adz4a war office pattern miniature rifle manual - 1906

War Office Pattern Miniature Rifle Manual - 1906

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/War_Office_Pattern_Miniature_Rifle_Manual.htm[11/03/2012 4:33:24 PM]

YOU ARE VISITING THE REFERENCE PAGES OF THE U.K. N.R.A. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE - MINIATURECALIBRE RIFLES RESEARCH SITE

Back to: * SITE MAP or MENU PAGE * SITE SEARCH * TARGETS - HISTORIC SMALLBORE * LITERATURE * COPYRIGHT * LINKS

ENFIELD TRAINING RIFLES * BSA & OTHER TARGET RIFLES * Non-Firing Training Rifles * MINIATURE CALIBRE ADAPTERS & CONVERSION UNITS *SUB-target DEVICES

The 1907 B.S.A. Handbook for the War Office Pattern Miniature Rifle

and, if you have not just arrived here from that page, read a comprehensive write-up on the rifle

or the War Office Specification for the rifle

CONTENTS.

.................CHAPTER I...........................................PAGE

Miniature Rifle Shooting.................................................... 1

CHAPTER II.Various Types of Action

...................................................... 8CHAPTER III.

The War Office MiniatureRifle.......................................... 13

CHAPTER IV.The Flight of the Bullet

........................................................ 24CHAPTER V.

Hints on Shooting and the General Care of the Rifle......... 35

TRAJECTORY TABLES.

TABLE I..22 Long-Rifle Rim-Fire

Cartridge............................ 31TABLE II.

.22 Short Black Rim-FireCartridge.......................... 32

TABLE III.

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Site_Map.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Site_Menu.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Site_Map.htm#SEARCH

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/TARGETRY.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Site_Menu_Frame.htm#LITERATURE

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Copyright.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/index-25.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_small-bore_training_rifles.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_small-bore_target_rifles.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/The_Swift_training_rifle.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Miniature_calibre_adapters_and_conversions.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Sub-target_devices.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/War_Office_Pattern_Miniature_Rifle.htm



.22 Short Smokeless Rim-Fire..................................... 33

_____________

Description of the Mechanism of the W.O.M.Rifle .. 15

General Statistics of theRifle........................................ 20

A HANDBOOKFOR THE

WAR OFFICE MINIATURE RIFLE.

____________

CHAPTER I.MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.

As rifles become more powerful and as our cities and towns extendtheir boundaries the opportunities for rifle shooting become more andmore restricted. The prevailing desire that every British subject shallbe versed in the use of the rifle must accordingly find its expression inthe multiplication of miniature ranges. These may be situated in avariety of out-of-the-way corners, easily accessible from inhabitedcentres. To judge by the results already attained, well organisedpractice at such distances as 25, 50, and 100 yards brings into beingthose qualities of marksmanship which were found to be soconspicuously lacking in many otherwise good soldiers taking part inthe South African campaign. The process of creating a new pastime necessarily brought forward a large numberof problems which had never previously been practically considered. The equipment of suitable ranges, theorganisation of clubs, and the framing of rules to govern rifle shooting contests all received a due amount ofattention. That the results have been satisfactory must be credited, first, to the interest which has been shown inthe new idea by men of wealth and influence, and, second, to the clubbable and sporting instincts of the English-speaking race.To shoot at Bisley is the ultimate aim of most young marksmen, and to graduate at the miniature ranges is the



most certain, and probably the quickest, way of getting there. So many elements enter into the achievement ofskill in shooting that it is desirable to divide the course of tuition into stages. To endeavour to master theintricacies of wind judgment, whilst the ability to take steady aim is still undeveloped, is to introduce anunknown and variable factor which brings about too many " unaccountables " for steady progress to be possible.Before a mag. or outer can be for certain attributed to an unexpected puff of wind the shooter must be able to saywith complete conviction that the error was not of his own making. Miniature shooting thus has the merit ofexcluding for the most part all wind disturbance, so fixing the mind on the very important task of holding the riflein true alignment with the target, whilst pressing the trigger.

To shoot at full-distance military rangesmostly involves a railway journey of somemiles and the expenditure of more moneythan most beginners are able to spare insubscriptions, railway fares, and ammunitioncharges. The value of the practice obtained isrestricted by the relatively small number ofrounds which can be fired, and by thecircumstance that the wind provides tooconvenient an excuse for the loss of pointswhich really arise from faulty manipulation ofthe rifle. The very limitations of miniaturerange shooting provide a means for properlygrasping the rudiments of the art of shooting.A bad habit once developed is most difficult

to eradicate ; and in the case of rifle shooting many of its votaries are for ever debarred from attaining the highestposition, because the earlier stages of their training were not conducted under conditions providing a prompt tell-tale proof of the bad habits which existed.The new War Office miniature rifle represents a praiseworthy effort on the part of various official and otherauthorities on musketry instruction to devise an arm capable of extracting the best results from rifle practice atminiature distances. By its lighter weight and more advantageously disposed balance it minimises the difficultiesattendant on the steady holding of a full-size service rifle. Until long practice has made the ordinary prone firingposition easy and comfortable an ordinary military rifle seems cumbersome and overweighted, a property whichis the more apparent to boys and youths who have not as yet developed the strength and general physicaldevelopment which comes with maturity. Cost, again, is a factor which can never be ignored. Rifle shooting ismost likely to excel as a national sport if it can be developed on self-supporting lines. If heavily subsidised by theGovernment some of its vitality might be lost, certainly private enterprise would be diminished.The introduction of the W.O. miniature model rifle, by reducing the cost of rifles and ammunition as used byclubs, should be as valuable in the long run as an annual grant from the national exchequer, whilst still in no waytrenching on the democratic organisation of our rifle clubs.The new miniature rifle has been so happily proportioned in regard to weight and dimensions, that the mostskilful shooter of mature years will not disdain to practise with it, and at the same time it will not feel heavy orcumbersome in the hands of the average lad of twelve or thirteen years of age. The system of sights is based on atrue military model. The sling attachments provide reasonable facilities for cultivating the approved Bisley methodof holding, and the bolt action accustoms the shooter to a design of breech closure which is universal from themilitary standpoint. Notwithstanding the considerations of economy which have influenced the general style ofthe rifle, the trigger-action has been devised on the latest " double-pull " motion. The first stage of the releasingmovement transfers the mechanism from the " very safe " position—which it assumes after closing the bolt—tothe " very ready " position, the latter preceding the final release.



