National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association

HER MAJESTY has been graciously pleased to give £250 as a prize to be competed for by Volunteers at the July meeting of the association, to be held on Wimbledon Common; and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort has also been pleased to give £100 as a prize to be competed for by all comers of all nations.

BY-LAWS AND REGULATIONS FOR THE JULY MEETING OF 1860

[1] The prize meeting of the National Rifle Association shall take place on Wimbledon Common (County Surrey), and commence on the 2nd of July.
[2] The firing shall commence at 8 a.m.

VOLUNTEER PRIZES

[3] There shall be _____ targets.
[4] There shall be six ranges, viz.- A: 300 yards B: 500 yards C: 600 yards D: 800 yards E: 900 yards F: 1,000 yards The shooting at range A shall be off the shoulder; at the remaining five ranges it shall be from the knee - Hythe position.
[5] The size of the targets shall be as follows:-: a. 300 yards range, 6ft. by 4 ft., with 8-in. bull's-eye and 2 ft. centre.
b. Remaining distances, 6 ft. square, with 2 ft. centre.
[6] The following prizes shall be offered for competition. At ranges A, B, C (vide Regulation 4):: a. 20 rifles (1), with the silver medal of the association for the best shot of the 20, each of the 20 successful competitors being placed in order of merit.
These prizes shall be competed for with long Enfield Rifles, of bonā fide Government pattern of 1853, with a minimum pull of 3 lb. (2). Each competitor shall have five shots at each of the above-named ranges, and the prizes shall be adjudged according to the aggregate number of points thus made (3).; b. Five prizes. - viz.:-
1st: £100
2nd: £25
3rd: £25
4th: £25
5th: £25
These prizes shall be competed for with any description of rifle of a bonā fide Government pattern, used by volunteers, and carrying the .577 bore Government ammunition. The competition for these prizes shall be regulated by the regulations laid down under letter a (4)
[7] At ranges A, B, C (v. Regulation 4) none but Government ammunition shall be used.
[8] At ranges D, E, F (v. Regulation 4), her Majesty the Queen's prize of £250 will be offered for competition, together with the gold medal of the association.: a. This prize shall be shot for with a rifle with a minimum bore of .451, and a maximum weight of 9 1/2 lb., and the competition shall be confined to the winners of the 20 rifles (5), (v. Regulation 6 a), and to the 20 next best shots at the A, B, C, long Enfield ranges.; b. Each competitor for this prize shall fire ten shots at each of the ranges D, E, F (v. Regulation 4), and the prize shall be adjudged according to the aggregate number of points thus made.
[9] Ties shall be decided as follows:-: a. Ties at ranges A, B, C (v. Regulation 4), shall fire one shot at range C until the best shot be returned.; b. Ties at ranges D, E, F (v. Regulation 4), shall be determined by the points gained at the previous ranges A, B, C (6).

