Evening star., 1917-10-14
WITH THE
RIFLE CLUBS

Activities among rifle clubs in the
District of Columbia are now so closely
identified with the qualification shoots
of the Home Defense League Rifles. due
to the fact that a majority Of the mem
bers of ALI the local rifle organiza-
tions are also members Of the Home
Defense League Rifles. that rife shoot
ing a. club organizations in Washing
ton has almost come to standstili y
large percentage OF members of the
Washington Rins Club. the 'largest
ride organization In the country. are
now members OF the Home Defense
League Rifles and are busy qualify =
for the various ranks Instituted by the
Iegimental staff of the rifles, COZ NJ.
A. Winter. regimental commander ot
the Home Defense Rifles and also pres
fdent Of the Washington Rifle CLUB.
: stated yesterday that TO his certain
knowledge more than I50 members of
the rife club are now in the service Of
the United States. many Of the men
being among the crack shots of the
club. A list Of the men is .ot available
at present.
1t 10 likely that rifle cIuos made up
of members OF the government depart
ments will hold their regular weekly
shoots this winter but the drills and
Qualifying shoots OF the Home Defense
League so cut into the activities OF
the rife clubs that the number OF inter
club shoots held this year viii not he
so great as w2s the case last winter
F. C. .Ioi:ason and }. u. Mclean have
been appointed assistant instructors,
under Guanegy Ssrgt Ollie II. SChriver.
M he ind l'-Es I-sl
Poiis TheGter. Mclean is I yeoman in
the United Sta.es Naval Reserve force.
Walter r Stokes. ] H. Robertson
and c. F. Himrnier are three members
of the Washington Rife Club who have
been awarded medals for shooting
averages OF 80 per cent in the recent
outdoor small-bore shoot Of the Ma
birmingham. Ala. champion small
bore shot of the United States. made
the highest average with a mark of
1866. The local men shot 1871, 1857
and 1852. respectively.
Lawrence e. Yaggi OF Cleveland. a
member of the y. r. A, is the inventor
Of a twenty-ive-sh periscope trench
arrangement for the 1903 model Spring
field rife. The new device is intended 10
eliminate the danger of trench marksma--
ship and with the twenty-five-sho' ar
rangemert make the service rife
HIlulAtuFS Eun. n Cldlril InaQe
for the ordinary rife fitted with trench
periecope sights is that the glass in the
periscope reflects light into the op-
posite trenches and permits sharp
shooters OF the enemy to disable the
periscope. With Taggi's arrangement
no light is reflected. due to new sight
ing device which renders the rife only
open to discernment from the opposite
trenches on discharge.
Another device. patented by Yaggi
10 q new system OF colored sights
which absorb the light rays instead of
rejecting them and give clearer def
milton Of the target in conditions OF
low visibility than the ordinary serv-
Ice rifle sights. Yaggi is a frequent
visitor to Washington and has dcne
good deal of shooting on the small
bore range under Polls Theater.
Many Of the younger generation of
America. spurred on by the efforts OF
their Older countrymen to become the
best -rinemen in the world, are learn
ing to shoot the service rife. Yeoman
Luke Fagan. in charge OF the Eastern
Market range. has three 14-year-old
boys under his supervision who he
claims will develop into three Of the
dnest marksmen in the country These
boys, Charles Johnston, John Lawson
and J. W. Bachman have been regular
patrons of the range for the past six
months and that they are doing good
ehooting Is attested by their scores
Last week Johnston had a score of IS
and .Bachman had a mark Of 80. better
tneir senior. A few Of the good scores
turned In last week are: j. Gregg,
IS: L. Amer. 80, Sc: II. Cults, 81: r
Baldwin. %; ]. Bachman, 90
A number Of new guns have been
secured for use on the Eastern Mar