BULL'S-EYE SHOOTING CONDEMNED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 14

BULL'S-EYE SHOOTING CONDEMNED.

VIEWS O'F THE BRITISH ARMY _ - . ' I -COUNCIL. , ' The British Army Council is •of • opinion ; -that'•general'officers commanding should'do v all 'm their, power "to assimilate tho condi- : . tioris of .military rifle meetings in tlioir com- ?. . mands to thoso which obtain 'on "active service" . Rifle competitions, in'the opinion of tlio Council, usually embody, the following olijee- ■ tionaDie features :— '■: ; :i ■ - .■ •v of individual competi- >-■■■ .tions unsuited to the rank .and experience ot. the competitofs. 2. ,Thev discouragement of young , soldiers.b.y, tho aumission of expert shots'into' competitions -titions of an elemental? character. , 3. The retention of competitions having ■ httlo or no.military value..- - ■ ' :■ 4.' Unduo importance being attached to one' ,or another element of rifle training/ to tho' •..\ exclusion: of other things of equal or greater .importance.';.;l;-';..; ■> V'' s ■ - 1 ; 'oi iThe enroiiragomenfc of a style' of 'sboot-' !:, urisuitefi'. cpiiditioiis/' v . \6. The dissemination of:false tactical ideas .. . .. by the use: of ;siich terms as "United Service ■ Cup/'. "Army. Ghallongo Cup," "Command Championship,", -.to •• describe"'' eloipenfary . grouping- cnnjpetitions.''. - The conclusion of .the Arniy;CounciV is that : ' ;.soirte definito.j.pi'inciples should be :laid down . for the organisation of nflo meetings; and a . - list of 18 principles is appended to tlio lnt- :•. ,tqr. The first'of themstates thaf-'a • rifla' . meeting, should and dovelop mllitarv' :■ . opinion as to tlio fmothods .of- riffe'firoibest ■ suited to modern .requirements. "The 1 at- ;>• tmninont of .'i'%Aod averago .staudard'.oh pro-* .ficiencv by si largo numbcv of men is infinitely , important than phenomenal'skill'(le>eloped by a few champions or. the compila- , , tion of- scores->)n excess l of any previously' recorded.;. The competitions should bo suited to the rankand; experience of the competitors " , <1 , • ,-Tlio- third; principle strikes a blow, at the ; King's Prize and most ot tho big rifle com- , . .' petitions. . It y says-"Championships lond , interest .'to. a; .meeting,;'.but. do liot- directlyt assist, tho object in : viow. If .a championship . ■ 'is. awarded to an-cspcnenced < competitor for skill in somo elementary form: of shooting, such as an exercise in • applying fare to a bull!s-eyo target, when tlio range-is known ailcl > :cach.,shot.is..signaUcd,' : ,.monoy.<a]Kl am-, muiution are wasted, .young soldiers aro V,couraged ~ and false , ideas, as to . musketry i .training aro ". The fourth ~ principle asserts that m drawing .'up a -pro- , gi ammo :the elements as well as'tho perfec-' ;-o:: i ' tion of,skill with, the':riflo'-should be -kept'in■ • view. . , .f ..v...• _ ,Tho different nature. of skill required of individuals ill nuhtarv shooting aro defined as .: folloVKS• •./ . 1. QuickeniiiK tho evesurht. ;•••• '.2; Judging, distance. •*". ttv ' • 7 ; 3.-Individlial grouping at 'short rangds. '. •(ap;il.ving''a;-series of shots ~.to/a. inark).' :' '.s^Y"■■ ' aiming arid Tirin'g'j. -.6. -Rapid :,firo; (quick .loading, 'aiming;-' and: 'firing)."i"-.";'';-!v- ---;' - • 7-. Qsc of ;'covpT. . ... •: •; >m6y6^iisiit/*iCatta*ck)V^ : .Firing. ( '.at • 'advancing -target's .(defence);' :>■ 10. Observation.:of.