< Previous178 T H E R I F L E M A N .ilAUCH, 1918. THE ENFIELD PATTERN 1914 .303in. MAGAZINE RIFLE B Y " C . \ R T 0 X . " T ^HE previous chapters appearing- under the above t i t l e w e r e d e v o t e d t o t h e e l e m e n t a r y e x e r c i s e s necessary to the recruit when, having reached a fairly high stage of efficient handling of the Ser vice rifle and having fired the general musketry course with that weapon, he, for a short period, was paving the wav to become equally proficient, and in a good number of cases, so it ultimately proved, to eclipse all previous efforts recorded on the classification ranges. As regards firing instruction—the orthodox positions adopted, how to load and unload and re-charge maga zines—no object would be gained by going o%er the ground again, but as so little attention is paid to this important branch of training outside tho.se theatres where the finished soldier is produced I will refer but briefly to Apzrturc Elevation V^iND Cauce Clamps inspection test in which the points to be observed are:— " That he fires with the butt of his rifle in the hollow of the right shoulder," " that his aiming eye is not too near the cocking piece or thumb," " that there is no excessive constraint," " that there is no want of grip with either hand," and " that he does not slip his fore- 'finger round the trigger when in the loading position." Minuture Raxge Practices. Now that it is a consensus of opinion in military circles that every available opportunity should be devoted to miniature range work, no further qualification is neces sary for the presence of the small-bore rifle in the training a r e a s b o t h a t h o m e a n d o v e r s e a s . I n d e e d i t i s a s s e r t e d that immediately a recruit can assume a firing position. tlic paramount object sought. It is not by any means to obtain uniformity or a precise series of drill move ments, as it has often been remarked, but the definite object is to train lads to assume quickly a position suit able to the conditions under which they are going to fire a rifle effectively, and one which will enable a lad to hold his rifle steady whilst loading, aiming, and pressing the trigger. The regulation positions are unquestionably the most serviceable for the average lad ; that has been proved again and again, but the " exceptional " recruit must approach as near as possible to them, otherwise his rapid fire will be considerably below the standard. The essen tials required are:—(i) Skill and quickness in assuming position; (2) cjuick opening of fire; (3) no unnecessary exiKisure, and firing position after movement easily resumed. Having satisfied oneself that the recruit has a good knowledge of what is required of him and can drop into a fair position without correction, he is put aside for an can lay an aim, and has a fair knowledge of trigger pressing, he should be given every opportunity and en couragement to visit the miniature range and fire a few rounds at a very easy bull's-eye target. Nothing speeds up training so much as encouragement. Give a lad something to hit in his own time and leisui-e!- If he is successful he will know that there is a definite object in: his barrack square training and that false aiming or wild, trigger pressing when dummy cartridges are employed; may become habitual. If, on the other hand, the lad is- not successful he has a good opportunity of ascertaining his error and being corrected by the assistance of actuaf demonstration. Every lad may indulge in voluntary prac tice during the hours of "no parade." At every oppor tunity he is encouraged to shoot. Company and platoon leagues are formed for the lads in young soldier batta lions, while monthly medal events and knock-out shield and cup competitions are also promoted. I could name one battalion in which there is a weekly average of three WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK179 hundred men per evening firing voluntary practice, but perhaps the most encouraging feature coming under my notice was the attendance at the miniature range recently, sjmchronous with a battalion football cup tie, when at the call for a " cheering party " only six lads of one company volunteered, the remainder preferring to shoot at the miniature range. T h e " P e e p " o x t h e M i x i . v t u e e R a x g e . Following the introduction of the P.'14 rifle no time was lost in preparation for the recruits, and as miniature rifle shooting had proved such a boon during the rapid training- of " Kitchener's Boys," it is only reasonable to suppose that some method would be introduced which would enable a modified course of aperture rifle shooting to be fired previous to the recruit being exercised on the classification ranges with the new weapon. But the authorities had not prepared for this, .so " unofficialh" "— if I may use the term—exp>edients were improvised which were producti\e of some remarkable results. The minia ture range course was refired by recruits in the order laid down, and as the respective standards of the various practices were identically similar to those framed for the o r t h o d o x c o u r . s e fi r e d w i t h t h e c o n \ c r t e d S . M . I . . E . r i fl e , a characteristic all-round improvement was demonstrated. Practice on the indoor range provided with artificial light of an indifferent character was a pronounced success in comparison with the shooting witnessed on the same range pre\iously when the Service conditions as regards aiming prevailed. However, the need for a regulation aperture sight soon became apparent, the authorities concerned wisely adopting- an invention produced by the well-known Birmingham firm, Messrs. .'V. J. Parker and Co., Ltd., which has proved to be highly efficient and adaptable to the converted S.M.L.E. rifle. It will be noticed that " the sight is attached to the long range aperture sight stem a by means of the flatted taper pin J, and when at correct elevation the nut is tightened a little to pull the pin further through, and so prevent accidental movement. When adjusting it is only necessary to press in the pin until it grips the stem a sufficiently to find elevation." Further directions are issued by the designers as f o l l o w s : — " To a d j u s t f o r d i r e c t i o n t h e p l a t e c c a n b e moved along the bracket b by