Early Target Shooting
Targets by February 19th, 1878
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Before we get into the targets, I'd like to share what was happening back between 1874 and 1878. I am no "target shooter", nor do I shoot competition matches...but I do enjoy seeing the 44-40 being shot at long ranges!!! Effective is Subjective!!!!!
Some of the below data gleamed from the books "Forest & Stream, Hand-Book for Rifleman" 1875, "A Course In Instruction In Rifle Shooting" by Col. T. T. S. Laidley, Ord. Dept. U.S. Army, 1879 and "The Sportsman's Directory", 1893.
Same target as above (Aug 1875), but edited to show black dots representing actual bullet hole size. 500 yards, 24" square bullseye, 48" inner square and 82" outer square.
Out To, and including 300 Yards
Third Class Target to be used at all distances up to and including 300 yards.
Adopted February 19th, 1878
Total target size is 4 feet by 6 feet
Bullseye - Inner black circle, 8" inches - 5 points
Center - First white circle, 26" inches - 4 points
Inner - Second white circle, 46" inches -3 points
Outer - Remainder of target - 2 points
Over 300 Yards, and Out To 600 Yards
Second Class Target to be used at all distances over 300 yards, to and including 600 yards.
Total target size is 6 feet by 6 feet
Bullseye - Inner black circle, 22" inches - 5 points
Center - First white circle, 38" inches - 4 points
Inner - Second white circle, 54" inches - 3 points
Outer - Third white circle, 70" inches - 2 points
Black - Outer black frame, 1" inch - 0 points
These targets seem to be very similar, if not exact, to the NRA targets. The targets below are from an 1876, 500 yard competition where brothers Thomas and Granville Stuart both scored well with the new Winchester Model 73'...and both...One of One Thousand 44 W.C.F. rifles.
Over the years I have noticed a few 44-40 long distance targets. What caught my attention is that the size of the bullets holes just didn't look right for the distance. After being able to obtain the target design measurement, I was able to transfer the targets to the correct size.
I can now understand that trying to publish the original size holes would be very hard to see.
4 shot group made on March 29th, 1880 by Winchester 73' One of One Thousand sn#27,140 at 50 yards.
Keep this in mind when looking through the 300 yard targets in the next few pages..........
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