Report of Experiments, 1875

[ResearchPress]

In the Annual Report of the National Rifle Association for 1875, General Alexander Shaler (President 1875-1877) reported on experiments with powder charges for long range shooting.

The experiments commenced during the summer 1875 and were concluded that December. The aim was to determine the proper charge of powder to use in long range shooting in the Remington Creedmoor Rifle. Swaged bullets weighing 550 grains were used, and interestingly made of a hard alloy composed of fifteen parts lead and one of tin.

The report has been added to the Long Range Rifle Fire section of the Research Press web site: see ‘Report of Experiments (http://www.researchpress.co.uk/longrange/experiments1875.htm)‘.


David

[Chill Wills]

David, Thanks once again for making these historic papers available to us!

If I understood, the test firing was done no-mater the weather conditions. He stated ( I paraphrase) they continued through rough winds and heavy rain with out making sight correction. This makes me wonder if the outcome might be skewed as he placed high value on the elevation of the impacts. We know that shooting conditions, such as head and tail wind will have it's effects on this "high and low" elevation.
That same test rerun in the calm that picking your days and picking and times has, as we all do to test ammo might show a different outcome.
I do believe and understand that the higher velocity and high Bc of his 100 - 115gr loads will improve this and maybe this is what they were seeing so long ago. After all, any of us today have a tool the ODG's only wish they could have used, the Chronograph and the useful data of their extreme velocity spread and standard deviation.

This is an interesting read - thanks again!
Michael Rix

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Might go a long way towards explaining, why that fella shooting a 45-110 with PP, has pretty good vertical on the targets at Phoenix?

KW
The Lunger