loosening the two screws which pass through the slots in the plate c and,by ad justing the plate until the shooting is ' dead on.' I ha\-e put every sight which has come under my notice to a somewhat severe test, adopting in each instance the Service method of firing, e.g., prone position, no rest, and no sling, and although I do not ho'd a brief for any particular sight, because each have served their purpose, I must admit a decided preference to the one issued by the Birmingham firm of specialists. I append a recent target—2nd class elementary bull's-eye, 300 yards—reduced to 25 yards, having an aiming mark 8/i2in. in diameter, which is by no means an isolated example of what can be produced when firing a converted S.M.L.E. rifle fitted with the regulation aperture sight, as I will in a subsequent chapter show. Some Expediext.s. With the assistance of an intensely enthusiastic staff armourer of the old school I was able to experiment with many varieties of expedients, of which I have selected five, and apjjend the diagrams which I am confident will i n t e r e s t m y r e a d e r s . It will be noticed that Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are attached to the long range a{>erture stem and that each has a screw B for adjusting the elevation required, but has no s c r e w f o r d i r e c t i o n w h i c h i s fi x e d s i m i l a r t o t h e a p e r t u r e sight of the P.'14 rifle. This is by no means to be deprecated because should a recruit ascertain that his rifle throws right or left he understands that he must bring his knowledge-of " aiming-off " to bear and allow for presumed "windage." No. i is decidedly a service able sight, its paramount features of advantage ^ing :— (a) It is held securely down to the body by the wire strap which passes through the trigger-guard ; (/>) it is provided with elevation and direction screws ; (c) the bolt may be w i t h d r a w n f r o m t h e r i fl e w i t h o u t i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h t h e sight and the barrel cleaned by the regulation inethod, e.g., from breech end. --^s far as I can gather its dis advantages arc but two—{a) the cost of production ; and {b) the aperture plate does not resemble the P.'14 rifle backsight. (To he continued.) WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT H E R I F L E M A N . N O T E S A N D C O M M E N T S . Club Secretaries are reminded that in cases where the 1918 subscription has not yet been paid the " Rifleman " will not be forwarded after this issue. 4 5 - * * It is ag-ain desired specially to direct attention to the fact that the Queen's Cup Competition will be run as usual this year. Full conditions were published with the February issue, but other copies may be had upon application to the S.M.R.C. The entrance fee is only 6d. per competitor, and, as was pointed out last month, certificates are issued to the first twenty riflemen in each county in the first stage in addition to the medals in the third or county stage. It is hoped that a good entry will be forlhcomin'g, the last day for receiving these being April 2n6. ^ ^ ^ We ha\-e recently received a number of letters from musketry instructors and others connected with Volun teer Regiments, inquiring whether the conditions of the Volunteer Competitions could not be altered so as to admit of ai>erture sights being used. We are pleased to announce that it has been decided that in all such com petitions after the conclusion of the Mackworth Praed these sights will be allowed. * * * The only reason that the conditions of previous contests stipulated for open sights was that the Society was unable to supply aperture sights, but an adequate number of t h e s e h a s n o w b e e n r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r s , and they can be supplied to affiliated clubs and units upon application, as will be seen from the advertisement in this issue. In view of this, it is hoped that all \'olunteer units will equip their miniature rifles with aperture sights with as little delay as possible; it is certainly desirable that miniature rifle practice should approximate as far as is practicable to that on the Service ranges, and prac tically all Volunteers have now received the .Service rifles fitted with aperture sights. * * * We would like to suggest that it is very desirable for all clubs and Volunteer units who have entered teams for the competitions now in progress, to make a special point of very carefully reading the whole of the conditions. Un fortunately in the first rounds of both the Mackworth Praed and National Team Championship Competitions teams have been disqualified owing to secretaries failing to comply with the rule which stipulates that three clear days' notice must be given to the opposing team in regard to the day, time and place it is proposed to shoot. A little care on the part of secretaries would obviate a cer tain amount of friction which is caused by disqualification, as well as disappointment to teams who otherwise would have won their matches on scores. * * * A NEW feature, in the form of " Cadet News," will be noticed in this issue, and it is hoped to continue this month by month by devoting a page to the publication of up-to-date information with regard to the Cadet movement. A VERY satisfactory entry has Ijeen received for the Cadet Spring Competition, and it is anticipated that some excel lent shooting will be done by a large number of the teams. .An encouraging feature of these competitions has been the marked improvement in the standard of marks manship, from season to season, and this competition should be no exception in this respect. * * * The special attention of clubs with facilities for shooting at 25, 50 and too yards is directed to page 182, giving particulars of the conditions for the S.M.R.C. Team Championship. This is the only contest promoted by the Society where shooting is extended to the three ranges, and all clubs who can possibly do so should make a point of entering a team. * * The report of the Maidstone Miniature Rifle Association shows that the range has now been taken over by the military authorities, and consequently the usual practice will not be obtainable for the pre.sent. The .Association will, of course, start operations again at the earliest possi ble moment, when it is hoped that