MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 7

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.

—• GROWING POPULARITY IN CANTERBURY.. (By Tclegraph-Special. porresDoodenU Chrlstohuroh, August 30. . In Christchurch and Suburbs there arc no fewer than twenty miniature rifle clubs, and fifteen in'- other parts of Canterbury, with an estimated average membership of twenty. The Christchurch Railway Club has a membership of 64, and tho Post Office Club a membership of 45. There are only four other clubs in the Dominion outside of Canterbury/ but many more are in process of formation.-The Christchurch clubs are composed: of the stalls of different .firms and organisations who otherwise would not be attracted to, rifle shinting. Tho practice to be had with tho miniature rifle .is .not despised by . shooting men, and Captain King and Mr. W. M'ConneU, two members of the Dominion riflo; team, selected to, go to Australia, are regularly to be found on the mimatiiro range The Christchurch clubs, are .banded togiither.m an association which ,has ; just secured a-lar'ge brick building, with accommodation for -twelve targets, l and a range of ,25 yards. The popularity of the pastime may be gauged from the fact that one night recently no.fewer than,l6oo rounds, of ammunition _were fired. Competitions are gomg'on .continuously at,the range,.' and it is to secure an open-air range for daylight use in the summer. The association has already fired four home and home matches with crack English; teams, winning two and .losing one. The issuo of the fourth is not yet known, but the' Canterbury men scored 980 out : of: a possible 1000. . It' is anticipated that' miniature rifle competitions will find. a, place on the New Zealand Riflo Association's Treiithanr programme : before long. : The miniature rifle, it may .be added; is not a toy. Its weight approximates "nearly with that .of the modern service weapon, and it dbrivOs its name froin the fact.that - the barrel-has a small bore, and'that small cartridges with a light'bullet ;aro used. The extreme length of the range is generally 25 ,sai'ds,' and the conditions are tho same as prevail with the; use of an ordinary riflo at a 200'yards'-range.,'