2009 EPISODE 5 of 12: MACHINE GUN RANGE

Sharp shooting skills are put to the test as Soldiers will have to complete three firing stations in under six minutes.

COL Douglas Flohr: "Well, this is the first range in the stress shoot that we launch and it's all about crew-served weapons at this point with the (SAW). So, they've got to fire the 240. They've got to fire their (SAW). They've got to work together as a team. They've really got to have a strategy before they get here, to the range. It's very fast paced. They engage the targets very quickly. And, it's a lot about talking back and forth between, with your Ranger buddy, to determine which targets you're going to shoot and which targets you're not going to engage. And, so far, so good."

Conditions: daylight hours, targets 400 to 800 meters out. lt;br> Standards: 6 minutes to complete all three firing stations.

SSG Mitchell R. Tisserand: "Remember to keep that good, tight pull in your chest. The only barrel change we have to do is right there."

As part of the task, they must change the barrel of the weapons system. Tisserand and Chonko elect to change the barrel before they fire. With crew-served weapons, they must work together. One Ranger fires the weapon while his buddy corrects his fire onto the target. At the third firing position, they will fire simultaneously at 10 targets. They are both firing the 249 SAW. They will both fire 100 rounds of 5.56 linked ammunition.

Their score moved them into 11th place on their march to Ranger glory. But only seven hours into a 59-hour marathon, they know they have a long way to go.

Next up on BRC 2009: The competitors set out for Malone 14, for their second stress shoot of the day. Grenade launchers, assault rifles and hand guns for an Army Ranger, just a walk in the park.