Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25


Indoor rifle contests for school boys in
teresting contests having been held in
New York and this city last year. are
spreading, and Boston will have one DUR
ing the coming winter. New York and
Washington will renew their contests and
similar shoots may be held in Baltimore
and ST. Louis.
The regular military model 30 rifles ara
used, and after training with these the
boys go to the outdoor range and make
excellent scores. The National Capital
Rifle and Revolver Club of this city.
which handles the schoolboy shoot, ex-
poets to have an outdoor contest next
spring for the schoolboys on either its
own or the National Guard range.
4 =
4 test of the new telescope sight in
tended for use in the army was recently
made by Capt X. *. " Casey on the
District of Columbia rifle range. Capt.
Casey is considered one of the best long
distance shots in the country, and his
work with the telescope sight is pro-
nounced wonderful. He used model 1903
rifle and shot at 1,76o yards. or just one
mile, firing on a regulation "C' target at
the 1,oO0-yard butts.
Both the range and the telescope sight
were unfamiliar to Capt Casey and the
ground on which he lay was unsuitable
to firing and Appropriated rough service
conditions. He got the range at the
first shot and stayed on the target
throughout a string of twenty shots with
the wind about twenty-five miles an hour.
In the course of a long and careful re-
port Capt. Casey says the sight as now
placed on the gun is in a position that
makes il practically useless from a mill
tary standpoint, so he moved it forward
two and one-half inches during the test.
He advances number of other criticisms
of a technical character, but says: IL
clearly demonstrated its practical value
as a service sight not only for the sharp
shooter. but even for the general run OF
men in line of battle.
Capt. Casey further says: 1T certainly
will enable a man to be more certain OF
his hold and prevent errors of improper
sighting. With the regulation service
sight i; was impossible, on account of in
terv -G.., leaves and underground, to see
the tars-- over the sights, but with the
telescope sight the target could be seen
sufficiently well to sight on, thus showing
the advantages of the telescope sight In
cover.
Capt Casey is the present holder of the
Wimbledon and Leech cups, the most
famous trophies in the country for long
distance shooting with the military rifle.
Although the Krag has been relegated
to the rear by the new Springfield, the
old gun is still a favorite with many
who claim that it Is superior
to the new arm. 1t was used in a number
o. matches during the summer, and more
than one prize was won by the Krag
against the new Springfield.
An interesting suggestion has been adj
that a match be arranged be-
tween Maj. c. b. Winder of Ohio. noted
shot and stanch advocate of the krag.
and Capt. Casey, an advocate OF the new
gun.
In his annual report to the War De-
partment Gen. Frederick d. Grant. COM
handing the Department of the East.
makes some interesting recommendations
rifle practice. He suggests tho
use of moving targets. single figures and
eroups in all army small-arms work in
mace of stationary targets, for In war
ali targets would be moving. He notes
that the nearest government ranges to the
troops stationed at Washington New
York and Boston are 474 $50 and 1913
miles distant respectively, SO urges the
acquiring of suitable ranges near the
three cities mentioned. He remarks that
# school of musketry be established in
The east, similar to the one at Monterey.
Cal. il should be located at Fort Ethan
A llp~