Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-03
PRACTICAL PRACTICE.


The Mau-Targets ON the Island for
skirnish Driii..How They are Con-
structed and Used.
The fact Of the introduction Of man
targets on the government island to be
used in skirmish drills, has been hereto
fore commented upon. The Davenport
Democrat, Gazette has learned con-
siderable that is of additional interest
concerning these institutions for practi-
cal practice. Machines are made in the
arsenal shops for the purpose of forming
the targets, which are made in the shape
of man In upright position when firing.
in position of loading while PROSTATE
and in kneeling position. Thousands Of
targets have been made and large num-
bers have been shipped this summer to
the various posts in the west and east
where skirmish drills and target firing
takes place in August end September.
The targets are known as d, E and F,
according to form. Target cloths are
sent with the forms-black cotton cloths
| of the same shape as the forms These
are tied with strings at the outer part of
the curves and at the edges SO that they
cannot slip. The holes in the cloth
are reinforced with leather washers
and brass eyelet is put through
both leather and cloth and riveted down.
A D target weighs 30 pounds and costs
the government SILT; an E target weighs
81! pounds and costs So cents; an F tar
get weighs 81 pounds and costs 3S cents.
A hundred D target cloths cost $17 .S8;
100 E cloths $13. At; 100 F cloths $7.77.
With the tools on hand at the arsenal
they can turn out 95 D, 1875 E and $50 F
targets day. and turn out $50 D. $50 E
and $50 F target cloths per day.
The skirmish shooting with the man.
targets is the most interesting both to the
skirmishers and to the onlooker, of all
the branches of target practice in the
armies of the United States. 1t probably
approaches nearer to the usage of actua
warfare than any other form of competi
tive practice.
These dummy figures of men are 81
placed that there are three for each mai
to shoot at. one lying down. one kneelinl
and one standing. A shot in the first fig
ure counts five. in the second four and il
the last three. The men start at 900
yard range at the sound of the bugle cal
and run forward; at another call the
halt and have six seconds to get int
position for firing and adjust the sight
to the distance, which is. of course
unknown. The bugle sounds agai
and they have fifteen seconds i
which to fire, and each man may shoot a
many times as he likes at each halt, br
must shoot at least once. At the ne,
: call he moves forward again. This is r,
n peated four times. which brings the me
v up to 200-yard range, where they I'll
If of hand, and then they retreat, haltir
n FIVE times as on the advance. Each me
o is given forty rounds of ammunition al
" he may use it all if he can. A COMM
as stoned officer follows each three men al
is records the number of their shots, viii
Is a non commissioned officer sees that th,
he do not shoot on the wrong target.
be shot after the bugle sounds cease f
~ ing" after halt, takes off five poin
ed from the score of the man who shoe
lie This cultiyates quickness and accuracy
er movement. and also of judgment, for
he course it is better to fire the most she
as at the nearest halts. 1t is astonishi
nd how quickly the men can fire, They {
be ten put in five shots in the fifteen secon
nd allowed at the nearest halt.