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Show United States Government Behind New Rifle Movement Uncle Sam Will Popularize Small Bore Rifle Shooting; ' American Citizens Eligible to Membership; What It Is, and Why (By Lieut. Col. Townscnd Whelan.) Small bore rifle shooting is shooting outdoors at 60, 100 and 200 yards with full sized .22 caliber rifles. The rifles aro in general a combination of military mili-tary rifle and fine target rifle, and fully meet the requirements of the most expert riflemen. The ammunition ammuni-tion used is the .22 caliber long rifle cartridge which is exceedingly accurate accu-rate at the ranges Indicated. Firing is done at targets of the proper size for the various ranges, and also at practical targets simulating at sliort range thoso targets which the sportsman sports-man and soldier finds in actual field, conditions. Tho system has much to commend It, It is inexpensive, an afternoon's sport costing from fifty cents to one d611ar. It does not require elaborate range equipment as several enthusiasts enthusi-asts can build a rifle range on a couple of afternoons from scrap material at practically no cost. It does not require the range to be located in a sparsely Bettled, inaccessible locality. Kangesi can be located in tho outskirts of a city, or even a protected range within the city is entirely practicable. Thus the ranges are available for shooting in the late summer afternoons after' business. Telescopes are used for spotting tho shots, and markers in tho buttB are unnecessary. At 100 yards and 200 yards the same allowance for wind is necessary as is required when shooting tho large high velocity rifles au ouu ami j.uuu yarub. mere is no recoil to the .22 caliber rifle, and very light report. Small boro Bhootlng requires just as much skill and careful attention as shooting tho larger tnrget and military mili-tary rifles. It Is an excellent preparation prepa-ration for sporting or military target shooting, and for game shooting with tho hunting rifle. From a military standpoint it has been provod many times that it is possible to basically train men in small bore shooting so that they will excel at military shooting shoot-ing at tho very first attempt with tho target rifle. However, small bore shooting will appeal to the average American raoro as a sport than as a military exorcise. Why Not Get In? Tho National Hlflo association of America encourages small bore rlflo shooting in ovcry way possible. They hold annual competitions on tho homo ranges of all clubs. These competitions competi-tions aro opon to members of the National Na-tional Rlflo association, and to all' rifle clubs and schools nnd colleges' affiliated with the association. Any' group of men can form a civilian rlflo club and affiliate with tho National Na-tional Rlflo association. Any Amerl-' can citizen can become a member of the National Rlflo association, and la then eligible to enter all matches at reduced rates, and to purchase government gov-ernment arms and ammunition at cost prices. The National Rifle association also holds annual small bore championship champion-ship matches in connection with tho national matches of the government. Civilian rifle clubs are being formed I everywhere to lake up this new national na-tional sport. Many golf, country, and athletic clubs are forming rifle clubs within their organizations, finding that they already havo the ground available. The movement is growing fast, everyone who takes it up becoming becom-ing enthusiastic at once. The competition compe-tition work at bull's-eye targets for prizes appeal to many. Not only aro there the regular matches to compete j in, but many individual matchos are arranged within tho clubs, and then there are intcr-club matchos, and state matches. Many, however, find that bull's-eyo shooting does not attract them, and for these there is tho field shooting and moving and disappearing targets made to represent rabbits, crows, woodchucks, deer, etc., all at unknown ranges, thus providing action and requiring re-quiring a high order of skill. The relation of amall bore shooting to shooting the big rifle is luckily such 1 that solving any problem with the , small rifle is exactly the same as solving solv-ing it with the largo sporting, hunting or military rifle. There is lots of action, ac-tion, excitement, and close competition competi-tion in this field for practical shooting with the 'small boro rifle. Tho writer is chairman of the small boro rifle committee of the National Rifle association, with headquarters in the Woodward building, Washington, D. C., nnd will cheerily supply information infor-mation on the subject to any ono who desires it. 00 |