Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10

All riflemen are familiar with the difH
culties encountered in securing proper
barrels for the Krag rifle and are inter-
ested In the movement to overcome the
same. As the result of the action taken
at its annual meeting. held here. the exec
utiye committee of the National Rifle AS
ISOLATION will soon confer with the ma
tional board for the promotion of rifle
practice. with a view to so modifying the
conditions OF the national matches that
barrels of private manufacture may be adj
mitted thereto on the same footing "a
government made rifles throughout 1t is
intended that the modified conditions shall
provide that such barrels conform in out
side and inside measurements weight.
character of rifiing, pitch of riting. num-
Der OF grooves and in all other respects to
the standard adopted by the government:
and that the barrels bear the INSPECTION
marx or an official appointed in such q
manner as the board may deem most ex-
pedient, to be known as View Mark A."
or Government Viewers Mark" as a
guarantee of inspection and conformance
to the requirements.
1t will further be suggested that the
present view mark of the National Rifle
Association be designated as View Mark
II. and applied as at present to rifles COM
ing under the designation, any military
and also to special barrels which NAV
have been htted to government made ac-
tons. whose outside dimensions and cham
berfng are the same the government
barrel and which are capable of using the
standard ammunition. but whose rifiing
may be modified with a view to demon-
strating in the annual competition wheth-
er that standard form Of rifiing' can be i'm
proved upon.
Choice of Range for Next Year,
There has been much in the way Of
speculation here regarding the place that
will be selected by the national board for
the holding OF the national matches next
year. In this connection it Is asserted that
there are but two rifle ranges in this coun-
try capable of furnishing sufficient target
room to accommodate the great national
team match--Sea Girt, and the new range
at Fort Riley, Kansas. The range at
Riley Is one of the most complete of its
kind in the world. The pit for the targets
which Is continuous. is about 1000 feet in
length and is walled up to the level of the
ground In the most substantial manner
and is capable of accommodating about so
targets. When the ], 0U-yard firing points
finished. with its superb skirmish
grounds, 1t may be considered a perfect
rifle range for national competitions The
range which was built for It's National
Guard by the state of Illinois. at Camp
Logan, in 1901. Is one OF the model
ranges of the country. 1t has a firing line
1850 feet In length. and the butts and tar
gets are placed at all ranges In echelon. so
that any and all ranges can be used at the
same time The direction of fire in north
east, with Lake Michigan as the backstop
The grounds are supplied with buildings
the officers and men who report for prac-
tice. and all reporting are required to reg
lister at the Office OF the superintendent
and receive their ammunition and score
blanks. on leaving they turn in their
scores. shells, and unused ammunition
The annual allowance of ammunition per
man Is 400 rounds.
Creedmoor the chief range OF the state
of New York. is well known TO the shoot
ing fraternity. 1t was established by the
its zenith of popularity, and most of the
international matches have been held
there.
Ranges are being established very rapid
ly in the states to meet the requirements
OF the National Guard. and 1t is beginning
to dawn on the average guardsman that
he Is not much of soldier II he does not
know how to shoot straight.
Believe Board Should Have Full
Charge.
Rife practice in the United States has
reached a point where its Importance war
rants a permanent department at Wash
ington with a view TO its development. ac-
cording to John Taylor Humphrey. a rec
ognized expert He thinks that the ma
tional board for the promotion OF rifle prac-
tice should have full authority to organize
and control such department. and that
the executive and other officers I'm charge
of the national matches should be detailed
by the War Department on the recommen-
dalton OF the national board with view
TO obtain experienced and efficient officials.
There Is no desire to criticise the indt-
viduals whose attendance officers of
these matches was under orders from
Washington" Mr.. Humphrey said, hut
rather to point out the weakness of the
present system which results in placing
tssTe important matches in the hands OF