MINIATURE RANGES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 645, 23 October 1909, Page 9

MINIATURE RANGES.

;; '">'' .': NKW: -REGULATIONS iISSUED/; x, -: - '• Regulations intended: to be, n guide,, to officorj arid others, in the selection :of„ sites, for,, and in. 'the- construction- -of, •• miniatiir.o : cartridge ranges for:the cadet i'orcq of the Dominion,' have 'just/ been .issued.'- -These,,; State* the. officer 'commanding ■ the ftcw.Zealand ' ■Public'; School .Caßet Corps.':(Major, - : :M'D6nald), in a prefntoryliole,: may'be-varied :'to 'suit local conditions, butnot in such.-a.way-as'to render a range.unsafe:.' Withitho aid.of; these'regulations and-tho advice orlocaU Contractors, there should bo little: difficulty,;,ha states, in arriving at an estimate, of ,tho cost of tho rnrigo proposed to .be constructed.. -,-,, The chief points/to bo-borne-.in-mind, are ir;' (a) Safety;'(») Cost of construction; .(c)-Sim- . plicitV of construction. -->•,".•'.•-:.■.?!' „„„i'M-J ■'■'■' .Miniature-cartridge .' ranges-,for." .220-calibre ammunition,with not-more than 3gr. of powder can bo constructed almost anywlierc—outside, inside, in-cellars, or. on-.roofs. .A corridor, room,- or hall of sufficient .length.'.-MS yards) can : readily be.' mado...suitable for this. class of range. A brick or concrete. wall of .any \ building can very-well bo used-as a stop-butt, provided that a sand bnllet-catcher is placed behind the target to- protect;-the wall, Ihe accuracy; of the,: Winchester; is such-.that, with,proper.'caro nndf.superyisipu:.by ccrs,' on range,,thn-o ..should-,bo 'no shots, off .lie. target 2ft.- Cin,,'square,' eyen.., by recruits'. '..'ln order to make tho shooting even more safe/; firing' should,!take., place.-,through a slot-at: tho firing-point,-;;which;, would not. nermittho rinc,toi be: elevated, or deflected abovo the top or beyond tho flanks of, the step-butt., : :. Cheapness, is an important ■ consideration ;ja'. 'the construction of „a rangc, : therefore tho,siuiI'plost .and..least- expensive;typo;of,range,con-.. Sistent.witb absolute safety, should bo adopted. In iiiaiiv instances it will be', possible, to construct a-suitable range for about other cases. .£lo,' which.'amount should^rarely.,ho exceeded .unless in a .special.; cnso'.wncro.; it. mav be .fonud-ncccssnry 'to erect.screens r aud : build high aud wido stop-butts \vhen tho .cost may reach X2O or e'yon-ja0..,-;.- / .-. ■■;■•..: ' ... Where hills exist or. a danger area is avail- • ablo oiUy tho Hagets 'and the. travelling, : gear are necessary. -If-there- is,a, fairly;steepjra--dient iu.the ground, it may suffice if utiench is cut towards the high ground so. as.tpgi.vo a sufficient stop-butt and dank-protection,;, with perhaps one or two.;overhead,; screens..to -inPercept stray high shots.- In such a fall. I formation as a. guide,..officers, -With the wsj*, j'ance of., committees, wherpyer.- obtainable, should bavolittle'diffieulty,in',scleotinj?.a : ,coii. euiont site and/deciding on a suitable typo. "cringe. -Then follows, a'-dcscription of: va : Wous types, of. ranges, ;su ? gcst.oiis concern-. i ing their construction, plans,, aud ■, a, mass of" information which should bo of,material assistance to education boards,, committees, i'n'iid;'teachers.. \ ;'•■;.'■' ; ; :f' ! 'v:.;'. •■ ;.*■•■:' ;. !";