FOREST AND STREAM 
‘204 
tory with artificial lines of sight obtained by the use of a 
breech sight or htmsse, are called artificial point blank. 
Now, the natural line of sight is the line passing through the 
highest point of the base of the breech and the highest point 
of the muzzle, or of the muzzle sight, if there be one. But the 
muzzle sight iu small arms and small cannon is equal to the 
dispart, which is the difference between the semi-diameters 
of the breech and muzzle, hence the natural line of sight 
will be parallel to the line of fire, It will not he intersected 
by the trajectory, and there will be no natural point blank 
range, unless the Euglish definition he adopted, as has been 
done. Both Thiroux and General Roberts define point blank 
range “as the distance from the muzzle of the piece to that 
poiut in a projectile trajectory where it cuts the prolongation 
of the natural line of sight the second time, the natural line 
of sight being horizontal.” They define the natural line of 
eight us I have done above. Now, it is evident, as I have 
said, that if the natural line of sight is taken ns passing 
through the top of the muzzle sight, and if the muzzle sight 
is equal to the dispart — and it should he, except for very large 
cannon, iu which case it would be inconveniently high for 
a fixed sight — there will he no poiut blank, because the line 
of sight will then bo parallel to the axis of the piece, and 
will never be intersected by the trajectory. If there be no 
muzzle sight, then the poiut blank range will vary with the 
shape of the piece, the greater the difference between the 
diameters ot the breech and muzzle, the groater will be the 
point blank range, /or the line of sight being horizontal, the 
angle of fire will equal the natural angle of sight, and will 
increase with it. The Euglish definition relieves us of this 
objection, and hence is, in my judgment, preferable. Now, 
then, the questiou arises, if an object is at point-blank dis- 
tance, how must one aim to strike it? The ball strikes the 
horizontal at point blank distance. The centre of the target 
may be directly over, but two or three feet above this point. 
The evident answer is that the line of fire must be elevated 
sufficiently to enable the ball to pass through centre, and not 
strike the ground three feet below, which illustrates what 
the Major says with great force and clearness, that there is 
no centre shooting along the axis of the piece. Now, the 
point blank range of a rifle is very limited. The time re- 
quired for the bail to traverse this limited distance is very 
brief, and the space through which a body will fall in the 
first tenth of a second from the time it begins to fall 1 is very 
much less than the space through which it will fall in the 
last tenth of the same second, for the spaces fallen 
are proportional to the squares of the times of the fall. Be- 
cause a body will fall 1G.07 ft. in one second, it by no means 
follows that it will fall one-tenth of this distance in the first 
tenth second of its fall— far from it. So we see that the fall 
of a ball under the influence of gravity, in the time required 
to accomplish the point blank range is very small, and the 
elevation of the axis will be correspondingly minute. The 
only practical difference of aim will be that between draw- 
ing a fine or coarse sight. I have, perhaps, been unneces- 
sarily minute, but I have been interrogated by one of your 
readers upon the questions involved in this explanation. 
Soon Ship. 
THE RIFLE IN RICHMOND. 
Pulsifer & Co., proprietors of the Boston Jlcrald, offer a 
silver cup ; at 800 yards the principal prize is a silver CU P> 
offered by Benjamin A. Hersey. jeweler ; and at 1,000 yards 
Frank Wesson, of Worcester, offers a highly-finished breech- 
loading rifle of his well-known make. Thirty-five additional 
prizes of smaller value are contributed by friends and by 
the association. All these matches are arranged to make 
them as attractive as possible to non-members of the associ- 
tion. It is to be trusted that the liberality displayed in pre- 
paring this second “spring meeting” will meet with a hearty 
response. 
Massachusetts Rifle Association.— At Walnut Hill 
range last week a number of interesting matches were shot. 
The first match at 200 yards was the opening of the amateur 
serieg—all winners of first prizes in 1877 excluded. 
J B Osborn 
A VV Howlaud.. 
William Poland.. 
A Higgins 
E B Soother 
WM Ward 
J Langdon 
WK Garner 
C C Hubbard 
<; A Parker 
William Gerrlsh 
J W Frye 
J Borden 
L F Newcomb... 
J Wemyss, Jr... 
EO Spoilord 
J E Shepard 
ON Mlggs 
H J Harris 
e H Tilton 
FR Shattucke.. 
