Shooting Notes.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XIII, Issue 2318, 11 January 1895, Page 2

Shooting Notes.

(By Disc.) [to secretaries.]

" During the 6hooting season I Bhall be glad if the secretaries of the various clubs or corps who have anything of importance they would like made public, such as good score?, or good targets at any particular range, to send tbem to me with a diargram of the target, addressed " Disc," Examiner Office Woodville, and I will arrange to have them published. In my former notes I promised to publish the diagrams of Mr Wakelin's score at Christchurch the other day at 500, • GOO, and 700 yards. I am now able to do so having got them from the Weekly Press. Also the following account of the shooting : Sergeant J. B. Wakelin is at present the most-talked-of man in the shooting world of New Zealand, from the fact that he has just beaten all records with the Martini-Henry rifle at 500, GOO, and 700yd->. His score of 101 was made on the Hon orary Reserve Corps .range at Cashmere, ne*r Christchurch, on Thursday December 20th. The match was one of a series and the ranges were 500, 600, and 700 yards. The day was by no means perfect for shooting, as there was a drifting wind, which, whilst it might be. felt a little on the open range, was with the aid of the surrounding gullies quite enough to puzzle even the best of marksmen, as is instanced by the fact that some of those who hold high positions in the art only succeeded in getting on mediocre scores. Soon after the match started it was seen that the contest between Private Scott and Hon. member Wakelin would be a great one, as they were both, to use a sporting phrase, "on the job." Private Scott came away one point to the good at the 500 yards, he having put a possible, whilst Honmember Wakelin's fourth shot was an inner only. There were besides these, scores of 31 and 30, so that there the competition was still an open one. Sergeant Wakelin's sighting shot at the 600yds was an inner, and contrary to his usual custom he decided to take it; he then planked on four bulls in succession, followed by an inner just to the left of the bull, evidently caused by an extra current of wind; this was followed by another bull, bringing up his total for the range to 33, or an aggregate total of 67. Private Scott had in the meantime planked on 31 at the 600yds, thus reversing matters and leaving him one point behind Sergeant Wakelin. When the 700yds was reached it was found that the wind had, if anything, increased, and Sergeant Wakelin declares that there was nearly 6ft windage to allow for. Sergt.Wakelin's first shot found the black spot, and this lie quickly followed by three others close to the first one. Then the monotony of bullseyes was unfortunately broken by an inner which hit directly below the bull. The next shot, however, found the bull, and then amid an almost unbroken silence Mr Wakelin fired his last shot, and registered a splendid bulls-eye. As soon as it was recognised that he had broken the record there was an enthusiastic cheer, and on all sides the marksman was congratulated on his excellent performances. The performance is all the more remarkable from the fact that Sergeant Wakelin only fired twenty-one shots in all, as at every range he took his sighters. In all the " shoots " which he has scored so heavily lately Sergeant Wakelin has used the ammunition manufactured for the New Zealand Government by the Colonial Ammunition Company, and which is marked X 1894. He has an excellent opinion of this ammunition, and considers it as reliable as any. The diagrams of Sergeant Wakelin's targets read thus : 500yds.

Made with a Webley-McGibbon Martini-Henry Bine.

The winner of many trophies is about Gft in height. He is not a teetotaller, believing in the moderate use of stimulants, and he dearly loves a pipe. He is a watchmaker by profession. The previous holder of the record for these distances, Lieutenant Eales, of Victoria, was when in England, a member of the jsame corps and company as Sergeant Wakelin. The 700 yards is seldom or never fired in England, and when fired a first class target, 6ft x 12ft, is used. In New Zealand, however, the second class target Gft x Gft, with proportionately smaller bullseye, is used, which makes the performance all the more meritorious. This week I am able to produce the diagrams of Mr Arch Cox's tar-

gets for his fine score of 96 out of a possible 105 at 200, 500, and GOO yards last Saturday. To Mr Cox belongs the honor of being the first to make a seven-shot possible at any distance on the Woodville range, and his fine score certainly puts him in the very front rank of local shooting men. The following are the diagrams of his targets : 200yds.

Made with a Government MartiniHenry Kifle. The first match for the prizes offered by Mr Chicken and the Club, which was to have been fired on Wednesday last, did not take place owing to the heavy rain. The third match for the bronze medal will be fired next Wednesday afternoon. Some person who probably imagines himself a rifle shot, but who is evidently a fit subject for a lunatic asylum, finding that he cannot hit the target has made a range for himself parallel with the trench on the Woodville Rifle Range, and has been firing into the target house. The shots have gone through the boards, splitting some of them. This is a most idiotic trick, as it might just have happened that some one would be working in the trench at the time, and a serious accident might have resulted. I understand that the case is likely to be put in the hands of the police.