The fact that the new rifle has been bored and chambered for a brand of cartridge which can be issued at a profitby the club at a price of 2d. for seven rounds, including the cost of the target, has abolished a serious difficulty inclub administration. A single shilling will cover the entire cost of a busy afternoon's practice at the ranges, thissum representing the entry fees for no fewer than six separate competitions, a very different state of affairs fromwhat exists when cartridges cost as much as 3s. 6d. for 100 rounds, with no profit to cover the expenses of clubmanagement. Not only is the cost of the rifle small in itself, but, being an official model, it answers once and forall the question, What rifle shall I buy ? The postponement of purchasing one's own rifle, or, in the case of a club,the difficulty of deciding what arm to adopt for general use, arises very often from the fear that a purchase oncemade may form the subject for regret afterwards. The W.O. miniature rifle, on the other hand, gives everyprospect of becoming a permanent asset to its owner. Its manufacture by such a company as the BirminghamSmall Arms Co., Ltd., ensures not only a high grade of workmanship, but the power at all times to replace,promptly and at small cost, any part which may become worn or defective by long use or neglect.The formation of rifle clubs has thus been deprived of its greatest anxiety. Four or five rifles for general use, to besupplemented by others privately owned, will represent the only serious capital charge. The necessary targetapparatus can be installed for a few shillings, and on a well-chosen piece of ground safety conditions can besufficiently assured by the erection of turf mounds such as an ordinary labourer can set up. The firing pointconsists merely of a row of cocoanut mats, and, therefore, involves no serious outlay. In point of fact the secret ofsuccess is to cut down initial expenses to the smallest possible extent, in the knowledge that money is best spent ifdevoted to satisfying needs when they actually arise. A few supplies in the way of targets, cleaning apparatus, anda thousand or so rounds of ammunition will form the essentials upon which the first day's shooting may becommenced.The personnel of the club's organisation should be framed on a similarly practical basis. The secretary willprobably be the moving spirit in the enterprise. Those who rally round him will form the committee and honoraryelement. The club may be started with £10 capital and ten members. As soon as its existence becomes known,another ten will join in, and a total of twenty qualifies for affiliation with the National Rifle Association. Aformal letter to Col. C. R. Crosse, at Bisley Camp, Brookwood, Surrey, will bring by way of reply particulars ofthe simple qualifying conditions which are deemed essential. Formalities having been completed, and the modestfee paid, a welcome surprise greets the secretary of the club when he finds that there is already something toshoot for, something to stimulate the enthusiasm and interest of the members, and something to show that theN.R.A. is really interested in the success of its latest recruit. That is to say, each club which is affiliated with theNational Rifle Association receives the Donegal Bronze Medal, an appropriate reward for the shooter who makesthe most consistent scoring in the course of the season. Each club also receives a series of forms relating to themarksmanship certificates which are awarded to every shooter who has attained a specified standard ofmarksmanship. Taking it all round, the formation of a successful rifle club involves little more effort than the will-power to make the initial plunge. When once the launch has been successfully accomplished, the rest is merely aquestion of plain sailing. With reasonably active secretarial management, a club can hardly fail to succeed, andthis for the reason that we all have within us the latent desire to become marksmen and an instinctive sympathyfor the rifle and its use.

CHAPTER II.VARIOUS TYPES OF ACTION.



THE prime justification for the War Office miniature rifle is its close affinity with the military model. It can,however, be shown that its main characteristics may be further justified on the principle of the survival of thefittest. The various stages in the course of the development which rifles have undergone can best be illustrated bythe quotation of actual examples. The Martini action is doubtless the most familiar to the average reader. Thechamber orifice is closed by means of a hinged block, pivoted at the rear end, and operated by an under-lever.The essential disadvantage of this action for miniature rifles generally lies in the circumstance that the bore isinaccessible from the rear. Such a system of construction introduces serious inconveniences in regard to cleaningoperations. In no class of rifle is rust more quickly developed by neglect, or more serious in its results than witharms firing •22 calibre rim-fire ammunition. The barrel needs attention not only after firing and before puttingaway, but during the actual progress of shooting. In hot, dry weather there is always the possibility that foulingmay accumulate in the bore in sufficient quantities to deteriorate the quality of the shooting obtained. The powerat all times to wipe out the inside of the barrelwithout delay and inconvenience is, therefore,a first essential in a miniature rifle. To be ableto satisfy oneself that the bore is clean aroundthe chamber is a necessary feature of thecleaning process. The Martini action can befitted with a removable barrel, so overcomingthis primary disability at the cost of a certainamount of extra trouble.Another disadvantage of the Martini action isthat it does not lend itself to the fitting of asatisfactory ejecting mechanism for .22 calibrerim-fire cartridges. This fault is general in allrifles falling within a certain group ofconstruction. In other words, the shot gunsystem of extraction and ejection is not applicable to all kinds of cartridge cases. For the purposes of descriptionthe processes incidental to removing the empty cartridge shell may be divided into primary extraction and finalejection. Cartridge chambers are mostly made with a slight taper, which leaves the back larger in diameter thanthe front The leverage exerted on the extracting piece forcibly withdraws the empty shell until it lies in a largerpart of the chamber. Supposing the taper to be sufficient to free the case from any grip it may have had on thewalls of the chamber, a slight extra flip should throw it out clear of the gun or rifle. That things do not alwayswork out as intended must be apparent to most users of miniature rifles. The failure to provide for the satisfactoryejection of •22 calibre empty shells must be attributed to the circumstance that the grip of the chamber neverreally ceasesuntil the case has been completely withdrawn. The inability of the ejecting flip to expel an ordinary •22 cartridgecase is also influenced by the circumstance that it does not possess sufficient weight or substance to continue byits own momentum the motion first imparted to it. The long bolt travel of the W.O. miniature rifle provides forthe complete removal from the chamber of the empty cartridge case before even an attempt is made to give it theflip which throws it clear of the rifle.There are various other rifle mechanisms which are more or less analogous to the Martini, but which leave a clearview of the rear end of the barrel when the action is open. Such rifles are mostly of the falling block type, andmuch ingenuity has been expended in combining in a convenient form the various essential parts such as thetrigger, hammer, extractor, cocking mechanism when such exists, and so forth.