J B Parker 
F W Stevens 
This was followed by the “No Cleaning Match,” at 200 
and 800 yards, with the following results : 
Two hundred yards. 
5 
6 
4 
4 
4 
6 
4 
4 
4-44 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4 
4—42 
4 
4 
A 
3 
4 
4 
6 
4 
4—42 
3 
4 
6 
4 
4 
4 
6 
4—41 
4 
3 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4-41 
3 
4 
3 
4 
4 
0 
4 
6 
4 — 40 
5 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
2 
5 
4—111 
:i 
4 
4 
6 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4—10 
3 
l 
6 
4 
3 
4 
4 
4—10 
4 
1 
5 
4 
4 
3 
4 
4 
4—10 
3 
3 
4 
3 
5 
4 
3 
4 
5—39 
3 
4 
4 
6 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4—39 
3 
3 
4 
4 
4 
6 
4 
1 
4-39 
4 
3 
4 
4 
4 
4 
3 
4 
4—99 
..4 
3 
4 
4 
3 
4 
3 
6 
4 
4—38 
3 
3 
4 
3 
■1 
6 
4 
4 
4—38 
2 
0 
6 
4 
4 
6 
6 
6 
4 — 37 
3 
3 
4 
4 
4 
4 
3 
6 
4-37 
4 
3 
4 
3 
4 
4 
4 
3—37 
0 
4 
6 
3 
4 
4 
8 
4 
4—36 
2 
4 
3 
0 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4-31 
2 
4 
2 
4 
2 
3 
4 
4 
3—31 
8 
0 
4 
2 
4 
3 
0 
3 
3 — 2S 
5 
4 
4 
6 
6 
4 
4 
8—31 
5—30 
4-30 
5 
4 
4 
5 
4 
4 
3 
6 
4 
5-29 
6 
3 
4 
3 
4 
5—23 
4 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4-23 
4 
4 
4 
6 
4—23 
W M ward...* 
4 
4 
4 
4 
3 
4 
5 
4 
4 
4 
4—28 
4—23 
4 
4 
4 
3 
4 
4—28 
6 
4 
4 
3 
3—27 
2 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4-27 
3 
4 
6 
4 
4 
3—26 
4 
2 
4 
3 
3 
4—26 
Tnree hundred yards. 
4 
6 
3 
5 
4 
4—20 
4 
4 
4 
3 
4 
6—28 
4 
4 
5 
4 
3 
3-27 
5 
3 
V. 
6 
4—26 
4 
3 
4 
6 
6-25 
8 
4 
8 
4 
8 
3-26 
4 
4 
3 
8 
4 
3—24 
4 
2 
3 
4 
0 
4-21 
0 
3 
3 
4 
3 
3—21 
3 
4 
3 
4 
2 
2-21 
4 
2 
2 
2 
2 
4—20 
0 
4 
3 
3 
6 
4—16 
.0 
8 
0 
4 
4 
2 
3—16 
2 
0 
8 
3 
2 
8—16 
8 
4 
3 
2 
n 
0—16 
Richmond, Va., March 29, 1878. 
I will take the medium of your valuable paper to thank 
the members of the Deulche Scheutzen Gesellschaft for the 
many kindnesses and courtesies extended to me while in their 
city, and will say that any true lover of rifle shooting will 
here find the gentlemen composing the club always willing 
to give him some sport, being themselves enthusiasts. 
The range here is located on grounds adjoining Yungling’s 
brewery, a short distance from Richmond, where, in the 
summer months, picnics and balls are held. Being on a hill 
and close beside the James River, it is a delightful place. 
The range is at present only 150 yards, hut it is contem- 
plated lengthening it to 200 yards. The members now shoot 
at a six-inch bull’s-eye, and I assure you it is very frequently 
hit, if the shooting 'I saw here yesterday is a fair sample, 
even when the weather was all against the shooters, it being 
very cloudy. The members of the club are wide awake to 
all modern improvements in the rifles and sights, and keep 
themselves thoroughly posted through the Forest and 
Stream, and before my arrival here were all on the qui tine 
concerning the late shoot for your elegant badge at Conlin’s 
gallery. Yesterday a telephone was fixed on the range, and 
worked admirably, especially in sending word what number 
had been made when shooting on a string measurement tar- 
get. At a meeting of the club, after the shoot, your humble 
servant was called upon to explain the system of handicap- 
ing used by the New York Rifle Club iu shooting for iheir 
badges. The idea that the poor shots stood an equal chance 
with the best seemed to find much favor, and I think will 
he adopted by the club, as under this system the shooter 
making the most progress must eventually win the badge. 
