Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-17
Use DE THE RIFLE.

USE OF THE RIFLE.
The following rules and regulations
for use of the several teams or the
State in using the regulation rifle have
been compiled by Major Dooley. anu
were issued at Camp Cobb, today:
STATE OF MAINE
Office of Assistant Inspector General of
Rifle Practice.
Compiled by Major John J. Doolcy.
POINTS ON HOW TO SIGHT IN a
RIFLE, ETC.
The first and most important thing Is
to find out whether the rifle barrel Is
correctly sighted. The best way TO test
the shooting and sighting IS to fire a
few shots at % or 50 yards at a small
paper target placed against an earth
bank or thick hedge. Fire. say, 10 shots
from the prone position; and rest the
rifle at about six inches from the muzzle
end on a small bag filled with sawdust
or some such substance. a sandbag IS
not suitable, as 1t offers too much re-
sistance to the rife when fired.
The best form of card target is one
with plain line about y inch wide,
iIOH lilc up " lit SciAtci' IVA
shooting for Is yards: and for 30 yards,
with the line one inch wide.
The tip OF the foresight whom aiming.
should not quite touch the bottom Of
the line. The average center of the bull
lets should be just Off the right edge of
the line If the rifle is to shoot dead true
at 90 yards. If the sighting is per-
fectly true at q yards, tho bullet at 200
yards will strike some two or three
inches to the left Of the center or bulls
eye.
At a distance of 30 yards it IS very
difficult TO say whether rifle IS cor
rectly sighted or not. as usually there
Is some wind or light that will affect the
shooting.
On ranges facing due south or north
the light often makes d difference of
three to four inches at 100 yards between
the morning and the afternoon shooting.
brunswick rangep
Twenty or thirty shots fired at short
ranges will give the marksman more
definite information to what his rifle
will do, than 30 or 800 shots at 200 yards
and up.
MANNER OF FIRING.
In time fire the magazine is filled and
not cut off, and the piece unloaded, is
held at the position of load. Firing COM
menCes at the command. and the maya
zine is emptied In 80 seconds five Shots
When firing alternately. the man on the
right fires first. When the bugle is used,
the time limit extends from the last note
Of Commence Firing to the last note of
Cease Firing. Each unfired cartridge
counts as a miss, and for each shot fired
before or after the time limit five points
will be deducted from the score.
In rapid firing, the magazine is filled
and not cut off, and one cartridge loaded
therefrom, and the piece held at the
position Ready. AT II given signal the
target appears and remains in sight %
seconds, then disappears. Firing conf
mences from the time any portion of the
target appears, and the five shots must
be fired before it has disappeared. Each
unf1red cartridge counts as a miss. At
800 yards the time is 81 seconds. Time
is regulated at the target.
Note-Before commencing rapid fire see
that the bolt works freely, as failure TO
do this may result in a jamb Always
bring the bolt back with a snap so as to
eject the empty shell. In rapid fire some
advocate holding the rife to the Shout
der during the entire five shots. This
may not be advisable as holding the
rife at arms length for such a period
together with the exertion Of handling
the bolt mechanism, is conducive to
erratic shooting. and by taking the rifle
down after each discharge, while work.
ing the mechanism, better results will
be obtained.
SkIRMISH FIRE.
in skirmish fire a squad Is formed in
rear of the Gb-yard firing line: 70 rounds
of ammunition Is issued TO each man
and placed In the belt as it is to be
fired, that IT, first two togather. then a
space and two more. space, then three,
space and three more. space, then five,
space, then five more. 1t might be we'll
to put them in one above the other.
Magazines are filled and cut off, and
the line Is advanced to go yards, where
each skirnisher fires two rounds within
the time limit Of ~ seconds, the piece
being used as Il loader. The firing hay
ing ceased. tho advance Is resumed and
continued to the J0-yard firing line.
where two rounds are fired as In the
same manner as at GO yards. The adj
vance then continues to the 400 and go
yard firing lines at each of which three
rounds are similarly fired and then to
80 and 100 yards, eat each of which five
rounds are fired from the magazine The
time limit at 30 yards being 20 instead
of 80 seconds, as at the other halts The
advance between any two successive
halts IS executed, the first in quick time
and the last half in double time Pieces
are loaded only at the preparatory COM
mand for firing after q halt, and will
not be loaded during the advance The
time limit extends from the last note of
Commence Firing to tho last note of
Cease Firing, and for each shot fired in
excess of the number ordered for each
halt, five points will be deducted from
the total score OF the competitor. Five
points will also be deducted for failure
to fire the number prescribed for each
halt. When more than 70 hits are found
dn a group target the score is not count
ed and the skrmisher has to make an
other run.
Any authorized position for firing can
be used III skirmishing
FINDING, THE TARGET