The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-15
Annual Shoot viii Begin Next
August In Ohio,
ERAG RIFLES WILL BE USED
Adoption Of New Springfield Would
Give Undue Advantage TO Militia
Of Some States-Ammunisien
OF Various Makes.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. l4.-Th
decision Of the National Board for tn
Promotion Of Rifle Practice 10 hold tn
new annual matches on the Ohio Stat
Range. at Camp Ferry. on Lake Erie
has met with substantially unanimous
approval The matches will begir
August &C. and will be preceded BY
the matches Of the National Rifle AS.
sociation which will begin, probably
on August ls. All matches will bt
shot with the Krag Rifles, and tbs
: Board ruled that any machine made
ammunition manufactured in this
country viii be admissible under GER
tain conditions.
There was considerable discussion
OF the place of holding the matches, but
no difference Of opinion. The Board
held that as far as possible the match
es should be shot in different parts OF
the country where suitable ranges
could be procured At least forty five
targets should be available at each
range and the Ohio range viii have
fifty. General Crithfield assured the
Board the contracts had all been let
and the range would be completed by
May I. The question OF whether the
matches Of the National Rifle Associ-
alton should precede or follow the
National Match shot under the aus
pices Of the National Board. has been
a subject of discussion among rifle
men since the last match at Sea Girt.
There has been some complaint from
team captains that when the National
Rifle Association matches come first
they must enter them or their teams
do not get practice. At the same time
II is realized that If the National Rifle
Association matches should come first
but that during the two days immed-
lately preceding the National Matches
the range should be open to prelimi-
nary team practice by teams entered
for the National Match. Team cap
tains will notify the executive officer
at what ranges and times they desire
to practice and arrangements will be
made accordingly. The matches Of the
Ohio State Rife Association will be
held about the same time
The decision that the Krag shall be
used instead of the New Springfield
will interest the entire National Guard.
Everyone f,-,.eves that the National
Guard and the Army should be armed
with the same weapons as far as pos
sible, bur in the absence of legislation
It. was thorght out Of the question to
arm II r1ilitia in time for adequate
practice with the New Springfield.
Cons equently if that weapon had been
adopted it would have been found
that cel Gin States which are equippin
themselves with it, had been unduly
has demonstrated that it can also
shoot the Krang with accuracy It was
therefore thought best to use the Krag
in the matches this year.
The ruling to admit ammunition of
private manufacture will le very
pleasing to most marksmen as it will
give them a choice hitherto inhibited. |
The Board has always held that so far |
as ammunition and weapons are con-
cerned, service conditions should pre- |
vail but as the government is pur-
chasing some ammunition from pri-
vate manufacturers in the United /
States which will be used in target
practiced as in time Of war, this am
munition would be very extensively
used by our troops, it should be ad-
mitted in the Nationl Matches. Ma
turally the teams wish to use in prac-
tice the ammunition they will shoot in
the matches and the fact that govern
ment ammunition exclusively was used
In these matches prevented them from
buying much ammunition for outside
practice; at the same time as any am
munition was admitted to nearly every
other match, some Of the marksmen 8
were using different makes of ammu-
milton at different times u the confu-
sion of many. Finally the Board
Inc git that manufacturers who pre-
pared the necessary machinery to
furnish ammunition in time Of war,
should be encouraged by being given
something in time of peace. Those
iesiring to shoot private ammunition
n the National matches will therefore
lotify the War Department prior to
March is, specifying the make and
ne number Of rounds wanted for pre-
In1inary practice, which will be isued
1