The club here are very anxious for a match with a New 
York club for a team of five orjyght men, ten scoring and 
two sighting at 200 yards; and if the New York team are 
willing to shoot at a reduced bull's-eye at 200 yards (making 
it the same as at 800 yards in appearance), ten shots, with 
two sighting shots at each range, the members promise 
any team coming here a good time, and I, myself, would 
ask no belter guarantee. The ride here on the boat from New 
York is simply delightful during the summer months. Messrs. 
Stokes, Jenkins and Euker arc amongst the best shots here, 
the former being credited with 48 out of possible 50, Creed- 
moor count, so that any visiliDg team must shoot well to 
take the “cake.” Four kinds of rifles were represented on 
the range yesterday— Ballard, Wesson, Sharps and Reming- 
ton— the preference seemingly being in favor of the Ballard, 
with lubricated bullets, thereby dispensing with cleaning 
after each shot. Although the shooting was stopped by a 
heavy shower, a very pleasant time was had, and on reach- 
ing Richmond I had to confess that very rarely during my 
life had I passed a more enjoyable afternoon. I remain 
yours very truly. Three-Pound Pull. 
At the conclusion of the “No Cleaning Match," the GOO and 
900 yards match was in order: 
Six hundred yards. 
Massachusetts Rifle Association.— Aside from three 
matches limited to members of the association, there will be 
Bix matches open to all comers, the aggregate value of the 
prizes in each match, excepting one, beiDg over $100. At 
200 yards the United States Cartridge Company, of Lowell 
offers a silver cup ; in another match at the same distance, 
Mortimer & Kirkwood offer a shot-gun of their own manu- 
facture; at 500 yards, ofl-hand, a $2o prize is offered by J. 
L. Stevenson A Co. ; at 600 yards, cartons counting, R. M. 
W Gerrlsh 
H Tylor. .. 
K W Law 
Nine hundred yards. 
5 5 5 6 6—25 A W Howland 4 5 5 6 6—24 
4 5 6 5 6— 24 A U Hebbard 4 5 5 5 5—24 
a 6 4 6 6 5—24 HTvler 4 5 4 5 5—23 
O N Griswold 5 5 5 4 5-24 JC Shepard 6 4 5 5 4-23 
A W Howland 6 4 4 5 6-23 C 0 Hubbard 6 5 0 5 5-80 
A n Hebbard 4 5 5 5 4—23 E W Law. 4 4 3 5 4-20 
6 4 6 5 4—23 L F Newcomb 4 5 4 4 3—20 
u c cuepar 4 5 4 6 4-22 A J PllUbrlck B 5 5 5 0-20 
A J Phllorick 4 3 4 5 5-81 w Poland 0 6 6 4 6-19 
L F Newcomb 5 5 5 4 2. .21 W Gerrlsh 3 3 5 4 3-18 
.T AFrve 3 3 5 4 6-20 O N Grlswsl.d 4 5 3 8 3-17 
.4 4 5 3 4—20 J N Frve 0 3 3 5 4—15 
r, 4 4 0 4—18 H F Lord 0 5 0 6 3 — 13 
Winv aid'. .2 0 3 5 4—14 K C 8poITord 0 3 0 4 6—12 
E C Spoilord 0 3 3 4 3—13 W M Ward 2 0 3 2 5—12 
After a remarkably close contest between Messrs. How- 
land, Hebbard and 'Tyler, it was decided in favor of How- 
land. The following match was also shot in the Amateur 
series : 
J Borden f 446 46444 6-43 
W B -Sargent, Jr J 2 r a 1 4 3 s 4 4I39 
Caplahl Hobbs 2 23424344 4-32 
Wakefield vs. Medford — April 11.— At 200 yards. 
WakeQeld Rifle Team. 
David H walker 4 534433456 4434 4-59 
Tluvtrl Oirilvle 8 3 4 3 3 4 6 3 4 J •> 3.4 4 a oa 
Owen Corcoran 3 3444340433443 3—40 
W R Daniel 3 4 4 5 4 4 5 4 4 5 4 4 3 4 3— (JO 
John W Johnson S44 ?2iji?Koi2ff 4~59 
Simon Paul 4 44333456 J 4446 4 59 
James Andean. . . . 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 6 3 4 4 3 4 4 4^7 
Total 392 
The seventh competition for the Turf, Field and Farm 
Badge took place at 1:30 P. m., at 200 yards distance ; ten 
shots per man. There were t77enty-five entries: 
J K Richards 
J H Whitney 
W P Metcalf 
J R Grohmann. 