generous support will be forthcoming. Excellent service has been rendered since the war began, especially in the training of recruits. * * * We understand that the annual fete of the Metropolitan Police .Shooting League is to be held as usual this year, towards the end of the summer, with all the usual attrac tions and competitions that are associated with it. The entire proceeds of these fetes are handed over to the \ arious Police charities, and the advance programme has already been published. Our readers may be interested to know that this League is a very strong one. * * * W e h a v e r e c e i v e d f r o m M e s s r s . G a l e a n d P o l d e n a pamphlet, entitled, " The Mechanism of the Enfield (1914) Rifle." It is illustrated by some excellent diagrams, and gives a very clear description of the various parts of the action and how they fulfil their functions, from the loading to the firing of the rifle. We can strongly recommend it as a very instructive publication. The price of the pamphlet is 6d., postage id., and it can be obtained from the S.M.R.C. * * * In the result of the S.M.R.C. Postal Competition pub l i s h e d i n o u r l a s t i s s u e , t h e n a m e o f M r. A . T. M o ff a t , of Manchester City Rifle Club, was given in the list of those already Life Members and therefore not included in the prize list of Section A. We regret to say this was an error, and a Life Membership of the S.M.R.C. has been awarded to Mr. Moffat, to whom our apologies are due. * * * .A.n enjoyable shoulder-to-shoulder match was shot on March 7th between the Bethnal Green Tradesmen's Rifle Club and the Bethnal Green and Whitechapel Firemen. The conditions were eight to shoot, six to count, at 25 yards, and the former club won by a good margin. A prize was awgrcied to the member of each team making the highest score. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKMalcii, 1018. the rifleman. '81 CADET NOTES. The work of the Central As.sociation of \'oIunteer Regi- jHent.s in promoting the increase and strengthening of the Cadet mo\ement has recently been officially recog- tiised by the War Office. A few weeks ago the .\rmy ■Council i s s t i e d a n i n s t r u c t i o n w h i c h s a y s t h a t " a l l c o n cerned with the raising and administration of Cadet units i n t h e B r i t i s h I s l e s s h o u l d n o t e t h a t t h e s c r \ i c e s o f t h e Central .\ssociation of \'olunteer Regiments have been placed at the clisjxisal of the War Office in the matter of propaganda work and pro\"ision of speakers in connec- ■tion witli tlie raising and recruiting of Cadet units." This official recognition of the work should assist in m a k i n g i t m o r e e f f e c t i v e . R e a d e r s w i t h s o n s w h o w o u l d like to join the Cadet movement should get them to .apply for particulars of local Corps, etc., to the head quarters of the Association at Judges' Quadrangle, Royal C o u r t s o f J u s t i c e , . S t r a n d , L o n d o n , W. C . 2 . * . * * O x E o f t h e d i f fi c u l t i e s w h i c h b e s e t o f fi c e r s o f C a d e t Corps and those engaged in the conduct of the movement- is tli:it of .securing regular attend:ince :it drill and the punctual payment of the small subscriptions required from the members. In order to assist in overcoming this diffi- cultv, the Executive Committee of the Central .Association A^olunteer Regiments has had sttimps prepared from a poster designed by Air. Hassall, which can be supplied at the rate of gs. per thoustmd. Every Cadet should be entitled to purchase thc.se at, say, one penny each from the .Adjutant or Corps Orderly iippointed for the purpo.se, and to use one for every drill attendance he m.akes. AA'hen be has thus collected 42 such stamps, which can be affixed to a card prep.ared by the C..\.V.R. for the purpose, he should be entitled to obtain the Cadet Proficiency Badge, which is also provided by the Central .Association at 3d. -each. This badge can be worn in mufti by Cadets in the same way as the Proficiency Badge of the A'olunteers, and will not only show that a lad has done his drills but will be an ad\ertisement for his Corps and the means of bringing in further recruits. * - x - * Thep.e is an erroneous idea entertained by some boys, and perhaps more often by their parents, that lads who become Cadets are called upon for active service earlier than lx>ys who are not so trained. This is quite in a c c u r a t e , a n d M r. P e r c y H a r r i s , A I . P. , w h o i s t h e Elonorary Secretary of the Central .Association of A'olun- teer Regiments, authorises us to say that " there is not a word of truth in the suggestion that boys who have been In Cadet Corps go out earlier to the Front than boys who have had no training. The regulation that they should not go overseas until ig applies to all lads joining the -Army. The onlv difference in the status of a boy who has been in a Cadet Corps is that on joining the -Army he has more chance of early promotion and qualifying for a stripe. Besides it is of great assistance if he desires to go into the Royal Flying Corps or other special .services," .and this ought to set the rumour at rest. * - x - * Members of Cadet Corps and those who are thinking of joining such bodies will be interested to hear that the French authorities are making a presentation of some very handsome medals and diplomas to representatives of the Cadet movement in this country. The gifts are in tended to promote closer relations between the movement here and the similar organisations in France, and at the same time to cement the present alliance and good feeling between the two countries. It is hofied that these gifts will be placed on show somewhere centrally where Cadets a n d t h e i r f r i e n d s m a v s e e t h e m . ' * * * UxiTS of the Church Lads' Brigade all over the country should note that if they desire to apply for recognition as Cadet Corps, a spiecial privilege has recently been con ferred upon them by the express permission of His Majesty the King. This privilege is that all units, batta lions, or companies of the Church Lads' Brigade then recognised, or to be recognised in the future, may be affiliated to the King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th Rifles). The privilege is one of considerable interest and some