(_a_) Exercises for sections and platoons in fire direction and application of collective fire. (_b_) Standard tests of collective grouping and fire effect. (_c_) Comparative demonstrations of fire effect and vulnerability. (_d_) Exercises for companies designed to reproduce service conditions as far as possible, and to illustrate tactical principles. (iv) Combined field firing (see _Musketry Regulations_). Section =51=.--Range Practices. =1.= When recruits have shown clearly that they have acquired a satisfactory standard of skill in all branches of preliminary training, they will commence range practices. _Range practices merely lay the foundation of musketry in its elementary stages._ They are only a means to an end--namely, to prepare soldiers for field practices, by which they are trained to fire under conditions approximating as closely as possible to those of service. =2. Qualifying Practices.=--The range practices for the Regular Army and Special Reserve begin with qualifying practices, for which standards are prescribed. _If these standards are not attained, it is a sign that the preliminary training has failed in its object._ After passing standard tests in miniature range practice, and firing on the 30 yards range, every man should begin his practice on the open range confident in his own powers, and determined to prove his ability to hit. =3. Preliminary Training and Range Practices.=--Instructional range practices need not be continuous. Intervals of time between the exercises are often beneficial, especially to nervous men; but in any case, time should be found to continue the exercises of preliminary training on days allotted to range practices, in order that there may be no separation between theory and practice. =4. Scope of Range Practices.=--(i) In range practices the soldier should attain a high standard of skill in shooting at known distances under easy conditions and in various positions, at large vertical targets easy to see, and furnished with scoring or approximation rings, which enable the error in shooting to be expressed in figures convenient for comparative purposes. (ii) He will confirm in practice the lessons learned in preliminary training, and be thoroughly acquainted with the peculiarities of his rifle. He will fire in the open and from behind cover in deliberate and rapid practices, and will learn the rate of fire which, in his own case, best combines volume with accuracy. In snapshooting he will realize the necessity for rapid alignment of sights, and the value of time in taking advantage of targets exposed under service conditions.