iU. .. .-i -... -. T.LJgZS5g!JMErllfi3Ba''ay5iaKttJflBaMBMMBBTaB 'rw A - t" riff " :ilfiHiicieMffW3!f v Y .Ti XVllIC A Popi Its Unique Advantages For Either City or Country How to Start a Club, as Told by an Expert Rifleman An Inexpensive Sport For Outdoors or Indoors, Day or Evening Men, Boys, Women and Girls Participate A Common Rec reation In Europe and the Orient. By CI3NEH.AL GCUItCk W. WINGATE. Presldont Public Schools Athlotlo League. Now York City. tpjvOPl'LAH lutcrest lu stnnll boro ML' ilHu shooting la so rupldly lu JL cnmslug that tliuro can bo llttlu (ItiusUoti lull that wllhlu u very phorl 111110 It wilt have taiUeti a loading place uiuoug tlio favorllo sports or lAuiuiltu i'bcie ure u good many leu pons for this roimirkublo growth. As a sport rlllo shooting possesses several nnlqiiu advantages, In addition to tlio general bouollts to tboso practicing lu ,whlcli It shares wltb other forms of Tecrentlou. It Is u sport for evening as well ns the daytime, for winter a? .vrell as summer. Its Inexpouslvoness lias helped uiako It attractive to people both lu city ami lu country. In this os If minv other reports, small hore rlfio buuUiig Is exceedingly nemo crntk. The present Interest lu this fascinat ing sport which develops skill nud character, encircles the globo. How ever far one may travel one Ih guru to encounter frequently the rlllo club Vlcn. l'lii? luterent Is not merely local or national, but luternatluual. The liuall bore (22 caliber) rlllo Is used, as best adapted to short range target (hooting purposes. Shooting Around the World. I Across tlio water-meaning both the 'Atlantic aud tho Pacific this kind of ritio shooting has attained a remnrku Jblo and constantly Increasing popular ity lu tho different civilized countries. Moving aa loyal a following lu the Orient ns In Europe. Tho Japanese have taken It up with tho seriousness that might bu expected from that nation In tho Ilrltlsh Isles thero nro uow ut lens: """" "'" elulis spnrlliiR organ Jzntluns. uot uillltary-tho membership dgurcs reaching half a million. Bwlt sorlaud has 3,000 shooting clubs, with a total membership of 'J 14.000. Other continental countries, like Germany. Franco nud Austria, havo also shared largely In the results of this worldwide eportlng movement, and throughout Kurope In summer or winter, day or sight, the crack of thu 22 calibers Is heard at tho ranges. Iteyond tho etjun tor conditions are tho same. South. (Africa and Australia an equally Inter cstcd'lu tho sport, nud tho distance between their rlllo ranges Is short. .Go down to that wonderful countiy, Argentina, aud you will llnd there that rifle shooting Is esteemed lu tho front rank among tho national spurts. Hero In our own country It Li finding favor all tho way from count to coast Four thousand lads In tlio high schools of Now York city nro now shooting enthusiastically under equally enthusi astic Instruction Tho loiing Men's Christian Association In many places has miidu rltlo shooting a part of the training which It gives to boys In tho formative period of their lives. This lins not been n dllllciilt step, especially as it tlrst class range can bo installed for $lf0 and ufter tlio small Initial ux pensc has been provided can bo made to do considerably more than pay Its own way. Especially In the smaller towns tho Idea has developed and borne fruit, In country communities It Is usually cry easy to secure, nt hardly auy cost, a suitable location for un outdoor range, nud where, as Is tho case In most of such places, tho opportunities or recreation are limited tho young peo pie In mure than one Instance Imvo taken up thu game almost us a mutter of social self protection. Wo hear a goi.u deal uowud.iyu about "social en glueerlng." Tho social engineer the mau who blips u community to regcu era to Itsclf-hus learned that ho cuu mako valuable use lu this direction by organizing u rltlo club. Hut. of course, tho real reason of the popularity of rifle shooting lies lu Its Inherent at tractiveness us u sport, pure and sim ple How a Discovery Was Made. ' It Is much ensler to organize such a club than is generally supposed to be tho rase. This Is Illustrated by the following Incident: Something like a year ago, on u Saturday ufternoou, a company of young men wore lounging at their club. Tho town afforded Benin opportunity In tho way of recreo tlonal amusement. Tliore really seem. sl to bo little else to do but to tdlo and play cards. One of theyoung men nt tho card table dually tired of a list less gnme and said. "Come on, fellows; let's do some shunting." The shoot was pulled off lu an open Held behind a barn, with a target tncked to a feuco 'which ran along tho foot of a bill, and the half dozen competitors took tnrus using the only two rifles available. 