RIFLES AT BISLEY
Sta,—David James's article, Ashburton Day, in the Spectator of July 1,5th, was ,welcome. Considering the popularity of rifle-shooting—which is much more widespread than the scanty references it has hitherto received in the Press might lead one to believe—it is surprising that its activities are not better reported, and reported by people who have intimate knowledge of it as a sport. Even in the excellent article referred to above, there is one curious error. Mr. James writes: "Wimbledon has given place to Sisley; the Hay was replaced by the Long Lee-Enfield, and the 'Navy' 5-groove' (both also muzzle-loaders), the Snider, the Martini-Henry (with a kick like a mule) and in 1897, the 303 magazine rifle."
The long Lee-Enfield was certainly a breech-loader and it immediately preceded the S.M.L.E., or short magazine Lee-Enfield, which we know today. What Mr. James meant was the "Long Enfield" which was a muzzle-loader and was converted by incorporation of the Snider breech action into the Snider. The name "Lee-Enfield" is derived from the combination of the Lee bolt action with the small bore Enfield barrel of .303, with five grooves, which replaced the original Lee-Metford magazine rifle which had seven grooves in the barrel.
As one who used both a Snider and a Martini-Henry in the First Great War, I consider the kick of the latter is a flea-bite to that of the former.
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