The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-14
RIFLE PRACTICR.
Some Description of the New and
Popular Pastime-Long and
short Range shooting by the
Maynard Club.

Some Description OF the New and
Popular Pastime-Long and
Short Range shooting by the
Maynard Club.
Rifle shooting has become so popular
all over the country, during the last few
years, that II may be interesting 10 many
Of our readers to understand come Of the
modern rules Of this new and e1hilerat-
ing recreation.
In 1878 several prominent gentlemen
residing In New York and vicinity or
ganized rife association and procured
a range for target practice, for the pur-
pose Of promoting the Workmanship
Of the National Guard Of the State
OF New York, and the National Rifle
Association Of America Is one Of the re-
suits Of their labors. The N. r. A. has
branches, or afiliating clubs, all over
the United States, nearly every State
having one or more clubs. Any Ride
Club, organized for the purpose Of target
practice, can become member oil the
National Association, by paying yearly
assessment OF S25; any person can be.
come member Of the Association by
being elected by the directors and paying
the yearly dues Of s., which entities him
to the use Of the range at Creedmoor.
THE MAYNARD RIFLE CLUB,
Of this city, Is branch Of the N. r. A,
and practices target shooting according
10 the rules in force at Creedmoor. The
long range shooting, which was introduc.
ed into the United States by the found
era Of the N. r. A. in 1878, Is so entirely
different from ordinary rifle shooting
that perhaps description Of the details
OF this art will be interesting. The &C
cepted long range is from 500 TO 200
yards, but usually consists OF 500, 900 and
] 900 yards. That is, n long range score
consists OF 40 shots, Of which 10
are shot at each Of the three
last named distances. Nothing less than
500 yards is long range; the ranges from
800 yards to 800 yards are called mid
ranges, and below the last named dis.
tance short range. All shooting lup to
and including 800 yards must be done
standing, of hand. Al all distances over
that any position is allowed, but no arti-
fetal rest is used. That ia, the marks.
man can assume any position in which
he can rest his rifle on his body, but not
on anything else. This
LONG RANGE SHOOTING
has necessitated new form Of rifle to be
used, one especially manufactured for
the purpose. These rifles are made by
some three or four firms, and are the par
excellence Of modern rifles. They differ
from the ordinary rifle in being made far
more accurate, and capable Of resisting
heavy charges Of powder and throwing a
long heavy bullet, and substituting
light riding with a rapid and uniform
twist for the old style Of deep cut rifles
and the gaming twist. The bullet in
passing along the same turns once round
10 every sixteen inches. The Creedmoor
rifles, as the long range rifles are called,
are the very best work that can be made
by the firms who make them, and each
manufacture aimssuperiority OF his own
rifle, as in other branches OF manufacture.
The Maynard, Sharp, Remington and
Ballard are the leading Creedmoor rifles
now in use. When loading these the am.
munitions very carefully prepared. The
powder is carefully and accurately
weighed on delicate scales and placed in
brass shell, which has been carefully
cleaned. The bullet ia made at a factory
where all the work isdone by machin-
ery, and each bullet is OF exactly the
came weight, They are alleged with tin
10 harden them, and after being cast they
are pressed or sWaged in steel dye with
aipowerful press. This gives each bull.
lei an equal size and weight Then they
are carefully patched or wrapped with
fine bank note paper, and are ready Tor
their flight.
Every charge Of powder must be &C.
curately weighed, or wild shooting will
result. Suppose you are shooting at
| 900 yards, and you shoot a load with 80
grains Of powder and hit the centre Of the
bulls eye, then shoot again with the same
rifle and with as good aim, and use
a charge OF 100 grains Your bullet
will 60 Just ten inches above the frat
shot. A difference Of
A SINGLE GRAIN OF POWDER MAIZE Juel
TEN INCHES DIFFERENCE
at that distance. This illustrates what a
delicate matter ii is TO load and shoot
we'll at long range. The rifeman
must know the effect Of wind on his bull
lei; that is, he must understand by expe:
rience lust about how far the wind will
drift the bullet from the direct line dur.
ing its flight TO the target It must also
be understood by the marksman that
light does not always come in straight
lines to the eye from an object, and when
it does not the bullet is bent in lis course,
the object appearing 10 be in a different
place from what 1t really Is. This Is
called mirage, and Is very important
element TO be taken into consideration
when about to fire at long range. The
rifles used in the shooting are provided
with front sight, which slides with a
screw acros4 the front end Of the barrel
on n graduated scale. This also has
attached to it delicate spirit level, which
throws the bubble directly in front Of the
sight when ready 10 fire, and is in full
view from the rear sight. The rear sight
is 80 adjusted that il can be elevated or
dropped one hundred,h Of an inch at a
time, and ia provided with yernier
graduated scale. These fine adjusting
sights and the great care taken in the
manufacture Of the barrel constitute the
main features Of the modern Crcedmoor
rifle.
The bullets used for long range ptac-
tice weigh about ! ! ounces, and are about
II inches long and 44,l00 Of an inch IN
diameter, having the appearance Of q
cylinder, slightly rounded on one end
and concaye on tue other.
THE DIFFERENCE
between long range shooting and short
range, or oG@hand shooting, Is that good
short range shooting depends solely on
the possession Of sufficient strength in
the arms and the ability to control the
n Al