GOSSIP ON THE RANGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 281, 17 February 1928, Page 2

GOSSIP ON THE RANGE

RIFLE SHOOTING NOTES AUSTRALIANS’ VISIT MORE SERVICE MATCHES URGED By “CORDITE” The New South Wales contingent of marksmen have passed through Auckland en route for Trentham, but the local men were unable to challenge them to a match at Penrose owing to lack of time. There will be a fair percentage of Aucklanders going South, however, where the relative tests or I skill with the ride can be better proved. The Australians will be at a disadvantage, as they still use the old Mark ; VI. ammunition as against the high- . velocity Mark VII. used here. If they j attend the Papawai meeting prior to the big shoot, they will be able to adapt themselves to the strange am- | munition which will give them a fair i break with the New' Zealanders. Mr. McLeod remarked on the ser- j vice matches in the Trentham programme and stated that little of this type of shooting was done in Australia. It is fair to point out that the assistance given to our own riflemen by the Government is due to the fact that rifle clubs are part and parcel of our national defence system. and everyone realises that unless a man is a good military shot, he is a useless unit of that system. The City Club is } introducing more service shooting into fts programme than formerly, and its . junior membership has increased ac- ! cordingly. Close co-operation between 1 the clubs and the military authorities is becoming more essential if the game is to progress, and the writer would like to see more military shooting indulged in throughout the country. If every rifleman in the Dominion could , be called on as an expert musketry instructor in time of trouble, we would have an ideal state of affairs. Some high-class shooting was put up at Penrose last Saturday at 800 and 900 yards, the wind giving the marksmen little trouble. A very fine per- j formance was registered by A. Crossan, Akarana), with 4S at each range._ His score card read. 5,5, 5,4, 4,5, 5,5, 5, 5 and 5,5, 5,5, 5, 4. 5,5, 4. 5. C. J. M. Clark. City, was close behind him with two 47’s, which were compiled with 4,4, 5,5, 5,5, 5. 5,4, 5, and 5,5, 4,5, 5,5, 4,4, 5, 5. It looks easy on paper, but one must consider that the bullet must travel half a mile before striking the target, that the “bull” is 3ft in diameter, and that the distance from foresight to backsight is about 34in. Add varying wind, elevation and light and the worth of these men’s performances can be gauged. Two other good shoots were J. A. Spry’s 48 at 800 — 4,5, 5. 5,5, 4. 5,5, 5, 5 and H. J.Verrall’s 48 at 900—5,4, 5,5, 5,5, 5,5, 4, 5.