In honor of Veterans Day, we pause to salute the brave men and women who’ve answered the call of duty, and we uphold the values of service, sacrifice, and freedom. We invite you to explore this insightful article — “Every Marine A Rifleman” from the NRA Explore — that reflects the warrior ethos and readiness that underpin our armed forces. We hope you enjoy the read, and that it deepens your appreciation for those who serve. Again – THANK YOU TO OUR VETERANS!
Source: NRA Explore | Repost ISRPA11/11/2025 –
Since at least the dawn of the 20th century, Marines have been known for their marksmanship skills both on the shooting range and on the battlefield. Although Marines had manned the “Fighting Tops” of the sailing navy and swept the decks of enemy ships with smoothbore musket fire, the emphasis on shooting ability did not become a distinct Marine tradition until they were issued accurate magazine-fed repeating rifles. Some of those, like the Model 1903 Springfield, soon gained a cult status among Marines. Every Marine, regardless of rank or military occupational specialty, must qualify with the issue service rifle on a regular basis, and the ability to have all hands on the firing line in a tight situation has paid dividends for the Corps on more than a few occasions during the past 100-plus years.
According to the lore of the Corps, the Continental Marines were first recruited at Philadelphia’s Tun Tavern, in response to a local newspaper advertisement in 1775 for “A Few Good Men.” The Continental Marines had been authorized by the Continental Congress on Nov. 10, 1775, which is exactly 250 years ago this month. After sterling service afloat and on land during the American Revolution, the Continental Marines were disbanded in 1783, but the unit was soon re-established in 1798 as the United States Marine Corps during the “Quasi-War” with Revolutionary France. Marines were now armed with locally made, brass-mounted, “Marine” .69-cal. flintlock muskets. Apart from some small shipboard actions, the next test of the Marine Corps was the suppression of the Barbary Pirates on the “Shores of Tripoli,” the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, where a handful of Marines under a single lieutenant successfully led a ragtag mercenary force in seizing the city of Derna in 1805.
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