Public opinion now favours a design of riflewhich will approximate more closely to themilitary conditions which have formed thedominating idea in the inception of the truecadet rifle. Even if allegiance to the bolt isconsidered of secondary importance, thereremain various other objections to existing



well-known types of rifles which are as yetunmet. The designing of small rifles isnecessarily restricted by the marketconditions they must encounter. The shooterseldom judges his rifle by the open sightssupplied with it, and as few things add somuch to the cost of a rifle as a satisfactoryset of open sights, economy is studied in this

quarter by the manufacturer. The shooter does not mind, because he knows that for the use he contemplatesmaking of his rifle a peephole backsight fitted on the hand-grip will supply a most excellent means of accuratealignment. As the bolt action does not lend itself to the use of a peephole fixed on the grip of the stock, this classof sight is regarded as unmilitary. A natural prejudice accordingly exists against practising at miniature rangeswith appliances out of character with Bisley conditions. In the W. 0. Miniature rifle a large proportion of the totalcost of manufacture has been allocated to the provision of a military style of sights, having a refinement ofadjustment and a solidity of construction which will help to remove the yearnings for a peephole.Another class of rifle which has achieved great success in consequence of the lack of an arm exactly suited to theneeds of the miniature range shooter is the small toy-like bolt rifle. Considerable differences exist between onetype and another as regards workmanship, accuracy of shooting, and general efficiency under practical conditionsof use. The only objection which can be lodged against these rifles as a class is that they aim at too low a cost;but, being of too " miniature " a character, they hardly merit serious consideration when club rifles are inquestion. The new W.O. rifle strikes a happy mean between starvation of cost on the one hand, and expensiveelaboration on the other. The W. 0. miniature rifle is fitted with a simple and inexpensive bolt action ; itpossesses a man's size of stock ; it is of sufficient length to carry practical military sights; it has swivels for theattachment of a sling ; in fact, it represents a special rifle designed for a special purpose, and better carries out thatpurpose than other rifles made with other ends in view.A few words about magazine actions will suffice to bring this chapter to a close. In the early days of miniaturerifle club shooting magazine arms were recommended to the exclusion of all other types. They accordinglyenjoyed a certain vogue, but for practical club shooting they were proved to possess disadvantages outweighingthe possible benefits.It would be wrong to express too general a condemnation of the magazine system as applied to •22 rifles. Some,in fact, work very well indeed ; but the subject may be dismissed for the time being pending the production of amore suitable cartridge than at present exists. One thing is, however, certain, viz., that no arm is by its generaldesign better adapted for a magazine than the W.O. miniature rifle, and when the time is ripe this extrarefinement will doubtless be added.



CHAPTER III.THE WAR OFFICE MINIATURE RIFLE.

SINCE miniature rifle shooting has become a recognised section of target practice the need for an official type ofarm has been apparent to experts and marksmen alike. That need the new rifle satisfies. Further improvementsmay be made as years go on ; but they will be modifications of the present design, and can hardly take the formof radical re-construction. The lines of the rifle have been laid down on correct principles, and a debt of gratitudeis due to the statesmanlike efforts of the Committee which took so difficult a task in hand. Within less than a yearof the initiation of their labours, finished, machine-made rifles will be in general use by the public—a fineachievement whose credit is shared by the Committee, which laid down general rules and principles ; themanufacturers, who submitted a variety of models complying with the skeleton specification which was issued ;the War Office, which harmonised differences and produced one model out of many ; and, finally, themanufacturing element, which has made arrangements for the infinite duplication of the approved model.The details of the model of rifle adopted are fully shown in the various illustrations which accompany thisvolume. To deal first of all with the weight and balance of the new rifle, no words or figures could express thesame more perfectly than the graphical representation which appears on the adjoining page. Two spring balances

are placed at a distance of 12 ins. apart. They support the rifle at theapproximate positions the hands occupy, and the dials show theweight which each hand sustains. The service rifle and the W. O.miniature rifle have been similarly treated, and the dials give a clearrepresentation of the total weight of each rifle, and its distributionbetween the two hands. The miniature rifle clearly gives conditionswhich tend to minimise fatigue in holding during the early stage ofpractice. It is time enough for the young shooter when he has learnt tocontrol his breathing and combine even trigger pressure with truealignment to add to his difficulties by asking him to do likewise with a

•22 Lee-Enfield. The more thoroughly the first course is mastered, the more rapid will be the subsequent progresswhen serious problems are tackled. A shooter who makes goodpractice with the miniature rifle would never disgrace himself underany conditions whatsoever, whilst the miniature marksman who essaysfor the first time the King's 1st stage conditions of seven shots at 200,500, and 600 yards under competent guidance might expect to makereally passable scores if his previous practice has included firing with aservice rifle carrying a •22 calibre barrel. The whole point about the W.0. Miniature rifle is that it carries a stage further than ever before theprocess of separating out the problems of marksmanship, so that eachcourse is logically related to the others in the manner of all properly



devised schemes of education.- Chief Parts of Mechanism.—With the aid of the sectional drawing given at the end of this volume the operationof the rifle mechanism can be grasped even by the non-technical reader. Excluding the trigger and its parts, thebreech mechanism consists of six main portions, viz. :—A The firing pin.B The firing pin spring.C The bolt, which carries the bolt handle.D The bolt head.E The firing pin nut.F The safety bolt.Dismounting the Bolt.—The bolt proper is fastened to the bolt head by the screw G marked in the illustration. Thisscrew serves both as a means of fastening and as a rotation bearing, the same as in the Service rifle. This bolthead may be removed by pulling out the firing pin nut E against the resistance of the spring, and so holding itwhilst unscrewing the bolt head. But to take apart the entire bolt a different procedure must be adopted. Thekeeper screw H must be taken out, using a bronze coin as screwdriver. Then by grasping the bolt head D and thebolt handle in the left hand, the parts are so retained that the firing pin nut E may be unscrewed and removed.The bolt head D may then be unscrewed, and the various parts are thus dismounted ready for cleaning. Thesafety bolt F remains attached to the firing pin nut, being held in place by a cross pin, which it is undesirable toremove. To reassemble the parts proceed in the reverse order.Extraction and Ejection.—The duplicate extractors I., as designed by the B.S.A. Company and approved by theWar Office, consist of spring hooks, which lie in recesses cut in the bolt head, and engage with the rim of thecartridge case. The face of the barrel is recessed to accommodate the projecting hooks of the extractors. When thebolt is drawn back, after firing, the extractors withdraw the cartridge case. When the fired case has beencompletely removed from the chamber it is pushed downwards by the extractor springs, so bringing it into contactwith the body or framework of the action. The portion of the body which lies immediately outside the chamber isknown as the receiver—ante-chamber would be a better expression to use. At any rate, when the cartridge casetouches the floor of the receiver it is flung out of the rifle, being thereby ejected. The screw stop J is provided toassist this action.Trigger Mechanism.— The trigger mechanismconsists of three main parts, and it combineswith its ordinary function that of supplying astop to hold the bolt in the rifle. The threemain parts in question are :K The trigger.L The trigger lever.M The trigger spring.The trigger, being of the double-pull type,means are provided for applying twosuccessive values of leverage during theoperation of releasing the firing pin. Thetrigger lever is pivoted at N, and it carriestwo projections, 0 and P. The projection 0engages in a groove cut in the bolt, and actsas the bolt stop. The projection P engages with a forward extension of the firing pin nut E, and thus becomes thesear or retaining catch which holds the firing pin in the cocked position. The trigger lever L must thus bedepressed to release the firing pin, and so discharge the cartridge. This depression is effected by the trigger K,which acts as a lever having its centre of motion on the pivot pin Q, with R and S for bearing surfaces. The firstpart of the trigger pull acts with the leverage exerted with reference to the bearing surface R. The powerfulleverage it provides makes for a long movement against a small resistance, and this constitutes the first stage ofthe trigger release. The sear P is drawn down most of the distance necessary to free the firing pin, but not farenough to effect its total release. When the sear P has been drawn down so far that a little extra movement willrelease the firing pin, the second trigger projection S comes into action. The further movement of the trigger can