DrH SDndley. 
E A Grllfln — 
A M Miller 
32 
Medford Rifle Team. 
0 3430432343333 4-43 
4 4355444344343 4—58 
„ . 4 44843444 2 2438 3—51 
N P Ames 4 2243333464 4 44 3 — 52 
George Wade ,.4 644443 2 444343 4 56 
E S Piper 5 4 6 5 4 6 4 3 4 3 3 4 4 3 6-01 
J It Teele 4 4434443644464 6-61 
Total 332 
— At Quinnipiac range, to-morrow, April 19, the follow- 
ing matches will be shot: The allcomers’ short-range 
mutch, distance 200 yards ; the military short-range match, 
distance 200 yards ; all-comers’ mid-range match, distance 
500 ; military mid-range match, 500 yards, and the all- 
comers' loDg-range match, distance 1,000 yards. 
Creedmoor— The Opening.— O n Saturday last the first 
rifle matches of the season took place. There was an unusu- 
ally large attendance. It was a pleasant day, though windy, 
with a 9 to 91 o’clock wind. Range was in admirable condi- 
tion, and everything in apple-pie order. There were three 
matches, one at long range and two at short range^ The 
long range match was the eighth competition for the Sharps 
prize, $250 in gold, open lo all comers ; highest possible 
D Banks 
N O’Donnell 
O H Jobr 
II W Gourlay 
D F Davids 
F IT Holton 
E E Lewis 
SFKneeland 
The third competition for the Spirit of the Times badge, at 
300 yards’ distance concluded the day’s shooting. This medal 
was won twice last season by Mr. C. H. Johr, and as he won 
it yesterday he becomes the final possessor. There were 
twenty-six entries, and the scores were as follows, fifty 
points being the highest attainable score : 
C H JoUr ...- 3G D Banks 28 
E R Qrobmann 83 M Fltzglbbon ...27 
D T Davids 32 Thomas Lloyd 27 
F II Holton 82 EE Lewis 26 
H Fisher.... 30 J S Conlln 25 
J K Irwin 30 E A Grinin. 21 
W K Livermore 39 EH Sanford 21 
Dr M M Malt by 20 James Grant 20 
J L PauldlDg 83 N O'Donnell 20 
JWTodd 28 SFKneeland is 
N D Ward 2S KM Riddle IS 
H W Gourlay 2S AM Miller 17 
Change of Time at Creedmoor.— A special train will 
run to Creedmoor at 2 p. m. Matches set down on the pro- 
gramme at 1:30 will commence at 3 o'clock. 
Short-Range MAK8MANsmp. — The New York and New 
Jersey Schuetzen Corps held, on Wednesday the 10th, their 
sixth competition for the badge at Union Hill, N. J. The 
weather was most unfavorable, being foggy. The highest 
possible individual score was 250, and in the team of twenty, 
5,000; distance, 200 yards. The New Yorkers won. The 
following were the scores : 
New York Schuetzen Corps— Capt Geo Aery. 
Captain Aery 
14 
S 
3 
16 
4 
22 
10 
17 
8—108 
13 
17 
18 
10 
13 
23 
20 
20 
17-181 
Phil Klein 
...20 
IS 
21 
14 
18 
24 
22 
21 
21 
12—191 
17 
22 
20 
21 
17 
14 
25 
IS 
‘24—200 
16 
16 
10 
IS 
IS 
u 
19 
24 
IS — 170 
21 
14 
15 
18 
21 
17 
25 
23 
12—184 
19 
18 
21 
19 
10 
20 
10 
16 
10 
25 
23 
12 
21 
18 
24 
15 
22 
24 
20 
9—174 
22 
22 
11 
18 
22 
21 
7 
20 
12—102 
15 
15 
21 
23 
18 
5 
18 
21 
24—183 
19 
S3 
10 
19 
10 
20 
23 
21 
21-199 
19 
21 
10 
1G 
17 
21 
25 
16 
23-199 
17 
0 
24 
19 
18 
10 
12 
22 
0—110 
15 
24 
1 
18 
18 
14 
13 
19 
19-149 
10 
9 
21 
19 
8 
14 
20 
15 
11—160 
17 
0 
21 
10 
16 
16 
16 
12—141 
...23 
13 
13 
12 
12 
14 
IS 
10 
16 
17—144 
22 
21 
10 
23 
19 
23 
19 
24 
1!>— 140 
20 
4 
10 
12 
9 
11 
23 
17 
Jersey schuetzen Corps— Capt 
Aug Ermlsch. 
