How far does grazing fire reach on level terrain?

Grazing fire is defined as fire delivered on a target at such a low angle that the bullets do not rise above a specified height above the ground, allowing them to cover a horizontal distance effectively without significant deviation. On level terrain, grazing fire typically reaches out to 600 meters. This distance is crucial for infantry tactics as it helps maximize the effectiveness of machine gun fire, ensuring that enemy forces within this range are engaged while minimizing the risk of bullets passing overhead, which could compromise safety or effectiveness.

Understanding this distance helps soldiers properly position their machine guns to cover key areas of interest on the battlefield, allowing for effective engagement while utilizing the terrain to their advantage. The concept of grazing fire is particularly useful for defense and engaging enemy forces that may attempt to advance across open ground. Accurate knowledge of grazing fire distance is essential for planning and executing fire support operations in combat scenarios.