World record for aimed bolt-action rifle fire

[Slater]

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?

[MAUSER202]

The British did train troops on the "mad minute" 15 aimed shots at 300 yds in under a minute. It was common in WW 1 for many troops to be able to do 25 shots. So I guess an expert could conceivably do 38.
It has a 10rnd mag that you can charge with a stripper clip and a very smooth action.

[QuietShootr]

I believe it. A really proficient Enfield shooter can really bring the pain. Of course, most of them are too arthritic these days to do it again:D

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

That rifle has a detachable box mag so it would have enabled super fast reloads

[Alpha Sierra]

Google Dennis DeMille rapid fire record.

ETA: here you go. Three strings of ten rounds, each in 60 seconds, starting standing and assuming a sling supported sitting position on the clock before opening fire at 200 yards. 10 ring is 2 MOA, X ring is 1 MOA.

First string: 100-10X. Second string: 100-10X. Third string 100-8X.

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/dennis_demille_cover_560a.jpg

[Suwannee Tim]

My father was pals with a retired Marine who could really lay in the fire with his '03A1. I don't think 38 rounds per minute but 25 easy, maybe 30 including reloads. I can fire five aimed shots in maybe 7 or 8 seconds with an '06, four shots in the same 7 or 8 seconds with a 458 though I've never practiced fast reloading of a bolt action. Having a rifle that takes stripper clips makes a big, big difference.

[crusader377]

The British did train troops on the "mad minute" 15 aimed shots at 300 yds in under a minute. It was common in WW 1 for many troops to be able to do 25 shots. So I guess an expert could conceivably do 38.
It has a 10rnd mag that you can charge with a stripper clip and a very smooth action.

This is correct and actually 15rds per minute was considered the minimum standard for pre-war and early world war I British infantry. This poster is correct that 25+ shots was relatively common. In some of their initial battles against the British at the Battle of Mons, the Germans reported facing mass machinegun fire while in fact they were facing well trained British infantry firing enfields.

Here is some additional background on the effects of british fire in some of the early battles.

http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/British_Front/Mons_3_Days.htm