Peculiar shooting position

[butlersrangers]

Has anyone ever tried this?

Colonel Winder (of .22cal. Winder-Musket fame) shooting a 1903 Springfield at Camp Perry. He is shooting right-handed in the 'Sitting' position, but, appears to be Aiming with his Left Eye.

I am guessing the distance to the target must be 200 to 500 yards, looking at the position of the Slide on the Sight Leaf.

(I don't know which sight notch or aperture he is using. I think Three are possible).

Explanations???

Was Col. Winder right-handed, but, Left-Eye dominant?

Was he having a problem with his right-eye?

Maybe due to stock 'drop' and elevation of slide, using the Left Eye allowed a firm 'Cheek-Weld' on stock comb and good neck/head support?

This picture has always looked odd to me. Today, I realized why.

(BTW - Lt. Col Winder, Ohio N.G. Born in 1874 & died in 1921, Palm Beach, Fla. He was an Ohio volunteer and Corporal in the SAW. He won the Leech Cup in 1903 and became an Aviation pioneer in 1912).

[psteinmayer]

My guess would be that he's left-eye dominant (or perhaps had an injury to his right eye and had to learn to use his left to sight). Judging by how low his head is, I would say he's firing at 200 and using the bottom peep aperture. Great picture Chuck!

[Culpeper]

Where do you find these great photos? Wish I had that rifle. It looks new.

[butlersrangers]

That photo is from the 'Bain News Service Collection' in the Library of Congress Digital Collections (viewable online).

That Springfield rifle was 'new' when the photo was taken. (Note that the hand-guard is the 'non-grooved' type).

One of the Col. Winder photos is dated 8/8/11.

I just found this Camp Perry photo of Col. A. C. Sharpe dated 8/9/1911.

[Parashooter]

. . . He is shooting right-handed in the 'Sitting' position, but, appears to be Aiming with his Left Eye. . .

I doubt he's using his left eye - unless aiming at something very distant and considerably downslope.

[butlersrangers]

'Parashooter' - Thanks for the graphics and observation.

I thought possibly he was using the "V" Notch on the top of the elevation-slide, rather than the lower apertures.

[psteinmayer]

Ok... now I need MY head examined! I suffered a total brain fart!!! I looked at the picture and for some ridiculous reason thought his right eye was his left when I made my reply!!! Thanks Para for helping me to see the light, so to speak.

Ok, I need more caffeine in my morning coffee... LOL

[butlersrangers]

Maybe the good Colonel is just resting between shots .... or he is built really funny?

If I put my head on the comb of my model 1903 like that, my right eye will 'sight' underneath the Bolt Handle!

[Parashooter]

. . . I thought possibly he was using the "V" Notch on the top of the elevation-slide, rather than the lower apertures.

OK, but that upper notch goes down only to some 1500 yards. That's a long shot from sitting!

An old trick for elevating the eye with a low-comb stock is to rest cheek on thumb wrapped around stock wrist. Could be in operation here. (Not recommended for short-fingered folks! :-?)

[butlersrangers]

New theories:

1. The Colonel is aiming 'Left-Eyed' through the slide 'notch', not at the 'Bull', but, at a low part of his target frame or position number to have a more consistent sight-picture.

2. He is relaxing his neck muscles before holding his head 'up' to take a 'Right-Eye' shot and the photographer caught this moment.

3. He is hanging his head in disbelief that a photographer is standing in front of the 'Firing Line' on a Live Range!

All I know for sure about the situation is that Lt. Col. Charles B. Winder was competent and knew what he was doing in August, 1911, (and I'm wondering about it over 115 years later)!