then only be accomplished under different conditions of leverage involving a short travel against an increasedresistance. It is by this means that the trigger is given a long movement in the action of firing whilst still retainingfor the shooter the advantage of pausing before the final release, thus giving him time to steady the aim at thecritical moment when the tension on the trigger finger is slowly rising to the strength necessary to producedischarge.Operation of the Bolt.—The working of the bolt is substantially the same as that of the ordinary service rifle. Itunlocks with a quarter-turn and has a reciprocating motion. When closing the bolt on a freshly-inserted cartridge,the firing pin nut is caught on the sear P, so that whilst the bolt continues to move forward, the firing pin is heldback in the cocked position.This at once calls attention to the need for pulling on the trigger whilst closing the bolt on an empty rifle. In thatway the parts never take up the cocked position, and the shooter is not tempted to snap the rifle on an emptychamber, a proceeding which is particularly objectionable in rim-fire rifles.When using the rifle special care should always be taken to ensure properly closing the bolt. This should beeffected by firm pressure in preference to anything savouring of a bang. If the bolt is not properly closed the littleprojection U, shown in the separate detached view of the bolt, does not come opposite the correspondinglyshaped recess in the firing pin nut. The rifle is then liable to misfire. This must be regarded as a necessaryinconvenience in all rifles, since it would be dangerous to permit discharge to take place when the breech is notproperly closed.

The Safety Bolt.—A safety catch is consideredadvisable in a rifle adapted to fire the • 22 L.R.rim-fire cartridge. As a rule the bullets are soloosely held into the cases that, when once arifle has been loaded, the unfired cartridgecannot be extracted whole. The bullet remainsjammed in the entry to the rifling, and the casecomes away, possibly spilling the powder intothe breech. At the word of command,‘‘ Cease fire," or whenever it is desired to put aloaded rifle at " safe," the safety bolt F shouldbe turned over from its normal position on theleft to the opposite side. Under no conditionsshould a rifle be allowed to remain for long,loaded and locked in the " safe " position. It

should either be discharged into the butt, or the case should be extracted, the bullet being knocked out with a rodshould it remain behind.Manufacture of the W.O. Miniature Rifle.—This rifle is patented as regards the mechanism and registered in thematter of design, all rights being the exclusive property of the War Office. A licence to manufacture has beengranted to the Birmingham Small Arms Co., Ltd., and the entire resources of their up-to-date plant have beendevoted to ensuring in each rifle sold the same high grade of workmanship which is an acknowledged feature ofservice rifles of B.S.A. make. By means of a large preliminary expenditure on gauges, tools, and specialmachinery, each rifle can be turned out on what is known as the interchangeable basis. This gives the user thebenefit of a greatly reduced cost of construction, combined with the knowledge that any and all parts of the riflecan be replaced at short notice. Moreover, when arms are made interchangeable, each individual weaponpossesses those merits of sweet working and fine adjustment which can only be produced in a hand-made arm ata very high cost. It is a mistake to suppose that the individuality of the manufacturer disappears when rifles areconstructed to government specification. This is not so. Every part, every detail, and every adjustment reflects theprecise degreeof care which is exercised in keeping the tools in first-class condition, and it is upon the precautions taken in thisconnection that the accuracy and wearing properties of a rifle depend. In the materials used there are also manyopportunities for enhancing quality in directions where experience alone tells. To select just the right specificationof metal and to impart to it the exact degree of temper which will best enable each part to perform its properfunction is a study in itself, and it is on the strength of the reputation the B.S.A. Company has gained in its many



departments of manufacture that the present reader is confidently advised to ask that any W. 0. miniature riflesupplied to him shall bear the well-known stamp denoting the piled arms and the initial letters " B.S.A."

General Statistics of the Rifle.

Weight of rifle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...5¼lb.Length over all ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 41¼ins.Length of barrel ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 ins.

Length of stock (trigger to centre of butt) ... ... . 13½ ins. Trigger pull: First stage of movement between 1 & 21bs.Final release ... ... minimum ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 41bs.Distance between sights ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18ins.Distance from butt to back-sight... ... ... ... ... ... . 22¾

Sights.—The only portion of the sights which is not self-explanatory to anyone viewing the illustrations is thedevice for lateral adjustment of the rear notch. Such an adjusting device is usually termed a " wind-gauge," but itdoes not gauge the wind. The adjustment is mainly useful in miniature rifles for getting the sights to lie so trulywith the shooting of the barrel that aim may be taken exactly underneath the bull. Skilled manufacture andexhaustive testing are alike incapable of achieving an adjustment which will be right for all shooters and all makesof ammunition. The manner of holding the rifle, the tension on the sling, and the conditions of light prevailing atthe moment, are some of the causes which make a rifle, however carefully adjusted in the first place, fail to throwthe shots in accordance with the aim taken. Many shooters give the rifle an infinitesimal jerk at the moment offiring, which counteracts the apparent correctness of the aim taken. In many instances the disturbance so causedis of such a uniform character as to justify its correction on the sights. Other shooters, again, have a slight degreeof astigmatism in the eye, which results in throwing the image of the foresight to one side or the other. This againis in the nature of a constant error which necessitates the adjustment of the sights to suit the individual.When correcting the lateral adjustment of the sights it is well to bear in mind the rule that the backsightmust be moved in the direction in which it is desired to alter the aim. Shots going to the rightrequire the backsight to be screwed to the left, and vice versa. Since the cadet rifle foresight is made adjustable byfitting it in a dovetail slot, it may be interesting to mention that the opposite rule applies, viz., that the foresightmust be moved in the direction of the error. Reverting to the backsight, the rule may be put in another way. Thesight is raised to make the shots go higher, because in so doing the butt is depressed. Likewise the backsight mustbe moved right or left respectively, as the case may be, according to the side towards which it is intended to directthe shots.The use of a screw to control the lateral adjustment of the backsight enables the shooter to make fine corrections