1 aJheso young men made a discovery. They discovered the fun of rltlo shoot ing, its posslhlltlc as nn amusement, a recreation, a sport. That Saturday's vt.l.ll.l (.It 1 At I , ,.., t.,ii, ,t;ti i-uiiii-m viiH me uegiu ntng of a rifle club which now numbers 0Q members. Eventually every towu In the country will have Its rlflo club-In many towns. Imlwd, Uwre will bo several clubs ren WHwntlnc (he different fraternal organ- liar national s Izntlons and s ar bodies. For rlflo shooting tuukea nu appeal to virile, red blooded men. ami such are Its peculiar characteristics that no other sport can be substituted for It Where tho "Dub" Is Nevor a "Dub." Shooting Is not con lined to persons who have more leisure than they know what to do with, as those who cannot use the range lu the daytime can do so In the evening. A simple Illuminating device solves the problem, and artificial light Is no hindrance to good marks matishlp. Thu workers In tho stores, shops and olllces, therefore, arc not ex cluded from this alluring pastime, which la another reason for Its grow ing popularity. Itillu shooting, more over, Is possible nt all seasons of the year, for even an outdoor range can bo protected In winter so that Its use need not be interrupted. One of Its principal advantages as a sport Is the fact that by the employ ment of a system of handicapping tho beginner competes on equal terms with tho expert, though everybody gets full credit for his prouYloncy. u thing which Is difficult to arrange In other" sports. Hide shooting does not call for physi cal strength or prowess like athletic sports Hut It does demand mental and physical control lu marked de gree aud develops these qualities; hence lu great value to boys and young men. Learning to hold it rltlo without letting It wabble and to pull the trigger without Jerking It means self-discipline. It Is discipline In It self, (title shooting requires it great deal or practice nil the year around This develops will power, dctcrmlnn tlon and stlck-to-lt-lveness. It also more than almost any other sport de velops concentration, self control and "cold nerve" Many nro tho matches where victory or defeat depends on tho man shooting, and he must bo able to keep his h-md steady nud tils Judg ment cool under the hard strain of nn exciting competition Thero Is more Individual work lu this sport than In any other lu baseball or football It Is teamwork that counts. One man may havo nu off day and not make much difference to the team, but this Is uot true in shooting. Itlllo practice duvel opa clean living and tdnpornnco..Thc rifleman has to say goodby to bad hab its If be has them. A Change of Opinion. The old Idea that it is dangerous to let Son Johnny havo a rltlo Is fast ills uppearlug. Once every mother llrmly believed that Johnny, If he were nl lowed to handle tlrearms, would shoot himself or somebody else, perhaps with "tho gun that wasn't loaded." The newspapers every llttlu while print ac counts of such accidents. Hut that Is an argument lu favor of organized rifle shooting, nut against It, How do Mro urms accidents usually occur? Through tho carelessness of somebody who docs uot know how to handle tlrearms, some body who has bad no Instruction and training in their care and uso. Johnny may bo forbidden to Imvo n rltlo, but bo la allowed to go camping with other boys. Somebody sneaks n cheap flro arm Into camp. Nono of them know how It should bo used, and ono after tho other proceeds to "fool with It." Thcu tho accident v A small boro rlllo club usually starts with ono man. This man owns a rifle, and, though ho enjoys shooting for Its own sake, bo feels that thero would bo much mora pleasure aud profit In It If ho could get somo other ritlemon to gether and thus provide for all tho zest of competition. Or this prlmo movor may bo tho good citizen who sees In the establishment of n rltlo club a menus of helping tho boys or of supplying n need In tho general social II fo of tho community. Tho purposo behind the project may also bo Incident to tho de velopment of ono or nioro of tho exist ing local organizations, like a frater nal order, the grange, tho Y. M. O. A., tho churches. Reasons for starting a rltlo club thus extend all tho way from tho sheer fun that shooting affords to tho good It may do the town and to the Individuals in It You yoursolf may seo au opportunity for a gun club In your community. How to Organize. You can start a good rltlo club with aa fow as two dozeu members, but tho Interest will bo greater and tho financ ing easier If you can got fifty. That la not difficult There nro probably Sev ern I dozen persons scattered around your locality who llko to shoot, even though you yourself know but a fow You have only to bring them together. And even If thero are not many shoot era overy small town and city