Dbo. 16, 1898.] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



883 



Army Shooting' Record. 



Since 18S9 the details of practice in rifle and carbine firing by the U. 

 S. Army has been practically unchanged, and the following data are 

 Interesting as showing the best record reached ia the several yearly 

 competitions held in the various Division and Department contests. 

 It is fair to assume that with the number of men at this drill and the 

 number of vears over whicli the records reach, that these figures 

 represent alf that there is in a shooting way in the regular issue of 

 rifle and carbine. 



In rifle shooting, using the Springfield Cal. .45, the best individual 

 record in competitive firing including known distances and skirmish, 

 was made by Sergeant R. N". Davidson, Company G, 16th Infantry in 

 the Department of the Platte rifle competition, held at Bellevue, 

 Nebraska, in August 1892. The score was 630 out of a possible 800, 

 equal to 78.75^. 



The best individual record in known distance firing, was made by 

 Lieut. C. H. Muir, 17lh Infantry, in the Division of the Missouri rifle 

 competition, held at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, in August 1890. The 

 score was 848 out of a possible of 400, equal to 87^. 



The best individual record in skirmish firing, was made by Sergeant 

 T. O'Rourke, Company G, 15th Infantry, in the Department of the 

 Missouri rifle competition, held at Fort Sheridan, Dlinois, in 

 September 1898. The score was 308 out of a possible of 400, equal to 

 77^. 



The best team record (the team consisting of ten men) is 5950, this 

 being the total of the Department of the Missouri rifle team for 1892. 

 The possible score of the team Avas 8000 points, so the above named 

 total is equal to 74 38^. 



The shooting in the competitions is at 200,300,500 and BOOyds.; at 

 the first distance the position is off-hand and standing; at 300yds. 

 kneeling or sitting; at 500yds. lying down prone; atGOOyds. lying down 

 prone or on side or back. 



In skirmish firing the shooting is at silhouettes target; distances 

 from 200 to BOOyds. and the men are permitted to assume any position 

 they please in firing. 



In the Cavalry arm where the Springfield carbine Oal. .45 is the arm, 

 the best individual record in competitive firing with the carbine (in- 

 cluding known distances and skirmish practice^ was made by Black- 

 smith A. Keiser, Troop H, 6th Cavalry, in the Cavalry competition 

 held at Fort Wingate, New Mexico, in August 1890. The score was 646 

 out of a possible 800, which is equal to 80 75^. In this same competition 

 Blacksmith Kaiser also made the best individual record at known 

 distance firing; his score being 339 out of a possible 400, equal to 

 84.75^. 



The best individual record in skirmish firing was made by First 

 Sergeant F. E. Toy, Troop G, 7th Cavalry, in the competition held 

 at Fort Levenworth, Kansas, in August 1893. The score was 323 out of 

 a possible 400, which is equal to 80.75jf. 



The best team record (the team consisting of ten men) is 5765, this 

 being the total of the Department of the Missouri CarbiDe team for 

 1892. The possible score of the team was 8000 points, so the above 

 named total is equal to 72 OG^ 



The distances fired over and the manner of shooting are practically 

 the same as those prescribed for the rifle. 



FrFTV shots (full size) from a machine rest without cleaning, dis- 

 tance 200yds., with Ballard Srhuetzen rifle .SS-.W, lubricated bullet 

 weighing 298grs. Powder chai ge, 6grs. (weight) nitro, and balance of 

 shell filled with Hazard's FG powder. 



Best When He Is Alone. 



Indio, Southern California.— California is a much larger State than 

 most of our Eastern friends realize; in fact, most of our Californian« 

 themselves have only a hazy idea of its size This station is over 600 

 miles southeast of San Francisco, and still it is many miles from the 

 outer limita of the State. The many degrees of latitude thus em- 

 braced within her borders imply a vast variety of climates. It is, I 

 believe, a general impression in the Eastern States that all of southern 

 California affords a fine winter climate for invalids. This is true to a 

 certain extent, but different portions vary extremely in climatic cop- 

 ditions; for instance, Los Angeles and Riverside are towns famous for 

 their healthfulness, and still asthmatic; consumptive and rheumatic 

 patients are fain to get further away from the moist winter weather 

 of the coast region. 



