The Washington times., 1902-04-05
DISTRICT MILITIA
RIFLE PRACTICE
Importance to Be Attached to
Outdoor Scores.
OFFICERS MUST PARTICIPATE
Class in Firing to Which Any Officer or
Man Belongs to Be Determined From
the Aggregate of the Total of the Best
Two Full Scores.

A number of minor changes which il
is thought will tend to improve the eff
| cheney of the District National Guard in
| craftsmanship have been announced N
| National Guard headquarters. Hereafter
| much more Importance will be attached
to the practice on the outdoor range, and
the classification of the militiamen as
marksmen will be based upon their range
score.
In consequence the gallery scores will
| have less effect upon the years record in
shooting. 1t is much more difficult to
shoot accurately on the outdoor range
than in the gallery, on account of wind
and light.
Order Issued From Headquarters.
Relative to this phase of the National
Guards work the following orders have
been issued from headquarters by Col.
Theodore Mosher adjutant general:
Rife practice will be considered an in
dispensable part of the instruction of the
National Guard. 1t being essential that
instructors should themselves be prof.
cient both in theoretical and practical de-
tails OF the subject. all officers are en-
titled to make themselves thoroughly IA
mfliar with the system OF instruction pre-
scribed in Firing Regulations for Small
Arms for the United States Army" and
they will be required to participate in all
preliminary instruction and target prac-
t;ce that may he ordered for the COM
mand
officers will impress upon their men
the vital necessity of being able to handle
ha ri Ha off iA-alv nd in tn
tice will strive TO attain a proficiency in
advance of them. They will endeavor to
awaken the enthusiasm of their men and
foster a spirit of emulation being careful
to avoid discouraging the poorer shots by
reminding them that careful attention to
instruction and advice will ultimately
make them proficient.
2. A full score will consist of five shots
each at 200 yards standing, 300 yards
kneeling or sitting. and 500 yards and 900
yards lying prone. Two full scores will
be required. making forty shots in all.
g. Practice will be conducted under the
and direction of the inspcc-
tors of rifle practice of the respective
organizations.
T. Any officer or enlisted man who fails
to make i5 per cent at any range, either
in official or voluntary practice or COM
petitions, will not be permitted to fire at
any longer range, and shall not If there
appears to be danger in continued prac-
tice. be permitted to open a new score un-
til he has been additionally instructed by
an inspector of rife practice.
5. No other arm than the service rifle.
and no other ammunition than that issued
on the spot by the inspector of rifle prac-
tice in charge OF the practice. will be
permitted to be used.
Classification.
The class in firing to which any officer
or man belongs will be determined at the
end of the practice year from the aggre-
gate of the total of the two best full
scores he has made on the range, as fol-
lows:
Third class-All who have failed to fire
two full scores on the range, or having
shot such scores, have made an aggre
gate Of less than 30.
Second class-All who have fired two or
more full scores on the range and from
the best two have made an aggregate of
not less tha1 30.
First class-All who have fired two or
more full scores on the range and from
the best two have made an aggregate OF
not less than 40.
Marksmen-Ali who have fred two or
more full scores on the range and from
not less than 130
Sharpshooters-first year-All who have !
fired two or more full scores on the
range and from the best two have made |
an aggregate of not less than $50.
Subsequent years of qualification-Same !
as The first years qualification. but with
an aggregate of not less than 10.
Score cards--At each regularly ordered |
practice the commanding officer Of each i
organization participating will hand to
the inspector Of rife practice score card |
inscribed with the names of the men |
present. At the close OF the practice the |
inspector will return the score card to the |
commanding officer with the score of each |
man entered thereon with an indelible |
pencil and certified TO by him.
Company target record book-This book |
will give the two highest scores made by
each man in practice at 200, 800, 500, and J
500 yards.
Annual company report-This report
will be made on the Goth day of November
n each year and forwarded direct TO the
Inspector general Of rifle practice 1t will
contain the name Of every man that has
Ieen borne on the rolls of the company
Turing the practice season tMay l to Oc-
ober 81. and Will give the totals of the
wo best scores on the range of each man
It 200. 300, 800. and 600 yards. II will be
accompanied by the certified score cards
If the company as vouchers.
At the end of the practice year. or upon
he receipt at these headquarters of the
inal classification OF company for the
prescribed practice OF the year. there Will
re issued TO each sharpshooter silver
adge, and 10 each marksman a marks
mans pin, in accordance with paragraph
3d. Firing Regulations for Small Arms.
:. S. Army