The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-11-03


II. b. Watson,
Following is the paper read by Col.
Jones:
MODERN RIFLE SHOOTING.
1 approach the matter of talking on
modern rifle shooting with considerable
dlffidence. realizing as l do that any
comprehensive presentation OF the sub
ject calls for a more extensive knowl-
edge of the matter than now possess.
and therefore for the greater portion of
what now present to you credit must
be given to 1t. X. X. V. Casey, Dr.
w. G. Hudson, Mr.. L. r. Tippins and
the many officers at Seagirt, who SEEM
ed to take pleasure In imparting their
knowledge to the Hawaiian team.
Take, for instance, man who Is
a steady holder. with normal eyesight,
who has carefully selected his rifle and
shoots constantly with new ammuni-
ton of practically the same velocity.
He will find from time to time when
weather conditions are apparently per-
feet that a shot flies wild. either miss
ing the target entirely or striking the
target at some place other than that
at which the sights We're trained not
only at the time of pulling the trigger,
but actually at the time of the firing
of the cartridge. when he was conscious
that up to that time his rifle was cor
rectly aimed. The result obtained is
extremely puzzling to the shooter, and
has a tendency to make him lose con-
fidence in the ammunition and suspect
that something may be wrong with the
gun.
He carefully examines his sights and
tries another shot as nearly under the
same conditions as possible, which on
being scored indicates that II struck
exactly where he thought the preceding
shot should have struck. He thereupon
puts down the first shot as an ''unac-
countable."
While at Seagirt in Auguts. 1905, my
attention was directed to an article by
Mr.. l.. r. Tippins, the English author
lily and author of Modern Rifle Shoot
ing i'm Peace, War and Sport" He
says:
Now / have a very strong belief
/ that very few rinemen fully appreciate
the effect of variations in taking the
recoil of the rifle, and the light which
close study of recoil throws on some
unaccountables-bull and misses. =.
When all other probable or possible
suses are eliminated there usually re-
mains as the explanation the method
OF taking the recoil of the rifle, and |
am convinced after years of trial and
close watching that this Is often the
| true explanation. OF course, with a
heavy rifle and tiny cartridge, recoil
is of small account, but 1 have now in
view the firing of high velocity mill
tary rifles and charges up to their ca
pacity.
TT seems to me that the result of
the shot depends, not on the point to
which the barrel is aimed when the
trigger is pulled but where 1t pointed
when the bullet left the muzzle. 1t Is
quite possible to hold the rifle so I'M
evenly that there will be a good dea,
of difference between the two direc-
lions (where the aim is and where the
Irecoil drives it, 1t is quite
possible to hold a rifle so that the re-
coil centers the rifle to the desired aim
so that If 1t be slightly moved off, in
releasing the scar, or even If the aim
be trifie out, the rifle comes back
to this resting spot and the hit is a
lgood one.
wind. nor make up for want of knowl.
edge or common sense-it can not dc
everything, but 1t is a most excellent
foundation on which to build a sure
result"
AS Lieut.. Casey well says, and the
Experience is common to us all: thine
after time men judge conditions and
then exclaim as they pull the trigger
That shot is no good; yanked 1t away
off to one side. Then they are marked
a bull" proving Mr. Tippins' contention
that the recoil often centers the rifle
back to the desired aim.
Prior to the rife team going from
his Territory to Seagirt, l thought that
a way had been discovered to almost
prevent "unaccountable'' shots during
good weather conditions, in so far al
any influence the holding of the riff,
might have. Through experiment.
made in June and July of 1905 to ascer
tain the cause of unaccountably higl
and low shots on the target at go
yards and 1000 yards, the fact appeare,
to be developed that while extreme car,
had been taken in the sighting ant
holding up to the time of the firing o
the cartridge, the recoil of the riff,
caused 1t to move sufficiently up OF
down to throw the ball into the tw,
ring and at times entirely off the tar
get. At first the tendency seemed t,
be to throw high, whereupon the RICH
hand being brought more under TIL
butt and as far back as possible 81
that 1t would be impossible for the re
coil to drive the butt down, II wa
found that the ball would drop low II
the two ring, or be thrown below tn
target so that at will, with the cart
ridge exploding while the sights wer'
trained on the bullseye by simply hold
ing the hands differently on the rife
1t could be made by the recoil to over
shoot or understood the target.
To obviate this and eliminate ever
element occurring to the mind OF tn
experimenter, 1t was deemed best I
. approximate as nearly as possible tn
conditions of rigidity which would b
found to exist were gun fired grippe
by two vices. one at the small of tn
!. stock and the other at about the bal
:. ance. The gun was therefore firml
held with the sling and with the lef
: hand, and the thumb and last tire
:, fingers of the right hand, and place