Having suffered within a year two attacks of grip I found it very 

 desirable to come to a warm and dry climate, hence this letter is 

 written in the midst of an oasis which gems a truly desert scene. 

 Passing seven miles west over a flat plain overgrown with sage brush, 

 mesquite and cactus, one reaches the sheer front of the San Jacinto 

 Mountains, which culminate about 25 miles northwest in the snow 

 bearing peak of the same name, rising over 10,000ft. above sea level. 

 Twenty miles northeast of this uplift (though seemingly in this clear 

 atmosphere only five miles) rises Uld Baldy, the dominant sentinel of 

 the San Bernardino Mountains, whose altitude surpasses that of its 

 mighty neighbor. The plain between the ranges is very dry — about 

 Sin. annual rainfall. To-day, Nov. 15, an average specimen for this 

 time of year, temperature at 6 A. M. was 60° F.; at noon, 76°; at 6 

 P. M., 74°; this in the coolest part of the premises. 



Upon deciding that a temporary stay in the wilds was necessary, I 

 began to consider what "shooting irons" would afford me most pleas- 

 ure on my trip. After consideration I decided first to take a Smith 

 & Wesson .22 single shot, Bin. barrel target pistol, and secondly to rig 

 up a .25-20-86 W. C. F. single shot 2Sin. barrel Slbs. shotgun butt, set- 

 trigger, Lyman rear wind-gauge and Winchester interchangeable disk 

 front sight. I had some years ago thought a .38 the best caliber for 

 200yds., but soon discarded it for the .32-40. This I still use in the 

 rather windy climate around San Francisco; but in the still atmos- 

 phere of this vicinity the cute httle .25 "gets there" delightfully at 

 100yds.. though I have not tested it at any greater range, I don't 

 much like the .22 for ^general shooting, though realizing that for a 

 moderate range it is very accurate. The shot that gives me satisfac- 

 tion is not one at 40 or .50yds., but at distances much beyond that, 

 distances that would be well in reach of the .25. As a minor point, 

 the little .25 cartridge (W. C. F.) is to my eye a thing of beautv. My 

 pistol experience is not extensive, but I am well able to hold niy own 

 with the best revolver shot I have met here. He is a middle-aged man 

 most of whose life has been spent on the frontier. He uses a heavy 

 ,45 Colt. Of course he and all the localB look with considerable con- 



tempt on the little S. & W. They can see no good ia anything that 

 doesn't make a big hole. They like to "feel" a pistol or rifle when it 

 goes off, and certainly with their big jumping .44s and .45s their desire 

 in this direction is gratified. 



Some fair rifle shots are to be found in all frontier towois, but I infer 

 from what I see and hear that the average backwoods rifleman js at 

 his best when he is alone. When he is put before a target for a string 

 of a di^zen or so shots off-hand he isn't "in it" with the experienced 

 club rifleman. Unfortunately there is no game in this vicinity to oc- 

 cupy the sportsman's attention. Roekl. 



Pennsylvania Teams. 



Ephrata, Pa., Dec. 2.— Thursday last, Nov. 30, our club (North End 

 Rifle Club) -\vas at Lancaster City to participate in an aU-day shoot, a 

 report of which I clipped from the Lancaster Intelligencer nf Friday, 

 and inclose to you: The shooting was at 200yds., standing rest, Ameri- 

 can targets, ten for the center, and Jacob W. Balz was scorer. The 

 North End club showed the best shooting of the day,,and the result of 

 the five-shot and three-shot matches was as follows: 

 North End Club. 







28 



28 



26 





6 7 7 4 6-34 



12 



14 



25 







24 



20 



25 





Coatsville Club. 



25 



30 



27 





7 7 5 7 8-34 



24 



23 



25 



J. Pugh 



7 6 7 6 9-35 



21 



20 



24 



8 4 10 7 9-38 



17 



25 



24 



H. Thorn 



5 8 6 9 9—37 



24 



24 



16 





7 5 4 4 8—28 



23 



22 



17 





9 10 8 9 10—46 



24 



18 



27 





Lancaster Schuetzen-Verein. 