on the micrometer principle. That is to say, the screw thread has fifty turns to the inch, which means that onecomplete turn makes a lateral movement equal to the fiftieth part of an inch. A half turn thus produces ahundredth of an inch of side movement, and so forth. To translate these movements into correction on the targetis a very simple matter. The rifleman's unit of angle is one minute, written 1', viz., one inch per 100 yards, orhalf-an-inch at 50 yards, or a quarter of an inch at 25 yards. The minute of angle is frequently called a " point," auseful term which avoids using the word " degree," a degree of angle meaning sixty minutes. To correct theshooting one minute of angle the backsightmust be moved one quarter of the revolutionof the screw. The rule thus becomes :A quarter turn on the backsightrepresents a quarter-inch correctionat 25 yards, half-an-inch correctionat 50 yards, and one inch at 100yards.The above simple relation arises from thecircumstance that the distance between thesights is 18 inches or half a yard. Everycorrection made on the sights is multipliedfifty times over on the 25 yards target, and inproportion for other distances. Therefore, if awhole turn of the screw produces the fiftiethof an inch movement on the backsight, the position of the shot at 25 yards is altered fifty times this amount. Nomathematical training is necessary to grasp at once that fifty times the fiftieth part of an inch equals one inch.This is no coincidence, the War Office deliberately chose a screw with fifty turns to the inch and an 18-inch sightradius to minimise the difficulties of training the young marksman to appreciate angle in its relation to rifleshooting.

CHAPTER IV.THE FLIGHT OF THE BULLET.

THE conditions which influence the trajectory of a rifle bullet are seldom as well understood by the shooter asthey might be, partly because most textbooks on the subject deal too abstrusely with the theory, and at the sametime give too little of the kind of information which is really useful on the range. An effort will here be made tosteer the right midway course between the two extremes.Trajectory is defined as the curve described by the bullet in its flight through the air. Its measurements are givenwith reference either to the line of sight or to a line drawn in prolongation of the axis of the bore. On theopposite page a curve of trajectory is shown for the •22 long rifle cartridge which assumes that the barrel is firedhorizontally. It is calculated by mathematical formulæ and tables from the following data :-Diameter of bore, •22in.Muzzle velocity of bullet, 1,100 feet per second.

Weight of bullet, 40 grains.Coefficient for shape of bullet nose equalsunity. Given these particulars with referenceto any bullet, its flight can be estimated overthe whole distance of its travel with greaterconformity to average results than could beobtained by experimental shooting. Havingonce defined the conditions which exist forhorizontal firing, the position of the bulletwith reference to the line of sight can be



obtained for every range adjustment. It isonly necessary to assume lines of sight drawnto intersect the trajectory at the variousshooting distances for which values arerequired. The diagram already mentionedshows what is meant. In practice these

measurements cannot be made on paper, since the results are falsified because the drawing must contain two setsof scale reductions, the one to show, say, 200 yards range on a matter of 20 inches width of paper, whilst thedrop of the bullet is shown very much nearer to actual size. Calculation is thus again necessary to deduce from atable of " drops " the curve of trajectory for various sight adjustments. The values so obtained must be subjectedto a further series of corrections to take account of the disturbing effect arising from the height of the foresightabove the muzzle orifice. These operations having been duly carried out, a trajectory table can be set down whichshows the exact course which the bullet will follow under any reasonable series of sighting conditions. The Fieldhas worked out a very complete set of tables for the various kinds of •22 calibre cartridges, probably the onlytables of the kind in existence. A novel system has been adopted for setting out the results, viz., to indicate theline of sight by means of a ruled line on the page, and to show the positions of the bullet at the various ranges,above or below that line as the case may be. Permission having been granted to make use of the tables inquestion, they are introduced at the end of this chapter.The bullet in every instance commences its flight 0•8 of an inch below the tip of the foresight. It rapidly rises till itcuts the line of sight, and following that goes higher still till it reaches its culminating point. Thereafter itcommences to fall till it again intersects the line of sight, this being the distance for which the sights are set.Turning more particularly to Table I., which denotes the trajectory for the cartridge already mentioned, it will beseen that when the sights are set for 50 yards range, the bullet is only 0•6 of an inch high at the half-way distance.The shooter would naturally assume that the bullet would drop more than this amount in passing over 25 yardsof its course. In point of fact it drops nearly 4 inches, but the peculiar influence which is exerted by the height ofthe foresight reduces to little more than half-an-inch the correction which the shooter must allow. For this reasonit is hardly necessary to make any distinction in the marking of elevation on -22 calibre rifles as between 25 and5o yards, when such small values as half-an-inch are in question. The varying diameter of the bull's eye atdifferent distances, and the conditions of light existing for the time being, cause variations which are of equalimportance. The function of the range markings on a rifle sight is thus mainly to enable the shooter to get theshots on the target. When once he knows where the shots are going, he can adjust his sights a little at a time tillthe right elevation is obtained. The ammunition itself is not so exactly standardised as to make it possible to takethe sight markings too literally.A private mark may certainly be made on thesight to denote the position of a favourableadjustment when once found ; but it does notfollow that the same mark will be true foranother day. This is where the value of asighting shot comes in. If it is taken with thesame amount of care which is accorded to theshots counting in the score, a shooter, whoknows his rifle and how to manipulate hissights, can make such an adjustment as will



correct any error which the trial shot maydisclose.A whole chapter could be devoted toemphasising the various points made clear bythe trajectory tables which appear further on. It is, however, unnecessary to labour the demonstration ofsomething which tells its own tale. The shooter will know much more about trajectory if he tests the table valuesby the behaviour of his own rifle. Let him adjust his sights for 100 yards shooting, and then fire at 50 and 25yards. Careful measurements of the divergences found will show to what extent practice and theory are inagreement. If the results are much out, theory is not proved wrong. It merely implies that the rifle and cartridgeare not giving standard results. However, it may be interesting to state that ordinary variations in cartridges andrifles produce no greater differences than result from the shooter's own inability to say which shot out of a seriestruly represents a fair average centre for the whole of the group. Except with the most skilful shooters thegrouping is seldom close enough to define with more than approximate accuracy where the average shooting lies.The question of the dispersion of shots here opened up is a very large one. The beginner must entirely free hismind from the belief that the merit in a score at short distances is only to be measured by the number of bullsmade. Close grouping of the shots is a far more important condition to strive for in the early stages. Given a goodrifle and good cartridges, experiments tell us that if the weapon is rigidly held in a vice or other solid rest tensuccessive shots at 25 yards should make a hole which can in most cases be covered by a sixpence. The beginnermore often needs sixpennyworth of coppers to cover the diversity of his grouping.

