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November 2, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Girls' rifle team, Central High." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
When my girlfriend and I competed in a John Garand match using M1 rifles last year, that's basically how they taught us to hold them while we were doing the offhand standing position at 200 yards. It was fairly lightly balanced on the left hand while snugged up against the right armpit.
I fire a 30-06 (a very heavy rifle) with a hand firmly holding the trigger area, and a hand lightly supporting the stock. I guarantee my rifle has more recoil than those in the picture. It's a perfectly accurate portrayal of shooting. Balance the gun with the left hand; support most of the weight with the right.
Someone help me here. There is no way that the left hand should merely lightly support a rifle. This has to be just as a photographic pose?
with rifles. What a striking dissimilarity...or not.
This school is now called Cardozo High School in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.
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