Isle of Man Times, 20th July 1901

    Last Thursday was a splendid day for shooting, the afternoon being fine and very warm, with a clear atmosphere, and a light north-westerly breeze blowing across the range. About a score of members attended, headed by Mr George Drinkwater, J.P., who is an enthusiast in all that pertains to volunteering and rifle-shooting. The party went by train to Port Soderick, and thence a walk of about a mile and a half uphill and down dale brought them to the range, which is situated on a undulating plateau a little south of Port Soderick creek, on the farm called Balnahowe.
    A very pleasant and profitable afternoon was spent by the rifle-shooting party. The scoring, having regard to the fact that most of the members had not competed on a range before, was quite satisfactorily. The firing for the coveted distinction of “marksman” is from three distances – 200 yards, 500 yards and 600 yards respectively – seven shots in various positions.
    Mr George Drinkwater headed the list with some excellent shooting, scoring 24, 27 and 26 at the three distances above named, out of a possible 28. In making the last score of 22 at 600 yards, there was no hit signalled back from the target for one of his shots, and, therefore, it was scored a miss; but no one at the butts really believed that was a miss, and subsequent inquiry revealed that it was a bull’s eye. At any rate, Mr Drinkwater’s score was a capital one.
    Mr Hodgson, one of the Rifle Club, who had never shot on a range before, also made a capital practice at each distance. He scored 17 at 200 yards, 22 at 500 yards and 24 at 600 yards. Sergt.-Instructor Thomas, of the Douglas Volunteer Corps, superintended the shooting, and kept the scoring sheets. He was able to give many useful hints to the budding riflemen, as to the best position in firing and the management of their rifles.
 

Isle of Man Examiner, 20th July 1901

The first effective shooting on the new rifle range as Balnahoe, near Port Soderick, by members of the Douglas Rifle Club took place on Thursday afternoon. The firing was from 200 yards, 500 yards and 600 yards respectively, and some very fair scores were made, Mr. George Drinkwater heading the list. The total length of the range is 800 yards, and it is fitted with two modern targets, which can be added to if necessity arises.

Isle of Man Times, ? 1901

    When a tyro goes on a rifle range, he soon finds that the business of an up-to-date rifleman is far more complex than he imagines. Two things seem to be absolutely necessary for the best class of shooting – first a good rifle, and second a good man behind it. The combination is a rare one, but it is usually the man who is at fault, though the rifle is oftenest blamed.
    As regards the man, it is necessary, as all experienced riflemen aver, that he should be in good health and perfect condition as he takes his place at the range. The nerves must be perfectly steady, and even hurried or irregular breathing is detrimental to good shooting. The man who finds a bull’s eye again and again with deadly mechanical accuracy, must be a wholly sane man, with all his energies intact, and all calmly concentrated on one purpose. It is said that even the temperament of the individual at the time he is shooting slightly affects the result.
    There is a seven o’clock bull as well as a perfect bull’s eye. That is, supposing the target were a clock face, the bullet strikes where the seven is, which means the rifleman has a little improvement to try for in his next shot. The steadiness and intensity required for this kind of work, especially at long-range firing, can be best realised by watching an old stager like Mr Drinkwater or Mr Maden at work at the butt.
    The treatment of the rifle is also, of course, of prime importance. The modern Lee-Metford rifle is a wonderful weapon; but in order to secure a good result with it, it must be well cared for and studied for months before the owner can be said to be acquainted with all its peculiarities.
    No two men are exactly alike, and the same remark applies to the rifle. All rifles used in the army and in the rifle clubs, which are now in existence all over the country, have their chief feature in common, but all have some slight differences which it is necessary for the rifleman to study.
    The rifle must, of course, be kept very clean, and the sights must be very carefully adjusted. In shooting at the range, each competitor knows the distance at which he is firing; in other cases he must judge it as best he can, and considerable practice is necessary before he can judge with accuracy. The allowances must be made on either side for wind, and the state of the atmosphere.
    In the experienced rifleman’s kit, in addition to various other materials and appliances, there is an ingenious little apparatus called a Vernier’s Regulator, which is marked off in degrees of a circle, and enables the shooter to adjust his sights with the most mathematical regularity. For the really best class of shooting, no mere skill and judgment can compete on equal terms with this exact mathematical process.
    The sights on a rifle are always carefully protected by metal caps when the rifle is not in use, but a careful competitor always carried with him in a bottle the wherewithal to blacken his sights, when in the act of aiming. The aim itself is, of course, of vital importance. Some men take a fine sight on their marks, and others a medium or full sight; but, in any case, the eye must be held quite close to the cocking piece, and the description of the aim right or left, up or down, is determined by a variety of circumstances which must be calculated beforehand with the utmost nicety.
    There are several books of instruction on rifle shooting, some of which contain particulars of the various county and national competitions which are open to the aspirant for fame and prize money. In connection with this point, it may be interesting to Manx readers to know that Mr Drinkwater’s second son, who has for three years been head of his school, has won the County Challenge Cup of Bucks, the N.R.A.’s first prize, and the nomination for the Queen’s and Prince Of Wales’ competition at Bisley.

Isle of Man Examiner, 27 July 1901

DOUGLAS RIFLE CLUB
Nevill Challenge Cup Competition

    At Balnahow Range on Thursday afternoon, the first competition in connection with the recently-formed Douglas Rifle Club took place under unpleasant meteorological conditions, there being a strong breeze from the left rear, while heavy rain fell as shooting was going on at 500 and 600 yards.
    The silver challenge cup presented to the club by Mr Percy Nevill, was shot for among other prizes. The winner of the cup turned up in Mr George R. Drinkwater, the captain of the club. Young Drinkwater is an Eton College boy, and formed one of the Eton team which recently won the Public Schools competition of Bisley. He is a cool and steady marksman, and has evidently mastered the art of rifle shooting. The following were the principal scores:-

            Of the above, the first five are Volunteers, while Mr Kaighen is an ex-Volunteer, and was formerly one of the crack shots of the Douglas corps. There were nineteen other competitors.

Reports reproduced by kind permission of Isle of Man Newspapers