Walking your fire

Walking your fire is a technique used by operators of certain types of weapons to engage a target without the use of a targeting device. The practice is most closely associated with automatic firearms, such as machine guns, but is also used by indirect-fire weapons, such as mortars and some other types of artillery; it may also be applied by a bystander to the result of a high-altitude aerial attack using unguided bombs.

It may be implemented by a single individual. The weapon operator (gunner) fires one or more rounds of ammunition, and the impact point is noted, either by an observer or by the gunner. The aiming point of the weapon is adjusted, and the process is repeated until the target is rendered harmless, a more significant threat presents, ammunition is exhausted, the weapon malfunctions, or the individual or crew operating the weapon is incapacitated. Small caliber automatic weapons, either belt or magazine fed, may include a small amount of tracer ammunition (usually 5% or less) in with regular munitions, to facilitate the process under low-light conditions. The name results from the fact that the sequence of rounds striking the earth appear to be walking toward the target. It contrasts with the aimed shots of semi-automatic (or bolt action, single-shot, etc.) fire, in which the first shot is placed on target through the use of a targeting device, which may be as simple as iron sights, or as sophisticated as smart-bomb technology.