29 



24 



27 



Howard Wentzell, 



9 7 5 7 8-36 



25 



25 



27 







21 



22 



15 



B. F.Biehl 



7 9 10 7 7—40 



19 



15 



24 





8 6 10 10 7—41 



28 







D. ^Y. WentzeU 



9 8 7 7 9-^ 



25 



24 



17 





0 4 7 9 8—28 



15 



17 



20 







19 



20 



27 





7 5 7 0 5-24 



19 



22 





H. Breiter 





18 



26 



1.5 



Cincinnati Rifle Association. 



Cincinnati, Dec. 3.— The Cincinnati Rifle Association held its regular 

 practice shoot to-day and made scores appended. Conditions 200yds. , 

 off-hand, at the standard target: 



Gindele 8 9 8 10 9 10 10 8 9 8-89 



9879998 10 8 7—84 



8789 10 9899 5-83 



Louis 9 10 8 7 10 9 9 6 7 7—82 



97B857886 9—73 



766 10 98575 8-71 



Wellinger 5 8 B 6 10 9 7 8 10 8—77 



868665978 10—73 



9 5 8 5 6 10 3 10 10 7—73 



Payne 677887977 8-74 



5677976 10 9 7—73 



487785789 10-73 



Brumback 8 7 7 8 7 9 7 7 10 8-78 



659988986 8-76 



766888597 8—72 



Hake 7 5 8 8 8 10 9 7 6 6—73 



5 6 0 10 7 8 10 4 3 8-61 



755954554 9-58 



Drube 10 10 9879988 9—87 



10 10 7 6 10 8 9 10 8 9-87 



95999 10 77 10 8-83 



Greenville Rifle Club. 



Twenty-one members of the Greenville Rifle Club on Friday night 

 of last w^eek kept the four club ranges in constant use untU a late hour 

 in competition for the club prizes. The excellent arrangements which 

 are to be found in the lieadquarters of this club are such that on 

 nearly every night of the wtek a large number of the members may 

 be found there busily engaged in perfecting themselves in the use of 

 the rifle, and on regular shooting nights t he headquarters are crowded 

 with the members and their friends. Es-Capt. Robidoux was in fine 

 fettle and succeeded in putting up the high score of the night. The 

 scores are appended, 10 shots, 25-riug target, distance 82ft.: Robidoux 

 241, C. Boag 238, Geo. Purkess 2-37, J.' Boag 236, M. Dorrler 2.35, Plaisted 

 235, ScheeUne 234. Dodds 233, Spahn 232, CoUins 228, Lutz 229, Chavant 

 233, Gotthardt 227, Bischof 218, Agneau 209, Graef 209, Daniels 208, 

 Holzapfel 206, F. Wuestner 202, Hill 200, E. Wuestner 199. 



A small contingent of the regulars ventured out in the fog and rain 

 on Saturday last and etideavored to moke themselves believe that 

 there was sport in rifle shooting under the conditions present at the 

 time. The atmosjihere was so heavily charged with mist that it was 

 hard to discern just where the buUseye was located. Messrs. Boag, 

 Oolhus, Plaisted and Chavant shot through the regular 50 shot handi- 

 cap sweep, Boag with his Uberal handicap landing on top: 



CBoag 19U 206 202 188 197+75-1058 



WC Collins 178 206 192 210 197-1-60—1043 



G VV Plaisted 212 199 213 201 207 —10:32 



CH Chavant 212 186 198 185 20;i-{-40— 1024 



Zettler Rifle Club. 



The annual meeting of the Zettler Rifle Club for the election of 

 officers for 1893-4 took place at the headquarters of the club on Dec. 5. 

 The old board was re-elected, viz., B. Walther, Pres. ; Qeb Krauss, 

 Vice-Pres. : Gus Nowak, Sec'y; Chas. G. Zettler, Treas.; B. Zettler, 

 Shooting Master. The close of the business before the club was fol- 

 lowed by an adjournment, after which the members gave their atten- 

 tion to the work of putting up big scores on the prize target and for 

 the champion medal. Messrs. Holges and Flach divided honors for 

 the best score for the medal target, and Messrs. Ross and Flach on 

 the prize target. During the evening there was much interest evinced 

 over the rumors of the many matches that are said to be brewing 

 between some of our local experts. There is no doubt but that rifle 

 shooting interests in and about New York have of late taken a decided 

 turn for the better, and it is expected that when the season of 1894 

 opens there will be plenty of sport for our riflemen. Scores: 



Champion medal: Henry Bulges 245, Louis Flach 245, R. Busse 244, 

 F. C. Ross 244, C. G. Zettler 242, B. Zettler 239, Gus Nowak 2:38. H. D. 

 MiUler 2i7. H. Strate 237, M. B. En gel 236, H. H. Kohlmetz 2.38, Geb 

 Krauss 280, R. Harmann 236. 



