Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-31
Circular By Ins. General
Of Rifle Practice.
Useful Information For Candi.
dates For Places on Team.
Competition Match to be Held
Early in June.

The following circular containing
suggestions to candidates for places on
the State Rife team and arranged by
the inspector general of rifle practice,
has been issued from the office of the
adjutant general:
STATE OF MAINE.
AdjutanI Generals Office,
Augustas January 20, 1907.
The following circular from the Office
of the inspector general of rifle practice
is hereby promulgated for the informa-
ton and guidance of al concerned:
STATE OF MAINE.
Office of Inspector General of
Rifle Practice,
Portland, January %, 1897.
Circular No. l.
The following suggestions to candi-
dates for places on the State Rifle
team are issued at this time so that
any member of the Guard who desires
to compete for place may utilize 10
the best advantage the Intervening
time:
Candidates for places on the state
Rifle team will be brought together at
a competition to be held early in June.
This years matches will probably
include firing at 200, 600, 800 and 1000
yards slowfire; at 200 yards rapid-.ire
and q skirmish run.
IT is essential that those competing
for places be reliab shots at GOO yards
slow fire, able to do consistent work in
repeated rapid-firc tests and maintain
a high average in skirmish.
Reliability at GOO yards can be OBJ
tanned only by constant gallery prac
TIT ta
second nature to drop into the right
position; supplemented by actual range
work under all conditions, making 4
complete record of every shot. which
will include careful notation Of all the
points mentioned in one Of the ap-
proved score books.
Consistent work in repeated ropid-tire
tests can be attained only by constant
work in the indoor range both with
empty rifle and with the special rapid
fire load. Machinelike regularity in
loading, aiming and firing so timed as
to take advantage of the full 20-sccond
interval is what counts in rapid-firc.
To secure this regularity the piece
must not be taken from the shoulder
and the Iif,enan must learn to work
the bolt mechanism automatically,
leaving his eye free to watch the target
all the time and 50 catch sight
quickly. An average below 46 cannot
be considered satisfactory. and the
rifleman must not consider that he has
mastered rapid-f fire till ass are more
frequent than 46's. The ass can b.
made if the rifleman will persist in
empty rifle exercise till it becomes al
most automatic.
High average III Skirmish work re-
Quires keen Judgment coupled with
painstakinS preparation in learning
the rifle. In the first place. the zero
of the rife at COO and 200 must be eS-
tPblished as q basis. BY having his
shots dsked at Coo and remaining at
that range till he has his sight fixel
the, rifieman will save time and amnu-
milton. Making Il full record of condi-
tons, he should then work down the
range, completing his record at each
stage. Then, with the record Of elcyd-
tions at each range in convenient form
(pasted to the small of the rife stock
till he has them firmly fixed in his
Inind), he should make a run under
match conditions, bearing in mind
always to see thai his sight is properly
adjusted before he commences firing ri
shots as to take full advantage of tbs
firing interval. He should study closely
the grouping of his shots, endeavOrinr
to SO establish his elevations that tllf
shots will group in the thickcst portion
of the figures. thus keeping within tbs
black even when n single shot might z"
slightly high or low or to either side
1t will he apparent that a shot group il
the head Of the knceling figure requires
lower elevation as an error in taking
too much front sight would carry al
the shots above and out of the black
whereas. with Il shot group midway o
the figure. slight change up or dowr
would still leave the shots within TIL
black. Gallery practice in dropping
into position and firing two and three
shots within the S0-second interval vii
be found excellent training for out
door skirmish work.
No one should enter the competit .or
for q place on the team who cannot ar
range to get away for two or three
weeks if necessary in addition to reSu
lar practice at home.
Company commanders will confer
favor by reporting to this office at m
earliest possible date the names of al
men in their command who expect T.
try for places on the team.
ELLIOTT c. DILL,
Inspector General Of Rifle Practice
BY order of the Comander-in-Ch!ef:
AUGUSTUS r. FARNHAM