Annie Oakley Scrapbook

THE AMERICAN FIELD Sept. 17

OAKLEY—SHARP.—Nunhead, London, Eng.—Editor American Field:—A match at live blue rocks took place between Miss Annie Oakley, the American wonder, and Mr. G. Sharp, at Mr. Brown's shooting grounds on August 25. The conditions were: 25 birds each, 24 yards rise, 5 traps, 5 yards apart, English rules. Mr. T. Brown furnished the birds, and a fine lot they were. Miss Oakley was not feeling well, having suffered for several days from a severe headache. Nevertheless the little wonder would not disappoint her many friends. She made a run of 17 straight, while he opponent met with very hard luck. Her wonderful shooting seemed to "break him all up." Miss Oakley's eighteenth bird fell dead two yards out of bounds. The scores in detail were:

Miss Annie Oakley (Lancaster 20-bore, 3/4 ounce shot, Schultze gunpowder) 1111111111 1111111011 1101110—22

Mr. G. Sharp (Potter 16-bore, 1 ounce shot, E. C. powder) 1000110000 1110101111 11011—15

Several sweepstakes were shot, Miss Oakley taking three, Mr. Sharp one and Mr. T. and Master C. Brown dividing another.

LAND AND WATER.

MISS OAKLEY'S PIGEON SHOOTING.

SIR,—In a recent issue you very kindly published the result of a private exhibition by Miss Annie Oakley's shooting on August 10, with a pair of 20-bore breech-loader hammerless shots gun I had just finished for her.

I have now the pleasure to give you particulars of a match which took place at my private shooting ground on September 30, under the following conditions:—To kill 35 out of 50 of the very best bluerock pigeons at 25 yards rise; five traps, Hurlingham rules, weight of guns, 5lb. 2oz.; 2 1/2drs. of powder, 3/4oz. shot. I append herewith score of Miss Annie Oakley's shooting, in which you will see she grassed 41 birds out of 50, winning the match by 6 birds over the stipulated number:—

Number. Full Score.

1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 — 8 out of 10 1 0 1* 1 1 1* 1 1 1* 1* — 9 " 10 1 1 1 0 1 — 4 " 5

Interval.

1* 1 1 1 1 1* 0 1 0 0 — 7 " 10 1 0 1 1* 0 1 1 1 1 1 — 8 " 10 1* 1* 1 1* 1 — 5 " 5 41 " 50

*Denotes both barrels fired.

The birds were supplied by Mr. T. Morgan, of Latimer-road, Notting-hill.

At the conclusion of the match, Miss Annie Oakley was warmly congratulated on her brilliant shooting by her friends and the gentlemen present.

Charles Lancaster.

151, New Bond-street, W.

[We would suggest that there is a certain amount of cuelty in shooting pigeons at the distance of twenty-five yards with so light a gun and charge. It is a fine performance from a gunnery point of view, doubtless, but it involves the principle of shooting at birds which rise at too great a distance to be killed every time, even with the most perfect aim. At fifteen or twenty yards rise, Miss Oakley would only have missed when she did not hold straight. At twenty-five yards the case is different. No such charge is powerful enough to kill with certainty at such a distance.—ED.]

The County Gentleman,

SPORTING GAZETTE,

AND

AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1887.

Miss Oakley's Field Shooting.—There is no one who will deny for a moment but what Miss Oakley is very clever as well as very graceful in her style of shooting at blue rocks or glass balls; but what about her performances in the field? Surely there are plenty of noblemen and gentelmen near London who could arrange to let the little lady try her hand a few hours in the forenoon at partridges or pheasants. Grouse are too far off to allow her to keep her engagements at Earl's Court. I do not think a 20-bore 5 1/8lb gun a very likely one for field or covert shooting late in the season, but as light 20-bores have possibly never been given a very fair trial, an opportunity might be afforded for testing their execution. A light gun may be easier carried, but most clever shots like something of weight and balance, more particularly when shooting up wind or on a hill where there is a heavy cross-breeze. Mr. Lancaster, no doubt, has made Miss Oakley's guns for exhibition purposes, and would turn out something heavier for game shooting. A 20-bore is best suited for walking up wild grouse and dropping wild rising cocks about this time than for driving.

