The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-10
GEN. sHALER,s ExPERIMENTs.
Tho Result Of Over 1000 shots at Long
Range with Light and Heavy Charges.


Last summer Gen. Alex. shaler, Presi-
dent Of the National Rifle Association. began a
series Of experiments in long range rifle shoot
ing. They were continued with some regu-
larity through the summer, fall and winter,
when tho cold weather caused the water In tho
hygrumeter to CONCEAL. The substance OF the
rcsult is as follows:
The experiments wcro designed to determine
the proper charge Of powder for long range
shooting. SwedGed bullets. weighing $50 grains,
cnmuOsod OF hltecm parts of Lead 70 one
II TN, were used. The powder used oil z.rd
i. % was the sumo in all cases. Tho powder
and bullets were. carefully weighed by Gen.
Smaller, VINO loaded most Of the smells himself.
Tho bullets did not vary In weight one grain.
Tho powder did not vary one-quarter or grain.
The shells we're new. They were OF the long
kind. md none were reloaded. The shooting
was dorc In all kinds OF weather, sometimes IN
heavy rains. sometimes In high winde. Alto
getner some $50 shots were hred. Those do
NOS Include the shots fred to obtain correct elo-
vatiuns. TO insure accuracy of aim, the shoot
ing was all done from a rest. In order to locate
the hits with precision, tue target was equally
divided 10y "a vertical line, which was crossed ny
three horizontal lines, one foot apart. the centre
one being In the centre of the target. At no
time was tue wind Euage very creinly mahlpu-
lated Tor the purpose OF nahihg large scores
but the elevations OF the hits were noted with
great care. as the raj tive merit ot the different
ammunitions could be correctly dctcrmin ii
only hVa cOmp9ri-On Of the ueviatiuns Of the
hits from n horizontal line. WIN two cXccp-
tons. nfty shuta Of eacn KIND Of ammunition
were nted at each range. Inc utact &c wta ut
81 sll. 800. AMI IOn Yards. A. 500 yards seven
Kinds uf ammunition wer, uscd; q sin. q0O and
iOOl Yards eight kinds. AZ the former range,
So. lul. aud ! > grains Of powder were used WIN
lubricant; 100, l0j H., and 10 witnont lubri.
grains were used with Il lubricant; luj 10, 1lj.
and i2J without 4 lubricant. At 30 ward, tbs
average deviation from horizontal lino was as
follows:
crafps fgcb,,. crane. Icsss
iOo " ln"u' lubricant - 20 Nu1nnt llhrr1nt. o.
luiwuI u1rcan; .... ~ v0 wiih ubn,ant.... 10
100 withou; lubricant A.'i
Tho dcyiatious IN the Arst four kind Of am
muuttioa VARY only AlD ~ an inch from
highest to lowest, making but little choice be
tween 10 and luj gains, with or without iuhrt
cant. In tins prlcttcc. during fresh eaeterlS
wind, n cunsecutive bulls eyes were made with
loD Grain. " powder. without lubricant, against
III with luj grains. also without lubricant.
Ate Yards tue result was a. l!u1Ns, only ~
shots being nrcd with 10 grains OF powder;
,a,rc,n I'll 10 '1' t,s, lubricant ' i
100 Win lnntcn ~ ~ ~iin nnr' 4. y,
400 with iuprcat.... 800 90 with lubricant. 400
Tho deviation In the four kinds Of ammunition
first named - lui iuc.ef. Al pJJ wards the de
~ gains Of powder. Tue shooting was as fol-
lows:
crane. fvctss. Grains. Hche'
no without lubricant $50 ~ VITA lubricant. W
10 wluoai rcant 80 20 win iubr, is.
~ WIN ia.reait 49, 10 vi. iGs, mor,ant 3,
1000 YARDS.
e,aius hct,s. or.tas hcs>'
~ eror' luhrcantl22i el with iltricant.. Y Y
1N5 with iulrc 80 80 Win lubricant. ID "a
1Iu without luofcant. Il without lubricant $50.
l2U without lubricant ASH IS villa uhrcan .Iy.u
In closing his report the General says:
Il twin be noticed ma, throughout these tes'. ny "a
iop yards. TIE los grain ammunition Doth VITA sui
win at lu .rirant, shovn great mrr. IL Wiz also
be noticed Lat wllc the gntyr AMMUNITION PRODUCE
The beet results at 800 yaris, i gradually gave was
at tln longer lauats 60 the heavier FROM tuE
be reason ai the longer the range the pow de
should hc u-c and ifr as thcse experiments chow
such would be sound Dut tue general opin
lou Is mat the Increase 10 te powder charge Nhlcl
/ uiy be maze TO advantage Is very limitcd. Indeed
ua 70 recently, Wa tiougn that the limit he,
at o grains. Thee experiments have. however, st
lshcd Lat h IA As 10 grains. and possibly l2O
may be- used TO aivs4tag SO 500 100 and upl yAras
l also thought that these charges OF MI pro
ducr Improved the longer ranges OF loo
.nu yars. opinion IL sustained 10y the fact tina
IN Al tuese tests the elevations O~ered Ia pro
! portion 60 the increase Of the powder
Had the weather permitted these experiments would
have been continued to the longer distances An taNr
WILL D. made to Jay before the members OF the aisoca
tiun be ore next spring number OF facts relative {,
atmospheric anu otner Influences wnicn AFFECT the high
| Of tie bali