Santiago Does the ‘Mad Minute’ with Authentic Lee-Enfield
Our friend Dennis Santiago recently recreated the “Mad Minute”, a marksmanship drill practiced by the British Army in the decades preceding World War I. Dennis, an active high power rifle competitor and instructor, enjoyed his “Mad Minute” exercise, though he assures us that this takes practice to perfect. Dennis tells us: “Here is a ‘Mad Minute’ drill, done using a period correct Lee-Enfield (SMLE) No.1 Mk III rifle and Mk VII ammo. I got to the Queen’s Regulations (15 hits in one minute) on the second run and put a good group on the target at 200 yards. This is ‘jolly good fun’ to do every once in a while. This is ‘living history’ — experiencing a skill from a time when the sun never set on the British Empire.”
Dennis Does the Mad Minute
British Lee-Enfield Model SHT’22/IV Rifle, courtesy www.iCollector.com.
Lee-Enfield No. 4 Rifle (1943), courtesy Arundel Militaria.
“Mad Minute” was a pre-World War I term used by British Army riflemen during training at the Hythe School of Musketry to describe scoring a minimum of 15 hits onto a 12″ round target at 300 yards within one minute using a bolt-action rifle (usually a Lee-Enfield or Lee-Metford rifle). It was not uncommon during the First World War for riflemen to greatly exceed this score. The record, set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall, was 38 hits. (From WikiPedia.)
Want to See More “Mad Minute” Action with a Modern Tubegun?
In 2012, Gary Eliseo ran a “Mad Minute” exercise using a modern, .308 Win Eliseo RTM Tubegun of his own making. Gary ended up with 24 hits on a bull target set at 300 yards. (Gary actually had 25 hits in 25 rounds fired, but the last round hit just after the 60-second time period expired.) Note how Gary pulls the trigger with the middle finger of his right hand. This allows him to work the bolt faster, using his thumb and index finger. CLICK HERE for Eliseo Tubegun Mad Minute story.
Watch Gary Elesio Shoot the ‘Mad Minute’ (Starts at 4:47 on Video)
NOTE: In an interesting coincidence, Dennis Santiago was actually in the pits pulling targets for Gary during Eliseo’s 2012 “Mad Minute” exercise.
History of the Mad Minute
Commentary by Laurie Holland
The original military requirement of the “Mad Minute” saw the soldier ready to fire with a round in the chamber, nine in the magazine, safety on. This course of fire is still followed by the GB Historic Breechloading Arms Association and other bodies in their recreated “Mad Minute” competitions.The first 10 would go quickly, but reloads were critical, this not done by a magazine change as Gary did with the RTM or in a modern tactical or semi-auto rifle, but through slick use of ‘chargers’. It is this aspect which fouls so many of my colleagues up as it is very easy to cause a jam and a large part of 60 seconds can go in sorting it out!
Charger clips were selected for those that just held the rounds firmly enough to stop then falling out, were sand-papered and polished with a stove / fireplace polish called ‘Zebrite’ so that the rimmed rounds would slip through the clips like corn through a goose.
If you’re unfamiliar with the cock-on-closing Enfield action, it seems clumsy. With intensive practice it is very smooth and can be operated incredibly quickly. The trick is to whip the bolt back onto its stop and initiate a rebound movement that takes it and the cartridge well into the chamber thereby reducing the effort required to close the bolt and chamber the round.
Similar Posts:
- Mad Minute Marksmanship — The One-Minute Lee-Enfield Drill
- Running the “Mad Minute” with Lee-Enfield — Historic Gun Drill
- Sunday Gunday: “Mad Minute” Drill with Classic Lee-Enfield Rifle
- Dennis Santiago Shoots the Mad Minute with a Lee-Enfield
- Reliving History — Dennis Does “Mad Minute” with Lee-Enfield
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Tags: Dennis Santiago, Gary Eliseo, Laurie Holland, Lee Enfield, Mad Minute, WWI
Try this for bolt manipulation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC4_g6N3aLA
Marc,
Stangskyting is tough. We did those once and found out how much of a disadvantage you have with something like an AR-15. You are slowed down so much waiting for that buffer spring to settle. The G-3 is a much better gun for it but even then the magazine change slows you down. One learns to appreciate the old Krag action with the dice cups of ammo reloading method. Haven’t had the pleasure of trying it that way. Hopefully someday.
Cheers,
Dennis
NOTICE THE HANGFIRE ON SHOT #8.
Yes sir. That old 1952 Mk VII ammo doesn’t always ignite fast. One of these days I’ll have to do this with good ammo.
He is doing it wrong. If I may critique:
a. Sling is far too tight. Fine for Prone Deliberate but not Rapid.
b. No need to lift the head or twist the rifle. The action is smooth enough to not need to do this.
c. Use the middle finger for the trigger and thumb/forefinger for the bolt cycle.
d. Load 10 in the mag then lonely load 5 each time in the stripper clip. In fact if you only start with 5 in the mag it is easier on the spring and smoother feeding.
e. Leave the stripper clip empty in the grove, the closing bolt pushes it out of the way.
