ON TRICKERY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1068, 6 March 1911, Page 6

ON TRICKERY.

SOME DEVICES OF OLDEN DAYS. LESS EASY NOW. With some GOO men, young, middleaged, and aged, competing for monetary prizes, it would not be surprising to learn that, in tho past at any rate, some "slim" gentlemen invented means of gaining what might bo termed an unfair advantage by means of trickery. Such however does not appear to be the case with the rifle-shots at Trentham, according to the testimony of a number of activo and retired shots, who should know every turn in tho game. Tho ono direction in which a semblance of "pointing" can bo indulged in appears to be in regard to the pull of the trigger. The regulations provide that the pull required to get the shot away shall not be less than 51b., this rule having been introduced principally for safety s sake in order to do away with tho hair-trigger which was at ono time favoured by some.

It is a lengthy and troublesome operation to lighten a 51b. pull when there is only tho one regular bolt, but, by the simple expedient of carrying an extra bolt which gives a light pull, the transfer can bo effected in a few seconds. A range officer is always on patrol, and can challenge any man's pull at will, but this is rarely done on the range, and, even if the challengo docs come, the "pointer" can usually "spar for wind" long enough to enable the transfer to the regulation pull to bo made.

Last-roar the testing of the pulls was not strictly enforced, but, this year, Colonel Hughes, acting-commandant, reminded competitors at tho outset that thi! testing would bo very thorough on this occasion. In consequence the two armourers in camp wero literally overwhelmed with applications from competitors to have their pulls altered at a moment's notic-o before . the shooting commenced.

Another means of beating the 51b. pull is by getting the shot away while the safety catch is on. By pulling the looso trigger back with the usual firing action and at tho same time releasing the safety catch, a pull something akin to that of a hair-trigger, is assured. , There was once, it is said, a field for the "pointers" in manipulating his sights, but this, according to an old-timer,' has been done away with sincu |ho advent of the aperture sight. A point which lives green in the memory of veterans on the range was shown by an old-time champion. It was,' and still is, generally considered that tho best shooting conditions were to bo obtained by getting down first thing in the morning before the wind rose, or last thing in tho evening after the breeze had died away. With this rule in mind and visions of laurels to be gained the champion in embryo sought leave to get away from camp early in the morning in order to have a tooth extracted. Tho leave was granted, and the "pointer" went joyously off to town. He returned to the range at eventide and shot the whole of his ranges under perfect conditions, piling up a score which distanced tho less astute men who had kept to tho routine regulations of the camp. , "There was a time," remarked a hoary old offender with a twinkle, " when wo could make any of our men put on a. good score when wo set our minds to it." The setting of the mind, it was explained, meant faking the score board. "That is impossible now," added the aged one, perhaps with a tinge of regret in his voice; "there are too many eyes watching." It is generally conceded that tho rifleshootmg of to-day is cleaner and more free from trickery than anv sport in tho world.