Best 10-shot score, five entries: F. C. Ross 247, Louis Flach 247, H. 

 Holges 216. M. B. Engel 245, R. Busse 244, B. Zettler 248, C. G. Zettler 

 242, H. Strate 242. Gus Nowak 238, H. D. Miiller 238, A. H. Kohlmetz 

 288, Geb Krauss 236, R. Harmann 236. 



New York Schuetzen Corps. 



Thirty-seven members of the New York Schuetzen Corps, Capt. 

 Offerman, assembled in the gallery of the Zettler Bros, on Friday 

 night for gallery practice and team shooting. This corps has inaugu- 

 rated a series of bi-monthly shoots for the coming season, and while 

 it is the first attempt of the corps in gallery practice, the prospects 

 are that the venture will be highly successful. 



The evening was devoted principally to team-shooting, the members 

 being divided into teams of fifteen men each, ten shots per man. 

 First match: 



Capt Tholke's team 3,176 Capt Lemcke"s team 3,097 



Second match: 



Capt Wehrenberg's team :3,316 Capt Offermaun's team 3,298 



lu an individuul contest between six of the members, ten shots each, 

 the following scores were made: Henry Strate 239. Fred Facompre 

 239, Dr. Chas. Grosch 238, Fred Feigle 238, John D. Wiikuis 237, Aug. J. 

 Christian 237. 



New York Against New Jersey. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Ever since the championship match at Cypress Hills on Election 

 day. the air has been full of chBmpionship talk. The Ross-Zimmer- 

 niann match being off next is :i much desired match between Ross and 

 Dorrler. But last and grt-ate.st of aU is New York vs. New Jersey. 

 "Whoop her up. uoys, ' there are lots of people looking at you and 

 waiting to see that match materialize. In figuring on the'possible re- 

 sult and taking the champinnt^hip shooton Nov. 7 as a base of calcula- 

 tion, I find the total number of poitits made by the five men on the 

 proposed New York team ( Ros.^, Holges, Flach, Hutch and Boyken) 

 to be 1U,;12, while for Neu- Jersey representatix es (Dorrler, Hayes, 

 Hansen, Schlicht and Plaisted} we have a score of lO.rv'S, or a lead of 

 16 points. Again, (aking the best 10 shot scores of each team we have 

 New York 1.145, New Jersey 1.116, or 29 points in favor of New York. 

 The best possible way to decide is to have a match before the weather 

 gets too cold. All those "Jersey 'Skeeters" in the above list aie of 

 the non-migratory sort and can be found congregated on the eastern 

 side of Newark Bay any sunny Saturday should any one be looking 

 for them. Who dares knock the chip oflf ? R. R. 



ILady Miller Club. 



Aftbb a week of busy work in preparing for Thanksgiving and its 

 many cares, the members of the Lady Miller Club came out Monday 

 night prepared to put up their customary good scores in regular club 

 practice. The ladies shoot in three classes for medals, and on this 

 occasion one of the members, Mrs. Mannheimer, presented an extra 

 prize suited to the boudoir, for the member making the highest score 

 of the night. Mrs. Mannhelmer's prize was won by Mrs. Meyns on 

 the creditable score of 231. The scores are appended, medal winners 

 being marked with an asterisk: *Mrs August Meyns 231, Miss M. Miller 

 218, *Mrs. Boardman 218, *Miss Begerow 210, Mrs. Ahnert 209, Misa 

 Sanders 207, Miss Kreig er 200. 



Our Own Rifle Club. 



The weekly gallery shoot of the Our Own Club of Hoboken on Dec. 

 4 brought together twelve members in competition for the club medal. 

