the M-16 twice a year. Personally I looked forward to those days since I enjoy handling a weapon. We'd have to dismantle and clean it then fire 20 rounds each from the standing, kneeling and prone positions at a man-sized target from 100 yards. Without being a braggart, I'm a damned good shot and could put all 60 in the chest. The best part was that the SP-NCOICs running the range would let anyone with perfect scores fire the rest of their weapons collection. I fired Thompson .45s and .30s, M-1 Garands, M-14s, WW1 era Springfields, an AK-47, a WWII Mauser and several different handguns and had a great time! Twice, at a gun club in San Bernardino, I won the small caliber rifle competition using a Ruger 10-20 .22 semi-auto (it looks like an M-1 carbine) and finished 2nd in the open competion. I like to tell people leaving on a trip whoask if I'll miss them, "Only if someone tampers with my sights!"