NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 7339, 11 October 1887, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

TO THE EDITOR. " Sir,—Major Burns's letter has just been gent me (a3 a cutting), otherwise I should possibly never have known of his .having repliod to mine of some weeks since. I don't often see tho (star in the country, and had almost forgctten our little difference of opinion. The only tiling I need to touch upon is the question: Is the Remington an accurate shooting weapon? Major Burns seems to doubt it, and says he has never heard of its being a ciack shooting weapon. Well, I have ; and I think I can convince him that it has beaten all our craok makers - Metford, Rigfoy, and Ingram included; and I feel certain that, when Major Burns gets behind the RemingtonLee that should now be in Dunedin for him, he will never more return to his old love—the Snider and Kynock. In 1877 the American National Rifle Association sent •:. challenge to the English N.R.A., which was duly accepted. Sir Henry Halford was appointed captain of the team, which was selected by a competition extending over three days, and resulted in the United Kingdom sending over to Creerlmoor the best rifle-shote she could produce. The Knglish team used the Metford and Ingram rifles, and the American team the Remington. It would take up too much space to give you the scores "f both teams, but I will inflict upon you the sew* of the two leading men on both sides, trusting that it will not exhaust your typo's stock of s's : American. B'uce—Boo yards: 5E555585&455555—74. ODOyards: 55i554445W.C55f.-72, I.oCoyards: 55554455565555573 Grand iot.al--219. Blydenburgh 600 yards: 555550555."i45554 73. 9CO: yards: 555545555554545 - 7'Z. 1,000. yards: 555556555453545—7}. Grand total—2lo. English. Milner-oOOyarils: 534565555556665-72. 900ya.'ds: 533456555555055-70 I,oooyards: D 05555565516154 67. Grand total—2o9. Wil'iara Higby-800 yards: 655656555536655-73. 900 yards : 544533455544545 65. 1,000 yards : 544355856655556-09 Grand total-207. The total scores (eight men a-side) were American, 1,655; English, 1,629. Of course both rifles had the usual match rifle-sights, but the Americans contended that their rifje was a better all-round 'weapon', because the match sights we're not fixtures, and at a moment's notice cYnld be'unshipped,,' and lichen' became ready for the field' as a 'm'iljtary weapon. Humphrey, G. M., used the Remington breechloading riiae'all through the Wimbledon mettiDg. He made top scare in the English team for the Elpho Challenge Shield—3l3 out of a possible 225 j won the " Albert" with 101 out of 105, at 200, 600, and 900 yards; won the " Curtis and Harvey " at 1,000 yards with 34 out of a possible 35, and was placed in nearly every prize list. There has been no alteration in the barrel since, and, although we do not expect to make such extraordinary scores with the ordinary military sights, still I am sure good shooting will be made. The rifles for Dunedin Bhould have left "Wellington on the 29th ult. } hope to have 10 a ,000 more cartridges in time for practice for the, -meeting.— ''" "JOE REGINALD SOMMEBVIIXK. Dunedin, October }L