It seems absurd to suppose that anyone couldfail to point a walking-stick correctly at adinner-plate 25 yards away ; and yet, with allthe aids of stock, sling, and delicate sights,beginners have been known to miss a 6-inchsquare target at 25 yards. The firstencouraging sign is, therefore, when theshooter can keep all the individual shots of aseries in a space 3 inches square. If six out ofseven are in a square inch, and one shot is awild one, then the sudden panic which causedthe rifle to jerk at the critical moment must bewatched for and avoided. When there isevidence of capacity to keep the shots in

something like consistent groups, it is time enough to alter the adjustment of the sights so as to bring the groupinto the region of the bull.To assume that every shot has been correctly fired, and to endeavour to adjust for every divergence, before thereis evidence of consistency from shot to shot, is to engage in a hopeless struggle. It is not marksmanship to spendone's time chasing one's own errors round the target. Many think it is, and the delusion arises from the tendencyto seek scientific explanations for every bad shot. When the shooter observes a consistent tendency to go high orlow, or right or left, better, even then, than to readjust the sight, is to watch each shot fired ; concentratingattention on seeing that the aim does not stray unconsciously in the direction towards which a bias is shown.



Experienced shooters will be able to confirm the soundness of this advice from the many occasions when theyhave found that, after making an apparently necessary correction, the results show that it was not, after all, therifle which was in error, but the man behind it. If a persistent bias is observed on carefully examining a targetshowing the result of a carefully aimed series of shots, a slight re-adjustment should be made, preferably not tothe extent of the whole of the error, but say half of it.The study of the flight of the bullet thus naturally divides itself into a consideration of trajectory with reference tothe action of gravity, and the various eccentricities of flight which may be included in the term dispersion. Theshooter must endeavour to cultivate the power of knowing whether a false result arises from his own error orsomething in the rifle or ammunition. The idea that only bad workmen complain of their tools is certainlyinapplicable to rifle shooting. The better the shot the more critical he becomes, and long experience alone showshow serious are the errors which may arise from no fault of the shooter. The inaccuracy may be due to his ownor someone else's neglect, not necessarily on the range, but perhaps at home when duty cries out for the rifle tobe cleaned, and inclination suggests that dinner should come first. The shooting of the rifle deteriorates, becauseneglect once sanctioned may continue on and on through a period sufficient for the eating of many dinners.



CHAPTER V.GENERAL HINTS ON SHOOTING AND THE CARE OF THE RIFLE.

Position.—The adoption of a steady and comfortable position may best be achieved under the tuition of anexperienced shot. General ideas for personal guidance may be gained from the varied series of illustrations whichappear amongst these pages. The body should lie at an angle with the line of the rifle, and the elbows should bebrought closer together than the natural tendency suggests. The cheek should lie on the stock, so as to preserveunaltered the alignment between eye and sights when once it has been gained. Attention may then be moreparticularly concentrated on the view presented by the foresight and bull. Although the recoil is slight with thenew miniature rifle, it is desirable to cultivate from the start the power of bedding the butt firmly against theshoulder.Pressing the Trigger.—When the body iscomfortably placed, and the breathing hassettled down to a regular action, the firstgeneral adjustment of the line of aim may beeffected. When the face is correctly situatedso as to bring the eye into alignment with thesights, and when there is general evidencethat the time has come for firing the shot, thebreathing should be checked and the triggershould be drawn back till thecommencement of the second stage of pullhas been reached. The entire art of successfulshooting then consists in stilling as far aspossible the natural tremour of the rifle.When the mind is satisfied that the rifle hasat last attained its maximum degree of steadiness, and the foresight is correctly viewed beneath the bull, the fingerpressure may be gradually increased, so gradually in fact that the precise moment of release cannot be estimated.Some little strength of mind is necessary to retain such control of the faculties that the eye continues to view thefore -sight after the shot has been fired. At all events avoid the hasty removal of the rifle from the shoulder, in factendeavour to get a last look at the sights after discharge. If it is found that want of breath causes distress at theactual moment of shooting it is better to start again from the beginning, endeavouring the second time to achievesteadiness of aim before the sensation of suffocation comes along.