The most important advice is to enjoy the SMLE; let it become part of you and practice, practice, practice.
Thanks for the pointers. I did use the middle finger method on my second run. There was a slight but not appreciable improvement in speed. Not having a case flip 180 degrees when opening the bolt the second time around was the biggie. The film documents that clearing it ate up a lot of time.
Good thoughts that the SMLE drives differently from other rifles. The method I used is derived from the technique described by Ed Crossman in his 1930’s book on managing the M1903 Springfield in rapid fire. The 1903 has a very long cocking piece that will leave very nice crescent shaped cuts in your face if you don’t move it. The twisting motion adds leverage for opening the bolt and falling into it aids in your hand pulling it back. Rotating back up brings it all back to closure. There’s actually minimal fore/aft movement of the hand using this approach. This may not be optimum with the SMLE. I shall ponder.
More interesting coincidences. Ed Crossman was one of the founders of BRRC in the 1920’s. This is the same club Gary Eliseo and I belong to.
Still nice to try it with the LE.
well done Dennis!
Let’s see the target.
Jeff,
We did not bother to save it. It was a Memorial Day picnic and we were just enjoying ourselves. I shot on one of the other guy’s targets, checked it on the scope and thought nothing more of it. I originally posted the video on Facebook just to show I had some fun last weekend.
Dennis
The technique the Norwegians use in their Stangskyting is way, way faster than that.
I would love to visit Norway and study the technique up close someday.
Thanks Dennis
Start in the sitting position and train with dry firing on a target without moving your head and the rifle off target.
Once you have that working, go to prone for the same. Start with a Deliberate approach then move to Rapid fire. But all the time head/foresight in position.
The Mauser action is tight and binds. The SMLE action (rear locker) is fast and smooth. If not smooth use some Breakfree on the bolt. Go for a “rolling” hand action.
And try to practise with some Drill Rounds if you can.
Kris,
One day I would very much like to visit Norway and learn the nuances of Stangskyting competition. Everything from the bolt manipulation to the use of the sling is different from the methods I normally use and clearly there for a purpose. I want to understand the the nature of the isometric muscle balance used for the position. The rate of accurate fire is amazing. I watch the videos of competitions with fascination wishing I could speak the language.
There are so many historical and regional sub-disciplines to the art of the rifle. I”m lucky to be able to explore them. It’s definitely worth the time to do so. One gains appreciation of people’s skills and you always make new friends in the process.
Dennis
Richard,
If you could, please describe the no rifle motion, rolling hand action technique further. I’m interested in the balance, where the isometric muscle pressure is applied so as the free the bolt manipulation hand to do its job efficiently, what muscles and range of motion are ideal to gain best speed while ensuring good accuracy. Laying rounds into the 9 ring or better can be done many ways but the border of that scoring ring remains an objective arbiter throughout.
As you can see in the video, I was using a rapid fire method attuned to cock on open rifles that have higher initial bolt opening resistance. It works superbly with the 1903 Springfield and is the method I teach for CMP competition with that rifle.
But every rifle drives uniquely at the upper end of the performance range. I have read about the countless hours of a coin balanced on the front sight of the Lee-Enfield training technique but not done it in earnest. In the literature I have found the coin is mentioned in passing and that it was done studiously in the barracks by troops but the detail of the movements are not fully described. More pointers appreciated.
Cheers,
Dennis
Dennis
If I can be “Zen” briefly, I think you are over thinking it a little. The first problem is that you are good with a Mauser type action in the Springfield. The SMLE is not a Mauser and its cycle is different (hence “smoother”).
Front Hand under the rear sight and drop the padding. You don’t need it for Rapid and it gets in the way of feeling what the rifle is doing.
Fire. As the rifle settles into position form your firing hand into a blade shape and push the bolt open. As you reach the top of the cycle, use your first two fingers to pull the bolt sharply back (once again your rifle will tell you how fast and if you get stoppages here change your extractors).
At the end of the cycle, push forward with you thumb and you will detect a point were you use the flat hand to close the action. Return the firing hand to position and repeat.
It is muscle memory as you know.
Always single load the magazine rim over rim to avoid stoppages.
And pick three of you favourite stripper clips and clean and polish them until rounds run smoothly through them. The 5 round reload gets most people.
The coin is a game. You need a friend and a miniature target. Your friend puts the penny on the front sight flat. Fire, cycle, fire with drill rounds without it falling off.
The Steyr SSG PII with CDI bottom metal and 10 shot AI mags must be the fastest bolt action ever. Extremely short bolt travel with rear locking lugs , 60 deg bolt locking with a perfectly designed bolt handle.