Springfield Union Oct 26th - 87

I saw the Wild West very often. They are making quite a sensation over there From the Queen down every one goes to see them, in fact the American exhibition without the Wild West would, in my estimation, be a complete failure, as it is not representative American at all. Here is an English blue rock pigeon which the gun clubs use in their matches, and which was the first one Miss Annie Oakley of the Wild West exhibition killed. She presented it to me before I left for home. Miss Oakley isa great favorite over there. She is invited out nearly everyday to some reception or other. A few days before I left, she was the guest of Lord Mandeville at the grounds of the sporting and dramatic club at Barnes, near London, when she divided a sweepstake with 10 entries with her host who presented her with a jubilee sovereign with his monogram and crest engraved on it. The last match I saw her take part in was the the ground of Charles Lancaster, the noted Bond street gun maker of London, where for a bet of $500 she was backed to kill 35 out 50 blue rocks with her 20 bore shot gun made by Mr. Lancaster, she to stand at 25 yards rise, the Hurlingham rules to govern. She won by killing 41 out of 50, in fine style. Mr. Lancaster presented her with a very handsome gold badge suitably engraved. I used a shot gun quite a good deal while in England. The same day Miss Oakley shot I killed five straight blue rocks and Mr. Lancaster gave me a carbuncle and diamond pin as a souvenir of my visit. I used a Lancaster 12-gauge gun and stood 28 yards from traps. In company with Mr. Hindley I went to Birmingham where I was the guest of J. P. Clabrough, the senior member of the well known gun firm J. P. Blabrough & Brothers. We visited the factory of Messrs Clabrough and other gun makers Buck Taylor is very much liked in London.

I spent a short time at my old home in Shropshire and enjoyed a little partridge and pheasant shooting. I attended a night session at the house of commons lasting from 8 p. m. to 4.30 a. m. It is my opinion that England will grant home rule to Ireland as soon as Gladstone comes into power again, and it looks as if an election was not very far off. The English working classes are opening their eyes to the condition of Ireland.

I left Glasgow October 6, on the Circassia and had a most delightful return voyage. A concert was gotten uy by the chief steward for the benefit of the Shipwrecked Seaman's home, and $25 was collected. Mr. Black, a well known baritone singer who was on his way to San Francisco to join the National opera company, gave two excellent songs and the chief steward gave two comic sketches which were well received and a very enjoyable evening was spent. I am glad to be once more in old Springfield. It does one good to get back after nearly four months' absence. It is my candid opinion that Springfield has in M. W. Bull the best military rifle shot in the country and two or three others are close after him, among them Lieut. S. S. Bumstead and F. R. Bull. I think Springfield can produce 10 men with military rifles who can beat 10 men from any one city in the Union if they will practice.

THE FIELD.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1887.

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY'S GUNS.

Sir,—In your issue of July 16 you very kindly published a letter of mine respecting "Shooting with both Eyes Open," which gave certain particulars respecting the 12-bore hammerless gun I had the honour of building for Miss Annie Oakley, of the Wild West Show, and I stated that I was building a pair of 20-bore breechloading hammerless guns for this lady, to be specially designed for her exhibition performances. These guns Miss Oakley has been using lately at the daily performances at the Wild West Show, and, I am pleased to say, with considerable success.

These 20-bore guns are a little straighter in the stocks than the 12-bore hammerless I had the honour of building her, and are half pistol-hand, barrels 28in., the right modified choke, and the left rather more choked. They weigh 5lb. 2oz. each.

Miss Annie Oakley has used these guns at Mr Brown's shooting grounds at Nunhead, and also at my private shooting ground, both at starlings and best blue rock pigeons; and last week a wager was made under the following conditions, viz., to kill thirty-five out of fifty best blue rocks at 25 yards' rise, using both barrels of one of her Charles Lancaseter 20-bore B. L. hammerless guns, with 3/4oz. shot only, five traps, Hurlingham rules.

The match was shot at my private shooting grounds on the morning of Sept. 30, the birds being supplied by Mr T. Morgan, of Latimer-road, Notting Hill.

I append herewith a score of Miss Annie Oakley's shooting, from which you will see she actually grassed forty-one birds out of the fifty, winning the wager by six birds over the stipulated number. Score:

1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 out of 10 1 0 1*1 1 1*1 1 1*1* 9 " " 10 1 1 1*0 1 4 " " 5 Interval. 1*1 1 1 1 1*0 1 0 0 7 " " 10 1 0 1 1*0 1 1 1 1 1 8 " " 10 1*1*1 1*1 5 " " 5

41 out of 50

*Denotes both barrels fired.

At the conclusion of the match, Miss Annie Oakley was warmly congratulated on her brilliant shooting by her friends and gentlemen present at the match. Charles Lancaster.

151, New Bond-street, London, W.