CLINICAL TRIAL
CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Investigation of rifle marksmanship on simulated targets during thermal discomfort.

BACKGROUND: Marksmanship has been reported to deteriorate during exposure to heat or cold, yet the effect of the resultant thermal strain in isolation of the inflicting thermal stress is not entirely clear. In most studies, the debilitating effects on marksmanship are confounded by an evolving thermal strain (in terms of body heat storage/debt).

HYPOTHESIS: Thermal strain (hot and cold) should degrade marksmanship, more with moving targets than with conventional pop-up targets that are deemed less challenging.

METHODS: The 12 rifle-trained military reservists (7 men and 5 women) were tested on their marksmanship skills using a small arms simulator. Subjects conducted three trials in an environmentally controlled chamber, 1 wk apart in a counter-balanced order. Trial conditions were neutral (N; 22 degrees C), hot (H; 35 degrees C), and cold (C; 5 degrees C), and all were preceded with an immersion in water to chest level to establish thermal strain (for H and C) or to maintain thermal neutrality prior to shooting. Subjects fired a C7 rifle at various targets during sixteen 5-min engagements over 2 h. Targets were presented either as moving in an urban setting or as pop-ups in a lane setting. Body temperatures, heart rate, saliva cortisol concentration, subjective ratings, and measures of marksmanship accuracy and precision were recorded and analyzed using a repeated measures design.

RESULTS: Mean +/- SD of the rectal temperature during the shooting were 36.9 +/- 0.2 degrees C, 37.7 +/- 0.3 degrees C, and 36.8 +/- 0.6 degrees C for N, H, and C, respectively (H > N, C). Corresponding hand temperatures were 31.5 +/- 1.2 degrees C, 35.2 +/- 0.7 degrees C, and 19.4 +/- 3.0 degrees C (H > N > C). These body temperatures were consistent with the subjective indices of heat illness, cold discomfort, and muscle discomfort. Cortisol concentration and perceived exertion were higher during H. Surprisingly, thermal strain did not degrade marksmanship. Instead, some aspects of precision (horizontal displacement) and accuracy (shooting error) were poorer during N compared with H and C.

CONCLUSIONS: Deep body temperatures not higher than approximately 37.9 degrees C and not less than 36.4 degrees C (accompanied by hand temperatures of not less than 19 degrees C) do not negatively affect rifle marksmanship performance, even if significant respective sensations of heat and cold are present.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app