Excerpt from How to Shoot (Including Care and Preservation of the Rifle) There was a time when we could be considered a nation Of rifle shots. Early in the Revolutionary period, cer tain prisoners Of war were taken across the ocean to demonstrate the really dangerous foes we were, because of the wonderful skill at short ranges, which had been developed by the daily use of the rifle. It was the faithful friend in times of peace or war. It provided the main articles Of food for the household, and protected the fireside from intrusion. But like many another friend, when safety and plenty surrounded those early homes, and game became somewhat scarce, it was forgotten, and when remembered it was placed above the family hearth, and there revered for what it had done in the past. Rifle shooting as a diversion was later on kept alive by a few devoted lovers Of this king Of outdoor sports. Then came an era of invention which made the rifle Of today a remarkable scientific instrument. In the hands of a skillful student Of conditions it can be made to do wonders - fat greater even than driving a tack at fifty yards. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.