The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-18
m. New springfieId.

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 The regular army has been supplied with the new Springfield Rife, the Kras rife now being used by the militia hav- ing long since been discontinued by the government.
 militia and the regular army should use the same rifle. and appreciating this fact. steps are being taken to supply the militia with the new arm.
 .shall the National Rifle Matches of 1908 be shot with the Krag or the New springfield?' is one of the most import ant matters which will come before the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice, at it's annual meeting in washington next January. There is some question as to whether the ord- nance department will be able to sup ply the New Springfield. of Model 1908" as 1t Is officially designated, to the Ma tional Guard in time for the out door pactice of 1908.
 Obviously 1t would be unfair to re- uuire the teams to use in the matches rifles to which they had been unable to accustom themselves in spring and summer pacitce. At the same time. all authorities agree that the militia should be armed with-the same wea- pon as the regular army and as the lat ter will soon be completely equipped with the Model 1903, the equipment Of the militia should speedily follow.
 The new Springfield would long since |. have been in the hands of the National Guard had it not been for changes in the ammunition, which. while greatly Increasing the range and efhciency oi the weapons necessitated re-champer- ing and thus delayed their issue.
 A new powder has also been adopted, calculated to reduce the erosion attend ant on high velocity, and 1t may take some time to secure sufficient suppiy of this powder.
 General Crozier. Chief or Ordnance. expects to be able to state definitely by January 1, whether the War De- pertinent will be in position to honor reouisitions sor the 1908 model for equipping the militia in time Tor spring practice.
 As many of the Krags now in the hands of the militia have sadly worn barrels it is hoped the new rifles can be issued in the spring to avoid the ex- pense of drawing new Krag barrels only to be shortly discarded for the New Springfields.
 The National Match in 1908.
 The National Board will also deterrn- inc the place of holding the national stood they will again be held at Camp Perry Ohio, which range ' I'll be ex- tensiveIy improved by next August. The National Rifle Association has al- ready endorsed Camp Perry
 Among other matters to be consld- cred at the January meeting will be the increasing work of the National Board. In 1903 Congress created the Board and provided for three national matches: A rife team. an individual rifle and an individual pistol match. A small appropriation was made for the z national matches and magnificent trophy was provided for the team match From as~handful of teams the competition has grown until next year every State and Territory will proba- bly be represented.
 In addition to the money the army and navy expend in rifle practice, S500,- 000 is now annually given to the States and Territories for this purpose. To handle the national matches this year required the services of considerably more than one hundred regular army officers and two battalions of infantry.