FOR ALL COMER OF ALL NATIONS

[10] There shall be seven ranges:- (7) A: 200 yards B: 300 yards C: 500 yards D: 600 yards E: 800 yards F: 900 yards G: 1000 yards
[11] The size of the targets shall be the same as is specified under Regulation 4; the target at range A (v. Regulation 10) being the same as target A (v. Regulation 4).
[12] The following prizes shall be offered for competition:- Five prizes at each of the ranges A, B, C, D (v. Reglation 10). The value of each of these prizes shall be as follows (8):- A: £20 B: £30 C: £40 D: £60
[13] All persons who have paid £1 1s. entrance fee (v. Standing Rules, No. XVIII.) shall be entitled to five shots at any one of the ranges, A, B, C, D; but should any person wish to compete for prizes at more than one, or at all or these four ranges, he will be required to pay £1 1s. for each additional range. The prizes at each range shall be adjudged according to the points made by each competitor at that range.
[14] At ranges E, F, G (v. Reglation 10), his Royal Highness the Prince Consort's Prize of £100.: a. The competition for this prize shall be confined to the winners of prizes at ranges A, B, C, D, and to the 20 next best shots at those ranges (9).
b. Each competitor shall have ten shots at each of the ranges, and the prizes shall be adjudged according to the aggregate number of points thus made.
[15] Ties shall be decided as follows:-: a. Ties at each of the ranges A, B, C, D shall fire one shot each at their respective ranges, until the best shot be returned.
b. Ties at ranges E, F, G shall fire one shot at range G untill the best shot be returned.
[16] All the above-mentioned prizes, open to all comers, may be shot for with any description of rifle, provided its weight does not exceed 10 lb.
[17] In the competition for these prizes hair-triggers and magnifying sights will not be allowed.
[18] A prize shall be offered at range G (v. Regulation 10), which may be competed for with rifles having magnifying sights, but any such rifle must not exceed 10 lb. in weight (10).
[19] A prize shall be offered for competition with breech-loading rifles. This prize shall be shot for at ranges E, F, G (v. Regulation 10).
[20] Hits at ranges A and B shall count as in the first period at Hythe, i.e., bull's-eye, 3 points; centre, 2 points; outer, 1 point; hits at the remaining ranges shall count, centre 2; outer 1. (1) It is the anxious desire of the council to add a purse to each of these 20 prizes, but their doing so, and the value of these purses, must necessarily depend on the amount of subscriptions received by the association up to the period of twenty-one days previous to the meeting. (2) Each successful competitor shall hand over his rifle for inspection by the umpire as soon as he has fired his last shot. (3) The council being anxious that the Volunteers should compete as far as possible on equal terms, have decided that the long Enfield, with which the majority of the Volunteers are now armed, shall be the description of rifle with which, for the sake of uniformity in shooting, these prizes shall be contended for. The Secretary of State for War has, at the request of the council, kindly consented to provide a sufficient number of the best and latest manufactured long Enfields for the use of such Volunteers as may have been selected by their respective corps to compete for the above prizes, and who may not be provided with a rifle of the said description. These rifles will, on application to the commanding officers, be delivered by the association one month before the meeting in July for the use of such competitors, and all rifles thus lent must be returned to the association at the close of the meeting. (4) These prizes have been kindly given to the association by Mr Gye, in commemoration of the Volunteer Ball, which took place on the 7th of March last. (5) The association will supply rifles to such volunteers as may be entitled to compete for the above-mentioned prize, but who may not have been able to furnish themselves with this arm. As much time as is possible will be given for practice. Before specifying the description of rifle with which the gold medal of the association and chief prize shall be competed for, a trial of different smallbore arms has been advertised to take place, in order to ascertain which is the best. The following notice appeared in the Times of the 18th of April, 1860:- 'The council of the National Rifle Association having resolved that the gold medal and chief prize of the Association shall be shot for by the Volunteers at the National Rifle Association meeting in July next, with a small bore-rifle, at ranges of 800, 900, and 1,000 yards, are anxious that the competitors should contend, as far as possible, on equal terms. This can only be effected by confining them to one description of arm; but, before deciding upon it, the council invite the gunmakers of the United Kingdom to a competition with rifles of a minimum bore of .451, and of a maximum weight of 9 1/2 lb. The pull of the trigger not being less than 3 lb. This competition will take place on the 1st of May - due notice of the time and place being previously given. The rifle that gives the best figure will then be selected, subject to the condition of the manufacturer undertaking to supply the required number of forty within two months of that date, and of their being equal in quality to the one so chosen.' (6) Should there be undecided ties at these ranges, they shall be determined by shots fired at range F. (7) The shooting at ranges A and B shall be off the shoulder. At the remaining five ranges any position; but no artificial rest will be allowed. (8) The council wish it to be clearly understood that, although the above-named sums have been proposed, the value of the prizes must be dependent on the amount realised by subscription and entrance fees. (9) Anyone intending to compete for this prize, and who enters for more than one of the prizes at ranges A, B, C, D (v. Regulation 13), must declare to the secretary before the shooting commences at which range he intends to qualify for this prize; his place at such range will alone determine whether he can enter for this prize or not. (10) No prize will be given under this regulation unless at least six competitors have entered their names 21 days previous to the meeting.

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