Allthough I've never been in combat, I can still see how getting into a sling arm could be aplicable in open comat at longer ranges. In some instances I'm sure it has happened that at long range & I'm talking 500 yards or better a rifle squad has met a rifle squad. Mono e Mono, & I bet the guy using a tight shooting position was able to make a lot more dead guys than the guys that just did their shooting willy nilly like a bunch of numnuts. Yes, dahh, I know that getting into a sling pos is hard, but not impossable, but like a deer hunter in ambush on open ground, so is a soilder that knows that the enemy is approaching, "prepared". Again don't read to much into this coment as I was in the Corps, & I know that part of being prepaired is to have a fighting hole. Yes it is basic rifle tech, but that is the Marine standard, That every Marine is a rifle man when it comes down to shtf time. At 500 meters the front site post on a M-16 covers the target about 99% so to make a hit in these sircumstances is difficult, on paper. I'm sure it must be harder on a living, moving human target at that distance. I've seen alot of Army dogs in the news that have Trijicon equiped weapons, any one know if the Marines have them yet? & if so is it now a standard issue thing for the grunts? I was a machinegunner in a heavy machinegun plt. Those SMAWS were louder than hell. Glad it was you & not me. I loved my .50 cal.