The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-11
sHARpsHooTING.
The Sunday Republic ON Long. Range
RHO Practice.

WAsuINGToN, July TO- 1850.
To the Editor Of the Sunday Herald:
SIR: Usually well informed on the subjects
upon which he writes. the editor of the Republic last
week, however, shot wide of the mark in criticism
on long range rifle practice. He sad "lf 1t could
he made clear just what benefit this sort Of sport
ferred the world Mt large ~ etc. etc. And fur
Their, 'The fact that with extraordinary long
range aud costly rlie provided with fancy powder
and ball. patent sights, patent self adjusting wind
gauges, and patent telescopes. man may be trained
by long and ariuous practice TO be able, while lying
Al full length and at dead rest to hit target big
his head at from 800 to 600 yards Is OF no moment. -
And more he says: cor all the sports OF turf and
held and river and sea, etc, etc., that Of long
range rifle shooting as practiced by the so-caed liz
ternational rihemen Is the most useless, silly and I'M
satisfactory
Where has the editor been for the past fifteen years
| What has he ever known about gunsY lie seems en-
rey to ignore the fact that the military rifles In the
hands of our regulars given to the volunteers dur
Ing the OF the rebellion not ut all accurate
beyond 200 and perhaps could not he called so beyond
| 100 yards, whereas now the Army rifle new model)
is doing good target work up to 900 yards, and Ia
effective against troops up To one mlle and that
this has all been brought about By long range ride
practice.
The practice by the National Rlae Association at
Creedmoor showed the National Guard Of the State
boring and construction generally, and they the N.
q. $. N Y. discarded the Enfield, and had special
military rifle made by the Remingons, bored like the
long range practice rifle, and supplied with sights
conforming nearly thereto the military rules and
regulations would permit. The result was good tar
get practice up to 500. 900, and L. goo yards. The
National Rife Association then invited the Regular
| Army rihemen to meet the National Guards OF the
| State of New York at Creedmoor where many and
liberal prizes We're offered. Result again. The Regu-
lar Army defeated all along the line Those who
were soldiers by profession who for the most part had
nothing else to do but to receive Instructions and to
practice literally had no chance at all against the
young stripngs of the National Guards of the State
| of New York, who used the special military rifle
Orders We're at once given TO the Springfield Armory
TO bore six-grooved military rifles and put them
the wndgauge and WERNER sights, and the old thrt
| grooved rifles were thrown aside. Last September
| the Regular Army "a team from each grand military
of New York at Creednoor, when the Regular Army
found, by Its superior discipline and ample leisure
for practice, To be little more than match for Its
| accomplished adversary.
Now, the Regular Army has built long range tar
gets at all the forts in the country and rifle practice
Ii compulsory. A specimen OF these targets may be
seen at the arsenal in this city, where fine long
range there Is in the country has recently been I'M
ished We found these ranges forts on the plains
and in the Rocky mountains last year, and the men
| well up In practice. saw private soldier who was
with us In the North Park, with regulation service
rifle OF the manufacture, kill antelope at SOC
yards and another Kill an elk at $50 yards. Any
Of the least experience during the late VIII bear
soldier might have Aired 100 shots per day for
month and not accomplish either of the above feats
And no sane man viii pretend to say that this I'M
provement In military rifles and workmanship is moi
wholly due 10 the influence OF the National Rifle As
ISOLATION. And the improvements In military rife;
| and Workmanship are not the only benefits derived
from long range rifle practice. Those who use thes,
rifles a recreation are benefited beyond measure
In the first place, they become trained shaIpshootef
for any kind OF service. The rifle Is limited to
pounds In weight, the same as the regulation Army
rife, and toa three-pound trigger pull. 1t has NJ
telescope sights, self adjusting wind gauges.
has plain rngsig at front and ut rear
by a thumb screw, the Army rifle differing only by
having sliding cianp-sight instead Of the screw
telescope or magnifying glass OF any Kind Is per
scope being used only by the scorer the better II
observe the signals at the distant target. No dead
rest Is permitted, and rest OF any kind allowed
excepting such as man may get on his own person
ANY position, without artificial rest, " Is one o
but this practice Is Intended to cultivate sharp
shooters for military service the ayore position Is
iis backward on the ground and rest the rifle on tn
legs. The rifles accurate and effective up To IN
distance OF one mile and are precisely what W
would use as sarpshooters In the service. The yaln
OF this practice when brought In against trouble
some batteries OF artillery In picking on the men a
the guns, must be apparent 10 all. And any one VIII
may object 10 the propriety OF teaching men the
Of small arms which are effective al the extreIn
distances, would better at once advocate going bac
10 the battle axe and war club. This practice aim
At perfection Ia the OF firearms and when we ca
h Ind tei-pound rifle that will throw small-bo
hall further with accuracy and effect than the rifle
. | now use, we shall adopt and practice with II.
II Is matter Of the greatest establishment that an
enlightened editor could seriously have penned III
= article In The Republic OF last Sunday. Why h
should go ont Of the way u attack outdoor SPORT
pleasure, pastme 70 inyigoratlng ana health giving
Tiers is not skni long range riaenan In the cou,,
try who Is not temperate and moderate In all hi
habits and who does not to the extent OF his knowl
edge observe all the laws OF health. II Is well de
nonstrated fact that those OF other habits cannot
coed. Struggling for perfect scores the enthusiast
long range rineen Vie with each other In
Ing the many obstacles met with, such as faulty
- muntion, changes Of temperature light rofraeiion
moisture, mirage, wind, pressure, and lts OF atmos
y phere, etc, etc, and when the goes down o
, their sport they turn bomeward refreshed and iny.
Grated aud always having learned something new I
theory and practice; and let those who enjoy ia
sweet bOysh sleep that follows an afternoon
alton before the butts answer the Inquiry OF the edIo
u Of The Republic.
g Finally, the sport with the rifle as praeticed b
members OF the National Rifle Association Is one TN
has not been sold out TO the gamblers and IL is deter
!, mined By the N. X. A. that II never shall be.
~ Very truly yours
j, %. l.. BURSsIDE.