neigh borhood has fifty young peoplo who will like shooting wheu they get ac quainted with It. You can And that many In your town It Is only neces sary to put the proposition before them in ,,., i.,...wh.... .t..,...,,,i i.h.. i.m ....V., ..,, ", ,,U U,,l IMWlil together for organization. When you Issue the Invitation to the first meet Ing be sure to extend It to evcrybody men nud women, boys and girls, otd and young, rich and puor. The mow people bruiiKhi out the Ix-ttiT the club m.T i h av i por "III start off. Put the proposition on lauorm oi no.g. u iniouu i.r.uo ,.m, " newspaper publicity, Mnance, organization and tannage- ment of the club are simple enough If one keeps In mind certain principles that bring success. To provide money for ranges, rent nud equipment tho club usually Issues bonds lu small denomina tions and should have little difficulty In selling them to members. These bonds carry Interest at f or 0 per cent and are to be bought back by tho club as funds aecumulato With good management, providing constant Inter est fur members by matches and other events, It Is u simple matter to havo a club out of debt lu it year with line quarters and equipment. With a fairly largo membership the dllllcultles of raising capital nud maintaining nn In- I come nro relatively small. Let us sup- ' pose that you havo secure secured tlfty mem bers at tho start (not n largo nutubct to get together In n small town or a city neighborhood). Fifty $3 bonds will us nil with equal ability, aud no amount of effort on tho purt of uotno men will euablo them to equal tho performance of others lu all kinds of sports. This U tho case In rlflo shoot lug, although steady, careful practice will work wonders with many of thoso who at flrtt think they can never becomo good shots. Consequently to mako It posslblo for these to com pcto wltb uuy hopo bt success It Is necessary to establish equality artifi cially. This may bo accomplished by a process ku'owu aa handicapping. Wltb tho decimal system of scoring with ten points us the highest value of a hit, a good method of plotting handicaps la to regard tho member's ability as expressed by tho average value per hit of bis shots and allot him the difference between this aver age and ten as handicap per shot, mul tiplying this handicap by tho number of shots In tho competition. For ex ample, If A In a few targets scores 282 points lu thirty shots, tho average value per shot Is !M Thi Is A'a fig ure of ability, and liU handicap will be 0.(1 per shot, or sl points In n ten shot coniHtltloii undVlifhtfcii In n thlr ty shot competition An absolute novice should average between six and seven per shot, b usually Improves verj rapidly, aud It Is uot safe to award him more than 1.5 per shot, or fifteen points In ten shots, to start with. Varieties of 8hooting Conteitt. 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Asmull boro rltlo of good deslgu und construction Is ns effective ns any for target shooting up to 100 yards. In deslgulug a range, therifore, you are not necessarily limited to sovouty-Ilvo feet In fact ranges which admit of shooting nt several longer distances, such n9 50 und 100 ynrds, afford more variety and are on ninny grounds preferable. While, however, seventy tlvo foot ranges can often bo built in somo existing building ut relatively little cost, longer distanced menu out door shooting und specially constructed ranges for making such shooting pas sible nt ull seasons. For this reason, though clubs are strongly advised to mako such arrangements nt the begin ning that they can eventually provide sulllclcnt target accommodation fur n large membership nud expand their range to 100 yurds, many will prefer to stnrt with an Indoor range of seventy-live feet or less, for, bo It observed, very good practice can bo had on n range as short as forty feet Seventy tlvo feet Is generally recognized ns the standard distance for Indoor ranges. The Outdoor Range. Though In n sparsely populated coun try It is often n slmplo matter to lm proviso nn outdoor title range suitable for .22 nmmunltlou, Improvised ranges almost Invariably lack that comfort aud convenience so essential to the permanent prosperity of n rlllo club and, of course, can only be used for n few months lu tlio. year. Tho fact is that while tho present clubs consist mainly of enthusiasts prepared to sub mlt to nlmost any Inconveniences in tho pursuit of their hobby, the gencr- nllty of mankind fielthcr possesses ex ceptional enthusiasm for anything nor cau bo Induced for very long to toler nto oven a moderate amount of dls comfort nud lucouvonlenco. Yet It Is mainly upon its success In attractlnp thc8o that tho future development of thojillo club movement depends. Consequently the tlrst consideration Is tho choice of a range site upon