Looking for reasons to stamp "DP" on an SMLE

[englishman_ca]

Not much point to them, then, if they can't even teach load/unload drill properly with them.

Nope, Canadian cadets don't even get to shoot 303 anymore. 303s are used strictly for bashing on the parade square. Summer training camps have live No.4s for performing a 'feu de joi' and fire blanks. Looking at the bore of some of these, a ball round would not exit due to carbon build up.

Some camps hold C7 service rifles (Canadian improved and built M16) and senior cadets get a familierisation shoot of 5 rounds (whoopdee fricken doo) at a bulls eye target at 100 yds from the prone position. Air cadets cannot shoot the C7 at all, Sea cadets only if they 17 years old.

The Canadian Army Cadet marksmanship program is now performed with a 177 Daisy 853c air rifle. Some select shooters that get a place on the National Rifle Team do get to shoot the 7.62 single shot bolt target rifle and play on Connaught Ranges and a trip over to Bisley if they do really well.

There are still some nice Long Branch No.7s still in use but they will all be withdrawn from service in 2011 to be be pinned and returned to corps as DPs.