-Jsro :. . .. - ■ '"V .;■ ■11.: Firingsat -crossing -.targets.-. ?' ~ u'ri-; dcr v conditions ; approaching .-those-of.active sen'ice as tests r of advanced training. ■ .. j . Seeing: that tho special duty of- olnoers :and ~:.. -non'-coninirssis6ned;;/ofßcers' is ; . vested ' in v tlio , . direction .or . control, of , luassed .firo:-rotber than.in iudiyidual-marksmanshipi.the-Council, ad\ises.that in tho.preparation of team competitions,. which . should - tako place undor , conditions: of .advancod training, these rei quirements [.should bo', kept in view. v. vSuch competitions should take the form:of':V-v '• ~ •:1. Collective. grouping ■ and concentration. . -2..Application of -collcctivo fire. \- ■ ■■> 3. Casualty competitions:-. L''Superiority" of. lire' competitions decided . . by; time, required to inflict .30 per cent- of ■' : 'y'loss. ... , ; ■! ■■ ■: .'. f fire/Pornpetitions, decided • ,b ( v..percentage of loss inflicted nv a -given tlriio. . : ~ '■ 'March ing ; r . v ' ■■ Tho -letter continues :—"Team. ' compoti- ... tions at..unknown ranges aro tho most' prac- , • ;forAis- of •shooti.iigj but may; lead: •-*>". • wastq of unles'sVmis-takes.-in hre direction are notml and penalised beforo fire. is. opeyed." Individual competitions at- long range . regarded-as of. little .value: as .tests of-proficiency with tho • rifle,'though-when conducted as sighting com-' petition's at unknojvh ranges,Vfire'.beiilg'limi.tod to about three, shots-at each;- tliev afford 7 a satisfactory/.test of ability' of'officers' and non-coms. to. estimate distanco and' at-: :. .mQspheric; influence.-'• v v --.- , ■ i -. . ';•"B a ullMyo^tWgots,?; ! .'ninth' principle, ..-'should as a rule be-used in' elementary .competitions only,: and 'for youhg. sol'diers.in;thp fifst ;, -.three. : yea.rs-,of--.their. soh'iceV ■ .or in ' match'-rjfle competitions-designed to- • ... tcst.fthe ..p6r. - e'rs 'of 'rifle's' and ammunition ' . rather than., the.'military-', skill, of tlieV'firerl'' .The tenth - principle says 'The; application . of a Kroiip of .shots'to .a. when sight-.. ■ ing shots aro .allowed is little-more than-a -. ; .test' of ' trigger-'pressingi. ' :jEstimation' of 'the " effcct of : small 'changds':'of-''wind. by: such Un- ' ■ practical/ methods as ' ..tho, ,observation ■-of flags or;mirage) : has' -no : "'military- value." Where.it is impossible,- through' lack of rango ■ -Hold 'comp6titipns at'an!.nnkriown rango, -it is', advised - thai r a special . competition; ;iri ' judging , distanc'o-- 'bo . •' -held,'- and. every riicahs' adopted: of .emphasis-' /, " ing 'its- importance.' : Steady acciirato shoot- . ingfis set down.as tlio' foundation of; skill ' with thorifle,' but it "is pointed'out that'tiuio ' . ' is .of paramount importance. ;■'.' A slower rate than' throo. rounds a minuto should never'bo ' permitted for '.trained'shooters.',' The Couri- ' oil. is of opiniod..ihai..v''eoachirigi"' that is to ' . say, observation, by : a coach of atmospheric conditions,' in order .to relieve tho' fear .of that necessity,' ■ should;: not be -allowed, ' ■ Finally, the : principles; lay, it down that .'/no competitor should be allowed to; fire with ' any weapon except that with which;-hiß unit- is armed, .'nor:'should : any , 4 depart'uro : from;'the regulations, governing, tho" pairitirie . sights, use 'nf slings,'. provision' nf wind •Jttacs'. tarcets, etc.,'b'e permitt-ed;"- ■ ■■'