A TARGET APPARATUS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING.

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VIII. A TARGET APPARATUS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING.

The base is a 1-inch board, 18 inches long and 7 inches wide.

The target-holder is a piece of wood 1-1/2 inches square, and a couple of inches longer than the side of the largest target to be used. To one face nail a piece of strip lead as weight; and to the parallel face attach, by means of brads driven in near one edge, a piece of thin wood of the same size as the face. The free long edge of this should be chamfered off slightly on the inside to enable the target to be slipped easily between it and the roller.

The roller is pivoted on two short spindles—which can be made out of stout wire nails—driven into the ends near the face farthest from the weight. (See Fig. 26.)

For standards use a couple of the small angle irons used for supporting shelves, and sold at about a penny each. These are screwed on to the board 2 inches from what may be considered to be the rear edge, and are so spaced as to leave room for a washer on each spindle between the roller and the standards, to diminish friction.

[Illustration: FIG. 26.-Side elevation of disappearing target apparatus.]

Remove one standard, and drive into the roller a piece of stout wire with its end bent to form an eye. The inclination of the arm to the roller is shown in Fig. 26.

To the front of the board now nail a rectangle of stout sheet iron, long and deep enough to just protect the standards and roller. Place the roller in position, insert a target, and revolve the roller to bring the target vertical. A small wire stop should now be fixed into the baseboard to prevent the arm coming farther forward, and a hole for the operating string be drilled in the protection plate at the elevation of the eye on the arm. The edges of this hole need careful smoothing off to prevent fraying of the string. A small eyelet or brass ring soldered into or round the hole will ensure immunity from chafing.

Drive a couple of long wire nails into the front edge of the board outside the iron screen to wind the string on when the target is put away.

It may prove a convenience if plain marks are made on the string at the distances from which shooting will be done.

The above description covers apparatus for working two or more targets simultaneously on a long roller, or separately on separate rollers mounted on a common baseboard.

If it is desired to combine with the apparatus a “stop” for the bullets, the latter (a sheet of stout iron of the requisite strength) may be affixed to the rear of the baseboard, and furnished with a handle at the top to facilitate transport.

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