importance, and units of the C.L.B. not already recog nised should a\ ail themselves of the invitation thus given to them to affiliate with this historical regiment. x - X - - J i - His Majesty the Kixg, accompanied by the Queen and Princess Mary, paid a ^■isit recently to St. Saviour's Grammar School, in Bermondsey, and inspected the school and the pupils at their work. They were met and saluted on their arrival and departure by a Guard of Honour supplied by the School Cadet Corps, which was inspected by His Alajesty, who expressed his appreciation of their smart and .soldierlv appearance. * * * W h e x t h e P r i n c e o f A A ' a l e s w a s i n S o u t h A A ' a l e s a f e w - weeks ago, he paid a visit to Ebbw Vale, where he was r e c e i v e d b v a G u a r d o f H o n o u r o f t h e M o n m o u t h s h i r e Cadet Corps. This battalion is a recently formed body, but includes one company which dates back to igcw. The battalion numbers between 400 and 500 and it is hoped to double these figures in a ver^- short time. The Prince inspected the Corps and expressed himself very pleased a t t h e i r s m a r t a p p e a r a n c e . X * * A m o x g o t h e r a t t r a c t i o n s w h i c h a r e o f f e r e d t o b o y s belonging to Cadet Corps, there is one which at the present time ought to appeal strongly to every lad avail able for membership. Every Corps affiliated to the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs is entitled to enter the shooting competitions arranged by the Society for Cadet Corps three times a year. There are prizes of medals and ammunition, and it is hoped in the future to increase the.se prizes considerably by means of a fund which is being raised for the purpose. XXX Efforts to form new Cadet Corps in places where they do not at present exist or where those existing do not cover the whole ground are being taken up in many parts of the countrv. .Among others we note that the York shire County Territoriai Force .Association is desirous of raising a battalion in Leeds, and the Lord Mayor of that city and others interested in the welfare of lads are taking up the project with enthusiasm. A meeting is to be held and steps are being taken to raise the ;^2,ooo necessary for equipping the proposed battalion. At New c a s t l e a l s o t h e V o l u n t e e r B a t t a l i o n h a s d r a w n u p a scheme for a Cadet Corps, and they also propose to issue an appeal for funds to defray the cost of uniforms, etc. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK182 T H E R I F L E M A N . .March, 1916. S . M . R C . T E A M C O M P E T I T I O N . (25, 50 and 100 Yards.) F O R T H E S I R E L L I O T T L E E S C H A L L E N G E S H I E L D . To be compeled for by one team of Six from any Club in the United Kingdom affiliated to the S.M.R.C. In addition to the Shield, which will be held by the winning Club for one year, the following medals will be awarded ; Winning Team, six Special Silver Medals, Second Team, six Special Bronze Medals. CONDITIONS. Each competitor must have been a bona-fide member of the Club he is representing for at least two months previous to shooting in any round. Xo competitor may shoot for more than one Club throughout the Competition. The contest will be conducted as follows :—A knock-out Com petition, competing Clubs being drawn in pairs, tiie winning teams being entitled to compete in the following round. .All byes will be cleared in the first round. The contest will take the form of post matches. The shooting of the whole of each team must take place on the same range and be completed within a period of three consecutive hours. Secretaries of teams must give their opponents at least three clear days' notice of the day, time, and place they intend shooting the match. Each Club must arrange* for a witness to represent them, who must attend and witness the shooting of their opponents. Club Secretaries finding any difficulty in mutually arranging for witnesses should apply for assistance either to the S.M.R.C. or to the Secretary of the County .Association in which their opponents' range i s s i t u a t e d . This witness will be required to sign a certificate stating that he had personally seen the whole of the conditions complied with. Unless this rule is strictly complied with and the witness's certificate is duly filled in and signed, the competing team %vill be disqualified. Te a m s o f s i . x . Distances 25, 50 and too yards. To be measured from the edge of the firing point nearest the target., Xumber of Shots.—30 deliberate. 10 each at 25,50 and too yards. In this Competition Rule ig will not be enforced, but the whole of the targets of each team must be shot within tne above mentioned period of three consecutive hours, and teams exceeding this time will be disqualified. In cases where this time is exceeded the witness must notify same on his certificate. Only Clubs who have paid their Annual Subscription E n t r i e s C l o s e A p r i l 3 0 t h , 1 9 1 8 . Targets.—The S.M.R.C. Match Targets. Where the S.M.R.C. Match Targets have more than one target on one card, the proportionate number of shots should be fired at each. Ko hit below the value of a five will be counted. Should competitors fail to observe this condition, and more than the specified number of shots be placed on any target, full credit for each shot shall be given if they can be distinctly seen, subject to a penalty of o n e p o i n t f o r e a c h s h o t i n e x c e s s . An additional lo points will be deducted for each shot in excess of the required number. Rifles and Sights.—As laid down in Rules 63 and 68a. Position.'—Any. No artificial rest allowed (see Rule 58). Slings.—Slings may be used. Triggers.—The trigger pull must not be less than qlbs. Triggers must be tested. Each Club must provide a qlb. certified dead-weight trigger tester for this purpose. Coaching and spotting allowed. Practice is allowed at each range before firing match tal get. Whilst competitors are shooting their match targets in this Competition, no other targets shall be allowed on the butt. Where not otherwise provided for, the shooting regulations cf the S.M.R.C. will govern the contest. -Any protest regarding the infringement of the rules by op ponents must be received by the Secretary of the Society of Minia ture liifle Clubs within three days of the last day for returning; targets in ,he respective round. Entries.