Pistol and Revolver Shooting Part 18

(c) Targets: Target L will be used for all firing.

(d) Position: Without body or artificial rest; one hand only to be used.

(e) Arm: Colt's automatic pistol, caliber .45, government model; trigger-pull not less than six pounds.

(f) Ammunition: The Ordnance Department shall manufacture and issue ammunition for use in preliminary practice and in the National divisional pistol matches; all such ammunition to be as nearly as practicable of the same date of manufacture and of the same quality.

(g) Sights: No alteration of sights will be allowed. The front or rear sights may be blackened according to the judgment of the compet.i.tor.

(h) Cleaning: Pieces can be cleaned upon the completion of the score. In compet.i.tions at more than one distance, cleaning will be permitted between distances. While such cleaning will be permitted, it will not be required.

(i) Procedure, Rapid Fire; Pistol: The officer in charge of the line will command "Load." The magazine will be inserted in the pistol, the pistol loaded with one cartridge therefrom, and the safety lock engaged with the thumb of the right hand. When all is ready in the pit, the targets to be fired will be drawn fully down (the rear targets being blank or targets of another cla.s.s than those being fired upon) and a red flag hoisted at the center target. When the red flag is displayed, the officer in charge of the firing line will command "Ready," when the safety lock will be disengaged and the position of "Raise pistol" a.s.sumed.

The firing line being ready, the pit is signaled or telephoned "Ready on the firing line." When this signal is received in the pit, the red flag is waved and lowered, and five seconds thereafter the targets appear. At exactly the proper number of seconds after the target is in position the range officer commands or signals "Down," having preceded this command two or three seconds by the warning command or signal "Ready." The target must be fully exposed and stationary for the number of seconds called for in the match and then must be withdrawn as quickly as possible. The number and value of the hits and the number of misses will be signaled in the usual manner after the score has been fired.

In case of a defective cartridge or a disabled pistol, or when more than seven hits are made on the target, the score will be repeated. In case a compet.i.tor fires on the wrong target only such shots as he may have fired on his own target will be counted on his score. He will be given misses for the remainder of his score.

Rules: As laid down in the Small Arms Firing Manual, 1913, except as herein modified.

Prizes: One gold medal to the compet.i.tor making the highest aggregate score, one silver medal to the compet.i.tor making the second highest score, and one bronze medal to the compet.i.tor making the third highest score in each National divisional compet.i.tion. To be eligible to win a prize in any National divisional pistol match, a compet.i.tor must be a resident or a member of an organization located within the division in which the compet.i.tion occurs. No compet.i.tor shall be eligible to win prizes in more than one National divisional compet.i.tion.

APPENDIX III

TARGET PRACTICE REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT

(_In Effect After Jan. 1st, 1914_)

The following is a digest of the target practice prescribed for the U. S.

Army, using the regulation Colt automatic pistol, caliber .45, with service ammunition, as given in the "Small Arms Firing Manual" (War Department Doc.u.ment No. 442).

A very excellent and complete program for target practice is contemplated.

Chapter IX is devoted to "Preliminary Drills; Position and Aiming Drills,"

in which the soldier is trained in all the motions of aiming and firing, snapping the weapon. Exercises are provided for dismounted and mounted soldiers.

Chapters X, XI, and XII prescribe the actual practice shooting with complete rules, regulations, and methods of procedure, together with ill.u.s.trations and diagrams.

The regulation target practice is divided into two courses: the dismounted course and the mounted course, each of which is separate and complete in itself.

The following schedule shows the general target practice scheme of each course, a score in all cases consisting of five consecutive shots.

TARGET PRACTICE SCHEDULE

DISMOUNTED COURSE

_Instruction Practice_: NO. OF SHOTS

Slow fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 1 score at each range. Target L. Time limit, none. 10

Rapid fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 2 scores at each range. Target L. Time, 20 seconds per score. 20

Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, minimum of 2 scores at each range. Target E--Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards. 20

_Record Practice_:

Rapid fire, at 25 yards, 2 scores. Target L. Time, 20 seconds for each score 10

Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, 2 scores at each range.

Target E--Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards. 20

_Expert Test_:

Rapid fire, at 50 yards, 1 score. Target L. Time, 30 seconds per score. 5

Quick fire, at 15 and 25 yards, 1 score at each range. Target E--Bobbing. Time, 3 seconds per shot at 15 yards; 4 seconds per shot at 25 yards. 10 -- Total 95

MOUNTED COURSE

_Instruction Practice_:

_Dismounted_--

Slow fire, 15 yards, minimum of 2 scores. Target L. Time limit, none. 10

Quick fire, 15 yards, minimum of 2 scores. Target M--Bobbing.

Time, 3 seconds per shot. 10

_Mounted_--

Halt; minimum of 2 scores; one to the right and one to the left. Target M--Bobbing. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot. 10

Walk; minimum of 2 scores; one score firing to the right while moving to the left and one score firing to the left while moving to the right around the circ.u.mference of circle about 12 ft. in diameter tangent to the track at the firing point.

Target M--Bobbing. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot. 10

Gallop; minimum of 8 scores. Target M. Range, 10 yards. Time governed by gait of at least 12 miles an hour. 40

[_Note_:--Five M targets are placed 10 yards from the track and 10 yards apart (20 yards apart for the revolver). Each trooper makes eight circlings of the track (four in each direction) firing four scores to the right and four to the left.]

_Record Practice_:

Halt; quick fire. Target M--Bobbing. 2 scores 1 to the right, 1 to the left. Range, 10 yards. Time, 3 seconds per shot. 10

Gallop; Target M. Range, 10 and 14 yards. 4 scores--2, firing to the right while circling to the left; 2, firing to the left while circling to the right. 20

Time governed by gait of at least 12 miles an hour.