Volunteer Notes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XVI, Issue 22213, 15 March 1900, Page 2

Volunteer Notes .

[By. Bull’s Eye."] As this is the commencement of another volunteer year I think a fow remarks on what I hare observed during the last year’s class-firing, may be of some ii'so to our “coming” shots.. The Martini-Enfield 303 ride is lighter and shorter, than the Martini-Henry—the bore being much smaller takes a smaller bullet and cartridge. Some of he differences are worth- noting, the recoil is almost imperceptible, the report sharper but not so loud, and the absence of smoke from the cordite used, instead of the back powder, are all advantages. The great difficulty that most men find on using the MartiniEnfield for the first few times is that the shots go to the left-and low, and needs careful sighting and practice, thus the novice requires to be told to aim to the right and high,, as against the old caution with the Mavtini-Heury rifle —the left bottom edge of the bull’s eye. I have tried over twenty of the rifles very carefully, and find that lying down at 200yds, wind and all conditions normal, that the average shots are about ‘ 9 from the dead centre to the left at about what is Inown as 8 o’clock.’ Rome of the rifles differ more or less than others, both as regards deviation and elevation. At the longer distances, 500 and 600 yards, very few men could find the target till they had raised the leaf of the back-sight fully 50yds, some to 100' yds, and then firing on the light plate of the 6x6 target. The difference’ in the size of the sights between tbe Martini - Enfield and Martini-Henry rifles is a source of troublo to those : used to the older rifle. The -backsight is smaller while the foresight, with its barley-corn tip, is much larger and flatter, make a great difference till men got used to it. The trajectory being flatter the distances for elevation are much finer marked and the slightest difference alters the elevation considerably. The main difficulty is, however, with the foresight, with.its very flat top, that at 500 y r ards firing dead-in covers more than the whole of bulls eye. I have found it best to instruct men to take what is known as a full-sight, that is the top of the foresight fully level with the top of the no‘ch or Y in backsight, to aim onright edgo of bull’s-eye. At 500yds, instead of firing with fixed eights, to raise the leaf to the 550 fire on the right edge of bull, if reversed bar, the wh<>lo of ;he ‘ barley-corn ’ tip level to the block, must appear above the bar.. The mistake that most of the young shots make is in taking too fine sights. The rifles are evidently sighted to the left and low, so much so that if there should be the slightest wind from the right, misdng shots would strike the ground on tho loft of-the target. What our young men require is more ammunition for practicing with, under careful and experienced supervision. Most of them have the shadiness of nerve, good eyesight, etc., and with practice tho young men of Te Aroha could bo the finest shots in New Z aland. Even with the small amount of practice, the oxpensiveness of ammunition, and other drawbacks, the T.R.V. have held their own against most of the corps that, it has been in competition with. The Martini-Henri rifles are good rifles, and as each man. gets U3bd to the peculiar sighting, etc.—which takes time—tho only thing then required is that ho should be provided j with, u liberal allowance of. ball j eartrMg-- few practice, ins a.;d of havjmg to pay 2s 4-1 for each 20 rounds, fin. addition to ids giving hi.-, services - whenever or wherever required, etc.