Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-09-11
MAY BE CHANGED
West Virginia Team Appealed 10 sec.
rotary OF war--Death Dealing


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Members OF the West Virginia rife
team have called the attention OF the
Secretary Of War to an improvement
in the manufacture OF the Springfield
rife which may be adopted by the
government, II came about through
a protest made against them by one
Of the rival teams on the range at
Camp Perry.
The West Virginia team had been
using r%oughed butt plates In the rap.
"a fire and skirmish runs. To this
a protest vas entered b. one OF the
eontesting teams on the grounds thar
the rule regarding he titles used in
the shoot shah be as issued,
Practically no gun used on the
range is in the same condition as Is
sued. The West Virginia team OBJ.
iected to the protest and carried their
protest to the Secretary OF War. who
was an interested spectator to the
shoot.
Secretary Dickinson asked why the
butt plates had been roughed and was
told that II is because a better hold
is given with rough plates than with
smooth ones and that better shooting
could be done. He was very much in
terested in the matter and after a
further investigation stated that he
would probably direct all the rifles Is.
sued to be equipped with the rough
plates as 1t would tend to increase
the efficiency OF the ming line and
the accuracy of the shooting of the
army.
The protest was sustained and the
offending butt plates had to be re-
moved and the old ones substituted.
Another thing in which the team
was greatly interested was a device
exhibited by its inventor, a German.
He has invented an attachment which
can be placed on any rife by means
OF which 100 shots a be fired from
II in so seconds.
1t Is a spiral with a strong spring
and the cartridges are wound up In
such a manner that they enter the
chamber in rapid succession. The
solder has to fire the first shot only.
After this the recoil elects the empty
she'll. throws another in position,
cocks the gun and fires l.. The firing
may be stopped at any time and any
number OF shots may be fired.
The inventor was formerly a vaude-
Vile actor who had a bell ringing act
in which he used magazine rifles The
shots struck the bel and melodies re-
suited. He found that the ordinary
magazine did not hold CROUCH shots
for his purpose and he invented his
new device which nay be bought by
the government.
He fired his rife at the targets al
a distance of 600 yards and made
bull after bull with 1t. The shooting
was done with a twenty-one Reming
ton not provided with long range
sights. He elevated the muzzle OF the
rifle in such a manner That he could
hit the center.
The Russian attache was a close
observer OF the tests and followed the
inventor around all the time, asking
him numberless questions. II is like.
~ that he will report TO his govern,
ment in favor OF the purchase OF the
invention unless it shall be sold to
the United States.
Another devi o which attracted
much attention was the Maxim silen
Ger. With it the sound of the rife
shot was silenced so perfectly that
the report can be heard for a few
feet only. 1t Is attached to any gun
and is screwed on the end OF the
barrel. 1t does not interfere with
the sighting OF the weapon, 1t balan.
ces it more perfectly and permits OF
more accurate shooting.
With the German device, the silen.
Ger and smokeless powder an army
would be invincible. They could an
nihiliate an army equipped with the
old style guns and accomplish this
purpose in a very short time.
West Virginia finished fourth in
Glass b to which II was assigned,
and missed winning so.ne OF the
prizes offered by a very close margin.
At that It scores $50 points more in
the matcn than the winner of last
year over the same range. Its rank
in the match was 18th out OF 40 COM
peting teams.