More on String Measure

We have received so much comment on the last issue’s article (No. 128, Winter, 2024) on string-measure benchrest matches that we thought a follow-up would be welcome. I’ve combed through a few issues of Shooting and Fishing magazine and came up with a few more references on rest rifle matches at 40 rods. The first is from Dr. E.H. Pardee, who gives an address of Oakland, California, in February of 1890. I had to really sharpen my editor’s pencil because, frankly, where one word would suffice, the good Doctor is prone to using 100. After sorting the “wheat from the chaff” I included his description of three matches he shot sometime in the late 1860s, or early ’70s. Pardee was shooting against three different Billinghurst rifles, while he used rifles made by G.H. Ferriss, another well-known maker of super-accurate, heavy benchrest rifles. You will soon see that these private challenge matches had the nature of a duel, with judges and seconds, or assistants present on the grounds. Very serious money was involved and so the competitors left no stone unturned in their efforts to shoot a short string. We give the floor to Doctor Pardee:

Well does your correspondent remember being placed by the side of the Billinghurst rifle for gold coin, in three different matches; and right glad was I when each match was finished; then I thought that it made a little difference in going on the ground well prepared; and also the man behind the gun has to be considered, for many little things, all combined, make a difference in the footing up of a string of shots.

My first match was 100 successive shots, aggregating, centre to centre, 1315⁄8 inches, at 220 yards; string of my opponent, who only played 80 shots, which aggregated 142, up about 11 inches more than my 100 shots measured. This match was for $1000, gold coin, a side.

My next match was with the same gentleman, but another Billinghurst rifle, 40 lb. barrel, soft butt bullets for $2500 a side, same distance, centre to centre, myself using a Ferris rifle, barrel 30 lbs., 50 consecutive shots. My opponent’s string 681⁄8 inches, mine 46 inches.

The third match was with another made by Billinghurst, a 45 lb. barrel, 220 yards, 20 successive shots, centre to centre, for $4000 dollars a side. My rifle was again one by Ferriss, barrel 60 lbs. Before the playing of this match I must confess I was fearful of the result , as my opponent was a professional marksman, and as such had a national reputation, but I had been challenged, had accepted the terms, my money put up, in short the fiat had gone forth, and I could just do one of two things – forfeit my coin, or play the game and take the chances on the wind and weather. I will here state that the match was strictly private, that no one was allowed on the ground save the principals, and assistant and judges. I only had two trials on the ground prior to the contest, and the gentleman whom I had selected as my judge, and my assistant, gave me much encouragement, and on the day of the match I felt that the gods were with me; I had lost all solicitude in the matter, and in sincerity of my feelings I offered to double the wager with my eastern opponent, but his reply was to put my check in my pocket, for he was as sure to win as night succeeded day. But not being brought up in the woods to be afraid of owls, I gave my check (certified) to my judge and told him to bet it, even up with the principal or his judge, who, by the bye, I had defeated in the two matches, as above mentioned, but my friend could get neither to take the wager.

The time had come for actual hostilities to commence. My opponent was to occupy the same house, from which I had defeated his judge months before, and I used the same tent, that I used in my last contest with my opponent’s judge. The wind was jerky, coming from the targets at about 2 o’clock, and my anemometer told me about 4 to 12 knots and hour.

My opponent used a red silk ribbon about three inches wide, to indicate the wind force, which, at times, would hang 45 degrees, and the next moment would go round and round like a lassoed steer’s tail; so constant was the change of this flag that no man could balance his determination with any degree of certainty where to hold his cross-hairs in his glass. I directed my assistant to locate his four iron pots of tar, ignite the same, suspend his ballon flags from the crane necks prepared. When the flags were suspended, and the pots of tar began to fill the air with a dense black smoke, I heard my opponent ask his assistant what those pots of tar were for, and the answer was, “ ‘tis a sulphurous-like smoke, and I think the doctor is going to smoke us out.” The white signal flag from the judges told “time up” and targets ready.

All still as death, I loaded the rifle, my assistant handled and wiped the same; not a word was spoken, but each man to do his part like clockwork.

Each man had two trial shots, and it so happened that my first shot was dead in the black bull’s eye; my next, one inch in the wind. My opponent played his trial shots, myself leading off, firing every five minutes, as near as wind circumstances would allow. Had no idea what my opponent was doing, as I never looked at his target during the whole string, and was engaged in packing my traps when the judges came down and from the unusual smile on my friend’s face, and the long, dissatisfied look on the face of my former competitor, I felt satisfied. Then, says my judge, “Doctor, I congratulate you; your target is one of the best you have ever made.” “Please give the score,” says I. “16 inches and his 29¼.”

That was my last trial with a Billinghurst rifle, and, after defeating three of his best make, I have great esteem for the memory of the man, and believe, from what I have heard, that his guns had a reputation for telescopic short range shooting second to none in the United States, and when I say the United States I mean the world. His finish in the barrel was more perfect, and less choke than any of his illustrious competitors.”

After reading the text in Shooting and Fishing, I initially thought that the author “gilded the lily” by adding an extra zero to the number amounts on the wagers. However, after reading the amounts mentioned in the challenge matches proposed by W.A. Kohler of the Onondaga Rifle Club, I’m beginning to believe that Pardee’s amounts were correct. Just out of curiosity, I did the math on what $4,000 represented in 1875, and it was the equal of $114,724.73 in today’s money. Even if Doc Pardee added an extra zero for the sake of a good story, $400 still represents $11,472.47 today. No wonder these guys had referees and “seconds” at the match! These amounts of money would require special precautions to eliminate skullduggery.