—Entries must be made by Club Secretaries on or before the 30th of Apri upon a form to be obtained from the Secretary of the S.M.R.C. The necessary targets and witness's certificate will be sent to- competing Clubs, and must be returned immediately upon the conclusion of the shooting in each stage of the contest. Club Secretaries wishing to know their own or their opponents' scores tefore same are published in The Rifu-m.an must forward a stamped addressed postcard with their targets. to the " S.M.R.C." for I9I8 are eligible to enter. Entrance Fee 5/=, F o r f u l l p a r t i c u l a r s o f Workmen's Compensation Insurance, Crophp Insurance, Chira Partp insurance and indipldual membership, Apply to the Secretary, S.M.R.C., Arundel House, Arundel Street, London, W.C. 2, WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKMarch, 1918. T H E R I F L E M A N . T H E . 2 2 C A L I B R E M I N I A T U R E R I F L E . ELEV A TION : A CONTROVERSIAL POINT . B y " C a r t o n . " T HERE are a great many clubs with firing' points on their indoor ranges at 25, 20 and 15 yards, a n d w h e n i t i s t h e c u s t o m t o s h o o t m a t c h e s - arranged, say, on the spur of the moment—em ploying each consecutively, some remarkably indifferent shooting is often witnessed because a simple point in theory has been neglected when adjusting the sights— be the device the open U or \' or the aperature of the l a t t e r s c h o o l . Now the question is often put, " How much do I loiver my sight for 20 yards and then later for 15 yards after I have fired at 25 yards.Vou, who perhaps have had considerable experience, may vouchsafe a reply to the novice's inquiry, " You do not lower the backsight for 20 or 15 yards after firing at 25 yards. No! You must raise the backsight and so allow more elevation." Your novice accepts your advice readily given and profits thereby, but he wonders why I To obtain accurate shooting, that is, hitting the object with an ordinary rifle, it is absolutely necessary that the barrel sha'l not be level with the line of sight or aim in a vertical plane, but at an angle incident thereto—the b a r r e l l o w e r e d s o t h a t t h e m a r k a t w h i c h a i m i s t a k e n can be seen above the sights. The sights are nearly one inch above the barrel, so that even if the bullet did not drop it would strike below the mark at which aim is taken. Now the sights are generally arranged on miniature rifles that without sight elevation—that is, without the backsight being raised— the bullet will reach the line of aim at 25 yards from the muzzle; therefore, whilst no elevation is required for tar get shooting at this distance, some elevation must be N O T I C E T O : : : : C L U B S E C R E T A R I E S . The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs has no local agents. All communications should be addressed direct to:—The Secretary, Arundel House, Arundel Street, London, W.C.3. given wben shooting at 20 yards and at shorter distances^ I cannot do better by the way of an explanation than" submit a diagram description which I find in my note book, culled from some interesting ballistics which were published some years back. In the diagram, let C represent the centre of a target shown in section, the score values of the divisions being I to 10. Let AB be the line of aim, taken over the tip- of the foresight to the lowest central portion of the aiming mark B. Then iXZ will be the line of the centre of the barrel if AB is parallel to A'Z, and, because of gravity, the bullet dropping immediately after leaving the muzzle will follow a line equivalent to xy and always will- be below XZ. It is required that the xy shall be above XZ, also above AB to reach C the centre of the target. Consequently elevation must be given proportionate to- the distance, the target measure ZY + ZB^Bc will be the target inches or points of elevation to be added to the height of the backsight. When the backsight and foresight are so adjusted that the bullet's flight at 25. yards instead of being at y on the target will touch it at c, it is evident that to reach the same height at a shorter distance more elevation is necessary. At longer dis tances also more elevation is necessary because of the- greater drop of the bullet. A T r e m e n d o u s A d v a n c e i n M u s k e t r y Tr a i n i n g . The Parker-Hale .303 cum .22in. Cartridge System Briiisli Pat. No. 110081. Brit. Rogd. Design No. 658750. French Hegd. Design No. OOlt'. Other Patents pending. A means by which Target practices, both slow and rapid, can be carried out on the Miniature Range exactly as on the .303 Range. NOTHING Lacking Except the Recoil. At present particular.s can only be sent to C.O.'s and M u s k e t r y O f fi c e r s . A. G. P ARKER CO., Ltd., B i s l e y W o r k s , Whittall Street, Birmingham. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK184 T H E R I F L E M A N .IMarcii, 1918. N AT I O N A L T E A M C H A M P I O N S H I P, 1 9 1 8 . •Conditions : One team of six from any Club in the United Kingdom affiliated to the S.M.R.C. Ten shots per man deliberate at 25 yards. S.M.R.C. match targets. Any rifles and sights. RESUL T OF FIRST ROUND. .Meigle and Dist. ... ■ Chorley Leven and Dist. ... , .Addiscombe Wimbledon Park X.E.R., York .Monmoinh and Dist. .Mitcham Hendon and Crickle- wood Bootle Unnston Upper .Mills 5/1 564 57S 572 582 583 581 555 55b 583 ■ Chesterfield 577 .Midland Rly., Derby 576 We l l i n g o r e 5 S S Brincllf fe and Eccle- ■■ 531 1 579 Ellengowan 577 S p e r r y n . A t h l e t i c . . . 5 7 2 ■ Stourbridge 587 C h e a m 5 8 1 l-A.P 576 •Gloucester Civil .Service 584 •Orrell and Dist. ... 569 Ruston Boiler Works 584 ■City of London X'.R. 572 Kensington ... ... 578 Sr. Faith's, Brentford 565 Cripplegate 558 Dental Mechanical -Centre 557 beat Tlbshelf ,, Hendon „ 5 t h N o r t h R i d i n g V. R . „ C o v e n t r y C h a i n W o r k s .\thletic ,, ".A" Div. Special Const , , B i c e s t e r To w n a n d D i s t . „ E b l e y M i l l s ,, Sissons „ O x h e y , , N o . 