Control of the Eyes.—In regard to the focus of the 'eyesight the shooter develops an exceptional amount of controlin this regard which he exercises unconsciously. For the beginner to achieve early success an endeavour shouldbe made to observe simultaneously two objects at different distances from the eye. The back sight and foresightshould first be viewed so as to ensure placing them in correct line both vertically and horizontally with the eye.The attention should next be directed towards laying the foresight centrally beneath the bu!l. This is accomplishedby causing the eye to observe a combined image of the foresight and the bull. Neither is seen with the absolutesharpness which focussing on one object alone will ensure, but a kind of middle adjustment is obtained which canbest be expressed by the advice to view the two objects simultaneously. In these circumstances it is desirable toclose the left eye whilst shooting. As the sights are invisible to the left eye, whilst the target is in full view, theopening of the left eye tends to carry the focus of both eyes to the target, the result being that the sights are notseen so clearly as is desirable. For rapid shooting and for shooting in bad light both eyes may be open.Orthoptics.--The principle of the orthopticaperture is that the peephole diminishes theactive area of the pupil of the eye. This givesextra depth of focus. in exactly the same waythat a small stop in a camera increases thepower of defining all portions of a landscape.The scientific explanation need not beadvanced here. It is sufficient to say thatevery shooter should take an earlyopportunity of borrowing a pair of thesespectacles, and patiently practising their use.It will at once be apparent that for youngeyes and old eyes alike, and especially forthose who are slightly astigmatic, to view thesights through a small aperture is to diminishthe amount of blurr. The smaller the hole used, the less the blurr ; but a point is soon reached when the loss oflight, which accompanies an unduly small size of aperture, creates difficulties which overpower the extraadvantage gained.There is a medium in all things, and the medium size of aperture is the one which imparts sharpness to the sightswithout cutting off too much light. It goes without saying that the size of hole should be adjusted by trial to suitthe illumination on the target.Sling.—The advantage of a sling on the rifle is that steadier hoiding is possible when the muscles are wellemployed. Just as it is easier to hold the outstretched hand steadier when grasping a fairly weighty object thanwhen the Muscles are unloaded, so the rifle can be held with less tremble when the pull of the sling gives themuscles something to do. In a similar fashion the sling pulls the rifle into the shoulder, so leaving the right handcomparatively free to manipulate the trigger. The efficiency of the sling very much depends on adjusting it to thefigure, so as to make it tight enough to be of real assistance to the shooter. When tight enough, the left handrequires to be fairly wedged into its position for gripping the fore-end. The illustration facing page 2 shows themethod of winding the arm into the sling.Blacking the Sights.—It is always desirable to colour the sights a dead black previous to shooting, in order todeaden any glints which may interfere with their clear definition. The smoke of a wax match produces a nicesurface, but the inability to use it except under cover makes the bottles of lamp-black solution preferable for rangeuse.To Test a Rifle.—Musketry instructors are apt to discourage the use of a muzzle-rest under any circumstances, butwhen the shooter really desires to test the behaviour of his rifle, ammunition, or the adjustment of the sights,such a device is not only-excusable but positively beneficial. More information can be gained from ten shots sofired than from fifty with the rifle unsupported. The illustration facing page i6 shows an excellent method ofsupporting the rifle for such a test. Instead of holding the rifle in the usual manner, the toe of the stock may begrasped, in the left hand, the closed fist resting directly on, the ground. The rifle is then held almost entirely freeof body tremors. The ordinary position, using the rest merely as an added support, is not quite so, steady.Although not generally admitted to be true, there can be little doubt that a course of shooting with the help of a



rest forms an excellent education for the shooter. It instructs the eye what steady holding really means, and itenables gentle trigger pressure to be cultivated in its highest form. Moreover, when a shooter finds himselfmaking persistently bad scores, the improved results commonly experienced when a rest is used suggest that pasterrors have arisen from unconsciously jerking the rifle at the-moment of firing. Particular care must always betaken when using a rest that the support is placed. well back under the fore-end, since the slightest bending of thebarrel at the muzzle will deflect the shots and falsify the sighting.Clothing.—The shooter should alwaysendeavour to use old and roomy clothes forrange practice. If the elbows get chafed by thefriction arising from an unaccustomed attitudethe trouble may be ameliorated by the use ofleather pads sewn on to the sleeves. Thesehave the further advantage of saving wear onthe clothes. Though Norfolk jackets form theapproved shooting costume, few of them aremade so that the back pleat really expandsunder tension. The more expensive shootingcoats are made with the back pleat reallyelastic, the two sides being eyeletted andstrung together with fine elastic, so as to giveunder use, whilst returning to theconventional shape at ordinary times. A stiff collar is a great trouble to the shooter with a modest length of neck.The linen collar should either be entirely removed, or, better still, be replaced with one of the modern athleticflannel collars. A soft hat with a wide brim is a great advantage in shooting, not only because it holds better tothe head but because it diminishes the top light falling on the eye.Ammunition.—Users of the • 22 rifle must beware of making constant changes in the brand of cartridge. The W.0. miniature rifle being chambered for the "long rifle" length of cartridge, those known as the " long" and the "short " will necessarily give inferior results. Above all things is it desirable that " short" cartridges charged withsmokeless powder should be used with discrimination. Too many of these give excessive pressure, whoseexistence is demonstrated by undue deformation of the case. At times slight bursts and breaks occur, which areevidenced by escape of gas at the breech. A brand of cartridge giving good results when the rifle is shot from arest may be used with the confidence which comes with knowing that the ammunition behaves well with skilfulholding. A proportion of wild shots must occur when the short cartridge is fired in the full length chamber. Hencethis ammunition should only be used in the W. O. M. rifle when noise, smoke, or other considerations excludethe full-size cartridge.Safety.—The shooter must never forget that •22 calibre cartridges have been known to break windows and doother damage at distances as remote as 500 yards from the firing point. It is, therefore, criminal to fire a shotwithout knowing precisely where it will strike.Mis-fires.—Great as is the care taken by the manufacturers to get the detonating composition evenly distributedaround the rim of the cartridge, instances must arise when it is lacking at the particular spot struck by the firingpin. The first thing to do following a miss-fire is to pull back the firing pin nut, and so re-cock the rifle. At thesecond attempt it may go off. If it still fails, supposing the bullet to remain stuck in the barrel, the case shoud beextracted, being then reinserted after giving it a half-turn. Such shots are best not fired at the target, for fear somepowder may have been spilt into the action. If the cartridge again fails to go off, the case should be withdrawn,the bullet being then knocked out with a rod inserted from the muzzle.Cleaning the Rifle.—There is only one saferule in cleaning rifles, viz., to be prompt andthorough. The slightest speck of rust, whenonce allowed to form, makes a cavity, orroughness of the surface, which ultimatelyextends and ruins the barrel. The greatjustification for taking extreme care of a rifle



