Year: 1875

PRACTICE DAY AT THE RIFLE RANGEs-PREPAR-


ING FOR THE COMING FALL coNTEsTs-TALK


ABOUT BALLIsTICs.


Early yesterday morning detachment (mosty out OF
uniform the Separate Troop Cavalry visited the
ranges the National Rife Association the purpose
of doing practice and to shoot match
among the members. As the did all get the
ground together the firing took place intervals dur
ing the day, up till about two O'Clock p NJ, when the
last of them left the ranges.


The Eighth regiment team were out for practice
under the personal directions of Colonel Scott, who
said that he entirely satisfied upon the whole,
with the results Of the mems shooting


The long ranges occupied from the middle of the
day until after four O'Clock by members of the Amateur
Rifle Club who aspiring to places the team to
shoot against the Canadians. Some of the gentlemen
conversed with yesterday expressed serious apprehen
sons about the probable result Of the approaching
international match. They think that preparations
were not made enough to meet the contin-
gency. The Amateur Club wish to form
without calling out any Of the noted marksmen
who have lately covered themselves with glory in Ire
land and in England; but the officers Of the club
knowledge the difficulty of getting six eight men out
side the American team who could successfully compete
with the


SPLENDID MARKsMEN OF CANADA.
The question to be considered is to the expe-
diency of asking the whole portion Of the American
team to participate In the match, form a new
team and run the risk of getting defeated Should the
latter be determined upon the gentlemen named
below will probably form the new teams H. Jewell,
L l. Hepburn, A. V. Garfield, Jr L. Geiger J. s. Con-
lin, +. Hyde w. b. Farwe, A. Anderson. This COM
binatiOn which takes In of the American teams
serve the best that could be made under the crcum
stances but it is that would probably be beaten by
the Canadians


In addition to the parties above named there
many Independent marksmen ut the butts practising
all the ranges for the fall contests The weather
all that could be desired The atmosphere clear
the sky somewhat cloudy but the light excellent and
the wind very low, with tendency to puff now and
then up the ranges at small ange to the direction OF
the line OF fire.


rHR BATTLE OF THE GUNS.


That many important questions yet to be settled
in the OF ballistcs applied to rife prac tice
no deny 1t may safely be asserted that cabre
forty four is the which is best adapted for
practice but the length Of the BARREL the angle of
the ring to the axis OF the bore the depth Of the
grooves, quality and weight of the charge, and, above
all the weight and form OF the projecte still mooed
problems.


II has been asserted by those Interested in foreign
manufactures that are unable in the United States
to equal Walthain Abbey powder made for the
British government Now, the component parts of
this being seventy live per cent of ntre and twelve and
a half per cent each OF sulphur and charcoal II we
take good in cleaning the ingredients mixing the
component parts, pressing the mill cake, granulang,
stoving, packing, Keeping there seems to be no good
reason why should not have as good American
powder at Creedmoor any that can be made in Eng
land. In fact, it Is on record that as high initial
veoces have been obtained at the balistic pendulum
with American made powder with the best imported
article. SO also has It been found with regard TO ra
pidity OF ignition and speedy development of the pro-
pulsive elastic fluid


BULLETS.


Since the time when Captain Mime of the French
service, invented the cOnca ball which bears his
until the present. thousands OF experiments have been
tried to determine the form and length of
the projcctile best suited to each particular
cabre OF nrearm Bullets have been used from the
spherical in figure to the smooth bolt ball OF from
three and half 10 four calibres length The three
and half calbrc projectile now mostly adopted for
long range shooting, seems TO possess the best proper
tions tor permanently useful ball The different de-
grcss of hardening amount of alloy which should be
added TO the lead employed in the manufacture OF bull
lets is another nice question well worth the study OF
those engaged in the construction OF


AMMUNITION.
At present do not know whether too much or too


little tin Tor other alloy Is the ball. or II the pro-
Jece be too hard or the reverse. The bal! must not
be overhardened at the expense Of its specific gravity
which would tend to the ring of the piece; nor
must it be too SOFT for this would incur the risk OF its
being blown out Of shape stripping" In the gun by
Offering sufficient resistance the propulsive force
and being much upset at the base by the shock Of
the elastic nuid.


PIxRD AMMUNITION


The present method of exploding the charge, by
OF percussion primer placed in the base the
she'll good but the best spot to ignite the pow
der has yet to be settled In the Prussan needle gum
the primer fixed in the base of the shell; the nee
die penetrated the whole charge and igned 1t in the
front part, next the base of the bullet This plan has
been abandoned, because, the powder burned back
ward ball had nearly left the piece before
ing the strength Of the pfopusve force, some of which
was thus wasted The present method of printing the
base Of the charge is also detective, because
IL large charge is used IN small bore
part OF the powder is driven out OF the muzzle
unburn aud, Of course wasted. 1t therefore follows
the point Of Ignition Of the powder must be In the
centre the charge There Is another thing too, that
must bo got rid of-that is


THE ExPESsIyENEss AMMUNITION.
The brass shells used must be made much lighter
and cheaper they will have TO place TO com





material with pastcboard The very thought of rifle
man carrying his sixty hundred rounds OF metallic
cartridges or OF any army having TO transport Ten OF
a dozen millions OF rounds in campaign must make
military mnn turn pae.