Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-06


was showed back to thirteenth place.
1t is hoped by the members that the num-
Der will not prove unlucky and that the
situation will be bettered by the shooting
skirmish run alone Is apt to decide the
prize winners, with little regard to the
work at the other ranges. Although the
skirmishing was In progress all mornlhs'
and considerable time will be required be-
fore the results can be announced, 1t is
practically certain that the standing of the
first fifteen teams will be as follows when
the O0O yards stage is opened:
United States Infantry, first.
United States Cavalry, second.
New York, third.
Massachusetts,, fourth.
Marine Corps, fifth.
Navy, sixth.
Ohio seventh.
New Jersey, eighth. --a
Wisconsin,, ninth.
Washington tenth.
Minnesota eleventh.
Pennsylvania, twelfth.
District of Columbia, thirteenth.
Florida, fourteenth.
Michigan fifteenth.
Gen. HarreS was an interested spec
tator at the range yesterday and departed
today. A large number of the District rifle
men will participate in the national 1nd1-
vidual match, in which first prize includes
81 900 in cash, which will probably be start
ed tomorrow.
Members of the District contingment, s
we'll as everybody else on the range. were
alarmed this morning when the skirmishing
was stopped and a figure was borne on an
mprovised stretcher from the targets to
the club house. 1t was thought at first that
rif1eman or a marker had been shot and
killed. The fact was, however, that
youth, the son of Sergeant Doyle of New
York, had been struck while on the beach.
by a spent revolver bullet, sustaining
flesh wound Of the right arm.
National Pistol Match.
The national pistol match, which will fol-
low the national individual match and be
the concluding event of the tournament, is
open to members of the army, navy, Ma
rine Corps. cadets of the United States
Military Academy, midshipmen of the
United States Naval Academy and the or
ganiZed militia, and to members of the
National Rifle Association of America and
affiliated clubs.
The distances and classes of fire are:
Slow fire, 20 seconds to each shot, 10 shots,
70 yards; no sighting shots. Time fire. 20
seconds to each score of shots, 10 shots,
% and so yards; no sighting shots. Rapid
fire, seconds to each score of shots, 10
shots, 10 and 20 yards; no sighting shots.
Shots to be fired in scores of 8 at each
distance at each range.
First prize Includes four gold medals and
cash prizes, $95Na gold medal to each of
the four competitors making the highest
aggregate scores and cash prizes in the
order, of merit as follows: $50, $25, $50 and
500.
Second prize consists of four silver medals
and cash prizes $6O-a silver medal to each
of the four competitors making the highest
aggregate score, after the god-medai
scores, and four cash prizes of SIS each.
Third prize is made up of four bronze
medals and cash prizes, $4O-a bronze medal
to each of the four competitors making the
highest aggregate scores, after the silver
medal scores, and four cash prizes of $40
each.
One gold medal and cash prize of SO
will be awarded to the competitor making
the highest aggregate score in slow fire;
one gold medal and a cash prize of SIS to
the competitor making the highest aggre-
gate score in timed fire, and one gold medal
and cash prize of $15 to the competitor
making the highest aggregate score in rapid
fire. There must be at least thirty-six en-
tries for this event.
Two Serious Difficulties.
The rifiemen here, and they undoubtedly
constitute the flower of the expert marks
men Of the country, agree that two serious
difficulties confront the military shooter of
today, the obtaining Of a good shooting
barrel on his Krag. and the rapid wearing
out Of the barrel after it is obtained, espec-
tally II much skirmish or rapid-fire
T Fssmaa + IS sspaned The has m0dssn
quired knowledge of how to select a
gun which promises good work. Therefore,
| it is added, the rifles today in the hands of
the team men in good shots of a military
organization, are those selected as the best
Of the entire allotment Of guns to such or
ganization. and this partly explains the re-
markable scores which have been so COM
mon of late years.
Experience shows that only about one
out of twenty barrels of service issue con-
forms sufficiently close to the standard to
do the fine work required to win matches
nowadays; not to say that the remaining
nineteen are unserviceable from a military
standpoint, but they will not do the fine
work, especially at the long ranges, neces-
sary to win against rifles selected by ex-
pertS
Barrels Of Sufficient Accuracy.
The question arises among the ri1emen
as to what they are going to do when the
barrels of correct measurement are worn
out and If some means should not be plac-
ed at the command of even an inferior shot
to whom one of the poorer barrels may
have been issued to obtain a barrel Of suf-
rife, it is declared, must be accurate to
make shooting pleasure The remedy is
said to be to admit barrels Of private make
when guaranteed by an Officially appointed
ard government barrel, to all matches on
the same footing as the government-made
weapon.
This is done in England with satisfaction
to all. and 1t Is believed that the same plan
would work advantageously in this country
also. But the chief reason for urging it at
this time Is said to be to remove the objec-
ton which SO many rifiemen have to doing
much skirmish and rapid-fire practice
through fear of wearing out their barrels
Most rifemen. 1t is stated, have found bar
rels worn out for fine work after less than
LOCO rounds have been fired, If much of the
firing has been skirmish and rapid-fire,
work. and sometimes a barrel will go bad
after few hundred shots.
May Modify Conditions.
A movement is on foot to have the exec
utive committee of the National Rifle As
ISOLATION confer with the national board