Advanced
Rifle
MARSOC Qual — Stage 03
Used in: Military Qualification
Source: USMC MARSOC (Marine Raiders)
2s
Par Time
25 yd
Distance
1
Rounds
1
Reps
1
Total Rounds
Stage 3 is a single precision shot under extreme time pressure. From low ready, fire 1 round into the head zone at 25 yards within a 2-second par time. One round, one chance.
Two seconds to present a carbine from low ready and deliver a head shot at 25 yards is an exceptionally tight standard. The head zone on a Marine E silhouette (or IPSC A-zone head box) is roughly 4 inches wide. At 25 yards with helmet and vest restricting your mount, there is almost zero margin for mechanical error. This stage filters shooters who have truly internalized their carbine presentation — those who have to think about any step in the process will not make the par.
Range Setup
Setup
Stand facing a Marine E silhouette (or USPSA/IPSC) target at 25 yards. Carbine loaded, on safe, in low ready. Vest and helmet worn. Shot timer set to 2-second par.
Scoring
MARSOC scoring: A zone = 2 pts, B/C = 1 pt, D/miss = 0. Head zone only. Max for stage: 2 pts (1 round). This is the tightest par time in the qualification.
Tips
The safety must come off during the mount, not after. Your eyes should find the optic as the stock hits your shoulder. At 25 yards the head zone is small — do not fire until you confirm the reticle is inside the box. A fast miss scores zero.
Progression
Dry fire this presentation hundreds of times. Your low-ready-to-shot time must be under 1.5 seconds to leave any margin for sight confirmation on the head. If your presentation is over 1.8 seconds, the math does not work at 25 yards.