A History of the United States National Outdoor Smallbore ... - Results

secret, range gossip had it that it was in excess of the record of 7,791. During the 50
yard stage the team held up well and, shooting in three relays, delivered an excellent
short-range score, even though some of the team was still using post front sights. The
long-range stage was bedeviled by light changes and a rising wind. In the end the team
posted a score of 7,807 despite the fact that, even with backers, there was a disputed
double. Harry Brill had placed two shots through a single hole so tightly that it was ruled
that he had only fired nine shots on one bull. The targets were signed and sent off to
the Miniature Rifle Club of Great Britain Headquarters for official scoring. Even with a
miss the team’s unofficial score was believed high enough to return the trophy to the
United States. Some weeks later word arrived that the scorers in England had awarded
Brill the double and the official team score was posted as a 7,817.
Earlier in the day, prior to the Dewar Trophy match, another 20 men went to the
line to shoot a Dewar course against an English team. Through the hard work of E.M.
Farris and the good offices of the Pennsylvania Railroad, an invitation was tendered to
the railroad workers of Great Britain to compete in a Dewar like match. Open only to
railroad employees the trophy was a tall silver plinth mounted on a wooden base.
Topping the trophy was a winged figure of victory with the keystone logo of the sponsor,
the Pennsylvania Railroad prominently displayed. On the cylindrical bottom was a basrelief
depiction of a firing line with shooters in the prone position. The match got off to a
fine start for the United States as they recorded the first victory in the match series.
The individual championship, suspended in 1926, was again contested and
Ralph H. McGarity, a civilian from Washington D.C. narrowly defeated Harry Brill, of
Dewar double fame, for the championship. Both were tied with scores of 248. In the
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