456 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
feathers spirally upon the rear end, which, by the 
action of the air, kept the arrow whirling on its 
-H..S.?.?..ftd 
f 
p:^/J__ 1500 ft. 
MOTION OF A FALLING AND A BIOVING BULLET. 
long axis (For other items about guns, projec- 
tiles, powder, etc., see Wingate's book; also the 
pamphlets furnished free by E. Remington & Sons.) 
When a bullet leaves the gun, It is affected 
by Jire distinct forces, each of than acling entire- 
ly independent of the others: 1st. The i>piral or 
serew motion turning it on its own axis, over 
from the left, given by the rifling of the barrel.— 
Snd. The forward motion depending upon the 
amount and quality of the powder, kind of gun, 
etc. — 3rd. The resistance of the air, which constantly 
decreases its velocity. The greater the velocity, 
the greater the resistance of the air. A fan may be 
moved slowly through the air without its opposing 
force being felt, but if moved very rapidly, this may 
break it from the handle, just as a gale of wind will 
-M 
Flj. 6.— snoOTINO AT DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS. 
break down a strong tree, or force down a build- 
ing. We have bo accurate figures, but we may sup- 
pose a bullet sent with such a velocity as to go 
1,500 feet the first second, will be 
so opposed by the air, that in the 
next second it will go but 1,000 
feet, and in the thud second only 
500 feet. If the wind blows from 
the rear it will help the velocity, 
and if from the front, it will re- 
tard it, both influences to be taken 
into account, in accurate shoot- 
ing at long range, and especially 
with military or other guns carry- 
ing large bullets with moderate ve- 
locity. — 4th. The side motion given 
by cross or diagonal winds. This 
is an Important element, because 
variable, and observing and pro- 
viding for this, constitute nine- 
tenths of the success of rifle-shoot- 
ing. If we hang a long bullet, 
like fig. 3, upon a very long thread 
so that it will swing nearly hori- 
zontally, a genUe wind of 4 miles an hour will in one 
second swing the bullet neariy one foot, and in 
three seconds, about 3i feet. A strong wind of a5 
miles an hour will move i\. about 3i feet In a second, 
and 15 or Ifi feet in three seconOs, wh^le a gale, 
SO miles an hour, will move the bullet t.oout Ti feet 
Fi?. S.— MODE OF SIGHTING AT LONG IIANGi?!, 
In one second, and 30 feet in three seconds. The 
following table, not designed to be strictly accurate, 
will f;ive some idea of the relative force of the wind 
upon a bullet suspended as above : 
relocitt/oficindperhr.4miles 10 m. 20 m. 50 m. 
Movcsi'hnllet In 1 second lOln. '"' ' ' 
MoveRtthnllot li * " " 
Moves a bullet 1 
iniipernr. i miles 10m. 20 m. 50m. 80 m. 
tin 1 second 10 In. 18in. 2Mfl. 5ft. 71<ft. 
tlnaseCndsmft. 3ft. 3Vft. 9ft. 1.3 ft. 
tln.'jBBc'oaeSHft, 7ft. jiff,. 21ft, 90 Jt. 
This side wind force acts upon a bullet moving for- 
ward freely through the air, just the same as it it 
were hanging upon a long thread, and it has to be 
provided for in shooting. It is dune either by aim- 
ing to the windward side of the target, or by shift- 
ing the sight. The better class of rifles have the 
front sight set upon a graduated slide provided with 
a screw, (fig. 4), called a " wind-gauge," to throw 
the muzzle to either side of the sight. Each mark 
on the wind-gauge corresponds to one inch for each 
150 feet of distance, or 20 inches for 3,000 feet, (1,000 
yards). At this distance one would have to move 
the first sight 18 points in a gale of wind. — 5th. 
Theforee of grainty or weight, which carries the ball 
downward. Omitting the resistance of the air, we 
may say that a heavy body dropped from an eleva- 
tion falls 10 feet the first second, 48 feet the second 
second, 80 feet the third second, or a total of 144 
Creedmoor Target for TOO to 1.100 Yards— Scale liS."*— 
Bulls-eye 36 inches; Center 51 in.di;im. ; Inner, square, 6 ft.; 
Outers (2 winffs) 3x6 It.— Counting: Bulls-eye, .5, Center, 
4 ; Inuer, 3 ; Outers, 9 ; Shots Missing the Target count O, 
Fig. 9. 
Score of 30 consecutive sliots, Nov. 1, 1875, at I.OOU 
yardtf (3G0 feet over half a mile !i No sighting shots t.iken. 
Oay cool and cloudy. Time 3.45 to 5 o'cloclc p. M. TVind 
very steady from The left. Wind-Lraii^-e 4'^ points to right. 
Elevation 'J^SS*. Weigiit (^'f powder 90 grains. Hazard's/". 
