m*- w - Clpdigital.org

HOW TO^
BECOME A
SHARPSHOOTER
by Edward C. Crossman
T
HEWS of the ox and the
strength of Samson are fine
for weight lifting, or for an
argument with another person
of sorts, but strength is not
in the makeup of a sharp-
necessary
shooter.
Not muscle, but the condition of being
fit, spells success with the rifle.
A slight, wiry chap there was at the
National Rifle Matches of the Government
at Jacksonville, Florida, last fall—
a member of the schoolboy rifle team
from Washington, D. C. He boasted of
sixteen years, he weighed possibly one
hundred pounds, he was not a great deal
taller than the short brown rifle of
Uncle Sam, which he carried.
But he was fit. his little wires of
muscles were hard, his eyes were bright,
his "coordination" of eye, muscles and
rifle was perfect. Therefore this little
slip of a chap sat down on a flexible
right foot at the end of a willowy ankle.
when rapid fire from the kneeling position
was on the program, and slammed
ten shots out of the twenty fired into
the cringing eight-inch bullseye two
hundred yards away, whilst all about
him the full grown men of the crack
militia and civilian rifle teams also in the
great competition labored and grunted
and puffed and cursed. His name stood
far up the list of the best shots of the
A Steady Aim
This sitting position, for the lean shooter who wears the
brogan type of shoe, is almost as dependable as the prone.
country at the end, merely because he
was fit.
Not strength, but physical fitness, not
bulk but the smooth response of the
muscles to well-controlled nerves, not
necessarily even experience but the
power to concentrate intensely on the
task of hitting the thing to be hit, mark
the successful rifleman. Some men shoot
well in spite of poor condition ; no man
shoots as well in this shape as he would
were he fit.
No man ever hit a thing repeatedly
that he couldn't see. No man ever shot
straight who couldn't define clearly the
rifle sights. Wherefore, let us consider
friend eye.
The first article of agreement our
potential sharpshooter must sign with
himself is that the eye must be taken
care of, and bad habits causing eyestrain
must cease. On the taboo list we
chalk down reading at night to any considerable
extent, reading in bed or lying
down, .excessive reading at any time,
much attendance at "movies," and using
the eyes when facing a bright light. The
men of the service rifle teams are always
examined by a competent oculist, and the
891