Probably one the most interesting things that Dr. Pardee mentioned was his use of “smudge” pots to determine wind speed and direction. They seemed to have worked much better that his opponent’s silk ribbons; at the least, I would imagine that they were quicker and easier to read. Balloons would make an interesting wind flag as well, and from the sounds of his description, they were positioned on rods above the smudge pots. In gusty conditions, like the ones that Pardee mentions, the smoke pots would be my choice for determining both speed and direction.

Another fact Pardee related was that he had an assistant to handle and wipe the rifle, while he did the loading. Anyone who has shot a heavy muzzleloading slug rifle – one that weighs in excess of 20 pounds – can immediately understand that having someone else to lift it to and from the bench would help greatly with shooter fatigue. Another advantage for doing this is it gives the shooter time (otherwise spent cleaning) to watch the wind pots and flags. Certainly, a 60-pound slug rifle, being served by two men, almost qualifies as artillery!

In the interest of further understanding the rules that these high-stakes benchrest matches were typically shot under, I’ll include the rules set forth for a challenge match between the Nypano Rifle Club of Jamestown and the Onondaga Rifle Club of Syracuse, New York. This challenge was issued in the July 24th, 1890 issue of Shooting and Fishing:

Much has been written, and more has been said, regarding the relative merits of breech and muzzle-loading rifles, for accurate shooting. Efforts have been made to bring about a contest between the advocates of each, but have thus far failed. In view of this, I trust you will grant me the insertion of the following in your valuable paper.

We have some men in our club who are the owners of fine shooting breech-loading rifles, and who think they know how to shoot them to the best

Advantage, if not restricted in the manner of resting them, and who are willing to grant their adversaries the same privilege.

The members of the Nypano Club of Jamestown, N.Y., are well known advocates of the muzzle-loader, and Mr. H.V. Perry is their champion. In a recent invitation extended to visitors to attend one of their meetings, they made an allowance in favor of breechloaders, thereby showing the great confidence they have in their muzzle-loaders.

We greatly desire to see a fair contest between the advocates of each, and herewith we challenge Mr. H.V. Perry, and any two other members of the Nypano Club to shoot a match of one hundred shots, string measure, against three members of the Onondaga Rifle Club, for one thousand dollars a side. The money to be divided into five prizes of four hundred dollars each; match to be shot under the following conditions:

1. Distance 200 yards.

2. Four strings of 25 shots each, for four hundred dollars each string. The individual contestant making the shortest string in each race to be entitled to the prize, and four hundred dollars to the individual contestant making the shortest aggregate string of the one hundred shots.

3. Standard weight of guns will be ten lbs., all over shall give 1/8 inch for each lb. on each ten shots.

4. Each contestant shall use such rest as best suits him, and shall not be restricted as to flags or sights.

5. Each side shall select one judge, and these two shall select a referee, to whom all matters in dispute shall be referred, and their joint decision shall be final.

6. A stakeholder shall be agreed upon, with whom the full amount of two thousand dollars shall be deposited and held subject to the award of the judges and referee.

7. Match to be shot upon neutral grounds.

8. Articles of agreement based upon the fore-going conditions to be signed four weeks before the date of the match, and the full amount of one thousand dollars a side to be deposited with the stakeholder, and forfeited if either party fail to shoot the match in accordance with the agreement.

W.A. Koehler

Capt., Onondago Rifle Club

Syracuse, New York, July 19th

What I find interesting about the above rules is the 1⁄8-inch handicap for all rifles over 10 pounds. Given a 20-pound rifle, this would mean 1¼-inches added to each 10-shot string. Having shot a few string measure matches, I know this can be a big deal if the strings are close. A 40-pound rifle would obviously have 2½-inches for each string and that would be a real killer if all riflemen and rifles were of about the same ability and accuracy. As the 40-rod matches went along there was a shift from the super-heavy rifles to many in the 14 to 20-pound class, which offered a reasonable compromise on handicaps. Gunsmith and match shooter Norman Brockway said that a 20-pound .38 caliber rifle would shoot just as well as a heavier rifle of bigger caliber, all else being equal. However, in my research, many of the old-timers stuck to their heavy guns, feeling that the extra weight gave them an advantage on recoil management.

These 40-rod, rest rifle matches are little known to riflemen today, but were the cutting edge of accuracy rifle shooting and techniques in their day. Much of what we still do today, in our rest rifle matches, was pioneered by these early-day rifle cranks, and for good reason; these boys played the game for real money and gunsmiths shot in the matches as well. Winning a major match, such as these, would secure an enviable reputation and the business from other aspiring shooters. A top shooter/gunsmith such as Brockway, Perry, Warner or Billinghurst enjoyed much respect in his local community for his ability on the rifle range and on the gunsmithing bench.

Riflemen, regardless of the time period, have always sought to develop their skills and equipment, and the best way to do that is in a serious competition. Learning to deal with stress and not make mistakes in both handling the rifle and in judging conditions is in sharp focus when one is “shooting for all the marbles”. Will the old-time 40-rod matches experience a revival amongst today’s best shooters and will some of the record strings that the likes of Pardee shot be broken? I firmly believe that amongst today’s riflemen there are those that could give the Old Guys a run for their money at 40 rods. We can only wait and see.