which shooting can bo conducted with due regard to the safety of tho public and which Is conveniently acccsslblo und served If possible by train or trolley car.' Tho ground should be Inexpcn slvo, with pleasant surroundings, and If possible, should huvo such natural features as would dlspenso with the erection of large, costly butts and firing points. To give variety to, tho shooting the site should be wide enough tondmlt of firing nt th.ree butts 2A ynrds. .10 ynrds and I0O ynnls distant simultaneously Kach butt must be largo enough to ac commodate an ample number of tar gets. Members do nut like waiting, and, ns the earning capacity of the range upon which the Income of the club Is largely dependent Is exactly proportioned to tho number of target's multiplied by the number of hours In which they aro nvolluble for use, target accommodation sufficient for at least 10 per cent uf the club to shoot at ono time will never be found too much nor add materially to the cost of tho range. Day or Night. Summer or'WI.nter. Target ihooters havtf not-as! a rale; miner, uuiib, ni nmiui tin: mini ui mimcming with which to employ thu Idle hour is often strongly felt; bunco tho club will bo wise that constructs Its rnugo so as to permit shouting by night ns well as by day nud lu winter us well as In summer. This Implies Illuminated tur rets und a sheltered tiling point, of which ut least a portion can bo warmed lu winter The whole firing polut should bu roofed so ns to afford shelter from sun aud wet, but us tho attend auccof members Is usually less In win ter than summer It will not bo neces sary entirely to Inclose the whole, but a portion sulllclcnt to nllow of say 5 per cent of the members shooting at ono time should be so constructed that It can bo warmed, and tlio Inclosing medium should bo rcmovublu lu sum mer. Something in the nature of n club house or a pavilion Is desirable. Tho most successful club la generally tbnt which, while steadily prosecuting its primary objects, does not enlrcly lgnoro the social aspect. For this reason It la Impossible to emphasize too strongly thu desirability of u comfortable, at tractive pavilion lu conjunction with a comfortable, pleasant und easily ac cessible range, lu addition to butts and clubhouse the club should provide it few club ri fles and telescopes for the general use of members. A small charge of say 0 cents per day for tho loan of these will pro vldo n fund which will eventually pay their original cost aud subsequent re pairs and renewals. Points on Handicapping. Ono of tho most Importnnt Items of successful club management Is handi capping, Nature has failed to cudow Attthority on Rifle Shooting: and Photos Showing Ranges. 1, Indoor rifle range In uset 2, General 0. W. Wlngate, president of Public Schools Athlotlo League of New York City, who eeeured Introduction of rifle practice in schools of the mo tropolis) 3, opening day at a rifle club; 4, puncturing the targets on an Ideal email bore range) 5, range Illu minated for night shooting) 0, an out door range within city limits. provide n working capital of $250, and these can he easily sold to inuiubors. The 8olf8upportlng Club. In addition to capital a club must havo tncomo to meet Its current work Ing expenses. Heretofore under tho system on which clubs havo been man uged practically tbo only sonn-e of In come lias been tho members' subscrip tions. Tbe effect of this system la to Impose nu equal expense on nil mem bers Irrespective of tbo nmount of shooting they do, and this expense baa been aiiei. n n ,ir i. i J- u do members of tl.o cnm.ni.nif, fmm Joining the club. A fur moro nrefer. A fur mora prefer able system la to Impose a light anuual subscription and to derive tbo greatest source of Income from tho sule of .am munition used In tbe club to the mem bers at a profit This can be dono without unduly adding to tbo cost of shooting nud Is more equitable, Inas much as the member who doea tbo most shooting und thereby uses tbo club facilities tho most contributes tbe most toward tho club's expenses. At a conservative estlmato the aver ago member' Will shoot 2.000 shots a year. With Ufty 'member the club will consumo 100.000 rounds. Thla will cost tho members CO cents per hundred, while the club will derive a net profit of $250 n yeur. These figures nro very conservative nnd with an economical management will go n long way toward covering expenses nnd provide for tak ing up bonds. Tho sale of old copper and lead, special matches and other While lu summer bnsobnll, trips to tho woods, etc., constitute counter nttrnc- .i i i..,.. ,i. ...... 'fiMauJLlXVes . cnt of ono club to'shoM , n," GM might ha . iidvnntairi. 'im. ... . . 