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 shooting 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.
The target I will be using the most will be the No.1, 200 & 300 yard version from this 1874 NRA information sheet (upper left), introducing the New Wimbledon Targets. The No.2 target is what is seen in the Aug 1875 advertisment to the right (or next photo).
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
1882, 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
1874, Second Class Target to be used at all distances over 300 yards, to and including 600 yards. The point system is not shown, so we make our own.
Total target size is x feet by x feet
Bullseye - Inner black circle, 8" inches - 5 points
Center - First white circle, 16" inches - 4 points
Inner - Second white circle, 28" inches - 3 points
Outer - Third white circle, 40" inches - 2 points
Black - Outer black frame, x" inch - 0 points
1874, No. 1 Target - to be used at distances from 200 to 300 yards. This target may be more user friendly for modern shooting and is the target I plan to use.
"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
These targets seem to be very similar, if not exact, to the NRA second class 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.
Rock Island Auction Photo
Rock Island Auction Photo
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.
Keep this in mind when looking through the 300 yard targets in the next few pages..........
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