The Art of Shooting with the Rifle

Contemporary articles, historical perspectives, and advice for the rifleman.

Hints for Long Range Riflemen - Horatio Ross letter of 11 April 1864 giving hints "intended more for young men who have not as yet taken part in public competitions than for our old and experienced riflemen."

Wind - from 'First Hints On Rifle Shooting' by A.P. Humphry (William Clowes and Sons, London, 1876). Alfred Paget Humphry (1850-1916) was the Queen's Prize Gold Medal winner in 1871 and represented Great Britain in the GB Rifle Volunteers vs US National Guard competitions of 1882 & 1883.

The Back Position - An overview of the back (or supine) position illustrated with 19th century images and photographs of modern riflemen.

Managing the Enfield - A short treatise for shooting the Enfield rifle today, covering the rifle, equipment, ammunition, shooting, sighting, cleaning and bedding.

Enfield Optics - Problems with open sights for the shooter past the first flush of youth.

Long Range Black Powder Rifle Target Shooting - a facebook group. Long range target shooting with the percussion muzzle loading rifle and black powder cartridge rifle. Historical study and shooting today. 19th Century competition at Wimbledon, Creedmoor and Dollymount. Rifles, ammunition and equipment. Riflemen and Gunmakers.

Hints for Long Range Riflemen

The Captain of the Scottish Team for many years was veteran rifleman Horatio Ross. His letters encouraging Scotsmen desirous of "becoming a first-class shot" were published in the press. That of 11 April 1864 gave hints "intended more for young men who have not as yet taken part in public competitions than for our old and experienced riflemen." This advice is still relevant today and worthy of study by the long range rifleman.

First Hints On Rifle Shooting: Wind

Details: Parent Category: Marksmanship; Category: The Art of Shooting with the Rifle; Written by A.P. Humphry

It is well to begin at once to contract the habit of noticing the direction and strength of the wind, and the indications of them afforded by flags, the smoke from rifles, the rustling of leaves, and other signs. The firer should be on the alert as to these the whole time he is on the range, and experience will teach more about the effect of wind upon the bullet, and the way to judge it, than all the books that could be written.

The Back Position

The back or supine position (sometimes referred to as the Creedmoor position) was known at the end of the 18th century. Captain Ferguson demonstrating his famous breech loading flintlock rifle at Woolwich in 1776 was noted to have "hit the bull's eye at 100 yards, lying with his back on the ground."

Enfield Optics

Problems with open sights for the shooter past the first flush of youth. The available remedy is a convex spectacle lens which is only just strong enough to clarify the foresight. This produces the least fuzziness to the aiming mark but fuzzier it will certainly be. The rear sight will still be vague but slightly improved. In my case, was this imperfect compromise becoming so bad that sighting errors were causing the problems or had my bedding gone sour or what?

Research Press

Historical Firearms, Long Range Target Shooting & Military History

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Marksmanship

The Art of Shooting with the Rifle

Hints for Long Range Riflemen

First Hints On Rifle Shooting: Wind

The Back Position

Enfield Optics