I have my 1958 copy of FM 23-5 and the course of fire for 1958 at least is in there.
To make a long story short, you need to complete all the basic rifle marksmanship training and examinations. This stuff is pretty extensive. They really did teach rifle marksmanship back then.
Then you fire a known distance course (which gives you your score for qualification.
Then you fire a combat course (which you have to pass) of day, quickfire, and night
This was done anually.
For the Known distance firing:
1000 inch range (remakably that's equal to today's 25meter range) battlesight zero.
Confirmation of zero at 100,200,300,500yds
Record fire-(this is after all instruction firing, and then this table is fired twice. Once for practice, once for record)
100yds,8min,8rds,standing
200yds,8min,8rds,kneeling or squating
200yds,50seconds,9rds,sitting (rapid)
300yds,8min,8rds,prone
300yds,50seconds,9rds,prone (rapid)
500yds,8min,8rds,prone
all of these are unsupported (i.e. you use a sling, but no rest, sandbag, etc. You can use a sandbag for the zeroing)
This is scored by the target values. Possible 250, 160 minimum.
For the Combat course:
150-300,30sec/tgt,4rds,foxhole
200-400,30sec/tgt,4rds,rubble pile
300-400,30sec/tgt,4rds,stump
200-325,30sec/tgt,4rds,window
150-250,30sec/tgt,4rds,bunker
500,60sec,4rds,prone(this is a single target, all others above and below are two targets at the referenced ranges. i.e. the foxhole has one target at 150 and the second at 300, 4rds total, 30seconds per target)
125-400,30sec/tgt,4rds,barricade
250-350,30sec/tgt,4rds,fwd slope
175-325,30sec/tgt,4rds,rooftop
125-275,30sec/tgt,4rds,log
This is scored by 5pts for each hit, 5pts for each unexpended round excpet the 500yd target. The 500yd target is 5pts for each hit, no unexpended ammo (i.e. shoot it all at 500yds). Possible score 200, minimum 100.
Quick fire:
4 clips, reload on the move. Engage targets at each phase line, one clip per phase line. Preliminary firing is 35 yds, no time limit, then 15-35 for two phase lines, then 15-45 for the last. All shots taken in underarm position. There are 18 targets total, with a total of 24 rounds. There are an additional 3 reactionary (i.e. friendly) targets that you aren't supposed to shoot at.
Scored by 5pts for each hit, 5pts for each unexpended round, -5pts for each friendly hit, possible score 120, minimum 60.
Night firing:
Fired at a near and far range (25-50, or 50-75 depending on illum), no time, 8rds per target,two targets (one near, one far), prone.
Scored by 5pts per hit, possible 80pts, 25pts minimum.
There you go. I've never shot it, so I'm not 100% sure how it goes. I just copied it out of the FM for the M1 Garand. This is the 1958 copy, so the WWII one is probably different, as this one should reflect lessons learned in WWII and Korea. Fankly, this one seems to incorporate everything from bullseye to combat, and seems like a good, all around qualification.
As a side note, all the qualification should be done in one day if possible. The qualification ranking is awarded from the 100 to 500 yd record fire table:
Possible =250
Expert =212
Sharpshooter=187
Marksman =160
All the other tables had to be passed as well, but no ranking (i.e. qualification badges) awarded from those scores.
Ross