5 P l a t . B C o 2 n d Cornwall V .R. ,, Royal Marines, Chatham , , S u n d r i d g e P a r k G o l f Club , , Wa r i n g & G i l l o w ( L a n - ca.ster) , , U p p e r To o t i n g C h u r c h In.stilute ,, Reading , , D o r c h e s t e r a n d D i s t r i c t , , " K " D l v . A V e s t H a m Police „ W e s t H a m N . R . ,, .Renfield ,, Rotherhams ,, Chcrwell ... , , N o t t i n g h a m Tr o o p B o y Scouts ,, Croxley Green ,, Devon port ,, Barrow ,. R.N. Barracks, Devon- port ,, Malton ,, .Stoke Newington .N.R. ,, .\ Co. ^th AA'arwicks VLR 472 by 88 499 495 526 524 534 536 .537 519 547 546 549 69 52 48 48 47 44 43 37 36 29 28 548 •• 28 5 6 1 „ 2 7 550 .. 27 ,545 .. 27 561 ,, 26 556 ,, 25 551 .. 25 .561 ,, 23 546 >, 23 562 ,, 22 550 ,, 22 561 17 .549 16 5 4 3 . > 1 5 542 ' P i t s m o o r ' L . P. S . H e a d q u a r t e r s Brancepeth L e i s t o n P a t r i o t i c . . . H u l l C i t y P o l i c e . . . Grimsby Central Prestwich and Dist. Humber .A Co. 4th Lines H a m a n d P e t e r s h a m Maidenhead and Di.st Ealing Perth City and County Boro' of Wtindsworth f.ancaster Boulton and Paul ... Bolckow Vaughan & Co. .;. Luton and Dist. Norton Gloucester City Alexandra Palace ... Boro' of Portsmouth Metro. (Birmingham) Brighton and Hove Imperial I.ee Grimsby Corporation Garstoii Harrodian 574 beat .Arcadia5bi by 13 572 ,, Ciitheroe 559 .. 13 5-82,, .Southgate and Dist. ... S7" II 12 559 ,, Innerleithen and Dist. .548 II 1 1 579 ,, Finchiey Special Const.5b9 II 10 .582 ,, AA'aithamslow i-Insign ... 574 II 8 5.82,, AA'est Hartlepool 575 II 7 580,, Bury573 11 7 577 ,, .Appieton 570 II 7 576 ,, Shrmkiin 5b9 ,1 7 563,, Lydgate 557 " ^ 579 ,, C.E.R., Liverpool Street 57411 5 580,, C.E.R. Mech. Inst. ...57b ,1 4 573 , , M a n c h e s t e r M . O .5b9 II 4 568 ,, AA'aiiscnd .md Neptune . 5b4 .1 4 543 ,, Harringlon 539II 4 565,, Heston5b2 i r 3 .561„ " 1 ' " D i v . M e t r o . P o l i c e558 II 3 576, , P e e k E r c a n A t h l e t i c . . . 574 II 2 574 ,, Assoc. Equipment Co.... 572 1. 2 57b,, Garswotxl Hail Collieries 575II t 573 ,, Frith 572II I 573 ,, .Atl.as 572II 1 577 drew with Hvdepark 582 ,, ,, Hammersmith Iron Wo r k s 576 w.o. Edmonton (Sranville Canadian C Co. 3rd Leicester V.R. 572 .562 R E S U L T O F T I E S H O O T . Hammersmith Iron Works .^. ... 5S0 boat Lee Brighton and Flove Imperial 571 drew with Hvdepark R E S U L T O F S E C O N D T I E S H O O T . Hvdepark ... ,.. 581 beat Brighton and Hove Im perial Hammersmith Iron Wo r k s ■Grimsby Corporation G l o u c e s t e r C i v i l . S e r vice .Midland Rly., Derby Boro' of Portsmouth Harrodian .Mitcham A A ' S m b e l d o u P a r k . . . Lancaster Pi tsmoor Monmouth and Dist. Ellengowan Boro' of W andsworth G r i m s b v C e n t r a l Heworth RESUL T OF SECOND ROUND. .585 beat Sperryn Athletic 5 7 c „ B o u l t o n & P a u l . . . 580 57S 5S1 574 586 584 574 .581 574 586 577 585 579 ,, Hendon and Cricklewood ,, Dental .Mechanical Centre ... ,, St. Faith's, Brentford... ,, Leeds ,, I.uton and Dist. , , E l r h a m a n d D i s t . ,, I.eiston Patriotic ,, Bolckow Vaughan & Co. „ f , . G . O C ,, Brincllf fe and Ecclesall ,, Cripplegate , , U p p e r . M i l l s >, Norton .552 by 33 538 32 554 II 26 553 II 23 557 1, 24 550 1. 24 5b3 11 2 3 5b4 II 20 554 1, 20 562 II 19 558 1, 16 571 1. 15 5b2 .. 15 571 14 5bb 11 1 3 FOR Wellingore -A Co. 4th Lines V.R Ruston Boiler AA'orks Urmston Cheam .LA.P L.P.S. Headquarters Stourbridge Garston Metro. (Birmingham) Perth City and County Brancepeth N.E.R , Y ork City of London N.R. Hydepark Gloucester City H u l l C i t v P o l i c e 586 582 579 578 580 574 570 5S0 580 568 576 586 580 565 574 572 567 beat -Addiscombe „ C h o r l e y ,, Chesterfield ,, Brighten Rly. .Athletic ,, Humber ,, Orrell and Dist. ,, Maidenhead and Dist... ,, Kensington ,, Hartlepool ,, Meigle and Dist. ,, Bootle , , H a m . a n d P e t e r s h a m . . ,, Prestwich and Dist. .. ,, Castleford V .R. ,, Leven and Dist. ,, Ealintf ,, .Alexandr .a Palace 577 582 scratched. 578 by 2 571 57S by 3 575 by II . 5 7 1 „ I I 568 ,, II 569 , 571 > 567 . 563 . 574 , S/0 M 563 ,, 572 583 I, 577 .. .562 ,, 572 ,, 571 .. .56b .. DRA W FOR THIRD ROUND. J . H a m m e r s m i t h I r o n W o r k . s v . H e w o r t h . 2. Ellengowan v. Borough of Wandsworth. 3. J..A.P. V. Hydepark. 4 . C h e a m v. C i t y o f L o n d o n N . R . 5. Harrodian v. .Metropolitan (Birmingham.). 6 . L a n c a s t e r v . M o n m o u t h a n d D i s t r i c t . 7. Wellingore v. Hull City Police. .8. Grimsbv Central v. Midland Railwav, Derby. 9' 10. 11 . 12. 13- 14- L5- 16. A Co. 4th Lines v. Brancepeth. G a r s t o n v. G l o u c e s t e r C i v i l S e r v i c e . Glouce.ster City v. Ruston Boiler AVorks. Pitsmoor V. Stourbridge. Mitcham v. L.P.g. Headquarters. Urmston v. Perth City and County. Borough of Portsmouth v. N.E. Railway, York. AA'imbicdon Park v. Crimsbj^ Corporation. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKMAUCII, 1918. 185- ZERO. PA R T I I . B Y " A k e r i m . A N . " ' I ^ HE reader .should now have some idea of the I meaning- and cau.ses of " Jump " and " Flip." He A will also perceive that the popular idea of the flig-ht of a bullet—that it travels straight along' the bore of the barrel, and is projected straight along the line of axis thereof—is decidedly erroneous. The d i r e c t i o n i n w h i c h t h e b u l l e t l e a v e s t h e m u z z l e o f t h e weapon depends entirely upon the direction of what we may call the " flip wave " at the moment the bullet leaves. Sj>caking relativelj' to the normal axis of the bore, when the barrel is at rest—supposing the wave, travelling nlong the barrel, happens to Hip the muzzle up at the moment of departure of the bullet, then the bullet will lca\e in an upward direction. If the w-ave happens to be downward at that moment, then the bullet will g-o down. The " frequency " or speed of \-ibration of the b.arrel depends upon the weight and direction of the shock due to the explosion. Tlie moment at which the bullet lea\'es the muzzle depends upon the \-elocity with which it travels the length of the bore. If cither of these factors be changed, as for instance by a change in the explosive used, or the amount of it, then the flip and its effect on the bullet is entirely altered. Take the case of the .303 long Lee-Enfield firing the old Mark \'I. ammunition. The bullet used to lea\e on the upward flip. M'hen firing the new Mark \"II. ammunition, with a lighter bullet and hea\ier charge, the bullet left on the downward flip. It was purely a matter of