16 
14 
21 
17 
9 
15 
16 
21 
22—166 
18 
21 
18 
21 
19 
23 
22 
20 
21—200 
0 
IS 
17 
23 
19 
24 
21 
S 
4—160 
17 
20 
23 
21 
10 
23 
17 
IS 
18—193 
14 
16 
17 
22 
13 
11 
22 
19 
19—110 
0 
23 
0 
17 
8 
0 
10 
23 
15 
14 
23 
15 
18 
10 
22 
24 
18—190 
11-144 
19 
10 
7 
21 
12 
10 
1 5 
24 
10 
20 
0 
19 
10 
IS 
C 
18 
15 
5 
0 
9 
23 
7 
17 
20 
21 
11 
20 
13 
23 
20 
IS 
10 
10 
24 
IS 
20 
8—182 
11 
K 
16 
13 
13 
5 
22 
13 
25 
13 
IS 
19 
12 
11 
19 
20 
18 
10 
16 
0 
22 
16—155 
18—160 
.... o 
0 
22 
21 
21 
12 
16 
21 
11 
12 
10 
19 
10 
19 
14 
24 
24 
24 
17 
22 
18 
lb 
It 
13 
J Flelsbach 
19 
22 
11 
9 
19 
16 
21 
Total . 
.3,260 
C Judson 
M L Rings 
M Dorrler. 
J Jolnor... 
B Zettler. 
Frank Hyde. 
B G Doughty. 
800 yds. 
900 yds. 
1,1001yds. 
T'l 
69 
67 
63 
61 
52 
68 
67 
61 
161 
40 
61 
35 
150 
M 
43 
143 
43 
134 
62 
33 
128 
Individual prizes were presented to William Klein, J. F. 
Rathyen and Henry Knebel, of the New York team, and to 
William Hayes anti Max Engel, of the.New Jersey team, for 
high individual scores. 
Zettler Rifle Club.— T his leading club held their 
weekly match April 9, at Zettler’s Gallery, 100 feet, off- 
hand, at Creedmoor target reduced to gallery distance; ten 
shots ; possible 50. 
CG Zettler 60 Theo Kllesrath 47 
D Miller 49 J Levy *“ 
W Moore 43 H Oehl *5 
G Judson 47 W Welgandt 45 
47 G a Slntnnan ** 
..47 L K Beateae 44 
47 CVollors 42 
47 FFarbaruB 40 
The members of the Zettler Rifle Club will shoot for a 
gold medal, presented by the Zettler Bros., at Guttenburg. 
Distance, 200 yards, off-hand, ring target, on April 21, 1878. 
B. Zettler, Captain. 
Virginia — W e take thefrom the Richmond Despatch: 
“ The Old Dominion Rifle Club has been recently organized 
for the advancement, of rifle-shooting, and its membership 
now comprises many of the leading business and profes- 
sional men not only of this city but throughout the State. 
A careful score is preserved of shots* from the date of the 
club’s organization, and it is interesting to note the steady 
imorovement it indicates. The Deutscne Schuetzen Gesell- 
schaft which, though a distinct organization, comprises 
many of the “crack shots,” of the Old Dominion, at a recent 
meeting decided to offer an elegant gold badge as a premium 
for the successful competitor in a series of weekly shooting- 
matches soon to be inaugurated on their grounds. 
Sacramento Pistol Team.— W eekly match, April 3 ; 
range, sixty feet ; circular target, 10J inches iu diameter, 
with rings counting from one to eleven, aud bull’s-eye, 1 
inch in diameter, counting twelve. Out of a possible 120 
the following scores were made : 
■=^i 1! 5“ 8 IS *. 5 ? f° H 
>1 8 IS ’ 4 ; j >bi 
1 1 , 8 > % » sJ 
Jackson 7 9 10 10 11 0 7 8 9 10- SI 
.5 .! £ " 8 U 8 .1 t.S 
Atkinson 
Brewer.. 
Byers 
