The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-11-14
THE Old RIFLE SHOTS.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TARGET
PRACTICE MEN BACK IN 1885.
Charter Members-Dr. Brodie's Tro-
phy-Some Remarkable Scores Made
The Target Was Then Smaller.

The history of target shooting in
Honolulu dates back to the evening of
December 3, 1885. Prior to that time
few gentlemen who had belonged to
military companies in the States
would meet at times on crude range
just beyond Notes casino at Kapio-
lani Park. Shooting was in the direc-
ton of Diamond Head.
On one occasion j. II. Fisher, the
present Lieut.. Colonel of the Regi
ment, suggested the formation of a
rifle association upon lines of those in
America. The idea took and the meet
ing was called. 1t was held in DIR.
Brodie's Office on Beretania street
The following were present and be-
came charter members of the organi-
zation DR.. John Brodie, j. w. Pratt,
Charles b. Wilson, VIM. Unger, Frank
j. Higgins, Charles Nicholl and j. FL.
Fisher. A copy of the rules of the
California Rifle Association was intro
|
duced by Mr.. Fisher and, after some
notifications to suit local conditions,
was adopted. The club was then
named the Hawaiian Rifle Association,
and was thrown open for other mem
bers. Frank Hustace, j. G. Rothwell
and others joined soon after.
The first shoot was on January 1,
1886. DR.. Brodie provided trophy.
1t was won by Col. Fisher, who still
has it. Some fine scores were made
in those days. Indeed, some of the
old-timers believe they had steadier
nerve than the marksmen of today
| The old smaller target was used. 1t
is by inches, therefore sixteen
square inches smaller in area than
those now in use. With this handicap
the charter members of the H. r. A
were able to turn out as good scores
as the best of today. On October Z
1887 j. H. Fisher shot fifty-round
match with Frank Hustace and made
this fine record: AZ, AZ, Al, "A, As
Total, $50. Hustace's score was few
points less than this.
American standard target shooting
was most common in those days. The
center of the bull counted ten, and
there were two strings of nine and
eight to the four ring. The four ring
was subdivided into seven, six, five
and four. Three and two remained
In another shoot with Hustace on the
string target Colonel Fisher, in five
shots, made: 10, 10, 8, 10, and Q
Total, 4S. The worlds record at thai
time was A. Col Fisher did not CLAIM
the championship, though he could
have done so. Forty-eight has never
been beaten in match. That score
means that every shot was Close
around the center of the bull's-eye.
The H. r. A. grew and grew. The
Sharpshooters' Company of today il
an outgrowth from it, and has prac
tically absorbed the original organiz1
ton. OF the seven charter members
of the H. r. A., Fisher, Pratt and Viii
} son only are alive today.
Col. Fisher, j. G. Rothwell, Franz
Hustace and others have score book
of the early days and the showing
compare with work now being done
Rothwell holds that AZ now is no
better than was a Al with the ole
small target. Hustace says the sam,
and Col. Fisher declares that tn,
shooting in those days was bette
than it is now. Messrs. Rothwell
Hustace, Wilson, Capt. Pratt and 9th
ers of the old guard will practice NJ
again if the country is challenged TO
a match.