is that, so long as the mirror-like surface canbe retained, cleaning is easily performed.There is also the great satisfaction of seeing agood result for the labour expended. The ragattached to a " pull-through " cord is not asufficiently thorough method of cleaning.One of the best kinds of rod to use is onehaving a head like the eye of a needle. Piecesof thin rag or flannel can be torn to the right width of strip. and a sufficient length can be inserted in the loop onthe rod. Two successive wipings with a well-fitting dry " patch " will remove the worst of the fouling whichremains after using black powder. A brush dipped in stiff grease, such as vaseline, may then be applied. Thin oilis objectionable because it is apt to run off the surface and leave parts of the bore uncovered. A rifle is best left forawhile after it has received this amount of attention. A few hours or even a couple of days later the abovetreatment should be repeated, any foreign matter remaining in the bore being by then sufficiently softened tocome away. Some people recommend pouring hot water or hot soda water down the barrel. This may be rightfor military rifles firing cordite, but is messy and quite unnecessary for weapons firing black or smokeless powderin combination with lead bullets. The condition of a rifle is best preserved by prompt and simple treatmentimmediately after shooting, as compared with more radical measures applied some time after the rifle has beenshot. When smokeless powder cartridges are used the dry state of the barrel must be corrected by an applicationof thin oil before the dry rag is used. When the bore has been well cleaned the preservative dressing of thickgrease should be applied. A rifle never really looks nice if the bore alone is cleaned. The exterior surface of themetal should be freed from the rusting effects of the moisture deposited by the hands. No better treatment can begiven than to dip a hard paint brush kept for the purpose into stiff grease, and paint the metal work therewith.This ensures getting the grease where an oily rag would not penetrate. The grease painted on with the brush maybe spread, and the surplus. removed, by brisk rubbing with a rag. The only perfect method of cleaning a rifle is tograsp it in a well-padded vice, in the manner illustrated facing page 40. Every range should be fitted with a benchand vice on this plan, with an outfit of rods, brushes, and grease for the use of the members.Rifle Cover and Rack.—The shooter who really appreciates his rifle will be unwise to go for long unprovided witha proper leather case for transit. The rifle should never be left in the cover when at home. The cover may containunsuspected traces of damp, and the act of removing the rifle from the cover is seldom unaccompanied by ageneral inspection which may or may not bring to view unsuspected signs of neglect. If a proper gun rack cannotbe provided it can be suspended on hooks against the wall. The horizontal position is better than the vertical,since it prevents the grease in the barrel from gravitating to the bottom. It is wrong,. again, to lean a rifle in thecorner of a room. There is no knowing how often a rifle so placed may be knocked over in the course of a week.Above all things remember that the umbrella stand is not a proper place in which to keep a rifle.



A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE 22 LEE-ENFIELD.

The logical necessity of miniature practice with the service arm naturally embodies arifle reproducing all the details cf the service weapon, with the sole exception of abarrel specially bored to take the •22 cartridge and a bolt adapted in the head todetonate a rim-fire case.With such a combination the sights can be laid directly on to the bull, and there is noneed, as with tubes and adapters,. to mar the value of the practice obtainable byaiming off the bull for the purpose of correcting the almost inevitable divergencewhich must exist between the line of the sights and the direction in which the shotsare thrown.



The B.S.A. -22 Lee-Enfield rifle is confidently recommended for adoption in allindoor and other ranges where it is desired that shooting shall be practised underconditions as nearly "as possible reproducing full-range practice with the servicerifle.A great advantage of the B.S.A. .22 Lee-Enfield is that this rifle can be suppliedchambered for the •22 " short " rim-fire cartridge beside the " long 'rifle!"cartridge. First-class results can thereby be obtained in indoor ranges, accompaniedby the diminished noise and smoke which the use of the small cartridge entails. Thecost of erecting a suitable stopping butt or bullet catcher is of course less when theselight cartridges are used. It is well known that the inexpensive short cartridge doesnot give the best results when fired from a rifle chambered for the full-lengthcartridge.

CONCERNING SERVICE PATTERN MATCH RIFLES.

Rifle shooting to be enjoyed in its highest aspects must represent a direct strifebetween the shooter's skill on the one hand, and the opposing influences of wind andweather on the other. Disturbing elements which arise from faults in the rifle andammunition delay progress until they have been eliminated.B.S.A. match rifles are not only of strictly service pattern, but receive throughout thewhole course of their manufacture and subsequent testing special care and attention,the object being to give the shooter as perfect a weapon as up-to-date methods canproduce.The user of a Government viewed B.S.A. match rifle accordingly occupies the veryfavoured position of knowing that his rifle will collaborate in full sympathy with theefforts made by the shooter to put on good scores. A rack rifle may shoot just as wellas a best match rifle ; but in range firing so much depends on having confidence inthe rifle used that it is always wise to be on the safe side.

AIR-RIFLES.

No matter how extensive an armoury the enthusiastic shooter may possess, he willprobably obtain more regular enjoyment and more positive pleasure from the casualuse of his air-rifle than from all the other arms put together. To the man who mustlive within easy reach of his daily work, the air-rifle is the only weapon with whichregular practice can be obtained without going outside the limits of an ordinarysuburban garden.Great as were the mechanical problems to be overcome in designing andmanufacturing a satisfactory air-rifle, the problems in question have been absolutelysolved in the B.S.A. model. Its use is accordingly unhesitatingly recommended tothose who have in the past stood aloof from air-guns on account of their reputationfor frequently needing repair and their hitherto incurable lack of accuracy.



and, if you have not yet visited that page, read a comprehensive write-up on the rifle

and the War Office Specification for the rifle

Return to: SITE MAP or MENU PAGE or TOP of PAGE




War Office Pattern Miniature Rifle Specification

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/War_Office_Pattern_Miniature_Rifle_specification.htm[11/03/2012 4:36:35 PM]

SITE MAP * HOME * ENFIELD & TRAINING RIFLES * TARGET RIFLES * SIGHTS * AIMING * TARGETS * LITERATURE * SUB-CALIBRE * SUB-TARGET * MISCELLANEOUS * BIBLIOGRAPHY *CHRONOLOGY * LINKS

YOU ARE VISITING THE PAGES OF THE U.K. N.R.A. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE - MINIATURE CALIBRE RIFLES RESEARCH SITE -COPYRIGHT © 2009

ALPHABETICAL SITE INDEX - please scroll down for subject

...........................................................................

The War Office Pattern Miniature RifleGovernment Specification 1906

By kind permission of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum


http://www.rifleman.org.uk/welcome.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_small-bore_training_rifles.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_small-bore_target_rifles.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/PH_Service_sights.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Aim_teaching_devices.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/TARGETRY.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Site_Menu_Frame.htm#LITERATURE

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Miniature_calibre_adapters_and_conversions.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Sub-target_devices.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Miscellaneous.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Recommended_Reading.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Training_Rifle_Chronology_spreadsheet.htm

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Links_page.html

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/copyright.html



View the BSA Handbook for the War Office Miniature Rifle

Return to the main page for the War Office Miniature RifleClick here to access a Chronology of Enfield genre Training Rifles, Adapters & Cartridges

Return to: SITE MAP or MENU PAGE or TOP of PAGE


http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Training_Rifle_Chronology.htm



adz4a war office pattern miniature rifle manual - 1906

Documents

pageminiature rifle

rifle rimfirecartridge

war office specification

war office miniaturerifle

target rifles

thewar office pattern

chapter v

nonfiring training rifles