Long rifles in close quarters combat

[Mr. Gruntsworthy]

I find the best way to prepare for such a situation is to use a bullpup rifle. Cuts down on your forward clearance requirements while maintaining the long-range capabilities of a full rifle.

[Ninja_En_Short]

Ever heard "You just brought a knife to a gun fight" ? Guess what, it also works the other way around.

But for rifle no matter the length is I tend to consider being able to quickly change shoulder and eye is quite useful.

[Covax]

Another ‘lateral’ solution is don’t do any room clearing on your own.

Nightfall 1 Chuco had an M14 while I rocked an FPG (folding pocket gun). I took care of tight corners while he held down cover on long corridors & hallways. The FPG – essentially a pistol in a carbine kit – has an effective range of maybe 30"… and a LOT of those corridors go on for longer.

When you’re in a CQC situation and one guy’s stuck with a long arm it’s best to make that guy the equivalent of a SAW gunner; have him lay down suppressive fire as you advance or retreat or have him cover the sides so you're not flanked.

[Mike27MB]

Well, depending on what you mean. For indoor CQB, the last thing you'd want to do with a longer gun in tight, smaller areas, would be turning a corner and hitting someone ^-^ In all seriousness, you will be able to shoulder the gun quicker with a CQB-sized gun. You will also be able to maneuver faster and have more movement with a shorter gun.

[_Whiskey_]

When i had my M16A3 i just mounted the bayonet (rubber) on it and if you where close enough. Well gun becomes a spear or pike or whatever you wanna call it Most of the time thought it was just be faster than the other guy and hopefully catch him by surprise.

[Covax]

Originally Posted by Mike27MB

Well, depending on what you mean. For indoor CQB, the last thing you'd want to do with a longer gun in tight, smaller areas, would be turning a corner and hitting someone ^-^ In all seriousness, you will be able to shoulder the gun quicker with a CQB-sized gun. You will also be able to maneuver faster and have more movement with a shorter gun.

As the song goes, you can’t always get what you want, lol.

PZR Paintball in Picton (where Nightfall is held) has both outdoor and indoor environments. Even if your particular mission called for one type of gun you often have to cross through territory where your kit is awkward. So yea, you may find yourself as DMR guy being pushed back of the line if your fire team has to clear the building before you can set up on the 2nd floor and be useful.

If the rest of your team is wiped out in an ambush are you going to give up? Charge blindly? No, you’ll have to adapt, and be a pebble in the boot of the enemy. Whether that’s transitioning to your pistol/CQC secondary, or moving to a position where you long arm isn’t so awkward, you still have to deal with your big gun.

[Alceister]

Something a little off the cuff, but familiarize yourself with off-hand wielding to minimize exposure around corners.

[localfreerider]

I've tried weak side transitions in my shooting drills but it felt akward and my accuracy and speed suffered. I've found the shoulder bump works best for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MuEi2vtJ5g

[Rob101]

I have been taking notes from all of you guys who run a full length rifle in a CQB situation and I think they are going to help me out a lot. I have never played CQB other than practicing manovering around corners at home. I plan on running my M16A1 at Nightfall3 so these tips will be usefull. I have an M4 and an XM177 but they are both out of commission at the moment anyways. Plus solders have been using longer rifles in close quarters situations for a long time anyways.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by localfreerider

I've tried weak side transitions in my shooting drills but it felt akward and my accuracy and speed suffered. I've found the shoulder bump works best for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MuEi2vtJ5g

It's a trade off , "shoulder bump" method leaves your left side exposed, arm and shoulder.. and tends to also expose the left kneee and Hip as well, Whereas a full on transition to weak side will enable a lower exposure.

But if you can't hit anything from your weak side.. it's moot, do what enables you to hit your targets.

[zzzzsleepy8]

Who here holds their rifles Chris Costa style, ala magpul dynamics extended support hand grip?

I find its very tiring on your deltoids over time. Its probably good for a fast lateral movements as Costa explains. But try holding that position for a long time versus conventional less extended styles of grips and use of a vertical foregrip.

[ThunderCactus]

I agree its tiring, but I found myself to be incredibly more accurate switching between targets. The rifle goes where I want it to go and it doesn't overshoot or undershoot as it did when I had the typical CQB-magwell-grip.

[zzzzsleepy8]

Yeah, I see some modern competition/speed shooters like to use this style of grip, mostly while using their magpul draped ARs.

Its ok to hold for a while. Just an extended duration hold will be tiring. Probably wont be the best for CBQ either with the chicken winging. But if it works for an individual then it works. No arguing that.

[ThunderCactus]

what chicken winging?

[zzzzsleepy8]

Maybe its guys imitating the stance but not holding it exactly like Costa. Costa has a more straight left arm and right arm (he's a righty I think) more tucked in.

Some people copying his modern isosceles stance holds the rifle a little further back, allowing left arm to chicken wing out a bit. I've seen ones where they hold a little high too whereas Costa's left hand is more level to the barrel so you don't block peripheral vision. And their right dominant hand also wings out a bit too whereas Costa is more tucked in.