NEW RIFLE SIGHT.
TRIAL AT TRKXTHAM. A Inn-. of Major Kent's psitoni sight and range-finder (a- description of -which was pubiUhc?d iu the Times ’’ on the 23rd inst.) was made nc Trcntbam yesterday afternoon, a party of officers journeying 10 the range by the 1.15 p.m. train. Amongst tho-se present were :—General Jhibing’ on, Commandant of tho Forces; Colonel Webb, O.O.l). ; Lieutenant-Colonel Chaytor, A.A.G. ; Captain Campbell, A.D.C. : Captain Robinson, 11. F.; Major Joyce, District Adjutant ; Captain Turner, D.A.A.G.B. ; and Captain Brown, Mounted Instructor. Tho trial was made in an extremely heavy right wind; and was more for the purpose of deciding the efficacy of the patent as a range-finder than to test tho sights for cargec-sbooting purposes. At tho conclusion of the trial tho general opinion expressed was that the invention was likely to prove of value to the War Office, where the patent is shortly to bo sent-
To test the range-finding qualities of tho invention a 0 x 2 target was placed in the target trench. The first distance fired over was 1700 yards. Tho distances given by Major Beal at the extreme ranges were rather under-esti-mated, but from 1150 to tiio. minimum fired (CQO yards) tho ranges were found very accurately. Tho high wind blowing made it difficult to place tho bullets on the small target, which looked a mere speck at the long ranges, but from the observations of the markers the shots did not go very wide—a proof that the ranges wore determined skilfully. Iho report from tho trench showed that the first four shots (at the extreme ranges) fell short; the fifth shot went into tho bank below tho target; three others went just over the bank; and another struck tho bank within about a foot of tiio bottom of tho target. If the patent is favourably considered by tho Homo authorities it will doubtless bo adopted and fitted to the ordiry service rifle; and firing in action should prove much more deadly than in tho past.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19051031.2.49
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5733, 31 October 1905, Page 7
Word Count
333NEW RIFLE SIGHT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5733, 31 October 1905, Page 7
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