 Captain Hencken, J. H Kruse, W. F. Dilger and Wm. Bohmcke, had a 

 close race for first position, and the result was undecided up to the 

 last shot. Kruse succeeded in pnlling himself into first place over 

 Bonicke and Dilger by one point, and the two latter came in one 

 point ahead of Captain Hencken. Scores: J. H. Kruse 235, William 

 Bohmcke 2:54, W. F. DUger 234, H. D. Hencken 233, H. Malz 233, Otto 

 Schmidt 230, 0. Feldmann 228, Hy. Schultz 227, O. KeUer 226, J. D 

 Sinclair 215, H. Moser 215, D. Page *214. 



New York Rifle Club. 



Six members of the New York Rifle Club assembled in the St. 

 Mark's Place Gallery on Saturday P. M. for weekly practice. The 

 honors for high score of the day went to A. H. Isbell with 241. The 

 scores are appended, 10 shots, 25 ring target, distance 100ft.: H. H. 

 Isbell 241, M. Herrington 238, C. E. Fensch 2.38. R. J. Young 238, E. B. 

 Chadbourne 2.36, F. C. Hamilton :22r. 



Excelsior Rifle Club. 



The weekly shoot of the Excelsior Club on Dec. 5, had an attendance 

 of 8 members. The shooting was not up to the average of the weekly 

 shoots. The absence of Captain Hansen may have had a depressing 

 effect upon the nerves of these present. The high score of the 

 evening was made by L. A. Ryor. J. Hennessy 238, W. Weber 247, R. 

 H. Duff 232, W. Hughes 198. J. Bims 225, Bryce 2.30, J. Hughes 222, L. 

 A. Ryor 239. 



Beideman Rifle Club. 



Beideman, N. J., Dec. 6. — The following shows the weekly scores of 

 the Beideman Rifle Club, conditions 25yds., strictly off-hand. Targets 

 2in. bullseye, i4,iu. ring, possible 250. Week ending Nov. 25: 

 . J. Mehard 245, E. L. Gardener 245, J. L. Wood. 2.37. A. Schmittman 

 235, A. McGowan 235, W. Gilbert 232. Week ending Dec. 2: W. Gilbert 

 238, J. L. Wood 2-33, E. Gardmer 231. Pistol score, 50yds., possible 100: 



H. J. Mehard 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 6 8 8—92 



Wal t Gilbert, Secretary. 



RIFLE NOTES. 



Keproducefl in another column of this issue wUl be found a fac- 

 simile of the flfly-shot target, of which we made mention last week. 

 Our purpose in using a combination load of this nature was to overcome 

 if possible the extreme fouling of the rifle barrel one gets when using 

 black powder by itself. Our reader mays query as to why we did not 

 use nitro f uU charge and done with it. Our answer is, that having had 

 considerable experience with nitro in shot guns and a little with the 

 rifle, and knowing somewhat the ecaentricities of the nitro explosives 

 we did not care to venture too deep with the Ballard action and the old 

 style shell, and then agf in the sample of nitro supplied to us was too 

 small to have loaded enough shells for a series of shots. All of our 

 lubricated cranks are well acquainted with the many perplexities 

 met with in shooting black powder without cleaning and how we have 

 all been looking forward to the time when our powder manufacturers 

 would come forward with a powder that.after combustion would not 

 leavethe interior of our rifle barrels like a Pittsburgh chimney long in 

 use. Ore of our old riflemen, John H. Browm, whose name is familiar 

 to the patrons of Forest and Stream, some years ago gave cnn- 

 siderable time and study to the "use of nitro in the rifle. His expe- 

 rience was much the same as that of many others in the fact that 

 reliable work could not be done with the nitro using the shells and 

 primers then on the market. It was the advent of the new Winchester 

 (No. 3 W.) primer that brought us back again to the subject of nitro 

 powder in the rifle. A few trials with the new primer from muzzle 

 rest and oft' hand gave good results, these were followed by the fifty 

 shots published in this issue. We are expecting new supplies of nitro 

 for experimental work on or about Christmas. When the new powder 

 comes to hand, we shall proceed to take a little deeper dip into the 

 mysteries of it, and if we are lucky enough to come to the surface 

 again we shall he pleased to give the readers of Forest and Stream a 

 little further light upon what we found. 



