Читать книгу A.B.C. of Snap Shooting - Fletcher Horace - Страница 5

1. Each should take his turn in the positions of Firer, Tosser, and Scorer.[10]

2. The Tosser should stand ten[11] feet distant from the Firer, with his side[12] to him, and toss the bell-ball about fifteen[13] feet high, and so that it will fall on soft ground,[15] two or three[14] feet in front of where he (the Tosser) is standing.

3. The Firer should disencumber his shoulders of anything that in any way interferes with their free action, by removing his coat, vest and suspenders, and stand firmly[16] on his feet, holding the rifle with the stock below his right[17] elbow, the muzzle above the level of the eye,[18] and his left hand clasping the barrel as far out[19] as it can reach with ease when the rifle is brought to the shoulder in aiming.

4. The instant[20] the ball is tossed, the rifle should be brought to the shoulder with as quick a motion as possible, regardless of the speed the bell seems to have.

5. When the bell has reached its greatest[21] elevation, just see it full[22] over the line of both[23] sights and pull the trigger.[24]

6. The rifle should not be allowed to get[25] foul, but cleaned before any burned powder has accumulated in the grooves.[26]

7. Practice at balls thrown straight[27] up to a uniform height should continue till tolerable proficiency, say the average hitting of 80 per cent., has been attained, when the direction should be changed gradually to that of a curve, which lengthened out sufficiently constitutes the Cross-shot.[28]

8. The Drop-shot is the following of a bell, from its summit down to within one or two[29] feet of the ground and hitting it there.

9. The Incoming-shot[30] is at a ball thrown at the firer from a distance of say 50 feet, and is the easiest of all; but unless thrown so as to go above his head, and caught by him in passing over, is not recommended, owing to the danger to the tosser. If a trap be used it is safe and good practice.

10. The Trap-shot is the most difficult, requires the quickest[31] action, and is consequently the very best practice, and is the hitting of balls thrown straight away from the firer by a spring-trap, or by hand, so that they fall not more than twenty-five feet distant.

11. The above are the cardinal directions, but any variety of shots can be made at will after these have been mastered.

12. Shooting at a bell-ball, suspended by a wire or cord, which can be done indoors, is excellent practice. The bell is made to swing, and as each hit gives it a new motion a variety of shots can be tried.

13. Balls only[32] should be used as flying targets, for the reason that a bullet may pass very near the center of an irregularly-shaped object, and not hit it, the miss conveying an erroneous impression of the aim.

14. Quickness[31] of action is most important in snap shooting, not only in firing but in loading.

15. Reload your piece immediately after discharging it, and be ready to fire again. That you may accustom yourself to be quick in all your movements, try how many[33] times you can fire, reload, and hit a bell-ball thrown up perpendicularly in a given time, say one or two minutes.

Note. —100 consecutive misses at first will not indicate an inability to learn to hit. Perseverance and attention to the suggestions here given will make one a good snap shot in less time than may at first seem possible.