The Plattsburg Manual Part 42

HINTS ON RAPID FIRE

1. When you go to the firing point get two clips of cartridges, one to be used at the command load and the extra one is placed in the belt.

2. See that your cut-off is up.

3. When the target first appears drop quickly into the required position for firing. A great deal of time is usually lost by the firer squirming around trying to get into a comfortable position.

4. Don't hurry your first or last shot. These are the two shots that are usually bad.

5. If your second clip jams or breaks, turn the cut-off up, load and fire each cartridge separately.

6. Leave the gun at your shoulder while working the bolt.

7. Be careful to fire on your own target.

8. If a cartridge fails to fire, it is very probably because the bolt is not all the way down; therefore rec.o.c.k the gun (pull the firing pin back), make certain the bolt is down, and fire again.

9. As soon as the targets disappear cease firing, come to Inspection Arms, examine your rifle for unfired cartridges.

GENERAL HINTS AND CAUTIONS

1. Don't be afraid of the kick; it is more imaginary than real when the sling is properly used, your shoulder properly padded, and the gun properly held.

2. Rest your cheek, not your jaw bone, lightly against the small of the stock.

3. Rest your right thumb along the right side of the stock and not on top of it.

4. Blacken both front and rear sights, adjust and place your arm in the sling, and if possible set your sights while you are waiting your turn to go to the firing point.

5. Approach and leave the firing point with your bolt drawn back. This is to prevent accidents.

6. When not actually aiming, have your bolt drawn back.

7. Never attempt to force the bolt into the gun in case of a jam, but ask a coach to fix it for you.

8. Don't allow the muzzle to touch the ground.

9. Don't rub your eyes while at the firing point.

10. When not actually aiming, rest the eyes by shading them or looking at something green.

11. Clean the bore of your rifle before and after firing. After firing it should be cleaned daily, until a rag run through it will not be soiled.

12. Clean the rifle from the breech.

13. Zero of rifle. Every rifle, owing to slight inequalities of boring, sights, and the personal errors of the firer, shoots differently. When you have ascertained its (rifle) and your own peculiar errors and you know where to set your sights to counteract these constant errors, you have determined what is commonly termed the zero of your rifle. To ill.u.s.trate, if you were shooting on a perfectly calm day (which is essential) at the target from the 500-yard range, and you found that you required one half a point left windage in order to hit the bull's-eye when no wind is blowing, the zero of your rifle for that range would be one half a point left windage.

CARE OF THE RIFLE

Keep the metal part of your rifle covered with a thin coating of light oil; "3-in-1" oil is ordinarily used. This is especially important in damp weather.

Always clean the bore from the breech. This avoids injuring the muzzle.

The pull through (a string found in the oiler and thong case) is only used in the field.

After the rifle is fired the bore is covered with an acid which, if left in the bore, will eat into the metal and pit it. To avoid this, swab out the barrel as soon as possible after firing with Hoppe's "Powder Solvent, No. 9" which can be purchased at the camp stores. If this powder solvent is not available, dissolve some soda in water and use it.

When the barrel is clean, dry it out thoroughly by running several dry rags through it. Next run several rags, saturated in oil, through the barrel, this for the purpose of oiling the bore and preventing rust.

This process of cleaning should be repeated for at least three successive days following the firing of the rifle.

The metal fouling, caused by the pealing off in the bore of the jacket of the bullet, can only be removed by an application of an ammonia solution which should not be used by an inexperienced man.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

The Bayonet. The bayonet is a cutting and thrusting weapon consisting of three princ.i.p.al parts, viz., the blade, the guard, and the grip. The weight of a bayonet is 1 pound.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Captain B. A. Dixon, retired, has compiled the following interesting data about our military rifle and ammunition:

"Name. United States Rifle (commonly known as the Springfield).

"Cost. $14.40 without the bayonet.

"Barrel. 24.006 inches in length. The muzzle is rounded to protect the rifling. Any injury here would allow gases to escape around the sides of the bullet and destroy its accuracy.

"On the top in rear of the front sight is stamped the Ordnance escutcheon, the initials of the place of manufacture, and the month and year.

"Caliber. .30-thirty hundredths of an inch. Caliber is the interior diameter of the barrel measured between the lands.

"Grooves. The four spiral channels within the bore of the rifle sometimes called rifling. They are .004 inches deep and are three times as wide as the lands.

"Lands. The four raised s.p.a.ces in the bore of the rifle between the grooves. These lands grip the bullet as it pa.s.ses through the bore and rotate it to the right about the longer axis. This rotation serves to prevent tumbling and keeps the bullet accurately on its course. This spinning of the bullet also causes it to drift slightly to the right as it pa.s.ses through the air. The same effect is produced by throwing a baseball with a twist.

"Twist. The spiral formed by the grooves in the barrel of the piece.

The twist is uniform and to the right, one turn in ten inches.

"Length. The rifle without bayonet is 43.212 inches long. With bayonet it is 59.212 inches long.