We note that the War Department has at last decided upon a smoke- 

 less powder. Report says that the Leonard Powder Co., of New York, 

 is the successful bidder for the first order to be placed by the Govern- 

 ment for 10,0001bs. of powder for ordnance and small arms purposes. 

 The success of an American company in securing the Government 

 patronage for smokeless powder is a matter of congratulation to all 

 true Americans, and we congratulate President John H. Brown and 

 his co-workers in the Leonard Powder Co. for their enterprise in push- 

 ing their American powder to the front. Mr. Brown is one of the 

 veterans in the fraternity of rifle shooters and is best known to the 

 American public as the inventor of the Browm segmental tube wire 

 gun, now in the hands of the Ordnance Board at Sandy Hook. 



At the annual ball of the New York Central Corps in Terrace Gar- 

 den on Thursday night of last week, many of our prominent (Jerman 

 shooting societies were represented. During the night a group of the 

 several societies represented became interested in the topic of team 

 shooting and the result was that a match was made to shoot a gaUery 

 match on the Zettler Bros, ranges early in February between teams 

 made up from the New York Schuetzen Corps, the New York City 

 Corps and the Harlem Independent Corps, each team to consist of ten 

 men, the losing team to pay for the expenses of the gaUery and the 

 usual refreshments. 



The report of the Hartford Rifle Club shoot in last week's issue, in 

 which H. M. Pope is credited with a total of 855 points in 100 shots on 

 the standard American target is highly gratifying to the many friends 

 of this popular sportsman. With his bicycle and his rifle Pope has got 

 an acquaintance that extends from Maine to the Pacific. 

 — The Zettler Rifle Club wOl hold its annual gallery prize shoot at the 

 headquarters on Jan. 20, 21 and 22. On the prize target there will be 

 fifteen prizes ranging from $25 to $1. On the bullseye target there 

 will be ten prizes, from $10 to $1. Tickets will be three shots, 35 cents 

 each, or three for 1$. 



At the monthly meeting of the New York Schuetzen Corps last 

 week three prominent riflemen, Messrs. B. Walther, Gus. Hmmerman 

 and Capt. A. Kuobloch were made members of the society. 



All ties divided unless otherwise reported. 

 FIXTURES. 



If you want your shoot to be announced here 

 send In notice like the following: 



Dec. 10-12.— West End Gun Club tournament, at Davenport, la. 



Dec 21.— Elliott vs. Class, 100 live birds each, on Erb's grounds, 

 Bloomfield avenue, Newark, N. J., beginning at 10 A. M. 



Dec. 25.— Union Gun Club tournament, at Springfield, N. J.; 9 A. M. 

 to 1 P. M. live birds; 1 P. M. until dark, targets. ' Open to all. 



Dec. 25. — Dexter Park live bird and target shoot. 



Dec. 25.— Open sweep at live birds, on Erb's grounds, Bloomfield 

 aven ue. Newark, N. J. 



Dec. 28.— Team of three shoot, at Willard's Park, Paterson, begin- 

 ning at 10 A. M. Three men from any club, §80 entrance per team, 15 

 live birds per man. 



1894. 



Jan. 1.— New Year's tournament, Towanda (Pa.) Rod and Gun Club 

 at Towanda, Pa Live birds and targets. 



Jan. ].— Dexter Park five bird and target shoot. 



Jan. 1.— South Side Gun Club's thirteenth New Year's annual, 

 at Newark. N. J. 



Jan. 9.— New Jersey vs. Kings cotmty, team shoot, on Al. Heritage's 

 grounds, Marion, N. J. 



Feb. —.—Reading Shooting Association tournament; two days 

 targets, one day live birds, at Three-Mile House, ShiUington, Pa. 



April 4-B. — Interstate Manufacturers' and Dealers' Associatioh''8 

 grand American handicap at Dexter Park, Long Island. 



April 24 27— Central City Gun Club's tournament. Central City, Neb 



May 1-6.— Arkansas State Sportsmen's Association's tournament, a 

 Fort Smith. Arkansas. 



May 17-18.— West Newburg (N. Y.) Gun and Rifle Association' 

 pring tournament. 



