The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-28
GALLERY RIFLE
PRACTICE URGED
BY COL. WALTER E. C0NEY.
NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL OF
RIFLE PRACTICE is BACK.

Conferred with GOvernor-GeOrGia
VIII Pay All Expenses of Rifle
Team to National Match Next
Year-ThOuRht This Will Greatly
Stimulate Interest in Practice All
over the state-COI. COney WIZ
Urge starting of Gallery Practice.
Col. Walter E. Coney. the newly APP
pointed inspector general of rifle prac-
tice, has just returned from Atlanta,
where he conferred with the Governor
and the adjutant general in regard to
stimulating interest in rife practice
throughout the state.
Col Coney has not yet been COM
missioned, but as soon as he assumes
the duties of the office he will at once
begin an active campaign to arouse
interest in the work. He will take
the matter up with all the company
commanders of the state in the hope
of instituting gallery practice where
ranges are not available.
There are many difficulties at pres
emit to overcome. The lack of ranges
and the expensiveness of the ammuni-
tion are the principal obstacles in the
way of extensive practice. Col. Coney
hopes, with the cooperation of the
company commanders of the state, to
be able to overcome both of these in
time and while working for ranges
and a decrease in the cost of ammuni-
ton he wants to inaugurate gallery
practice wherever possible.
National Match Team.
Gov. Terrell, Col Coney states, has
decided to again send a Georgia team
to the national rifle match, which was
held this year at Fort Riley. 1t has
not yet been determined where the
match will be held next year. but it is
thought it will be near New York.
1t is the intention of the state to
pay all the expenses of the team that
is sent. With such a prize in view,
Col Coney thinks the men of the state
militia should work hard to perfect
themselves in rifle shooting. 1t will be
a splendid trip, and the team will be
selected entirely on the records made
in practice. The men who show them
selves to be the best shots will be
chosen.
Cost of Ammunition.
The high cost of the ammunition for
the Krag rifles, and the inability of
the state to supply it to the troops in
very large quantities, seriously handi-
caps the work at present The Krag
cartridges can not be reloaded and the |
government only gives IL per cent. of |
loaded shells for the empties. Thus,
for every 100 empty shells returned
only IL loaded are issued. Even if
there were sufficient ranges for the
troops to practice on the high cost of |
The ammunition would probably pre-
vent as much practice as is desired.
until the state is able to make larger
appropriation for ammunition.
For the gallery practice cheaper am
munition may be used. With the Bray
ton auxiliary. cartridge an ordinary
smith & Wesson 80 long may be used
IN the krags for gallery work, the
smith 4 Wesson cartridge being placed
inside the auxiliary cartridge. There
is still another auxiliary cartridge
samples of which have been Furnished
the AdJutant Generals office, that NAV
be used.
Begin on Galleries.
Col. Coney's idea is to have the prac-
fice begin in the galleries and later he
continued on the ranges. He thinks
ii once the practice is well under way
interest win be aroused to secure the
ranges Where tney are not now avail
able as IS the case in Savannah. All
the features of range practice can be
simulated in the gallery, Col. Coney
says, except weather and light condi-
lions. For the beginner the gallery
practice will be invaluable and il can
be had at greatly reduced cost.
one having perfected himself in gal
lery practice would be a fairly good
range shot from the very first. Col.
Coney says. He intends to ask the
aid and cooperation of all the off,
GERS OF the state in arousing interest
an the practice. 1t will probably be
some time before Col Coney is COM
missioned, as he has not yet stood his
examination. but as soon as he does
receive his commission he intends to
communicate with the commanders
throughout the state, urging them to
take up the gallery practice at once.