Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-24
The NATIONAL GUARD
EHect of Wounds Made by the Krag-
Jorgensen Rifle.
RIFLE PRACTICE And EYE STRAIN
Proposed Change in the CoIors of
the Target.
OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST

The distribution of the Krag-Jorgensen
rifle. which has commenced, is to be push
ed forward as rapidly as possible. and il is
quite likely that before next spring a con-
siderable proportion, if not all. OF the Dis
trict National Guard will be in possession
OF TIE new arm. In view of that probable
ity, information made public bv the Army
and Navy Gazette will be interesting to
National Guardsmen. The Gazette SAYS
that 'Dr. Chauvel Of Paris has commune
Gated TO the Academy of Medicine the rec
ord of very interesting series of expert
ments conducted in Roumania with the new
90 nm. C255-inch) rifle, which throw fresh
light upon the effect of small oaliber pro-
jectiles upon the body. They serve to show
that this effect is much graver than many
have believed. In one trial five bodies were
placed one behind The other, some twenty
inches apart, at a distance of Go yards
from the rife. OF these four were pene-
trated. In the case of the soft tissues the
apertuIes of entry and exit were smaller
than with the old rihss, and the injured
part may therefore, perhaps, be expected
to be smaller. On the other hand at every
range, up to 1,5OO yards, the perforation Of
the bones was always accompanied by
much communion and breakase. The le-
sions of the arteries We're even more severe
With the old balls these vessels were gen
orally torn, and often j nemasialic fOlna-
tion resulted, whereby the flow Of blood
was arrested; but with The new rrojectiles,
which cut the vessels sharply, SUCH il not
the case. Even in pulmonary wounds, in
the case of horses, which did not involve
the larger vessels, they gave rise 10 ser
lous heinorrhaSe. which would not have
been the case with The earlier weapon
Wounds OF the liver and spleen caused no
special remark, but, when the fun intestine
OF the horse was struck, TIE wound was ter
r1ole IN Its nature. The doctors V no Wit
messed these experiments, says The Avenir
Mintaire, were induced to conclude that the
gravity OF rifle wound is in inverse ratio
10 the reduction of the "aliber, and gave as
the reason that the rapidity Of the revolu-
ton Of the bail is in this inverse ratio
These results do not confirm some earller,
ones from which ii was sought 10 prove
that the small caliber proJectile was apt
TO be 'benIgnant IN its effects. Dr. Chau-
vel himself some years ago maintained, in
the Archives de Medicine ct pharmscie
Miitaires, that. beyond he explosive zone
that Is at a distance greater Than abe ut
'1o yards from the rife, The small-caiiDer
projectile generally passed through the
body with little confusion round me orr
flee. seldom carrying with 1t pieces OF
clothing, whereby even healing 10y FIRST
intention might pe secured. Dr. BrUns Of
Tubingea, a weil-known German authority,
has held still more optimistic opinions on
TINS subject; but later inquiries seem TO
Ride Practice and Eye strain.
Capt. John NJ. Banister OF the medical de-
partment of the United States army has
been studying rife practice in its Relation to
eye strain, and in the American journal OF
The Medical Sciences makes a suggestion
which Will interest all marksmen. He says
that the color of the targets used on the rife
range should be changed, and the element
of glare reduced to a minimum. This -
says he, can easily be effected by making
the body of the target black and the bulls
eye and rings bun. BY this simple change
, the reflection of light from the target could
be almost entirely obviated, since the only
visible rejecting surface in this case would
be the bulls eye. Every one knows that
the black target will absorb light, instead
of rejecting it. Another gain in this change
would be the greater contrast produced be-
tween the coior of the target and the face
OF the landscape, which would be a great
advantage at most Of our military posts. as
before explained.
If any doubling Thomas among the
members OF the shooting fraternity will
construct such target. AID place it or
bright day 10y the side OF the present rega-
lation target, he will see the force of these
remarks.
1t may be claimed as an objection to the
proposed target that such good scores may
not be obtained with il as with the one now
in use. This objection would prove unten-
able, since l have had this matter tested
practically at the different ranges with the
most encouraging results. l believe that
better scores can be made win the black
target than have heretofore been possible
Furthermore, the relief TO the nlarksman's
eye would be Of incalculable advantage
AT present most marksmen aim az the
body OF the target just below and a little TO
the left of the black bulls eye. With the
proposed target the trent shift OF the riae
could be outlined against the bulls eye
Itself, which would simply cause q slight
change elevation If Mi in,
the 'windage' and drift allowed for
In the second place. as some recumbent
pastures seem essential to fun long range
shooting. l recommend, for reasons already
stated, that the prone position be made the
sole regulation recum5ent position, and
that the back and side pastures be ex-
cluded."
Small Arms Practice Regulations.
In recently issued general order the fol-
lowing regulations for the small-arms prac-
tice of the light battery are PROMULGATED
Practice for the year will be as follows:
With the rifle--In the gallery: One score at
zoo yards; one score at 500 yards On the
range: Two scores at 200 yards; two scores
al 300 yards. With the revolver-In The gal
lery: Two scores at 80 feet; two scores at
% feet; all snap shooting. On the range:
Two scores at 10 yards; two scores at -
yards; two scores at - yards. Snap shoot
Ing at 10 yards obligatory and may be per-
mitted az the other ranges.
Revolver practice will be at skirr,ish tar
get ID. The value OF hits will be decided IN
accordance with sample target on file in the
ofcce or the inspector general of rifle prac-
tlce. rms target represents a man OF life
size. bullet striking the head or the cen
ter of the body above the waist counts :.
about one and a half inches on each side of
body. 4; from waist to legs. 4; protecting
right arm, 3, and both legs 8
The same order provides that the first
separate company and company c. engineer
corps VIII be required 10 practice with the
revolver Each officer and enltst.j -
will fire two scores at 80 and a. feet in the
gallery and two scores at 10 and % Yards on
the range at skirmish target ID. The scores
mus made VIII be recorded and reported
to the inspector general of rifle pra ,-ics tut