Long Range Rifle Fire
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Long Range Rifle Fire
Understanding the flight of projectiles together with technological developments increased both range and accuracy of small arms. These articles, old and new, give insight into this fascinating topic.


For the soldier to take advantage of the advances in firearms technology, so musketry instruction needed to evolve to meet changing military tactics and capabilities.

The How and Why of Long Shots and Straight Shots - A short treatise explaining the limitations of the smooth-bored gun and round ball, and the merits of the rifled barrel and elongated bullet. [1860]
Long-Range Rifle-Fire - An overview of the development of the rifle in British military service from 1680 to 1885, and the impact on long-range shooting. [1885]
Long Range Shooting - Is a new historical perspective from the earliest times down to the late 19th Century.
.45-70 at Two Miles - The Sandy Hook Tests of 1879. U.S. long range rifle fire with the Springfield and Martini-Henry rifle.

LRML.org
For information on the British muzzle loading match rifle visit the
Long Range
Muzzle Loader
web site.

Wimbledon
Late in 1859 the National Rifle Association (NRA) was formed and its aims included "the encouragement of Volunteer Rifle Corps and the promotion of rifle shooting throughout Great Britain." The NRA held their first rifle meeting on Wimbledon common in 1860 and with royal patronage and the daily papers and weekly-illustrated journals reporting widely on events, the 'Wimbledon fortnight' was marked for success.

Wimbledon & The Volunteers - From 1860 until 1889 the NRA held their annual rifle meeting on Wimbledon Common, with attendance in the thousands… and that was just the riflemen! So who were these riflemen and what were they doing at Wimbledon?
By-Laws and Regulations - For the July 1860 meeting of the NRA at Wimbledon.
The Wimbledon Rifle-Match - A spectators report on the first meeting NRA rifle meeting, 1860.

Creedmoor & the International Matches
In the latter part of the 19th century the Creedmoor Rifle Range, Long Island, New York, USA, was the venue for a number of international long range rifle matches that received widespread public interest and much press coverage. Ranges shot at were 800, 900 and 1,000 yards, with muzzle loading and breech loading black powder rifles used.
Creedmoor and the International Matches - The story of the founding of the NRA in America, the development of Creedmoor rifle range and the international rifle matches.
Marksmen
The 19th century saw a huge growth in interest in target rifle shooting. Queen's prize winners were hailed as hero's and thousands of spectators turned up to witness the long range international matches. Who were these riflemen that attracted such public attention....?
Index of 19th Century Riflemen - A biographic resource of information covering prominent riflemen of the period.
         
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