The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-04
FORT DOUGLAS NOTES.

Target practice at Fort Douglas began
MONDAY For two days the high-yelocity-
loW-traJectory gun has been making a.
noise on the sage brush range in the
hands OF several hundred good, bad and
not so bad marksmen. There are but few
changes from last years programme
Company skirmish will be omitted this
season. and the troops will not be re-
CURED to fire at the rather extreme
ranges of 1,50O, 1850 and 1000 yards. The
sharpshooters only will be required to
nre at the 1,OO0-yard ranges, in addition
10 the shorter distances, and the marks
men, OF which there is a large number
VIII De required to advance to 800 yards
A rifle competition for the craftsmen of
the post has been promised as soon as the
target firing has been completed.
The following rules and regulations to
govern small arms firing by troops using
the magazine rifle, caliber co. during the
season OF 1896, and until further orders,
are approved by the secretary OF war
and published for the guidance of all
concerned.
FOR INFANTRY.
drills and gallery practice will be con-
Quoted as prescribed in the small arms
frlng regulations, except SO much as re-
fers to the back positions
vice cartridge. The targets and the sys-
tenn of marking and scoring prescribed
in small arms firing regulations will be
used.
The firing will be divided into prelimin-
airy, additional and regular practice.
For this practice all members of the
company will be divided into two classes
the recruit class and the second season
class.
Positions in firing will be as prescribed
in small arms firing regulations, except
that all firing lying down shall be in the
prone position
Recruits will fire ten preliminary shots
at 100. 200. 300. 500 and 600 yards. Addi-
tfonal practice, at the discretion of the
! company commander, not to exceed five
shots at each of the above ranges, may
] be permitted.
In regular practice twenty shots will be
! fired at each of the following ranges
200, 300, 500 and 600 yards. If, at the reg
( ular practice, any soldier attains fifty per
! cent of the possible aggregate score at
the above ranges, his practice will be ex-
! tended to 800 and LOCO yards, firing twen-
/ ty rounds at each of these ranges.
! Preliminary firing in the second sea-
! sons course will consist of five rounds
at each of the following ranges: 200. 300
500, 600, 500 and LOCO yards. The regular
firing will be twenty shots at each of
! the above ranges.
SKIRMISH FIRING.
All members of the company will, on
the completion of their course of prac-
tice at Rectangular targets, be exercised
i in skirmish firing, and the targets will be
I the group target described in par. 1923,
and arranged as prescribed in par. 1874. S.
A. f. r.
The range and consequent adjustment
of sights will be announced by the squad
leaders, or company officers, the number
of shots and whether by volley or by
slow or rapid fire, ordered for each halt.
The practice will be conducted by but
one squad at time. The squad, COM
posed as prescribed in the drill regula-
lions will be brought up to the range at
distance of about 700 yards from the
target.
The magazines will be cut off and held
in reserve until magazine firing is sub
sequently ordered, as hereafter provided.
The squad will then be depioyed forward
as skirnishers, advanced to a point zoe
yards from the targets. and Withdrawn to
it's first position according to the methods
laid down in the drill regulations.
The advance of the squad will be al
quick time, until a distance of 600 yards
from the targets is reached, when a halt
will be ordered and a volley fired in the
manner laid down in drill regulations; for
this volley the men will take the kneei-
ing position. For the firing at this as al
all other hats, the pieces will be loaded
from the belt and not until the halt has
been ordered. Aim will be taken at tine
bottom of the figures. This rule is gen
eral for all firing at figure targets.
The advance will then be resumed, first
at quick, and then at double time, until
a distance Of 500 Yards from the targets
is reached, when a halt will be ordered
and one volTey fired as before; the men
for this volley taking the prone position
In similar manner the advance will be
continued, two counter cartridges being
fired at 400 yards from the targets: two
counter cartridges at 325 yards, using the
lowest adjustment of the sight, and three
counter cartridges at $50 yards. The mer
for all this firing will take the prone posi-
ton.
The advance from 25O to 200 yards viii
be made at double time, when the hall
will be ordered, and the men directed tc
lie down prone and fire rapidly five cart
ridges. The order will be given for mag
azine fire. and the five cartridges free
from it.
The retreat will then be ordered and
conducted between each halt, first a
double and then at quick time.
Hats will be made at 300 and 400 yards
and at each of which distances two coun
ted cartridges will be fired; and at so
and 600 yards, at each of which distance:
one volley will be fired; at 500. 400 and so
yards, these firings will be from the prone
position, at 500 from the kneeling posi-
ZION.
The firing points above mentioned will
be measured not -:stimated. distances
The targets will then be examined, anC
the hits Signaled
The haIts where rapid fire or fire will
counted cartridges, is delivered, will b.
thirty seconds in misunderstanding
from the last note of the signal, com
mence firing" to the last note of the sig
nal cease firing" For each shot fire.
by the soldier before the commencement
or after the close of this interval, or fol
each shot fired in excess of the numbe
ordered for the halt. five points will b,
deducted from his score.
The number of cartridges carried by
each soldier should not be limited to thos
he is to fire. as it may be necessary t.
replace a misfire.
In case of accident, disabling a soldier
piece, the incomplete score will not b.
considered. but the practice repeated.
In the first or recruit year, the record
practice as s@.irnishers, will be preceded
by one or more runs, using blank o.
dummy cartridges.
In other seasons this preliminary ex
ercise will be discretionary with the com
pany commander.
Two runs as above described will con
stftute the record practice for each class
Officers and non-commissioned officer
will make these runs as prescribed. spe
cial squads being formed for that pur
pose when necessary.
These firings, with those at rectangu
lar targets. which precede them, com