World record for aimed bolt-action rifle fire

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When researching the Lee-Enfield rifle, the following is mentioned by several texts on the subject:

"The current world record for aimed bolt-action fire was set in 1914 by a musketry instructor in the British Army—Sergeant Instructor Snoxall—who placed 38 rounds into a 12-inch-wide (300 mm) target at 300 yards (270 m) in one minute."

Many folks have said that this is simply not possible with a bolt gun, and that the observers must have been mistaken. I don't know, I'm a little skeptical myself, but the SMLE had a pretty fast action compared to the Mauser. Thoughts?
 
The British Army's Enfield training seems to have created the expression "The Mad Minute".
Even better: both the #4 and #5 "Jungle C." were built with aperture sights.

You can order an adjustable rear ladder sight to replace the dual flip aperture which many #4s are equipped with.
 
If you doubt, buy an SMLE and see what you can do with it.
I don't doubt the 38 rounds in a minute that's quoted. These were people who trained to get the most out of their rifles and had the right rifle to do this with. If for some reason I couldn't afford or own a semi-auto rifle, an Enfield would be my choice.

FWIW, I think I would still choose an Enfield over an AK.
 
If you read the history or the second Boer War, you will see why the British trained like crazy in rifle marksmanship for the next 14 years until WWI.
During the first part of the 2nd Boer War, British troops marched in formation into a valley that was well prepared by Boer Troopers who had been competing in long range marksmanship since they were old enough to hold a rifle.

The British troops who survived said that it sounded like a hard rain hitting the dry ground around them, until they noticed it was rapid long range plunging fire. At well over 1500 yards, which would have actually made you a bigger target had you laid down.
By the time the remaining UK troops pushed into the Boer trenches, they found them long deserted and ankle deep in expended 7x57mm brass.
 
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With my Enfield rifle I beat the record set by Snoxall in 1914, I just modified the magazine slightly to avoid reloading. :rolleyes: (I had to stop shooting when the fore stock caught fire though) :D

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Fire 38 rounds in one minute from a bolt gun? Including reloading 3 times?

Fire 38 rounds in one minute from a bolt gun including reloading and hit a 12" target at 300 yards?

I would have to see this... twice... and I still would not believe it is possible.
 
Fire 38 rounds in one minute from a bolt gun? Including reloading 3 times?

Fire 38 rounds in one minute from a bolt gun including reloading and hit a 12" target at 300 yards?

I would have to see this... twice... and I still would not believe it is possible.
Click to expand...
This.

As much as I do loves my Enfields, the math simply does not work for me. The reloading process alone would consume at least fifteen seconds total time if everything went perfectly and he was shooting from a benched position, leaving little more than one second per shot to hit a 12" target at 300 yards without a miss. Having tried to do fast reloads with an Enfield from field positions that allowed for the stated accuracy, getting unsupported/unslung to accomplish the reload took more time than you might think.
 
IlikeSA said:
Did he do it from one rifle, or were loaded rifles given to him?
Click to expand...

As linked to in the very second post and easily available to read:
"(Mad Minute)

Unlimited shots firer starts standing up in the alert position rifle loaded with 10 rounds bolt closed and safety on. The appearance of the 4 foot screen (as Used in practice 1) is the signal to adopt the prone position and fire as many shots as possible in the one minute the target is exposed. Reloading by clips on demand scoring 5 points per hit on the fig 11 Practice HPS (the record is 37 rds in a minute acheived just after the first world war by a British Skill at Arms Instructor so we shall say the HPS is 37 x 5 so 185 anyone beats that they have cheated!)"
 
I cannot run a 4 minute mile.

I cannot run a 10 second 100 yard dash.

I cannot fire 30 accurately placed rounds from an SMLE in 1 minute.

However, there are exceptional individuals that can, and they all have my respect.
 
Boy, not much. It would be really interesting to do some more research into this issue. Given the date it's possible that he, like so many other professional soldiers in the British forces, was lost in the initial years of the Great War.

There was an extensive discussion on this topic here, including notes on the sources:

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?110388-Sergeant-Instructor-Snoxall

The oft-repeated quote is just about all there is about this fellow. Note, however, that 38 was only one better than the record of Wallingford, who is much better known and who's identity and feats are not in dispute. So this was not impossible.

We may just be dealing with a historical snapshot of a marksmanship event witnessed by a group of soldiers who would almost all be dead within a year or two of the event. That would explain the lack of any detailed post-war corroboration. The state of the records from that time is also apparently pretty poor.
 
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There might be something in the National Archives of the UK at

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Hierarchy.mvc?iAID=14347

Unfortunately, the records have not been digitized for on line viewing and would have to ordered in the dead tree edition. For 6.99 UK Pounds per volume (Not unreasonable for someone with adequate motivation to search). Or perhaps a board member in the UK could pop by for a look and let us know...
 
When I was in the service if you were good at baseball you would play ball all day and be excused from all other duties.

If you were good at shooting in the service you would shoot all day and be on the base shooting team.

Sergeant Instructor Snoxall was a musketry instructor in the British Army and he shot all day, and he was good at it.

How many of you play golf and how many of you could beat Tiger Woods at a game of golf. :confused:
You people can't believe it about Sgt Snoxall but in reality how many of you would actually even qualify for the special Olympics. :rolleyes:

Click on video link below ;)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=34048
 
I never tried 30 aimed shots in 1 minute, but I did kill 2 wild hogs several years ago with my no5. My son called me on my cell to see if it was me that fired when he heard the shots. Indeed I had. He asked me what rifle I was using (he thought I had my 742 remington). I was suprised myself, especially when I went to eject the second round only to find that I had already chambered the third. My adrelanin was pumping for sure, cause I did not recall chambering that last round.
 
i enjoy firing quickly with my bolt gun. i usually run drills where i will put a 6" plate and an 8" plate and a 10" plate out in a field somewhere between 400-500 yrds, spread over perhaps a 20 degree arc so you have to change position. then use a shot timer to see how fast i can put a hit on each one. usually it's about 9 seconds for 3 hits. (I can miss somewhat faster though :) )

granted, my equipment is a little more modern than WWI gear, and I'm using a scope and a bipod...

would be interesting to try it with an AR15. standing to prone, slung in, i'll bet 40-50 hits on a 24" target isn't difficult with a regular service rifle setup
 
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