My "Keep until I die books" Number 2

[buffdog]

In my first post, I covered "The Lee-Enfield Rifle" by Major E.G.B. Reynolds, one of the classics.

The second one I will never part with is one that you can still find at Gun Shows, if you dig a bit. If you want to shoot the Lee-Enfield N0.4 Rifle, this one is for you. It is weighted more for instructors, illustrated in "Cartoon" fashion, but I doubt you will find another book that gives so much information on shooting with the Lee-Enfield.

The foreward says "The Johnson Method of Coaching was developed by Lt. Col. Stephen Johnson over a period of 20 years experience in the art of shooting. Lt. Col. Johnson has earned an enviable reputation as one of Canada's outstanding rifle shots, winning several championships and being a five times member of Canada's Bisley Team."

This book is mine, earned on the target range. Inside the flyleaf is the notation "April, 1954
Prize won for shooting. Congratulations and good shooting in the future.
(signed) Steve Johnson"

The book was issued by the Canadian Army. It is 240 pages of information on Marksmanship, WWII Canadian style.

The title is "Shoot to Live", an official Handbook.

Shoot-to-live. Presenting the Johnson Method of Musketry Coaching. As
adopted by The Canadian Army.

Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Position
Chapter 3. Holding
Chapter 4. Breathing
Chapter 5. Aiming
Chapter 6. Trigger Control
Chapter 7. Co-ordination
Chapter 8. The Range
Chapter 9. Target Analysis
Chapter 10. Zeroing
Chapter 11. Coaching Technique
Chapter 12. Rapid Fire and Snap Shooting
Chapter 13. Psychology of Coaching
Chapter 14. Conclusion

This is one of the best books for the Number 4 Lee-Enfield shooter. If you can find one, grab it. You will not regret the purchase.

Information

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[buffdog]

Well, maybe I have whetted your appetite for books on Lee-Enfield Shooting. I promise this to be the last one, but probably the rarest and most difficult book on shooting the Lee-Enfield. While the book "Shoot to Live" is a Canadian Publication weighted toward marksmanship with the No.4 Lee-Enfield rifle, this one is is probably THE book for target shooting with the No. 1 Mark 3 Lee Enfield Rifle.

This book is "THE ELEMENTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING", written by Brigadier
J.A. Barlow C.B.E., published by Gale and Polden Limited, Aldershot,
England. First publishing was 1932, mine is the Fourth Edition, 1955.

Brigadier Barlow won the Army Championships 1930 and 1931, the King's
Medal 1930, Queen Mary's Prize 1924, H.M. the King's Prize 1934 and 1938.
Member of Army Rifle VIII 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931,1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1938, and 1939. Member of the British Team to Canada 1931, and Mother Country Empire Match Team 1937.

The book is 126 pages, and is well illustrated, and has several photographs.

Chapter 1. Requirements
Chapter 2. The Three Essentials
Chapter 3. Deliberate Shooting (1)
Chapter 4. Deliberate Shooting (2)
Chapter 5. Rapid Shooting
Chapter 6. Snapshooting
Chapter 7. Kneeling and Running Down the Range Practices
Chapter 8. An Introduction to the Sling ( with Special Reference to the
Ashburton Conditions)
Chapter 9. Random Reflections on Competition Shooting with the No. 4
Rifle
Chapter 10. A.R.A. and N.R.A. Competitions and How to Deal With Them
Chapter 11. The New Landscape Target and Changes in the A.R.A. Central
Meeting at Bisley (1938)
Chapter 12. Items of Use and Interest

This book, along with the invaluable information on shooting, gives an excellent account of the type of Military shooting in England during the period between WWI and WWII. It may seem strange that Chapter 7 gives a reference to "running down the range," but that was a part of Military shooting during that period. Landscape targets and SHOOTING IN A GAS MASK were part of these Matches.

Here is the course of fire for THE ARMY HUNDRED CUP

1. Deliberate at 600 yards, 2 sighters and 10 rounds each round signalled

2. A run down the range from 600 to 100 yards. 10 rounds with 2 rounds fired at each 100 yard distance of advance. 45 seconds allowed for each advance and firing of the two rounds ---15 seconds rest at each 100 yards. 6 foot targets at 500 and 400, large snapshooting disc at 300, 200, 100. Position at 500, 400 and 300 is lying. Kneeling at 200, standing at 100

3. Rapid practice at 300 yards. Small 4 foot target, 2 sighters and 10 rounds. After sighters, rifle unloaded and firer in the standing rest position before the targets appear. Time limit is 40 seconds ( to load and fire 10 rounds)

4. Snapshooting at 300 yards. 2 sighters and 10 rounds. Double-tap snap on a front of 20 feet Two shots at each target Exposure time is 5 exposures of 6 seconds each.


Another was the ROBERTS CUP.

Two sighters were fired at 600 yards. Then the targets were patched, and all subsequent shooting was not indicated. Next, a run from 600 to 500 yards and fire 10 rounds in 55 seconds. (NOTE - Talk about an armed track and field event). Then an advance from 500 to 300 yards in 75 seconds, and a snapshooting target appears for six seconds , with 9 subsequent exposures within the next 7 minutes. A short pause, then a Figure 2 target appears for 40 seconds, at which 10 rounds are fired.

This was MILITARY style training, where good physuical condition and accurate shooting was expected if you wanted to win matches.

So, this is the last of the three books that composed my "Bible" of shooting, 1950-1960s style. It was a period that we will never see again, where a good target shot was respected, not persecuted. As a 12 year old, after proper instruction, I was deemed safe enough to ride a bicycle with an old Cooey single shot .22 strapped to the handlebars, on my quest to hunt those large Southern Ontario Woodchucks. In my teens, through Cadets and the local Militia Regiment, a love for shooting developed from the .22 to the 25 Pounder. Now, in 2008, the same Government that gave me at 18, a 25 Pound gun-Howitzer, a Duece and a Half and driver, a limber with 32 rounds of ammunition and 5 guys to help me fire the thing, doesn't trust me with a lowly rimfire rifle or shotgun. What has our sport come to?

[Gibbs505]

Great books there, hope I can find them one day1