Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-23
SHOOTING RULES
ARE CHANGEDBY
NATIONAL BOARD

Hawaii's guardsmen, some of whom
have already begun on target practise
for the present year, will be interest
ed to know of changes that have been
made in rules governing rifle practise
by the national association. Though
no team was sent from Hawaii last
year to the big shoot ii is probable
that one will be sent this year if suf-
ficient ability can be developed.
The National Board for the Promo
ton OF Rifle Practise has effected var
ious changes in the rules governing
national matches which bid fair to
add materially to the interest in the
annual competitions of this year,
which will begin at State Camp, Fla.
on August %, and should make them
more attractive than ever before to
both military and civilian gunners.
One of the most radical changes is
evidenced in the new course OF fire.
The changing position" fire will per-
haps prove the most popular Of any
of these notifications among the
marksmen of the country. All who
attended the 1916 y. r. A matches
will recognize it in the monkey drilI'
which scored such a decided success,
and those who have shot the new y.
X. A. qualification course will identi-
fy 1t as being a navy institution.
The change made in the 600-yard
course, prescribing rapid-fire instead
Of slow fire, is also likely not only to
prove beneficial but popular as well.
In the opinion of many rifle shots, the
slow fire at 600 was too little different
from the slow fire at 1900 yards to
make the shooting of this course, as
previously prescribed, worth while AS
the course of fire stands today, 1t
provides much more of variety, and a
greater training in quick, accurate
shooting than it has IN the immediate
past
Through the provision which re-
quireS each team to stand ready to
ing of the national matches is assur-
ed. Many rifle club members have ap-
parently misunderstood the true sig
nificance of this section. II does not
mean necessarily that each team must
bring three supernumerary men in
addition to its shooting members to
the matches whose only participation
in the big shoot will be the hauling
of targets. 1t does mean, however,
that If for any reason an insufficient
number of service men are detailed
from the regular, establishment, the
executive officer of the matches may
call upon every team for a maximum
of three men to assist in the opera
ton of the range. These men may
either be brought as supernumeraries,
may be team members, serving in ro-
tation one day in every three or four
and shooting the rest of the time, or
may be hired from a waiting list
which will probably be provided.
The new rules also provide for the
participation of an increased number
of teams in the national matches, as
next August It will be possible for
each state, territory and the District
of Columbia to be represented by one
National Guard, one civilian, and one
school team. On this basis, at least
$50 teams are expected to attend the
matches. Last year, with much less
than months notice, So teams were
assembled at State Camp, and the
greatest shoot in national match his
tory resulted. In 1917, clubs will have
seven months notice, and the new
rules provide plenty of ammunition
for practise at home stations for the
teams selected to represent the diff
ferent states.