The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-06
RIFLE CLUBS
How Arms and Ammunition NAV he
Secured From Government

washington, Jan. 6.-Under the
provisions of an act of congress ap-
proved March 8. 1905, the secretary
OF war is authorized to sell to civilian
r1ffe clubs Such magazine rifles be-
longing to the United States as are
not needed for the equipment of the
army and the organized militia. Re-
quisitions for the same must come
through the governors of the several
states and territories The secretary
or war Is also authorized to sell to
such clubs ammunition, ordnance
stores, revolvers and equipments of
the government standard at the prices
at which they are listed for the army.
frequent inquiries are received at the
war department as to the methods to
De pursued in organizing civilian
rifle clubs which may secure the a4l-
vantages mentioned. Such clubs may
be formed by not less than twenty
citizens between the ages Of sixteen
and forty-flve in any locality, to be
organized by adopting certain bylaws
approved by the secretary Of war.
Among these bylaws is one to the
effect that all rife and revolver COM
petitions held by the club will be
governed by the rules and regulations
as laid down by the national board
for promotion Of rife practice and
approved by the secretary OF war.
After organization the club aff1liates
with the national rifle association Of
America and becomes member of
the third class. The fees for such
clubs are $40 which covers the first
years dues and IS year thereafter.
All civilian rifle clubs having less
than fifty members are entitled to
one vote at all the meetings of the
national rifle association and those
having more than fifty members are
entitled to two votes.
The National Rifle association pre-
sents to each affiliated club a medal
suitably inscribed and mounted in q
morocco case for competition among
its members. This match Is known
as the "me mbers match" and the VIM
ner retains possession of the medal,
All members of affiliated clubs are
eligible to compete for a national
markman's reserve qualification and
on qualifying will be given a lapel
button and listed in the war depart
ment as q members of the national
marknan's reserve, This is open to
all male citizens Of the United States
between the ages of eighteen and for
ty-five and may be shot on the range
of any association affiliated with the
national rifle association: Two sight
ing shots and five shots for record
are allowed at each Of the ranges
which are 200, 800 and 500 yards, and
prone at 500 yards. The regular
standard arm of the United States
or a rifle viewed and stamped by the
national rife association must be
used but any ammunition within the
rules is allowable. The scoring and
marking must be done by other than
members of the club and the scores
must be shot on a regular practice
day with a duly authorized officer
present to supervise the shooting and
verify the scores, Fifty points of the
possible score of seventy-five points
at all ranges will be a qualifying
score: Contestants must make fifty
per- cent of the totals at the lower
ranges to qualify them to go to the
higher ranges: Within the past few
years large number of such civilian
rife clubs have been organized and
now exist in almost every state and
territory.