Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-01-14
UNIQUE RIFLE MATCH
ENGLAND and America to Have
Small CaIiber Arms Contest.
FIFTY MEN ON EACH SIDE.
May Be Made Three Cornered Match 10
Entry of Australia Can Be Procured,
caliber of Rifles Limited to %.
Handsome Trophy Provided.

Entry of Australia Can Be Procured,
Caliber of Rifles Limited to %.
Handsome Trophy Provided.
An international rifle match of un-
usual interest will be shot this winter
under the auspices of the Society of
Miniature Rife Clubs of Great Britain
and the National Rifle Association of
America. Each country will be rep
resented by fifty men, who will shoot
ten shots each at twenty-five yards
with miniature rifles The Americans
will doubtless use the % caliber, as
under the terms of the challenge the
caliber of the rifles is limited to %,
which is comparatively unknown in
the United States
The ten shots are to be fired on what
is known as a double decimal target.
which is really two targets together.
each with an inch sightiyg bull and an
inner half inch bull cteS.tlng ten. Ten
concentric circles one-quarter of an
/ inch apart divide the count from one to
ten. Five shots are TO be fired on each
/ target, the ten shots constituting the
! hundred targets will be sent to the Ma
/ tional Rife association by the Society
Of Miniature Rife Clubs bearing the
/ signature of the latter. The indorse-
4 ment of the American association will
! be added and fifty of the targets re-
turned to Great Britain. After the
! shooting the two sets of targets will
! be collected and exchanged to verify
the scores, which will be sent by cable.
1t is possible that this unique match
will be three cornered affair and
that Australia will be drawn into it.
The British society has provided a
handsome trophy to be held for one
year by the winning country, and each
participant will receive a commem-
orative medal. Considerable prepara-
tion will be necessary for the match,
( which will likely not take place until
, midwinter. The National Rifle asso-
citation will shortly begin selecting
the fifty shots to represent the United
States, and as It IS desired to secure
the best 1t is probable that all the
rife clubs affiliated with the associa-
tion will be invited to compete for the
honor Of supplying members of the
team. After the "tryouts' a team will
be selected. and when the match IL
shot the men chosen will shoot their
strings on the range belonging to
their own clubs. If possible the dates
will be arranged so that the shooting
will be done in both countries, or all
three, If Australia comes In, on the
same date, though necessarily there
will be some difference in actual time.
The challenge provides that any
rife not exceeding % caliber may be
used, with any sights not employing
glass, any ammunition, and that any
position may be assumed The Amerl-
cans will probably request that the
latter be changed and that the preV1,
sion be restricted to offhand 1t Is
believed the challengers win agree to
this.
While 90 caliber rife practice, both
In and out OF doors, is growing in fa.
yor In the United States with great
rapidlty, the sport has not yet the
popularity or the support it receives
In England Some OF the greatest
men and women of the latter country
give it their hearty encouragement and
patronage For example, the Society
of Miniature Rife Clubs Is under the
patronage Of II. II. II the Duke of
Connaught, while 'he two trustees are
the Duke of Norfolk the premier duke
Of England and the Duke of West
minister, the wealthest peer of that
country Associated with them In the
management of the society are such
distinguished perSonages as the Mar
Chioness of Londonderry, the Earl of
! Albemarle, NiscOunt Colville, Lieuten-
ant General Sir Ian Hamilton. Major
General Sir Alfred Turner. Lieutenant
General W. w. Briscoe, Lieutenant
General f. Lance Major General Sir
r. B. Love Major General W. II. Nc
Kinnon, Major General \. c. Cod.
rington and many others.
The president of the organization Is
none other than the great field mar
shal Earl Roberts, who has been so
active in promoting the cause of min
iature rife practice as we'll as mill
tary and civilian rifle practice in gen
eral throughout the British empire.
The only organization in the United
States which approaches the support
given the English society is the Ma
tiOnal Rifle association.