Evening star., 1897-01-21
SMALL ARMS PRACTICE
Colonel Wards Report in Regard to Target
Practice During Last Year.
The New Magazine Rife Gaining i'm
Favor the More Ii is
Used.

Col. A. A Ward. A. A. c., inspector gen.
erai OF small arms practice, department of
the east. has made report to the COM
nanding general of the department in re-
gard to the small arms target practice dur
ing the year 1896. which is of more than
| ordir airy interest from a local standpoint
He says the D-caliber magazine rife al
| though adopted in 1892, has not been
thoroughly tested under service conditions
in the department of the east until 1896
Commanding officers Of all companies I'm
the department who have used the new
arm during the past season were called
upon for their views on the merits and de-
merits of the new rifle. Using these re-
ports as a basis, Colonel Ward passes
judgment upon the new arm to the follow
ing effect:
The arm being such a radical departure
from the enc heretofore in use, has nat
| urally to contend with the prejudice on
the part of many old soldiers; but the new
magazine rifle seems to gain in favor the
more it is used and the better it becomes
known, and has already won favorable
position In comparison with other arms: il
| is probably among the best of small arms
ever devised by mechanical ingenuity, re-
ing practical. serviceable and a weapon of
great power in the hands of well-instracted
troops, while, in the hands of experts, il is
the general belief that, with sights similar
to those Of the Springfield rife, ii would be
marvel of accuracy at long as Well as al
short ranges.
The officers who commanded companies
and who conducted small arms prac::cs il.
this department during the past year are
practically unanimous as to the necessity
of lateral adjustment of the sights With
| view to correct ton for drift.
"A great majority of those who have had
experience in target practice with the new
| rifle are also strongly in favor of the at
tachment of some simple but strong device
in the shape of wind gauge
THE practice has clearly demonstrated
that in firing with the magazine rife ac-
curacy diminishes the range increases.
AS compared with the Springfield rifle the
new arm is found to be more accurate at
short ranges less SO at mid ranges and
much less so at the long ranges. The bull
| let of the new magazine rife has been
shown to be highly susceptible Of detection
by wind
In concluding his report, Inspector Ward
| says:
| In the interest of economy, as well as
with the object Of maintaining the eff
| cheney of the service in respect TO small
| arms practice / strongly recommend the
! building of a target range somewhere in
| the vicinity of New York city, which will
| be available for the use of all troops sta
toned in New York harbor. The exper-
| ience of the past year has shown that tar
get practice any of the reservations
around New York must necessarily be at
tended with great risk of life and Emb.
This also applies with but one two ex-
ceptions to every artillery post in The de-
| partment. Some provision should he made
for small arms practice at Fort Myer, Va,
Washington barracks, d. c., and Columbus
barracks Ohio. The use of the ground at
Marshall Hall, Nd, has not been sane
toned by the War Department; the res
ervaton at Fort Washington. Md, has
been examined, but does not afford suit
able rifle range; the cost of constructing
range practice would be very great and
would not insure entire safety"