My first M1917.

[El Woodman]

British individual riflemen were trained for 200-400 yard engagement. American riflemen were trained for longer ranges. Either way, the Europeans got a lesson about the abilities of a good rifleman......p.s. I have 2 Eddys' (1 all original 1918) and a Winchester...with JA barrels that shoot like a dream...Just not in a stiff breeze....

[Daan Kemp]

Personal opinion. Combat rifle distances rarely requires shooting past about 100m. Further than that you use mortars and LMGs. Combat statistics of the number of kills per rounds fired support that.

I'm not denigrating training for accuracy, I'm seriously doubtful about the WWI and WWII rifle sights out past 1000yards/meters when they were never used. And the sights most often used were the standard 200yd/m settings.

Talk to veterans who were actually shot at and replied fire about distances. About how they adjusted rifle sights to return fire, etc.

[1903Collector]

it was my understanding that volley fire at extreme range was still a tactic in WWI with most countries.

[Daan Kemp]

I would love to see more facts about the volley fire being used in WWI and since. I have read about the possibilities but would really like to read about it being actually used in combat. Possibly also any training pamphlets or instructions about when, where and how to use volley fire.

I think actually called long range sights, which results in a change in approach and thinking from volley sights.

IIRC the LE was the only rifle with the 'volley sights'?

[1903Collector]

I know I read somewhere...some time ago, that when the brits fired volley shots from the front line trenches that the germans initially thought it was machine gun fire. I seem to remember it was meant for demoralizing the enemy lines who may have thought that distance protected them. Ill try to remember where I saw that. Wasnt the practice a throw back from 19th century infantry tactics against formed lines on the classic "field of battle"?

[fjruple]

From what I have read rifle "volley" fire in terms of Modern warfare was used as an area denial weapon where a specific location within rifle "volley" range was identified and fired on by the unit. Many of the bolt action rifles were equipped with these long range settings to include the M1903. With the advent of the machinegun, these tactics were no longer needed as a MG team could do the same as a company of soldiers armed with bolt action rifles.

[Daan Kemp]

We know the why of the 'volley sights' but the practical use in WWI is vague or non-existing to say the best about it. It is all conjecture. Training pamphlets and recorded combat use doesn't seem to exist?