A Page from History: Notable Shooter A.C. Gould

by
posted on March 30, 2017
ac-gould.jpg
From the August 1955 issue of American Rifleman, the legacy of notable shooter and writer A.C. Gould by John A. Harper, Jr.

Arthur Corbin Gould was an enthusiastic member of the Massachusetts Rifle Association in the 1880s. A skillful shooter and a student of firearms mechanics and ballistics, he founded the publication which is the American Rifleman today. First issued in May 1885 under the name of The Rifle, it reported on rifle shooting and rifle clubs until July 2, 1888 when the name was changed to Shooting and Fishing and its scope was broadened to include outdoor recreation with rod and gun.

Mr. Gould initiated through the pages of the magazine several movements which led to the advancement of organized shooting in this country. In the early 1880s many targets of different dimensions and shapes were in use by shooting groups, and records exited for scores made on each target. Through the pages of The Rifle a discussion of targets was initiated, and a poll of organized shooting groups conducted, which led to the adoption as the Standard American target that was designed by Charles W. Hinman.

Mr. Gould gave impetus to organized pistol and revolver target shooting with a department devoted to "Revolver and Pistol" which appeared first in the December 1886 issue. It is recorded that the first public competitions with handguns were held at Tir de Versailles, near Paris, in 1879. The first pistol competitions in this country were fired in the 15th Annual NRA Matches at Creedmoor in 1887. The attention given this activity in The Rifle and Shooting and Fishing was of considerable importance in furthering handgun competition.

For several years prior to 1900 the National Rifle Association existed essentially in name only, its annual competition being conducted under the auspices of the New Jersey Rifle Association at Sea Girt, NJ. Mr. Gould and the then-secretary of the New Jersey Rifle Association, Albert S. Jones, initiated through the columns of Shooting and Fishing a movement to organize a League of American Rifleman for the revival of the International Palma Trophy Match, last fired between Ireland and the United States in 1880. This led directly to the reorganization pro team on September 5, 1900, of the National Rifle Association of America, which reorganization became official at a meeting of the NRA Board of Directors on December 17, 1900.

Mr. Gould's interest in firearms produced two books, The Modern American Pistol and Revolver in 1888, and Modern American Rifles in 1891.

Latest

GUNS Silencercentral Partner 2
GUNS Silencercentral Partner 2

Silencer Central, Guns.com Join Forces For Suppressor Fulfillment

Online suppressor giant Silencer Central is partnering with Guns.com to fulfill all Guns.com online suppressor purchases.

2024 NSCA National Championship: Team Winchester’s Matarese Secures Third Place In Main Event

Team Winchester and White Flyer shooters claim top finishes at 2024 NSCA National Championship, including Anthony Matarese, Jr., taking third in the Main Event and Joe Fanizzi in third for juniors.

Magpul’s New PMAG 20 LR/SR GEN M3 Magazine Has Round Count Verification Window

Magpul adds windowed PMAG 20 LR/SR GEN M3 variant to its 7.62x51 mm NATO/.308 Win. magazine lineup.

CMP Class Teaches Advanced M1 Garand Rifle Maintenance

Civilian Marksmanship Program releases dates for 2025 Advanced Maintenance classes to be held in Anniston, Ala.

Classic SSUSA: The Inaugural NRA World Shooting Championship

Begin with 159 world champions, run them through 11 shooting stages, all with standard guns provided by the match sponsors, and you end up with a new trophy and $50,000 awarded to the inaugural NRA World Shooting Champion.

Legends: Sue Ann Sandusky 1952-2024

The shooting sports community mourns the loss of Sue Ann Sandusky, a three-time NRA All-American, Army veteran and Distinguished service rifle shooter, who sadly passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.