The New York herald., 1876-08-14
RIFLE NOTES.

The New South Wales portion OF tho Australian rife
team were to tho half OF their friends
here In New York on Saturday last The New South
Wales men were about twelve hours ahead tine but
the rest OF the team reported TO only sailed
from London England, the 18th inst the day upon
which they had agreed to meet here Captain Smith and
the gentlemen who accompany him.
The Rigby muzze- loading rifle, manufactured in
Dublin by the gentleman whose It bears Is the
weapon that will be used at tho approaching interna
iona match by the Australian team. The rifle OF their
choice generally used with charge Of ninety grains
OF powder and 434 grains Of lead The quantity OF
powder is from ten to twenty-five grains and
the lead about ll6 grains lighter than
the amount OF those materials which goes
10 mako the charge used by tho American
long range mArksmen. Perhaps however, the excel.
lcncc Of the British made powder may have tho effect
OF driving the bullet well up 10 the mark extreme
distances Tho calibrc OF the Rigby rifle is ~, and
the length Of the barrel thirty nchcs the number
OF lands and grooves Six inclination Of the the
axis Of tho bore, equal to about four feet
With "a tle difference. this the kind OF ruling that
mostly used Tor long range guns.
In the matter of proJectics, Lieutenant Colonel Far
we'll, Of this years American rifle team says that
improvements being made The cyiindro conoidal
bolt balls iE made good cea harder than
formerly In years gone by the composition OF The
amalkam from which bullets consisted Of
part tin to fifteen Of lead; now one OF former
to eleven OF the latter metal Is found to better
suits. The bullet does not ''upset' in the bore
much formerly and the rling is not so Liable to
lead rs when softer material was used As yet there
no signs Of tho harder bullet having in any way
damaged the shoulders OF the lands In the ring but
the effect the targets. especially With high charges
at short ranges, is very damaging the iron slabs
composing them Colonel Furwc also says that more
powder can be used in gun OF gwen calibre during
cold than during warm Weather.
General Alex snder Shaicr, President OF the National
Rifle Association. made last year tho Creed eor
ranges long and interesting series OF experiments for
the purpose OF ascertaIng the best charges OF powder
TO at tho different ranges ured from 1he General
does give the weight OF the bullet used but IRON
incidentally mentioning u IN his report left TO
suppose that was one OF $50 grains. The
great number OF $50 rounds altogether were
nred, and the CONCLUSION arrived at by
General Shalcr is that charge OF 100 grains OF powder
without lubricant Is the best for 500 yards distance
los grains the best for 500 yards il5 the Tor
800 yards and the same amount for the |, 600 wards
range. OF course those results apply only TO tho rife
which used and the conditions under which Il was
shot
very largo attendance expected thus week at the
meeting Of the Canadian rincmen the city OF Mon.
trcal A portion of the Australicn rifle team Is OK
pcced TO be there ALSO few Of shots from
Crcedpoor have signiiicd their intention OF measur
ing strcnglh with our neighbors across the border