MARTINI VERSUS 303.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 50

MARTINI VERSUS 303.

A MATTER OF HANDICAPPING. MARKSMEN INTERVIEWED. A representative of the "New Zealand “Mail'’” last week interviewed several of the leading local marksmen on the subject of the allowance which the council of the New Zealand Rifle Association has decreed shall be made by competitors using the .303 rifle at the forthcoming meeting to those firing with the Martini —namely: 1 point at 500yds, 1 at 600yds. and 2 at 700yds in each match. The consensus .of opinion was found to be decidedly unfavourable to the innovation. A general opinion prevailed that the Martini was superior to the .303 in a wind, and it was held that the advantage which it in that way possessed compensated for any advantage which tlie newer arm might possess in a still atmosphere. One marksman who was interviewed went so far as to say that there were “match”” Martinis in New Zealand , which were far superior to the bulk of .the .303 rifles. The matter of ammunition was.held to be a factor calling for consideration when handicaps were to be made. It was mentioned by one volunteer who was interviewed that on a local rifle range recently'three cartridges out of ten in a packet alleged to be charged with cordite contained black powder. A similar complaint, it was said, had been made in Wanganui. The bope seems to be generally held among intending competitors that at the Wanganui meeting some arrangement may be come to other than the present intention of making a point allowance. On the other hand, it should bo mentioned that the- decision as to handicap apparently represents the consensus of colonial opinion on the matter, inasmuch as circulars were sent round to small and large centres of population asking for expressions of opinion. Lieut.-Colonel Collins, when spoken to, said he considered that any expression of opinion from him would be out of place, seeing that he was one of the council of the association. He. however, ]iointed out that Lieut.-Colonel Sonmerville had been to a lot of trouble to get a general expression of opinion on the subject. Private Turner, of the Highland Rifles, the present holder of the carbine challenge cup, said he thought the proposal to handicap the Martini arm indefensible —that was to say, the specially-constructed wea'pon of private makers, such as Webley. With.the ordinary rack rifle of the Government, a handicap might possibly be given, though he was not prepared to say what allowance should be made. Some fine records had been put up with the Martini years ago. and he argued that what had been done before could be done again. For instance, Sergeant Wakelyn, of Christchurch, in November, 1894, using a Martini, put on 100 points out of a possible 105 at 200, 500 and 600 yards, and within two days made 99 under similar conditions. Two months later Private A. Ballinger, .of Wellington, with the same arm, made 99 out of a possible 105 at 300, 500 and 600 yards, a colonial record at that time, and within two points of a world’s record, his scores for the respective ranges being 32, 35 and 32. Private Turner pointed out further that Steadman, of Whangarei made a sible”’ at 700 yards with the Martini when firing at the association meeting in Wanganui in 1899. The effect of the allowance laid down by the association now would mean that the ~303 arm would have to concede 20 points' handicap in the competition for the championship—a most unfair allowance, he considered. The winner of the championship belt at last meeting, Private Turner pointed out, made within 82 of the possible score, and the result of an addition of 20 points to that total would mean that a marksman firing with the .303 must make 53 over centres to win. Private A. Ballinger (Wellington Guards and Petone Rifle Club), who has iron colonial championship honours, was somewhat guarded in his expressions of opinion. He had heard that the New South Wales authorities had abolished the handicap concession to Martinis, but he had noted, when competing at the Commonwealth Meeting, that the effect of the change had been to greatly limit the use of the Martini. He had heard locally, though not authoritatively, that there was a chtbice of the competitors having to use colonial ammunition at the Wanganui meeting. If such should prove to be the case, he was of opinion that the result would be to place the two weapons on an equality, or possibly to give an advantage to the Martini. The colonial ammunition, said Private Ballinger, had been specified to be used at the Greytown meeting, but on representations being made by the Petone Rifle Club on ,feghalf of its members, the restriction had" been removed. Reverting to the subject of Martinis, the speaker said there was no doubt that the score made by Bandmaster King (the winner of the championship belt at last meeting of the New Zealand Rifle • Association) was a standing testimony to the excellence of the Martini rifle; but it must, on the other hand, be said that the record spoken of was altogether exceptional. Private Head (an old Aucklander), who

has for many years competed at New Zealand Rifle Association meetings, pointed out that the handcap system as between the Martini and the .303 rifle had been tried in 2\ew South Wales and found wanting. When it was in vogue in that colony, the Martini secured most of the prizes, and tlie result was that at the Commonwealth meeting this year no allowance was made. There was this further advantage for the Martini in New Zealand as compared with that which it had in New South Wales: although the new arm in each colony was .303 bore, the New South Wales weapon was a Lee-Met-ford magazine rifle, 'whereas the New Zealand arm was a single fire MartiniEnfield, an inferior weapon to that of the mother colony. Private Head instanced a trial of the Martini held at Bisley some years ago, in which that weapon held its own with more recent rifles at the longer ranges. There had to be considered, also. the matter of ammunition. The black powder which was used to load the Martini cartridges was not appreciably affected by the weather but cordite and similar smokeless powders in cold weather had not the same propelling power as they had under warmer conditions, and it was a fact set out in the text books that a cold day affected elevations of the .303 cordite cartridge by four feet. Taking the question by-and-large. Private Head was of opinion that the two arms should start “off the mark.””