G. Weight of bullet 550 grains; elongated conical (fig. 3). 
liifle, neiningtou's Creedmoor. No wind guides, except a 
small flag at firing station and at target, and smoke from 
neigtibonng chimneys. Count: 5. 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, C\ 5, 5, 5, 5. 5, 
5, 5, 5, 5, 5,' 5, 5, .5,=or 98 points in a possible 100. The 
sliooting was stopped by darkness coming on. — O. J. 
feet in three seconds, and so on. But a bullet mov- 
ing forward by the powder force, fails just the same 
as if it was not going forward, the two forces are 
independent of each other. Thus in fig. 5, suspend 
the ball £ so that the ball A will loosen It at the 
instant of starting towards d. In one second .B will 
fall 16 feet to J? in the line «... ./, and A will fall 
to >4' in the same line, though carried forward 1,.500 
feet. At the end of two seconds B' will have fallen 
Score of lao consecutive shots (15 per day), except one 
or two ■■sightlne biiois" on some days: Oct. 5th, 7th, 8th, 
I4th,19th.S0Mi,2l3taud2Jd. 1,000 Yai-ds. Rifle, powder 
bullet, etc., same as in flg. 9. Wind and light vari;ible on 
different days; wlnd-gaugo ranging from to 9l< poluts, and 
elevation from a°3S' to aojg- for front and rear winds. Gen- 
eral daily (core 61 to 65. except on Oct. 14lli. when the wind 
was very "gusty," reducing the score that day to 40-75. O.J. 
48 feet more to .B" in the line g h, and A will fall 
to ^"1, having moved forward 1,000 ft. In the third 
second ^ falls 80 feet more to B'"> in the linet k, 
and A falls to A"' in the same line, having moved 
forward 500 feet, unless a rear wind carries it further, 
or a front wind retards it, making it fall short of 
A"t. Fig. 6 illustrates the track of the ball If the gun 
be fired at different elevations, as at o, n, or m. To 
meet this difficulty, the gunner calculates as nearly 
as he can, the distance of the object aimed at, and 
aim above it. If shooting a. 5.j0 grain conical bullet, 
with 90 grains of powder, he aims 6 to 7 feet above an 
object 40 rods away ; but .above it 30 feet it 80 rods 
away ; and 130 to 140 feet above it, if 1,000 yards 
off — more in each case if using a thicker ball or less 
powder, etc. (In making the score shown in fig. 9, 
the bore of the rifle was aimed at a point 138 feet 
above the buITs eijc, and 7i feet to the left of it, on ac- 
count of a full moderate wind (13 miles an hour) 
blowing from that direction ! Most rifles now have 
a rear sight to raise and fall, eo that, with the wind- 
gauge, one can so adjust the two as to always aim 
the sights directly at the mark, though the barrel is 
aimed and the bullet starts quite wide of the mark ; 
MAJ. HENKy FULTON'S POSITiOK. 
gravity and the wind bring it to the desired point. 
The best rifles have a rear-sight and vernier, flg. 7, 
upon the breech close to the eye, and raise or fall 
the sighting disk with a screw. Fig. 8 shows this : 
the sighting is from E to T\ the gun-barrel is 
pointed at P, and the bullet follows the black line. 
It is important to note that when the rear-sight is 
elevated, it must be held perpendii-ular, the slight- 
est turning to either side wUl throw the ball to that 
side. The best rifles now have a little spirit^vel 
just back of the front sight, so that the eye can ob- 
serve a bubble of air when the gun is held lerel 
We can now understand what the careful gunner 
does on attempting to tire at a distant animal or 
target. First, he quickly estimates the distance, 
and knowing the power of his gun, powder, etc., 
and if need be, allowing for a strong front or rear 
wind, he ((uickly turns the screw on the rear sight 
up or do^vn as needed. At the same time noting the 
wind force, from its effects upon trees, grass, and 
upon smoke if any be in sight, he gives one or 
Fig. r..*. — COL. JOHN BODINE'S POSITION. 
more turns to the "wind-gauge" screw lu front. 
The principles involved, apply to all kinds of 
shooting, with rifles, shot guns, and to the various 
kinds of ordnance. The study and the application 
of these principles to the actual test, constitute 
the chief attraction of rifle shooting for the writer. 
To show what even a little study and practice 
will do, we give in figs. 9 and 10 reduced exact 
copies of two targets made by the writer. Since fig. 
9 was sent to the engraver, two other scores, near^ 
ly as good, have been made. Fig. 10 has all the 
shots made during October, excepting one or two 
preUminary " sighting shots " each day, to experi- 
ment upon the wind force at the time The 
iTiles for shooting at rifle ranges require "stand- 
ing," " off-hand " for 40 to 60 rods (300 yards) or 
less ; while for all further distances " any position " 
is allowed which one can take without artificial 
rests, or any other aid than he can get from his own 
body, on level ground. The three illustrations (figs. 
11, 12, 13) show some of these positions. Fig. 13 — 
differing somewhat from that of Hepburn, Tale, etc. 
— is a position adopted by the writer and one or two 
gentlemen with him. It is very steady ; the lower 
limbs crossing, the feet brace ./ii'mly from each side. 
The left hand resting upon the thighs, grasps the 
^ig. IS.— OFP. POSITION. 
barrel firmly, holds it steady, and brings it baclc 
firmly against the shoulder, which saves one from 
the recoil or " kicking " of a heavy charge. This 
last item is important in all shooting. A gun, firm- 
ly against the shoulder, seldom "hurts"; give it 
even half an inch of motion in the air, or while 
pressing back the soft flesh of the arm, and it ac- 
quires a momentum like that of a moving stone. 
