Designated Marksman Manual

The Designated Marksman (DM) is a military marksman role in the U.S. Marine Corps platoon. The DM's role is to supply rapid accurate fire on enemy forces. Like snipers, DM's are trained in quick and precise shooting, but unlike the more specialized "true" sniper, DM's are intended to lay down accurate rapid fire.



As the Designated Marksman role fills the gap between a rifleman and a sniper, the so-called Designated Marksman Rifles (DMRs) are also designed with this middle ground in mind. These rifles have to be effective - in terms of accuracy and terminal ballistics - at ranges exceeding those of assault rifles (typically up to 500 meters or more), but do not require the extended range of a dedicated sniper rifle (typically up to 1000 meters or more).

Characteristics

Characteristics shared with sniper rifles:

• Telescopic sight

Characteristics shared with assault rifles:

• Semi-automatic fire capability, which is generally more rapid than bolt-action sniper rifles.

• Larger magazine capacity of 10, 20, to 30 rounds.

The most common option is to modify an existing battle rifle or assault rifle with the addition of the following:

• Telescopic sight

• Bipod

• Adjustable stock (adjustable cheek piece aids in the use of a telescopic sight)

M14 DMR

The United States Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) is a semi-automatic, gas-operated rifle chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. It is a modified version of the M14 rifle built and utilized solely by the United States Marine Corps.

The DMR, as the name suggests, is primarily used by Marine Corps Designated Marksmen. The DMR fills the need for a lightweight and accurate weapon system utilizing a cartridge more powerful than the M16A4's 5.56x45mm NATO.



There are several distinct characteristics of DM's that make them different from their sniper counterparts. The difference between snipers and designated marksman are:

Snipers

• Snipers work either work with a spotter and are temporarily attached to another unit.

• Snipers are usually equipped with purpose-built bolt-action or semi-automatic sniper rifles.

• Snipers are mainly employed for targets at ranges of up to 1,400 meters, when using a rifle chambered with standard-issue rifle ammunition.

• Snipers usually take a fixed strategic position and camouflage themselves (e.g. with a Ghillie suit).

Designated Marksmen

• Designated marksmen are integral members of regular infantry squads or platoons, much like machine-gunners or grenadiers.

• DMs are usually equipped with accurized battle rifles or assault rifles.

• DMs are mainly employed for targets at ranges of up to 800 meters.

• DMs usually change positions with their squad or platoon, and may or may not have more camouflage gear than other infantrymen.