Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-06-21

the great Importance attaching to
FORM" !. e., uniformity of method in
assuming position of aim
The secret of ability to shoot quick
~ rests very largely on ones ability
to align the object and sight or sights
Shotgun or rifle) the instant that the
weapon is in position (the position
would not count unless the sights are
on the right line), and the hold the
piece and press the trigger in frac-
ton of a second. Most people take a
long time to realize how quick the eye
is, and do not trust the first sight
they get, but as is taught the novice,
verify the sight," the necessity for
which largely disappears with ample
practice, and one can really ,'let off"
safely practically the moment he
thinks he is on his mark, because, Just
as one sees all of the letters in a
word at the same time, so, too, he
sees accurately. in second, the
mark and his sights.
must emphasize what / said, that
this faculty only comes with great
deal of intelligent practice; witness
the skill of the regular soldiers in
rapid fire" and diminishing" and the
trap" and fancy" shooters. Other
factors which enter into aiming are
knowing ones Zero" and learning
the speed of the flight of the projec-
tile for different ranges. OF course
the Importance of these latter factors
is modified by the kind of shooting
! and range. In regard to the former
some men buy weapon and proceed
to shoot it. always presuming 1t shoots
zero-where there is no drift due to
wind or mirage" This is mistake;
the gun may be all right in machine
rest, but all men are not quite the
equal of a machine rest, even though
their verbal opinions may indicate it.
Some shooters habitually throw their
shots one way or another and in such
cases an adjustment of the sight will
work permanent improvement in re-
suits and account for much mysterious
missing.
Practicing at known distances with
suitable loads at bulrs-eye target
with shotgun or rifle will reveal ex-
actly the pattern or group you are get
ting and help you to shoot more scien-
tifically; this can advantageous!y be
followed by trap practice, and then on
live birds or game as the case may
be. By making practice Of noting
the position of the feet, body and
hands, and always II possible holding
the head in a nearly erect position
one soon becomes able, so to speak,
ito fall into the desired position with
| greatest ease and dispatch. Having
acquired the idea of form" one must
clear his mind of any fanciful theories
concerning the method of using vari-
GUS styles of sight. For example, the
one idea of peep sight should be to
bring the point of aim or object into
Its center and the top of the front
sight on the point or object at very
| short range, or at such point as will
| allow clear view of the object or
point of aim at longer range. By US
ing the center of the peep sight one
practically does away with worrying
about how much front sight" is to
be seen because the center of the
| peep is fixed point. and If the top
of the front sight is brought to the
level of the imaginary line from the
pupil of the eye through the center
of the peep sight to the point of aim,
necessarily the top of the sight is al