1)0 WWT N . ,...,.." " "" UIS1J Of ((,. ,. "UN .Wy7eo7;oZxrrD;, "bout every Hv0 couZC0 k l-iitrloa In nay 2 !" would provun, urat. s.u J6 b h. fourth prizes. v..lu0 J, " n cents and 20 cents, ci.i. , CcnU- 39 tlioso amounts nrn tven l7ktt tlvo wlnne.s. niulnt Ltop e'P, year the amount due . f 4 on his accumulated voucnm h purchase u Mm. or ,'r" U IVlw to serve as a !'" prowess. The we, l.v ? n' bU round robin tourna,,, U, -champion matches are othl ' clcl -tions for a varied 8 toll 'URtt which will foster Snm . club members. ' ntt0n Un Capltnl sport for holldnr. or ,, good number of inembers rl ! ea ' Is a team shoot at brcakabi 3,? ' two Inches In diameter Lilf white nt. 00 yard,. Botii&Jg of four men each are leleSritS ' drawn to shoot In win. n?," 1 breaking all Its opponents' dull fa! wins tho losing team , ,? -and the last team h, uin, This Is not only 0XlUta hg splendid practice, and affords htiS for spectators. The latter I. taut, as an ordinary target Bufft uot uttrncUve to a gallery, UUoth orwlso when tho progress of the cm Is mado visible by tho breaklnc of 2 targets. " Prlzea and "Pot HunUn. I Competitions Imply prizes and nata cost money. A very few club fiZ will admit of devoting more than i very nomlual sum to this pim). Fortunately largo sums nro tiniZ sary, and nn entry fee ef 5 r iq cenU will generally provide a food out of which a few Inexpensive prbet inoro us meuientoes of the event thu ns rewards, can bu awarded, nud thus should bo sulllclcnt If muncy ind valuablo prizes are shot fur tbo crack marksmen iiru apt to degetierate Into what they call "pot hunters" lu Ed;. land-that Is, experts who seldom ttwot unless thero Is a rich stako to be won. These aro objectionable, not onl; u opposed to tho principles of amateur sport, but because such people dettr others from competing. Hut that din ger can bo easily ob luted. Bklll a&4 democracy aro tho keynotes at rlfit shooting Is organized today. Prises aro kept down to Inexpensive trinket. lu Kuglaud thu standard prlzo sttw to bo a silver spoou, worth perhaps a dollar, lu cases where wealthy men havo offered valuablo prize to encour age competition among clubs tbe riS uicii havo said that they would much rather havo Improved routes aud fa cilities for practice. Special mutches, particularly ttaat dcr to shoulder matches wltb celxb boring clubs, are latercstlt!giiDdfp ulsh nu Indirect motive for prattle, Inasmuch as thu honor uf Hbootloe to one's club Is generally coveted. Tele graphic und mull matches urea soiae what less Interesting substitute bf shoulder to ahauldiT mutches. Mutch tenuis are usually selected ib4 controlled by the club cuptalu. vilw should bo elected annually. DnelSrt enthusiasm nud u suave tctuperamett uru tnoro essential qualltlcutlons la a captain than great skill In sbovtlsc. Indeed, It Is on iniiuy grounds prefer ublo that tho captain hlmmilf kdouU not shoot In mutches. In selecting a team bo should glvo preference to coa slstent Hhots rather than to tboo w aro In tbe habit of alternating more brilliant performances with tS breaks, and when meeting weak op ponents should tako the oiiortiiDlty frt eiicouroglug the more urouiUlnjf of W lni)rovlng ineinbers by Including tbeia In tils team. Hats Off to the Ladlis. Your club should bo conducted for all classes uud glvo everybody anipla scopo, according to hU bklll, Tbe wob en aud girls cau give tone to tbo rlob by their presence, oven though tbe nro ou tho rango but one night a weet They nro splendid organizers, too, awl tho club that has their co-operatlou m Interest Is fortunate Women nud girl now purtlclpi In bowling everywhere, und rifle Ing calls for fur less physical ir tlon nnd undoubtedly gives great er scope for skill based on goa nerves nnd good thinking. Womtrt work In sowing und similar fcmlnlM occupations makes thelreyea truer ttn thoso of most men. With a little -practice they learu to shoot very well w tho Now York high schools many w tho girls qualify as "markbinen.M w" your nppeal rememberlug that wob en are proud. of iMr-ffiS women' "... -J doing In f Wbut moil as n sex aro doing in uw world doesn't Interest Mm very kCT- i H s0 Ht? ",9. !'"J,..T!Hi ta ...i. nn. mnn lu lining, nuu U" himself, or what a group of fe'oj do who make up his crowd. Rut men will Join the organization aa no men and work for It on that basw. Community Life. A good rifle club should be thing more thnn nn organization rj tho bonetlt of Its members aiwft It can be made a very One lnflu In Its community, an encouragemeo to clean living nud the abandoB"W of bad habits, the best poaalb e trata ng for both the body and mind, i t ter for men and women, boys nnai gin nn outlet for energies that nilgbt wj be expended so healthily If It T In existence and something 'upon , wJW the commimlty can often be unltea a basis of community spirit I foresee the rapid ctullnued ipw of the rifle-club Idea' In America. f J s Dt