luck, but so it happened ; with the result that using the new ammunition, although the velocity was higher, more elc\<'ition had to be put on the barrel at short range than with the old lower \elocity s t u f f . W i t h t h e s h o r t L e e - E n fi e l d , t h e d i f f e r e n c e w a s t h e other way round, the length of barrel being different. Now as to the meaniiig of the rifle's " Zero." To find the zero of a rifle simply means to get the sights aligned so th;it the line of sight coiiicides with the line of dcp^arture—or, in plain horse-English, to set the sights so that the rifle shoots straight, without any " throw " right or left, In actual practice it is also taken to include finding the zero of elevation ; that is to say, finding the adjustment of sights which at point blank range will ensure the bullet striking neither above nor„ below the spot aimed at. The sights are then marked for this adjustment, and the rifle is said to be " zeroed," and is ready to be taken on the range and "calibrated," or marked with the necessary elevations for other distances. Now the only possible way to find the zero of any rifle is to ha\e it fired from the shoulder of a good shot. It is no use fixing it in a rest, for that immediately alters the flip and the results arc useless. To get really fine adjustment, it should be done by the man who is going to use the weapon, for even differences in holding alter the zero considerably. The position of the butt on the shoulder; the tightness of the sling if used, or the ab.sence of it; the point at which the hand supports the fore-end— every little trifle has an effect on the ultimate direction of-the bullet's line of departure. A slight alteration in t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e w e a p o n s o m e t i m e s m a k e s a n ' astonishing difference. .\s an example—the writer re cently took an ordinary Service pattern .303 short Lee- Enfield, stripped it of the long fore-end, nose cap, etc.,- and fitted a short fore-end, converting it thus into a sporting type. Soine difference in the zero was exjjected, of course—but the actual difference found was surprising.- At 73 yards—the distance at which he tried it—the group was a foot higher than previously; that is to say, 16- minutes of angle, or " degrees," as the shooting man calls them. The lateral difference was about 3 degrees. Iji tire case of the .22 rifle, differences of hold and of construction do not cause such great effects on the zero, but they are quite sufficient to be noticeable. With some of the very heavy barrelled match .22 rifles the flip is almost negligible, yet even with one of these—a heavv Olympic—tlie writer has seen a difference in vertical zero of 8 degrees between the shooting of two first class marks men, simply on account of tiie difference in their holding. D i f f e r e n c e s o f z e r o d u e t o s u c h c a u s e s a s t l i e s e m u s t not be confused with differences of grouping at long r a n g e s d u e t o d i f f e r i n g v e l o c i t i e s o f a m m u n i t i o n . Ta k c the .22, for instance. Two different makes may group, from the same rifle, say 2 degrees apart at 20 yards. This is a difference of zero. But the groups at 100 yards may be 12 degrees apart, owing to difference in velocities. Nearly always a black powder .22 will group higher than a smokeless at short range; but at 100 yards the black powder will generally fall lower. There is almost sure to be a difference in lateral zero—the black generalh' throws right—but this is constant at all ranges; constant in cniylc, of course, not in actual amount on the target. II one ammunitioji groups i deg"ree right of the other,, tliis means that at 23 yards tlie deviation will be J- inch, at 50 yards -I- inch, land too yards 1 inch, and so on. That is to say, it will if one neglects the other bog-e}' c a l l e d D r i f t ! B u t t h a t i s a n o t h e r s t o r v . M E T R O P O L I T A N P O L I C E S H O O T I N G L E A G U E T h e t a b l e t j t o M a r c h I 3 l h i n t h e W i n t e r C o m p e t i t i o n l o i ' t h e ^ Superintendents' Shield is as follows :— Matches Division.fired.\\'on.Lost.Drawn.Points C.O, ... 4 22 0 B .S 5 00.10 C 53 2 (f0 I)... 6 0 r> 00 11 / 700 14 K... (} 4 2 0 8 M... 6 0 6 0 0 V ... 6 4 20 8 S ... f>2 4 0 4 \' 7 340 6 X ... 6 'y 4 0 4 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK180 T H E R I F L E M A N .Mahch, 1918. fi.S.A. COMPETITION FOR VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS, 1917 The final round between rV.e St. Brides Major ajid Southerndown Platoon ist Glamorgan V.R. and " C " Co. ist Cornwall V.R. was, owing to the long distance which separated the teams and the heavy railway expenses which would have been entailed In a shoulder-to- shoulder match, shot on the respective home ranges In the presence of the .Assistant Secretary of the S.M.R.C., and, after what might .almost be termed a chapter of accidents, was won by the former Xesm b}- nine points. The Cornlshmen shot first on the afternoon of Friday, February ;22, In perfect weather conditions, and made a most excellent start. The men shot one at a time, and when the fifth man had completed his shoot the team were only i8 points down, hut Sergt. Peak, after dropping only one point on his first five shots, entirely missed the scoring rings of the target with his sixth owing to his elbow slipping. This, of course, penalised the team lo points, and at the finish Sergt. Peak only returned a score of S5, against his previous iiverage of 96, making the team's total 567—about nine points below ■the average of their seven previous matches. St. Brides Major and Southerndown Platoon shot their targets on the following afternoon, hut just before the commencement of the shooting a slight sea mist began to spread over the range. The .men shot in pairs, and the first two, Messrs. A. S.mith and T. Hopkins, each returned scores of 99. This should have been in- ,creased by one point, as .A. Smith shot a most perfect possible, hut .unfortunately placed six shots on one hull and only four on his second, which penalised him one point. The second pair, Messrs. •\V. David and A. Trevor Smith, continued a good shoot with scores £>S 98 and 95, but before the last two men started the mist had thickened to such an extent that It made good shooting almost Impossible, and the scores were only 93 and 92, both these com petitors dropping over five points below their usual average. It Is worthy of note that although this competition has taken place throughout the winter months, six of the last eight teams have shot all their matches on open-air ranges. Below will he found the full scores of the final round and details of each team's matches throughout the competition ;— RESUL T OF FINAL. } . S t . B r i d e s M . a j o r . - v n o S o u t h e r n d o w n - P l a t o o n i s t G l a m o r g a n V.R. 576 (Six Silver Medals and £12). A. Smith 99 T . H o p k i n s • • • > J < - ) \V . David 98 T. S m i t h 9 5 . A . D a v i s 9 3 H . D . J o n e s 9 2 ■J.. " C " Co. 1ST Cornwall A'.R. 367 (Six Bronze Medals and £.