A PLEA FOR PISTOL PRACTICE

A PLEA FOR PISTOL PRACTICE.

BY FIRST LIBLITWANT

F. G. TURNER. SIXTH CAVALRY.

ONGRESS appr d p - riates yearly large amounts for the c enaouragement and furthering of proficiency in +le firing, both in the regular service and in the organized militia , of the several States and Temtories. This appropriation covers supplies and repairs in large . amounts for rifle ranges, and the construction of butts, pits, and firing points, to say nothing of the ammunition expended. The government undoubtedly should endeavor that each and every citizen, liable to military service in case. of rmer-gency. should have, at least, a fair working knowledge of how to use the military rifle, and incidentally, the general principles of trajectory, line of fire, danger space, safety zone and the various forces that act upea-a bullet from the instant of expulsion from the chamber of the rifle until its flight is arrested. As~an encouragement to this end, the National and the various State ‘governments have established certain figures of meoit, or percentages of the score possible to be attained, and have classified them under these heads, i. e.: 1‘ Expert Riflerqan,” “Sharpshooter,” and “Marksman,” with the result that aQ i the military. service strive harder to become proficient, and are better satisfied with their records when the necesswy score to qualify is attained than if not classified under ,one of these heads. This is as it should be; bat what has been done toward the enccmragement of proficiency, in the arm furnished to a cavalryman or a soldier in the field artillery ? Many officers of experience advocate the abolition of the saber, claiming that id is obsolete and that the pistol answers every purpose for which the saber can be used. Some go to the extent of #

A PLEA FOR PISTOL PRACTICE.

recommending that two pistols be issued to each Be this as it may, the fact remains that a trooper is . _ 49 trooper. issued a pistol, the use -and need of which has been clearly demonstrated in the fact that there were numerous encounters at close quarters in the Russo-Japanese War. In our own service the pistol is not given the prominence it properly deserves, nor is the course of firing as a rule entered into with the amount .of interest that should. be shown. How many troopers can tell the direction of the rifling in the pistol barrel, and what effect this twist has upon the fligllt of a bullet ? The establishing of certain grades of proficiency in pistol firing would greatly encourage a soldier to do his best under all circumstances. and make him strive to attain the highest score possible. If classifications were to be assigned to the various grades, the individual records would be improved in proportion to the zeal and interest brought to bear upon the men by the troop or battery commander. Proficiency in rifle tiring is divided into several classes; a like grading for pistol firing wo Id bring about an improvement in the shooting with th t arm as has been marked in that of the rifle. The only encouragement no+ extended for good shooting with the pistol is that the best shot may represent his organization at the division competition, while the other men are not classified, and there is nothing to show whether the soldier’s record was second or last in his troop, other than the retained record-&the pistol rep rt. The National‘Guard of the tate of New York and Con. necticut award decorations for p stol firing under the following conditions: New York, ma f ksman’s class, fiw at target ‘*A” for officers and enlisted men armed witp the pistol, with. out rest or support of any kind for the weapon or arm. ist, at 25 yards, five shots, minimum qualifying score . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . 18 zd, at so yards, fire shots, minimum qualifying score.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . 16 1 5 I. gd, at 75 yards, five shots, minimum qualifying score, . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . . . - - Aggregate. . . 49 A score of 49, or 65% per cent. or more. as above, will constitute a marksman’s qualification.

A PLEA FOR PISTOL PRACTICE.

All qualifying as marksmen receive the State decoration, one barn of which has a figure indicating the number of years that the recipient has qualified. The question of the decoration for the higher grades of excellence in practice has been discussed, but as yet no official action has been taken in the matter. In addition to this, Squadron “A,” N. G. N. Y., Major Bridgeman. commanding. awards a decoration for armory practice to those who qualify with both pistol and carbine. The opportunity is not given in this State to conduct mounted practice. In Connecticut, dismounted pistol firing is conducted as in the regular service, the kinds of fire, rthges, and targets being identical, with the following qualifications: A scare of 60 per cent. to 69 per cent. inclusive, qualifies as marksman; a score of 70 per cent. to 79 per cent. inclusive, qwifies as sharpshooter; a score of 80 per cent. or better qualifies as expert. T o those qualifying in any of the foregoing classes, the State decoration is awarded. It is suggested that a similar decoration be awarded by the gopernment to keep up interest and friendly rivalry, and ’as an nwuragement to proficiency to those in the regular semi cc’ armed with the pistol. Certain percentages might be established for mounted and dismounted practiF combined; for instance, 70 per cent. sharpshooter, 60 per cent. marksman, and all who fail to attain a record of 40 per cent. in the dismounted course should shoot again in a supplementary season. Bronee decorations of different designs, one for each class, . similar to those made of silver and now issued to all who as sbarpshooter or marksman in the rifle firing, odified, so to read “pistol mounted” on the bar, is service is sufficiently familiar with the significance insignia, and the word sharpshooter or marksman omitted without in any way causing any conflict ity as to their meaning. arding of these insignia to those qualifying in I ?

A PLEA FOR PISTOL PRACTICE.

51 these two classes, would be but a small cost to the government and the expenditure would be slisht compared with the benefit derived in the proficiency attained. The allowance of pistol ammunition for the season 1904, of 2 0 0 rounds per man. was increased to 400 rounds for the season 1905. This allowance was for mounted and dismounted practice combined. As a result of this increase the following improvement in the record of one troop under my supervision is of interest : Mounted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i;.89 per cent. 4 9 . 1 7 . ~ cent. Dismounted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56.72 per cent. 70.82 per cent. Therein showing that the expenditure of the extra amount of ammunition was justifiable. in that the shooting was materially -improved. This increase is probably to be found in the majority of troops completing the course in I g O j . T h e Firing Regulations, 1906, prescribe the following number of rounds to be fired in the mounted and dismounted courses: Mounted, instruction and record, I I 5 rounds per man; dismounted. instruction and record, 105 rounds per man. It will be noted that the authorized firing will take 220 rounds, whereas, but 2 0 0 rounds are allowed. To accomplish this, the mounted firing in the instruction practice at ten and fifteen yards, is left to the discretion of the troop commander. The record firing. mounted, is at ten and fifteen yards; the compulsory instruction course is at five yards. As a parallel case why not give the instruction course for rifle at 200 yards only,-and then require the record to be fired at 5 0 0 and 600 yards? The inadequate supply of ammunition develops these conditions; troop commanders rarely, if ever, put a trooper over the ten and fifteen yard course in instruction practice. To do so would run ahead of the allowance, and the officer would be called upon to make good the excess; furthermore, the poor shots require more instruction practice than those who have attained a fair degree of proficiency, and in consequence, must take more than the prescribed minimum number of scores at the range where their deficiency is most marked. There r v + 1 9 0 5 .