The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-09-08
TYR0LEAN MARKSMEN. :
Peasant sharpsbooters and the Wa.
They Are Trained.


Peasant sharpshooters and the Wa.
They Are Trained.
Some idea of the accuracy Of a
Tyrolean crack shot may be gath
cred from the fact that unless he
can, standing. put Eve successive
bullets into a space that can be Gov
cred by half crown piece at 200
yards he considers himself in yery
poor form. Even then his score
may be only twenty out of a pos
sible thirty. A poor shot, though
man who can get on the twelve inch
bull every time, may find himself
credited with a paltry Eve or six. 1t
is disheartening work for a novice,
even if he has not done so badly at
Bisley in former days and proudly
sported the marksman's crossed
rifles on his volunteer tunic.
That this fancy shooting-there
IS ne better name for it-does not
spoil the TyroIese peasant for mill
tarv rife shooting is amply demon
strated when We witness an imperia!
rife regiment on parade. 1t would
seem as If every man wore the green
velvet balls dangling on his breast.
the Austrian army badge of marks
manship. But, excellent weapon as
is the Austrian Mannlicher rife. it
IS Of little use at the tiny targets of
the national shooting ranges.
The writer has had ample oppor-
tunity of studying the Tyrolose
peasant marksman at home. Every
village or cluster of villages has its
own rifle range. run by the village
council and controlled BY the state.
Membership is not obligatory. but
there is no subscription attached to
it, and, once member, the peasant
may use any rifle range throughout
the county. : further privilege is
granted him after the completion of
his three years military service
namely, that one of the annual
three weeks trainings with the col
ors as rescrrist is RENTED to the
Standeschutz, or member of the Ma
tional Rife club. This is also an
exclusive T,yrolese privilege.
When a youth reaches the age Of
eighteen he must attend the nearest
rifle range. whether he be a member
or not, and fire certain number of
shots. And later, if he is passed for
military service. he must again fire
a certain number of rounds as con-
script ere he joins his regiment.
The rcgimental authorities thus
know the shooting possibilities of
each recruit, and these preliminary
tests are carried out with the serv-
ice rifle, of which every range must
possess a few.
Weather permitting, every range
is open for practice on Sunday
throughout the year from II a. m.
till shutdown. Ammunition is sup
piled at.cost price, but most marks
men prefer to supply their own car
tridges, which they fill themselves.
The clerk of the range enters every
score on an official sheet, and a
nominal charge of 4 hellers Qess
than halfpenny) is made for each
shot entered therein. This pays for
the upkeep Of the range, the mark
ers, etc.
An additional zest is given by
weekly Gnadengabe Gift of grace)
from the government, whereby the
top scorers of the day receive . or
3 shilIings each as prize. The
older men and crack shots, however,
seldom compete for these small
prizes and give their younger and
poorer comrades a chance to paw
their days shooting expenses
Reginald Wyon in Chambers Jour
nal