DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 8

DEFENCE NOTES.

.. -6- ! Secretaries of Volunteer Corps . t -.i' and'Rifle-clubs'aro invited to con- . '. tributp-items-of Interest for inser- : . tion-in this column. . (By "Echelon.") !. ■ This .is; the . riflemen's weok. Last i Saturday,saw tho oponmg of the shooti • irig -'season- at Tre'ntham, and riflomen t everywhere aro getting into form for . coming contests. .< The opportunity here presents-itself for-a "word or two 'on the ;;' general ,'aspects of rifle, shooting Embryo rifle champions will , bo interested in thefollowing usoful hints by- Captain' Fcarson, one- o£- tho finest riflo ~ , shots in England., He • opens, his re- , marks' With a timely word of caution: • —"Men.-,-snapping,-tho trigger'' at any I , spot but-tbo target,, and others, carrying their.rifles in positions which. would <■■ ■ ■ be. dangerous wero they aro common faults at -riflo practice. .\ , Romember that, though you know your weapon is not loaded, others cannot be awaro of tho fact. Therefore cultivate the habit of doing nothing which could be m any-way-hazardous,". .Theii follow some clear common-sense hints to , yonng shots: —■. ----- - "On'.a?-rifle being fired-three forces begin to'work—tho/explosion, forcing • tho bullet' forward; gravity, causing it to drop ■■ and tho resistance of, tho air, tending stop its' forward flight. For' • ( this.reason,a 1 bullot ,does. not :■-travel, straight;, to tho object, but 'takes - '.a' :> ' curved flight upwards, and drops down; to..the target. "Mostripeoploj - whon aiming, Keep 1 one eyo . closed. It is bettor to do so, / though some good shots, say; there is 'no neod.for it. Tho last winner of-the King!s Prize at Bisloy always keeps , both eyes open;- - "Tho state,of.the.atmosphere affects fßliootmg. 'When the barometer;is high t. there is more resistance for the bullet i ; . to go through than when the barometer is low, so; that: more elovation is ro- -. ■ quired. •• - ■ ■■■■■■■ ■■ '. t". • • "Wind greatly affects shooting. A wind coming-at you . affects the bullet ■■ more than/a wind.'.conmig-from behind yon,' and.,a iside.tWind which , blows. ;/ ■ against the length ;the bullet affects: the shooting most:of all. At 500 yards,' with a strong, wind,'blowing, it may bo necessaryj/to .aimiiseveral feet. to one! Bide-.of ftt'e.centre : bf : 'the target. , "A great' deal' depends' on tho way, i the trigger; is: pulled 1 ,, ..It; must' not be' [ . . jerked or.'sliatclied',"as this would drag: ' : , the .nfle^off- , one'Bvaiin.V- ; .lt- must' '"bo. ■ rteadily first,' joint of the forefinger,' so that no'movement ,• . is apparent.- The usual.way is for the thumb to be over tho .small of the butt of; the rifle, ■ and _the ,forefinger round' tlio .ingger,, which is released .- by. squeezing, the forefinger and thumb to-. , . gother. • •••>' "...' v ' - , .'Tn order 'to ipractise 1 aiming and palling the'.trigger, . hang up a black . disc, about one inch, in diameter, on tho. waU,, and place yourself seven .or eight ■ paces away.' / Asoften as you can, but only; for. a few minutes at a' time to . start . with, ; aim and ;• snap ■, at. the ; : mark.. In a week:or two the rifle will, •"Vme up," and tho aim bo; taken 'in o fow seconds'; but-at first ißvory move- - ment should be very deliberate.".' ; "