&). Pre. G. W right 99 S e r g t . T a y l o r . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 8 .8ergr . F . Berryman ... ... ... 96 .Sergt. .A. .Martin ... ... ... ... 1)5 O . M . S G . R o g e r s 9 . I . T e r g t . W . G . P e a k . S 5 3 A Co. 2nd Derbyshire V.R. (knocked out in .semi-final), ;^3. 4. .Stourbridge Co. 1st Worcestershire A'.R (knocked out in semi final), XT- D e t a i l e d S c o r e s o f F i n a l i s t s I n E a c h R o u n d . S t . B r i d e s M a j o r a n d S o u t h e r n d o w n P i a j o o n . Pre!. ist. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. 5th. 6th. 7th. Elnl. Tl. ,A. Davles ... 98 96 99 ICO ICQ 98 95 99 93 878 W. D a v i d ... ICK) 98 98 95 95 10093 94 gS876 786 '1'. Hopkins ... 99 99 97 99 99 96 98 99 . A . T r e v o r S m i t h . . . - 9 5 9 7 9 8 — 9 9 96 99 98 95 /A. .Smith ... ... 97 9 6 — 9 7 9 7 95 96 91 99 ri. D. Jones 9 7 9 8 — g S98 97 98 92676 R. Hadden... 94 — 9 5 9 ^ — 281 J<. Rutherford ... 89 — — 9 6 — 185 573 583 58s 577 588 586 576 5S3 578 5227 C C o . 1 S T C o r n w a l l V . R . Prel. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. 5th. 6th. -th. Elnl. TI. Sergt. Berryman . . . — 9 7 97 98 99100 90 98 96 775 Pte. AA'rlght . . . — 9 7 98 98 9795 90 95 99 775 Sergt. Taylor . . . — 9 3 96 9599949995 gS 769 Sergt. Martin. . . — 9 0 91 gb 97 98 9'100 95 758 Q . M . S . R o g e r s . . .. . . — 9 4 9499 989896 94 073 Sergt. Eva . . . — 9 6 90 95 — 2 8 1 Sergt. Peak . . . — — 959499 969685 565 - 5 6 7 566 577 5S5 5S4 57b 5S0 567 4596 Team average per shoot, 574-50. The following received Silver Souvenir Spoons for highest Indi vidual averages respectively In each of the eight leading teams :— No. of Matches. .A ver . 1. T. Hopkins, St. Brides Major and Southerndown ... 2. *G. P. Deeley, Stourbridge Co. 1st Worcester ...) * S . To o h y, S t o u r b r i d g e C o . i s t A A ' o r c e s t e r . . . . . . J 3. Sergt. S. Stewart, B Co. 14th AV.R.V.R. 4. W. H. Cook, A Co. 2nd Derbyshire 5 M. Sllshury, No. 10 Platoon C Co. ist Isle of AAight 6 . G . . A p p l e b y, B C o . ( D l n n l n g t o n ) W. R . V. R . 7. T. Jarvls, B Co. (Redruth) ist Cornwall 8. *Sergt. Berryman, C Co. ist Cornwall *Pte. W right, C Co. ist Cornwall * These ties were shot off, the result being that Mr. G. P. Deeley and Pte. Wright won the spoons for their respective units. ... h 98.25 98.12 98.00 gS.oo 97.66 97.00 97.00 96.87 NOW READY S. M.R.e. 1918 HANDBOOK CONTENTS: F U L L R E P O R T S O F 1 9 1 7 C O M P E T I T I O N S , S U G G E S T E D R U L E S F O R C L U B S , H I N T S O N B U I L D I N G M I N I A T U R E R I F L E R A N G E S , L I S T O F L I F E M E M B E R S , Etc. POST 9d. FREE. Team .average per shoot, 580.77. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK.Mauch, 1918. T H E R I F L E M A K .181 T H E " N E W S O F T H E W O R L D " C O M P E T I T I O N , 1 9 1 8 . Conditions : One team of six from any Club affiliated to the S.M.R.C. having its range within 15 miles of the G.P.O. Twenty ihots per man, 10 deliberate on S.M.R.C. match target and 10 in 90 seconds on S.M.R.C. time limit target. Any rifles and sights. RESUL T OF FIRST ROUND. H a m a n d P e t e r s h a m -Addiscombe Kensington Lee ... Elthara and Dist. ... Cheam W i m b l e d o n P a r k . . . 1135 beat Stoke Xewington N.R. 1032 by 103 "55 I l O I "25 JJ42 Hendon and Crickle- wood 1062 L.G.O.C 1039 City of London N.R. . 1082 P u r l e y a n d D i s t . . . . 1 0 3 6 W e s t H a m N . R . . . . 1 0 7 0 Hammersmith Iron W o r k s 1 1 1 7 S5 7S 73 Upper 1" o o t i n g Church Inst. Callender JA.P L.P.S. Headquarters St. Faith's. Brentford Mitcham W e s t H a m P o l i c e . . . .Assoc. Equip. Co. . Heston 11 0 2 b e a t . A l e x a n d r a P a l a c e 111 4 1093 11 2 7 1032 1099 1091 111 6 \ v 10S4 Southgate and Dist. ... Boro' of W andsworth " P " D i v . M e t r o . P o l i c e Cripplegate Harrodian Finchley Special Const. P e e k F r e a n . A t h l e t i c . . . Edmonton 1079 1098 loSi 111 9 1026 1094 10S6 by 23 „ 1 6 scratched. RESUL T OF SECOND ROUND. Mitcham Kensington Upper T 001 i n g Church Inst. L.P.S. Headquarters 1 1 2 0 b e a t W e s t H a m P o l i c e 1099 1083 IIIO St. Faith's, Brentford 10,32 Heston J..A. P. 1068 by 52 47 lobo ,, 23 " 0 3 „ 7 RESUL T OF Wimbledon Park .Addiscombe Callender Cheam T I E S H O O T . H a m a n d P e t e r s h a m1143 beat Cheam 1141 beat Lee 1127 ,, .Assoc. Equipment Co 1 1 0 2 , , E l t h a m a n d D i s t . 1139 drew with Ham and Peters h a m . . . " 3 4 b y g " 3 5 b y 6 "24 .. 3 1099 .. 3 "39 DRA W FOR SEMI-FINAL. 1 . H am a n d Pe t ersham v. L.P.S . H ea dq ua rt ers. 2. .Addiscombe v. Kensington. 3 . W i m b l e d o n P a r k v. U p p e r To o t i n g C h u r c h I n s t i t u t e . 4 . M i t c h a m v. C a l l e n d e r. Queen Jllexandra's Cup Competition 191H. O P E N TO M E M B E R S O F C L U B S W H O S E S U B S C R I P T I O N F O R 1 9 1 8 H A S B E E N PA I D Full particulars were given with the February issue, and further copies of the conditions can be obtained upon application to the Secretary of the S.M.R.C. E N T R I E S C L O S E E N T R A N C E F E E A P R I L 2 n d . 6 d . P e r C o m p e t i t o r . C l u b S e c r e t a r i e s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o s e n d i n e n t r i e s a s e a r l y a s p o s s i b l e i n o r d e r t o facilitate despatch of targets. These will be sent upon receipt of entries, so that competitors entering early will have the opportunity of shooting during the Easter Holidays. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >