There exists a need to increase the effectiveness and safety of quick-reaction, small-arms fire at short ranges in both military and civilian applications. Rapid target acquisition was identified as a key factor. A circular bracketing sight was designed to accomplish this. Used on an M16A1 rifle fired in the semiautomatic mode, firing with the bracketing sights resulted in maximum improvements over the standard, Army, quick-fire technique of 31 percent with stationary targets and 275 percent with moving targets at a range of 50 yds (45.72 m.). The more difficult the firing task became, the greater was the differential between standard quick-fire with unmodified sights and the quick-fire with the bracketing sight. The findings have implications for weapons design, training, and other applications of the bracketing-sight concept.