October 2026 (1) - Flipbook - Page 71
competition, held over two
days, 13 and 14 September. The
distances were 800, 900 and
1,000 yards.
Targets at the Centennial
Match changed from those
previously adopted. The old
square bull’s eye was replaced
by a new circular one, as
adopted by the NRA of Great
Britain in 1875. The target used
at long range was six feet high
by twelve feet wide, and was
divided as follows: Bull’s eye, 36
inch circle, counting 5; Centre,
54 inch circle surrounding
the bull’s eye, counting 4;
Inner, 6 x 6 feet enclosing the
centre, counting 3; Outer, the
remainder of the target, being a
strip 3 feet wide on each edge,
counting 2.
Competitors were to 昀椀re
昀椀fteen shots at each distance
upon each day, commencing
at 800 yards. Shooting was
from any position, without
an arti昀椀cial rest, and with no
sighting shots. The American
team used breech loading ri昀氀es
while their rivals contested
the match with their trusted
Rigby and Gibbs-Metford
muzzle loading match ri昀氀es.
The winning team would
receive the Centennial Trophy,
later known as the Palma
Trophy, a magni昀椀cent piece
commissioned from Ti昀昀any’s for
$1,500.
So, everything was now in
place for the Grand Centennial
Ri昀氀e Contest. The morning
of Wednesday, 13 September,
opened favourably for the
ri昀氀emen with an overcast sky
and little breeze, the banners
and 昀氀ags hanging almost
motionless on their sta昀昀s.
On the 昀椀rst day of the match
huge crowds of spectators
poured through the gates at
Creedmoor. Each team was
allocated two targets to 昀椀re at,
four men to a targe, and the
positions being determined by
lot.
The match commenced
a little after 11:00am at 800
yards. The Australians, 昀椀ring
rapidly, 昀椀nished 昀椀rst with a
score of 531. The Irish, 昀椀nishing
a few minutes later, scored 535
and the Canadians 521. Then
came the American score of 550,
a dramatic lead the Scottish
could not match, 昀椀nishing on
535. After shooting at 800
yards competitors retired to
their tents to partake of a light
luncheon.
At two o’clock the 昀椀ring on
the 900 yards range was begun.
Wind strength had increased a
little in the afternoon and was
a little more ‘pu昀昀y and ba昀툀ing’
as one contemporary report
states. The teams shot more
evenly at this distance although
the Americans strong lead was
eroded a little. The scores were:
Scotland 528, Australia 524,
Ireland 524, America 518 and
Canada 476.
The 1000 yards range 昀椀ring
followed, at a little after four.
The shooting opened briskly,
the Irish and the Austrians
leading o昀昀, and 昀椀nishing
their rounds within an hour
and a quarter. The Canadians
and the Americans 昀椀nished
about together, but the Scots
were still shooting with some
deliberation. Despite the
darkening afternoon the Scots
The First Day’s Shooting – Close Of The Day
(Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, 30 September 1876)
God Bless Black Powder!
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