The New York herald., 1877-02-15
MILITIA RIFLE PRACTICE.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL INSPECTOR
OF RIFLE PRACTICE.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL INSPECTOR
OF RIFLE PRACTICE.
Colonel George W. wingatc, general inspector of
Rife Practice Tor the National Guard State OF New
York. rendered short time ago to tho Adjutant Gen.
cral detailed report OF tho years. rifle practice by
the State National Guards at Crecdmoor and clso-
where. He gives sketch Of the progress OF militia
rifle practice this Stale during the lust three four
years The State prize is shot for at Crecdmoor by
teams nearly all the regiments. Last this
range used by nearly 5000 troops under
orders Tor practice. Tho First aud Second d-
visions attend Crecdmoor ranges; the Third
division has set OF butts ut Watertown; !;
the Fifth division possesses targets Poughkeepsie
thcro rils grounds Yonkers aud Glendrakc the
Sixth division has facilities i0r practice Syracuse
The Seventh division shoots III tho neghbornood or
vision Its principal matches ut bay View.
nos lar from the city OF Buffalo. Tho improvement
considerable and nearly always proportion TO the
devoted 10 tho Instruction oil the troops by inc n
spcc0rs OF rifle practice belonging to tho diucrent
tactical units OF tho forces.
GROWING EFFICIENCY.
The aggregate number OF ofcers, noncommissioned
officers aud prvates VINO pracsed last year was
against I, $40 the year before Vi these 034l, OF
small so per cent, qualified in the third
Glass; against 1925 IN 1875 VI tue so per cent who
passcd in the third z 909 about 50 per cent
qualified In the second class, compared with SUI,
The number that made the regulation percentage , IN
The total number. reported as having quail.
lied for the marksmans badge was 9lS as
against 533 in 1875 being 3s per cent
those who shot the regulation number VI ROUNDS
Tho following the order OF merit among tho different
corps IN the service who entered tor practice:--
Twelfth regiment, 62 70; Eighth 1881; Twenty
second, 3425; scvenly-hrst. a4l6; seventh, 3l99;
Fourteenth 81 ST. Twenty-third, 81; Sixteenth
battalion, 81 Is; thirteenth regiment, ao.es Forty
seventh, 2967; Twenty-eigh 2Li6; Sixty-ninth.
2LlA; Fml 3asS seventy seventy, ra,,;S 20 20;
second regiment, 22.40; Eleventh, 2L9o;
sixty.nf,h, 2o7l; Fiiiy.icur,h IL. 49,; Twenty
seventh, 1928 The Twcnty-nrst and Forty.
ninth regiments sent in returns. Among the cav
airy arm OF the service the hgure OF merit was
Washington Grays, 1925; separate troop Firth
brigade 3l57 separate troop Eleventh brigade. 10 A.
The Yates Dragons and separate troop lwcniy-hfth
brigade III returns. or the artillery only tho
Calling Battery (Brookyn) appear u have reported
the their practice and their figure Of merit IS
81 Y5
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.
An established gauge oi the sights Tor military rifles
is urgently rccommendcd and the abolition OF the car
bne as u cavalry is suggested. The latter recon-
mendaIion Is one which those who know the require
ents or mounted troops in these days 0 rcd brccch
loading arms will readily concur in 'rhe Remington
riilo. continues give satisfaction The recem-
mcndalion that rifle barrels should bc browned-and
very good suggestion, too-:s renewed.