Here aro a few- points for competi-, jtors at shooting-matches:— v.. ; "On ' the before taking ' up > -his : .»/positibnjr ; pon■' the mound,, the ; competitor.',j shfculd -know all tho conditions of tho competition, have his'rifle"arid, ammunition, ready," and .be fully-, prepared when his Same' l -• is called.?'. Thisf. will; 'prevent 1 ' "any' flurry. - .'Study, of,. -the 0 ' woather, and ob'serye, .if., possible, the Reneral position of ,shots on the fired by any; previous squad. ThiswilK give of the allowances to .be made. The shot should take up .such ■ 8 position' that when at the ready his rifle will point the' target' at ; which,he .is .told'off:to. fire; He miist see befsrehand' that liis' ; riflo is properly sighted;for the distance.;' Many a good score is spoilt by not carefully asccr- . taini'ng this fact.: Th'e would-be shot' . may: either sjx!rid..spme of. .'his energy, on the wrong target, or miss several shots before he dfops-down to the mis-', 'takes follomng o''hisr» neglect" of the above warning."

The various rifle associations and; clubs throughout 'tho Dominion -are commencing to hold their annual meetings already.; The. Mariawatu Association has resolved to hold a-meeting for. cadets during January...

y "Don'ts" for young ' shotk : —Don't ■imagine you can:;become a marksman in a week., Don't be afraid to ask experienced shots for advice. Don't worry about' a poo;" score—try to do better noxt time..; Don't forget that plenty .of snapping practice is essential for-beginners.' . Don't-commenco sliootwith. an oily barrel." Don't neglect to clean: out as soon after , firing as possible; as-cordite is easily removed when 'the ,barrel is warm.:'/ -Don't leavo your' cartridges lying . in ..the .sun, as- the temperature affects the cordite.. Don't let a shot .'away till'-'you aro satisfied' everything is.cb:¥cct.' Don't- forget that- even champions found it arduous; at the beginning. •.

Tlie Highland jßifles v/ill begin their series' of' matches for .the company's Championship Challenge Eelt : tc-day. This' tropSy was": presented' by tho olticers;of >thc corps,, and, being a Challenge Bolt, iannot be won outright. The phootiug.for the Belt extends right through the..season.Tho wim-ier'also receives a gold medal,, and ' for , each successive year- in 'which ho carries off. the Belt,, a! gold .bar, is added.". The Belt; v,ns won i:i.1905 and 1006 by.Pvt.. S. E". M'Lcan, and last 1 season, by Sergt. Jl'DonaH. Tho coiupy.ition for . tho" trophy in |p:;pect-prl ' to be very keen this' year, The Highlanders have also beenpresented, by Messrs."'Ba'llantyji'ci'': .of Christchurch, with.a handsarco shield, which, on 'being., Ron!., three, tinjes, either successively'-'or at intervals,. becomes the orope'rty! of tho winner.' A Highland'dirk lias'been given to tho corps by Alr. W. Boy'd.unil is "to* bo co'mpctcd for presently, Tho abovo mentioned trophies are on view at "Mr- */. L. Turner's, .Cuba Street.

No body of .troops can be said to be efficiently organised which ' does not provide and maintain up -to a high standard/ a corps of signallers. Deprive the smallest unit'of the mean's of communication with the main body by. some system of signalling,' and you isolate that unit in much the same manner as an insular'community , may be isolated bv thp of its oahlo communications.;. It is gratifying to attt.chcd to the Post and Telegraph Rifles, the Wellington Rifle Battalion find 'that in the rcorps of signallers: has a highly efficient'staff. - Tho Post and Telegraph "signallers did some' cx T cellerit work at'Trentham on Labour Day,: some of the mesgagos being sent through in "the .'space of two; minutes. Tho Zealandia Rifles will commence; a'series of matches for the Company'sBelt, and the Hallenstein Cup to-day'. The conditions aro, 7 shots at 200 and 600 yds. respectively. Tho latest development in connection ■with our .elevation to the dignity of a "Dominion" is to be an increase in the number of, stars worn by officers to 'indicate their particular rank. At present, a lieutenant carries ono star, arid a.captain, two. • This is ono less than, is worn by. officers' in other do-' millions of tho Empire, and our officers are, in consequence, threatened .with a depreciated dignity on entering the presence of : officers from other parts,