The Chief Scout Talks

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

The Chief Scout Talks

HOW TO SHOOT.

(By l.t. Gen. Lord Baden Powell of Gil well). i ' A backwoodsman’ would not be ranch good if be could not shoot, and Scouts who are going overseas would do well to get some shooting practice before they go. The first thing towards becoming a good shot, whether in the field or backwoods, is to know your riffe and how to take care of it. I heard of some troops in the trenches in France during the war who had been 1 on duty for hours in the wet and mud. They were dog tired and wanted to lie down anywhere and -sleep. But their officer eaid “No,” their first duty was to clean their rifles. (These were dirty and in many cases clogged up with mud). The men, like good soldiers, carried out their orders, though, as you may imagine, they would much rather have left that work until after they had had a rest.. ’

They had scarcely finished cleaning when there' was a sudden rush of the enemy in overpowering numbers, upon them. It was thanks to their rapid and accurate fire that they were able to stop the hordes of attackers and so to eave themselves and the position they were holding. Had they lain down to sleep with sticky rifles to their hand they must have been overwhelmed. The Sikh soldiers have an expression by which they describe any dishonourable act as being “as disgraceful as having a blunt sword.” With good rifle shots, and especially hunters of big game, it is counted equally disgraceful to- have a dirty or damaged’ rifle. The really good shot takes more care of bis rifle than any

other article of Jus equipment; he » continually cleaning it and oiling ra and carefully tending it at any odd mo* inent when he has leisure. It is so easy for dust and grit, to get into it. and to hamper the working or for the ’Sights to get blunted or dented with rough usage, and the rifle is then spoilt, so far as accurate shooting goes. LIKE RAW EGGS! ' "Rifle sights are like raw eggs, you’ve: got to handle them very carefully/’ said an old hunter. “If you knock ’em they’re done ( for; if you take care of them they can be a big blessing to you.” •> You know the story of the dog who got run over by a, steam roller. His owner in telling the tragedy afterwards, wound up by saying, “And he was never no more, use after that —leastways not as a dog!” It. is the same with a rifle■ that has- become dented or rusted; “ib is never no more use afterwards, least-, ways not as a rifle.” Personally I used to carry a little tin of vaseline aud oil with me, an old toothbrush and a little piece of very soft cloth, with which to tittivate my weapon whenever possible. Beginners often make the mistake of having their 1 rifle smeared with oil and grease. This is almost as bad as leaving it dirty, since the grease catches any dust that is flying about and soon clogs the rifle as badly as rust would do. You musfi wipe the grease and oil off again before putting your rifle away or when taking it to the, field. I once heard a. sergeant instructing , his men on the subject of rifle .cleaning and he said something like this: “You take your forc-be-too and pass it carefully through the barrel, but if it sticks . don’t attempt to force it or it will only ball up and. get harder to remove. Take it to the armourer if there is any difficulty before you damage the rifle —bub .' never forgot your fore-bb-too; next to your rifle it is the'most important part, .of your kit,” . . , /.■ 1 was longing to hear what a “fore-be-tbo” was, and at last I discovered that it meant a little bit of soft rag, four inches by two, and he meant that any piece larger than this would notpass through the barrel, aud that to keep your rifle clean was the most important thing on service. And so it is. I have known.many a man who was for'a long time returned as a bad shot at the target, whose eyesight and nerves were quite good. It was only , after he had made any number of-pooiv scores that’ it was found that the fault lay with the rifle and not with the' man; that the sights were damaged or the rifling in the bore had been destroyed by having been allowed to get rusty. In shooting you want to be careful . that you keep your rifle clean, and also your cartridges, and eveil your hands. And remember that it is not the outside of the rifle only that must be clean, - but especially the inside of the barrel-—! •boro, breech mid muzzle.